OF THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 223 



first report of its appearance in Ontario was made by the late 

 Dr. T. J. Cottle, of Woodstock, who in the month of May, 

 1866, observed a flock among the evergreens near his residence, 

 and obtained one or two of them. 



Again, in 1 871, they were noticed near London about the 

 same season, and several were procured, three of them coming 

 into my possession. I did not hear of the species again till the 

 17th of March, 1883, when enjoying a sleigh ride along a road 

 which runs through a swamp in West Flamboro' we came 

 unexpectedly upon two in the bush by the roadside and secured 

 them both. 



I have also heard of a female having been obtained by the Rev. 

 Mr. Doel in Toronto, on the 25th of December, 1854, which 

 completes the record for Ontario so far as I know. The 

 Evening Grosbeak is much prized by collectors on account 

 of its rarity, its beauty, and the desire we have to know more 

 of its history. 



Dr. Coues speaks of it as " A bird of distinguished appear- 

 ance, whose verv name suggests the far away land of the 

 dipping sun, and the tuneful romance which the wild bird 

 throws around the fading light of the da3^ Clothed m striking 

 color contrasts of black, white and gold, he seems to represent 

 the allegory of diurnal transmutation, for his sable, pinions 

 close around the brightness of his vesture as night encompasses 

 the golden hues of sunset, while the clear white space enfolded 

 in these tints foretell the dawn of the morrow." Thus the 

 glowing words flow from the pen of an accurate observer 

 and graceful writer, while to the mass of the people 

 the beauties of bird life are a sealed book. By far the larger 

 number of those who have the opportunities of observing our 

 wild birds in their native haunts belong to that practical class of 

 which the representative is Peter Bell, of whom it is written : 



" A primrcfse by the river's brim 

 A yellow primrose was to him 

 And it was nothing more." 



I once directed the attention of an intelligent, successful farmer, 

 whose speech betrayed his nationality, to a fine, mounted speci-. 



