440 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



not rare at Methye portage; abundant between Methye lake and 

 Isle a la Crosse in 1888. (/. M. Macoun.) This sombre-coloured 

 bird is the most northern of the American Siurnidm, its summer 

 range reaching to the 68th parallel, or as far north as the woods 

 extend. It reaches the Saskatchewan about the end of April, and 

 is at Great Bear lake, lat. 65°, by the 3rd of May, generally in pairs. 

 (Richardson.) North on the Mackenzie river to Fort Good Hope; 

 common. {Ross.) This bird is fairly abundant in the neighbour- 

 hood of Fort Anderson, and they were frequently observed as far 

 as the eastern limits of the forest, as well as near the "crossing" 

 of the Horton river in about lat. 69°. The twenty-five nests dis- 

 covered were built in trees from five to eight feet from the ground. 

 (Macfarlane.) One specimen shot at Metlakatla, B. C, by Rev- 

 J. H. Keen, Nov. 21st, 1901. (Kermode.) This species is a regular 

 summer resident in northern Alaska wherever trees and bushes are 

 found, reaching the vicinity of the sea coast; in northern Alaska it 

 reaches lat. 70°. (Nelson.) One specimen taken on Sheep creek, 

 near Homer, Alaska, was the only specimen observed. (Figgins.) 

 This was a fairly common bird along the Kowak, Kotzebue sound, 

 from the delta eastward. They were seen in small flocks until 

 September 8th, and the following spring returned in flocks. May 

 22nd, after which they separated into smaller groups. (Grinnell.) 

 Taken at several locahties near Bristol bay, Alaska. (Osgood.) 

 This bird is one of the earliest land birds to arrive at St. Michael. 

 It is not common there and does not breed in the vicinity to my 

 knowledge. (Turner.) Saw two specimens at Log Cabin, in the 

 White pass, on June 15th, 1899. Osgood took a specimen near 

 Fort Yukon, Alaska, and a small flock was seen near St. Michael. 

 (Bishop.) Two males were shot at Tyonek, Cook inlet, Alaska, in 

 September, 1899. (Osgood.) 



Breeding Notes. — Met with at London as a rare migrant in 

 spring and more common in the fall, but in North Bruce it breeds 

 sparingly on the inland lakes where I found a nest on June 9th, 

 1887. The nest was placed in a maple shrub, two feet over the 

 water and was made of tamarac and other twigs lined with green 

 grass, with mud between it and the exterior twigs. It contained 

 three eggs whose spots are more rufous and ground colour more 

 greenish than those of Brewer's blackbird. (W. E. Saunders.) 



