424 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA 



Toronto, Ont. One of the species that is finding its way north waid ; 

 it is only a new arrival in the Muskoka and Parry Sound districts. 

 I saw a female at Erasdale in May, 1899; she was seen later in the 

 summer with a male and a brood of young. Mr. Taverner saw the 

 first one at Beaumaris in August, 1897, arid reported them as in- 

 creasing in 1898. (/. H. Fleming.) In spite of the slaughter of 

 these birds in the rice fields it is yet common in the London district ; 

 it is more rare in the Bruce peninsula, and a few were noted on 

 ManitouHn island in 1880. {W . E. Saunders.) 



Generally distributed and breeding abundantly in all the. mea- 

 dows about Manitoba and observed in considerable numbers as far 

 west as Touchwood hills, Sask. (Atkinson.) Formerly breeding 

 in great abundance at Aweme, Man., but now only noted as a mi- 

 grant though it breeds in a bog south of Sewell and also in marshy 

 places near Rounthwait. (Criddle.) Saw one bird at Crane lake, 

 Sask. (A. C. Bent.) 



At Pembina in June, bobolinks were breeding in large numbers 

 on the open prairie adjoining the Red river. The ground near the 

 river has a meadowy character, which seems exactly to suit them, 

 and they were evidently perfectly at home. - On lat. 49° I traced 

 the species westward to the Rocky mountains, where it was not 

 uncommon in August about Chief Mountain lake. (Coues.) A very 

 common species throughout the prairie portions of Manitoba. 

 (E. T. Seton.) Quite common at Indian Head in eastern Saskat- 

 chewan in the fall of 1891, as well as in May of the next year; west 

 of that it must be rare as only a few specimens were noted at the 

 east end of the Cypress hills in June, 1894; none were seen in 1895 

 until Lees creek was reached in southern Alberta. {Spreadborough.) 

 Uncommon and seen just now only about Duck lake and Carlton 

 between the forks of the Saskatchewan. (Coubeaux.) This bird 

 reaches its northern limit about lat. 54° and does not seem to go 

 very far north of the Saskatchewan. (Richardson.) 



Breeding Notes. — Nest near stone quarry at Ottawa, Ont., built 

 on the ground, composed of grass and lined with fine grass. Eggs 

 four, bluish white spotted with dark chocolate. (G. R. White.) 

 Very common about Kingston, Ont. Breeds abundantly on Wolfe, 

 Simcoe and Amherst islands, as well as on the main shore. Is a late 

 breeder; I have found eggs as late as July ist, but these, of course. 



