fis PI ais ee ee Cornell Aniversity Library FROM THE INCOME OF THE FISKE ENDOWMENT FUND THE BEQUEST OF Willard Fiske Librarian of the University 1868-1883 Mages, sie. RETURN TO ALBERT R. MANN LIBRARY ITHACA, N. Y. DATE DUE GAYLORD fewiecc iT 0 oe Orie see vb S Le esis Sf, C : CLS Lites. THE BIRDS OF ONTARIO BEING A CONCISE ACCOUNT OF EVERY SPECIES OF BIRD KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN FOUND IN ONTARIO WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THEIR NESTS AND EGGS AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR COLLECTING BIRDS AND PREPARING AND PRESERVING SKINS, ALSO DIRECTIONS HOW TO FORM A COLLECTION OF EGGS BY THOMAS McILWRAITH MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGISTS’ UNION SECOND EDITION—ENLARGED AND REVISED TO DATE WITH ILLUSTRATIONS LONDON: T. FISHER UNWIN PATERNOSTER SQUARE TORONTO: WILLIAM BRIGGS MDCCCXCIV 5 QL 685 M\S A2eisae {ENTERED AT STATIONERS’ HALL. ] PRINTED BY WILLIAM BRIGGS, TORONTO, CAN. TO HER EXCELLENCY The Countess of Aberdeen IN VIEW OF THE INTELLIGENT ATTENTION SHE HAS GIVEN TO SCIENCE AND LITERATURE IN CANADA THIS WORK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED CONTENTS. ‘PREFACE IntTRopucrion COLLECTING AND Paasaene Geedanene Nests anp Eees ORDER PracvenwDivitie Bids Family Podicipidee—Grebes Urinatoridee—Loons ‘ 1 Alcidee—Auks, Murres and Puffins OrvER Loneipennes—Long-winged Swimmers . Family Stercorariidee—Skuas and Jaegers " Laridze—Gulls and Terns ORDER STEGANOPODES—Totipalmate Swimmers . Family Sulide—Gannets . " Phalacrsosnadidis —Coenorants u Pelecanidze—Pelicans . Orper ANseRES—Lamellirostral Swimmers Family Anatide—Ducks, Geese and Swans ‘Orper Heropiones—Herons, Storks, Ibises, etc. Family Ibididee—Ibises . : 1 Ardeidze—Herons, ‘Bitten, ete. . ORDER PaLupicoL#—Cranes, Rails, etc. Family Gruide—Cranes . é 1’ Rallidee—Rails, Gallinules antl Coats : Orver Limicot#—Shore Birds. Family Phaluronuillda-Phalanodse u _Recurvirostridz—A vocets and Stilts 1 Seolopacidze—Snipes, Sandpipers, etc. un Charadriidee—Plovers . u. Aphrizidee—Surf Birds and tvenatoned Orper GaLtina —Gallinaceous Birds : Family Tetraonidee—Grouse, Partridges, etc. . n Phasianid#—Pheasants, Turkeys, etc. Orper Cotumpz—Pigeons : Family Columbide—Pigeons . PAGE vii ll 15 21 25 25 30 85 40 40 42 59 59 61 63 64 64 104 104 105 116 116 118 . 1125 125 129 129 161 167 169 169 180 182 182 vi CONTENTS. Orper Raprores—Birds of Prey . Family Cathartide—American Vultures . u Falconide—Vultures, Falcons, Hawks, Biglex, aie un Strigide—Barn Owls . " Bubonidze—Horned Owls, etc. OrpER CoccyeEs—Cuckoos, etc. Family Cuculidee —Cuckoos, etc. nu Alcedinidee— seme OrpER Pici—Woodpeckers Family Picidis— Woodpeckers. OrpER Macrocurres—Goatsuckers, Swifts, etc. Family Caprimulgidee—Goatsuckers, etc. u Micropodidee—Swifts . Trochilide—Hummingbirds Orver Passeres—Perching Birds : Family Tyrannide—Tyrant Flycatchers . nu Alaudidee—Larks ‘ u Corvidee—Crows, Jays, Magpies, até, uu Icteride—Blackbirds, Orioles, etc. u Fringillidee—Finches, Sparrows, etc. . u Tanagride-—Tanagers . u Hirundinidee—Swallows nu Ampelidee—Waxwings nu _Laniidee—Shrikes un Vireonidse—Vireos u Mniotiltidee—Wood- Warblers un Motacillide—Wagtails n Troglodytidee—Wrens, Thrasher, een u Certhiidee—Creepers j u_Paridee—Nuthatches and Tits : un Sylviidee— Warblers, Kinglets and Gnateiahets . « Turdidee— Thrushes and BlueVirds ADDENDA . GLOSSARY . ' PAGE: 192 192 193: 222 224 239 239° 242 243. 243 254 254. 256. 257 258 258 269 272 279 290 334 336 342 344 348 353 385. 386 398 399 402 405 414 415. PREFACE. THE first edition of “Tue Birps or Onrario” had its origin in the Hamilton Association, a local scientific society of which I am one of the oldest members. In the spring of 1885, I read the introductory part of this book as a paper at one of the ordinary meetings. So few people devote any time to the study of Ornithology, that the subject was quite new to the Association, and, at the request of those present, I afterwards supplemented the paper with a record of the names of all the birds observed during my excursions near the city. By giving a technical description of each, I hoped to enable anyone desirous of pursuing the study to identify those birds likely to be found in the same district. The whole was subsequently published in book form by the Association, under the name of “The Birds of Ontario.” Each member received a copy, and the balance of the issue was placed in the hands of the booksellers, but the number published was limited, and the book is now entirely out of the market. The kind reception of the first edition by the public, and the numerous inquiries which have recently been made for copies of the book, have induced me to prepare this second edition, which I hope may be equally fortunate in meeting with public favor. In the first edition the accounts of the birds were, to a great extent, the result of my own observations made in the vicinity of Hamilton, where I have resided for the past forty years. Nearly all of our native birds being migratory, the record given of each species was necessarily incomplete. Some were mentioned as winter visitors, others as summer residents, and a numerous class as spring and autumn migrants, visiting southern Ontario on their annual journey to and from their breeding places farther north. In the present edition, it has been my object to place on record, as far as possible, the name of every bird that has been observed in Ontario ; to show how the different species are distributed through- out the Province; and, especially, to tell where they spend the breeding season. To do this, I have had to refer to the notes of viii PREFACE. those who have visited the remote homes of the birds, at points often far apart and not easy of access, and to use their observations, pub- lished or otherwise, when they tend to throw light on the history of the birds observed in Ontario. Of the works I have found most useful in this connection, I have pleasure in mentioning Mr. Ernest E. Thompson’s “Birds of Manitoba,” published by the Smithsonian Institute at Washington. In it the author records his ornithological notes made during a three years’ residence in Manitoba, as well as the numerous observations by others of similar tastes in different parts of the Province with whom he was in correspondence. Mr. E. W. Nelson, an officer of the United States Signal Service, has furnished the material for a work on the birds of an entirely new field, and has greatly extended our knowledge of many species which are common at different points as migrants. The work is a history of the collection of birds made by the author in Alaska during the years 1877 to 1881. It is edited by Mr. W. H. Henshaw, and handsomely illustrated. Issued by the Signal Service at Wash- ington, it has been liberally distributed among the lovers of birds. The ornithological work which has attracted the greatest amount of attention lately is entitled, “The Hawks and Owls of the United States in their Relation to Agriculture,” prepared under the direction of Dr. C. Hart Merriam, Ornithologist, by Dr. A. K. Fisher, Assist- ant. This is a book of two hundred pages, enriched with colored illustrations of most of the birds it describes. I have also found much that is interesting in the “Life Histories of North American Birds, with special reference to their Breeding Habits and Eggs,” by Captain Charles Bendire, United States Army (retired). This work, which has now reached four hundred pages, is still in progress, and promises to be the most useful work we have on the subjects of which it treats. To Mr. Oliver Davie I am greatly indebted for the privilege of using the information contained in his “Nests and Eggs of North American Birds,” without which my record in that department would have been incomplete. With regard to the distribution of the birds, I have found a great deal of information in a “Catalogue of Canadian Birds,” with notes on the distribution of species by Montague Chamberlain. ; In the Annual Reports of the Ornithological Sub-section of the Canadian Institute are many interesting notices of rare birds found near Toronto and elsewhere throughout the country. PREFACE. 1X, I have also had frequent occasion to refer to the writings of Dr. Coues, Robert Ridgway, J. A. Allen, Dr. Merriam, Dr. Fisher, Wm. Brewster; Dr. Bell, Prof. Macoun, and Geo. R. White, of Ottawa ; Dr. Macallum, of Dunnville; J. M. Lemoine, Quebec; Amos W. Butler, Indiana; Manly Hardy, of Brewer, Maine; W. F. Peacock, Marysville, California; Dr. P. L. Hatch, Minnesota; A. J. Cook, Michigan, to all of whom I now return my best thanks for the privi- lege of using their writings, as well as to many others who have in various ways contributed toward the completion of this work. I hope it may be found useful to those beginning the study of Ornithology. I wish for their sakes, as well as for the interest of the subject, that it were better than it is, but it’ has been written at spare hours amid the frequently recurring calls of business, and this may account for some of its imperfections. The classification and nomenclature used correspond with the “Check List of North American Birds,” published by the American Ornithologists’ Union. THOMAS McILWRAITH:. CAIRNBRAE, HAMILTON, CANADA, February Ist, 1894. INTRODUCTION. To Every lover of outdoor life the birds are familiar objects, and their society is a continual source of enjoyment. Not only are their colors pleasing to the eye and their voices agreeable to the ear, but their various habits, when observed, excite our admiration of the unerring instinct which directs them in all their movements. Upon my younger readers whose tastes may lead them in this direction, I would strongly urge the necessity for keeping a diary in which to make a record of everything connected with bird-life seen during each outing. Various shapes and sizes of books ruled in various ways have been suggested for this purpose, but for a beginner I would recommend a plain page on which to enter notes of the birds seen at such a place on such a date, with any facts relating to their numbers, occupation or manners which may have been observed. When this book has been{kept for two or three seasons, even the writer of it will be astonished at the amount and variety of the information accumulated, and the reading of it in after years will recall many of the pleasant experiences of the time when the entries were made. The book will also be very valuable as a work of reference while the history of each species is being investigated. Even the mention of the names of the birds seen, showing that certain species were noticed at a given place ona given date, becomes important, taken in connection with their migration, which is perhaps the most interesting part of their history. We have become accustomed to speak of certain birds as being migratory, and we can tell, within a day or two, the time at which they will arrive from the south in spring to take possession of their former box or other nesting place near our houses. By referring to the observations of others made at different points on the continent, we can tell where certain species spend the winter, and likewise how far north they go in summer, and the date of their appearance at the various places where they pause by the way. By following the observations recently made by Professor Cook, we can also judge pretty accurately at what rate of speed the birds travel when coming 12 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. up from the south in spring. All this information is the result of much time and care having been devoted to the subject by a host of observers, and it is very valuable to those interested in the subject, but the general questions relating to bird migration still remain unanswered, and the student may as well begin at the beginning and try to discover: “Why do birds migrate? How do they know where to go?” With regard to those hatched in the north, we can readily under- stand that the failure of food supply at the time when insect life is wiped out, and the fields and marshes are buried under deep snow, makes a change of climate an absolute necessity. Then comes the second question : “How do they know where to go?” The answer to this is, that they are guided by the observations of the older members of the flock, and to a great extent by the exercise of inherited memory, that is, the memory inherited of what has been done by other birds of the same species for countless generations. Of inherited memory we cannot speak from experience, for it is not inherent in our nature, but that birds do possess the faculty is evident from many of their common habits. Take, for instance, that of nest-building. Different species of birds build very different kinds of nests, and often in very different situations, but birds of any given species usually build the same kind of nest, year after year, in the same kind of situation. That this regularity is not the result of personal observation is also quite apparent. For example, a pair of Grassfinches build their nest on the ground under a bunch of weeds or a little bush. The eggs are therein deposited, and in due time the birds are hatched. They grow quickly, and soon begin to feel crowded in the limited space. Presently, along comes a sportsman’s dog with glaring eyes, and his tongue lolling out of his open mouth. He stares and snuffs at the tiny objects, and they hurry off in terror to hide among the brambles, where their wants are attended to by their parents for a few days until they are able to shift for themselves, which they soon do without having once seen the nest in which they were hatched. Yet in spring, when the different — members of this little family start housekeeping on their own account, each one builds a nest precisely like that from which they were scared by the dog. : We can see at once the great value of this gift to the birds while pursuing their long and hazardous journey, much of which is performed during the hours of darkness, the daylight being necessary to enable them to secure the food which they require by the way. INTRODUCTION. ‘ 13. Regarding the services rendered by the more experienced mem- bers in guiding the flock, the value of these will be seen when we remember that the bulk of our birds are born in the north, and are called upon to provide for the coming winter at an age when they are without personal experience of any kind. That all birds migrate in flocks is generally admitted, although it is only the larger species of water-fowl whose movements on such occasions come within the range of our observation. The migrations of the smaller birds are noticed chiefly by their absence or presence in their usual haunts. For instance, when in the marsh on an afternoon toward the end of September, we noticed that the Sora Rails, birds of apparently weak and uncertain flight, were very abundant. Every few steps we made one would get up, fly a few yards, and again drop, apparently exhausted, among the reeds. During the night a sharp frost set in, the first of the season, and on visiting the same part of the marsh next day, not a single Rail could be found. All had gone during the night. The migrations of this species are always perforined at night, when the birds cannot be seen, but we have occasionally heard the weak, whimpering note. the birds utter when travelling, to prevent the weaklings from getting lost. The geese are the most conspicuous of our migratory birds, the A-shaped flocks and the hoarse, honking cry being familiar to all Canadians. In the Hudson’s Bay regions, where these birds are raised, we are told that at the approach of winter there are great. gatherings of old and young along the shores, and great gabbling and apparent discussions relating to the journey in which they are about to start. All finally soar aloft and assume the usual A-shape, at- the apex of which is the leader, always an old male, more or less familiar with the route. It is also said that the senior members of the flock take this position by turns, and relieve each other of the responsibility which for a time they assume. So they press on toward the south, lakes and rivers, which at night all show clearer and brighter than the land, being never-failing guides throughout the journey. ‘ Some of the water-fowl seem so reluctant to leave their northern home that they remain until they are actually frozen out. On the other hand some of the waders leave their summer haunts long before we can see any necessity for their doing so. In the latter part of August, while lying awake with the windows open during the warm summer night, we can hear the skirling of the Sandpipers. 14 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. as they pass overhead on their way southward, leaving a land of plenty behind them. In the movements of some of the warblers, too, are seeming irregularities which we are at a loss to explain. These, like other migrants which raise their young in the north, retire before the approach of winter, and we should expect to hear of their resting when a temperate region was reached ; but many of them follow up the southern route till they reach the equator, and pass on two or three hundred miles beyond it. We have so far taken a cursory view of the southern movement of the birds at the approach of winter. We see the necessity for it and admire the means they possess to enable them to carry it out. -Eventually, all the species find suitable winter-quarters, where they quietly remain for a time and soon get to be in excellent condition, both as regards flesh and plumage, having nothing to engage their attention but dress and diet. Soon, however, the time arrives when another change of habitat must be made, and the migratory feeling again stirs within the different species. There is a flapping of wings, a stretching of necks, a reiteration of their peculiar calls, and an occasional flight with no apparent object save exercise. ‘To the north, to the north,” is now the general cry, and to the north they go, often fighting their way through storms and fogs, but still bent on making the journey. We should respect their courage and admire their intelligence more highly if we knew that the change was necessary, but that is the point we are unable to decide. The birds were living comparatively undis- turbed with abundant fare and pleasant surroundings, why should they change? Why do they expose themselves to the vicissitudes and fatigue of this tedious journey of thousands of miles, to reach a land where they know that they cannot remain? We have heard “love of the nesting ground,” and “strong home affection,” mentioned among the leading causes of the desire to return, and there may be instances where such feelings, fully developed, have great influence in this connection. These are usually strongest in the female sex, but we find that the males always lead the northern movement, and are often in their former haunts a week or more before the females arrive. The home affection must, in certain cases, be of short duration, for we find in the history of some of the ducks, that no sooner are the eggs deposited than the female assumes the duties of incubation, and the males, getting together in flocks, keep outside in ‘the open water, and ignore all further family responsibilities. INTRODUCTION. 15 There may be something in the increased temperature in the south which the birds have found to be unsuitable while raising their young, and a change has become a matter of necessity, though the cause may not be to us apparent. How are we to account for the habit in such birds as the Little Bittern; very many of which are resident in the south, and raise their young in tropical America, while those we see in Ontario are regular migrants, generally distributed, some straggling as far north as Mani- toba and Hudson’s Bay, but all leaving the country before the first touch of frost ? With these facts in view, it is not surprising to find some differ- ence of opinion among ornithologists regarding the causes of migra- tion. It seems as if the habit were, to some extent, coincident with the origin of the species, had extended very gradually through a long succession of ages, to meet the various climatic and other changes which have taken place in the surroundings of this part of the animal kingdom since “the beginning.” Even within our short lifetime we have seen changes taking place in the distribution of the birds, some of which we can account for, and for others we have no explanation to offer ; but the whole subject is one about which we have yet much to learn. I commend it to the special consideration of my youthful readers, who, I feel sure, will find it most interesting, and I hope that they may yet be able to explain many of the difficulties which at present surround the subject of bird migration. COLLECTING AND PREPARING SPECIMENS. Since it is possible that the perusal of these pages may create in some of my younger readers the desire to collect and preserve specimens of the birds whose history they have been considering, I would advise them, by all means, to cultivate the taste, for I know of no pastime so conducive to health, nor one that will afford so much rational enjoyment. An outing in our bracing Canadian air is enjoyable at any season of the year, and the capture of a rare bird is an event productive of feelings which only the enthusiastic collector ‘can understand. In spring, to watch the daily arrival of migrants from the south, 16 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. clad in their gayest attire and uttering their sweetest notes, is a constant source of delight. In summer the nests and eggs engage the attention for a time. Jn autumn the return of the birds seen passing north in the spring is again looked for with interest, and the changes in the dress of many are carefully recorded in the note- book which should be always at hand. But winter, after all, is the season in which we expect to find the rarest of our birds. We say our birds, for those we look for at that season are Canadian in the fullest sense of the term, having been born and brought up in the Dominion, but only on very rare occasions do they come so far south as our southern boundary. The collector in Southern Ontario who is fortunate enough to secure such birds as the Gyrfalcon, Ptarmigan, Three-toed Woodpecker, or Greater Red Poll, will not soon forget his agreeable sensations on the occasion, but he will gaze on the interest- ing strangers with regret if he does not know how to preserve their skins. It was probably some such experience that first suggested the attainment of this accomplishment, and in order to place it within the reach of all, I shall here give a brief account of how anyone may, with a little practice, become proficient in the art. Since bird collecting can be successfully practised only by the use: of the gun, let me here, for the guidance of beginners, repeat the directions so often given to guard against accidents in its use. The excuse for three-fourths of the mishaps which occur is, “ Didn’t know it was loaded,” but the safe way to avoid this is at all times to handle the gun as if it were known to be loaded, for in the Irishman’s way of putting it, “It may go off, whether it’s loaded or not.” When in’ company with others, never under any circumstances allow the gun for an instant to be pointed toward anything you do not wish to. shoot. Never for any purpose blow into the muzzle, and do not have it “on cock” till the moment you expect to use it. With regard to the choice of a gun, J am supposed to be speaking to a reader who has made up his mind to make a collection of the skins of those birds he finds near his home in Ontario. Water-fowl shooting, I may here remark, is a special department by itself. A 12-bore double breech-loader, and cartridges charged with No. 5 shot, with a few of No. 1 or BB, would be a suitable equipment for ducks, with the possibility of a chance shot at geese or swans. __ The collector going into the country may unexpectedly meet with some very desirable bird, and should be prepared to take it, whatever: be its size or shape, and to do so with the least possible injury to its plumage. : 14 INTRODUCTION. 17 The birds met with on such excursions range in size from a horned «wl to a humming-bird, the majority being intermediate between the two. Supposing that only one gun is desirable, the most suitable weapon is a No, 14 double breech-loader of good make. This will be just right for the majority, and with a little care in loading the cartridges, it can be made to suit the two extremes. I have found three sizes of shot to be sufficient for ordinary collecting trips,— Nos. 5, 8 and 12,—but the size of the charge must be varied to suit circumstances. For instance, a charge of No. 12 will bring down a snipe at 30 yards, but to shoot a kinglet, or a warbler, for preserving, with the same size shot, the charge would have to be very much lighter. Just how much lighter is a point to be learned by experience. It depends to some extent on the individual peculiarities of the gun, equal measure of powder and shot being in all charges the usual rule. I have often used dust shot for very small birds, but to be sure of getting them with that, one has to be pretty close to the birds, and then their feathers are a good deal cut up and broken. I find that a warbler killed by a single pellet of No. 12, is in better condition to make into a specimen than one that is killed with a dozen pellets of dust. No. 5 is big enough for hawks, owls, etc., and No. 8 is right for plovers, sandpipers, rails, etc., but the nature of the locality and the size of the birds most likely to be met, are the best guides in such matters. To approach birds without alarming them, a mild form of deception is sometimes practised with advantage. They have keen sight, sharp hearing, and are at all times on the alert to escape danger, so that a direct approach is almost sure to make them take wing: but by walking as if intending to pass and yet gradually slanting nearer, a better chance may be obtained. Birds are used to the sight of horses and cows, and do not usually object to their presence near their haunts. I once knew an aged gunner who was aware of this fact, and for a time turned it to good account. He lived on the Bay shore not far from Hamilton, at a part of the beach which was a favorite resort of curlews, plovers and sandpipers. His old nag used to graze on the sward close by, and the gunner got into the way of steering him ly the tail till he was within shot of the birds, when he would xtep out from behind and blaze away without alarming “Jerry” in the least. The same flock would rarely be deceived twice, but fresh arrivals were sure to be taken unawares. A game bag, such as used by sportsmen, is not suitable for a collector, for the specimens are injured by the pressure to which they SD) 18 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. are often subjected. I have found a fishing basket very suitable for carrying small birds. It is not heavy to handle, and the birds, when once placed therein, are beyond the reach of injury. In this basket, when leaving home, should be placed some sheets of brown paper about the size of letter paper, and a little cotton wadding. Whena bird is killed, the shot, holes should be plugged with cotton to stop the bleeding, and a pellet of the same material put into the mouth to prevent the juices of the stomach oozing out and soiling the feathers. If the bird is wing-broken or otherwise wounded, it should he killed at once, and the simplest way of doing this is to catch it firmly across the small of the back and press hard with the fingers and thumb under the wings, which will suffocate the bird in a few seconds. The throat and shot holes can then be filled as described. A paper cone of suitable size is made next, the bird dropped into it headforemost, and the outer edges of the paper turned inwards to prevent it slipping out, and so it is placed in the basket. Having reached home, the collector divests himself of his muddy boots, gets a pair of slippers and a change of coat, and sets himself to work to prepare his specimens. In his tool box should be the things he needs and nothing more, for the surplus only causes confusion : a very fine penknife suitable for the smallest birds, and a larger one for larger specimens ; two or three knitting needles of different sizes, a pair of cutting pliers, a few needles and some thread, a paper of pins, a bottle with the preserve, and a bag with some cotton and a small lot of tow. The birds being removed from their cones are laid out in order, and the one most desired for a specimen is selected to be first operated upon. The cotton is taken from the mouth and a fresh pellet put in. . The wing bones are then broken close to the body with the pliers, and the bird laid on its back on the table with the bill towards the operator. The middle finger, slightly moistened, will separate the feathers from the breast-bone downward, leaving a bare space exposed. About the end of the breast-bone the point of the knife is inserted, back downward, under the skin, and a clean cut of the skin made from this point down to the vent. The skin is then loosened from the body till the thighs are exposed, which are here cut through at the joints. The tail is next separated from the body and the skin turned carefully down, the turn-over being greatly facilitated by the wings being loose, and they can now be separated from the body, and the skin turned back to the base of the bill. This should be done with the finger nails, assisted here and there INTRODUCTION. 19 with the knife, but it must not be pulled or drawn or. it will be injured by being stretched. The neck is then cut off where it joins with the skull, and the body laid aside for the present. The brains and eyes are next scooped out, and all the flesh and muscles removed from the bones of the legs and wings. The skin is now ready for the’ preserve, which is simply arsenic procured from the drug store. If the skin is thick and greasy it may be dusted on dry, giving the skin as much as will adhere to it; but if it is a thin, dry skin it is better to mix the arsenic with water to about the thickness of cream and put it on with a brush. When the preserve is thus applied to all the parts, a little cotton is wrapped around the bones of the legs and wings, the eye-sockets are filled with the same, and a piece about the length and thickness of the neck pressed firmly into the skull. The wings and legs are then pulled outward till they take their proper place, and the skin turned backward till it assumes its natural position, and it is filled with wadding to its former size. The mandibles are then fastened together by a thread passed through the nostril and tied under the bill. The legs are crossed and tied together with a thread just above the feet ; the feathers of the body are drawn together so as to cover the opening. Just in proportion to thé care and pains bestowed on the specimen at this point, will it be a good skin or the reverse, for whatever position the feathers now get, that position they will retain. The body should next be examined to ascertain the sex of the specimen. This is done by cutting a hole in the side opposite the small of the back. Attached to the backbone at this point may be found the testicles of the male, two round bodies of dirty white, varying in size according to the size of the bird, but always largest in spring. Those of such birds as the warblers are no larger than pin heads. If the specimen is a female, the ovaries will be found in the same position, a mass of flattened spheres, similar in color, ranging in size according to the size of the , bird, and ‘also with the season. There should be attached to the . legs of the specimen by a thread, a ‘‘tag” giving its scientific and common naine, the sex, date of capture, locality where found, and name of collector. This is the course followed with birds up to the size of a Robin, the time required to complete the operation being twenty minutes. Three in an hour is about my rate of progress, but I have seen statements made of a much larger number being done in that time. The specimen is now put away to dry, and the position in which it is left will decide its future appearance. I have a setting-board 20 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. which I find very useful at this stage. It may be described as a series of zinc tubes, varying in size from one inch to six inches in diameter and two feet long, cut in two lengthwise, and placed side by side in a pine frame made to receive them. In these grooves the skins are placed according to size. The semicircular shape of the bed keeps the back and wings in the natural position, and ‘the feathers smooth and regular. The front part of the specimen being uppermost, it is always visible, and if need be the skin can be taken up while drying and any irregularities adjusted. Another way of disposing of the skin when made is to form a cosy bed for it in a soft sheet of cotton. Arrange the feathers and shape of the skin as desired, lay the specimen gently into the bed prepared for it, and do not touch it again till it is perfectly dry. In larger specimens a different mode of treatment has to be adopted. With ducks, for instance, where the head is large and the neck small, the skin cannot be turned over as described. The plan then is to skin as far down the neck as possible, and to cut it off, leaving the head still inside of the ‘skin. An opening is then made in the skin from the centre of the crown, a little way over the back of the head, through which the head is turned out, cleaned and then preserved. The eye-sockets and other apertures are filled with cotton, the head put back into its place, the opening carefully sewed up, and the skin filled out as already described. In birds of this size it is necessary to sew up the original opening, bringing the feathers together so that the disturbance may not be observed. In skinning oily water-fowl, it is sometimes necessary to sew a strip of cloth around the opening as soon as it is made, to prevent the feathers being soiled by contact with the grease of the body. With birds of large size, a hook is sometimes passed through the bony part of the body just where the tail has been separated. To this a string is attached, by which the body is suspended while the ‘skin is being removed. This plan gives more freedom in handling large birds, the only objection to it being that the skin is apt to be stretched. Some birds are so fat that it is always necessary to have an absorbent of some kind at hand to take up the grease which would otherwise soil the feathers. Cornmeal is the best thing to use, but plaster of Paris does very well, except for birds of black plumage which it leaves slightly shaded with gray. The latter material may also be used with advantage for removing blood stains and other impurities which the birds may have contracted from their surround- INTRODUCTION. 21 ings. The soiled places are moistened with hot water before the absorbent is applied, and they are patted with the hand while the plaster is drying off. This must not be done while the birds are in the flesh, for the application of hot water will increase the flow of blood from the openings. In putting away birds which are too large for the setting-board, a good way is to make a paper cylinder which will slip easily over the bird while in the flesh. When skinned and filled out in the usual way, the slip is again drawn over the specimen and allowed to remain till it is dry. In making skins of birds with long necks and heavy heads, it is necessary to put a long wire, or a tough sapling, through the whole length of the body and neck, because the skin becomes ' very brittle when it is dry, and runs the risk of being broken in handling. : Proficiency in the art of mounting birds can only be acquired by long practice, and a lot of poorly mounted specimens sitting about a house are neither useful nor ornamental; but anyone, by following these instructions, should be able, with a little practice, to ake up skins fit to appear in any public museum or private collection. NESTS AND EGGS. Next in interest to a good collection of mounted birds, or skins, is a collection of nests and eggs. By this I do not mean simply an accumulation of nests and eggs, the number of which constitutes the value of the collection, but a carefully handled nest, and a correctly identified set of eggs of every bird known to breed within the district over which the collector extends his observations. The suggestions following are for the guidance of those who may wish to include them in their collections: Nest-building I regard as most interesting and important in the study of a bird’s history, for it tends to bring out all the intelligence and taste of a species better than anything else in which we see it engaged. There are some actions in a bird’s life over which it has no control, such as the depositing of eggs of a certain size and color, and the hatching of them in a given time. These things are fixed already, but the selection of the site for the nest, the material of which it is to be composed, and the careful finish bestowed on 22 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. it, are all matters which vary with the different species. Between individuals of the same species there is also, frequently, a great difference in the skill exhibited in nest-building. Among the lowest types of bird-life, we find species which make no nest of any kind, but deposit their eggs on the rocks, or on the sand by the seashore. Others make the merest apology for one, and it consists only of a few straws; while still another species admits the desirability of a nest, but dislikes the trouble of building it, and therefore appropriates that of another species. But as we advance upward in the scale, we find, especially among the nests of the smaller birds, some beautiful specimens of bird architecture, one of the finest being the work of our tiniest, the Humming-bird. The Summer Yellow Bird builds a beautiful nest in the fork of a lilac in the shrubbery ; and while observing a handsome elm tree budding out in spring, I never think it complete unless it has the pretty, pensile nest of the Baltimore Oriole swaying at the point of one of its long, pendulous branches. The principal objection to a collection of nests is the amount of room that they require, but the finest nests are those of the smallest birds, and a great number of these can be kept in a tray subdivided as required, and they are never-failing objects of interest. - Some nests are found saddled on a limb, and are loosely built of twigs. This kind should be removed very carefully, and afterwards sewn together with inconspicuous thread, to keep the fabric as near as possible in its original shape. Others are in the forks of thick bushes, and the branches to which they are attached should be cut and the nests and their connections lifted out. Those of the ground-building birds require very careful handling, and often the safest way is to cut out a piece of the sod in which the nest is placed and bring it along, to keep the domicile from falling to pieces. Occasionally, a rare nest is found which it is impossible to remove. Of this the collector should make a careful record in his note-book, giving the general surroundings, date of occurrence, situation, size of nest, materials of which it is composed, number of eggs or young, action of the parents during the examination, and any other item of interest observed at the time, which will soon be forgotten if not recorded. The impossibility of making a full collection of nests has been shown, but there is nothing to prevent anyone making a full collec- tion of eggs. The most important point in this work is the correct identification of the eggs, and unless the collector makes up his mind INTRODUCTION. 23 at the start to be sure of this in every case, he had better leave the matter alone, for without this, his collection, whatever the extent of it may be, will be absolutely worthless. For anyone observant of the habits of the birds in the woods, the best guide to their nest is found by watching the actions of the birds, especially the female, during the breeding season, for she is sure eventually to betray the whereabouts of her treasures. But birds’ nests are often close together, and their eggs so nearly alike that the only way to be absolutely certain of the identity of the rarer species is to secure the parent, either while she is on the nest or when she is seen fluttering away from it. This seems a cruel act, and the collector should not repeat it unless he is actually in need of the species. On taking a set of eggs, the first thing to do is to remove any stains which they may have acquired from their surroundings ; but this must be done with care, for in fresh eggs the colors sometimes yield to the process and disappear. Eggs for a collection are now emptied through one hole about the middle of the side. It should first be pricked with a needle, and then the drill applied and worked with the finger and thumb till a smooth round hole is made, large enough to allow the contents to escape. The blowpipe should then be used, either close to the hole or a little way inside. In the latter case the blowpipe must be loose in the hole to allow the contents to escape around it. If the material inside is thick, and does not run freely, it should be cut up with a piece of fine wire with a sharp bent point, and removed with the aid of a small syringe. When thoroughly clean, the egg should .be laid aside to dry on some substance which will absorb the moisture, cornmeal being recommended because it does not adhere to the shell. Where eggs are in an advanced stage of incubation, those of small size can rarely be saved, but the embryos in larger ones may be cut to pieces by widening the hole a little and introducing a sharp hook. The contents can then be removed piecemeal, but great care and much time are necessary to accomplish the task. In some cases it is considered safer to allow the embryo to remain in the shell till it is decomposed. To assist the process of decay, a strong solution of caustic potash is introduced, and this is allowed to remain till the embryo becomes soft and pulpy, when it will yield to the ordinary treatment. The safest mode of carrying eggs from the field, or sending them away by mail when prepared, is to have each egg wrapped in cotton- 24 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. batting and placed in a box of suitable size subdivided for the pur- pose. In some collections, the species to which they belong, and other particulars, are given by marking them on the shell with a soft pencil, but I dislike this mode, for it destroys the look of the egg. A better way, I think, is to have a number attached to the box or nest: containing the eggs, and a corresponding number in a catalogue in which can he given all the necessary particulars in detail. THE BIRDS OF ONTARIO. OrpER PYGOPODES. Drvine Birps. SUBORDER PODICIPEDES. Greprs anp Loons. Famity PODICIPIDA. Gresss. seENuS COLYMBUS Liny. Suseenus COLYMBUS. COLYMBUS HOLBCLLIT (Reivyn.). *1. Holbell’s Grebe. (2)7 Tarsus about four-fifths the middle toe and claw; bill little shorter thaw tarsus; crests and ruff moderately developed. Length, about 18; wings, 7-8; bill, 14 to nearly 2; tarsus, 3; middle toe and claw, 2%. Adult:—Front and sides of neck: rich brownish-red; throat and sides of head ashy, whitening where it joins the dark color of the crown, the feathers slightly ruffed; top of head with its slight occipital crest, upper parts generally, and wings dark brown, the feathers of the back paler edged; primaries brown; part of inner quills white; lower parts pale silvery-ash, the sides watered or obscurely mottled, sometimes obviously speckled with dusky; bill black, more or less. yellow at base. The young may be recognized by these last characteristics, joined with the peculiar dimensions and proportions. Has.—North America at large, including Greenland. Also Kastern Siberia, and southward to Japan. Breeds in high latitudes, migrating south in winter. Nest, a floating clump of vegetable material fastened to the reeds in shallow water. Eggs, two to five, rough-dull white, shaded with greenish. In Ontario, the Red-necked Grebe is only a transient visitor, its summer home being far to the north of this province, and its winter- quarters to the south. It breeds abundantly along the borders of the Yukon River in Alaska, and has also been found by Macoun so engaged on the Waterhen River and south end of Waterhen Lake. * Current number. + Number in American Ornithologists’ Union ‘Check List.” 26 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Holbell’s has the habit peculiar to other members of the Grebe family of covering its eggs with vegetable matter when it has occa- sion to be away from the nest, so that incubation goes on during the absence of the mother-bird. The migrations of the species extend across the Province, for it is reported as a visitor in spring and fall at Ottawa, Hamilton, London and the Detroit River. The visits are always short, and the manners of the birds while here are shy and retiring. For many years the young of this species was described as the Crested Grebe, owing to the close resemblance it bears to the British bird of that name. Dr. Brewer was the first to point out the error, which is now corrected in all modern works on American Ornithology. SuspcENus DYTES Kavp. COLYMBUS AURITUS Liyy. 2. Horned Grebe. (3) Tarsus about equal to the middle toe without its claw; bill much shorter than the head, little more than half the tarsus, compressed, higher than wide at the nostrils, rather obtuse; crests and ruffs highly developed. Small, length about 14; extent, 24; wing, 6 or less; bill, about 2; tarsus, 14. Adult:— Above, dark brown, the feathers paler edged; below, silvery-white, the sides mixed dusky and reddish; most of the secondaries white; fore neck and upper AMERICAN EARED GREBE. ~ 27 breast brownish-red ; head glossy black, including the ruff; a broad band over the eye, to and including occipital crests, brownish-yellow ; bill black, yellow- tipped; the eye fiery-red. The young differ as in other species, but always recognizable by the above measurements and proportions. Has.—Northern hemisphere. Breeds from the northern United States northward. Nest, a floating mass of vegetable material fastened to the reeds or rushes in shallow water. Eggs, two to seven, whitish, shaded with greenish-blue. Generally distributed, breeding in all suitable places throughout ‘Ontario, notably at St. Clair Flats. The nest is so completely isolated, that the young when hatched may be said to tumble out of the shell into the water. The birds arrive in spring, as soon as the ice begins to break up, and remain quite late in the fall, individuals being occasionally seen on Lake Ontario during the winter. The Grebes upon land are the most awkward of birds, but in the water they are surpassed by none in the swiftness and grace of their movements. One of the accomplishments possessed by this species is the ability, when alarmed, to sink under water without leaving so much as a ripple to mark where it has gone down, the point of the bill being last to disappear. It has a wide breeding ranye, having been found by Dr. Bell at Fort George, on the east side of James’ Bay, and also at Fort Severn and York Factory, on the west coast of Hudson’s Bay. Nelson says of it, in the “ Birds of Alaska”: “Like the preceding, this handsome species occurs along the eastern shore of the Behring Sea in very ‘small numbers in the breeding season, but is not rare in autumn. It is also a common summer resident along the Yukon, and occurs rarely on the Commander Islands.” COLYMBUS NIGRICOLLIN CALIFORNICUS (HeeExrs.). 3. American Eared Grebe. (4) Adult male:—Long ear tufts of rich, yellowish brown; head and neck all round, black; upper parts, grayish-black ; sides, chestnut; lower parts, silvery gray; primaries, dark chestnut; secondaries, white, dusky at the base; length, 13 inches. “Young similar, the ear tufts wanting, and the colors generally aluller. 28 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Has.—Northern and western North America, from the Mississippi Valley westward. The nest and eggs cannot be distinguished from those of the preceding species. I mention this as an Ontario species on the authority of Dr. Garnier, of Lucknow, Bruce Co., who informs me that a specimen was sent to him in the flesh from Colpoy’s Bay, as being something different from those usually seen at that point. It was too far gone for preservation when received, but the Doctor, who has long been an ardent collector, assures me that he is quite satisfied of the correctness of his identification. This species is a comparatively new acquaintance to American ornithologists, for although described by Audubon, it was not found by him. It is now known to breed in Texas, Kansas, Illinois, Dakota, and Colorado; and Macoun reports it breeding abundantly in the prairie pools of the North-West, so that we need not be surprised if a straggler is now and then wafted a little way out of its ordinary course. ‘ Grenus PODILYMBUS Lesson. PODILYMBUS PODICEPS (Lryy.). 4. Pied-billed Grebe. (6) Length, 12 to 14; wing, about 5; bill, 1 or less; tarsus. 14. Adu//:—Bill bluish, dusky on the ridge, encircled with a black bar; throat with a long black patch; upper parts blackish-brown; primaries ashy-brown; secondaries ashy and white; lower parts silky white, more or less mottled or obscured with dusky; the lower neck in front, fore breast and sides, washed with rusty. Young lacking the throat-patch and peculiar marks of the bill, otherwise not particularly different ; in a very early plumage with the head curiously striped. Has.—British Provinces southward to Brazil, Buenos Ayres and Chili, including West Indies and the Bermudas, breeding nearly throughout its range. Nest, a little floating island of withered reeds and rushes mixed with mud, fastened to the aquatic plants, raised two or three inches above water. Eggs, five to seven, whitish, clouded with green. The Dab Chick is not quite so numerous as the Horned Grebe, neither is it so hardy, being a little later in arriving in spring, and disappearing in the fall at the first touch of frost. It is generally distributed, and is the only one of the family which breeds in Hamil- ton Bay, where it may often be seen in the inlets in summer accom- panied by its young with ‘their curiously striped necks. From its small size and confiding manners it is not much disturhed, but if alarmed it has a convenient habit of sinking quietly under water, not to reappear till danger is past. 30 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. In summer these Grebes breed commonly throughout the North- West. Here is what is said about them in Mr. Thompson’s “Birds of Manitoba”: ‘Very abundant summer residents on every lake, slough or pond large enough to give them sutticient water privilege, arriving as soon as the ice is gone and departing when their haunts freeze over.” Famity URINATORIDZ. Looys. Genus URINATOR Cuvier. URINATOR IMBER (Guyy.). 5. Loon. (7) Black; below from the breast white, with dark touches on the sides and vent; back with numerous square white spots; head and neck iridescent with violet and green, having a patch of sharp white streaks on each side of the neck and another on the throat; bill black. Youny:—Dark gray above, the feathers with paler edges; below, white from the bill, the sides dusky; bill yellowish- Length, 25-3 feet; extent, about 4; wing, about 14 inches; , as green and dusky. tarsus, 3 or more; longest toe and claw, 4 or more; bill, 3 or less, at lase 1 deep and 4 wide, the culmen, commissure and gonys all gently curved. Haz.—Northern part of northern hemisphere. In North America breeds from the northern tier of States northward: ranges in winter south to the Gulf of Mexico. LOON. 31 Nest, a hollow in the sand near the water’s edge, sometimes lined with grass, weeds, etc. Eggs, two or three, olive-brown, spotted and blotched with very dark brown. The Loon, on account of his large size, is conspicuous wherever he appears, and his loud and melancholy cry is often heard at night during rough weather, when the bird himself is invisible. Many pairs. raise their young by the remote lakes and ponds throughout the country, but they all retire farther south to spend the winter. As soon as the ice disappears they return, mostly in pairs, and by the end of May have chosen their summer residence. The Loon, in common with some other water-fowl, has a curious habit, when its. curiosity is excited by anything it does not understand, of pointing its bill straight upwards, and turning its head rapidly round in every direction, as if trying to solve the mystery under consideration. Once when in my shooting skiff, behind the rushes, drifting down the bay before a light wind, I came upon a pair of these birds feeding about twenty yards apart. They did not take much notice of what must have seemed to them a clump of jfloating rushes, and being close enough to one of them I thought to secure it, but the cap snapped. The birds hearing the noise, and still seeing nothing living, rushed together, and got their bills up, asx described, for a consultation. So close did they keep to each other that I shot them both dead at forty yards with the second barrel. In his notes on the “Birds of Hudson’s Bay,” Dr. Bell says : “The Loon, or Great Northern Diver, is at home in and around Hudson’s Bay. In the spring, as soon as the water opens at the mouths of the rivers, these birds appear in incredible numbers, as if by a previous understanding, about a common meeting place. At such a time they may be much more easily approached than usual. These birds are said to spear the fish with the bill closed, and to bring them to the surface so that they may turn them endways for: the purpose of swallowing. The gulls,’ hovering overhead, and seeing what is going on down in the clear water, watch for the moment the fish is raised to the surface, when they swoop.down and carry it off. When many hungry gulls are present, this process is repeated till the patience of the Loon is quite exhausted.” In Alaska, Nelson says: “Throughout the interior of the territory this bird is a common summer resident, and was found breeding abundantly at the western extremity of the Aleutian Islands by Dall. The skins of the birds are{used by the natives in their bird- skin clothing, and are specially prized for tool-bags.” “32 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. URINATOR ARCTICUS (Liyy.). 6. Black-throated Loon. (9) Back and under parts much as in the last species; upper part of head and hind neck, b/uish-ash or hoary-gray ; fore neck purplish-black, with a patch of white streaks; bill, black. The young resemble those of that species, but will be known by their inferior size. Length, under 2} feet; extent, about 3; wing, 13 inches or less; tarsus, 3; bill, about 24. Has.—-Northern part of the northern hemisphere. In North America migrating south in winter to the northern United States. Nest, a hollow in the ground not far from the water’s edge. liggs, two, dark olive, marked with black spots towards the larger end. This is a much more northern bird than the preceding, for it is seldom met with in the United States, and then mostly in winter in immature plumage. In its migratory course it no doubt visits the waters of Ontario, and should be looked for by those who have opportunity to do so. A pair of these birds, found in the neighbor- hood of Toronto, was included in a collection that was sent tu the Paris Exposition in 1866, and I once saw an individual in Hamilton Bay under circumstances which prevented me from shooting it, though I was quite close enough, and satisfied of its identity. It was ona still, dull day in the early part of April, and the ice on the bay was broken up and floating about in loose flakes. Water-fow] of different kinds were coming rapidly in and pitching down into the open water. J was out in my shooting skiff in search of specimens, when the wind suddenly blew up from the east, and I was caught among the drifting ice. Everything in the skiff got soaking wet. I broke both paddles ‘trying to force a passage, and for a time was at the mercy of the elements. While drifting along in this condition I came close to a Black-throated Diver in similar trouble, for it was caught among the ice, unable to rise, and evidently afraid to dive, not knowing where it might come up We looked sympathizingly at each other, it uttered a low whining cry, and we drifted apart. I got safe to land, and it is to be hoped the rare bird reached the open water and got off in safety. We did not meet again. Not having seen the species recently, nor heard of its capture by others, I consider it a very rare visitor to these inland waters. In Dr. Wheaton’s exhaustive report on the ‘Birds of Ohio,” mention is made of an individual having been shot in Sandusky Bay in the fall of 1880, but the line of its migratory course is probably along the sea coast. Dr. Coues, when speaking in his “Birds of the North-West ” of the BLACK-THROATED LOON. 33 familiarity of the Pacific Black-throated Diver in the harbor of San Pedro, in southern California, says: “They even came up to the wharves, and played about as unconcernedly as domestic ducks. They constantly swam around the vessels lying at anchor in the harbor, and all their motions both on and under the clear water could be studied to as much advantage as if the birds had been placed in artificial tanks for the purpose. Now, two or three would ride lightly over the surface, with the neck gracefully curved, propelled with idle strokes of their broad paddles to this side or to that, one leg after the other stretched at ease almost horizontally backwards, while their flashing eyes first directed upwards with curious sidelong glances, then peering into the depths below, sought for some attractive morsel. In an instant, with the peculiar motion impossible to describe, they would disappear beneath the surface, leaving a little foam and bub- bles to mark where they had gone down, and I could follow their course under water; see them shoot with marvellous swiftness through the limpid element, as, urged by powerful strokes of the webbed feet and beats of the half open wings, they flew rather than swam ; see them dart out the arrow-like bill, transfix an unlucky fish and lightly rise to the surface again. While under water the bubbles of air car- ried down with them cling to the feathers, and they seem bespangled with glittering jewels, borrowed for the time from their native element, and lightly parted with when they leave it. They arrange their feathers with a shiver, shaking off the last sparkling drop, and the feathers look as dry as if the bird had never been under the water. The fish is swallowed headforemost with a peculiar jerking motion, and the bird again swims at ease with the same graceful curve of the neck.” It is said to be common in Norway and Sweden, and more rarely has been found breeding near some of the lonely lochs in the north of Scotland. In the “ Birds of Alaska,” Mr. Nelson says of this species: “ This Loon is very common all along the American shore of the sea, and about Kotzehue Sound ; they are also numerous on the large streams and marshes of the interior. The skins of these birds, as of other heavily plumaged water-fowl, are much used by the natives from St. Michaels south for clothing. The natives snare and spear them in the shallow ponds and lagoons where they breed, and Dall mentions having seen one dress containing the skins from over one hundred loons’ throats.” 