158 Bird-Nesting 



In the bluffs I found a number of common birds breeding, 



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such as golden-winged woodpeckers, cat birds and robins. I 

 also noted several American goldfinches, Baltimore orioles, 

 blue-jays, kingbirds and red-headed woodpeckers. 



The horse had- become very restless, so I got into the buggy 

 and was soon moving at a rapid pace back to the station where 

 I found I was just in time for supper. Supper over, the owner 

 of the horse and buggy then took me for a drive along the 

 banks of the Assiniboine river. North of Oak Lake we drop 

 down into the beautiful picturesque valley of the Assiniboine. 

 In some parts the valley is well timbered and has a park-like 

 appearance. We crossed the river by the bridge, and then 

 drove east along the banks of the Assiniboine, beautiful views 

 presenting themselves at every turn and bend of the river. 



The sun was setting in the west, and the birds were singing 

 their evening matins. A number of night hawks were flying 

 over the river, making their presence known by their screech- 

 ing. A gentle breeze sprang up, bringing with it delicious 

 perfumes from the numerous wild rose bushes. As it was get- 

 ting dusk we turned back, and stopped on the bridge at twi- 

 light and listened to several whip-poor-wills calling, and to the 

 screeching and hooting of the owls in the woods. 



On reaching the hotel I was introduced to a local ornitholo- 

 gist, who showed me his collection, and I bought a number of 

 clutches from him, including sets of sparrow-hawk, hawk 

 owl, Swainson's buzzard, rusty grackle, clay-coloured sparrows, 

 great grey shrikes, and others. I also bought a clutch of two 

 eggs of the whooping crane from a boy who had collected them 

 on the prairie north of Oak Lake. It is a handsome set, and 

 the large eggs are yellowish-drab, blotched with brown and 

 greyish-purple, and measure 3.90x2.53, and 3.95x2.55. The 

 nest was a flat structure of rushes and grass, two feet in 

 diameter, and was found near a slough. Soon after ten o'clock, 

 I retired for the night. 



