Shankland — On Birds on Otonabee River. 13 



sembled that of the other species of swallows, and I would 

 never have suspected them of being strangers at the distance 

 they kept, had not my attention been called to them by one of 

 the passengers. While passing through a woody marsh at 

 some distance further down the river, the same passenger 

 pointed out a number of small round holes in dead limbs and 

 tree trunks, that he said had undoubtedly contained fresh Tree 

 Swallow's nests earlier in the season, for unlike their congen- 

 ers, these birds are accustomed to build their nests in holes in 

 stumps, cavities of dead trees and similar places, after the 

 manner of Bluebirds and English Sparrows. 



While riding down the river, I also watched for Clifif Swal- 

 lows and Rough-winged Swallows, but both of these species 

 were conspicuous by their absence, and it is probable that 

 neither of them ever penetrates so far north. 



In the meantime, the little steamer had been making its 

 way rapidly down the river, and at eleven o'clock we rounded 

 the last curve and steamed out into the sparkling greenish-blue 

 waters of Rice Lake. This beautiful little sheet of water is 

 situated about twenty miles north of Lake Ontario and is fed 

 by the Otonabee River and several lesser streams. It is ap- 

 proximately twelve miles long and two miles wide and is sur- 

 rounded on all sides by gently sloping hillsides, some of which 

 are forest clad, while others are covered with prosperous look- 

 ing farms. A branch of the Grand Trunk Railroad once ran 

 across the lake from Harwood to a point near the mouth of 

 the Otonabee, but unfortunately a long section of the track was 

 washed away by the high water soon after the road was com- 

 pleted, and this disaster so discouraged the operators of the 

 line that they abandoned it entirely. At the present time a 

 long embankment of rocks and earth, extending nearly a mile 

 out into the lake from Harwood is the only remaining monu- 

 ment of the ill-starred project. 



Another interesting fact about Rice Lake is that the Mis- 

 sissauga Indians still dwell in some numbers in the vicinity of 

 it. These Indians make their living by hunting ducks, geese. 



