^.

■A-

[From 'The Ai'k,' Vol. X, No i, January, 1S93.]

SUMMER BIRDS OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND.

\

BY JONATHAN DVVIGTIT, JK.

THE AUK :

A (QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF

ORNITHOLOGY.
VOL. X. January, 1893. no. i.

SUMMER BIRDS OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND.

nv JONATHAN 1>\VIGHT, JR.

LviNO ill tlic soullieni part of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, its
low outlines just visii)le tVoin the maiulaiul, is Prince Edward
Island, called by some one the 'Garden of the Gulf.' Compared
with the rnii;o;e(l Labrador or Cape Breton coasts of the Gulf,
this patch of <!;reen oti the surroundin<;- blue waters might to a
fervid imagination suggest the appellation of garden, but when
the climate, with its long winters and brief summers, and the
limited productions of tl-.e island arc taken into account, not to
mention the semi-civilized aspect of much of the country, the
name of garden does not strike the beholder as particularly
descriptive. However, it is not my present purpose to do more
than indicate the salient features of the island's topography and
flora, that my fellow ornithologists may follow me the more
understandingly in my endeavor to introduce to them the avifauna
of a considerable area hitherto neglected by our fraternity.
Anticosti, Nevvfoundlaiul, Cape Breton, and particularly the
Magdalen Islands have all been visited, but Prince Edward
Island has been passed by, probably because it seemed to oiler
fewer attractions than tliese wililer, r(>ugher islands.

Notwithstanding the probability that I shouUl only meet w ith

2 DwiGJiT, Summer Birds of Prince Edward Island. \\!m

birds whoso acquaintance I liad already made in otiier parts of
Canada, I nevertheless devoted a couple of weeks last summer
to exploring the island, and am now able to say what ispecies are
characteristic snmnier residents; and a few words ahont them
may not come amiss to those of us who may he familiar with
them only dming the migration seasons.

The length of my stay was from June 23 to July 9, and hy
means of the n:irrovv-gauge railroad. su])p!cmentcd by liorse
power, I visited l)olli extremities of the island, making Tignish
and Souris mv headipiarters. The remarkable feat of connecting
these places bv 167 miles of railroad has been accomplished
(the air line distance is less than 100 miles), the promoteis of
the road bemg desirous no doubt that each feature of the Itind-
scape should be viewed by the travelling public from at least
three ditVerent points of the compass. I also stopped at inter-
mediate points. The weather was favorable, mostly brigiit, the
raw winds from the northeast and the brief lainstorms peculiar
to the (inlf l)eing tlie only disigieeable t'catures. and these were
less pronounced as July advanced and tlie sun gained |)owei-.
What the climate must be in tlie winter time, when a belt of ice
extending as tVr as the eye can reach surrounds tlie island, and
binds it to the mainland by ever shifting Hoes, can only be
inferred from the chilling brt-ath of the northerly breezes that in
summer sweep over tlij frigid water of the Gulf. The ice is
said to disappear in April and sprin-r opens, but the summer is
brief and chielly confined to the months of Jul\' and August.
Brant regularly remain till the Sth of June. Willi such a back-
ward s})ring and such a cool and brief sunnner it is not sur[)ris-
ing that agriculture, beyoiul the production of hav, potatoes and
oats, does not llomish. Corn is rarely attempted, anil usually
sullers by early frost.

Prince Edwanl Island has the form of an irregular crescent,
the concavity to the northward. It embraces an area of 2133
square miles. Its extreme length from East Point to West Point
is about one hundred and twent}' miles, and its width woidd
probably average about twenty miles, for the coast line is very
much indented by bays. By means of them it is, roughly speak-
ing, cut into three sections. The westernmost is the nar-
rowest, the width increasing eastward to nearly forty miles,
the island tapering olf again to a point at its eastern extremity.

^'%?^] 15"it;ilT, Sidiimer /i:'n/.< of Prince Eihvard Island. -i

Tlie {ioolo<riciil fonuation of tin; island is a ivii, ciiiinhiinj^ siiiul-
stoiie that <,'ivc's rise to low blul'.s ten to twenty feet lii<{h aloni,'
the coast, these reaching a height of sixty or seventy feet at some
points, notably near North Cape, at East Point, ami on the
north siiore near New London. Tlie IjUiU's (or 'clifts' as they are
called by the natives) are practically perpendicular, the waves
eating them away below, and usually tliere is a gravelly beach of
detritus at their base. They are often guttered by streams, and
sloping down, parallel to the water's edge, may be replaced bv
reaches of gravel or sand, or perhaps 'ow islands, behind whicii
arc found lagoons and salt marslies, but in a few miles, perhaps
in a few hundred yards, they may again iniexpectediy rise to con-
siderable heiglit. The wind-swept sand beaches are chiclly
along tlic north shore, interrupted at times bv the red blulfs;
and although there is always a perceptible reddish tinge to the
sand, it is surprising how white it may become in some local-
ities. The drifted sand-hills, fringed with more or less scantv
grass, suggested the possibility of finding the Fpswicli Sparrow,
and yet my ellbrts were unrewarded, tlie Savanna Sparrows met
with in such places being in no wise lighter-colored th:ni those
of adjacent fields.

