igo6] Richardson's Merlin. in 



laterally, not angled, pubescent, tipped with the minute decurved 

 style, i-ovuled, maturing very irregularly. 



This Ranunculus closely resembles R. affinis, R. Br. var- 

 validusy Gray, in the heterophyllous character of the leaves, but 

 these are not succulent as they are said to be in ihat variety. No 

 trace of petals can be discerned in bud, half open flower or fully 

 matured bloom; but the sepals have a decidedly petaloid appear- 

 ance owing to the margins being quite yellow and glabrous. 



It was found growing by the roadsides at Banff, Alberta. 



RICHARDSON'S MERLIN. 



I notice that very little reference is made in the "Catalogue 

 of Canadian Birds" in connection with the nesting habits of 

 Richardson's merlin, and think, perhaps, it would not be out of 

 place lor me to give my own experience of this bird while spend- 

 ing the summer of 1904 at Lethbridge, Alberta. 



During the first week of May, 1904, I observed several pairs 

 of these birds in the poplars that abound in the bottoms ot the 

 Belly River. I thought at the time that they were pigeon hawks, 

 and that they were probably nesting in natural cavities in trees; 

 but events proved otherwise. 



On May 7th I made another visit to the locality where one 

 pair was seen and was surprised at not being greeted with the 

 usual harsh and scolding cries of the birds. Everything being 

 quiet, I thought they had left the district or had been shot. While 

 passing underneath a dilapidated magpie's nest, which was placed 

 some 7 feet overhead in a scrubby poplar, I was surprised to see 

 the female merlin flush from the same. The nest contained a 

 pretty set of five eggs, which were simply laid on crumpled mud. 

 The eggs are of a dark reddish brown color, resembling the duck 

 hawk's eggs, being, of course, much smaller. The male bird 

 came over from some of the adjacent poplars and the pair became 

 pugnacious, sometimes darting within a foot of one's head, and 

 uttering harsh cackling cries. 



