448 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



[NO. 27. 



of trees on Artillery Lake, where one Avas noted August 5, 1907, and 

 from the eastern end of Great Slave Lake September 11." 



Passerella iliaca schistacea Baird. Slate-colored Sparrow. 



Macoun records a specimen taken at Edmonton, Alberta, May 5, 

 1897, by Spreadborough.'^ 



Pipilo maculatus arcticus (Swains.). Arctic Towhee. 



Macoun, on the authority of Raine, records two sets of four eggs, 

 taken at Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, June 12, 1898. The nests were 

 constructed of roots and grass and placed in low shrubs a few inches 

 above the ground.^ 



Zamelodia ludoviciana (Linn.). Rose-breasted Grosbeak. 



This beautiful grosbeak, until a few years ago unknown to the 

 northwestward of the lower Saskatchewan, is now ascertained to oc- 

 cur regularl}^ in the upper Saskatchewan and the lower Athabaska. 

 Peace, and Slave river valle3^s. 



Early on the morning of June 8, 1901, while encamped near the 

 banks of Slave River, 10 miles below the mouth of the Peace, I was 

 surprised to hear the beautiful song of this bird from the top of a 

 tall poplar near our t-ent. A short search revealed the singer, Avhich 

 immediately flew off into the forest and could not be found. A few^ 

 hours later another bird was discovered and shot in a poplar grove 

 near camp. During the next few days the species was found to be 

 fairly common in the vicinit3% and a nest was found on June 10. It 

 was placed about 12 feet above the Avater in a clump of willows grow- 

 ing in a flooded swamp, and was collected, together with the parent 

 birds. The nest was of the usual type and contained four fresh eggs. 

 On the following day another male was taken in the vicinity. After 

 we left this place we did not again note the species until we were 

 descending lower Slave River, July 2, when a male was seen at a 

 point about 100 miles beloAv Fort Smith. 



In the spring of 1903 we first observed the rose-breasted grosbeak 

 about 30 miles below Fort McMurray on the morning of May 29, 

 when we awoke to find it common among the willows and poplars, 

 now bursting into leaf. During this and the two following days 

 Ave Avere seldom out of hearing of the rich \^oice of this beautiful bird. 

 The last Avere seen at a point about 25 miles above the mouth of the 

 river, Avhere the poplar Avoods gave Avay to Ioav Avillows, Avhich are 

 not to the liking of the bird. On their return trip Alfred E. Preble 

 and Merritt Cryj noted one at Grand Rapid on August 20. 



«Auk, XXY, p. 73, 1908. 



* Cat. Canadiau Birds, Part III, p. 522, 1904. 

 ^Ibid., p. 524, 1904. 



