440 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



[NO. 27. 



Spizella breweri Cass. Brewer Sparrow. 



In the early autumn of 1896 J. Alden Loring observed this species- 

 along the streams in the ' prairies ' between J asper House and Smoky 

 •Eiver, and took a male in Smoky Valley, 50 miles north of Jasper 

 House, August 26. This specimen (No. 155779) is now in the Bio- 

 logical Survey collection. 



Junco hyemalis (Linn.). Slate-colored Junco. 



This common species, sometimes called ' tomtit ' in the North, is 

 the sole representative of its genus throughout most of the wooded 

 parts of the Athabaska-Mackenzie country. Over this vast region 

 it is a common summer resident, being one of the earliest of the 

 smaller migrants to arrive in spring and a rather late lingerer in 

 autumn. 



In the spring of 1901 we saw numbers daily between Edmonton 

 and Athabaska Landing, April 29 to May 5, and noted the species 

 near Poplar Point on the lower Athabaska, May 16. In the vicinity 

 of Fort Chipewyan we found it common May 19 to June 5, and col- 

 lected several specimens. After leaving Fort Chipewyan we found 

 it common all along our route as far north as Fort Rae. We noted 

 the first nest, Avhich contained four apparently fresh eggs, 10 miles 

 below the mouth of Peace River, June 10. At Smith Landing, in a 

 partially cleared tract near the river, we found several nests contain- 

 ing young, June 12 to 18. At Fort Smith, where the species was 

 abundant, we first observed fully fledged young June 25. We noted 

 the bird almost daily along SlaVe River between Fort Smith and 

 Fort Resolution, June 29 to July 4, and saw" it on July 5 at the 

 latter point, where Alfred E. Preble also observed it almost daily 

 during the latter half of July. I saw it nearly every day at Fort 

 Rae, July 19 to 29, and on our return trip noted it at Athabaska. 

 Landing, August 30, and near Vermilion Creek, September 3. 



In the. spring of 1903 Ave found this bird common at Edmonton, 

 Ma}^ 8 to 11, and daily saAV a few between Sturgeon River and Atha- 

 baska Landing, Alberta, May 13 to 15. While descending the Atha- 

 baska, May 16 to June 2, we observed the bird nearly every day, 

 noting a pair building at Grand Rapid on May 23. It Avas next 

 observed at Smith Landing, June 11. It Avas common beloAV Fort 

 Smith, June 15, and one or tAvo Avere seen above Limestone Point, i 

 June 17. A nest found on June 26, at Fort Resolution, Avhere the j 

 bird Avas not common, contained eggs about to hatch. The junco 

 Avas noted by my brother and Cary on several occasions at Fort 

 Providence, July 3 to 7. It Avas rather common on the Nahanni 

 Mountains, July 13 to 18, AA^here a nest with four eggs was found 

 July 17, and it was noted at the mouth of Willow Lake River, 20 

 miles south of Fort Wrigley, July 19. On their return trip the 



