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BY ALEXANDER MILTON ROSS, M.A., M.D., HEMBBR 0¥ THE ENTOMOLOOICAL SOCIETV OF LONDON, ENGLAND ; CORRKSPONDINO MEMBER OF THE ZOOLOOICAl. SOGIETr OF LONDO^, XNOLAND ; MEMBER OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA, ETC. WITH Eight Plates and Thirty-eight Woodcuts, expressly engraved for this work. TORONTO : Henry Rowsell, King Street. 1871. 1?7| Entered according to Act of the Parliament of Canada, in the year one thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, by Alexander Milton Ross, m the Office of the Minister of Ajfriculture. "J \ TOEONTO : FRINTID BV HENRT ROWSELL, KINO STREET. 7^ \- PREFACE n^ My object in presenting this volume to the public is in some measure to supply a want long felt by those interested in the study of Canadian Ornithology. This work is simply, as the title page states, a description of the habits, food, nests, eggs, times of arrival and departure of the birds of Canada. The birds described consist of the permanent and summer residents, and also such birds as regularly or accidentally stop in Canada during the spring and autumn migrations. I have in my collection (which has been made in Ontario) a specimen of each bird described, except a few of the sea birds that frequent the coasts of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. 16508 IV Preface. The information given as to the food and habits of our birds may probably interest and benefit the agriculturist. The great majority of our feathered visitors are insectivorous, and con- sequently good friends of the farmer, who should extend his protecting care to these little insect- destroyers. Many of our Canadian birds are extremely interesting, and in beauty of plumage and sweet- ness and variety of song equal, if they do not surpass, the birds of any other country. The arrangement and classification, and the names that are given in this work, are those which have been sanctioned by modern orni- thologists. A. M. R. Pink Grove Villa, Toronto, December, 1871. i •'I CONTENTS. Introduction . . . . . . vi BIRDS OF CANADA. Order I. — Raptores (Birds of Prey) Order II. — Scansores (Climbers) Order III. — Insessores (Perchers) Order IV. — Rasores (Scratchers) Order Y.—Grallatores (Waders) Order VI. — Natatores (Swimmers) Supplement .... I II 17 69 73 91 122 INTRODUCTION. The Birds of Canada may be divided into two classes — Granivorous and Carnivorous. Some of our birds, however, hold a middle nature, and partake of both. They may also be divided into six Orders — The Order of Raptores, or Birds of Prey ; the Order of Scansores, or Climbers ; the Order of Insessores, or Perchers ; the Order of RasoreSy or Scratchers ; the Order of Gralla- tores, or Waders ; the Order of Natatores, or Swimmers; and again subdivided into Sub- Orders, Families, and Sub-Families. ti Order I. — Raptores, or Birds of Prey. — Are mostly birds of large size, having strong hooked bills, sharp claws, great extent of wing, and powerful muscles ; the females are generally larger than the males. Birds of this Order live in pairs, such as Eagles, Hawks, Buzzards, and Owls. i ■u Introduction. VII Order II. — Scansores, or Climbers. — Birds of this Order have their toes in pairs — two in front and two behind — which especially facili- cates climbing. The Cncnlidce, or Cuckoo Family and the Picida, or Woodpecker Family, belong to this Order. Order III. — Insessores, or Perchers. — This Order embraces a greater number of species than any other, and comprehends all those birds which live habitually among trees, with the ex- ception of birds of prey and climbing birds- All true perching birds have three toes before, and one behind. Order IV. — Rasores, or Scratchers. — Com- prises birds which live mainly upon the ground, and feed principally upon berries, buds, tender leaves, and grain ; such as Doves, Grouse, Par- tridges, and Turkeys. Order V. — GrallatoreSy or Waders. — Birds of this Order live near the water, and comprise the Herons, Bitterns, Plovers, Snipes, Phalaropes, Sandpipers, and Rails. Vlll Introduction. Order VI. — Natatorcs, or Swimmers. — Birds of this Order are especially fitted for aquatic life, and comprise the Ducks, Geese, Swans, Cormorants, Gulls, Grebes, Loons, and Terns ; Petrels, Auks, Sheldrakes, Gannets, Guillemots; and Puffins. Many species of birds that were quite common in Canada at the beginning of this century, are now rarely seen, and several have become extinct in comparatively recent times. BIRDS OF CANADA. Order I— |ftaptore$ {§M% Of Wm) Family FALCONIDiC. Sub-Family Fa lcon i n it:. — The Falcom . PEREGRINE FALCON, or DUCK HAWK. Falco anatum. — The Peregrine Falcon. This bold and spirited falcon is one of the most active and intrepid of the birds of prey. It arrives in Canada about the last of March, and remains until late in the fall. Color, above, bluish cinereous, with transverse bands of brownish -black ; underneath, yellowish -white, with spots of black on the breast and abdomen ; bill, light blue ; legs and toes, yellow. Length, twenty inches. Its food consists principally of 2 Birds of Canada. ducks and other water-fowl. Nests, on a high rocky cliff; eggs, four, of a reddish -brown color, covered with dark blotches. SPAKROW HAWK. Tinnunculus sparverius. — The Sparrow Hawk. The Sparrow Hawk is a summer resident of Canada. Color, above, light rufous or cinna- mon ; underneath, pale rufous, spotted with black; quills, brownish-black, with white bars; legs, yellow ; bill, light blue. Nests, in a hollow tree ; eggs, four, of a yellowish- buff color, covered with spots of reddish-brown. Feeds upon small birds, mice, and squirrels. Falco columbarius. — The Pigeon Hawk. This bird arrives in Canada about the middle of March. Length, fourteen inches. Color, above, bluish-slate ; forehead and throat, white ; i. / ». / Birds of Canada. 3 under-parts, pale yellowish-white, every feather with a line of brownish-black ; legs, yellow ; quills, black ; bill, blue. Nests, in low fir-trees ; eggs, three ; dull, yellowish-brown, with reddish- brown spots. Feeds upon sparrows, robins, and other small birds. Sub-Family AcciPiTRiNit;. — The Hawks. Asttir atricapilliis. — The Goshawk. This hawk is frequently a resident of Canada throughout the year. Length, twenty inches. Color, above, dark ashy-blue ; underneath, white, mottled with ashy-brown ; feet, yellow ; bill, black ; iris, reddish orange. Builds its nest upon the branches of a large tree, near the trunk ; eggs, three or four in number, of a dull bluish-white, slightly spotted with reddish-brown. Feeds upon ducks and other water-fowl, as well as pigeons, blackbirds, and squirrels. * Accipiter Cooperii. — Cooper's Hawk. This pretty hawk is fifteen inches in length. Color, above, dark ashy -brown ; underneath, transversely barred with light rufous and white. This bird is the smallest of the so-called " Hen Hawks." It feeds upon poultry and small birds. Usually builds its nest in the tops of tall pines ; eggs, four in number, of a bluish-white, with light brown spots. This hawk is a summer resident of Canada. Birds of Canada. Accipiter fusciis. — The Sharp-shinned Hawk. The Sharp-shinned Hawk is twelve inches in length. Color, above, brownish-black ; under- neath, light rufous, with transverse bands of white. Legs, slender ; tail, ashy-brown, tipped with white. Feeds upon sparrows and other small birds. This is one of the earliest arrivals of spring, and remains until the last of November. Nests, in a tree ; eggs, four, bluish-white. Sub-Family Buteonin.^. — The Buzzard Hawks. Buteo borealis. — The Red-tailed Hawk. This fine hawk is a resident of Canada through- out the year. Length, twenty-four inches. Color, above, dark umber brown ; underneath, pale yellowish white, with lines and spots of reddish- brown ; tail, bright rufous, tipped with white. Feeds upon domestic fowls, partridges, and rab- bits. Nests, in a large tree ; eggs, three in numlDer, of a yellowish white, with dark blotches. Buteo lineatus. — The Red-shouldered Hawk. The Red-shouldered Hawk is eighteen or nineteen inches in length. Color, above, brown ; underneath, orange-red ; tail, brownish-black ; feet, yellow. Nests, in a tree ; eggs, five, pale blue, with dark reddish spots. This hawk re- mains in Canada throughout the year. Feeds upon squirrels, poultry, and small birds. Birds of Canada. 5 i \ «^*. B. pennsylvanicus. — The Broad-winged Hawk. The Broad-winged Hawk is eighteen inches in length. Color, above, umber brown ; underneath, white, with reddish spots ; tail, dark brown. This bird is a common resident of Canada during the summer. Nests, in the top of a tall tree ; eggs, four or five, of a yellowish-white color, with light brown spots. Its food consists of small birds, reptiles, and squirrels. Archibuteo lagopus. — The Rough-legged Hawk. This bird is twenty inches in length. Color, light brown, mottled with reddish-brown and white. Frequently remains in Canada through- out the year. Nests, in a tall tree ; eggs, four or five, of a bluish-white color, blotched with brown. A. sanctijohannis. — The Black Hawk. The specimen in my collection measures twenty-four inches in length. Color, glossy black, with a brownish tinge about the head and neck. Tail, black, with bands of white. Frequents marshes and swamps. Nests, ?n the top of a large tree ; eggs, five, of a dirty white color. Remains in Canada throughout the year. 6 Birds of Canada. Sub-Family MilviN/E.— 77/^ Kites. Circus hudsonius. — The Marsh Hawk. The Marsh Hawk is one of our most common summer hawks. It arrives here from the south about the first of May. Color, bluish-cinereous above ; beneath, reddish-white. Nests, on the ground ; eggs, four or five, of a dirty white color. Feeds upon field mice, principally, and the num- ber of these destructive little animals which it devours during the breeding season is almost incredible. It is consequently entitled to the protection of the farmer. Sub-Family Aquiline. — The Eagles. Halicstus leucocephalus. — The White-headed Eagle. This noble bird is frequently met with on the high shore of Lake Ontario throughout the year, and is often seen in the Ottawa region, near the interior lakes, and in the vicinity of the Rideau canal. Feeds upon wild fowl and small animals, and is equally partial to fish. The nest of this species, formed of large sticks, sods, moss, and hay, is usually found in a lofty tree, in a swamp or morass, and, as it is increased or repaired every season, becomes of great size ; eggs, two or three, of a yellowish-white color, with brown patches. General color, brownish-black ; head and tail, white ; bill, feet, and iris, yellow. ■ ttiii GREAT HORNED OWL. P-7 Birds of Canada. 7 Aquila canadensis. — The Golden Eagle. This magnificent eagle is rarely met with except in the interior of Canada. The general color of the plumage is deep brown, mixed with tawny on the head and neck, the feathers on the back being finely shaded with a darker hue. Feeds upon young fawns, raccoons, rabbits, and large birds. Usually nests on the sides of steep rocky crags ; eggs, three in number, of a dull white, with patches of bronze. Pandion carolinensis. — The Fish- Hawk. This common and well known hawk is a summer resident of Canada. Color, above, umber-brown ; beneath, white ; bill and claws, bluish-black. Nests, in a large tree, on the margin of the inland lakes or rivers ; eggs, three in number, of a reddish-cream color. Feeds entirely jupon fish. Family STRIGID^. THE OWLS. Sub-Family Bubonin^. — The Horned Oivls. Bubo virginianus. — The Great Horned Owl. The Great Horned Owl is a permanent resi- dent of Canada. It is very destructive to domestic fowls, and consequently very obnoxious to the farmer. Length, twenty -two inches. Color, brownish-black, mottled with ashy-white. The nest of this owl is frequently built in the top- most branches of tall pines, and sometimes in the top of a stub ; eggs, three or four, of a yel* lowish-white. 8 Birds of Canada. rj Scops asio. — Mottled Owl, or Screech Owl. This owl feeds upon mice and squirrels, small birds, and beetles. Length, ten inches. Color, pale ashy-brown. Breeds in Canada. Nests, in a hollow tree ; eggs, four or five, white. Otus Wilsonianus. — The Long-eared Owl. The Long-eared Owl feeds upon small birds. It rears its young in nests which it finds, seldom making one for itself ; eggs, four or five, of a dirty-white color. This owl lingers about moun- tain streams. Its cry is prolonged and plaintive. Breeds in Canada. Length, fifteen inches. Color, brownish-black, mottled with ashy-white. Brachyottis Cassinii. — The Short-eared Owl. This owl is a permanent resident of Canada, Length, fourteen inches. Color, light brown, mottled with gray. Builds its nest upon the ground ; eggs, four in number, pure white. Feeds upon mice and small birds. Sub-Family SYRNiNi-E. — The Gray Owls. Syruiuin nebnlosuin.—The Barred Owl. This is one of our most common owls. Length, twenty inches. Color, light ashy-brown. Feeds upon small birds, mice, and reptiles. Nests, in high"" trees ; eggs, three in number, white. Re- mains in Canada throughout the year. Birds of Canada. 9 Syrnium cinereum. — The Cinereous Owl. This is the largest member of the owl family. Length, thirty inches. Color, ashy-brown, mot- tled with ashy-white. Head, large ; eyes, small. Feeds upon rabbits, squirrels, and other small animals. It is a rare visitor to this part of Canada. This owl breeds in the far north. • Nyctale Richardsonii. — The Sparrow Owl. This pretty little owl is a regular winter visitor. It is eleven inches in length ; the color, above, reddish-brown, tinged with olive ; beneath, ashy- white ; legs and bill, light yellow. Breeds in the north-west. Nests, in a tree ; eggs, four in num- ber, pure white. Its food consists of mice and small birds. Seeks its prey by night. Nyctale acadica. — ^The Saw-whet owl. This species is a permanent resident of Canada. It is the smallest of the family, being only eight and a-half inches in length. Color, above, red- dish-brown ; beneath, ashy-white, with spots of rufous. It builds its nest in a stump or hollow tree; eggs, four in number, pure white. The food of this owl consists of bats, mice, and small birds. 10 Birds of Canada. Sub-Family Nycteinin^. — The Day Owls. Surnia ulula. — The Hawk Owl. The Hawk Owl is a permanent resident of Canada. It possesses many of the characteristics of a falcon. Length, eighteen inches ; the color, pale ashy-brown ; throat, white ; a large brown spot on each side of the breast. This bird seeks its prey by day as well as by night. Nests, in a tree ; eggs, two in number, pure white. Nyctea nivea. — The Snowy Owl. This beautiful owl is a regular fall and win'ier visitor in Canada. It is twenty-seven inches in length ; the plumage is pure white, with a few spots of dark brown on the back and wings. Its food consists principally of rabbits, birds, and fish, which it obtains by daylight as well as by twilight. The Snowy Owl flies with great rapi- dity, often capturing ducks and other water fowl upon the wing. Breeds in the arctic regions. i| 'A WHn K owi- p. lO Birds of Canada. IX Order II.