FORTHE PEOPLE

FOR EDVCATION

FOR SCIENCE

LIBRARY

OF

THE AMERICAN MUSEUM

OF

NATURAL HISTORY

Bound at

March, J909

25 cents a copy
$1.00 a year

Fh? Jniirnal

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ilattt? (irmtl|olo9tral i'orirt^

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Editor, W. H. BROWNSON. Portland Associate Editor, LOUIS E. LE6GE, Portland

Published by the Society at 97 1-2 Exchange Street, Portland, Maine

Entered as second class matter June 13, 1905, at the post office at Portland, Maine, under
the Act of Congress of March 3, 1 879.

J O U RIN A L

OF THE

Maine Ornithological Society.

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MAINE ORNITHOLOGISTS
Issued every quarter on the first of March, June, September and December of each year.

Publication Office: 97 1-2 Exchange St., Portland, Maine.

Editor, W. H. BROWNSON, Associate Editor, LOUIS E. LEQQE,

Portland. Portland.

Price, $1.00 per annum. Single Copies, 25 Cents.

Address W. H. Brownson, 85 Market Street, Portland, Me.

The Maine Ornithological Society comprises in its membership the
leading ornithologists and bird students of Maine. The membership
is constantly increasing and the interest in the society was never greater
than now. If you are interested in birds and wish to know more about
them you should by all means send in your name for membership in -this
society. The dues are one dollar a year, and payment of this sum en-
titles each person elected to membership to the Journal free of charge.
Application for membership should be made to the Secretary, Mr.
Dana W. Sweet, Phillips, Maine. Mr. Sweet is also the treasurer
and the annual dues should be paid to him. All persons, both young
and old, are eligible to membership. It is not necessary for one to be
versed in bird lore in order to insure his election to this society. The
larger the membership the more can be done in the way of improving
the Journal and increasing its size. Send in your name without fur-
ther delay. The society will be glad to welcome you to its meetings,
which are held once a year in different cities. The oflScers of the society
are as follows:

President, Dr. H. H. Brock, Portland.
Vice President, J. Merton Swain, Farmington.
Secretary and Treasurer, Dana W. vSwEKT, Phillips.
Councillors, Walter H. Rich, Portland; Dr. William C.
Kendall, Freeport.

Editor, W. H. Brown.son, Portland.
Associate Editor, Louis E. IvEGGE, Portland.

Henry H. Brock, M. D.

President Maine Ornithological Society.

®t|? Jnuntal

of tllf

Published by the Society on the first of March, June, September and December
Vol. XI MARCH, 1909 No. 1

Proceedings of the Thirteenth Annual Meeting of
the Maine Ornithological Society.

By J. Merton Swain, Secretary.

The thirteenth annual meeting of the Maine Ornithological
Society convened at Portland, Nov. 27th and 28th, 190S. A busi-
ness meeting was called to order in the lecture room of the Portland
Society of Natural History, at 2.30 P. M.

Ex-President, Prof. Ora W. Knight, called the meeting to order,
and called for the choice of a temporary chairman.

On motion of Mr. A. H. Norton, Mr. Wni. H. Brownson was
chosen.

Mr. Arthur H. Norton was chosen to act as temjjorary vSec-
retary.

The election of new members was then taken up.

On nomination of Mrs. Mclyellan, Mrs. Adelaide Paine was
elected.

On nomination of Miss Helen Lewis, Mrs. Alice Libby Grover
was elected to membership in the society.

The appointment of the several committees was next taken up,
and the chairman appointed:

2 JOURNAL OF MAINli OR NITHOLOOIC AI, SOCIETY.

Nomination Committp:e: — Mr. Norton, Prof. Knight, Mrs.
Fred P. Abbott.

Resolutions: — Prof. Knight, Mrs. Brewer and Miss Button.

Auditing Committee: — Mrs. A. E. Marks, Miss Helen S.
Lewis.

The Kditor, Mr. Brownson, then read his annual report, which
was accepted and ordered to be placed on file.

Mr. Brownson, chairman of the bird census, called attention to
the annual Christmas bird census, requesting the co-operation of the
members present.

The scientific program was then taken up.

The first paper was by Mrs. Ernest E. Brewer, "Observations on
a Carolina Wren, at Falmouth, Me.," followed by remarks by W.
H. Brownson.

Mr. Brownson then read a paper, "A White Robin from Grand
Manan, N. B."

Prof. Ora W. Knight, of Bangor, then gave a very interesting
paper entitled, "A Trip up the West Branch."

In the absence of Mr. Leroy Melville Tufts, Mr. A. H. Norton
read his paper, "A November Night's Dream of a Nature Eover,"
followed by a record by Mr. Tufts, entitled, "A Barrel of Turkey
Talk."

Some remarks on "Tagging of Live Birds," were made by Prof.
Knight.

The meeting was then adjourned to lo.oo A. M., Saturday.

FRIDAY EVENING SESSION.

The Friday evening public meeting was held in the lecture
rooms and was called to order by Mr. W. H. Brownson.

The speakers of the evening were: Mr. W. H. Brownson, who
gave a very interesting lecture, "A Trip to Grand Manan," which
was illustrated profusely with many beautiful lantern slides, and
Dr. Wm. C. Kendall, whose "Observations on the Loons of Sebago
I^ake, Me." were illustrated by a series of slides, showing their life
history. The speakers were listened to by a good-sized audience.

JOURNAL OF MAINK ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIKTV. 3

SATURDAY FORENOON SESSION.

The meeting was called to order by Prof. Ora W. Knight, at
lo.oo A. M. The records of the Friday session were read and
approved. There were about twenty members present.

