Catalogue of British Columbia Birds.

PROVINCIAL MUSEUM, VICTORIA B. C.

PREFACE.

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.

Family ALCIDÆ. Auks, Murres and Puffins.

LUNDA Pallas.

10. Tufted Puffin.

_Lunda cirrhata_ (Pall.).

Common along the coast of Vancouver Island, Queen Charlotte Islands and Mainland; breeds on Bare Island, near Sidney, B. C.

FRATERCULA Brisson.

11. Horned Puffin.

_Fratercula corniculata_ (Naum.).

Rare at Massett, Queen Charlotte Islands. (_Rev. J. H. Keen_.)

CERORHINCA Bonaparte.

12. Rhinoceros Auklet.

_Cerorhinca monocerata_ (Pall.).

Coasts of Vancouver Island and Mainland. Breeds on islands in Gulf of Georgia.

PTYCHORAMPHUS Brandt.

13. Cassin's Auklet.

_Ptychorampus aleuticus_ (Pall.).

The entire coast line of the Province and West Coast of Vancouver Island. (_Fannin_.) This species was seen in the Gulf of Georgia, between Salt Spring Island and Nanaimo, May 7th, 1887. (_Macoun_.)

SYNTHLIBORAMPUS Brandt.

14. Ancient Murrelet.

_Synthliborampus antiquus_ (Gmel.).

Not common. West Coast of Vancouver Island and taken in the Straits, near Victoria. Rev. J. H. Keen reports it rare on Queen Charlotte Islands.

BRACHYRAMPHUS Brandt.

15. Marbled Murrelet.

_Brachyramphus marmoratus_ (Gmel.).

An abundant resident along the coast of British Columbia; have taken it at Skidegate, Queen Charlotte Islands, in August, 1895. Rare at Metlakatla. (_Rev. J. H. Keen_.) Breeds on Vancouver Island, and on some of the smaller islands in the Gulf of Georgia, and along many of the inlets of the Mainland. (_Fannin_.)

CEPPHUS Pallas.

16. Pigeon Guillemot.

_Cepphus columba_ (Pall.).

An abundant resident along the coast from Race Rocks to Alaska, and quite common in Skidegate Inlet, Q. C. I., August, 1895. Breeds throughout its range.

URIA Brisson.