CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 79 



but the Aleutian islands and Unalaska are the feeding grounds of 

 great numbers in winter. One or two pairs breed on St. Paul 

 island, Bering sea, each year. 



A few winter at Vernon, B.C. {Brooks.) 



Breeding Notes. — A few pairs breed in the large marshes in 

 western Ontario, especially at St. Clair flats. {W. Smmders.) Ihis 

 is the earliest duck to breed. Breeding everywhere I have been 

 in the Northwest Territories. {Dippie.) Breeds throughout Man- 

 itoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. {Raine.) 



On May 9th, 1892, at Deep lake, near Indian Head, Sask., 

 found a nest containing eight eggs about fifty yards from the lake 

 in a bunch of weeds, it was made of dry grass, lined with down 

 from the bird's breast. I have found many nests of this duck in 

 various parts of the country. Sometimes they are quite near the 

 water, and at other times several hundred yards away. The nest 

 is in a hole in the ground, rather bulky, made of grass and weeds, 

 lined with down. Some of them breed very early in the spring, 

 so early in fact, that I have found eggs cracked with the frost. 

 On May 4th, 1894, at Medicine Hat, Sask., discovered a nest of 

 this species on the bank of a creek. Nest, a hole in the sand, 

 lined with dry grass, amongst rose-bushes; there were only two 

 eggs. On June i8th, another nest was taken under the same con- 

 ditions at Crane lake; this nest contained ten eggs. June 7th, 

 1897, st Edmonton, Alberta, found a nest in a small clump of 

 willows, about. three hundred yards from water, the young had 

 not left the nest and the old bird almost let me put my hand upon 

 her before she left; also found breeding at Sooke lake, Vancouver 

 island, in 1893. {Spreadborough.) 



Dall, at Nulato, Alaska, found a set of eight eggs of the mal- 

 lard laid on the rotten wood in the hollow top of a stump about 

 six inches from the ground. They were concealed under a layer 

 of leaves and feathers. {Nelsofi.) 



133. Black Duck. 



Anas obsaira Gmel. 1788. 

 This is the common wild duck of Newfoundland and the Mari- 

 time Provinces. Found breeding in a marsh near Brackley point. 

 Prince Edward island, in June, 1888, by the writer, and in the 



