28 The Ottawa Naturalist. [April 



river, where they find abundant food in the refuse deposited there. 



Song sparrow. — This bird seldom appears before the 27th 

 instant, but one was heard and afterwards seen by three different 

 people on i8th instant, in a garden between Wilbrod and Theo- 

 dore streets. In 1894 this bird was seen on March i ith, in 1895 

 on April 3rd, in 1896 on April loth. Its advent depends on the 

 weather south, and this year a warm south wind had been blow- 

 ing two days and nights prior to its appearance. 



Robins. — The first reliable appearance of this bird was on 

 March 22nd, on a telegraph wire on Theodore street where it 

 was in full song. It was reported as seen on the Glebe property, 

 Mutchmor street, a few days prior to this, but it may have been 

 a shrike which was mistaken for it, as my informant said it was 

 chasing sparrows. 



Thunder. — On 20th instant the first thunder shower occurred 

 at 3 p.m., two vivid flashes of lightning and heavy peals of 

 thunder being noticed, with a heavy down-pour like a summer 

 shower. 



Earthquake, — A heavy earthquake shock was experienced 

 at 6 h. 2 m. p.m., felt east as far as Father Point and west in the 

 Kingston district. Montreal seems to have felt the heaviest 

 shock. 



Grossbeak. — An unusually large number of these birds, 

 known in England as the Hawfinch, have visited Ottawa during 

 February and March, the attraction apparently being the abund- 

 ant berries of the mountain ash, as that tree has been largely 

 planted in grounds surrounding public buildings, and the trees 

 are gaining maturity, the crop of berries is larger than m former 

 years. This may account for the preponderance in the number 

 of these birds over years ago. 



RedpoLe. — Quite a number of these birds have been seen in 

 in and around Ottawa during the winter. Their song is sug- 

 gestive of spring, and unless the bird is seen it might easily be 

 mistaken for one of our spring emigrants. 



Purple finch. — I am not certain if a flock of birds seen in 

 the Park one day early in March consisted of these birds, but 

 from the notes I heard I am much inclined to think they were 

 this finch. I could not get within sufficient distance to see them 

 plainly, as they were very shy and took flight at approach. 



Shrike or Butcher Bird. — One of these birds was seen for 

 several days on Daly avenue, near King street, in the locality 

 where it has appeared several winters Whether the same bird, 

 or some of its progemy, or a fresh arrival cannot be ascertained. 



