410 THROUGH THE MACKENZIE BASIN 



Moore refers to some built on small spruce and apple trees, 

 holding from three to five eggs each, which were found to 

 have been broken. At last one morning, when sitting in 

 view of a nest on an apple tree, he saw a fine male of this 

 species deliberately pick a hole in the shell and drink its 

 contents. He then surmised that it was this particular 

 bird that was doing all the mischief. The eggs are in 

 colour bluish, speckled with blackish brown and purple. 



The Dominion Museum at Ottawa contains seven speci- 

 Tnens and two sets of four eggs each, taken there on 24th and 

 31st May, 1899, by Mr. A. L.. Garneau. 



560a. Western Chipping Spaeeow — Spizelh, socialis 

 arizonce Coues. 



In the month of June, 1889, at and not far from Port 

 St. James, Stuart's Lake, B.C., we secured about a dozen 

 nests of this species. With but one exception (on the ground) 

 they were all built on low bushes, and in make, and the eggs 

 also in colour, resembled those of No. 560. Some of the 

 parents were shot and the others snared, while the egg con- 

 tents held from well to largely developed embryos. One of 

 the last nests, found on 28th June, contained two freshly 

 laid eggs. An animal of some kind may have stolen the 

 first set. 



The National Museum at Ottawa holds seventeen skins 

 but no eggs of this sparrow ! 



567. Slate-coloueed Junco — -Junco hyemalis (Linn.). 



At Fond du Lac, Athabasca, on 1st June, 1885, a nest 

 holding five eggs was taken, and the mother parent was 

 snared thereon. Both were duly sent to Mr. Dalgleish. 

 In the early sixties of the last century we secured several 

 birds, eggs and nests at Fort Anderson, where they bred 

 in the forest and to the border of the " Barrens." The nests 

 were always placed on the ground and were made oi fine 

 grasses lined with deer hair. Four and five eggs were the 



