Catalogue of British Columbia Birds

Excerpt

The present list is intended to include all birds which have been so far proven to occur in British Columbia.

I am fully aware of its incompleteness, and very much regret much of its lack of more definite information regarding the distribution of certain species, and with regard to that portion of the Province in north and northeastern interior, which, I have no doubt, is a valuable field for work.

Since the publication of the list of British Columbia birds in 1898 by the late John Fannin, which contained 339 species and sub-species, and with the information to hand, enables me to add to this 24.

I wish to extend my thanks especially to the following constant observers for more or less extended local lists, notes and specimens:—A. C. Brooks, Chilliwhack, Okanagan and Cariboo; Rev. J. H. Keen, Queen Charlotte Islands and Metlakatla; Thos. Kermode, William Head Quarantine Station; E. P. Venables, Yernon; Chas. de Blois Green, Fairview and Keremeos.

I have also obtained valuable information from the check-list published by the late John Fannin.

  FRANCIS KERMODE,
  Curator Provincial Museum.

Victoria, B. C., August, 1904.

Order PYGOPODES. Diving birds.

Family PODICIPEDIDÆ. Grebes.

ÆCHMOPHORUS Coues.

1. Western Grebe.

Æchmophorus occidentalis (Lawr.).

A common winter resident along the coast of Vancouver Island and
Mainland. Mr. Brooks says a few remain all winter at Okanagan Lake.

COLYMBUS Linnæus.

2. American Red-necked Grebe. "Holboell's Grebe."

Colymbus holboelli (Reinh.).

A common winter resident along the coast of Vancouver Island and
Mainland. Winter resident on Okanagan Lake. (Brooks.) Not common at
Metlakatla. (Rev. J. H. Keen.) Breeds on many of the lakes along the
Cariboo Road above Clinton. (Fannin.)

3. Horned Grebe.

Colymbus auritus (Linn.).

A common winter resident on the coast, and very common in the straits
near Victoria, in April. Brooks reports it at Okanagan Lake all winter.
Breeds on the lakes from Okanagan to Dense Lake. (Fannin.) Rare at
Metlakatla. (Rev. J. H. Keen.)

4. American Eared Grebe.

Colymbus nigricollis californicus (Heerm.).

Taken at Kamloops, June, 1889. (Spreadborough.) Found breeding on lakes at Kamloops; Catalogue of Canadian Birds. (Macoun.)

PODILYMBUS Lesson.

5. Pied-billed Grebe.

Podilymbus podiceps (Linn.).

Common resident on Vancouver Island; it breeds on lakes close to Victoria. Common resident on Island and Mainland; breeds throughout its range. (Fannin.)

Family GAVIIDÆ Loons.

GAVIA Forster.

6. Great Northern Diver. Loon.

Gavia imber (Gunn.).

Common resident throughout the Province; breeds on Vancouver Island and Mainland.

7. Black-throated Loon.

Gavia arcticus (Linn.).

Taken at Burrard Inlet (Fannin), and at Dease Lake, Cassiar, by
James Porter.

8. Pacific Loon.

Gavia pacificus (Lawr.).

Not common; one specimen taken at Comox by W. B. Anderson, and at
Chilliwhack by Brooks; Victoria, May 13th, 1904, by Fred. Foster.

9. Red-throated Loon.

Gavia lumme (Gunn.).

I found this species quite common on Barkley Sound, V. I., April 19th, 1894, and fairly common near Esquimalt. Mr. Brooks reports it at Chilliwhack....