412 THEOUGII THE MACKENZIE BASIN" 



Contents of eggs only slightly changed. Both parents were 

 shot, and the TJ. S. National Museum at Washington received 

 all of them. Apparently accidental in the Rocky Mountains 

 and at Edmonton, Alberta, but common from the eastern 

 boundary to Victoria, B.C. Nests are constructed of dry 

 grass and weeds lined with hair, etc., placed on the ground 

 or on a very low bush. Eggs resemble those of the true 

 junco. 



In the Dominion Museum Collection there are three 

 skins from Edmonton and twenty-six from various points 

 in British Columbia, all taken by Mr. W. Spreadborough. 

 There is not even one egg on hand, although he appears to 

 have found a nest on May 25th, 1902, in the bank of an old 

 prospect hole, with four fresh eggs ! 



581. Song Spaeeow — Melospiza cinerea melodia (Wilson). 



Early in June, 1890, Mrs. King, of Moose Lake, obtained 

 from an Indian a nest of this species, composed of dry 

 grasses lined with hair and containing four eggs. The par- 

 ent was shot. About the same time a female was snared 

 on the nest, which held therein three eggs, near Cumberland 

 House. In June, 1891, Mr. H. McKay, of Pelican Nar- 

 rows, found two nests with four eggs each — one of them 

 was on the ground and the other on a low bush. This 

 sparrow "whistles well," according to Mr. McKay. Not 

 uncommon along the Saskatchewan and Peace rivers. Mr. 

 J. M. Macoun reports them as very common on Methye 

 Lake, Portage la Loche, English Eiver District. In colour 

 the eggs are greenish or grayish-white, spotted with brown, 

 chocolate and lavender. 



The Ottawa Museum holds twenty-seven specimens, and 

 six sets of eggs, including one from Edmonton, Alberta, 

 taken by Mr. Spreadborough in 1897, and one also at Indian 

 Head, in 1892. 