3 34 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. URINATOR LUMME (Gtvyvy.). 7. Red-throated Loon. (11) Blackish ; below, white; dark along the sides and on the vent and crissum ; most of the head and fore neck, bluish-gray; the throat with a large chestnut patch ; hind neck, sharply streaked with white on a blackish ground; bill, black. Young have not these marks on the head and neck, but a profusion of small, sharp, circular or oval white spots on the back. ize of the last, or rather less. Has.—Northern part of northern hemisphere, migrating southward in winter nearly across the United States. Breeds in high latitude. Eggs, two in number, pale green spotted with brown, deposited in a hollow in the ground close to the water's edge. Audubon found this species breeding at Labrador, and in the Fauna Boreali Americana it is spoken of as “frequenting the shores of Hudson’s Bay up to the extremity of Melville Peninsula.” Large numbers of these birds visit the waters of Southern Ontario in March and April, about the time of the breaking up of the ice, but an adult with the red-throat patch is scarcely ever seen. The one in my collection was procured out on Lake Ontario at midsummer, having for some reason failed to follow the flocks to the far north. In the fall very few are seen, their route to the south being in some other direction. All the birds of this class have a most ungainly gait on land, and when surprised away from the water are often taken by the hand before they can get up to fly. On the water or under its surface their motions are exceedingly graceful. Dr. Bell found this species on both sides of Hudson’s Bay, but only in spring and autumn. Mr. Nelson says regarding it: “Throughout Alaska the present bird is by far the most abundant species of Loon. At St. Michael’s and the Yukon Delta they arrive with the first open water, from May 12th to 20th, and by the end of the month are present in large numbers. Their arrival is at once announced by the hoarse, grating cries which the birds utter as they fly from place to place or float upon the water. When the ponds are open in the marshes the Red- throated Loons take possession, and are extremely noisy all through the first part of summer. The harsh cry arising everywhere from the marshes during the entire twenty-four hours, renders this note one of the most characteristic which greets the ear in spring in those northern wilds. The Russian name, Gégara, derived from the birds’ notes, is a very appropriate one. COMMON PUFFIN. 85 “The Red-throated Loon is one of the few birds which raises its voice in the quiet of the short Arctic night. “In spring, with the Cranes, they foretell an approaching storm by the increased repetition and vehemence of their cries.” Famiry ALCIDA. -Auss, Murres, AND PUFFINS. Supramity FRATERCULINA. Porrins. Genus FRATERCULA Brisson. FRATERCULA ARCTICA (Liny.). 8. Common Puffin. (13) Adult male :—Entire upper parts, and a collar passing round the fore neck, black ; sides of the head and throat, grayish-white ; lower parts, white; a horny protuberance on the upper eyelid. In the young the white of the plumage is shaded with dusky, and the curiously shaped bill is less fully developed. Length, 13 inches. Hazs.—Coasts and islands of the North Atlantic, breeding from the Bay of Fundy northward. South in winter to Long Island and occasionally farther. Nest, in a burrow underground, or in a hole among the rocks, one egg, dull white, sometimes veined or spotted with brown. The Puffin is essentially a bird of the sea coast, which it seldom leaves except under stress of weather. They breed in immense numbers in Labrador, Newfoundland, and sparingly in the Bay of Fundy. In winter they scatter along the sea coast and are found as far south as Long Island. In the report of The Ottawa Field Naturalists’ Club for 1882 and 1883, it is stated that “a young bird of this species was shot on the Ottawa, towards the end of October, 1881. It had probably been blown inland by a severe storm which took place some days previous.” This is the only Ontario record we have of its occurrence so far from the sea, or so far west, for this species does not occur on the Pacific coast. My first observations of this bird were made during my school days, but may be worth recording, for they show the habits of the bird, which is identical with our American species. One of the principal breeding places, which I frequently visited, was Ailsa Craig, on the west coast of Scotland. The Craig is an isolated, circular rock two or three miles off the coast, about as high as it is wide, and inhabited only by a keeper and many different sorts of sea-fowl. 36 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Around the base of the rock at the water's edge is a belt of loose rocks which, during ages past, have fallen from above. Higher up there are patches of soil on which the keeper raises grass enough to feed two or three goats. Divers, gulls, auks, petrels, loons, etc., are found there in great abundance, but the most numerous are the Puffins, which, in local parlance, are called the “ Paties” or “‘Coulternebs,” from the fancied resemblance the bill of the bird bears to the cutting part of a plough. The birds are to some extent migratory, going south during winter, but in February they return in crowds and at once select their breeding places, no nest being required. Each pair chooses an opening among the loose rocks at the base of the cliff, within which is duly deposited their one white egg. Others dig holes for themselves, like rabbit holes, in the ground higher up, in which to lodge their treasure, and these they vigorously defend against all intruders. Pleasure parties often visit the Craig during the summer, some of whom make a point of taking back specimens from the island, but woe betide the hand that is thought- lessly pushed into one of these holes if “ Patie” is at home, for he has a most powerful beak, and once taking a hold he can hardly be made to let go. One of the keepers, who made a business of selling the birds, had a dog trained to the work of catching them. He was a rough Scotch terrier, and it was no uncommon sight to see him come out from among the loose rocks with several of the birds hanging on to his hair. He did not need to catch them, as they caught him and held on till taken off by the keeper. The Craig is of limited extent, but the number of birds which frequented it was almost incredible. Many of the birds spent the day in fishing out at sea, but all returned about the same time in the evening, and that was the time to see the multitudes gathered together. Looking at the rock it seemed as if there was scarcely room for another bird, so completely was every available spot covered. It was a custom with the keeper, when making up a lot to send to the market, to take his place on some prominent point in the evening, and with a club knock down as many birds as he needed while they flew past. It is on record that one of the keepers, a strong, active man, used to the work; undertook for a wager to kill eighty dozen paties in one day, and he actually managed to do it, in the manner described. The young birds are fed on fish brought by the old ones, often from a great distance. They seldom brought in fewer than five or six at once, and all were killed by a squeeze on the head, but how BLACK GUILLEMOT. 37 “Patie” disposed of No. 1 while he was killing No. 2, and so on, we could never understand. Guillemots and auks were also common on the Craig, and cormorants were often there as visitors fishing. At night they roosted on the shelves of the rocks along the shore at Mochrum, where their gaunt, grim figures were seen in rows in the evening, giving a chance to some local Scotch “wut” to christen them the “ Mochrum Elders,” a name which, in that district, has clung to them ever since. Suspramity PHALERIN A. Genus CEPPHUS Pattas. CEPPHUS GRYLLE (Liny.). -Black Guillemot. (27) Adult male :—In full plumage, black, shaded with dull green; a white patch on the wings. In all other stages, a marbled mixture of black and white. Length, 13 inches. Hazs.—Coasts of northern Europe, south to Denmark and British Islands. Coast of Maine, south in winter to Philadelphia ; Newfoundland (?) Eggs laid on the rocks near the sea, two in number, sea-green blotched with brown. There is an old record of an individual of this and one of the succeeding species being found in Hamilton Bay in a state of extreme exhaustion about twenty-five years ago. I did not see the birds, but inquired into the circumstances at the time and considered the report correct. As none of this family has been observed since that time, these two can only be regarded as waifs carried away against their wishes by the force of the wind. This species is very common along the west coast of Scotland, where I have seen the females with the bare spot on the under parts, the feathers having, according to custom, been plucked off to allow the heat of the body to be conveyed more directly to the eggs. 38 ' BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Susramity ALCIN ZA. Genus URIA Brisson. URIA LOMVIA (Liny.). 10. Brtinnich’s Murre. (31) Adult male:—Head and neck, brown; upper parts, grayish-brown; second- aries tipped with white, lower parts white from the throat downwards. Length, 17 inches. Haz.—Coasts and islands of the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans; south on the Atlantic coast of North America to New Jersey, breeding from the Gulf of St. Lawrence northward. ; Eggs on the cliff near the sea, pale green. Found on Hamilton Bay, under circumstances similar to the preceding. The two species of Guillemot which frequent the North Atlantic resemble each other closely in appearance, but one is much more abundant than the other. For many years the one which is com- paratively rare was supposed to be the one which is abundant, a mistake which has only recently been corrected. In the “Birds of New England,” Dr. Coues says regarding Uria trode (common Guille- mot): “Contrary to the general impression, the “common” Guillemot appears to be a rare bird in New England, most of the Murres. occurring in winter along our coasts being of the following species : Uria lomvia (Briinnich’s Murre).” And again, in referring to the present species, Dr. Coues says: “This is the common winter Guille- mot of the New England coast, and probably most of the references. made to Uria troile really apply to the present species.” Mr. Brewster, following in the same strain, says: “At different times during the past ten years I have examined specimens from different points along the shores of Maine, New Hampshire, Massa- chusetts, and all of the numerous birds which have come under my notice have proved to be Briinnich’s Guillemot ; indeed, the example of Uria troile mentioned by Mr. Merrill, is the only New England one of which I have any knowledge.” While the foregoing was in the hands of the printer, we had quite a number of this species as visitors to Lake Ontario, very few of which, I fear, were able to return to their favorite seaboard. The first I saw was in the hands of a local gunner, who killed it. on Hamilton Bay on the 20th November, and a few days later I heard from Mr. White that five had been taken at Ottawa. The e RAZOR-BILLED AUK. 39 next report came from Toronto, where about thirty were killed, and finally, early in December, I obtained three which were found on Hamilton Bay so much reduced and exhausted for lack of proper food, that they were taken alive by the hand. I believe that about fifty were captured altogether. This is the only occasion on which I have heard of these birds appearing in Ontario, except the one mentioned at the beginning of this notice. Genus ALCA Linyzus. ALCA TORDA (Linx.). | 11. Razor-billed Auk. (32) Adult, in summer :—Upper parts, black, glossed with green; head and neck, brownish-black, without gloss; tips of the secondaries and all the lower parts, white ; a white line from the eye to the base of the culmen; feet, black; mouth, yellow; eye, bluish. Length, about 18 inches; wing, about 7.75. In winter, the white covers the throat and encroaches on the sides of the head. Hazs.—Coasts and islands of north Atlantic. South in winter, along the coast to New England. Nest, none. Eggs, one or two, deposited in caverns or deep fissures of the rocks; creamy- white, spotted and blotched with black toward the larger end. The first notice we have of the occurrence of this species in Ontario is in the published proceedings of the Canadian Institute, where Mr. Wm. Cross reports the capture of a specimen in Toronto Bay, on the 10th December, 1889. A. second specimen was shot off the beach at the west end of Lake Ontario, in November, 1891. This was afterwards mounted, and is now in possession of Captain Armstrong, who resides near the Hamilton reservoir. “This species keeps close to the sea coast. It has not been observed at Ottawa, and is not named among the birds found by Dr. Bell at Hudson’s Bay. ‘ We can only account for the presence of these isolated individuals in Lake Ontario by supposing that they have been driven from their usual habitat by an easterly blow. 40 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. + Orper LONGIPENNES. lLone-wincep SwIMMERs. Famity STERCORARIIDA. Skuas anp JAEGERS. Genus STERCORARIUS Brissoy. STERCORARIUS POMARINUS (TeEwm.). 12. Pomarine Jaeger. (36) Middle tail feathers finally projecting about four inches, broad to the tip. Length, about 20 inches; wing, 14; bill, 14-12; tarsus, about 2. Adu/t:— Back, wings, tail, crissum and lower belly, brownish-black ; below from bill to belly, and neck all round, pure white, excepting acuminate feathers of sides of neck, which are pale yellow ; quills, whitish basally, their shafts largely white ; tarsi—above, blue; below, with the toes and webs, black. Not quite adult:—As before, but breast with dark spots, sides of the body with dark bars, blackish of lower belly interrupted; feet, black. Younger:—Whole under parts, with upper wings and tail coverts, variously marked with white and dark; feet, blotched with yellow. Young:—Whole plumage transversely barred with dark brown and rufous; feet, mostly yellow. Dusky stage (coming next after the barred plumage just given?); fuliginous, unicolor; blackish-brown all over, quite black on the head, rather sooty-brown on the belly; sides of the neck slightly shaded with yellow. Has.—Seas and inland waters of northern portion of the northern hemi- sphere; chiefly maritime. South in North America to the Great Lakes and New Jersey. ; Nest composed of grass and moss placed on an elevated spot in a marsh. Eggs, two or three, grayish-olive, with brown spots. The Pomarine Skua is occasionally seen in company with the large gulls, which spend a short time during the fall around the west end of Lake Ontario, following the: fishing boats and picking up the loose fish that are shaken out of the nets. It is spoken of by the fishermen as a bird of a most overbearing, tyrannical disposition, one which they would gladly punish, but on these trying trips all hands are occupied with matters of too much importance to think of shoot- ing gulls. The home of this species is in the far north. Mr. Nelson says, in the “ Birds of Alaska”: “They are abundant in spring off the mouth of the Yukon. Along both shores of the Arctic to the north they are very numerous, and to a great extent replace the other two species. “They are especially common along the border of the ice-pack and about the whaling fleet, where they fare abundantly. “The peculiar twirl in the long tail feathers of this species renders it conspicuous and easily identified as far away as it can be seen.” PARASITIC JAEGER. 41 STERCORARIUS PARASITICUS. 13. Parasitic Jaeger. (37) Middle tail feathers finally projecting about four inches, tapering, acumi- nate smaller; wing, 12-13; tarsus, 1.75 to 1.87; bill, 1.33 to 1.5; tail, 5-6, the long feathers up to 9. Adult:—Upper parts, including top of head, slight occipital crest, and crissum blackish-brown, deeper on wings and tail; chin, throat, sides of head, neck all round, and under parts to the vent, white; sides of the neck, pale yellow; quills and tail feathers with whitish shafts; feet, blue and black. Younger:—Clouded with dusky in variable pattern and amount. Young :—Barred crosswise with rufous and dusky; feet, mostly yellow. There is a fuliginous stage, same as described in last species. Has.—Northern part of northern hemisphere, southward in winter, to South Africa and South America. Breeds in high northern districts, and winters from the Middle States and California, southward to Brazil and Chili. Nest, on the ground on the margin of lakes or on islands, a depression in the ground, lined with grasses, a few withered leaves and feathers. Eggs, two or three, varying much in markings; olive-drab to green, gray and brown, marked with several shades of chocolate, brown, and an obscure shade of stone-gray distributed over the entire egg. The breeding place of the Arctic Skua is in the far north, but many go a long way south to spend the winter, and‘a few call at the lakes in Ontario by the way. At such places they are occasionally seen singly, mixing with the gulls and terns which pass to the south in the fall, but they are very watchful and seldom obtained. On the 16th October, 1886, Dr. Macallum secured a young female, which was shot on the Grand River, near Dunnville, just after a severe storm. In the report of the proceedings of the Ornithological Sub-section of the Biological Section of the Canadian Institute, Ernest E. Thomp- son mentions a specimen shot at Ashbridge’s Bay, near Toronto, in September, 1885, which is now mounted and in possession of Mr. Loane of that city. In the same report mention is made of a fine adult specimen which is in the museum of the Toronto University, marked “Toronto.” Dr. Bell also reports taking a specimen at Fort George, James’ Bay. Turning to our usual authority for northern birds, Mr. Nelson says: “This tyrannical bird occuys along the entire coast-line of the Behring Sea, but is most numerous along the low marshy coast of Norton Sound, and thence south to Kuskoquim River. “Its breeding range covers the entire region from the Aleutian Islands north to the extreme northern part of the mainland. 42 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. “ At all times jaegers are given to wandering, and one is likely to find them anywhere along the coast. They are frequently seen harry- ing terns or gulls, to make them disgorge fish just caught. If suc- cessful, they dart down and, rising under the falling morsel, catch it in their capacious mouths. This robbery is often performed by two birds acting in unison, but whether the birds alternate in disposing of the spoil has not been observed. They are very greedy, and often swallow so much that they cannot rise to fly till a portion is dis- gorged.” Famity LARIDA. Gutts anp TERNS. Susramity LARINA. Gu.ts. Genus GAVIA Bois. GAVIA ALBA (Guny.). 14. Ivory Gull. (389) Adult male :—Pure white all over; quills of the primaries, yellow; feet and legs, black; bill, dull greenish, yellow at the tip. Young:—Plumage clouded with dusky. Primaries and tail feathers, spotted with dusky. Length, 20 inches. Has.—Arctic seas, south in winter on the Atlantic coast of North America to Labrador and Newfoundland. Not yet found on the coast of the Pacific. Nest, on some inaccessible cliff. It is made of dry grass lined with moss and a few feathers. Eggs, yellowish olive, with small blotches of dark brown clouded with lilac. Having received interesting accounts from fishermen of pure white gulls following their boats out on the lake, I tried in vain for two seasons to persuade them to take my large single gun, and bring me a specimen. Finally I got them to attach a long line to the stern of one of the boats, with a hook at the end, baited with a ciscoe, and in this way they succeeded in getting me a fine adult male of the Ivory Gull, the only one I ever obtained. This species of gull is said to breed farther north than any other. On the islands and along the coasts gf Spitzbergen it occurs sparingly. In like places on the coast of northern Siberia it is abundant, and in Greenland it is resident. It is seldom found as far south as Ontario, but the movements of all such birds are liable to be affected by wind and weather. KITTIWAKE—GLAUCOUS GULL. 43 Genus RISSA STEpHENs. RISSA TRIDACTYLA (Lryy.). 15. Kittiwake. (40) Hind toe appearing only as a minute knob, its claw abortive. Mantle, rather dark grayish-blue; first primary, with the whole outer web, and the entire end for about two inches, black; next one, with the end black about as far, but outer web elsewhere light, and a white speck at extreme tip; on the rest of the primaries that have black, this color decreases in extent proportion- ally to the shortening of the quills, so that the base of the black on all is in the same line when the wings are closed (a pattern peculiar to the species of Rissa) ; and these all have white apex. Bill, yellow, usually clouded with olivaceous ; feet, dusky olivaceous. Rather small; 16-18; wing, 12; bill, 13-14; tarsus, about the same; middle toe and claw, longer; tail, usually slightly emarginate. In winter, nape and hind neck shaded with the color of the mantle. Young :— Bill, black ; a black bar on the tail, another across the neck behind; wings and back variously patched with black; dark spots before and behind the eyes; quills mostly black. Haz.—Arctic regions, south on the Atlantic coast in winter to the Great Lakes and the Middle States. Nest of grass and seaweed, usually placed on cliffs or ledges of rock over- hanging the water. Eggs, two or three, greenish-gray, marked irregularly with varying shades of brown. The Kittiwake is a species of wide distribution, being common along the coast of New England, while in the north it is found in Greenland, and has been reported from nearly all parts of the Arctic regions and many intermediate points. It breeds throughout its range, but always returns from the far north at the approach of winter. At that season it is very common around the west end of Lake Ontario, and in the summer it is one of those which assemble on the bird rocks of the St. Lawrence in such numbers as to give the rocks, when seen from a distance, the appearance of being covered with snow. LARUS GLAUCUS (Brunn.). 16. Glaucous Gull. (42) Adult:—Plumage, pure white except the mantle, which is grayish-blue. Bill, gamboge yellow with a carmine patch toward the end of the lower mandible; feet, flesh color. In the young the upper parts are yellowish-white, 44 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. mottled with pale brown; breast and lower parts, gray; tail, white, mottled with brown. Length, 27 inches. Has.—Arctic regions, south in winter in North America to the Great Lakes and Long Island. North Pacific. Nest of seaweed and moss placed on the ground, or rocks, or even on blocks of ice. Eggs, two or three, varying in color from grayish-brown to white. During the winter months the “ Burgomaster,” as this species is usually named, may be seen roaming around the shores of Lake Ontario, seeking what it may devour, and it is not very scrupulous either as regards quantity or quality. In the Fawna Boreals Amert- cana, it is described as being “ notoriously greedy and voracious, preying not only on fish and birds but on carrion of every kind. One which was killed in Capt. Ross’ expedition disgorged an auk when it was struck, and on dissection was found to have another in its stomach.” In March, when the days begin to lengthen and the ice begins to soften, these large gulls rise from Lake Ontario, and soaring around in wide circles at a great height, pass away towards the north. In the spring of 1884, a specimen was shot near Toronto by Mr. George Guest of that city. On the 25th March, 1889, a fine female specimen which had been shot on the Island at Toronto, was brought to Mr. Cross, and on the 8th December, of the same -year, he received another which was shot off the Queen’s Wharf. This is one of the largest and most powerful birds of the family. It is of circumpolar distribution, and is said to be one of the noisiest of those which gather together during the breeding season in the far north. : Regarding it, Mr. Nelson says: ‘The solitary islands of Behring Sea and all its dreary coast line are familiar to this great gull. In summer it occurs from the Aleutian Islands north to the farthest points reached by the hardy navigators in the Arctic Ocean adjoining. According to Murdoch, it is numerous at Point Barrow. At St. Michael’s they appear each year from the 12th to the 30th April, following the leads in the ice as they open from the south.” , ‘“‘They are the first of the spring birds to occur in the north, and their hoarse cries are welcome sounds to the seal hunter as he wanders over the ice-fields far out to sea in early spring. “They become more and more numerous until they are very com- mon. They wander restlessly along the coast until the ponds open on the marshes near the sea, and then, about the last half of May, ’ GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL. 4D they are found straying singly or in pairs about the marshy ponds where they seek their future summer homes.” “During the cruise of the Corwin, in the summer;of 1881, the writer found this fine bird at every point which he visited along the coast of Behring Sea and the Arctic Ocean.” They are among the last birds to leave the marshes, which they do only when the ice shuts them out in October. Recently, Mr. Ridgway has sought to separate the eastern from the western forms of this species, owing to a slight difference in size and some other points of distinction, but it is doubtful if the change will be generally accepted. Genus LARUS Lixyavs. LARUS MARINUS (Liyy.). 17; Great Black-backed Gull. (47) Feet, flesh-colored ; bill, yellow with red spot. Mantle, blackish slate-color ; first primary, with the end white for 2-3 inches; second primary, with a white sub-apical spot, and like the remaining ones that are crossed with black, having the tip white (when not quite mature, the first with small white tip and sub-apical spot, the second with white tip alone). In winter, head and neck streaked with dusky. Youny:—Whitish, variously washed, mottled and patched with brown or dusky; quills and tail, black, with or without white tips; bill, black. Very large; length, 30 inches; wing, 18}; bill, above 24. Hazs.—Coast of the north Atlantic; south in winter to Long Island. Nest on the ground, built of grasses, bulky and deeply hollowed. Eggs, three, bluish-white or olive-gray, irregularly spotted, and blotched with reddish-brown and lilac. This species is common to both continents, breeding abundantly in Norway, as far as North Cape. It is also very common in Scotland, especially on the indented coasts and islands of the north and west, and also on the outer Hebrides. There they often have their nests on the heathery hillsides, and are seen coursing along in search of wounded grouse, sickly or injured ewes, weakly lambs, eggs or carrion, nothing in the way of animal food coming amiss. In Labrador, Mr. Abbot M. Frazer found them breeding on small islands, usually placing their nests on some elevated spot. During the breeding season there, they feed largely on the eggs of other birds, especially on those of the murre, and on young eider ducks. They are seen roaming round the western end of Lake Ontario till the end of March, when they all disappear for the season. 46 BIRDS OF ONTARIO, LARUS ARGENTATUS SMITHSONIANUS Couss. 18. American Herring Gull. (51) Feet, flesh color; bill, yellow with red spot; mantle, pale dull blue (darker than in Jeucopterus, but nothing like the deep slate of marinus, much the same as in all the rest of the species); primaries marked as in marinus (but the great majority of specimens will be found to have the not quite mature or final condition); length, 22-27; wings, 15-18; tarsus, 24-22; bill, about 2} long, about 3-2 deep at base, and about the same at the protuberance. In winter, head and hind neck streaked with dusky. Young:—At first almost entirely fuscous or sooty-brown, the feathers of the back white tipped or not; size, at the minimum above given. As it grows old it gradually lightens; the head, neck and under parts are usually quite whitish, before the markings of the quills are apparent, and before the blue begins to show, as it does in patches mixed with brown; the black on the tail narrows toa bar, at the time the primaries are assuming their characters, but this bar disappears before the primaries gain their perfect pattern. At one time the bill is flesh color or yellowish, black- tipped. Haz.—North America generally, breeding on the Atlantic. coast from Maine northward; in winter, south to Cuba and Lower California. The original nest was on the ground, not far from water, simply a hollow lined with grass. In some places, where the birds have been persecuted by the robbery of their eggs, they have taken to building in trees, fifty or sixty feet from the ground. There the nests are firmly put together and warmly lined. The eggs are three, bluish-white, irregularly spotted with brown of different shades. This is the most abundant bird of its class on the inland lakes, and it may be seen at nearly all seasons of the year, either soaring in wide circles overhead, or passing along in front of the wharves, always on the alert to examine any offal which may be thrown over- board from the vessels. It breeds abundantly along the sea coast and also in suitable paces inland, as shown by the following, which occurs in the transactions of the Ottawa Field Naturalists’ Club for 1881: “On this excursion, which was held about the 21st of May, we succeeded in discovering on one of the many small lakes near the Cave, a nest of the common Gull (Larus argentatus), but we were unfortunately too late, as not only were the eggs hatched, but the young had already left the nest ; from this fact, it is probable that, with this species, the period of incubation is very early in the season. The nest, which was very shallow, was built almost altogether of dried moss, and was placed on the top of a small rock, which stood about a foot and a half out of the water towards one end of the lake.” It breeds commonly in Lake Manitoba, and in suitable places intermediate as far as Alaska. RING-BILLED GULL. 47 In Southern Ontario it is seen only during the winter. When Hamilton Bay becomes frozen over, there is always a patch of open water where the city sewer empties into the bay, and there for several years past two or three Herring Gulls have daily resorted, to feed on the rich morsels which come down from the city. They become com- paratively tame, and being regarded by the “boys” as belonging to the place, are not much disturbed. The birds in possession of the spot agree about the division of the spoil, but should a stranger seek to share it, he is at once attacked and driven off ere he has time to taste the dainties. They arrive here about the end of October, and leave early in April. LARUS DELAWARENSIS Orp. 19. Ring-billed Gull. (54) Adult plumage precisely like that of the Herring Gull, and its changes substantially the same; bill, greenish-yellow, encircled with a black band near the end, usually complete, sometimes defective; the tip and most of the cutting edges of the bill, yellow; in high condition, the angle of the mouth and a small spot beside the black, red; feet, olivaceous, obscured with dusky or bluish, and partly yellow; the webs, bright chrome. Notably smaller than argentatus: length, usually 18-20 inches; extent, about 48; wing, about 15; bill, under 2, and only about 4 deep at the protuberance; tarsus, about 2, obviously longer than the middle toe. Haz.—North America at large; south in winter to Cuba and Mexico. Nest, on the ground, a hollow lined with grass; sometimes on cliffs of rocks. Eggs, three, dark cream color, blotched with purple, umber and black. This is one of the common gulls which frequent Lake Ontario during the winter, whose numbers help to make up the vast crowd which is seen assembled on the edge of the ice at the western extremity of the lake, or in Hamilton Bay, near the canal. In all stages of plumage it bears a strong resemblance to the Herring Gull, but the ring round the bill and its smaller size serve as distinguishing marks. This is, perhaps, the most abundant of the gulls. It has been taken at Toronto and other points in Southern Ontario, but only in the winter, its breeding ground being rather farther north. It breeds in the interior and on both shores, and its nesting places are spoken of as nurseries of very great extent. Mr. Stebbins, who visited an island of about an acre in extent, in Devil’s Lake, Dakota, 48 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. in the first week in June, found the entire island covered with eggs of gulls and terns. He says: “I don’t suppose you could lay down a two-feet rule without each end of it touching a nest. The terns and gulls were here breeding side by side. Most of the gulls’ nests were in the grass, those of the tern.in the sand. I did not find a gull’s nest with more than three eggs, and very few with two; whereas several hollows had as many as eighteen terns’ eggs in them, which had rolled together.” Mr. Frazer also found the Ring-billed Gulls breeding in Labrador, and he remarked that the number of eggs did not exceed four. Macoun reports it breeding in all the lakes of any size in the North-West. LARUS ATRICILLA Liyy. 20. Laughing Gull. (58) Adult, in summer :—Bill and edges of eyelids, deep carmine; legs and feet, dusky red; iris, blackish. Hood, deep plumbeous, grayish-black, extending farther on the throat than on the nape. Eyelids, white, posteriorly. Neck all round, rump, tail, broad tips of secondaries and tertials, and whole under parts white, the latter with a rosy tinge which fades after death. Mantle, grayish plumbeous ; outer six primaries, black, their extreme tips white; their bases for a short distance on the first, and only on the inner web, and for a successively increasing distance on both webs of the others, of the color of the back. Has.—Tropical and warm temperate America, chiefly along the sea coast, from Maine to Brazil. Nest, in a tussock of grass, the cavity nicely lined with fine dry grasses. Eggs, three to five, bluish white, spotted and blotched with brown, umber and lilac of various shades. In the report of the proceedings of the Ornithological Sub-section of the Canadian Institute for 1890-91, occurs the following : “On May 23rd, 1890, a gull was brought to my store. It had been shot on Toronto Island, and, being unlike any of our native. species, I had it thoroughly examined, and it proved to be a male Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla). This is, I believe, the first record of this bird for Ontario.” —WILLIAM Cross. The Laughing Gull-is a southern bird, whose centre of abundance is along the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. It is also common in the South Atlantic and Gulf States, and is found breeding as far north as the coast of New England, but this, so far as I know, is the first record of its occurrence in Ontario. Speaking of this species, Mr. ' FRANKLIN'S GULL. 49 Maynard says: “The notes of gulls are loud and startling, but those of the Laughing Gull are the most singular of them all, for their cries, especially when the bird is excited, sound like peals of prolonged and derisive laughter.” LARUS FRANKLINII Sw. & Rica. 21. Franklin’s Gull. (59) Adult male :—Eyelids, neck, rump, tail and lower parts white, the latter with the under part of the wings deeply tinged with rich rosy red; hood, black, descending downwards on the nape and throat; mantle and wings, bluish-gray ; a band of black crosses the five outer primaries near the end; all the quill feathers are tipped with white. Young:—Changing with age as in other birds of this class. Length, 15 inches. Has.—Interior of North America, breeding chiefly north of the United States; south in winter to South America. Nest in a marsh, or wooded swamp, built of sedges and grass a little above the water level. Eggs, four, greenish-gray with numerous brown markings, heaviest at the larger end. Wheh questioning that indefatigable sportsman, John Dynes, about the rare birds he had seen on his many excursions round Hamilton, he told me of a gull with a pink breast, which he had sometimes seen in the fall, and finally in October, 1865, he brought me one of the birds thus referred to, which proved to be of this species. Subsequently I shot another in the month of April, about the time the ice was breaking up. The latter was in the more advanced stage of plumage, but neither was mature. This is not a sea gull in the ordinary use of the term, for it prefers the interior to the coast, breeding in the inland swamps far from the sea, and making its annual journey north and south entirely inland. A short time ago I had a beautiful pair sent to me from Minnesota, where they breed. I understand that they also breed abundantly in the marshes of the Red River valley in western Manitoba. The species has not been observed in the Atlantic States, its line of route north and south being chiefly west of the Mississippi. The few seen in Ontario can thus be regarded only as stragglers making their migratory journey a little farther to the east than usual. 4 50 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. LARUS PHILADELPHIA (Orp.). 22, Bonaparte’s Gull. (60) Tarsus about equal to middle toe and claw. Small; 12-14; wing, 94-105; tarsus, 14; bill, 14-14; very slender, like a Tern’s. Adult in summer :—Bill, black; mantle, pearly blue, much paler than in atricil/a; hood, slaty-plumbeous with white touches on the eyelids; many wing coverts white; feet, chrome- yellow, tinged with coral red; webs, vermilion. Primaries finally :—The first 5-6 with the shafts white except at tip; first white, with outer web and extreme tip black; second white, more broadly crossed with black; 3rd to 6th- 8th with the black successively decreasing. In winter no hood, but a dark auricular spot. Young :—Mottled and patched above with brown or gray, and usually a dusky bar on the wing; the tail with a black bar, the primaries with more black, the bill dusky, much of the lower mandible flesh-colored or yellowish, as are the feet. Haz.—Whole of North America, breeding mostly north of the United States; south in winter to Mexico and Central America. The nest is usually placed on an elevation, in a tree, bush, or on a high stump; it is composed of sticks and grass with a lining of soft vegetable material. Eggs, three or four, greenish-gray spotted, and blotched with brown and lilae of various shades. About the middle of May this dainty little gull arrives in small flocks, and for a week or two enlivens the shores of Hamilton Bay with its airy gambols, but soon passes on farther north to its breeding grounds. In the fall it returns, subdued in dress and manners, remains till the weather begins to get cold, and then retires to the south to spend the winter. It has a wide distribution, being found at some pouied of the year at almost every point on the continent. Speaking of this species in the “Birds of the North-West,” Dr. Coues says: “This little gull holds its own, from the Labrador crags, against which the waves of an angered ocean ceaselessly beat, to the low, sandy shores of the Gulf, caressed by the soothing billows of a tropical sea.” Macoun mentions it as breeding on all the lakes of any size throughout the North-West, and Dr. Bell has found it along the ‘Nelson River and at York Factory on Hudson’s Bay. In Lake Erie, a little way out from the mouth of the Grand River, is Mohawk Island, where Dr. Macallum says this gull used in former years to breed regularly along with Forster’s and the Common Tern. It is still seen there in small numbers during the summer, but of late the “boys” have got into the habit of visiting the island on Sundays during the nesting time, bringing away large quantities of eggs, so CASPIAN TERN. 51 that now the place is comparatively deserted. In the spring its plumage is so perfect, and its flight so light and graceful, that it attracts notice wherever it appears. In Southern Ontario it is seen only in small numbers, the migratory route being mostly along the sea coast. SuBraMILY STERNINZE Terys. Genus STERNA Liyyzus. Suscents THALASSEUS Bote. STERNA TSCHEGRAVA Lepecn. 23, Caspian Tern. (64) Adult male :—Crown, sides of the head, and hind head, black, glossed with green; back and wings, light bluish-gray ; the outer primaries, dark bluish-gray on the inner webs; upper tail coverts and tail grayish-white; neck and lower parts, pure white; bill, rich vermilion; legs and feet, black; tail, slightly forked. Young :-—Mottled and barred with dull brown. Length, 20 inches. Haz.— Nearly cosmopolitan; in North America breeding southward to Virginia, Lake Michigan, Nevada and California. Eggs, two or three, laid in a hollow in the sand; pale olive buff, narked with spots of dark brown, and lilac of various shades. 52 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. The harsh cry, long pointed wings, and coral red bill of this species at once attract the attention of anyone who may happen to be close enough for observation. In spring, when the departure of the ice gives them the privilege of roving about over the inland waters, they visit Hamilton Bay in small numbers, and are seen fishing about the mouths of the inlets, or more frequently basking in the sun on a sandy point which runs out into the bay opposite Dynes’ place. In the fall they pay a similar visit, but at that season they. are less attractive in appearance, the bill having lost much of its brilliancy, and the plumage being comparatively dull. This is the largest of the terns, and it has a very wide distribu- tion, being found breeding at different points, from the Gulf of Mexico to Alaska, and along the entire Atlantic coast. It is also said to occur in various portions of the eastern hemisphere, including Australia. It does not breed in communities like many of the other terns, being mostly found in retired places in single pairs. STERNA SANDVICENSIS ACUFLAVIDA (Cazor.). 24. Cabot’s Tern. (67) ; Bill, rather longer than the head, slender, black; with the tip yellow; mouth inside, deep blue; feet, black; wings longer than tail, which is deeply forked ; upper part of the head and hind neck, bluish-black ; sides of the head, neck all round, and rest of the lower parts, white; the sides and breast tinged with pink ; fore part of the back, scapulars and upper surface of the wings, pale bluish-gray; the tips and greater part of the inner web of the scapulars and quills, white, as are the rump and tail; the four outer quills blackish, but covered with light gray down on the outer webs, and over a considerable por- tion of the inner, their shafts white. Length, 15-16; wing, 12-50. Has.—Tropical America, northward along the Atlantic coast irregularly to southern New England. Eggs, two or three, dropped on the dry sand, rather pointed, yellowish-drab, spotted with dark and reddish-brown. In the spring of 1882, Dr. Garnier noticed three terns of this species coursing around a mill-pond not far from his residence at Lucknow. The Doctor attended to them at once, and the result was that one went clear off toward Lake Huron, another wriggled with difficulty after it, and the third fell dead on the pond. I afterward saw this specimen mounted, and satisfied myself of its identity. It is difficult to account for birds wandering away at times beyond their FORSTER’ TERN. 53 usual limit, but we might with as much truth say that it is difficult to account for birds so regularly keeping within certain limits. When those of this class find themselves farther from home than they intended, it does not cost them much labor to correct the mistake. This is the only record I have of the species in Ontario, and the visit can only be considered accidental, as the summer home of the species is far to the south. They breed in colonies on the coast of Central America and on the larger West India Islands. Suspcenus STERNA. STERNA FORSTERI Nutt. 25. Forster’s Tern. (69) Like the Common. Tern; larger, tail longer than wings. Wing of adult, 94-103; tail, 64-8, thus often beyond the extreme of hirundo, and nearly as in paradisea ; bill, 18 (14-14),-and about 2-5 deep at base (in hirundo rarely if ever so deep); tarsus seldom down to g; whole foot, about 2. Little or no plumbeous wash below; inner web of the outer tail feathers darker than outer web of the same. Young and winter birds may be distinguished from hirundo at gunshot range; the black cap is almost entirely wanting, and in its place is a broad black band on each side of the head through the eye; several lateral tail feathers are largely dusky on the inner web; their outer webs are white. Hazs.—North America generally, breeding from Manitoba southward, in the United States to Virginia, Illinois, Texas and California; in winter, southward to Brazil. Eggs, two or three, from greenish-white to drab, blotched and spotted with brown and lilac of different shades. This is another of the sea swallows, a name which is indiscrim- inately applied to all the terns. The species is abundant and widely distributed. It is one of those found by Dr. Macallum breeding on Mohawk Island, in Lake Erie. Mr. Saunders reports it breeding on the St. Clair Flats, and Macoun speaks of it breeding abundantly in Lake Manitoba, Waterhen River and Lake Winnipegosis. Farther south, it is known to breed in Virginia, Texas, Illinois and California. Throughout Ontario generally, it is only a migrant in spring and fall. It is usually in company with the Common Tern, which it closely resembles, the points of difference being readily observed when the birds are placed side by side. STERNA HIRUNDO Liyy. Common Tern. (70) Bill, red, blackening on the terminal third, the very point usually light ; feet, coral red ; mantle, pearly grayish-llue; primary shafts white, except at the end; below white, washed with pale pearly plumbeous blanching on throat and lower belly; tail mostly white, the outer web of the outer feather darker than inner web of the same. Length of male, 144 (13-16); extent, 31 (29-32); wing, 104 (9$-113); tail, 6 (5-7); tarsus. #¢ ( female rather less, averaging toward these minima; young birds may little smaller, in length of tail particularly, and so of total length: length, 12 or more; wing, 9 or more; tail, £4 or more; bill, 1£ or more. In winter this ; bill. 14-14; whole foot. aver aging 1? show a species does not appear to lose the black-cap. contrary to a nearly universal rule. Young :—Bill mostly dusky, but much of the under mandible yellowish : feet simply yellowish ; cap more or less defective; bavk and wings patched and barred with gray and light brown. the bluish showing imperfectly if at all, but this color shading much of the tail; usually a blackish bar along the lesser coverts, and several tail feathers dusky on the owfer wel: below, pure white, or with very little plumbeous shade. Has.—Greater part of northern hemisphere and Africa. In North America chiefly confined to the Eastern Province, breeding from the Arctic coast, some- what irregularly, to Florida and Texas, and wintering farther south. Eggs, two or three, deposited in a hollow in the sand, light brown, tinged with green and blotched with dark brown and lilac of various shades. ARCTIC TERN. 5d This species is common to both continents, and has been found breeding as far north as Greenland and Spitzbergen. It migrates south in the cold weather, and its return to its summer haunts is hailed as a sure indication that winter is really gone. For a time many a quiet bay and inlet is enlivened by its presence. ‘“‘ Swift by the window skims the Tern, On light and glancing wing, And every sound which rises up Gives token of the Spring.” On Hamilton Bay the terns make their appearance about the 10th of May, and in company with the black-headed gulls go careering around the shores in merry groups, or settle on the sand bars to rest and plume their feathers in the sun. By the end of the month they have all gone to the north and west to raise their young, but they pay us a short visit in the fall on their way south. The range of this species is very similar to that of Forster’s Tern. Gull Island in Lake Erie, St. Clair Flats, and especially Waterhen River and adjoining waters, are named among its breeding places. D. Gunn, writing in the “ Birds of Manitoba,” on the habits of these birds in Lake Winnipeg, says: “When at Lake Winnipeg, in 1862, I noticed that the terns which occupied sandy or gravelly islands made their nests as those do on the gravelly islands of Shoal Lake, while those found on the rocky island on the east side of the lake chose for their nesting places depressions and clefts in the surface of the rocks. These they care- fully lined with moss, thus giving a remarkable example of the instinct which teaches them that their eggs when laid on the sand or gravel are safe, but when placed on these hard and often cold materials, a warm lining for the protection of the eggs and young birds is indispensable.” STERNA PARADIS Bruny. 27. Arctic Tern. (71) Bill, carmine; feet, vermilion; plumage, like that of hirundo, but much darker below, the plumbeous wash so heavy that these parts are scarcely paler than the mantle; crissum, pure white; throat and sides of the neck, white or tinged with gray. In winter, cap defective; in young the same, upper parts patched with gray, brown or rufous; under parts paler or white; a dark bar on 56 BIRDS OF ONTARIO, the wing ; outer webs of several tail feathers, dusky ; bill, blackish or dusky red, with yellow on the under mandible; feet, dull orange, smaller than hirundo, but tail much longer. Length, 14-17; wing, 10-12; tail, 5-8; bill, 1.20-1.40. Has.—Northern hemisphere; in North America breeding from Massa- chusetts to the Arctic regions, and wintering southward to Virginia and California. Eggs, two or three; laid on the bare rock or sand; drab, spotted and dashed with brown of different shades, indistinguishable from those of the common tern. For several reasons the terns which visit Ontario are less known than birds belonging to other classes. They are not sought after by sportsmen, and at present the number of collectors is so few that the sea swallows (as they are here called) are little molested. There are several species, such as the Common Tern, Forster’s Tern, and the one we are now: considering, which resemble each other so closely that the difference can only be made out on careful examination by one who is familiar with their appearance. Compared with the Common Tern, the present species is a bird of more slender make, the tail feathers being usually much longer, and the under parts of a much darker shade. : In the spring and fall flocks of terns resembling each other in general appearance are seen frequenting Hamilton Bay and the inlets along the shores of Lake Ontario. Considering the range of this species, it is likely that it is here with the others, but among the few which I have killed I have not found an Arctic. In the collection of birds brought together under the direction of the late Prof. Hincks, and sent to the Paris Exposition in 1867, a pair of Arctic Terns was included which were said to have been procured near Toronto. The species is of circumpolar distribution. Dr. Bell found it on Hudson’s Bay, and it occurs on the coast of California, but is not named among the birds of Manitoba, being perhaps strictly maritime in its haunts. ° Around the shores of Great Britain it is the most abundant of its class, and here, too, itis remarked that it does not occur inland. Mr. Gray, in his “ Birds of the West of Scotland,” says regarding it: “On the western shores of Ross, Inverness and Argyleshire, there are numerous breeding places for this bird, especially on the rocky islands in the sea-lochs stretching inland, such as Loch Sunart, Loch Alsh and Loch Etive. These nurseries are equally numerous off the coast of Mull, and others of the larger islands forming the Inner Hebrides.” LEAST TERN. 57 “In the first week in August, 1870, when travelling from North Uist to Benbecula, and crossing the ford which separates the two islands, I witnessed a very interesting habit of this tern. I had been previously told by a friend to look out for the birds which he said I should find waiting for me on the sands. Upon coming within sight of the first ford, I observed between twenty and thirty terns sitting quietly on the banks of the salt water stream, but the moment they saw us approaching they rose on the wing to meet us, and kept hovering gracefully over our heads till the pony stepped into the water. As soon as the wheels of the conveyance were fairly into the stream, the terns poised their wings for a moment, then precipitated themselves with a splash exactly above the wheel tracks and at once arose, each with a sand eel wriggling in its bill) Some had been caught by the head and were unceremoniously swallowed, but others which had been seized by the middle were allowed to drop, and were azain caught properly by the head before they reached the water. “T was told by the residents that it is a habit of the birds to be continually on the watch for passing vehicles, the wheels of which bring the sand eels momentarily to the surface, and the quick eyes of the terns enable the birds to transfix them on the spot.” SuspcgEenus STERNULA Borin. STERNA ANTILLARUM (Less.). 28. Least Tern. (74) Bill, yellow, usually tipped with black; mantle, pale pearly grayish-blue, unchanged on the rump and tail; a white frontal crescent, separating the cap from the bill, bounded below by a black loral stripe reaching the bill; shafts of two or more outer primaries, black on the upper surface, white underneath ; feet, orange. Youny:—Cap, too defective to show the crescent; bill, dark, much of the under mandible pale; feet, obscured. Very small, only 8-9; wing, 6-64; tail, 2-35; bill, 1-14; tarsus, 3. Has.—Northern South America, northward to California and New England, and casually to Labrador, breeding nearly throughout its range. Eggs, two or three, variable in color, usually drab, speckled with lilac and brown; left in a slight depression in the dry beach sand beyond the reach of water. This is a refined miniature of the Common Tern, and a very handsome, active little bird. It is common along the sea coast to the south of us, but probably does not often come so far north ays 58 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Lake Ontario. Dr. Wheaton mentions its irregular occurrence on Lake Erie, and Dr. Brodie reports it being found near Toronto. In the month of October, several years ago, I shot an immature specimen. as it rose from a piece of driftwood in Hamilton Bay, during a south- erly blow of several days’ duration, and that is the only time I have ever seen the species here. In the report of the proceedings of the Canadian Institute for 18x, the following passage occurs: “A Least Tern (sterna «wntel- larum) was shot here by Mr. Wm. Loane on September 5th. This, with Dr. Brodie’s former record for Toronto, and Mr. MeIlwraith’s for Hamilton, makes the third for Lake Ontario.” The Little Striker, as it is called along the sea coast, we may not expect to see often in Ontario, for its principal breeding ground is on the Gulf coast, and on the islands of the Atlantic coast of Florida. The eggs are placed in a slight hollow in the sand and broken shells of the beach, which they resemble so much that they are often passed without being observed, and thus escape trouble which might other- wise befall them. Genus HYDROCHELIDON Bortz. HYDROCHELIDON NIGRA SURINAMENSIS (GMEL.). 29. Black Tern. (77) Aduit in breeding plumage:—Head, neck and under parts, uniform jet black; back, wings and tail, plumbeous; primaries, unstriped; crissum, pure white; bill, black. In winter and young birds, the black is mostly replaced by white on the forehead, sides of head and under parts, the crown, occiput . and neck behind, with the sides under the wings, being dusky-gray: a dark auricular patch and another before the eye; in a very early stage, the upper parts are varied with dull brown. Small; wing, 8-9, little less than the whole length of the bird; tail, 34, simply forked; bill, 1-14; tarsus, 3; middle toe and claw, 14. Haz.—Temperate and tropical America. From Alaska and the fur coun- tries to Chili, breeding from the middle United States northward. No nest. Eggs, on the bog, two or three; brownish-olive, splashed and spotted with brown. Common to both continents, and extending its migrations far north. The Black Tern has been found in Iceland, and, according to Richardson, is known to breed in the fur countries. It enters South- ern Ontario early in May, visiting the various feeding resorts along the route, in company with the smaller gulls, and retires to the GANNET. 59 marshes to raise its young. At the St. Clair Flats it breeds abund- antly, its eggs being often apparently neglected, but they are said to be covered by the female at night and in rough weather. Dr. Macallum reports it as breéding also on Mohawk Island, though from being frequently disturbed and robbed of its eggs, it is not so numerous as formerly. In the North-West, according to Macoun, it “breeds in all the marshes from Portage la Prairie west- ward, in less numbers in the wooded region, but generally distributed.” At Ottawa, Toronto and Hamilton it occurs as a regular migrant in spring and fall. Orper STEGANOPODHES. TorrpatmateE SWIMMERS. Famity SULIDA. Ganners. Genus SULA Brisson. Susecenus DYSPORUS Iricer. SULA BASSANA (Linw.). 30. Gannet. (117) Adult male:—White, the head and hind neck tinged with yellowish-brown ; primaries, black. Young:—Dark brown, spotted with white; lower parts, grayish-white. Length, 30 inches. Has.