TURDUS AONALASCHKÆ PALLASII (Cab.). 314. Hermit Thrush. (759b) Above, olive, shading into rufous on rump and tail; below, white, oliveshaded on sides; sides of head, eyelids, neck and breast, strongly tinged with buff; throat and breast, marked with large dusky-olive spots. 71; wing, 31; tail, 3. Length, about HAB.-Eastern North America, breeding from the Northern United States northward, and wintering from the Northern States southward. Nest, on the ground, sometimes slightly above it, composed of weeds, leaves, rootlets and grass. Eggs, three or four, greenish-blue, without spots. The Hermit Thrush is a regular visitor in spring and fall, arriving a few days before the Olive-backed, and making but a short stay, although it probably does not go so far north to breed as the latter species. Referring to the Hermit, the following occurs in the "List of Birds of Western Ontario": "Found common in full song in a large swamp, June 22nd, 1882. No nest found, although it was undoubtedly breeding. None observed in summer in any other locality." At home, the habits of the Hermit are in keeping with its name. Among the dense shrubbery in some retired spot, it builds its nest and raises its young. There, too, it pours forth its sweet song on the "desert air," where very few have been privileged to hear it. During the seasons of migration the birds come more into the open country, but they are at all times shy and fond of concealment. On these occasions they have only a simple call-note, apparently used to tell their companions where they are. This species is found on the Island of Anticosti during summer. Mr. Thompson reports it as a summer resident in Manitoba, and Prof. Macoun found it breeding at Lake Mistassini. In the Rocky Mountain region it is replaced by Audubon's Hermit, and on the Pacific coast by the Dwarf Hermit, both closely allied but still differing slightly from the present species. GENUS MERULA LEACH. MERULA MIGRATORIA (LINN.). 315. American Robin. (761) Above, dark olive-gray, blackish on head and tail; below, reddish-brown; throat, vent and under tail coverts, white, throat with black streaks; outer pair of tail feathers, white-tipped; bill, dusky above, yellow below; feet, dark; AMERICAN ROBIN. 411 very young birds spotted above and below. tail, 44. Length, 9 inches; wing, 5; HAB.-Eastern North America to the Rocky Mountains, including Eastern Mexico and Alaska. Breeds from near the southern border of the United States northward to the Arctic coast; winters from Southern Canada and the Northern States (irregularly) southward. Nest, in a tree, frequently an apple tree in an orchard; large and rough looking, composed of twigs, grass and weeds cemented together with mud, lined with fine grass. Eggs, four or five, plain greenish-blue, without spots. The Robin is well known and widely distributed throughout Ontario. In the south it is most abundant during the period of migration, but great numbers breed all over the Province, and along the southern border it is no uncommon thing to meet with individuals spending the winter in sheltered hollows, from which they are ready to start out and hail the first indications of returning spring. As the season advances, northern-bound individuals of this species arrive from the south and pass on with little delay, but those which are satisfied to remain at once become engaged in the great business of the season, that of raising their young. The males are the first to arrive, and are occasionally heard rehearsing their ⚫ summer song, evidently somewhat out of practice. In a few days the females make their appearance and receive every attention. The site for the nest is soon selected, and both birds work diligently till the structure is completed. The first set of eggs is laid in April, and during the tedious days of incubation the male often mounts his perch to cheer his faithful mate with what to her may seem delightful strains of music. To human ears the song does not rank as a brilliant performance, but it is given with great earnestness and liberality, and is welcomed as the prelude to the grand concert of bird music which is soon to be heard in the woods and fields all over the country. At this season the food of the Robin consists chiefly of worms and various insects. It is a fine exhibition of bird-life to see him, early in the dewy morning, hop daintily over the newly cut grass to where an earth worm is exposing himself near the surface. With his head on one side, the bird watches every wriggle of the worm with intense interest. If it is well out of the ground, it is seized, and with a jerk thrown clear of its hole, but if only a part of the worm is exposed, the course is different. It is then caught quickly and held firmly while it struggles hard to get into its hole. Robin knows that now a sudden jerk will part the animal and give him only a portion, but he knows how much strain the material will bear, and he holds on till the exhausted worm relaxes its hold, is tossed out and pounded till fit for use. As the season advances a second and even a