27 



very early in the season. The nest, which was very shallow, was built almost 

 altogether of dried moss, and was placed on the top of a small rock, which 

 extended about a foot and a half out of the water, towards one end of the lake. 



About the same date Messrs. L. Brophy and R. Bauset visited Lake Wilson 

 in the vicinity of the Peche, P. Q. ; and succeeded in making two valuable finds. 

 The first of these was the nest of a Black Duck (Anas obscura, Imelin) con- 

 taining six large greyish green eggs blotched with dull yellow. The nest, which 

 was of mosp, was built on the ground in the centre of a clump ot trees on a small, 

 wooded Island in the Lake. The second was the nest of a Great Northern Diver 

 or Loon (Columbus torquatus, Brunn) containing two eggs, olive green rather 

 thickly marked with large and distinct dark spots. They also saw, in the crown 

 of a very tall snag on one of the Mountains near the Lake, the eyry of a White 

 Headed Eagle (Halialtus Leucocephalus, Savigny,) but not having climbing irons 

 with them tbey were unable to reach it. 



Among a number of nests of the Crow Black Bird (Quiscalus purpureus, 

 Lechtenstein) which were examined near Chelsea, two deserve special mention. 

 The first of these contained two eggs similar in size and shape to the ordinary 

 ones of that species, but the colour of the ground work was lighter and more 

 delicate, and, while one was thickly covered with light brown spots, the other 

 was besprinkled with dull purple ones. In another nest an egg was found 

 which nature had apparently meant especially for the leader of the Oological 

 Branch, for on one side of it was drawn as distinctly and as neatly as if done witii 

 pen and ink, a large " W" with inside of it a smaller " L " and " S.'' The egg 

 was stamped by nature with his monogram, all ready to be placed in his collection. 



On one of our excursions the nest of a Peewee Flycatcher (Sayomis fuscus, 

 Baird) was taken containing five eggs, four of which were marked with small 

 brown spots. Although it is very unusual for the eggs of the Peewee to be 

 spotted in this manner, 7 et the fact of their being so is noticed by many writers. 

 A set of eggs of the Sand Martin (Cotyle riparia, Boie) was obtained which 

 were also spotted, a peculiarity that as far as could be learned has never been 

 recorded. 



Among the many birds which, returning year after year to gladden us with 

 their joyous carols, grow to be familiar friends about our houses, there are some 

 which apparently depend entirely on the habitations of man for a place in which 

 to build their nests. Of these are the Chimney Swallows, (Chanura pelasgia, 

 Stephens) ; Eave Swallows, (Petrochelidon lunifrons, Cabanis) ; White Bellied 

 Swallow, (Tachycineta bicolor, Coues) ; Purple Martin, (Prognc purpurea, Boie), 

 and many others. That these birds however, may and sometimes do find a 

 substitute for eaves, sheds and bird houses, is proved by the fact that some half 

 dozen pairs of white bellied swallows were observed building in deserted wood- 

 peckers' nests in a tall tree situated on the banks of the Rideau River not far 

 from Billinas Bridge. The nest of the Wood Peewee (Contopus virens, Cabanis), 

 besides being rare is extremely neat and curious, and therefore deserves a special 

 description. One which was taken on one of our excursions was saddled upon 

 an old moss-grown and decayed limb in a horizontal position, about 20 feet from 

 the ground and was so remarkably shallow and so thoroughly incorporated with 

 the bough that had the female not been on the nest it would certainly have 

 escaped detection. The outside of the structure was built of lichen of exactly 

 the same colour as that growing on the branch itself; it was lined with coarse 

 grass and contained three eggs of a yellow cream colour, sparingly spotted towards 

 the large eud with light and dark brown. 



Several large colonies of clitt' or eave swallows (Petrochelidon lunifrons, 

 Cabaris) have been observed in this vicinity. The nest of this species is very 

 odd. It is constructed of small pellets of mud ; and in its most perfect form it 

 resembles a g urd ; but when well protected by the overhanging eave of a 

 building, the neck and sometimes part of the body of the nest is dispensed with. 