—Coasts of the North Atlantic, south in winter to the Gulf of Mexico and Africa; breeds from Maine and the British Islands northward. Breeds in communities on rocks near the sea. One egg, pale greenish-blue. We have very few records of the Gannet, or Solan Goose, in Ontario, because it is a bird of the North Atlantic, where it is found on the shores on both sides, on the east, perhaps, in greater abund- ance than on the west. Many years ago, an individual of this species was found in Hamil- ton Bay in a state of extreme exhaustion, after a severe ‘north- easter.” In the proceedings of the Canadian Institute for 1890, it is stated, ‘one specimen in immature plumage was shot at Oshawa, Ontario, in 1862, by Mr. A. Dulmage,” which, so far as I know, completes the list for the Province. These birds are in the habit of breeding in colonies on large isolated rocks, which are called Gannet Rocks, wherever they occur. One of these is situated off the coast of Maine, southward of Grand ‘60 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. “Manan Island, at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy. Another lies to the south-west of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. The great breeding resorts of the species, however, are the Bird Rocks, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and Bonaventure Island, near Gaspé. This bird takes its name (Si/a bassana) from one of its first and best known breeding places, the Bass Rock, in the Firth of Forth, where I have seen them in thousands engaged in completing their domestic arrangements in the early summer. They used to have many breeding places round the rocky coasts of Scotland, but Mr. Gray tells us that the number has now been reduced to five. These are Ailsa Craig, St. Kilda, North Barra, Stack of Suleskerry, and the Bass Rock, Firth of Forth. The number of birds which frequent these places is still very great. A moderate calculation of those seen on the Bass Rock Mr. Gray placed at 20,000, and I feel sure that the number frequenting Ailsa Craig cannot be much less. Mr. Gray further states, that on the more remote breeding places very little -change has taken place, but that on the Bass Rock, where in former years a large colony had possession of the grassy slopes on which they built their nests, the number of birds is greatly reduced. The intru- sion of visitors has driven the birds entirely to the rocky ledges on the west side of the island, where the nests cannot be examined as they used to be. Before this change took place in their breeding grounds, the birds were greatly changed in their habits, the old birds having become dreadfully vociferous, and in some cases showing fight. Professor Macgillivray well describes their cry in comparing the tor- rent of sounds to the words, “Kirra kirra, cree cree, grog, grog, grog.” Surrounded by a multitude of open bills, and noticing the guide apparently absorbed in thought, he inquired, “Is there any risk of them biting?” “Oh, no, sir,” he rejoined, “TI was only thinking how like they are to oursel’s.” He stated also that these birds sometimes lay two eggs, fourteen nests on the grassy slope already referred to having been found to contain that number. This statement may be easily believed, when we are told that during the breeding season the rock is visited daily by excursionists accompanied by guides, and that the number of eggs in a nest is made to suit the wishes of the visitor. Notwithstanding the protection now afforded to this bird, in com- mon with other water-fowl, the numbers have greatly diminished, and it is very doubtful if the Bass ever again has as many tenants as it once had. Long ago the breeding places appear to have been more numerous than at present, for we find frequent reference to them in the works CORMORANT. 61 of writers long departed. For instance, Dean Munroe, who visited. nearly the whole of the British islands“between 1540 and 1549, has. left a quaint account of what he saw. In describing Eigg Island, he says: ‘North from Ellan about foure myles lyes ane iyle called iyle of egga, four myle lange and twa myle braid, guid maine land with a Paroch kirk in it and maney Solane geese.” One cannot exactly see how the two things should in this curt way be associated. The Solan Geese live chiefly on herring and other fish which are very irregular in their movements, and the birds have, therefore, often to travel a long distance to obtain food for their young. As soon as the young birds are able to fly, they all leave the rocks, and follow the shoals of fish, wherever they are to be found, returning, again to their familiar rocks in March or April. Famity PHALACROCORACIDA. Cormorants. Genus PHALACROCORAX Brisson. PHALACROCORAX CARBO (Liyy.). 31. Cormorant. (119) General plumage, black, glossed with blue, a white patch on the throat and another on the sides of the body; in summer the head is crested with long: narrow feathers, which fall off when the breeding season is over; the white: patches on the throat: and sides also disappear about the same time. Length, 36 inches. Has.—Coasts of the North Atlantic, south in winter on the coast of the United States, casually to the Carolinas ; breeding from the Bay of Fundy to Greenland. Nest, on precipitous rocks, built of sticks and sea-weed, kept in a filthy con- dition from the refuse of the larder, etc. Eggs, four or five, pale bluish-green. Although the Cormorants are generally birds of the sea coast, when not specially engaged at home, they make periodical excursions to the lakes, where no doubt they find the change of food and scenery very agreeable. In spring and fall they are occasionally seen in Hamilton Bay, and at other points in Southern Ontario, following their usual avocation of fishing. Not long since, with the aid of a powerful glass, I watched one sitting on a buoy out off the wharves, and could not but admire the graceful motions of his long, lithe neck, as he preened his plumage in conscious safety. The inspection 62 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. at that distance was more pleasant than it might have been closer by, for these birds, though apparently cleanly, carry with them a most unsavory odor. This is another North Atlantic species which is found breeding on the rocky ledges along the shores of both continents. It is gregari- ous, living in thickly-settled communities, the sanitary condition of which prevents their being popular with excursionists, so that the birds when at home are seldom disturbed. On the rocky shore of Newfoundland it is especially abundant, and was also found by Mr. Frazer in Labrador. It has been observed singly or in pairs, at Ottawa, Hamilton, London and other points, jut the species seldom leaves the sea coast. Those observed inland are apparently stragglers which by chance or choice have wandered for a time away from their usual hahitat. PHALACROCORAX DILOPHUS (Sw. & Ricu.). 32. Double-crested Cormorant. (120) Tail of twelve feathers, gular sac convex or nearly straight-edged behind ; glossy greenish-black; feathers of the back and wings, coppery-gray, black- shafted, black-edged ; adult with curly black /atera/ crests, and in the breeding season other filamentous white ones over the eyes and along the sides of the neck; white flank-patch, not observed in the specimens examined, but probably occurring; gular sac and lores, orange; eyes, green. Length, 30-33 inches; wing, 12 or more; tail, 6 or more; bill along gape, 34; tarsus, a little over 2. Young:—Plain dark brown, paler or grayish (even white on the breast) below. without head plumes. Has.—Eastern coast of North America, breeding from the Bay of Fundy northward ; southward in the interior to the Great Lakes and Wisconsin. Eggs, two or three, bluish-green. This, like the common species, occasivnally visits the inland lakes, and is distinguished by its smaller size and richer plumage. The specimen in my collection I shot off Huckleberry Point, when it rose from a partially submerged stump that it had been using for a short time as a fishing station. All the Cormorants have the reputation of leing voracious feeders, and they certainly have a nimble way of catching and swallowing their prey, but it is not likely that they con- sume more than other birds of similar size. Though this species breeds along the sea coast on both sides of the Atlantic, it has also been found breeding in colonies in the AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN. 63 nterior. It is the one we see most frequently in Southern Ontario, and Macoun mentions having found it breeding abundantly in Lake Winnipegosis. : Dr. Hatch, in the “ Birds of Minnesota,” describes it as a common summer resident which “local observers from all parts of the State report from ‘occasional’ to ‘innumerable,’ according to the nearness of the observer to the breeding places of the birds.” The preparations for incubation are made about the 10th of May, in large communities on islands in the lakes and ponds and almost impenetrable marshes, where there are some large old trees, in which they most frequently build their coarse but substantial nests. These are usually bulky from having been added to every year, and consist of weeds, vines and sticks, piled together carelessly around a deep depression, in which is deposited the three pale greenish or bluish eggs. It is not aun uncommon sight to see one or more of these nests on the same tree in which are a number of heron nests, and the owners seem to live in harmony. When the young are sufficiently grown, they gather into immense flocks in unfrequented sections, and remain. until the ice-lid has closed over their supply of food, when they go away, not to return till the cover is lifted up in the spring. Famity PELECANIDA. Suspcenus CYRTOPELICANUS ReEIcHENBACH. PELECANUS ERYTHRORHYNCHOS Gme . 33. American White Pelican. (125) White; occiput and breast, yellow; primaries, their coverts, bastard quills and many secondaries, black ; bill, sac, lores and feet, yellow. Length, about 4 feet; expanse, 7-9; wing, 2; bill, 1 or more; tail, 5, normally 24-feathered. Hazs.—Temperate North America, north in the interior to about Lat. 61, south to Central America; now rare or accidental in the north-eastern States ; abundant in the Middle Province and along the Gulf coast; common on the coast of California and western Mexico. Nest, on the ground or in a low bush near the water. Eggs, one to three, dull white. Early in the month of May, 1864, five of these large, odd-looking birds were observed on Hamilton Bay, and were accorded the atten- 64 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. tion that is usually bestowed upon visitors of this description. John Dynes was the first to give them a salute, and he captured two of their number, one of which came into my possession. The other three remained for a day or two, but were much disturbed, and finally got away. On the 13th of March, 1884, a similar visit was made by a like number, about the time the ice was breaking up. Mr. Smith, who was in charge of the Ocean House at the time, saw them flying heavily up the lake. They seemed much exhausted, and on alighting on the ice near the edge of the water, at once squatted flat, with their heads resting between their shoulders. When two or three rifle bullets were landed uncomfortably near them, they got up reluctantly, and went off eastward down the lake, hugging the shore. for shelter from the wind, which was blowing fresh at the time. Dr. Macallum writes that “on the 28th of September, 1889, a very fine female White Pelican was shot at the mouth of the Grand River, near Dunnville, which came into my hands. There had not. been one shot here for twenty-two years. It was in a very emaciated condition, but in good plumage, and now adorns one of my cases.” So the stragglers are picked up, but the bulk of the species is found to the north and west of Ontario. Macoun found them breed- ing in Old Wives, Gull and Long Lakes in the North-West. It is also. said that several thousands of these birds are permanent residents on Great Salt Lake, Utah, where they breed on the islands twenty miles. out in the lake. , OrpeR ANSERES. lLamenuirostraL Swimmers. Famity ANATIDAX. Ducks, GEESE axp Swans. Supramity MERGIN A. MERGANSERS. Genus MERGANSER Barissoy. MERGANSER AMERICANUS (Cass.). 34. American Merganser. (129) Nostrils, nearly median; frontal feathers reaching beyond those on sides of bill; male with the head scarcely crested, glossy green; back and wings, black and white, latter crossed by one black bar; under parts, salmon-colored ; length, about 24; wing, 11, female smaller, occipital crest better developed, but still flimsy ; head and neck, reddish-brown; black parts of the male, ashy gray ; less. white on the wing; under parts less tinted with salmon. RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. - 65 Hasz.—North America generally, breeding south to the northern United States. Nest, in a hollow tree. It is composed of weeds and moss, and lined with down from the breast of the bird. Eggs, six to eight, buff or dark cream. This is the largest, and by many considered the handsomest, of the three saw-bills which visit us. It is never plentiful, being a bird of the sea coast, but it is usually seen singly, or in pairs, among the flocks of water-fowl which crowd up from the south as soon as the ice begins to move in the lakes and rivers in spring. In the fall they are again observed in company with their young, which at this stage all resemble the female in plumage. The flesh of the saw-bills being fishy, the gunners often allow them to pass when a blue-bill or a red-head would not get off so easily. They are reported from Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton and other | points in Southern Ontario. In the “ Birds of Manitoba,” Macoun says of them: “Breeds here abundantly on the rivers emptying into Lake Winnipegosis, and on all the rivers visited by me in Manitoba. I never observed this bird on still water during the breeding season. They feed only on fish, and are found only on clear running streams where fry are abundant.” They are generally but not equally distributed, being more common at some points than others. They are among the first to arrive when the ice breaks up, and indeed Dr. Macallum mentions that so long as there is open water in the Grand River they will remain all winter. MERGANSER SERRATOR (Lryy.). 35. Red-breasted Merganser. (130) Nostrils, sub-basal; frontal feathers not reaching beyond those on sides of bill; a long, thin, pointed crest in both sexes. Smaller than the last; wing, 8-9; general coloration, sexual difference the same, but the male with the jugulum rich reddish-brown, black-streaked, the sides conspicuously finely waved with black, a white, black-bordered a: in front of the wing, and the wing crossed by two black bars. Has.—Northern portions of northern hemisphere ; soutlr i in winter, through- out the United States. Nest, among the weeds, built of grass, and wanuly lined with down. Eggs, nine or ten, creamy buff. 5 66 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Rather more numerous than the preceding, being often seen in spring and fall in flocks of six or eight, fishing about the mouths of the inlets in Hamilton Bay. This species is common to both continents, and breeds on the rocky islets on many of the inland lochs in the north of Scotland. All the young birds appear for the first season in the plumage of the female, but the male can readily be distinguished by a peculiar bony enlargement in the windpipe, which does not occur in the opposite sex. It is said that in this, and in the preceding species, as soon as the female has completed her set of eggs, the male has the ungallant habit of ignoring all family responsibilities, and leaving the entire care of the youngsters to their mother, who leads them carefully to the water, and gives them their first lesson at a very early age. In Manitoba, Macoun says that the species “breeds on all the northern streams and ponds, féeds largely on vegetable matter, and is quite edible.” In the fall they occur in small flocks along the southern border of Ontario, but none are observed to remain over the winter. Mr. Nelson says, regarding this species: “‘ During the summer of 1881, I found them breeding upon St. Lawrence Island and along the Siberian coast from Plover Bay to Cape North through Behring Strait. On the Alaskan coast they breed everywhere in suitable places, from Sitka to Icy Cape, and perhaps to Point Barrow.” Grnus LOPHODYTES Reicuenspacu. LOPHODYTES CUCULLATUS (Liyy.). 36. Hooded Merganser. (131) Nostrils, sub-basal; frontal feathers, reaching beyond those on sides of bill; a compact, erect, semicircular, laterally compressed crest in the male, smaller Black, including two crescents in and less rounded in the female. Male: front of wing, and bar across speculum; under parts, centre of crest, speculum and stripes on tertials, white; sides, chestnut, black-barred. Length, 18-19; wing, 8. Female-—-Smaller; head and neck, brown; chin, whitish; back and sides, dark brown, the feathers with paler edges; white on the wing less; bill, reddish at base below. Haz.—North America generally, south to Mexico and Cuba, breeding nearly throughout its range. Nest, in a hole in a tree or stump, warmly lined with soft grass, feathers and down. ; Eggs, six to eight, buff or dark cream color. This beautiful little Saw-bill is a regular visitor to Hamilton Bay, where it spends a short time in the beginning of April, before retiring to its more remote breeding grounds. The habit of raising its young in a hole in a tree seems rather a singular one for a bird of this class, but in this retired position the female spends the anxious hours of incubation, beyond the reach of danger to which she might elsewhere be exposed. As soon as the young are old enough to bear transportation, she takes them one after another by the nape of the neck and drops them gently into the 68 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. water. Like the other saw-bills, this species feeds on fish, on account of which its flesh is not considered a delicacy. Such is the record for Southern Ontario, but a change of residence and surroundings may bring about other changes. In the “ Birds of Manitoba,” Macoun says regarding this bird: “Found in all the smaller ponds and lakes, very common in streams around Porcupine Mountain, feeding on vegetable substances, and quite edible, in this respect unlike J. americanus.” Susramity ANATINZE. River Ducks. Genus ANAS Linn£us. ANAS BOSCHAS Liyy.- 37. Mallard. (132) Male:—With the head and upper neck, glossy green, succeeded by a white ring; breast, purplish-chestnut; tail feathers, mostly whitish; greater wing coverts tipped with black and white, the speculum violet; feet, orange red. Female:—With the wing as in the male; head, neck and under parts, pale ochrey, speckled and streaked with dusky. Length, about 24; wing, 10-12. Has.—Northern parts of northern hemisphere; in America, south to Panama and Cuba, breeding southward to the northern border of the United States. Nest, on the ground, built of dry grass, lined with feathers. Kggs, eight to ten, dull drab or olivaceous green. This, the parent of the domestic duck, is an abundant species and widely distributed, but it is found in greatest numbers at certain points, where its food abounds. In Hamilton Bay it occurs sparingly ' during the migratory season, but at Rond Eau, at Long Point on Lake Erie, and on the flats along the River St. Clair it assembles in vast flocks in the fall to feed on the wild rice. At the flats a few pairs remain during summer to rear their young, but the greater number pass farther north. A few years ago Mr. John Bates, whose farm is on the shore of Hamilton Bay, near the waterworks, noticed a female of the species late in the fall associating with his tame ducks. It was shy, and kept away from the house for a time, but as the season advanced and the water froze over, it came into the sheds and remained permanently with the others. In the spring it built a nest in an out-of-the-way place, and in due time came forth followed by a brood of young ones, which in time grew up and bred with the domestic species. BLACK DUCK. . 69 Mr. Bates pointed out to me some of the stock, which he could always recognize by their sitting deeper in the water, by their com- paratively long, slim necks, and by a certain wild look of suspicion and mistrust which clung to them through several generations. Mr. Bates thought the individual referred to had been wounded in the wing, and thus incapacitated for performing the usual journey south. The Mallard is reported breeding abundantly throughout Michigan and Minnesota, while in the North-West Macoun says regarding it: “The most abundant duck of the North-West, breeding in nearly all the marshes north of the boundary.” It has also been observed at Hudson’s Bay, and rarely in Alaska and on the Fur Seal Islands. ANAS OBSCURA GEL. 38. Black Duck. (133) Size of the Mallard, and resembling the female of that species, but darker and without decided white anywhere, except under the wings. Tail, with 16 to 18 feathers. Has.—KEastern North America, west to Utah and Texas, north to Labrador, breeding southward to the northern United States. Nest, on the ground, built of grass, weeds and feathers. Eggs, eight to ten, yellowish drab or buff, shaded with green. Although there are several other ducks darker in color than this species, it is still the “Black Duck” of the gunners all over the continent, and is excelled by no other in the excellence of its flesh. It is not so plentiful throughout Ontario as the Mallard, being rather a bird of the sea coast, frequenting the salt marshes along the coast of Maine, where it breeds abundantly. A few pairs have also been found mating in the marsh along the River St. Clair, but such an occurrence is by no means common. We are told that long ago the Black Duck was a regular visitor to the marshy inlets around Hamilton Bay, but now there is so much to disturb, and so little to attract them, that their visits are few and far between. In the “Birds of Manitoba,” they are spoken of as being very rare, only two specimens having been obtained in ten years. At Hudson’s Bay only rare stragglers have been noticed. 70 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Suscenus CHAULELASMUS Bonaparte. ANAS STREPERA Livy. 39. Gadwall. (135) Ma/le:—With most of the plumage barred or half-ringed with black and white or whitish; middle coverts, chestnut; greater coverts, black; speculum, white, Female:—Known by these wing marks. Length, 19-22; wing, 10-11. Has.—Nearly cosmopolitan. In North America breeds chiefly within the United States. Nest, usually on the ground, sometimes in trees. Eggs, buff or dull cream color. The Gadwall is rare throughout Ontario. When a large mixed lot of ducks is sent down in the fall from any of the shooting stations in the west, a pair or two of this species may sometimes be picked out, but that is all. The pair in my collection were shot in Hamilton Bay many years ago, but since that time I have not heard of any having been obtained there. It is common to both continents, but it is nowhere abundant. The only place I have seen that adjective applied to it is in Macoun’s Annual Report of the Department of the Interior for the year ending December, 1880, page 28, where he says: “ Chaulelasmus streperius, gray, Gadwall, gray duck, abundant throughout the interior.” In the “ Birds of Manitoba,” the same writer says regarding it: “Only one specimen shot on the Assiniboine, September, 1881.” It is mentioned by Dr. Bell as occurring at Hudson’s Bay; in what number is not stated. The male Gadwall is a very handsome bird, much sought after by collectors, the price charged in their lists showing its comparative scarcity. Supgenus MARECA SrTepuHeys. ANAS AMERICANA Gwmet. 40. Baldpate. (137) Bill and feet, grayish-blue; top of head, white, or nearly so, plain or speckled ; its sides and the neck, more or less speckled ; a broad green patch on sides of head; fore breast, light-brownish ; belly, pure white; crissum, abruptly black ; middle and greater coverts, white, the latter black-tipped; speculum, GREEN-WINGED TEAL. 71 green, black bordered. Length, 20-22; wing, 11; tail, 5; tarsus, 2; bill, 14-14; female known by the wing markings. Has.—North America, from the Arctic Ocean south to Guatemala and Cuba. Nest, on the ground in the marsh; it is composed of grass and weeds. It is neatly formed and lined with feathers and down from the breast of the bird. Kiggs, eight to twelve, pale buff. ; Resembles the Gadwall in appearance, but can always be dis- tinguished by the creamy white crown which has suggested for the species the familiar name of “ Baldpate.” It is also more abundant than the Gadwall, being often seen in flocks of fifty to one hundred during the season of migration. It has a wide breeding range throughout the United States and British America. At the St. Clair Flats it has often been seen at midsummer, but so far I have no record of its nest or eggs having been found there. It seems rather tender, and is one of the first to retire to the south in the fall. In the “Birds of Manitoba,” we read regarding this species : «Abundant summer resident, breeding at Lake Manitoba and in all the sloughs in this vicinity. This is the last duck to arrive in the spring and the first to leave in the fall. In 1884, first seen April 16th.”—Nasu. ; It has been observed in Alaska but only in limited numbers, _ arriving there early in May and leaving early in October. Suscenus NETTION Kaup. ANAS CAROLINENSIS Gwetiy. 41. Green-winged Teal. (139) Head and upper neck, chestnut, with a road glossy green band on each side, uniting aud blackening on the nape; under parts, white or whitish, the fore breast with circular black spots; upper parts and flanks closely waved with blackish and white; a white crescent in front of the wing; crissum, black, varied with white or creamy; speculum, rich green, bordered in front with buffy tips of the greater coverts, behind with light tips of secondaries; no blue on the wing; bill, black; feet, gray. Female differs in the head markings, but those of the wing are the same. Small; length, 14-15; wing, 73; tail, 34; bill, 14; tarsus, 14. 2 : Has.—North America, chiefly breeding north of the United States, and migrating south to Honduras and Cuba. Nest, on the ground, built of dried grass, and lined with feathers. Eggs, usually eight, pale dull green or buff. 72 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. In Southern Ontario this dainty little duck is known only as a passing migrant in spring and fall. During the latter season it is much sought after at the shooting stations on account of the delicacy of its flesh. It breeds abundantly throughout Manitoba and the great North-West, and is mentioned among the birds found by Dr. Bell at Hudson’s Bay. Of the two teals common in Ontario, this seems the hardier, breed- ing farther north, and remaining later with us in the fall. In the spring it appears as soon as there is open water in the marshes, and at this season, being very properly protected by the Game Act, it passes on in peace. Of its occurrence in Alaska, Mr. Nelson says: “It is found widely spread and rather.common over the mainland, and it is resident throughout the entire length of the Aleutian Chain. “They are the least suspicious of the ducks, probably because the Eskimo usually consider them too small to waste a charge of powder and shot upon.” Suscenus QUERQUEDULA STEPHENS. ANAS DISCORS Luiyy. 42. Blue-winged Teal. (140) Head and neck of the male, blackish plumbeous, darkest on the crown, usually with purplish iridescence; a white crescent in front of the eye; under parts thickly dark spotted; wing coverts, sky blue, the greater white-tipped ; speculum, green, white-tipped; axillars and most under wing coverts, white; scapulars striped with tawny and blue, or dark green; fore back, barred; rump and tail, dark, plain; crissum, black ; bill, black ; feet, dusky yellow. Female:— With head and neck altogether different ; under parts much paler and obscurely spotted, but known by the wing marks ; size, same as carolinensis. Haz.—North America in general, but chiefly the Eastern Province ; Sethi to Alaska, and south to the West Indies and northern South America; breeds from the northern United States northward. Nest, composed of dry grass and weeds, lined with feathers. Eggs, eight to ten, dull greenish or buff. At Hamilton very few of this species are seen in spring, but in the fall they often appear in flocks of considerable size, and during their short stay afford good sport to the gunners, who wait for them in the evening near their feeding ground. | At St. Clair I have seen them in June, evidently mated, and have SHOVELLER. 73 been told that a few pairs still breed there, though the number of summer residents is small compared with former years. Dr. Macallum reports the same particulars regarding the occur- rence of the species on Mohawk Island. Several couples still nest there, and are seen during the summer with their young, but, com- pared with former years, the numbers are greatly reduced. Early in the fall these are joined by flocks which have bred farther north, and all retire to the south before the Green-winged Teal arrives. The species is very abundant throughout the North-West, where Mr. Macoun found it exceedingly plentiful during the fall of 1880. At Hudson’s Bay it is mentioned as rare by Dr. Bell; and Mr. Nelson says that during the four years he passed at St. Michael’s he failed to see a single individual of this species. In his list of Alaskan birds, Mr. Dall reports it being found sparingly at Fort Yukon and the Yukon mouth. Genus SPATULA Bolter. SPATULA CLYPEATA (Liny.). 43. Shoveller. (142) Bill, much longer than head or foot, widening rapidly to the end, where it is twice as wide as at the base, with very numerous and prominent lamine; head and neck of male, green; fore breast, white; belly, purplish-chestnut; wing coverts, blue; speculum, green, bordered with black and white; some scapulars blue, others green, all white-striped; bill, blackish; feet, red. Female known by bill and wings. Length, 17-21; wing, 94; tail, 3; bill, 23. . Haz.—Northern hemisphere. In North America, breeding from Alaska to Texas; not abundant on the Atlantic coast. Nest, on the ground. Eggs, eight to ten, greenish-gray. An adult male Shoveller procured in the month of May makes a handsome specimen for the cabinet, for there are few of our water- fowl so gaily attired. The large spoonbill somewhat spoils his beauty of proportion, but it serves as a distinguishing mark for individuals of the species, of any age or sex. It is not common in Ontario, but is occasionally found by the gun- ners steering up some sluggish creek, or sifting the mud along its shores. Its flesh being held in high estimation for the table, it is never allowed to get away when it can be stopped. 74 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Dr. Macallum has observed it leading out its young within half a mile of the town of Dunnville. It is reported occurring at all the points of observation in Southern Ontario during the migratory season. In the North-West, Macoun found it breeding abundantly on the prairie ponds and about Pleasant Hills. It is also mentioned by Dr. Bell as breeding in large numbers on Lake Winnipeg. One or two specimens have been found by Turner in Alaska. This species is said to have the widest distribution of any of the duck tribe, being more or less common in every portion of Europe and Asia, except in the extreme north. It occurs in northern and central Africa, is somewhat rare in England, but more common in Scotland. They all leave Ontario in the fall, but in spring return regularly to their old haunts. ae eh i ‘ Genus DAFILA Sreprens. DAFILA ACUTA (Liyy.). 44. Pintail. (143) Tail cuneate, when fully developed the central feathers projecting and nearly equalling the wing; much shorter and not so narrow in the female and young, four to nine inches long; wing, 11; total length, about 24. Bill, black and blue; feet, grayish-blue; head and upper neck, dark brown, with green and purple gloss; sides of neck, with a long white stripe; lower neck and under PINTAIL. 75 parts, white; dorsal line of neck, black, passing into the gray of the back, which, like the sides, is vermiculated with black; speculum, greenish-purple anteriorly bordered by buff tips of the greater coverts, elsewhere by black and white; tertials and scapulars, black and silvery. Female and young:—With the whole head and neck speckled or finely streaked with dark brown, and grayish or yellowish-brown; below, dusky freckled; above blackish, all the feathers pale-edged; only a trace of the speculum between the white or whitish tips of the greater coverts and secondaries. Has.—Northern hemisphere. In North America breeds from the northern parts of the United States northward, and migrates south to Panama and Cuba. Nest, on the ground, in a bunch of tall grass near the water. Eggs, eight to twelve, dull grayish-olive. This is another very handsome member of the duck family which is common in Southern Ontario in spring and fall. According to Mr. Saunders, a few spend the summer and raise their young on St. Clair Flats. : The Pintail is quite common throughout the North-West. Dr. Bell mentions it having been found breeding near Norway House, and Mr. Nelson says: “It is one of the most common, if not the most common, of the ducks which breed along the Alaskan shore of Behring Sea. It is about the first of the water-fowl to commence nesting. The date when the first eggs are laid varies from May 18th to 25th, according to the season. The nest, which is placed in a tussock of grass, is lined with grass, stems and feathers, and is pretty well concealed. The eggs are rather small for the size of the bird, and are pale olive green when fresh. When the young are hatched the parents lead them to the adjacent pool, and they keep in the most secluded parts of the marsh until able to take wing. In the fall the ~ Pintails feed upon the various berries growing on the hill-side till they become extremely fat, and a young bird at this season is the most delicious of the water-fowl found in the north. Toward the end of August they unite in flocks of from five to fifty, and the end of September finds but few remaining of the large numbers seen a few weeks previous.” Genus AIX Bole. AIX SPONSA (Liyy.). 45. Wood Duck. (144) Male :—-Head crested, metallic green and purple; line above and behind the eye, white; throat. white; above, coppery black with a gloss of green and purple; beneath, white; upper part of the breast, chestnut; sides, buffy, very finely variegated with black; the shoulder bordered also with black ; covert and quills with more or fewer tips and shades of white and purple. Female :-— Chestnut of the neck detached and dull; sides, not striped; head and neck, dull; bill, redlish, edges dusky; legs and feet, yellowish; iris, red. Length, 19; extent, 274; wing, 9; tarsus, 14. Has.—Temperate North America, breeding throughout its range. Nest, in a hole im a tree. Eggs, about twelve in number, pale buff slightly tinged with green. This, the most beautiful of all our watef-fowl, is very generally distributed throughout the country, arriving from the south about the time the ice disappears from our lakes and rivers, and retiring early in the fall. Owing to the great beauty of the male, these birds are much sought after by all classes of sportsmen, and are now seldom seen except near the retired ponds and marshes where they breed. Twenty-five years ago I used to see them leading out their young from one of the inlets of the Dundas marsh. They were known at that time to breed near Gage’s inlet also, but of late vears they have WOOD DUCK. 77 been observed only as passing migrants in spring and fall. The Wood Duck has frequently been domesticated, and adds greatly to the interest and beauty of an artificial pond in a pleasure ground. The fact of its nesting in a hole in a tree is one of the interesting points in the history of the Wood Duck, although it is not the only duck with this habit. The hole selected is a natural cavity, a woodpecker’s or squirrel’s hole, or the decayed end of a broken branch. The nest is warmly lined with feathers, and there the female rests in peace during incu- bation, her lord having for the time deserted her society for that of his own sex. If the nest is placed over the water, the young soon after being hatched, scramble up to the edge, spread their little wings and feet and courageously take their first leap in life toward the water. If it is a short distance off, the mother takes the tiny youngsters gently in her bill and drops them carefully on the surface, where for many days she stays with them, directing all their movements. * The Wood Duck, though found in all parts of Ontario, except perhaps in the extreme north, is nowhere abundant throughout the Province. At St. Clair Flats it used to breed in considerable numbers, but of late years has not been so often observed. ‘Throughout the North-West it is mentioned as a rare summer resident, and among the birds of Alaska it does not appear at all. In some of the States to the west of us, in the interior, these ducks are said to be abundant, keeping by themselves in large flocks in the fall, as the Redheads and Bluebills do. Dr. Hatch, in the “ Birds of Minnesota,” says of them: “ Arriving. simultaneously with the other early species, none other braves the last rigors of the departing winter in the closing days of a Minnesota March with greater spirit, and when they come, like the rains in the tropics, they pour in until every pool in the woodlands has been deluged with them. This may sound strangely and exaggerated to ears unfamiliar with the history of bird-life on the borders of civilization, yet such -has heretofore been my personal observation at the very location of our city” (Minneapolis). 78 BIRDS OF ONTARIO, Genus AYTHYA Bok. AYTHYA AMERICANA (Eyt.). 46. Redhead. (146) Bill, dull blue with a black belt at end, broad and depressed, shorter than head (two or less), the nostrils within its basal half; color of head, rich, pure chestnut, with bronzy or red reflections; in the female, plain brown; body anteriorly, rump and tail coverts, black; in the female, dark brown; back, scapulars and sides, plumbeous-white, finely waved with unbroken black lines, less distinct in the female; speculum, bluish-ash. Length, about. 20: wing, 9-10; tarsus, 14-13. Has.—North America, breeding from California and Maine northward. Nest, like that of a coot, composed of broken bits of rushes on a clump of bog, often afloat. Eggs, seven or eight, dull buff or creamy white. The Redhead is one of the most abundant species which visits Lake Ontario, and, judging by the numbers which are sent down from the shooting stations farther west, it seems to be equally so at other points. They are strong, hardy birds, and a heavy charge, skilfully aimed, is necessary to stop them when on the wing. During the past two seasons a flock of 100 to 150 remained in Lake Ontario all winter, about half a mile from the shore, opposite the village of Burlington. The birds spent most of their time at one particular place, sometimes diving, sometimes sitting at rest on the water, and always close together, as if for greater warmth. When the weather moderated in March they shifted about for a few days, and then went off to the north-west, the direction taken by most water-fowl when leaving this part of Ontario in spring. These large flocks of Redheads are somewhat capricious in their movements. They are seldom found more than one or two seasons at one place, having perhaps to “shift the pasture.” They are among the most abundant species at all the shooting stations in ‘Southern Ontario in the fall, and are said to breed abundantly all through the North-West, but are not named as being found at Alaska nor at Hudson’s Bay. They are greatly prized for the table, and are often sold for ‘Canvas-backs, which they resemble in taste and color. CANVAS-BACK—-AMERICAN SCAUP DUCK. 79 AYTHYA VALLISNERIA (Wis). 47. Canvas-back. (147) Similar to the preceding, but bill blackish, high at the base and narrow throughout, not shorter than head (two and a half or more), the nostrils at its middle; head, much obscured with dusky; black waved lines of the back sparse and broken up into dots, the whitish thus predominating. Has.—Nearly all of North America, breeding from the north-western States northward to Alaska. Breeds in the North-West. Nest, on the ground, of grass and weeds lined with feathers. Eggs, six to ten, pale greenish-buff. The Canvas-back occurs with us, occasionally, in limited numbers. It resembles the Redhead in many respects, but can readily be dis- tinguished by its low forehead and by the sooty color of the head and upper part of the neck. Its mode of diving is also peculiar. Before going under the water it throws itself upward and forward, describing a curve as if seeking to gain impetus in the descent, just as boys sometimes do when taking a header off a point not much above the water level. Its reputation as a table duck is very high, but the excellence is attained only when the birds have for some time been feeding on wild celery, of which they are very fond. When that fare is not available they are no better for the table than Redheads or Bluebills. The Canvas-back has been taken at Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, St. Clair Flats, and other points in Southern Ontario, but only as a straggler. It is rare throughout the North-West, but is mentioned by Mr. Dall as breeding abundantly at Fort Yukon, though it had not been observed at any other point in Alaska. Being generally distributed throughout the marshes in the interior through the sum- mer, it gathers in immense flocks along the Atlantic sea coast in winter, especially on Chesapeake Bay, where the much-prized wild celery abounds. Suscenus FULIGULA Srepuens. AYTHYA MARILA NEARCTICA Stes. 48, American Scaup Duck. (148) Male :—With the head, neck and body anteriorly, black, the former with a green gloss; back and sides, whitish, finely waved in zigzag with black; below, and speculum of wing, white; bill, dull blue with black nail; legs, plumbeous. 80 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Female :—W ith the head and anterior parts brown, and other black parts of the male, rather brown; face, pure white. Length, about 20; wing, 9.. Hazs.—North America, breeding far north. Nest, of weeds and dry grass, lined with down, placed on the ground. Eggs, six to ten, grayish-green. This and the next species, which are nearly allied, are the ducks most frequently met in Southern Ontario, where they are known as Bluebills. In the fall they remain in Hamilton Bay till they are frozen out, and in spring, even before the bay is open, they appear out- side on Lake Ontario, and make frequent excursions inward to watch for the moving of ice. In spring many remain in the bay till about the first of May, by which time they seem all to be paired, but I have no record of their having been found breeding, and think it likely that nearly all spend the summer in the north of the Province. This is the larger bird of the two species, and is considered to be somewhat hardier than its little brother. It breeds commonly throughout the North-West and in Alaska. Mr. Nelson says regard- ing it: “Everywhere in suitable locations over all the mainland portions of Alaska this is a common and frequently an abundant summer resident. In the north, as in the south, these birds show a predilection for the larger bodies of water, and at once, after the young are hatched, they are marshalled off to the largest pond in the vicinity.” The big Bluebill is common at all the shooting stations in Southern Ontario, where its large size makes the game-bag heavy, a fact which is duly appreciated by the hunters. AYTHYA AFFINIS (Eyr.). 49. Lesser Scaup Duck. (149) Similar to the preceding, but smaller, about 16; wing, 8; gloss of head chiefly purple; flanks and scapulars less closely waved with black (?) It is very difficult to define this bird specifically, and it may be simply a small southern form; but it appears to preserve its characteristics though constantly asso- ciated with the last. Hazs.—North America in general, breeding chiefly north of the United States, migrating south to Guatemala and the West Indies. Closely resembles the preceding, except in being considerably less in size. Nesting habits and eggs are the same. According to Dr. Coues, this is a southerly bird, not breeding so. RING-NECKED DUCK. 81 far north as the American Scaup Duck, and going farther south in winter. In Southern Ontario it is about equal in abundance with the preceding, with which it is often associated, but it does not leave Hamilton Bay till about the middle of May, which would lead us to suppose that it does not go so far north to breed as some of the others. In Southern Ontario it is the more abundant of the two during migrations. Mr. Saunders mentions that a few breed on the St. Clair Flats, and Dr. Macallum states that some still breed in the marsh near Dunnville. Throughout the North-West it is spoken of by all the observers as an exceedingly abundant summer resident. Macoun says: “Breeding more commonly than the preceding.” In Alaska, Mr. Nelson had heard of it having been obtained at the mouth of the Yukon, and says regarding it: “This record is ex- tremely doubtful, since during my visit to the Yukon mouth in the spring of 1879, and my long residence only sixty miles north of there, not a single example of this bird was obtained or seen, nor did any of my collectors in the various parts of the territory observe or secure it.” It remains in Southern Ontario till the waters are frozen over, when it moves to the south to spend the winter. AYTHYA COLLARIS (Donov.). 50. Ring-necked Duck. (150) Similar to the foregoing, but an orange-brown ring around the neck; specu- lum, gray; back, nearly uniform blackish; bill, black, pale at base and near tip. Female:—With head and neck brown, and no collar, but loral space and chin, whitish, as is a ring around eye; bill, plain dusky. In size, between the two foregoing. Hazs.—North America, breeding far north, and migrating south to Guate- mala and the West Indies. Nest, on the ground, composed of grass, lined with feathers. Eggs, eight to ten, varying from grayish to buff. This handsome little duck is not so common as either of the pre- ceding. While here it resembles the Teal in its habits, preferring marsh to open water, on account of which the gunners have given it the name of Pond Bluebill. In distribution its range is about the same as that of the Blue- 6 82 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. bills. It has not been observed in summer in Southern Ontario, but breeds commonly throughout the North-West. In Alaska, Turner mentions having seen the species at St. Michael’s and on the Aleutian Islands, but in small numbers, and so shy that he was unable to secure a specimen. Gexus GLAUCIONETTA STEJNEGER. GLAUCIONETTA CLANGULA AMERICANA (Bownap.). 51. American Golden-eye. (151) Male:—With the head and upper neck, glossy green, and a white oval or rounded loral spot, not touching the base of the bill throughout; lower neck all round, lower parts, including sides, most of the scapulars, wing coverts and secondaries, white; the white of outer surface of wings, continuous; lining of wings and axillars, dark; most of upper parts, black; no waving on the back or sides; bill, black with pale or yellow end, with nostrils in anterior half; feet, orange; webs, dusky; eyes, yellow; head, uniformly puffy. Female:— With head snuff-brown, and no white patch in front of the eye, and white of wings not always continuous. Length, 16-19; wing, 8-9. : Hazs.—North America, breeding from Maine and the British Provinces northward; in winter, south to Cuba. Nest, in hollow trees; it is made of grass, leaves and moss, lined with down. Eggs, eight to ten, ashy-green. This species is a regular visitor at Hamilton Bay during the spring and fall migrations. While here they do not keep by them- selves, but seek the society of whatever species may be at hand. They are very watchful, and difficult of approach. IZf any one of my readers has ever tried to scull up behind the rushes towards a bunch of Bluebills, among which were one or two Golden-eyes, and suc- ceeded in getting a shot, he has had much better luck than I have had. Frequently, before getting within one hundred yards, I would hear the whistling of the Golden-eyes’ wings, and looking up, see them going off, with the others following. Like many others which are known in Southern Ontario only as visitors in spring and fall, the Golden-eyes breed in suitable places throughout the North-West Territory. Dr. Bell mentions their breeding near Norway House, on Hudson's Bay, and Mr. Nelson says: “In the Aleutian Islands this bird is a winter resident, as observed by Mr. Dall. The same author also reports it as being always one of the first arrivals along the Yukon.” At the shooting stations in Southern Ontario it is not abundant, but BARROW’S GOLDEN-EYE. 838 at certain points, where the favorite mussels are obtained, it is more . common. Dr. Macallum mentions the mouth of the Grand River, near Dunnville, as one of the resorts where these birds assemble in great numbers, and remain till frozen out. sLAUCIONETTA ISLANDICA (Gm.). 52. Barrow’s Golden-eye. (152) Very similar to the preceding, differing chiefly in being larger in size; gloss of the head, purple and violet; loral spot, larger; white on the wing divided by a dark bar; feathers on the hind head lengthened into a crest; bill blotched with red. Length, 19-22; wing, 9-10. The female can probably not be distin- guished from the preceding. Has.—Northern North America, south in winter to New York, Illinois and Utah; breeding from the Gulf of St. Lawrence northward, and south in the Rocky Mountains to Colorado. Nest and eggs, like the preceding. Dr. Garnier, who resides at Lucknow, a little to the east of Lake Huron, reports the finding of this species occasionally in winter in the inlets along the lake shore. The Doctor, who is not entirely in harmony with the modern school of ornithologists, thinks this a case of unnecessary subdivision. At all events, he claims to have found both forms, and he is likely correct, for the present species is found on Lake Michigan, which is within easy reach of the point to which the Doctor reters. It was also taken at Toronto, by Mr. C. Pickering, on the 18th of April, 1885; and at Hamilton I am aware of three being obtained, one of which came into my possession. They may, however, be more common than we are aware, for the hunters do not trouble the Whistlewings if anything more suitable for the table is in view. In the “Birds of the North-West,” Dr. Coues says: “ Barrow’s Golden-eye, upon which some doubt has been cast by myself among others, appears, nevertheless, to be a valid species, the differences pointed out in the Key and in other works being apparently constant as well as appreciable ; and there being, moreover, certain anatomical peculiarities in the form of the skull, of which I have only lately become aware.” “Originally described in 1788, it was subsequently re-named and. figured in, 1831. The species was ignored by Audubon, who mistook it for the summer plumage of the common Golden-eye. It is the most northerly species of the genus, having apparently a circumpolar dis- 84 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. -tribution, breeding only (1) in high latitudes, and penetrating but a limited distance south in winter. Its claim to a place in the present connection rests upon its occurrence in the Rocky Mountains as far south as Utah, where it was procured by Mr. H. W. Henshaw ; on the eastern coast it occurs as far south in winter as New York.” Mr. Edwin Carter was the first to find the nest and eggs of this species. He met with them in the mountains of Colorado in 1876. Dr. Bell mentions its occurrence at Hudson’s Bay, and it has been obtained in Manitoba, but only as a rare straggler. Genus CHARITONETTA STEJNEGER. CHARITONETTA ALBEOLA (Liyy.). 53. Buffle-headed Duck. (153) Somewhat similar to the clangula americana in color, but male with the head particularly puffy, of varied rich iridescence, with a large white auricular patch confluent with its fellow on the nape; small. Length, 14-16; wing, 6-7; bill, 1, with nostrils in its basal half. /Fema/-:—Still smaller, an insignificant looking duck, with head scarcely puffy, dark gray, with traces of the white auricular patch. Has.—North America, south in winter to Cuba and Mexico. Breeds from Maine northward, through the fur countries and Alaska. Dr. Coues (Birds N.-W., 575) describes the nest of this duck placed in the hollow of a dead tree, and composed of feathers. The eggs, from six to fourteen in number, are described as varying from buff to a creamy-white or grayish-olive color. The Buftle-heads are common at all the shooting stations in South- ern Ontario in spring and fall, but owing to their small size they are not much sought after. The male in full spring dress is a very hand- some little fellow, and, like many other animals of diminutive propor- tions, seems to feel himself as big as any of those about him. I have in my collection a young male of this species of a uniform cream color, which was shot in Hamilton Bay a few years ago. Mr. Saunders mentions that a few pairs breed at St. Clair Flats. Throughout the North-West their distribution seems to be somewhat irregular. Macoun says of them: “Abundant in the ponds in the autumn, not seen in the prairie regions.” While Thompson, writing from Carberry, says: “Common summer resident, breediny also at west slope of Duck Mountain, Portage la Prairie.” From Alaska, the reports are similar. Nelson says: ‘“ Bischoff found it at Sitka, and at the Yukon mouth Dall notes them as OLD SQUAW; LONG-TAILED DUCK. 85 abundant, and probably breeding. During my visit to the latter point, extending through the latter half of May and the first half of June, not a single individual of this species was seen, nor was it found by me along the coast farther to the north.” Dr. Hatch, in his report on the birds of Minnesota, says of the Buffle-head : ‘‘Such has been my confidence that to a limited extent they breed here, that I have left no opportunity unimproved to discover the final proof by the finding of a veritable nest. But for this testimony I must still wait, notwithstanding the oft-repeated assurances of several persons that they have found them. In one instance my hopes had been nearly realized, when I found the nest to be that of the Wood Duck.” In Southern Ontario they are among the first to arrive in spring and the last to leave in the fall, being apparently quite hardy and able to stand the cold. Genus CLANGULA Leacu. CLANGULA HYEMALIS (Liyy.). 54. Old Squaw; Long-tailed Duck. (154) Tail, of fourteen narrow pointed feathers, in the male in summer the central ones very slender and much elongated, nearly or quite equalling the wing; nail of bill occupying the whole tip; seasonal changes remarkable. Male, in sum- mer:—With the back and the long narrowly lanceolate scapulars varied with reddish-brown, wanting in winter, when this color is exchanged for pearly-gray or white; general color, blackish or very dark brown; below from the breast abruptly, white; no white on the wing; sides of head, plumbeous-gray; in 86 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. winter, the head, neck and body anteriorly, white, but the gray cheek patch persistent, and a large dark patch below this; bill, at all seasons, black, broadly orange barred. Female:—Without lengthened scapulars or tail feathers; the bill, dusky greenish, and otherwise different; but recognized by presence of head and neck patches, and absence of white on the wing. Length, 15-20 or more, according to tail; wing, 8-9. Haz.—Northern hemisphere, in North America south to the Potomac and the Ohio; breeds far northward. Nest, on the ground. Eggs, six or seven, drab color, shaded with green. Vast numbers of “cowheens” (as these birds are called here) spend the winter in Lake Ontario, out on the deep water away from the shore. Even there they are not free from danger, for great numbers get entangled in the gill nets. Passing along the beach in winter, strings of drowned, draggled cowheens may be seen dangling from the clothes lines about the fishermen’s outhouses. I have frequently heard the fishermen, when trying to force a sale, declare positively, that if buried in the earth for twenty-four hours before being pre- pared for the table, these birds are excellent eating. Notwithstand- ing this assertion, the supply still keeps ahead of the demand, and numbers are turned over to the pigs, a sorrowful end for the beau- tiful, lively Clangula hyemalas. This species frequents the northern shores of both continents, making its summer home in the Arctic regions, where, among the tall grass by the margins of retired lakes and ponds, the nests are found in great numbers. Nelson says, regarding its place among the birds of Alaska: “The Old Squaw is the first duck to reach high northern latitudes in spring, and along the Alaskan coast of Behring Sea is one of the most abundant species during the summer. The seal hunters find them in open spaces in the ice off St. Michael’s, from the lst to the 20th April, but the first open water near the shore is sure to attract them. In the fall they retreat before the ice, and by the 15th or 20th October they are either on their way south or well out to sea.” / “During the pairing season the males have a rich, musical note, frequently repeated in deep, reed-like tones. Amid the general chorus of water-fowl which is heard at this season, the notes of the Old Squaw are so harmonious that the fur-traders of the upper Yukon have christened him the Organ Duck, a well-merited name. I have frequently stopped and listened with deep pleasure to these harmonious tones while traversing the broad marshes in the dim twilight at midnight, and while passing a lonely month on the dreary HARLEQUIN DUCK. 87 banks of the Yukon delta I lay in my blankets many hours at night, and listened to these rhythmical sounds which, with a few exceptions, were the only ones to break the silence.” This cry is very familiar to all who have occasion to be near the shores of Hamilton Bay in spring. Here the birds assemble in large flocks, before leaving for the north, and when this cry is started and kept up with spirit by each member of the flock, the concert is heard a long way off, and is a subject of wonder to all who hear it for the first time. The note consists of five syllables often repeated, and is variously translated in different regions. Along the shores of the north of Scotland, where large bands of the birds spend the winter, it is said to call for two articles which are indispensable during the long, dark nights of this dreary season : “Coal and can’le licht, coal and can’le licht.” Gexus HISTRIONICUS Lesson. HISTRIONICUS HISTRIONICUS (Lryy.). 