CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 85 
This species was found breeding plentifully near small streams 
descending from the Cypress Hills and by small marshy lakes at 
Crane Lake, Assiniboia, June gth, 1894. While beating rose- 
thickets for nests the writer flushed a female off a nest containing 
ten eggs, too much incubated to be taken ; shortly after I flushed 
another nesting in the same manner, but there were only eight 
eggs in the set, quite fresh. Both nests were under rose- 
bushes on dry ground and lined with grass and down. On the 
11th June, in some patches of rose-bushes, I found two more nests, 
one having eleven and the other nine eggs. 
MUSEUM SPECIMENS. 
Eight specimens taken at Toronto, Ont., Indian Head, Assa., 
Edmonton, Alberta, and Kamloops, British Columbia. 
Several sets of eggs taken at Indian Head, Assa., in 1892, and 
at Crane Lake in June 1894. 
LII. DAFILA STEPHENS. 1824. 
143. Pintail. Springtail. 
Dafila acuta (LINN.) Bonar. 1838. 
Very rare in Newfoundland; more common in Nova Scotia, and 
Chamberlain reports a few breeding in New Brunswick. It has 
been taken in Davis Strait and in Hudson Bay at York Factory. 
Spreadborough saw a number ona small island in James Bay, 
June 16th, 1896. It is not a rare migrant in Quebec and Ontario, 
and according to Saunders a few breed on St. Clair Flats. 
This species breeds in numbers throughout the Northwest Ter- 
ritories, and extends its breeding range from Lat. 49° to the Arctic 
coast. Richardson and Macfarlane both speak of its abundance 
in the Barren Grounds. Nelson and Turner say that this is the 
commonest duck in Alaska, and Murdoch reports it breeding 
quite close to Point Barrow on the Arctic Sea. This species is a 
resident in British Columbia and breeds on the mainland. Fannin 
says they congregate in great flocks in some localities on the 
coast in winter, but more especially on the Lower Fraser. 
BREEDING Notes.—Breeding commonly in Manitoba and As- 
siniboia. It seldom lays more than nine eggs and nests in similar 
situations to the Shoveller. Its eggs can be distinguished from 
those of the Shoveller by their larger size. Two clutches of nine 
eggs each are in my collection taken at Rush Lake, Assiniboia, 
