306 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 
paratively few years ago this bird was unknown as breeding in 
eastern Ontario. (Rev. C. J. Young.) On May ti2th, 1882, at 
camp, eight miles south of Brandon, midway between our tent 
and the fire ten feet away, I started a small bird from its nest. It 
ran away very reluctantly, and continued wistfully close at hand, 
running about among the tufts of grass in the glare of the fire, 
returning each time as soon as it dared. At gray dawn I found 
her on the nest again; she slowly walked away when I approached 
to rekindle the fire, but returned almost immediately with her 
mate; and, now, for the first time, 1 saw them plainly. They 
were a pair of shore larks. Encouraged, no doubt, by the presence 
of her mate, she once more crept to her nest and took up her 
position on the eggs, although I was but five feet off. Frying our 
bacon over a brisk fire, I was very careful to avoid hurting the 
birds or their home; and breakfast being over, travellers, tent, 
fire and horses all went off and left them to discharge their duties 
in peace. The nest contained three brown eggs; it was sunken 
in the ground, and was made of grass and fibre, and lined with 
two or three large feathers. (Zhompson-Seton.) Common resi- 
dent from January to October; usually rare in November and 
December ; an exceedingly early breeder, eggs having been 
taken in March, and on April 25th, 1900, a brood of young left 
the nest able to fly. Raises two or probably three broods in a 
season. (W.£. Saunders.) The bird nests on Toronto Island and 
on Toronto Sandbar at Ashbridge Bay, seldom having eggs before 
the middle of May, as the instances when shore larks nests have 
been found here at the end of March and first week of April, 
while snow was on the ground, have proved to be the eggs of 
alpestris and not praticola. This variety of horned lark breeds 
commonly in Manitoba. In northwestern Assiniboia and Alberta 
it is replaced by the pallid horned lark. (W. Rane.) At Ottawa 
this bird builds ina shallow hole in the ground. The nest is com- 
posed of grass and lined with fine grass, horse-hair and feathers. 
ges four or five. Grayish white, marked with spots of brownish 
purple. (G. Rk. White.) 
MUSEUM SPECIMENS. 
Thirty-three ; twenty-two of these were taken at Ottawa by 
Mr. F. A. Saunders ; three at Lorne Park, Toronto, by Mr. E. 
Thompson-Seton ; four others at Bracebridge, Ont., and one at 
Indian Head, Assa., by Mr. Spreadborough. | 
