^°'' 19^"^] MousLEY, Birds of Hatley, Quebec. 183 



of moss and leaves lined with feathers was neatly secreted, the hole in the 

 side being the only indication of its whereabouts, so well did it harmonize 

 with its surroundings. It contained five eggs faintly marked with reddish 

 spots, incubation somewhat advanced. On a late date in June of the 

 present year (1915) I saw two family parties, quite a pretty sight, and there 

 is no doubt that this has been the most productive year of the past five. 



111. Certhia familiaris americana (Bonaparte). Brown Creeper. 

 — Fairly common transient; April 24 to May 6; (Aug. 13) Sept. 23 to 

 Nov. 12. Average date of arrival (for four years) April 28; of departure 

 (for three years) Nov. 1. This restless little bird is by no means plentiful 

 and I have never seen more than two individuals together. The early 

 date in August is for a single seen this year, 1915. I do not suppose a bird 

 could be found whose habits whilst seeking its food are more like a piece 

 of machinery, as starting from the foot of a tree he winds his spiral way to 

 the top and then down he flies to the foot of another and repeats the process 

 hour after hour. Writing in the ' Ottawa Naturalist ', Vol. 17, 1903, Mr. 

 Terrill gives an interesting account of finding a nest of this species at 

 Robinson, a village some thirty miles to the northeast of Hatley, so it is 

 just possible the bird may summer here on rare occasions. 



112. Sitta carolinensis carolinensis (Latham). White-breasted 

 Nuthatch. — Common resident. The White-breasted Nuthatch is far 

 oftener seen during the fall and early winter months than at any other time. 

 So far I have been unable to locate a nest probably owing to the bird's habit 

 of frequenting the larger and deeper woods, during the breeding season, 

 where it is hard to follow them. 



113. Sitta canadensis (Linnaeus). Red-breasted Nuthatch. — • 

 Fairly common transient; May 6 to 21; (June 26); Aug. 8 to Nov. 28, 

 (Dec. 25) . Previous to the present year, 1915, 1 had only seen four examples 

 of this bird, two in May, 1912, and one each in August and September of 

 1914, the year 1913 producing none at all. However this year things have 

 changed entirely and the bird has been met with commonly in small parties 

 of five or six or singly from August to the end of November, the date in 

 December being for a pair only. The status of the bird at Bury, a village 

 some thirty-five miles to the northeast of Hatley, appears to be entirely 

 different, for there Mr. L. M. Terrill speaks of it as a common perma- 

 nent resident and mentions flocks consisting of as many as 75 indivi- 

 duals. Possibly the summer date of June 26 may indicate that a pair 

 at least have bred here this season. It is more often seen at the top of 

 some tall fir tree feeding on the seeds of the cones, than running up and down 

 the tree trunks like its near relative the White-breasted Nuthatch. 



114. Penthestes atricapillus atricapillus (Linnaeus). Black- 

 capped Chickadee. — Common resident. Eggs: May 14 to June 1. 

 The Chickadee is certainly more numerous during the fall and spring, than 

 it is in the summer. I have generally found its nest in decayed stubs within 

 two or three feet of the ground, the usual number of eggs being from five 

 to seven, and on one occasion nine. Whilst out shooting one day a Chick- 



