Prairie, in Manitoba. East of the Mississippi Valley they were seen in Jessamine 

 County, Kentucky, March 18 ; at Buffalo, West Virginia, March 22 ; Camden, Indiana, 

 March 28 ; New Lexington, Pa., April 16 ; Columbus, Ohio, April 15 ; Niagara Palls, 

 April 18 ; Auburn, New York, April 20 ; Belleville, Ontario, April 22 ; Ottawa, Canada, 

 April 27. In New England the returns show them at Saybrook, Conn., April 19; 

 Greenfield, Mass., April 27 ; Moosehead Lake, Maine, April 23. They were seen at 

 St. Johns, New Brunswick, May 2 ; Chatham, N.B. (Mirimichi Bay, facing the Gulf of 

 St. Lawrence), May 10 ; and at Cape Breton Island, north of Nova Scotia, June 1. 



" Turning now to the other side of the Continent, their progress is found to have 

 been much affected by the unfavourable weather. In California Mr. L. Belding has 

 records from San Diego, April 28 ; Stockton, March 1 ; Marysville, March 17 ; Poway, 

 May 1 ; San Jose, May 3 ; Olema, May 8 ; and Chico, May 22." 



Sir John Richardson states that the Purple Martin arrives within the Arctic Circle 

 earlier than any other of its tribe ; it makes its first appearance at Great Bear Lake on 

 the 17th of May, at which time the snow still partially covers the ground, and the 

 rivers and lakes are still fast bound in ice. The late Captain Blakiston records the 

 species from the Porks of the Saskatchewan on the 11th of May, 1858. 



Mr. Ernest Thompson sends us the following note : — " The Purple Martin arrives in 

 Manitoba about the 15th of May, frequenting the half-open country in much the same 

 degree as the White-breasted Swallows, but also manifesting a strong liking for town-life, 

 for in Winnipeg and Portage la Prairie it is a very abundant bird. When it nests thus 

 in towns it selects for occupation any convenient crevice or cavity about a building, 

 caring only that it be well away from the ground, but the majority of those we see 

 during the summer have their homes in some deserted Woodpecker-hole. On the banks 

 of the Pembina Biver, near Pelican Lake, I found a small colony of Martins inhabiting 

 a scattered grove of old and dying scrub oaks. In most instances the Martins were 

 indebted to the friendly offices of the Golden-winged Woodpecker for their homesteads. 

 This was on the 17th of May, and the birds had apparently arrived but recently. By the 

 third week in August the species usually has disappeared from the ' Big Plain.' " 



The same gentleman has also kindly sent the following note on the distribution of 

 the species in Canada : — 



" Distribution in Ontario : 



" London and vicinity. Common in every city, town, and generally every village 

 through Western Ontario. A few pairs breeding and scattered through the 

 country, probably in hollow trees, as I find old and young together hanging 

 about some dead trees (W. E. Saunders). 



" Hyde Park. Summer resident (John A. Morden). 



" Listoivel. Common in town ( W. L. Kelts). 



" Hatcldey. Occurs ( W. Yates). 



"Hamilton. The Purple Martin arrives in Southern Ontario about the 10th of 



