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The tiret object of the Elora Natural lisiory Society is, as its name implieB, promotion of the study of the nature nd habits of the flowers, the beasts, he fishes, and the birds found in this Do»lity. Having this fact before me, nd knowing that the lield is not exhaust- d, and is really almost inexhaustible, I lave determined in the j^rosent paper, ind probably iu one ^r two otbcrs to fol- ow it, to attempt o, riipid review of the Jrnithology of Elorn and its neighbor- 100(1. In doing this ns succiutly as >ossible, without snorilicing clearness to brevity, I shall avoid obetruse technica- lities, although, it must be confessed, it would be diiKcult to thorougbJy enter upon the study of Ornithology without, a knowledge of the names and terms which have become the common pro- perty of naturalists the world over, and by an acquaintance with which the habits, classification and general charac- teristics of any new addition to the realms of science can bo written down in a short-hand understandable by the students of tvcry land. It is necessary however, to refer to the fact that orni- Vt» ^liWftlrt t»Bi-i. . ^ f •»,.. 4ilii' ' .- 14 thologislB bavo agreed upon a common nomenclature which briefly doacribes the leading peculiarities of each member of the foatherod kingdom, und that the kingdom itself baB been divided in Huch fashion tliiii It is an easy matter to place each subject of u in his own particular portion of it. Thus with birds we have divisions into orders, sub-ordcrs, families ftnd sub-familips, as with man we have races, nations, tribes and families. Let us take a single illustration of the utility of this. If I tell you tlmt som,. gord- looking fellow or other is Yorkshire Smith, you know at once that ho is of the Smith family, the Yorkshire tribe the English nation, and the Caucasian race. So with birds. The order con- taining the most numerous members is that of i«.sc««,;n';<, the Perchers. One of Its sub-orders is that of O.cli,,;, the Singers. One of its families is that of Turdi,h.e, the Thrushes, and its sub- family is that of ^lunh,^, the Mockers. A well-known member of this sub-fflmily 18 Turdiu f,'livo.r, the Cat J3ird. Now what is suggested by these apparently hard names, which, after all, are just as simpleas Jones or Brown, when, with a little mental labor, you become acquaint- ed with them ? The student knows at once that this bir.l has a voice like a cit 18 a mocking bird, is a thrush, that thrushes are singers, and that singers are perohers. Without seeing tie bird, lie oould tell you the formation of its feet give a good guess at ils gei.eral appear- auce, pronounce pretty correctly as to its food, its habits, its nests, and upon everything but its exact color and pecu- liarities. He would find, on reference to books, that it is also termed Turdm Uvulus, and in this manner he would be able to determine its color. In other words, the German student of Ornitho- logy would, from these two names, be able to inform you that the Amciioau Cat Bird imitates the .songs of other birds. and is himself a singer, that he feeds' upon insects and their lal•v«^ that ho lives upon trees, that he nests in bushes near the ground, that the nest contains rom four to .six eggs, that they are of a bluish green color, an.t that the bird him- self 18 of ashy hue ; and couM toll yu« nearly as much about our lively little friend as the American student who had listened to his clieerfui notes, and watch, ed his merry gambols in forest glades or gar.ien shrubbery. I have mentioned o.iO of the leading orders into which birds are divided, and I will now enu- merate them according to the arrange, ment most commonly observed The plan ordinarily followed pbices Uuptorei, the Robbers, or Birds of Prey, at the bead of the liKt, and this term o.