4&2 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CAN4DA. 



MUSEUM SPECIMENS. 



Six ; two taken at Ottawa, Ont., in July and October, 1890, by 

 F. A. Saunders ; one at London, Ont., taken April 15th, 1881 ; 

 two taken at Toronto, by S. Herring. 



One set of four eggs taken at Ottawa, June 2nd, 1898; nest on 

 the ground made of dried grass. 



540a. Western Vesper Sparrow. 



Pooccetes gramineus confinis Baird. 1858. 

 This species breeds from Pembina on the east to the base of the 

 Rocky Mountains on the west along the 49th parallel. (Coues.) 

 A very abundant summer resident on the prairies of Manitoba. 

 {Thompson-Seton.) This species arrives on the Saskatchewan 

 plains early in May, and frequents the withered grass which 

 makes an excellent cover. It was not seen by us beyond Lat. 

 57°, {Richardson.) On 26th June, 1864, we found a nest of this 

 species containing six eggs in a sparsely wooded tract of country 

 to the east of Fort Anderson. {Macfarlane.) Quite a common 

 summer resident throughout the country around Prince Albert, 

 Sask., and to be seen running ahead on every trail; breeding in 

 great numbers in the region. {Cotibeaux) In 1895' this species 

 was common from Winnipeg to the Rocky Mountains on or 

 about the 49th parallel. It always nested on the ground, but 

 seemed to prefer being where there is more or less brush. It was 

 first found nesting on June 2nd. First seen at Indian Head, Assa., 

 on May 9th, 1892; common by the 13th; found two nests on the 

 ground, June 7th, with four eggs in each; first seen at Medicine 

 Hat, Assa., April 30th, 1894, two individuals, both males ; next 

 day five were seen and by May 4th they were common and the 

 same at Crane Lake on the 7th'; common in the east end of the 

 Cypress Hills in the latter end of June; in 1891 it was found to be 

 common and breeding around Banff, Rocky Mountains, in the 

 direction of Devil's Lake; at Edmonton, Alta., May ist, 1897, 

 they very soon became common and began to pair. They were 

 common in the foothills from Calgary to Crow's Nest Pass. 

 Common on all the small prairies throughout the Peace River 

 country between Lat. SS°-57°; common along the trail on all the 

 dry grass land from Edmonton to Jasper House in 1898 ; this 

 species was common at Kamloops, Spence's Bridge, Enderby and 



