480 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



radiating twigs but not attached to them, considering the size 

 of the bird it is quite large, rather flat and bears no resemblance to 

 nests of Spinus tristis, measuring as follows: height, 1.63 inches; 

 depth, .75 inches; outside top diameter, 4 inches; inside top diam- 

 eter, 2 inches. It is constructed mainly of dark pendulous tree-moss, 

 with some fulvous bark from weed-stalks, plant-down, Usnea and 

 other mosses. About the bottom of the nest is woven a few spruce 

 twigs. The lining is entirely the pendulous moss. It contained 

 four eggs but slightly incubated. These have a pale blue ground 

 colour, slightly darker than eggs of Spinus tristis, somewhat sparingly 

 marked about the larger end with pale purplish and a few dots of 

 brownish black. (Morrell.) Common in winter in Ontario. This 

 bird, of all wild birds, breeds the most readily in confinement. I 

 have seen eggs that were laid by birds belonging to Dr. C. K. Clarke, 

 of Rockwood, Ont., which had only been captured the previous 

 winter, so had not been in a cage for more than a few months. (Rev. 

 C. J. Young.) I have several nests with sets of eggs that were taken 

 at Hamilton inlet, Labrador, during the summers of 1895 to 1898. 

 One nest before me is a pretty specimen of bird architecture, and 

 made externally of fine twigs and roots held together by moss with 

 the inside lined with feathers. It was found June 17th, 1898, in a 

 spruce tree 10 feet from the ground and contained five greenish white 

 eggs spotted with brown. (W. Raine.) I have taken seven nests 

 around Ottawa, Ont., in cedar trees {Thuya occidentalis) at heights 

 of six, eight, ten and twelve feet. The nest is built of small twigs 

 and a little vegetable down, lined with hair-like roots or hairs. Size 

 of nest 3.50 X 2, and 2x1. It nests in April and May, and lays three 

 or four pale blue eggs, dotted at the larger end with brown. {Gar- 

 neau.) I did not see this species either season but Bishop collected 

 one young bird at Maple creek, Sask., July 2nd and two young birds 

 from a small flock in the Cypress hills, July 26th. {A. C. Bent.) 

 All through May, 1905, siskins were common and breeding through- 

 out Wellington county, Ont. Some ten nests were found, all in 

 white spruces, black spruces or balsams. {A. B. Klugh.) 



CCXVII. PASSERINA Vieilliot. 181 6. 

 534. Snowflake. 



Passerina nivalis (Linn.) Vieill. 1820. 

 Breeds generally throughout Greenland and said to be the com- 

 monest land bird on the east coast; breeds also on Melville pen- 