-vers '-•rtgles, hawks, buzzards, owls, Jtc. Then we have .Sf,(/,,s„r,-», the Climbers, such as tlie cuckoos and woodpeckers. Then follow ln.,,HMrr>,, the Perchers, including nearly the wh.,lG of our small birds Another order is that of Iiu.iore,, the Scratchars, under which are ranged cur domestic fowls, as well as doves, grouse partri.lges and turkeys. Grallator,',. iho' Waders, come next, and are the herons bitterns, plovers, .snipes, suiidpii-ers,' rails. Ac. Then we have Xaiutore,. or Swimmers, such as ducks, geese, gulls, grebes and loons. .Some give another division, the Kunners, and describe the Swimmers as t),e Pulm or Hand. footed or Webbed. Again we hp.ve an addition of the Screamers. But the more com- mon cla8sifi,.,iti„u_.and it seems to ad- mirablj nnswer the intended purpose- in tlmt which I have .lescnbed. So much by way of preliminary observnlion In this neighborh(,od we Uavo few birds of prey, a comparatively y.mnU number of scrntchers, waders and swimmers some climbers, and many perchers.' Lpon the present occasion I shall confine myself to a notice of some of the repre- sentatives of the divisjpiiB affording us most material. Firstly, l.t us look at our Climb..rs. A peculiar characteristic of ti.is order is the fact that the toes are in pairs, t\,o toes being in front and two ,. THE LIBRARY I^MVERSIIY OF GUELPh ■p.:m^ I 411^.^. 15. behind, tbo outer untcrior uno being UHtially directed backwards. Of this order the most prominent family is that of PicidiB, the Woodpeckers. One of tbo most conspicuous of tboso is the red- lieBded, black-winged woodpecker, or Picks eri/thiocephahtf. This bird was much more often seen a few years ago, when bush covered the country, than now, but is still found in sufficient num- bers to be familiarly known to all lovers of nature. It is slightly larger than the Hairy Woodpecker, to be soon noticed, and is easily distinguished by tho bright crimson covering of its hu.-.d and neck. Its wings are black, and are crossed with a broad band of white. It arrives here about tho middle of May, and nests in a hole, excaTated in a tree, fourteen inches or so in depth, and tapering gradually to its mouth. The eggs, fivH in number, are perfectly white. Some members of this variety remain during winter at odd times, but they are seldom seen here at that season. Generally, the red-headed woodpecker leaves for the soutli in early October. CtlnptcK aitratiis, the golden- winged woodpecker, or the Pigeon Wood- pecker, and often known us the Flicker, from its peculiar cry when alighting on a tree, is ormmon in this locality. It >vill be familiar to every boy as the High- holder. It is one of the most attractive of tho family, and is beautifully marked. The male has a black patch on each side of the cheek, a red patch.crescent shaped, on the neck, yellow tail featLers, and a bright yellow coloring on tho lower surface of the wings, while the back in brown and ftriped with black. Tlie ex- treme length of the bird is about twelve inches. The uest is in a hole perforate i by the birds in a tree, and contains six eggs, pure white iu color. Tho Flicker feeds upon insects, berries, seeiis and fruit, arrives nbout tho 20th April, and loaves late in the fall. Two other niembe.-s of the woodpecker family are yet to be no- ticed. The le are tho Hairy Woodpecker and the Downy Woodpecker. The latter is almost an esact counterpart of the other, excepting in size, tho hairy oen- tlomau being tho larger of the two. This bird, Pit-US ritlnniis, is about nine Inches long, is prettily marked with black and white, has a bright scarlet or orange patch on tho back part of his head, divided by a band of black running from the crown, and lakes his name from loose feathers on iiis back resembling hairs, and which give him at times an appearance of raggednesa and a tendency to dissipation, of which, I feel sure, he is not guilty. He has hairs about hid beak, too, although not "bearded like a pard." The female is destitute of the red marking, but is otherwise like the male. The Downy Woodpecker, Piciw puht-;icens, has a siiniliar red marking on the nape, but it is undivided by the blaik baud,and he bears a striking likeness to his big brother, even in the markings on wings and head. Both of these birds feed up- on insects and InrviE, and nest