— jPattWriS. ((BHrnkrifii.) Family CUCULID^E. THE CUCKOOS. YKLLOW-BILLED CUCKOO. Coccygus arncricanus. — The Yellow-billed Cuckoo. The Yellow-billed Cuckoo is a rare visitor in Canada. It is eleven inches in length. Color, above, olive-green, tinged with ash near the bill ; beneath, white ; tail, olive-green, with a border of black tipped with white ; upper mandible, black ; lower, yellow ; quills, orange-cinnamon. I 12 Birds of Canada. This bird breeds in the United States. Its nest is built in a low tree or shrub ; eggs, four, of a bright green color. The song of this cuckoo is discordant and harsh, and may be represented by kciv-kozv, koiv-koiv. Its food consists of in- sects and the eggs and young of other birds. Coccygiis erythrophthalmus.- Cuckoo. -The Black-billed This species is a regular summer visitor. It arrives about the tenth of May, and remains until the first of September. In size, color, and characteristics, it closely resembles the preceding bird. It differs only in having both mandibles black. This cuckoo breeds in Canada. Nests, in a barberry bush or low tree ; eggs, four, of a bright green color. Family PICID.E. THE WOODPECKERS, Sub-Family PiciN.^. Picus villosus. — The Hairy Woodpecker. The Hairy Woodpecker is a permanent resi- dent of Canada. Its food consists principally of insects and their larvae. Color, black and white, spotted. Length, eleven inches. Nests, in a hole in a tree ; eggs, five, pure white. Birds of Canada. 13 Picus pubesccns. — The Downy Woodpecker. This woodpecker is six inches in length. Color, above, black, with a white band down the back ; two white stripes on the side of the head ; the lower parts white. Nests, in a hole in a tree ; eggs, six, pure white. The food of this bird consists entirely of insects and their larvae. Picoidts arcticus. — The Black-backed, Three-toed Woodpecker. This species is a permanent resident of Canada. Its habits do not differ from those of other wood- peckers. Back, black ; wings, spotted white and black ; top of head, saffron color. Nests, in a stump ; eggs, four, pure white. Sphyrapiciis varitis. — Yellow-bellied Woodpecker. This pretty bird is a summer resident of Canada. It is often seen in orchards, especially in apple trees. Feeds upon insects and their larvae. Back and wings, spotted black and white ; top of head and throat, red ; belly, yellow. This bird is a friend to the farmer, as it destroys immense numbers of insects. Nests, in a decayed tree in the woods ; eggs, five, pure white. Picoidcs hursntus. — The Banded Three-toed Woodpecker. This woodpecker is a permanent resident of Canada. Length, nine inches Black, above ; f 14 Birds of Canada. white, beneath ; quills, spotted with white : top of the head, spotted with white ; the crown of the male, with a yellow patch. Nests, in a stump or decayed tree ; eggs, four, creamy-white. Hylatomtis pilcatus. — The Pileated Woodpecker. This beautiful woodpecker is seldom seen in the settled portions of Canada, although it is frequently met with in the interior. It is the largest and most powerful of the woodpecker family. General color of body, wings, and tail, greenish-black ; a narrow white streak just above the eye to the occiput ; crown of head, bright red. Length, eighteen inches. Nests, in a hole in a tree or stub; eggs, five in number, pure white. RED-HEADED VVOODPECKEH. Milanerpcs crythroccphalus. — The Red-headed Woodpecker. This bird is one of our regular visitors. It Birds of Canada. 15 arrives here from the south about the middle of May. Its habits are the same as those of the other species, except that he is a great lover of fruit and grain. It is, however, a question whether he is not a greater friend than enemy to the farmer, as he kills great numbers of insects. Back, black ; belly, white ; head and neck all round, crimson. Length, ten inches ; bill and feet, black. Nests, in a hole in a stub or tree ; eggs, four in number, pure white. GOLDEN-WINGED WOODPECKER. Colaptes auratus. — Golden-winged Woodpecker. The Golden-winged Woodpecker is one of our i' i6 Birds of Canada. best known and most beautiful summer visitors. It is twelve inches long ; the wing six inches. The top of the head, and the upper part of the neck, bluish-ash ; a red crescent on the nape ; the other upper parts, olive-brown, with trans- verse bands of black ; the lower parts, yellowish- white, tinged with brownish, and ornamented with circular black spots, and with a black cres- cent on the breast ; the shafts and under surfaces of the wings are gamboge yellow. This elegant bird arrives in Canada from the south about the twentieth of April, and returns late in the fall. Nests, in a hollow tree ; eggs, six, pure white. Feeds upon insects, berries, and grains. ^.(f~- \m BARN SWALLOW. p. 17 Birds of Canada. 17 Order \\\,—%nt%imn. (ler^hm.) Family TROCHILID.E. THE HUMMING BIRDS. TrocJiilus colubris. — The Ruby-throated Humming Bird. This beautiful little bird arrives here from the south about the last of May. Nests, in a tree ; eggs, two, pure white. Its food consists of in- sects and the juice of sweet-scented flowers. Family CYPSELID^. THE SWIFTS. Cheturce pclasgia. — The Chimney Swallow. This swallow arrives here about the last of May. Leaves for the south about the first of September. Color, sooty-brown. Nests, in hol- low trees or unused chimneys ; eggs, five, pure white. Feeds upon insects. Family HIRUNDINIDiE. THE SWALLOWS. Hirundo americana. — The Barn Swallow. The general color of this swallow is steel blue above ; beneath, light chestnut ; tail, forked. Receives its name from its frequently attaching its nest to the rafters in barns. Feeds upon insects. 8 I i8 Birds of Canada. H. liinifrons. — The Clifif vvallow. The Clifif Swallow is black, above ; white, beneath ; tail, green. Builds its nest under pro- jecting cliffs ; eggs, six, white, with a purplish tint. Feeds upon insects. H. riparia. — The Bank Swallow. This is the smallest of the swallows. Color, above, grayish-brown ; beneath, pure white. It takes its name from its habit of making deep, winding holes in sand bank], in which it builds its nest ; eggs, four, pure white. Feeds upon insects. H. bicolor. — The White-breasted Swallow. This well known swallow arrives here about the middle of May. Color, above, metallic- green ; beneath, white. Nests, in a hole in a tree or stub, and sometimes in a martin's box ; eggs, four, white. Feeds upon insects. Progne purpurea. — The Purple Martin. This pretty and interesting bird arrives in Canada early in April. Color : th- old males are glossy steel-blue all over ; the females are glossy steel-blue above, and pale brown beneath. Two broods are raised during the season. Nests, in a hole in a tree, or martin's box ; eggs, four or six, pure white. Early in September the martins leave for the south. Birds of Canada. 19 Family CAPRIMULGIDiE. THE GOAT- SUCKERS. li r WHIP-POOR-WILL. Caprimulgiis vociferus. — The Whip-poor-will. The Whip-poor-will is a regular summer resi- dent of Canada. It is ten and a-half inches long ; bill, short, and bent at the point ; mouth, very large, and beset along the sides with a number of stiff bristles, which turn inwards; eyes, full and large ; the plumage is variegated with black, pale cream-brown, and rust color. The notes of the whip-poor-will are three, and have a resemblance to the syllables " zvhip poor will" from which it takes its name. It begins its song soon after sunset, and continues till late at night ; then remains silent till near the dawn, when it resumes, and continues till sunrise. During the day it sits in the most retired, solitary, and deep- shaded parts of the woods, generally on high ground, where it reposes in silence. When dis- i i 20 Birds of Canada. turbcd, it rises within a few feet, and flies slowly- through the woods for thirty or forty yards, and generally settles on a low branch, or on the ground. Its sight appears deficient during the day, as it seems to want that vivacity for which it is distinguished in the morning and evening twilight. It does not perch, like other birds, sitting across the branch, but lengthwise; and its hinder toe is capable of being turned forward as well as backward. It is solitary in its habits, and is generally seen alone. The female begins to lay about the second week in May, selecting for this purpose the most unfrequented part of the wood, often where some brush, old logs, or heaps of leaves had been lying, and always on a J dry situation. The eggs, usually two in number, p/vt(r <" ''W and greenish-white, are deposited on the ground, ^^^ ' ' or on the leaves, not the slightest appearance of a nest being visible. Its food consists entirely of night-flying insects. Birds of Canada. 21 NIGHT HAWK. Chordciles popetuc. — The Night Hawk. This is a well known bird. It arrives here from the south about the middle of May. The colors of this bird, though plain, have a beautiful effect from the elegance of their disposition: the plumage being beautifully freckled, barred, and spotted with brown, black, grey, and ferrugi- nous, variously arranged and diversified. The bill is small, flat, and hooked at the tip ; the eyes are large, full, and black ; the legs are short, rough, and scaly, and feathered below the knee. The male is distinguished from the female 22 Birds of Canada. by an oval white spot, near the end of the first three quill feathers. Nests, on the bare ground, sometimes on a rock ; eggs, two, grayish-white, spotted with brown and lavender. Its food con- sists entirely of moths, gnats, beetles, and other night insects. C. carolinmsis. — The Chuck- Will's Widow. The Chuck-Will's Widow closely resembles the Whip-poor-will in general appearance. This interesting bird is a very rare visitor in Canada. It derives its name from its repeated utterance of a cry that exactly resembles the words ^^ chuck wilVs ividoivT Like the other members of the Goat-Sucker Family, this bird is nocturnal, seek- ing its food by night. Nests, on the ground ; eggs, two, grayish-white, mottled with bufif. Birds of Canada. 23 SUB-ORDER CLAMATORES. (SCREAMERS). Family ALCEDINIDiE. THE KING- FISHERS. BELTED KINGFTSHEU. Ceryle alcyon. — The Belted Kingfisher. This bird is a very common summer resident of Canada. It arrives here about the tenth of April. The plumage of this pretty bird is light blue above, marked with a great number of dark streaks caused by the blue-black shaft of each feather. The wings are blackish-brown, bound with white, and variegated with blue ; the head, with a crest ; a band across the breast and sides of the same color as the back ; the tail, with transverse bands and spots of white. Length, twelve inches. Nests, in a long winding hole in a sand-bank ; eggs, six, pure white. Feeds upon fish. 24 Birds of Canada. Family COLOPTERID.E. THE FLY- CA TCHERS. Sub-Family Tyrannin/E. — Tyrant Fly-catchers. KING BIRD. Tyranims caroliucusis. — The King Bird. This brave little bird is a summer inhabitant of Canada. Color above, dark bluish-ash, the lower parts, white; the concealed crest, vermillion and orange. Its favorite resorts are open fields or orchards. Feeds upon in ects. It is a courageous little bird, aiul attacks hawks, crows, and other large birds without the least hesitation. Nests, in an orchard tree ; eggs, five, of a beau- tiful creamy-white color, with spots and specks of brown. Departs for the south, first September. Birds of Canada. 2S MyiarcJris crmitus. — The Great-crested Fly- catcher. This bird arrives in Canada about the middle of May. The nest is placed in a hollow tree or stub, and nearly always contains the cast ofif skin of a snake, which is coiled at the bottom ; eggs, four, of a dull cream color, scratched with purple lines. Feeds upon insects. The general color of this bird is dull greenish-olive above ; under parts, bright sulphur-yellow ; head, well-defined crest. Departs for the south first September. Sayornis fiiscHs. — The Phebe Bird. This very common bird is too well known to need a description. It arrives from the south about the last of March, and departs the last of October. Contopns virens. — The Wood Pewee. This is a common summer resident of Canada. It arrives here about th<* twentieth of May. Gen- eral color, dark olive-brown ; the lower parts pale-yellow. This bird loves the dark quie^ retreats of the forests. Here, sitting upon \ branch, it may be seen watching for insects, uttering its low melancholy notes. Nests, in a tree ; eggs, four or five ; light-yellow, spotted with red on the- large end. m 26 Birds of Canada. Empidonax minimus. — The least Fly-catcher. This active little bird arrives from the .south about the first of May. Color, above, olive- brown ; beneath, yellowish-white ; length, five inches. Usually nests in an apple tree ; eggs, four ; creamy-white color. Feeds upon insects entirely. SUB-ORDER OSCINES. (SINGING BIRDS.) Family TURDID^. THE THRUSHES. WOOD THRUSH. Turdus miistelimis. — The Wood Thrush. This sweet songster is a common Canadian visitor, arriving here about the twentieth of May. The Wood Thrush delights in deep, shady places, where there is a small brook. Its soft, half plain- Birds of Canada. 27 tive notes excel in sweetness those of any other Canadian bird. Color, above, clear cinnamon- brown ; the under parts are white, tinged with buff, marked with blackish spots. Nests, in a low shrub in the deep woods ; eggs, four in number, of a blue color, tinted with green. Feeds upon insects. T. pallassii. — The Hermit Thrush. The Hermit Thrush arrives in Canada about the middle of May. Color, above, olive-brown ; beneath, white ; length, eight inches. Nests, in low trees or ^ ashes ; eggs, four, of a light blue color. In Its habits and song it is similar to the Wood Thrush. Feeds upon insects. T.fnscescens. — The Tawny Thrush. This is a common summer resident of Canada. Color, above, light reddish-brown ; below, white. N'^Fts, ' n the ground ; eggs, four, of a bluish- green color. Feeds upon insects. li fi'r '^\ m T sivainsonii. — The Olive-backed Thrush. This pretty bird is the least common of all the thrushes. Color, olivaceous ; breast, white ; throat and breast, spotted with brown. Nests, iu the deepest recesses of the forest ; eggs, four, o, a ret J dish-brown color. Feeds on insects. 