BIEDS OF NORTHERN CANADA 427 



with dark umber-brown as well as spotted and speckled like 

 those of D. castanea. The Ottawa Museum contains fifteen 

 specimens and three sets of three eggs, two of which were 

 taken at Fort Ohimo, Ungava. 



674. Oven Bird — Seiurus aurocapillus (Linn.). 



In 1890 two sets of eggs were obtained at Cumberland 

 House. At Pelican Narrows, in the beginning of June, 

 1891, a nest was found on the ground, a mere depression 

 lined with last year's grasses, the inner being of finer qual- 

 ity than the outer. It held four eggs, and one of the parents 

 was shot. It breeds on Peace River, British Columbia, and 

 on the Yukon River, Alaska. " In composition it frequently 

 varies, but all the nests of the oven bird are more or less 

 dome-shaped, which helps to conceal them from ordinary 

 passers-by. The materials generally used are leaves and 

 grasses, while some are almost entirely of pine needles, and 

 others of fine wiry grass and a little hair. The number of 

 eggs is mostly five, in colour pinky-white, very variable as to 

 markings, but usually spotted and blotched, mostly in the 

 form of a wreath on the larger end, with dark reddish-brown, 

 light brovwi and pale lavender." There are four specimens, 

 one of which was purchased and another collected by Pro- 

 fessor Macoun at Ottawa, on 5th May, 1888, and one set of 

 eggs taken at the same city and presented to the Museum 

 there. 



675. Watee Thedsh — Seiurus novehoracensis (Gmelin). 



A nest of this species was found at Moose Lake, Cumber- 

 land District, early in June, 1890. It held two eggs. One 

 of the parents was seen and killed. On the last day of the 

 month another nest, with three eggs, was taken at Pelican 

 Narrows, and the mother bird was shot near by. An example 

 was also shot in the vicinity of Cumberland House. Nests 

 on the ground, composed of coarse and fine grasses with a 