in holes in trees which they cleverly work with tlieir bills when necessary. The female Hairy Wuodpecker deposits five perfectly white eggs, and the Downy Woodpecker six, of similar appearance, but of smaller size. These birds remain with us " all the year round," and may often be seen in our gardens and door-yards auring the winter. My family have hung bon.s up- on a lilac tree near tho kitchen door since snow fell, and placed chopped suet and cooked meat upon a board on a fence be- neath it, nnd this good cheer is regularly visited every day by male birds of both varieties, and wo look in the morning, as a master of course, for Mr. Villosus, who must have the first pickings of tlie table, being the big brother, and for Mr. Pubes- cens, who invarinbly follows him, to as early a breakfast as they can get. They feed several times auring the day, but with greatest punctuality in early morn- ing, and just lefore sunset. Mr. Fen- wick has made similar provision for feathered fiiends, and has similar guests daily. I. is amusing to observe the !*>.. ASi.^. 17 caution with which thooo birds uppronoh their meal, luid the coutiilenco which they disfiluy when tliey Imve found it, and thiH Hi'jht iilorip i» anijilp return !or the little trouble inourrid in huuKinf.; u)) boiioH olhervviHf UBeleBs. There are ctlicr meiuliers of this winter Kurden purt.v, of whom I BhalJ tpeiik bye and bye. Be- fore (liHmiHBing the Climbers, I must uotiee the fuct timt the bluck-billed Cuckoo ia hometimeti seen here, although he Ik not, I tliink, a common visitor. Ho ia about twelve inchew in extreme length, KreeniHli (divo in col.ir, jiure white be- ne.vlli, witli unihirVurl'aco of tail feathers ash urcy. He fre(iuents our orchur'ls, and ia a gnat iuHeot deHtroyer. I oh- werved onelclosely lawr. Hummer 'in my Sardeu, but ho did not take up permanent residence there, and paid flying visitB only for a few Bummrr days. He does not Hound cnck-coo m does his English namesake. Samuels, in hiw book on •'Birds of Now England," correctly di'S- eribes his song as a continued " Krow- krow krow krow ; kru-kir, kru-kir, km kir." Unlike the European Cuckoo, the female American Cuckoo builds a nest, and lays four eggs therein, of a dark greenish-blue. I am sorry to record the fact that t)ic Cuckoo is a destroyer of t)io oKi-'H and young of other birds, but, for- tunately, ho IB a great coward, and is easily driven off by Robins, Blue Birds, and 1 ven the little Chick-a-dee. In this roBpect he is not unlike other loud- nmutlied liuUios and rogues, without feathers, who break into quiet-people's liouses, and are easily driven off by the slightest oisplay of pluck. Coming to the Innexsores, or Perchers, wo find Ihcni distinguished l)y three toes in front and one behind, but never with t'vo toes' directed backwards as in thi Climbers The hind too is described as siniil r to the thumb or inner too of the mtinimuls, and is generally short. Wlien we redect upon the different habits of the two orders, thulwisdom of this arrange- ment is lit v.'UCOHeen, The general title. I Perchers, given t„ this class is somewhat VHgiie, as it uii^:h*, with a show of juw- tice, b« e(iually applied to the Birds of Prey, lo the . crutctjers, tlin W.ulor-;. ami even Hoiue..f tiie SwiniiMers,biit Samuels points out thai in the Perchers proper, tlie cJawH are le.t reiractilo, as in birds of prey, iw.r is the hi;id toe situate "luch, if any, above the level of Iho others, as in the various orders just named. In a r. view of the Perchers, an immense field is at once opened up to us, and viduines might again be written as they have betn in the past, descriptive of its .lumberless beauties, but on th(f pre- sent occasion, I ahall limit myflelf to a description of a few of the most com- monly known of them. I have nlreany spoken of winter parties of birds, (iml these are generally made up of the Wood- peckers mentioned and the Perchers, members of tVe family Paridas, tho black-capped Titmouse, and the white aud rod-bellied Nuthatches. Everybody knows tho first of these, the niniblo little "chick-a-dee," with tho cheerful little song wuich gives him his name. Correctly speaking ho is Parun jmlustris- —swamp tUmouPo— or tho black-capped titmouse. You may easily recognize him by his black head and throat, ashy back, brownish white sides, and white under Dart.s. In the depths of the woods about the lumberman's shanty, in tho forest where the swinging ase is cuttijig out a home, in the sugar bush where the mr.plo Bap is running its riches into tho wooden trough, in the door yards where crumbs and refuse bits ar ; thrown, about the wood.pile, amongst tho apple trees in summer and winter, the little black cap is rogularlyfto be fonml, and is as wel- come as his simnio song is sweet and attractive. Tie is the most confiding of our visitor.'!, and f.hould be as sacredly rcspeiitod by ttie Canadian, as tho Robin R,.ll«reast is bv the KngJishm'in. But a few weeks apo, I saw \n illustration jf his trustfulness. Associating with wooil- peckers and nuthatches, two pairs of 'M. tuitt- 16 liluuk'Caps visited the back-dojr of lujr rfcHidunco U> obkain a Hiijjjily of f.Kul, mill bo frca (ri)m fonr v/tre tLfjy thiU tln'y frequently aliKlitud upon tlio hiiiiJx of uiy wife ftud dftUfjbterH, ub tboy did upon my own, and puuked tiway at a ft^aul of Hu«t theio provided for thciu. Due bird died from the nffeetH of tbo Bovorc utorui of the 9tb of January, but tbo threu survivuis, one of v.-hom we call "tbn widower, "come repoatoJly evory day, and are tamer tban caged birds. Tho nu'hatchoa and woodpeckerH are moro cautious, and keep at wbat they reKa'd as safer diritanco, but even they will remain within u few feet while their food is being placed in rcarlineBS for them. Tha Black-cap builds in a hole in a Btump, and lays from six to ten et'^'s which are nearly white, with reddHih brown marking at the greatei- end. Sitta earolinciuis, tho White-btUiod Nuthatch, in another of this friendly winter group, and is probably tho moHt active, as he 1" certainly the most Rreedy of the com- pany. From early morn to frosty eve he is on the v^iug, or ruunint,' from top to bottom of wood piles and trees, and is a most industrious destroyer of insoct.s. These he and the titmouse find in winter in the shape of bark lice upon apple trees, and thousai'ds are devoured by them in the course of a short time. Such entomologists are amongst tbo gardener's best friends, and he should do mucli to attract them to his orchard. You know the Nuthatch by his sharp bill, which is us long as his head, his short broad tail, his ashy biuo back black head and throat, and w)iito waist coat. His b.nuth is aboat six inches. He is similar to the woodpecker in his habits, is closely allied to that family, and builds in an eicavation in % tree. The female Nuthatch lays six eggs, fif a du 1 white or rosi.jfewhite color, with small spots and dashes of light red. When 8leeping,ho turns head downwards and clings to the bark of a tree, or upon a wall with his sharp claws. The red- bellied Nuthatch is nearly like the white-bellied varioty, di.Tering only in his rufous colored under parts. Itoth remain wiih us during the whole year, although they may bo more frei|uently found in the forest than near hinuan dwellings in sunnner, and both are amongst the most valuable of our in- sectivorous birds. Let us now turn for a few nioments to an examination of some members of tho sub-order Onciiuc, tlie Hinging Birds, of wliicu we have one of tho nu)st interesting families in Turdula, iho Thrushea. I have already mentioned the sub-family Minuiue, the Mockers. Of these, tho two best known to us, and which I shall mention on this occasion are Tiirdui Uuftig, tho Brown Thrush and Turdun J'eiivox, the Cat Bird. Tho Brown Thrush, more com- monly spoktn of as tho Brown T.. rasher, is about eleven inches long, ciiuiainon red in upper portions, with a lighter shade, streaked with brown, below, and arrives hero about the last of Apr.l in ordinary seasons. Tho nest is to be found in a low bush, and sometimes upon the ground, at the foot of a shrub or wild vine, and n(!ar to swamps or streams. Tho