I l6 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



becomes more common in the autumn. {Nelson.) I found this 

 scoter to be rare in all localities visited by me. (Turner.) Fairly 

 numerous at Bocadequadra, Wrangell narrows and Lynn canal. 

 We saw two at Lake Marsh, two on Lake Lebarge and about twenty- 

 five flying up 50-mile river from Lake Lebarge. (Bishop.) One 

 male taken at Point Barrow, Alaska. (Mcllhenny.) 



Breeding Notes. — Audubon found this species breeding in 

 Labrador. The nests were built by the sides of small lakes, two or 

 three miles distant from the sea, and usually placed under low 

 bushes. They were formed of twigs, mosses and various plants 

 matted together, and were large and almost flat, several inches thick, 

 and lined with feathers. (Mcllwraith.) On June i6th, 1896, I shot 

 a female at Burnt lake, Alberta, which contained a fully developed 

 egg. (Dippie.) 



On June 26th, 1893, Mr. G. F. Dippie and myself found a nest 

 containing nine eggs on an island at the south end of Lake Manitoba. 

 The nest was built between loose boulders and consisted of a hollow 

 in the sand lined abundantly with dark down. The eggs were very 

 large and of a deep, rich, buff colour. The bird sat very close upon 

 the nest and did not fly up until I almost trod upon her. It appears 

 to be a late breeder, nesting late in June on "the islands of lakes 

 Manitoba and Winnipeg. Mr. Neuman sent me an egg of this bird 

 which he took from a female he had shot at Swan lake, northern 

 Alberta, on June 25th, 1897. (Raine.) 



We observed this species twice on Knee lake, Keewatin — a small 

 flock on July 7th and a few on September 8th as we were returning. 

 Many breed about the borders of small ponds throughout the interior 

 and large numbers are killed for food before they are able to fly. 

 (Preble.) Breeding in nearly all the marshes and ponds around 

 Prince Albert, Sask. (Coubeaux.) 



It breeds in large numbers throughout the region under review, 

 as several nests were found in the "Barrens," some near the fort, 

 and a few on the lower Anderson and in other parts of the wooded 

 sections; these were always depressions in the ground, lined with 

 down, feathers and dried grass, and placed contiguous to ponds or 

 sheets of fresh water, frequently amid clumps of small spruce or 

 dwarf willow and fairly well concealed from view. The number of 

 eggs found in a nest varied between five and eight. (Macfarlane.) 



