436 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



die.) Quite numerous from Manitoba to Edmonton along the line 

 of the G.T.P. Ry. except in the saline districts around the Eagle 

 hills. (Atkinson.) Rare in the timbered districts about Maple 

 creek, Sask. (A. C. Bent.) In the spring of 1892 many specimens 

 were seen at Indian Head, Sask., and nearly all remained to breed; 

 others at Medicine Hat, Sask., in May, 1894; and others were taken 

 on Old Wives creek, Sask., in Ma^', 1895. None were observed 

 south or west of the above point. Arrived at Edmonton, Alta., on 

 May 20th, 1897; later, many were seen flying north but a few re- 

 mained to breed. They nested in tall poplars over 30 feet from the 

 ground, yet nests were found in bushes six feet from the ground. 

 (Spreadborough.) This handsome bird is a regular and not uncom- 

 mon visitor between the forks of the Saskatchewan ; frequently seen 

 and heard in the thickets where it hangs its pretty nest. (Coubeaux.) 

 This bird ranges through the central part of the Northwest Territo- 

 ries up to lat. 55°, beyond which it does not seem to go. (Richardson.) 



Breeding Notes. — I found a nest of this bird June 7th, 1890, 

 at Dorval, built in the top of a thin bush, within reach of hand 

 from the ground, and containing five fresh eggs, but as a rule their 

 nests are built here hanging to branches of large trees, twenty or 

 thirty feet above the ground. I saw this species feeding on the 

 ground, an unusual position to find the oriole in, as they generally 

 confine themselves to the trees and bushes when feeding. (Wintle.) 

 Breeds throughout Manitoba and in Saskatchewan as far west as 

 Crescent lake. (W. Raine.) Builds near the end of a long branch, 

 elm tree preferred at Ottawa. Nest composed of the flax of silk 

 weed, wiUow down, wool string, lined with hnt, wiry grass and 

 horse hair; eggs five, white with a faint tinge of blue, spotted, 

 scrawled and streaked with lilac and brown, mostly towards the 

 larger end. (G. R. White.) On June 25th, 1882, on the north 

 bank of the eastern slough, I found a Baltimore oriole's nest in 

 an oak tree, about 10 feet high. This nest was about four inches 

 deep. It was formed of the outer bark of the Asdepias, and so 

 thoroughly interwoven and "darned" that the fabric was Uke a 

 thick warm felt. It was remarkably strong, too, and with a view 

 to testing it in this particular I brought it home with the branch 

 that bore it, and, having hung to it a pail by a band across the upper 

 surface, proceeded to add weight. Fifteen pounds were gradually 

 added without it showing any signs of breaking, but at the seven- 