28 Birds of Canada. T. migratorins. — The Robin. This is one of the most common and interest- ing summer residents. Color, above, oHve-gray ; top and sides of the head, black ; throat, white, streaked with black ; under parts, chestnut- brown ; length, ten i .hes. Its food consists of caterpillars, earth-woin uid grubs of various kinds. Nests, in a tree ; eggs, four, greenish- blue. The popular prejudice against this bird is unjust. It is a good friend to the farmer, and should be protected. Sub- Family. — M l M I N AC. — Mocking Birds. HarporJiynchtis rufus. — The Brown Thrush, c*" Brown Thrasher. This sweet songster is one of our most welcome visitors. In the pleasant spring mornings, this bird utters the sweetest melodies from the top- most branches of some isolat-^d tree. During the day it prefers low thick bushes. The nest is made in a clump of low bushes, a few feet from the ground ; eggs, four to six, of a dull buff color, sprinkled with brown. General color, above, light cinnamon-red ; below, pale rufous white. The Brown Thrasher, arrives here about the last of April, and departs for its southern home the first week in October. Birds of Canada, 29 CAT BIRD. in'!! % Galcoscoptcs caroliucnsis. — The Cat Bird. This well known bird arrives in Canada about the middle of May. Its habits are so well known that a description is hardly necessary. General color, dark plumbeous ; the under tail coverts, dark brown. In spring its song is varied, mellow, and sweet. It possesses to some extent the power to imitate the notes of other birds. Sometimes it mews like a cat, hence its name. Nests, in low bushes ; eggs, four, sometimes six, greenish-blue. It rears two broods in a season. About the middle of October the Cat Bird goes south. Family SAXICOLID^. THE ROCK I NH A BITERS Sialia sialis. — The Blue Bird. The Blue bird, is a common summer resident of Canada. General color, above, azure-blue ; beneath, reddish-brown. It is one of the earliest arrivals, making its appearance about the middle 30 Birds of Canada. f i I! I of March. Nests, in a knot-hole or martin's box ; eggs, five in number, of a light-blue color. Feeds entirely upon insects. Leaves for the south the first of October. FAMILY SYLVIDi^.. THE WOOD INHABITERS Regulus calendula. — The Ruby-crowned Wren. This pretty littl*" wren is at once distinguished by the crown, which has a concealed patch of scarlet feathers, \vhK:h arc white at the base. Its song is charming, and harmonious. Arrives here about the middle of May, on its way north to breed, and visits us again in September, while migrating south. Feeds upon insects and their larvae. Regulus satrapa. — The Golden-crested Wren. This wren, is distinguished from the Ruby- crowned by a crest of orange-red, encircled by yellow. Visits Canada in the spring and autumn. Breeds north of Ontario. Feeds upon insects. Regulus Cuvicri. — Cuvier's Golden-crested Wren. This diminutive and beautiful bird, differs from the Regulus Satrapa in having two black bands on the crown, separated by a white band. This wren usually accompanies the two preceeding species, in their spring and fall migrations. Birds of Canada. 31 Family PARID^E. Sub-Family Paring:. — The Titmice. Parus atricapillfis. — The Black-cap Titmouse, or Chick-a-dee. This pretty little bird is one of the few species that remain with us throughout the year. It builds its nest in a hole in a stump or tree ; eggs, six in number, white, with reddish-brown markings at the larger end. Two broods are raised in a season. General color, ashy-brown above, and white beneath ; top of the hei; d and throat, black ; and the sides of the head between, white. Feeds entirely upon insects and their larvae. P. hiidsonicHs. — Hudson's Bay Titmouse. This bird is a permanent resident of Canada. Color, olive-brown above ; white beneath ; top of the head, brown ; sides of the head, white. Length, five inches. Nests, in a shrub ; eggs, four, pure white. n 32 Birtfs of Canada. Sub-Family SittiN/E. — The Nuthatches. WHITE-BELLIED NUTHATCH, Sitta carolinensis. — The White-bellied Nuthatch, This nuthatch is one of our common summer birds, and sometimes remains in Canada through the winter. Color, ashy-blue above ; the under parts, white ; top of the head and neck, black. Nests, in a hole in a stump or tree ; eggs, six, dull white. Feeds upon insects. At night it attaches its feet to the bark of a tree, and sleeps with its head downwards, S. canadensis. — The Red- Bellied Nuthatch. The Red-bellied Nuthatch is smaller than the preceding species ; the belly, reddish-brown ; in other respects it is similar to the White-bellied Nuthatch. Birds of Canada. 33 Family CERTHIAD^. THE CREEPERS, AMERICAN CREEPER. . Certhia americana. — The American Creeper. This industrious insect-hunter is a permanent resident of Canada. Color, above, dark brown, each feather streaked with white ; the under parts, rusty-brown ; a white streak over the eye. Feeds upon insects and their larvae. Nests, in a hollow tree ; eggs, six, dark gray. Family TROGLODYTID.E. THE WRENS. Cistothoriis palustris. — Long-billed Marsh Wren. This species lives among the rank vegetation growing in marshes and inlets to the lakes. Here it builds its nest, and lays six eggs of a deep chocolate color. This wren is five and a-half 5 T W *]'. 34 Birds of Canada. inches long ; the upper parts, dull reddish-brown ; the under parts, and a streak over the eye, white. Feeds upon insects. It arrives here about the middle of May, and leaves for the south about the last of September. Troglodytes hycmalis. — The Winter Wren. The Winter Wren arrives in Ontario about the first of October, and remains through the winter, leaving early in the spring for the north, where it breeds. Color, reddish-brown. Troglodytes adon. — The House Wren. This well known and interesting bird arrives from the south the first week in May. It lives entirely upon insects, of which it destroys vast numbers. This little wren delights in living near the habitations of men, and builds its nest in any hole in a tree or stump it finds ; eggs, six, pale reddish-brown. Color, reddish-brown. Family SYLVICOLID^. WARBLERS, Sub-Family Sylvicolin^. — The Wood Warblers. ■Y; Mniotilta varia. — The Black and White Creeper. This is a regular summer resident. Nests, in a low bush ; eggs, four, creamy-white. General Birds of Canada. :)5 color of the male, black ; the feathers broadly edged with white. All the birds of this family are insectivorous. I have thirty species of the warbler family in my ccllection. Panda amcricana. — The Blue Yellow-backed Warbler, This warbler arrives here about the middle of April on its way to the north, and returns south- ward about the middle of September. Color, above, blue, with a yellow stripe on the middle of the back ; beneath, yellowish-white. This species utters a soft, prolonged twitter, its only song. Gcotldypis triclias. — The Maryland Yellow Throat. This very pretty warbler breeds in Ontario. Color, above, olive-green, tinged with brown ; throat and neck, bright yellow. Nests, in low bushes ; eggs, four, creamy-white. G. philadelphiie. — The Mourning Warbler. Its note is a simple chit, uttered in a soft, pen- sive tone. General color, ash-gray above, and black underneath. Breeds in Canada. Nests, m a low bush ; eggs, four, bluish-white. G. Macgillvraii. — Macgillvray's Warbler. This Warbler is five inches long, Ine wing less than two and a-half inches ; the head and neck, 36 Birds of Canada. ash, a narrow frontlet and space around the eye, black ; the feathers of the forward under parts really black, but appearing gray from the ashy tips of the feathers ; the rest of the upper parts dark olive-green, and of the lower, yellow. Breeds in Canada. Nests, in a low bush ; eggs, five, flesh-colored. Dendroica virens. 1 :1 ' -The Black-throated Green Warbler. The Black-throated Green Warbler, is five inches long, the wing over two and a-half inches ; the crown and back, olive ; the forehead, super- ciliary and maxillary stripes, yellow. Breeds in Canada. Nests, in a bush near the ground ; eggs, five, bluish-white. D. palmarum. — The Yellow Red-poll Warbler. This bird is five inches long, the wing nearly two and a-half inches, the crown, sides of the head, and inferior streaks, yellow; a white spot on the end of the tail, superciliary streak and under parts, yellow. Breeds in the interior of Canada. Visits Ontario in May and September. D. tigrina. — Cape May Warbler. The Cape May Warbler, is five and a quarter inches long, the wing nearly three inches, the bill, acute and decurved ; the color, olive above, Birds of Canada. 37 rump and under parts, yellow ; crown, blackish ; sides of the head, chestnut. This pretty bird breeds in northern Canada. D. canadensis. -The Black-throated Blue Warbler. This bird is five and a-half inches long, the wing, two and a-half ; the crown, blfick ; back, ash ; maxillary stripe, white. Breeds in Manitoba. Visits Ontario in the spring and fall. D. coronata. — The Yellcw-rump Warbler. This Warbler is five and a quarter inches long, the wing, three inches ; the color, slate-blue iabove ; throat, white ; head, blackish ; the sides and rump, with a yellow patch. Breeds north of Ontario. D. Blackburnice. — Blackburnian Warbler. This is, without exception, the most beautiful of all the warblers. Color : the back, black ; throat, bright-orange ; and a patch on the wing and outer tail feathers, white. Breeds in the far north. Remains, for a few days, in May and October. D. castanea. — The Bay-breasted Warbler. This bird is five inches long; the head, chestnut ; sides of the head, black; and belly white. Like most of the family, this bird breeds in the north- 38 Birds of Canada. ern part of this continent. During the spring and fall migrations it stops for x few days in Ontario. D. pinus. — The Pine-creeping Warbler. The Pinc-crccping Warbler is five and a-half inches long, and the wing, three inches ; olive- green above, and yellow beneath ; two dull white bands upon the wings. Breeds in northern Canada. Nests, on the ground ; eggs, four, bluish-white. D. pcnnsyhaiiica. — The Chcstnu^^ed Warbler. This species is five niches loi|J|^|[e wing, two and a-half inches ; the crowi^rjl^ppjj encircled with white ; sides of the head>|^iiJ(j|^nclosing a white patch behind ; and sides of the body, chest- nut. Breeds in northern Canada. Visits Ontario in the spring and fall. D. striata. — The Black-poll Warbler. This warbler is five and three-quarter inches long ; the wing, three inches; the crown and sides, black ; the cheeks below the eye, white. Breeds north of Ontario. Spring and autumn visitor. D. (estiva. — The Yellow Warbler. This species arrivt\s here about the, middle of May, and breeds here. Nests, in a willow or maple tree ; eggs four, white, with brown blotches. General color : yellow. Hi Birds of Canada. 39 D. maculosa. — The Black and Yellow Warbler. This bird is a summer resident of Canada. Builds its nest in the willows that grow in low marshy grounds ; eggs, four, pure white. Myiodioctcs canadensis. — The Canada Fly- catcher. The Canada Fly-catcher is about five and a-third inches long, the wing, about two and two- thirds inches ; the back, bluish ; streaks upon the crown ; stripe on the side of the head and neck ; and breast, black. Breeds in Canada. Nests, on the ground, ^$(ij^ a low bush ; eggs, four, pinkish- white, i, 'l% M. l^i^^T\i^ Hooded Warbler. The Hooded Warbler is five inches long ; the head and neck, black ; back, olive-green ; the front, cheeks, and under parts, yellow. It is very rarely seen in Ontario. Breeds in the south. Visits Canada in the spring. M. minutiis. — fhe Small-headed Fly-catcher. This little bird is four inches long; olive, above; yellow, beneath ; and the wing, with two white bands. Visits Canada in May and October. M.piisillns. — The Green Black-cap Fly-catcher. This Fly-catcher is four and thr.ee-quarter inches long; the upper parts, olive ; the forehead, ■'i i 1 40 Birds of Canada. \\\\\ and under parts, bright-yellow ; the crown, with a black patch. Remains here for a few days in May and August. Hebnithcrus vermivorus. — The Worm-eatinj^ Warbler. The Worm- eating Warbler is five inches long. Color, olive-green, above ; beneath, brownish- yellow. Visits Canada during the spring and summer migrations. Breeds in the far north. Hehninthopaga pinus. — The Blue-winged Yellow Warbler. This bird is four and a-half inches long, the wing, two and four-tenths inches. Color, above, olive-green ; the wings and tail, bluish-gray ; the crown and under parts, rich orange-yellow. Its nest is elongated, and nttached by its upper edge to several stout stalks of grass ; eggs, four to six, pure white, with a few pale red spots at the larger end. Breeds in Canada. H. chrysoptera. — The Golden-winged Warbler. This beautiful warbler is five inches long ; upper parts bluish-gray; head and under parts, black and yellow. Breeds in ^ the interior of Canada. Remains in Ontario a few days in the spring and fall. Birds of Canada. 41 ■ Sits H. rujicapilla- —The Nashville Warbler. The Nashville Warbler is over four and a-half inches long ; the wing, less than two and a-half inches ; the color, olive-green above ; under parts, deep yellow. Visits Canada in the spring and fall. H. peregrina. — The Tennessee Warbler. The Tennessee Warbler is four and a-half inches long ; the wing two and three-fourths inches ; the color, above, olive-green ; beneath, dull white ; the top and sides of the head, ashy- gray. Breeds in northern Canada. Spring and fall visitor. htcria viridis. — The Yellow-breasted Chat. This bird is nearly seven inches in length ; upper parts, olive-green ; under parts, gamboge yellow. Visits Canada in May and September. Setophaga ruticilia. — The Red Start. The Red Start arrives here about the middle of May, and leaves about the fifteenth of Septem- ber. It is five and a-quarter inches long ; the wing two and a-half inches ; the general color, black, the sides of the breast and base of the quills and tail, reddish-orange, and the abdomen, white. This is one of the prettiest and liveliest birds of our forests. The nest is built upon a 6 i't 42 Birds of Canada. low bush ; eggs, four to six ; white, sprinkled with ashy-gray. Sciuriis aurocapilliis. — The Golden-crowned Thrush. This beautiful bird is a summer resident of Canada. It arrives here about the last of April, and departs the last of September. Color, above, olive-green, with a tinge of yellow ; crown, with two streaks of black, enclosing a broad orange stripe ; beneath, white ; the breast and sides of the body, black. It builds its nests on the ground, in the form of an old oven ; eggs, five ; creamy-white. vS. noveboracensis. — The Water Thrush, or Wagtail. The Water Thrush arrives here about the first of May ; departs twentieth of September. Color, above, olive-brown ; beneath, pale sulphur-yel- low, brightest on the abdomen. It can be found near brooks, rivers, or ponds, wading in the shal- low water in search of aquatic insects, continually wagging its tail. Nests, in a swamp ; eggs, five ; reddish-brown. Sub-Family TANAGRlNi^i. — The Tanagers. Pyranga rubra. — The Scarlet Tanager. This elegant bird is seven and four-tenths inches long, the wing, four inch^; the color, ? id of •ril, ive, rith tige the i, in lite. first olor, -yel- ound shal- ually five ; rs. r. tenths color, BOHEMIAN CHATTERER. p. 43 Birds of Canada. 