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Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to righ: and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc.. peuvent Atre filmAs d des taux de reduction diffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clichA. 11 est fiimA d partir de Tangle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bes. en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 BI RA ^.:^ia<-v GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. ROBERT BELL, M.D., Sc.D., (Cantab.), LL.D., F.R.S. CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. PART II. BIRDS OF PREY, WOODPECKERS, FLY-CATCHERS CROWS, JAYS AND BLACKBIRDS. INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING ORDERS ; RAPTORES, COCCYGES, PICI, MACROCHIRES, AND PART OF THE PASSE RES. BY JOHN MAOOUJVT, M-A., F.E.S.O., Naturalist to the Geological Survey of Canada. OTTAWA : PRINTED BY S. E. DAWSON, PRINTER TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. 1©03. The m.erval which has elapsed since the publication of Part I embody ,n h,s work the results of observations made during the others. The concludmg part of the Catalogue, which will con- Will be published next autumn. Ottawa, April 2Sth, 1903. ROBERT BELL. ^^,---^fea-^af¥atthe rifle range at oLwa prior to 1881. {Ottawa Naturalist, Vol. V, p. 38.) Mr Hav r,th i8:r > 'rr ''^" ^^^ ^' ^°^* ^^^-^^ ^nt.. on Ju y O ar • ().'r^£;") ^'^ ^P-^"^- -^- -"^ years ago 222 iil i > GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. CXXII. CIRCUS Lacepede. i8oi. 331. Marsh Hawk. Marsh Harrier. Circus hudsonius (Linn.) Vieill. 1807. Rare in Newfoundland. Only once seen at Cow Head. (Reeks.) Audubon saw it in Labrador. (Packard.) The following are our most northern references to this bird : Moose Factory, James Bay, where Spreadborough saw it on June nth, 1896 ; Dr. Robert Bell records it from York Factory, Hudson Bay ; Clarke mentions its occurrence at Fort Churchill, on the west side of the Bay, and Richardson places its northern limit at Great Bear Lake, in Lat. 65°. Bernard Ross, on the other hand, places its northern limit at Great Slave Lake, and says that it is scarce there. li is a summer resident and generally distributetl in Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, New Bruns- wick, Quebec and Ontario, and is very abundant throughout the whole prairie region, breeding as far north as Great Bear Lake. Rather rare in the mountains, but not uncommon in the Colum- bia Valley from Revelstoke south. Rather common westward, and becoming abundant at Sicamous and wesiw.^rc' to Spence's Bridge, B.C. (Macomu) Abundant on the mainland of British Columbia at Sumas, ChilHwack, mouth of the Fraser, and east of the Coast Range. Partially migratory. A few are found through- out the wmter in the neighbourhood of Ladner's, near the mouth of the Fraser (Fannin) These birds are numerous throughout northern Alaska during the migrations. They are seen frequently along the barren coast of Behring Sea, and have bcc^n recorded as r=ither uncommon in the Interior. (Nelson.) This bird appears to be a resident of the Yukon district only between the early part of April and late November. The species is a rare summer visitor on Attn Island. (Turner.) Observed in winter at Lake Okanagan, B.C. (Brooks.) Noted at every stopping- place in British Columbia. Nowhere abundant. (Rhoads.) I saw this s,iecies at Cape Rlo;,son, Kotzebue Sound, A.aska, on two occasions. Marsh hriwks were frequently noted at our winter camp on the Kowak the last of August. (GrinnelL) Notes.— This specier, breeds frequently in the of Ottawa. Its nest is compo'ed of dry grass Bi sreeding neighbourhood CATALOGUK OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 223 :ad. (Reeks.) wing are our :tory, James 1896 ; Dr. Bay ; Clarke 5t side of the Great Bear id, places its it is scarce id in Prince New Bruns- oughout the Bear Lake. 1 the Colum- )n westward, to Spence's id of British •, and east of Lind through- r's, near the re numerous 3. They are >ea, and have Dr. {Nelson.) district only The species Observed in txy stopping- [Rhoads.) I J, Alaska, on oted at our innell.) ntly in the of dry grass with a few dry sticks, probably to strengthen it. There is an inner lining of feathe-.s few and far between to form a bed for the eggs which are from four to six in number, of a dull white with the f.nntest shade of green and soiled, but no decided spots on them. The nest is built on the ground, or at the base of a low bush near a marsh, about the middle of May. {G. R. White.) Besides in the large marshes and the small ones, this bird will even breed in an uncultivated field at times, and is, if anything, more common than formerly. Nest on the ground, among shrubs, generally in a swampy place. Eggs four or f^ve, white, rapidly soiled. (IV. E. Saunders) This is a well-distributed summer resident in the counties of Renfrew, Leeds and Lanark in Eastern Ontario. It arrives in the early part of April and does not leave until October. I have found its nest, on several occasions, in marshy places. Once in a small marsh, Township of Escott, Leeds Co.,' near a public road This was on the 22nd May, 1893. The nest contained five eggs almost as much spotted as those of the Red-shouldered Hawk. The nest was built on the end of an old log that was partly cov- ered with moss and other growth and surrounded by rushes. It was formed of sticks, and grass stalks were used for lining. This species breeds every year at the head of Wolfe Island and lower down the St. Lawrence. Its eggs are seldom laid before May I8th in Eastern Ontario. {Rev. C. J. Young.) Breeds in abund- ance on the prairies, but prefers bushy places for nesting in. Its nest IS built, on the ground, of sticks and lined with coarse grass. Mr. Spreidborough found two nests near Medicine Hat in May, 1894 Both were located amongst a low growth of snow-berry {Symphoncarpus racemosus) and contained four eggs. {Macotin) I have found this bird breeding throughout Manitoba, Assin-'- boia and Alberta. It makes its nest on the ground, consisting of a heap of marsh hay, and lays from 5 to 7 eggs. I took a set of 5 eggs at Crescent Lake, Assa., on June 5th, 1901. I have another set of 7 eggs taken in northern Alberta, May 24th, 1898. {W. Rnt?ie.) In June, 1865, an Eskimo snared a female bird on her nest in a willow bush along the lower Anderson River, about Lat 68° 30' It contained five egg^. In June, i86w, a nest composed of twigs and grasses, &c., was found in a similar position ; there were six eggs in this nest. {Macjarlanc.) 224 GEOLOGICAL SURVKV OF CANADA. MUSEUM SPECIMENS. Six ; one taken at Britannia Bay, six miles from Ottawa, Oct. loth, 1887, by Mr. G. R. White; one purchased with the Holman at ssa. collection, and four others taken at Indian Head, A Medicine Hat,Assa., at Edmonton, Alta., and one at Chilliwack, B.C., September 19th, igoi, by W. Spreadborough. One set of six eggs taken near Edmonton, Alta., June 2nd, 1897 I nest on the ground made of grass and weeds. Another set of four eggs taken May 27th, 1894. Both taken by VV. Spreadborough. CXXIII. ACCIPITER Brisson. 1760. 332. Sharp-shinned Hawk. Accipiter vclox (Wils.) Vigors. 1824. This is one of the commonest hawks we have in the greater part of the Dominion. Spreadborough saw only one, when exploring, in northern Labrador, July 8th, 1896. Richardson records the taking of one at Moose Factory on James Bay, and these two records cover our knowledge of its occurrence in the Hudson Bay region. Reeks records it as a common summer resident in Newfoundland, the writer found it common on Prince Edward Island, Downs says it is equally ' so in Nova Scotia and Chamberlain says it is the commonest hawk in New Brunswick. All observers agree that in Quebec and Ontario it is a common summer resident. Thompson-Seton mak( s it a common species in the wooded parts of Manitoba, and the writer found it everywhere on the prairie regions where there was brush or trees. Ross says it is common on the Mackenzie to Lat. 62" at Fort Simpson. With the above records we are sate in saying that it is found in all the wooded country south of Lat. 60°. Our mountain records show that it is common at Banff and in the whole valley of the Columbia, more especially at Revelstoke and Arrow Lakes, also in the valley of the Thompson River from Eagle Pass to Kamloops. Fannin and Brooks report it common vest of the coast range in British Col- umbia, while the writer and Mr. Spreadborough found it common on Vancouver Island. Turner and Nelson say that it is common in the wooded parts of Alaska, straggling northward into the tuntlra. Several sharp-shinned hawks were seen about our winter quarters on the Kowak, Kotzebue Sound, Alaska, the last week in August. {Gri?i>uil.) CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN HIRDS. 225 northern ng of one rds cover ly region, oundland, d, Downs rlain says observers r resident, •ded parts he prairie 5 common the above e wooded ' that it is ibia, more valley of annin and •itish Col- ; common ommon in le tuntlra. Lir winter the last Brkeding Noies.— In the vicinity of Ottawa this sp( , gen- erally builds about the end of May or first of June in a nemlock tree about 20 feet from the ground. The nest is made of dry sticks luied v.'ith some kind of soft bark and nearly resembles a crow's nest. The eggs, four or five in number, are white with a slight purplish tint marked with splashes of various shades of brown. (6^ R. White.) This species breeds, in small numbers only in the vicinity of London, Ont. The nest is usually in pine trees and the eggs four to six. {W.E. Saunders.) A nest of this species was taken at the corner of Dow's swamp near the canal close to the city of Ottawa, July 6, 1900. It was in a balsam fir about fifteen feet from the ground, built of sticks and lined with cedar hiirk, {Thuya occidentalis). This species is quite common in Assiniboia, and a number of nests were taken in Tune, 1895. On June I2th a nest was taken in a willow thicket at the police station Wood Mountain. It was in the crotch of a willow less than ten feet from the ground, built of sticks and lined inside with finer material of the same character. There were four eggs partly incubated, lightgreenish incolour and heavilvspotted with brown. Another nest in a spruce tree was taken, built of the same class of material, on Farewell Creek, Cypress Hills, June 27th In this nest the eggs were half incubated. {Macomi.) I have clutches of eggs of this little hawk taken near Toronto, also others taken in Muskoka, Manitoba and Assiniboia. It builds its nest in tree tops and lays from four to six handsomely marked eggs (W Rame.) This bird has always been regarded as a rare summer resident near London, Ont., but during the summer of 1900 six nests were found by three observers and it may prove to be more common than was supposed. Its silent unobtrusive manner mav have been its shield from observation. These nests, as well as four others taken in previous years, were all in conifers, five of the ten being in tamarac. All of them were built of twigs and many had a few flakes of bark as a lining. One nest was on an old foundation but all the others were entirely new. In height from the ground they varied from 15 to 30 feet. The birds were in some cases fairly silent and peaceful, and in others very noisy and aggressive, in one case particularly the male would attack a man 100 yards distant, although the nest was not found. All the sets of eggs taken, varying from three to six to the set, are very handsome particularly one set of six fresh eggs in which the colour of the markings is a very bright reddish brown. ( W. E. Saunders ) 226 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. MUSEUM SPECIMENS. Seven ; two taken at Ottawa, Ont., by F. A. Saunders, August 2nd, 1890, and September 12th, 1891 ; three at Ottawa by G. R. White in 1884, '885 and 1888 ; two taken at Chilliwack, B. C, by W. Spreadborough, August nth and September 7th, 1901. One set of four eggs, taken at Wood Mountain, Assa., June 12th, 1895. Nest in a small tree about ten feet from the ground. 333. Cooper's Hawk. Accipiter cooperii {Bo^AV.) Gray. 1844 This species is either unequally distributed or not readily sep- erated from other species An uncommon summer migrant in Newfoundland. {Reeks.) Very rare in Nova Scotia. Col. Egan procured and mounted one specimen. (Gilpin.) Not common at Wolfville, King's Co., N.S.; absent in winter. {H. Tufts.) A pair seen in Brackley Point woods, Prince Edward Island. {Macotm.) An uncommon summer resi- dent in New Brunswick. {Chamberlain.) Common in the Resti- gouche Valley and sparingly distributed through the whole St. Lawrence Valley and and westward throughout Ontario. (Macottn.) This species is a summer resident in Manitoba and extends north to the Saskatchewan. {Thompson-Seton.) I have a mature bird, taken on April 25th, 1896, at Banff, Alberta. (/. H. Flemifig.) Apparently rare in the Rocky Mountains. Not common in the Columbia Valley, but was taken at Revelstoke May 5th, 1890, and seen later at Nelson on Kootanie River. {Macotin.) Met with, in British Columbia, only at the Ducks, near Kamloops. (Streator.) Tolerably common summer resident in the lower Eraser Valley. {Brooks.) Found both on Vancouver Island]and on the southern mainland east and west of the Coast Range. {Fannin) Dis- tribution general. Breeding at Lake La Hache, B.C., and in the Rocky Mountains at Field. Alt. 7000 feet ; rare. {Rhoads,) Breeding Notes. — This species comes early in the spring and leaves late in the autumn. It is far from common and its nest is seldom taken. I have met with the nest twice. First in a small grove in the township of Escott, Leeds Co., May 15th, 1895. This nest was in a tamarac tree {Larix Americana) and contained three fresh eggs. The other nest was in the township of Lans- downe, Leeds Co., and contained four fresh eggs on the 8th of May. CAfALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 227 On the 1st of May this nest contained one egg. It was built in the crotch of a yellow birch {Bettila luted). The eggs are hardly distinguishable from those of the Marsh Harrier. {Rev. C. J. Young) Not a common bird around London, but breeds spar- ingly in the western part of Ontario. {W. E. Saunders) MUSEUM SPECIMENS. One specimen purchased with the Holman collection. One set of eggs, taken atLansdowne, Leeds Co., Ont., June rst, 1895, by Rev. C. J. Young. Another of two eggs taken in North Toronto, May 20th, 1889. 334. American Goshawk. Accipiter atricapillus (Wils.) Seebohm. 1883. Taken av York Factory, Hudson Bay, {Dr. R. Bell.) One observed at Seal Lake, Ungava District, July 24th, 1896, and another a short distance above Ungava Bay, August 23rd, the same year. {Spreadborough) Resident in Ungava District. {Packard) Settlers report the occurrence of this hawk in New- foundland. {Reeks,^ This is the commonest hawk in Nova Scotia {Downs) and winters, as a pair did at Digby Gut in the winter of 1880. {Gilpi?t) Resides in New Brunswick throughout the year and breeds. {Chamberlain) Common winter visitant in Quebec. {Dionne) In Ontario this bird is an irregular winter visitor, sometimes appearing in considerable numbers and again being altogether wanting. {Mcllwraith) A tolerably common fall and winter visitant in Manitoba usually appearing in August Not seen during the breeding season. {Thompson- Seto7i) Not observed on the prairie or in the Rocky Mountains nor in southern British Columbia in summer. Not uncommon at Edmonton, Alta where they were evidently breeding in June, 1897. {Macoun) Seen only at Vernon in British Columbia. {Rhoads) Rather ' common in the interior of British Columbia, the coast bird may be the next species. {Streator) Has been taken on Vancouver Island and on the mainland east and west of the Coast Range {Fanm7i) Have taken this form both east and west of Coast Range, the only hawk observed in the Cariboo District in winter {Brooks) Breeding NoxES.