1911] The Ottawa Naturalist. 187 



common summer resident. One never needs to be in doubt 

 whether it has arrived in the spring or not, for its caU, chebec, 

 hurled out in a somewhat scratchy voice, heralds its presence 

 plainly enough. This is in the latter half of May (11th to 17th), 

 and may be heard in any of our city streets lined with large trees. 

 It leaves in July and early August (10th), the remarkable fall of 

 1909 again being an exception, when one was seen as late as 

 September 14th. 



ALAUDID.^ larks. 



141. Otocoris alpestris, Horned Lark. A rare migrant, 

 although when it comes at all it will, locally and temporarily, be 

 abundant. The writer has never met with this bird here, 

 despite careful looking for it. In 1890 a flock remained from 

 April 19th to May 25th, and again from September 26th to 

 October 28th. 



141. Otocoris alpestris praticola, Prairie Horned Lark. A 

 common spring and summer resident and abundant migrant. 

 This is our earliest arrival from the south, as early as February 

 10th. The bulk of the species come in the first part of March, but 

 by the end of that month these flocks have again moved on or 

 have scattered, into breeding pairs. Nests with eggs may be 

 found in old meadows, etc., as early as March 28th, and fully 

 fledged young in May. It is thus the earliest breeder of our 

 common perching birds. In summer they make themselves less 

 apparent. The latest dates for fall migrants are: November 22nd, 

 1908; January 12th, 1909, when one was seen. 



CORVID^ CROWS, jays, ETC. 



143. Cyanocitta cristata, Blue Jay. A moderately common 

 resident, although most of them m.ove southward for the winter. 

 Their number, for a certain locality, changes from season to 

 season. Mrs. R. D. Brown noticed them fifteen times in January, 



1908, but only four times from November 1st, 1908 to March 21st, 



1909. In April it is locally abundant. 



144. Perisoreus canadensis , Canada Jay; Meat Bird. This 

 inhabitant of the northern woods makes the Ottawa River the 

 southern boundary of its range, rarely, even in winter, going far 

 south of it. It is a moderately common resident in the northern 

 parts of the district. At the farm houses along the Gatineau and 

 Lievre it is a daily visitor in winter, especially at butchering 

 time. It nests even earlier than the Prairie Horned Lark, 

 namely in February and March, when the thermometer is often 

 far below zero. For an account of its fearlessness or rather 

 greediness for food, see The Ottawa N.\turalist, vol. XXIL, 

 p. 65. ^ 



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