226 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Mar. 



, coarse grass and weeds along a wet meadow adjoining the Met 

 Bleue at Carlsbad Springs, and on August 8th, 1907, one was 

 seen in a similar place along the railway ditch near Blackburn. 

 Another one was seen in the little swamp hole at the entrance 

 to Beaver Meadow from the Aylmer Road. Its coarse note is 

 unmistakable. 



231. Telmatodytes palustris, Long-billed Marsh Wren. A 

 common summer resident in larger cat-tail swamps. Along 

 Cranberry Creek near Osgoode, many of its globular nests are 

 to be seen in the cat -tails. On June 23rd, 1905, two out of 

 twelve nests investigated contained six eggs each. 



CERTHIID.^ CREEPERS. 



232. Certhia jamiliaris americana, Brown Creeper. A com- 

 mon migrant and rare breeder. On certain days, as on April 

 17th, 1908. many may be seen on the trees in the city, laboriously 

 clambering upward. Such days mark the climax in their inigra- 

 tion, which in some years starts March 12th. They breed in 

 swampy woods, where there are large trees. The south-bound 

 migration ends about October 18th. Winter records are: 

 December 8th, 1883; February 18th. and December 5th, 1885 



SITTID^ NUTHATCHES. 



233. Sitta carolinensis, White-breasted Nuthatch. This 

 well known bird, so common in most places, is far from common 

 in our district, although it would be difficult to assign a satis- 

 factory reason for this. It is a resident species, which does not 

 preclude a certain amount of roaming about ; they may be 

 commoner for a day or two, even in the city. In summer they 

 must be called rare. At the "Pines," Ottawa East, they were 

 seen 23 times from November 1st, 1908, to March 21st! 1909, 

 whereas only three times in the three summer months of 1907. 



234. Sitta canadensis, Red-breasted Nuthatch. Of about 

 the same status as its congener. But, whereas carolinensis 

 prefers deciduous woods, canadensis frequents the evergreen 

 forests, and is therefore more numerous in the northern part of 

 our district. The bulk of the species migrate. 



PARID. TITMICE. 



235. Penthestes atricapillus, Chickadee. This jolly little 

 bunch of feathers is a common permanent resident with us, 

 although often strangely rare in summer. It is commonest at 

 migration time and in some winters, when it will even come into 

 the city. During the winter of 1907-08 Mrs. Brown saw the 

 Chickadee seventy times, while only nine times in the following 

 winter. During mild winters this and similar species are often 

 strangely absent, and common in severe winters. 