-Permanent resident at Scotc ' .,ke York Co., New Brunswick. Breeds. {W. H. Moore) Immature 228 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. goshawks come regularly to Toronto in the autumn and often remain all winter. Until 1896 full plumaged birds were almost unknown, certainly I was not aware of any records of mature birds for ten or fifteen years previous to that date. In October, 1896, a remarkable migration of mature birds took place. They spread themselves all over Ontario in large numbers, and I believe the New England States were invaded in like manner. I received the first mature bird on October 26th from Toronto, and from then till December the birds continued to come in. The deer hunters reported that the hawks were playing havoc with the patridges and hardly a shooting party returned in November without one or more mature goshawks. I fancy that the sudden inroad of the sharp-tailed grouse into Muskoka and the migra- tion of the goshawks were likely caused by ihe same necessity- lack of food. Both species appeared in Muskoka together. Never a scarce bird in the districts of Parry Sound and Muskoka ; the number of breeding birds has greatly increased since the autumn of 1896 (/. H. Fleming:) The only nest I ever saw of this species in Muskoka was in the fork of a large black birch {Betula lento) about 40 feet from the ground. It was made of sticks lined with leaves and clay. In it I- found four young ones all differing in size which leads me to think zhat they are not all hatched at the same time. In the nest I found a blue- jay and hairy woodpecker which had been plucked by the old birds. Beneath a maple log that was lying about 100 yards away from the tree having the nest, and several feet from the ground, I found a large quantity of feathers which the old birds had plucked from barn-yard fowls and other birds. It was evident that the old birds had carried their prey here and picked it before taking it to their young. The nest was within half a mile of Bracebridge and about 300 yards from the south branch of the Muskoka River. They are more plentiful in Muskoka in winter than in summer. {Spreadborough.) A not uncommon bird in win- ter in Ontario but as a rule going north to breed. I found a nest of this species near Otty Lake in the county of Lanark, Ont., in 1885. It was a large structure built in the fork of a beech tree, about 30 feet from the ground, and on the 3rd of May contained three almost bluish white eggs, incubation commenced. In addition to the breeding of this bird in the county of Lanark, Ont., I find that t nested regularly in the township of Oso in Frontenac Co., Ont,, up to 1901 but will probably soon CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 229 I and often I'ere almost of mature In October, lace. They )ers, and I manner. I oronto, and ne in. The havoc with 1 November the sudden the migra- necessity — ;her. Never skoka ; the the autumn law of this )lack birch as made of [our young at they are jnd a blue- by the old yards away the ground, birds had vas evident ;d it before a mile of inch of the :a in winter bird in win- I found a mark, Ont., beech tree, r contained 2nced. In of Lanark, >wnship of bably soon cease to do so as the larger timber is rapidly being cleared away. It seems to affect woods where beech and black birch are plenti- ful, not far, however, from a growth of evergreens. {Rev. C.J. Voting^ This bird is generally distributed in the forest country north of the prairie. Richardson records it from Jasper House in the Rocky Mountams and describes one shot from the nest on the Saskatchewan, May 8th, 1827. He also speaks of another taken at York Factory, Hudson Bay, Aug. 14th, 1822. Apparently it has the same range yet. {Macoun.) This species is confidently believed to breed, in small numbers however, between Fort Good Hope and the Anderson, Mackenzie District. {Macfarlane.) I have eggs from Oak Lake and Crescent Lake in Assiniboia and also sets from Alberta. I have a set of two eggs that was taken by Mr. Wenman at Stedman's River, Alberta, the female was shot and is now in my collection. I have another set of three eggs collected by Dr. George in northern Alberta, May loth, 1894. The female of this nest was also shot by Mr. Wenman. Dr. George also took a clutch of four eggs out of this same wood in May, 1893. It makes a large nest of sticks, weeds and roots and builds in the highest tree tops. The American Goshawk is a rare summer resident in northern Manitoba, but is more plentiful m northern .Assiniboia and Alberta. The eggs are bluish white, unmarked, although they are sometimes nest-stained. {W.Rmfie.) MUSEUM SPECIMENS. Two ; one purchased with the Holman collection, and the other taken at Toronto, Ont., in 1885 by Samuel Herring. A set of two eggs taken at Great Whale River, Hudson Bay June i8th, 1896, by W. Spreadborough. Nest built on top of a large tamarac, which was nearly two feet across. It was made of tamarac branches and lined with a couple of green spruce branches and a few ptarmigan feathers. A nest taken at Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., contained three eggs. Nest in spruce tree about fifteen feet from the ground ; it was built of sticks and lined with weeds. 334a. Western Goshawk. Accipiter atricapillus striatulus Ridgw. 1885. Tolerably common throughout British Columbia. More abun- dant west of the Coast Range. {Fannin) One seen at Sooke, 230 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA, Vancouver Island, Aug. 2nd, 1893. {Spreadborough.) This seems to be the form that breeds in southern British Columbia, where I have noticed it in summer as far east as Arrow Lakes, Columbia River, in Lat. 50°. (Brooks.) CXXIV. BUTEO CuviER. 1779-1800. 337. Red-tailed Hawk. Buteo i>orealis (GnAEh.) ViEiLL. 1816. We have no records of this species being seen in the District of Ungava (Labrador), but it breeds in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario. Mr. Spreadborough saw three specimens on Moose River, near James Bay, June 6th, 1896, and Dr. Bell took it at Fort Churchill, Hudson Bay. This species is abundant in the wooded portions of Manitoba, especially in the Riding Mountains, Duck Moun- tains, Porcupine Hills and northward to the Saskatchewan. VVestw ird, Spreadborough found it nesting at Indian Head in Assiniboia, and at Edmonton, Alta., and along the foothills to Crow's Nest Pass, but not being a prairie species it disappears with the wood. I agree fully with Thompson-Seton in his " Birds of Manitoba," when he says on page 529 : "This species seems to be the complement of Swainson's Hawk in Manitoba, adhering to the forest regions, while the latter is found only in the more open places. The differences of habit presented by these two species are slight but quite appreciable." As no specimens of Krider's Hawk have been recorded from southern Manitoba all the east- ern prairie region and the northern forest up to Lat. 60° are included in the range of the Red-tail. This species is common in the Northwest Territories which it visits in summer. Specimens were shot in the Rocky Mountains, on the plains of the Saskatchewan, and at York Factory, Hudson Bay between Lat. 53° and 57°. {Richardson) This species is far outnumbered at London, Ont., by the Red-shouldered Hawk. More common in the more remote districts. {W. E. Saunders.) Breeding Notes.— This is a rare bird along the St. Lawrence. In eleven years I am only certain of having seen one specimen. In the counties of Lanark and Renfrew it is common and I used to see it every year. Within a few miles of the village of' Ren- CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 231 frew it breeds. {Rev. C.J. Young.) The red-tail breeds in scat- tered pairs about one to four of the red-shouldered. It nests a little earlier and lays two to three eggs. {W. E. Saunders.) This bird breeds in Welland Co. and throughout southern Ontario. {W. Raine) On May 31st, 1891, I took a nest of this near Indian Head, Assa. The nest contained three eggs and was built of sticks in a dead poplar {Po^ulus trcmuloides) about 30 feet from the gTound. This species feeds chiefly on gophers and mice. At Edmonton, on the North Saskatchewan, in 1897, I observed a a number of nests mostly along the river and small streams. These were nearly always in cottonwood trees {Populus balsami- fera) but I think it is on account of these trees having large branches near the top that they seem to prefer them than from any other cause, as I also observed a few in poplar trees {Populus tremidoides) where the branches were suitable for them to build upon. The nests were scarcely ever less than thirty feet from the ground. In the summer of 1891 it was common at Banff and hence breeds there. {Spreadborough.) M'JSEUM SPECIMENS. Four ; one purchased with the Holman collection ; another taken near Toronto, Ont., by S. Herring ; one taken in poplar woods near'Fort Pelly, Man., September 3rd, 1881, by the writer, and one at Hyde Park, Ont., by W. E. Saunders. A nest taken near Edmonton, Alta., by W. Spreadborough, May 17th, 1897, contained two eggs. The nest was in a poplar tree, built of sticks and lined with bark and twigs. Another set taken at Chatham, Ont., on April 30th, 1888, contains two eggs. 337d. Western Red-tailed Hawk. Buteo borealis calurus (Cass.) Ridgw. 1873. I have obtained from Mr. M. J. Dodds, St. Thomas, Ont., a fine adult of the Western Red-tail, which was killed near there in the fall of 1885, by Mr. John Oxford. This appears to be the first recorded occurrence of this species in Ontario. {W. E.Saunders m The Auk., Vol. V., 203.) Mr. J. Hughes-Samuel took a specimen of this form at Toronto on November 4, 1895. (/• H. Fleming) The only known instance of the occurrence of this bird in Alaska is recorded by Dr. Bean, who secured a voung bird near Sitka, June 5, 1880. {Nelson.) Rare ; a few seen at Kamloops 333 GEOLOOICAL SURVKY OF CANADA. and Ducks in central British Columbia in Jiuic, i8Sg. {Strcator.) Very abundant east and west of Coast Ranf,'e. [Fannin.) Resi- dent at Chilliwack, H.C., and tolerably common; rather rare in winter at Lake Okanajjan. {Brooks.) This species was common at Revelstoke, H.C., in the sprinp of l«90. First observed on the gth April, and became common before the end of the month. On 30th May two pairs were found nesting in the cliffs at Deer Tark, Arrow Lake, Columbia River, B.C., and a female shot. Another nest was found in a cliff at the mouth of Pass Creek, near Robson, B.C., 1902. A few were seen near the 49th parallel between Trail and Cascade. Seen on Vancouver Island at Victoria, loth Sept, 1893. {Sprcadborou^h.) Distribution and abundance like that of the eastern form. Breed- ing near the summits of the Rocky Mountains at Field, B.C. {Rlioads.) MUSEUM SPECIMUNS. One specimen taken at Agassiz, B.C., May 17th, 1889, by W. Spreadborough. 839 Red-shouldered Hawk. Bitteo lineatus (Gmel.) Vieill. 1816. This species may reach Newfoundland occasionally, as it has been taken in northern Nova Scotia. It is rare in New Bruns- wick, though Chamberlain says it may breed near St. John. In Quebec it becomes more common, and in the St. Lawrence Valley it is far from rare. Quite a common summer resident in Ontario, breeding freely, and extending westward to eastern Manitoba. Our most* northern reference is York Factory on Hudson Bay, where it was collected by Dr. R. Bell. This seems to be an east- ern species with its centre of distribution in Canada, north of Lake Ontario. It is much more restricted in its range than the Red-tail. Have met with these birds occasionally in December and January, and know of at least one having been taken in the latter month. On the 8th January, 1900, I saw two. While wintering they seek the shelter of deep ravines. (/. Hughes-Samuel.) Our most common hawk in summer at London, Ont. {W. E. Saimders.) CATALOOUR OK CANADIAN BIRDS. 333 Brrrding NoTRS.-This species builds about the middle of April. The nest closely resembles a crow's, but is larger and very untidy. It is composed of coarse sticks loosely placed together with fine ones, and lined with bark of a vine (probably grape vine) and pieces of rough bark. The nest is placed near the trunk of the tree at from 20 to 60 feet from the ground. The eggs, three or more in number, are yellowish white, with blotches of yellowish brown and slate. A nest found on 30th April near the mouth of the Gatineau River at Ottawa, L«nt., was built in a swamp ash {l^mxtHHs samhmifolia) about 20 feet from the ground. The old bird was sitting at that date. {G. R. White) Strangely enough this is the most common hawk along the St Lawrence between Kingston and Jirockville, though I never saw It m the counties of Renfrew and Lanark. It seems to just take the section of country where the Red-tail is absent. It is an early breeder, returning to the same woods year after year, even though disturbed. It usually builds or repairs a nest' in a beech tree, but I have seen nests in maple, ash, oak, pine, elm, and once in a hemlock. The earliest eggs I have seen were a set of four on Aprd I4th, 1898, an unusually early date ; the latest was May 23rd. The average time of laying is about April 2Cth ; the ^nvourite tree for nesting, a beech. This bird becomes rare in ' Eastern Ontario, 15 to 30 miles north of .he St. Lawrence, and IvTh'^R ^ •" ??f ""''"°^"' ''' J^''*^'^^ ^^'^"^''"ff to be taken by the Broadwinged Hawk. {Rev. C.J. Ymng.) Rather com- mon, breeding in all suitable woods in the vicinity of London.Ont {W.h. Ciaunders.) MUSRUM SPRCIMENS. Three ; one purchased with the Holman collection in 1885 : two taken at Toronto by Samuel Herring. A nest taken at Lily Lake, Peterborough Co 2q miles north of Port Hope, Ont., by Mr. N. H. Meeking, on Ap il 24 h contained four eggs A set of three eggs was take'n in the ounty of Leeds. Ont April 21st, 1901, by Rev. C. J. Young. Anothe^ set of three taken near London, Ont., by J. I^ Keays, April, 17th! 339J. Red.bellied Hawk. Buteo lineatus elegans (Cass.) Ridgw. 1874 Not very common. I have taken it at Burrard Inlet, B.C. Mr W. B. Anderson found it at Port Simpson, B.C.. and Mr. Brooks 234 UEOLOGICAL SUKVEY OF CANADA. at Chilliwack. I have no record from Vancouver Island. {Fannin.) Only noticed west of the Coast Ranye ; rare. {lirooks.) Hawks, presumably of this species, were thrice seen in the British Columbia interior. {Rlioads.) ■342. Swainson's Buzzard. Buko stvainsoni. Honap. 1838. Accidental visitant ; rare. A few examples of this large hawk have been shot at Montreal, Que. I saw a fine dark specimen which was shot early in the spring of 1894 near the city, and was stuffed by Mr. Hailly, taxidermist. {Wintle.) Rare around Toronto, Ont. I have two specimens taken at Toronto, Ont., both in the dark plumage. (/. H. Fleming.) This species arrives on the southern prairie in March, and soon becomes abundant. It is the characteristic hawk of the prairie, and is found in every part of that extensive region. Although a prairie bird it ranges in the valley of the Mackenzie beyond the Arctic Circle, and has been taken at Nulatoon the Yukon. It is very rare in the Rocky Mountains ; only one pair was seen in four months residence of Mr. Spreadborough, at Banff, in 1891, and only one, a female, was seen and killed at Revelstoke by him in i8go. On British Columbia mainland and Vancouver Island. Nowhere common. {Fannin.) I once observed a flock of some hundreds, all of the dark phase, at Chilliwack, B.C., and have seen young birds in the autumn ; this dark form is a common breeder on all the mountains, at high elevations, being only found in open or park-like country. The only pair of white-breasted birds I ever saw in British Columbia was breeding on a low mountain at Vernon. {Brooks.) Breeding Notes.