60 



The Canadian Field-Naturalist 



[Vol. XXXVI 



meant picking something from the water, dabbling 

 in it. or drinking. 



We thought there might be a shoal out there in 

 mid-lake that we were unaware of and made a 

 point of investigating. We found nothing but 

 deep water anywhere in the vicinity of the oc- 

 currence. My mother and sister reported an 

 exactly similar occurrence about a year later on 

 Crow Lake, a small body of water southwest of 

 here, so it is evidently a habit not strictly confined 

 to the birds of this one particular rookery. I do 

 not remember hearing or reading of this trait of 

 the species elsewhere. 



P. A. Taverner. 



A LARGE FLOCK OF EVENING 

 GROSBEAKS AT TORONTO 



Early on the morning of March 19th, 1922, 

 L. Sternberg and the writer were tramping through 

 a wooded section northeast of Toronto along a 

 small stream known as Jones' Creek. Many of 

 the expected early spring arrivals were noted as 

 well as resident birds of the season. At. least 

 one species observed rewarded us for our early 

 morning activities, namely, a flock of Evening 

 Grosbeaks. We were first attracted to them by 

 their loud chattering and were permitted to watch 

 them for at least ten m.inutes. Three counts 

 were attempted, after which we were able to 

 place their number at thirty plus, which was a 

 conservative estimate. 



When first observed, they were scattered 

 through the trees on the opposite side of the creek. 

 Fortunately, they moved toward us, the entire 

 flock settling on the ice which bordered the 

 creek. They kept up a continuous "peeping" 

 which was the last impression left with us after 

 they rose, as if by -a gust of wind, and were lost 

 to view as they circled round a clump of trees. 



We noticed an interesting effect of light and 

 shadow as we were watching these birds through 

 our glasses. When the male birds' olive and 

 yellow plumage was under shadow, the color 

 effect was that of rufus, similar to the color on 

 the breast of an American Robin. Ic is this 

 effect of light that causes the frequent reports of 

 impossible birds to the student. 

 L. L. Snyder. 



Royal Ontario Museum, 



Toronto. 



Aquatic Habits of Pigeons. — Recent notes re- 

 lating to the aquatic habits of pigeons bring to 

 mind an observation which I made some years ago 

 and which at the time introduced a question if 

 there were any fundametal significance in the 

 fact of a pigeon alighting in the water. 



The pigeons on my country place at Stamford, 

 Connecticut, were in the habit of fljang down to 

 alight upon a rock projecting above the water in a 

 large stream near my barns. One morning I 

 observed a pigeon which flew to this rock for its 

 morning drink, but finding it already fully occupied 

 by other pigeons, circled about two or three times 

 near the surface and then deliberately alighted in 

 the water. This apparently did not disturb the 

 bird particularly, because it proceeded to drink as 

 it slowly floated down stream and then swam to a 

 shallow sandy bar from which it took flight. The 

 pigeons were an ordinary mixed lot of Blue Rock 

 descendants. 



Robert T. Morris, M.D. 



Bronzed Crackles as Scavengers. — Above 

 Mooney's Bay, Rideau River, several Bronzed 

 Crackles were observed coursing back and forth 

 over the surface of the water. At intervals one 

 would drop in gull-fashion and lift some morsel 

 from the water, carrying it to land to devour. 

 Upon closer examination these morsels proved to 

 be dead minnows floating along with the current. 

 June 5, 1918. 



C. E. Johnson. 



Field Notes from Kapukasing, Ontario.-^ 

 While engaged in field-work at Kapuskasing, the 

 first week of July, 1919, I saw a nest built by a pair 

 of Yellow Warblers composed almost exclusively of 

 wads of cotton batting picked up around camp. 



A Robin in the same locality posted itself on the 

 rocks below Kapuskasing Falls several evenings 

 and caught winged insects, fly-catcher fashion. 



A Red Squirrel with left front foot amputated 

 close to the body was a frequent visitor at camp. 



C. E. Johnson. 



Food of Ambush Bugs. — Observed an Ambush 

 Bug (Phymata wolffl) seize and kill a Little Wood- 

 satyr (Neonympha eurytus) as it lit upon a flowering 

 head of Joe Pye Weed, July 28, 1918. On another 

 occasion, one near this same locality, Dow's Swamp, 

 Ottawa, seized and killed a common Honey-bee 

 upon a head of flowering Golden-rod, August 3, 1920. 



C. E. Johnson. 



Bumble-bees on Bleeding Heart. — While ad- 

 miring the bloom on a plant of Bleeding-heart many 

 of the blossoms were noticed to have been per- 

 forated on their upper ends. A few minutes later 

 a Rumble-bee arrived and promptly proceeded to 

 extract nectar through the openings. Several came 

 later and when a blossom was encountered with no 

 mutilation, the bee dexterously lacerated it to obtain 

 the hidden sweets.— Ottawa, May 19, 1918. 



C. E. Johnson. 



