V ° 1 i907 iIV ] Bent, Summer Birds of Southwestern Saskatchewan. 423 



Buffle-head. The species was recorded by Prof. Macoun as breeding in 

 Alberta and at Rush Lake, Saskatchewan. 



28. Oidemia deglandi. White-winged Scoter. — Rare. Only three 

 pairs were located. One nest was found, containing 9 fresh eggs, on June 

 28, 1906. It was well concealed under a thick clump of rose bushes near 

 a small slough. 



29. Erismatura jamaicensis. Ruddy Duck. — Common in all the 

 sloughs, where it breeds. It occasionally lays its eggs in the nests of other 

 ducks, particularly the Canvasback and Redhead. We found a Western 

 Grebe's nest containing 2 eggs of the grebe and one of the Ruddy Duck. 

 I also flushed a female Ruddy Duck from a small clump of bulrushes 

 which contained only grebe's nests and I think she was preparing to lay 

 in one of them. 



30. Branta canadensis. Canada Goose. — Common on all of the larger 

 lakes. Although it is an early breeder, 2 nests containing 6 eggs each 

 were found at Crane Lake, on a small island, on June 2, 1905; these were 

 undoubtedly second sets. 



The geese were seen flying about in small flocks on June 2 and 8, 1905, 

 and on June 9, 1906. No birds were taken. 



31. Olor columbianus. Whistling Swan. — One was seen at Crane 

 Lake, on June 23, 1906, by Mr. Eastgate, probably this species. We were 

 told that they were very abundant on the larger lakes on the migrations, 

 particularly in the spring, but, so far as we could learn, they had not 

 been known to breed here within recent years. We saw a fine specimen 

 in a local taxidermist's shop. 



We could learn nothing definite about the occurrence of the Trumpeter 

 Swan in this region. 



32. Botaurus lentiginosus. American Bittern. — Very common in 

 all the sloughs, nesting abundantly in the thick bulrushes or cattail flags, 

 where 5 nests were found in one day. It was also found nesting in the 

 wet grassy meadows and once on a nearly dry meadow in short grass. 

 Nests with eggs were found on June 7 and 13, 1905, and on June 22 and 24, 

 1906. 



33. Ardea herodias. Great Blue Heron. — A colony of about 20 

 pairs was found breeding in the Skull Creek timber on June 5, 1905. The 

 nests were from 15 to 25 feet from the ground in the tops of the tallest 

 box elder trees, sometimes 2 or 3 nests in one tree. Most of the nests con- 

 tained small young or heavily incubated eggs, from 4 to 6 in number. 



We visited this rookery again in 1906 but were disappointed to find it 

 entirely deserted though showing signs of recent occupancy. A search 

 through the grove revealed the evidences of a camp, probably made by 

 Indians, about which were scattered the wings and feet of our herons. 

 They had killed or driven away every bird and probably eaten the eggs 

 or young. No birds were collected. 



34. Grus canadensis. Little Brown Crane. — A mounted specimen 

 was seen in a taxidermist's shop in Maple Creek, said to have been taken 

 in that vicinity. 