— Thompson-Seton in " Birds of Manitoba," on page 532, says : " The nest of this bird is not peculiar. I have examined about fifty altogether, and have hitherto failed to find one that answers the published descriptions, which credit the bird with using a lining of hair and other fine material. All the nests examined early in the season were merely masses of sticks and twigs, with a slight hollow to contain the eggs, and had no special lining. But nests examined after the growth of leaves — usually about the end of May— were more or less lined with twigs plucked with green leaves on thein, and these when slightly wilted readily flatten down and form h v'n 'proof screen. CATALOGUE OP CANADIAN BIMHI. 235 " In general appearance this nest is much h'ke that of the red- tail, but the position is different, beinjr usually less elevated I have seen many that I could not reach from the ground The favourite sites are the crown of a dense clump of willows, or the highest fork of a low scrub oak ; occasionally I have observed the nest at a height of 20 or even 30 feet, in some poplar, but this is unusual. " The eggs are commonly three but sometimes four in number • they are more or less spherical and vary much in colour The young, when hatched, are the purest and downiest looking of innocents, and it is only on examination of the tiny though promis- ing beak and claws that one can credit that little snowball with the makings of a ruthless and bloodthirsty marauder " First seen ru ^oril 4th, 1892, at Indian Head, Assa. ; common by the i6th. May 25th found a nest with one egg, nest in live poplar, made of sticks, lined with a few twigs from the living poplar trees with the leaves on. All the nests that I saw later were built in the same way and all contained the green twigs and leaves. They invariably repair the old nests and only one new nest was seen during the season. Nests contained 2-4 eggs Farther west they build their nests chiefly in clumps of willow along the banks of streams and the edges of sloughs and scarcely ever in thick woods. Where there are no willows or trees they will build their nest in a clump of rose bushes or upon a "cut bank " (a cliff of earth by a stream). Their principal food is gophers and mice, of which they kill a great number. They are a great benefit to the farmer but he does not seem to know it, for in southwestern Manitoba last autumn (1891) I counted no less than nme dead buzzards along a trail in less than half a mile Found two nests in trees at Crane Lake, Assa., in June, 1894. The nests were built of sticks and lined with dried grass One had two eggs, the other three. I shot one of the old birds as it came [from the nest and it proved to be a male showing that both took turns at the nest. This species is a very late breeder and "1 y in one ca-e ^id I find eggs before the first of June. (5mW- The writer has taken many nests of this species in Assiniboia 1 and has found that a tree is preferred to nest in but that they change the site to agree with changed conditions. Where oak scrub exists they prefer oak, farther west poplar (Popuius hremulotdes) and on treeless plains they descend to low bushes and 236 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. last of all cut banks where they often make a bulky nest. In the summer of 1895 nests were taken in box elder (NegUTido aceroides) on Old Wives' Creek. These were lined with the outer bark of dead trees of this species. Each nest contained only two eggs, both fresh, May 27th and June ist. A nest was taken at the forks of the creek on June 2pd. This was under a cut bank about six feet below the summit. This nest was lined with green poplar twigs having young leaves. Later, nests were taken at Wood Mountain, Assa., in willow clumps and under banks, and towards the last of the month on the Cypress Hills in choke- cherry bushes. In the Milk River country the nests were chiefly under banks. {Macoun.) In July, 1861, we discovered a nest of this species which was built on a spruce tree along Onion River, the principal tributary of the Lockhart. It contained two well-grown birds. Both parents were about and made a great ado in endeavouring to pro- tect their offspring. The male was shot. In June, 1865, another nest was found on the top crotch of a tall pine in a ravine some 20 miles southeast of Fort Anderson, Lat. 68° 30'. In composi- tion it was similar to the nest of an Archibuteo. The female was shot as she left the nest, which contained but one egg in a well developed stage. The male was not seen. [Macfarlane.) This bird breeds commonly throughout Manitoba, Assinibo5a and Alberta, seldom having eggs before the third week in May and is, therefore, a late breeder. Between June 5th and 13th, 1901, I examined close upon thirty nests in northern Assiniboia. All these nests just contained three eggs each, no more or no less, showing that three eggs is the number laid. Incubation was advanced at this time but I did not find a single nest containing young. Some of the nests were built in fire-killed willows and so low that I could reach the eggs from the ground. A few nests were in poplars and built from 10 feet to 20 feet from the ground. I never found two pairs of birds occupying the same bluff, and the nests are usually a quarter of a mile from each other. This hawk has a habit of lining its nest with green poplar leaves and the eggs look very pretty lying on the green leaves. It is a most useful bird to the farmer, devouring an immense quantity of gophers and mice. {W. Raine.) MUSEUM SPECIMENS. Five ; one taken in the Moose Mountains, Assa., June, 1880, by the writer. Four others taken at Indian Head, Assa.,' one in CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 23; lest. In the ido aceroides) uter bark of ly two eggs, aken at the t bank about jreen poplar :n at Wood banks, and Is in choke- were chiefly is which was pal tributary irds. Both uring to pro- 865, another ravine some In composi- i female was ?gg in a well ane.) a, Assiniboja veek in May th and 13th, 1 Assiniboia. re or no less, :ubation was 5t containing Allows and so A few nests I the ground. )luff, and the This hawk and the eggs I most useful / of gophers jne, 1880, by issa., one in September, 1891, and three others in May, 1892, by W. Spread- borough. One set of two eggs taken at Indian Head, Assa., June 4th, 1892 ; one of three taken at the eastern end of the Cypress Hills, Assa., June i8th, 1894 ; three others each containing two eggs taken at 12-Mile Lake, Assa., June 6th, 1895, Wood Mountain, Assa., June 14th, 1895, and on White Mud River, June 22nd, by W. Spreadborough. 343. Broad-winged Hawk. Buteo platypterus (Vie!ll.) Faxon. 1901. This species probably occurs in Newfoundland. {Reeks ) It is very rare in Nova Scotia. {Downs.) A rather rare summer resident in New Brunsivick, but increasingly common as we go west m the valley of the St. Lawrence. It is found all over Ontario and extends westward to Winnipeg where it breeds. As a straggler it has been seen by Thompson-Seton at Carberry in Manitoba. Sir John Richardson records its occurrence at Moose Factory on James Bay, and in June, 1896, Mr. Spreadborough found It common on Moose River, but none were seen north of Moose Factory. This may be considered the northern limit. Breeding Notes.-I observed three of these hawks, old and young, 24th July, 1887, circling round above Mount Royal Park Montreal, and heard them uttering a note very much like that of a cowbird. I also saw a pair in the trees near the same place on June 4th of the same year, and probably they bred there I have observed this species here from March 30th to October 19th (Wtnf/e.) This species breeds about the middle of May and seems to prefer a hemlock or swamp ash tree to nest in ' The nest IS placed about 20 feet or more from the ground, is composed of dry sticks and lined with pieces of bark and dead leaves and IS rather larger than a crow's. The eggs, two or more in number, are of a dirty yellowish or grayish white with blotches of reddish brown. The species is not rare around Ottawa, Ont. (G 2^ W/ttte) The writer shot a female of this species as she rose iwm her nest, which was on a swamp ach in what was then Stewart's Bush within the limits of the city of Ottawa. This was on 24th May, 1884. Since then the city has extended over a mile to the south of his locality and night hawks nest on the roofs of the houses built on the same spot. 238 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA, This is a hawk whose young are commonly met with near the St. Lawrence in September and October. Only once have I met with its nest there — 24th May, 1899. This nest was built against the trunk of a maple and contained two fresh eggs. It is a late breeder, seldom laying before the last week in May, though once I found the eggs earlier. It is the commonest hawk in the county of Renfrew, near the Ottawa River, and is also common in the county of Lanark. Unlike the red-shouldered it is partial to thick swampy woods near creeks and builds its nest more often against the trunk than among the Hubs of a tree. I have seen five nests. Four of these were in birch trees and one in a maple. The earliest date for its eggs was 8th May, i886, and the latest 3rd June, 1888. The average time is about 24th May. The favourite trees selected seem to be black or yellow birch. {Rev. C.J. Young.) Common in Parry Sound and Muskoka dis- tricts. A large number breed. Found a nest at Emsdale, Parry Sound District, 27th May, 1897 ; it was apparently an old nest and contained three eggs. It was built about 30 feet from the ground in a birch. (/. H. Fleming.) We found this bird nesting at Woodlands, Manitoba, June nth, 1894. The nest contained two eggs. {W. Raine.) Very common in the woods around Muskoka lakes. Always builds its nest in the large black birch trees. I have never seen one in any other tree and I have taken many nests. The nest is made of sticks lined with leaves and bark. The food of the young ap- peared to be chiefly frogs. A person will scarcely ever miss seeing one or more sitting upon a stub of a dead tree just above the water in which frogs are plentiful in spring. They also catch mice and a few young birds. On one occasion I saw one carrying a snake more than two feet long. I think that the reason they prefer the birch is on account of thick foliage and the forked nature of the tree near the top, which makes a very suitable place to nest in. I have always found the nests in thick woods and as I have never seen a nest anywhere except in Muskoka they have always been near water as it v/ould be hard to be otherwise. {Spreadborough.) MUSEUM SPECIMENS. Three ; one purchased with the Holman collection in 1885. One taken at Toronto, Ont., by S. Herring, and one taken at London, Ont., by W. E. Saunders, May 3rd, 1884. CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 239 CXXV. ABOHIBUTEO Brehm. 1828. 347. Bough-legged Hawk. Archibuteo lagopus (Brunn.) Gray. 1841. • Several specimens from St. Michael and one obtained by me on Unalaska are indistinguishable from European birds contained in the National Museum collection. On the northern coast of Alaska, including the shore of Behring Sea and the Arctic, and thence in the interior along the entire course of the Yukon, many specimens of the Rough-legged Hawk have been taken, but none from this region are in the melanistic phase so common among birds from the Hudson 'Bay country. In fact all the specimens from northwestern Alaska appear referable to the Old World form, as certainly are the examples mentioned. {Nelson.) 347a. American Rough-legged Hawk. Archibuteo lagopus sancti-johannis (Gmel.) Coues. 1872. This species is the common hawk of Ungava and the barren grounds extending west from Hudson Bay. It breeds especially in the northern part of its range and eastward to Newfoundland. It IS a winter migrant in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Mr. Wmtle remarks that it is a transient visitor at Montreal especially in November. A spring and autumn migrant in Ontario. {Mcllwraith.) A remarkable migration of these hawks took place in October, 1895, and a considerable number was killed at Toronto. The flight was' simply enormous. I could have bought over one hundred had they been any use to me. I obtained four or five of the black form. (/ H. Flemitig.) This bird is far from common in Manitoba, and so far as noted it is found only in the spring and fall. {Thompson-Seton.) The only specimens of this bird I have seen west of Manitoba were one taken at Indian Head, Assa., in the spring of 1892, and one observed at Edmonton, Alta., in April, 1897. {Spreadborough.) Richardson, Ross and Macfar- lane found it in the northern forest in summer but in all my wanderings south of the Saskatchewan or in the mountains I have never met with it. I am led to believe that the following refer- ences belong to a race distinct from the eastern bird which seems to have its centre of migration in Ontario. {Macoun.) 240 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. No examples of this bird were secured by me in northern Alaska, nor have I seen any. Several specimens from Kadiak are the only ones known from Alaska. {Nelson.) Both on the main- land and Vancouver Island, B.C. In my experience rare. {Fan- nin.) Tolerably common migrant at Chilliwack, B.C. ; rather scarce in the Cariboo district of British Columbia in winter. {Brooks.) Sumas and Osoyoos Lake. {Lord.) One seen at Vernon and a specimen seen at the same place in the collection of Mr. Pound. Another shot on Vancouver Island is in the pos- session of Mr. Lindley of Victoria. Considered a very rare bird on the Pacific Coast. {Rhoads.) Huds Bay north of Breeding Notes. — First observed Great Whale River, 28th June, 1896. It breeds on nearly all the high cliffs all the way across Ungava District from James Bay to Ungava Bay. On 13th July, Mr. Russell found a nest with three eggs, incubation far advanced. I found a nest on a cliff at east end of Seal Lake 3rd August in which the young were about half grown. The nest was a mere mass of sticks lined with dry grass. This is the common large hawk of the country. ( Spreadborough . ) This form of A. lagopus is abundant in the Anderson district as specimens have been obtained from all parts of the surrounding forest to the borders of " the barrens," as well as from the Arctic coast. Over seventy nests were collected during the period of exploration treated of by these notes. About fifty-five of them were built in the crotches of trees not far from the top and at a height of 20 to 30 feet from the ground. They were externally of sticks, twigs and small branches, rather comfortable, lined with hay, mosses, down and feathers. The remaining fifteen were situated near the edge of steep cliffs of shady rock on the face of deep ravines and on declivitous river banks, and these were usually made of willow sticks and twigs, but with a thicker lining of hay, moss and other soft materials. The eggs varied from three to five, never more than the latter number, and their contents were like those of some other birds' eggs gathered by us, in different stages of incubation in the same nest. {Macfarlane.) A rare summer resident in northern Assiniboia and northern Alberta from where I have received both eggs and skins. \ have sets of eggs taken by Mr. L. Dicks at Hamilton Inlet, Labrador, CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 241 May 17th, 1897, also sets taken by Mr. Stringer at Mackenzie Bay, Arctic America. {PV, Raifie.) MUSEUM SPECIMENS. Three ; one purchased with the Holman collection in 1885 ! two taken near Toronto, Ont., by S. Herring. A set of three eggs taken at the mouth of Whale River, Hudson Bay, Ungava, by W. Spreadborough, July 13th, 1896. Three other sets of three and one of two taken at Fort Chimo, Ungava, June 20th, 1896, by Mr. G. Bouchier. One nest found on Artillery Lake, north of Great Slave Lake, by Bishop Lofthouse, on June 4th, 1900, contained three eggs. 348. Ferruginous Rough-legged Hawk. Archibiiteo ferrugineus (Licht.) Gray. 1849. Apparently rare in Manitoba as Thompson-Seton does not record it in his "Birds of Manitoba." Ip 77/^ .