A green belt of farming country encircles the island, the pas-
tures in many places extending to the very edge of the blull's. and
back of them the land is slightly rolling, nowhere reaching any
considerable altitude. The only marked inecpialities are due to
the erosion of small brooks, and the general ellect is that of a flat
country. In the central section, tlie best settled, tiie fainis
extend from shore to shore and have succeeded the forest that
once clothed the whole island. The timber has been nearly all
cut, and no large bodies remain except in the \vestci"n and eastern
sections, where bears, still surviving in limited numbers, indicate
the nature of the unsettled tracts. A few 'blueberry barrens'
were noticed. Most of the island appears to be well draineil and
comparatively dry. I met with no extensive swamps, nor are
the shores of the fresh water lagoons and lakes (particularly
abundant near East I'oint) especially swampy. The lagoons
have been made by the damming back of small streams behind
the sandbars formed by the wearing away of the blnfls. At Tig-
nish the woods were in patches interrupted by fields, this style of
country being characteristic of a large part of the island. It rep-

A \')\\n;in\ Siiwiiirr /ti'ji/s 11/ Prince Ed\i.iud hiniid. I ."jj

resents liere asolsowlierc tlie sprcadiiiif of civili/atioii lliat destroys
utterly the lorcst o( its own generation ami takes no tliouylit i"or
the possil)le necessities of the fntnrc. Uefore the woodman's axe,
the evergreen forest has melted away in many parts of our conti-
nent never to return, its jjlace l)ein<; taken, as is well known,
hy ileciduous trees, they sulleriiij^ in tiieir turn, and this process
is now well advanced even on I'rince Edward Island.

The native tiees are chiefly conifene and more than nine
tenths of them spruce {Picca ni^ra and /'. alba) and (ii- (Aoics
bahamca). Among the more abundant deciduous trees are
maples (chietly Acer sacc/iarinittn), birches {Bctiila lenta^
Ii. hitca, and />'. papyri fcra, all in considerable numbers),
beeciies {/ui^ns fcmiginca)., and some ol the willows and
poplars. Oi" the shrubs the heath family is well represented,
espeeiallv by tlie i^enera \'ar.ciiihim (blueberries), I^cdum (Lab-
railor tea), and Kalmia (A'. aiis^iis(/Jo/ia, sheep lamel).
Alders are generally distributed. As to the herbaceous plants,
they arc those of the i 'Mtli' rn woods and fields. It is said
that some plants of the adjacent mainland are not fomul
on the island. In otiier words, the twenty miles or so of the
Straits of Northumberland act as a hairier to the [possible
tinge of moie southern ibrms, and the same mav influence the
northward range of certain s|)ecics of birds more or less coimntjii
on tiie mainland. Onem.iy tliid fragrant banks of the tin\, nod-
ding Limnca, [)astures red with sorrel {Rtiwcx acciosc//a),
swamps blue with iris (/r/.v versicolor)., clearings green with
coarse ferns, beneath which gray mosses and clumi)s of the
scarlet bimchbeirv ( Corn/is cauadci/sis) may he foumi, and the
dark evergreen woods are carpeted with the greenest t)t" mosses.
Tiiere are many other tiees and bushes, notably larch (La/ix
a»ierica>/a) and arbor vita' ( T/iiiya occidcntalis) which are
rather common locally, but they are not especially conspicuous
features, and I merely wish to call attention to certain parts of
the flora to imlicate in a very general way its character. There
are many tracts of sectind-growth, usually almost wholly i)eech
or maple which, if small, are shunned by birds, and nowJiere can
one wander far without entering tracts of timber, from which per-
haps only the larger trees ha\e been culled. Wiuii lire rims
throutrh timber, dead anil blackened trunks are left that in a few
years become, by the rotting away of their branches, the nionoto-

