CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 1 89 



Nelson, in his Birds of Alaska, says that a few skins of this species 

 were brought to him from Anvik and Nulato, both on the lower 

 Yukon, and their occurrence here involves their occurrence on the 

 upper Yukon. Fannin, Spreadborough and Brooks record it as 

 being tolerably common in British Columbia. 



Breeding Notes. — We have very little actual knowledge of 

 the breeding habits of this bird other than that it is soUtary in 

 its habits and has a tendency to take to trees when in proximity 

 to its nest. Hutchins found the nest on the shores of Hudson 

 bay; and according to Richardson their eggs were deposited on 

 the beach and no nest formed. This tallies exactly with the con- 

 ditions under which its nest was found near Castleton, Vermont, 

 by Mr. J. Richardson, in May, 1878. In the latter case the single 

 egg was placed in a small depression in the ground, without any 

 attempt at a nest. Knowing as we do now that this bird nests 

 usually, if not always, in trees and bushes the above references 

 must be considered doubtful. 



In July, 1 88 1, the writer, when leading an exploring expedition 

 up the Red Deer river, which empties in to the head of Lake Win- 

 nepegosis, came upon a pair of these birds on a point of bare rocks 

 which jutted into the stream, and shot one. On the report of the 

 gun, a young bird — still in the down — jumped up and ran, but 

 was soon caught. On July 6th, 1896, while collecting plants in a 

 swamp near Prince Albert, on the Saskatchewan, he saw a bird of 

 this species sitting on a small birch, but could neither raise the 

 other bird nor find the nest. The next day he visited the same place 

 and found two birds sitting on trees, but failed to find the nest. 



On July 19th, 1895, I came across a pair near Calgary, Alberta, 

 which undoubtedly had young in the grass; one bird kept flying 

 within a few yards of me as long as I stayed in a certain locality. 

 I also observed this species in summer at Buffalo lake, Alta. It 

 was also seen at Manitoba House, Man., at the end of June, 1895. 

 (Dippe.) What seems to be the first clear breeding record of this 

 species for Ottawa and its immediate vicinity was made by Mr. 

 Edward White, who last July saw the tiny and downy young of 

 this species two or three days from the egg, together with their 

 agitated parents. This was on the Ottawa river about ten miles 

 from Ottawa. (Rev. G. Eifrig.) I am also satisfied that it breeds 



