THE CA NADIAN 8PORT8MAM A\|. \ \Ti'i: \ fj-| . 





excavating a hole in a decayed tree or stump, 

 Audubon mentions having found in Maine a 

 nest of Siita Canadensis, whirl, woe dug 'in 

 the decayed wood to the depth of fourteen 

 inches. Coues, in his " Birds of the Colorado 

 Valley," referring to Sitta Carolinentw, states, 

 "that it regularly digs a hole for itself, both 

 sexes working assiduously till an excai 

 it may be fifteen or twenty inches deep, ie 

 prepared for the reception of the neat." The 

 European Nuthatch appears to nest differently, 

 according to Morris " the nest is placed in some 

 hole in a tree. If the entrance is too large, 

 they narrow it with clay, until it is of the right 

 width.". Now, if all these descriptions are 

 correct, we find a wide difference in the, nest- 

 ing habits of our Nuthatches and their European 

 congener. 



My observations have, so far, been confined 

 to Sitta Garolinensis, three nests of which I 

 have taken during the past five years, none of 

 which were in holes formed by these birds, 

 but in natural cavities, in living" trees. Prom 

 these observations I would suppose a natural 

 cavity, or the deserted nest of some wood- 

 pecker, or squirrel to be the place usually 

 selected, and that these birds riever, or "hardly 

 ever," dig a hole for themselves. The follow- 

 ing extract from my note-book refers to the 

 last nest taken. 



Returning from a visit to a sugar camp in 

 the spring of 1878, 1 heard the cry of a pair of 

 Nuthatches, following in the direction of the 

 sound, I soon perceived the birds and was not 

 surprised, even at this early season, to find 

 that they were making preparations to build. 

 One of the birds had in its mouth a large piece 

 of downy looking material, with which, after a 

 short time, it ffew to a neighbouring tree and 

 proceeded to the spot selected for the nest. 

 This was a round knot hole, overgrown by 

 bark, and about four feet from the ground. I 

 ventured to peep in, but all was" darkness 

 within, and as I did not wish to disturb the 

 birds, retired, to observe them from a distance. 

 For several days both male and female were 

 busy carrying material for the nest, after which 

 I did not 'see them for some time, as after 

 completing the nest they apparently retired to 

 some secluded spot, no doubt to complete 

 their nuptial arrangements. On the 20th April, 

 with mallet and chisel in hand, I again went 

 to the tree and on looking down into the cavitv 

 could see the female on the nest. The hole, 

 though sufficiently large to admit a bird of 

 greater size than the Nuthatch, was too small 

 to allow me to insert my hand. Before pro- 1 



(seeding to enlarge •. I _•• .roonly on 



the tree bul could „ 



bird away. I then ; 



I thrust gently into the I 



to force her to lea 



and wings, Th -. 



angrily at the twig and I 



to allow her to remain whil< i 



cavity. The neel [found I 



l;u '-'' ;i1 "'t of mis 



hair predominating. The mat. rial v. 

 over a large surface in the 

 defined depi ssion in the 

 tailed the eggs, nine in Dumber. I 

 had n.it commenced and 1 tram 

 my cabinet without accid 

 largest Bel 1 obtained, the other I 

 having contained six and eight res] 

 W. W.B 

 Montreal., March 10th, 1882. 



MONTREAL BRANCH, ENTOMOLOOl 

 SOCIETY OF ONTARIO. 

 The eighty-ninth meeting of this - 

 was held on the 13th March, at the 



of the President. II. II. Lyman, I- . . 



read a paper on the Lepidopl 



Sault St. Marie, in 1881 . bv Dr. Robert B 



of the Geological Survey. All t: 



taken are also found at Montreal, win, 



exception of Coenom/mpfa 



butterfly taken in the Western Star.-, but 



which extends into the AJgoma 



Canada. A pleasant hour was spent over the 



microscope, and several rare and beautifully 



illustrated works on Entomology were als 



the table tor the inspection ol the members. 



REPLY TO ORNITHOLOGICAL QURB - 



Sir, — In your March Number it is queried 

 if the nest ot the Whip-poor-will (Antrostomut 



VOCl terns) has been Found in latitude 

 The latitude of Listowel is nearly ft", but 

 owing to its elevation, is probablj 



15® of the sea level. The Whip-poor-will is 

 quite common in the swampy woods o\ this 

 neighbourhood, and during the calm b 

 that follow the sunset of the early summer 

 evenings, its loud and melancholy notes may 

 be heard in the town, from the woods north 

 and south, though nearly a mile distant. 

 eggs have been found by several parties in the 

 vicinity, and one collector who procured some 

 and appeared well acquainted with its ha 

 informed me that its nest is always sure to be 

 found near the place where its notes are i. 



