IBRARY 
ORNITHOLOGY. 
Edited by A. G. Kingston. 
Winter visitants. The winter of 1892-3 was marked by a great 
scarcity of bird life in the neighbourhood of Ottawa. Irregular and 
uncertain though the movements of the winter birds always are, it is 
seldom that the winter season passes without the appearance of some 
one or more species in considerable numbers. Probably these visits 
depend more upon food supply than upon the mildness or severity of 
the temperature ; but in both of these respects our district showed itself 
last winter a very inhospitable quarter for the birds. The weather here, 
as throughout the whole of North America was marked by unusual and 
almost unbroken cold; and as the rowan-berry crop of 1892 had been 
a total failure, with tamarac cones and cedar seeds much below the 
average, the " visible supply of breadstuffs " for the feathered population 
must have been alarmingly short. 
Of Crossbills, Redpolls and Pine Siskins there have been no reports 
whatever. The Purple Finch which is usually fairly well represented 
throughout the winter in suitable localities did not put in an appearance 
until the 4th May, and the Goldfinch came seven days later, after 
having donned his summer plumage elsewhere. A few straggling Pine 
Grosbeaks, (one 25th January), and an occasional small flock of Snow- 
flakes (one nth February) were the only representatives of these 
frequently abundant species. 
It is often asserted, however, by ornithologists that in their favorite 
study, at all seasons and in every locality, the diligent student is sure of 
some reward, and that there is much truth in this claim the following 
further records will slow : 
Robin. One seen 1 Stli January on Wellington Street, by Prof. 
Macoun. Mr. Fletcher also reports one, a fine male, in Archville on 
1 2th March, and another has been reported as appearing several times 
in New Edinburgh. It is possible that all these records refer to the 
same individual perhaps a wounded bird that was unable to undertake 
the hardships of migration, and was yet so fortunate as to find food 
throughout the severe weather. 
Prairie Horned Lark. (O. alpestris praticold). On 27th February 
three or four were seen along the roads on the Experimental Farm. 
