BIRDS OF XOETHERX CANADA 361 



headed eagle is noted as '■ common to the Arctic coast " by 

 Mr. Eoss. It also breeds in British Columbia. 



There are two mature bird skins and one set of eggs from 

 Halifax, X.S., and another of two taken on an island in 

 the Gulf of Georgia, B.C., in the Xational Museum at 

 Ottawa. 



.j.)d 



")4a. Gyef.vlcox — Falco rusHcoJus gyrfaico (Linn.). 



In the spring of 18s5, near Fort Chipewyan, a nest com- 

 posed of dry gTasses and small twigs, with a sprinkling of 

 feathers, was found on a tall spruce tree. It held two eggs. 

 Both parents were shot, while both eggs and birds were duly 

 shipped to ]\Ir. Dalgleish. Dr. Bell was also the recipient 

 of a skin obtained at Fond du Lac, Great Slave Lake, the 

 same season. Major Bendire writes as follows of the 

 Anderson collection: "Mr. R. MacFarlane states that this 

 falcon is common in the wooded country on both sides of the 

 Anderson River, and from the fact that over twenty nests 

 were secured by him this must certainly be the case. All 

 of these nests, with but two exceptions, were placed close 

 to or near the tops of the tallest trees in the neighbourhood. 

 One nest was built on a ledge of rock, and the other against 

 the side of a deep ravine. The nests were composed of 

 sticks and small branches, and lined with mosses, hay, deer 

 hair, feathers, etc. They were similar in construction, but 

 smaller in size than those of the bald eagle, and while the 

 number of eggs was either three or four, their contents were 

 frequently found in different stages of development. Both 

 parents manifested much anger and excitement when inter- 

 fered with, or even distantly approached. They made a 

 great noise, and indeed more than once their folly in coming 

 so near and screaming so loudly over their heads attracted 

 attention to some that would otherwise have escaped notice. 

 The earliest date of finding a nest was May 10th, 1863, at 

 Fort Anderson. The eggs, three in number, were quite 

 fresh. In another, taken five days later, the eggs contained 



