12 



The Canadian Field-Naturalist. 



[Vol. XXXV. 



ped the floating ice in its downward cour- 

 se and hurried it back upstream again. 

 Most of the gulls were Herring Gulls, but 

 an Iceland Gull spent April 1st and 2nd 

 with them. This bird was smaller than 

 the Herring Gull with distinctive white 

 Ming tips. 



The first Robin arrived on the 2nd, but 

 he must have been an optimist. 



Then I resumed my journey, this time 

 going to Halifax. There, at Dalhousie 

 College, I was much delighted to see what 

 I believe to be the only Canadian speci- 

 men of the Labrador Duck. It is Avell cared 

 for, being kept in the vault, and is a beau- 

 tiful specimen in an excellent state of pre- 

 servation. This specimen, if Dalhousie 

 would ever part with it, should be in the 

 National Museum — perhaps the only Can- 

 adian specimen still in Canada of an ex- 

 tinct Canadian bird. However, I have re- 

 corded the result of my examination of 

 this speciment elsewhere (^) and regret 

 that its alleged mate is an American 

 Scoter. 



On the night of April 6th a flock of 

 Canada Geese passed over Halifax in a 

 fog. 



The land of Evangeline is too Mell- 

 known to need any description of its 

 beauties on my part. Toward evening on 

 April 8th I saw the well, the monument 

 and the willows in the little village of 

 Grand Pre. Before tlie train passed two 

 Black Ducks were seen to rise from the 

 meadows and sweep out over the basin of 

 Minas. For me, the romance and tragedy 

 of the great poem seemed very vivid wlien- 

 ever I visited this locality. 



As I journeyed to the south-west, Song 

 Sparrows and Robins became common. The 

 latter were flying up the Annapolis River 

 in flocks. Many of the birds reaching 

 south-we.stern Nova Scotia must cross some 

 80 miles of open sea at the mouth of the 

 Bay of Fundy. Study of tiie migrati(m 

 with respect to tliis cro.ssing would seem 

 to offer attractive possibilities. 



At Digby, on the 9th, .Tuncos, Chick- 

 adees and a i)air of ({oldfiiir-hcs were 



1 FleminK naw one in Montr<'aI .some year.s 

 ago which was not *hc .s'-erin^en .-:'.-;'^ased by 

 Dutoher, but itH present condition, ir still 

 In existence, fi* unknown. 



noted. A pretty flock of eight Long-tail- 

 ed Ducks was enjoying the spring sun- 

 shine on the waters of Annapolis Basin. 



During a short stroll in the woods at 

 Barrington Passage a single Ruffed Grou- 

 se was found. I had not enough time in 

 the woods this trip to be able to say any- 

 thing concerning their abundance ; but they 

 were reported as abundant in New Bruns- 

 wick in October. Cape Sable Island, at 

 the south-w^estern extremity of Nova Sco- 

 tia, was disappointing at this season. 



Black-backed Gulls— half a dozen of 

 them at least — on the waters of the 

 Atlantic near Halifax, made an interest- 

 ing sight, for I fear I had grown rather 

 blase toward common and more inland 

 species. 



At Halifax on the 14th of April Juncos 

 and Siskins were noted in number, but the 

 24th brought a real little Avave of migra- 

 tion to the shores of the north-west arm. 

 The first Warbler of the year, a Myrtle, 

 was encountered then, the Juncos were 

 still present, but the real event was a 

 flock of twelve Brown-capped Chickadees. 

 For fear I would mistake their very dif- 

 ferent notes and habiliments a Black-cap 

 was travelling with them to show how^ dif- 

 ferent lie really was. If similar species 

 of birds w^ould do this regularly it would 

 save much trouble for the student of birds. 



On May 3rd at Amherst, Nova Scotia, 

 a bright afternoon found me on the dyked 

 meadows worrying — if one could really 

 worry on a bright warm day of Spring — 

 about Sparrows. Savannah and Song Spar- . 

 rows greeted the sunshine with song, and 

 A'espers were noted ; Robins had become 

 numerous. 



Northumberland Strait between Pointe du 

 Chene, N.B., and Summerside, P.E.I., was 

 clear of ice on May 5th, and abundant 

 bird-life made the crossing of interest. 

 Flocks of Scoters flushed ahead of the 

 steamer continuously — the identified 

 ones indicating the proportion of each spe- 

 cies present. My estimate of these was 

 30 American, 30 Surf and 20 White-wing- 

 ed Scoters. One Red-throated Loon was 

 noted in the dozen Loons seen, while 550 

 Herring Gulls and a single Great Black- 

 backed Gull completed the Gidl list. 



Tree Swallows, Barn Swallows, Grackles, 



Robins and Juncos had already reached 



Prince Edward Island when I left on the 



