152 The Ottawa Naturalist. [October 



REPORT OF THE ORNITHOLOGICAL BRANCH OF THE 

 OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS' CLUB FOR 



1Q01-1902. 



The report of the Ornithologfical Branch is comparatively 

 brief, as the notes taken and records made during' the year have / 

 been to a large extent published in The Naturalist and are thus 

 already known to the members of this society. Although it is a 

 matter of regret that more active work is not done by our local 

 members, it cannot be said that less has been done than in pre- 

 vious years ; but while those living at or near Ottawa have done 

 little more than in previous years, outside members by their work 

 and writings have done much more than in the past to make 

 ornithology a prominent feature of The Ottawa Naturalist. 

 The valuable papers contributed by Mr. W. E. Saunders, London, 

 Ont., are deserving of special mention, and the thanks of this 

 committee are tendered to him and others for the stimulus they 

 have given to the delightful study of bird life. Mr. Saunders' 

 lecture on " Native Birds ; the'r characteristics and habits," will 

 also, we believe, do much towards awakening that love tor the 

 "Pretty feathered poets of the grove," which everyone must have, 

 did he only know it. Others outside this city who have contri- 

 buted ornithological papers during the year are : Mr. W. L. Kells, 

 Listowel, Ont.; Mr. H. Gould, London, Ont.; Dr. G. A. Mc- 

 Callum, Dunnville, Ont.; Mr. L. H. Smith, Toronto, Ont.; Mr. 

 Allan Brookes, Penticton, B.C.; Mr. R. C. Scott, Aylmer, Ont.; 

 Mr. W. H. Moore, Scotch Lake, N.B ; Mr. R. Elliott, Bryans- 

 ton, Ont.; Mr. R. Boutelier, Sable Island, N.S. As the titles of 

 the papers contributed by the above may be found in the index of 

 The Naturalist, it is unnecessary to mention them here. 



Last year, as in previous years, all the local members who 

 made bird notes were asked to send them to the ornitholoe-ical 

 editor for compilation and publication in The Naturalist, as by 

 this means the earliest records (in the case of the arrival of birds) 

 could best be obtained. This was done, and as a result the dates 

 of arrival of 107 species were published and notes on about 20 more 

 species were received which have not yet been published. A large 



