CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. Q7 
More numerous than the preceding species, breeding through- 
out northwestern Canada. In Saskatchewan it usually nests on the 
small islands in the lakes. On June 15th, 1893, I found three nests 
on a small island where a colony of avocets was nesting. The nests 
were built on the grass in hollows, lined with down. The eggs, like those 
of the preceding species, are dark drab, but of course much smaller in 
size. (Raine.) Breeds generally throughout Manitoba and the west. 
When the young are hatched the males forsake the females and flock 
together in large numbers on the open water, leaving the entire 
charge of the young to the mother. (Geo. Atkinson.) 
Over a dozen nests of this species were secured. They were usually 
found in the midst of a swamp, a mere hole or depression in the 
centre of a tuft of turf or tussock of grass, lined with more or less 
down, feathers and hay. Nine was the general number of eggs in a 
nest, though a few contained not more than six or seven. (Mac- 
jarlane.) 
On the 29th June, 1895, this species was found breeding in com- 
pany with the pintail and gadwell on an island in Cypress lake, on 
the south side of Cypress hills, Sask. Of three sets taken, two 
contained eight and one nine eggs. 
150. Ring-necked Duck. 
Aythya collars (DoNov.) RipGw. 1885. 
Five seen by R. Boutelier on Sable island, in 1901. Reported to 
be rare in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. It 
becomes more common in Quebec and still more so in southwestern 
Ontario. It seems to be only a migrant in all the eastern provinces. 
Manitoba and the ponds, lakes and marshes to the north of it seem 
to be its summer home. We have never observed it in the prairie 
regions and only know of one breeding haunt—the marshes around 
Waterhen lake, Manitoba. Raine says it appeared to be more numer- 
ous in northern Alberta than in Manitoba. Owing to its eastern 
migration I believe it to breed in great numbers both north and east 
of Lake Winnipeg. Ross has noticed it occasionally as far north 
on the Mackenzie as lat. 62° 30’. Turner says this bird is not com- 
mon in the vicinity of St. Michael. In this locality he never found 
nest or eggs, but it undoubtedly breeds there. It is rarely seen 
about the Aleutian islands. 
od 
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