98 



The Canadian Field-Naturalist 



[Vol. XXXIV. 



NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 



A 1919 CHRISTMAS CENSUS FOR TORONTO AND 

 OTTAWA. 1 he Bird-Lore Christmas Census is well 

 known. With a view to adding two more Canadian 

 localities to the 1919 census, an excursion was made 

 at Toronto on December 24th, and one at Ottawa, 

 on December 26th. 



Unfortunately the lists were submitted too late 

 to be included in Bird-Lore, but as they give an 

 idea of the bird population of the two places at al- 

 most the same time, they may be of interest. 



Toronto, Ontario, route from High Park to 

 Grenadier Pond, along shore of Lake Ontario to 

 Humber Valley, up river and return by Bloor 

 Street; December 24th; 1 p.m. to 4.30 p.m.; 5 

 inches snow; snowfall 1.5 inches; wind north-west 

 25 to 21 miles per hour; temperature 18.5 to 14.7 

 degrees F. ; about 8 miles on foot ; observers to- 

 gether. 



Herring Gull 7, Loon 2, Chicadee 11, Hairy 

 Woodpecker 1, (perhaps 2) Horned Grebe (?) 1, 

 American Meganser 1, Black-backed Gull 1, Duck 

 (?) 1, Scaup Duck I, Song Sparrow 2, Tree Spar- 

 row 1, Crossbill (?) 1, Redpoll I. Total species 

 about 13; individuals about 31. 



Observers: Stuart L. Thompson and Hoyes 

 Lloyd. 



Ottawa, Ontario, to Hull, Quebec, Fairy Lake 

 and return; December 26th; 12.45 p.m. to 4.45 

 p.m.; wind south-east; average velocity 10 miles 

 per hour; temperature 15 degrees F. ; about 5 miles 

 on foot ; observers together. 



Chicadees 3, Pine Siskin 58, Ruffed Grouse 2, 

 Redpoll 7, Pine Grosbeak 1 5 ; Total species 5, in- 

 dividuals 85. 



Observers: H. I. Smith, L. D. Burling, and 

 Hoyes Lloyd. 



Such lists become of value in proportion to the 

 number of them from all parts of the country and 

 conclusions upon isolated lists must of course be 

 made with caution. 



The greatest number of species recorded from 

 Toronto is due to the presence of various water- 

 fowl, some of which may almost always be found 

 on Lake Ontario. The Grebe and the Merganser 

 were seen close under the shore ice, where they 

 seemed to be endeavouring to escape the strong off 

 shore wind and driving snow. The Loons were 

 found just outside the mouth of the Humber River, 

 which was frozen over. 



Perhaps the Black-backed Gull should be ques- 

 tioned. However, it appeared large in comparison 

 with the Herring Gulls and the mantle was very 



dark. 



There is no doubt about the Song Sparrow. 



They were in their favorite winter haunt, a Cat- 

 tail marsh. On the two other occasions when I 

 have noted these birds at Toronto in winter they 

 were found in the shelter of marsh vegetation. 



The Ottawa list has fewer species; consisting 

 strictly of winter birds; although weather condi- 

 tions made the day much more favourable for ob- 

 servation. The routes traversed at Toronto and 

 Ottawa are comparable; but there was no body of 

 open water at Ottawa. 



The flocks of Siskins were the most striking fea- 

 ture. They were feeding upon the abundant crop 

 of cedar seeds. The Pine Grosbeaks and Redpolls 

 were the first noted by me at Ottawa last winter. 



Hoyes Lloyd. 



Teaching bird protection by motion pic- 

 tures. The Dominion Parks Branch of the De- 

 partment of the Interior in co-operation with the 

 Exhibits and Publicity Bureau of the Department 

 of Trade and Commerce and the Biological Di- 

 vision of the Geological Survey, is endeavouring to 

 promote the interests of bird protection in Canada 

 through the medium of the motion pictures. 



In films depicting bird life, as in other films, the 

 Canadian element has not been duly represented. 

 Of course films showing Canadian birds on their 

 wintering grounds are of great value, but it is also 

 desirable to balance these, by showing on the screen, 

 pictures which tell Canadians of the wealth and 

 value of the bird life existing to-day in Canada. 



To tell a person, not particularly interested, that 

 so many million dollars worth of crops are des- 

 troyed by insects, and that birds serve to protect 

 these crops from damage does not impress him as 

 much as to actually show the birds devouring the 

 insects. Similarly, a dry dissertation on the need 

 for distant bird sanctuaries, does not create the in- 

 terest that a motion picture makes, which clearly 

 shows the wealth of game and other birds protected 

 by that sanctuary. 



A beginning was made by showing the Geological 

 Survey film of the "Birds of Bonaventure Island" 

 and "Jack Miner's Geese," at two of the important 

 fall exhibitions. These films are not suitable for 

 general distribution because they lack sufficient ex- 

 planatory titles, and in consequence, can only be used 

 with lectures. 



"A Bird City" which shows the birds on the 

 Dominion sanctuary at Johnson Lake, Saskatchewan, 

 was taken by the Trade and Commerce Department 

 in co-operation with the Dominion Parks Branch 

 and has already been given wide publicity in 

 Canada. 



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