43 bright-scarlet, wings and tail black. Nests, on a low branch of a tree ; eggs, three to five ; dull greenish-blue, speckled with reddish-brown and light purple. This is our most gaudy visitor. It arrives from the south about the fifteenth of May, and leaves early in September. This bird thrives well in confinement, and makes a beauti- ful pet. Feeds upon insects, berries, and grain. Family BOMBYCILLID^. TERERS. THE CHAT- Siib-Fatnily Bombycillin^. — The Wax Wings. A mpelis garridiis. — The Bohemian Chatterer. This very rare and beautiful bird appears in Canada only in severe seasons. Length, seven and a-half inches ; the wing, four and a-half inches. The general color, brownish-ash ; pri- maries and tail-feathers, plumbeous-black, the tail with a terminal band of yellow ; the head and throat marked with black ; the wings with white ; and the secondaries have red horny tips. They live in numerous flocks, keeping by pairs only in the breeding season. Their food con- sists chiefly of the buds and seeds of the pine, cedar, and juniper. Their migrations extend from Central Asia to the arctic regions. They breed in the northern part of British Columbia and Alaska. 44 Birds of Canada. A. cedrorum. — The Cedar Bird, or Cherry Bird. The Cedar Birds arrive here in flocks about the second week in March. They generally build their nests in orchard trees ; sometimes in a cedar or other evergreen tree ; eggs, four or five in number, of a light blue or clay-white color, with a slight purple tint, with black spots. Farmers manifest a great deal of ill-feeling toward this bird, on account of its occasional fondness for cherries and other small fruit. It has, however, a much greater relish for cater- pillars and the larvae of insects, of which it destroys immense numbers, and thereby more than compensates for the small quantity of fruit it eats. The only note of the Cherry Bird is twee-twee^ uttered in a plaintive, soft manner. The general color is reddish-olive above, passing into yellow beneath ; the quills and tail, dark plumbeous and dusky, tipped with yellow. The plumage is very soft and delicate, and its tints and shadings beautiful. ^vAA%e®©'G)§2r^%^^^ Birds of Canada. 45 GREAT NORTHERN SHRIKE. 1:1 Family LANIIDiE. n Sub-Family LaniintE. — The Shrikes. Collyrio borealis. — The Great Northern Shrike, or Butcher Bird. The Butcher bird is nine inches long ; the color, above, light bluish-ash ; the under parts, white ; the wings and tail, black. It feeds prin- cipally upon insects, sparrows and other small birds. It can imitate the calls of other birds, especially those indicating distress ; and hoS the cruel habit of impaling its prey on sharp twigs and thorns, and devouring it at leisure. Hence it has derived the name, Butcher Bird. The nest is usually built in a thorn tree or low shrub ; eggs, four or five in number ; of a dirty lead-colored white, with spots of brown on the large end. 5-f 46 Birds of Canada. C. cxcubitoridcs. — The Whitc-rumped Shrike, The characteristics of this shrike are similar to those of the preceding species, except that the tail is shorter and the head larger. Sub-Family Vireonix.e. — The Vireos. Virco olivaceus. — The Red-eyed Vireo. This is one of our most industrious and inter- esting little visitors. It is six and a-half inches long, the wing three and a-half inches. Color, olive-green, above ; white, below ; the head, dark- ash ; and iris, red ; a whitish line from the bill over the eye. The nest is generally suspended from forked twigs ; eggs, four to six, spotted with reddish-brown. Feeds entirely upon insects and their larvae. The Red-eyed Virec *s one of the earliest singers of spring, and the latest of autumn. Its notes are loud, clear, and melodious. Through- out the day he hops from branch to branch, searching in the foliage for caterpillars and nox- ious larvae. Arrives in Canada about the tenth of May, and departs for the south early in October. V. gilvHs. — The Warbling Vireo. This pretty bird is five and a-half inches long ; the color, olive-green, above ; beneath, white, tinged with yellow. Its song is very mellow and . ■ Birds of CanaJa, 47 sweet. The nest is pensile and usually built in tall trees ; eggs, six ; white, with small red spots on the large end. Arrives here about the first of May, and leaves late in September. V, novcbot'accnsis. — The White-eyed Vireo. This sweet songster frequents the thickest bushes. It arrives in Canada about the first of May, and remains until October. Color, bright olive-green, above ; white, beneath ; iris, white. Nests, in a brier or raspberry bush ; eggs, four in number, reddish-brown. While in search of insects it sings merrily and sweetly. V.Jlavifrous. — The Yellow-throated Vireo. This is a beautiful and rather uncommon bird with us. It usually arrives here about the fif- teenth of May. Color, olive-green above ; throat and breast, bright sulphur-yellow ; the remaining under parts, white. It is quite impossible to say too much in favor of this sweet songster. The nest is built a few feet from the ground, and is a beautiful specimen of nest-building ; the eggs are four in number, pure white, spotted with brown. V. solitarius. — The Solitary Vireo. This beautiful and active fly-catcher is five inches in length. Color, above, olive-green ; ■M 'III 'If II 48 Birds of Canada. underneath, white ; sides, yellowish-green ; top and sides of the head, bluish-ash. Breeds in Canada. Nests, in the topmost branches of a tree ; eggs, four, white. Family ALAUDID^E. THE SKYLARKS. SHORE LARK. Eremophila cornnta. — The Shore Lark. The Shore Lark arrives in Canada late in the fall. Color, pinkish-brown ; the feathers of the back, marked with dusky-brown ; the frontal band and under parts, white ; neck and throat, yellow ; a crescentric patch from the bill below the eye and along the side of the head, and a black pectoral crescent. . While on the wing it sings sweetly. Its nest is always built on the ground ; eggs, four in number, of a faint Birds of Canada. 49 grayish-brown color. The Shore Lark is one of our few winter birds ; in March it leaves for the far north to breed. Family FRINGILLIDi^. Sub-Family CoccOTHRAUSTiN/E. — The Finches. Pinicola canadensis. — The Pine Grosbeak. This bird visits us during the severest seasons only. Its habitat is the extreme northern part of this continent. Large numbers visited this section of Canada in the winter of 1867. The Pine Grosbeak is eight and a-half inches long, beak, dusky, very thick at the base, and hooked at the tip : head, neck, breast, and rump, rose- colored crimson ; back, black ; greater wing- coverts, tipped with white, forming two bars on the wing ; quills, black, edged with white; belly, straw-colored. The female is brownish above, greenish-yellow beneath; the top of the head and rump, brownish gamboge-yellow. I'eeds upon the small buds which shoot out from the branches of the fir and other trees. J Carpodacus purpurcus. — The Purple Finch. The Purple Finch arrives here about the last of April in flocks of a dozen or more. It is six 7 so Birds of Canada. and a-half inches long ; the color crimson, belly and under tail coverts, white : two thin reddish bands across the wings. The female is olive- brown above, and white beneath. Its song is sweet and warbling. Nests, in a tree a few feet from the ground ; eggs, four in number, of a bluish-green color. Its food consists principally of the buds and blossoms of fruit trees. Ckrysomitris trisiis. — The Yellow Bird. This is a well-known, and common summer vi.«'tor. Color, bright yellow ; crown, wings, and tail, black. The nest is usually built in the branch of a tree, twenty feet from the ground ; eggs, four or five, white, tinged with blue, and spotted with reddish-brown. Arrives here in flocks early in May. In the fall its color is changed to a greenish-olive, resembling the female. About the last of September they gather in flocks and move southward. I C.pinus. — The Pine Finch. The Pine Finch arrives in Canada late in the fall, and remains throughout the winter. It frequents the pine forests. Feeds on the seeds contained in the pine cones. Color, above, brownish-olive ; beneath, whitish, streaked with I Birds of Canada. 51 dusky brown ; tail, forked. Breeds north of Ontario. Ciirvirostra americana. — The Red Crossbill. The Red Crossbill is six inches long ; the color, dull red ; the wings and tail, blackish- brown. This bird is an inhabitant of the pine forests of the far north, and usually visits us during the winter. Its food Consists of the seeds of the pine and hemlock, which it detaches from the cones and husks that enclose them with its peculiarly shaped bill, which is crossed. \ I ::\\. m a WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL. Ciinnrostra leiicoptcra. — The White-winged Crossbill. This bird has all the general characteristics of the Red Crossbill, but is readily distinguished by the white bands across the wings. !;i 52 Birds of Canada. ^giotlms linaria. -The Lesser Red-poll. This is a common winter visitor with us. It is four and a-half inches long ; the color, above* light-yellowish, each feather streaked with dark brown ; the crown, crimson ; upper parts .of the breast, tinged with light crimson ; white, under- neath. Few birds manifest a more affectionate disposition than the little Red-poll. I have often seen a number sitting on a branch, feeding each other, and exhibiting other marks of kindness and affection. This bird breeds in the arctic regions. Plectrophancs nivales. — The Snow Bunting. This is another very common winter visitor in this part of Canada. They move in large flocks, and arc sometimes accompanied by Red-polls and Shore Larks. Color, above, black and white ; underneath, white ; head and rump, yellowish- brown. They breed in Lapland and other parts of the far north. PlcctropJianes Lapponicus. — Lapland Bunting. This Bunting breeds in Lapland. Head and neck, black, with a red crescent on the hind neck ; rest of upper parts black ; lower parts, white. Visits Canada during the fall migrations. i I Birds of Canada. 53 Sub-Family Spizellin/E. — The Sparrows. Passcrculus savanna. — The Savannah Sparrow. This sparrow arrives here about the middle of April. Is five and a-half inches long ; the upper parts streaked with dark brown, the crown with a medium stripe of yellowish-grey ; eyelids, yel- low ; the forepart of the breast streaked ; the under parts, white. Nests, on the ground ; eggs, four to six ; pale blue, mottled with purplish- brown. Departs for the south early in October. All the birds of this family feed upon insects and seeds. Two broods are raised in a season. It is a fine singer. %■ I Pooactes gramincus. — The Bay-winged Bunting. The Bay-winged Bunting is si.x and a-quarter inches long ; above, yellowish-brown ; the fea- thers streaked abruptly with dark-brown ; be- neath, yellowish-white ; the breast and belly streaked with brown ; the wings, light chestnut- brown. Nests, on the ground ; eggs, four to six ; bluish-white, with reddish-brown blotches. It arrives the first week in April, and leaves for the south the last of September. The Bay- winged Bunting sings for an hour at a time in a sweet, tender strain. II 54 Birds of Canada. Coturniculus passerinus. — The Yellow-winged Sparrow. This sparrow arrives in Ontario about the first week in May, and leaves early in September. It is about five inches long ; the feathers above, brownish-rufous ; the crown, black, with a yel- lowish-brown stripe ; the end of the wing, bright yellow ; the lower parts are brownish-yellow. Nests, on the ground ; eggs, six, dull white, sprinkled with brown. Two broods are raised in the same season. Zonotrichia leucophrys. — I'he White-crowned Sparrow. This bird visits us during the spring and autumn migrations. It arrives here from the south about the middle of May, and returns from the north, where it breeds, in October. The song of the White-crowned Sparrow is clear, musical, and plaintive. This bird is over seven inches long, the wing three and a-quarter inches ; the head above the upper half of the loial region, and a line through and behind the eye to the occiput, black ; a patch upon the crown, white ; general color, pale ash above, and white beneath. Feeds on insects, seeds, and berries. Birds of Canada. 55 Z. albicollis. — The White-throated Sparrow. The White-throated Sparrow is seven inches long; the crown with two black stripes, sepa- rated by one of white ; a broad yellow stripe to the middle of the eye, and white behind it ; upper part of breast, dark ash ; edge of wing, yellow ; the back, rufous-brown ; the belly, and two bands across the wings, white. This beau- tiful sparrow arrives in Ontario about the first of May. Its song is indescribably sweet and musical. I have frequently heard it at night, when passing through the woods. Its food con- sists of seeds, berries, and insects. They collect in small flocks about the middle of October, and leave for the south. Nests, on the ground ; eggs, four, grayish-white. Junco hyemalis. — The Snow Bird. The general color of this bird is grayish or ashy-black ; the breast, belly, and second exter- nal tail feathers, white ; the third tail feather, white, margined with black. Length, six inches, This well-known bird arrrives here in large flocks during the winter, and is quite tame. Their migrations extend from the Arctic circle to the Gulf of Mexico. Numbers of these birds remain here through the summer; they build their nests, in stumps, or in a clump of moss ; eggs, white* spotted with reddish-brown and grayish-white. I I 56 Birds of Canada. \ There is a widespread impression that the Snow Bird of winter is the Chipping Sparrow of the Summer. I am satisfied it is a mistake. The Chipping Sparrow cMfifers in plumage and size from the Snow Bird. Spizella monticola. — The Tree Sparrow. The Tree Sparrow is six and a-quarter inches long; the feathers of the back, dark-brown centrally, then rufous, edged with white. The head, chestnut ; the under parts are white, with a blotch of brown on the chest. This bird breeds in the northern forests. S.pusilla. — The Field Sparrow. The Field Sparrow arrives here about the twentieth of April. Inhabits the pastures and low woods. General color, rufous red, the under parts, white, tinged before with yellow. Nests, upon the ground ; eggs, four in number, of a grayish-white, with blotches of lavender. The Field Sparrows collect in flocks about the first of September, and leave for the south. .S. sociallis. — The Chipping Sparrow. This is one of our most common sparrows. It arrives here the last of March, and leaves for the south in October. It is five and a-half Birds of Canada. 57 inches long. Rump, back of neck, and sides of neck and head, ashy ; crown, chestnut ; fore- head, black, separated in middle by white ; a white streak over the eye ; the under parts, white. Builds its nest in low bushes ; eggs, four in number, greenish-blue, with dark-brown spots. Feeds upon seeds, berries, and insects. Mclospir^a melodia. — The Song Sparrow. The Song Sparrow is rufous-brown above ; the under parts, white ; the breast and sides of the body and throat, streaked with dark-rufous. This sparrow is one of our most common birds, and one of the sweetest songsters of the sparrow family. It makes its appearance here about the middle of March. The nest is usually built on the ground, or in a low bush ; eggs, four or five in number, bluish-white, and variously marked. Two broods are raised in the season. • M. palustris. — The Swamp Sparrow. This sparrow arrives from the south about the middle of April. It prefers low. swampy locali- ties, and is seldom seen in the open fields. This sparrow is six inches long ; the crown, chestnut ; forehead, black ; ash-colored streak on the side of the head and back ; under parts, whitish, tinged with ashy. The nest is built at the foot of a tuft of long grass ; eggs, four in number, 8 . 