524 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 
again until the Rocky Mountains were reached. (Cowes.) First 
saw one at Medicine Hat, Assa., May 3rd, 1894; by the 12th they 
were common in low scrub along the Saskatchewan and the creeks 
leading into it. They were also common on the east end of the 
Cypress Hills at the end of June. This species was met with in 
brush from Old Wives’ Creek, Assa. to Wood Mountain,and south 
to Rocky Creek, and Medicine Lodge ; it was found to be quite 
common in all the wooded ravines of the Cypress Hills ; a nest 
was taken at Farewell Creek, June 28th, 1895; it was common in 
Milk River valley and along the St. Mary’s River. (Macoun.) 
This handsome ground fi:ch was observed only on the plains of 
the Saskatchewan, where it no doubt breeds, as one specimen was 
killed late in July; it arrives in the end of May and frequents 
shady and moist clumps of wood, being generally seen near the 
ground. (zchardson.) 
BREEDING Notes.—Breeds sparingly in northwest Assiniboia 
and northern Alberta; two sets of four eggs were taken at Fort 
Saskatchewan, Alta., by Mr. J. Callaghan, on June 12th, 1898 ; 
nests made of roots and grass and built in alow shrub a few 
inches above the ground at the side of a coulee. (W. Raine.) 
This species always builds on the ground or close to it; one nest 
was taken at Farewell Creek, Cypress Hills, Assa., June 26th, 
1895, on the slope of the bank, under a willow root in a thicket ; 
another was taken the next day also from the ground in the open 
but this was under the roots of Symphoricarpus occidentalis ; the 
nests were chiefly built of bark and grass and lined inside with 
hair; each nest contained four eggs. (/acoun.) 
MUSEUM SPECIMENS. 
Six ; five taken at Medicine Hat, Assa., May, 1894, one at Old 
Wives’ Creek, Assa., May 22nd, 1895, all by Mr. Spreadborough. 
Two sets of eggs; one of four taken by Prof. Macoun in the 
Cypress Hills, June 26th, 1895, and another of five eggs taken at 
Lethbridge, Assa., June 5th, 1894; nests on the ground under 
. 
bushes. 
588a. Spurred Towhee. 
Pipilo maculatus megalonyx (BAIRD) COUES. 1872. 
At Pass Creek near Robson, Columbia valley, a strange bird 
was seen in a tree on June 20th, 18go0; it had a very long tail and 
