CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 443 



me. I did not see the bird rise, but a pair of grackles were flying 

 about and noisily resented our interference, and as no other birds 

 were near, I feel safe in the identification. The dozen of nests of 

 this species which I have examined were all either on the ground 

 or in low forks or saddled on logs, close to some pond, and were 

 more or less composed of mud when elevated. I found half a 

 dozen nests around a single small lake on the Duck mountain. 

 The eggs are in colour between those of the rusty and purple grac- 

 kles. {E. T. Seton.) This species builds a large nest of the stalks 

 of dried plants, lined on the inside with horse-hair. In size it 

 averages over six inches across, with a cup over three inches and a 

 depth of at least ij inches. Eggs usually five, variously speckled 

 and spotted. Nests always placed in close thickets and mostly in 

 small communities. Nests were taken at Medicine Hat and Old 

 Wives creek, Sask. in thickets of Prunus, Cratxgus, Symphori 

 carpus, and willows of various kinds. {Macoun.) 



CCVI. QUISCALUS. Vieillot. i8i6. 

 511. Bronzed Grackle. 



Quiscalus quiscula census (Ridgw.) Stein. 1885. 



A summer migrant in Newfoundland, but rare. (Reeks.) Rare 

 in Nova Scotia; only three specimens seen. (Downs.) Rare in 

 King's CO., N.S. ; one observed May 3rd, 1895. Uncommon and 

 local summer resident in Nova Scotia. (H. F. Tufts.) Migrants 

 arrived at Shulee, Cumberland co., N.S., March 12th. (C. H. 

 Morrell.) Two seen at Sable island, N.S., April 29th, 1907. (/• 

 Boutelier.) One pair seen at Tracadie, Prince Edward island, nth 

 July, 1888. (Macoun.) A pair of these birds in Mr. Earle's pos- 

 session were the only ones he had ever seen on Prince Edward 

 island. (D wight.) An abundant summer resident in New Brun- 

 swick. (Chamberlain.) Very rare in the Restigouche valley. 

 (Britiain & Cox.) A common summer resident at Scotch Lake, 

 York CO., N.B. (W. H. Moore.) Taken at Beauport; a common 

 summer resident in Quebec. (Dionne.) An abundant summer 

 resident in the Montreal district; breeds in the city; observed here 

 from April ist to October nth. (Wintle.) Fort Churchill, Hudson 

 bay. (Wright.) York Factory, Hudson bay. (Dr. R. Bell.) 