58 Birds of Canada. grayish-white, spotted with brown. Its food is grass-seeds, berries, and insects. The Swamp Sparrow has no song. Departs for the south about the tenth of October. Sub-Family PASSERELLlNit:. — The Buntings. Passerella iliaca. — The Fox-colored Sparrow. This sparrow is seven and a-half inches long. Head, neck, rump, and middle of the back, dull ash color ; each feather blotched with brownish- red ; the tail, bright rufous ; the under parts of the breast, sides, and throat, spotted with rufous. Nests, under a low bush ; eggs, four, or five, of a greenish color, with blotches of brown. Sub-Family Spizin^e. Emberiza americana. — The Black-throated Bunting. The Black-throated Bunting is a rare spring visitor. Length, six and a-half inches ; sides of the head, and sides and back of the neck, ash ; middle of the heart, yellow ; under parts, white, with a black patch upon the throat. Breeds in Pennsylvania and Virginia. Birds of Canada. 59 ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK. Guiraca Ludoviciana. — The Rose-breasted Grosbeak. The Rose-breasted Grosbeak arrives in Canada about the first of May, and remains until October, when it goes south. General color, above, glossy black ; a broad carmine crescent across the breast, auxiliaries and under wing, coverts ; the rest of the under parts, white. The song of this beautiful and solitary bird is mellow, plaintive, and loud. Perched upon the topmost branches of a tree in the thickest of the wood, it wafts forth its tender and affecting song for hours at a 1 6o Birds of Canada. time. Its food consists of berries and buds. The nest is often built in a low .shrub or tree ; eggs, three or four in number ; of a greenish-blue color, covered with fine spots of umber-brown. Guiraca ca'rula. — The Blue Grosbeak. The prevailingcolor of this extremely beautiful and graceful bird is a brilliant blue. Length, seven and a-half inches. Habitat, British Columbia, Manitoba, and the extreme western part of the United States. A very rare visitor in Canada. II M Coccothraustcs vcspcrtina. — The Evening Grosbeak. This Grosbeak is another rare visitor from the western part of this continent. Head and neck, black ; remaining upper parts, yellow ; abdomen, yellowish-olive ; bill, stout. C. cardinalis. — Cardinal or Red Bird. The general color of this gaudy bird is Ver- million ; a black band around the upper part of the throat and the base of the bill. Length, eight and three quarter inches. Habitat, Virginia and the Carolinas. Occurs very rarely in Canada. Birds of Canada. 6i Cyanospiza cyanca. — The Indigo Bird, This beautiful bird is five and a-half inches long. The color, bright ultramarine-blue ; wing feathers tinged with dull bluish-brown. This bird prefers the skirts of the forests. Its song is sweet and interesting. Nests, in low bushes ; eggs, six ; color, blue, with purple spots. It arrives from the south about the twentieth of May, and returns late in September. Feeds on insects and berries. Pipilo erythropthalmus. — The Ground Robin, or Chewink. This is a common visitor. It arrives in the vicinity of Toronto about the twentieth of May ; the males ariving about ten days before the females. For two or three hours after sunrise, the Chewink sits perched upon the top of a small tree or bush, and sings with mellow sweet- ness, which cannot fail to interest the hearer. Nests, on the ground beneath a tuft of grass ; eggs, four in number, of a flesh color, with dark spots. Two broods, and sometimes three, are raised in the season. They collect in flocks about the last of October, and leave for the south. 62 THE BOBOLINK. f' Family ICTERIID,^. Sub-Family Agelaein.-e. — The Starlings, Dolichonyx oryzivorus. — The Bobolink. This well-known and beautiful bird arrives in Canada about the last of May. Length, seven and three-quarter inches. Color, black, beauti- fully marked with cream color and white. The female is yellowish beneath ; above, dark brown. The male assumes the color of the female in the fall. Its cheerful, loud, and jingling song is heard in every meadow in the summer, from morning until evening. Nests, on the ground ; eggs, four to six, of a light ashy-blue color, with Birds of Canada. 63 spots of dark brown. This bird feeds on insects and seeds. Early in September, they collect in large flocks, and move southward. Molothrus pecoris. — The Cow Bird. The Cow Bird is eight inches long. The breast, neck, and lower half of the breast, light brown ; the rest of the body, bright black. During the summer, this bird frequents pasture fields, where cattle are grazing. It builds no nest ; but secretly deposits its eggs in the nests of other birds ; usually in the nest of a Sparrow or Blue Bird. It lays but one egg in each nest, of a light grayish-blue, with brown spots. The Cow Bird feeds on insects principally. About the last of October, they collect in large flocks, and leave for the south. Agelaiiis phceniceus. — The Red-winged Black Bird. This bird arrives here in small flocks about the last of March. General color, lustrous black ; the shoulders, vermillion or bright crimson. Nests, in a low bush in a swamp or meadow ; eggs, four I in number, of a light blue color, marked with brown spots. About the twentieth of October the Red-winged Black Birds collect in large flocks, and leave for their southern home. Their food consists of the seeds of aquatic grasses and grain, of which they are extremely fond, to the injury of the farmer. i? ' ■ { 1 I'; w I yi 64 Birds of Canada. I ! I MEADOW LARK. Stnrnclla magna. — The Meadow Lark, The Meadow Lark is one of our most common and beautiful summer visitors. It arrives here about tlie fifteenth of March. General color, above, dark-brown, with streaks of brownish- white ; beneath, yellow, with a black pectoral crescent. Nests, on the ground ; eggs, four or five, pure white, slightly sprinkled with reddish- brown blotches. Its food consists principally of insects, worms, beetles, and grass seeds. Leaves for the south about the first of November. Sub-Family IcrEUlN.l^.— 77/^ Orioles. Icterus spurius. — The Orchard Oriole, The Orchard Oriole is seven and a-quarter inches long; the head,, neck, and tail, black; under parts, brownish-chestnut ; a narruw white \i^* Birds of Canada. 65 line across the wings. Nests, in orchard trees or upon willows ; eggs, four to six, bluish-white, sprinkled with dark-brown. This oriole is a rare visitor in Ontario. Feeds upon fruit, caterpillars and insects. /. baltimore. — The Baltimore Oriole, or Golden Robin. This beautiful and well-known bird is one of our regular summer visitors. It arrives here about the middle of May. General color, black ; the rump, upper tail coverts, lesser wing coverts, the terminal portion of all but two tail feathers, and the under parts, orange-.red ; the edges of quills, and a band across the tip of the greater coverts, white. The nest of this oriole is a beau- tiful piece of nest-architecture, and is usually- constructed on the outer drooping twigs of elm or orchard trees ; it is a pendulous cylindric pouch, of six^or seven inches in depth , eggs, four or five, of a flesh co'or. The song of this beautiful bird is -ori, full, and mellow. About the middle of September the Golden Robin leaves for the south. Sub-Family QuisCALlNiE. — The Crackles. Scolecophagus ferrugincus. — The I^usty Grackle, This bird arrives here about thi last of March, and retires to the low sWampy thickets surround- 1 i \ 1; ■If '■'M: 66 Birds of Canada. ing marshes. General color, black, with purple reflections. Nests, in low bushes near the water ; eggs, four, bluish-white. It feeds upon the seeds of aquatic grasses, insects, and worms. Quiscalus versicolor. — The Purple Grackle. The Purplo Crackle arrives in Ontario ^.bout the middle of April. General color, steel-blue, with varied reflections of purple and bronze. Nests, in a tree in or near a marsh or pond ; eggs, four, ligl t brown. Food consists of grubs, worms, and grains. These birds prove very- injurious to the farmers in the fall, as they collect in large flocks and visit the corn-fields, destroying great quantities of grain. Family CORVID.E. Sub-Family CoRVlN^. — The Crows. Corvus amcricaniis. — The Crow. This bird has a very unenviable notoriety. It is an enemy to the farmer, and very destructive to small birds, as it feeds upon their young. Agricultural societies should ofl"er a premium for its destruction. Corvus corax. — The Raven. This interesting bird has become very rare in Canada. A few specimens are occasionally Birds of Canada. 67 seen in the vicinity of Niagara Falls and the Welland Canal. The Raven is twenty-six inches in length ; the bill is large and strong ; the plumage, deep glossy black. This species is found in every part of the world. Its food con- sists of dead animal matter, and, like the common crow, it devours the eggs and young of other birds. Sub-Family Garrulin.e. — The Jays. BLUE JAY. Cyanurus cristatus. — The Blue Jay. This elegant bird often remains in this section of Canada throughout the year. It is, without exception, our most beautiful bird. The head is handsomely crested, with loose silky plumes ; bill, black ; legs, brown ; the whole bird is of a fine blue color, the under parts, with the wings and tail mark d by bars ; neck, encircled with a si (t 11 68 Birds of Canada. I \ black ring. It has the cruel habit of destroying the young of other birds. Its nest is usually built in a small cedar or pine tree ; eggs, four in number, of a light green color, spotted with brown. The Blue Jay is one of the noisiest birds of our forests : its notes being discordant and harsh. Perisoreus Canadmsis. — The Canada Jay. • This Jay is a rare visitor in Ontario. Its habitat is Labrador and eastern Canada. Nests, in a fir-tree ; eggs, four, of a light-gray color. The head, neck, and breast are white ; rest of upper parts, ashy-plumbeous ; beneath, light gray. It resembles the Blue Jay in motions and note, and is equally rapacious and destructive. Birds of Canada. 6g Order IV.— Sfte S^tvnitJxm. SUB-ORDER COLUMB/E. Family COLUMBIDiE. THE DOVES. \E Sub-Family Columbinm:. Ectopistcs migratoria. — The Wild Pigeon. This well-known bird is a resident of Canada, except in the most severe cold weather. Its migratioiii are made solely to obtain food. They pass from one section of the continent to another in immense flocks. The nests are usually built in the forked branch of a tree. I have often seen thirty or forty nests in one tree. The eggs are two in number, pure white, with a slight red tint. Feeds upon grain and seeds. Zenaidura carolinensis. — The Carolina Dove. The Carolina Dove is an irregular summer visitor in Canada. Color, above, blue, overlaid with olive-brown ; under parts, light reddish- brown ; breast, purplish-red ; bill, black ; feet, yellow. This dove sits upon the ground during the night. Nests, in a tree ; eggs, two in number, pure white. a: IT "'V 4- yo Birds of Canada. SUB-ORDER GALLINiE. Family TETRAONIDiE. THE GROUSE. Tetrao canadensis. — The Canada Grouse, or Spruce Partridge. This well known bird is a permanent resident, and may be found in large numbers in the back settlements of Canada. It is stately and j^iace- ful in its movements. General color of the head, neck, and body of the male bird is transversely barred with dusky and gray brown ; over the eyelids is a bare red space ; nostrils covered with black, with a small white spot on each side, and one beneath ; throat, breast, and belly, black ; the latter spotted with white, except the middle ; sides of the body barred transversely with gray- brown and dusky ; the feathers with a white stripe near the tip ; under tail coverts, black and white ; tail black, tipped with rufous ; feathers of the tarsi, gray-brown ; claws, gray ; beak, black. Nests, upon the ground ; eggs, eight or ten in number ; of a light buff, with brown spots. Birds of Canada. 71 RUFFLED GROUSE. Bonasa timbellus. — The Ruffled Grouse, or Partridge. This Partridge is a permanent resident of Canada. It is often found in the open woods and evergreen thickets in well settled districts. When walking it struts with a haughty step, elevating its ruff, and spreading its pretty tail. The habits of this Partridge are solitary ; it is seldom found in coveys of more than six or eight together. Nests, upon the ground, at the foot of a bush, or under an old log ; eggs, eight to twelve ; of a yellow-white color. General color, above, reddish brown ; the back with light brown ; beneath, white barred with dull brown ; the feathers of the ruff black ; tail grayish, with a black bar near the end. Tetrao phasianellus. — The Sharp-tailed Grouse. Habitat, British Columbia and Manitoba. Accidental in Canada. Color, above, yellowish- T^- Birds of Canada. red and brownish-black ; throat, reddish-white, with dusky spots ; breast and sides covered with dusky spots ; abdomen, white. Family PERDICID^E. Sub-Family Ortygin^. Ortyx virginianus. — The Virginia Partridge, or Quail. The Virginia Partridge is brownish-red, above ; underneath, white ; the head marked with white and black. Length, ten inches. Nests on the ground ; eggs, white, ten or more in number. This beautiful Partridge has become almost extinct in Canada. It is often called " Bob- White^' on account of its peculiar cry. Family PHASIANID^. Meleagris gallopavo. — The Wild Turkey. This magnificent fowl is a permanent resident of Canada. Color, copper-bronze, with green, reflections, each feather with a black margin ; tail, chestnut, barred with black; head, livid- blue, and the legs, red. In other respects it re- sembles the domestic turkey. The great beauty and size of this bird, and the fact of its being the origin of all the domestic varieties, render it a most interesting species. m H \ !S '■''*i i !*?» i ftSf| GREAT BLUE HERON. p. 73 Birds of Canada. 73 Order Y.— ®fte ^a^^. SUB-ORDER HERODIONES. Family ARDEIDi^i. THE HERONS. 11 M I :} Ardea herodias. — The Great Blue Heron, The Great Blue Heron is a regular summer visitor in Canada. It usually arrives here about the twentieth of April, and remains until the tenth or fifteenth of October, when it leaves for the south. The general color of this heron is a delicate gray ; throat and neck white, with patches of dark bluish-gray ; a black line over the eye ; a pendant tuft at the junction of the neck and breast ; a long plume of a bluish-black color. This bird is extremely shy, and is ap- proached with difficulty. It frequents marshes and the borders of lakes and rivers, and feeds upon reptiles and fishes. When standing erect the Great Blue Heron will measure from four and a-half to five feet ; its beak is seven to eight inches in length, very strong, and can be used with terrible force as an offensive weapon. The nest of this bird is usually built in the top of a large tree ; eggs, four or five, of a pale green color. 