272 

 REPORT OF THE ORNITHOLOGICAL BRANCH. 



To the Council of tli". Ottawa Field Nataralists' Clah : 



The work ia this biauch during the [)ast season has been very- 

 satisfactory, and the leaders are able to report no less than nine addi- 

 tions to the already large list of Ottawa birds published by the Club, 

 bringing the total number of species rscorJed from this locality up to 

 two hundred and six. Interesting notes were taken at some of the 

 Club excursions and working parties, but, as usual, the great bulk of the 

 work was accomplished individually. 



Early in the year, circulars were received announcing the fact that 

 the American Ornithologists' Union had taken upon itself the difficult 

 task of collecting material for the more systematic study of the great 

 problem of bird migration, and requesting thoie willing to assist, to take 

 careful notes on the movements of the birds, and report to the superin- 

 tendents appointed for the various districts. Both of the leaders 

 agreed to become observers, and reported individually, at stated inter- 

 vals during the season, embodying in their reports the observations of 

 other mwmbers of the Club. The most im[)ortant part of t!ie informa- 

 tion required was the dates of arrival an I departure of the different 

 ■birds, distinguishing between the movements of the bulk of the species 

 and of mere stragglers. The work will be continued during the coming 

 year, and it is hoped that every member of the Club will contribute his 

 mite towards making the reports from this station as full as possible. 



The following are the additions made to the list of the birds of this 

 locality already published by the Club. The numbers refer to Cones' 

 " Check List of North American Birds " 1882 edition : 



136. Slurus Hcevius (Bodd) Cones. Water Thrush. A young bird 

 of this si)ecies was shot by Mr. W. L. Scott, on the Club excursion to 

 the Chats Fall, held on July 2-1 th. When shot it was running along 

 the side of the steep, rocky bank, which skirts the Ottawa River a 

 few miles below the falls. The locality is distant about thirty miles 

 from Ottawa. Mr. Scott observed another individual at Gallway's 

 Lake, in the Laurentian Hills, on July 0th ; and a third was noted by 

 Mr. F. R. Latchford at the Little Cliaudiere early iu August. 