(4«/§, Vol. X, 49, how- ever, he states that a fine specimen of this bird is now in the Mani- toba Museum, taken by Mr. Hine. Dr. Coues found it breeding in the Pembina Mountains on the International Boundary in July, 373. This is not a rare species in the prairie region. In 1895 the writer found it at Old Wives' Creek, Assa. Two nests were taken at this point on 27th May, eggs in one just hatched. The species was seen at Wood Mountain and everywhere on the prairie west to the Cypress Hills and south to Milk River. It was common in the West Butte and along St. Mary River north of the 49th parallel. It seems to be purely a prairie species, not being recorded from the Saskatchewan. Breeding Notes.— A pair was seen at Indian Head, Assa., on 1st May, 1892. On i6th I shot a fine female that had a nest in a dead poplar about 12 feet from the ground. T! - nest was made of sticks and lined with dry grass and contained five eggs. Another nest in live poplar had the same number of eggs and was lined with the inner bark of dead poplar. This bird was tolerably common all summer. In May and June, 1894, a number of nests were found in box elder {Negimdo aceroides) at Medicine Hat, Crane Lake, and along Skull Creek, and in the Cypress Hills. In the summer of 1895. they were found breeding in the same 242 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. situation. I have found their nests in poplar, cottonwood, box elder, upon " cut banks " (clay cliffs) of streams, and upon clay domes in the "bad lands" south of Wood Mountain. In the spring of 1894 one pair built a nest upon the tovirer of a windmill at Langevin on the C. P. Ry. west of Medicine Hat. It had to be taken down, however, as it interfered with the working of the mill. The highest nest I have seen was not more than 30 feet from the ground. Nests were always near water, but I think that this is more because the cut banks and trees are usually along the streams and not for any preference that they have for it. On nth June, 1894, took two nests at Crane Lake, Assa. Both contained young ones. The nests were very large. One was built of sticks and cow dung lined with dry grass ; the other of sticks alone lined with dry grass. The young are white when first hatched. Their chief food is gophers, of which I have seen a number in the nests, as well as at the foot of the tree or bank where the nest was. {Spreadborough.) . this species builds a very large nest and seems to prefer the old one to a new structure. All the nests seen were composed of large sticks for the body of the nest, then the droppings of horses and cattle to consolidate the margins, and lastly lined inside with the inner bark of dead box elder and poplar. Two nests were taken on 27th May, 1895, each had three eggs originally, but in one the young were just hatched. Each nest was in the fork of a box elder about 10 feet from the ground. {Macoun.) I have examined about a dozen nests of this bird in northern Assiniboia. It is an early breeder, laying its eggs early in May, and building a very large nest in the highest trees it can find. It lays from three to five handsomely marked eggs. Most of the nests I have examined contained dead gophers, proving that this is another useful hawk to the farmer. {W. Raine.) MUSEUM SPECIMENS. Two ; a male and a female. The latter was taken at Indian Head, Assa., in May, 1892, by W. Spreadborough. The male was taken on the Cypress Hills, Assa., by the writer, Aug. 2nd, 1880. A set of three eggs taken at Indian Head, Assa., in May, 1892; and another of three taken at Old Wives' Creek, Assa., June 26th, 1895, by W. Spreadborough. CATALQGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. CXXVI. AQUILA Brisson. 1760. 243 349. Golden Eagle. Aquila chrysaetos (Linn.) Dumont. 18 16. Specimens procured in the Ungava District. Breeds in the northeast portions among the hills. A pair also breed at the " Forks " m the Ungava District. {Packard.) Saw what I took to be an example of this species near the " Forks " above Ungava Wh. e at Fort Chimo, September, 1896, saw the skin of one that the Indians had shot a few days before on the river. {Spread- borough) Not a common bird in Nova Scotia, but breeds there and resides throughout the year. {CAlpin) Only one specimen known to have been taken in New Brunswick. {Chamberlain.) laken at Beauport ; a summer resident in Quebec. {Dio7ine ) "Transient visitant " at Montreal ; rare. Saw a fine specimen of this eagle in the Bonsecours market in the month of May, 1891 It was evidently shot near Montreal. {Wintle.) A female was shot 30th October, 1883, at Casselman, near Ottawa, Ont., by Mr. J. S. Casselman, and another was seen near the same place shortly afterwards. {Ottawa Naturalist, Vol V) It breeds in the Laurentian Hills. (6^. R. White.) Breeds in the rugged hills of eastern Canada, and is frequently taken at Hamil- ton and Toronto, but chiefly young birds. {Mcllwraith.) A golden eagle was killed at Toronto, Ont., on October, 24th, 1806 The only record in many years. I received a golden eagle shot at Lonng, Ont., about the first of March, 1897. One was killed at Lake Scugog, Ont., on October 20th, 1897. I received two females from Dunchurch, shot in March, 1898 and three more from Loring two females and a male. It is a remarkable fact that till 1896 I had not met with a single golden eagle from Parry Sound. Bald eagles always abundant but no golden eagles. (/ //. Fleming) Very rare m Manitoba. Possibly resident. {Thompson-Seton)! Tf.r'P^^'L' '" ^'^'"'boia, but was seen in the " bad lands " south of Wood Mountain in June, 1895, and in July of the same year on m' ^ ?u "' """^ ^' " ^"''"S on Stone "on the Milk River Mr. Spreadborough believed it was breeding in the above locality' {Macoufi.) -^ This powerful bird breeds in the recesses of the sub-alpine country which skirts the Rocky Mountains and is seldom seen farther to the eastward. {Richardson.) Extends north in the 244 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. Mackenzie valley to the Arctic coast. (Ross.) Throughout a large portion of Alaska, especially that part which is more or less heavily wooded and interspersed with mountains, the golden eagle is found. The Point Barrow party secured a single speci- men taken by the natives east of Colville River. It extends its range west along the Aleutian chain, having been obtained by Dall on Unga Island, who ^mentions it as a common resident on the Aleutian chain as far west as Unalaska. {Nelson.) The golden eagle is not rare in the vicinity of St. Michael. It is more [frequently seen further north in the vicinity of Norton Bay, and in the hills back of Pastolik than on St. Michael Island. On the Aleutian Islands it is quite a common bird. At Unalaska they are fully as common as the bald eagle, and are reported to breed in March on the high bluffs on Makushin Point. {Turner.) The ;whole of British Columbia, but chiefly east of the Coast Range, where it is a resident ; rarely west to Vancouver Island. {Fannin) Resident but not common in the Lower Fraser valley. Not common in winter in the Cariboo district, B. C. ; also in the winter at Lake Okanagan, B.C. {Brooks.) Rare in British Columbia. A few specimens seen around the higher mountains at Ducks and Kamloops. {Streator.) Seen two or three times on the interior mountains. As rare in British Columbia as on the Atlantic seaboard. {Rhoads.) Breeding Notes.— From various points along the valley of Anderson River Lat. 68°— 69°30' to its outlet in Liverpool Bay and from the mouth of the Wilmot Horton in Franklin Bay, an aggre- gate of twelve nests of this eagle was obtained by us in the course of the seasons from 1862 to 1865, inclusive. Ten of this number were built against the face of steep and almost inaccessible banks of shale or earth at a height of 70 to 80 feet, and from 20 to 30 feet below the summit. One thus examined, in 1864 was found to be of considerable size ; it was composed of a large platform of built-up twigs and sticks, having a bed of hay, moss, and feathers in the centre, and, as this and other similarly constructed nests appeared to be annually renovated prior to reoccupation, . they must ultimately assume vast proportions. Pillaged nests are* however, frequently deserted for a period, but in one instance where the female had been snared upon her nest and the eggs taken it was found occupied the following season probably by the widowed male and another mate. In two instances only were the CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 245 nests constructed near the top fof tall spruce trees; the sandy on T7 ^l"'"'} '? '•'"' "'"'"'^y ^^^ "°^ favourable to building on cliffs. {Macfarlane.) ^ In the spring of 1891 Mr. Hine of Winnipeg found this noble b.rd breeding in a cliff on the Winnipeg River. In June, 1893, I saw a golden eagle at Morley in Alberta and was inform d a L ested in the Rocky Mountain foothills. My collection contaTn 36 eggs of this eagle collected in California and Montana. It lays MUSEUM SPECIMENS Four fine specimens from various parts of Canada. CXXVII. HALI^ETUS Savigny 1809. 351. Gray Sea Eagle. HalicBetiis albicilla (Linn.) Leach 1816 General in Greenland ; has been taken in many places. {Hcrlur It} ;"^^'?'^j.g--^"y -d breeds in the wh'ole of Dadsh Greenland, including the eastern coast. Its northern range not as yet determined. (Arct.Man.) A common resident at iSgtut Greenland, and breeds there ; more common in winter. (nTg- Breeding NoxEs.-At Ivigtut, Greenland, Mr. Hagerup the iles'tV "'""'^l '' '''' °" ^'^ ^Sth that had'been taken' oT' Uie nest two weeks previously ; they had been sat upon about one week. On June i.th another clutch was secured that had been ubated "V- " ^ '.^'°"' ^"' '""^'^ -- almost whollvin- in AorH TA' a t' "'^'^ ^''^ ^'^'^ 'Sgs can be fo'und «n April. (C/iamfi. ^he Auk, Vol. VI., 292 ) 20 h iSos'-lhr^ '\ f •f''^'" '* ^°^*'^^^'^' Greenland, April 20th 1898 the nest was bu.lt on the ledge of a sea cliff. I have Xo (Iv.Rai::; '''' '-'-'' ^" '°"^^ Greenland, June 15th! 352. BALD EAGLE. HalicBetiis leucocephalus alascanus C. H. Townsend. 1899. P tr'' °^ n" 'P'''^' ^^^ ''^" ^" ^"^"^t '7th, 1896, bvMr. A* fn ,^°7 "^^■:,U"?^^-^ .B-y- Though far from common, it' breed in suitable situations in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia. New Bruns ,246 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. wick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, and westward to the Pacific. In it3 northern range in the Mackenzie River valley it descends to the Arctic coast. It is extremely common on the coasts of British Columbia and very common in the interior of the province. Passing to the north it becomes still more abundant on the Aleutian Islands. While collecting on the Bay of Chaleurs at Port Daniels near Gaspe in August, 1882, I amused myself watching a fish hawk trying to supply its young with flat fish caught in the shallow waters of the bay. At some distance from the shore on the margin of the forest were a series of large trees that had been killed by fire. In a tall one of these an eagle usually stationed himself and kept an eye on the hawk. As soon as the hawk caught a fish the eagle would move out in pursuit and then would commence a series of gyrations by both birds. The aim of the eagle was to get above the hawk and if he failed to accomplish this the hawk won. If the hawk was beaten the eagle would come down on him, the fish was dropped, the eagle caught it and each would sail away, the eagle to the forest, the hawk to the sea. Day after day this performance was repeated and the hawk's nest was located but that of the eagle was not seen. In June, 1893, the writer was collecting at Comox, Vancouver Island, and observed the same thing to a less extent, but besides getting a supply from the hawks the eagle fished for himself. Not by diving, however, but by going to stony flats at Cape Lazo and fishing for himself. Shallow pools were left when the tide was out and in them numerous small fish chiefly under stones. We had been collecting seaweeds and small fish and a " singing fish ", we were told, was found there. This fish certainly made a booming noise and guided us to its retreat, and numerous speci- mens were collected. The eagle seemed to be guided by the sound for he, too, obtained specimens under our very eyes. All my observations are against this form killing birds. I have seen him catch snakes and fish, steal fish from the fish hawk and eat carrion, but beyond that I never saw him go. All observers report this speeies as breeding near water and it seems to know that it is an advantage to build its nest as near the food supply as possible. Breeding Notes.— This bird is fast becoming scarce in east- ern Ontario. Up to the year 1895 there was a nest every year in CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. -yA', a tall pine about seven miles east of Gananoque ancj a mile from the St Lawrence There is still (igoi) a nest every year near Charleston Lake about lo miles from Lansdowne. It aL breeds on S.mcoesland, opposite Kingston, Ont. I was present at he ready to hatch As the seventy acres of woodland in which this ne ,s situated are being cleared of timber it is probabirthat the bird will shortly be banished from this locality, but it st 11 nests (tr^ / kI^O """^^ '"^"'^ '^"' "'"^'^^^ ^^''"^' ^^^^ ^"-^°- This species nests regularly, though rarely, along the shores of Lake Ene. and along other large bodies of water in^Ontario whe^e the country ,s not too thickly settled, but I have never heaTd of nor seen it breech'ng away from the water (W F%7 ^ [ At Shuswap Lake. British Columbia, in^uly, m,^ 'Tf^^ 'n a large Cottonwood tree about forty feet from flT } near the shore of the lake. Nest very larLe m.T ''''/5^""d' must have been three feet in dir^eTe:' ' tIM^ ^ tttZ' ouler .rn^'i: CoZ'^h" T'^^"- ^^'^^^^^ throughoufvt- ^M A. lu . ^ . °'' "''"t many specimens both youn^ and ft tu^'l '"^"' •^""^' ^^93, they were feeding on the s"Lin^ fish which they caught from under stones when fhe ti le was out^ hir'M''A"'f ''""■'.^''""^ with eggs and young in them on Lock hart and Anderson rivers. They were built on high trees dose to the river banks and composed of dried sticks and banche lined Trom r . ^v,' ""'"' '^^ '"' "^'^^^ ^°f^ "^-^erials. There were r^ZT^^ r '^^' '" ""'^ "^^*- ^" °"- instance the parin s made hostile demonstrations when their nests w^r. hJ ^ I! , but they generally flew away and kepTa a afe d sta "ce "Th'e ' are not very numerous, and it is very douhffnr f ^f"^^", ^^^V northward of Fort Anderson. Lat.^6^0^;"^;^":^.^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^ ^^^ This bird nests in Muskoka and in northern Alberta T h., SIX clutches of eggs, some of which were taken nnAu'^' It wa. at leas. 4 fee. ac.oss and buiU of ^Lt' uVSZ'n 248 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA he level top there was an inner nest about i6 inche? across with a slight depression in the centre where the two CRgs lay. The inner nest was almost entirely composed of moss. {IV. Harvey.) MUSEUM SPECIMENS. Two mature birds. One set of eggs taken at Sheet Harbour near Halifax, Nova Scotia, and another set of two taken on an island in the Gulf of Georgia, British Columbia, by W. Harvey. CXXVHI. FALCO Linnaeus. 1758. 363. White Gyr falcon. Fa/co islandus Brunn. 