348 



BIRD-LIFE IN WESTERN CANADA 



and twisting and turning with the erratic flight of a Barn 

 Swallow. Besides these two Ducks, there were also Mal- 

 lards, Baldpates, Bine-winged Teal, Shovellers, Pintails, 

 Redheads, Canvasbacks, Lesser Scaups, Bnffleheads, Coots, 

 American Bitterns and Yellow-headed and Red-winged 

 Blackbirds. 



Young Gulls 



The locality and its bird-life have been well described by 

 Bent and Job, who on June 17, 1905, estimated that ' ' at least 

 150 pairs of Ducks were breeding or preparing to breed" 

 (The Auk, XXIV, 1907, p. 417), on an island of about 

 four acres, which here terminates the reedy growth. 

 But the following } T ear, only three nests could be found and 

 we discovered less than six. A coyote and a pair of minks 

 were believed to be responsible for the decrease, but the cut- 

 ting of the grass by a neighboring ranchman doubtless also 

 disturbed the birds. 



I devoted my time here solely to collecting material for a 

 group of Western Grebes. The birds, their nests, eggs and 