^"i' M I)\vu;iiT, Snmmer Ih'rds of Prince Edward hhtud. C

nous (lead stubs of tlio noitliciii landscape. Prince Eilwaid
Island is, however, remarkably free from such tracts, liavinj;; passeil
this period of primitive civilization. One way of clearinj^ land,
especiallv if it is covered with second-jjirowth spruce, is to cut
down everythin<^ and then let (Ire do its work when the brush is a
little dry, so it is no wonder forest fnesare easily started. After fire
has swept thron<j;h a clearin<^, laspbeny bushes ( /i". .s7/v]^''o.?//.v)
and the willosv-herh or 'fire weed' {Epi/o/>i/un angnstifoliitm^
are certain to s])rinir up, although apparently there may have
been none for miles, coarse ferns sof)n multiply, and in time the
old stumps and fallen, lialf-ch;irred lo<^s are c<nered with mo.sses
.and lichens, while the jjjround, if not cultivateil, is soon hidden by
many sorts of plants and {grasses. In such spots the White-
throated Sparrow and the .Sjate-coloied Junco find their fa\orite
haunts, and here the Hermit 'riitiisb makes its nest near the
ed<^e of the woods, and sin.Ljs from some favorite tree. I'erhaps
an Olive-sided Flycatcher may be heard whistling from tiie top
of the tallest tlead tree to be found in or near the clearing, or a
Wood Pewee may wander out from a bit of open woods of mixed
growth near by. where also maybe heard a I'arula Warbler or a
Red-eyed Vireo. If maples, birches, and beeches predominate,
Ovenbirds will be found, and tlie largei- tiie growtli the more
probability there is of finding the Black-throated Blue Warbler.
The Winter Wren and the Yellow-bellied Flycatcher abide in the
dense evergreen woods along mossy brooks where few other birds
disturb the quiet, save perliaps wandering Warblers or Thrushes.
In clearings grown up with small spruces Magnolia Warblers
always abomid, and if these trees are of consiilerable size there
are sure to be Olive-backed Thrushes, Black-throated Green
and Myrtle Warblers. The Nashville W'arbler is usually found
in the detached, ragged bits of mixed woods, which the Mag-
nolia and Myrtle Warblers also frequent, together with Redstarts
and Thrushes. Such in brief are some of the characteristic birds
of the woods, and such their favorite haunts, though their tastes
of course may vary and some, such as the Hudsonian and Black-
capped Chickadees, the Woodpeckers, and the Golden-crowned
Kinglets, are almost sure to be found in unexpected places.

Then there are damp bushy tracts where the bushes may be
waist high and an occasional arbor vita; or larch rises above the
smaller giowth. Here one may seek Canadian and Wilson's

k
an.

6 DwiGHT, Summer Birds of Prince Edward Island. [^"^

W;irl)lers and Maryland Yullovvtliioats, wliilc swampy alders
siiy<(est the pr()l)al)ility of liiiding Traill's I'lycatclicrs and Swamp
Sparrows. If a lirook passes through the alders, Water-thrushes
may he heard, Imt it is no easy matter to jjel even a glimpse of
them.

'J'he birds of the fields are numerous, the Savanna Sparrow
probably fjutnumbering all tiie others put together. Vesper
Sparrows and Song Sparrows abound, wiiile the Robin and
Flicker are more frequently seen in the open than elsewhere.
Crows stalk about in every field, tliough their nests are in tlie
woods. Goldfinciies, Purple Finclies, Crossbills and Cedarbirds
are generally seen on the wing in the open country, and n}'ing
higher than the Swallows (13arn, IJank, anil White-bellied) which
most freciuently are noticed skimnnng along near tiie ground or
over the surface of a sheet of water.

Long familiarity with the notes and habits of the birds of the
Marithne Provinces enabled me to accomplish much more than
if I had been a stranger to them, ;md even though my stav was
brief, I feel confident that those species that escaj^ed my attention
were either exceedingly rare or did not occur in the localities I
visited. All males were in full song, and feniales startletl from
their nests lost no time in begimiing to scold- I was in the field
from morning till night, unci my gun with its auxiliiary was a
trusty friend. Of a previous visit to the island in 1876 little
need be said, for the egg fever was on me at that lime and the
finding of .1 Junco's nest was sufficient to satisfy my ambition for
several days.

VVhile in Charlotietown I examined a hundred or more birds
stufied by Prof. S. N. Earlc, but unfortunately they lacked data
and are tbeiefore of little use in the present comicction. J'^om
iiim, however, I obtained much interesting information. Some
notes upon the \s inter liirds of the island have been published by
]\Ir. Bain (Auk, II, 18S5, pp. 262-267).

I present here a list that embraces only the species tliat have
come under my own observation, but it includes most of the 1 irds
that make their sinnmer iiome (>n Prince Edward Island, the fauna
of which is thoroughly Canadi

lan.

Cepphus grylle. IJLACKGi'n.i.KMor. — The 'Sea Pigeons' iisetl t'> l)reed
in great miiiibeis in the cliffs at vaiioiis points along tlic coast. I have no
doubt th<it diey still do so in smaller niiinbers, although the only positive

^"s()f] nwiGin, Summei Birds of Prince Edivard IdaiiiL ^

cvideiu'e I have is llie I'iict lliiit I saw a dozen or iiioic of the hiiils about a
clilVuear New Loiuh>ii on the north sliore of the island, and heafd the
vounj; 'sqiicnlinj;' in inaccefsxible crevices. This clifT, extending fxi
poiliaps half a mile, is prohahly tlie hij^hest on the island, and is almost
sheer to the water seventy or eighty feet below. No beach here intervenes
between its base and the waves which in times of storm beat so fiercclv
ajjainst it that it is justly dreaded hy mariners as one of the most langer-
ous spots on the north shore of the island. Its cnniiblin:; (ace, to tlie very
brink of which the ijreen fields above extend, affords led-ies and seams
where the 'Sea I'ij^eons' lind secure nesting places, and are said to be
"plenty." I devoted only one d.\v to exploring this locality and did not
see many birds. They were in small parties or pairs, lloating upon or
skimn.ing over the water, or quietly sitting upon some ledge, the white
wing-patch conspicuous aiiainst the red background of rock as \ iewed
from a boat. Their black bodies were comparatively inconspicuous owing
to shadows. At Tignish a boy told ine he had found a nest the previous
year in the low blulTs of the north shore, and I think they may breed in the
liigh cliffs southwest of North Cape, although I could not make thorough
search. I also saw a pair at Kast Point where again are high cliffs, sixty
feet or more In lieight.

