1^8 Scott on Winter Birds of O/iazva. [April 



the shape, they were probably of three species. These are small 

 Honiopterous insects which hibernate under the moss on trees, or 

 in the crevices of bark. In almost equal numbers were portions 

 of the wings of a small Erythroneitra^ probably found in similar 

 places as the above. I could not detect a single wing belonging 

 to any species of Coleoptera, which somewhat surprised me. I 

 found a few scales of some species of Lepidoptera, but no remnants 

 of the wing. There was one pair of rather large wings of some 

 species of Diptera, and one very peculiar under-wing which I could 

 not determine. The rest of the contents of the gizzard consisted 

 of the legs and chitinous portions of the bodies of the above- 

 named insects. There was not a single grain of sand." 



One of our winter visitants, the Northern Waxwing {Ampelzs 

 garruhis^^ put in an unusually early appearance this season. 

 Flocks of from fifteen to twenty usually visit us during January 

 and the first part of February, venturing into the city and feeding 

 on the berries of the European mountain ash trees {Pyi'tis 

 aticziparia) which grow on the streets in many places. This 

 year, however, five specimens were observed feeding on the seeds 

 of a black birch {^Betida nigra) as early as November ii, and 

 two others were seen a few days later. 



Unfortunately for the Sparrows and otlier small birds, the 

 Great Northern Shrikes {^Lanius borealis) are pretty common here 

 throughout the winter. They do not, however, seem to breed in 

 this locality, for I have never heard of any being seen later than 

 the end of April, or earlier than the beginning of September. A 

 friend of mine shot one the other day, in the act of chasing a full- 

 sized Chipmunk i^Tamias striatus)^ but I think it questionable 

 whether the bird would have been strong enough to kill and 

 devour such lai-ge game. 



The Pine Grosbeak (^Plnicola eniicleator') is always common 

 here during the winter, but last season (1S82-83) was particularly 

 abundant. These birds are very tame, going boldly about our 

 streets in great numbers, and they will often permit an observer 

 to approach to within a few feet of them without manifesting the 

 least alarm. On one occasion a gentleman went so far as to 

 stroke one with his stick, whilst it was busily engaged in devour- 

 ing some berries. Nothing daunted, however, the bird hopped 

 upon the stick, and continued its meal from that novel perch. 

 They usually stay with us from the end of November vmtil the 



