410 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



beaux.) A few individuals of this species remain at Lake Okana- 

 gan, B.C., all winter. {Brooks.) Both east and west of the Coast 

 Range ; common in spring and fall at the mouth of the Fraser, 

 B.C. ; breeds in the neighbourhood of Clinton. {Fannin.) Breed- 

 ing in suitable localities, both east and west of the Coast Range 

 to Vernon, B.C., in the south, and Lac la Hache in the north. 

 {Rhoads.) North to Fort Simpson on the Mackenzie River. Not 

 rare. {Ross-.) Corftmon in some parts of British Columbia. 

 {Lord.) Generally distributed in British Columbia but not com- 

 mon. {Streator.) 



Breeding Notes. — On June 8th, 1882, C. T. found a grackle's 

 nest on the newly harrowed ground in a field not more than 20 

 yards from a clump of willows. The eggs, five in number, were 

 in a slight hollow in the ground, without a single straw or any 

 pretence at lining. My brother sprang the bird and then called 

 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 

 grackles. {Thompson-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 1% 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, Assa., in thickets of Prunus., Cratcegus, Sym- 

 phoricarpus, and willows of various kinds. 



MUSEUM SPECIMENS. 



Sixteen; six taken at Indian Head, Assa., in September, 1891 

 one at Old Wives' Creek, Assa., in May, 1895, four at Medicine 

 Hat, Assa., in May, 1894, four at Agassiz, B.C., in May, 1889, and 

 one at Cascade, B.C., on the International Boundary, in June, 1902; 

 all by Mr. Spreadborough. 



Four sets of eggs. One of five eggs taken at Medicine 

 Hat, Assa., June 3rd, 1894, one of five taken at Old Wives 