55. Harlequin Duck. (155) Bill, very small and short, tapering to the tip, which is wholly occupied by the nail, and with a membraneous lobe at its base; tertiaries, curly; plumage, singularly patched with different colors. Male:—Deep bluish lead color, browner below; sides of the head and of the body posteriorly, chestnut; coronal stripe and tail, black; a white patch at the base of the bill and another on the side of the occiput, of breast and of tail, two transverse ones on side of neck forming a nearly complete ring, and several on the wings; a white jugular collar; speculum, violet and purple. Female.—Dark brown, paler below, a white patch on auriculars and before the eye. Length, 15-18 inches; wing, 8 ; bill, 1. Hap.—Northern North America, breeding from Newfoundland, the Rocky Mountains, and the Sierra Nevada northward; south in winter to the Middle States and California. Nest, composed of weeds and grass, lined with down from the breast of the owner; it is sometimes placed in a hollow tree or stump, more frequently on the ground, not far from the water. Eggs, six to eight, pale green shaded with buff. The Harlequin is found on the northern shores of Europe, Asia and North America. On the last named continent, it breeds spar- ingly in Maine and in the North-West as far as Alaska. It has also been found in the northern Rocky Mountains and in the Sierra Nevada. In winter it descends to the Middle States and California. With these facts before us, we naturally expect to hear of the 88 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. species having been seen occasionally in Ontario, but of such oceur- ences the records are very few. William Loane, of Toronto, reports having killed a pair near that city in the spring of 1865, and in the fall of 1881 he killed another, a female, which is now in the rooms of the Toronto Gun Club. One of the residents on the beach, near Hamilton, told me some years ago that he had seen a pair there in spring. The male in full plumage was correctly described by my informant, and spoken of as the most “dapper little drake” he had ever seen. The name Harlequin is suggested by the peculiar markings on the head of the male, which are supposed to resemble those often assumed by the clown in a circus. In the eighth volume of the bulletin of the Nuttal Club, Dr. Merriam gives the following summary of the bird’s breeding range : “In Siberia it is known to breed about Lake Baikal and in the Bureza Mountains (Radde), in Mantchuria, and at various points in the great Stanowi Range (von Niddendorf), about the upper Amoor (von Schreuck) and in Kamtschatka. On the American continent it has been found breeding along the tributaries of the Yukon in Alaska (Dall), in the interior of the fur countries and about Hudson’s Bay (Richardson), on the fresh-water ponds in Labrador (Audubon), and in the Rocky Mountains within the limits of the United States (Coues). It also nests in Greenland, Iceland and Newfoundland.” In all these places, and wherever else it appears, it is regarded as very rare. Genus SOMATERIA Leacu. Suscexus SOMATERIA. SOMATERIA DRESSERI Suarper. 56. American Eider. (160) Bill, with long club-shaped frontal processes extending in a line with the culmen upon the sides of the forehead, divided by a broad feathered interspace. Male :—In breeding attire, white, creamy-tinted on breast and washed with green on the head; under parts from the breast, lower back, rump, tail, quills, and large forked patch on the crown, black. Female :—-With the bill less developed, general plumage an extremely variable shade of reddish-brown or ochrey-brown, speckled, mottled and barred with darker; male in certain stages resembling female. Length, about 2 feet; wing, 11-12 inches. Has.—Atlantic coast of North America, from Maine to northern Labrador, south in winter to the Delaware. KING EIDER. ‘89 Nest, on the ground, composed of dry grass, moss and sea weed, lined with down and feathers. Eggs, six to ten, drab, tinged with green. The Eider Duck is essentially a bird of the sea coast, breeding abundantly along the shores of Newfoundland and Labrador. Its visits to our inland waters are made during the season of migration, when the movements of all migratory birds are considerably affected by the prevailing winds. On Lake Ontario it is a casual visitor in winter, but is seldom, if ever, seen there in mature plumage. The one in my collection is a young male in the garb of the female. I shot it from the pier of the canal at the entrance to Hamilton Bay a few years ago. They were seen occasionally all that winter, but they were known to be “fishy,” and as there is nothing attractive in their dress they were not much disturbed, although they allowed a nearer approach than other water-fowl are disposed to do. On the 7th November, 1889, Mr. George R. White captured a young male of this species on the river near Ottawa. It was in the plumage of the female. Mr. William Cross obtained a specimen which was shot at the island near Toronto on December 6th, 1890. Mr. Frazer found the Eider Duck breeding on the small islands along the coast of Labrador. The nest was built in a hollow among the soft short grass, or at the foot of a rock where it was sheltered from the wind. It was composed of grass and lined with slate- colored down from the breast of the bird. SOMATERIA SPECTABILIS (Lrys.). 57. King Eider. (162) Adult, male :—Bill, pale yellow; at the base of the upper mandible is a compressed gibbous substance of a bright orange color, the front covered with short black feathers, the sides margined with the same color, the feathers extending back in a point nearly to the eye; head, bluish-gray, darkest behind ; cheeks, shaded with sea green, a spot of black below the eye; on the throat, two lines of black forming an inverted V; middle of neck, white; lower neck and forepart of the breast, buff; lower plumage, blackish; a large spot of white on either side of the rump; posteriorly, black; wings and tail, brown, the former broadly marked with white. When in full plumage the secondaries curve over the primaries. Length, 25 inches. Young :-—Dark brown, many feathers on the neck margined with white; gibbous substance on the bill searcely perceptible. Mematle :—Much like the common Eider, the shape of the 90 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. bill being the principal point of difference. Of circumpolar distribution, bree:- ing abundantly on the shores of the Arctic seas; in winter, south on the west. coast to the Aleutian Islands in great numbers. On the east, south irregularly as far as New York. Nest, a depression in the ground lined entirely with down. figgs, usually six, gravish-green. This is a royal visitor from the north whom we are pleased to welcome, though he rarely comes in his royal robes. Nearly all of those found in Ontario are in immature plumage. In this garb Eider Ducks have occasionally been seen near Toronto and Hamilton during the winter, but they all looked so much alike that it was only after a close examination that many of them were found to be the young of the King Eider. On the 25th November, 1889, Mr. Cross reports having obtained a fine male in summer plumage which was shot in Toronto Bay. There must have been something irregular about this specimen, for Mr. Murdoch and others, who have seen them in the summer, report that as soon as the breeding season is over the male loses the gay, light-colored plumage, and assumes a plain brown dress similar to that of the female, the change in the majority of cases taking place in September. The species is reported from Lake Erie by Dr. Wheaton, of Columbus, and also by Dr. Bergtold, of Buffalo, but neither mentions in what dress it appeared. Mr. Murdoch names this as the most abundant bird at Point Barrow, where it appears in enormous numbers during the season of migration. Very few remain there to breed, the great bulk of the species going along the coast to the eastward of the Point, where they settle down early in May. Grexus OIDEMIA FLemina. StuspceEnus OIDEMITA. OIDEMIA AMERICANA (Sw. & Ricu.). 58. American Scoter. (163) Plumage of male, entirely black; bill, black; the gibbosity, orange. Female :—Sooty-brown, paler below; on the belly, grayish-white, speckled with dusky; waved with dusky on the sides and flanks: throat and sides of the head, mostly whitish; feet, livid-olive; webs, black. Length, 22 to 24 inches y female, 18 to 20 inches. AMERICAN SCOTER. 91 Has.—Coasts and larger lakes of northern North America. Breeds in Lab- rador and the northern interior. South in winter to New Jersey, the Great Lakes and California. Nest, in a hollow in the ground near the water. It is lined with coarse grass, feathers and down. Eggs, six to eight, pale brownish-buff. This is one of the sea ducks whose home is in the north, and its line of migration being mostly along the sea coast, its visits to the inland waters are only accidental. The specimen in my collection was obtained at the west end of Lake Ontario, where the species is. often seen in the fall, in company with others of its class. Being undesirable either for use or ornament, jt is allowed to spend the time of its visit here in peace. Mr. White reports it as a regular visitor at Ottawa, where it appears singly, or in small numbers, in the fall. Dr. Bergtold also mentions its being found in Lake Erie near Buffalo. Mr. E. W. Nelson, speaking of these birds in Alaska, where they breed in great numbers, says : “At St. Michael’s these ducks are never seen in spring until the ice begins to break off shore and the marshes are dotted with pools of open water. May 16th is the earliest date of arrival I recorded. Toward the end of this month they leave the leads in the ice and are found in abundance among the salt and fresh water ponds in the great marshes, from the Yukon mouth north and south. The mating is quickly accomplished, and a nesting site chosen on the border of some pond. The spot is artfully hidden in the standing grass, and the eggs, if left by the parent, are carefully covered with grass and moss. As the set of eggs is completed, the male gradually loses. interest in the female, and soon deserts her to join great flocks of his kind along the sea shore, usually keeping in the vicinity of a bay, inlet, or the mouth of some large stream. These flocks are formed early in June and continue to grow larger until the fall migration occurs. The numbers gradually decrease until the 10th to the 15th of October, when all have gone south. Until the young are about half grown, the female usually keeps them in some large pond near the nesting place, but as August passes they gradually work their way to the coast, and are found about the shores and inner bays until able to fly. They do not at any time ascend rivers, preferring to keep near the sea shore.” 92 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. ‘Suscenus MELANITTA Bore. OIDEMIA DEGLANDI Bownap. 59. White-winged Scoter. (165) Male:—With a large patch of white on the wing and another under the eye; feet, orange-red, with dusky webs; bill, black, broadly tipped with orange. Female:—Sooty-brown, grayish below; whitish about the head; speculum, white. Length, 24 to 26 inches; female, 20 to 22 inches. : Has.—Northern North America; breeding in Labrador and the fur countries; south in winter to the Middle States, southern Illinois and southern California. Audubon found this species breeding in Labrador. The nests were built by the side of small lakes, two or three miles distant from the sea, and usually placed under low bushes. They were formed of twigs, mosses and various plants matted together, and were large and almost flat, several inches thick, and lined with feathers. Eggs, usually six, pale buff, clouded with green. This is the most numerous of the three Scoters which are found in Ontario, for it seems more partial to the inland waters than either of the others. : In spring and fall it is common on all the large lakes, and it is reported at Buffalo, Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto, Hamilton, ete. They are large, heavy birds, and their jet-black color makes them look larger than they really are. When moving about from one place to another, they fly heavily, at no great height above the water. They have not the restless habits of some other species, and if left undisturbed, will remain for days together feeding near the same spot. At Hamilton Bay they are regular visitors, appearing toward the end of April, and remaining for two or three weeks. Very soon after their arrival, they are affected by some malady which results in many of their number being washed ‘up dead on the shore. These birds are in fine plumage and excellent condition, but that does not save them. ‘Whether they bring the seeds of disease with them when they come, or whether the emptying of the city sewage and refuse from the oil refineries into the bay has anything to do with their trouble, has not yet been determined. In the spring of the present year (1893), this disease prevailed to as great an extent as formerly, so many as six bodies being observed in a walk of half a mile along the shore. Mr. Nelson saw very few of this species in Alaska, but they breed abundantly on the lower Anderson River. They have also been observed in summer on Lake Winnipeg and other lakes in Manitoba, where they were supposed to be breeding. SURF SCOTER. 93 Suncenus PELIONETTA Kavp. OIDEMIA PERSPICILLATA (Liny.). 60. Surf Scoter. (166) Bill, narrowly encroached upon by the frontal feathers, on the culmen, nearly or quite to the nostril, but not at all upon its sides; about as long-as the head, with nail narrowed anteriorly. The swelling lateral as well as superior, nostrils beyond its middle. Bill of male, orange-red, whitish on the sides, with a large circular black base; plumage, black, with a patch of white on the fore- head, and another on the nape; none on the wing. Female:—Smaller; bill, black; feet, dark, tinged with reddish; webs, black; plumage, sooty-brown ; below, silvery-gray ; whitish patches on each side of the head. Length, 22 to 24 inches; female, 20 to 22 inches. Has.—Coasts and larger inland waters of northern North America. South in winter to the Carolinas, Ohio River and Lower California. Audubon observed this species breeding in Labrador. He found a nest in a fresh-water marsh, among the tall grass and weeds. It was composed entirely of withered weeds, lined with the down of the birds, and contained five eggs of a pale yellowish or cream color. This handsome Scoter visits the waters of Ontario in spring and fall, where it is observed in limited numbers in company with the white-winged species, which it resembles in its habits, the clear white patches in marked contrast to the deep black of the plumage serving, even at a distance, to mark its presence in a flock. It is never numerous, though more frequently seen than the black Scoter ; and has been observed at Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa and along the sea coast. It breeds in immense numbers in the north, and judging from the fact of so few being seen elsewhere, it is probable that the bulk of the species remain there over the winter. ; Mr. Nelson, in his “ Birds of Alaska,” says regarding this species: “During the summer of 1881 I found them common about the head of Norton Sound, on both shores of Behring Strait, and in Kotzebue Sound. Although I did not find these birds nesting commonly near St. Michael’s, yet from about the first of July until autumn, immense flocks of males frequented the shores of St. Michael’s and the adjoin- ing Stewart Island. The seaward shores formed the ordinary haunts of these birds until the approach of a gale forced them to seek the lee of the islands or the sheltering bays. From the fact that these flocks are formed exclusively of males, it is evident that the females assume the duties of incubating the eggs and rearing the young. “‘The main breeding ground of this species remains unknown to me, for, although females and young were not rare in summer, they 94 BIRDS OF ONTARIO, were never numerous enough to account for the vast numbers of males to be found. “On August 23rd, 1878, I visited Stewart Island, about ten miles to the seaward of St. Michael’s. As I neared the island in my kyak, I found the water literally black with the males of this species, which were united in an enormous flock, forming a continuous band around the outer end of the island for a distance of about ten miles in length, and from one-half to three-fourths of a inile in width. As the boat approached them, those nearest began to rise heavily by aid of wings and feet from the glassy surface of the undulating but calm water. The first to rise communicated the alarm to those beyond, until as far as could be seen the water was covered with flapping. wings, and the air filled with a roar like that of a cataract. The rapid vibration produced in the air by tens of thousands of wings could be plainly felt. “Tn all my northern experience among the water-fowl which flock there in summer, I never saw any approach to the number of large birds gathered here in one flock, nor shall I soon forget the grand effect produced by this enormous body of birds as they took wing and swept out to sea in a great black cloud, and settled again a mile or so away.” Gexues ERISMATURA Bonap. ERISMATURA RUBIDA (Wits.). 61. Ruddy- Duck. (167) Male in gull plumage:—Bill, slaty-blue; the nail, black ; neck all round and the upper parts, bright chestnut; the lower parts, silky white, watered with dusky ; chin and sides of the head, white; the crown and nape, black. Female:— Brown above, finely dotted and waved with dusky; paler and duller below, with sometimes a slight tawny tinge, which also occurs on the side of the head. Length, 14-17; wing, 5-6; tarsus, 1}. Has.—Northern North America, generally breeding throughout its range. Nest, on the bog near the water. Eggs, five to ten; grayish-white. Mr. Shields writes from Los Angeles, California, that it breeds there abundantly. preferring the abandoned nest of a coot to one of its own making. The Ruddy Duck is very generally distributed throughout Ontario, but, except near its breeding places, it appears only as a visitor in spring and fall. At the St. Clair Flats, I have seen it in summer, and have been told that a few pairs breed there every season. The GREATER SNOW GOOSE. 95 greatest number I ever saw at one place was in a fisherman’s wagon in the Hamilton market. It was early in May. A large flock, composed chiefly of males and numbering about 150, had become entangled in the gill nets, and been drowned in Lake Ontario, where they had tarried for rest and refreshment. The fishermen, main- taining that all is fish which comes into the net, tried to make the most of their “haul.” But, although the birds attracted a good deal of notice on account of their being strangers and richly dressed, they did not meet with a ready sale. Throughout Ontario they are found at all suitable places, and Dr. Bell, of the Geological Stuvey, reports one being shot at York Factory, where it was considered rare, because their breeding places are usually farther south. , Dr. Coues found them nesting in Dakota and Montana, and they have even been known to breed in Cuba, West Indies. As divers, they have no equal among the ducks; and they also have the power of suddenly sinking backward, forward, or sideways, after the manner of the Grebes, without disturbing the surface to any extent. They can remain a long time under water, and a chase after a wounded one is a hopeless task. The eye is placed high in the head, the lower plumage is stiff and glossy, and the tail is black, short and rounded, the feathers being very stiff and narrow. When not in use it is carried erect, giving the bird a very spirited look when seen amongst others which carry their tails horizontally. SupramMIty ANSERIN_A Geese. GrENus CHEN Born. CHEN HYPERBOREA NIVALIS (Forst.). 62. Greater Snow Goose. (1691) Bill, with laminz very prominent, owing to arching of the edges of the bill; adult plumage, pure white, the head often washed with rusty red; primaries, broadly tipped with black; bill, lake-red, with white nail; feet, the same; claws, dark. ‘* Young:—Dull bluish or pale lead color on the head and upper part of the body.”—Cassin. Length, about 30 inches; wing, 17 to 19; tail, 54 to 6; bill, 24; tarsus, 34. Has.—North America; breeding far north, and inigrating south in winter, chiefly along the Pacific coast, reaching Cuba. Eggs, five to eight, yellowish-white. 96 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. In Ontario the Snow Goose can only be regarded as a casual visitor during the season of migration, for its summer home, accord- ing to Dr. Bell, is “still to the north of the regions known to the Eskimo,” whence it retires to the south at the approach of winter. It is seen at different points in this province during spring and fall, but as there are seldom more than two or three together, they are regarded as stragglers from the main body, whose line of migration is along the Mississippi or the Pacific coast. The specimen in my collection was: killed at the Beach, in the month of December, a few years ago, while making its way toward the open water in Lake Ontario. Dr. Macallum, speaking of the occurrence of this species at Dunn- ville, says: “The Greater Snow Goose is often seen here in small ‘flocks in the fall, when they frequent fall-wheat fields near the lake, often in company with the Canada Geese. I have three specimens in my collection taken here, two of which came up to farmers’ barns with the tame ducks and were domesticated.” Sir John Richardson, in the Fauna Boreali Americana after ioting the abundance of these birds, continues: “The eggs, of a yellowish-white color, and regularly ovate form, are a little larger than those of an Eider Duck, their length being three inches and their greatest breadth two. The young fly in August, and by the middle of September all have departed southward. “The Snow Goose feeds on rushes, insects and, in autumn, on berries, particularly those of the empetrum nigrum. When well fed it is a very excellent bird, far superior to the Canada Goose in juiciness and flavor. It is said that the young do not attain their full plumage before the fourth year, and until that period they appear to keep in separate flocks. They are numerous at Albany Fort, in the southern part of Hudson’s Bay, where the old birds are rarely seen, and, on the other hand, the old birds in their migrations visit York Factory in great abundance, but are seldom accompanied by the young.” A ‘ Samples of the eggs in the Smithsonian Institute agree exactly with the above description, but show the usual variation in size, some being noticeably less than three inches in length by over two in breadth. The occurrence of one specimen of the Lesser Snow Goose (Chen hyperborea) is reported by Mr. W. E. Saunders. AMERICAN WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. 97 Genus ANSER Brisson. .ANSER ALBIFRONS GAMBELI (Hartt.). 63. American White-fronted Goose. (171a) Tail, ‘normally of sixteen feathers; bill, smooth, the lamine moderately exposed. Advit:—Bill, pink, pale lake or carmine; nails, white; feet, yellow; claws, white. A white band along base of upper mandible, bordered behind by blackish ; upper tail coverts, white; under parts, whitish, blotched with black ; sides of the rump and crissum, white; head and neck, grayish-brown, shading lighter as it joins the breast; back, dark gray, the feathers tipped with brown; greater coverts and secondaries, bordered with whitish; primaries and coverts, ' edged and tipped with white; shaft of quills, white. Young:—Prevailing color, brown ; no white on the forehead, which is darker than the rest of the head; no black on under parts. Length, about 27 inches; wing, 16; tail, 5; tarsus, 2.75. Haz.—North America; south to Cuba and Mexico. Nest, a depression in the sand, lined with hay, feathers and down. Eggs, six or seven, smooth, dull yellowish, with an olive shade, marked in places with a darker tint. This, like the preceding species, is only a casual visitor in Ontario, the vast flocks which annually leave their breeding grounds in the north at the approach of winter evidently preferring to make their journey along the western coast rather than by the Atlantic or through the interior. Stragglers have been observed at the various shooting stations, where they are considered rare. The specimen in my collection was shot at the St. Clair Flats, and is an immature male. Speaking of this species in the “ Birds of Alaska,” Nelson says : “Tn early seasons the first White-fronted Goose reaches St. Michael’s about April 27th, but the usual time is from the 5th to the 8th of May. From about the 10th of May they are very common, and remain to breed in considerable numbers all along the Alaskan shore of Behring Sea and on the Arctic coast of Point Barrow, where they are plentiful, arriving the latter half of May.” “During the summer of 1881, a number were found breeding upon St. Lawrence Island, and they also nest on the Siberian shore in the vicinity of Behring Strait. “During the migrations, they occur at various points along the Aleutian chain, but are not known to breed there. Dall found their eggs all along the Yukon, from Fort Yukon to the sea, and it is well known as a widely spread species, breeding all around the Arctic mainland portions of America.” 7 98 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. “ All through September, old and young, which have been on the wing since August, gather in larger flocks, and as the sharp frosts toward the end of September warn them of approaching winter, com- mence moving south. The marshes resound with their cries, and after some days of chattering, flying back and forth, and a general bustle, they suddenly start off in considerable flocks, and the few laggards which remain get away by the 7th or 8th of October,” return again late in April or early in May, according to the season. Genus BRANTA Scopott. BRANTA CANADENSIS (Liny.). 64. Canada Goose; Wild Goose. (172) Tail, normally, eighteen feathered. Grayish-brown, below paler or whitish- gray, bleaching on the crissum, all the feathers with lighter edges ; head and neck, black, with a broad white patch on the throat mounting each side of the head; tail, black, with white upper coverts. Length, about 36; wing, 18-20; tail, 64-74; bill, 12-2; tarsus, usually over 3. Has.—The whole of North America, breeding in the United States, as aed as further north. Accidental in Europe. Nests, usually a hollow in the sand, lined with down, and a few sticks round the outer edge. In. the ‘‘Birds of the North-West,” Dr. Coues makes mention of their breeding in trees in the upper Missouri and Yellowstone regions, carrying their young to the water in their bill. Eggs, five, pale dull green. The Canada Goose is the most abundant and best known of its class in Ontario. arly in April the A-shaped flocks are seen passing on to their breeding grounds in the North-West, led by an experienced gander, whose well-known call is welcomed by the Canadian people as the harbinger of spring. It is associated with the return of warmer days, and the passing away of the ice which for so many months has held everything under control.’ In former years the flocks used sometimes to settle in Hamilton Bay, and similar places on their route, for rest and refreshments ; but now their haunts have been invaded by trolley cars, electric lights, telegraph wires and other innovations, which cause them to fly high and to pass on with fewer stoppages. Their return in the fall is eagerly watched for at the shooting stations; but so acute is their sense of hearing, and so careful are CANADA GOOSE; WILD GOOSE. 99 they in-the selection of a resting place, that only a very few are obtained. _Dr. Bell, of the, Geological Survey of Canada, who is well ac- quainted. with our native birds, and has furnished much valuable information regarding their habits in the different regions he has visited, says of this species: “The southern limit of the ordinary breeding ground of the Canada Goose runs north-westward. across the continent from the Maritime Provinces to the valley of the McKenzie. I have met with them breeding in considerable numbers in the interior of Newfoundland, but in the same latitude, between the Great Lakes and James’ Bay, only chance pairs lag behind in their north- ward flight to hatch their broods. They also breed on the islands along the east coast of Hudson’s Bay. To the westward of the bay they are first met with, raising their young on the lower part of Churchill River. To the eastward it is said that very few Canada Geese breed northward of Hudson’s Strait.” In these remote regions they no doubt enjoy the quiet which is necessary to the raising of their young. Farther south, while on their migratory journeys, they are subjected to continual persecution, which has trained them to be extremely vigilant; and when feeding or reposing on the water, sentinels are placed on the outskirts of the flock, who at once spread the alarm on the slightest appearance of danger. “So acute,” says Audubon, “is their sense of hearing, that they are able to distinguish the different sounds or footsteps of their friends or foes with astonishing accuracy. Thus the breaking of a stick by a deer is distinguished from the same accident occasioned by a man. Ifa dozen large turtles drop into the water making a great noise in their fall, or if the same effect has been produced by an alligator, the wild goose pays no regard to it; but however faint and distant may be the sound of an Indian paddle that may by accident have struck the side of the canoe, it is at once marked. Every individual raises its head and looks intently towards the place from which the noise has proceeded, and in silence all watch the move- ments of the enemy.” 100 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. BRANTA CANADENSIS HUTCHINSII Sw. & Rica. 65. Hutchin’s Goose. (172a) Tail, of sixteen feathers; colors, exactly as in the Canada Goose but size less. Length, about 30 inches; wing, 15-17; tail, 5-6; bill, 14-14. Haz.—North America. Breeds in the Arctic regions, south in winter to Mexico. Nest, usually a depression in the sandy beach, lined with leaves,’ grass, feathers and down. Inthe Anderson River region, the eggs of this species have ‘been taken from the deserted nests of crows and hawks. Eggs, white, four to six, laid in June or July. This is apparently a small race of the preceding, from which it differs slightly in plumage, and it has been raised to the rank of a separate subspecies, in which position it is as easily considered as in any other. Small geese are occasionally seen in company with the last groups of the others which pass in spring, but they are fewer in number and are less frequently obtained. I once saw a fine pair of these birds in the hands of a local taxidermist, with whom they had been left to be “stuffed,” and with such vigor was the operation performed, that when finished it was a hard matter for anyone to tell to which species the birds originally belonged. The differences between Hutchin’s and the Canada Goose seem to be constant, and most writers are satisfied to treat them as now placed. Mr. E. W. Nelson, who was familiar with the appearance of this species as it occurred at St. Michael’s and the mouth of the Yukon, says regarding it in the “ Birds of Alaska”: “ From my observations I should decide the centre of abundance of this species to be along the lower Yukon and thence south to the Kuskoquim.” “The main difference between this form and canadensis is the smaller size of the former. In hAwtchinsii, the black of the head and neck tends to assume a glossier black, and the dark color very com- monly encroaches upon the white cheek patches, frequently separating them by a broad black throat-band. The main distinction, however, besides the smaller size, is in the much lighter color of the lower surface. The white abdominal area extends forward and almost encloses the thigh in some cases, and almost invariably there is no definite line of demarcation between the white and brown areas. In addition, the grayish-brown of the breast is very light, and the BRANT—-WHISTLING SWAN. 101 encroachment of the white upon its posterior border gives a mottled gray and white surface.” I have given the above details in full, so that anyone meeting the species may be able to identify it. BRANTA BERNICLA (Liyy.). 66. Brant. (173) Bill, feet and claws, black; head, neck all round and a little of the forepart of the body, glossy black; on each side of the neck a small patch of white streaks, also some touches of white on the eyelids and chin; breast, ashy-gray, beginning abruptly from the black, fading on the belly and crissum into white; tail feathers, wing quills and primary coverts, blackish, the inner quills whitish toward the base. Length, 24 inches; tail, 4-5. Hazs.—Northern portions of northern hemisphere, partial to salt water, rare in the interior. Breeds only within the Arctic circle. Nest, a hollow on a sandy beach, lined with feathers and down. Eggs, four to six, grayish or dirty white. This is another casual visitor to the waters of Ontario, where it is less frequently seen than any other of the geese. It is by no means a scarce species, but seems partial to the sea coast. In Mr. Saunders’ “List of Birds of Western Ontario,” it is mentioned as a rather rare migrant. J have only seen it once, flying past out of range. The Brant is of almost cosmopolitan distribution, being found on the sea coast of Europe and eastern North America, breeding only within the Arctic circle. It is said to breed in immense numbers in Spitzbergen and on the islands along the coast. On the rocky shores of Greenland, where it also breeds, the nests are often placed on the ledges of the rocks. Supramity CYGNINA. Swans. Genus OLOR Wacter. OLOR COLUMBIANUS (Orp.). 67. Whistling Swan. (180) Pure white; head often stained with rusty; bill, black, usually with small yellow spot; iris, dark brown; feet, black. Length, 44 feet; wing, 21-22 inches. Has.—The whole of North America, breeding far north. Nest, in a tussock of grass near the water, often surrounded by it so closely that the bird while sitting on the eggs has her feet submerged. Eggs, two to five, white, often stained with brown. 102 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. These beautiful birds, never at any point abundant, are seldom seen in Ontario, because they breed in the far north, and generally make their migratory journey along the sea coast, east or west, where they spend the winter. In the interior they are sometimes seen singly or in pairs at the shooting stations, where rifle bullets and buck shot at once come into demand. I once saw four, in full adult plumage, come up Lake Ontario on a stormy afternoon toward the end of March. They alighted for a short time on the open water near the canal, but had a wild, restless look, evidently feeling themselves off their route, and they soon wheeled around and went off east again. On another occasion a family of four visited Hamilton Bay in the fall. They were not allowed to remain long undisturbed, and one young bird was so disabled by a pellet of shot in the wing, that it was prevented from leaving with the others. It could still take care of itself, however, and remained till the bay was frozen over, when it walked ashore, and was captured in an exhausted condition by one of the fishermen. F Writing from Dunnville, in August, 1893, Dr. Macallum says: “On the 24th of April last, a fine young female Whistling Swan was shot here, which had been frequenting the river for about six weeks. One or more of this species visit us every spring.” During such visits they sometimes get bewildered by fog, and so fall into the hands of the enemy. Dr. Bell tells us: “This species breeds near Churchill, and on the islands toward the eastern side of Hudson’s Bay. Their skins constitute an article of trade, but only a small number of them are collected annually.” For further particulars of their habits we turn again to Mr. Nelson, who is one of the few who have been privileged to see the birds in their northern home. He says: ‘The last of June or first of July the young are hatched, and soon after the parents lead them to the vicinity of some large lake or stream, and there the old birds moult their quill feathers, and are unable to fly. They are pursued by the natives at this season, and many are speared from canoes and kyaks. Although unable to fly, it is no easy task, single-handed, to capture them alive. The young men among the Eskimo consider it a remarkable exhibition of fleetness and endurance for one of their number to capture a bird by running it down. TRUMPETER SWAN. 103 “About twenty miles from St. Michael’s, toward the Yukon mouth, is a small, shallow lake, about one-fourth of a mile in diame- ter, which is grown up with ‘horse-tails’ (Hguisitum). This lakelet forms a general rendezvous for all the swans of that vicinity during the summer and fall. During the breeding season they gather there to feed, and the males make it their home. In autumn, as the old birds regain their wing feathers and the young are able to fly, all congregate here, so that I have rarely passed this place without seeing from one hundred to five hundred swans gathered in this small area. “T have frequently sat and listened with the keenest pleasure to the organ-like swell and fall in their notes, as they were wafted on in rich, full harmony, then sank to a faint murmur, not unlike that of running water. A series of low hillocks afforded a cover by which the lake could be approached, and it was a majestic sight to lie there on a mossy knoll, and gaze on the unsuspecting groups of these graceful birds as they swam back and forth, within rifle shot, not suspecting our presence. Their snowy bodies and beautiful forms, as I last saw them in that far away spot, will linger long in my mind as one of the most unique and interesting sights of my experience in the north. The report of a rifle is sufficient to change the scene into wild confusion. A chorus of confused cries and the heavy beating of hundreds of mighty wings is heard. A cloud of. white rises, breaks into numerous fragments, and the birds scatter over the wide flats on every side.” “Toward the end of September these birds begin to gather into flocks, preparatory to migrating, and from the last of this month to the 6th or 8th of October all leave for the south, the exact date varying with the season.” OLOR BUCCINATOR (Ricn.). 68. Trumpeter Swan. (181) Adult :—Plumage, entirely white; younger, the head and neck washed with a rusty brown; still younger, gray or ashy; bill and feet, black. Length, 4-5 feet; tail (normally), of twenty-four feathers; no yellow spots on bill, which is rather longer than the head, the nostrils fairly in its basal half. Haz.—Chiefly the interior of North America, from the Gulf coast to the fur countries, breeding from Iowa and Dakota northward, west to the Pacific coast, but rare or casual on the Atlantic. 104 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Nest, on dry, high ground, near the beach, a mixture of grass, down and feathers. Eggs, two to five, dull white, stained with brown, shell rough. Swans are seen nearly every spring and fall at one or other.of the shooting stations in western Ontario, but the points of specific dis- tinction are so inconspicuous that unless the birds are secured, it is difficult to tell to which species they belong. Dr. Garnier reports having taken one at Mitchell’s Bay. There was one in the collection sent from Toronto to Paris in 1867, and I have seen two which were killed at Long Point, in Lake Erie. The highway of this species from north to south is evidently by the Mississippi Valley, where it is quite common during the period of migration, those we see here being merely stragglers off the route. The history of this swan is not so well known as that of the other. Nelson mentions one specimen with its eggs having been secured at Fort Yukon, which renders it an Alaskan species, though there is no further evidence of its presence in the territory. The lack of obser- | vations may be owing to the fact that the interior of Alaska remains almost unexplored, so far as its summer birds are concerned. Hearne speaks of both species breeding on the islands in the lakes to the north-west of Hudson’s Bay, and Sir John Richardson gives the Trumpeter a breeding range of from 61° north to well within the Arctic circle. Orpen HERODIONES. Herons, Storks, IsisEs, ETc. SuporDER IBIDES. SpoonsiLis AND IBISEs. Famity IBIDIDA. Isiszs. Genus PLEGADIS Kavp. PLEGADIS AUTUMNALIS (Hasszra.). 69. Glossy Ibis. (186) Plumage, rich dark chestnut, changing to glossy dark green, with purplish reflections on the head, wings and elsewhere; bill, dark. Young:—Similar, much duller, or grayish brown, especially on the head and neck, which are white streaked. Claws, slender, nearly straight; head, bare only about the eyes and between the forks of the jaw. Length, about 2 feet; wing, 10-11; tail, 4; bill, 44; tarsus, 34; middle toe and claw, 3. Has.—Northern Old World, West Indies, and eastern United States. Only locally abundant, and of irregular distribution in America. AMERICAN BITTERN. 105 Nest, among the reeds, built of dead and withered reeds, attached to the living ones, well and firmly built, not far above the water. The eggs of the Glossy Ibis measure from 1-90 by 1-45 to 2- 10 by 1-50, and are of a dull greenish-blue color, without markings. The number usually deposited is believed to be-three. About the end of May, 1857, Mr. John Bates, whose farm adjoins the creek near the Hamilton waterworks, saw two tired-looking birds which he took to be curlews, circling round with the evident inten- tion of alighting near the creek. Mr. Bates’ gun was always in order, and none in the neighborhood at that time knew better than he how to use it. In a few minutes he picked up a pair of Glossy Ibises, the only birds of the kind which have been observed in Ontario. This pair, which subsequently came into my possession, were male and female in fine adult plumage. They are not common anywhere on the American continent. Wilson knew nothing of the species, nor was it known to naturalists till after his death. ; This bird is widely distributed and well known in Europe, and has also been observed in Africa. A few breed in the West Indies, and also in the more southern parts of the eastern United States, but the habitat is local, and the numbers small. In the west is a closely allied species, named the White-faced Glossy Ibis, which is very common along the coast of California to Oregon. SuBorpER HERODII. Herons, Earets, BITTERNS, ETC. Famity ARDEIDA. Heroys, Birrerns, ere. Supramity BOTAURINA. Brrrerys. Genus BOTAURUS Hermann. Suscenus BOTAURUS. BOTAURUS LENTIGINOSUS (Montac.). 70. American Bittern. (190) Plumage of upper part, singularly freckled with brown of various shades, blackish, tawny and whitish; neck and under parts, ochrey or tawny-white ; each feather marked with a brown dark-edged stripe; the throat line, white, with brown streaks; a velvety-black patch on each side of the neck above; crown, dull brown, with buff superciliary stripe; tail, brown; quills, greenish- black, with a glaucous shade, brown tipped; bill, black and yellowish; legs, greenish; soles, yellow. Length, 23-28; wing, 10-13; tail, 44; bill, about 3; tarsus, about 34. 106 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Has.—Temperate North America, south to Guatemala and the West Indies. The nest of the Bittern is placed on the ground. The eggs, three to five in number, are brownish-drab, measuring about 2.00 by 1.50. The American Bittern is a common summer resident, found in all suitable places throughout Ontariv, where, during the early summer, may be heard the peculiar clunking sound which has gained for the species the not inappropriate name of ‘Stake Driver.” It seldom leaves the marsh, where it makes its home and finds its favorite fare of fish, frogs and lizards. It drops readily to a light charge of shot, but when wounded makes a fierce resistance, raising the feathers of the head and neck and striking straight at the eye of a dog with its sharp-pointed bill. It arrives as soon as the flags begin to show green, about the end of April, and leaves again for the south toward the end of September, or later, according to the weather. During the breeding season it has a wide distribution, being quite common in the Northern States, and Dr. Bell tells us it is found on both sides of Hudson’s Bay. It does not frequent the clear, running stream, but the wide, stagnant marsh, where its cry is one of the characteristic sounds heard the summer through. The cry is very peculiar, and I do not think it well understood just how it is pro- duced. Many people believe that it is caused by water being taken into the throat and quickly thrown out again, but so far as I have noticed, no water is used in the operation. Once or twice, while hidden among the reeds watching for ducks, I have seen a bittern uttering his love notes, and the impression made upon me was, that however pleasing they might be to the ears for which they were intended, their production must be painful to the operator, for he looked as if he had recently taken a violent emetic, and was suffering the usual results. There are two distinct calls used by these birds, but whether or not any one bird can utter both is not at present known. These calls consist of three syllables"each, with the accent strongest on the first and weakest on the middle syllable. They are heard with about equal frequency. One is soft and windy, like ‘ pumph-ah-gah,” while the other is harder and more decided, like “chunk-a-lunk.” Both are repeated a good many times, and in the still evening, when they are most frequently observed, they can be heard a long way off. This call, though loud and deep, is not equal in that respect to the call of the British Bittern, which is said to resemble the bellowing of a bull, and is the origin of the term Botawrus, by which the bird is now AMERICAN BITTERN. 107 known. In the “Old Country,” it is very generally believed that when the Bittern booms, the whole floating bog on which he is stand- ing at the time vibrates with the sound. Burns knew this, and refers to it in his writings. We often wish that he had said more about the birds, for the incidental references he makes show that he was a close observer, and well acquainted with their habits. This will be noticed in the passage in which the Bittern is referred to. He is calling on the feathered tribes to join him in mourning the loss of his friend, Capt. Matthew Henderson : “Mourn, ye wee songsters o’ the wood; Ye grouse that crap the heather-bud ; Ye curlews calling thro’ a clud; Ye whistling plover ; And mourn, ye whirring paitrick brood ; He’s gane for ever ! ‘“ Mourn, sooty coots, and speckled teals, Ye fisher herons, watching eels ; Ye duck and drake, wi’ airy wheels Circling the lake ; Ye bitterns, till the quagmire reels, Rair for his sake. ‘* Mourn, clam’ring craiks, at close o’ day, *Mang fields o’ flow’ring clover gay ; And when ye wing your annual way Frae our cauld shore, Tell thae far warlds, wha lies in clay, Wham we deplore. “ Ye houlets, frae your ivy bow’r In some auld tree, or eldritch tow’r, What time the moon, wi’ silent glow’r, Sets up her horn, Wail thro’ the dreary midnight hour Till waukrife morn!” In the spring the plumage of the American Bittern often looks bleached and faded, but in the fall their shades of brown and yellow are exceedingly rich. When wishing to escape notice, I have seen them standing perfectly still among the bulrushes, with the neck extended and the bill pointing straight upwards. On these occasions, their colors were in such perfect harmony with the surroundings that so long as they kept still they were rarely observed. 108 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Suscenus ARDETTA Gray. BOTAURUS EXILIS (Gmzt.). 71. Least Bittern. (191) No peculiar feathers, but those of the lower neck, oe nae loose, as in the Bittern; size, very small; 11-14 inches long; wing, 4-5; tail, 2 or less; bill, 2 or less; tarsus, about 13. Jfale -—With the slightly et crown, hack and tail, glossy greenish-black; neck behind, most of the wing coverts, and outer edges of inner quills, rich chestnut, other wing coverts, brownish-yellow; front and sides of neck and under parts, brownish-yellow varied with white along the throat line, the sides of the breast with a blackish-brown patch; bill and lores mostly pale yellow, the culmen blackish; eyes and soles, yellow; legs, greenish- yellow. Female :—With the black of the back entirely, that of the crown mostly or wholly replaced by rich purplish-chestnut; the edges of the scapulars forming a brownish-white stripe on either side. Length, 11-14; wing, 4-5; tail, bill, tarsus, 2 each. Hazs.—Temperate North America, from the British Provinces to the West Indies and Brazil. Nest, among the rushes. Eggs, three to five, white with a bluish tinge. This diminutive Bittern, though seemingly slender and tender, is not only generally distributed in Southern Ontario, but has been reported by Professor Macoun ‘common throughout the country ” in the North-West, and Dr. Bell has specimens from Manitoba and from York Factory. At Hamilton Bay it is a regular summer resident, raising its young in the most retired parts of the marsh. The nest is large for the size of the bird, a platform being made for its support by bending down the flags till they cross each other a foot or more above the water level. The whole affair is very loose and readily falls asunder at the close of the season. The Least Bittern is not supposed to be so plentiful as its big brother, but from its retiring habits may be more so than we are aware. It is seldom seen except by those who invade its favorite haunts, and when disturbed it rises without note or noise of any kind, and with a _ wavering, uncertain flight passes off for a short distance, again » drop among the rushes. At other times it has been noticed by the hunter to drop at a point which he marks and goes to as quickly as possible, but can see nothing of the bird. He may find, however, that these little birds breed in communities, often associated with the Rails, and that the portion of the bog which they occupy is interlaced with a series of covered runs, like rat roads, among the flags, along which the little birds travel at a rate which neither dog nor man can emulate, and CORY’S BITTERN. 109 they are thus enabled to get quickly out of danger without being seen. In Manitoba the Least Bittern is mentioned as an accidental visitor, only one specimen having been obtained in ten years. At Hamilton Bay he arrives about the middle of May and leaves early in September. BOTAURUS NEOXENUS (Cory). 72. Cory’s Bittern. (191a) ‘Top of the head, back and tail, dark greenish-black, showing a green gloss when held to the light; sides of the head and throat, rufous chestnut; the feathers on the back of the neck showing greenish-black tips; breast and under parts nearly uniform rufous chestnut, shading into dull black on the sides; wing coverts, dark rufous chestnut; under wing coverts, paler chestnut; all the remiges entirely slaty plumbeous; under tail coverts uniform, dull black. Total length, 10.80; wing, 4.30; tarsus, 1.40; culmen, 1.80. “ Has.—Florida, Okeechobee region. “In the specimen above described, two of the flank feathers on one side are white, but this may be attributed to albinism. There is no trace of a stripe on the sides of the back as in A. erilis. The bird in question is claimed to have been shot in south-west Florida, and was brought to Tampa with a number of other species, including 4. ewilis, Anas fulvigula and Ajaja ajaja. It is without doubt perfectly dis- tinct from any other known species.” The above is copied from the Auk, Vol. III., page 262, which is the first published notice of the species. The writer is Mr. Charles B. Cory. : In the Auk, Vol. VIITI., page 309, is a notice of another specimen of this bird being secured. There is also given an account of the nest, which was discovered on the borders of the small lake near which Mr. Cory’s specimens were found. It was quite similar to the nest of the Least Bittern which occurs in the same region, the one being known as the brown, and the other as the black bittern. The nest contained four young birds about two-thirds grown, the female allowing herself to be taken in the hand rather than leave the nest. The male was also within three or four feet during the examination. I read the first account of this little bittern as given above in the Auk, for 1886, but thought no more about it till the summer of 1890, when Mr. Wm. Cross, taxidermist, of Toronto, sent me for identi- 110 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. fication a mounted specimen of a bird which had been shot in the marsh near Toronto. It corresponded exactly with the description given of Cory’s Bittern, but to make sure I sent the specimen to Mr. Ridgway, who at once pronounced it a genuine specimen of neoxenus. Mr. Cross got the specimen in good condition and mounted it very nicely. It is now in the collection of the Canadian Institute in To- ronto. So the record stood for Canada until the summer of the present year, when notice was received of a second specimen having been captured at Toronto. On this occasion a female in perfect plu- mage was shot by a fisherman named Ramsden, in the Ashbridge marsh, near where the first was found, and within two days of the same date, the first being taken on the 18th of May, 1890, and the second on the 20th May, 1893. This makes a total of eight speci- mens now known to be in collections. , This is evidently a southern bird, and it has not been found any- where away from Florida, where it was first discovered, except these two specimens which have been obtained so near the same place at Toronto. No doubt this species associates with our common little bitterns, many of which spend the winter in Florida, and it is just possible that some gallant exilis has in his own way painted the beauties of Ashbridge’s marsh in such glowing colors as to induce this little brown lady to accompany him to the north, when he started on his annual journey in spring. Pity she did not fare better, as her report might have induced others to follow the route. Supramity ARDEIN. Herons anp Ecrets. Genus ARDEA Linn. Suscenus ARDEA. ARDEA HERODIAS Livy. 73. Great Blue Heron. (194) Back, without peculiar plumes at any season, but scapulars lengthened and lanceolate; an occipital crest, two feathers of which are long and filamentous; long loose feathers on the lower neck. Length, about 4 feet; extent, 6; bill, 54 inches; tarsus, 65; middle toe and claw, 5; wing, 18-20; tail, 7. Female :-— Much smaller than male. Adult of both sexes grayish-blue above, the neck pale purplish-brown with a white throat line; the head, black, with a white frontal patch; the under parts mostly black, streaked with white; tibia, edge of wing and some of the lower neck feathers, orange-brown; bill and eyes, GREAT BLUE HERON. 111 yellow; culmen, dusky; lores and legs, greenish. The young differ considerably, but are never white, and cannot be confounded with any of the succeeding. Haz.—North America, from the Arctic regions southward to the West Indies and northern South America. Nest, usually in trees, sometimes on rocks. Eggs, two or three, elliptical light, dull greenish-blue. As the Great Blue Heron breeds in communities, it is not often seen during the summer, except in the vicinity of the heronry. In the fall, when the young birds are able to shift for themselves, they disperse over the country, their tall, gaunt figures being often seen standing motionless watching for eels by the shore of some muddy creek. In the report of the Ornithological Branch of the Ottawa Field Naturalists’ Club, for 1883, is a most interesting account of a visit paid by a number of members of the club to a heronry situated on the bank of the river about twenty-five miles from the city. Limited space will admit of only a short extract: ‘“‘The heronry is located in the centre of a thick swamp which, on the occasion of our first visit, was so deeply submerged as to bar all ingress. On the 19th of July, however, the water was but knee deep. After proceed- ing about half a mile into the swamp, our attention was arrested by a peculiar sound which we at first thought proceeded from some distant saw-mill or steamer on the river. As we advanced, however, the sound resolved itself into, the most extraordinary noises, some of which resembled the yelping of dogs or foxes. On- penetrating still deeper into the swamp, we discovered that the noises proceeded from immense numbers of herons, some perched on branches of trees, some sitting on the nests, and others flying overhead. The uproar was almost deafening, and the odor arising from the filth with which the trees and ground were covered was extremely disagreeable. We tramped all through the heronry, and calculated that it must extend about half a mile in each direction. The nests were all of the same pattern, great cumbersome piles of sticks, about a foot thick, with but a very shallow cavity and no lining. “The birds were very tame, making no attempt to fly until we began to climb the trees on which they were; and even then they moved lazily off and manifested little or no alarm at our near approach to their young.” Usually the adult Heron is an exceedingly wary bird, and is seldom obtained except when he happens to fly above some hunter who is concealed among the rushes watching for ducks. When thus brought down from above with neck, wings and legs all mixed up, he presents a most ragged appearance, but when seen 112 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. alive at shooting distance, the graceful movements of the long, lithe neck, with its pointed plumes, present a sight we all like to look upon. In Southern Ontario, Herons are seen occasionally wherever their favorite fish is to be found. Throughout the North-West, they are not common, though Mr. Thompson tells of being one of a party who accidentally found a heronry where it was little expected, in the Poplar Woods, at the head waters of Bird’s-tail Creek. Suscenus HERODIAS Bole. ARDEA EGRETTA Get. 74, American Egret. (196) No obviously lengthened feathers on the head at any time; in the breeding season, back with very long plumes of decomposed feathers drooping far beyond the tail; neck, closely feathered; plumage, entirely white at all seasons; bill, lores and eyes, yellow; legs and feet, black. Length, 36-42 inches (not including the dorsal train); wing, 16-17; bill, nearly 5; tarsus, nearly 6. Has. —United States, southerly, straggling northward to Nova Scotia. Massachusetts, Canada West and Minnesota. West Indies, Mexico, Central and South America. 