492 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



where none were secured. {Coues.) This species is quite rare in 

 Manitoba. The earliest record I have is April loth, 1882, but this 

 was the only one seen at the time, and it was fully two weeks be- 

 fore others appeared. I found one nest in a little spruce tree, but 

 was too late as the birds had flown. The nest is almost invariably 

 lined with horse hair, whence the other common name " hair 

 bird." (Thompson-Seton.) Very abundant both at Grand Rapids 

 and Chemawawin, North Saskatchewan Riv.er, at the latter place 

 they were feeding largely on the seeds of aquatic plants on the 

 margin of the slough east of the village. {Nutting.) Not com- 

 mon at Indian Head, Agsa., in the spring of 1892 ,° first seen at 

 Medicine Hat, Assa., May 9th, 1894, after that they became com- 

 mon, but decreased in numbers towards the end of the month ; 

 in 1895 none were seen until we reached Milk River late in July; 

 they were in profusion at Pend d'Ori-elle, at Castellated Rocks, 

 St. Mary's River and Waterton Lake, foothills of Rocky Moun- 

 tains ; a very common resident at Edmonton and southward in 

 foothills to Crow's Nest Pass; saw one individual at the crossing 

 of McLeod River, June 19th, 1898; common at Jasper'Lake, Yel- 

 lowhead Pass, July 2nd ; common from Lesser Slave Lake 

 to Peace River Landing, Atha., Lat. 56° 15', in June, 1903. 

 {Spreadborough.) Abundant along the trail between Edmonton 

 and Athabasca Landing,but rather rare on the Athabasca; common 

 up the Clearwater River and between Methye Portage and Isle a la 

 Crosse. (/. M. Macoun.) Not uncommon but much less abund- 

 ant than the tree sparrow around Prince Albert, Sask.; breeding 

 in the region, {Coubeaux.) North to Fort Simpson on the Mac- 

 kenzie River ; abundant. {Ross.) Several specimens of this spar- 

 row were obtained from Fort Yukon in June, 1876. {Tufner.) I 

 would refer all British Columbia specimens collected by myself 

 and Mr. Streator, including those from the coast, to socialis with 

 the exception possibly of six skins collected at Ashcroft. {Rhoads.) 

 Common at Donald on the Columbia River, B.C., May 20th, 1894. 

 {E. F. G. White.) 



Breeding Notes. — Nesting in low trees and shrubs ; quite 

 common around Ottawa. Nest composed of fine dried grass 

 lined with hair. Eggs, four or five. Bluish, speckled with 

 blackish-brown and purple. {G.R. White.) With us from last of 

 April to October. The nests are built in apple trees or small 

 spruces, and made of grasses lined with hair. The eggs number 



