378 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 
BREEDING Nores.—A few pairs nest in northern Assiniboia and 
northern Alberta. I have a beautiful nest and four eggs that were 
collected by Dr. George near Innisfail, Alberta, March 5th, 1899. 
The nest was built in a willow seven feet from the ground and is 
a bulky compact nest with thick felt-like walls of wool, moss, 
feathers and hair. Dr. George remarked that at the time the eggs 
were collected the thermometer registered several degrees below 
zero. On March toth, 1900, Mr. John Wright found a nest and 
four eggs at Horn Hill, northern Alberta. This nest was built in 
a willow and is a deep cup-shaped nest, very warm and well lined 
and has to be as the young nestlings are often exposed to 15° 
below zero. On March 18th, 1900, Dr. George found a nest con- 
taining one egg, in northern Alberta. This nest was also found in 
a willow. It will be seen, therefore, that this bird is the earliest 
breeder of all Canadian birds, having eggs in northern Alberta in 
the middle of March, at a time when the thermometer registered 
below zero. I have yet another set of eggs and nest that were 
collected by Mr. Hugh Richardson in north Saskatchewan, April 
2nd, 1896. (W. Raine.) 
MUSEUM SPECIMENS. 
Three ; one taken at Ottawa by Mr. S. Herring. Two fine 
specimens taken at Indian Head, Assa., in April, 1892, by Mr. W. 
Spreadborough. 
484a. Rocky Mountain Jay. 
Perisoreus canadensis capitalis RipGw. 1873. 
Only seen in the Rocky Mountains at Lat. 49°, where, however, 
it was common and doubtless bred. The specimens secured in 
this locality show the restricted dark areas of the head, upon 
which the variety captetalts is based. (Coues.) Only observed on 
Sheep Mountain, Waterton Lake, Rocky Mountains, in July, 1895 ; 
quite common and breeding at Banff, Rocky Mountains, in the 
summer of 1891 ; common high up in the Rocky Mountains from 
Moose Mountain, south of the Bow River Pass to Crows’ Nest 
Pass in July., 1897; on June 6th, 1890,a young one was shotat Deer 
Park, Lower Arrow Lake, B.C., and later it was seen at Pass Creek, 
near Robson, B.C., and common in the Gold Range, B.C., in 1889. 
One pair seen on the mountains between the North Thompson 
River and the Bonaparte at an altitude of 4,500 feet. Observed 
