480 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



[NO. 27. 



of willows growing in a flooded swamp. In the same clump, G feet 

 higher up, was the nest of a rose-breasted grosbeak. Several redstarts 

 were seen and 2 specimens were taken at Smith Landing, June 15 and 

 IT, and a pair was seen at Fort Resolution, July 6. 



In the spring of 1903 we first observed this bird on the Athabaska 

 a few miles above Poplar Point, May 30. ^Ye next noted it on 

 Eocher River, June 6, and also at Fort Resolution, June 23. My 

 brother and Gary found it rather common at Fort Providence, July 

 2 to 8, noting several nearly every day; saw two on the way to Fort 

 Simpson, July 9; and found it abundant at that place, July 10. 

 They noted a few also near the mouth of Nahanni River on July 11 

 and 12, and one on the Xahanni Mountains, July IT. On their return 

 trip they found it common at Grand Rapid, August 21, and at Quito 

 or Calling River on August 28, the last date recorded. 



In the spring of 1904 I first observed the redstart at Fort Simp- 

 son on May 25, noting two, and saw a few May 26 and 28. During 

 my trip down the Mackenzie I saw one near the mouth of Xahanni 

 River, June 3. At Fort Norman I took a male, the only one observed, 

 on June 13. This was as far north as I detected the bird. On my 

 return trip I saw a few at Fort McMurray on August 11, 12, and 14. 

 J. W. Mills took specimens at Fort Simpson, May 26, 1905, and Jones 

 reports it there on May 22. 



This bird was first recorded from the region by Richardson, who 

 listed a specimen from Fort Simpson.'^ Ross recorded it as common 

 in the Mackenzie River region north to Fort Good Hope.^ Baird re- 

 corded skins from Fort Resolution and Fort Simpson ;^ and the bird 

 catalogue of the National Museum shoAvs that specimens were re- 

 ceived also from Fort Liard and Lesser Slave Lake, accompanied 

 in the latter case by eggs. The earliest dates recorded in the catalogue 

 are as follows: Fort Simpson, May 20, 1860; May 28, 1861; Fort 

 Resolution, May 23, 1860. Skins from the last two localities are still 

 in the collection. Macoun states that this species was first seen by 

 Spreadborough at Edmonton, Alberta, May 29, 189T, and was com- 

 mon by June 1 ; it was common in willow thickets from Edmonton 

 to Athabaska Pass in June, 1898 ; and in thick woods from the head 

 of Lesser Slave Lake to Peace River Landing in June, 1903. J. M. 

 Macoun saw a pair at the mouth of La Biche River in the summer 

 of 1888. Macoun records specimens also from Edmonton and Peace 

 River Landing.^ 



In the early summer of 1896, J. Alden Loring noted several dur- 

 ing the first part of his trip along the trail between Edmonton and 

 Jasper House. 



« Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., XI, p. 484, 184.3. 

 »Nat. Hist. Rev., II (second ser.), p. 280, 1862. 

 « Rev. Am. Birds, p. 256, May, 1865. 

 ^Cat. Canadian Birds, Part III, pp. 649, 651, 1904. 



