1910] The Ottawa Naturalist. 21 



district at the same season; as stated, they were most common 

 at Ottawa in April, whereas in this district they were seen in 

 enormous flocks early in March. They frequented orchards and 

 meadows overgrown with weeds. I examined the crop of one 

 and found it to be filled largely with the seeds of Amaranthus sp. 



Meadow-larks are not in this district strictlv migatory; a 

 few individuals are to be seen during the winter frequenting 

 stock yards and other sheltered spots. In the winter of 1908-09, 

 during the colder periods, I found seven of these birds frozen to 

 death in a barley stack. 



Another bird that was more than usually abundant was the 

 Bohemian Waxwing. These birds were to be seen in large flocks 

 during the v/inter. They move rapidly from spot to spot, pro- 

 ducing a loud whirring sound with their wings, each bird taking 

 flight at the same instant and alighting with the same wonderful 

 precision. They are attracted to the berries of the Mountain 

 Ash, descending in clouds upon the trees and removing everv 

 berry. They then descend to the ground and pick up what has 

 been shaken down. 



E. P. Venaples, Vernon. B.C. 



Birds of Alberta. In the October number of The Ottawa 

 Naturalist, appears a list of birds of central Alberta, by Mr. S. 

 S. Stansell, and in the contemporary numiber of the Auk, there 

 is a similar list with more complete notes, by the same writer. 

 Neither of these two lists agree with my experience in those dis- 

 tricts, nor do they agree with each other, and I would suggest a 

 revision of the remarks made in regard to the following species: 



American Golden-Eye, "Very rare." In the Auk this is 

 stated to be quite common, which it doubtless is in themigrations 

 and probably breeds in som.e numbers. 



Rusty Blackbird, "Most common Blackbird." In the Auk 

 it is stated that this species is outnumbered by Brewer's Black- 

 bird and this is doubtless true, although both of them should be 

 fairly numerous. 



White-winged Crossbill, "Common breeder." In the Auk 

 this species is marked "Once seen." Doubtless this bird is con- 

 siderably irregular in the West, as in the East, and it is altogether 

 probable that it may breed in that territory. 



Evening Grosbeak, "Quite common breeder." Stated in 

 the Auk to be quite rare. The latter remark is probal)ly correct. 



Gray-crowned Leucosticte, "Abundant winter visitor." 

 Stated in the Auk to be quite rare. This is probably an irregular 

 species whose nitinbers will vary in different seasons. 



Nelson's Sparrow, "Once seen." The note in the Auk reads. 