1 Nest, in trees or bushes. Eggs, three or four, pale greenish-blue. This species has a wide distribution in the south, but Canada seems to be its northern boundary. It is only an accidental visitor here, and, strange to say, nearly all of those obtained have been young birds. There is a record in the dwk, Vol. II., page 110, of a pair seen at Rockcliffe, on the Ottawa River, in the spring of 1883. The male was obtained, and is now in the Museum of the Geological Survey at Ottawa. These were adults, but the specimen in my collection, which was obtained at Rond Eau, near the west end of Lake Erie, and others which I have heard of along our southern border, were all young birds. a Dr. Wheaton gives the same account of those found in Ohio, and Dr. Coues in his “Birds of the North-west,” page 521, says: “I may here observe that a certain northward migration of some southerly birds at this season is nowhere more noticeable than among the Herons and their allies, the migrants consisting chiefly of birds. hatched that year, which unaccountably stray in what seems to us to. be the wrong direction.” Supcenus GARZETTA Kavp. ARDEA CANDIDISSIMA Gwe . 75. Snowy Heron. (197) Adua/t:—With a long occipital crest of decomposed feathers and similar dorsal plumes, latter recurved when perfect; similar, but not recurved plumes on the lower neck, which is bare behind; lores, eyes and toes, yellow; bill and legs, black, former yellow at base, latter yellow at lower part behind. Plumage always entirely white. Length, 24; wing, 11-12; bill, 3; tarsus, 34-4. Haxz.—Temperate and tropical America, from New Jersey, Minnesota and Oregon, south -to Patagonia; casually on the Atlantic coast to Nova Scotia. Nest, 2 platform of sticks, usually in top of a tall tree, sometimes in a bush above the water. Kgys, three to five, pale bluish-green. The young of the Snowy Heron inherit the family peculiarity of making their first journey in the wrong direction, and it is to this fact that we are indebted for the visits we occasionally receive from them along our southern frontier during the early fall. I have had them sent to me from Long Point, on Lake Erie, and have heard of their being captured at other places, but all were young birds, and I have no record of the species being found breeding in Ontario. 8 114 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. On the east coast, it is found breeding as far north as Long Island, and in the interior it occurs in Oregon, but the true home of these little herons is farther south. In all suitable places through- out South and Central America, the West Indies and Mexico, they breed in colonies in immense numbers, though I grieve to say that of late years they have been almost exterminated by plume hunters. Suscenus BUTORIDES Buyru. ARDEA VIRESCENS Liyy. 76. Green Heron. (201) Adult:—In the breeding season with the crown, long soft occipital crest, and lengthened narrow feathers of the back, lustrous dark green, sometimes with a bronzy iridescence, and on the back often with a glaucous cast; wing coverts, green, with conspicuous tawny edgings; neck, purplish-chestnut, the throat-line variegated with dusky or whitish; under parts, mostly dark brown- ish-ash, belly variegated with white; quills and tail, greenish-dusky, with a glaucous shade, edge of the wing white; some of the quills, usually white- tipped; bill, greenish-black, much of the under mandible, yellow; lores and iris, yellow; legs, greenish-yellow; lower neck, with lengthened feathers in front, a bare space behind. Young:—With the head less crested, the back ~without long plumes, but glossy greenish; neck, merely reddish-brown, and whole under parts, white, variegated with tawny and dark brown. Length, 16-18; wing, about, 7; bill, 25; tarsus, 2; middle toe and claw, about the same; tibia, bare, 1 or less. Has.—Canada and Oregon, southward to northern South America and West Indies; rare or absent in the Middle Provinces. Nest, composed of twigs, placed in a bush or low tree in a swamp or by the bank of a stream. Eggs, three to six, pale greenish-blue. This handsome little Heron finds its northern limit along the southern border of Ontario. According to Dr. Macallum, it breeds regularly on the banks of the Grand River, near Dunnville, and has also been observed, occasionally, near Hamilton and at the St. Clair Flats. Like the others of its class, the Green Heron feeds mostly at night, and is seldom seen abroad by day, except by those who have occasion to invade its marshy haunts. On this account it may be more numerous than it is supposed to be. It arrives about the end of April, and leaves for the south again in September. In the North-West it has been taken in the Assiniboine, and is said to breed in the sloughs around Turtle Mountain, but is nowhere common. BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON. 115 Genus NYCTICORAX STEPHENS. Suscenus NYCTICORAX. NYCTICORAX NYCTICORAX NEVIUS (Bopp.). 77. Black-crowned Night Heron. (202) No peculiar feathers, excepting two or three very long filamentous plumes springing from the occiput, generally imbricated in one bundle; bill, very stout; tarsi, reticulate below in front. Length, about 2 feet; wing, 12-14 inches; bill, tarsus and middle toe, about 3. Crown, scapulars and inter- scapulars, very dark glossy green; general plumage, bluish-gray, more or less tinged with lilac; forehead, throat-line and most under parts, whitish; occipital plumes, white; bill, black; lores, greenish; eyes, red; feet, yellow. Young:— Very different; lacking the plumes; grayish-brown, paler below, extensively speckled with white; quills, chocolate-brown, white-tipped. Hazs.—America, from the British possessions southward to the Falkland Islands, including part of the West Indies. Breeds in communities, returning to the same place year after year. Nest, a large loose platform of sticks and twigs, placed well up in a tall tree. Eggs, four to six, pale greenish-blue. In Ontario the Night Heron, or “Quawk,” as it is commonly called, is not generally distributed, though stragglers are occasionally seen at different points throughout the Province. Their breeding places are by no means common, the vicinity of the sea being evidently preferred to the interior. Along the banks of the lower St. Lawrence they breed in immense numbers, every tree in certain districts having several ne8ts among its boughs. When viewed from a distance these trees have the appearance of being heavily coated with dirty whitewash, and the entire vegetation underneath them is killed by the accumulated droppings of the birds. Though somewhat untidy in their surroundings at home, the birds: themselves when seen in spring plumage are very handsome, the fiery- red eyes and long, flowing plumes giving them quite an interesting appearance. In the North-West they occur in limited numbers, but are not regularly distributed. There the nests are made in the marsh, and fixed to the reeds, eight or ten inches above the water. Night Herons have been found throughout the greater portion of South America, and in some sections of the United States they have large. heronries, where thousands breed together. They usually select a clump of tall trees, not easy of access, and have four 116 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. or five nests in each tree. They all go wandering when the young are able to fly, but return again to their breeding place with the return of the season. Orper PALUDICOLA. Cnranzs, Rats, Ere. SUBORDER GRUES. ORANES. Famity GRUIDA. Crayes. Genus GRUS Pattas. GRUS AMERICANA (Liyy.). 78. Whooping Crane. (204) Adult:—With the bare part of head extending in a point on the occiput above, on each side below the eyes, and very hairy; bill, very stout, convex, ascending, that part of the under mandible as deep as the upper opposite to it. Adult plumage, pure white, with black primaries, primary coverts and alula; bill, dusky greenish; legs, black; head, carmine, the hair-like feathers blackish. Young:—With the head feathered; general plumage, gray (?), varied with brown. Length, about 50 inches; wing, 24; tail, 9; tarsus, 12; middle toe, 5; “hill, 6. Has.—Interior of North America, from the fur countries to Florida, Texas and Mexico, and from Ohio to Colorado. Formerly on the Atlantic coast, at least casually, to New England. Nest, on the ground among weeds or rank grass, built of fine, tough grass, firmly put fogether and neatly formed. Eggs, two or three, light brownish-drab, marked with large, irregular spots of dull chocolate-brown and obscure shell-markings. Mr. John Ewart, of the village of Yarker, in the county of Addington, has a mounted specimen of the Whooping Crane in his collection, which is the only record I have of the species in Ontario. In the fall of 1871, it was observed frequenting the borders of a small, shallow lake in the township of Camden, and for a week or ten days the local gunners were on its track. It was very shy, but finally fell before the gun of Wesley Potter on the 27th of September. Wilson speaks of this species as an occasional visitor in the marshes at Cape May during its migration, but now it is hardly known in the East, its line of migration being along the Mississippi valley. It breeds in Manitoba, and is said to be found also in the fur countries. SANDHILL CRANE. 117 When wounded, it is a dangerous bird to approach, for it drives its sharp bill with great force and precision at its antagonist. For many years the Sandhill Crane was believed to be the young of this species, but in all stages of eee they can now be readily identified. GRUS MEXICANA (Méu1.). 79. Sandhill Crane. (206) Adult:—With the bare part of head forking behind to receive a pointed extension of the occipital feathers, not reaching on the sides below the eyes, and sparsely hairy; bill, moderately stout, with nearly straight and scarcely ascending gonys, that part of the under mandible not so deep as the upper at the same place; adult plumage, plumbeous-gray, never whitening; primaries, their coverts and alula, blackish. Young:—With head feathered, and plumage varied with rusty brown. Rather smaller than the last. Has.—Southern half of North America; now rare near the’ Atlantic coast, except in Georgia and Florida. + Eggs, two, light brownish-drab, marked, except at the greater end, with blotches of dull chocolate-brown; shell, rough, with numerous warty elevations. I am indebted to Dr. Garnier, of Lucknow, for the first record I have had of the occurrence of the Sandhill Crane in Ontario. Writ- ing, under date December 6th, 1884, he says: “ About twenty-two years ago a pair of these birds spent the summer in the marshes near Murphy’s Landing, County Kent. Later in the season they were seen stalking about, accompanied by two young, and finally all disap- peared as the weather grew cold.” “Tn 1881 a pair spent the summer near Mud Creek, in the same locality, and were often seen by the people residing there. On the lst of November, Mr. Joseph Martin, while out shooting in his canoe, suddenly came upon them at short distance. He killed one, and the other, being hard hit, dropped on a shaking bog close by. Mr. Martin brought me the dead one, and next day I went with him in search of its mate. We saw it lying quite dead on the bog, but, though my partner and I tried hard to force our way to where it was, we were compelled to give it up, to my very great regret.” In the Auk, Vol. V., page 205, is a notice by Mr. W. E. Saunders, of London, stating that he had received from Mr. M. J. Dodds, of St. Thomas, a Sandhill Crane, which was killed at Rond Eau in 1869, by Mr. John Oxford. These are the only well authenticated instances of the occurrence 118 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. of the Sandhill Crane in Ontario that I know of, but as they are known to breed in Michigan, we cannot be surprised at their some- times being found on the east side of the Detroit River. The species is most abundant in the Mississippi Valley, west to the Pacific coast. It is irregularly distributed, having been found breeding in suitable places outside of its ordinary range. It was seen by Dr. Bell near Norway House, on Hudson’s Bay. In the North-West it is reported as tolerably common, and is often taken young and domesticated, making an interesting pet. Mr. Thompson says of it: “As a game bird, I am inclined to place the present species as first on the game list in Manitoba. An average specimen weighs about ten pounds, and the quality of the flesh is unsurpassed by any of our ordinary birds, unless it be the partridge. I should strongly advocate the protection of this bird by the game law were it not that it is so thoroughly able to take care of itself that legislation in its favor seems altogether unnecessary.” SusorpEer RALLI. RaIis, GALLINULES, Cvuors, ETC. © Famitry RALLIDA. Ratxs, GALLINULES, Coots, ETC. Supramity RALLIN A. Raits. Gexus RALLUS Lixyevs. RALLUS ELEGANS (Avp.). 80. King Rail. (208) Above, brownish-black, variegated with olive-brown, becoming rich chestnut on the wing coverts; under parts, rich rufous or cinnamon-brown, usually paler on the middle of the belly and whitening on the throat; flanks and axillars, blackish, white-barred. Length, about 16; wing, 5-6; tail, 2-24; bill, 24; tarsus, 2; middle toe and claw, 24. Fema/e:—Smaller. Has.—Fresh-water marshes of the eastern portion of the United States, from the Middle States, northern Illinois, Wisconsin and Kansas southward. Casually north to Massachusetts, Maine and Ontario. Nest, a rude mass of reeds and grass, on marshy ground close to the water. Eggs, six to twelve, buff or cream color, speckled and blotched with reddish- brown. This large and handsome Rail, which, until recently, was considered to be only a casual visitor to Ontario, is now known to breed plenti- fully in the marshes all along the River St. Clair. It has also been VIRGINIA RAIL. 119 found at other points in Southern Ontario, but the St. Clair Flats seem to be its favorite breeding place.’ The extent of the marsh and the almost stagnant water appear to suit the taste of these birds, and here they spend the summer and raise their young without being disturbed. They are seldom seen on the wing, but become very noisy and excited before rain, keeping up an incessant cackling, which, better than anything else, gives an idea of the number that are moving about under cover of the rushes. This seems to be the northern boundary of their habitat in Ontario, for they are not found in the North-West, nor anywhere else to the north of us. They arrive in May and leave in September. RALLUS VIRGINIANUS (Liyy.). 81. Virginia Rail. (212) Coloration, exactly as in ¢/egans, of which it is a perfect. miniature. Length, 84-104; wing, about 4; tail, about 14; bill, 14-14; tarsus, 14-14; middle toe, 14-12. Hazs.—North America, from British Provinces south to Guatemala and Cuba. . Nest, in a tuft of reeds or rushes, some of them bent down to assist in form- ing the structure, which is usually placed close to the water. Eggs, six to nine, buff or creamy, speckled and blotched with reddish- brown and obscure lilac. Although this cannot be said to be a numerous species, it is very generally distributed, being found in all suitable places throughout the Province. When not disturbed, it may be seen quietly wading in the shallow ponds in search of its food, which consists of aquatic insects, snails, worms, and the seeds of such grasses as grow near its haunts. If alarmed, it at once takes to the rushes, and passes with such swiftness along the covered runways which interlace the rush beds, that it will elude the pursuit of an active dog, and avoid exposing itself to the aim of the sportsman. It is found in the North-West, but is not abundant. In Southern Ontario it arrives early in May and leaves late in September. 120 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Grexsus PORZANA VIEILLOT. SuspcExts PORZANA. PORZANA CAROLINA (Liyy.). s2, Sora. (214) Above, olive-brown, varied with black, with numerous sharp white streaks and specks; flanks, axillars and lining of wings. barred with white and blackish ; belly, whitish; crissum, rufescent. 4/v//:—With the face and central line of the throat black, the rest of the throat, line over eye, and especially the breast more or less intensely slate-gray, the sides of the breast usually with some obsolete whitish barring and speckling. Young :—Without the black, the throat whitish, the breast brown. Length, 8-9; wing, 4-45; tail, about 2: bill, 3-2; tarsus, 14; middle toe and claw, 14. Has.—Temperate North America, but most common in the Eastern Pro- vince, breeding chiefly northward. South to West Indies and northern South America. Builds a rude nest of grass and rushes on the ground near the water. Eggs, eight to ten, dull drab, marked with reddish-brown. Here, as elsewhere, the Sora is the most numerous of the Rail family, and is found breeding in all suitable places throughout the country. Many also pass up north, and when they return in the fall, accompanied by their young, they linger in the marshes along the southern border till they are found swarming everywhere. They are very sensitive to cold, and a sportsman may have yood rail shooting till late in the evening, but should a sharp frost set in during the night, he may return in the morning and find that the birds have all left. Many spend the summer in the North-West, but thev are most abundant in the Middle Atlantic States, where yreat numbers are killed for the table in the fall. In Southern Ontario they arrive in May, and leave in September at the first touch of frost. SuscEeNts COTURNICOPS Coke PORZANA NOVEBORACENSIS (Gm.). 83. Yellow Rail. (215) Above, varied with blackish and ochrey-brown, and thickly marked with narrow white semicircles and transverse bass; below, pale ochrey-brown, fadiny on the belly, deepest on the breast where many of the feathers are tipped with BLACK RAIL, 121 dark brown; flanks, rufous with many white bars; lining of the wing, white; a brownish-yellow streak over the eve. Length, about 6 inches; wing, 33; tail, 14; bill, 4. Haz.—FEastern North America, from Nova Scotia and Hudson’s Bay west to Utah and Nevada, No extra-limital record except Cuba and the Bermudas. Nest, like that of the other rails. Eggs, six to eight, dark buff color, marked with reddish spots at the greater end, We know little of this bird, partly because it belongs to a class much given to keeping out of sight, but chiefly because it is a rare species everywhere. During the present year, I saw a fine mounted specimen in the store of Mr. Cross, taxidermist, Toronto. It was obtained in the marsh near that city, and I have heard of another which a few years ago was shot near the same place, and is now in the public museum at Ottawa. The greater number of specimens of the Yellow Rail now in existence have been found in New England, but that may be owing to the greater number of collectors there. It would be well for our Canadian sportsmen to look out for the species when visiting its haunts, because from its general resemblance to the Sora, it may readily he overlooked. One observer reports it as a tolerably common summer resident near Winnipeg, and it has also been noticed at Fort George by Dr. Bell. It has, therefore, a wide distribution, but is nowhere abundant. SUBGENUS CRECISCUS Casonis. PORZANA JAMAICENSIS (GEL). 84. Black Rail. (216) Upper parts, blackish, finely speckled and barred with white; the hind neck and fore neck, dark chestnut; head and under parts, dark slate color, paler or whitening on the throat; the lower belly, flanks and under wing and tail covert barred with white; quills and tail feathers with white spots, very small. Length, about 5.50; wing, 2.75-3.00; tail, 1.35; tarsus, 0.75. Haz.—South and Central America and West Indies. Nest, in a deep cup-shaped depression resembling that of the Meadow Lark, only deeper in proportion to its width; the outer portion composed of grass- stems and blades, the inner portion of soft blades of grass arranged in a circular manner and loosely interwoven. Egys, ten, clear white, thinly sprinkled with reddish-brown dots which become more numerous toward the greater end. This is one of the rarest of American birds, or, rather, it is one of those least frequently found. From its small size and the fact that 122 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. its life is spent mostly among the rank vegetation of the marsh, where it cannot be seen, it may not be so rare as we suppose. I mention it here on the authority of the late Dr. Cottle, of Woodstock, who, in an article in the Canadian Journal for Sep- tember, 1859, claims to have found a bird of this species near Inger- soll in 1857, which at the time of his writing was in the collection of Wm. Poole, jun. I have not seen this specimen, but I knew Dr. Cottle, and feel sure that no mistake would be made in the identification. There is no reason why the Black Rail should not be found in Ontario, for it occurs to the east and west of us, and will yet, I expect, be found in one or more of the many suitable haunts which occur throughout the Province. The Dundas marsh is exactly the sort of place where one might expect to meet with this species. The marsh extends from the Hamilton city limits about four miles westward to the town of Dundas, and has an average width of a mile, with many inlets wind- ing inland. The banks are generally steep and wooded, and the water in the summer is covered with aquatic plants and clumps of floating bog. Malaria reigns there, and there are mosquitoes in abundance. About 1873-74, I heard that a young man, named Nash, was diligently exploring this uninviting locality, to find out what birds were there during the summer, and that he had been successful in his researches ; but he left for the North-West about that time, and the _matter was forgotten. On learning that Mr. Nash had quite recently returned to reside in Toronto, I wrote to him on the subject, and promptly received the following reply, which came to me while the first part of this article was passing through the hands of the printer : : “Toronto, January 12th, 1894. “THos. McILwraitu, Esa. “Dear Sir,—My original note as to the capture of the Black Rails is as follows: “* August 18th, 1874.—Shot four of these birds this evening at the upper end of the Dundas marsh. My dogs put them up where the rushes had been mowed. This is the first time I ever noticed them here.’ “After this date I saw several others about the same place, during this same year (1874). I also shot a few Yellow Rails, and saw many. “Yours, etc., “C. W. Nasu.” PURPLE GALLINULE—FLORIDA GALLINULE. 123 SuspramMity GALLINULINA. ° Genus IONORNIS ReicHensacu. IONORNIS MARTINICA (Liyy,). 85. Purple Gallinule. (218) Head, neck and under parts beautiful purplish-blue, blackening on the belly, the crissum white; above olivaceous-green, the cervix and wing coverts tinted with blue; frontal shield blue; bill red, tipped with yellow; legs yellowish. Young:—With the head, neck and lower back brownish, the under parts mostly white, mixed with ochrey. Length, 10-12; wing, 64-7; tail, 24-3; bill from gape, about 14; tarsus, about 24; middle-toe and claw, about 3. Has.—South Atlantic and Gulf States, north casually to New England (Maine, Nova Scotia) and Ontario. : Nest, built among rushes over the water; the taller rushes are bent down and woven together as a support. Eggs, eight or nine, cream color, finely dotted with chestnut-brown and umber. In April, 1892, I received a letter. from Pickering, describing a bird which had recently been shot by Mr. James Cowan, at the mouth of the Rouge in that township, and asking me to identify it. The description was so perfectly correct that I had no difficulty in deciding it to be the Purple Gallinule, though I had not before heard of its occurrence in Ontario, and I replied to that effect. ‘ I have since learned that the specimen is now mounted and located somewhere in Toronto. This beautiful Gallinule is a resident of the South Atlantic and Gulf States, but occasionally strays as far north as Ohio, Wisconsin, Maine and New York. It is a very handsome bird, whose presence in our marshes would add to their interest, but we are too far north to expect it, save as a very rare visitor. Genus GALLINULA Brisson. GALLINULA GALEATA (Licut.). 86. Florida Gallinule. (219) Head, neck and under parts grayish-black, darkest on the former, paler or whitening on the belly; back, brownish-olive; wings and tail dusky; crissum edge of wing, and stripes on the flank, white; bill, frontal plate, and ring around tibie red, the former tipped with yellow; tarsi and toes, greenish; 12-15 long; wing, 63-73; tail, 34; gape of bill, about 14; tarsus, about 2. 124 , BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Has.—Temperate and tropical America from Canada to Brazil and Chili. Nest, agnass of broken, rotten reeds and rushes, with a slight hollow in the centre; it is seldom much above water level, and often afloat, but is fastened to the sedges. Eggs, ten to twelve, brownish-buff, thickly spotted with reddish-brown. ° This is a common summer resident, breeding in suitable places. throughout Southern Ontario. Near Hamilton it is quite common, :a few pairs generally spending the summer in the Waterdown creek, and also in the Dundas marsh. Its retired haunts are seldom invaded during the summer months, for the mosquitoes form a bar to the intrusion of visitors, and its flesh not being in demand for the table, it is not much disturbed. Southern Ontario seems to be the northern limit of its habitat. It is not mentioned among the birds of Manitoba, neither have I heard of it appearing elsewhere in the north. Like most of its class, it arrives in May and leaves in September. SupraMity FULICINA. Gentes FULICA Lisyzvs. FULICA AMERICANA Gwe. 87. American Coot. (221) Dark slate, paler or grayish below, blackening on the head and neck, tinged with olive on the back; crissum, whole edge of wing, and top of the secondaries white; bill, white or flesh-colored, marked with reddish-black near the end; feet, dull olivaceous. Young :—Similar, paler and duller. Length. about 14; wing, 7-8; tail, 2; bill, from the gape, 14-14: tarsus. about 2; middle toe and claw, about 3. Hap.—North America, from Greenland and Alaska southward to West Indies and Central America. Nest, of vegetable rubbish from the marsh, often afloat and fastened to the rushes like the Grebes, but sometimes on dry ground back from the water. Eggs, ten to twelve, clear clay color, dotted minutely with dark brown. This species is very generally distributed in suitable places through- out Ontario, and also in the North-West. It breeds abundantly at St. Clair, but at Hamilton is only a migratory visitor in spring ‘and fall. They are hardy birds, often arriving in spring before the ice is quite away, and again lingering late in the fall, as if unwilling to depart. They are sometimes mistaken for ducks by amateur gunners, and in this way a few lose their lives, but except in such cases they ° RED PHALAROPE. 125 are not molested, ‘‘Mud-hens” not being generally looked upon as game. The Coots are strong of wing, good swimmers, and capable of enduring both cold and fatigue. They are very abundant throughout the North-West, their haunts being in the marshes, for which their lobed feet are admirably adapted. There they spend the summer and find the enjoyment peculiar to their race. In the fall they assemble in vast flocks and generally all disappear at once during the night. In Alaska, only one wanderer of the species is reported. There is a similar report from Greenland, which is its most northerly record. Orper LIMICOLA. SxHore Birps. Famiry PHALAROPODIDA. Genus CRYMOPHILUS Vietttor. CRYMOPHILUS FULICARIUS (Lisy.). 88. Red Phalarope. (222) Adu/t:—With the under parts, purplish chestnut of variable intensity, white in the young; above, variegated with blackish and tawny. Length, 7-8 inches; wing, 5; tail, 22; bill, 1, yellowish, black-tipped; tarsus, #, greenish. Has.—Northern parts of the northern hemisphere, breeding in the Arctic regions, and migrating south in winter; in the United States south to the Middle State, Ohio, Illinois and Cape St. Lucas; chiefly maritime. Nest, a hollow in the ground lined with dry grass. Eggs, three or four, variable in color, usually brownish-olive. spotted or blotched with dark chocolate-brown. Vast numbers of Phalaropes breed in Npitzbergen, and on the shores of the Polar Sea. At the approach of winter they retire to the south, but in these migratory journeys they follow the line of the sea coast, so that the stragglers we see inland are most likely bewildered by fog, or driven by storm away from their associates and their regular course. Dr. Garnier saw a flock of six, one of which he secured, at Mitchell’s Bay, near St. Clair, in the fall of 1880; and on the 17th of November, 1882, Mr. Brooks, of Milton, shot a single bird, which he found swimming alone on Hamilton Bay, a little way out from Dynes’ place. On the 21st of October, 1886, Mr. White shot one on the Rideau River, and on the Ist September, 1888, he got a second specimen on the River Ottawa, which completes the record for Ontario, so far as I know at present. 126 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Turning to our usual authority for information about northern species, we find Mr. Nelson saying: “This handsome Phalarope arrives at the Yukon mouth and adjacent parts of Behring Sea coast during the last few days of May or first of June, according to the season. Its preference is for the flat, wet lands bordering the coast and rivers, where it remains to breed. Very early in June the females have each paid their court, and won a shy and gentle male to share their coming cares. The eggs are laid in a slight depression, generally on the damp flats where the birds are found. There is rarely any lining to the nest.” The eggs are hatched in July, and as soon as the young are able to fly, all leave the nesting ground and are found only at sea. “They breed all along the Arctic shores of Alaska and Siberia, wherever suitable flats occur, and even reach those isolated islands, forever encircled by ice, which lie beyond. It is not rare in NSpitz- bergen, where its eggs have been found laid upon the bare ground. “During the cruise of the Corwin, in the summer of 1881, we found this and the Northern Phalarope abundant wherever we went on the Alaskan or Siberian shores of the Arctic, and their pretty forms, as they flitted here and there over the surface of the smooth sea, now alighting a moment and gliding quickly to right and ‘left, pecking at the minute animals in the water, then taking wing for an instant, appeared in ever-changing groups.” ‘In winter these birds pass south and occur along the coasts of the Pacific on both shores, reaching the south coasts of India on the Asiatic side.” The foregoing are but brief extracts from Mr. Nelson’s interesting account of the home habits of these little-known birds, my limited space having prevented me from making more lengtby quotations. Gextus PHALAROPUS Brissoy. Supcents PHALAROPUS. PHALAROPUS LOBATUS (Liyy.). 89. Northern Phalarope. (223) Aduit:—Dark opaque ash or grayish-black, the back variegated with tawny ; upper tail coverts and under parts, mostly white; side of the head and neck, with a broad stripe of rich chestnut, generally meeting on the jugulum; breast. otherwise with ashy-gray. Young.—Lacking the chestnut. Length, about 7 inches; wing, 44; tail, 2; bill, tarsus and middle toe, each under 1, black. NORTHERN PHALAROPE. 127 Has.—Northern portions of northern hemisphere, breeding in Arctic lati- tudes; south in winter to the tropics. Nest, a hollow in the ground, lined with dry grass. Eggs, three or four; similar to those of the Red Phalarope, but smaller. Like the preceding, this is a bird of the sea coast, but, singly or in pairs, it is sometimes seen inland during the season of migration. The two in my collection were found in the fall on one of the inlets of Hamilton Bay. In the List of the “Birds of Western Ontario,” mention is made of three having been taken in Middlesex, and one found dead at Mitchell’s Bay in 1882. While this was passing through the press, K. C. McIlwraith shot: a young male of the species, as it rose from one of the inlets which run from the bay up to the Beach road near Hamilton. Although a bird of the sea coast, the Northern Phalarope is found more frequently in the interior than the Red Phalarope. It has been observed at Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, London, and also at Dunn- ville, where Dr. Macallum says it may be counted on with tolerable certainty every season during October. In Manitoba, most of the observers are mute regarding it, though Mr. Nash says: ‘‘Common autumn visitor to Portage la Prairie, and very abundant at the prairie sloughs near Winnipeg, where I saw immense flocks of them in August and September, 1886.” Of Alaska, Mr. Nelson says that the first arrivals reach Nt. Michael’s in full plumage about the middle of May, and by the first of June they are in full force, and ready to begin the business of the season. The young are hatched during June, and by the 20th of July are fledged and on the wing. Soon they begin to gather in parties of from five, to one hundred or more, keeping by the large ponds and inlets till about the end of September, from which date they are seen no more for the season. “They breed on all the islands of Behring Sea, the north coast of Siberia, and we saw them common about Herald and Wrangel islands. in July and August, 1881. It is plentiful throughout the interior of Northern Alaska, as well as on the salt marshes of the coast.” 128 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Suscenus STEGANOPUS VIEILLoT. PHALAROPUS TRICOLOR (VieILt.). 90. Wilson’s Phalarope. (224) Adult:—Ashy; wpper tail coverts and under parts, white; a black stripe from the eye down the side of the neck, spreading into rich purplish-chestnut, which also variegates the back and shades the throat. Young:—Lacking these last colors. Length, 9-10; wing, 5; tail, 2; bill, tarsus and middle toe, each over 1, black. Hazs.—Temperate North America, chiefly the interior, breeding from north- ern I]linois and Utah northward to the Saskatchewan region, south in winter to- Brazil and Patagonia. Nest, in moist meadows. Eggs, three or four, variable in pattern, usually brownish-drab, marked with splashes, spots and scratches of chocolate-brown. This is the largest of the Phalaropes and the handsomest of all our waders. Unlike the others of its class, it is rare along the sea coast, but common inland, its line of migration being along the Mississippi Valley. Another peculiarity of the species is that the female is the larger and more gaily attired, and, from choice or necessity, the eggs are incubated by the male. In some other respects their domestic relations are not in accordance with the recognized rules of propriety. The first record I had of it as an Ontario species was in Mr. Saun- ders’ “List of Birds of Western Ontario,” where mention is made of one having been taken at Mitchell’s Bay in May, 1882. I did not hear of it again until I received the report of the Sub-section of the ‘Canadian Institute, in which it is stated that, at a meeting held June 2nd, 1890, Mr. Wm. Cross reported having received on the 2nd inst. a female Wilson’s Phalarope in full breeding plumage, which had been shot in Toronto marsh. At a subsequent meeting held Septem- ber 23rd, it was stated that, while Mr. Bunker was watching for ducks off the sand bar at the west end of the Island, a Wilson’s Phalarope pitched among his decoys and was secured. No the record of Ontario stands for the present. ; It is more common in the interior than along the sea coasts, and is now known to breed in suitable places throughout the northern tier of States, and also from the Red River to the Rockies, along the boundary line. On July 24th, 1880, Mr. Macoun reports finding it breeding around the ponds at Moose Mountain. The prairie ponds seem to be the favorite resort of this beautiful species, and as these are not common in Ontario, we may not have the birds except as visitors. AMERICAN AVOCET—AMERICAN WOODCOCK. 129 Famity RECURVIROSTRID 2. Genus RECURVIROSTRA Linnaus. . RECURVIROSTRA AMERICANA Gm. 91. American Avocet. (225) White; back and wings, with much black; head and neck, cinnamon-brown in the adult, ashy in the young; bill, black, 32 to gape; legs, blue; eyes, red. Length, 16-18; wing, 7-8; tail, 34; tarsus, 3}. Has.—Temperate North America, from the Saskatchewan and Great Slave Lake south, in winter, to Guatemala and the West Indies. Rare in the Eastern Province. Eggs, three or four, variable in size and marking, usually brownish-drab, marked with spots of chocolate-brown. This is another delicate inland wader, rare on the sea coast, but abundant in the Mississippi Valley. Stragglers appear occasionally at far distant points, and are at once identified by their peculiar markings and awl-shaped bill. I am aware of three individuals having been taken at different times at Rond Eau, on the north shore of Lake Erie, but these are all I have heard of in Ontario. In Manitoba it is spoken of as being exceedingly rare, but it is very abundant around the saline ponds and lakes in the North-West (Macoun). According to Dr. Coues, “It is more abundant than elsewhere in the interior of the United States along the Mississippi Valley, and thence westward, in all suitable localities, to the Rocky Mountains.” Its preference for salt or brackish waters is indicated by its abundance at Great Salt Lake, in Utah, and about the alkaline waters of Dakota. ' Famity SOOLOPACID A. Swipes, SANDPIPERS, ETC. Genus PHILOHELA Gray. PHILOHELA MINOR (GmE.). 92. American Woodcock. (228) Above, variegated and harmoniously blended black, brown, gray and russet ; below, pale warm brown of variable shade. Length, male, 10-11; female, 11-12; extent, 16-18; wing, 44-5; bill, 24-3; tarsus, 14; middle toe and claw, 14; weight, 5-9 ounces. Has.—Eastern Province of North America, north to the British Provinces, 9 130 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. west to Dakota, Kansas, etc.; breeding throughout its range. No extralimital records. The nest, which is composed of a few dead leaves, is usually placed at the root of a tree, or in a clump of weeds. Eggs, three or four, grayish-brown, marked with spots and blotches of lilac and chocolate. The Woodcock is a summer resident in Southern Ontario in uncertain numbers, appearing about the time the snow is going out of sight. In the fall it is much sought after by sportsmen, with varying success. Occasionally good bags are made, but in this respect no two seasons are alike. The birds seem to be paired on their arrival in spring, and at once select a site for the nest, which is usually placed in dense woods or swampy thickets. When the breeding season is over, they change their places of resort and are often found in corn fields, orchards and moist places, where they feed mostly during the night. They remain as long as the ground is soft enough for them to probe, after which they retire to the south. Writing from Hamilton, I may say that this species seems to be better known to the south and east of us than it is to the north and west. Dr. Bell says: ‘“‘I saw one specimen of the Woodcock in August last at York Factory. This bird is not uncommon in Manitoba, though the fact is not generally known.” in Manitoba report single birds having been procured at long inter- vals, so that it must either be very scarce or seldom seen. Throughout the Eastern States it is more common, but is so highly prized as a game bird that it is persecuted wherever it is known to exist. Other observers Genus GALLINAGO Leacu. GALLINAGO DELICATA (Orp.). 93. Wilson’s Snipe. (230) Crown, black with a pale middle stripe; back, varied with black, bright bay and tawny, the latter forming two lengthwise stripes on the scapulars; neck and breast speckled with brown and dusky; lining of wings, barred with black and white; tail, usually of sixteen feathers, barred with black, white and chestnut ; sides, waved with dusky; belly, dull white; quills, blackish, the outer, white edged. Length, 9-11; wing, 43-53; bill, about 24; whole naked portion of leg and foot, about 3. Hazs.—North and middle America, breeding from northern United States northward; south in winter to West Indies and northern South America. Nest, usually a depression in a grassy meadow. Eggs, three or four; grayish-olive, heavily marked with umber-brown and irregular lines of black. This is the Snipe of America, although the name is often errone- ously applied to other species. It is sometimes called English Snipe, owing to the close resemblance it bears to the British bird, but those “who have compared the two species state positively that they are different in their markings. In Southern Ontario this species is known only as a migrant in spring and fall. During the férmer season they are more protected 132 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. by the Game Act, so that the short visit they pay us in April must really be to them a time of enjoyment. In the fall it is quite differ- ent, for every nominal sportsman wants to go snipe shooting, and the birds are so frequently fired at, they are kept continually on the move from the time of their arrival till they take their final departure for the season. In former years, the breeding ground of the Snipe was a matter of speculation. It is now known to breed along the northern border of the northern tier of States, and is also common during the summer season in suitable places throughout Manitoba and the North-West. Here again, Nelson’s report from Alaska is quite interesting. He says: “This is a rather uncommon but widely spread species in Alaska along the mainland shore of Behring Sea. I found it both at St. Michael’s and on the lower Yukon in small numbers, making its presence known in spring-time by its peculiar whistling noise as it flew high overhead. It nests wherever found in the north, and is a rather common species along the entire course of the Yukon, extend- ing thence north to within the Arctic Circle, but its limit in this direction is not definitely known. “Tt was found at Sitka and Kadiak by the Western Union Tele- graph explorers, but is not known on any of the Behring Sea islands nor on the coast of Siberia, but it is to be looked for from the latter region, at least.” Gexus MACRORHAMPHUS Leacu. MACRORHAMPHUS GRISEUS (Gmez.). -94. Dowitcher. (231) Tail and its coverts, at all seasons, conspicuously barred with black and white (or tawny), lining of the wings and axillars the same; quills, dusky; shaft of first primary, and tips of the secondaries, except long inner ones, white; bill and feet, greenish-black. In summer, brownish-black above, variegated with bay; below, brownish-red, variegated with dusky; a tawny superciliary stripe, and a dark one from the bill to the eye. In winter, plain gray above, and on the breast, with few or no traces of black and bay; the belly, line over eye and under eyelid, white. Length, 10-11; wing, 5-54; tail, 24; bill, about 2h; tarsus, 14; middle toe and claw, 13. Has.—Atlantic coast of North America, breeding far‘north. Nest, a hollow near the borders of marshy lakes or ponds, lined with a few leaves and grass. Eggs, three or four ; identical in appearance with those of the common snipe. STILT SANDPIPER. : 133 Although this species is abundant along the sea coast during the season of migration, it can only be regarded as an accidental traveller in Ontario. The specimen in my collection is the only one I have ever found near Hamilton. In the “List of Birds of Western Ontario” it is spoken of as rare, and Dr. Wheaton, in his exhaustive “ List of the Birds of Ohio,” says he never saw it in that State, but has had it reported as a rare spring and fall migrant. Geo. R. White has found it on one or two occasions at Ottawa, but it is restricted to the Atlantic coast, and those found inland are -only stragglers from the ranks during the season of migration. They are gentle, unsuspicious birds, allowing a near approach, and, as they fly in compact flocks and gather very closely together when alighting, there is great opportunity for unlimited slaughter among them by anyone bent on filling the “bag.” They are a very abundant species and must breed in great num- bers somewhere, though exactly where I have not found on record. | Dr. Coues says that it breeds in high latitudes, and Ridgway ‘describes it as “breeding far northward, Nushagak River, Alaska (straggler).” It is spoken of by Dr. Richardson as having “an extensive breeding range throughout the fur countries, from the borders of Lake Superior to the Arctic Ocean.” Which of the two ‘species he found on the borders of Lake Superior is not apparent. These birds are seen in greatest numbers along the shores of the Atlantic States in fall and winter. They are highly esteemed for the table, and are slaughtered in great numbers for the market. In the North-West, including Alaska, the class is represented by the Long-billed Dowitcher, a bird very similar in habit and appear- ance but of larger size, the bill, especially, being longer than in the present species. Genus MICROPALAMA Batrp. MICROPALAMA HIMANTOPUS (Bonap.). 95. Stilt Sandpiper. (233) Adult in summer :—Above, blackish, each feather edged and tipped with white and tawny or bay, which on the scapulars becomes scalloped; auriculars, chestnut; a dusky line from bill to eye, and a light reddish superciliary line; upper tail coverts, white with dusky bars; primaries, dusky with blackish tips; tail feathers, ashy-gray, their edge and a central field white; under parts mixed, reddish, black and whitish, in streaks on the jugulum, elsewhere in bars ; bill and feet, greenish-black. Young and adult in winter :—Ashy-gray above, 134 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. with or without traces of black and bay, the feathers usually with white edging; line over the eye and under parts white; the jugulum and sides. suffused with the color of the back, and streaked with dusky ; legs, usually pale. Length, 8-9 inches; wing, 5; tail, 24; bill and tarsus, both 15-14; middle toe, 1. Has.—Eastern Province of North America, breeding north of the United States, and migrating in winter to the West Indies, Central and South America. Nest, a depression in the ground, lined with grass and leaves. Eggs, three or four, light-drab or grayish-white, with bold spots and markings of chestnut-brown. I have some scruples about including this species in my list, for 1 have no record of its having been taken within the Province; but, when we consider that it breeds to the north of us, and winters far: to the south, there can be no reasonable doubt that it passes through Ontario. Being rather a scarce species, it may have escaped the notice of sportsmen, or it may have been taken and no record made of the occurrence. I anticipate that when this list is made public, I shall learn of birds having been found in Ontario which are not. included here, for the simple reason that I had not heard of them. There is no convenient way of placing such records before the public, and they drop out of sight and are forgotten. It is to be hoped that the writer of the next list of the birds of Ontario will, for this reason, have many additions to make to the present one. While this article is in the hands of the printer, Mr. Cross, taxi- dermist, of Toronto, sends me a bird for identification, which proves to be this species. It is one of two which were shot near Toronto. about the 25th of June last, by Mr. Heinrich. Mr. Cross has made a happy hit in mounting them. They look like a pair of miniature curlews. The above was written eight years ago, and since then there has been but little to add to our acquaintance with this species in Ontario. That little comes from Toronto, where the birds seem to have found a place to suit them, but I fear they are not to be allowed peaceful possession of the same. The first record appears in the report of the Ornithological Sub-section of the Canadian Insti- tute for 1889, where it is stated: ‘On September 26th, we secured three of these rare Sandpipers, all shot at Toronto.” Ata meeting of the same sub-section, held on the 23rd September, 1890, it was stated by Mr. T. Hannar, that on the 28th July he shot a fine Stilt Sandpiper on Ashbridge’s Bar. The fact of this specimen having been obtained in July would indicate that the birds are breeding in that neighborhood, but so far we have no account of their nests. Genus TRINGA Liyyezus. Supcenus TRINGA. TRINGA CANUTUS Inv. 96. Knot. (234) Bill, equalling or rather exceeding the head, comparatively stout. Adudt in summer :—Ahbove, brownish-black, each feather tipped with ashy-white, and tinged with reddish on scapulars; below, uniform brownish-red, much as in the robin, fading into white on the flanks and crissum; upper tail coverts white with dusky bars, tail feathers and secondaries grayish-ash with white edges; quills, blackish; gray on the inner webs and with white shafts; bill and feet, blackish. Young:—Above, clear ash, with numerous black and white semi- circles; below white, more or less tinged with reddish, dusky speckled on breast, wavy barred on sides. Length, 10-11; wing, 6-64; tail, 24, nearly square; bill about 14 (very variable). Haxs.—Nearly cosmopolitan. Breeds in high northern latitudes, but visits the southern hemisphere during its migration. Nest, a depression in the sand. Eggs, light pea-green. This is the largest and handsomest of the Sandpipers, and though common along the sea coast, it is only an occasional visitor inland. The specimen in my collection I killed many years ago on the muddy 136 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. shore of one of the inlets of the Bay. I did not see the Knot again till May, 1884, when K. C. McIlwraith killed four very fine speci- mens in a moist vegetable garden on the beach. Dr. Wheaton met with it only once in Ohio, and it is not mentioned in the “ List of ' the Birds of Western Ontario,” from which it may be inferred that we are not on the line of its migrations. Mr. White reports its occurrence at Ottawa but once. He says: “On the 4th June, 1890, E. White obtained eight out of a. flock of about seventy birds. They were all in full adult plumage, but, strange to say, we have not seen a single specimen since.” In Manitoba, it occurs occasionally during migrations, but irregu- larly and not in large numbers. One observer (Hunter) says: “I have never seen the Knot along the Red River, but have seen large flocks west of Brandon.” In the North-West, Prof. Macoun says that it is frequently found along the borders of salt marshes. In Alaska, Mr. Nelson secured a single specimen, which was the only one seen during his residence there. Along the shores of New England, during spring and fall, it is still abundant, though the numbers have during past years been greatly reduced in comparison with what they once were. It is observed, occasionally, along the coasts of Scotland, and in England it is sometimes seen in very large flocks, all of which are migrants. / On the west coast of the Pacific, it migrates as far south as Australia and New Zealand to spend the winter, and at that season has been found in Damara Land, Africa, and also in Brazil. In the Auk for January, 1893, page 25, Mr. Geo. H. Mackay gives a most interesting and exhaustive history of the haunts and habits of this species, from which I should like to quote at length, did my limits permit. Mr. Mackay says: “This bird, which formerly so- _ journed on these shores in great abundance, and occurs now to a limited extent during its migrations, has been the subject of consider- able inquiry as to the cause of its appearing now in such reduced numbers. As each contribution to the subject may add something in assisting to correct conclusions, I have to present the following résumé, especially of the habits and movements of this bird during its short stay in Massachusetts, while on migration.” Mr. Mackay then speaks of the clouds of these birds which visited the coast of New England thirty or forty years ago, and how they were slaughtered wholesale by a most barbarous practice called “firelighting.” He continues: KNOT. 1 37 “T have it directly from an excellent authority, that he has seen, in the spring, six barrels of these birds (all of which had been taken in this manner) at one time on the deck of the Cape Cod packet for Boston. He had also seen barrels of them, which had spoiled during the voyage, thrown overboard in Boston Harbor on the arrival of the packet. The price of these birds at that time was ten cents per dozen; mixed with them would be Turnstones and Black-bellied Plover. Not one of these birds had been shot, all had been taken with the aid of a ‘firelight.’ “ Besides those destroyed on Cape Cod in this way, I have reasons for believing that they have been shot also in large numbers on the coast of Virginia in the spring, on their way north to their breeding grounds; one such place shipping to New York city in a single spring, from April 1st to June 3rd, upwards of 6,000 Plover, a large share of which were Knots. “Tt is not my intention to convey the impression that the Knots are nearly exterminated, but they are much reduced in numbers, and are in great danger of extinction, and comparatively few can now be seen in Massachusetts, where formerly there were twenty to twenty- five thousand a year, which I consider a reasonable estimate of its former abundance.” For many years the great desiderata among odlogists were the eggs of the Knot. Even now there are very few in existence, and it is only a few years since the first authenticated specimen was procured. The members of every expedition which visited the lands where the Knot was known to breed had instructions to search for these eggs, but one after another returned without success. Major N. W. Fielding, naturalist to the Nares’ Arctic Expedition of 1875-76, says: “JT was not so fortunate as to obtain the eggs of the Knot during our stay in the polar regions, though it breeds in some numbers along the shores of Smith Sound and the north coast of Grinnell Land. During the month of July my companions and I often endeavored to discover the nest of this bird, but none of us were successful. “However, on July 30th, 1876, the day before we broke up our winter-quarters, where we had been frozen in for eleven months, three of our seamen, walking along the border of a small lake not far from the ship, came upon an old bird accompanied by three nestlings which they brought to me. These young ones I have since seen in the British Museum at South Kensington, where, in company with a pair of the old birds, they constitute one of the most attractive of the many natural groups which adorn Mr. Sharpe’s department.” 138 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Finally, Lieut. A. W. Greely, commander of the late expedition to Lady Franklin Sound, succeeded in obtaining the long sought-for egg, and with great propriety requested Dr. C. H. Merriam to accept the honor of being the first to publish the account of it. The specimens of bird and egg were obtained in the vicinity of Fort Conger, latitude 81° 44’ N. In color the egg was light pea-green, closely spotted with brown in small specks about the size of a pin-head. Suscenus ARQUATELLA Bairp. TRINGA MARITIMA (Briyy.). 97. Purple Sandpiper. (235) Bill, little longer than the head, much longer than the tarsus, straight or nearly so; tibial feathers, long, reaching to the joints; though the legs are rarely bare a little way above. Adult:—Above, ashy-black, with purplish and violet reflections, most of the feathers with pale or white edgings; secondaries, mostly white; line over eye, eyelids and under parts, white; the breast and jugulum, a pale cast of the color of the back; and sides marked with the same. In winter, and most immature birds, the colors are similar but much duller; very young birds have tawny edgings above, and are mottled with ashy and dusky below. Length, 8-9 inches; wing, 5; tail, 23, rounded; bill, 1}; tarsus, 2; middle toe, 1, or a little more. Has.—Northern portions of the northern hemisphere; in North America, chiefly the northern portions, breeding in the high morth, migrating in winter to the Eastern and Middle States, the Great Lakes and the shores of the larger streams in the Mississippi Valley. j Nest, a mere depression in the ground with a scant lining of grass. The eggs are said to be four in number, clay color, shaded with olive, and marked with rich umber-brown. This, like the preceding species, is common to both continents, and is of circumpolar distribution. If it has been in the habit of passing this way, it did so without being observed till the 3lst of October, 1885, when one individual was killed at Hamilton Beach, by Dr. K. C. McIlwraith. This is the only record we have of it in the Province. As its name (maritima) implies, it is a bird of the sea coast, but though a Sandpiper, it is not so fond of the sandy shores as it is of the rocky ledges covered with sea weeds, where it no doubt finds something to suit its taste.. The name purple might lead a stranger to expect this to be a bird of showy colors, but in general appearance PECTORAL SANDPIPER. 139 it is perhaps the least so of its class, and might be described as about the size and build of the Black-heart, dull slaty-blue above, belly and vent white. When in full plumage, the feathers feel soft and silky for a bird of this class, and in certain rays of light seem slightly glossed with purple. | Since the above was written, eight years ago, one or two more specimens have been found at Hamilton. Mr. White got one at Ottawa, and Mr. Cross had one brought to him at Toronto. This tends to show that the bird is a rare straggler so far from the sea. It does not appear among the “ Birds of Manitoba,” nor those of Alaska, but breeds abundantly on the shores of Hudson’s Bay and Melville Peninsula. Suscexvs ACTODROMAS Kaup. TRINGA MACULATA VielItu. 98. Pectoral Sandpiper. (239) Coloration much as in Baird’s Sandpiper, but crown noticeably different from cervix; chestnut edgings of scapulars, straight-edged ; chin, whitish, definitely contrasted with the heavily ashy-shaded and sharply dusky-streaked jugulum. Large. Length, 84-9 inches; wing, 5-54; bill, tarsus and middle toe with claw, about 14; bill and feet, greenish. Has.