Larus argentatus smithsonianus. American IlRRRiNCi Gull. — A few
were seen from time to time, but I could find noevidence that they bred on
the island. Birds of such powerful flight might well wander in the course
of a day many miles from their breeding grounds.

Sterna hirundo. Common Tekn. — It is probable that this species,
known as the 'Mackerel Gidl,' is the only Tern resident dm-ing the
summer nionlhs, and it is abundant at many points, particularly the sandy
reaches of tlie north shore. I visited a colony near Souris July 7, con-
sisting of perhaps seventy-five pairs. Several nests found contained three
eggs each, and were the usua' repressions in the plains of drifted sand,
protected possibly by a few blades of coarse beach-grass and in one case
by a few wisps of grass wound round the edge of the hollow. The birds
were reserved in their demeanor, but did not hesitate to expose themselves
(o the danger of firearms when their nests were examined. Their dainty
plumage and easy flight always seem out of keeping with their harsh
voices. It is pleasant to visit a colony of Terns and realize it has escaped
the pei>ecutioiis of the milliners, for perhaps no one genus of birds has
been more thoroughly exterminated in certain sections of our country
than has Steriiii, thanks to Dame Fashion's inexorable decrees. I was
told that this species made its appearance each spring with wonderful
regularity on the north shore — usually May 22 — and always between
May 21 and 24.

Phalacrocorax ? Two birds were seen at New London, July 2,

,)crchc-l on a cliff whi'e with their chalkings, but they could not be ap-
proac'.r-d. I was told that 'Shags' were often seen on this rock, but were
not thought to breed there. Whether carlo or dilopfiits it is impossible
for me to say.

8 DwiuiiT, Summer Birds of Prince Ed-ivard Island. f^an

Anas obscura. Black Duck. — This is tlie only Duck of whose
piLscMux' I have coiicl.isive evidence. I saw a brood on a fresh water lake
near Souris, and I found dried up on the sand one dav' the carcass of an
adult. In several other localities I heard of nests having been found.

Botaurus lentiginosus. Amkrican Bittern. — A tolerably common
bird in suitable localities, and known by the name of 'Mud-hen.'

Ardea herodias. Grkat Hi.i k. IIhro.s. — I learned of at least two
heronries of this bird, but did not visit them. One near Charlottetown
was described to me as containing several hundred birds. The ue.sts were
in hard-wood growth, and were warranted to contain young each year by
Jnly.^. The Herons were seenat many points on the island, notably along
St. Peter's Hay, where 1 saw upwaiils of twenty as the train skirled the
shore. They paid Utile or no attention to it, although ofttn less than a
gun-sbot distant.

Philohela minor. American Woodcock. — The sportsmen are ac-
(juainted with this bird but it is considered rare. 1 saw a stutfed specimen,
and well recollect the one I shot at I don't know how many times when 1
visited Hunter River in 1876. The country about there is better suited to
it than much of the ground visited this time. The partiality of the
Woodcock for clean alder swamps still obtains on Prince Edward Island.

Gallinago delicata. Wilson's Snipic. — This .species breeds, sparingly

I fancy, at suitable places on the island. I saw a young bird in first
plumage among Prof. Earle's birds and talked with se ?ral men who bad
found nests. The tussocks in boggy places along brooks seem to be the
usual site — in one case a nest was found in a bunch of iris.

Actitis macularia. Spotted Sandimpkr. — Generally distributed along
brooks ill the open country and fairly common. A nest was found in an
odd situation at Tignish. It was under a decayed logon a boggy slope,
and was carefully lined with bits of rotten wood.

^gialitis meloda. Piping Plover. — Frequented the sandy or gnivelly
beaches in considerable nimibeis.

Bonasa umbellus togata. Canadia.n Rlkfkd (jrouse. — A few only
were met with, although said to be abundant. A novel method of hunting
them reached my ears. They come out upon the railroad in a certain
section to sun themselves, and it is said the sportsman riding to and fro
on a track-velocipeile shoots them so that sometimes he can pick them up
without slopping. I was informed by gunners that Dendnigtipiis aiiiu-
de/tsis does not inhabit the island.

Circus hudsonius. .Marsh Hawk. — Birds of this species were occa-
sionally seen, lecogni/able at long distances by the white bar on the tail.

II was almost the only Bird of Prey met with.

Aquila chrysaetos. Goldicn I'^acji-k. — I examined a live -pecimen in
young plumage, captured June 23, in a fox trap set for it, near New London.
The man who caught it thought there was a nesi near by in a piece of
woods, and expected to trap the oiil birds as well, one of which he had seen.
After visiting the !ocality I am inclined to doubt whether the bird was
bred on the island. Eagles are considered rare birds there by all the

^i8oi^] UwiGHT, Summer Birds of Prince Edxvard /stand. Q

people with whom I talked, and prohalily sliaj from wilder regions, such,
for instance, as Cape Breton.

