CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 4O9 



at Oxford House and at York Factory; several were seen at Fort 

 Churchill. (Preble.) 



A common resident in wooded sections, especially among ever- 

 greens, in Manitoba; it becomes more abundant in the northern 

 parts of the province. Abundant everywhere to the edge of the 

 woods in 1907, but not seen on the Barrens. (E. T. Seton.) Abun 

 dant at the Grand rapids of the Saskatchewan. {Nutting.) This 

 bird comes to the Saskatchewan as soon as the winter is here and 

 is then seen in numbers everywhere. {Coubeaux.) Abundant all 

 over the interior north of the Saskatchewan. (/. M. Macoun.) 

 Tolerably common in spruce woods in Manitoba. (Criddle.) 

 Abundant resident in the wooded districts in Manitoba. (Atkinson.) 

 On May 11, 1892, two individuals were seen at Indian Head, Sask. ; 

 after this no others were seen. Observed three April 26, 1897, at 

 Edmonton, Alta. ; tolerably common there. A farmer near Red 

 Deer, Alta., found a nest with eggs in a hollow tree the first week 

 in March; another farmer while cutting wood near Edmonton 

 found a nest with eggs in a spruce tree the first week in March; 

 Abundant from mouth of the Lesser Slave river to Peace river, 

 Alta., in 1903. (Spreadborough.) This species inhabits the wooded 

 districts from lat. 56° to eastern Canada. (Richardson.) North 

 on the Mackenzie to Lapierre House ; abundant. (Ross.) Tolerably 

 numerous in the wooded country, even to its northern and eastern 

 limits, but none were observed by us on the "barrens" proper, 

 west or east of Horton river, nor on the Arctic coast. (Mac far- 

 lane.) From the head waters of the Yukon to the mouth of the 

 Tanana river occur birds which are almost typical representatives 

 of the jay found in British America. (Nelson.) 



Breeding Notes. — A few pairs nest in Saskatchewan and 

 Alberta. I have a beautiful nest and four eggs that were collected 

 by Dr. George near Innisfail, Alberta, March 5, 1899. The nest 

 was built in a willow seven feet from the ground and is a bulky, 

 compact nest with thick felt-like walls of wool, moss, feathers 

 and hair. Dr. George remarked that at the time the eggs were 

 collected the thermometer registered several degrees below zero. 

 On March 10, 1900, Mr. John Wright found a nest and four 

 eggs at Horn hill. Alberta. This nest was built in a willow and 

 is a deep cup-shaped nest, very warm and well lined, and has to be 



