from the Alix and Buffalo Lake Districts. 677 



One such uest which 1 found near Buffalo Lake on June 5 

 held sixteen eggs. So overcrowded was it that two eggs lay 

 under water outside the nest. I flushed a Canvas-back, 

 the bulk of the eggs belonging to the other species. It is 

 only fairly common in these parts. 



Marila vallisneria. Canvas-back. 



April 7 is ray earliest record for its advent here. During 

 the mating season these ducks become very tame, and I have 

 often called them close to me, lying concealed in the bushes. 

 By moving a hand slowly they evince curiosity and approach 

 gradually to investigate. They are quite at home in 

 company of other ducks, as my notes for May 17 read that a 

 pair \vere feeding on a small lake together with pairs of 

 Scaup, Mallard, Buffel-head, Widgeon, Green-winged and 

 Blue-winged Teal, as well as a noisy pair of Holboell's Grebes. 

 I found a uest of the Canvas-back containing eleven eggs 

 on Haunted Lakes, near Alix, on May 24. This was a bulky 

 structure, much like a Coot's, as it was made entirely of 

 decayed reeds. The eggs were covered with a little down 

 and partially hidden under cover of the same nesting 

 materials. This same patch of reeds also held several nests 

 of Holboell's Grebe. Old residents inform me that this 

 species is yearly decreasing in numbers. 



Marila marila. Greater Scaup. 



A single pair was first noticed here on May 5. Excepting 

 the Mallard, this species seems to be the commonest in this 

 locality. During my trip to Buffalo Lake I must have seen 

 hundreds. Atkinson, on June 5, found a nest containing 

 eight eggs hidden amongst the branches of a small bush. A 

 local name for this bird is " Bluebill." 



Clangula clangula americana. American Golden-eye. 



In pairs and fairly numerous about April 7. They seemed 

 to become rarer towards the nesting-season, and I did not 

 find any trace of nests or young birds, 



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