1908.] 



BIRDS. 



429 



Ammodramus lecontei (And.). Leconte Sparrow. 



AATiile collecting on the Quatre Fourches marsh, near Fort Cliipe- 

 wvan. May 2-1, 1901, I flushed several of these sparrows from the rank 

 growth of grass which covered the drier portions. They flew with a 

 weak, quivering flight, going but a short distance and usually pitching 

 into the withered grass. A faint twittering song, usually given while 

 the bird was on the wing, but occasionally delivered from the summit 

 of a grass stem, was the only sound I heard from them. Two speci- 

 mens, a male and a female in fresh breeding plumage, were secured. 



In the summer of 1903 this sparrow was found to be fairly common 

 in the marsh at Hay River, where my brother and Cary noted it 

 daily, June 29 to July 1, taking two specimens. The males were 

 singing and undoubtedly the species was breediug, but no nests 

 could be found. ^ATiile ascending the Athabaska on their return trip 

 they saw two individuals in rank grass near Brule Rapid, August 

 18. Another was seen in a similar place near House River on 

 August 22. 



Tn 1901 I saw the species only once — noting one on some low 

 ground, 10 miles north of Edmonton, September 1. 



An innnature bird was taken by J. Alden Loring al:' Edmonton, 

 September 10, 189-1, and is now in the Biological Survey collection. 

 Macoun records specimens taken at Edmonton iu May and June, 

 189T.« 



Ammodramus nelsoni (Allen). Xelson Sparrow. 



In 1901 we noted this bird at but one locality — a small meadow 

 surrounded by woods, near the banks of Slave River, about 25 miles 

 below the mouth of the Peace, where we took a male on June 12. 

 Several others were seen at the same time in the dense tangle of with- 

 ered grass. 



On May 13, 1903, we observed a marsh sparroAv, apparently of this 

 species, about some small sloughs near Sturgeon River. The species 

 was next seen in the extensive marsh at the mouth of Ha}^ River, 

 where my brother and Cary collected 3 specimens June 30. The 

 males delivered their simple songs, consisting of " a short preliminary 

 note, quite sharp, followed by a husky or broken note of much longer 

 duration,'' from the tops of the low bushes. While ascending the 

 Athabaska on their return trip the boys saw one in a patch of rank 

 grass bordering the river near Brule Rapid, August 18. During the 

 preparation of this report I have examined a specimen taken by 

 Spreadborough at Peace River Landing, Alberta, June 26, 1903. 



«Cat. Canadian Birds. Part ITT. p. 474. 1004. (On i)age 733 Maconn states 

 that his records for Itoth Edmonton and I'eace Tliver T^anding refer to the Nel- 

 son sparrow. Tliese specimens, liowever. have been examined by the Biological 

 Survey, and while the specimens from Peace River Landing are A, nelsoni, one 

 taken at Edmonton, May 26, 1897, proves referable to .4. lecontei.) 