1764' Common in Greenland. {Herluf Winge.) In summer more common in the northern inspectorate of Greenland than in the southern, but occuring according to Dr. Finsch also on the eastern coast. The limits of its breeding-range in either direction have not been determined {Arctic Manual.) Common at Ivigtut. {Hagerup.) Taken at McCormack Bay, and at Disco Island, Greenland, by the Peary and Relief expeditions. {IVitmer Stone) Common at Fort Chimo and east coast of Labrador. Resident in northern portions, breeds at Fort Chimo. [Packard.) Pretty regular in its fall migrations but does not breed in Newfoundland. {Reeks.) A casual visitor to Nova Scotia. (Z?i?w;w.) Occasionally seen in New Brunswick. {Chamberlain.) Two specimens killed at Port Burwell, Hudson Strait, July, 1884. {Dr. R. Bell.) A very fine male of this species was shot at Point des Monts, eastern Quebec, and another seen in the spring of 1885 by Mr. N. A. Comeau. {The Auk, Vol. II, 315.) We have received a specimen of this species from Ungava Bay, Ungava District, shot by Mr. Thomas Mackenzie in 1890. (/. A. H. Brown in 7%.? Auk, Vol. VIII, 236.) " Accidental visitant ;" rare at Montreal. Mr. Kuetzing says he has purchased four examples of this species in the Bonsecours market. I have not heard of any gyrfalcons occurring here in recent years.' {IVintle.) A very rare visitor at Ottawa, Ont. ; one fine specimen taken. {G.R.White.) The gyrfalcon is aconstant resident in the Hudson Bay territories, where it is known by the name of the " Speckled Partridge Hawk " or by that of \he " Winterer." I have ascertained that it is occasionally seen as far south as Lat. CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 345 52-. It is found northward to the coast of the Arctic Sea. and probably HI thr most northern Georgian Islands; it is a well- known inhabitant of Iceland and Captain Sabine observed it on the west coast of Greenland, as high as Lat. 74°. {Richardson ) During my residence in the north I secured only a single specimen of this bird, an ^.skimo skin taken at Cape Darby on the Alaskan shore of Behring Strait. {Nelson.) A single specimen of this species was killed at St. Michael. 15th May, 1877 It is not a common bird in this vicinity, and oftener seen in spring than at other seasons. {Turner.) F "g man MUSEUM SPECIMf-NS. Bay!'byDrR.''Bel7'"''''' ^'"'"''"^ '' ^°'' Churchill, Hudson 354. Gray Gyrfalcon. Falco r us tic 0 Ills Linn. 1758. di.Tit f 'k' h' ^7"" "l^""'"' ^°^'''^'^" ^''*'^°"' by ^°"^e held to be Hmitsofiffh T "^^ "''f'" '"^ F.gyrfalco. The northern hm.ts of IS breeding range have not yet been determined. A young niale falcon killed 24th September, 1872, on the Fisken^s eferred by Dr Finsch to F. gyrjalco probably belonged to th s' ^rm {Arct.Man) Common in north Greenland, {nlluf Wi^A Winter specimens only obtained at Fort Chimo. Not known to breed in the Ungava District. {Packard) Common resist n Greenland and breeding at Ivigtut. {Hagencp.) Probably occurs in Newfoundland. {Reeks.) ^ ^ ^f rrooaoiy Casual. One specimen of this species was shot by Mr. E White on the banks of the Rideau, below Cummings' Bridge, Ottawa on b l?e"T^^' '''°.; ^"°;h^^-- ^hot byG.R. WhLsomey a" before. {Ottazva Naturahst. Vol. V.) Since the year isL I land Tir f"" '° "'^^' '""^ '^^' '' ^'^'^ fi- bfrd from L- letes 'f ir^sercli^.^^ ^J^^ --' ^^^'"^ ^ ^^'^^^^ -st on 354a. GyrfalcoD. Falco rusticolus gyrfalco (Linn.) Stkjn. 1885 K i? r ^ '^'^^'^^so" 3s he found the birds nesting not far from where Macfarlane found this species 40 years later. 250 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. ii Seen from 6th to 20th September, 1884, flying south at Prince of Wales Sound, Hudson Strait. (Payne.) Taken at Fort Churchill, west side of Hudson Bay. [Clarke.) York Factory, Hudson Bay. {Dr. R. Bell.) One specimen taken at Disco, Greenland, 1891. {Witmer Stone.) Throughout all Alaska, from the Aleutian Islands north, both along the coast and through the interior, extending from Behring Strait across che northern portion of British America, the present falcon is the commonest bird of prey. It frequents the vicinity of cliffs and rocky points about the sea coast, or the rocky ravines of the interior during the breeding season, and the remainder of the year, especially in the fall, it is found wandering over the country everywhere that food can be obtained. (Nclsofi.) Several specimens of this gyrfalcon were obtained in the vicinity of St. Michael, where it is a constant resident, with probably excep- tions during protracted periods of very severe weather. The natives assert that this bird breeds on the high hills, either on a rocky ledge or on the moss-covered ground. (Turner.) The only hawk obtained at Point Barrow was of this variety. Hawks were seen in 1882 and 1883, but were always very wild and dififi- cult to approach. (Mtirdoch) Observed numerous individuals along the Kowak, Kotzebue Sound, Alaska, during 1899. (Grinn£ll.) Two specimens taken at Point Barrow, Arctic Sea, Alaska, September, 1897. (Witmer Stone.) A regular though scarce fall and spring visitor at Chilliwack. (Brooks) Breeding Notes. — This gyrfalcon is common in the wooded country on both sides of the Anderson River. Over 20 nests were secured, and with only two exceptions which were built one on a ledge of rocks and the other against the side of a deep ravine, they were found close to or near the top of the tallest trees in the neighbourh lod. They are similar in composition, 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. The earliest date for finding a nest was May loth. The eggs were quite fresh, though one taken five days later contained partially formed embryos. In a few cases young birds were in the same nest a'ong with the eggs, the contents of which were but little changed, and in another an ejTg perfectly fresh wai found with several ready to hatch. This falcon is supposed to be a " winterer " in the northern parts bf CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 25 1 Canada where its nrev i<; cmVi f • , . The allied F. „.,u!,7 ol\r^tl T'^l 7"^^ °' ?'""='«=„. numbers in the same n^JjTZ^- ,• '" '"«''= '" ^mall hawk, twice obse^d ?;°m; 1 wl^icthL?'"'" '^°^=, °' = '=^«' an attempts to captute iL,i ^ 'L?,;^. "^^i^XtJ'^ ^'"*'' 864A. Black Gyrfalcon. Falco rusticolus obsoletus (Gmel.) Stejn 1885 Mf t;'iri^™%^r.rKa.^Tptfr -^ Labrador ; one taken 1901. {Bi^dorv \ On! • ^anvers, at Long Island Kin?'. Co m r t o ? 'P'^'""'^" ^^^ t^J^^^ toba- two Je sp';cimerhavet::\^^^^^^^^ Manitoba Museum." In ^he ooininn of ^ ' "■' "°^ '" ^^e from Hearne and Hutchins refe to ?h T- ''' '^'^ quotations not to this one. *° ^''^ precedmg subspecies and For the nesting of this bird see Bendire's" I if. w . • North American Birds," Vol I p 286 Histories of Ontario," has no record ^f.h^rh ?'.'". '" "°*' " '''"•'^ "< wrote his book therTtslh "' bot^'sC^th" h'^ "T '' Burton in Hamilton, This skin ul -J ''°""' °' Mr. Fleming, of Toronto, whose coectrn' is .'"?='''"'°" ''"^'•■ birds. (IV.Sam,.) '=°"'^""'" '^ ^h 'n rare Ontario MUSEUM SPECIMENS. .8S:Vg. BoncMe: '''' ''''" " '°" C-™"' "ngava, Jnne, 3 n 2-2 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 365. Prairie Falcon. Falcomexica:us,'^cm.v.G. 1841. . c . ' The firs. .m,e th. writer observed .hi. species was u, Sep.em- .e.e«raph poie w-^o-P'l:". s.™ . n-Xt. in .he spring r»rM-;:="--r:Trrerror^^,iro: su„,n,erof ,895 "one was see on averse^o ^^^^._^^_ ^^^^^^ p-e'rird'Jri* on*;:. MUU R^, .hev were L.erons and douh.- "onrrpedir:: .auena. Deer ParUCoin.bia River BC I „ ,SM {Sprmdbomigh.) Formerly a regulai fall and June 9^^«9°■ ,*-^'^:Xeed in the mountains in the lower iTaser V:,:rBC tS.)'"TaUen a. Comox, Vancouver Island, ----'-•^f ™oruras^::;i a, s.a.ions.o„ .he BR.Enmo No™^;-^' <>« ° °"„7Milk River no less .han four -r<:;C\l.^rad^irnes.^ aL only a few '>-'- ^^^e^roLo^f Ic" a,K. the present the Ferrugnrous buzzards, 'he^con^^^^ ^^ ^^.^^^ ^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ s^red ..b July, -r^o^^^jzif;:^::::^^ main embankment, .n such ^ P«^ ^^"^^^fj ^t it was certainly be obtained from any accessible ^^/^^P^'^^^-^^^ ^'^^^ hollow of the placed directly on the ground, m %^'"'^\;;'' ,7,'" .i^^ost like a bank bt hind the projectmg mound, so that it was aim t::row. ic.^^r\^:t^/^:^t::J^'^.... my .;.b, ,4"^ThV::sfirm^e:!f;e'ggs sin,p.y.ald on the graveUn a hoUow on the high bank of a river. (»'. Ram.) MUSEUM SPECIMENS. T n ■ one taken at Rush Lake, Assa., by the writer, Septem- bey:6th,iT85Th: other taken at Indian Head, Assa., m Sep- tember. ! Sol. bv W. Spreadborough. CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 253 One set Of eggs taken at the Elbow River about 50 miles south- wes of Calgary, Alta., by Colonel Windham. My 24'h 18^ Nest very shght, a hollow in the cliff of the river bank 36«. Duck Hawk. Falco peregriims anatum (Bonap.) Blasius. 1862. A common species in Greenland. {Herlnf Wimre) Said to breed generally throughout Greenland, certainly up to La\ 69^ N. and m many of the lands to the westward of R.ffi Bay. Examples obtained by Dr. Walker o the F.l '' R Y s" at Port Kennedy, Lat. 73^ N., are specifically indislgulshable' from European specimens. {Arctic Manual.) Frequen l7observ^^^^^ .n the v.cm.ty of Ivigtut. {Hagemp) On Marbrisland 1"^^^^^^ • York Factory, Hudson Bay. September, 1885. {DrRm^ This species is rare in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia as a m,V rant. Reported to breed in New Brunswick by Chamberlain^^ known to breed in Quebec and Ontario Probabrhl m northern Manitoba, but is rare on the pra.Vies 0^'thre:tecT mens were seen by Mr. Spreadborough at Indian Head As an Breeding NoxEs.-Abundant at Fort Chimo lino-'., p cliffs along .He Hu„,be. LI, Nelt,:dL„d"VVXr) "' Yamaska Mountain, at Abbottsford ;,ho„f .^ -i n s o„ * we side"":?, h/' ' T- °' '""= "^""^ "^^^ ^ .his species .C'e^t ll^XrZ^'Zr'J' ^^ t^'lT' w. '^ m GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. „e.. on LaUe Muskoka, Ont., regularly^ Z''t:i::^^^tV:: „, four eggs Ton, the nest^n^«, '^f ; ;;'--^ -3,^, ,,„ the Bruce I'eninsula. (/ Ji- '"''""'f-' ..?,. ^„t bank " of the 'tis falcon constructs no nest ■«"--' - ar a, . know ,. lays its eggs on the most '-"-^^ „'„t|:, 1,^ ,„ ^ome of earth or rock. Four is x.n^t u^^ the dis- instances the eggs were larger *- " o< -. Al.^^^^ ^^ ^^^ River. (Macfarlane) ... saw the birds but they "aa nui yc ^ ^ secured later, on the 9th May, and t and th. eggs a e^ -rr Thr^s&^itJ. - '" — T <;;,w the eecs from there, (i^^z^ C./. y^««^-) 1 saw tne eggs Muskoka and I have eight clutches of eggs of this bird, Jaken in i norttrrAerta. One set of 4 eggs was « Ue-d >, J' ^ ^^ nier.at ^f-'<°'<> L^^,'^; ^^^r"^', eUrom the t'op of thecliff and a cliff overhanging the watei , ^5 tee^ ^^^^ j^^,,^^ ^„ ^ ;o feet above '^f/^f , J.^ ^"^iedrmaL of 'a ruffed grouse ledge 2 feet wide, the halt aevuu ^^^^ ani pileated woodpecker were ly.ng on he edge n= ^^^^^^^ Mr. Wenrnan has co lee ed f"^- - ^ " esf in either case, the Blindman's R.ver Alberta. Ij^"^ . „„t „„ Scarboro :fS s^::^ 2':,::;rTlr::d .hre^ .Hes fron,n,yho„se bufthe nest is inacessible. (W. Rn.M.) MUSEUM SPECIMENS. .^r\ ntVnrk Factory, Hudson Bay, by Dr. Three; two P'^°<^"'^^^^ j\^°' ,„7a^^^^ R.Bell. Another taken at Edmonton, Alta., oy v May 1 5th, 1897. CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 255 One set of 3 eggs taken 8 miles northwest of Red Deer Alberta, by J. W. Dippie, June 13th, 1896. Two sets of 3 each taken at Fort Chimo, Ungava, by G. Bouchier. in June, 1898; and one egg from Repulse Bay. • v » '*"" 356a. Peale's Falcon. Falco peregrhms pealei Ridgw. 1880. Along the southwestern coast of Alaska from Kadiak to Sitka th.s dark handsome variety of the duck hawk is found, perhaps entirely replacmg its more eastern and northern relative It has not been recorded from the interior or northern portion of the erntory to the north of the Alaskan Mountains ; but it is known ft7- 1 f^I^«" was frequently observed on Amchitka ««o H «« "'?'u °^ ^"""' '^^' ' ^"^^ «" Attu Island during 880 and 1881. It breeds on nearly all the islands of the chain and .s a winter resident of the Nearer Group at least. On Agattu •t IS reported to be very common ; and on Amchitka I knew of hree "ests on the ledges of the high bluffs hanging over the sea Is and. Chiefly coastw.oe. (Fannin.) Mounted specimens of (^W"" ""''' '"'" '" '^" '^°P °^ ^'- ^"^''^' Vancouver, B.C. 357. Pigeon Hawk, Falco co/um6anus Linn. 1758. This species was scattered all across the District of Ungava from the mouth of Whale River almost to Fort Chimo in Jhe summer of 1896 and others were taken off Cape Chidley in Hudson Strait. (Spread6o.oug/,) Audubon, Vol. 1. 89, states^hl" eggs and nest were found in Labrador about June s Coues -et with It (p. ai6) on two occasions at Grosiater Bay on 5th August and on 2Sth of same month at Henley Harbour. (LJ^A This species is more or less common, breeding in suitable places on Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince EdLrd Island.^New Brunswick Quebec and Ontario. It is also common in the wooded parts of Mamtoba, extending north to Fort Churchill on Hudson Bay where it was taken by Dr. R. Bell. Richardson says ' t makes Its appearance on the coast of Hudson Bay in May abou York Factory in Lat. 57°. He also saw what he^ook to\e the 256 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. same species at Great Bear Lake in Lat. 66°. This was m the spdng of 825 Ross records it north to Lapierre's House m the va ey of the Mackenzie. It is a common spec.es m the wooded portion of Alaska and extends west to Unalaska according to Turner. It descends south into British Columbia east of the Coast Range where it is fairly common though rare on the -ast, according to Fannin. A mated pair seen at Lake La Hache, B.C., by Mr. Rhoads. . , On the prairie it is seldom seen but one was taken at Ij. - i.- •:« ' Hat in May, 1894, and a pair in the Cypress Hdls m the year A few were observed on Old Wives' Creek, Assa m i«95. ^No'e were seen in the mountains by Mr. Spreadborough m 1890 1891 1897 and 1898, but a pair were found breedmg by h.m m the summer'of 1902 a? Cascade, B.C., on the 49th parallel, and a nest was taken by him at Edmonton, Alta., m May, 1897- I found the pigeon hawk quite common during August along the Kowak, Kotzebue Sound, Alaska. {Gnnnell.) Breeding NoTES.-We have few authentic records of the nesting of this bird. u /- u * It breeds every year in the Magdalen Islands m the Gul f o St. Lawrence, selecting a thick bushy place (^^^^ ^- ^T^,^ A Ipair built regularly on an island in Lake Joseph, Mus- koka Ont U- iiPl'^^'S>) This falcon ranges along the Anderson River almost to the Arctic coast at Liverpool Bay. Several of their . ests had apparently been built by them on pme trees, and others on the ledges of shaly cliffs. The former were composed externally of a few dry willow tw.gs, and -terna Uy of withered hay or grass, etc., and the latter had only a jer^ f^J decayed loaves under the eggs. I would also ment.on the to low- ing interesting circumstance. On May 25th, !864, a t u y Indian in my employ found a nest placed m the .'"f ^^ ^^'^ f^ branch of a pine tree at a height of about six feet from the ground. It was rather loosely constructed of a few dry s^cks and a small quantity of hay. It then contained two eggs. Both parents were seen, fired at and missed. On the 31st he revisited the nest which still had two eggs, and again missed the birds. Several days latter he made another visit thereto, and to nis sur- prise the eggs and parents had disappeared. His first impression was that some other person had taken them. After looking care- fully around he perceived both birds at a short distance and this CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. ^^7 ed h.m to mstitute a search which soon resulted in finding that the eggs must have been removed by the parent birds to hf ace of a muddy bank at least forty yards disJant from the orl nal nest. A ew decayed leaves had been placed under hem bu n the mtenm. There can hardly be any doubt of the truth of the foregoing facts. {Marfarlane.) "*'' °* I have sets of eggs taken in Muskoka and southern Labrador also others from northern Manitoba and northern Assiniboia. One of DM J" 'f '".'' ^'^^ ^^- J^^^Ph. Muskoka, Ontario by . D. McMurnck. The nest was built in a tall pine and conta^'ned four handsome eggs. {W. Raine.) contained MUSEUM SPECIMENS. ffHfn?;:^ ac;,^cir "^;"; Z: "^^ ^'^' ''- -^ °- One set of four eggs taken in Muskoka, Ont., May 24th 1800 Received from W. Raine. ' ^ ' ^°' 357^<. Black Merlin. Falco columbarius suckleyi Ridgw. 