igoo] CouBEAUx — Contributions to Natural History. 29 



Order Passeres, 



79. Otocoris alpestris praticola. Abundant spring- and fall visitant, in com- 



pany with the Lapland longspiirs. Probably breeding. 



80. Pica pica hudsonica. Rare ; only two noted and one male shot in five 



j'ears, on November i6th, 1897. 



81. Cyanocitta cristata. Not uncommon, resident and more frequently seen in 



winter along the wooded river banks of the Saskatchewan and in the 

 well wooded parts of the prairie. 



82. Perisoreus canadensis. VVisky-John, comes as soon as winter is here, and 



is then seen in numbers everywhere. When the cold is severe or when 

 the weather is windy and bad, like many birds, if not aU, it disappears 

 suddenly for a little while; it retires into the woods, to come back again 

 merrily as soon as the temperature is milder. It departs very early in 

 spring, nearly as soon as the snow begins to melt. 



83. Corvus corax principalis. Permanent resident but very scarce, and only 



seen in winter in the great woods or about them. 



84. Corvus americanus. This is our first messenger in spring. As soon as 



the snow begins to melt and show the ground, they arrive, by twos, by 

 threes, b}^ fours, then more and more numerously, from every point, 

 barking, croaking, like packs of small hounds, hunting for something 

 to eat, for some carcase. They mate very early and begin to build 

 their nests long before the leaves begin to appear. 



85. Dolichonyx oryzivorus albinucha. Uncommon and seen only just now 



about Duck Lake and Carleton. 



86. Molothrus ater. Abundant summer resident, and breeds throughout the 



region. In company with the blackbirds. 



87. Xanthocephahts xanthocephalus. Scarce, though frequently seen in com- 



pany with the red-winged blackbird. Breeding in the region, 



88. Agelaius phoejiiceiis. Common summer resident, frequenting the willows 



and poplar edged sloughs and marshes where it breeds in numbers. 



89. StumeUa magna neglecta. The Prairie lark is here a common summer re- 



sident, breeding throughout the country. Early in spring one hears 

 his merry notes and ceaseless song from early in the morning till late at 

 sunset. 



90. Icterus galbula. The handsome Baltimore Oriole is a regularand not un- 



common summer visitor ; frequently seen and heard chattering in the 

 thickets, where he hangs his pretty nest. 



91. Scolecophagus Carolinus. \ 



92. Scolecophaguscy anocephlaiis. J 



93. Quiscalus quiscula tsneus. All three very abundant and wandering along 



in company. They arrive early in spring, for the ploughing and seed- 

 ing time, in smaVl flocks. They bree'd in great numbers in colonies. 



