124 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
The Swallow-tribe seems to be usually scarce in Manitoba; 
but farther west, as far as the Saskatchewan, one species is 
abundant, and breeds round all the water-tanks and under many 
of the bridges along the railway. As three years ago this region, 
through which the line now runs, was practically uninhabited, 
and the Swallows consequently could hardly have then found 
suitable nesting-places, it seems probable that the range of the 
species has been considerably extended in that time—an instance, 
doubtless, of the rapidity with which some species follow man as 
he extends the area of civilisation. 
At least one species of Shrike is common and breeds, 
building its nest largely of the stalks of a species of Gna- 
phalium in the branches of the low, scrubby oaks that cover the 
sand-hills. 
The Goldfinch, Astragalinus tristris, is fairly common on the 
edges of the bluffs. 
The little Baywing, Powcetes gramineus, is one of the most 
familiar of prairie birds, and nightly sings a subdued kind of 
vesper-song as the sun goes down. Its most notable peculiarity, 
however, is its habit of flitting along a trail or pathway in front 
of an advancing waggon or person, alighting every few yards. 
As it is but comparatively recently that there have been any 
human trails over the prairies, it seems probable that this 
proceeding is a relic of a habit acquired by the bird of flitting 
before the buffaloes along the paths made by those animals. 
About the second week in September the Snowbirds or Juncos, 
Junco hyemalis, began to become abundant, and remained so for 
at least a month. 
The Bobolink, Dolichonyx oryzivorus, is of course common. 
I saw birds in both the black and buff plumage together near 
Carberry on August 30th. 
The Red-winged Blackbird, Ageleus pheniceus, is very 
abundant, and breeds in the rushes round most of the lakes, 
afterwards collecting into flocks. 
The gorgeous Baltimore Oriole, Icterus galbula, is far from 
rare, and its hanging nest is often to be found in the poplar trees 
growing on the sand-hills. 
No bird is more characteristic of the prairies than the 
Meadow Lark, Stwrnella neglecta. It is very common in summer, 
and breeds abundantly. Its clear, musical whistle (almost, if not 