1873. W^ 'aT"'7 '""''^^'' '■'"'''^"* "'°"& the coast of British Colum bia. Abundant on Vancouver Island. ^Fannin) R sident Tn t^^Tonrsren^ff ^^T'"^"^^ *^^" the^igeo:';!" l^^Tl ^"f^^^^"at Sooke, Vancouver Island, August i8q^ {Spreadborough) Examples seen on the coast shoukl 1.^.1 , under this name though Mr. Fannin has both forn we t fthe S:ir'^- ^'^^•'"" '''"^ ^'^^^"^ '^ ■•" theToTleail'! 358. Richardson's Merlin. Falco richardsonii Ridgw. 1870 the International Boundary Lat zin"^ Sfh c 7^''^"^^"^^^ (Coues:, One specimen was shofby hVwrte at.^hT db' ' "'^i the South Saskatchewan, Assa., g.h Septembe:. «8o °' 258 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. li A single pair was seen in the neighbourhood of Carlton House in May, 1827, and the female was shot. In the oviduct there were several full-sized white eggs, clouded at one end with a few bronze-coloured spots. The specimen killed at Carlton House is, beyond doubt, an old female merlin just beginning to have its new feathers. {Richardson.) Carlton House was situated about Lat. 53° on the North Saskatchewan about lOO miles north of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Macfarlane had no certainty of the occurrence of this species on the Anderson River and I am inclined to believe that only stragglers reach the North Saskat- chewan. Taken at Chilliwack on the Eraser by Mr. Brooks and near Victoria by Mr. A. H. May. {Fanfiin) Occurs in migrations only, both east and west of the Coast Range, B.C. ; a few individ- uals seen at Lake Okanagan in the winter of 1897-98. {Brooks.) One shot at the head of Lake Okanagan, B.C. {Rhoads.) Breeding Notes.— Breeds in Alberta and western Assiniboia. The first authentic set on record is in my collection. It was taken by Mr Roy Ivor, south of Moose Jaw, Assa., on May 20th, 1893. The nest containing four eggs was made of sticks and weeds and built in a poplar tree-top. The next set recorded was found by J. E. Houseman at Calgary, Alberta, May 12th, 1894. Mr. House- man kindly sent me these eggs to make drawings of some time after he collected them. It is a handsome clutch and is now in the collection of Mr. Crandell. Mr. Dippie has also taken eggs, young birds and parents near Calgary. A handsome set in my cabinet was taken at Fort Saskatchewan, May 17th, 1899. showing this bird usually has eggs by the middle of May. It is rather singular that there is no record of the nesting habits of this bird in Bendire's " Life Histories of N. A. Birds," probably on account of the author having such a vague knowledge of the birds nesting in northwest Canada. {W. Raine.) 358.1. Merlin. Falco merilliis (Gerini.) Oberholser. 1899. A specimen caught at sea,Lat. 57° 4i' N., Long. 35° 23 W., in May 1867, by Mr. E. Whymper, and by him presented to the Norfolk and Norwich Museum, seems to have reached the most western limit of the species known. {Arctic Manual) A speci- CATALOGUE F CANADIAN BIRDS • 259 359.1. Kestrel. Fa/co tinmmailns, Linn. 1758. One said to have flown on board shin r.ff r of Greenland, on Parry's first retunv'P °^ ^^P^ farewell, south Manual) ^ ^ '*'^"'" ^"^^g*^- ^"^ killed. (^^^^,v 360. American Sparrow Hawk. Falco sparverius, Linn. 1858 Edward Island, New Brun wicL O T^" '". N"™ Scotia, Prince observers its occur" nee "„ 3!!:, ?'"''"."'' °"'="°- ^X "any corded, Dr R Bell nl , """''"' ""<* breeding is re- Tho^pson-Sefon'str ,: s™ lefJt ^-'T '""''°" «^^- toba, and the writer's own „hr, . T"^ P''=""'"' '" Mani- borough give the sa^eTs ul^for thT'.'"?'' '""^ °' '"'■■ ^P-ad- ing Assiniboia and Alberta ,"« ■"■"" ''*''°" '"'='''^- of the Rocky Mountains ai K. « '°T"'°" 'P"''^' '" ""= """eys Revels.oke,Jn the Col "r^btwhTr* tTsH""': ^'""'="' ^' 9eh. Later it became quite pint fu Z I" '"'^SC on April Columbia to Robson. This soec e, L K T "'"'"''""' ''°™ ""= British Columbia, but doubtless bLo '''""''.^"'"'"'ward through sparrow hawk in the T'X'oZT ^Z^'''^ '^^ *-rt Fanmr, re ts it common on L coasfan^tncreSud."'- fou'^d-rat :;!;Ttrirthr£[" """'.■•- ^-- 54^ bu. ross House, though rathe; rare .n^ A^Tka irTs ™"^" '' "-''''"'' son says only one specimen was kntn umi Kra'^ "^ f ""• numerous on Chiica, River nearthe Zl otl^lT ' "'" Breeding Notes.— This is fh^ ^^ " end breeds every year „ sVi aSe T""'"'"' "' °"'' ^"^^" ^^^-^s selects a hole, us'lially lm£^l'-,fT' 'h "^''" ^"^^"^- ^^ tree, and lays its eggs about iVthM ^'f P'"^ °^ ^«n^e other able to fly in July. %,T^ /y ^^ J ^'^^ ^^en the young and around tl^cit^: 'J Ilf^.fTjl'llT'n^. ^"^ inc rarry bound District. 250 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. ( J H. FlemiuLr.) This bird seems to prefer holes in trees, the old nests of the flicker are probably the ones used The eggs fiv in number, are of a butf or pale yellowish brown w.th splashes of dark brown all over, but most numerous at the greater end. About the f^rst week in May. the nest may be look d for in the neighbourhood of Ottawa. (^^ R. WInte.) Breeds always in cavities in trees-eggs 4-6. {W. h. Saunders.) This species was first seen in 1892 at Indian Head, Assa., on I6th April, and was common by the 24th. It breeds m the woods Ld in Uees in the stream valleys. A nest was found m an old flicker's nest in apoplar,June 5th; .t contamed five eggs. In Apr.l 1804 it began to breed on the 17th in holes m poplars. On the f7?h Mav, 1895. a nest was discovered in a flicker's hole .n a box elder trJ; on Old Wives' Creek, Assa. The female sat so close hat she had to be shoved with a stick before ^^^ would m The nest contained five eggs of a deep cm namon buff, butbecom ing brown or cinnamon at the larger end Th's ^P-^. '^.^ ^° common on Vancouver Island, always breedmg m holes. It feeds upon mice, young birds, grasshoppers and other msects and on one occasion I saw one catch a small snake. I have seen nest from 60 to 70 feet above the ground. {Spreadborough.) It breeds in tl interior at least as far north as Fort Rae, Great Slave Lake, in Lat. 62° N. {Befidire, Vol. I., 309)- MUSEUM SPECIMENS. Fourteen; of these two were taken at Toronto, Ont., by S. Hernng ; two at Ottawa by F. A. Saunders ; the others by W Spreadborough at Indian Head, Assa., Banff, Rocky Mountams, and Revelstoke on the Columbia River, B.C. A set of five eggs taken near Edmonton, Alta., May 31st, 1893; anothfrirtakSonOld Wives' Creek, Assa., by W. Spread- borough. May 27th, 1895. 360a. Desert Sparrow Hawk. Falco sparverius deserticolus Mearns. 1892. Near the mouth of Milk River, Montana, June 30th, 1874, col- lected by Dr. Coues. {Mearns in The AuK Vol. IX 266.) Abund- ant resident ; Mr. Brewster informs me that my Chilhwack speci- iTTsparverius belong to this form. It is a permanent resident Throug out the southern part of British Columbia ; a few remain CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 26I Cascade, B.C aZT^llTj^ X ","'"'' ■'"«=" ''''" -'' valley are „( .Ms subsAcS^d^r;"^'"" '" '^^ "-"«'-' MUSEUM SPECIMENS. y 49th parallel, all collected by Mr. Spreaclborough. CXXIX. POLYBORUS Vieillot. i8i6. 362. Audubon's Caracara. Po/j^dorus chernvay (Jacq.) Cab. 1848 supen-o:::ot f^rfroitrtrr °" T^ "^^^'^ ''-^ «^ L-^^e by Mr. George E. rki!! .^^ ^^^ i' ^,f ^J) f ^3. is reported Ontario. iWilHa. Brer.sU. -.. tLaTvo, X^ ' '' CXXX. PANDION Savigny. 364. American Osprey. Pan^wn haliaetus carolinensis (Gmel.) Ridgw. 1870 ttc Manual.) ^viuseum at Copenhagen. {Arc- Nova Sccia, Ir^ce Ed«rS IsTatr;' 't"' '" N-f^-d'-d. Ihroughou. Ontario. wTs ward,, i, ^'"^ Brunsw.ck, Quebec and ditions throughout the nr« I • °""'' ""''" ""= «">« """ Pacific coast Northward ' 7^'T- ""n ""= -""""'"'"^ '<> 'h<= beyond the Arctic cTrclt \n ^ n" '" ""^ '°''^' """"-y ='"<' Alasl^a, Nelson pace its bredi"^^ °' ^-^ ''"'"="^'- '" Circe so that it bUMlX:|h3^;X"^ '" "''" colTnrto''bS~r„:i*\'T'""'"^ °' ^'^'y -^ -P«y - It soon -^^r-'^7^-^---r/--- |i' ii id 3^2 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. two or more o,«s. A nest found at Lake ^^^^^l^;^^ Ottawa. Ont.. would bo nearly s.x feet across and s app^rc nt^y made of large '.sticks, weeds, cornstalks and bark. {Geo. A:. White.) This bird is becoming very scarce along the St. Lawrence^ During the last ten years 1 have only seen a ^^w exampl s. A nest was found on May 23rd. 1900. at Ganan<>que Lake bmU on top of a large broken pine, which conta.ned three eggs Th.s j the only case I know of its breeding '";,'^^Cr^y ;J,^,\^!f,'; Ont., but I formerly saw its nest frequently .n the -unt.cs^ of Lanark and Renfrew, built on the top of P'-^ "^^^^^f^"^^^^^^^^^ Vo,o,e-) Generally distributed in the Muskoka and Parry bouna Jisufcts. I met with a nest in the centre of a heronry u. Parry Sound. {/.H. Fleming.) Three specimens were observed on Moose River near Moose Faa^^jTries Bay, June 7th, 1S96. A pair were bree mg m he top of a dead spruce tree. None were ^^^f^^^'^/^f , ;. "^'^'j; (Sm'addoroujrh.) The fish-hawk breeds about four miles up ^N^nhwest \iverl above Hudson Bay Company's station, Labrador. (Packard.) „ . • u r^ 1 ,k;o An abundant summer resident throughout Bf'sh ^^j-^^^; Its nest is usually on the broken top of a tree, not far ^^om ^ater^ iFannin.) Common throughout Vancouver I^ -- " ^-t very bulky and generally placed on the broken top of a ^all dead t ee I have seen a few nests, however, on living trees. The food of hisspecTes consists principally of f^sh. I ^-e watched then, after flying slowly over a shallow bay, stop and hover for a few Ids tLn cloL their wings and drop like a meteor upori som luckless fish which they seldom fail in catching. On a few occa s^n I have seen them with snakes. Their nest ,s a huge heap o sUcks usually placed on the top of a taU stub, scarcely ever less than fifty feet from the ground. (Sprea^^orovgh.) Breeds amongst the lakes of Muskoka, Ont. In June ^893. we shot a specimen at Banff, Rocky Mountains, and Mr. Fear in earned me a pair had a nest behind Tunnel Mountain. I have a serSs of 200 eggs of the osprey and they are the most handsome S all ha^^s e?gs ; this bird usually lays three eggs, but occ - .ionallv four (W. Raifie.) Almost invariably there is a hsti h::k n'esdn;- wL the great blue heron at Sydney Cpe Bre^ Island. At the heronry I visited, the hawks chased the herons CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIROS, 263 was tolci of ,«^r„ fl t , ""' ' T.""' >"''"• '-»'" • haw. „..„, a™„^^ :hX.::'°"'(r: ^/cr'^^ "'^' » ""■■ MUSEUM SPECIMENS. Ncn-aTcot: j:i L^^^ ^t;" ^, ^'^'^^'-'' Lake, near Halifax. Family XXIX. STwaiDiE. Barn Owls. CXXXI. STRIX LiNN^us. 1758. 365. American Barn Owl. Strix pmtbicola Bonap. 1838 alive on a coal dock nea thf bTv fl. 7 ?'" ""'^ "P^"^"' ;th, 1899^ The bird soon cfitd a7d";r;. JrbTa' ^alf '^tT' -"^ the only Toronto record of which I am awa e ( J H fi '' The Aiik, Vo\. XVW m\ in fi, d U- H. Fleming xn Museum of Comoara I've 7-1 u '■■''^"' collection in the taken by Mr LlTc2t^^ l"' p"' " '" ''"^'•'^^" "^-^ «-' ember i«no tk ^* ^^°"^ ^°'"*' Ontario, early in Nov- lea ^Mr H^B^r ^^^;^«^>7- — d fo^ thetl- Family XXX. BUBONIDiB. Horned Owls. &c. CXXXH. ASIO Brisson. 1760. 366. American Long-eared Owl. Asio ivilsonianus (Less.) Codes. 1882 t, iv lii;!' 264 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 1 A fKot 5t hreeds in its range from New- this account we ^°"<^l"d%*?'"';Vdward sland, New Brunswick, ^-r i^ar ^Wrre ^r ^ " U. 'occurence . aU These provinces but not as being anywhere common *";rr .on. watchin. I a. '- -l^^'e ml^^^o ^^e ^•■fof 0«a"w: O-r'an^ seclr^^a'sne pal on the .St November, iQOi {G. R. White) . %his is a toierabiy common ^^:^'^'^£:^::^ evidently breeds throughout "« P™^"- /g,,, afd not seen °""^:.inre'"Th:t^« ed '>ada w,:l:;-fo'ot'ed mouse and r\:re£ieslusstomach 0„Ma.B.,.8,.apa^w. „ at Medicine Ha. Assa an o*"^swere^see^^^^^^^^ ,_^ ^^^ ^K:s:;M^rl:^£L-:"com^^^^^^ rpric^e^r^bSe^f^itfinegr^^^^ lined with dried grass ^'''^^f':'''i:^^^^'JTJ'^^rionr^i as far ^"•>:.'^'Lt*Kn£b.ye Utiasfar noTh as the forest rndt'ftifpie^fJi-iJwood^;,^^^^^^ plains, and frequents the shores of ""^"f Mackenzie ; rare. iRiclmrdson) North to For SmP=°» °" *^ Mad- BriLhco.. umbia. {Rhoads) . B..BP,.o Nox.s._Rare.y observed in e^^rn On -^ On^ . about eight feet from ^^e ground egg , three. CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 265 water. The >onle.r.4 o„l Jds'upo ''„!:" „^'^^ ^.^ ""^ also upon nsects • I h;,v^ f^. i . ^"*^ ^"^^ll birds, Manitoba, t/a. 'was onfyV:itZZ"t::::. 'I °'' ^.^^^' five eggs. This bird is an early breder anT ' ,', '""^"•"'•^ eggs by the end of April or early in Mav Z ,r^"'' *"' ''"'' the short-eared owl-is a la,l k i '^' , *^ "'"' ^Pecies- beforejune. (K-.L,,/ ''"= '""''" »"<' ^-^Wom has eggs MUSEUM SPECIMENS. Seven ; one purchased with the Hnlmn„ .1 • another,akena.O.,awa,0„!byMfG R w\ "'T '" '*''■ Grenfell, Assa.. by Richard Lake! 1894 ' ''^'^' '''''" '^ 867. Short-eared Owl. ^^?^ accipitrinus (Pall.) Newt. 1872 gether unknown, but it has been sh„?' ' . ''V"""""" ""«>= ^l'"- Bay, Lat.68» 50!' X l^SV^Th s" pt^^ls" a'"' '" °''=° dent at Fort Chimo Labndnr • ."P^^^'^s 's a summer resi- Inlet, plentiful on tl'etrstr; TlZ^J^ti: ^^''^ pr r„;"er?:„?rcL'^rSh r-^° '-"-:;ra" . ^^'^"^^'^' Labrador in Seotemhpr /ov / s A summer res dent hnf- ,^^^■ ^ • !. '^^P'^^"'Der. {Bigelow.) Not con,™on in Nova'sri ,7u?b:e:"s the^ ""(t"''- t^''' wick. (CnaS^UA L -^ ' R'"-'^'" St. Johns, New;Bruns. Lake, York Co N b' W ^ T"? ';;""^ '"^"^ ^«° ^'Scotch 256 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. IDr R Bell.) An owl believed to be this species was seen in t^fe marshes on the Magdalen Islands. {Bishop.) Summer res.- dent in Quebec. {Dio,L) A common, but transient v.s.tant a Mo^ eal more plentiful in the autumn. Specmiens taken at Montreal n October, 1889 and 1890, and others seen at Bouche viUe s and in October, 1892. {WM.) A pa.r was shot October rr 88? bv Mr G. R. White, and one was seen the same month bv M W L. S ott ; these are the only records. {Ottawa Natur- ^LfvoV v.) This is a commoner species than the long-eared owl and is likely more northern in its range. I have often observed ^ht species skimming noiselessly over the inlets and mo.st t^t::Xo.... at Port Cidney ^y^^^^y^^^^^ October 896. t'hey were particularly abundant and wh.le wa k- ^r'n he island it was not at all unusual to see upwards of a dozen on the wing at the same time. Everywhere on the island their advent was clearly marked by the vast numbers of bud emains sea tered around, among which I noticed those of many ofX woodpeckers. I also noticed the remains of -v-al smalle owls which Teads me to conclude that they are not altogether innocent of cannibalism. (/. Hughes-Samuei:) This species is tolerably common in Manitoba, but is a dweller amongst the marshes and is seen there chiefly. It breeds through- r:;^p..nce. ^^^-^^^ :^:^::^zr^ reclmrco«, fnTbeg^nt btd. ^hey fly often in the day tiSeTn bright sunlight and on one occasion I saw one fly aimlessly abou for ove. an hour and clapping its wings together so rapidly h.t they sounded like a rattle ; quite common at Medicine Hat A Trie Lake Assa., in May and June, 1894 ; '" July, 1895, they ;t common'^ng Wilk Riv'er and on the West Butte, Lat. 49°, Ilta a -ew individuals seen at Edmonton, Alta., in May, f8Q7"- not observed in the Rocky Mountains,but seen in the Eraser v.Uey at Agassiz in May, 1889. {Spreadborough.) This owl is a summer visitor in the Northwest Territories, arnv- inJa soon as the snow disappears and departing in September^ We observed it as far north as Lat. 67°. and a female killed at CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN HIKDS. Fort Franklin on the 20th May, contiin.