112 



The Ottawa Naturalist 



[Vol. XXXIl. 



February. The average mean annual temperature 

 can be safely set down as 70 F., which figures, 

 together with the above, may be verified from gov- 

 ernment meteorological reports. 



But these are not the only advantages that our 

 birds enjoy on the islands. There is one still to be 

 added and it is that of a good and wise protective 

 legislation which, it may be said with pride, is most 

 rigidly enforced thrcughout the whole colony. 



Here, then, is truly a garden of Eden for birds, 

 an avian El Dorado, a haven of bird bliss, a veritable 

 ornithic paradise. It is, therefore, not surprising that 

 millions of birds visit these islands every year on 

 their flights north and south at two periods of 

 migration, some to remain for only a few hours, 

 others to stay for months at a time. 



About the beginning of March the returning tide 

 of bird life commences to set in strongly from the 

 South. The first arrivals are for the most part 

 waders and shore birds, such as the curlews, plovers, 

 sandpipers, snipes, etc. They are exceedingly shy, 

 and one can seldom view them well except from a 

 distance, as they run up and down hurriedly along 

 the smooth edges of the sand beaches in search 

 of food in the thick beds of brown seaweed which 

 the tides have washed up in great quantities. A 

 little later on toward the end of March or be- 

 ginning of April, numbers of herons, cranes and 

 ducks pass by, and about this time one may see 

 night hawks skimming swiftly over the low marshes 

 and swamps just about the dusk hour. Next fol- 

 low the spring birds of the woods and orchards; 

 the scarlet tanagers, the indigo birds, the rose 

 crested grosbeaks ard the American cuckoos. These 

 last remain a great part of the summer and although 

 not often seen, their joyous call may be heard in the 

 quiet dells and woody hillsides of the country. Then 

 come the long list of summer birds, among them 

 being the cardinals, kingfishers, bluebirds, mocking 

 birds, woodpeckers, warblers, finches, tropic birds, 

 and a host of others too great to mention here. 



The tropic birds {Phaeton americanus), or long- 

 tails, as they are called on account of the one long 

 white feather in the tail, come to stay throughout the 

 entire summer. They can be seen in countless 

 numbers at certain places where they assemble every 

 year to nest, flying up and down, up and down, 

 ceaselessly in the bright sunshine, all day long, 

 constantly on the lookout for fish. A great number 

 of the summer visitors stay behind during the 

 warmer months of June, July and August to brood, 

 and their presence in the parks, gardens and orchards 

 as they flit here and there, gives one a source of 

 real joy and happiness. Among these may be 

 mentioned the cardinals, catbirds, rice buntings, blue- 



birds, finches, vireos, humming birds and many 

 others. 



The ground doves, (Chaemepelia passerlna), are 

 indigenous to Bermuda. They are like miniature 

 pigeons, very compact, soft grey in colour, with 

 blue black spots on the wings; short bare legs, 

 feeding on small seeds and insects, gregarious in 

 habit, and always on the ground. Their note is a 

 low, sweetly-plaintive coo, similar to that of the 

 ring-dove. They are very tame, but if disturbed 

 suddenly they quickly rise, making a strange beating 

 sound with their wings and fly to some other spot 

 nearby. The goldfinshes {Carduelis carduelis), 

 found so plentifully throughout the islands, although 

 not natives, have become established there within 

 the last 25 years. It happened that a passing vessel 

 put into St. George's harbour for repairs, and while 

 there, by some chance a large number of finches on 

 board were liberated. These birds flew to the 

 mainland, to Castle Harbour, St. David's Island 

 and the neighbourhood, and found there a most hos- 

 pitable refuge in the wooded dells and quiet, se- 

 cluded places where they settled. Since then they 

 have spread to all other parts. 



The noisy, chattering, ubiquitous house sparrow 

 is there in flocks of thousands. It is without doubt 

 the most undesirable immigrant and a source of 

 great annoyance to all who own fruit and vegetable 

 gardens. These birds were introduced many years 

 ago by Mr. Thomas Reid, a prominent citizen of 

 Hamilton, who conceived the brilliant idea of im- 

 porting several pairs of sparrows in the hope that 

 they would be of great benefit in controlling insect 

 pests. He lived to regret this, for the birds 

 multiplied prodigiously and soon flocked into his 

 lovely gardens and ate up the sugar apples, cherries 

 and grapes, doing incalculable damage. They 

 played havoc with crops everywhere, attacked and 

 killed many of the native birds. The Legislature 

 passed laws to destroy the pest. Rewards were 

 offered for collecting the eggs. However the spar- 

 rows could not be done away with and to-day are as 

 great a nuisance as ever. Undoubtedly they are the 

 worst enemy of the song birds. It is not an un- 

 common sight to see half-a-dozen pugnacious cock- 

 sparrows attacking a cardinal; the result is generally 

 the death of the songster. 



A large number of the feathered visitors, apart from 

 their beauty and song, are of the greatest economic 

 importance and benefit to the farmers and gardeners. 

 Some feed exclusively on seeds during winter, like 

 the shore larks and sparrows; others, such as the 

 woodpeckers, nuthatches and warblers prefer insects 

 only; the cuckoos find the hairy caterpillars a palat- 

 able dish. Bluebirds are indefatigable grub hunters. 

 The white-eyed vireo (Vireo griseus) or chick-of- 



