46 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [VOL. T. 



In all nine species of Owl bave been procnrcd in tlie beart of tbe 

 city of Toronto. Tins includes all our Owls except tiie Barn Owl, {StrU 

 Praticola) and tbe Hawk Owl.— Wm. Ckoss. 



(Tbird Meeting, February lltb, 1890). 



29. At tbis meeting so many fragmentary observations on tbe Cocco- 

 thraustes vespertina were presented, tbat it was decided to bold tbem all 

 over for a single concise report at tbe end of tbe season. 



30. Nesting of the Seiurus noveboracensis. — Tbe favorite baunts 

 of tbe Water Tbrusli are low swampy woods, or tbe margins of 

 muddy creeks and drains. Its nesting places are, of course, in similar 

 localities. Altbougb I bave been a resident of Canadian backwoods 

 from my early days, and bave rambled many a day and many a 

 mile tbrougb patbless wilds and was, moreover, perfectly familiar witli tbe 

 bird itself, I bad never seen tbe nest or tbe eggs of tbis Wagtail until 

 tbe summer of '82, wben in tbe early part of June, being in a piece of 

 swampy busb, I discovered a nest containing four eggs and a young Cow- 

 bird just batcbed. Tbe nest was in a bole in a large turned-up root of a 

 tree, under wbicb was a large pool of water into wbicb tbe bird jumped 

 wben flusbed from tbe nest. Her exit from tbe pool and ber disappear- 

 ance among some brnsbwood were, bowever, but tbe work of a moment, 

 and wbile I was examining tbe nest slie returned and I became certain 

 of ber identity, otberwise I would bave taken tbe nest for tbat of a Junco, 

 so mucb did it and tbe eggs resemble tbose of tbat bird. On May 22nd 

 of tbe following year, as I was crossing a piece of swamp or wilJ-wood, I 

 noticed, near tbe root of a fallen tree, a Water Tbrusb, wbicb by ber 

 notes and actions intimated tbat ber nesting place was near. Taking off 

 my boots I waded into tbe water beneatb tbe overbanging root and found 

 on a kind of sbelf about a foot above tbe surface of tbe pool, a nest con- 

 taining two eggs. Tbis nest was composed externally of moss, ratber 

 loosely put togetber and lined witb dry fungus of a small species, line 

 grass and bair. On tbe 2I:tli I returned and found tbat live eggs in all 

 bad been deposited. I took tbem and tbey are now in my collection. 

 Tbese are of a wbite bue, baving tbe large end umber brown, and tbe 

 greater part of tbe surface irregularly dotted over witb small spots of tbe 

 same color. Last spring I saw in tbe same root anotber nest of tbe same 

 species containing four of its own young and one of a Cow-bird. Tbis 

 seems to indicate tbat, if not mucb disturbed, it will nest repeatedly in 

 tbe same place, tbougb it does not a second time occupy tbe same nest. — 

 Wm. L. Kells, Listowel, Ont., 1885. 



