148 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



and one at Kicking Horse Lake, Alberta, by Mr. W. Spread- 

 borough ; two others were taken at Toronto, Ont., by Mr. S. Her 

 ring. 



LXXXHI. STEGANOPUS Vielliot. 1819. 



224. Wilson's Phalarope. 



Steganopus tricolor Vieill. 18 19. 



Occasional in Quebec. {Dionne.) An accidental visitor in 

 Ontario. {Mcllwraith.) This is a common species throughout 

 the whole prairie region, breeding by marshy ponds in all suitable 

 places, from Pembina to the Rocky Mountains. Richardson says 

 it does not extend to the north farther than Lat. 55°. Fannin has 

 not seen it and Brooks only once positively identified it in the 

 Fraser River valley, at Chilliwack. 



Breeding Notes. — This species was first seen Maj' iSth, 1892, 

 at Indian Head, Assa., but never became common, although it 

 breeds in large numbers in the " sloughs " to the south of Deep 

 Lake. Its habits are much like those of the Sandpipers as it 

 runs up and down the shore like them and swims very little. On 

 June 23rd, a young one had three black stripes on the back, one 

 reaching from the base of the bill to the rump. The rest of the 

 body was bright buff, almost orange. This species is common 

 from Indian Head to Edmonton, Alberta, nesting among short 

 grass in low damp ground near water. Nest, a shallow hole in 

 the ground, lined with a little grass. Young leave the nest as 

 soon as hatched. {Spreadborough) This species breeds at Rea- 

 burn, Man., Rush Lake, Assa., and Buffalo Lake, Alberta. {Dippie.) 

 A number of nests of this species were taken by the writer on 

 June 5th and 6th, 1895, at Twelve-mile Lake, near Wood Mountain, 

 Assa. They contained from three to four eggs each. The nest 

 was a small hole in the ground, generally between bunches of old 

 grass, in a dry spot, either in or on the borders of a marsh. One 

 nest was in a tuft of wild barley {Hordeunt jubatum) Quite com- 

 mon at Crane Lake, Assa., and breeding, 1894. Found a nest with 

 eggs nearly hatched on June 7th. Nest on the ground beside a 

 tuft of grass ; breeding also in a marshy pond at the east end of 

 Cypress Hills, June 26th, 1894, and at Cypress Lake and Sucker 

 Creek, Assa., June 30th, 1895. 



