30 The Ottawa Naturalist. [April 



Bird Notes for January, February and March. 



The following persons have kindly consented to co-operate 

 in order to make the records of the arrivals, departures, nesting 

 and other habits of our birds more accurate : Miss G. Harmer, 

 Mr. H. B. Small, Mr. Geo. White, Mr. A. G. Kingston, Dr. J. 

 Fletcher, Mr. W. A. D. Lees and Prof J. Macoun. The assist- 

 ance of all others who are interested in birds is earnestly- 

 requested. 



Crow. — This is a winter bird at Ottawa. A few forsake 

 the dense woods at intervals throughout the winter in search of 

 food. They have been seen all winter at the Experimental 

 Farm. A flock was observed by Mr. Small on the 6th of 

 March, and by Mr. White on the nth of March. 



Pine Grosbeak. —For the past few winters this bird has 

 visited Ottawa in large numbers. In the opinion of Mr. Small 

 the reason they have been so abundant of late years is that the 

 European mountain ash, of which many have been planted 

 about Ottawa, are now fruiting heavily, thus providing this bird 

 with food. They seem to enjoy eating the buds of the spruce, 

 and the fruit of the green ash at the Experimental Farm. The 

 first flock of these birds, recorded, was one of ten seen by Mr 

 White on the ist of January. They were shot by Mr. G. Muir- 

 head in the Rideau Hall grounds on the 30th of March. Dr. 

 Fletcher contributes the following interesting notes on this bird : 



"The winter of 1896-97 must undoubtedly be characterised 

 as having been a remarkably mild one and yet the large num- 

 bers of the beautiful Pine Grosbeaks which enlivened our streets 

 were a conspicuous feature of the season. The usual statement 

 with regard to these birds is that they frequent cities most in 

 cold winters. During January and February the mountain ash 

 trees in the city attracted large flocks of these pretty, gentle 

 birds, and, owing to their well-known tameness, which is referred 

 to by several writers, large numbers were caught or killed by 

 thoughtless boys and idle men. This is much to be regretted, 

 for, although these winter visitors have a very sweet plaintive 

 song, they are not at all suitable birds for domestication in 

 cages. They are greedy and untidy feeders, scattering their food 

 through the bars of their cages, and besides this they live, as a 

 rule, only a few months in captivity, generally getting thinner 

 and pining away during the hot summer months." 



