1902] Ornithological Notes. 87 



ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM KINGSTON, ONT. 



Two rather important finds have been made at Kingston this 

 spring, and we are now in a position to speak positively regard- 

 ing some of the birds, we were quite certain bred here regularly. 

 From the fact that from time to time, I came across long-eared 

 owls Ast'o Wilsoniantis in the early summer, I inferred that 

 these nocturnal birds bred in the vicinity. During the winter I saw 

 one, and this spring came across a pair in Rockwood grounds. 

 On April 30th, a boy told me that owls were breeding at the back 

 of Rockwood property, and I began to investigate the problem as 

 thoroughly as possible. On May 5th, a lad informed me that he 

 had found five white eggs in a last year's crows' nest in a pine 

 tree. Examination proved that the bird was a long-eared owl, 

 and the eggs were in different stages of incubation, but none far 

 advanced. In this case the owl left the nest directly, and did not 

 remain near by when disturbed. Three of the eggs measured 

 were, in inches : 1.60 x 1.28 : 1.62 x 1.32 ; 1.66 x 1.27. 



On April the 28th, in the same locality, another lad found a 

 nest of the long-eared owl containing five eggs. The owl was 

 much disturbed, and flew but a short distance to a small pine 

 where it snapped its beak, and in many ways showed its resent- 

 ment. Next day the lad returned to the nest and found only four 

 eggs, which are now in the possession of Mr. Edwin Beauprd. 

 These are somewhat larger than those in my set. In this case the 

 nest was one left by the crows last year, and is only about twelve 

 feet from the ground, in a stunted clump of pines near the edge of 

 the marsh. 



Merganser Americanos. On April loth, Mr. Edwin Beau- 

 pr^, in company with Rev. C. J. Young, investigated an eagles' 

 nest on one of the Thousand Islands, in the vicinity of Kingston. 

 While descending the tree, Mr. Beaupr^ looked into a cleft and 

 discovered three fresh duck eggs, presumably those of the Mer- 

 ganser Americanus. These he took, and as mergansers were seen 

 near the island, and the eggs were of large size, there was little 

 reason to doubt the correctness of the opinion. On April i8th, 

 the cavity in the tree was again examined, and beyond four or five 

 apparently fresh feathers, there was nothing to make one suspect 

 that the birds had not abandoned the nest. Twelve days aftej-. 



