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Fleming, Birds of Toronto, Ontario. 
BIRDS OF TORONTO, ONTARIO. 
BY JAMES H. FLEMING. 
Part I, Water Birds. 
Toronto, the capital city of Ontario, is situated on the north 
shore of Lake Ontario, about forty miles east of the western end of 
the lake, in Lat. 43° 39' 35" N., Long. 79° 23' 39" W. The lake is 
at this point about 240 feet (Harbor Commissioner’s gauge, zero, 
244.8) above sea level. 
The topography of the city and the country surrounding it is 
peculiar and a review will aid in understanding the ornithological 
conditions. The city for a greater part of its width is protected 
from the lake by a sandbar and island, once continuous. The sand¬ 
bar runs west from near the eastern city limits for nearly three miles 
till it is divided by the Eastern Channel, and sending a spur north 
encloses what is known as Ashbridge’s Bay. This is really a marshy 
lagoon of considerable size, and though filled in, in places, still affords 
food and shelter for many species of birds. Into this bay originally 
drained some eleven creeks, and at its western end the River Don, 
which now is confined to an artificial channel and flows into Toronto 
Bay somewhat further north than where the original outlet of Ash- 
bridge’s Bay was. The narrow sandbar that divides this bay from 
the lake is an important feature in the ornithological history of 
Toronto. It has been divided by an artificial cut giving access to 
the lake; the western portion is known as Fisherman’s Island, and 
from here as well as the bay itself have come many unusual records. 
The building up of this portion of the bar with houses has seri¬ 
ously affected the freedom of several species of waders, which no 
longer call here on migrations. 
From the Eastern Channel, Toronto Island runs in a westerly 
direction for nearly three miles, till about two miles south of 
the city, then turns north towards the city, giving the island a 
more or less triangular shape, and ending in the Western Sandbar, 
which is divided from the city by the Western Channel, the original 
outlet of Toronto Bay, which is itself inclosed on the south and 
west by the island, and on the east by Ashbridge’s Bay. The 
island, originally covered with pine, has been invaded by sand, and 
