126 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
male—at Maple Creek, 597 miles west of Winnipeg, on July 10th, 
1884. 
Before the beginning of September the Crow, Corvus frugi- 
vorus, did not seem to be particularly common; but after that it 
became more noticeable. Large flocks frequently flew over, 
their loud hoarse croak being audible for long distances over the 
prairie. On September 7th a specimen was brought in having a 
curious malformation of the bill, which was evidently due to a 
gun-shot, as the right humerus had also been broken. The 
upper mandible was bent a good deal to the left, as well as 
having the tip strongly turned downwards. A notch had been 
worn in the side of the lower mandible where the upper one 
crossed it, but the former was normal in all other respects. As 
the bird was only wounded slightly in the wing, we kept him 
alive in order to learn how, with such an awkward instrument 
for a bill, he contrived to take his meals; for the fine condition 
he was in clearly showed that he had some means of so doing; 
and in a few hours he was tame enough to show us how. We 
placed some pieces of bread upon the floor, which, being hard 
and flat, probably puzzled the bird more than if it had been soft 
or uneven; but, by standing directly over them and putting down 
his head till it was almost between his legs and the crown nearly 
on the floor, he contrived to get the piece of bread between his 
mandibles. 
The Whiskey Jack, Perisoreus canadensis, probably breeds in 
the dense tamarac swamp south of Carberry, as a young specimen 
was shot there by Mr. Seton in August. 
The Blue Jay, Cyanocitta cristata, is common, but appears to 
be migratory,—partially at least,—leaving in winter, though 
resident farther south. 
The well-known King-bird or Tyrant Flycatcher, Tyrannus 
carolinensis, is abundant in Manitoba. A more fearless, inqui- 
sitive, pugnacious, and warlike bird it is difficult to imagine. 
Often when I have shot a bird as a specimen, up has flown a 
King-bird with a manner which gave him the appearance of 
saying—‘‘ Now, what’s going on here”? ‘To see a King-bird 
dash at and attack a huge Harrier, for no other purpose what- 
soever than to have a fight, is a thing of common occurrence, 
and the Harrier always tries to avoid and escape from his 
assailant. The King-bird breeds in the low scrubby oak trees 
