CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 79 
but the Aleutian islands and Unalaska are the feeding grounds of 
great numbers in winter. One or two pairs breed on St. Paul 
island, Bering sea, each year. 
A few winter at Vernon, B.C. (Bvooks.) 
BREEDING Notes.—A few pairs breed in the large marshes in 
western Ontario, especially at St. Clair flats. (WW. Saunders.) ‘Vhis 
is the earliest duck to breed. Breedicg everywhere I have been 
in the Northwest Territories. (Dzppie.) Breeds throughout Man- 
itoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. (Razne.) 
On May oth, 1892, at Deep lake, near Indian Head, Sask., 
found a nest containing eight eggs about fifty yards from the lake 
in a bunch of weeds, it was made of dry grass, lined with down 
from the bird’s breast. I have found many nests of this duck in 
various parts of the country. Sometimes they are quite near the 
water, and at other times several hundred yards away. The nest 
is in a hole in the ground, rather bulky, made of grass and weeds, 
jJined with down. Some of them breed very early in the spring, 
so early in fact, that I have found eggs cracked with the frost. 
On May 4th, 1894, at Medicine Hat, Sask., discovered a nest of 
this species on the bank of a creek. Nest, a hole in the sand, 
lined with dry grass, amongst rose-bushes; there were only two 
eggs. On June 18th, another nest was taken under the same con- 
ditions at Crane lake; this nest contained ten eggs. June 7th, 
1897, at Edmonton, Alberta, found a nest ina small clump of 
willows, about three hundred yards from water, the young had 
not left the nest and the old bird almost let me put my hand upon 
her before she left; also found breeding at Sooke lake, Vancouver 
island, in 1893. (Spreadborough.) . 
Dall, at Nulato, Alaska, found a set of eight eggs of the mal- 
lard laid on the rotten wood in the hollow top of a stump about 
six inches from the ground. They were concealed under a layer 
of leaves and feathers. (/Ve/son.) 
133. Black Duck. 
Anas obscura GMEL. 1788. 
This is the common wild duck of Newfoundland and the Mari- 
time Provinces. Found breeding in a marsh near Brackley point, 
Prince Edward island, in June, 1888, by the writer, and in the 
