( > The Ottawa Naturalist. 



and an appendix of 62 pages, on the Warble Fly or Ox Bot fly, besides 

 index, etc. A very interesting chapter deals with the development and 

 injuries of four species of Eelworms, or Threadworms, and the account 

 of a serious attack of certain Ground-beetles, or Carabid.e, upon straw- 

 berry plants, is most interesting, because insects of this family are, in 

 general, predaceous in their habits, and beneficial rather than 

 obnoxious. 



The Caterpillars of two moths are described as apple pests, and that 

 of a butterfly, as attacking cherry. Currants suffered from the attacks 

 of the moth, Sesia ti'pidiformis, which is also injurious to this plant in 

 Ottawa, and the Red Spider infested the gooseberry. Mangolds suffered 

 from Millepedes of several species, and turnips from insects belonging 

 to several orders. It is regretted that a fuller synopsis cannot be given 

 of this admirable report, which will add to the reputation already gained 

 by the author for reliable and thoroughly scientific work. YV. H.H. 



Ornithology. A well marked Bird Wave. The White- 

 crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) is a sparrow which generally 

 keeps well together in its northward migration, the interval between the 

 first and last observed individuals seldom covering more than 10 or 12 

 days, during the whole of which their pretty mating ditty can be heard 

 almost hourly. This year the advance guard reached this region dur- 

 ing the warm spell which made the second week in May seem so much 

 like luly. The first record was made on the 6th, and stragglers were 

 seen up to the 1 ith, when the sudden drop in the temperature repulsed* 

 them wholly. Not a Whitecrown was seen or heard except a solitary 

 one on the 16th until Sunday, the 20th, when with a slightly warmer 

 and hazy weather, they suddenly re-appeared in full force. On Sunday, 

 Monda) and Tuesday they literally swarmed about the gardens and 

 weedy vacant lots. Their song could be heard incessantly as long as 

 daylight lasted. Even the House Sparrows were outnumbered, and 

 their pugnacity overawed. The two species could be seen feeding 

 peacefully side by side, the first instance, perhaps, of any native bird 

 establishing a mollis vivendi with this little bully. 



In a solid body as they came, the White-Crowns appear to have 

 passed on to their northern breeding grounds : on Wednesday, the 



