Vol- XXV"j Bent^ Summer Birds of Southwestern Saskatchewan. 29 



The series of Redwings that we collected proved very puzzHng but we 

 finally decided to refer them to this form, though they were far from 

 typical. 



Geographically they should be included under the new northern race, 

 arctolegus, as described by Mr. Oberholser in a recent number of ' The Auk.' 

 The measurements of my birds agree very closely with those given for 

 arctolegus and they are certainly nearer to this form than to fortis, as he 

 gives them. 



I should hesitate to recommend the recognition of still another form in 

 a group in which the distinctions are already so finely drawn, but am 

 inclined to tliink that our birds are referable to arctolegus and will help 

 to strengthen its validity as a subspecies. 



103. Sturnella magna neglecta. Western Meadowlakk. — Abun- 

 dant on the prairies. Frequently seen sitting on some wayside fence post 

 or telegraph pole, pouring out its rich and beautiful song, a constant 

 source of delight to the prairie traveler. Three nests were found in the 

 long prairie grass, on June 6, 1905, and on June 18 and 24, 1906, each 

 containing 5 or 6 fresh eggs. On July 18, 1906, Dr. Bishop caught a 

 fully fledged young bird, that had been bathing in a lake and was so water 

 soaked that it could not fly. 



104. Icterus galbula. Baltimore Oriole. — Rare in the timber on 

 Maple Creek. None were collected, but I saw two or three birds each 

 season which I was quite sure were this species. May 29 and June 14, 1905, 

 and June 5 and 30, 1906. I also found an empty new nest tliere on June 

 14, 1905. 



Both Dr. Bishop and Dr. Dwight doubted my identifications as they did 

 not collect any. But according to Prof. Macoun this species is common 

 here, and specimens were taken by Mr. Spreadborough at Indian Head and 

 Old Wives Creek in 1895. 



105. Icterus buUocki. Bullock's Oriole. — The only oriole taken 

 -was reported by Dr. Bishop as follows: "I shot a male along the timber 

 near Maple Creek on July 2. This bird is typical [bullockt] except that it 

 has the malar region, auriculars and sides of head black and many feathers 

 ■of sides of neck tipped with black. Probably a hybrid with galbula." 

 This may have been one of the birds that I saw and took to he galbula. 

 Prof. Macoun says: "Breeding in considerable numbers in trees in the 

 valley of the Saskatchewan at Police Point, Medicine Hat, Assa., May, 

 1894; not noticed further east." 



Probably galbula reaches its western limit and bullocki its eastern limit 

 somewhere in this vicinity. 



106. Scolecophagus cyanocephalus. Brewer's Blackbird. — Very 

 abundant in the timber along the creeks, much in evidence and constantly 

 scolding at us. Breeds in the low thick underbrush on the edges of the tim- 

 ber where its nests were so well concealed that we found only one. This 

 contained 5 young on June 30, 1906. 



107. Quiscalus quiscula seneus. Bronzed Grackle. — Uncommon in 



