426 Notes on Birds wintering around Monti'eal, 



been mild or severe. During severe winters, we always have a 

 good number of northern visitors, and very few loiterers ; on the 

 other hand when the winter is rather mild it is the reverse. 



One of our smallest, and yet most active winter birds, is the Black" 

 cap Tit [Parus atricapillus). They may be seen nearly every- 

 where during the winter months ; sometimes in flocks, and again 

 in pairs. While feeding they utter a sharp chip, and when 

 flying and then suddenly alighting they pipe out their chick-a- 

 dee-dee, from which sound they derive their familiar name. 



The Downy Woodpecker [Ficus pubescens). This little Wood- 

 pecker is also very common around Montreal during the winter 

 months. It may often be seen in company with the Black-caps. 



The Hairy Woodpecker (^Picus villosus) is not often seen 

 here during the winter. I have not met with it myself, but have 

 obtained specimens shot in the vicinity. 



The Pileated Woodpecker (Picus pileatus). This bird is rare 

 in this part of Canada, as it remains in the interior of the woods, 

 both in summer and winter. I have a specimen that was shot 

 a little below the town. 



The Arctic Woodpecker (Picus arcticus) is seen here now and 

 again during the winter; and I am told by a friend, they often 

 visit our mountain during the summer. I have a specimen which 

 I obtained near the Mile-end quarries in 1858. 



The Brown Creeper (Certhia familiaris) is not very abundant 

 during winter, yet it winters in Canada. During the month of 

 February, 1857, they were very numerous on Nun's Island, and 

 there have generally been some in a small pine grove on the top 

 of our mountain every winter. 



The Brown-bellied Nuthatch (Sitla Canadensis') is not very 

 often seen during the winter months. On a mild day, one may see 

 several of them, and then they suddenly disappear for a time. 

 They frequent the same localities as the former bird. 



The White-bellied Nuthatch (Sitta Carolinensis) is very com- 

 mon during February on Nun's Island ; they utter the same 

 note as the other, and are somewhat larger. 



The Ptobin or Migratory Thrush [Turdus migratorius). This 

 bird is a loiterer, and often appears late in the winter, and 

 very early in the Spring. One was shot November 1856, 

 and another seen January 1857; and last winter, on the 19th 

 of February, I saw a large one in our garden. It is strange how 

 they manage to live at all, when they loiter here half the winter. 

 Their Spring arrival is in the month of April. 



