410 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 
beaux.) A few individuals of this species remain at Lake Okana- 
gan, B.C., all winter. (Bvooks.) Both east and west of the Coast 
Range ; common in spring and fall at the mouth of the Fraser, 
B.C. ; breeds in the neighbourhood of Clinton. (Fannin.) Breed- 
ing in suitable localities, both east and west of the Coast Range 
to Vernon, B.C., in the south, and Lac la Hache in the north. 
(Rhoads.) North to Fort Simpson on the Mackenzie River. Not 
rare. (Ross.) Common in some parts of British Columbia. 
(Lord.) Generally distributed in British Columbia but not com- 
mon. (Streator.) 
BREEDING Notes.—On June 8th, 1882, C. T. found a grackle’s 
nest on the newly harrowed ground in a field not more than 20 
yards from a clump of willows. The eggs, five in number, were 
ina slight hollow in the ground, without a single straw or any 
pretence at lining. My brother sprang the bird and then called 
me. I did not see the bird rise, but a pair of grackles were flying 
about and noisily resented our interference, and as no other birds 
were near, I feel safe in the identification. The dozen of nests of 
this species which I have examined were all either on the ground 
or in low forks or saddled on logs, close to some pond, and were 
more or less composed of mud when elevated. I found half a 
dozen nests around a single small lake on the Duck Mountain. 
The eggs are in colour between those of the rusty and purple 
grackles. (Zhompson-Seton.) This species builds a large nest of the 
stalks of dried plants, lined on the inside with horse-hair. In size it 
averages over six inches across with a cup over three inches and a 
depth of at least 1% inches. Eggs usually five, variously speckled 
and spotted. Nests always placed in close thickets and mostly 
in small communities. Nests were taken at Medicine Hat and 
Old Wives’ Creek, Assa., in thickets of Prunus, Crategus, Sym- 
phoricarpus, and willows of various kinds. 
MUSEUM SPECIMENS. 
Sixteen; six taken at Indian Head, Assa., in September, 1891 
one at Old Wives’ Creek, Assa., in May, 1895, four at Medicine 
Hat, Assa., in May, 1894, four at Agassiz, B.C., in May, 1889, and 
one at Cascade, B.C., on the International Boundary, i in June, 1902; 
all by Mr. Spreadborough. 
Four sets of eggs. One of five eggs taken at Medicine 
Hat, Assa., June 3rd, 1894, one of five taken at Old Wives 
