2 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [Vol.. T. 



(Second Meeting, January 28, 1890). 



At this meeting the officers of 1889 were re-sleeted for 1890. 



3. Sitta canadensis wintering. — On January 18, while shooting 

 at West Toronto, I shot a pair of Red-Breasted Nuthatches. This 

 is said to be the first report of these birds being taken this winter 

 around Toronto. — C. E. Pearson. 



4. Megascopsasio. — On January 19, while out collecting, I came 

 on a Mottled Owl, but was unable to secure it having changed the 

 charge in the gun so as not to injure it with too heavy a shot. 



5. Larus marinus wintering here. — On the same date I saw a 

 number of Saddle Back Gulls flying about Coatsworth's cut and the 

 sand bar, in company with a number of other gulls. — J. R. Thurston. 



6. Spinus tristis and Ampelis cedrorum wintering.— On same 

 date 1 saw three Cherry Birds near Logan's crossing, on G. T. R. 

 also saw a large flock of Goldfinches feeding on weeds in a field near 

 Chester. — J. L. Jackson. 



7. Hybrid Pinicola enucleator X Carpodacus purpureus.— 

 On Jan. 22, 1890, a small-sized finch which was taken from a flock of 

 Pine Grosbeaks {Pinicola enucleator) was brought into my store. As 

 the bird was new to me I had it submitted to Dr. J. A. Allen, who 

 says : " It is clearly a hybrid between the common Purple Finch and 

 the Pine Grosbeak. * * * It is certainly a most interesting cap- 

 ture, combining about equally the characters of the Pine Grosbeak 

 and the Purple Finch. It is just half way between them in size and 

 very nearly so in all other features." The specimen is as follows : male, 

 ad, 1. 6"75, wg. 3 - 75, tl. 1'25 inches; general color like that of our adult 

 male Pinicola in very high plumage. The red on the breast being par- 

 ticularly rich; the back, wings, sides of breast and belly are nearly of 

 the warm color of Carpodacus, without the slaty tints of Pinicola, and 

 streaked as in the smaller species ; the under tail coverts are lined as in 

 Caiyudacus cassinii ; the bill with its antrorse feathers is just inter- 

 mediate in shape and color, but is larger than that of some adult 

 Pinicolge. — W. Cross. 



8. Dr. Brodie reports that he saw another specimen of the above 

 hybrid early in the season. It was in the female plumage and clearly 

 observed but not collected. 



While in Manitoba in 1883, I met with a Mr. Babb, who told me of a 

 strange bird that he shot in Western Ontario some years before ; neither 



