CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 495 



Seton.) This species was first seen at Indian Head, Assa., on 

 May 20th, 1892. In a few days after they were quite common, 

 and on June 7th I found a nest in a low bush lined with dried 

 grass and horse hair. This species is found everywhere on the 

 prairie wherever there is brush from Manitoba to the foothills of 

 the Rocky Mountains. It nests chiefly in rose bushes, but I have 

 found them on the ground at Frenchman's River, under sage 

 brush {Artemisia cand). Nests were found at Spur Creek in the 

 sage brush as late as July 7th with fresh eggs. Common at 

 Canmore in the Bow valley, but scarce at Banff in the Rocky 

 Mountains in June, 1891. First seen at Edmonton, Alta., May 

 31st; found a number of nests, all on the ground at the roots of 

 a little clump of willows; none of the nests were more than four 

 inches above the ground, and were made of dried grass lined 

 with horse hair ; eggs from two to five in a set; common in the 

 foothills' 40 miles southwest of Calgary; common in all the open 

 country from Lesser Slave Lake to Peace River Landing, Lat. 

 56° 15' in June, 1903; common from Edmonton to Pembina River 

 in June, 1898. {Spreadborough.) Three specimens secured at 

 Grand Rapids of the Saskatchewan. {Nutting.) Commonly seen 

 in company with the tree sparrow and probably breeding around 

 Prince Albert, Sask. {Coubeattx.) This species frequented the 

 farm-yard at Carlton House on the Saskatchewan, and was as 

 sociable as the English house sparrow. {Richardson.) North of 

 Fort Resolution on Great Slave Lake. {Ross.) 



Breeding Notes. — Upon my arrival, the ist of June, the buntings 

 were all paired, the males were in full song, nidificationwas mostly 

 finished, and the eggs were about to be laid. The first specimen 

 procured, June 2nd, contained a fully formed egg. A nest taken 

 June 5th was scarcely completed. The first complement of eggs 

 was taken June nth; it numbered four. I think the eggs are 

 mostly laid by the end of the second week in June. The nest is 

 placed in bushes, generally within a few inches of the ground ; 

 it resembles that of the chipbird, though it is not so neatly and 

 artistically finished, and often lacks the horse-hair lining, which is 

 so constant and conspicuous a feature of the latter ; in size it 

 averages about three inches across outside by two in depth, with 

 a cavity two inches wide and one and a half inches deep ; the 

 structure is of fine grasses and slender weed-stalks,with or without 

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