524 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



again until the Rocky Mountains were reached. {Coues.) First 

 saw one at Medicine Hat, Assa., May 3rd, 1894; by the 12th they 

 'were common in low scrub along the Saskatchewan and the creeks 

 leading into it. They were also common on the east end of the 

 Cypress Hills at the end of June. This species was met with in 

 brush from Old Wives' Creek, Assa. to Wood Mountain, and south 

 to Rocky Creek, and Medicine Lodge ; it was found to be quite 

 common in all the wooded ravines of the Cypress Hills ; a nest 

 was taken at Farewell Creek, June 28th, 1895; it was common in 

 Milk River valley and along the St. Mary's River. {Macoun) 

 This handsome ground fi.ch was observed only on the plains of 

 the Saskatchewan, where it no doubt breeds, as one specimen was 

 killed late in July; it arrives in the end of May and frequents 

 shady and moist clumps of wood", being generally seen near the 

 ground. {^Richardson.) 



Breeding Notes. — Breeds sparingly in northwest Assiniboia 

 and northern Alberta; two sets of four eggs were taken at Fort 

 Saskatchewan, Alta., by Mr. J. Callaghan, on June 12th, 1898 ; 

 nests made of roots and grass and built in a low shrub a few 

 inches above the ground at the side of a coulee. (W. Raine.) 

 This species always builds on the ground or close to it; one nest 

 was taken at Farewell Creek, Cypress Hills, Assa., June 26th, _ 

 1895, on the slope of the bank, under a willow root in a thicket ; 

 another was taken the next day also from the ground in the open 

 but this was under the roots of Symphoricarpus occidentalis ; the 

 nests were chiefly built of bark and grass and lined inside with 

 hair; each nest contained four eggs. {Macoun.) 



MUSEUM SPECIMENS. 



Six ; five taken at Medicine Hat, Assa., May; 1894, one at Old 

 Wives' Creek, Assa., May 22nd, 1895, ^^ by Mr. Spreadborough. 



Two sets of eggs; one of four taken by Prof. Macoun in the 

 Cypress Hills, June 26th, 1895, ''^'^ another of five eggs taken at 

 Lethbridge, Assa., June 5th, 1894; nests on the ground under 

 bushes. 



- 588a. Spurred Towhee. 



Pipilo maadatus megalonyx (Baird) Coues. 1872. 

 At Pass Creek near Robson, Columbia valley, a strange bird 

 was seen in a tree on June 20th, 1890; it had a very long tail and 



