156 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Dec. 



A none too rare migrant, probably commoner than suspected. It 

 occurs on the river in April and May and again from September 

 to November. A number are brought every autumn into the 

 market by rivermen. On November 25th, 1908, two were caught 

 in nets on the river and kept alive on the market for several days. 



3. Colymbiis auritus, Horned Grebe. A moderately com- 

 mon summer resident. Breeds on Kettle Island, in cat -tail 

 sloughs, and similar bays in the river and on lakes. Earliest 

 date of arrival April 10th; latest date, October 27th. 



4. Podilymbtis podiceps, Pied-billed Grebe; Dipper. A 

 common summer resident. Earliest date of arrival, April 6th 

 (1909); latest, November 7th. Breeds in similar places as the 

 preceding species. By virtue of its diving ability it is able to 

 keep out of .sight much longer than its abundance warrants. 



GAVIID^ LOONS. 



5. Gavia imber, Loon. A moderateh' common summer resi- 

 dent, which arrives as soon as the ice begins to open up in the 

 rivers, about April 20th, but sometimes before, as in 1908 one 

 was seen on March 25th. They are usually gone by the middle 

 of November, when their favorite resorts, the lakes to the north 

 of us, are freezing over, but in 1905 one was seen as late as 

 December 18th. By May 24th they usually have their set of 

 two eggs laid. This bird is a great ornament to our lakes and 

 its shooting for sport or pastime should in every way be 

 discouraged . 



6. Gavia stellata. Red-throated Loon. A very rare acci- 

 dental visitor. The last and only daie for Ottawa is November 

 12th, 1885, when a young female was shot by Mr. T. R. 

 CoUrsoUes. 



ALCID^ AUKS, MURRES AND PUFFINS. 



7. Fratercula arctica, Puffin. This queer-looking marine 

 bird is also a rare accidental visitor. The only one recorded 

 from here was shot in October, 1881. 



8. Uria lomvia, Brunnich's Murre. The record of this bird, 

 a northern marine species, is a strange and interesting one. It 

 was first noticed in this vicinitv November, 1887, near Papineau- 

 ville (G. White), but in December. 6-12, 1897, it came to Ottawa 

 in numbers for the first time. Since then the bird comes almost 

 every year, and about the same time. In 1907, they began to 

 arrive on November 25th, but in 1908 the first ones, 400-500, 

 were seen on December 19th. The bulk of these flights seems 

 to be heading towards the Great Lakes via the Rideaii River, 

 and lakes; the remainder presumably towards James Bay. 

 Probably none of these birds ever get back to their native sea 

 coast; they are picked up dead and dying in the country 

 traversed bv them. Thev die of starvation. Whv thev should 



