428 Bent, Summer Birds of Southwestern Saskatchewan. [oct 



and Dr. D wight each took one and saw a number on the sand flats at the 

 eastern end of Big Stick Lake on July 19, 1906. 



62. .ffigialitis meloda. Piping Plover. — Abundant at Big Stick 

 Lake, where it was breeding on the gravelly beaches. No eggs were found 

 but downy young were found on July 21. 1906. 



The few birds we collected were referable to circumcincta, but I doubt if 

 this form is worthy of recognition. 



63. Pedioecetes phasianellus campestris. Prairie Sharp-tailed 

 Grouse. — Very common in the sandhills and among the willow thickets, 

 especially near Crane Lake and along Bear Creek. Also seen and collected 

 in the Cypress Hills. Three nests with eggs were found among the under- 

 brush in the sandhills on June 3 and 6, 1905. A nest from which the 

 young had just hatched was found on June 4, 1905, and recently hatched 

 downy young were collected on June 23, 1906. Half grown young, able 

 to fly, were seen on June 27, 1906. 



The grouse that we collected, in worn summer plumage, were so dark 

 colored that we thought they might be phasianellus, but on comparing 

 them with summer specimens of campestris in Dr. Bishop's collection, 

 taken in North Dakota, we decided that they were undoubtedly campestris. 

 This decision was further confirmed by the examination of material in the 

 Biological Survey collection at Washington. 



64. Centrocercus urophasianus. Sage Grouse. — Probably occurs 

 sparingly, but common farther south. In June, 1895, Prof. Macoun 

 found these birds breeding on the White Mud River and traced the birds 

 up the valley of this river to its source in the Cypress Hills. 



A bird was seen by Mr. Day, near Skull Creek, on June 9, 1905, which 

 we think must have been this species, but it was not positively identified 

 and none were taken. 



65. Zenaidura macroura. Mourning Dove. — Very common in the 

 timber along the creeks where it breeds. Nests with eggs were found on 

 May 30, June 12 and 14, 1905, and July 19, 1906. Young birds were found 

 on June 25, 1906. We frequently saw small flocks of doves feeding in 

 the stubble fields and along the roadsides. 



66. Cathartes aura. Turkey Vulture. — Uncommon, but probably 

 of regular occurrence and undoubtedly breeding somewhere in this region. 

 We saw a few sailing over the timber on Skull Creek, near the Great Blue 

 Heron rookery, on June 5, 1905, and at the same place on June 25, 1906. 

 None were collected. One was seen at Many Island Lake on July 13; 

 two were seen in the Big Stick timber on July 19, and two were seen in 

 the Cypress Hills on July 27, 1906, by others of our party. 



67. Circus hudsonius. Marsh Hawk. — Hardly could be called com- 

 mon, still frequently seen on the prairies. No nests were found. 



68. Accipiter velox. Sharp-shinned Hawk. — Rare. None were- 

 seen in 1905 and only 3 in 1906, 2 of which were shot in the timber on 

 Maple Creek, on June 30 and July 5, 1906. 



Prof. Macoun recorded a nest found on Farewell Creek, in the Cypress 

 Hills, containing heavily incubated eggs on June 27, 1895. 



