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1905] NatTurRE Stupy—No. 25. 95 
NATURE STUDY—No. XXV. 
A SHort INTRODUCTION TO SOME OF OUR ComMON BirRDs. 
C. W. G. EIFrie. 
People desiring to become acquainted with birds, those 
lovable, pretty and useful friends of man, are sometimes bewildered 
and discouraged by the mass of material which offers itself in 
nature itself, or in the books which they consult. To help in over- 
coming these primary difficulties is the object of this paper. How 
elevating it is to know the birds one meets with, to recognize 
them by their form, color, behavior, flight and song, to become 
acquainted with these companions of one’s work or walks! How 
much more beauty and satisfaction can then be got out of life! No 
one need be discouraged from torming at least a passing acquaint- 
ance with them. A little hard work, patience, close observation 
and perseverance will do it. 
The families and species treated of here are loosely arranged 
in the relative order of abundance and probability of their being 
seen. The list is more especially for the Ottawa district, but 
many of the species are of almost continental distribution. 
The Finches. —Everyone is familiar with the appearance of 
birds of the Finch family from our common and least desired 
neighbor, the English Sparrow. The chief characteristic is the 
thick, conical bill. A useful species of this family is the CHIPPING 
Sparrow, Spisella socialis, The English name is from its call and 
alarm note, chip, chip, etc. ; its song is a locust-like trill, 7z//c//c¢d222, 
etc. It is smaller and more slender in shape than the English 
Sparrow. Its bright chestnut crown and grayish white line over 
the eye serve to identify it. Found in gardens, tree-lined streets 
and the borders of woods. 
As common as the Chipping is the Sone Sparrow, Melospiza 
cinerea melodia. About the size of the English Sparrow, more 
roundish in build; much streaked with black, brown and gray, 
below whitish, streaked with black with a larger blotch in centre of 
breast. Its chief mark is its cheerful song beginning with usually 
three long notes, thus: ‘' Olit, olit, olit, chip, chip, chip, che-char, 
che wiss, wiss wiss,” or ‘‘ Maids, maids, maids, put on your tea- 
kettles, teakettles-ettle-ettle’’ (Blanchan). It likes places with at 
