[iqo4 . The Mountain Bluebird in Manitoba. S5 



THE MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD IN MANITOBA. 



By Norman Criddle, of Aweme. Man. 



In an interesting paper on "Rare Manitoba birds," read be- 

 fore the Historical and Scientific Society of Manitoba, on February 

 9th, 1904, by Mr. G. E. Atkinson and published in the Manitoba 

 Free Press, mention is made of two Mountain Bluebirds [Sialia 

 arcticd) having been seen in October, 1896, near Brandon, one of 

 which was shot. These are apparently the only records of the 

 bird's appearance in Manitoba, excepting a few notes on their 

 migration sent by me to the United States Biological Survey. 



This bird is, however, by no means uncommon in the tract of 

 country lying between this place and Carberry — known locally as 

 the "Sand Hills" or "Spruce Bush" — and it seems probable th;it, 

 when its favourite haunts are more generally known, it will be 

 found in several of the more hilly parts of the province. 



The "Sand Hills" mentioned above consist of low sandy hills, 

 very often with blow-outs on their south sides and underbrush on 

 the north. These hills, which seldom rise more than forty feet 

 above their bases, usually contain on their tops and sides — when 

 protected from fire — clumps of spruce, and between their ranges — 

 that contain an occasional pond— grow aspen, willows and a few 

 stunted oaks, etc. 



These oaks which are often hollow, in company with a few 

 old slumps that have been previously used by woodpeckers, make 

 ideal nesting places for the bluebirds, and any person in search of 

 them during the latter half of June, would probably find several 

 nests in a day. 



Of the numerous nests examined by me, some were more than 

 nine feet from the ground, the average being just under four. 

 Tliey were built of dead grass and contained, when the birds had 

 finished laying, six eggs, which closely resemble those of .S". sialis, 

 excepting that they are smaller. 



The reason that these birds are not more generally known in 

 Manitoba, seems to be their habit of seldom flying far from their 

 breeding ground. As an instance, I have lived within five miles 