-rl ■ C..S nearly ready for exclusio^, X^Ll^rt T^ 'i"^^^ S.mpson on the Mackenzie ; c..nmon A^^^^^^^^^^ J^" '"" rcfTuIar and common mhn-int -.n.l ' '^" ^P^'^-'i^s is a and is found as far no h K T'""'^' '''^^^'"' '' ^^- Michael procured in ,880. ^Z l^^tt H ""' "'"'" ^^'"-^ -"- in Alaska. It is to be mn I . / f '^"'"'"""^'^t bird of prey i^-ands. ,z..^;tma:::;,c;;t;^.; v^^^^ only on the coast ; a male wis f,k,>n . ^ ''"^'^ '^"""'' -inster. (S^r.a^o.) Ab m hnt be! ";;^'-clay at New West- '"ainland ; remains on '1^';"^. 7 the .sland and on the Abundant resident in ;^r ^:^:^'-;! ^'^ -J^ter. (/^..,,) mon in the Okana.ran distnVr in ^ ^ ^' "■^••' '''t'^^''" com- •li^trict in winter.' W^^^ "^l'"- ''"the Cariboo about the lakes of th^rtlriir."^^ aC:^\ '^'--'-'^ -^^' was noted everywhere durin.r ..^'^'''''''^'■^ /'^^' short-eared owl Cape Blossom \.p; Il';/^7"^'; ^^ ''" "'^'"'■^'^ "^ -•Wither stone iU;^^:,—rtl-,';^^ (Ontario. Onesp I K;l',::;Xr;' " n" ''" '"-'='- .very year „„ The M.,;S ,t f ("r';".';';''' """■ »■-"' l>ircl forms a .slight nest on the ' ' , l ■^'- L™''™.;^. This «""etin,cs n„,o'fi. I„w b, si^v shrZ "''"r;'''" '^■■"■'''''' '"'^^-^^ '="^- .•BBS i„ the ,„„„,h olCTl n : '• "T','"^' '""^ ^"'^ '" """■ '^th, ,898, i„ the nor ;,„,L'r" :";; ""'rr '"''■" ^""<- ''■>"l>' a few pairs breed the" ev ' ' , '^^'""'•;"«' "-e „„ seven eir^s was foil rul in rnf • "^ "^-^t containintr May .3ri ..c.t;t:\;;"t;'!.;ri- ti'^f 'if'"''' '"" • - l>"tgr.issy place. (A'n. C J. Vomg.\ ""'"'"■ " *''s ,n a wet ^ra;:;t,:r:itf S"- r-r^'^-- - fe.lthers were n„,iee ^^ l»ve been ph.cked frL her* e bv . "'' """,""'' "''■™"' '" »ionally sits verv elose o„ her „e , Th '"'""! ''"■"■ """-• "«- n«, v„rief five eggs was taken ^' fi,h ^08 a. tier set of four, Jnnc 4th, .890, and another ^roffiVlnne th ,858,s„that the first week in Jnne appears ;:be the iin .1 is bird has fresh eggs in the Arct.c regions. The Eskimo's ',an,e for this bird is NipaiclooktiK. (M . K.n,u:) MUSKUM SPECIMENS. Six • one purchased with the Hohnan ^^^^^^'^'^''^^''^^^J'^ 1 -,t Avhiier Que, in 1886; one in Russell Co., Ont., in i:r ::bJ ^o h^;: oU^e. were taken at Indian Head Assa.. bepteniDci. loyu Spreadborou^'h. ^^trr-c^t;^.ruU::'M;!:^e Ja^^Assa.. May .8th .SorbyM W Raint. Nest on ground. A hollow hnec w.d. ;'!:;ancl weeds, built on a rising ground overlooking the s-ough. CXXXIII. SYRNIUM Savigny. 1809. 308 Barred Owl. SyniiioH nebulosim iFoRST.) Boie. 1828. CATALOOUK OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 269 tlic Ottawa district. {Ottaiva Naturalist. Vol. V.) Alo.uv the ;^>/tl^ A "" h--:"ot heard of it bein, observed. P ik "-7;'""";;"""^' To;-to, also at Caclu. Lake. Algon- quin 1 ark (/ H. Fleming.) The most northern point I lriv.> olio ^;')'^7--^«"^he Parry .Sound Rai.::; north fr e idlntL h ■ ^"■'-"""' P-^ablv mi.natory. A sum- mer residen though rare ; more common east of VVinnipetr Min Uhompson-Scton) This species was described from asp?;^"n sent from Hudson liny by Mr. Graham. I have never ,Ce e the b,rd .n my travels in America. (Richardson ) Breeding Notes.-A few of these birds are met with every year along the St. Lawrence but it is not common. The neJt has been found ,n a hole in a tree near Kingston; Ont,anl a few years ago 1 saw five young birds that were sho abou a mile mUsKle of the town of Brockville. Ont., in July. (AV / "^ 7 Yoxng) Rare ; .k. authentic record of its breeding near London Ont., though doubtless it does so. {W. E. Saunders.) MUSEUM SPECIMENS. Three; one purchased with the Ilolman collection in 1S8; • one taken at Ottawa, Ont.. by G. R. White ; another fine speci- irL-lrose" '' '"' "'' ^'■"'"'"' '" ^'"^ '"^"^'^"" ^y Mr rXge One set of three eggs taken near Chatham, Ont., by W Raine Apn. 4th, 1S97. Nest in a hole in a tree about 35 fe'et Lm th^' 3«9.^ Spotted Owl. Syrnium occidentale caurinum Merriman. i8gS I saw a specimen of this owl which was taken a few miles down o^er'F^L"";''''''^'"'' '•^- •■ "^^^^'^""''y confined Ltl Lower Eraser valley, where it is a rare and local resident. {Brooks) CXXXIV. SCOTIAPTEX Swainson. 1837. 370. Great Grey Owl. Scotiaptex cifierea (Quv.i,.) Swains. 1837. Specimen No. (32,306) in the Smithsonian Institution collec- tion was obtained by James McKenzie at Moose Factory, J^m"s I- m f? I ; Ijjj. W)- l»li !|l| h 270 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. Bay No record from any other part of the country. {I ackard.) One seen on the Humber River, Newfoundland, August 28th, 1899. (/ H Porter) A specimen taken a few years ago in Pictou Co., Nova Scotia, is the only one known except one in the collection o the late Dr. McCulloch. {Gilpin) Occurs in winter at Grand Manan, New Brunswick. {Herrid') Taken at Lorrette; .-esident in northern Quebec. {Dionne.) A scarce winter visitant at Mont- real During the winter of 1889-90 this owl appeared at Montreal in great numbers and many specimens were taken. (Wwtlc.) A rare winter visitor at Ottawa. Only one secured in ten years. {G. R White ) In southern Ontario this species is a casual visitor in winter only. I have seen specimens taken in Muskoka and at Hamilton. {Mcllwraith) Sometimes abundant in the Farry Sound and Muskoka districts in winter. Occurs irregularly about Toronto, Ont.; it sometimes appears in southern Ontario in numbers, tut is usually absent, such migrations are i-are the last one at Toronto was about 1889. (/• H. Fleming) On 28th February, 1896, a specimen was taken on Toronto island. In Dec- ember, 1898, I saw one, taken at W hitney, on the Parry Sound Railway, and 1 was shown two fine specimens which were taKen at Scotia Junction, on the same railway the preceding year (y. Hughes-Samuel) ^ id 1 Rare winter visitor in Manitoba. Found chiefly along the Red River and at Lake Winnipeg. {Thorn pson-Seton) This imposing bird which was first described from Hudson Bay is by no means a rare bird in the Northwest Territories, being an inhabitant ot all the wooded districts lying between Lake Superior and Lat. 67" or 68°, and between Hudson Bay and the Pacific. It is com- mon on the borders of Great Bear Lake ; and there and in the higher parallels of latitude must pursue its prey during the summer months by daylight. It keeps, however, within the woods and does not frequent the barren grounds like the snowy owl (Richardson) This fine owl is a common and well known resident throughout all the wooded parts of Alaska froni Sitka north to the northern tree limit, and from the vicinity of Behring Straits throughout the territory. {Nelson) This species is a resident of the Yukon valley and was obtained on the coast at Uphim Slough, the northern part of the Yukon Delta. {Turner) A rare species; shot at Sumas only. {Lord) A rare species; I have one specimen taken at Chilliwack. B.C in November 188/. and another that was taken at Stewart's Lake, B.C., Lat. 54 , CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. . 271 1891. {Favni,,:) Rare at Chilliwack ; most probably breeds- Breedino N0TES.--4 should not say that this owl was in "Reat abundance" in the Anderson region, as inadve tent' s a ed on page 33, Vol. III. of the Land Blfds. We certainly ob- e erred to LtT ''"'"""' ""' "^' '^^"'"' "^"^ "-■ "-^' ^hat Lockh t r' '■ T"" ^""''^''P'^^ "" ^he 19th July, 1862. near Lockhart R.ver, on the route to Fort Good Hope. It was built i;jo?r''"'''V''""^'^^^" ^^^-^^-"ty feet, and w.s com- posed of tw.gs and mosses thinly lined with feathers and down ll7 rr f ^''"f/'"'' '^"° y«"%^both of which had lately cI.ecL The female left the nest at our approach and flew to another tree at some distance, where she wai shot. (M^c/arLl^ During the winter of ,895-96 Mr. Dippie and myself receiyed ..er a do^en of these birds in the flesh that were shot in Alberta V\c also .eceived about 50 American hawk owls in the flesh that ame w.nter Settlers informed me that the whole of Albe swarmed w.th owls and they remained until April when a .-grated north except one pair of great grey ow s whic remamed and nested in the Red Deer Riyer district. ancTM D.pp.e secured the eggs along with the parent which is probably he only record of this bird eyer nesting as far south.as its^summe^ home ,s along Great Bear Lake and northvyard. It breeds at the mouth of the Macken.e Riyer, Arctic America, making n to ^.cks and weeds ,n the highest spruce trees it can find. (Iv. MUSEUM SPECIMENS. Two fine specimens. Both were procured at Toronto, Ont., by Ml. b. Herring. • 370rt. Lapp Owl. Scotiaptex cincrea lapponica (Retz.) Ri dgw, 1887. A single specimen of this species was taken in the Yukon Delta, on Apr. ,5th, 1876, and sent to me. It is said to be q .ite lare. {Turner) h '"•<- si''' V .1 ii I I; 272 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. CXXXV. NYCTALA Krehm. 1828. 371. Richardson's Owl. Nyctala tcngmahni richardsoHi (15onap.) Ridgw. 1872. A possible resident of Newfoundlaiicl, but I have not seen it. (Reeks.) Becoming very rare ; seen only in winter in Nova Scotia. {Doivns) Very rare in Nova Scotia. Have seen only four specimens. {Gilpin) Occasionally met with at St. John s. New Brunswick. {Chamberlain.) One taken at Scotch Lake, York To , N.B., in winter. ( W. H. Moore) Taken at Beauport ;. winter resident in Quebec. {Dionne) A scarce winter visitant •U Montreal. {Wintle) This is a winter visitor at Ottawa, Ont., and has been taken by Mr. G. R. White and seen by Mr. Lees. iOtta^va Naturalist,^ o\.^.) My specimens of this species were shot at Toronto, Ont., and I have very few records of it^ occurence i„ other parts of the province. {Mellwraith.) Occurs about Toronto but is very rare. Mr. Hay has met with one or two ,n the Parry Sound district. (/. H. Fleming.) Probably resident in the wooded sections of Manitoba. A common winter visitor ; in January, 1885, Mr. Hine of Winnipeg showed me several dozen skins taken that fall near Winnipeg. {Tliompson-Seton.) I cannot state the range of this species but believe that it inhabits all the wooded country from Great Slave Lake to the United States. On the banks of the Saskatchewan it is so common that its voice is heard almost every night by the traveller wherever he selects his bivouac. (Richardson.) North to Fort Simpson on the Mac- /enzie; rather rare. (AW.) This handsome little bird is cc.m- mon throughout all northern Alaska, wherever trees or bushes occur to afford it shelter. (Nelson) This owl does not occur at St Michael, on the coast. It inhabits the wooded districts. ( Turnrr ) A rare winter visitant at Chilliwack, B.C. ; a consider- •ible irruption of this owl occurred throughout the southern interior during the winter of 1898-99 : -are in the Okanagan dis- trict in winter ; resident throughout the winter in the Cariboo district, B.C. {Brooks) Breeding NoxES.-This small owl is occasionally met with in eastern Ontario in the late fall. I have seen a specimen shot near Kingston. It breeds not uncommonly on the Magdalt;n Islands, usually selecting a hole that had been made by the " flicker " in a dead spruce stub. I saw two sets of eggs, ot tour |i CATALOGUK OF CANADIAN HIRDS. 273 and five respectively taken in 1898. The set of fn„r tofrether with part of the remains of the parent bird, killed by ravens that occupied an adjoining tree, I now have. These were laid early in April. The other set was taken on May 3rd, the old bird being captured on the nest at the same time. {Rev. C.J. Yomig ) This owl, or one very like it, was repeatedly observed in the country between Fort Good Hope and the Anderson River. {Macfarlane) Dr. George informs me that Richardson's owl nests in northern Alberta. (Jl\ Rtn'f/e.) MUSEUM SPECIMENS. Two; one purchased with the Ilolman collection in 18S5 and the other procured in Toronto, Ont., by S. Herring. 3' 2. Saw-whet Owl. Nyaa/a acadua (Gmkl.) Boxap. 1838. Specimen (No. 32.301) in Smithsonion Institution collection was obtained at Moose Factory, James Kay, by James McKenzie. ilackard.) A not uncommon summer migrant in Newfoundland (Rirh.) A resident but becoming rare in Nova Scotia. {Dozvm ) A common resident in Nova Scotia. (Gi/pw.) Present through- out the year at WolfviUe, York Co.. N.S.; most common in winter. A nest was taken in April, 1902, containing six eggs (//. 7///A.) A pair heard at .Sydney, Cape Breton Island, June I2th, 1902. (C. R. Hartc.) Resides throughout the year, but more common in winter at St. John, New Brunswick, [chambcr- laoi.) Permanent resident : not common ; breeds at Scotch Lake, York Co., N.B. {W. H. Moon-;) Taken at JSeauport • resident in C>-.ebec. {Diomtc) Permanent and common resi- dent at Montreal. I have taken this little owl. May 24th, 1884, in the woods below Mochelaga ; also on Isle Jesus' and Mount Royal. iJVhah'.) A moderately common resident in the Ottawa district. {Ottawa Naturalist, Vol. V.) This species though a resident in Ontario is of infrequent occurrence and in some winters is not seen at Hamil- ton while in others it has been taken in numbers. {Mcllwraith.) Not common at Emsdale; reported as resident at Port Sydney, Parry Sound and Muskoka districts; generally distributed but not abundant in Ontario ; large flocks have been seen on Toronto Island in the autumn; observed at Cache Lake, Algonquin Park. 274 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. (J H hlcmin^.) Not common in summer in the London district, thoufih youn'ti have been found ; more often noticed in winter and fall. {W. E. Saunders.) A rare resident ; noted only on Red River and eastward in Manitoba. {Thompson-Seton.) This species was not noticed on the prairie nor in the mountains until the Columbia River was reached ; a few specimens were seen in the Columbia River valley at Arrow Lake in June, 1890 ; others were seen at Sicamous in July, iS^'g. {Sprcadborough.) This owl was not noticed on the route of the expedition, but specimens were sent fromNewCaledoniaby Mr. Archibald McDonald. {Richardson.) Obtained only east of the Coast Range. {Lord:) Not by any means common; I have taken it in winter at Burrard Inlet ; and a few have been taken on Van- couver Island ; Mr. Anderson reports it from Port Simpson, B.C. (Fannin.) Tolerably common at Chilliwack, 1?.C.; a possible resident ; common in the winter at Lake Okanagan, B.C.; resident in winter in the Cariboo district, B.C. {Brooks.) An immature male was taken at Vernon, B.C., in July, 1892. (Rlioads.) Breeding NoxES.—This owl breeds sparingly along the St. Lawrence, as in June, 1892, I saw a young one captured alive on one of the wooded islands of the nver. The bird has also been obtained near Kingston. Ont. {Rev. C.J. Young.) A young bird in pin featherswasshotnearSt.Thomas,Ont., in June. Doubtless breeds in some of the heavy cedar swamps. (IV. E. Saunders.) I have a set of eggs taken north of Peterboro, May 17th, 1894. The eggs were laid in a woodpecker's hole. (W. Raine.) MUSEUM SPECIMENS. Five ; one taken at the falls of Blind-man River. Alta., by G. I'. Dippie; the others at Edmonton, Alta., and Victoria, B.C., by W. Spreadborough. CXXXVI. MEGASCOPS Kaui>. 1848. 37 3 Screech Owl. Megascops '"•' '-^"•^• itobi <,-,v;n,r . u , "inter claims the screech owl for Man- itoba saymg : I saw a pair at Sabaskong Bay. Lake of the VVonrk a.K, ,n rS7i heard them at Point du Chene.'' (^^l^^^^{ The writer reported this species from near Fort PeTl7Mani ll.^ but discovered later that it was the Acadian owl ^^'^^'^-^^a. Breeding NoTEs.-One of the owls that is becoming more crrront^" ';r^:'r' •^"' '^'-^^'^""^^ *- ^-^^^'^ wo:2nr and have seen the young near Lansdowne. It is a common thint^ i^l iVVe'f r'"'r''''- ^^- ^- /• >'-^^) Well Hs' |/l^t ^1^,"^°"'"" ^"^^'-'^^ ^ ^^'-'^ '" -'vities in trees. MUSEUM SPECIMENS. Three .• two procured in Toronto. Ont., by .S. Herring i„ ,88; • y'ung " '' """"^^^ ""''^ P^^'^^"^-' ^- «- -iseum by mV' One set of three eggs, taken at .Scarborough Heights eist of Xrtho'i ^1'"' ^'r'- ''''^ ''''■ ^^^' 'aid in o^d ; i: pecker s hole in a decayed pine 25 feet from the ground. 