December, 1922. 



The Canadian Field-Naturalist 



17.9 



Mr. Alex Coxford, Superintendent of Elk 

 Island National Park, Alberta, informed Mr. PA. 

 Taverner and me in September, 1920, that Turkey 

 Vultures nested on an island in Lake Astotin in 

 the summer of 1919. The nest was under a fallen 

 tree, and fortunately Mr. Coxford had a photo- 

 graph of the young bird which made the identifica- 

 tion absolute. This nesting occurred at approxi- 

 mately 5340' N. Lat.; 113 W. Long.; which, 

 according to the records in the Victoria Memorial 

 Museum, is the most northern breeding place yet 

 recorded. Ho yes Lloyd. 



A Belated Swallow. Friday, November 

 17th, 1922, was cold and wintry. The ground was 

 whitened as the result of a recent snow fiurry, and 

 altogether it was decidedly cheerless. I was 

 travelling by train from St. John, N.B., to Mon- 

 treal and was impressed by the scarcity of wild 

 bird life. Not even a funereal Crow in many 

 miles to break the lifeless monotony of the land- 

 escape. Finally about nine o'clock in the morning 

 we stopped and I noticed that the sign read 

 "Birchton". I was told we were in Quebec. An 

 open field lay between the train and some farm 

 buildings 100 yards or so away. Suddenly my 

 attention was arrested by a small bird flying slowly 

 across the field. It sailed along leisurely with an 

 occasional familiar wing movement and I saw 

 that it was a Tree Swallow (Iridoprocne hicolor). 



It disappeared behind the train and I eagerly 

 watched, hoping it would return within range of 

 my vision so that I might reassure myself. Pre- 

 sently it reappeared and this time passed my win- 



dow within 40 yards and as it wheeled on several 

 occasions I was able to note the pearly white 

 breast which clearly distinguishes this from others 

 of the Swallow family in eastern Canada. 



On such occasions one naturally asks why should 

 this frail bird have remained while others of its 

 kind went south some two months or more ago? 

 I believe it is true that the Tree Swallow is one of 

 the hardiest of the Swallows. It has frequently 

 been seen feeding on berries of various kinds, 

 either from choice or when insects failed to abound 

 in sufficient numbers to sustain it. Nevertheless 

 it is essentially an insect-eater and is one of the 

 first of our summer birds to leave for the south at 

 the approach of autumn. Possibly this might 

 have been an injured bird, hence unable to com- 

 plete the long flight, though on the wing it showed 

 no evidence of any physical defect. Might it not 

 be that sometimes individuals among the birds 

 reach maturity, lacking that marvellous sense 

 which we call the "migration instinct"? Separat- 

 ed from their fellows, they linger aimlessly about 

 their native haunts, eventually succumbing to the 

 natural forces which apparently must soon destroy 

 the frail bird I have described. 



Since writing the above I have received a report 

 from an observer in Port Mouton, Queen's County, 

 N.S., under date of November 20th, 1922, which 

 reads as follows: "... A Tree Swallow has 

 been with us for some time and was last seen on 

 Nov. 18th. Referring to my records covering 

 the autumn migration of this species, I find that 

 the first week in September is an average date for 

 'last seen'." R. W. Tufts. 



It is expected that an exhibition of Canadian photographs of wild 

 life, including both fauna and flora, will be gathered together at Ottawa 

 before February 28, 1923, and will later be shown by those affiliated 

 Societies that may desire to arrange to show it. Full information may 

 be obtained from the Secretary of the Ottawa 

 Field-Naturalists' Club. 



BOOK REVIEW 



Check List of The Birds of Illinois, together 

 with a short list of 200 commoner birds and 

 Allen's Key to Birds' Nests. Published by the 

 Illinois Audubon Society, Chicago, 1922, Map, 

 pp. 80. No author is given on the title page 

 and we are informed the price is fifty cents. 



^T^HIS is a small octavo volume, with stiff 

 X cardboard covers, convenient for carrying 

 in the pocket. The list of the two hun- 

 dred birds is naturally an arbitrary one but is 

 probably as satisfactory as any that could be made. 

 It will probably be a convenience to the amateur 