10 ^. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 11.25 m m Hi lU III u „ I" 12.0 V >* // '/ Fhotographic ScMices Carparation 23 WBT MAM STIUT WIIMTn,N.Y. MSM ■^'^■^^'"- ^ 74 Birds of Canada, Ardetta exilis. — The Least Bittern. This bird is a frequent summer visitor to the marsh, east of Toronto. It is solitary and noc- turnal in its habits. Nests, in low bushes on the borders of ponds or marshes ; eggs, four in num- ber, of a greenish-yellow color. Feeds upon small reptiles and fish. General color, dark- green, above, and purplish-brown on the sides and underneath. Length, thirteen inches ; wing, four and a-half inches. GREAT BITTERN. Botaurus lentiginosiis. — The Great Bittern, or Stake-driver. The Great Bittern, arrives in Canada about the middle of April, and remains until late in Octo- Birds of Canada. 75 ber. The general color of this bittern is a rich brownish-buff, covered with streaks and mottlings of black, brown, gray, and chestnut. Nests, on marshy ground ; eggs, four or five ; pale brown. Its food consists of reptiles and insects. Butorides virescens. — The Green Heron. The Green Heron is eighteen inches long ; above, dark green ; wings and tail, green ; legs, yellow ; belly, ashy-brown ; head, has a crest of glossy green feathers. This Heron is occasion- ally seen in Canada in the spring. Nests, in trees in swampy woods ; eggs, four in nurnber ; of a pale light blue color. Feeds upon crabs, frogs, and worms. Nyctiardea Gardeni. — The Night Heron. The Night Heron arrives in the vicinity of Toronto about the fifteenth or twentieth of April. General color, above, steel-green ; wings and tail, ashy-biae; under parts and sides, a lilac color. Length, twenty inches; the bill is slightly arched, strong, and black. During the day this bird is often seen perched upon the top of a tall tree in a swamp, but when night approaches it begins its flight in pursuit of food, which consists principally of insects, frogs, lizards, and fish. The nest of the Night Heron is built in a tree; eggs, four; of a greenish-yellow color. 76 Birds of Canada. Family GRUID^. THE CRANES. Grus canadensis. — The Sandhill Crane. The Sandhill Crane is an accidental visitor ; a few specimens are occasionally seen during the spring and autumn migrations. Breeds in Mani- toba and British Columbia. Length, fifty inches ; beak, four inches ; top of the head covered with a red skin ; neck, gray ; belly, breast, sides, and thighs, ash color; tail, deep ash color; legs and bare part of the thigh, black. Grus americana. — The White Crane. This magnificent bird occasionally visits West- ern Canada. It is fifty-two inches in length ; the plumage, pure white. Its migrations extend from South America to the arctic circle. Ibis falcinellus. — The Glossy Ibis. This beautiful bird is an accidental visitor. Head, glossy green, with purple reflections ; neck, back, breast, and abdomen, dark chestnut ; part of breast shaded with green ; sides, dusky, tinged with green ; edge of wings dark red, upper parts, dark green, glossed with purple. Breeds in Virginia and Florida. , Birds of Canada. 77 SUB-ORDER GRALLiE. Family CHARADRID^.. PLOVERS. Charadriiis virgmicus. — The Golden Plover. This Plover passes through Canada about the last of April, on its way north to breed. About the 1st of September, they again visit Canada in small flocks while migrating southward. Color, above, brownish-black, with irregular spots of golden-yellow; beneath, black, with lustrous brown. Nests, in the grass ; eggs, four, of a light buff color. ^gialitis vociferus. — The Kill-deer Plover. The Kill-deer Plover is a summer resident of Canada. Color, above, light brown ; rump, rufous ; black band on the breast ; and around the neck a black ring; beneath, white. It is called " Kill-deer," from its note. Nests, on the ground ; eggs, four, light buff color. Ai. nioiitamis. — The Mountain Plover. The Mountain Plover is an accidental visitor in Canada. Length, nine inches. Color, grayish- brown. Breeds in Manitoba and British Columbia. ^. Wilsouiiis. — Wilson's Plover. This bird is occasionally met with in Canada late in the fall. Breeds in Delaware, Virginia, and the Carolinas. Color, ashy-brown above, 78 Birds of Canada. the feathers edged with pale ashy ; band on the breast, brownish-black; bill, black ; legs, yellow. Length, eight inches. y^. senii-palmatus. — Semi-palmated Plover. This Plover breeds north of Ontario. Spring and fall visitor. Color, above, light ashy-brown ; beneath, white. Length, seven inches yfi". melodiis. — The Piping Plover. The Piping Plover arrives from the south about the last of April. It is a regular summer visitor in Canada. Color, above, light brown ; beneath, white ; length, eight inches. Nests, in the sand ; eggs, four, light buff. Squatarola helvetica. — The Black-bellied Plover. This Plover breeds north of Ontario. Arrives in Canada in September, in flocks. In their habits they closely resemble the Golden Plover. Color, above, white ; beneath, black ; sides of the neck and rump, ashy ; bill and legs, black. Length, eleven and a-half inches. Family H^EMATOPODIDiE. O YSTER-CA TCHERS. THE HamatopHs palliatus. — The Oyster-catcher. This species is a rare visitor in Canada. Head, neck, upper part of breast, quill feathers, and latter half of tail feathers, deep shining black, Birds of Canada. 79 and the rest of the plumage is pure white ; bill, three inches long, and flattened sideways. H. niger. — Backman's Oyster-catcher. The general color of this bird is dark brown ; head and breast, brownish black. It is occasionally shot, in the fall, on the island opposite Toronto. Strepsilas interpres. — The Turnstone. The Turnstone breeds in Manitoba. Visits Canada in small numbers in the spring and fall. Color, black, rufous, and white above ; abdomen, white ; head and neck, marked with stripes of brownish-black. ^. melanocephala. — The Black Turnstone. This species is an accidental visitor. Color, darker than the preceding. Length, eleven inches. Family RECURVIROSTRID^. A VOSETS. THE AMERICAN AVOSET. RecHTvirostra americaina. — The American Avoset. The Avoset is quite accidental in Canada. On 8o Birds of Canada. the shores of the Caspian and the salt lakes of Tartary they are very abundant. Specimens have been shot late in the fall on the island, opposite Toronto. Length, seventeen inches ; the head and neck, pale reddish brown ; back and quills, black ; other parts, white. The bill, which is three inches long, turns up like a hook, and is flat, thin, and sharp. Family PHALAROPODIDiE. PHALAROPES. THE Phalaropus hyperboreus. — The Northern Phalarope. The Northern Phalarope is an occasional spring and fall visitor in Canada. Breeds in Manitoba ; nests, on the ground ; eggs, four in number, of a brownish drab color. This beautiful little bird is a swimmer as well as a wader : its motions, while swimming and wading, are exceedingly graceful and interesting. The migrations of this species extend from Manitoba to the Gulf of Mexico. Head and neck, sooty-ash color; wings, back, and tail, brownish-black; abdomen, white; legs and bill, dark ; throat and breast, white ; and the neck, with a ring of bright ferruginous. i I I i;r- ■ ■ i ■ I ^-^ '^ WILSON'S SNIPE. p. 8l Birds of Canada. P. Wtlsomt. — Wilson's^Phalarope. 8l Wilson's Phalarope is also an occasional visitor in Canada. Color, dark, above; white, beneath; a stripe of bright reddish-brown around the neck, running upwards to the back. P. fulicarius. — The Red Phalarope. Several specimens of tiiis rare and beautiful bird have been shot near TorDnto this fall. Gene- ral color, deep slate, streaked with brownish- yellow, and reddish-chocolate. Family SCOLOPACIDiE. THE SNIPES. Philohela minor. — The Woodcock. This well known bird arrives here early in March. Color, above, variegated with reddish- black and ashy ; underneath, rufous ; legs, pale red ; bill, dark brown. Nests, on the ground ; beneath a log or bush ; eggs, four ; of a yellow- ish-drab color, with dark brown blotches. Pearly in November the Woodcock leaves for the south. Gallinago Wilsonii. — Wilson's Snipe. Wilson's Snipe is a well known summer visitor in Canada. It arrives about the tenth of March. Feeds upon earthworms principally. Nests, on the ground ; eggs, four ; of an olive-drab color, slightly marked with brown spots. General 11 I I «■'.' 82 Birds of Canada. color, above, brownish-black, marked with light rufous yellowish-brown or ashy-white ; under- neath, white. Late in the fall this snipe goes south. Macrorhamphus grisens. — The Gray Snipe. The Gray Snipe is dark-ashy above ; pale reddish and black on the back ; rump and upper tail coverts, white ; under parts, pale red and brownish black. This Snipe arrives here about the twentieth of April. Breeds in the north, and again visits Canada about the first of September. M, scolopaceiis. — The Greater Longbeak. This Snipe is an irregular visitor in Canada. Length, twelve inches ; color, above, brownish- black, and yellow ; beneath, wood-brown, with spots of umber. Sub-Family. Tringin^. — The Sandpipers. Tringa canutns. — The Grayback, or R Sin Snipe. The Gray-back is a spring and fall visitor. It is the largest of the Sandpipers. Upper parts, light gray, with irregular spots of black ; under parts, light reddish-brown. Breeds in the north. T. Cooperii. — Cooper's Sandpiper This Sandpiper occasionally visits Canada during the spring and fall migrations. Birds of Canada. 83 T. maritima. — The Purple Sandpiper. This pretty bird is frequently seen in Canada in the fall. Breeds in the far north. Head and upper parts, smoky-brown, with a purple tinge ; under parts, white. T. stibarquata. — The Curlew Sandpiper. The Curlew Sandpiper is a very rare visitor \\\ Canada. Upper parts, brownish-black, spotted with bright yellowish-red ; under parts, d.-.rk yellowish-rufouF T. cJpina. — The Red-backed Sandpiper. This species visits Canada during the spring and autumn in large numbers. Upper parts, dark ash color ; abdomen, white ; breast, pale ash, with streaks of brown. T. mamlata. — The Jack Snipe. The Jack Snipe is a regular spring and fall visitor, usually arriving in Canada early in May and about the middle of September. It is com- monly called " Grass Bird," by which name it is generally known. T. Wtlsonii. — The least Sandpiper, or Peep. This Sandpiper is the smallest of the family. It arrives in Canada about the middle of May, and soon leaves for the interior of ihe country where it breeds. m if I' i pi Pi ^ 84 Birds of Canada. T. Bonapartii. — Bonaparte's Sandpiper. Bonaparte's Sandpiper is light ashy-brown, above ; darker on the rump ; under parts, white. Arrives here in small flocks during the spring and fall migrations. Calidris arenaria. — The Sanderling, or Beach-bird. The Sanderling breeds in Manitoba. It has all the characteristics of the Sandpipers. Upper parts, light ashy ; under parts, pure white ; no hind toe ; front toes rather long ; bill straight and rather thick. It visits Canada in small flocks early in September. Ereunetes petrificatus. — The Semi-palmated Sandpiper. This Sandpiper is six and a-half inches in length, and has the feet semi-palmated. In other respects it resembles the Least Sandpiper. Breeds in Manitoba. It is accidental in Canada. Micropalma himantopus. — The Stilt Sandpiper. The Stilt Sandpiper is an occasional visitor during the fall migrations. Birds of Canada. 85 Sub-Family ToTANiN.^.— 77/^ Stilts. Sytnphemia semipalmata.—Tht Willet. The Willet is dark ashy above ; rump and under parts, white. Breeds in Canada. Nests, on the sandy beach of an island ; eggs, four in number, of a pale olive color. Gambetta melanolmca.~T\\^ Greater Yellow-legs, or Tell-tale. This species breeds in Manitoba. Visits Cana- da in the spring and fall. Entire upper parts of the body, cinereous ; under parts, white ; neck and legs, long ; legs, yellow. G.favipes.—ThG Yellow-legs. The Yellow-legs is well-known in Canada as a spring and fall visitor. It is smaller than the preceding bird. Breeds in the northern part of this continent. Rhyacophilus solitarius.~ThQ Solitary Sandpiper. The Solitary Sandpiper is frequently called " Wagtail," from its habit of nodding its head m 86 Birds of Canada. and tipping up its tail. Remains in Canada through the summer. Upper parts, greenish- brown, with spots of ashy-white ; under parts, white ; bill, curved upward from the middle. Tringoides macularius. — The Spotted Sandpiper. The Spotted Sandpiper arrives in Canada in large flocks early in April, and remain through the summer. Nests, in the sand ; eggs, four in number, of a yellowish-bufif color. Upper parts, brownish-olive-green, with irregular spots of brownish-black ; under parts, white. Actiturus Bartramius. — The Field Plover. The Field Plover breeds in Canada. Fre- quents grain fields and meadows. Upper parts, brownish-black, with a greenish lustre ; under parts, pale yellowish-white ; middle tail feathers, greenish-brown ; legs, light yellow. Nests, on the ground ; eggs, four, of a creamy-drab color. Tryngites rufescens. — The Buff-breasted Sandpiper. This species is frequently seen in Canada during the fall migration. Breeds in the arctic regions. Legs, long ; upper parts, pale ashy- brown, with a yellowish tinge ; under parts, light yellowish-red. Birds of Canada. 87 Limosa fedoa. — The Marbled Godwit. The Marbled Godwit is j spring and autumn visitor. Bill, long, curved upwards ; wings, long ; tail, short ; legs, long ; upper parts, brownish- black and pale reddish ; under parts, pale rufous, with lines of brownish-black. L. hudsonica. — The Hudsonian Godwit. This bird is an irregular fall visitor. Color, brownish-black above, underneath, yellowish-red ; feathers, tipped with white ; length, eighteen inches; bill, three inches. pi : ! 1 i Si, S- LONQ-BILLED CURLEW. Ntimenius longirostris. — The Long-billed Curlew. The Long-billed Curlew is a regular spring and fall visitor in Canada. Bill, very long, and 88 Birds of Canada. curved downwards ; upper parts, pale rufous, with lines of black on the neck and sides ; legs, bluish-brown. N. hudsonicns. — The Short-billed Curlew The Short-billed Curlew is also a spring and fall visitor. Bill smaller than the preceding; head, above, brownish-black ; other upper parts, brownish-black, tinged with ashy. N. borealis. — The Esquimaux Curlew. This Curlew is not often seen in Canada, as it merely remains for a few days during the spring and fall migrations. They breed in the far north. It is easily distinguished from the other two by its smaller size, and its small and weak bill. Sub-Family RalliN-f^ WILD GOOSE. P-93 Birds of Canada. 