373c/. Kennicott's Screech Owl. Megascops asio kennicottii ( Elliot) Stejn. 1885. The type of this bird in the tawny brown phase, was iaken -it S ka and described by D. T. Elliott. Within^he a!t f w y a w have k^arned that it extends down the northwest coasT uZ Hi I if 2-g GEOLOOICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 373A. Macfarlane'B Screech Owl. Megascops asio macfarland H i< i:wst. i 89 » • Southern portion of the- mainland of British Columbia east of the Coast Range, (/v.'--) A specimen seen at S.camous. H.C., July 16th. 1889, is referred here. {Macoun.) 373A:. Puget Sound Screech Owl. Megascops asio saturatus Brewst. Vancouver Isla.ul and coast of southern British Columbia ; bridsn he neighbourhood of Victoria. oks.) /\ discussion of the horned o^yls of Washington and British Columbia will be found -"an article ,n 'r/^e M, Vol. X.. p. ,8 (1893). It is probable that all the races ot Bufio vir^i>nrj„ns are to be found in British Colum- iJia. {R/ioom,gh.) This spec.es builils in holes in trees when such can be found, it also builds in hemlock, beech or other large trees in the vicinity of Ottawa The nest is placed near the trunk of the tree and i^ composed of dry sticks, probably lined with leaves and fe.>thers; the eggs are two or three in number. [G. R. U/ijti'.) A fairlv common species along the St. Lawrence, but rapidly becoming rarer. I have seen the nest several times ; one near Perth Ont., in a tamarac tree not more than twelve feet from the ground, which on May 30th, 1886. contained two young ones just able to H^•. It is a very early breeder ; on the nth April, 1895. I found a nest with two much incubated eggs. The nest occupied was in a yellow birch, and the previous year had been tenanted by a pai'r of red-shouldered hawks. This nest was again occupied by the owls three years later. Again m 1899 1 found the nest in a hemlock about sixty feet from the ground on March 28th, when the weather was very cold and snow covered the ground. This nest contained two eggs, incubation tai advanced. This owl is easily kept in confinement and does not appear to suffer from changes of weather. I have had one tor fifteen years. (AV.^. C. J. Voia,g.) A nest of this species found in May, 1900, containing two large young, had beneath it numei- ous fragments of birds and mammals, among the former were remains ot a broad-winged hawk, two red-shouldered hawks and one red-tailed hawk. {IV. E. Saunders.) MUSKUM SPECIMENS. Three ; one purchased with the Holman collection in 1885, another procured by -S. Herring at Toronto, Ont.; one taken at Walker's Pond near London, Ont. by W. E. Saunders. One set of two eggs taken at Scarboro Heights, east ot Toronto, Ont., April 2nd, 1897 ; nest in an old red-shouldered hawk's nest in the top of a tall maple. 375f/. Western Horned Owl. Bubo virginianus pallesccns Stone. 1897. I have a specimen taken at Rosseau, Muskoka District ; among the horned owls killed about Toronto in the autumn will often be CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS 370 ^^/tf«. Fine SDecimen^ of th.-c f "^ree n tnis. {Ihompson- May, ,894 ; and in .he Cypress Hills in J i S The t t v""' a few were seen on Old Wives' Creek. A„, , , ^"-'"' Hutte, I.ae. 40° AssT ,Xnc „ ^'.=^'>' A^sa- and at ehe Wesl Monnuins, inlh^ su, ^er o 'Z"T^ T" "' """«■ "^"'^'O' Sophie Mountain BC„ ,,?•"'''""'' "■-■•■" Casea.le and on in a.,.„„,„ .„ .,, Pp,,„ treeless^: of atn^S;;:?, %:r\ portions of the Arctic coast. (N,h„„ 1 This Mr, ii? "'"' sional visitor at St Michael 11,0^7 l''^'"' '^ ""'y "" occa- taken by the snowy ow';^,'; " ',"'",''■''7- S.""""* l-in. comn,on in the Lower Fraser valley. (£„"}") ^* '*""^'='' M,"r w"!,^?"'— '''^'"'^"''"■■'- "<"^' 'SS". I>«rtage la Prairie • itned^wif t i.'^h:: ;;::.:; -7 'rr^'ri '""'- ^ ^''■- i'Kiications observedthse - itlelh '■;,'■•■"" '™'" ""' chiefly on fish, which were a Ian , , red r "'' "f"' Nast shot^h:t:„;'.hr tz ir::^::^::^ ""■ unquestionably, evidences of in owl h P'^C', there were. wi.h one foot Ld held 0^.0°^:^;' ^i^^lZ X' '^hll^rf:.^ ■f I' ill J( '' 1 \ 2^Q GEOLOGICAL itiJKVEY OF CANADA. being very small, and surrounded with large bare trees is a favorite nu between the river and the lake for large fish at n.ght, so tl at ,1 the circumstances are very favorable for the prosecution of the pis torial pursuits of the owls. On the 8th May, 1884, I found a p-^ir o^hese birds in possession of an old nest in the B.g Swamp on the Assiniboine River, south of the Big Plain Th.s nest was bo^a 30 feet from the ground, in the crotch of a poplar tree which was as yet without leaves. The nest was formed of TtkU and twigs and was indistinguishable from that of a red- aUed buzzard' Once or twice I tried to shoot the old b.rd on the nest, but she was too wary, and evidently had all her w.ts nbout her even in the day time. {T/iompso,>-Seton.) ' As earlvas 20th March, 1892, at Indian Head, Assa., a pan of these birds were nesting. On May 24th I visited the nest and took the two young birds home with me. They soon became 'ut tame and would allow me to stroke them, and although Tv'often pecked my hands they never were able to draw blood Tlev seem to have little power with their beak. By July 7th they were as large as the old ones. It depends very much on then o^d how often Ly eiect pellets. If fed on chopped gop ers skins and all, they would eject about five times a week, if on the bodies of birds that had been skinned, about three t-es a week^ On June 3rd found a nest with two very young ones. The r eye V re not open yet, and they seemed only about five days okL O he 7th one opened its eyes and on the 10th the other one. They were' quite white when very young and altogether without ear Tufts Their eyes are very small at first and the ins a dirty white, and it wL not until they were a month old that their eyes attained the bright yellow appearance. {Spreadborough) MUSEUM SPECIMENS. Two ; one taken in the Touchwood Hills, Assa. September 2ist, 1880, by the writer; the other by W. Spreadborough at Edmonton, Alta.. June nth, 1897. , „ , r-. One set ;f two eggs taken about four miles north o Red Dee. AVa by G. F. Dippie, April loth, 1896. Nest evidently man oldhawk's nest in a cottonwood about 35 feet from the ground. 37.56 Arctic Horned Owl. Bubo virginianits arcticus (Swains.) Cass. 1854. The purest type of arcticus seems to centre about Lake Mani- toba, in the winter at any rate, and I have always been able to get CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 28 1 typical specimens from there ; darker forms occur but not so often as farther west. There have been several horned owls taken in Toronto that are almost, if not quite, ^p^.^x^arcticus. Some specimens from Kdmonton, Alta., are very light coloured ; in tact from Winnipeg to Calgary light ones are found in abundance in winter. The relationship of the horned owls seems to be in a very confused state. (/. H. Fleming.) One shot near Duck Mountain, Manitoba, in the fall of i8cS^ • another individual was taken by Macoun in October, 1880 in the Touchwood Hills, Assa. {Tliompson-Seton.) This very beautiful owl appears to be rare, one specimen having been seen flying at mid-day in the immediate vicinity of Carlton House and was brought down by an arrow by an Indian boy. {Richardson.) This owl or the other variety was repeatedly observed in the country between Fort Good Hope and the Anderson River. {Macfarla^J) 1 his pale-coloured form is sometimes seen in northern Alberta where it breeds. {W. Raine.) 3'5o'. Dusky Horned OwJ. Bubo virginianus saturatiis Ridgw. 1877. Not rare at Eort Chimo, Ungava. Resident. Downy youno- obtained June 20th, 1884. {Packard.) A rare winter visitant al Montreal. I purchased a f^ne specimen of this owl February 8th 1892, in the Bonsecours market, which was shot at Boucherville tour days previously. {IVintie.) Large numbers of horned owls come into the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts every winter trom the north, probably from Hudson Bay, some of them are as dark as the dark Labrador form. I have one of this form taken in Toronto. (/ //. Fleming) This species is an extremely dark-coloured form of the horned owl, found along the damp, heavily wooded south coast of the Alaskan territory, and extending its range southward to Washing- ton. {Nelson.) An abundant resident west of the Coast Range Khanmn.) *' Breeding Notes. - A fine skin of the dark-coloured race of genus Bubo with the two eggs was collected for me by Mr Dicks at Sandwich Bay, Labrador. The eggs were taken May 1st, 1896, and the nest was built in the top of a spruce, a large structure of sticks, weeds and rubbish. {W Raine ) ' u W w 9 282 I p n 1. % 1' i l\ V- GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. ;, MUSEUM SPECIMENS. One specimen taken by Mr. James McEvoy at Lillo6et,west of Spence's Bridge, B.C. CXXXVIII. NYCTEA Stephens. 1826. 37(). Snowy Owl. Nycietz nyctca (Ljnn.) Licht. 1854. Very common in Greenland in summer ; more numerous in the northern Inspectorate than in the southern. Found also on the eastern coast and extends westward to Liddon Island and Mel- ville Island, Lat. 75°- i^^^<^t. Man) A rare winter visitor at Ivigtut, Greenland. (Hagcrup.) Common throughout the country Breeds at Fort Chimo,Ungava. {Packard) Tolerably common and probably resides all the year in Newfoundland. {Reeks ) Some years plentiful and others scarce in Nova Scotia, seen only in winter. {Dow,is.\ A common and often an abun- dant winter resident ; seen on Sable Island, N.S., in August, 1854. {Gilpin) A winter visitor at St. John, N.B. ; reported as occa- sionally spending the summer. {Chat, berlain.) Winter visitor ; rare at' Scotch Lake, York Co., N.B. {W. H. Moore.) Taken at Beauport; a winter visitant at Quebc. {Diotine.) Winter visitor at Montreal ; some years it is scarce and others more plentiful In the winter of 1891-92 I saw exposed for sale at one time in Bonsecours market five females and two males. ( Wmtle.) A winter visitor in the Ottawa district. {Oitazva NatiirahsU Vol. V ) An irregular winter visitor in Ontario, sometimes appearing in considerable numbers and again being entirely absent. {Mcll- wraith ) This owl i-^ found in both the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts in winter, but is not common, except in years of unusual migrations. A regular migrf-nt at Toronto, very large numbers have appeared about the city at irregular intervals ; 1889 was the last (/. H. Fleming.) The snowy owl is commonly met with in the fall and winter in eastern Ontario and has been shot at Long Point, Wolfe Island, near Kingston. {Rev. J. C. Young) \ tolerably common winter resident in Manitoba. It arrives early in autumn and leaves in April. {Thompson-Seton ) Abun- dant from Norway House to Hudson Bay in winter. {Dr. R. Bell,) One seen April 1st and the last on April 20th at Indian Head, Assa in 1892. {Sprcadborough) This highly beautiful and CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. jg-l powerful bird is common i„ the more northern parts of America I. f.requents ,n summer the most arctic lands and hunVs „ he ^ay as ,„deed ,t has to do. When I have seen it on , hi Bar en G ounds , was generally squatting on the earth, and if put un" e^ ass:.; Xth-t'o^Ktr.-rrr^;^: the farthes pent of Alaska this species keeps mainly to the mo e barren portions of the coast and interior, and always^found le ! numerous where trees are abundant. It occurs also on the .shmd .n Behrmg Sea and more sparingly on the Aleutian chain (S.t Turner.) Th.s bird may be said to be a resident at Point Bar^w although >n the depths of winter it retreats with the ptarmLan back to the "deer country," that is, to the valleys of^he'S" l7Z:irLr/'' ^T'^ ^^^^" ^^^^ of^Pomt Ba!r?w {MurM.) Not unfrequently seen near the entrance to the Fraser R.ver. (Zor^.) Resident in the northern portions of the province ; south during some winters only, to the mouth o the Fraser and Vancouver Island. (Famm) An \LT} at Chilliwack, B.C. ; occasionally^ee:^^ittVrLtke OkTn" tnct. (Brooh) I found the snowy owl unexpectedly scarce in he v.an. ty o Kotzebue Sound and when seen were mostly nVle .nd.viduals. (Gnnnell) This beautiful bird may be seen close to my house at Kew Beach, Toronto, almost every day in the winter bu they are very wary. They perch on the ice floes al^n" he beach and keep out of gun range. My neighbour, Mr hLI Douglas, shot one Nov. 28th, igor. When wounded hey a7e ve v oc.ous and a dog is afraid to attack them as they throw W selves on the.r backs and strike out rapidly with theT sha n s rong c aws, and woe to the dog that gets^is'^face st/uck by the' A^::ccrcVT?ir^%r-,,^''^ ''■' ^-^^ -^^^^ ^rctic Circle. (W. Rame.) Usually seen on the Pribylov Islands Behrmg Sea, m winter but occasionally in summer. ( ivZpa^t] Breeding NOTES.-In Bendire's " Life Histories of N. A Birds " s a record o a snowy owl nesting in Manitoba and having eggs !?r!l' '" '"'^"^^^l^" - .*he middle of February, but thf Zl of the year— Manitoba midwinter 5 .(•Jj -IS sufficient to pronounce e time this 284 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. record as a pure invention of the alleged finder of the nest-one calling himself Le Grand T. Meyer-th.s, no ^ o"bt be.og a fict ious name. The nest is described as being made of hay,grass and sticks warmly lined with feathers and eighteen inches high above the 'level pr'airie. The alleged finder of this nest eviden y was never in Canada or he would know that the ground ,s usua ly cov ered deep with snow at this time of the year and that ,t vvould be an impossibility for the snowy owl to prevent .tself, being buried in L snow drifts ; besides if the bird left its eggs for a few minutes they would get frozen and burst. I have a clutch of even eggs anJ another of four eggs taken by Mr. Young on nlrschel Island, west of Mackenzie Bay. The nests were on he "round \w. Raine.) This species is not plentiful ,n the Ancler- fon count y, while every effort made to secure even one specimen nest with is eggs proved unsuccessful ; on one occa^.on we note da white owl hunting marmots iSpermopkilus empetra) in the b:n-en grounds ; and there can be no doubt that this and other owls sometimes rob ptarmigan, ducks, etc., of their eggs. {Macfarlane}j MUSEUM SPECIMENS. Five • one purchased with the Holman collection in 1885 ; one take: a't Toro'nto by S. Herring ; one taken at ^reat Bear L k Lat 6;° so' by Max Bell; one taken at Ottawa, Ont., March, i»9i. and' another pure white one taken north of Ottawa. CXXXIX. SURNIA DuMERiL. a??. Hawk Owl. Snrniauliila (Linn.) Bonap. 1842. The introduction of this bird into our fauna rests on the capture of a 'ing specimen near St. Michael, Alaska, in October i 7^ rr:;.:n;iri:^it^;^:^notgo^ ( Turner^ 377a. American Hawk Owl. Surnianlulacaparoch(,^^^-^>)^-^^)^- ^^84. Rare at Fort Chimo, Ungava ; eggs obtained J"- ^t^ ^884; and downy young nearly ready to lea^ c the nest were taken June CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 385 Nova Scotia (DoL^\ A . , • x ''^'^^"''"C very rare in ■n winter. (/ M. Maco,„,\ Taken a, Rn 9" " ' "="' ""'^ Quebec. (/),»,„..) Tran,,Vn, , . P°" • "o":»ninio„ in J7- ,. ^^'"""^■) transient visitor at Montrf^ni c co„,es here „; •, hZ mT.,? °''''°"'7°'-°"'°' ^"' " ^eldon, andMuskokadiserc, i.is' ?e T'" u""' ''°"' ''"''V Soun„„,i, -''""'='=.'="""!'. iSgS.anti obtained &W.) No recen" record ,f ,?' "'" ^.''""'°"- (^- ^"^-S"- ((f. E. L,„*J.) '"'"'" '" "■= Lonrfon district. 5rt«,.) This is \ on „, ' ■ '°"" "!"'"'■ («.«/..„- Territories, an^frL^^Wn^?:': 1 rpt^ ']' """"-' feeds principally on mice and Tnsects burin ^ '"•""'"" chiefly o„ ptarmigan. (^-Vwr,) North to trAr t'' ""'' arnirts'UiTr^ytri ™ ''-^^^^^^^^^^^ Of northern Alaska-ltfs S^iX" I in •.::'":: hT^f^ "^1 :i:i:l^:" hrrrJ:;ra::d°yct'"'%'°'' -'' °--^ ^'"- '" is unknown fVJm the a^iln "l^, ''T ";"''{ "^ " ''"«'-• ^"