CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 93 



Although this species breeds in the same ponds with the redhead 

 in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, it is rare in eastern Manitoba, but 

 becomes more common as one passes to the west; west of the iioth 

 meridian it almost supersedes the redhead. At Edmonton, on the 

 Saskatchewan, in 1897, Spreadborough found this species very 

 common, and the redhead rare and late in arriving; in 1898, he 

 found it breeding in small lakes between Edmonton and Lake Ste. 

 Anne, Alta. 



Macfarlane and Ross record it on Great Slave lake, and the former 

 says a few sets of eggs were taken near Fort Anderson in the Barren 

 Grounds. Dall found it breeding at Fort Yukon, in Alaska, in great 

 abundance, though Nelson says he never saw any evidence of it on 

 the west coast. Spreadborough, Brooks and Fannin all mention 

 that it is plentiful in winter around Victoria and at the mouth of 

 the Fraser, and Fannin says it breeds in the interior of British 

 Columbia ; Brooks says it winters on Lake Okanagan and is a com- 

 mon breeder in the Cariboo district, B. C. 



As the writer has seen it in immense numbers on Lesser Slave 

 lake and in the Peace River country, he is satisfied that it breeds 

 from Indian Head northwesterly to Fort Yukon in Alaska. The 

 country northwest of Edmonton suits it well, as there are many 

 marshes full of Scirpus lacustris and tall grasses among which it 

 likes to breed 



Breeding Notes. — Fairly common at Reaburn, in Manitoba, 

 and at Buffalo lake, Alberta. In both places eggs and birds were 

 procured. (Dippie.) Breeding in marshes south of Lake Manitoba 

 but not so numerous as the last species. {Geo. Atkinson.) Nests 

 are always in the reeds growing in the water; they are very bulky, 

 and made of grass and reeds lined with down. A nest of this species 

 was found on a muskrat. house in a marsh at Crane lake, June 15th, 

 1894. It contained seven eggs. {Spreadborough.) I have found 

 this species breeding at Long lake and Shoal lake, Manitoba, and at 

 Crane lake, Sask. It breeds also throughout Alberta. The only 

 other species of duck's eggs they can be compared with are the 

 American and Barrow golden-eye, which they greatly resemble, 

 both in regard to size and tint. The canvas-back is a late breeder, 

 nesting toward the latter part of June. I found a nest containing 

 seven eggs at Long lake, Manitoba, June 29th, 1893. The nest was 



