152 The Ottawa Naturalist. Dec. 



THE BIRDS OF OTTAWA. 



By C. W. G. Eifrig. 



The first list of the birds of Ottawa, published by members 

 of the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club, appeared in the third 

 number of the Transactions of the Club, pages 29-34. It was 

 prepared by Messrs. G. R. White and W. L. Scott, and enu- 

 merates, as a result of their observations up to 1881, the sum 

 total of 169 species, four of which were later cancelled 4s erro- 

 neous. The second general list, which was to fix the ornitho- 

 logical knowledge of the district for some time, appeared ten 

 years later, 1891 (Ottawa Naturalist, Vol. V., April, 1891). 

 Additions, migrations and seasonal lists have since been 

 published. 



Then why this new list ? A mmiber of reasons make it desir- 

 able. 1 . Quite a number of additional species have been added 

 since the list of 1891, which enumerates 224 species, the present 

 one 246. 2. The status of quite a number of species has since 

 then been found to be different than given, e.g., many are given 

 as migrants for the district which have since turned out to be 

 summer residents, i.e"., breeders. 3. The surroundings of Ottawa, 

 and therewith the haunts of birds, are being changed so rapidly 

 by man, that it seems desirable to make another record of the 

 favorite localities for birds in the neighborhood as thev existed 

 in the first decade of the twentieth century, before they are no 

 longer recognizable. 4. Many of the present members of the 

 Club do not possess those early volumes, and manv have re- 

 peatedly requested the writer to prepare a new list. Besides, 

 it is a labor of love for the writer, who during six years spent all 

 available leisure time in the study of the birds of the region. 

 Never will those delightful hours and days be forgotten, when, 

 whether in the fields or swamps, or woods, or on the lakes of the 

 district, the birds furnished him with varied and interesting 

 experiences, and allowed him many a glimpse into the wonders 

 and mysteries of nature. 



The members of the Club who reside at Ottawa, of course, 

 know the topography of the region around the city and even 

 casual visitors to the Capital ate filled witli pleasant recollections 

 when hearing names like Britannia, Aylmer, Rockcliffe, Experi- 

 mental Farm, etc., favorite resorts for Ottawans in the neighbor- 

 hood, where also many of the observations recorded in this 

 list were made. But, for the ever-increasing number of members 

 living far from Ottawa, I quote from the introduction of the 

 second Hst, pp. 31-32: "The district covered by this list is 

 embraced within a circle of thirtv miles radius, with the citv of 



