GOO THE BIRDS OF MANITOBA — -THOMPSON. 



mud ou the outside -lud straw or grass ou tlic inside ; makes choice of a situation in 

 trees raised about a yard from the ground, and lays from two to five eggs, spotted with 

 black. Also, " kaw sar bac ta pe thia shish " « * » This migratory bird is called 

 the conjuring bird, because it begins singing just before the bad weather ceases, and 

 forebodes aii end of rain, etc., at which time its note is very clear, and seems to re- 

 semble the following words, "tweet, tweet, tiddlelet tkldlelet, ttddUlel," which it takes 

 about a minute in singing. It makes its nest in willow, lays four eggs, brings forth 

 its young about the middle of July. (Hutchins MSS., Observations on Hudson's Bay, 

 1782.) 



In 1884 last seen by me at Portage la Prairie ou October :31, feeding on the berries 

 of the high bush cranberry ( Vihurmim opuhis), there being 3 or 4 inches of snow ou 

 the ground at the time. These hirds do not breed anywhere near either Portage la 

 Prairie or Winnipeg. I looked for the birds very carefully eacli summer for G years 

 hut saw none. (Nash, in MSS.) 



195. iSpizella monticola. Tree Sparrow. 



Abundant migrant; frequenting tbickets; Mouse Eiver, October 

 (Coues). Dufferiu: Arrived before April 15 (Dawson). Winnipeg: 

 Summer resident; abundant; migrant (Hine). Portage la Prairie: 

 Abundant spring and. autumn visitor; arrives about April 10, remain- 

 ing nntil about May 15; reappears about October 1, and departs about 

 October 30, the last stragglers remaining until November 2 (Nash). 

 Very abundant around brush on the plains in September (Macoun). 

 Carberry: Very abundant spring and fall migrant; Rat Portage, 

 abundant in October, 1886 (Thompson). Two Elvers: 1881, first seen, 

 twenty, on March 23; next seen, April G; migrant (Criddle). Shell 

 River: 1885, first seen, fifty or more, on April 10; a transient visitant, 

 passing north and not breeding or remaining any time (Calcutt). Lake 

 Winnipeg (north end): September 24, 1857 (Blakiston). Severn House: 

 This bird winters in the United States (Murray). 



September 30, 1884: The Tree Sparrows are here again in flocks. 

 The doleful spell is about beginning, but there is nothing doleful about 

 the Tree Sparrows. Right merrily they chase each other from branch 

 to branch on the leafless trees, twittering gleefully, and ever and anon, 

 as they dash by in full career, bursts of their music may be heard, or 

 perchance some member of the merry crew mounts a perch and lets us 

 hear his full song — a song so sweet and varied that it is surprising to 

 find his subgeneric brethren credited with nothing better than a pro- 

 longed twitter. It commonly frequents thick copses rather than trees, 

 and its general habits would entitle it to be called Scrub Sparrow 

 rather than Tree Sparrow. In the springtime it remains here long- 

 enough to let us hear its first attempt at a love song, then it disappears 

 m the unknown north. 



196. Spizella socialis. Chipi>iiig Sparrow. 



One in Smithsonian Institution from Red River Settlement ; also at 

 Pembina (Blakiston). Winnipeg : Summer resident ; tolerably common 

 (Hine). Oak Point: 1884, arrived April 11; next seen on the 12th; 



