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CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 437 
1899. This was in every way similar to the other two, and con- 
tained four slightly incubated eggs. As the month of May 
advanced the flocks of redpolls began to break up though the 
pairs were prone to stay within call of each other, a sociable trait. 
The first nest was found on June 4th and contained five badly 
incubated eggs. This indicates that nesting begins soon after 
the middle of May. Another nest, containing five slightly in- 
cubated eggs, was taken on the 5th; the nest was saddled in the 
forks of a leafless willow above water at the margin of an ice- 
covered lake. This nest may be described as typical of the ones 
found in the Kowak valley. It is a very compact and well pro- 
portioned structure of fine dry rootlets, grasses and slender plant 
stems lined with soft white willow down and a few ptarmigan 
feathers. The diameter of the nest cavity is 1°70, and the depth 
1°25. External diameter, 4:00; depth, 2:10. A nest of five fresh 
eggs, taken on June 6th, was nine feet above the ground in the top 
of asmaill spruce at the edge of a dense strip of timber. The 
eggs of the hoary redpoll are pale Nile blue, with spots, lines, 
dots and scrawls of vinaceous, lavender, chocolate and so dark a 
brown as to appear black in some cases. These markings tend to 
form wreaths about the larger ends of many eggs. The eggs vary 
in shape from ovate to short-ovate. (Gvinnell.) I have six nests 
with sets of eggs of this species. They were collected at Peel 
River, Mackenzie Delta, by the Rev. I. O. Stringer, who has just 
returned from that far away northern region after spending eight 
years amongst the Eskimos. The nests are beautiful structures of 
fine twigs and roots felted together with vegetable down and 
snugly lined with down and feathers. One nest, taken July Ioth, 
1898, was built in a willow only two feet from the ground, and 
contained four eggs. Another nest was built in a small shrub less 
than one foot from the ground, and contained five eggs, averaging 
in size 68 x ‘52. The Eskimo name for this bird is “ Peégwak.” 
(W. Raine.) 
MUSEUM SPECIMENS. 
Two taken at Indian Head, Assa., April 17th, 1892, by Mr. W. 
Spreadborough. A large series of eggs taken at Nachvak, Lab- 
rador, in 1895. One set of five eggs and nest taken at Nachvak 
by G. Ford in 1897; also two eggs taken at Fort Chimo, Ungava, 
June 13th, 1896. 
