2.0 



In North- West Can ((da. INI 



species tliat were collected in south Russia, May 29th, 1 sss. 

 Here tlie eggs are laid in similar situations as those selected 

 by the common black tern, the eggs being laid on dead float- 

 ing rushes in swamps. The white-winged black tern also 

 breeds in Asia Minor, and in southern Europe. It occasion- 

 ally occurs in Great Britain, but does not breed there. 



I came across a number of coot's nests, but did not take any 

 of the eggs, as they are not worth blowing, and I had collected 

 three sets the day previously. The nests are usually large float- 

 ing structures, and found in water two or three feet deep, and 

 they are anchored to growing rushes. 



The next find of importance was a nest and six eggs of the 

 red-necked grebe. The nest was a damp mass of decayed 

 vegetation floating on the surface of the water amongst the 

 rushes, and the eggs were covered with grass and sedges. The 

 eggs are larger than those of the horned and eared grebes, but 

 are similar in appearance, being stained with the decayed 

 vegetation, and have also the usual chalky surface. They 

 average in size 2.25x1.35. A number of these birds breed at 

 Long Lake, and on most of the lakes of Manitoba, and along 

 the Saskatchewan River. It is also found in Alaska. 



Several Franklin's gulls began to fly about my head, 

 screaming, as I approached a thick clump of rushes, and soon 

 afterwards I came across a number of their nests. They were 

 built in tussocks of rushes, and were made of sedges and aquatic 

 plants. The number of eggs found in a nest was two or three, 

 and most of them were advanced in incubation, while several 

 contained young birds in down. The eggs are darker 'than 

 most other gulls; the ground colour varies from light brown to 

 olive-drab with shades of green and ashy ; they are spot- 

 ted and splashed with various shades of brown, chiefly at the 

 larger end, and some have zig-zag lines of brown instead of 

 spots. The eggs can be distinguished from those of Bona- 

 parte's gull by their larger size, averaging 2.12x1.40. Frank- 

 lin's gulls are beautiful birds, and several adult specimens I 

 shot had their breasts and underparts deeply tinted with rose 

 pink. The bird is common throughout Manitoba, and breeds 