93 A. Gatnbelli. — The White-fronted Goose. The White-fronted Goose is an accidental visitor. It is smaller than the Snow Goose. Color, grayish ; forehead, white ; bill and legs, red. The tail has sixteen feathers, the far north. Breeds in A . frontalis. — The Brown-fronted Goose. The Brown-fronted Goose is occasionally- seen in Canada. It inhabits the frozen regions of the north. It resembles the White-fronted Goose in general appearance. The forehead, however, is dark brown instead of white. Bernicla canadensis. — The Canada Goose, or Wild Goose. The Canada Goose is a well known spring and fall visitor, passing here in flocks, in March or April, for the northern part of this continent, where it breeds, and remains until the hard frosts begin, when they leave for a more temperate climate. Immense flocks of these geese can be seen almost daily on their way to the south, during the last of October and through the month of November. Each flock is usually attended by an old gander, who every now and then calls out his well known " honk,'' which is replied to by several members of the flock. The 94 Birds of Canada. Canada Goose is thirty-five inches long. The upper parts, brownish ; the lower, a pale brown, with a tinge of purple-gray or smoky-brown ; head, neck, bill, and feet, black ; a patch of white on the cheek, behind the eye. Tail, of eighteen feathers. B. Imcopareia. — The White-cheeked Goose. The White-cheeked Goose is smaller than the Canada Goose, and much darker in color. It is distinguished by a white cheek. Accidental in Canada. Habitat, British Columbia. B. brenta. — The Brant. This bird closely resembles the Canada Goose in its habits. It is twenty-four inches long. Bill, feet, head, tail, and neck, black. On each side of the middle of the neck is a small white cres- cent streaked with black ; the belly, gray, pass- ing into white behind. Sub-Family ANATiN^Oi. — The River Ducks. Anas boschas. — The Mallard, or Green-head. This well known duck breeds in Canada. Nests, in a meadow, or near a pond ; eggs, ten or twelve, of a yellowish white. The Green-head is the original of our domestic duck. n d Birds of Canada. 93 A . obscura. — The Black Duck, or Dusky Duck. The Black Duck is the most abundant of all our ducks. Breeds in Canada. Nests, near a pond or stream ; eggs, six, white. General color, bluish-brown, tinged with black. Dafila acuta. — The Pintail Duck. This beautiful duck is a well known visitor in Canada. Head anc neck, pale brown ; sides of the breast and part of the back, white, tinged with pale bufif; tail pointed, the two middle feathers five inches longer than the others, and black ; legs, pale lead color. Breeds in the far north. Nettion carolinensis. — The Green-winged Teal. This pretty fowl is very abundant in Canada in the spring and fall. It frequently breeds here. Nests, on the ground, in close proximity to a pond or stream ; eggs, seven or eight in number, of a dusky-white color. This Teal is about fifteen inches in length ; the head is dusky ; the top of the head, cheeks, and neck are chestnut- red ; the throat is black ; a broad green band extends from the eye to the nape ; the lower part of the neck, back, and sides, are alternately striped with lines of white and black ; the breast is reddish, and spotted ; the belly, a yellowish- white. \l'l 96 Btrcis of Canada. Querquedula discors. — The Blue-winged Teal. The Blue-winged Teal is a regular spring and fall visitor. This species is smaller than the pre- ceding ; the bill is long, and of a dark dusky slate color ; the front and upper part of the head are black ; from the eye to the chin is a large crescent of white, the rest of the head and half the neck are of a dark slate, richly glossed with green and violet ; remainder of the neck and breast is black or dusky ; belly, pale brown, barred with dusky, in narrow lines ; back, deep brownish-black, each feather waived with large semi-ovals of brownish- white ; lesser wing-coverts, a bright light blue. Habits similar to those of the Green-winged Teal. Q. cyanoptera. — The Red-breasted Teal. This pretty fowl occasionally visits our waters in company with the other Teals. Spatula clypeata. — The Shoveller, or Spoonbill. The Spoonbill breeds in the north-west. Visits Canada in the spring and autumn. Head and neck, green ; forepart, and sides of the breast, white ; rest of under parts, purplish-chestnut. Chanlelasmus strepcrus. — The Gadwall, or Gray Duck. This species breeds in the far north. Visits Canada during the spring and fall migrations. Birds of Canada. 97 )ill. Head and neck, brownish-white ; forepart of breast and back, blackish ; underneath, plumbe- ous-gray. Mareca americana — Baldpate, or American Widgeon. This beautiful fowl breeds in Manitoba. Visits Canada in company with Teals and Canvass- back Ducks. Head and neck, gray, spotted with black ; a broad green patch around and behind the eye ; top of the head, nearly white. i y^i .' I SUMMER DUCK. Isits ms. Aix sponsa, — The Summer Duck, or Wood Duck. This bird is, without exception, the ir:ost beau- tiful of all our ducks. It builds its ntst in a 13 98 Birds of Canada. i i! 1 il hollow tree, or on a limb that hangs over water ; eggs, twelve or thirteen, of a yellowish white color. The Wook Duck is easily domesticated, and becomes quite tame, breeding, and soon acquiring all the habits of the common duck. Head and crest, greenish purple, with white lines; throat, white ; breast, reddish-brov\ n, marked with white ; wings and back, green, with purple reflections ; sides ashy-gray ; abdomen, white : tail, purplish-green above, brown beneath ; the whole plumage beautifully variegated with pur- ple, green, chestnut, white, and ashy. Sub-Family FULlGULINyE, — The Sea Ducks. Fulix collaris. — The Ring-necked Duck. This duck is distinguished by a chestnut col- lar around the middle of the neck. Color, above, black ; beneath, white. Frequents the Lower St. Lawrence in the fall. Fulix inarila. — The Scaup Duck, or Blue-bill. The Scaup Duck breeds in the north-west, Visits Canada during the spring and autumn migrations, in small flocks. Head, neck, shoul- ders, back, and tail, black ; under parts, white ; bill, blue ; legs, plumbeous ; iris, yellow. )1- L^er m Birds of Canada. 99 F. affinis. — The Little Black-head Duck. This pretty and well known bird sometimes breeds in Canada. It is often called " Blue-bill Coot" by our sportsmen. Head, neck, shoulders, lower part of back and tail, black ; belly, sides, and inner wing surfaces, pure white; wings, blackish, with purple reflections. Aythya americana. — The Red-head Duck. This fine duck is generally very abundant in Canada. It breeds here. Head and neck, for more than half its length, brownish red ; rest of neck and body anterior to the shoulders and lower part of the back, black ; beneath, white. A. vallisneria. — The Canvass-back Duck. This much esteemed duck is becoming quite rare in Ontario, where it was, a few years since, abundant. This duck is twenty-three or twenty- four inches long ; beak, large and black ; the head and part of the neck, of a rich glossy red- dish-chestnut, ending in a broad span of black that covers the upper part of the breast ; back, scapulas, lower part of the breast, and belly, white ; tail, short and pointed ; legs and fpct, pale ash. Breeds in northern Canada. !| 100 Birds of Canada. Bucephala islandica. — Barrow's Duck. This duck breeds in the arctic regions. Visits Canada late in the fall. Head and neck, violet- blue ; a large white patch anterior to the eye ; lower neck and under parts, white ; a narrow white patch on the middle wing coverts ; rest of upper parts, black. B. americana. — The Golden-eye ; Whistle Wing. This duck breeds in Canada. Nests, in a tall dead tree, or in the top of a stub ; eggs, six or eight, of a greenish-blue color. Head and upper part of neck, green ; back, and tail, black ; under parts, white. B. albeola. — The Buffle-head, or Dipper. This is a common and well known bird. It breeds in Canada. Nests, in the holes of dead trees ; eggs, six, of a yellowish-blue color. Color, above, black ; beneath, white ; in front of the eye and on the sides of the collar behind, rich green; a patch of white on each side of the head. Histrionicus torqiiatus. — The Harlequin Duck. The Harlequin Duck breeds in the far north. Visits Canada in the fall. Head and neck, dark blue ; sides and upper parts, light blue, becoming darker near the tail ; under parts generally white. Birds of Canada. lOI Harelda glacialis. — The Long-tailed Duck; Old Wife. This duck is a frequent visitor during the spring and fall migrations. Breeds in the north- ern part of this continent. Head, neck, and breast, blackish-brown; sides of the head and body, bluish-gray ; under parts, white. Melanctta vtivetina. — The Velvet Duck, or White-winged Coot. The Velvet Duck is a regular fall visitor, usually arriving in October. General color, black ; a white patch around and behind the eye, and a large white speculum on the wing. Pdionetta perspicillata. — The Surf Duck. The Surf Duck breeds in the northern part of Canada. Color, black, with a greenish lustre ; a white patch on the top of the head. Oideniia americana. — The Black Scoter. The Black Scoter is an irregular visitor in Canada. General color, black. I Somateria mollissima. — The Eider Duck. This well known duck breeds in abundance in Labrador and in northern Canada. During the f I 102 Birds of Canada. :M fall and early winter it is occasionally shot near Toronto. Color, above, white ; beneath, black ; forehead and sides of the head, black. 5. spectabilis. — The King Duck, or King Eider. This is a more northern species than the preceding. It is scidom seen in Ontario. Speci- mens are occasionally obtained in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Length twentyrone and a-half inches. Body and wings, black ; throat, white ; top of head, bluish-ash ; sides of the head, green. Sub-Family Erismaturin.^. Erismatura riibida. — The Ruddy Duck; Dipper. The Ruddy Duck is a spring and fall visitor. Length, sixteen inches ; color, chestnut-red above ; grayish-white below ; top of head, black. Visits Canada during the fall migrations. E. dominica- The Black Masked Duck. Th's species is an accidental visitor in Canada. li >uat is Labrador, the Lower St. Lawrence, an t l-di c Champlain. Birds of Canada. 103 Sub-Family Merging. — The Sheldrakes Mergiis serrator.—The Red-breasted Merganser. The Red-breasted Merganser breeds in Cana- da. The head and neck is dark green, under parts, yellowish-white. Head with a conspicuous crest. Nests, in a marsh or on an island ; eggs, ten, light drab. M. amerieanus.—The Goosander, or Fish Duck. This beautiful fowl frequently breeds in On- tario. It builds its nest on the top of a tall stump, or on the branch of a dead tree ; eggs, eight in number, of a pale creamy white. Head and neck, green; back, black; under parts, salmon color; wings, white, crossed by a band of black. ^"ILL. HOODED MERGANSER. Lophodytes cncnllattis.—Thc Hooded Merganser This elegant bird is not so common as the other Mergansers. It breeds in Canada. Nests, 104 Birds of Canada. in the top of a stub or in a tall r'^^e ; eggs, twelve or fourteen in number, of a ciear white color. This species is eighteen inches long ; the head, neck, and tail, black ; the under parts and centre of the crest, white. SUB-ORDER GAVI.E. \h ii I Family PELICANID.E. THE PELICANS. Pclicamis fuscns. — The Brown Pelican. The Brown Pelican is fifty-six inches long ; bill, thirteen and a-half inches ; color, dark. Several specimens of this fine bird have been shot in Western Canada within the last two years. They are accidental visitors. P. crythrorhynchns. — The Rough-billed Pelican. This magnificent bird is seventy inches in length ; the prevailing color white. It is an occasional visitor in Western Canada. Family SULID.E. THE GANNETS. Sula bassaiia. — The Common Gannet. This species breeds on the coast of Labrador and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Visits Ontario Birds of Canada. 105 in the fail, in flocks of twenty or thirty. Length, thirty-eight inches ; general color, white. Feeds upon fish, which it obtains by plunging from a height, often remaining under water for several minutes. The nest of the gannet is made of sea-weed and grasses, placed on the rocks near the sea co.i >t. It lays but one ^^^, of a pale green color. Family GRACULIDiE. CORMORANTS. THE Graculus carbo. — The Common Cormorant. This speci*^s breeds in Canada. They are quite common in the interior of the country. Nests, in the crevices of rocks ; eggs, three, of a bluish-green color. Among the whole of the web-footed birds which prey on fish, there are none so voracious as Cormorants. They are most excellent divers, and pursue their prey with astonishing facility beneath the surface of the water, but upon land they are extremely awkward in their movements, owing to their legs being placed so far backwards : they, however, fly with rapidity ; and the tail being rather long, and furnished with strong feathers, it helps to support the body while walking. As soon as winter approaches, they are seen dispersed along the sea shores, entering the mouths of fresh-water 14 io6 Birds of Canada. rivers, and threatening destruction to all the finny tribe. The Common Cormorant is thirty-seven inches in length ; the color, bluish-black, gular- sac, yellow, with a broad white band at the base. DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT. Gractibis dilophus. — The Double-crested Cormorant. This species is not so well known as the pre- ceding. Its habits are similar to the Common Cormorant. Breeds in Labrador. The head, neck, lower part of the back, and entire under surface, is greenish-black ; upper mandible, dark brown ; lower, yellow ; iris, green ; legs, and feet, black ; gular sac, orange ; behind each eye is a tuft of loose feathers, which form the crest. tr Birds of Canada. 107 Family LARIDyE.