Congdon—Saskatchewan Birds. 
599 
Crooked Lake. The eggs had holes in their sides, large enough 
to admit a man’s finger, and had been emptied of their contents, 
probably by some animal. 
The eggs are of a rich cream color. Some sets are thinly 
spotted with brown. One egg, from the set of nine previously 
mentioned, has several large blotches of reddish brown on the 
surface. The average size of several eggs, taken from different 
nests, is 1.57x1.14. 
308. Sharp-tailed Grouse. 
Pediocaetes phasianellus (Linn.). 
The Pin-tail Grouse or Prairie Hen was found to be a com¬ 
mon bird in the more open prairie districts of the region under 
consideration. At the beginning of the nesting season, about 
the middle of May, it was a frequent occurrence to come upon 
seven or eight pairs of these birds, lined up for a courting or 
wedding dance. The manner in which the cocks strut- back and 
forth before the hens is as amusing as it is undescribable. 
The nest of the Sharp-tailed Grouse is situated on the prairie, 
at the foot of a tuft of dry grass or a; low bunch of weeds. The 
slight hollow, which holds the eggs, is lined with dry grass. A 
favorite place seems to be that- portion of the prairie which has 
not been burned over by the previous year’s fires. Here, among 
the long, matted grass, the nest is well concealed. The bird is 
a close sitter and will frequently remain on the nest until one 
almost steps on her. 
Many nests of eggs- of this bird are destroyed annually by 
prairie fires. As early as May 12, a nest- was found containing 
the scorched and blackened shells of eight or ten eggs ; and many 
other nests which had been burned were found on later dates. 
The crows too, and some of the prairie animals, do much in the 
wav of destroying eggs of this bird as well as eggs of the various 
prairie nesting ducks. Some of the birds, apparently, nest 
again after their first clutch is destroyed ; for fresh eggs were 
taken as late as June 19. On July 31, two broods- of young 
were seen, of which the first were but a few days old and the 
second almost full-grown. By the third week in August, many 
of the young birds had about attained their growth. 
From eight- to- twelve- 1 eggs were found in a, nest, but it- is re¬ 
ported that as many as fifteen are sometimes laid. They are 
