338 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



in a canoe birch overhanging the water near the buildings at Cache 

 Lake. Other birds were nesting near them but were not inter- 

 fered with. On the other hand they allowed no intruders around 

 their tree and sat peacefully on the tree or caught flies when 

 necessary in the immediate vicinity. {Spreadborough.) 



An extremely numerous summer resident wherever there are 

 trees throughout Manitoba. {Thompson-Seton) First observed 

 at Indian Head, Assa., May 27th, 1892 ; after which they became 

 common and a steady stream was seen flying north on June 2nd ; 

 very abundant all summer, breeding in great numbers ; in the 

 surnmers of 1894 and 1895 this species was found in profusion 

 throughout the whole prairie region, and every piece of brush or 

 patch of rose bushes from Moose Jaw to the Rocky Mountains 

 had one or more nests ; only two pairs were seen at Banff, Rocky 

 Mountains in the summer of 1891 ; quite common at Revelstoke, 

 B.C., and at Deer Park, Lower Arrow Lake, and at Robson in 

 June, 1890 ; common at Trail and Cascade, B.C„ in the summer of 

 igo2 ; it was found more or less common all the way to the 

 Pacific coast in 1889 ; common at Chilliwack, B.C., in the spring 

 of 1901 ; more seen in the autumn. First seen at Edmonton, Alta., 

 on May 17th, 1897, common by the 19th. June loth found a nest 

 in a willow about 12 feet from the ground, with three fresh eggs. 

 Nest composed of weeds lined with grass and horse hair. Com- 

 mon in the foothills southwest of Calgary in July. {Spreadborough.) 

 One specimen seen at Grand Rapids of the Athabasca. A few 

 birds seen at north end of Methye Portage, Lat. 56°. A few 

 specimens between Methye Lake and Isle a la Crosse. (/. M. 

 Macoun.) Common at the Grand Rapids of the Saskatchewan and 

 Chemawawin. {Nutting.) This well known bird is common on the 

 banks of the Saskatchewan, and ranges in summer to Lat. 57", 

 or beyond it. {Richardson.) North to Fort Simpson on the 

 Mackenzie River ; rare. {Ross) Vancouver Island and throughout 

 British Columbia. {Lord.) Abundant in the interior and decreasing 

 in numbers towards the coast. {Streator.) East and west of 

 the Coast Range ; more common on the mainland ; a summer 

 resident. {Fannin.) Common summer resident at Chilliwack. 

 {Brooks.) Abundant in the interior of British Columbia. {Rhoads.) 



Breeding Notes. — Common everywhere in Ontario. Its nest 

 is sometimes found as late as the middle of July with fresh eggs. 

 {Rev. C. J. Young) I examined a nest of this bird June 30th, 



