1908.] 



BIEDS. 



475 



specimens in young spruces in a cliy muskeg near the post on July 6 

 and 7. The song, consisting of several weak notes, was heard on 

 several occasions, but usually a sharp " chip ' was the only note. 



In 190J: I saw two individuals in a mixed flock of small migrants 

 near Stony Creek. Alberta, on September 3. 



Eichardson. under the name SylricoJa jyetechia, first recorded this 

 bird from the region, listing a specimen from Fort Simpson." Baircl 

 recorded specimens from the same place, and from Fort Resolution,^ 

 where its nest was discovered by Kennicott. 



Seiurus aurocapillus (Liim.). Oven-bird. 



The oven-bird occurs in suitable places in the Athabaska and Slave 

 River valleys north at least to Great Slave Lake. Since it has been 

 taken at Fort Yukon ^ and other points on Yukon River, it should 

 occur also on the upper Mackenzie, but we failed to detect it there, 

 and I find no records. 



In 1901 the oven-bird was first noted near Point La Brie, near 

 Fort Chipewyan, May 29, when a male in full song was secured. It 

 was next noted at our camp on Slave River, 10 miles below the Peace, 

 where we found the species to be fairly common in a tract of poplar 

 woods, June 8 to 10, and on the latter date secured a specimen. Con- 

 trary to their usual habits, the birds were extremely shy, and the one 

 taken was secured with difficulty. The species was noted also as 

 we were descending Slave RiA^er about 50 miles below Fort Smith, 

 where several were heard singing, June 30. 



In the spring of 1903 we first observed this bird at Cascade Rapid, 

 May 28. We noted it next on Roclier River, June 6. Its presence, 

 usually heralded by its loud familiar song, was freqtiently noted as 

 we paddled down Slave River between Fort Smith and Fort Reso- 

 lution, June 15 to 19, and several were heard and seen at the latter 

 place on June 22 and 23. While ascending the Athabaska on their 

 return trip Alfred E. Preble and Merritt Car}^ observed two, collect- 

 ing one, in poplar woods at Fort McMurray, August 10. Another 

 was seen at House River on August 22. 



In 1904 I noted this bird only near Little Red River, where I saw 

 one on August 9. 



The egg catalogue of the Xational Museum shows that eggs, taken 

 by Strachan Jones, were received from Lesser Slave Lake in 1868. 

 Macoun, from the notes of Spreaclborough, states that the oven-bird 

 was first seen at Edmonton May 14, 1897, was common by May 22, 

 and had finished building but not yet laid its eggs on June 3 ; it was 

 common from Edmonton to the crossing of McLeod River in June, 



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

 ^Rev. Am. Birds, p. 208, April, 1865. 

 Trans. Chicago Acad. Sci., I, p. 278, 1869. 



