190S.] 



BIEDS. 



493 



In the spring of 1903 this thrush was first observed 30 miles below 

 Athabaska Landing on the morning of Ma}^ IT. It was next seen a 

 short distance above Grand Rapid, May 20, several being noted. 

 One of these pioneers, rendered tame by the cold, ransacked the 

 overhanging banlv for spiders within a few feet of our noonday 

 campfire. The first song was heard at Fort McMurray on the even- 

 ing of May 28. The species was common along the Athabaska be- 

 tween there and its mouth, May 29 to June 1, and thence to Fort Reso- 

 lution, being seen or heard almost daily. It was common also at 

 Fort Resolution during the latter part of June. During their trip 

 to the Mackenzie my brother and Gary found the species common, 

 noting it at Hay River, June 30 and July 1, and observing numbers 

 at Fort Providence almost daily until June 8. They found it com- 

 mon also at Fort Simpson. July 10. and near the base of the Nahanni 

 Mountains, July 11 to 19. On their return trip they found it common 

 along the Athabaska above Fort McMurray during the latter part 

 of August, and near Athabaska Landing, September 4 to 14. Sev- 

 eral specimens Avere taken by them at Fort Providence and on the 

 Athabaska. 



In the spring of 1904 I first noted the olive-back at Fort Simpson, 

 May 31, taking a male. The song was first heard June 1. While 

 descending the Mackenzie I found the bird common and in full song 

 between Fort Simpson and Nahanni River, June 2 and 3. I noted it 

 daily near the mouth of Xahanni River, June 4 and 5, and between 

 there and Fort Norman, June 0 to 10. I found it common and noted 

 it almost daily at Fort Norman, June 11 to 15; along the Mackenzie 

 to Fort Good Hope, June 10 to 20 ; at Fort Good Hope, June 21 to 24; 

 and between there and Fort McPherson, June 25 to 30. At Fort Mc- 

 Pherson I saw it only once, on July 2. During my return trip I noted 

 the species at Fort McMurray on August 13 and 14. 



This thrush was first recorded from the region, under the name 

 Merula wilsoni, by Richardson, who listed a specimen from Fort 

 Simpson.^ Ross recorded it as occurring in the Mackenzie River 

 region north to La Pierre House. Baird listed specimens from Fort 

 Resolution, Big Island, Fort Simpson, and Fort Good Hope.^ Skins 

 from Fort Resolution and Fort Simpson are still in the National 

 Museum, and the catalogue shows that specimens were received also 

 from Fort Rae, Peel River, and Lesser Slave Lake, eggs accompany- 

 ing the skins from the last-named locality. The earliest date recorded 

 for Fort Simpson is May 24. Eggs, accompanied by the female 

 parent, taken at Pelican Lake, eastern Saskatchewan^ in June, 1891, 

 by H. MacKay, were received by the National Museum. Macoun, 



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

 ^Nat. Plist. Rev., II (second ser.), p. 279, 1862. 

 cRey. Am. Birds, p. 21, June, 1864. 