Falco columbarius. Pigeon Hawk. — A hird that I took to be this
species was seen one day. I'rof Earle showed me a stuffed specimen.

Pandion haliaStos carolinensis. Amek.'can Ospuby. — Seen both at
Tignish and Souris in limited numbers.

Coccyzus erythrophthalmus. Black-hilled Cuckoo.— One specimen
obtained at Tignish is the only evidence I have of its occurrence on the
is'and.

Ceryle alcyon. Belted Kingfisher. — Tolerably common, making
its home in holes dug into the sand stratum that overlies the rock of the
bluffs along the shores.

Dryobates villosus. Hairy Woodpecker. — Occasionally observed.
There seemed to be a great dearth of Woodpeckers, the Flicker alone
excepted. Dead trees did not abound, still there were a great many of
them scattered here and there.

Dryobates pubescens. Dow^'v Woodpecker. — The only birds I
chanced to meet weie a family at Souris occupying a hole thirty feet from
the giound in a dead maple of large dimensions. The locality was a grove
of old maples.

Sphyrapicus varius. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. — This species was
also unexpectedly rare and seldom met with.

Ceophlceus pileatus. Pileated Woodpecker. — Said to have been
formerl" common. Prof Earle showed me a stuffed specimen, but I found
no other evidence, save hearsay, of its occurrence. No 'mortise holes'
were discovered.

Colaptes auratus. Flicker. — The only abui-.dant Woodpecker, and
found every where in 'noderate numbers. June 25, a nest with fully fledged
young was examined in the top of a hollow fence post. No excavation
had been made by the hird, and the young were entirely exposed to the
weather.

Chordeiles virginianus. Nigiithawk. — A few were seen almost every
day, frequenting the open clearings or sailing high in the air at sunset.

Chaetura pelagica. Chimney Swikt. — Rather rare, and not often
seen. In a country where a majority of the houses have but one
chimney, and that chimney in use from one year's end to another's, it is
not remarkable that the Chimney Swift still nests in its primitive manner
in hyllow trees, but it is remarkable how soon it takes kindly to civiliza-
tion when this has advanced to the point of building houses with a spare-
room chimney.

Trochilus colubris. Ruuy-tiiroated Hummingbird — Not observed,
but undoubtedly occurs. Prof. Earle showed me stuffed specimens.

Tyrannus tyrannus. Kingbird. — Rather common, and no doubt
greatly enjoys life where there are so many Crows to he harrassed.

Contopus boreahs. Olive-sided Flycatcher. — One specimen was
observed at Souris. Prof. Earle was familiar with it.

Contopus virens. Wood Pevvee. — Net common, though now and

then met with in certain localities,
9

lO DwiGHT, Summer Birda of Prince Edivaid hlauil. \\m\.

Empidonax flaviventris. Ykllow-iusli.if.d Flvcatciikk. — P'oiiru)
only ;U Tifjnisli and in small numbers. The drvTiess of the other localities
visited would partly account foi' its absence. The scarcity of this and the
followiiifj species rather surprised me.

Empidonax pusillus traillii. Traill's Flycatcher. — A few at
Tignish in their favorite haunts, the alders, were the only ones met with.
It is likely t!iat both this species and the pieccding are in some other
localities more abuiulant than my observations uould indicate

Empidonax minimus. Licast Flycatciikr. — A cheerful series of
'clie-b^cs' greeted me one morning at Souris. It is really easier to distin-
guish this bird from traillii \i\ its notes than by the bird in hand, but the
bird in hand is, unfortunately perhaps, a scientific neces.sity. No others
were seen.

Cyanocitta cristata. IJluk Jay.— Not abu-vlant, and only occasionally
met with. No Perisoreus canadensis were c en heard of.

rCorvuscorax principalis Raven. — I was told that a jiair of Ravens had
formerly nested for several years on the face of the clilVat ICast Point, and
while I think my informant could have made no mistake as to the species,
1 hesitate about admitting a bird to the list on hearsay only.]

Corvus americanus. American Crow.— Nowhere, in the breeding
season, have I ever seen Crows so abuniiant and so tame. Tliey were
never out of sight or hearing, and they sit on the fences and 'caw' at vou
derisively as you ride by. Of course their numbers were augmenteil by
young birds, and early in July they were beginning to flock, as indicated
bv a gathering of nearly a hundred seen July 4. AtTignish there was a
roost in a large patch of woods, whither towards simdown aiul later
Cro.vs were seen coiiverging from all directions. In the woods a terrible
noise was kept up until it grew dark. The Crows do not molest the
farmer to any great extent, as he raises no corn, but I was told thev kill
voung chickens and pick out the eyes of new-born ' inbs. They daily
congregate for a feast in the fiehls where the refuse "i the many lobster-
canning establishments is used as a fertilizer.

Scolecophagus carolinus. Rusty nLAiKuiRi). — A flock of twenty or
more, largely young birds, near East Point July 7, were the only ones
seen. I had heard of their occurence elsewhere.