— r///f GULLS. Sub-Family Lkstridinm:. — The Skua Gulls. Stercorarius parasiticus. — The Arctic Skua. The Arctic Skua breeds in the northern part of this continent. During the winter it frequents the sea coast of Canada. Length, twenty-two inches ; color, above, brownish-black ; beneath, white. S. pomarinus. — The Pomarine Skua. This species breeds in the far north. It is much more common than the preceding. Color, dark brown, tinged with black, above ; beneath, white. Length, twenty inches. A regular visitor to the sea coast of Nova Scotia and Newfound- land. Sub-Family Larin^. — The Gulls. Larus marinus. — The Great Black-backed Gull. This fine bird is twenty-six inches in length ; the bill is pale yellow, thick and strong ; upper parts of the back and wing, black ; all the other parts of its plumage, white ; legs, pale flesh color. Breeds in Labrador. Is a fall, and, sometimes, winter visitor in Canada. Larus Sabini. — The Fork-tailed Gull. This gull frequents the coast of New Brun^:- wick and Nova Scotia. Head and upper part of io8 Birds of Canada. Ii neck, blackish-gray ; lower neck, lower parts, and tail, white ; back and wings, bluish-gray ; tail, long and forked. Lams Rossii. — Ross's Gull. The habitat of this pretty gull is the arctic regions. During the fall and winter a few specimens are occasionally seen in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and on the coast of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Back and wings, grayish- blue ; neck, lower parts, and tail, white ; bill, black ; feet, red. Discovered by Sir James Clark Ross, the navigator. Larus Franklinii. — Franklin's Gull. This gull is a rare visitor in Canada. Its habitat is the arctic regions. Bill and feet, Vermillion ; neck, rump, tail, and under plumage, white ; black hood on nape ; upper parts, bluish- gray ; quills terminated with white. L. argentatus. — The Herring Gull, or Silvery Gull. The Silvery Gull is a regular visitor in Canada. It is twenty-four inches long ; bill, yellow ; head, neck, and tail, white ; the back and wing coverts, bluish-ash ; legs, pale flesh color. Breeds in the north. Birds of Canada. L. canus. — The Common Gull. 109 The Common Gull is the most numerous of the family. It is seventeen inches long ; bill, yellow ; head, neck, tail, and whole under side of the body, white ; the back and coverts of the wings are gray. L.glaucus. — The Glaucous Gull. This gull breeds in the arctic regions. An accidental visitor in Canada. L. leucopterus. — The White-winged Gull. This species breeds in the far north. A rare visitor. L. Delaivarensis. — The Ring-billed Gull. This gull is a rare visitor in Canada. L. eburneus. — The Ivory Gull. This beautiful gull is very common in the arctic regions, and occasionally visits Canada in the fall and winter. Creagriis fiircatus. — The Swallow-tailed Gull. This pretty gull is an accidental visitor in Canada. Its habitat is the Pacific coast. Chroicocephaliis atricilla. — The Laughing Gull. This little gull is a summer resident of Canada. The head and upper part of the neck no Birds of Canada. is blackisii-gray ; lower part of neck and entire under plumage, pure white ; back and wings, grayish-lead color. Breeds in Canada. Nests, in marshes ; eggs, three, of an olive-drab color. C. pliiladdpltia. — Bonaparte's Gull. This well known gull is a summer resident of Canada. Back and wings, clear bluish-gray ; under plumage, rump, and tail, white ; length, fourteen inches. Rissa tridaciyla. — The Kittiwake Gull. The Kittiwake Gull occasionally visits Lake Ontario during the fall. The head, neck, and under plumage is pure white ; back and wings, light bluish-gray ; bill, greeni.sh-yellow ; legs, brownish-black. Sub-Family Sterin/E. — The Terns. Sterna aranca. — The Marsh Tern. This pretty tern is a regular visitor. Head, black ; back and wings, light bluish-gray ; under plumage, pure white ; bill, legs, and feet, black. S. caspia. — The Caspian Tern. The Caspian Tern is a fall and winter visitor. Head, black, glossed with green ; back and Birds of Canada. Ill ck. lor. Ind wings, light bluish ash ; under plumage, pure white ; bill, and inside of mouth, bright red ; legs and feet^ black ; tail, forked. Breeds in the northern regions. S, Wilsonii. — Wilson's Tern. This is the most common species in Canada. Head, deep black, tinged with brown ; back and wings, light grayish blue ; breast and abdomen, clear pearl gray. Breeds on the sea coast of New Brunswick. ARCTIC TERN. S. arctica. — The Arctic Tern. The Arctic Tern is a fall and winter visitor in Ontario. Breeds on the sea coast of Nova Scotia, ^iead and neck black ; back and wings, 112 Birds of Canada. . J ' . light grayish-blue ; under parts, bluish-gray, of a lighter shade than the back ; legs and feet, crim- son ; bill, deep carmine. 5. frenata. — The Least Tern. The Least Tern is an irregular visitor. Breeds on the sea coast. Length, nine inches : color, bluish-gray above ; underneath, white ; bill, orange ; legs and feet, orange-red. 6". fuliginosa. — ^The Sooty Tern. This Tern is a regular summer visitor. Head, neck, and abdomen, black ; back and wings, plumbeous-gray. 5. paridisea. — Roseate Tern. , The Roseate Tern is an irregular summer visitor in Canada. Rhytickops nigra. -^IdXdicV Skimmer or Sheerwater. This fowl occasionally visits Lake Ontario in the spring, retiring south to breed in June. Color, head, neck, and wings, black ; throat, breast, and abdomen, white ; legs, scarlet ; length of the upper mandible, three inches and a-half; of the lower, four inches and a-half. The peculiar formation of its bill, the lower mandible being one inch longer than the upper, enables it easily to obtain its food while skim- ming over the surface of the water. Birds of Canada. Snb-Faviily CoLYMBiNi?:. — The Loons. 113 GREAT NORTHERN DIVER. Colymbus tot-quatiis. — The Great Northern Diver, or Loon. The Great Northern Diver is a resident of Canada. Nests, on an island, or in a meadow or marsh, near the borders of the interior lakes ; eggs, two or three in number, of a reddish-brown color, with ari olive tint. This bird is twenty- eight inches in length. Head and neck, bluish- green ; uppe* plumage and v/ing coverts, deep glossy blacl ;, marked with white spots. C. scpteutrionalis. — The Red-throated Diver. This pecies is not so common as the Great Northern Diver, usually arriving here in October 15 114 Birds of Canada. from the coast of Labrador, where it breeds. Color, above, brownish-black, tinged with green ; underneath, white ; bill, bluish-black; iris, bright red ; feet, brownish-black. Sub-Family PoDiciPiNiE. — TJic Grebes. Podiceps griseigena. The Ped-necked Grebe. 3 in the far The Red-necked Grebe o north ; visits Canada in the fail. Upper parts, blackish-brown ; lower parts, pure white ; bill, black ; feet, greenish-black. Length, eighteen inches. P, cristatus. — The Crested Grebe. This Grebe is a common summer resident of Canada. Nests, in a swamp or marsh ; eggs, four in number, white. This bird is mostly valued for the plumage of its breast, the flesh being rank and nauseous. Color, above, umber- brown ; beneath, pure white ; long tufts on each side of the head, of umber-brown color. P. cormiUis. — The Horned Grebe. The Horned Grebe breeds in northern Canada. Visits Ontario in the fall. Color, above, brown- ish-black ; breast, bright chestnut ; abdomen, white ; bill, bluish-black ; feet, dark gray. Birds of Canada. \ \ 5 Podilymbns podiceps.— The Pied-billed Grebe. This species is a common summer resident of Canada. Upper parts, dark brown ; breast and abdomen, grayish-white, mottled with dusky spots. Family PROCELLARID.^. THE PETRELS. Tkalassidroma Leachii. — Leach's Petrel. Leach's Petrel breeds on the sea coast of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Nests, in the crevices of rocks. Lays one pure white o^^'g. The general color of this bird is sooty-brown ; bill and feet, black. Length, eight inches. STORMY PETREL. T. Wilsonii. — Wilson's Stormy Petrel. This Petrel is seven inches in length. Color, deep sooty-black ; tail, green ; wings reaching a Ii6 Birds of Canada. little beyond its tip ; tarsus, one and a half inches in length. Breeds on the small islands off the coast of Nova Scotia. Its habits and gene- ral color are similar to those of Leach's Petrel. This is the bird so much dreaded by sailors as the harbinger of a storm, and to which they have given the name of "Mother Carey's Chicken." It is met with on every part of the ocean, diving or skimming over the surface of the rolling waves of the most tempestuous sea. Captain Sir James Clark Ross, in his Voyage, &c., to the Antarctic Regions, observes that, when in lat. 47° if S., long. 58^ 5v^' E., "we were accompanied on our course by petrels of two or three different kinds. These birds added a degree of cheerfulness to our solitary wanderings, which contrasted strongly with the dreary and unvarying stillness of the tropical region, where not a sea-bird is to be seen, except only in the vicinity of its few scattered islets, which is the more remarkable where the ocean abounds so plentifully with creatures fit for their food." Sub-Family PUFFINUS. Piiffimis cinereus. — Wandering Shearwater. This bird frequents the sea coast of the maritime provinces. Upper parts, deep brown ; lower parts, grayish-white ; bill, yellowish-green ; feet, light greenish-gray ; length, twenty inches. Birds of Canada. u^ Ptiffinus majoK—The Greater Sheanvater. The Greater Shear^vater frequents the extreme eastern coast of Canada. Length, twenty inches; brownish-ash, above ; grayish-white, below bill compressed near the end ; a straight spur in place of a hind toe. Puffinus anglorum.—U^nk's Shearwater. Habitat, the coast of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. Upper parts, brown- ish-black; lower, white; bill, greenish-black Length, fourteen inches. Breeds in burrows ; lays one white Qgg. Ptiffinus obscurus.—Vin^Vy Shearwater. This bird frequents the coast of New Bruns- wick and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Upper tarts, sooty black ; lower, white ; bill, light blue Length, eleven inches. Family ALCID^. Sub-Family Ki^zm^.—The Auks. Alca impennis.—Thz Great Auk. The Great Auk is becoming very rare : a f^^v specimens are occasionally seen on the coast of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. Color : head !• ii8 Birds of Canada. neck, and upper parts, black ; lower parts, white. Nests, on the sand ; eggs, two, reddish- brown. A lea tarda. — The Razor-billed Auk. The Razor-billed Auk is .seventeen inches in length. The general form of this bird is short and heavy ; bill, long ; upper parts, brownish- black ; under parts, white. Frequents the sea coast of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Breeds in the arctic regions. They build no nests, but lay their eggs upon the bare edges of lofty rocks overhanging the sea. Large numbers of these birds are killed on the coast for the sake of their breast feathers. MorinoH glacialis. — Large-billed Puffin. This bird frequents the Bay of Fundy and the sea coast of New Brunswick. Bill and feet, orange-yellow ; sides of the head and lower parts, white ; a dark grayish color extends to the lower mandible. Birds of Canada. 119 ARCTIC PUFFIN. [he :et, er to Mormon arctica. — The Arctic Puffin. This exceedingly quaint looking bird is twelve inches in length. It has a very large bill, which has the appearance of a sheath slipped over both mandibles ; it is curved towards the point, com- pressed vertically, and transversely furrowed on the sides ; the chin and cheeks are white, bor- dered with gray, the latter much puffed up with feathers, which make the head look large and round. The crown of the head and upper part of the plumage are black, and a collar of the 120 Birds of Canada. same color encircles the neck ; the under parts are white, and the legs are orange. The female deposits her single whitish-colored Qgg in a hole dug out and formed in the ground by her mate and herself, or in one ready-made by the rabbits, which they easily dislodge. Puffins are met with on almost all the rocky cliffs on the coasts of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, and on many of the surrounding islands. They are gregarious and migratory. Sub-Family Urin^. — The Guillemots. BLACK GUILLEMOT. Uria grylle. — The Black Guillemot. The Black Guillemot is thirteen inches in length. Color, black ; a white patch on each wing. This bird is a resident of Eastern Canada throughout the year. It breeds on the rocky islands off the coast of New Brunswick ; eggs, three in number, pure white. Birds of Canada. Uria lomvia.~Tho Foolish Guillemot. 121 This species is seventeen inches in length The head, neck, back, wings, and tail, are of a slate color; the breast and abdomen, white. Ihis bird IS very common on the coast of New Brunswick, where they occasionally breed. Uria Bnmszmckii.-h^rge-hiW^d Guillemot. This Guillemot frequents the coast of New Brunswick. Color, above, grayish-black ; abdo- men and edges of the wings, white; bill, black • eet, dusky; eggs, three, bluish-green, laid in the sand. Uria rifigvia.—ThQ Murre. The Murre is the same size as the preceding • upper parts, dark brown, with a tinge of ash • under parts, white. Frequents the coast of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. MergulHs aiie.-Th^ Arctic Sea Dove. This species is only eight inches in lenjjth Color brownish-black, above ; white, benetth.' This bird IS a winter visitor to the sea coa.c of Canada. 16 122 Birds of Canada. SUPPLEMENT, Family PICIDiE. THE WOODPECKERS. Sub-Family PiciN^. Centiirees carolinensis. — The Red-bellied Woodpecker. The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a common summer resident of Canada. It possesses all the active and noisy habits characteristic of its family. Length, ten inches ; color, above, black, crossed with white ; wings, black, tipped with bars of white ; head, neck, and shoulders, glossy red ; cheeks and under sides of the neck, pale buff; breast and abdomen, yellowish-ash, stained with bright red ; legs and feet, bluish-green ; iris, red. Nests, in a hollow limb ; eggs, four, pure white. This species seldom appears about orchards or open grounds ; but it often visits corn fields in search of grain, of which it is particularly fond. Its principal food is insects, which it obtains from decayed trees after the manner of other woodpeckers. INDEX. i. Avoset, American Auk, Great . " Little. " Razor-billed Bittern, Great " Least .' Blackbird, Red-winded Blue Bird . . , Bobolink 'rant . . * jnting. Bay-winged . Black-throated Lapland Snow ({ « Cardinal, or Red Bird Cat Bird Catcher, Oyster " Backman's Oyster Cedar, or Cherry Bird Chat, Yellow-breasted Chatterer, Bohemian Chewink Chikcadee . Coot . Cormorant, Common Crested PAOR 79 117 121 118 74 74 63 29 62 94 53 5S 52 52 60 29 79 79 44 41 43 61 31 90 105 106 124 Index. PAOE Cow Bird .... . 63 Crake, Corn . 90 Crane, Sandhill . • 76 " White • 76 Creeper, American . 33 Black and White . • 34 Crossbill, Red • 51 " White-winged • 51 Crow . 66 Cuckoo, Black-billed . . 12 Yellow-billed . II Curlew, Esquimaux . . U " Long-billed . . 87 Short-billed . . 88 Diver, Great Northern . 113 " Red-throated . 113 Dove, Carolina . 69 Duck, Barrow's . . . . 100 ' Black . . . . 95 * . Black-masked . 102 * Buffle-head TOO * Canvas-back 99 ' Eider . . . , lOl * Eider, or King Eider 102 * Gadwall's Gray 96 * Green-head 94 ' Harlequin 100 * Little Black-head . 99 • Long-tailed, or Old Wife . lOl * Pintail . . . . 95 ' Red-head . , . . 99 ' Ruddy . . . . 102 * Scaup . . . . 98 * Shoveller . . . . 96 (( u Index. Duck, Surf . Whistle-wine " Wood . ; Eagle, Golden . White-he-\ded Finch, Pine . Purple Flycatcher, Canada Great-crested Green Black-cap Least Small-headed Gallinule, Purple Gannet, Common Godwit, Hudsonian " Marbled Goshawk, Goosander Goose, Brown-fronted Canada . Snow White-cheeked White-fronted Grackle, Purple Rusty . Grebe, Crested Horned . ;; Pied-billed " Red-necked Grosbeak, Blue Coot . <( <<