third brood of young may be raised. The birds acquire a fondness for fruit, and now come the charges against them of robbing the cherry-tree. No doubt they do take a few for themselves and families, but after all they are entitled to some consideration on account of the numbers of noxious insects which they destroy in the garden, and for my own part I would sacrifice a good many cherries rather than have the Robins banished from around the house. Those which travel to the far north have a different experience. Dr. Richardson tells us that "the male is one of the loudest and most assiduous songsters which frequent the Fur Countries, beginning his chant immediately on his arrival. Within the Arctic circle the woods are silent during the bright light of noonday, but towards midnight when the sun travels near the horizon, and the shades of the forest are lengthened, the concert commences, and continues till 6 or 7 in the morning. Nests have been found as high as the 54th parallel of latitude about the beginning of June. The snow even then partially covers the ground, but there are in these high latitudes abundance of berries of vaccinium ugliginosum and vites idea, arbutus alpina, empetsum nigrum, and of some other plants, which, after having been frozen up all winter, are exposed by the first melting of the snow, full of juice and in high flavor. Thus is formed a natural cache for the supply of the birds on their arrival, and soon afterwards their insect food becomes abundant." In Southern Ontario large numbers are seen congregating together, feeding on the berries of the mountain ash, poke weed, red cedar, etc. If the weather is mild, they remain till November, but usually we have a cold blast from the north in October, which hurries the bulk of them off to their winter-quarters in the south. GENUS SIALIA SWAINSON. SIALIA SIALIS (LINN.). 316. Bluebird. (766) Male:-Uniform sky-blue above, reddish-brown below; belly, white. Female:-Duller. Young:-Spotted. HAB.-Eastern United States to the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains, north to Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia, south, in winter, from the Middle States to the Gulf States and Cuba. Bermudas, resident. Nest, in natural or artificial holes in trees, stubs or posts, or in bird-boxes, composed of miscellaneous material, loosely put together. Eggs, four to six, pale blue, unmarked. In former years the Bluebirds were among our most abundant and familiar birds, raising their young near our dwellings, and returning year after year to occupy the boxes put up for their accommodation. Since the advent of the English Sparrow, they have been gradually decreasing in numbers, and are now seldom seen near their old haunts, from which they have been driven by that pugnacious tramp, Passer domesticus. They are still common throughout the country, where they are everywhere welcomed as early harbingers of spring, and in the fall they linger till late in October, as if loath to depart. This species was a special favorite with Wilson, on account of which it is often spoken of as Wilson's Bluebird, to distinguish it from the Indigo bird, and one or two other species to which the name is sometimes applied. That enthusiastic lover of birds has made it the subject of one of his pleasing poetical effusions, in which he faithfully describes many of its habits, amongst others its early arrival in spring and reluctant departure in the fall. With a short extract from this production, I shall say good-bye, for the present, to the "Birds of Ontario": 66 When winter's cold tempests and snows are no more, The fishermen hauling their shad to the shore, And cloud-cleaving Geese to the lakes are a-steering; When red glow the maples, so fresh and so pleasing, "When all the gay scenes of the summer are o'er, Still lingers and looks for a milder to-morrow, He sings his adieu in a lone note of sorrow." ADDENDA. ESTRELATA HASITATA (KUHL). 317. Black-capped Petrel. (98) Top of head, and upper parts generally, except upper tail coverts, uniform dusky, the back and scapulars paler, with perceptibly still paler terminal margins to the feathers; upper tail coverts, basal half (approximately) of tail, head and neck, except top of the former (and sometimes the hind neck also), together with lower parts, including axillars and under wing coverts, pure white; the sides of the chest sometimes with a brownish-gray wash. 14-16 inches; wing, 11.40-11.75; tail, 4.80-5.30. Length, HAB.-Middle Atlantic, straggling to coasts of North America and Europe. On the 30th of October, 1893, the dead body of a Black-capped Petrel was picked up on the shore of the Island, at Toronto, and brought to Mr. Spanner's shop, where it was seen by Mr. K. C. McIlwraith and others, and correctly identified. This is a bird which rears its young on the lonely islands of the sea, and, except in such places, is rarely seen on land anywhere. The individual now referred to was, from some unknown cause, entirely out of its reckoning, and most likely died for lack of suitable nourishment. |