j 1908.] 



BIKDS. 



449 



In 1904 I noted this species onh^ at Fort McMurray, where I saw 

 several in pophir woods on August 12. To some of the voyagers on 

 the Athabaska it is known as the ' cannibal bird,' and they believe 

 that it eats smaller birds. Since our discovery of the bird on the 

 Athabaska and Slave rivers, JNIacoun has published notes of its 

 occurrence still farther west, as follows : 



First seen at Edmonton, Alta., May 15, 1897; found a nest [May 29] in an 

 alder bush about 10 feet from tlie ground, nest a very slight affair, in fact, I 

 could see the eggs quite through it; it was just a few sticks placed in the fork 

 of a bush. Eggs three; the male was sitting on the eggs; common in the pop- 

 lar woods from Edmonton to the McLeod River [in 1898] ; common from Lesser 

 Slave Lake to Peace River Landing, Lat. 56° 15', June, 1903. (Spread- 

 borough.) Common from Lesser Slave River down the Athabasca River to 

 Fort McMurray, Lat. 50° 40' ; not rare up the Clearwater River to Methye 

 Portage [1888]. (J. M. Macoun.) 



He also records specimens from Peace Eiver Landing and Edmon- 

 ton, and eggs from the latter place.^ 



Passerina amoena (Say). Lazuli Bunting. 



A male was taken b}^ Alfred E. Preble and Merritt Gary at Fort 

 Providence on July 4, 1903. It was singing from a young spruce 

 in a dry nuiskeg near the post, and Avas the only one observed. The 

 bird apparently is not known to occur regularly nearer to this place 

 than southern British Columbia. 



Piranga ludoviciana (Wils.). Louisiana Tanager. 



This mountain-loving tanager is a regular summer resident of the 

 Athabaska, Slave, and upper Mackenzie valleys. Many of the in- 

 habitants are much surprised to learn that the local fauna includes 

 such a bird — to them appearing of almost tropical brilliance; others 

 have described it to me, and know its song. 



In the season of 1901 this tanager was first noted at our camp near 

 Point La Brie, 12 miles northeast of Fort Chipew5^an, May 26, when 

 we secured a female. A few days later, while encamped on an island 

 near the outlet of Athabaska Lake, we found the bird to be rather 

 common, and took several specimens of both sexes, June 1 to 4. Other 

 individuals were seen at the mouth of Peace River, June G, and about 

 25 miles below that point, June 13. The species Avas not again noted 

 until Ave were descending loAver Slave RiA^er, Avhen Ave found the 

 remains of one in the stomach of a j^oung cluck hawk killed 25 miles 

 below Fort Smith, June 30, and saAv several individuals at points 

 about 75 and 100 miles beloAv Fort Smith, July 1 and 2. 



« Cat. Canadian Birds, Par-t III, pp. 528, 530, 1004, 

 44131— No. 27—08 29 



