366 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



chasing small flies and returning again to their perch just as small 

 flycatchers do; farther down the river at Robson this species was 

 quite rare; in May, 1889, it was not uncommon at Spence bridge, 

 at an altitude of 3,500 feet, and a number were taken; saw a num- 

 ber in a marsh in Depot creek, east side of Chilliwack lake, B.C., 

 July, 1901 ; saw the first one in 1904 at Elko, B.C., May 20th, they 

 soon became common; one seen at Sidley, B.C., May 25th, 1905; 

 observed at Trail and Cascade, B.C., near the international bound- 

 ary, in the summer of 1902. (Spreadborough.) A very few small 

 "hummers" frequenting the interior and southern Rocky Mountain 

 districts, B.C., were probably S. calliope. (Rlioads.) Breeding in 

 the mountains west of Clinton, B.C., in 1901. (Brooks.) 



Breeding Notes. — We have in our museum one set of two eggs 

 taken at Elko station, on the Crow Nest Pass railway, B.C., June, 

 1900, by Mr. J. Keele. The nest differs from that of the rufous 

 hummingbird in being smaller and having less lichen on the outside. 

 It was fastened to the small twigs of a dead branch of a spruce tree. 



Order PASSERES. Perching Birds. 



Family XXXVIII. TYRANNID-^. Tyrant Flycatchers. 

 CLXXXIII. MUSCIVORA Laci&p^de. 

 443. Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. 



Muscivora forficata. (Gmel.) Oberholser. 1901. 



The swallow-tailed flycatcher {Muscivora forficata) is such a 

 characteristically southern bird that its accidental occurrence in 

 Manitoba is worthy of note. Last January I was shown a splendid 

 specimen taken at Portage la Prairie by Mr. Nash. He found it 

 lying dead on the prairie on the 20th October, 1884. Its stomach 

 was empty and the bird very emaciated, although in fine plumage. 

 On the previous night there was a sharp frost. In addition to this 

 record, I quote the following rather startling statement from the 

 report on the Hudson bay, by Professor Bell, of the Canadian Geo- 

 logical Survey, 1882. "But the most singular discovery in regard 

 to geographical distribution is the finding of the scissor-tail, or 

 swallow-tailed flycatcher {Muscivora forficata) at York Factory, 

 Hudson bay. The specimen in the Government museum was shot 



