20 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



has been in business. I can say much the same myself, for this year 

 already 1 have had six fine specimens more than all put together that 

 I have had in the previous years I have been in Toronto. 



134. A flock of Short-eared Owls.— A flock of over fifty of 



this species (Asio accipitrinus) was seen on the sand-bar of Ash- 

 bridge Bay, December 5. Seven specimens were killed at three 

 shots and brought to me. 



135. Razor-billed Auk at Toronto. — The capture of this 



species (Alca torda), on Toronto Bay on December 10, is one of the 

 most interesting bird events of this fall . The specimen answers exactly 

 to the description in Ridgway's " Manual," except that it has the white 

 line from the eye to the base of the culmen, and this should be absent 

 at this season. The following are the measurements : — length, 1 Cl- 

 inches ; extent, 25§ ; wing, 7| ; tail, 3| ; tarsus, Its J culmen, 1^; 

 depth of bill, |. Back, black ; secondaries, tipped with white ; 

 under parts, pure white ; space behind the eve, dusky white. 



136. Snowy Owls. — This species (Nyctea nyctea) is very plenti- 

 ful this year, eighteen having been brought to me already. I have 

 been struck by the fact, not generally known I believe, that this bird 

 has " horns " or " ears." I' have paid particular attention to this fact 

 this season, and find that the feathers of the horns are fully one-eighth 

 of an inch longer than the surrounding feathers, and very much 

 darker in colouring or spots. I find them in every specimen I ex- 

 amine, though they may easily escape notice in a dried skin. Three 

 of my specimens were collected on Toronto Island on December 10, 

 and all were from the neighborhood of Toronto city. 



137. General notes. — The following have been received at the 

 store since last meeting : — Lophodytes cucullatus, male, Toronto, 

 November 9 : Bubo virginianus, Davisville, November 22 ; another, 

 Harriets ville, December 5 ; Nyctala acadica, Todmorden, December 

 10; Falco columbarius, male, Ashbridge Bay, December 6 ; a pair 

 of Ceophlceus pileatus, male and female from Haliburton, November 

 29 ; Picoides arctieus, from Parry Sound, December 2 ; Pinicolct 

 enucleator, Wells' Hill, Toronto, December 3 ; Lanius borealis, 

 Toronto, December 10, remarkable for the dull faded brown of its 

 plumage. — Wji. Cross. 



138. White-breasted Nuthatch, wintering at Toronto. 



