1906 ] Eifrig, Notes on Northern Birds. 317 



seem to breed— the Ottawa River may be put down as the southern 

 boundary of their breeding range in this section. One of that 

 pair looked strange, even comical, because he was entirely without 

 tail. Nor was it because it was moulting, for it was fully feathered 

 otherwise as was also its mate. Neither did the absence of its 

 caudal appendage dampen its spirit of bravado, for it sailed into a 

 wasp nest with a great deal of vim, not minding the wasps in the 

 least. Wasps seem to be a staple article of food with them, when 

 to be had, as Mr. Kingston, a local ornithologist, tells me that he 

 has found wasps in their stomachs repeatedly. 



Rusty Blackbird (Ewphagus carolinus). — The southern boun- 

 dary of the breeding range of this species seems to approximately 

 coincide with that of the preceding species, at least in this region. 

 July 12 I saw at a small lake in the Laurentian Hills, near Inlet, 

 Quebec, a family of this species. I took one of the young to make 

 sure. They had not come there on their migration, for they always 

 stayed together, there were no migrants about, and in every way 

 acted as if at home. 



Chipping Sparrow (Spizella socialis).— Last Oct. 12, a large 

 sparrow wave passed through the country near Eganville, Ren- 

 frew Co., Ont. There were Tree Sparrows, Juncos, White-crowned 

 and White-throated Sparrows, and the present species. Among 

 these last were a great number having one or several pink excres- 

 cences on feet or wings, which seemed to be of a somewhat horny 

 texture. One, on the wing of a specimen I took, was as large as 

 a pea. I never before noticed such growths to be so common as on 

 that day. 



Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) .— In the large flight of 

 migrants noted under the preceding species, were also quite a num- 

 ber of Field Sparrows. This is certainly a very northerly record 

 for them, the place where they were observed being about eighty 

 miles northwest from Ottawa. A few days previously Mr. E. 

 White had seen one or several near this city. Despite two seasons' 

 diligent searching for them here in summer, I have never been 

 able to find one. How then can they turn up in migration, appar- 

 ently in the company of birds having come from further north, 

 seems hard to explain. 

 Towhee (Pipilo erythropkthalmus).— This handsome bird, 



