248 



Recent Literature. tJ uI y 



The Pileated Woodpecker is relegated to Muskoka, except for mention 

 of one pair which were found nesting in Middlesex County, whereas 

 they are rather common in most of the heavy timber in the western coun- 

 ties, where they breed. 



Both the Cowbird and the Baltimore Oriole are stated to disappear from 

 Southern Ontario in July and August, this being noted as a strange pecu- 

 liarity of these birds. A little inquiry would have disproved these ideas, 

 as both birds are common around London through both months, and also 

 probably in all Southern Ontario, where they breed plentifully. 



The date of arrival is often wrong, for instance, the Vesper Sparrow and 

 Chippy being credited with arriving about the end of April. My average 

 date of arrival for a number of years, for the Vesper Sparrow is April 10. 

 for the Chippy April 20, while for the Towhee and Field Sparrow, which 

 are stated to arrive about the first of May. my average is April 10 and 22, 

 respectively, the former sometimes coming late in March while snow is 

 yet to be found. 



The Grasshopper Sparrow, though stated to be casual and very rare, 

 I have no doubt breeds in the southwest of Ontario, where I have found it 

 in different localities, notably at Point Pelee, where it was heard singing 

 every day in early June, and was comparatively common. 



Mr. Mcllwraith refers to me as the sole evidence of the occurrence of 

 the Rough-winged Swallow, and makes the statement that I have found it 

 breeding for the past year or two; while in 1SS2, in the Morden-Saunders 

 list of the birds of Western Ontario, we stated that it "breeds in same 

 localities as the last" (Bank Swallow), and 1 have found it common within 

 a radius of twenty-five miles around London in all suitable places. lie 

 follows the reference to me by slating, "nests having been found in dev- 

 ices of rocks and on beams under bridges," etc., from which one mighl 

 infer that such are its habits in Ontario. This, however, is not the case, 

 as in the large number of nests I have examined all were in holes in 

 banks, and 1 have never seen these Swallows frequenting bridges at all, 

 but always near sandbanks; ami we have no rocks. 



Speaking of the Black-poll Warbler, the statement is made. "The musi- 

 cal powers .... are not exercised in this latitude." In contradiction to 

 this, I have never yet seen or taken a male in spring except those I have 

 found by their song. 



The Water-Thrush is said to be "quite as abundant throughout the 

 country" as the Ovenbird, which, for the west at least, is a great error. 

 The Ovenbird is abundant, while the Water-Thrush is not at all common, 

 being found in almost exactly the same numbers as the Louisana Water- 

 Thrush, but in my experience the localities frequented by the two species 

 are exactly opposite to those stated, the Water-Thrush never being far 

 from water, often being on the very banks of streams, while the other is 

 found in moist high woods, water being apparently no requisite for its 

 happiness. 



With regard to the Olive-backed and Gray-cheeked Thrushes, the ratio 

 of specimens obtained by me has been three Gray-cheeked to one Olive- 



