l62 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



June loth, 1891, I found a large colony of avocets nesting on an 

 island in a small lake ten miles north of Rush lake, Sask. I again 

 visited this place on June 15th, 1895, when I found the big colony 

 still at its old breeding haunts. There must have been some 200 

 nests on the island and they were so close together that I had to 

 use caution in walking for fear of treading on the eggs. The nests 

 were simply hollows in the sand lined with bits of grass. (Rainc.) 



Family XXI. SCOLOPACIDiE. Snipes, Sandpipers, &c. 



XCI. SCOLOPAX LiNN^us. 1758. 



227. European Woodcock, 



Scolopax rusticola Linn. 1758. 

 A single specimen is said to have been killed in the neighbour- 

 hood of St. Johns, Newfoundland, in Janiuiry, 1862. (Reeks.) A 

 specimen was shot at Chambly, Quebec, on the nth November,. 

 1882, by a French Canadian, and was secured by Mr. Brock Willett. 

 It was sent to the late Mr. William Couper to be stuffed, who re- 

 corded its occurrence in the Canadian SporisiiuDi and Naturalist. 

 (Wintle.) 



XCII. PHILOHELA Gray. 1841. 



228. American Woodcock. 



Philohela minor (Gmel.) Gray. 1841. 



Several persons stated they had killed woodcock on the eastern 

 shores of Labrador. (Packard.) 



This species is common in Nova Scotia and breeds early in spring. 

 (Downs, Tufts.) An abundant summer resident in New Brunswick 

 where it also breeds. (Chamberlain.) Found breeding at George- 

 town, Prince Edward island, August 17th, 1888; common in Quebec 

 and eastern Ontario, but more abundant in the western part of 

 the province. It breeds throughout its range. Not so common 

 as formerly in most parts of Ontario. 



This species is a rare summer resident in Manitoba, and pro- 

 bably does not extend farther west than Brandon, as no specimens 

 have ever been seen or recorded beyond that place — 150 miles 

 west of Winnipeg. 