—The whole of North America, the West Indies, and the greater part of South America. Breeds in the Arctic Regions. Of frequent occurrence in Europe. , Nest, in a tuft of grass. Eggs, four, pale grayish-buff, varying to pale olive-green, blotched and spotted with vandyke-brown. While on their extended migratory journey in spring and fall, these birds rest and refresh themselves on the marshes and lake shores of Ontario, where they are frequently observed by sportsmen, in flocks of considerable size. Near Hamilton they are not of regular occurrence, though they occasionally appear in the fall in goodly numbers, and if the weather keeps soft, remain till October. While here they-frequent the grassy meadows and muddy inlets near the Bay, being very seldom noticed on the sand. Like several others of the same class, this species has a wide geographical distribution, being found in Iceland, Europe and Asia. 140 BIRDS OF ONTARIO, Those who have seen this species only in Ontario can have but — little idea of its appearance during the breeding season, as seen by Mr. Nelson in Alaska, and I regret that his description is too long to be copied in full. He was under his tent on a lonely island near the mouth of the Yukon. He says : “ My eyelids began to droop and the scene to become indistinct, when suddenly a low, hollow, booming note struck my ear, and sent my thoughts back to a spring morning in Northern Illinois, and to the loud, vibrating tones of the prairie chickens. A few seconds passed and again arose the note; a moment later and, gun in hand, I stood outside the tent. Once again the note was repeated close by, and a glance revealed its author. Stand- ing in the thin grass, ten or fifteen yards from me, with its throat inflated until it was as large as the rest of the bird, was a male Pectoral Sandpiper. “The succeeding days afforded opportunity to ee the bird as it uttered its singular notes, under a variety of situations, and at various hours of the day or during the light Arctic night. Before the bird utters these notes, it fills its esophagus with air to such an extent that the breast and throat is inflated to more than twice its natural size, and the great air sac thus formed’ gives the peculiar resonant quality to the note. Whenever the Pectoral pursues his love-making, his rather low but pervading note swells and dies in musical cadences, which form a striking part of the great bird chorus heard at this season in the north.” TRINGA FUSCICOLLIS Vier. 99. White-rumped Sandpiper. (240) Size, medium; upper tail coverts, white; feet, black; bill, black, light- ‘colored at base below; coloration otherwise much as in Baird’s Sandpiper. An ashy wash on the jugulum is hardly perceptible except in young birds, and then it is slight; the streaks are very numerous, broad and distinct, extending as specks nearly or quite to the bill, and as shaft lines along the sides. Has.—Eastern Province of North America, breeding in the high north. In winter, the West Indies, Central and South America, south to the Falkland Islands. Occasional in Europe. Nest, a depression in the ground, lined with grass and a few withered leaves. Eggs, three or four, light olive-brown, spotted with deep dark chestnut. Several of our Sandpipers resemble each other so much in general appearance that by the gunner they are considered as all of one sort BAIRD’S SANDPIPER. - 141 and treated alike—that is, they are tied in bunches by the neck or legs and handed over to be prepared for the table. With the collector it is different: every individual is carefully examined as to. species, sex, age and condition, so that nothing may be lost that is worth preserving.- In the present species, the white rump is always a distinguishing mark, most conspicuous while the birds are on the wing. Inland it is not very common, but a few are usually seen associating with the others during the season of migration. The pair in my collection I found on the sandy shore of Lake Ontario. near the Burlington Canal. It is an eastern species, with a long range north and south. It is very abundant on the shores of New England during the season of migration. Inland it is found in Ontario, Manitoba and the North-West, but only in small flocks while migrating. It does not appear west of the Rocky Mountains, and only one or two stragglers have been found in Alaska. It is said to breed abundantly in the Mackenzie River region, and it was found by McFarlane breeding on the shores of the Arctic Sea. As winter approaches it moves south through the United States to the West Indies, Central and South America and the Falkland Islands. Stragglers have also been found in Europe. TRINGA BAIRDII (Covuzgs). 100. Baird’s Sandpiper. (241) Adult male:—Bill, wholly black, small and slender, slightly shorter than the head, just as long as the tarsus, or as the middle toe and claw, slightly expanded or lancet-shaped at the end, the point acute; grooves, long, narrow, deep; feathers on the side of lower mandible evidently reaching further than those on upper. Upper parts, brownish-black (deepest on the rump and middle upper tail coverts, and lightest on the neck behind), each feather bordered and tipped with pale brownish-yellow, the tipping of the scapulars broadest and nearly white, their marginings broad and brightest in tint, making several deep scallops toward the shafts of the feathers; only the outer series black, the others plain gray, with paler margins; jugulum, tinged with light, dull yellowish- brown, spotted and streaked with ill-defined blackish markings, as are also the sides under the wings; throat and other under” parts, white, unmarked; feet, black, like the bill. Length, 7.25; extent, 15.25; wing, 4.90; bill, 0.85; tarsus, middle toe and claw, the same. The female is entirely similar, but slightly larger. The young have the upper parts wholly light brownish-ash, darker on the rump, and all the feathers with a dark field, and pale or whitish edging; 142 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. waves of brownish-black on the scapulars; jugulum and breast, suffused with dull, light reddish-brown, the spotting small, sparse and very indistinct. Has.—The whole of North and South America, but chiefly the interior of North and the western portions of South America. Rare along the Atlantic coast, and not yet recorded from the Pacific coast. Known to breed only in the Arctic Regions. Nest, a slight depression, lined with grass, usually shaded by a tuft of grass. Eggs, three or four, clay color, spotted with rich umber-brown. Dr. Coues, in his new “ Key to North American Birds,” says that this is the most abundant small Sandpiper in some parts of the west during migrations, but it las not been found on the Pacific coast and is quite rare on the Atlantic. The only record we have of its occurrence in Ontario is that of a fine specimen now in my collection, which was shot at Hamilton Beach on the 25th of August, 1885, by K. C. MclIlwraith. It was singled out among a flock of small sand- pipers by its peculiar erratic snipe-like flight, and on being secured, its dainty little body was picked up with feelings which only the enthusiastic collector can understand. It is named after S. F. Baird, of the Smithsonian Institute, and, so far as known, is peculiar to the American continent. On the 23rd of August, 1886, while this article was in the printer’s hands, the locality where the specimen herein referred to was obtained was again visited, and, strange to say, another indi- vidual of the species was secured at the same place, under similar circumstances. On the lst of September the place was again visited, and two more were obtained, but on two subsequent visits, made within a day or two, no more were seen. Those who are observant of the migratory movements of the birds must often have been astonished to see with what persistent regularity certain birds appear at certain places at a given time. In the present instance these are the only birds of the kind we have ever seen or heard of in Ontario, but they were all found within a few yards of the same spot, and within ten days of the same date in different years. This species seems to prefer travelling inland, as it is rare on the Atlantic coast, and has not yet been observed on the Pacific. Mr. Nelson found only one, an immature bird, during his residence in Alaska; but it is known to breed in the barren lands in the Arctic Regions. It was not until 1861, that Dr. Coues disentangled this species from the general crowd, and gave it the name and rank by which it has since been called. It is so little known, that we have yet much to learn of its peculiarities. LEAST SANDPIPER. 143 TRINGA MINUTILLA Viet. 101. Least Sandpiper. (242) Upper parts in summer, with each feather blackish centrally, edged with bright bay, and tipped with ashy or white; in winter and in the young, simply ashy; tail feathers, gray, with whitish edges, the central blackish, usually with reddish edges; crown, not conspicuously different from hind neck; chest- nut edgings of scapulars usually scalloped; below, white, the jugulum with dusky streaks and an ashy or brownish suffusion; bill, black; legs, dusky greenish. Smallest of the sandpipers. Length, 54-6 inches; wing, 34-34; tail, 2 or less; bill, tarsus and middle toe with claw, about #?. ‘ Haz.—Whole of North and South America, breeding north of the United States. Accidental in Europe. Nest, a depression in the ground, lined with grass and leaves. Eggs, three or four, light drab, thickly sprinkled with reddish-brown spots. The appearance of this, the smallest of the Sandpipers, always excites a feeling of pity as he is seen hurrying along the sand in rear of his big brothers, uttering his feeble “peep” as if begging them to leave a little for him. In Ontario it is a common species, found in all suitable places in spring and fall, but its breeding ground is far north, and little, if anything, is known of its nest or eggs. Some might consider that a matter of no consequence, but here is what Dr. Coues says about it in his “Birds of the North-West”: “Fogs hang low and heavy over rock- girdled Labrador. Angry waves, palled with rage, exhaust themselves to encroach upon the stern shores, and, baffled, sink back howling into the depths. Winds shriek as they course from crag to crag in mad career, till the humble mosses that clothe the rocks crouch lower still in fear. Overhead the Sea Gulls scream as they winnow, and the Murres, all silent, ply eager oars to escape the blast. What is here to entice the steps of the delicate birds? Yet they have come, urged by resistless impulse, and have made a nest on the ground in some half-sheltered nook. The material was ready at hand, in the mossy covering of the earth, and little care or thought was needed to fashion a little bunch into a little home. “Four eggs are laid (they are buffy-yellow, thickly spotted over with brown and drab), with the points together, that they may take up less room and be more warmly covered ; there is need of this, such large eggs belonging to so small a bird. As we draw near the mother sees us, and nestles closer still over her treasures, quite hiding them in the covering of her breast, and watches us with timid eyes, all anxiety for the safety of what is dearer to her than her own life. 144 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Her mate stands motionless, but not unmoved, hard by, not ventur- ing even to chirp the note of encouragement and sympathy she loves to hear. « Alas! hope fades, and dies out, leaving only fear; there is no further concealment—we are almost upon the nest—almost trodden upon, she springs up with a piteous cry and flies a little distance, re-alighting, almost beside herself with grief; for she knows only too well what is to be feared at such a time. If there were hope for her that her nest were undiscovered, she might dissimulate, and try to entice us away by those touching deceits which maternal love in- spires. But we are actually bending over her treasures, and deception would be in vain; her grief is too great to be witnessed unmoved, still less portrayed; nor can we, deaf to her beseeching, change it to despair. We have seen and admired the home—there is no excuse for making it desolate ; we have not so much as touched one of the precious eggs, and will leave them to her renewed and patient care.” It is found as a migrant in Ontario and the North-West as far as Alaska. In the latter region it is rare, none having been found on the islands of Behring Sea. Suscexts PELIDNA Ctvier. TRINGA ALPINA PACIFICA (Cotes). 102. Red-backed Sandpiper. (2432) Adult in summer :—Above, chestnut, each feather with a central black field, and most of them whitish-tipped; rump and upper tail coverts, blackish; tail feathers and wing coverts, ashy-gray; quills. dusky with pale shafts; second- aries, mostly white; and inner primaries, edged with the same; under parts, white; belly, with a broad jet black area ; breast and jugulum, thickly streaked with dusky; bill and feet, black. Adult in irinter, and young :—Above, plain ashy-gray, with dark shaft-lines, with or without red or black traces; below, white; little or no trace of black on the belly; jugulum, with a few dusky streaks and an ashy suffusion. Length, 8-9 inches; wing, 44-5; tail, 2-23; bill, 13-13, longer than head, compressed at base, rather depressed at the end; tibia, bare about 4; tarsus, 1, or rather less. Has.—-North America in general, breeding far north, and straggling to eastern coast of Asia. Nest. in the vicinity of lakes and ponds, a hollow in the ground lined with a few withered leaves. Eggs. three or four, clay color, spotted. stained and blotched with chestnut. This is the Black-heart Plover of sportsmen. It is a regular CURLEW SANDPIPER. 145 visitor in Ontario in the season of migration, appearing on the shores of Lake Ontario with wonderful regularity on the Queen’s birthday (May 24th), as if to afford sport to our gunners on that Canadian holiday. It is much in favor with those who are fond of killing a great number of birds at once, for it usually appears in large; com- pact flocks and is not very difficult of approach. I once saw seventy- six killed or wounded with the discharge of two barrels. They had just arrived on the shore, and, seeming tired after a long flight, settled on a partially submerged log near the water’s edge, from which they were unwilling to rise, and allowed the gunner to do as stated, to his extreme delight. It did not occur to one, looking at so large a number of dead and wounded birds, that any very com- mendable feat had been accomplished, but so it was considered at the time, and so it will be again, I presume, with that class of sports- men, but the like opportunity may not happen soon again, as the number of Black-hearts which now visit that locality is very small. On leaving Southern Ontario in spring they pass on to the North- West, where they breed abundantly in Alaska and in the Arctic Regions. They are again seen in the fall, when they spend a few days before leaving for winter-quarters in the south. TRINGA FERRUGINEA Brutyy. 103. Curlew Sandpiper. (244) Adult :—Crown of the head and entire upper parts, greenish-black, each’ feather tipped and indented with yellowish-red; wing coverts, ashy-brown,. each feather with dusky shaft line and reddish edging; upper tail coverts,. white, with broad dusky bars, tinged at their extremities with reddish; tail, pale gray, with greenish reflection; sides of the neck and entire under parts uniform, deep brownish-red; under tail coverts, barred with dusky; axillars and under wing coverts, white; bill and feet, greenish-black. Length, 84; wing, about 5; bill, 14. Has.—Old World in general; occasional in eastern North America. Nest, by the margin of lakes and rivers, a slight hollow lined with leaves and grass. Eggs, three or four, pale-greenish buff, spotted and blotched with chestnut- brown. So far as at present known, the Curlew Sandpiper is only a straggler on the American continent, about ten or a dozen being all the recorded captures. It is quite a commén British species, and 10 146 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. like others peculiar to those eastern lands, may occasionally be wafted westward against its inclinations, but no nest of the species has yet been found on this side of the Atlantic. In 1867, the Board of Arts of Western Canada prepared a “Cata- logue of Birds Observed in the Country,” in connection with the collection which, during that year, was sent to the Paris Exposition. The Curlew Sandpiper is named in the catalogue, but no specimen was available for the collection. I have mentioned it here, chiefly with the view of placing the technical description in the hands of those interested, so that they may be able to identify the species should they at any time fall in with it. - Genus EREUNETES IL.icer. EREUNETES PUSILLUS (Lixy.). 104. “Semipalmated Sandpiper. (246) Adult in summer :—Above, variegated with black, bay and ashy, or white, each feather with a black field, reddish edge and whitish tip; rump and upper tail coverts, except the lateral ones, blackish; tail feathers, ashy-gray, the central darker; primaries dusky, the shaft of the first white; a dusky line from the bill to the eye, and a white superciliary line; below, pure white, usually rufescent on the breast, and with more or less dusky speckling on the throat, breast and sides, in young birds usually wanting; in winter the upper parts mostly plain ashy-gray; but in any plumage or under any variation the species is known by its small size and semipalmated feet. Length, 53-6} inches; wing 4}-4#; tarsus and middle toe and claw, about 1; bill, variable from 4 to 1}, averaging §. Haz.—Eastern Province of North America, breeding north of the United States; south in winter to the West Indies and South America. Nest, a depression in the ground, in or near some moist place, lined with withered grass. Eggs, three or four, variable in color, usually clay color, blotched or spotted with umber-brown. This is a very abundant species during the season of migration, thronging alike the shores of the Atlantic and those of our inland lakes and marshes. They visit the borders of Hamilton Bay in spring and fall in con- siderable numbers, but are so much disturbed by amateur gunners that they soon seek for more retired feeding grounds elsewhere. They are usually found associating with the Least Sandpiper, which they much resemble in general appearance, but the semipal- SANDERLING. 147 mated toes of the present species are always a reliable distinguishing mark, This is an eastern species, which prefers the shores of the Atlantic as its line of travel, passing up north in spring. It is tolerably common in Manitoba and the North-West, but is not seen in Alaska. Its centre of abundance seems to be the shores of Labrador and Hudson’s Bay, where it breeds in great numbers. They can raise only one brood, for they return from the north before August is out, and soon pass on south, where they are said to winter from the Carolinas southward. Genus CALIDRIS Cvcvisrr. CALIDRIS ARENARIA (Liyy.). 105. Sanderling. (248) Adult in summer :—Head, neck and upper parts varied with black, ashy and bright reddish; below, from the breast, pure white; tail, except central feathers, light-ash, nearly white; primaries, gray with blackish edges and tips, the shafts of all and bases of most, white; secondaries, white, except a space at the end, and greater coverts broadly white tipped; bill and feet, black. Adult in winter and young :—No reddish; speckled with black and white; sometimes tawny tinged on the jugulum. Length, 74-8; wing, 45-5; tail, 2}; bill, about 1; tarsus, 1, or rather less; middle toe and claw, {. Haz.—Nearly cosmopolitan, breeding in the Arctic and subarctic regions, migrating in America, south to Chili and Patagonia. Nest, a hollow in the ground, lined with grass and dead leaves. Eggs, two to four, greenish-brown, spotted and blotched with brown of different shades. 148 . BIRDS OF ONTARIO, The Sanderling is a species of very wide geographical distribution, being found in suitable places nearly all over the world. It visits the shores of the great lakes in Ontario during the season of migration, and appears in different dress according to age or the season of the year. In spring the breast and foreneck are tinged with pale rufous, but in autumn the whole lower parts are as white as snow. It is a very active species, and, when feeding along the shore, shows great celerity in following the receding wave, or keeping clear of the next one that rolls up on the beach. When wounded in the wing, it will run with great swiftness, and even take to the water and swim well. In spring their visits to Hamilton Bay are uncertain and of short duration, but on the return trip they appear about the end of August, and are found all through the fall. The flocks of Sanderlings which come over the boundary into Southern Ontario in May, soon pass on by easy stages up north, being noticed at various points on the way. They have been found breed- ing on the islands along the coast of Greenland, also in Grinnell Land, and on the shores and islands of Hudson’s Bay. Mr. Nelson did not see the species at St. Michael’s, but he says that it breeds along the barren Arctic shore of the north Alaskan coast, east of Point Barrow, but not in any numbers south of this point. It is found wintering in low latitudes on both shores of the Pacific, but is rather rare on the coast of India. Genus LIMOSA Brisson. LIMOSA FEDOA (Liyy.). 106. Marbled Godwit. (249) Tail, barred throughout with black and rufous; rump and upper tail coverts like the back; no pure white anywhere. General plumage, rufous, or cinnamon- brown; below, nearly unmarked, and of very variable shade, usually deepest on the lining of the wing; above, variegated with black and brown or gray; quills, rufous and black; bill, flesh-colored, largely tipped with black; feet, dark. Large. Length, 16-22; wing, about 9; tail, about 34; bill, 4-5; tibia bare, 1-14; tarsus, 24-3}; toes, 1}, stout. Has.—North America, breeding in the interior (Missouri region and north- ward), migrating in winter southward to Central America and Cuba. Nest, on the prairie, not far from water. Eggs, three or four; olive-drab, spotted with various shades of umber-brown. The Marbled Godwit is occasionally seen singly, or in pairs, on the lake shores of Ontario during the season of migration; but these can HUDSONIAN GODWIT. 149 only be regarded as stragglers, for we learn that in spring it passes up the Mississippi Valley in flocks of considerable size, and has been found nesting in Iowa, Minnesota and Dakota. It was also found by Prof. Macoun “feeding in large flocks along the salt marshes at Old Wives Lakes and other points” in Manitoba and the North-West. It is a handsome bird, in general appearance resembling the Curlews, from which, however, it can readily be distinguished by its straight bill. LIMOSA HAMASTICA (Liny.). 107. Hudsonian Godwit. (251) Tail, black, largely white at base, its coverts mostly white; rump, blackish; lining of wings extensively blackish; under parts in the breeding season intense rufous (chiefly barred) with dusky; head, neck and upper parts brownish-black, variegated with gray, reddish and usually some whitish speckling; quills, blackish, more or less white at the base. Young and apparently winter speci- mens, much paler, tawny-whitish below, more gray above. Considerably ‘smaller than the foregoing; about 15; wing, 8 or less; bill, 35 or less; tarsus, 24 or less. Haz.—Eastern North America, and the whole of Middle and South America. Breeds only in the high north. Nest, a hollow, lined with leaves and grass. Eggs, four, olive-drab with dark spots. This species is less abundant than the preceding. It seems to prefer the line of the Atlantic for its migrations, but is also noticed inland in smaller numbers. I have seen it in spring at St. Clair Flats, and also on the shores of Hamilton Bay, where the specimen in my collection was obtained. It is not known to breed anywhere within the limits of the United States, and Prof. Macoun, in recording its presence in the North- West, speaks of it as “less abundant than the preceding and more to the north.” In spring the prevailing color of the plumage is rich chestnut-red, crossed with wavy lines of black. In the fall, it is less attractive, being mostly ashy-gray. Though not abundant, this species is generally distributed east of the Rocky Mountains. It breeds abundantly on the barren lands of the Arctic Ocean, and on the lower Anderson River region. It associates with the Marbled Godwit, and has the same habits and characteristics. 150 BIRDS OF ONTARIO, Genus TOTANUS BeEcustTEIN. Suscexus GLOTTIS Kocn. TOTANUS MELANOLEUCUS (GMEL.). 108. Greater Yellow-legs. (254) Bill, straight or slightly bent upwards, very slender, grooved half its length: or less, black; legs, long and slender, yellow. In summer, ashy-brown; above varied with black and speckled with whitish; below, white; jugulum, streaked ; breast, sides and crissum, speckled or barred with blackish; these latter marks fewer or wanting in winter and in the young; upper tail coverts, white, with dark bars; tail feathers, marbled or barred with ashy or white; quills, blackish. Large. Length, over 12 inches; wing, over 7; tail, 3 or more; bill, 2 or more; tarsus, about 24; middle toe and claw, 1}; tibia, bare, 14. Has.—America in general, breeding in the cold, temperate and subarctic portions of North America, and migrating south to Buenos Ayres. Nest, a hollow, lined with grass and leaves. Eggs, three or four, grayish-white, marked with spots of dark Sea and lilac. In spring, even before the ice is quite gone from the lakes and. rivers of Ontario, the shrill, piercing cry of this bird may be heard overhead, as it circles round in search of somg quiet, marshy inlet as a temporary resting place. It is a very watchful species, sure to observe the stealthy approach of the gunner, and give the alarm to: the neighborhood, on account of which it has been dubbed the Tell- tale. But a short stay is made in spring, for it passes quickly on to its breeding place in the far north. - As early as the end of August the birds again appear, toned down in dress and manners, accompanied by their families. Many of them become the victims of misplaced confidence by exposing themselves within reach of the ever-ready breech-loader, which at that season of the year seems omnipresent in the marshes. Like others of its kind, this species is an occasional visitor at the Beach, near Hamilton, but the visits of all this class of birds at that point are now of less frequent occurrence, and of shorter duration, than in former years. In Manitoba and the North-West, it is observed migrating in spring and fall, but is not known to breed. Mr. Nelson thinks it breeds in Alaska, but he has not found the eggs. Audubon found it breeding in Labrador. Its eggs are still scarce in collections. YELLOW-LEGS—SOLITARY SANDPIPER. 151 TOTANUS FLAVIPES (Gme1.). 109. Yellow-legs. (255) A miniature of the last; colors precisely the same; legs comparatively longer; bill grooved rather farther. Length, under 12; wing, under 7; tail, under 3; bill, under, 2; tarsus, about 2; middle toe and claw, and bare tibia, each 1}. Haz.—America in general, breeding in the cold, temperate and subarctic districts, and migrating south in winter to southern South America. Less common in the Western than in the Eastern Province of North America. Nest, a slight depression in the ground, lined with dried grass or leaves. Eggs, three or four, variable in color, usually clay color, blotched or spotted with umber-brown. In color, haunts and habits, this species closely resembles the preceding, but the difference in size serves at all times to distinguish one from the other. Both are esteemed for the table, and they are therefore sought for by sportsmen, and often exposed for sale in the market. When one is wounded in a flock, the others raise a great outcry, and remain near it so long that their ranks are often still further thinned before they move off. Alone, or in company with the preceding, this species pays a passing visit to the shores of Hamilton Bay in spring and fall. , In some localities it is more numerous than the Greater Yellow- legs, but both follow the same route. Coming into Canada from the Northern States in May, they pass up north through the British possessions, but do not stop to breed till they reach the far north. The Yellow-legs has been found breeding abundantly in the Macfarlane and Anderson River regions, where its eggs were found early in June. It is also known to breed at the mouth of the Porcu- pine River, which empties into the Yukon in Alaska. In the fall it is again seen in noisy groups, that become reduced in numbers at the different points they visit on their way to their winter quarters, | which are said to be in the West Indies and South America. Suscenus RHYACOPHILUS Kavp. TOTANUS SOLITARIUS (Wizs.). 110. Solitary Sandpiper. (256) Bill, perfectly straight, very slender, grooved little beyond its middle; dark lustrous olive-brown, streaked on the head and neck, elsewhere finely speckled with whitish; jugulum and sides of neck, with brownish suffusion and dusky 152 : BIRDS OF ONTARIO. streaks; rump and upper tail coverts, like the back; tail, axillars and lining of wings, beautifully barred with black and white; quills, entirely blackish; bill and feet, very dark olive-green. Young:—Duller above, less speckled, jugulum merely suffused with grayish-brown. Length, 8-9; wing, 5; tail, 24; bill, tarsus and middle toe, each about 1-14; tibiz, bare, 3. Has.—North America, breeding throughout the temperate portions (more commonly northward), and migrating southward as far as Brazil and Peru. Nest, a hollow in the ground, not far from water. Eggs, clay color with a reddish tinge, thickly marked with reddish and blackish brown. As its name implies, this is a solitary bird, nowhere abundant, yet widely distributed. It is seen during the summer months in Southern Ontario. Prof. Macoun reports it as “of frequent occur- rence on the plains” of the North-West, and it has been found in Alaska. . In the “List of Birds of Western Ontario,” published in the Cana- dian Sportsman and Naturalist, for November, 1882, it is stated that “in the summer of 1879 this bird bred very commonly along the streams in Middlesex, but has since then been quite rare.” Most of those I have seen near Hamilton have risen unexpectedly from some pool by the roadside, frequently from places where cattle have been in the habit of visiting to obtain water. I have not seen more than two together. In their motions they are quiet and sedate, but have the habit peculiar to others of this class, of nervously jerking their hinder parts in a manner apparently satisfactory to themselves, though what particular purpose is served by it, is not to us apparent. From having seen this species in all the summer months, I have placed it on the list as a rare summer resident here. I have often fancied myself in close proximity to its nest, but so far I have not found it. I may state, however, that I do not search for eggs, and, therefore, do little collecting during June and . duly. There is no trouble in deciding the breeding range of a common species, but the reverse is the case with a rare bird. In the “ Birds of Manitoba,” several of the observers mention it as probably breed- ing, but Macoun states positively: ‘Frequent throughout the Winni- pegosis region, along the route of 1881, breeding, for young were observed with some down yet.” It is reported as breeding at several points in Alaska, but even there it is not abundant, and the eggs are still rare in collections. WILLET. 1538 Genus SYMPHEMTA Rarinesque. SYMPHEMIA SEMIPALMATA (Gmzz.). 111. Willet. (258) Bill, straight, comparatively stout, grooved little, if any, more than half its ‘length. In summer, gray above, with numerous black marks; white, below; the jugulum, streaked; the breast, sides and crissum, barred, or with arrow- shaped marks of dusky (in winter, and in young birds, all these dark marks few or wanting, except on jugulum); upper tail coverts, most of the secondaries, and basal half of primaries, white; ends of primaries, their coverts, lining of wings and axillars, black; bill, bluish or dark; toes, with two conspicuous basal webs. Length, 12-16; wing, 7-8; tail, 24-3; bill or tarsus, 2-23; tibia, bare, 1 or more; middle toe and claw, 14-2. Hazs.—Temperate North America, south to the West Indies and Brazil. Nest, in a tussock of grass in the marsh, just above water level. Eggs, three or four, usually clay color, splashed or spotted with varying shades of umber-brown and purple. Very little is known of this species in Ontario. On two occasions I have seen it brought in by gunners from the marsh, but have not met with it alive. That it passes this way in spring and fall is probable, for it breeds generally throughout the United States as far north as Dakota, and has also been observed in the North-West by Prof. Macoun. In general appearance it resembles the Greater Yellow- shanks, but in the present species the legs are bluish-lead color. The Willets are very wary birds, and along the sea coast, where they are more common and much sought after, decoys are used to attract them within range. In the fall they are said to get extremely fat, and are much prized for the table. Although generally distributed throughout Ontario and across the interior to the Pacific coast, they are nowhere numerous, the centre -of abundance being-farther to the south. Cobb's Island, Virginia, is mentioned as one of the breeding places. In Davie’s “‘ Nests and Eggs,” it is stated that there is a tract of salt grass in Beaufort County, South Carolina, where it breeds in great numbers. A hundred pairs or more are commonly observed breeding in this locality at the same time. The eggs are very difficult to discover, but the crows find them out and feed upon them, the -empty shells being strewed plentifully over the field. 154 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Gexus PAVONCELLA Leacu. PAVONCELLA PUGNAX Liyy. 112. Ruff. (260) Above, varied with black, rufous, and gray; the scapulars and tertials: exhibiting these colors in oblique bands; beneath, white, varied on the jugulum and throat; primaries, dark brown, with gréenish reflection above; the inner webs finely mottled towards the base; outer three tail feathers plain, the remainder transversely barred; bill, brown; sides of rump, white; legs, yellow. Male in spring dress with the feathers of the neck greatly developed into a ruff; the face covered with reddish papille. Length, about 10 inches; wing, 6.40; tail, 2.60; bill, 1.25. Has.—Northern parts of the Old World, straying occasionally to Eastern. North America. Nest, made by the females, in a dry tussock of grass in a wet swamp. Eggs, four, grayish-green, blotched and spotted with reddish-brown. A wanderer from the Old World, which has been occasionally obtained on Long Island, on the coast of New England and in the Middle States. The fact of a specimen having been killed on the island near Toronto, in the spring of 1882, gives me the privilege of recording this species as a rare visitor to Ontario. This is farther inland than any of the others occurred, and the probabilities are that it will not often be found so far from the sea. The specimen referred to is apparently a young male in nearly perfect plumage, and is now mounted, and in the possession of Mr. Young, of Toronto. Along the eastern shores of England and Scotland, the Ruffs are migrants in spring and fall. In former vears a few pairs used to remain and raise their young, but now, owing to the clearing of the land and the birds being more shot at than formerly, nearly all pass on to Scandinavia, where they breed in great numbers. Ruffs are polygamous, and the males have a curious habit of assembling on bare knolls in the spring to fight for the females. There they erect their long feathers and charge each other with a great deal of fuss and flutter, but their differences are usually settled without hlood- shed, and soon afterwards the females retire, select the site, build the nest, and raise their brood without receiving any further atten- tion from the other sex. In autumn they pass south to the Mediterranean, thence down both coasts of Africa as far as Cape Colony. BARTRAMIAN SANDPIPER. 155. Gexus BARTRAMIA Lesson. BARTRAMIA LONGICAUDA (Becust.). 113. Bartramian Sandpiper. (261) Above, blackish, with a slight greenish reflection, variegated with tawny and whitish ; below, pale tawny of varying shade, bleaching on throat and belly; jugulum with streaks, breast and sides with arrowheads and bars of blackish ; axillars and lining of wings, pure white, black-barred; quills blackish, with white bars on the inner webs; tail, varied with tawny, black and white, chiefly in bars; bill and legs, pale, former black-tipped. Length, 11-13 inches; wing, 6-7; tail, 3-4; bill, 1-14; middle toe and claw about the same; tarsus, about 2. Has.—Eastern North America, north to Nova Scotia and Alaska, breeding throughout its North American range, migrating in winter southward as far even as southern South America. Occasional in Europe. Nest, on the ground, a slight depression lined with grass often in an old pasture field. Eggs, four, clay color, marked all over with small spots of umber-brown, most numerous at the larger end. The Field Plover, as this species is frequently called, is now very seldom seen in Ontario, though the older sportsmen tell us that in former times it was often observed in the pasture fields in spring and fall. The few that I have noticed near Hamilton have always been in such places, but these can only be regarded as stragglers, bewildered by fog, or driven by adverse winds away from their regular habitat. In all the country between the Mississippi and the Rocky Mountains, this species is said to be exceedingly abundant during the seasons of migration, many remaining to raise their young in Tlinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Dakota, while large flocks pass on for the same purpose, going as far north as the Yukon. According to Prof. Macoun, they are abundant on the prairies of the North- West, where they will afford good sport and a table delicacy to many a future settler in that promising country. The only point in Southern Ontario at which J have heard of these birds being seen lately is on the Lake Erie shore not far from Dunnville, where Dr. Macallum is aware of at least two pairs having raised their broods during the two past summers. They have also been heard of on the lake shore farther west, but the increased cultivation of the land, and the increased number of people firing, their guns at them, lead such birds to seek for greater retirement. elsewhere. 156 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Genus TRYNGITES Casanis. TRYNGITES SUBRUFICOLLIS (Vieitt.). 114. Buff-breasted Sandpiper. (262) Quills, largely white on the inner web, and with beautiful black marbling or mottling, best seen from below; tail, unbarred, gray, the central feathers darker, all with subterminal black edging and white tips; crown and upper parts blackish, the feathers with whitish or tawny edging, especially on the wings; sides of the head, neck all round and under parts, pale rufous or fawn color, speckled on the neck and breast with dusky; bill, black; feet, greenish- yellow. Length, 7-8; wing, 5-53; tail, 2}; tarsus, 14; middle toe and claw, and bill, under an inch. Haz.—North America, especially in the interior; breeds in the Yukon district and the interior of British America, northward to the Arctic coast; South America in winter. Of frequent occurrence in Europe. Nest, a depression in the ground, lined with dry grass or leaves. Eggs, four; clay color, blotched or spotted with umber-brown. In the early fall I have several times met with these interesting little birds, running among the short grass on the sandy knolls, north of the canal at the beach, but have not seen them elsewhere. They are said to breed in high latitudes, a dozen sets of eggs in the Smithsonian Institute having all been collected by Mr. Macfar- lane in the Anderson River region, and along the Arctic coast. With this record before me, I was not a little surprised to receive from Dr. G. A. Macallum, of Dunnville, a notice of his having found a nest of the species near his home, a few miles back from the north shore of Lake Erie. In answer to my request for further particulars, I received a prompt and full reply, from which the following is an extract: “About the Buff-breasted Sandpiper—I find on turning up my notes that it was taken June 10th, 1879, when two of the eggs were hatched and the other one chipped, but of this, however, I was able to make a good specimen, and it is now in my cabinet. “The female was shot, and with the two little fellows, stands in my collection. The young are fawn-colored, with black spots over the whole body; the egg measures 1.25 x .95, is pyriform in shape; color, ground, buff, thickly covered with dark blotches of two shades of brown, making the general appearance very dark—almost as dark as the eggs of Wilson’s Snipe. “The nest was placed between two tussocks of grass on the ground, a short distance from the bank of the river, where the ground is SPOTTED SANDPIPER. 157 tolerably high, and where it is the custom to cut marsh hay. The nest was of a decided shape, and was composed of the fine moss or weed which grows between the tussocks of marsh grass. This is the only case of its breeding here to my knowledge.” This species not being common anywhere, there is not much opportunity for obtaining positive information regarding its distri- bution during the breeding season. It may be that the case referred to by Dr. Macallum is an isolated one, but it may yet be found, like its near relative, Bartram’s Sandpiper, breeding occasionally in suitable places throughout the country. The Buff-breasted has a wide geographical range, and although many pairs breed in the far north, a few remain and raise their young in the middle districts. Those I obtained were got on the 5th of September, 1885, and, though evidently young birds, were in good plumage at that time. In the “Birds of Manitoba,” it is mentioned only as a rare transient visitor. Genus ACTITIS I tuicer. ACTITIS MACULARIA (Liyy.). 115. Spotted Sandpiper. (263) Above, olive (quaker-color, exactly as in the Cuckoo), with a coppery lustre, finely varied with black; line over eye, and entire under parts pure white, with numerous sharp circular black spots, larger and more crowded in the female than in the male, entirely wanting in very young birds; secondaries, broadly white-tipped, and inner primaries with a white spot; most of the tail feathers like the back, with sub-terminal black bar and white tip; bill, pale yellow, tipped with black; feet, flesh color. Length, 7-8; wing, about 4; tail, about 2; bill, tarsus and middle toe, each about 1. Haz.—North and South America, south to Brazil. Breeds throughout temperate North America. Occasional in Europe. Nest, on the ground, usually in shelter of high weeds, composed of dried grass. Eggs, four, clay color, blotched with blackish-brown. No bird of its class is so well known throughout Ontario as the “Teeter Snipe.” Merry bands of children, getting out to the woods to pick flowers in the early summer, listen with delight to its soft “peet-weet,” as it flits from point to point along the margin of the stream, and find great amusement in watching the peculiar jerky, teetering motions which give rise to its common name. It thus becomes associated in the mind of the rising generation with the return of summer and its many outdoor enjoyments, and so is always 158 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. welcome. About the middle of April, the Peet-weets cross our southern boundary, and are soon dispersed in pairs all over the country, where they are heard and seen by every brook side till about the end of September, when they move off to spend the winter in the Southern States. In the fall they become quite numerous, and niany may be seen along the lake shore at one time, but they are not gregarious, each individual choosing its own time to rise and place to alight. The female is rather larger and more heavily spotted than the male. The species is common throughout the. North-West, and has been found by Dr. Bell in the Hudson’s Bay regions, but it rarely, if ever, visits Alaska. Gex-ts NUMENIUS Brisson. NUMENIUS LONGIROSTRIS Wits. 116. Long-billed Curlew (264) Bill, of extreme length and curvature, measuring from 5 to 8 or 9 inches; total length, about 2 feet; wing, 1 foot or less; tail, about 4; tarsus, 25 to 2%. Plumage very similar to that of the Godwit, prevailing tone, rufous, of varying intensity in different birds and in different parts of the same bird, usually more intense under the wing than elsewhere: below, the jugulum streaked, and the breast and sides with arrow-heads and bars of dusky; above, variegated with black, especially on the crown, back and wings; tail, barred throughout with black and rufous; secondaries, rufous; primaries, blackish and rufous; no pure white anywhere; bill, black, the under mandible flesh-colored for some dis- tance; legs, dark. Has.—Temperate North America, migrating south to Guatemala and the West Indies. Breeds in the south Atlantic States, and in the interior through most of its North American range. Nest, on the ground, a slight hollow lined with grass. Eggs, three or four, clay color, blotched or spotted with umber-brown. The Long-billed Curlew is a bird of the prairie rather than the coast, though it is often met with along the shores of the sea. It is said to breed in suitable places from Carolina to Minnesota, but is spoken of by Prof. Macoun as rare in the North-West. In Ontario, it is occasionally seen along the shores of the lakes, but only as an irregular visitor, and not in large numbers. Among the veteran sportsmen near Hamilton, it is spoken of as one of the kinds which have been scared away by the railroads. Whether or not the snorting of the locomotive has anything to do with the disappearance of the birds from their former haunts it is hard to say, but certain it is that HUDSONIAN CURLEW. 159 the number of waders and swimmers we now see is small compared with former years. In the “Birds of Minnesota,” Dr. Hatch, at the commencement of his article on the Long-billed Curlew, says: “This widely distributed species is nowhere better represented than in Minnesota,” but refer- ring to this statement he says, in a foot-note: “The above was true when written, but the curlews of this species, once so common, have become less so within the last decade; and now, having been driven back from both coasts by the advance of civilization, are found in great numbers far inland on the dry plains, where they are killed in scores and hundreds.” Dr. Bell remarks that it has not been seen near Hudson’s Bay. It does not migrate so far north as either of the other species with which we are acquainted. It still breeds abundantly on the south Atlantic coast, and is resident from the Carolinas south to Mexico. NUMENIUS HUDSONICUS Larn. 117. Hudsonian Curlew. (265) Bill, medium, 3 or 4 inches long; length, 16-18; wing, 9; tail, 35; tarsus, 21.95. Plumage, as in the last species in pattern, but general tone much paler ; quills, barred. Has.—All of North and South America, including the West Indies; breeds in the high north, and winters chiefly south of the United States. Nest, a depression in the ground, lined with grass. Eggs, ashy yellow, marked with chocolate and umber-brown. According to Dr. Coues, huwdsonicus is less abundant than either of the other two Curlews, but at Hamilton it is, of the three, most frequently observed. I was once on the Beach in May, when there - appeared to be a migratory movement of Hudsonian Curlews toward the north. They flew high, in regular order, like geese, and showed no inclination to alight till a boy, with a long shot, brought down one, wing broken, from a passing flock. Knowing the habits of the birds, he quickly tied it to a stake in a moist meadow, and concealing himself close by, had good shooting during the afternoon, for the loud outery made by his prisoner brought down every passing flock. Of late years very few have been seen. This is a truly northern species, for My. Nelson reports of as a migrant in Alaska, only an isolated pair remaining here and there to pass the summer, the main body going farther north, where. they 160 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. have been found breeding on the barren land of the Arctic Regions.- They seem to prefer the eastern route during migrations. Mr. Chamberlain reports them as abundant along the Atlantic, as far north, at least, as Anticosti. Dr. Bell found them in plenty near Fort Churchill, but in the “ Birds of Manitoba,” no mention is made of them. In Southern Ontario they are still rare. Occasionally a straggling flock of migrants is seen in spring, and Dr. Macallum reports them as regular visitors at Mohawk Island every June, but on such occasions they appear only in small numbers. NUMENIUS BOREALIS (Forst.). 118. Eskimo Curlew. (266) Bill, small, under 3 inches long; length, 12-15 inches; wing, under 9; tail, 3; tarsus, 2. Plumage, in tone and pattern almost exactly as in the last species, but averaging more rufous, especially under the wings, and primaries, not barred. , Has.—Eastern Province of North America, breeding in the Arctic regions, and migrating south to the southern extremity of South America. Nest, in open plains, a hollow lined with grass and leaves. + Eggs, olive-drab shading to green gray, or brown marked with dark choco- late. The Curlews all resemble each other in plumage, but in size they vary considerably, this being the smallest of the three. It is very abundant in the remote regions which it frequents in summer, and also along its migratory course, from which it does not seem to deviate much. On the Pacific coast it has not yet been observed, and on the Atlantic shores it appears only in limited numbers. The great highway of the species is through the States just east of the Rocky Mountains, where it is seen in immense flocks in spring and fall. Dr. Coues says it is extraordinarily abundant in some places during the migration, as in Labrador, where it fairly swarms in August. I once found myself, unexpectedly, in close proximity to a solitary individual on the shore of the beach, near ‘Hamilton, and secured it, but that is the only record I have of its occurrence in Ontario. Dr. Macallum’s experience with this species is similar to mine. He secured two, which were feeding in an old pasture field along with some Golden Plovers ; but these are all he has seen in twenty years. Famiry CHARADRITDA® Provers. Gexus CHARADRIUS Liyyzus. SupcEenus SQUATAROLA Cuvier. CHARADRIUS SQUATAROLA (Liyy.). 119. Black-bellied Plover. (270) Adult in breeding season:—Rarely seen in the United States; face and entire under parts, black; upper parts, variegated with black and white, or ashy ; tail, barred with black and white; quills, dusky with large white patches. Adults at other times and young :—Below, white, more or less shaded with gray ; the throat and breast, more or less speckled with dusky; above, blackish, speckled with white or yellowish; the rump, white, with dark bars; legs, dull bluish. Old birds changing show every grade, from a few isolated feathers on the under parts to numerous large black patches. Length, 11-12; wing, 7 or more; tail, 3; bill, 1-14; tarsus, 2; middle toe and claw, 14; hind toe, hardly J. Hazs.—Nearly cosmopolitan, but chiefly in the northern hemisphere, breed- ing far north, and migrating south in winter, in America, to the West Indies, Brazil and New Grenada. Nest, a hollow in the ground, slightly lined with grass. Eggs, four, dark gray color, blotched or spotted with brownish-black. 11 162 BIRDS OF ONTARIO, Although of nearly cosmopolitan distribution, this large and hand- some Plover is nowhere abundant. It has been found breeding on the Arctic coast east of the Anderson River, where its eggs were taken by Mr. Macfarlane. In its migrations, it prefers the sea coast on either side to the interior, but a few are also observed inland. At Hamilton, it visits the beach in spring and fall in limited numbers. I once got two out of three very handsome individuals which I saw there on the 3rd of June. In the “List of Birds of Western Ontario,” it is mentioned as a “common migrant” at St. Clair Flats. It is also seen passing throughout the North- West, and Mr. White has found it at Ottawa. Until quite recently, the only breeding place I had heard named for this species was within the Arctic Circle. In the ‘“ Birds of Minnesota,” Dr. Hatch says: “In the summer of 1875, a clutch of four eggs was sent to me with the female, which proved to be a Black-bellied Plover. It was obtained in the vicinity of upper Lake Minnetonka. Since then several nests have been reported by persons competent to determine them, and I accept the conclusion that this species breeds to a limited extent in some portions of the State.” A few are said to breed at the mouth of the Yukon in Alaska, but at St. Michael’s, where Mr. Nelson was stationed, he did not find it in summer. Suscenus CHARADRIUS Liyy ts. CHARADRIUS DOMINICUS (Mutt). 120. American Golden Plover. (272) Plumage, speckled above, and, in the breeding season, black below, as in the last species, but much of the speckling bright yellow; and the rump and upper tail coverts, like the back; forehead and a broad line over the eye to the nape, white; tail feathers, grayish-brown, with imperfect white or ashy bars; axillars, gray or ashy. At OEBEE times, the under parts nearly as in the last species. Length, 10-11; wing, 7 or less; tail, under 3; bill, 1 or less. Has.—Arctic America, migrating southward throughout North and South America to Patagonia. Nest, composed of dry grass, in a natural hollow in the ground. Eggs, four, similar to those of the preceding species but not quite so large. Old sportsmen tell us that Golden Plovers used to follow the line of the Detroit River in immense flocks, passing quickly to the north KILLDEER. 163 in the spring, and lingering along the shores and in the pasture fields on their return in the fall. According to the “List of Birds of Western Ontario,” they are still regular visitors there, but only in small numbers. Near Ham- ilton they have never been common. Small flocks of immature birds are seen passing south in the fall occasionally, but not regularly. The Golden Plover in full breeding plumage is a very handsome bird, but, like the Snow-bird and some others which breed in high latitudes, it does not assume the nuptial dress till it reaches its northern home, and by the time it gets back within the’ bounds of civilization it has donned the sober garb of winter. Mr. White reports the Golden Plover as a regular visitant at Ottawa during October. It is an abundant migrant in the North- West, but none remain during the summer. It breeds abundantly on the coast and islands of the Arctic Sea, and on the barren lands, and again puts in an appearance at the usual stopping places on its return trip in the fall. Genus AAGIALITIS Bors. Suspcenus OX YECHUS Reicuensacu. AHGIALITIS VOCIFERA (Lryy.). 121. Killdeer. (273) Above, quaker-brown, with a greenish tinge, sometimes most of the feathers tipped and edged with orange-brown; rump and upper tail coverts, orange- brown; most of tail feathers, white at base and tip, suffused with orange-brown in part of their length, and with one to three black bars; secondaries, mostly white; and primaries, with a white space; a black bar across the crown; and two black bands on the neck and breast ; forehead and entire under parts, except as stated, white; bill, black; feet, pale; eyelids, scarlet. Length, 9-10 inches; wing, 6 or more; tail, 35, much rounded; tarsus, about 14. Has.—Temperate North America, migrating in winter to the West Indies, Central America and northern South America. Nest, in the grass or shingle, in the vicinity of water. Eggs, four, clay color, marked with blackish-brown. This is a noisy, well-known bird, generally distributed throughout Ontario, and abundant in the North-West. In April, even before the snow is quite gone, the shrill cry of the Killdeer is heard in the upper air, as it circles around, surveying its old haunts, and selecting a bare spot on which to settle. 11* 164 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Its favorite resorts are pasture fields or waste places near water, where it spends much of its time on the ground, sometimes running with great speed, or sitting quietly as if aware that it is more likely to escape observation in that way than by moving. It can scarcely be called gregarious, yet, in the fall, when the young birds are getting strong on the wing, they may be seen in companies of ten or a dozen, visiting the muddy shores of streams and inlets, till about the end of September, when they all move off south. It is common during summer in Manitoba and the North-West, but is not named among the “ Birds of Alaska.” Suscenus AAGIALITIS Bor. ZEGIALITIS SEMIPALMATA Bownap. 122. Semipalmated Plover. (274) Above, dark ashy-brown with an olivaceous shade; below, white; very broad coronal and pectoral black bars in the adult in spring; in fall and in the young the coronal bar hardly evident; the pectoral, grayish-brown; edges of eyelids, bright orange; bill, moderately short and stout, orange or yellow, black tipped; legs, yellowish; toes, conspicuously semipalmate. Length, about 7 inches; wing, 43; tail, about 2} rounded. Has.—-Arctic and subarctic America, migrating south throughout tropical America, as far as Brazil and Peru. Nest, a depression in the ground, lined with dry grass. Eggs, four, clay color, marked with blackish-brown. The Semipalmated is a solid, plump little bird of very pleasing plumage, particularly in spring, when the colors are clear and decided. In company with other beach birds, it is found along the shores of the lakes in Ontario from the middle till the end of May. In the fall it is again seen in increased numbers in similar places till about the end of September, when it disappears for the season. Dr. Coues found the Ring-necks breeding abundantly in Labrador, and mostly remaining there till the beginning of September. The dis- tance between their summer and winter home is very great, but their flight is rapid, and as they seem to know the way, the journey is quickly made. They have been found breeding in the latter part of June on the Arctic coast and in the Anderson River regions, as well as on the islands off the Alaskan coast and at the mouth of the Yukon. PIPING PLOVER. 165 It is probable that a few stop and raise their brood by the way, for in Manitoba, where the species is abundant as a migrant, Macoun says : “ Abundant in company with the Killdeer, and evidently breed- ing, as I saw young with them at the Salt Springs on Red Deer River, July 22nd, 1881, at Lake Manitoba.” AEGIALITIS MELODA (Orp.). 123. Piping Plover. (277) Above, very pale ashy-brown; the black bands narrow, often imperfect; bill, colored as in the last, but shorter and stumpy; edges of eyelids, colored ; no evident web between inner and middle toes, and only a slight one between middle and outer. Length, about 7 inches; wing, 44; tail, 2. Has.