350 THEOUGH THE MACKENZIE BASIN 



308a, P. phasianellus columhianus (Ord.), one of which 

 figured in Major Bendire's frequently referred to " Bird Life ' 

 Histories." Pie says, " Like all of the grouse, the nest 

 is always placed on the ground, usually close alongside of 

 some tall bunch of coarse grass which hides it completely 

 from view. From eleven to fourteen eggs are laid to each 

 set. These are usually short ovate in shape, and very small 

 for the size of the bird. The ground colour varies from 

 creamy buff to pale olive brown. An occasional specimen 

 has a pale vinaceous bloom overlying the ground colour. The 

 majority of the eggs are slightly spotted with reddish brown ; 

 the markings for the most part are very fine, the spots vary- 

 ing from mere pin points to the size of No. 6 shot. All 

 these markings are superficial and easily rubbed off on a 

 freshly laid egg." 



The Ottawa Museum contains but a skin specimen from 

 each of Indian Head, Saskatchewan, and Medicine Hat, 

 Assiniboia, donated by Mr. Spreadborough ; also one set of 

 eggs taken at Grenfell, Assiniboia, in May, 1894, and pre- 

 sented to the Museum by Mr. E. Lake! 



331. Maesh Hawk — Circus Jiudsonius (Linn.). 



Near the end of May, 1885, and at Eort Providence, an 

 Indian found a nest of this hawk on the ground, — a scooped- 

 out hole lined with dry grasses and small twigs, with a 

 sprinkling of feathers. It held three fresh eggs. The par- 

 ent was secured and her skin and eggs were later on shipped 

 to Mr. Dalgleish. Another identified nest found in the same 

 locality about the same time contained one egg, which was 

 forwarded to Dr. Bell. Early in June, 1865, a female bird 

 was snared on her nest, built on a willow bush along the 

 lower Anderson Eiver, having five eggs therein. In June, 

 1866, another nest was discovered in a similar position near 

 Eort Anderson. It contained six eggs. Mr. Eoss says it 



is common at Eort Eesolution, Great Slave Lake. The egg 

 measurements of seventy-three specimens in the U. S. 



National Museum collection average 46 by 36 millimetres. 



