2S8 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



A single pair was seen in tlie neighbourhood of Carlton 

 House in May, 1827, and the female was shot. In the oviduct 

 there were several full-sized white eggs, clouded at one end with 

 a few bronze-coloured spots. The specimen killed at Carlton 

 House is, beyond doubt, an old female merlin just beginning to 

 have its new feathers. {Richnrdson.) Carlton House was situated 

 about Lat. 53° on the North Saskatchewan about 100 miles north 

 of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Macfarlane had no certainty 

 of the occurrence of this species on the Anderson River and I am 

 inclined to believe that only stragglers reach the North Saskat- 

 chewan. 



Taken at Chilliwack on the Fraser by Mr. Brooks and 

 near Victoria by Mr. A. H. May. {Fannin) Occurs in migrations 

 only, both east and west of the Coast Range, B.C. ; a few individ- 

 uals seen at Lake Okanagan in the winter of 1897-98. {Brooks.) 

 One shot at the head of Lake Okanagan, B.C. {Rkoads.) 



Breeding Notes. — Breeds in Alberta and western Assiniboia. 

 The first authentic set on record is in my collection. It was taken 

 by Mr. Roy Ivor, south of Moose Jaw, Assa., on May 20th, 1893. 

 The nest containing four eggs was made of sticks and weeds and 

 built in a poplar tree-top. The next set recorded was found by 

 J. E. Houseman at Calgary, Alberta, May 12th, 1894. Mr. House- 

 man kindly sent me these eggs to make drawings of some time 

 after he collected them. It is a handsome clutch and is now in 

 the collection of Mr. Crandell. Mr. Dippie has also taken eggs, 

 young birds and parents near Calgary. A handsome set in my 

 cabinet was taken at Fort Saskatchewan, May 17th, 1899, showing 

 this bird usually has eggs by the middle of May. It is rather 

 singular that there is no record of the nesting habits of this bird 

 in Bendire's " Life Histories of N. A. Birds," probably on account 

 of the author having such a vague knowledge of the birds nesting 

 in northwest Canada. {W. Raifie.) 



358.1. Merlin. 



Falco merillus (Gerini.) Oberholser. 1899. 



A specimen caught at sea, Lat. 57" 41' N., Long. 35° 23' W., in 

 May, 1867, by Mr. E. Whymper, and by him presented to the 

 Norfolk and Norwich Museum, seems to have reached the most 

 western limit of the species known. {Arctic Manual.) A speci- 