QuiscaluE quiscula seneus. Bro.vzrd Gracki.e. — A pair of these
birds in Prof. Earle's possession were the only ories he had ever seen, very
likely stragglers frotn the mainland.

Carpodacus purpureus. Purple Finch. — Sparingly distributed, a
restless and roving species, and seen singly or in pairs.

Loxia curvirostra minor, .\merican Crossbill. — Perhaps more
abundant than the following species, but the flocks are so often made up
of birds of both species, and so much more frequently seen or heard flying
overhead rather than allowing a closer examination, that it is difficult to
estimate their numbers. At any rate both were occasionally seen in
flocks of old and young, sometimfes one species predominating (usuallv
the flock was almost entirely made up of one species), sometimes the

Vol. X
. 189J

J DwiGHT, Summer Birds 0/ Prince Edxvard hland. \ I

other. Althoiij;li the call notes are quite (listin>,'iiishable, those of leucop-
/e;-rt heinsj; harsher, it is no easy matte;- to (ieteniiiiic purceiilaijes in chat-
tering flock.s of a dozen or more birds. Their favorite feeding haunts were
larch trees, and, unless disturbed, they were silent as they hung about the
branches in all conceivable attitudes, usually upside down. They also
feed on the seeds from the green cones of the fir which are tipped with
freshly exuded pilch at this season, if it be a cone year. The pitch often
inats on the bills and feathers of the birds. Dissection showed the
breeding season to be long past.

Loxia leucoptera. WiiiTK-wi.viiKi) CROssniLt. — Katlier numerous.
Tlie remarks made under the preceding species apply also to this.
Neither can be seen every day, for liolh are great wanderers.

Spinus tristis. Amkkican GoLnKiNXii. — A few seen almost daily.

Spinus pinus. Pink Siskin. — It surprised me to meet with this species
l)Ul once — a male at Souris. Dissection showed the bird to be breeding.

Poocaeles gramineus. Vksi'kk Si'Akuow. — .\n abundant bird, frequent-
ing the open fields in the more settled districts.

Ammodramus sandwichensis savanna. Savanna Si'Arrow. — Tt is
probably the most abuiulaTit bird on tlie island, and is found evervwhere
except in woods. On sand beaches, marshes, or dry fields its weak song
was constantly to be heard, and in certain pastures it seemed as if every
third fence post were occupied by a singer. As an illustration that tlving
is a matter of practice on the part of young birds, I instance a young
Savanna Sparrow that I flushed one windy day in a pasture where the
grass was very short. The wind upset all his calculaiioiis and himself as
well, apparently getting under bis wings and turning him upside dow-u
every time he started on a fresh flight, lie would get along pretty well
for a rod or o and then a puff would send him bowling over the sod till
he reached a point of frigl.t and exhaustion that left him panting just
where he happened to roll.

Ammodramus caudacutus subvirgatus. Acadian Siiaki'-taii.ki)
KiNcu. — A few birds in a salt marsh at Tigiiish were the only ones I could
discover, although I searched in many other localities. As Mr. Win.
Stone found this form abundant at Tignish in 1876 (recorded as A. cauda-
cutus. (ov sul'X'irgtitus was not then separated, ISrewster, Hull. N. O. C,
Vol. II, Jan. 1877, p. iS), I w.is surprised not to find it more abundant. I
saw likely ground along East River, but did not have time to explore it,
and the birds very possibly m;iy be locally distributed here and at other
points also.

Zonotrichia albicollis. Wiiitk-tiikoatei) Spakkow. — This bird so
characteristic of the Canadian Fauna is less abundant than the ubiquitous
Junco, but on account of its loud and striking song is far better known to
the aver, ge inhabitant. It is a bird of the clearings, building its nest
upon the ground in a bunch of weeds, and singing nearly all of the time
it is not occupied scolding intruders. Its well-kiu)Wn song is easily
imitated, and it is amusing to see how angry and excited a male will
become if he thinks another has strayed into his own domain. The song

12 DwiciiiT, Siiwmer Birds of Prince Eihvard Island. \\^

is sometimes htaiil liroaliinfj the stillness of tlie niglit. anil onlv those who
have passed n ni}j;ht in the norlhetii woods can know how piofound this
stillness may he. The sonj; has given to the hiid many local names
wherever it occurs, one ot" the hest known being 'Kennedy Bird.' I heard
a new version which credits him with saying 'Good Lord, pity me, pitv
me, pity me." When the young get on tlv; wing, the song is less IVe-
quently lieard. The l)ir(l is kuo'vn to the lew French settlers of the island
as rossii;nol (nightingale).

Spizella socialis. Ci'ipriN(i Si-arugw. — Not a common species, and
only occasionally observed.

Junco hyemalij. Sr..\ ik-coi.oki-.i) Ji'nco. — Next to the Savanna Spar-
row this is probably the most abunilant bird on the island. It is found
everywhere, — in dooryards, open fields, fern-clothed clearings, even deep
woods. Its nest is on the ground, preferably under something — the
bottom rail of a fence or a hole in some grassy bank. Young were just
beginning to llv June 23, and a week later nests with fresh eggs indicated
a second laying. Its local name is 'Bluebird,' a strange misnomer, even
though Sidlia sid/is does not occur.

