122 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 7-No. 16 



slightly larger than those of the Black- 

 throated Sparrow — about two inches wide 

 by three inches deep in the inside, so deep 

 in fact that nothing but the tip of the tail 

 of the bird is visible when setting. 



The first eggs of this species I found 

 about June 14, 1872, although I believe 

 these birds commence to breed about a 

 month earlier, their nests having been pre- 

 viously overlooked by me. The number 

 of eggs to a set is from four to five : thej^ 

 are of a very delicate pale green color and 

 unspotted, often very pointed at the smaller 

 end, and the average measiu-ement of 

 twenty-six specimens now before me is 

 0.76x0.57 inches. The largest egg in 

 this lot measiu-es 0.79x0.58 and the small- 

 est 0.73x0.54 inches. 



The nest appears to be one of the most 

 favored by the Dwarf Cowbird as the re- 

 cipient of its eggs, about one-half of the 

 nests found containing one or more of the 

 parasitic eggs. In a number of instances 

 where I found such parasitic eggs with 

 those of the rightful owner of the nest 

 one or more of the latter's eggs were found 

 to have the shell minutely punctured in 

 one or more jilaces. I presume this injury 

 would prevent these eggs from hatching, 

 and I firmly believe it was done by the 

 Cowbirds for this very purjiose, as among 

 more than fifty of the latter's eggs taken 

 by me during the same season I cannot 

 recall or find a single one that was so 

 punctured. I believe this to be a fact not 

 heretofore noticed by oologists ; at any 

 rate I cannot find any such record in any 

 of the ornithological works at present ac- 

 cessible to me. 



Its song is according to my estimation 

 rather weak and monotonous. During the 

 breeding season the male makes frequent 

 attempts at singing either while perched on 

 the top of a low bush or while hovering a 

 few feet in the air, generally in close prox- 

 imity'to the bush' in'which'its nest is sit- 

 uated. Its usual call note is a lisping 

 "tzip," "tzip," frecjuently repeated. It 



spends a great deal of its time on the 

 ground and seems to feed principally on 

 various kinds of small seeds. It seems to 

 be sociable and gregarious at all times. 

 In the Winter it is found in small flocks 

 among the Black-throated and Chipping 

 Sparrows, the various Finches and the 

 White-winged Blackbirds. I believe these 

 birds rear from two to three broods a year, 

 as I have found fresh eggs as late as Sept. 

 1, 1872. 



Rare Birds in Nova Scotia. 



The Arctic current flowing from Hud- 

 sons and Bafiins Bays, divided by New- 

 foundland, part coming down the Straits 

 of Belle Isle and part by the eastern coast 

 of Newfoundland, but uniting in one 

 stream at the south, passes along the 

 Nova Scotia shore. The circular storms 

 commencing in the Gulf of Mexico or on 

 the Florida shores, the cii'cle gradually en- 

 larging during then- progress past the 

 southern shores of Nova Scotia on their 

 way across the Atlantic. It is owing to 

 these two causes that rare birds are found 

 in Nova Scotia almost after every storm. 

 The Ai'ctic sj)ecies, strictly jaelagic, follow 

 their prey along the current till they get 

 far south. On meeting the circular storm, 

 usually passing on their northeast and east 

 circles, they fly west to avoid it, and come 

 to this Province. Thus, after the storm, 

 Oct 4, 1879, (called the Saxby storm, after 

 his prediction), a paii-«of Pomarine Jaegers 

 were seen in Digby Basin, one of which 

 was shot. The broad band of clay-blue 

 below the black leg and knee, mentioned 

 by Audubon was very marked. In July, 

 1881. Wm. S. Gilpin shot a Shearwater, or 

 PuffiiiKs major. This pelagic species, com- 

 mon on the banks, had evidently been 

 blown in. To these causes I attribute Mr. 

 Downs obtaining in the year 1850, three 

 specimens of the Labrador Duck, the last 

 ones seen here : nor have I seen any men- 

 tion in any periodical of them smce, though 

 common in Wilsons time and known bv 



