500 General Notes. [$£ 



Field Sparrow, Spizella pusilla pusilla, rather common. 



Catbird, Dumetella carolinensis, one. 



Brown Thrasher, Toxostoma rufum, one. 



All were present throughout the entire period, with the possible, though 

 hardly probable, exception of the Vespers, which were not found until 

 February 26, 1915. — C. A. Robbins, Onset, Mass. 



Notes on some Manitoban Birds. — Taking E. T. Seton's list of 

 Manitoban birds in the ' Handbook of the British Association,' Winnipeg, 

 1909, as a basis, the following observations appear to be worthy of record. 



Sterna caspia. Caspian Tern. — On June 22, 1914, I found about 

 120 pairs of Caspian Terns nesting on a small shoal in a remote part of 

 Lake Winnipeg. Laying had commenced shortly before for there were 

 many single eggs and the full clutches which were tested were fresh or 

 nearly so. The only other species nesting on the shoal was a single pair 

 of Herring Gulls, they had evidently taken toll of the Terns eggs. Later 

 in the summer photographs of the birds nesting were obtained from a 

 blind, they proved to be very shy, no doubt the absence of bushes from the 

 shoal and consequent conspicuousness of the birds, partially at all events, 

 account for this. Both sexes incubate. Seton gives no record of this- 

 species. 



Phalacrocorax auritus auritus. Double-crested Cormorant. — In 

 Chapman's 'Birds of Eastern North America,' the number of eggs laid by 

 this Cormorant is given as 2-4. On Lake Winnipeg I found many fives 

 and sixes and also several sevens, the frequency of these occurrences made 

 it certain that they were true clutches and not the product of more than 

 one bird. 



Marila marila. Greater Scaup Duck. — As there appears to be no 

 definite record of this species nesting in Manitoba, I may state that it 

 was undoubtedly the most plentiful breeding duck, mid-way up the west 

 side of Lake Winnipeg. Full clutches were not found till the middle of 

 June. 



Lobipes lobatus. Northern Phalarope. — Noted on the Dauphin 

 River near Lake St. Martin on August 16, 1914, and also on a shoal in Lake 

 Winnipeg, September 4, 1914. 



Tryngites subruficollis. Buff-breasted Sandpiper. — Two secured 

 on west shore of Lake Winnipeg, September 5, 1914. 



Squatarola squatarola. Black-bellied Plover. — Seton has no 

 autumn records. Several birds of this species were frequenting the mouth 

 of the Mossy River, Winnipegosis, at the beginning of October, 1914. 



.ffigialitis meloda. Piping Plover. — A nest of this species found on 

 June 18, 1914, on the shore of Lake Winnipeg contained four eggs. Young 

 of this species were subsequently seen at other points on the same lake. 



Perisoreus canadensis canadensis. Canada Jay. — A curious super- 

 stition that I found prevalent among the Indians in various parts of- 



