j v THE BIRDS OF MONTREAL. 



for several years, before meeting with some of the 

 rarer birds mentioned in the list. The migration 

 of birds, which takes place in the spring to the 

 north, and in the autumn to the south, gives the 

 observer limited time to notice the species that do 

 not breed in his district, and, in many cases, linger 

 only a few days in the spring of the year before 

 proceeding to their breeding-places, and in the au- 

 tumn to their winter quarters. 



The district covered by this work is principally 

 the island of Montreal, situated at the confluence 

 of the Ottawa with the St. Lawrence river, thirty- 

 two miles long by about ten miles broad at the 

 widest part. It has a considerable belt of woods 

 around the eastern end, and woodlands on the west- 

 ern part, mostly hardwood, with a mixture of ever- 

 green trees. It has also numerous small streams 

 and a few swamps, the land being generally level, 

 with the exception of Mount Royal, which rises 

 northwest at the back of the city, about 750 feet 

 above the level of the river, the upper part being 

 mostly covered with hardwood-trees, with clumps 

 of evergreen-trees on top, and now forming the 

 Mountain Park, of about 464 acres. The city is 

 situate on the south side of the island, fronting on 

 the St. Lawrence river, here about two miles broad, 

 180 miles southwest of Quebec, 620 miles from the 

 sea, 420 miles north of New York city, lat. 45 31' 



