135 
Interior of British North America. 
P. noveboracensis is also given in the ( Fauna Bor.-Am./ on the 
authority of Hutchins. 
FuLICA AMERICANA. 
The American Coot, or, as it is called by the half-breeds and 
fur-traders, the “ Water-Hen,” may be found in large numbers 
on the reedy lakes of the Saskatchawan prairies, where it arrives 
from the south to spend the summer at the end of April. It 
has a habit of making a sharp rattling noise at night, and, 
moreover, is said to migrate during darkness only, which the 
Cree Indians account for by affirming that, if these birds were 
to fly by day, the Ravens would chase them, taking the 
white bill for a piece of fat. The eggs of the Coot are collected 
in great numbers by the fur-traders. I went once in company 
with one of them, and by having a bark canoe, which we could 
push through the grass and reeds growing in the lake, we col¬ 
lected a hundred and fifty during a few hours; this, however, 
was considered but a poor day's work. My specimen Ibis/ 
vol. iv. p. 9) was from Fort Carlton, and Mr. Ross records it 
from the Mackenzie. It is considered that this bird is not found 
near Hudson's Bay. 
Order VI. NATATORES. 
CYGNUS AMERICAN US. 
The American Swan, under the name of C. bewickii , is given in 
the ' Fauna Bor.-Am.' as breeding on the Arctic coast; and on 
the Saskatchawan I observed a species distinguishable from C. 
buccinator by the harshness of its note, which approached more to 
that of the Crane, migrating northward in flocks late in April. 
I was told that the Crees, who notice it as a smaller bird, call it 
the “ bad-looking Swan," probably on account of many being 
found in the rusty plumage. Mr. George Barnston mentions 
( c Ibis,' vol. ii. p. 253) the hatching of a Swan near Norway 
House, at the north extremity of Lake Winipeg, as rather ex¬ 
ceptional; but gives the south end of Hudson's Bay as a 
favourite locality, although most make their way to the far north 
for this purpose. Mr. Ross mentions C. americanus as “not 
common" on the Mackenzie. I have lately seen a specimen 
from Hudson's Bay agreeing with C. americanus in the yellow 
