VOl i906" ni ] Fleming, Birds of Toronto, Ontario. 437 



BIRDS OF TORONTO, ONTARIO. 



BY JAMES H. FLEMING. 



Part I, Water Birds. 



Toronto, the capital city of Ontario, is situated on the north 

 shore of Lake Ontario, about forty miles east of the western end of 

 the lake, in Lat. 43° 39' 35" N., Long. 79° 23' 39" W. The lake is 

 at this point about 240 feet (Harbor Commissioner's gauge, zero, 

 244.8) above sea level. 



The topography of the city and the country surrounding it is 

 peculiar and a review will aid in understanding the ornithological 

 conditions. The city for a greater part of its width is protected 

 from the lake by a sandbar and island, once continuous. The sand- 

 bar runs west from near the eastern city limits for nearly three miles 

 till it is divided by the Eastern Channel, and sending a spur north 

 encloses what is known as Ashbridge 's Bay. This is really a marshy 

 lagoon of considerable size, and though filled in, in places, still affords 

 food and shelter for many species of birds. Into this bay originally 

 drained some eleven creeks, and at its western end the River Don, 

 which now is confined to an artificial channel and flows into Toronto 

 Bay somewhat further north than where the original outlet of Ash- 

 bridge's Bay was. The narrow sandbar that divides this bay from 

 the lake is an important feature in the ornithological history of 

 Toronto. It has been divided by an artificial cut giving access to 

 the lake; the western portion is known as Fisherman's Island, and 

 from here as well as the bay itself have come many unusual records. 

 The building up of this portion of the bar with houses has seri- 

 ously affected the freedom of several species of waders, which no 

 longer call here on migrations. 



From the Eastern Channel, Toronto Island runs in a westerly 

 direction for nearly three miles, till about two miles south of 

 the city, then turns north towards the city, giving the island a 

 more or less triangular shape, and ending in the Western Sandbar, 

 which is divided from the city by the Western Channel, the original 

 outlet of "Toronto Bay, which is itself inclosed on the south and 

 west by the island, and on the east by Ashbridge's Bay. The 

 island, originally covered with pine, has been invaded by sand, and 



