from the Alix and Buffalo Lake Districts. 675 



Sterna hirundo. Common Tern. 



I first observed this species at Haunted Lakes, outside 

 the village of Alix, on May \7 , where a few were diving for 

 fish at the narrows of the lake. On a small neighbouring 

 lake I found these birds breeding. On the point of a small 

 island they had laid their eggs in the dried sandy mud, and 

 I fouud about six or seven nests, each containing two eggs. 

 This Tern is far less numerous than the Black Tern in this 

 part of the country. 



Hydrochelidon nigra surinamensis. Black Tern. 



I found this a very common bird during the spring and 

 summer mouths, nesting in small colonies on many a little 

 slough and backwater. The nests, composed of water-weeds 

 and decayed grasses and reeds, are often fairly bulky struc- 

 tures about four to five inches high. Considerable variation 

 exists in regard to size and colour among the eggs of this 

 species. The young soon after hatching are very difficult to 

 discover amongst the long grass on the sloughs. At Buffalo 

 Lake, on June 2, I found several completed nests but only 

 one egg. I was informed that hundreds roost in the reeds 

 around this lake. 



Anas platyrhynchos. Wild Duck. 



Together with the Greater Scaup this is the commonest 

 species here. It arrived about April 7. I found many 

 nests, the first, containing eleven eggs, being at Haunted 

 Lakes on May 17. This species frequently has its nest far 

 from water, and a favourite situation is in the growing corn. 



Chaulelasmus streperus. Gad wall. 



On a small slough in the vicinity of Buffalo Lake I saw 

 a pair of Gad wall on May 16, but I feel sure this species 

 must have arrived here a week or two prior to this. I 

 would say that they were not particularly abundant here- 

 abouts. 



Mr. Atkinson, who also visited Buffalo Lake at the same 

 time as I did, found a nest with eight eggs on June 5. 



SER. X. — VOL. III. 2z 



