694 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 
along small streams near the 49th parallel in the summer of 1902; 
a common species at Kamloops and Spence Bridge, B.C., building in 
the thickets along the Thompson river, in June, 1889; only one in- 
dividual seen at Chilliwack, B.C., in June, 1901, and one in the Chil- 
liwack valley in 1906. (Spreadborough.) Uncommon at Prince 
Albert, Sask., several times heard in the thickets but only once seen. 
(Coubeaux.) This species was not observed further north than lati- 
tude 54°. It was abundant around Carlton, on the Saskatchewan, 
and bred in the willow thickets. (Richardson.) Very common 
summer resident of the interior of British Columbia, reaching the 
coast in reduced numbers. (Streator.) Common east and west of 
the Coast range; rare on Vancouver Island; summer resident. 
(Fannin.) Not abundant anywhere, but very local in its distribu- 
tion in British Columbia. (Rhoads.) Tolerably common summer 
resident at Chilliwack, B.C.; and breeding as far north up the Fraser 
river as Soda creek, B.C. (Brooks.) 
BREEDING NotTEs.—Nests, in bushes, vines and trees of every kind; 
never high up; made of branches, dry leaves, bits of paper, bark and 
grasses; always lined with black rootlets. At Ottawa, the catbird 
begins to lay in the latter part of May. (Garneau.) Nest, built in 
a tree at Ottawa, from five to twenty feet from the ground ; composed 
of twigs, leaves, bark, rootlets and bits of twine, lined with black 
rootlets. Eggs, four to five, dark bluish-green. (G. R. White.) 
Breeds in June, at Scotch Lake, N.B.; the nest is a roughly con- 
structed affair of weed-stalks, grasses and other material, lined with 
rootlets and resembles a bunch of drift stuff lodged ina bush. The 
female keeps good watch over the nest and the male sings at some 
distance away to attract enemies to himself. (W.H. Moore.) This 
species builds its nest on the prairies in the densest thickets and is 
difficult to find; nests in willows and Elgeagnus argentea. The base 
consists of leaves of thistles and Artemisia, then of bark of dead 
willow, lined on the inside with small black root fibres; three nests 
of the same character were taken on Frenchman river, Sask., June 
22nd, 1895. (Macoun.) 
CCLXVI. TOXOSTOMA. Wac ter. 1831. 
705. Brown Thrasher. 
Toxostoma rufum (LINN.) CaB. 1847. 
A common summer resident around Montreal; observed in the 
‘yirg ci the year, April 30th, and a nest found on the spur of Mount 
