CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 499 
brown. (G. R. White.) The nesting season at Scotch Lake, York 
co., N.B., is from May to July. Three to five eggs are laid in a 
loosely constructed nest of grasses on the ground, or sometimes by 
the side of a log or root. (W. H. Moore.) Quite common at Ot- 
tawa and Lake Nominingue. Nest sunken in the ground and 
hidden by the grass, made with grasses, rootlets and hairs. Some- 
times only two or three bits of grass and hair are used. One nest 
was found in sand under a potato plant. It nests in May, June 
and July and lays four eggs. (Garneau.) July 7, 1903, saw three 
nests on the west coast of James bay, one with four young just 
hatched, one with both young and eggs and one with six eggs. All 
the nests were made of dry grass and were in the short grass just 
above high-water mark. (Spreadborough.) 
542d. Western Savanna Sparrow. 
Passerculus sandwichensis alaudinus (BONAP.) R1IDGW. 1877. 
Breeds in profusion throughout the region explored, that is along 
the 49th parallel. Though not exclusively a bird of the prairie, 
it seems to be as much at home in the open plains as anywhere, 
associating with Centronyx, the chestnut-collared and McCown’s 
longspurs. It is also found in the brush along streams and the 
larger rivers which are not frequented by the above species. (Couwes.) 
An abundant summer resident on the prairies in Manitoba. The 
bird is remarkably shy, even in places where man is scarcely ever 
seen. (E.T. Seton.) Tolerably common at Aweme, Man. (Criddle.) 
Breeds abundantly in open country everywhere in Manitoba and 
west to Edmonton, Alta. (Atkinson.) First seen May 11th, 1892, 
at Indian Head, Sask., common by May 13th; they breed in the 
vicinity in great numbers; common at Crane lake, Sask., seemed 
to prefer low ground where there were bushes; quite common on 
the east end of the Cypress hills the last week in June, 1894, in low 
damp ground ; in 1895, its habits were more carefully observed 
and it was found that it was always by pools of water or in marshes 
at West Selkirk, Brandon, Moose Jaw, Parkbeg and Old Wives creek. 
It was: found nesting at 12-Mile lake, near Wood mountain, and 
always in marshy spots ; this species was noted wherever there 
was water or marsh for 400 miles to the westward—to the foothills 
of the Rocky mountains. (Macoun.) First seen at Edmonton, 
Alta., May 3rd, 1897, next day they were common; two nests were 
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