—Eastern Province of North America, breeding from the coast of New Jersey (at least formerly) northward; in winter, West Indies. Eggs, four, deposited among the shingle of the beach, clay color, marked with spots of brownish-black, not exceeding a pin’s head in size. The Piping Plover is a more southern bird than the Ring-neck, and evidently does not penetrate far into Ontario. I have met with it at Hamilton Beach, but only on two occasions. It has also been found on the island at Toronto, but is more common along the north shore of Lake Erie, and Mr. Saunders reports it as breeding at Point Pelee, at the western end of that lake. When sitting quietly among the shingle of the beach, the colors of this little bird harmonize so well with its surroundings that quite a number may be close at hand without being observed. The birds seem aware of this, and if ‘suspicious of danger, sit perfectly still till it is time to fly, when they rise simultaneously and move off with a soft, plaintive, piping note. In looking over Mr. Thompson’s “Birds of Manitoba,” I was surprised to find this species reported as occurring there, Macoun having “shot it in company with some sanderlings on the shore of Lake Manitoba on the 12th June, 1881.” Its centre of abundance ‘during the summer is along the Atlantic coast, from the Carolinas north to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 166 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. ZEGIALITIS NIVOSA Cass. 124. Snowy Plover, (2738) Male in breeding dress:—Above, pale ashy-gray, little darker than in meloda; top of head with a fulvous tinge; a broad black coronal bar from eye to eye; a narrower black post-ocular stripe, tending to meet its fellow on the nape, and thus encircle the fulvous area; a broad black patch on each side of the breast; no sign of its completion above or below; no complete black loral stripe, but indication of such in a small dark patch on either side of base of upper man- dible; forehead, continuous with line over the eye, sides of head, excepting the black post-ocular stripe, and whole under parts, cxcepting the black lateral breast patches, snowy white; no white ring complete around back of neck; primaries, blackish, especially at bases and ends, the intermediate extent fuscous; shaft of first, white, of others, white for a space; nearly all the primaries bleaching toward bases of inner webs, but only some of the inner ones with a white area on outer webs; primary coverts like the primaries, but white- tipped; greater coverts like the back, but white-tipped; secondaries, dark brown, bleaching internally and basally in increasing extent from without inwards, their shafts white along their respective white portions; tertiaries, like back; several intermediate tail feathers like back, darkening toward ends; two or three lateral pairs entirely white; all the feathers more pointed than usual; bill, slender and acute, black; legs, black. Length, 6.50 to 7.00; extent. 13.50 to 14.00; wing, 4.00 to 4.25; tail, 2.00 or less. Has.—Western Province of North America; in winter, both coasts of Central America and western South America to Chili. Eggs, three, placed among the shingle on the beach, pale buff or clay color, finely marked with blackish-brown spots. The Snowy Plover is a western bird very seldom seen east of the Rocky Mountains, and would not have been mentioned here, but for the following notice of it which appears in the duh for October, 1885. It is contributed by E. E. Thompson, of Toronto. “A speci- men of this bird was shot here by Mr. J. Forman, May, 1880, and is now in the rooms of the Toronto Gun Club. It was at the time in company with some Piping Plovers. This specimen answers in general to the description in ‘Coues’ Key’ and fully in regard to the bill; it differs in being much lighter in plumage. I had no opportunity to make measurements, but in the same case were meloda and semipalmata, and comparison with these makes me almost certain that it is nzvosa. The.bill is noticeably long, black and slender. I never met the bird before, and have no material to aid me in settling the point.” If Mr. Thompson has correctly identified the specimen described, it can only be regarded as a casual straggler from the far west which may not be seen here again. Famiry APHRIZIDAE. Surr Birps anp Turnstongs. SupramMity ARENARIIN AL. Turnstones. Genus ARENARIA Brisson. ARENARIA INTERPRES (Liyy.). 125. Turnstone. (283) Adult, in summer :—Pied above, with black, white, brown and chestnut-red, the latter color wanting in winter and in young birds; below, from the breast (which is more or less completely black); throat, most of the secondaries, bases of the primaries, and bases and tips of the tail feathers, white; bill, black; feet, orange. Length, 8-9 inches; wing, 54-6; tail, 24; bill, g, almost recurved ; tarsus, 1; tibiz, bare but a little way. Hazs.—Nearly cosmopolitan. In America, from Greenland and Alaska, to the Straits of Magellan; more or less common in the interior of North America, on the shores of the Great Lakes and the larger rivers. Breeds in high latitudes. Nest, a hollow scratched in the earth, lined with bits of grass. Eggs, two to four; greenish-ash, spotted, blotched and dotted irregularly with yellowish and umber-brown. In the “Birds of Ohio,” Dr. Wheaton says that Mr. Sinnett observed this species on the coast of Texas in the breeding season, and he believes that they breed there. The beautifully marked Turnstone is a bird of nearly cosmopolitan 168 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. distribution. It is found in America on both coasts, and also in the interior. At Hamilton Beach it is a regular visitor in spring and fall, but there are seldom more than two or three found together. They are very sociable in their habits, mixing freely with any other waders they chance to meet, and are seen here till the end of the first week in June. They are observed again, young and old together, early in Sep- tember, and linger around the shores of the bay till the end of that month, when they move farther south to spend the winter. They are migrants throughout Ontario and the North-West, but breed abundantly on the barren lands of the Arctic coast and the Anderson River district, and sparingly in Alaska. Orver GALLIN. Gautinacreous Birps. SUBORDER PHASTANI. PHEASANTS, GROUSE, PARTRIDGES, QUAILS, ETC. Famity TETRAONIDA. Grouse, Partrripces, ETC. Supramity PERDICINAL. Parrripurs. Genus COLINUS Lesson. COLINUS VIRGINIANUS (Liyy.). 126. *Bob-white. (289) Coronal feathers erectile, but not forming a true crest. Forehead, super- ciliary line and throat, white, bordered with black; crown, neck all round and upper part of breast, brownish-red; other under parts, tawny-whitish, all with more or fewer doubly crescentic black bars; sides, broadly streaked with brownish-red; upper parts, variegated with chestnut, black, gray and tawny, the latter edging the inner quills. /ema/e:—Known by having the throat buff instead of the white, less black about the foreparts, and general colors less intense, rather smaller than the male. Length, 9-10; wing, 43-5: tail, 24-3. Has.—Eastern United States and southern Canada, from southern Maine to the South Atlantic and Gulf States, west to Dakota, eastern Kansas and eastern Texas. 170 ; BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Nest, on the ground in a natural or excavated hollow, lined with grass or leaves, usually sheltered by tall grass, weeds, bushes or brush. Eggs, pure white, said to range in numbers from ten to forty, the larger lots supposed to include contributions from several females; fifteen being considered the usual set. Bob-white may be claimed as a permanent resident in Southern Ontario, which is the northern limit of his range, but he has hard work to hold his own against the many influences that are continually operating against him. Birds of prey, crows, jays, weasels, dogs, cats, mowing machines, and sportsmen of all classes tend to thin the ranks; but worst of all are the vicissitudes of winter. The spells of cold weather, during which the mercury gets down below zero, and the occasional long-continued deep snow, tell so severely against this little bird, that were it not for his wonderful capacity for increase he would soon be exterminated. The Quail follows in the wake of cultivation, and under ordinary circumstances thrives best near the abode of man. It is a good friend to the farmer, and is well entitled to his protection in return for the service it renders, not only in the consumption of large quantities of the seeds of noxious weeds, but also in the destruction of many sorts of insects whose ravages among the crops are often very severe and difficult to prevent. A recent writer mentions having examined the crop of one which was killed as it rose from a potato patch, and having ‘found that it contained seventy-five potato bugs. — This is only one of the many instances illustrating the value of this bird to the farmer. Were I a farmer, I should hang on the end of my barn the motto, inscribed in goodly characters, ‘‘Spare the Quail.” Many interesting articles have from time to time appeared in sporting magazines concerning the query—Has the Quail the power to withhold its scent? 7 No one acquainted with the habits of the birds can deny that at times the best of dogs fails to find them where they have been marked down, but how this happens is a subject regarding which sportsmen still hold different opinions. From among many instances given in illustration of the fact, we select the following by Dr. H. E. Jones, an enthusiastic sportsman and naturalist: “A few years ago I was out with a friend, and we flushed a very large bevy, and marked them down accurately on an elevated piece of ground in a woodland pasture. The grass was short and there was not even a weed or briar, but here and there a large BOB- WHITE. 171 tree. We moved forward with three dogs, expecting to bring on an engagement at once. We made the dogs approach cautiously, giving them warning that game was in the immediate vicinity, but they arrived at the identical spot where we had seen as many as thirty birds alight, without making the least demonstration whatever that there was anything unusual about the place. We knew better, and made them go over and over, crossing and recrossing, until it seemed every foot, every inch of ground had been most thoroughly examined. We did this until two sportsmen and three dogs gave up the pursuit. It was now past noon, and we sat down on the grass, uncorked our canteens and opened out our lunch. We were eating,j talking and laughing, occasionally rewarding the dogs with a cracker, when my friend, by way of sport, said, ‘Look at old Tom, he is on a point.’ The dog was standing half up, half down, with his nose thrown under his chest between his front legs. Sure enough he was on a point, for there was the bird, with its bright black eyes, only partially concealed by a leaf, almost under the dog’s body. My friend put his hat over it and caught it without moving from the dinner table. At that. instant another dog made a point within six inches of my feet. I saw the bird at once, and tried to capture it with my hand, but it made its escape. This was the signal for a general move, and the whole covey now arose from all around and about us. The concert. of action in the manner of going down, retaining their scent, remain- ing still under the most trying circumstances, and the mode of leaving —all indicated an understanding and education by command how to act in time of danger.” Some time ago the Government of Ontario passed an Act prohibi- ting the killing of quail under any circumstances for a period of three years, and this law, coincident with mild winters, had the effect for a time of increasing the numbers, but again they are greatly reduced and in need of the protection which they well deserve. 172 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Supramity TETRAONIN A. Grovse. Genus DENDRAGAPUS EL ior. Suscenus DENDRAGAPUS. DENDRAGAPUS OBSCURUS RICHARDSONII (Sas.). 127. Richardson’s Grouse. (2976) Aduwt male:—Back and wings, blackish-brown, crossed with wavy lines of slaty-gray, mixed with yellowish-brown on the scapulars; long feathers of the sides, tipped with white; under parts, light slate color, mixed with white on the lower parts; cheeks, black; chin and throat, speckled with black; and white feathers on the sides of the neck slightly enlarged, covering a rudimen- tary air sack; tail, brownish-black, veined and marbled with gray, and having a broad terminal band of the same color. Female:—Smaller, more varied and generally lighter in color, but having the under parts and bar at the end of the tail, slaty-gray, as in the male. Length, 20-22 inches; wing, 9-10; tail, 7. Has.—Rocky Mountains, from central Montana northward into British America. Nest, on the ground, in shelter of a rock or log; it consists of only a few pine needles scratched together, on which the eggs are laid. Eggs, eight to fifteen, creamy-buff, freckled all over with chocolate-brown. « For a notice of the occurrence of this species in Ontario I am indebted to C. J. Bampton, of Sault Ste. Marie, who has frequently seen it brought into market at that place. It bears a strong resemblance to the Dusky Grouse (Dendragapus obscwrus [Say.]), of which it is regarded as the northern form. The Dusky Grouse is found chiefly on the west coast, as far south as New Mexico and the White Mountains of Arizona. In the Rocky Moun- tains, toward the north, it gradually assumes the peculiarities of the present species, but many intermediate individuals are found which cannot positively be said to belong more to the one than to the other. In richardsonii, the tail feathers are longer and broader than in obscurus ; the slate-colored bar at the end is smaller, or wanting, and the general colors darker, specially so on the throat. CANADA GROUSE. 173 Suspgenus CANACHITES Sresnecer. DENDRAGAPUS CANADENSIS (Liyn.). 128. Canada Grouse. (298) Adult male:—Tail, of sixteen feathers, rounded, black, with an orange- brown bar at the end; prevailing color, black, barred and spotted with white on the lower parts, and above, crossed with wavy lines of tawny and gray. Female:—Smaller, variegated al] over with black, brown, white and tawny; tail bar, as in the male, but less decided. Length, 16; wing, 7; tail, 5.50. Has.—British America, east of the Rocky Mountains, from Alaska south to northern Michigan, northern New York and northern New England. Nest, on the ground in secluded places, well concealed, built of twigs, leaves, moss and grass. Eggs, twelve to fourteen, creamy-brown, sometimes dotted or blotched with a darker shade. When young birds of different species are cast loose from parental oversight, and go out into the world on their own account, they are often very erratic in their movements, are frequently found in places where they have no business to be, and sometimes thereby come to grief. It was from some such cause as this that I once got a specimen of the Canada Grouse in the Hamilton market. It was in the month of October that a farmer had seen this small dark-colored bird in company with some Ruffed Grouse, and, following them up, had singled it out as something new. They are not known to breed any- where near Hamilton, but are common in the picturesque district of Muskoka, between. Georgian Bay and the Ottawa River, where they breed and are resident. They breed also in suitable places throughout the North-West, and with regard to Alaska, Mr. Nelson says: “This handsome Grouse is found throughout the wooded portion of Alaska, extending to the shores of Behring Sea, at the points where the spruce forests reach the vicinity of tide-water. It is more numerous, however, in the interior and along the upper portion of the Yukon. It is perma- nently resident wherever found.” They are plump, handsome little birds, but for the table are not equal to the Quail or the Ruffed Grouse. 174 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Genus BONASA STEPHENS. BONASA UMBELLUS (Liyy.). . 129. Ruffed Grouse. (300) Sexes nearly alike; variegated reddish or grayish brown; the back, with numerous ‘oblong, pale, black-edged spots; neck-tufts, glossy-black ; below, whitish, barred with brown; tail, with a broad subterminal black zone, and tipped with gray. Length, 16-18; wing, 7-8. ; Has.—Eastern United States, south to North Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi and Arkansas. Nest, in a hollow in the ground, lined with grass or leaves, often placed by the side of a log or stump. Eggs, eight to twelve, cream color, sometimes minutely spotted with choco- late-brown. ‘ Notwithstanding the continual persecution to which the Ruffed Grouse is exposed, it is still a common species throughout Ontario, breeding in all suitable places from the shore of Lake Erie to the northern boundary of the Province, and even in Alaska. It is a robust, hardy bird, well able to stand the rigors of our climate, and being exceedingly strong and active on the wing, gets away oftener from the sportsman than any other species he pursues. Occasionally, when the birds are found feeding among bushes of stunted growth, with a good dog a fair bag may be made, but follow- ing them through the tangled masses of foliage and fallen trees, where they are usually found, is attended with great fatigue, and, usually, very slim results. The birds get up with wonderful sudden- ness, and disappear as if by magic. They seem always to rise at the wrong time, from the wrong place, and to go off in the wrong direction to 8uit the sportsman. Much has been written regarding the mode in which this bird produces the peculiar drumming sound so familiar to all who have had occasion to visit its haunts, but it is now generally believed to be caused by the rapid vibratory motion of the wings beating the air; a similar sound being produced in a similar way by the Humming- bird, and also by the Nighthawk. The Grouse, in the spring time, produces this music as a call to his lady fair, who, no doubt, delights to hear it, and responds accordingly. It is also heard, occasionally, late in the season, when he is possibly working off the exuberance of his spirits after some happy experience in his sylvan life. At different points throughout its extensive habitat, this species is subject to considerable variation in plumage, and on this account RUFFED GROUSE. 175 the American Ornithologists’ Union Committee has separated from the original Bonasa wmbellus three sub-species, some of which had been previously described, but were not generally recognized as differing from the typical form. The three sub-species are thus defined by Mr. Ridgway : *<300a. Bonasa umbellus togata (Canadian Ruffed Grouse). Darker, with brown markings on lower parts very conspicuous, everywhere exposed, and bordered by very distinct dusky bars; bars on flanks very dark brown or brownish-black; upper parts, with more or less of gray, often mostly grayish; the tail, usually gray (sometimes tinged with ochraceous). Haz.—-Washington Territory, east to Moose Factory, Nova Scotia, Maine, etc. ‘©3006. Bonasa umbellus umbelloides (Gray Ruffed Grouse). Upper parts, mostly or entirely grayish; the tail, always gray. Has.—Rocky Mountains and north to Alaska (Yukon Valley), east to Manitoba. **300c. Bonasa umbellus sabini (Oregon Ruffed Grouse). Upper parts, dark rusty, with little, if any, admixture of gray; the tail, usually deep rusty (very rarely grayish). Has.—North-west coast, from northern California to British Columbia.” At present we have no large public collection of specimens in Ontario to refer to, and the number of private ones is so small that it is difficult to tell just how these groups are represented among us, or whether the forms are observed to be distinct. Whilé in Manitoba, Ernest E. Thompson found both 300a@ and 3008, the identification of which was subsequently confirmed by Mr. Ridgway. We may, therefore, expect to find these two in suitable places along our northern frontier. In Southern Ontario the species varies considerably in plumage, some being grayish-white, others red- dish, and a good many intermediate. A few years ago, some Indians from the Grand River brought to the Hamilton market specimens of a race decidedly red, their tails being fox-colored, but these were seen during one fall only. From all I have observed, I think that we have in Ontario indi- viduals of both Bonasa umbellus and Bonasa umbellus togata, that these two intergrade, and produce a mixed race, which is found throughout Southern Ontario, but cannot properly be classed with either of the varieties. 176 : BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Gexus LAGOPUS Brisson. LAGOPUS LAGOPUS (Lrsy.). 130. Willow Ptarmigan. (301) Bill, stout, as high as the distance from the nasal groove to its tip; in summer, rufous or orange-chestnut on the head and neck; the feathers of the back, black, barred rather closely with yellowish-brown and chestnut. In winter, white; the tail, black, tipped with white. Length, 15-17; wing, about 8; tail, 5.50. Hasz.—Arctic America, south to Sitka and Labrador. Nest, on the ground, a slight depression, lined with grass, leaves and a, few feathers. Eggs, ten to fifteen, fawn color, spotted with reddish-brown. Ptarmigans are found both in the Old and New Worlds, as far north as vegetation extends, and so thoroughly boreal are they in their habits, that they seldom come within the bounds of civilization. C. J. Bampton, Registrar of the District of Algoma, who has fur- nished me with many interesting notes regarding the birds of that remote district, mentions the Willow Ptarmigan as a rare winter visitor at Sault Ste. Marie. Their southern migrations depend, to some extent, on the pecu- liarities of the season, but usually they are common winter visitors throughout Manitoba and the North-West, and Dr. Bell reports them as common every winter near Fort Cumberland, in the Hudson’s Bay region. In Alaska, the species is a summer resident, frequenting the extensive open country, being most abundant along the barren sea coast region of Behring Sea and the Arctic. The birds assemble there in immense flocks, and we might suppose that in those forlorn lands, so seldom visited by their greatest enemy, man, the birds enjoy a time of peace and security, but it appears from Mr. Nelson’s account that such is not always the case. He says: ‘““Among the Alaskan natives, both Eskimo and Indian, especially those in the northern two-thirds of the Territory, this bird is one of the most important sources of food supply, and through the entire winter it is snared and shot in great abundance, and many times it is the only defence the people possess against the ever-recurring periods of scarcity and famine.” In some districts the Eskimo have a way of catching the birds during their migration which is very destructive. Taking a long fishing net, they fasten poles to it at regular distances apart, and lay ROCK PTARMIGAN. 177 it on the ground across some open valley or swale running north and south, along which the birds are known to travel. Soon after sunset the poles are set upright, and the net is thus stretched across the passage. Ere long the men who are on the watch see the Ptarmigan advancing, skimming close to the snow-covered earth in the dim twilight. A moment later, and the first birds of the flock strike the obstacle, and the men then throw the net down, so as to cover the struggling captives, usually to the number of fifty or sixty. While the men hold the net, the women and children rush from their hiding, and kill the birds by wringing their necks or biting their heads. On some evenings this process is repeated several times, and the party return to their homes heavily laden with the spoils. In the Old Country this species is common, also in Scandinavia, Finland, Russia, and in many parts of Siberia; while in the north of Scotland, they are found breeding near the tops of the highest heathery. hills in that mountainous country. Their presence there is one of the attractions for strangers, and many a corpulent southern sportsman has expended much wind, and reduced his corporeal dimensions, scaling those precipitous hill-sides in the vain hope of securing a brace of Ptarmigan. In another connection it is used with more delicacy by a young Highlander, who, in persuading his Lowland maid to go with him to the “ Braes aboon Bonaw,” sings : “We'll hunt the roe, the hart, the doe, The ptarmigan sae shy, lassie; For duck and drake we’ll sail the lake, Nae want shall e’er come nigh, lassie.” LAGOPUS RUPESTRIS (Gmet.). 131. Rock Ptarmigan, (302) Bill, slender, distance from the nasal groove to the tip greater than height at base; in summer the feathers of back black, banded distinctly with yellowish- brown and tipped with white; in winter white, the tail black, tipped with white. Male :—With a black bar from the bill through the eye. Length, 14 to 15; wing, 7 to 7.50; tail, 4.50. Haz.—Arctic America, from Alaska to Labrador. Nest, on the ground, a hollow lined with grass and a few feathers. Eggs, ten to fifteen, reddish-brown, spotted with darker brown. This is another northern species reported by Mr. Bampton as being occasionally exposed in the winter time in the market at Sault 12 178 BIRDS OF ONTARIO Ste. Marie. It resembles the preceding in general appearance, but is rather less in size, and in winter plumage the black band through the eye of the male serves at once to decide his identity. The Ptarmigans have a most interesting history. Their small feet, covered densely with hair-like feathers,.the wonderful change which their plumage undergoes to match their surroundings, and their life amid the rigors of an Arctic winter, are matters which invest the story of the group with peculiar charm. The Rock is a more northern species than the Willow Ptarmigan. It is not mentioned among the birds of Manitoba, so we presuine that it has not been seen there. Dr. Bell has observed it migrating at Hudson’s Bay, and Mr. Macfarlane found it breeding in the vicinity of Fort Anderson. Mr. Nelson, speaking of its presence in Alaska, says: “This beautiful Ptarmigan is a common resident of the Alaskan mainland, from Behring Straits to the British border on the east, including the entire north and south extent of the main- land. Unlike the common White Ptarmigan, it frequents the sum- mits of the low hills and mountains during the summer season, where it remains until the severe weather of early winter forces it down to the lower elevations and under the shelter of the bush-bordered ravines and furrows marking the slopes. During the entire year these birds are resident north at least to Behring Straits, as I obtained specimens from that vicinity on one of my winter expeditions.” Genus TYMPANUCHUS Guocer. TYMPANUCHUS AMERICANUS (Reicu.). 132. Prairie Hen. (305) Above, variegated with black, brown, tawny or ochrey and white, the latter especially on the wings; below, pretty regularly barred with dark brown, white and tawny; throat tawny, a little speckled, or not; vent and crissum, mostly white; quills, fuscous, with white spots on the outer wel); tail, fuscous, with narrow or imperfect white or tawny hars and tips; sexes, alike in color, but the female smaller with shorter neck tufts. Length, 16-18; wing, 8-9; tail, about 5. Has.—Prairies of the Mississippi Valley, south to Louisiana, east to Ken- tucky and Indiana. Nest, on the ground, in a tuft of grass or small shrub. Eggs, eight to twelve, pale greenish-gray, sometimes minutely dotted with brown. SHARP-TAILED GROUSE. 179 Southern Ontario has no prairie to meet the requirements of the Prairie Chicken, and therefore the bird is rarely here. From various sources I have heard of its being still found along the south-western frontier, but the numbers are on the decrease. In the “ List of Birds of Western Ontario,” it is stated that a few still breed at St. Clair. From W. E. Wagstaff, one of the oldest and most respected settlers in the county of Essex, I have a most interesting letter regarding the birds he has observed during his long residence there. Of this species he says: ‘I have never seen Prairie Chickens alive, but have heard of their being seen in bands about Sandwich. When I first came to Amherstburg, about 1840, I heard the old sports tell of having killed them in the gardens of the town.” From the foregoing, it would appear that the days of the Prairie Chicken in Ontario are numbered. It affords excellent sport to the gunner, and the facilities for reaching it in its remote haunts are now so much increased, that year by year, even in the United States, - it is being driven to regions still more remote. In the first week in May, 1886, some young men were practising flight shooting at any water-fowl that happened to be passing between the bay and the lake, near the canal at the Beach. Presently a bird of different flight and shape came buzzing along, and was brought down by one of the gunners, who was greatly astonished to find he had killed a male Prairie Chicken in fine spring plumage. I passed shortly afterwards and saw the bird just as it had been picked up. It had been going at a very rapid rate, but whence it came, or whither bound, was not apparent. Genus PEDIOCASTES Barrp. PEDIOCASTES PHASTANELLUS (Liny.). 133. Sharp-tailed Grouse. (308) Adult male:—A decurved crest of narrow feathers, a bare space on each side of the neck, capable of being inflated; tail, short, much graduated, of sixteen feathers, all of which are more or less concave, excepting the two middle ones along the inner edge, obliquely and abruptly terminated, the two middle projecting an inch beyond the rest. Upper parts variegated with light yellowish-red, brownish-black and white, the latter in terminal triangular or guttiform spots on the scapulars and wing coverts; quills, grayish-brown, primaries with white spots on the outer webs; secondaries, tipped and barred 180 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. with white; tail, white, variegated at the base, the two middle feathers like the back; loral space and a band behind the eye, yellowish-white, a dusky streak under the eye; throat, reddish-white, with dusky spots; fore parts and sides of the neck, barred with reddish-white; on the breast the dusky spots become first curved, then arrow-shaped, and so continue narrowing on the hind part of the breast and part of the sides of which the upper portion is barred; abdomen, lower tail coverts and axillars, white; tarsal feathers, light brownish-gray, faintly barred with whitish. /'emale:—-Smaller, the tints of colors less bright. Length, 18-20; wing, 8-9; middle feathers of the tail, 4-6; outer feathers, 1}. Has.—British America, from the northern shore of Lake Superior and British Columbia to Hudson’s Bay territory and Alaska. Nest, in a tuft of grass on the prairie. Eggs, five to twelve, grayish-olive or drab color, minutely dotted with brown spots the size of a pin’s head. Writing from the North-West, Prof. Macoun says of this species: “This is the Prairie Chicken of our western plains, the true Prairie Chicken not being observed here.” Dr. Coues, writing in. the same strain, says: “This is the Prairie Chicken of the whole North-West, usually occurring where the Pinnated Grouse does not, although the habitats of the two species overlap to some extent.” From the foregoing it appears that while the present species occupied the North-West, the Prairie Chicken flourished more in the south-east, but that now both are being driven. farther to the north-west, as the prairies come under cultivation. The Sharp-tail is abundant near Winnipeg, from which point it has reached the Hamilton market. It is also reported by Mr. Bampton as being found at Sault Ste. Marie. Fawity PHASIANIDA. PuHeasants, ETc. Supramity MELEAGRINA. Turkeys. Genus MELEAGRIS Liyyavs. MELEAGRIS GALLOPAVO Luiyy. 134. Wild Turkey. (310) Naked skin of head and neck, livid blue; general color, copper-bronze with copper and green reflection, each feather with a narrow black border; all the quills, brown, closely barred with white; tail, chestnut, barred with black and a broad subterminal black bar. Tip of tail feathers and upper tail coverts, lighter chestnut. Length, 3-4 feet. WILD TURKEY. 181 Haz.—United States, from southern Canada to the Gulf coast, and west to the Plains, along the timbered river valleys; formerly along the Atlantic coast to southern Maine. Nest, on the ground. Eggs, ten to fifteen, dark buff or cream color, thickly sprinkled with dark umber-brown. Within the recollection of people still living, Wild Turkeys were comparatively common along our south-western frontier. Mr. Wag- staff, in his letter already referred to, says: “Wild Turkeys are getting scarce. They were once numerous in Kent and Essex, going about in flocks, but the severe winter of 1842 almost exterminated them. About 1856 they had again become numerous, but are gradually getting fewer in number, as the settler’s axe clears away the timber.” In the ‘List of Birds of Western Ontario,” it is stated that a nest was found in the county of Middlesex in 1878. That veteran sportsman and naturalist, Dr. Garnier, of Lucknow, writing under date of December 11th, 1884, says: “I have killed several Wild Turkeys in the county of Kent, and saw one there this season which I did not obtain. “On the 21st of last October, I had a female of this species in my hands at Chatham station, which had just been killed near by. About four years ago, at Leguis farm, near Mitchell’s Bay, I saw three gobblers, two of which I killed right and left, the third was shot the same day by a boy, from whom I bought it for a dollar. “Most of the domestic turkeys in that section are either the wild species tamed or half-breeds, and are far superior in flavor to the ordinary stock. In 1856, I killed two out of a large flock within half a mile of Hagersville, which at that time consisted of a wagon shop, a toll gate, post-office, and a small shop called a ‘store.’ I also got a set of nine eggs, and found the female killed by a fox, lying close by, still warm but quite dead.” The Wild Turkey has never advanced into Ontario much beyond the southern boundary, the climate being evidently too severe, and the locality from other causes perhaps not very attractive. The few which still remain are more hunted as they. become more rare, and to all appearances the day is not far distant when this valuable game bird will be sought for in vain in the Province of Ontario.’ A second species is found, which is believed to be the parent of the domestic stock. It is more of a-southern bird, being found chiefly in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and southward. 182 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Orper COLUMBAL. Piczons. Famity COLUMBIDZ. Piceons. Genus ECTOPISTES Swarnson. ECTOPISTES MIGRATORIUS (Liny.). 135. Passenger Pigeon. (315) Adult male :—Dull blue above with olivaceous tinge on back; below, dull purplish-red, whitening on vent and crissum; sides of neck, golden and ruby; some wing coverts, black spotted; quills, blackish, with slaty, whitish and rufous edging; middle tail feathers, bluish-black; the others, white or ashy; the inner webs, basallyj black with chestnut patch; bill, black; feet, coral red. Female and young :—Duller and more brownish or olivaceous above; below, dull grayish, with a tawny tinge anteriorly, or quite gray; very young have the feathers skirted with whitish. Length, 15-17; wing, 7-8; tail, about the same. / Hazs.—Eastern North America, from Hudson’s Bay southward, and west to the Great Plains; straggling westward to Nevada and Washington Territory. Nest, on bushes or small trees, loosely built of twigs. Eggs, one or two, pure white. As its name implies, this is a migratory species, but it has not, like: many others, a regular migratory course which it instinctively follows year after year in the same direction. On the contrary, the movements} of the Wild Pigeon are quite irregular, and guided only by the instinct which directs the birds in their search for food. with bronzy reflec- Above, uniform satiny olive gray or ‘quaker color,’ tions ; below, pure white; wings, extensively cinnamon-rufous on inner webs of the quills ; central tail feathers, like the back; the rest black with large white tips, the outermost usually edged with white ; bill extensively yellow below and on the sides. Length, 11-12 inches; wing, 5-54; tail, 6-64; bill, under 1 inch. ‘ Has.—Temperate North America, from New Brunswick, Canada, Minnesota, Nevada and Oregon, south to Costa Rica and the West Indies. Less common from the eastern border of the Plains westward. Nest, on a bough, or in the fork of a low tree, composed of twigs, leaves and soft vegetable material. Eggs, four to eight, pale glaucous green. It is a well-known fact that the British Cuckoo entirely ignores family responsibilities by depositing its eggs in the nest of a bird of a different species, and with a pleasant “cuckoo” bids good-bye to the whole connection. The two kinds we have in Canada are not so totally depraved. They usually build a nest and bring up a family, but even to them the duty does not seem to be a congenial one, and they are some- 240 BIRDS OF ONTARIO, times known to slip an egg into each other’s nests or into that of a different species. The nest they build is of the most temporary description, and the eggs are deposited in such a desultory manner that it is no uncommon occurrence to find fresh eggs and young birds therein at the same time. Of the two Cuckoos we have in Ontario, the Yellow-billed seems - the more southern, apparently finding its northern limit along our southern border, where it is rather scarce and not generally dis- tributed. This species seems partial to orchards and cultivated grounds along the banks of rivers. It is very common about Niagara Falls, though not regularly distributed throughout the country. Last summer a pair had their nest and reared their young within fifty feet of my residence. They were very quiet and retiring, were seldom seen near the nest except while sitting on it, and only occasionally did we hear the emphatic how-how-kow which reminded us of their presence. The nest was a flimsy affair, placed near the outer end of a horizontal branch of a maple, about eight feet from the ground. As soon as the young were able to fly, young and old disappeared, and were not again seen during the season. Southern Ontario seems to be the northern limit of this species. It occurs at London, Hamilton, Toronto, but at Ottawa Mr. White has only found it once. To the north of Ottawa I have not heard of . it being observed. COCCYZUS ERYTHROPHTHALMUS (Wits.). 169. Black-billed Cuckoo. (388) Above, uniform satiny olive-gray, or ‘‘quaker color,” with bronzy reflec- tions ; below, pure white, sometimes with a faint tawny tinge on the fore parts: ‘wings, with little or no rufous; lateral feathers not contrasting with the central, their tips for a short distance blackish, then obscurely white ; bill, blackish, except occasionally a trace of yellowish below ; eye-lids, red ; bare circum-ocular space, purplish. Length, 11-12; wing, 5-5); tail, 6-64; bill, under |. 5 Has.—FEastern North America, from Labrador and Manitoba south to the Vest Indies and the valley of the Amazon ; west to the Rocky Mountains. hoa in the British Islands and Italy. Nest, loosely constructed of twigs, grass, strips of bark, leaves, ete, | placed ina bush. ; ' Eggs, two to five, light greenish-blue. pond Si BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO. 241 The Black-billed Cuckoo is a regular summer resident in Ontario, where it arrives about the end of May, after which its peculiar note may often be heard, especially before rain, and its lithe, slim form be seen gliding noiselessly among the evergreens. Though not an abundant species, it is generally distributed throughout the Province, and well known to the country people as the “ rain-crow.” The food of the cuckoos consists chiefly of caterpillars, with an occasional change to ripe fruit in the season. They also stand charged with sucking the eggs of other birds. They retire to the south early in September. Of the two cuckoos the present species is the more common in Ontario, being more generally distributed. Jt also migrates a little farther north, having heen reported as a tolerably common resident in Manitoba, where the other has not been observed. We have heard that the Yellow-billed Cuckoo occasionally shirks the duties of incubation by leaving its eggs in the nest of another bird, and now come three separate charges of similar misconduct against the present species. In the Report of the Ornithological Sub-section of the Canadian Institute for 1890, Dr. C. K. Clarke, of Kingston, Ontario, brings forward three cases of parasitism in the Black-billed Cuckoo, of the correctness of which there can be no doubt. ‘ The first birds Dr. Clarke observed being imposed upon were a pair of chipping sparrows, who raised the young cuckoo at the expense of the family. Next came a pair of yellow warblers, whose protégé soun crowded out the legitimate occupants of the nest. They were raised from the ground and placed within reach, but the big boy required all the attention of the foster-parents, and the others died. During the whole period, the old cuckoo was always to be found flitting about in a restless manner, as if she had some doubt in regard to the ability of the warblers to take care of her child. The third case was another pair of chipping sparrows, in whose nest the cuckoo was observed sitting, and from which she did not move till the observers almost touched her. The result was the same as in the other cases. The young cuckoo threw the sparrows out as soon as he had strength to do so. 16 242 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. SuBoRDER ALCYONES. KINGFISHERS. Famity ALCEDINIDA. KINGFISHERS. Genus CERYLE Botz. Suscenus STREPTOCERYLE Bonaparte. CERYLE ALCYON (Liyy.). 170. Belted Kingfisher. (390) “Upper parts, broad pectoral bar, and sides under wings, dull blue with fine black shaft lines ; lower eye-lid, spot before eye, a cervical collar and under parts, except as said, pure white ; the /emale with a chestnut belly band, and the sides of the same color ; quills and tail-feathers, black, speckled, blotched and barred with white on the inner webs ; outer webs of the secondaries and tail feathers, like the back; wing coverts, frequently sprinkled with white ; bill, black, pale at the base below; feet, dark. Length, 12 or more; wing, about 6; tail, 34 ; whole foot, 14; bill, about, 2. Haz.—North America, south to Panama and the West Indies. Nest, none. ’ Eggs, six to eight, white, deposited in an enlargement at thé end of a tunnel, four to eight feet deep, dug by the bird into a sand bank or gravel pit. The Kingfisher is generally distributed throughout Ontario. It arrives early in April, and soon makes its presence known by its loud, rattling cry, as it dashes along and perches on a horizontal bough overhanging the river. On some such point of observation it usually waits and watches for its scaly prey, but when passing over open water of greater extent, it is often observed to check its course, hover hawk-like at some distance above the surface, and then dash into the water after the manner of a Tern. If a fish be secured, it is carried in the bill to some convenient perch, on which it is hammered till dead, and then swallowed head downwards. The Kingfisher is a strong flier, and is sometimes seen careering at. a considerable height, as if for exercise. Although many of them breed throughout Ontario, numbers pro- ceed much farther north. In Manitoba and the North-West they occur in all suitable places, and in Alaska they are found along the entire course of the Yukon River, reaching the shores of Behring Sea. They have also been taken at Sitka, and frequent all the clear streams of the interior, nesting as they do elsewhere, in a deep burrow in a bank dug out by themselves. They are not sensitive to cold, for in open seasons I have seen them remaining till January, but when the frost forces the fish to retire to deep water, the Kingfisher’s supply of food is cut off, and he has to move to the south. HAIRY WOODPECKER. 243 OrvEer PICI. Wooprreckers, WRYNECKS, ETC. Famity PICIDA. Woopprckers. Genus DRYOBATES Bot. DRYOBATES VILLOSUS (Liyy.). 171. Hairy Woodpecker. (393) Back, black, with a long white stripe; quills and wing corerts, with a profusion of white spots ; four middle tail feathers, black ; next pair, black and white ; next two pairs, white; under parts, white; crown and sides of head, black, with a white stripe over and behind the eye, another from the nasal feathers running below the eye to spread on the side of the neck, and a scarlet, nuchal band in the male, wanting in the female ; young, with the crown’mostly red or bronzy, or even yellowish. Length, 9-10; wing, nearly 5; tail, 34.’ Hazs.—Middle portion of the Eastern United States, from the Atlantic coast to the Great Plains. Nest, in a hole in a tree. Eggs, four or five, pure white. This is a resident, though not very abundant species, noticed more frequently in winter than in summer. It is generally distrib- uted through Southern Ontario. The Hairy Woodpecker is one of the most retiring of the family, spending much of its time in the solitudes of the woods, and when these are thinned out or cleared away, moving to regions still more remote. It is a strong, hardy, active bird, and the noise it makes while hammering on a tree, when heard in the stillness of the woods, might well be supposed to be produced by a bird of much greater size. This is one of those birds which increase in size as they approach their northern limit, and decrease in proportion when found in the south. On this account the American Ornithologists’ Union Committee has separated from the original Dryobates villosus two subspecies, the first of which, under the name of Northern Hairy Woodpecker, is said to be found in North America, south to about the northern border of the United States. The other has been named the Southern Hairy Woodpecker, and its habitat is said to extend over the southern portion of the United States east of the plains. These subdivisions have been decided upon after comparing a large number of specimens from the different regions indicated, but the rule cannot be always correct, for I.have some from British 244 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. ‘Columbia which are no larger than those found in Southern Ontario. It is well to know that the species varies in size according to its habitat, north or south, but I hardly think the subdivision necessary, for we see among the members of the human family individuals who differ in size far more than the woodpeckers do, and yet we do not make subspecies of them. However, if the new arrangement suits the majority, so let it be. DRYOBATES PUBESCENS (Lixy.). 172. Downy Woodpecker. (394) Coloration, exactly as in P. villosus, except that the outer tail feathers are barred with black and white. Length, 6-7; wing, under 4; tail, under 3. Has.—Northern and Eastern North America, from British Columbia and the eastern edge of the Plains northward and eastward. Nest, a hole in a tree. Eggs, four or five, pure white. This is a miniature of the preceding species, which it resembles in habits as well as in appearance, although it is of a more sociable disposition, being often found in winter in company with the Chick- adees and Brown Creepers. It is also an occasional visitor to the orchard, where it goes over the apple trees carefully, examining all injured or decayed parts in search of insects. It is commonly known as the “little sapsucker,” but the name is incorrectly applied, for any holes drilled by this species are made while it is in search of insects, those which allow the sap of the tree to exude being the work of the Yellow-bellied Woodpecker. Like its big brother, the Downy Woodpecker is a resident species, but more plentiful in spring and fall than in summer, the numbers being increased at those seasons by passing migrants. They do not, however, migrate in the ordinary sense of the word, but in the fall often shift about in search of better feeding ground. They are found in Manitoba, the North-West, and in Alaska, and are resident throughout their range. They have been taken along the entire course of the Yukon, as well as at various points on the coast of Behring Sea, and thence south at Kadiak and Sitka. Those found in the north do not differ from the southern individuals, except in being rather larger in size. ARCTIC THREE-TOED WOODPECKER. 245 Genus PICOIDES Lacepepe. Picoipes ARCTICUS (Swarns.). 173. Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker. (400) Crown, with a yellow patch in the male; back, uniform black ; sides of head, striped ; of body, barred with black and white; under parts, otherwise white; quills, with white spots; tail feathers unbarred, the outer white, the central black. Length, 8-9; wing, 44-5; tail, 33-4. Has.—Northern North America, from the Arctic Regions south to the northern border of the United States; much farther south in the western part of the United States (Nevada, California), along the mountain ranges. Eggs, four to six, white, deposited in a hole in a tree. This is a northern bird, seldom, even in winter, coming so far south as the southern border of Ontario. In November, 1859, I killed one on a pine tree on the south shore of Dundas marsh, which is the only time I have ever seen it alive. I have heard of one or two others having been obtained in Southern Ontario, but as the species is common farther north, these can only be regarded as wanderers. In the district of Muskoka it is resident and quite common, fre- quenting certain tracts of country which the fire has gone through and left the trees standing dead and decaying. It belongs to a small group, the members of which have only three toes. Whether this is a special adaptation of the bird to its life among the pines is not apparent, but it seems quite as able to shift for itself with three toes as its near relatives are with four. Although this species is a northern bird, so far as its not going south is concerned, it does not bear out the name by going as far north as its near relative, americanus. In some of these distant regions it seems almost unknown. Mr. Nelson speaks of it in Alaska : “Very little appears to be known concerning the movements and habitat of this bird, especially in the north. I secured but a single specimen, which was brought to me by Mr. McQuesten from Fort Reliance on the upper Yukon, and its rarity as compared with the other Three-toed Woodpecker appears from the fact that dozens of the latter were brought to me each winter. No one among the various naturalists who have visited this region before has secured it, and arcticus is totally unknown west of the point where my specimen was found.” 246 BIRDS OF ONTARIO, PICOIDES AMERICANUS Breum. 174. American Three-toed Woodpecker. (401) Three-toed ; entire upper parts glossy, bluish-black with a few spots of white on the wing quills; below, white from the bill to the tail; the sides, flanks and lining of the wings, barred with black; four middle tail feathers black, the rest white. Male :—With a square patch of yellow on the crown, wanting in the female ; bill and feet, dull blue. Length, 9-10 inches. Hazs—Northern North America, from the Arctic Regions southward, in winter, to the Northern States. Nest, a hole in a tree at no great height above the ground. Eggs, four or five, creamy white. This is a more northern species than the preceding, and is nowhere so abundant. The two are sometimes seen in company, and were found by Dr. Merriam breeding in the same district in northern New York, but, strange to say, the present species has not been found breeding in Muskoka, where the other is common and resident. During the past two years my friend Mr. Tisdall has been much in the woods in that district, and though he has seen scores of the Black-backed during that time, he has only once met the other. Since the above was written, a hunter who was shooting grouse in a different section of Muskoka from that referred to, promised to send me any Three-toed Woodpeckers he came across during a day’s excursion. In due course he sent me sixteen, five of which were of this species. It was late in October, and he most likely came upon a group that had just arrived from the north. Both species are quite rare at Ottawa, Mr. White having obtained only two of each. In Manitoba the present species is said to be very rare. Richardson says it is the most common woodpecker north of the Great Slave Lake. In Alaska the northern form is very common and generally distributed, but here again the work of subdivision has been going on with vigor. Up to the time of writing, three species have been made out of the one, and how many more will be produced time will show, but we are likely to have only the original americanus in Ontario. Genus SPHYRAPICUS Bairp. SPHYRAPICUS VARIUS (Linv.). 175. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. (402) Crown, crimson, bordered all around with black ; chin, throat and breast, black, enclosing a large crimson patch on the former in the male ; in the Jemale, this patch white ; sides of head with a line starting from the nasal feathers and dividing the black of the throat from a trans-ocular black stripe, this separated from the black of crown by a white post-ocular stripe; all these stripes frequently yellowish ; under parts, dingy yellow, brownish and with sagittate dusky marks on the sides; back, variegated with black and yellowish-brown ; wings, black with large oblique white bar on the coverts, the quills, with numerous paired white spots on the edge of both webs; tail, black, most of the feathers white-edged, the inner webs of the middle pair and the upper coverts mostly white. Youny birds lack the definite black areas of the head and breast and the crimson throat patch, these parts being mottled-gray. About, 84; wing, 44-5; tail, 34. Hazs.—North America, north and east of the Great Plains, south to the West Indies, Mexico and Guatemala. Eggs, four to six, white, deposited in a hole in a tree. In Ontario this beautiful species is strictly migratory, not having been observed during winter, but from the fact of its being seen late in the fall and again early in spring, we infer that it does not go far south. It is decidedly a sapsucker, tthe rows of holes pierced in the bark of sound, growing trees being mostly made by this species. It is not endowed with the long, extensile tongue peculiar to many of 248 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. the woodpeckers, but feeds laryely on insects, which it finds on the outer bark*of the trees or catches on the wing. It has been accused of doing serious injury to growing trees, by virdling them to get at the inner bark, on which it is said’to feed. Dr. King, of River Falls, in his “Economic Relations of our Birds,” exonerates it from this charge, and says that in the stomachs of thirty specimens which he examined, he found in only six a small amount of material resembling the inner bark of trees, and further adds: ‘No instance in which the bark of trees has been stripped off has come under my observation, nor do I know of a single case in which their puncturings of the bark have been fatal, or even appreciably injurious to the tree.” In Southern Ontario a few remain and raise ‘their young, but the majority go farther north. / This species occurs in Manitoba, and Dr. Coues says of it: “Com- mon summer resident of wooded sections, plentiful at Pembina, where it was breeding in June; again seen on the Moose River, not observed farther north.” Genus CEOPHLCEUS Casals. CEOPHLGUS PILEATUS (Lryy.). 176. Pileated Woodpecker. (405) Black ; the head, neck and wings much varied with white or pale yellowish ; bill, dark. Male :-—Scarlet crested, scarlet moustached. Female :—With the crest half black, half scarlet, and no maxillary patches. Length, 15-19 ; wing, - 84-10; tail, 6-7. Hazs.—Formerly, whole wooded region of North America; now rare or extirpated in the more thickly settled parts of the Eastern States. Nest, a hole in the trunk or limb of a tall tree. Eggs, four to six, oval, white. This is one of the grand old aborigines who retire before the advance of civilization. It used (so we are told) to be common near Hamilton, but seclusion among heavy timber is necessary for its existence, and such must now be sought in regions more remote. It is not strictly a northern species, being found resident in suitable localities both north and south, but varies considerably in size according to latitude, the northern individuals, as usual in such cases, being the larger. Many spend the winter in the burnt tracts in Muskoka, and in spring disperse over the country to breed in the solitude they seem to like. They are wild, shy birds, difficult of approach, but their loud 250 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. hammering is at all times a guide to those who wish to follow them in the woods. A nest was taken in the county of Middlesex, in May, 1885, by Mr. Robt. Elliot. Dr. Macallum reports that they still breed in suitable places along the north shore of Lake Erie, near Dunnville. Their distribution seems to be more influenced by the size of the timber than by the temperature, as they are common in Manitoba and abundant in British Columbia, but are not named among the “ Birds of Alaska.” Though now rare, or absent, in the thickly settled parts of the Eastern States, they are still common in the timbered swamps and secluded woods in the south. The nest is usually made in a retired part of the woods, and at so great a height from the ground that it is seldom reached by the odlogist. This fact will help to prevent the species being reduced in numbers. Gents MELANERPES Swainsoy. Supcenus MELANERPES. MELANERPES ERYTHROCEPHALUS (Lisy.). 177. Red-headed Woodpecker. (406) Gslossy blue-black ; rump, secondaries and under parts from the breast, pure white ; primaries and tail feathers, black ; whole head, neck and breast crimson in both sexes, grayish-brown in the young. About 9; wing, 53; tail, 33. Has.—United States, west to the Rocky Mountains, straggling westward to Salt Lake Valley ; rare or local east of the Hudson River. Nest, in a hole in a tree, varying greatly in height. Eggs, four to six, white. In Ontario the Red-headed Woodpecker is a summer resident only, arriving early in May and leaving again in September. It is quite common and perhaps the best known of any of the wood- peckers, both on account of its decided markings and from its habit of visiting the orchard during the season of ripe fruit. It is also an expert fly-catcher, frequently taking its position on the top of a ‘dead pine, from which it darts out after the passing insect in true fly-catcher style. Though a very showy bird when seen in the woods, it does not look so well in collections, the red of the head evidently fading after death. It is generally distributed throughout Oumia but becomes rare RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER. 251 in Manitoba, north of which I have not heard of its having been observed. ' Besides the ordinary food of woodpeckers, it shows a taste for grasshoppers and beetles, in search of which it may often be observed on the ground. It is also very fond of ripe fruit, and incurs the serious displeasure of the gardeners by mutilating or carrying off the finest of the apples, pears, cherries and other fruits. They are rather noisy and quarrelsome birds, but this trait may be partly assumed. They all leave Ontario in October, and during the winter none are observed. Suscenus CENTURUS Swarnson. MELANERPES CAROLINUS (Liyy.). 