Melospiza fasciata. Song Sparkow. — V'ery abundant and general. v
distributed. Mr. Bain states that some winter on the island.

Melospiza georgiana. Swamp Sparrow. — Rather common in very
wet, bushv meadows, with alders here and there, or in open swamps of
limited are:*, such as occur along brooks in cleared country.

Pelrochelidon lunifrons. Clifk Swallow. — A cojiimon bird, locally
distributed, and nesting iti colonies nndei' the eaves of b:u ns and houses.

Chelidon erythrogaster. Barn Swallow. — Abundant and geneially
distributed.

Tachycineta bicolor. White-biclliei) Swallow. — Fairly abundant,
nesting in old Woodpecker holes in clei.rings, crevices about barns, and
the hollow ends of the lils composing the zigzag fences so common on
the island. The sudden disappearance of a Swallow as it aligbteil on a
fence was almost startling until I learned that in some deep hollow, de-
caved out of the heart of an unsplit rail, was a cosy nest of grass and
feathers. It was impossible to dislodge the birds that were sometimes out
of arm's reach, but several nests exainined the last week in June contained
voung. I have never found this species nesting in such a location before.

Clivicola riparia. Bank Swallow. — I perlia))s do this species an in-
justice when I say that it is outnumbered by the Savann:. ^parrow and
the Junco. I saw colonies of hundreds at several points along »he coast,
and as every hlulTis crowned by a layer of sand, and much of the coast
line is a continuous blulV, the Swallows have unrivalled opportunities
for nesting places.

Ampelis cedrorum. Ckdariiird. — Seen now and again, but not com-
mon. There is a remarkable similarity between a li;;p of this species, a
certain note of the Robin, and one of the Hermit Thrush.

Vireo olivaceus. Ricd-kyku Vireo. — A common and in a few localities
an abundant bird, here as elsewhere a tireless songster. It prefers decid-
uous trees, particularly lar^c maples. '

.^■893^] f>wioilT, Summer Binh of Prince Edward tsUtnd. I^

Vireo solitarius.- Soljtarv Vireo.— At Souiis one diiv I was attracted
by the soiij; ol' this liini. arid soon saw tljc perfc/rmei-. This was the onlv
s|)ecimen observed on tlie island. I have often met with it on the main-
land, and f'ullv expected to find others, as its rich, clear sontf, disconnected
withal in delivery, cannot fail to attract attention.

Mniotilta varia. Black-and-wiiitk Warbler.— Occasionally seen or
its 'wiry' soni; heard, though not very common.

Helminthophila ruficapilla. Na.siivii.lk Warbi.er.— Rather abundant
at Tignish and not met with elsewliere. The activity of this bird is highly
commendable, unless you are in pursuit of one, when you are not so favor-
ably impressed. Hardly pausing to dash off its lively song, it is one
moment at the very lop of some tall tree and the next on tlit ground a
hundred yards away where its song breaks forth (piite as vigorously. The
bird is the embodiment of restles.sness.

Compsothlypis americana. Parui.a Warbler.— Infrecjuently observed
and generally in tlic upper branches of hard-wood forest.

Dendroica aestiva. Yr'it.i.ow WARHt.FK. — Rather common and quite as
likely to be found among lonely alder thickets as in the trees around
houses.

Dendroica caerulescens. Blaik-tiiroatkii Blue Warbler. — A few
were detected at Souris. I did not see such extensive hard-wood timber
anywhere else on the island, and as the species has a decided prefeience
for such localities, its absence elsewhere is perhaps not to be wondered at.

Dendroica coronata. Myrtle Warbler.— Common. Tiieir song
reminded me of early spring days in lower latitudes. Their favorite
iiaunts were clumps of spi uces and lirs in partly cleared land.

Dendroica maculosa. Magnolia Wariii,i:r.— This is the characteristic
Warbler of the region and is abundantly represented. It is most abim-
daut in low growths of spruces, where the variety of its song io often con-
fusing.

Dendroica virens. Hlack-tiiroated Green Warbler.— .\buudanl
at every place \isited where the forest was composed of trees of consider-
able size.

Dendroica palmarum hypochrysea. Yellow Palm Warbler— An
incubating female taken at Tignish is the only evidence I have of this
bird's occurience. The locality was damp, cleared ground, growing up
with bushes atid small larches.

Seiurus aurocapillus. Ovenbird.— One was noted .it Tignish, and a
number at Souris in the hard-wood timber. It is doubtless fairly common
in suitable localities.

Seiurus noveboracensis. Water-thrush. — A few were met with at
Tignish only. It is a species that but for its loud song would easily
escape notice. Invariably found along brooks or in their near vicinitv.

Geothlypis Philadelphia. Mournini; Warbler.— Appiuently rare,
though a few were found at Souris in the bushy edges of drv tields
adjoining the woods.

Geothlypis trichas. Maryland Yellowthroat. — Found sparingly

Id. Dv ■(!IIT, Siimmrr /iinh of Prince Edn-ani f.iliind. V\^n

ill llie we'-ti'iii poilion of the island. Ndiie Wfre lUilcd at Soiiiis, alllHiUijIi
I have no doubt they ocinir there-.

