1908.] 



BIRDS. 



467 



is built in loose flocks of from 10 to 20 individuals. After passing 

 the point, they either struck out directly across the bay or skirted 

 the shore, in either case having to face a strong southeast wind. 

 Some paused a few moments among the low bushes on the point, but 

 the slightest alarm started them off. The flight lasted over two 

 hours, and. during this time, upward of 300 birds were seen from our 

 camp. Two specimens, a male and a female, were collected. The 

 ovaries of the female contained eggs only slightly developed. 



During their trip to the Mackenzie my brother and Gary found 

 this species rather common. They noted a number at Hay River, 

 June 30 and Juh^ 1, and several daily at Fort Providence, July 2 to 8. 

 They observed the species at Fort Simpson, July 10; found it com- 

 mon about the base of the Xahanni Mountains, July 13 ; and observed 

 one on Mount Tha-on'-tha, at an altitude of about 1,500 feet, on 

 July 16. On their return trip they noted three individuals near 

 Brule Rapid, August 18, taking a 3^oung male, and saw several at 

 Grand Raioid, August 20. I observed one on an island about 50 

 miles northeast of Fort Resolution, on Juh^ 21, while crossing Great 

 Slave Lake, and noted another on lower Grandin River, on August 2. 



In 1904 I saw the first individuals of this warbler near the mouth 

 of Xahanni River June 3. Two days later I took one at the base 

 of the Xahanni Mountains near the same place. I found migrants 

 common on an island in the Mackenzie 8 miles below Fort Wrigley, 

 on the morning of June 8, and collected a pair. I did not see the 

 species farther north, and on my return trip noted it only at Fort 

 ^icMurray, where I took one August 12. 



In a collection recently received are three specimens, including 

 both sexes, taken at Fort Simpson, May 23, 1905, by J. W. Mills. 



This species was first reported from the region by Richardson, 

 who listed a specimen from Fort Simpson.^ Baird recorded speci- 

 mens from Fort Resolution, Fort Rae, and Fort Simpson.^ In the 

 collection of the Xational Museum are two specimens from Fort 

 Simpson, taken, respectively. May 30, 1860, and May 26, 1862; and 

 one from Fort Smith, taken July 1, 1892, by Miss Elizabeth Taylor. 

 Another, taken by the same collector, June 9, 1892, at Grand Rapid, 

 Athabaska River, is recorded in the catalogue. Russell took four 

 specimens at Fort Chipewyan, May 30 to June 6, 1893,^ Macoun 

 notes this bird as follows : 



Common in willow thickets from the mouth of [Lesser] Slave River to Peace 

 liiver Landing, lat. 56° 15', in June, 1903; first seen on May 22, 1897, at Ed- 

 monton, Alta., * * * Common from Edmonton to the Athabasca Pass in 



« Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., XI, p. 484, 1843. 

 Ptev. Am. Birds, p. 179, April, 1865 (date of No. 22627 [Fort Simpson, May 

 9, 1861], should read May 20). 

 ^ Expl. in Far North, p. 268, 1898, 