178. Red-bellied Woodpecker. (409) Back and wings, except larger, quills, closely banded with black and white ; primaries with large white blotches near the base, and usually a few smaller spots ; whole crown and nape, scarlet in the male, partly so in the female ; sides of head and under parts, grayish-white, usually with a yellow shade, reddening on belly; flanks and. crissum, with sagittate-black marks; tail, black, one or two outer feathers white, barred ; inner web of central feathers white with black: spots ; outer web of same black, with a white space next the shaft for most of its length ; white predominating on the rump. Length, 9-10; wing, about 5; tail, about 34. ; Has.—Eastern United States, to the Rocky Mountains; rare or accidental east of the Hudson River. Nest, a hole in a tree. Eggs, four to six, white. This handsome woodpecker is gradually becoming more common in Southern Ontario, and like some others, such as the Lark-finch, Orchard Oriole and Rough-winged Swallow, it evidently makes its entrance to the Province round the west end of Lake Erie. It seems to find its northern limit in Southern Ontario, and even there confines itself chiefly to the south-west portion. Stragglers have been found near Toronto and Hamilton, while near London it breeds and is tolerably common, but Mr. White has not yet found it in Ottawa, and it is not included among the “ Birds of Manitoba.” _ In the “Birds of Ohio,” Dr. Wheaton mentions it as a common summer resident, but it is not named among the “ Birds of Minne- 252 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. sota,” and in the “Birds of New England” it is spoken of as the rarest of all the woodpeckers. Its centre of abundance is evidently farther south, where it is resident. West of the Rocky Mountains it has not been observed. It is of shy, retiring habits, frequenting the gloomy depths of the forest, though its dress fits it for appearing in the best society. The feathers are of a peculiar soft and silky. texture, and are so regularly barred across with black and white that it is known to many as the Zebra Bird, and is considered the handsomest of all the wood- peckers. Tn Ontario it is migratory, leaving about the end of October. Genus COLAPTES Swanson. COLAPTES AURATUS (Lryy.). 179. Flicker. (412) Back, wing coverts and innermost quills, olivaceous-brown, thickly barred with black ; ramp, snowy-white ; quills and tail, golden yellow underneath, and shafts of this color. A scarlet nuchal crescent and large black pectoral crescent in both sexes. .We/e -—With black maxillary patches, wanting in the female ; head and nape, ash; chin, throat and breast, lilac-brown ; under parts, with numerous round black spots ; sides, tinged with creamy-brown ; belly, with yellowish. About 10 inches long ; wing, about 6; tail, 44. Hazs.—Northern and Eastern North America, west to the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains and Alaska. Occasional on the Pacific slope, from California northward. Accidental in Europe. Nest, a hole in a tree. Eggs, five to seven, white. Early in April, if the weather is mild, the loud cackling call of the “ Higholder” may be heard from his perch at the top of a tall dead limb, where he watches to weleome his comrades as they hourly arrive from the south. For a week or two at this season they are very abundant, but many soon pass on farther north, and the others are distributed over the country, so that they are less frequently seen. In habits this species differs considerably from all the other mem- bers of the family. It is more terrestrial, being often observed on the ground demolishing ant hills and devouring the inmates, for which achievement its curved bill and long slimy tongue are admirably adapted. It is also fond of fruit, and of corn, either green or ripe. FLICKER. 2538 It is by no means confined to the forest, but is often seen peeping from its hole in a stub by the roadside. When alighting upon a tree, it perches on a bough in the ordinary manner, being seldom seen clinging to the trunk like other members of the family, except when entering its nest. In Southern Ontario it is seen till late in October, but only on one or two occasions have stragglers been observed during the winter. : This is at once the most abundant and widely distributed wood- pecker in Canada. Crossing our southern border, it works its way up north, leaving representatives in Manitoba, the North-West and other territories through which it passes, till it finally reaches the shores of the Arctic Sea. In Alaska, Mr. Nelson says of it: “This handsome woodpecker breeds from one side of the Territory to the other, wherever wooded country occurs. It has been sent to the National Museum from the lower Anderson River, and is well known to breed along the entire course of the Yukon, reaching to the mouth of that river. “Tt is a regular summer resident at the head of Norton Bay, and reaches the Arctic on the shore of Kotzebue Sound.” It is also reported as an accidental visitor in Greenland. Albinos of this species are of frequent occurrence, Once when driving north in the township of Beverley, a cream-colored specimen kept ahead of me for half a mile. How beautiful he looked in the rich autumnal sunlight, as with long swoops he passed from tree to tree by the roadside! I could not but admire him, and that was all I could do, for I was unarmed. : 254 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Orper MACROCHIRES. Goarsuckers, Swirts, ETC. SUBORDER CAPRIMULGI. GOATSUCKERS, ETC. Famity CAPRIMULGIDA. GoatsuckeErs, ETC. Genus ANTROSTOMUS Gou Lp. ANTROSTOMUS VOCIFERUS (Wizts.). 180. Whip-poor-will. (417) General color of the upper parts, dark brownish-gray, streaked and minutely sprinkled with brownish-black ; quills and coverts, dark brown, spotted in bars with light brownish-red ; four middle tail feathers like those of the back, the three lateral white in their terminal half; throat and breast, similar to the back with a transverse band of white on the foreneck ; rest of the lower parts, paler than above and mottled. Female :—Similar, but with the lateral tail feathers reddish-white toward the tip only, and the band across the forehead pale yellowish-brown. Length, 94; wing, 54; tail, 43. Hazs.—EKastern United States to the Plains, south to Guatemala. P Eggs, two, deposited in a hollow or a rotten log, or on the ground on a dry bank among leaves. They are elliptical, of moderate polish with a ground color of white or cream, handsomely marked with spots of yellowish-brown ; deep shell marks are about as numerous as the surface marks and are of a lilac-gray or lavender tint. This well-known bird crosses the southern frontier of Ontario about the 10th of May, and should the weather be mild its loud and well-known cry is soon heard at night at many different points throughout the country. It is seldom seen abroad by day, except when disturbed at its resting place in some shady part of the woods, when it glides off noiselessly like a great moth. Disliking the glare of the light, it avoids the city, but not unfrequently perches on the roof of a farm-house, startling the inmates with its cry, which they hear with great distinctness. This is the only song of the Whip-poor-will, and it is kept up during the breeding season, after which it is seldom heard. We see so little of these birds that it is difficult to tell exactly at what time they leave us, but it is most likely early in September that they ‘fold their tents like the Arabs, and as silently steal away.” It is reported as a common summer resident in Manitoba, and Dr. Bell records its presence at Norway House, to the north of which I have not heard 6f it having been observed. It is a delicately formed bird, though strong on the wing. Its legs and feet are very slender, but they are not ‘often called into use, NIGHTHAWK, 255 and are easily carried from the fact of their being light. On the middle toe is a curiously pectinated claw, which is supposed to be: useful for ridding the bird of the insects with which it is troubled. When disturbed in the woods, if it alights on a branch it always sits lengthways, in which position it is very apt to be mistaken for a growth, and escape observation. It is one of the few birds whose call can be intelligibly put into words. The experiment is often tried with other species, but in very few instances can they be printed so as to be recognized when heard out of doors. : Genus CHORDEILES Swarnson. CHORDEILES VIRGINIANUS (Gmez.). 181. Nighthawk. (420) Above, mottled with black, brown, gray and tawny, the former in excess ; below from the breast, transversely barred with blackish and white or pale fulvous ; throat in the male with a large white, in the female tawny, cross-bar ; tail, blackish, with distant pale marbled cross-bars and a large white spot (wanting in the female) on one or both webs of all the feathers toward the end ; quills, dusky, unmarked except by one large white spot on five outer primaries. about midway between their base and tip ; in the female this area is restricted or not pure white. Length, about 9; wing, 8; tail, 5. Haz.—Northern and Eastern North America, east of the Great Plains, south through tropical America to Buenos Ayres. Eggs, two, deposited on rocks or on the ground, or among the gravel of a. flat-roofed house in the city. They vary from pale olive-buff to buffy and grayish-white thickly mottled and daubed with varied tints of darker gray slate, olive or even blackish mixed with a marbling of purplish-gray, both pattern and tints being very variable. This is a well-known and abundant summer resident, arriving from the south early in May. Though a Nighthawk, it is often seen abroad by day during cloudy weather, and in the evening, just as the sun is sinking below the horizon, numbers of these birds are occasionally seen careering around high overhead, uttering their peculiar cry, so readily recognized, yet so difficult either to imitate or. describe. While thus in the exercise of their most wonderful powers of flight, and performing many graceful aerial evolutions, they will suddenly change their course and plunge headlong down- wards with great rapidity, producing at the same time a singular booming sound which can be heard for some distance. Again, as 256 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. quickly, with a few bold strokes of their long, pointed wings, they will rise to the former height, and dash hither and thither as before. Poets, in all ages, have sung the praises of their favorite birds, and even to-day, from the unromantic plains of Chatham come the following lines on the habit of the Nighthawk, just described : “With half closed wings and quivering boom, : Descending through the deepening gloom, Like plummet falling from the sky, Where some poor moth may vainly try A goal to win— He holds him with his glittering eye And scoops him in.” Towards the end of August, when the first frosts begin to cut off their supply of insect food, large gatherings of Nighthawks may be seen in the evenings moving toward the south-west, not in regular order like ducks or pigeons, but skimming, darting and crossing each other in every imaginable direction, and still with a general tendency toward the south, till darkness hides them from our view. SUBORDER CYPSELI SwiFts. Famity MICROPODIDA. sSwirts. Supramity CHAETURIN ZA. Sprve-raitep Nwirts. Gests CHASTURA NSrepnens. CHATURA PELAGICA (Liyy.). 182. Chimney Swift. (423) Sooty brown with faint greenish gloss above ; below, paler, becoming gray on the throat ; wings, black. Length, about 5; wing, the same ; tail, 2 or less. Has.—Eastern North America, north to Labrador and the Fur Countries, west to the Plains, and passing south of the United States in winter. Nest, a basket of twigs glued together, and to the side of the chimney or other support by the saliva of the bird. ; Eggs, four or five, pure white. - The Swift is a late comer, and while here seems ever anxious to make up for lost time, being constantly on the wing, darting about with great rapidity, sometimes high overhead, sometimes skimming the surface of the pond, often so closely as to be able to sip from: the water as it passes over it, or snap up the insects which hover on the surface. ; x RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD. 257 The original nesting place of the Swifts was in a hollow tree, often of large diameter, and frequented year after year by a great many of the birds, but now they seem to prefer a city chimney. There they roost, and fasten their curious basket nests to the wall, inside the chimney, a few feet down, to be out of reach of the rays of the sun. A fine exhibition of bird-life it is to watch the Swifts, in: the evening about sunset, circling a few times round the chimney, raising their wings above their backs and dropping like shuttlecocks. down to their nest, near which they spend the night clinging to the wall with their claws. The sharp spines at the end of the tail feathers, pressed against the surface, form their chief support. They arrive about the 10th of May, and leave for the south early in September. de Suporper TROCHILI. Humminusreps. Famity TROCHILIDA. Humuinesirps. Genus TROCHILUS Linyavs. Suscenus TROCHILUS. TROCHILUS COLUBRIS Luiyy. 183. Ruby-throated Hummingbird. (428) Male :—With the tail forked, its feathers all narrow and pointed ; no scales: on crown; metallic gorget reflecting ruby-red, etc.; above, golden green; below, white ; the sides, green; wings and tail, dusky purplish. Female :—Lacking the gorget ; the throat, white ; the tail, somewhat double-rounded, with black bars, and the outer feathers white-tipped. Length, 3}; wing, 12; bill, 2. Hazs.—Eastern North America to the Plains, north to the Fur Countries,. and south, in winter, to Cuba and Veragua. Nest, a beautiful specimen of bird architecture, usually placed on the horizontal branch of a tree in the orchard, composed of gray lichens, lined with the softest plant down. Eggs, 2, pure white, blushed with pink while fresh. The Hummingbirds begin to arrive towards the middle of May, and by the end of the month, when the lilacs are in bloom, they are quite numerous. About that time many pass on to breed farther north, while others engage in the same occupation here. In September they again become common, showing a strong liking for the impatiens fulva, or wild balsam, which grows abundantly in moist places, and later they crowd about the bignonia or trumpet- 17 258 : BIRDS OF ONTARIO. creeper. This is a late flowering plant, and the tiny birds, as if loath to leave it, are seen as late as the middle of September rifling it of its sweets. There are about sixteen different species of Hummingbirds now known as North American, but this is the only one found east of the Mississippi River. Though small, it is very pugnacious, often attack- ing birds much larger than itself who may venture near its nest. On such occasions it produces an angry buzzing sound with its wings, but it has no voice save a weak chirp, like a cricket or grasshopper. OrpER PASSERES. Perrcuine Birps. SuBporRDER CLAMATORES. SonGLess PERCHING Brreps. Famiry TYRANNIDA. Tyrant FiycatcuHers. Genus MILVULUS Swainson. MILVULUS FORFICATUS (GuEzL.). 184. Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. (443) First primary alone emarginate ; crown patch, orange or scarlet; general color, hoary ash, paler or white below, sides at the insertion of the wings scarlet or blood-red, and other parts of the body tinged with the same, a shade paler; wings, blackish, generally with whitish edgings; tail, black, several outer feathers extensively white or rosy. Wing, about 44; tail, over 12 inches Jong. Hazs.—Texas and Indian Territory, casually north to Kansas and Missouri ; south to Central America. Accidental in Virginia, New Jersey, New England, Manitoba, and at York Factory, Hudson Bay. Nest, like the Kinghirds’. Eggs, four or five, white, blotched with reddish and lilac shell-spots. The home of this beautiful bird is in Texas, but it is evidently much given to wandering, appearing unexpectedly at Ee far distant from its usual habitat. The first record I have of its occurrence in Ontario is furnished by Dr. Garnier, of Lucknow, Bruce County, who reports having seen one near his place some years ago. He had no means of securing the bird, but saw it by the roadside as he drove past, opening and closing its tail ‘feathers with the usual scissor-like motion. Dr. Bell, of the Geological Survey, speaking of birds which he occasionally found far from their usual habitat, says: “The most singular discovery in regard to geographical distribution is the finding KINGBIRD. 259 of the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Mileulus forficatus Si.) at York Factory. “Hitherto its range has been considered to extend only from Mexico to Central Texas. Baird, Cassin and Lawrence say with regard to it: ‘This exquisitely beautiful and graceful bird is quite abundant on the prairies of Southern Texas, and is everywhere conspicuous among its kindred species. It is usually known as the Scissor-tail from its habit of opening and closing the long tail feathers as if they were the blades of a pair of scissors.’ The specimen in the Government Museum was shot at York Factory in the summer of 1880, and I have since learned that these remarkable birds were commonly seen at the posts of the Hudson’s Bay Company all the way westward to the valley of the Mackenzie River.” The Scissor-tails are beautiful birds which we should gladly welcome to Ontario if they find the attractions sufficient} to induce ‘them to extend their habitat in this direction, but of these they are the best judges, and they will no doubt act accordingly. Genus TYRANNUS Cuvier. TYRANNUS TYRANNUS (Liyy.). 185. Kingbird. (444) Two outer primaries obviously attenuate ; above, blackish, darker on the head; crown with a flame-colored patch; below, pure white; the Jreast shaded with plum)eous; wings, dusky, with much whitish edging ; tail, black, broadly and rather sharply tipped with white, the outer feathers sometimes edged with the same; bill and feet, black. Youny :—Without the patch ; very young birds show rufous edging of the wings and tail. Length, about 8 inches ; wing, 44; tail, 34; bill, under 1. ; Haz.—Eastern North America, from the British Provinces south to Central and South America. Rare west of the Rocky Mountains (Utah, Nevada, Washington Territory, etc.). ‘Nest, large for the size of the bird, placed on the horizontal bough of an isolated tree, composed of vegetable fibrous materials and sheep’s wool compactly woven together. Eggs, three to five, creamy or rosy-white, spotted and blotched with reddish, brown and lilac shell-spots. The Kingbird arrives in Ontario from the south about the 10th of May, and from that time till it leaves again in September, it is one of the most familiar birds in the rural districts. It is generally 260 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. distributed, each pair taking possession of a certain “limit,” which is valiantly defended against all intruders, no bird, however large, being permitted to come with impunity near where the Kingbird’s treasures are deposited. It is partial to pasture fields, a favorite perch being the top of a dry mullein stalk. Here the male Sits like a sentinel, issuing his sharp note of warning, and occasionally darting off to secure a passing insect. When the breeding is over and the young are able to shift for themselves, he gets over his local attach- ments and quietly takes his insect fare wherever he can find it, allowing other birds to do the same. The food of this species consists almost entirely of insects, which it takes while on the wing. It may be considered a friend of the farmer, for although it does take a few bees now and then, it more than compensates for these by the large number of injurious insects which it destroys. . The contents of the twelve stomachs examined by Dr. King, of Wisconsin, were as follows:—Four had eaten seventeen beetles ; four, four dragon flies; one, a bee; one, six crane flies; one, a large moth ; one, a butterfly; and three, a few raspberries. It is common throughout Manitoba and the North-West, retiring south when its supply of food is cut off by the advance of the season- Genus MYIARCHUS Casanis. MYIARCHUS CRINITUS (Liyy.). 186. Crested Flycatcher. (452) Decidedly olivaceous above, a little browner on the head, where the feathers have dark centres ; throat and fore-breast, pure dark ash, rest of under parts, bright yellow, the two colors meeting abruptly ; primaries margined on both edges with chestnut; secondaries and coverts, edged and tipped with yellowish-white ; tail, with all the feathers but the central pair, chestnut on the whole of the inner web, excepting, perhaps, a very narrow stripe next the shaft; outer web of outer feathers, edged with yellowish ; the middle feathers, outer webs of the rest, and wings, except as stated, dusky brown. Very young birds have rufous skirting of many feathers, in addition to the chestnut above described, but this soon disappears. Length, 83-94 - wing and tail, about 4; bill and tarsus, each 3. Has.—Eastern United States and Southern Canada, west to the: Plains, south through Eastern Mexico to Costa Rica. PHBE. 261 Nest, in hollow of trees, sometimes in the deserted hole of a woodpecker, composed of straw, leaves, rootlets and other vegetable materials, lined with feathers ; about the edge are always to be found pieces of the cast-off skins of snakes. Eggs, four or five, light buffy-brown, streaked lengthwise by lines and markings of purplish and darker brown. This species is a regular summer resident along the southern frontier, where it arrives early in May, and soon makes its presence known by the loud note of warning which is heard among the tree tops long before the bird is visible. Dr. Wheaton, in his “ Birds of Ohio,” states that this species is very numerous near Columbus, where the country being well cleared and the usual breeding places difficult to find, the birds have taken to the use of boxes put up for bluebirds and martins, and have been observed to dispossess the legitimate owners. It has also been noticed that the snake skins are left out, when the nests are in boxes. This Flycatcher is found sparingly in Manitoba and the North- West; farther south, it is more common. Its food consists of insects, while these are obtainable ; but in the fall, before leaving, it readily takes grapes and other berries. It is the largest of the flycatchers which visit us, and it shows to great advantage in the woods in spring, when its clear colors harmonize with the opening leaves. Many spend the winter in Mexico. Genus SAYORNIS Bonaparte. SAYORNIS PHBE (Lartu.). 187. Phoebe. (456) Dull olivaceous-brown ; the head much darker fuscous-brown, almost blackish, usually in marked contrast with the back ; below, soiled whitish, or palest possible yellow, particularly on the belly ; the sides and the breast, nearly or quite across shaded with grayish-brown ; wings and tail, dusky ; the outer tail feather, inner secondaries and usually the wing coverts, edged with whitish; a whitish ring around the eye; bill and feet, black, varies greatly in shade. The foregoing is the average spring condition. As the summer passes, the plumage becomes much duller and darker brown from wearing of the feathers, and then, after the moult, fall specimens. are much brighter than in spring, the under parts being frequently decidedly yellow, 262 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. at least on the belly. Very young birds have some feathers edged with rusty, particularly on the edges of the wing and tail feathers. Length, 63-7 ; wing and tail, 3-34. Haz.—Eastern North America, from the British Provinces south to Eastern Mexico and Cuba, wintering from the South Atlantic and Gulf States south- ward. Nest, under bridges or projection about outhouses. When away from human habitation it is often found among the roots of an upturned tree or in a hollow tree, composed of vegetable material mixed with mud and frescoed with moss. ; Eggs, four or five, usually pure white, sometimes faintly spotted. This is one of the earliest harbingers of spring, and its quick, querulous notes are hailed with joy as a prelude to the grand concert. of bird music which is soon to follow. Early in April, the male Pee-wee appears in his former haunts, and is soon joined by his mate. They are partial to the society of man, and their habits, as shown in their nestings, have been some- what changed by this taste. The original, typical nest of the Pee- wee, we are told, was placed on a ledge under a projecting rock, over which water trickled, the nest itself often being damp with the spray. We still see one, occasionally, in such a position, but more frequently it is placed on the beams of a bridge, beneath the eaves of a deserted house, or under a verandah or the projection of an out- house. ° They raise two broods in the season, and retire to the south in September. They are generally distributed throughout Ontario, but are most common in the south. A few have made their way to Manitoba, where they have been seen near Winnipeg and elsewhere. They are strongly attached to a chosen locality, and will return year after year to repair their old nest, or entirely rebuild it in the same spot should the old fabric be removed. They are often imposed upon by the Cow-bird, and accept the situation without remonstrance. Genus CONTOPUS Casanis. CONTOPUS BOREALIS (Swains.). 188. Olive-sided Flycatcher. (459) Dusky olivaceous-brown, usually darker on the crown, where the feathers have black centres, and paler on the sides; chin, throat, belly, crissum and middle line of the breast, white, more or less tinged with yellowish ; wings and tail, blackish, unmarked, excepting inconspicuous grayish-brown tips of the OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER. 263 wing coverts, and some whitish edging of the inner quills; feet and upper mandible, black ; lower mandible, mostly yellowish. The olive-brown below has a peculiar streaky appearance hardly seen in other species, and extends almost entirely across the breast ; a peculiar tuft of white fluffy feathers on the flanks. Young :—Birds have the feathers, especially of the wings and tail, skirted with rufous. Length, 7-8; wing, 33-43, remarkably pointed ; second quill longest, supported nearly to the end by the first and third, the fourth abruptly shorter ; tail, about 3; tarsus, middle toe and claw together, about 14. Has.—North America, breeding from the northern and the higher mountainous parts of the United States northward, in winter, south to Central America and Columbia. Nest, a shallow structure, composed of weeds, twigs, rootlets, strips of bark, etc., loosely put together, saddled on a bough or placed in a fork high up in a tree. : Eggs, three or four, creamy-white, speckled with reddish-brown. So far as at present known, this species is rare in Ontario, and not very abundant anywhere. Towards the end of May, 1884, when driving along the edge of a swamp, north of the village of Millgrove, I noticed a bird on the blasted top of a tall pine, and stopping the horse, at once recognized the Olive-sided Flycatcher by the loud O-whee-o, O-whee-o, so correctly described as the note of this species by Dr. Merriam in his “ Birds of Connecticut.” I tried to reach it with a charge of No. 8, and it went down perpendicularly into the brush, but whether dead, wounded or unhurt I never knew, for I ‘did not see it again. That is the only time I have ever seen the species alive. It has a wide distribution, having been found breeding in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and north on the Saskatchewan, near Cum- berland House. In the west it has been observed in Colorado and. along the Columbia River. It has occurred as an accidental visitor in Alaska and also in Greenland, but in all of these places it is reported as rare or accidental. It is spoken of as common in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, where it seems to have been observed more frequently than elsewhere. It is a species which is not likely to be overlooked when present, for its notes and habits readily attract notice. 264 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. CONTOPUS VIRENS (Lrsy.). 189. Wood Pewee. (461) Olivaceous-brown, rather darker on the head; below, with the sides washed with a paler shade of the same nearly or quite across the breast ; the throat and belly, whitish, more or less tinged with dull yellowish ; under tail coverts, the same, usually streaked with dusky; tail and wings, blackish, the former unmarked, the inner quills edged and the coverts tipped with whitish ; feet and upper mandible, black; under mandible, usually yellow, sometimes dusky. Spring specimens are purer olivaceous. Karly fall birds are brighter yellow below ; in summer, before the now worn feathers are renewed, quite brown and dingy-whitish. Very young birds have the wing-bars and pale edging of quills tinged with rusty, the feathers of the upper parts skirted, and the lower plumage tinged with the same; but in any plumage the species may be known from all the birds of the following genus by these dimensions. Length, 6-63 ; wing, 34-34; tail, 23-3; tarsus, about 4, not longer than the bull. Has.—Eastern North America to the Plains, and from Southern Canada southward. : Nest, composed of bark fibre, rootlets and grass, finished with lichens ; on the outside it is compact and firm round the edge, but flat in form, and rather loose in the bottom. It is sometimes saddled on a bough, more frequently placed on the fork of a twig ten or twelve feet or more from the ground. Eggs, three or four, creamy-white, blotched and variegated at the larger end with reddish-brown and lilac-gray. This species resembles the Pha:be in appearance, but is smaller, and has an erect, hawk-like attitude, when seen perched on a dead twig on the outer limb of a tree. It is a late comer, being seldom ‘seen before the middle of May, after which its prolonged, melancholy notes may be heard alike in the woods and orchards till the end of August, when the birds move south. To human ears, the notes of the male appear tu be the outpourings of settled sorrow, but to his mate the impressions conveyed may be very different. In the breeding season, it is generally distributed throughout Ontario, and a few are found in Manitoba. Its visit here is comparatively short, for it does not appear till the middle of May, and leaves again early in September. Its food consists chiefly of insects, caught while on the wing. YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER. 265 Grexus EMPIDONAX Casanis. EMPIDONAX FLAVIVENTRIS Bairp. 190. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. (463) Above, olive-green, clear continuous and uniform as in acadicus, or even brighter ; below, not merely ye//owixh, as in the succeeding, but emphatically yellow, bright and pure on the belly, shaded on the sides and anteriorly with a paler tint of the color of the back; eye-rings and wing-markings, yellow ; under mandible, yellow ; feet, black. In respect of color, this species differs materially from all the rest; none of them, even in their autumnal yellowest, quite match it. Size of ftradllii or rather less; feet, proportioned as in acadicus; bill, nearly as in minimus, but rather larger; first quill, usually equal to sixth. Has.—Eastern North America to the Plains, and from Southern Labrador south through Eastern Mexico to Panama, breeding from the Northern States northward. Nest, in a mossy bank, composed mostly of moss, with a few twigs and withered leaves, and lined with black wiry rootlets and dry grass. Eggs, four, creamy-white, spotted and blotched with reddish-brown and a few black markings chiefly near the larger end. Several of the small Flycatchers resemble each other so closely that it is often difficult for the general observer to identify them -correctly. The clear yellow of the under parts of the present species serves to distinguish it from the others, but it is everywhere scarce and little known except to collectors. Near Hamilton, I have noticed one or two every spring, and some- times the same number in the fall. During the summer it has not been observed. It is only within the past five years that correct information has been obtained regarding the nest and eggs of this species, one of the first and best descriptions being given by Mr. Purdie in the Nuttall Bulletin for October, 1878. The nest in this case was placed among the roots of an upturned tree. All the nests I have seen described have been found in Maine, but the species will no doubt yet be found breeding in Ontario and elsewhere in the interior. In the “Birds of Manitoba,” Mr. Thompson has the following : “Duck Mountain, June 11th, 1884.—Shot a Flycatcher, which was uttering continually a note like ‘chee blic. It was all over of a greenish color, but yellow on the belly. It answers fairly well the 266 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. description of flaviventris, but is very like an Acadian shot yester- day. Evidently the species is breeding here.” Mr. Thompson’s identification appears to be correct, for I find that the bird gave utterance to the same note when found near its nest in Maine. EMPIDONAX ACADICUS (GmMEL.). 191. Acadian Flycatcher. (465) Above, -olive-green, clear, continuous and uniform (though the crown may show rather darker, owing to dusky centres of the slightly lengthened, erectile feathers) ; below, whitish, olive-shaded on sides and nearly across breast, yellow-washed on belly, flanks, crissum and axillars ; wings, dusky ; inner quills, edged, and coverts tipped with tawny yellow; all the quills whitish-edged internally ; tail, dusky olive-glossed, unmarked ; a yellowish eye-ring ; feet and upper mandible, brown; lower mandible, pale; in midsummer, rather: darker ; in early fall, brighter and more yellowish below ; when very young, the wing markings more fulvous, the general plumage slightly buffy-suffused. Length, 53-6}; wing, 24-3 (rarely 33); tail, 25-22; bill, nearly or quite 4, about 4 wide at the nostrils; tarsus, 3; middle toe and claw, 4; point of wing reaching nearly an inch beyond the secondaries ; second, third and fourth quills. nearly equal and much (} inch or more) longer than first and fifth, which about equal each other. “ First plumage: Above, nearly pure olive, with indistinct narrow transverse bands of darker ; wing bands, pale reddish-brown ; under parts, soiled yellowish white, with an olivaceous cast on the sides and breast. Has.—Eastern United States, chiefly southward, west to the Plains, south to Cuba and Costa Rica. Nest, composed of catkins, grasses, weed fibres, shreds of bark, rather - slovenly in appearance, from three to twenty feet from the ground, in a horizontal fork, fastened by the brim, bottom without support. Eggs, two to four, yellowish-buff, spotted round the larger end with rusty brown. I mention this little bird more as one to be looked for than as one: known to occur here, for I have no positive record of its having been found in Ontario. I have always thought it would be discovered on the north shore of Lake Erie, and the nearest approach I have to it is in the description of a pair of small Flycatchers which nested in Dr. Macallum’s orchard near Dunnville. In this case the nest and eggs were taken, but the birds were allowed to escape, and, unfortu- nately for identification, the eggs of this species are indistinguishable - from those of Traill’s Flycatcher. TRAILL’S FLYCATCHER. : 267 The position of the nest of acadicus is given on the opposite page, and that of Traill’s Flycatcher is said to be always in an upright fork. Strange to say, the nest found by Dr. Macallum did not correspond with either, being “placed on the upper surface of a tolerably large limb.” JI still hope to hear of the species being found in the district indicated, and hope the above description may lead to its identi- fication. EMPIDONAX PUSILLUS TRAILLII (Avp.). 192. Traill’s Flycatcher. (4662) Above, olive-brown, lighter and duller brownish posteriorly, darker anteriorly, owing to obviously dusky centres of the coronal feathers; below, nearly as in acadicus, but darker, the olive-gray shading quite across the breast ; wing markings, grayish-white, with slight yellowish or tawny shade ; under mandible, pale; upper mandible and feet, black. Averaging a little less than acadicus, 54-6; wing, 28-2%, more rounded, its tips only reaching about 3 of an inch beyond the secondaries, formed by second, third and fourth quills as before, but fifth not so much shorter (hardly or not 4 of an inch), the first ranging between fifth and sixth ; tail, 24 ; tarsus, 3 as before, but middle toe and claw three-fifths, the feet thus differently proportioned owing to length _ of the toes. Has.—Eastern North America, breeding from the Middle States (Southern Illinois and Missouri) northward, in winter, south to Central America. Nest, in an upright fork, firmly secured in its place with the stringy fibres of bark, deeply cupped, composed chiefly of vegetable fibres, lined with dry grass and thistle down. Eggs, three or four, variable, usually creamy-white, blotched, chiefly toward. the larger end, with reddish-brown. Traill’s Flycatcher is not much known in Ontario, the number of collectors being few. By the ordinary observer the bird may readily be mistaken for others of its class which it closely resembles. Mr. Saunders has found it near London, and I have met with it now and then in the moist, secluded ravines by the shore of the Dundas Marsh, but it is by no means common. Mr. White has collected one or two specimens at Ottawa, and Prof. Macoun got one at Lake Manitoba. From its being found to the east, west and north it is most likely distributed throughout the Province, but just how rare or common it may be is hard to say, for there is nothing attractive in its appear- ance or manner, and in habits it is so retiring that it may readily be overlooked. 268 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. The difficulty in identifying these small Flycatchers is owing to the close resemblance they bear to one another. In coloring the present species is almost identical with the Least Flycatcher, but it measures half an inch longer. It also resembles the Acadian Fly- catcher, but the present species measures a quarter of an inch less in . length, and is olive brown, while acadiczs is olive green. This slight difference in the shade of color, or in the size of a specimen, makes it often difficult to say to which group it belongs. « EMPIDONAX MINIMUS Bairp. 193. Least Flycatcher. (467) Colors almost exactly as in fradlliz; usually, however, olive-gray rather than olive-brown ; the wing markings, eye-ring and loral feathers, plain - grayish-white ; the whole anterior parts often with a slight ashy cast ; under mandible, ordinarily dusky ; feet, black. It is a smaller bird than fradllzi, and not so stoutly built; the wing-tip projects only about 4 an inch beyond the secondaries ; the fifth quill is but a little shorter than the fourth, the first apt to be nearer the sixth than fifth; the feet are differently proportioned, being much as in acadicus ; the bill is obviously under § inch long. Length, 5-5.25 ; wing, 2.60 or less ; tail, about 2.25. Has.—Eastern North America, south in winter to Central America ; breeds from the Northern States northward. Nest, in the fork of a sapling or tree, composed of vegetable fibre and wilted weeds, with a compact lining of plant down, horse-hair and fine grass. Eggs, three or four, usually pure white, occasionally a set or part of a set are found dotted with dusky. The Least Flycatcher is very common throughout Ontario, and is mentioned among the birds found by Prof. Macoun in the North- West Territory. In the “Birds of Manitoba” it is mentioned as a common summer resident, and many instances given of its capture at different points. Jt arrives near Hamilton about the end of the first week in May, soon after which its short, sharp call, “ Chebec,” is heard by the outer edge of the woods, and even in the city orchards it takes its location and raises its family. As soon as the young ones are able to fly, the birds disperse more generally over the country, and are in no haste to retire, but linger till the cold weather cuts off their supply of food. As the correct identification of the small flycatchers-is often a puzzle to the amateur, and as the build of the nest and the markings HORNED LARK. 269 of the eggs are often strong points in the evidence, I shall give Dr. Coues’ instructions, which may be of use in this connection : “ B. acadicus—Nest, in the trees, in horizontal forks, thin, saucer- shaped, open-work ; eggs, creamy-white, boldly spotted. &. traillit—Nest, in trees, in upright crotch, deeply cupped, more or less compact walled ; eggs, creamy-white, boldly spotted. E. minimus—Nest, in trees, in upright crotch, deeply cupped, compact walled ; eggs, immaculate white. EL. flaviventris—Nest, on the ground or near it, deeply cupped, thick and bulky ; eggs, white, spotted.” SUBORDER OSCINES. Sona Birps. . Famity ALAUDIDA. Larxs. Genus OTOCORIS Bonaparte. OTOCORIS ALPESTRIS (Liny.). 194. Horned Lark. (474) Adult :—Above, brown, tinged with pinkish, brightest on the nape, lesser wing coverts and tail coverts; other upper parts, gray, the centre of the feathers, dusky ; below, white, tinged with dusky on the sides, anteriorly with sulphur-yellow ; a large black area on the breast; sides of the head and whole of the throat, sulphury-yellow, with a crescentic mark of black below each eye, and a black bar across the forehead, and thence along the side of the crewn, prolonged into a tuft or ‘‘ horn.” 270 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Middle tail feathers like the back, the others black, the outer wel of the outer pair whitish ; bill, blackish, livid blue at base below ; feet, black. In winter, at which season it is observed in Southern Ontario, the colors are paler and much less decided. Length, 7 to 7.50. Female :—Smaller. Has.—North-eastern North America, Greenland and northern parts of the Old World, in winter, south in the eastern United States to the Carolinas, Illinois, etc. Nest, a slight depression in the ground, lined with grass, horse-hair and feathers. Eggs, four or five, grayish-white, marked with spots of brownish-purple. The Shore Lark, when I became acquainted with it twenty-five years ago, waS a rare winter visitor in Ontario, only a few being observed. They usually are found in company with the snowbirds, and are thoroughly terrestrial in their habits, seldom alighting any- where but on the ground. While here they spend most of their time, during the short days of winter, searching for their daily fare on. bare, gravelly patches, from which the snow has been blown away. Occasionally, toward the end of March, just before leaving, I have seen the male settle himself on a hillock and warble out a pleasing lark-like song, which is probably given with more power and pathos later in the season near his grassy home, with his mate for an audience. This is the north-eastern type of the family, and it is believed to be identical with the British bird of the same name. In Ontario it is as rare as formerly, its breeding place being far to the north and east, and its migratory course generally along the coast of the Atlantic. It breeds abundantly in the region around Hudson Bay, including Labrador, and has also been found in Greenland. In the south and west it is represented by several varieties, differing somewhat in size and markings. pe The present species, though rather irregular in its movements, is -often very abundant along the shores of the eastern States. It breeds in Newfoundland, and some are supposed to spend the summer in Maine, but the bulk of the species go farther north. OTOCORIS ALPESTRIS PRATICOLA Hensu. 195. Prairie Horned Lark. (4746) Adu/t ma/y:—In spring, posterior portion of the crown, occiput, nape, -sides of the neck and breast, lesser wing coverts and shorter upper tail coverts, light vinaceous ; back, scapulars and rump, grayish-brown; the feathers with -darker centres, becoming darker and much more distinct on the rump; middle PRAIRIE HORNED LARK. 271 wing coverts, light vinaceous terminally, brownish-gray basally ; wings (except as described), grayish-brown, the feathers with paler edges, outer primaries with outer web chiefly white ; middle pair of tail feathers light brown (paler on edges), the general portion (longitudinally) much darker, approaching dusky ; remaining tail feathers uniform black, the outer pair with exterior webs broadly edged with white; longer upper tail coverts, light brown, edged with whitish and marked with a broad lanceolate streak of dusky ; forehead (for about .15 of an inch) yellowish-white, this continued back in a broad super- ciliary stripe of nearly pure white; fore part of crown (for about .35 of an inch) deep black, continued laterally back to and including the ear-like tufts ; lores, suborbital region, and broad patch on cheeks (with convex posterior outline) deep black, jugular crescent, also deep black, this extending to lower part of throat ; chin and throat, pale straw yellow, gradually fading into white on sides of fore-neck ; anterior half of ear coverts white, posterior half drab-gray, each portion forming a crescent-shaped patch; lower parts posterior to the jugulum crescent pure white, the sides of the breast light vinaceous, the sides similar but brown and indistinctly streaked with darker ; upper mandible, plumbeous black ; lower, bluish-plumbeous ; iris, deep brown ; legs and feet, brownish-black. Size, slightly less than the preceding. Haxs.—Upper Mississippi Valley and the region of the Great Lakes. Nest, a hollow in the ground, lined with grass, horse hair and feathers. Eggs, four or five, dull olive, marked with spots and speckles of drab. So far as I can remember, this species first appeared in Ontario about the year 1868. It was noticed at.once as different from our winter visitor, being less in size and its plumage having the washed- out look peculiar to the prairie birds. Since that time it has increased annually, until it has become quite established. I think they do not all leave in the fall, but that a few remain over the winter. Great numbers appear in February or early in March, and should the season be late, they swarm in the road tracks and bare places everywhere, waiting for the disappearing of the snow, and even before it is quite gone many pairs commence building their nests. Soon the flocks separate, the birds scatter in pairs over the country, and are not again seen in such numbers until the following season. This species is very common in Manitoba, where they raise their young in suitable places all over the country. Besides the original alpestris there are now seven different sub- species of the Genus Ofocoris, described as being found in North America. They all have a strong family likeness, but differ sufti- ciently, in the eyes of the Committee, to warrant distinction, though several of the groups are of very recent formation. They are found mostly in the west and south-west, only one of the varieties boar, till now, been observed in Ontario. : 272 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. Famity CORVID.®. Crows, Jays, MAGPIES, ETC. SupraMiLty GARRULINAS. Magpies anp Jays. Gents PICA Brisson. PICA PICA HUDSONICA. (Sas.) 196. American Magpie. (475) Bill, black ; head, neck, fore-part of the breast and back, black, glossed with green and blue; middle of the back, grayish-white ; scapulars, white ; smaller wing coverts, black, secondary and primary coverts, glossed with green and blue; primaries, black, glossed with green, their inner webs white except at the end ; secondaries bright blue changing to green, the inner webs greenish- black ; tail, glossed with green, changing to bluish-purple and dark green at the end ; breast and sides, pure white ; legs, abdomen, lower tail coverts, seus Length, 18-20 inches. ; Has.—Northern and Western North America, casually east-and south to Michigan (accidentally in Northern Illinois in winter) and the Plains, and in the Rocky Mountains to New Mexico and Arizona. Nest, in a tree, ten or twelve feet or more from the ground, built of coarse sticks, plastered with mud and lined with hair, feathers and other soft materials. Eggs, five or six, greenish, thickly shaded and dashed with purplish-brown. The gaudy, garrulous Magpie is, on the American continent, pecu- liar to the north and west, and is mentioned as a bird of Ontario on the authority of Mr. C. J. Bampton, Registrar of the District of Algoma, who reports it as a rare winter visitor at Sault Ste. Marie. It has been seen by surveying parties along the northern tier of States, and is said to be possessed of all the accomplishments attrib- uted to the British Magpie, whose history has been so often written. Mr. Trippe, who found it breeding in Colorado, describes the nest as being dome shaped, having two apertures, one at each side, so that when the bird enters by the front it leaves by the one at the back, and while sitting on the nest the long tail projects outside. The Magpie is a gay, dashing fellow, whom we always like to see in his native haunts, and we should welcome him to the woods of Southern Ontario should his curiosity lead him this way. In Alaska he is common in certain districts, though not generally distributed. His long tail, showy colors, and cunning ways always gain him attention wherever he appears. In the rural districts of Scotland these birds are regarded with suspicion, from the belief that they know more than birds ought to BLUE JAY. 273 know. They are supposed to indicate future joy or sorrow to the wayfarer,* according to the number he sees together, the idea being thus expressed in popular rhyme : “One, mirth ; Two, grief ; Three, a wedding ; Four, a death.” sENUS CYANOCITTA Srrickianp. CYANOCITTA CRISTATA. (Liny.). 197. Blue Jay. (477) Purplish-blue; below, pale gray, whitening on the throat, belly and crissum ; a black collar across the lower throat and up the sides of the neck and head behind the crest, and a black frontlet bordered with whitish ; wings and tail, pure rich blue, with black bars, the greater coverts, secondaries and tail feathers, except the central, broadly tipped with pure white; tail, much rounded, the graduation over an inch. Length, 11-12; wing, 54; tail, 53. Has.—-Eastern North America to the Plains, and from the fur countries south to eastern Texas. Nest, in trees or bushes, built of sticks, lined with weeds, grasses and other soft material. Eggs, four or five, variable in color, usually clay color with brown spots. 18 274 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. This species is common throughout Ontario, and may be consid- ered resident, for though the greater number migrate in the fall, a few always remain and are heard squalling among the evergreens any mild day in the depth of winter. Notwithstanding his gaudy attire, the Jay is not a favorite, which is probably owing to his having many traits of character peculiar to. the “bad boy,” being always ready for sport or spoil. He frequently visits the farm-house for purposes of plunder, and when so engaged works silently and diligently till his object is attained. He then gets off to the woods as quickly as possible, where he may be heard chuckling to himself over his success. * There is a swampy spot in a clump of bush in West Flamboro’ where a colony of Blue Jays has spent the winter for several seasons, and they seem to have lots of fun even in the severest weather. I have occasionally called in when passing, and have found amusement listening to their varied notes, issued in quite a colloquial strain. Sometimes the birds are on the ground, busily gathering nuts with which to replenish their storehouses, but if a scout arrives with some interesting intelligence, off goes the whole troop, each individual apparently knowing the object of the excursion. On the return, notes are compared, and I-almost fancy I hear them laugh at their narrow escapes and ludicrous exploits. On such occasions I know I am often the subject of remark, but if I keep quiet they .do not seem to object much to my presence. They are somewhat gregarious in their habits, and even in the breeding season have a custom of going round in guerilla bands of four or five, visiting the farm-house in the early morning, seeking a chance to suck eggs ;,and woe betide the unlucky owl whom they happen to come across on any of these excursions: its peace for that day is done, for the excitement is often kept up till darkness forces the Jays to retire. PERISOREUS CANADENSIS (Liyy.). 198. Canada Jay. (484) Upper parts, dull leaden-gray ; lower, dull yellowish-white ; forehead, yellowish-white ; hind part of the head an neck, grayish-black ; throat and band passing round the neck, grayish-white ; secondary quills and tail feathers narrowly tipped with white. Youny:—Dull slate color, paler on the abdomen, darker on the head, the white tips of the wings and tail duller than in the adult. Length, 10-11 inches. e CANADA JAY. 275 Has.—Northern New England, Michigan and Canada, northward to Arctic America. Nest, on the branch of an evergreen, composed of twigs and grass, lined with feathers. Eggs, four or five, variable, usually grayish-white, marked with yellowish- brown. The Indian name for this bird is Wis-Ka-Zjan, which pronounced by an English tongue sounds much like “Whiskey John.” Through familiarity this has become “ Whiskey Jack,” the name by which the bird is best known in the districts he frequents. The Canada Jay is found in high latitudes, from Labrador to the Pacific coast. It is quite common in the District of Muskoka, where it breeds and is resident. I have also heard of one individual being taken at Oshawa, but have no record of its having been seen farther south in Ontario. In the “Birds of the North-West,” Dr. Coues, quoting from Mr. Trippe, says: ‘During the warmer months the Canada Jay frequents the darkest forests of spruce, occasionally flying a little way above the trees. It is quite tame, coming about the mining camps to pick up whatever is thrown out in the way of food, and evincing much of the curiosity that is characteristic of the family. In winter its supply of food is very precarious, and it is often reduced to mere skin ‘and bones. At such times it will frequently weigh no more than a plump sparrow or snowbird, and undoubtedly it sometimes starves to death. During the latter part of the autumn, its hoarse croaking is almost the only sound to be heard in the cold, sombre forests which lie near the timber line.” This species is quite common in Manitoba, and has also been found in Northern Michigan and Minnesota, northward to Hudson Bay and the Arctic Regions, and also in Alaska. In the west it is rather less in size, and being slightly different in color also, it has been created into a subspecies, under the name of fumifrons. Tn the coast region of Labrador is another form, somewhat darker than the others, which has been separated and named nigricapillus. But although their names have been changed, their natures remain the same. All have the habit of taking eggs and young birds from the nests of other birds, and devouring them in sight of the agonized parents. They become very familiar about the camps of lumbermen and others who have occasion to toil in the woods. This habit is no doubt to a great extent the result of hunger, which in the winter time, when deep snow covers the ground, must be the greatest evil with which the birds have to contend. 276 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. SupramMiIty CORVIN A. Crows. Genus CORVUS Luinyavs. CORVUS CORAX SINUATUS (Wact.). 199. American Raven. (486) Entire lustrous black ; throat feathers acute, lengthened and eiseenmenter, Length, about 2 feet ; wing, 16-18 inches ; tail, 10. Has.—Continent of North America, from the Arctic Regions to Guatemala, but local and not common in the United States east of the Mississippi River. Nest, on high trees or inaccessible cliffs, built of sticks with a lining of coarse grass, sea weed and wool. Eggs, four or five, greenish, dotted, blotched and clouded with purplish and blackish-brown. Few birds are so widely distributed over the face of the earth, and few have obtained so great a share of notoriety as the Raven, that “grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore.” In Southern Ontario it is now seldom seen. The specimen in my collection was obtained at St. Clair Flats some years ago, where it ‘was ‘reported as an occasional visitor in the fall. Wilson, speaking of this species, says: “On the lakes, and particularly in the neighbor- - hood of Niagara Falls, they are numerous, and it is a remarkable fact that where they so abound the common Crow seldom appears. I had an opportunity of observing this myself in a journey along the shores of Lakes Erie and Ontario during the months of August and September. The Ravens were seen every day, but I did not see or hear a single Crow within several miles of the lakes.” Since the days of Wilson the case has been reversed, and any one travelling now round the lakes named will see Crows in plenty, old and young, but not a single Raven. They are said to be common in the rocky region of Muskoka, where they probably nest on the cliffs. They are believed to continue mated for life, and are often heard expressing their feelings of conjugal attachment in what to human ears sounds but a dismal croak. The Raven appears so seldom in Ontario that we have little opportunity for becoming acquainted with the habits of the bird. We find, however, that they are tolerably common in Manitoba, while in Alaska they seem to reach their centre of abundance. Referring to them, Mr. Nelson says: ‘Everywhere throughout the entire territory of Alaska, including the shores of the Arctic Ocean and Behring Sea, this bird is a well-known resident. Here, as in AMERICAN CROW. 277 © some more civilized regions, it bears a rather uncanny character, and many and strange are the shapes it assumes in the folklore of the natives of these far-off shores.” Eskimos and Indians unite in accusing this bird of pecking out the eyes of new-born reindeer and afterwards killing them. That they are notoriously mischievous in robbing traps of bait, is well known throughout the fur countries, though the thief sometimes pays the penalty by getting a foot in the trap. Liitke tells us that “the Ravens are the brigands of Sitka. No poultry can be raised, as the Ravens devour the fledglings as fast as they appear, making only one mouthful of them. The porkers are too big to be overcome in the same manner, and the Ravens have to satisfy their greediness by keeping the pigs’ tails close cropped. This is why the Sitka pigs have no tails.” In spite of this ancient perse- cution, Mr. Dall assures us that the Sitka pigs of the present day have the caudal appendage of the usual length. CORVUS AMERICANUS