30 The Ottawa Naturalist. [May 



The only swallow which is known to breed on the Farm is 

 the barn swallow. A few pairs breed in the barns, but the house 

 sparrows occupy most of the available sites for nests. A pair 

 started to build under the verandah of one o^ the house^ in 1902 

 but they gave it up, though we cannot say for certain that the 

 house sparrow was responsible for this. 



During the last days of June and the beginning of July the 

 cedar waxwings are busy breeding. This species breeds very late 

 and is still seen in flocks during the latter part of June. The nest 

 is very easy to find as it is buiit in rather open trees from six to 

 ten feet from the ground. A Chinese maple {Acer tatariciim,^ 

 var. Gennald) is a popular tree, and among the many species on 

 the grounds this appears to be preferred. It is unfortunate ihat 

 this bird does not breed about two weeks earlier, as when a flock 

 swoops down on a cherry tree or strawberry plantation a great 

 deal of damage is done. 



For the past three years, and perhaps more, the northern 

 shrike has built regularly at the Farm. In 1902 the nest was 

 found on May 19th, with six eggs in it, a short distance from that 

 of 1900. The nests were found in elm trees about fifteen feet 

 from the ground. The brood of 1900 was successfully raised by 

 the old birds and it was an interesting sight to see the fully fledged 

 young fighting for their food. They made a great din, the harsh 

 notes of the old birds rising above their ofTspring. Some of the 

 notes of the shrike are very pleasant to listen to while others are 

 as bad or worse than those of the blue jay. Frequently we find 

 grasshoppers empaled by these birds on the spur< of the fruit 

 trees in the orchard. There has been some confusion regarding 

 the identity of the shrike which breeds here, but it is certainly the 

 northern shrike. 



A red-eyed vireo had its nest somewhere in one of the large 

 maples in the orchard enclosure in 1902, but the exact site was 

 not located. 



There are probably several warblers breed in the woods and 

 swamp near the canal and St. Louis dam the nests of which have 

 not been discovered. The nest of the yellow warbler is quite 

 common and is readily found in the shrubbery. The Maryland 