Sylvania pusilla. Wit.soN's Warh[.kr. — One speeiineii wa-* seemed
tit TIgnisli in an extensive aiboi-vitii.' and alder swamp. This is a retir-
ing species and is pr(>l)al)Iv not uneonminn it' particular search he made
for it.

Sylvania canadensis. Canadian Warih-kf*. — • Rather common about
Tignish, but not met with elsewheie, altlious^h I have no doubt it occurs
in snital)le localities.

Setophaga ruticilla. American Rkdstart. — Abundant. One of its
songs might lie easily confused with one of/?. iiuichIosu. The importance
of recognizing songs in a region where the denseness of the woods and
underbrush renders the sight or capture of the vocalist often well-nigh
impossible, is verv great, but to depend entirely upon one's ear in identi-
fving birds is a procedure greatly to be deprecated.

Troglodytes hietnalis. Wintkr Wrkn. — Tolerably common in damp
woods along brooks, or sometimes in more open localities. On July 6 I
met with a family of young birds able to tly. That so minute a bird
should produce such a volume of licpiid sound is ever to me a source of
wonderment. It is often impossible to see the little fellow wlien he is
pouring forth his song right over yoiu' head, hut those who have ever
entered a dense second-growth of spruces, with a wilderness of dead twigs
interlacing below, know one of the dilficulties that beset the path of the
collector in the northern wootls.

Sitta canadensis. Rkd-hkllucd Nuthatch. — I had about given up
seeing this species at all when 1 came uptin several at Souris, probahlv a
family. They feed usually in tlie upper boughs of spruces, and seldom
run up autl down the trunks of trees like their white-breasted brethren.
They have a nasal cry of one note, utteied with varying intensity, aiul
never rapidly repeated like tlie other species. Of course I should not
venture such general conclusions as these with regard to this species, nor
to others, if they were not based upon further observations made else-
where.

Parus atricapillus. Hlack-caim'ed Chickadke. — Occasionally small
roving families were encountered, so that it is probably a fairly common
species.

Parus hudsonicus. Hudsonian Chickadee. — Tolerably common, but
not attracting attention to itself so aggressively as does (ttricafiilliis.
However, when it does speak out, it alwa^s seems to me to make use of
the ungramiTiatical expression 'It's md-e,' with a good deal of emphasis on
the 'me-e.'

Regulus satrapa. Golden-crowned Kinglet. — Infrequently ob-
served. Young were on the wing the last of June. It tshould have
proved much more abundant than I found it to be.

Turdus ustulatus swainsonii. Olive-backkd Thrlsh. — Very abun-
dant, almost equalling in numbers the Ileiinit Thiusb. They are usnallv
excessively shy and difficult to obtain, although several may be singing

"89.1 ] DwiGHT, Slimmer Bints of Prince Edward hlaud. \ c

within hearing at the same time. They frequent tliick growths of spruces,
ami from s-)mt; c.>mmanllin^' |.erih pour forth th.'ir rich sonj,'. If they
become aware of your approach even a gunshot or more away, thev dive
down into the dense underf,'rowth, and a few soft alarm notes are the last
you hear of them. Squeaking to them will bring them to you for one brief
look, which sati^Wies them, but not you, for they generally see you first
and at close range. Sometimes they sing in the thicke'- of spruces, but
are more apt to have a particular perch, perhaps on some towering, dead
tree. I heard no songs that I had any reason to suppose wert other than
true szvainsonii, for the possibility of finding bickiielli or ali.iie had to
be kept constantly in mind. I found no young, even up to the lust dav of
my stay, but that proves nothing with a bird so retiring. Thev sang
more persistently and in greater numbers in the early morning and late
everting hours.

Turdus aonalaschk^ pallasii. IIkrmit Thrush. — Slight! v more
abundant than the preceding species, and perhaps more generally dis-
tributed. The songs and notes of this species have been so frequently
confused with those of other Thrushes, particularly with those of the
Olive-backed Thrush, that an elVort on my part to call attention to the
differences that exist between them may not be without interest. The
deliberate character of its song is in marked contrast to that oCizmiiiso/iii
and its musical ability is more varied. The usual song dies out without
the rising inflection of s-vai/iso/iii. and there is a pause after the first syl-
lable, while in swaiiisoiiii there is no pause and the second syllable is
strongly accented, the whole song being quicklv delivered. The Hermit
Thrush has also a nasal note of complaint in two ellided syllables, a cluck
like a Blackbird, and a lisp not unlike a Cedarbird. The nasal note has
its counterpart \n swainsoiiii which utters a similar, but more liquid
note, and the cluck of pnllasii may be compared with a 'puk' or 'pink' (as
near as it can be represented) of atvaiiisonii. The lisp is peculiar to
pdlhisii, while there is a queer multiple note of soliloquy peculiar to
s7V(iiiiso>iii.

Merula migratoria. American Rodin. — v'ery abundant in the more
open country. An occasional one is said by Mr. Bain to remain through
the winter, subsisting on the berries of the mountain ash.