CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 563 



out of the grass and alighted on a fence-post ; I immediately secured 

 it and was very surprised to discover that I had collected a fine male 

 black-throated bunting ; no others were seen. (Atkinson.) . One 

 individual taken on Sable island, N.S., September 12th, 1902. 

 (/, Boutelier.) 



CCXXXVII. CALAMOSPIZA Bonaparte. 1838. 



605. Lark Bunting. White-winged Blackbird 



Calamospiza melanocorys Stejn. 1885. 



The apparent absence of this species from the Red river region 

 with its abundance on the Missouri is one of the strong marks of 

 difference in the fauna of the two watersheds. It is an abundant 

 and characteristic species of the sage-brush country of the upper 

 Missouri and extends thence to the Rocky mountains through the 

 Milk river region. The bird is rather a late breeder unless the eggs 

 found July 9th and 21st were those of a second brood. The eggs 

 are four or five in number, like those of the blue bird and normally 

 unmarked, though occasionally sparsely dotted. Two cow-bird's 

 eggs were found in one of the nests secured. The nest is sunk in the 

 ground so that the brim is flush with the surface, and is built of grass 

 and weed-stalks, lined \Yith similar but finer material. {Coues.) 

 Rare at Aweme, Man. in spring. (Criddle.) A probable summer 

 resident of southwestern Manitoba. (E. T. Seton.) Not noted at 

 all in 1905 except one doubtful record of a female. Very common 

 in 1906 on the prairies and hills north of Maple creek and about 

 Crane lake, Sask. (A. C. Bent.) Occasionally seen east of Crane 

 lake, but in its neighbourhood they were quite common and breeding 

 late in June, 1894. They always placed their nests on the ground 

 under sage bush (Artemisia cana) ; this they did in all parts of the 

 prairie region where they were found. In 1895 they were found in 

 some numbers at 12-Mile lake, near Wood mountain, Sask., in sage 

 flats; fifty miles further west on Frenchman river, in sage flats, 

 they were again numerous and breeding under sage brush; at East 

 End post. Cypress hills, Sask., it was again noticed; also at Farwell 

 creek, and lastly at Sucker creek, west end of Cypress hills where 

 there was a flock of over thirty; they always nested in the sage 

 brush and lived in colonies; one individual was shot at Banff, 

 Rocky mountains in May, 1891 ; saw one at Thurston ranch, Chilli- 

 36>^ 



