1949 PaRayY KIVSR ZEPEDITION 

Harold ¢. Nanson, Peter Seott, Paul qusneau 
Thies i3 8 brisf preliminary report covering the activitisa of the 1949 
Parry Giver Expedition which was supported ty the Aretic Inetituts of North 
America with funds provided by the United States Government, Support was alse 
received from the Seyern #ildfowl Trust, Lifs Mapazins, Ineks Unlimited and 
Colonel Arthur Sullivan, K. C. Ths members of the Expedition wars Uareld ¢. 
Hanson of Vrbana, Illinois, Paul Quaneau of Weatport, Sonnecticut, Peter Scott 
of Slimbridgs, England, end James Bell (pilot for the last two weeks} of Sudbury, 
Oontarica. 
Tho party arrived by train at idmonten, Alberta, on May 23, flew from Edmon- 
ten to Yallowknifs on May 27 and tock off from thers for thse Perry Riger on May 31 
in an Associated Airways Anson, Houplas Irsland, pilot. Conversion from wheels 
to skis was mais anroute. Somes difficulties wera axperioenced on the flight north 
largsly dus to weather, and arrival at Perry River, via Muak-Ox Laks and Bathurst 
Inlst was not until June &. Camp was mads on «a gravsl ridgs in tha lss of a 
prominent hill about 14 miles up the Perry and half a mile sast of it, Ths tundra 
was snow-blanketed, practically tha only ground showing basing tha upper wind-blown 
portions of the rocky hills. Tae surrounding area wae axplored om foot and, after 
break-up, by canoe until July 18, when Jim Bell, veteran bush pilot of Nickel Belt 
Airways, joined the party with a Fairchild Susky on floats, During the following 
two wackes, the 998 coast, E:lics fiver, McAlgine Lake, Armark River quedrangls 
was explored by air, Ths party then returned south via Baker Laks, Churchill and 
Moose Factory arriving at Sudbury on August 5, In sanite af an unusually Late 
SuMMSl 288300, AN 4xtensive program of rgasarch and survey was carriad through. 
Ths targst area was subjected to both ornitholegical and geographical studies, 
the former being chiefly devoted to the wild gseae and ducks, 
A partial summary of ths Expedition's omithological work follows: 
Rosa's Goosa- Anser rosaii 
Only one breeding colony of Hess's gssse was [ound in the arsa. Twe hundred 
and sixty naate were counted on 5 islanas in a lake about 25 miles inland, No 
Ross's geese wars breeding on the lakes where they were previously found by Angus 
Gavin. Ross's gossa wars found moulting on lakes to the west of tha Armark River, 
and others which may have been of this species were ssen on some lakes near thes 
headwaters of the Parry. Non® of thease wera nasting this summer, but the lakes 
may haves bresding colonies in 4 normal summer. 
It is rather unlikely that any other subatantial colonies of Ross's geass 
sxist in this area. There are indigstions, thersfors, that the world stock of 
Ross's 799883 in June 1949 (ineluding 1949 young) may heave been under 2,000 birds, 
Stringent pretection saverywhsrs may be uesded to sav¢é this species fram sxtinetion. 
The average brood size of thoss which successfully hatched goslings was 2.8, 
Flocks of sarly-moulting, broadless birds contsinad adults apparsntly in breeding 
eondition. 
A striking polymorphism was observed in ths downy younr of the Boss*. Gre 
brood of 5, in which two goslings were silvary whits, one grey, ons grasnish 
yellow and ons bright yellow was collectsd. Color ond size data were obtained 
on a total of 69 broods. 
aed 