eggs are 'rom four t>. six, of a green- ish or dirty white, and plentifully sprinkled with brown. Dr. Uoas. I may rt mark, describes the Color lull buff. The Thrasher is one of oui sweetest (•inaeis, and oro of tho most active in his movements, bat although he is classed with tho Mocking Birds it is doubtful whether he reiillj imitates. He is a determined enemy to the cut worms, nnd every gardo.tr should therefore bid him welcome as a valuable assistant in tlie removal of one of our most obnoxious insect pests. Ho leaves Canada about the first of Octob»'r, wintering in southern latitudes. Our other Mocker is TurUns felivox, the Cat Bird, who, next to the Bobin, ia the best known of our Thrushes. He is not so large as the Thrasher, being 18 abuut niue inches in length, und in Ionh cwisfijctiouB frcin pluinuK*' iiavinj? u dull load coliir, with wingw ho JarU Irown ah to nppenr like a ditty black. Tho Cut ilird arrives about thu naiddlu of May, und Kfiuurally roiuains uoor HctllcriiontH, ttppart'utly deliKhted in tho protecti n afforded by tho near neighborliood of man, although coy and Hhy enon{j;li in his procouoe. The nest is a funny col- lection of all the oddB and endn in the vicinity, aithoii^Oi fiuislied with work- niaidike skill," und cluvrrly linod with fine f!rn»s or hair. 1 have Been old rags, bitH of string, piecen of nowspaperR, audi rope'H end, worked up with (stickH, grass and strips of bark in one of these con- Btruotions. The egps are four and some- times five in number, of a deep ))right green color, and more ovate in form than those of tho Robin. The Cit Bird, if not ft sweet singtr, is at least a noisy one, and is especially busy in early mfirning and evening. His imitative powers are really great, and it ih difficult ♦o detect the difference between his as- sumed notes and thoRe of the bird for the moment represented. He is espe- oislly at home in imitati( n of the Itobin, and T have seen a Ont Bird sui^lci'^utly ambitions to attempt the song of tame Canaries hung in a garden, and near whoso cage he perched himself, but I am in honor bound to confess, althouyh I do it somewhat reluctanlly, that his cfToit in that direction was a si;,'nal failure. His plaintive cry, so like the mew of a cat as to give him his name, is peculiarly bin own, and has deceived thousands into the belief tliat the sounds proceeded from an unfortunate pussy in a despondent state of mind. You may of.en hear it when walking in the woods, and approaching the vicinity of tho Cat Bird's nest. It may be used, and I be- lieve that it is, for the purpose of dis- tracting the intention of the intruder and generally sncceeds in that object, unless you are acquainted with the liabitH of tho bird, I have known two broods to be raised in one season, and this is the rule, I think, but Cat birds are, nevertheless, not nearly so nunicroua as Rollins. Early in October the Cat Bin: goea south, where he spends his winters. --The sweetest singer of tho Thrnsh family i;< Titrdiis mihuht^, the Song Thrush, which arrives in Canada shortly bofon> the Queen's Birthday in favorable soasons, und tpeedily buiidh a nest in some low bush in the deep woods, in which four light-blue eegs are deposit' ed. A htt'e over eight inches in length, the Song Thrush is in color a light ciiinanum brown, sliglitly leaninp tn rcil on the top of the head, and white, tinged with brown, on the under parts. Ho sings at early dawn and early twilight, and continues his song witli energy on dull days preceding storms of rain. Ho is generally fcunid near running water, and in tho .shelter of tho thiek bush. He may often bo seen in our Cascudn Woods, and adds much to the uUraetivc ness of a walk through th' ir wclconi.? shades. Ho leaves us for the south in October, taking his departure bi^forc tli'j Robins. Another well-known singer is Turitits solitariiiK, the n'Tiuif ThnisJi, sometimes called the Swiinip Robin, whose habits ana general appearance are so similar to those of the bird juat described, that they are frequently mi.s- taken for each other. It nests in bushes or upon