CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. I97 



is found in the same place. Saunders reports it as now abundant on 

 Sable island, though rare there a few yea s ago. 



This species is found throughout the region as far north at least 

 as Fort Churchill. It was not seen on the shores of Hudson bay, 

 but a specimen was collected on the Churchill river, near Fort 

 Churchill. (Preble.) Common from Missinabi, Ont., to Cape Hen- 

 rietta Maria, Hudson bay. (Spreadborough.) 



From Manitoba to the Pacific it is found breeding in suitable 

 situations, both in the mountains and on the plains. Spreadborough 

 reports it to be common in the Peace River district and nesting in 

 many parts of British Columbia. According to Ross and Macfarlane, 

 it extends almost to the Arctic sea, being common on the Barren 

 Grounds and in the Mackenzie River valley. Figgins and Anderson 

 found it common and breeding on Sheep creek, Kenai peninsula, 

 Alaska. Bishop records it from many places in the interior of 

 Alaska and the Yukon district. Reported from the Yukon valley 

 by several collectors. 



Breeding Notes. — Found breeding from Muskoka, Ont., to 

 Victoria, Vancouver island, and northeast to Ungava, in Labrador. 

 Nest, a hole in the ground lined with grass, and placed beneath a 

 tuft of old grass or small bush, always near water. The young 

 leave the nest as soon as hatched. Found a nest on west coast of 

 James bay, in the sand, under a small willow. The nest was made 

 of dry grass. (Spreadborough.) This species, besides breeding 

 inland in all suitable places, is especially common near the St. 

 Lawrence river. I have found numbers of their nests in June along 

 the gravel bar at the foot of Amherst island, lake Ontario ; also on 

 the small islands down the river. They usually construct a nest in 

 a bunch of weeds, of dried grass, chips or anything to hand, conceal- 

 ing it well. I have found the nest twice in a field of grain, away 

 from water, and once under a bush among trees on an island in a lake. 

 The first eggs are usually laid about the 20th May, but are occa- 

 sionally met with as late as July ist. I met with this bird frequently 

 breeding in the Magdalen islands, Gulf of St. Lawrence, and found 

 a nest with four eggs on June 26th, 1897, built in a dry grassy place 

 amongst spruce bushes in just such a place as one would occupy in 

 Ontario. (Rev. C. J. Young.) The nests are made of a few bits of 

 grass placed in a hole in the ground, or simply on the ground. The 



