554 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA 
588. Arctic Towhee. 
Pipilo maculatus arcticus (SWAINS.) COUES. 1872. 
Along the 49th parallel this form becomes established at least 
as far east as the Mouse (Souris) river, where I secured a speci- 
men in September. On the boundary they were not met with 
again until the Rocky mountains were reached. (Cowes.) First 
saw one at Medicine Hat, Sask., May 3rd, 1894; by the 12th they 
were common in low scrub along the Saskatchewan and the creeks 
leading into it. They were also common on the east end of the 
Cypress hills at the end of June. This species was met with in 
brush from Old Wives creek, Sask., to Wood mountain and south 
to Rocky creek, and Medicine Lodge; it was found to be quite 
common in all the wooded ravines of the Cypress hills; a nest was 
taken at Farwell creek, June 28th, 1895; it was common in Milk 
river valley and along the St. Mary river (Macoun.) Fairly 
common species from the 49th parallel nearly to Calgary, becoming 
rare further north. (W. E. Saunders.) Uncommon in the Skull 
creek and Maple creek, Sask. timber. (A.C. Bent.) This hand- 
some ground finch was observed only on the plains of the Saskatch- 
ewan, where it no doubt breeds, as one specimen was killed late in 
July; it arrives in the end of May and frequents shady and moist 
clumps of wood, being generally seen near the ground. (Richard- 
SOn.) 
BREEDING Notes.—Breeds sparingly in central Saskatchewan 
and northern Alberta; two sets of four eggs were taken at Fort 
Saskatchewan, Alta., by Mr. J. Callaghan, on June 12th, 18098; 
nests made of roots and grass and built in a low shrub a few inches 
above the ground at the side of acoulee. (W. Ravine.) This species 
always builds on the ground or close to it; one nest was taken at 
Farwell creek, Cypress hills, Sask., June 26th, 1895, on the slope of 
the bank, under a willow root in a thicket; another was taken the 
next day. also from the ground in the open, but this was under the 
roots of Symphoricarpus occidentalis; the nests were chiefly built 
of bark and grass and lined inside with hair; each nest contained 
four eggs. (Macoun.) 