tho ground, tho eggs being blue in color and unspotted. Tho Olivn- backcd Thrush is another member of this family not frequently seen here, and, tts its nan-e implies, is of an olive brown color, fwith a decided shade of greeu. Its eggs differ from those of the Hermit Thrush, being of a greenish blue, and slightly spotted with dots and blotches of reddish brown. It prefers tho uplands to the swamps, and is a great insect feeder. I now come to the best known of our Thrushes, and the last to which I shall call your attention, our old and valuable friend, Turdus uiiiiraturioun, tho 19 lloliiii. Ifirt vdicf Hinl f(]riu urc fiiiiilrir from ffiulKdii'H Hay Ui tin (tiiif i>f iMaxico, tniui Nova Heutiii to H i^i^li Colinubi<>. Ni'ud I iloncrihc liim? Is thrro oni) here who linH not 1 olail ml- niiriiiK'l.v iiiion iiis juiiii l,rowii ccjiit mi. I KlowiiiK red veHt, who 1ms not lu'iiul Ihm widcomo cluicklo in nprin^f wh(>n t):c ground hiiBhtill hi'cii (mpvcmmI, Ik rr n\„\ tlioio. with Know, wliu hfts not 1, milled nt liiH liiittlcB Willi tbo woikih lllll.'n^,'st lilt' (iroen grftss and i.;oldfii diuidchons, who Lrt8 not enjoyed tlm miiicy cock of his finely rouiulea heiid, and ntio Imw not wiUched him rashinK njurii'y thi:ui).'h » sen of apple blogsoiuH, the vt'iy pcisonili- ciitlon if ro:iicll then balance accounts be- l«-en fruit eiiirn ainl fruit preserved fn ill tho rav,i|.Ts of gnib and cat. rpilliir iilid gJM. our foathcMl fii.iid the briient of the reRull. ill incieat^ed ware ami lexn iininioHity. l',,,f. Treadw.il, „f Cnm- bridi.'.< Uiiiveihity, .Nfas^., .let. rmiii-d t» siitisfy hliii-^ilf u;jon this p.dnl, and for this purpiHc t.H.k two youii).' r.d.iiis from th.'ir ncHt, inteiiiHng to bring them up ly band. i;,,ch weighed tw.iily.tivo lMiiii,vwei|.'lits, and they were both plump luid slronR. The first night he gavo thre.> wf.rms to each of thein. Next day he iTicieased the quantity to ten .■iicli, but feiireil that he wns overfeeding llieni. and so on the third day dectrased the supply to eight. One sickene.l, grew f.rble, and di.d. The Professor open, d it, and found tlie bird .ntiiely empty and wisely excluded that it liad died "from want of. fond. He gnve an incrensed number of worms lo the s-urviving bird, iiMowiiiR it on the fourth day lifteen worms, on the fifth twenty four, on the sixth twenty five, on the seventh thirty, and ..n th.' .ighth thirty-one. I'his iinniber seemed ii.suiricieiit as the bird was losing plumpness and weight. Ho thf ref.ire adde.l a supply rf raw meat, siind anil gravel. On tb.' eleventh day he gave forty worms, weighing twentypenny- weights, but the bird .-liU fell off, and it was not until the fourteenth day, when the young ll.dijn ato sixty-eight worms, or thirty. live pennyweights, that ho be- gan to increase in weight. The l.ngtb of these worms, laid end to end, was about fourteen feet, or ten times the length of tho intestines of the bird. Tin littlo devourer ate forty-one per cent more thfin Ins own weight in twenty- four hours. At tho samo rate, how many worms would a pair of robins require for a i;est of young ones during a summer's day ? Two liundrod and fifty daily, or, bettor still, their equivalent in tho shape of insects or their larvre. As the Prt->- fesaor oftlculates, this would need a worm, i;f''^/*w»'.. 90 or ltd ei|iiiviil(nt,ovt'fy two and two-lifthi minuteB for ten huiiri Rup|ily,in additiou to tbo fooJ ('(iiiHnined hy tlir [larniit l)i»dH thoins(>lvi!8. I iicod ftild iiothiiiK to jirovo the tiHtfiilnoMM of l}i() IXi.hiu dm un iuoect (leHtroyor, uud wJmt hns Lttii told of him might 1)1' told of evtry othci hii.i uoticod by mo in thin pajpor. In thcHO fuita, have wo n. t tho ftronnt'Ht iioHhibhi argumontB in favor of the Htrict euforce- meut of tho Iftw cnboti'd for tho jirotec- tioii of our inHoctivoroUH ljirdn, nnd in it not tho duty of oviry good (;itizen to aid in BijcinK it faithfully curriud out ? Willi th'jHu ijuoetiona, I oloae my pre- Bent romnrks upon thin Hubiocl, but hope to return to it at Homo futuro meeting, if you npproTO and opportunity offflrs.