TIIU CANADIAN SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST. 



Natural History. 



ORNITHOLOGY OF MOUNT ROYAL. 



A ramble over our beautiful Mountain Park, 

 .iikI Cemeteries will well repay students oi 

 Ornithology, and Oology. The summit is 7.00 

 feet above the level of the river, and commands 

 a view of one of the most, magnificent land- 

 scapes on this continent. The noble river St. 

 Lawrence, is seen for a long distance, and 

 beyond Beloeil Mountain rises majestically 

 above the surrounding valley ; on the south 

 side, the view is bounded by the long range of 

 mountains in the State of New York. 



The writer spent many pleasant days last 

 summer, observing the birds that frequent and 

 breed on Mount Royal, and identified thirty- 

 eight species. Those marked with an asterisk 

 do not, breed on Mount Royal, but are frequently 

 seen there. Several other species were ob- 

 served, but not having been fully identified, are 

 left out for a future note this coming spring* 

 The following list contains the names of the 

 thirty-eight species identified: — 



Robin Turdits Migratorius. 



Wood Thrush Turdw Mwtelinus. 



Catbird Mimus Carolinensis. 



Eastern Bluebird Sialia Sialis. 



Golden-crested Kinglet*.. Reyukts Satrapa. 

 Black-capped Chickadee- -Parus Atricapillus. 



Red-bellied Nuthatch Sitta Canadensis. 



Brown Creeper Gerthia Familiaris. 



Winter Wren Anorth ura Ihiemalis. 



Black-and-white Creeper. ■ Mniotilta Vana. 



Summer Warbler Dendroeca Estiva. 



Chestnut-sided Warbler.- -Dendnvea Pennsylvanica 

 Golden-crowned Thrush. . . Sciurux Aurocap'dlus. 



Redstart Setophaga RuticiMa. 



Bank Swallow Cotyle Riparia. 



Purple Martin* Proguc Purpurea. 



Cedar Bird Ampelis Cedrorum. 



Great Northern Shrike... Collurio Borealia. 



American Goldfinch Ghrysomitris tristis. 



Song Sparrow Mclospiza Mdodia. 



Snowbird Junco Hyemalis. 



Chipping Sparrow Spixella Socialis. 



English Sparrow Paser Domest icus. 



Indigo Bird Gyanospiza Cyanea. 



Cowbird Molothrus Ater. 



Baltimore Oriole Icterus Baltimore. 



Crow Blackbird Quiscaluv Purpurcus. 



Common Crow c>,rrui .1 



Kingbird Tt/ratmu n*U. 



I'hij;be So 



Nighthawk* CI mm. 



Chimney Swift* Chatwra I 



Ruby-throated Humming I ,,. . , ,. , , ■ 



Bird . . X rorlnhiH < uluhrxi. 



Black-billed Cuckoo c 



Downy Woodpecker Picus Pubeseeiu. 



Yellow-bellied Wood- t . 



pecker ) Sphvroptau mrm,. 



Golden-winged Wood- I f - , , , 



pecker J Colaphu Avra 



Ruffled Grouse !]■ Uu». 



ERNB8T D. WIN'TLK. 

 Montreal, Jan., 1881. 



THE BARRED OWL. 

 This bird was, last month, abundant in the 

 neighborhood and city ol Montreal. We have no 

 recollection of seeing so many near another city 

 in Canada. It is a day owl, and it- occun 

 in the vicinity of civilization may possibly be 

 on account of the 1 [ouse Sparrows, which ha\ e 

 multiplied greatly of late. The latter are easily 

 caught during the winter, and doubtless a nice 

 morsel tin- the owls. The common haunts ol 

 the Barred Owl are dense woods — they an 

 pelagic — loving (lie northern forests, hut during 

 winter, hunger will force all woodland animals 

 to retreat from their solitudes. The abundance 

 of the House Sparrow has also induced an 

 unusual number ol another enemj to remain 

 in our neighborhood. The Shrike or Butcher 

 Bird. Persons who have read the Irish 

 this bird can well understand thai he would he 

 a greater tin' to the Sparrow than the more 

 clumsy owl. Here we see a natural law faith- 

 fully carried out in order that each species may 

 he benefited, even as parasites, retaining an 

 equal balance in their sphere. 



THE CRAY SKA KAULK. 

 A large specimen was shol on the 28th Dec- 

 ember, al the village of Cowansville, while in 



the act ot earn ing ofl a ehieken from a farm 

 yard. This eagle is the llnlitrhts albacillia oi 

 Cuvier, a bird ot doubtful specific position at 

 present. Its habits are similar to that of the 

 Bald Eagle. It is the property of J. 1- New 

 Esq., of this eit\ . 

 / 



