480 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 
radiating twigs but not attached to them, considering the size 
of the bird it is quite large, rather flat and bears no resemblance to 
nests of Spinus tristis, measuring as follows: height, 1.63 inches; 
depth, .75 inches; outside top diameter, 4 inches; inside top diam- 
eter, 2inches. It is constructed mainly of dark pendulous tree-moss, 
with some fulvous bark from weed-stalks, plant-down, Usnea and 
other mosses. About the bottom of the nest is woven a few spruce 
twigs. The lining is entirely the pendulous moss. It contained 
four eggs but slightly incubated. These have a pale blue ground 
colour, slightly darker than eggs of Spinus tristis, somewhat sparingly 
marked about the larger end with pale purplish and a few dots of 
brownish black. (WMorrell.) Common in winter in Ontario. This 
bird, of all wild birds, breeds the most readily in confinement. I 
have seen eggs that were laid by birds belonging to Dr. C. K. Clarke, 
of Rockwood, Ont., which had only been captured the previous 
winter, so had not been in a cage for more than afew months. (Rev. 
C. J. Young.) I have several nests with sets of eggs that were taken 
at Hamilton inlet, Labrador, during the summers of 1895 to 1898. 
One nest before me is a pretty specimen of bird architecture, and 
made externally of fine twigs and roots held together by moss with 
the inside lined with feathers. It was found June 17th, 1898, ina 
spruce tree 10 feet from the ground and contained five greenish white 
eggs spotted with brown. (IW. Raine.) I have taken seven nests 
around Ottawa, Ont., in cedar trees (Thwya occidentalis) at heights 
of six, eight, ten and twelve feet. The nest is built of small twigs 
and a little vegetable down, lined with hair-like roots or hairs. Size 
of nest 3.50 x 2,and2x1. Itnestsin April and May, and lays three 
or four pale blue eggs, dotted at the larger end with brown. (Gar- 
neau.) I did not see this species either season but Bishop collected 
one young bird at Maple creek, Sask., July 2nd and two young birds 
from a small flock in the Cypress hills, July 26th. (A. C. Bent.) 
All through May, 1905, siskins were common and breeding through- 
out Wellington county, Ont. Some ten nests were found, all in 
white spruces, black spruces or balsams. (A. B. Klugh.) 
CCXVII. PASSERINA Viemtior. 1816. 
534. Snowflake. 
Passerina nivalis (LINN.) VIEILL. 1820. 
Breeds generally throughout Greenland and said to be the com- 
monest land bird on the east coast; breeds also on Melville pen- 