The following persons were elected to membership:

On nomination of Mrs. Abbott; Mrs. Gertrude Hanson, of Ken-
nebunkport.

On nomination of J. M. Swain; Mr. Wm. B. Adie, of Portland,
Mr. Philip Lawrence Buttrick, of Grant Farm, and Miss Alice L.
Pendleton, of Islesboro.

Mr. Norton, chairman of the Nominating Committee, then
made the following nominations:

For President, H. H. Brock, M. D., Portland; Vice-President,
John Merton Swain, Farmington; Secretary and Treasurer, Dana
W. Sweet, Phillips; liditor, W. H. Brownson, Portland; Associate
Editor, Louis E. Legge. Portland; Councillor, Dr. Wm. C. Kendall,
F'reeport; Councillor, Walter H. Rich, Portland.

On motion of Mr. F^llis, voted that the Secretary should be
instructed to cast the ballot for th-e society.

The ballot was cast and the above persons were declared elected
for 1909.

O. W. Knight, chairman of the Committee on Resolutions, made
the following report:

Resolved^ That the thanks of the Maine Ornithological Society
be given to the Portland Society of Natural History for their kind-
ness in providing a place for our meeting; to W. H. Ross & Son
for their kindness in loaning a phonograph for reproducing Mr.
Tufts' speech to the members; to the M. C. R. R. for granting us
a reduced fare to Portland.

This report was accepted and adopted and instructions given that
it be spread on the records, and a copy sent to parties mentioned.

Prof. Knight then appointed the following committee to pre-
pare a memoir on our late dearly beloved President, Prof. Leslie
Alexander Lee: Arthur H. Norton, W. H. Brownson and Prof.
Wm. T. Foster.

4 JOURNAT< OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIKTY.

On motion of Mr. Norton, it was voted to appoint a connnittee to
prepare a program for the next meeting. The following committee
were elected from the floor: A. H. Norton, Mrs. Fred P. Abbott,
Prof. Knight. Suggestions were then made as to place of our next
annual meeting and referred to the council for final appointment.

Mr. Hiram Ellis here gave an interesting talk on "Observations
on the Buzzards and other Notes."

Miss Sara C. Eastman then read a most interesting paper,
"Bird Notes for October and November, igo8."

Mr. Brownson then asked again for the co-operation of all the
members to assist in the coming Christmas bird census.

The balance of the forenoon was very profitably occupied in a
general talk and discussions on various phases of bird life.

On motion of Mr. Norton, voted to adjourn sine die.

The Carolina Wren.

By :\lRS. E. E. Brewkr, Portlaiul.
(Read at annual meeting of Maine Ornithological Society, Nov. 27, 1908.)

I have very kindly been asked to give you the details of my
observations, which led to the taking of a Carolina Wren by Mr.
Arthur H. Norton, at Underwood Spring, Falmouth* Foreside, Me.,
on Oct. 3, 1908. Although fully realizing that the most of you are
undoubtedly more experienced than I in the study of our birds, yet
it gives me pleasure, if it can be of interest or profit to any, to tell
you of this interesting little bird I was fortunate in becoming
acquainted with during the summer days.

We were living at Town Landing, Falmouth, which you all
know is but a short distance from Underwood Spring. The whole
vicinity is ideal for birds, the surroundings offering most favorable
conditions, not only for passing migrants to rest on their way north
and south, but for great numbers of our summer residents to locate
and remain through the breeding season.
*Cf. Auk, XXVI, p. 82.

JOURNAL OF MAINK ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 5

During the summer, I had become famihar with several new-
species of birds (new to me, at least), and I had constantly listened
to more bird songs, and been able to place them, than I had
expected ever to hear. Perhaps, for that reason, I may have been
more alert to quickly note a new song, or the unfamiliar appearance
of a bird. However that may be, we all know August to be rather
a (juiet month with our song birds, and, as a rule, not many new
varieties are looked for. or noted. But in the early morning of
August 1 8th, while about my accustomed duties, I occasionally
heard at a little distance a decidedly new note. I listened and
listened, bvit could not seem to place it. It was a song entirely
unfamiliar.

Later in the forenoon, while watching some young Robins on
the piazza of one of my neighbors, who is also interested in birds,
I suddenly noticed a clear brown bird alight on the piazza rail,
then dive into a thick vine that grew over a trellis at the back door.
I exclaimed: "Did you see that brown bird? That was no Spar-
row; it had the manners of a Wren, a decidedly heavy white line
over the eye, no wing bars or other strong markings, a whitish
throat, light breast washed with buffy. Certainl}^ it was not a
Winter Wren — too large and different — but I feel sure it was some
kind of a Wren!"

Thus I hastily noted a few characteristics. In a moment it
flew a short distance to a thick tangle of bushes and small trees,
and upon alighting called out in a wonderfully clear voice the same
variation of song I had heard during the early morning, as had also
my neighbor. Of course we then knew to whom that exquisite
note belonged.

I was quite excited, and hastened home for my glass, but before
I could again reach the bird he had gone on toward Underwood,
still calling out the same ringing variation of his song, which to my
ear was exactly one form described by Hoffman as "Twip-])ity,
twip-pity," always given twice or four times, and, as I later learned,
upon alighting in a new spot. Although I followed him, I was
unable with my glass to get another glimpse of him, and returned

6 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

home rather crestfallen. I had seen and heard just enough to be
tantalizing, but concluded that in all probability it was the last of
my new bird. However, I immediately began to look it up, and to
wish a more experienced eye than mine could have seen it. What-
ever authority I consulted, no description seemed to fit the bird Init
that of the Carolina Wren, yet all remarked it to be rare and very
uncommon in Maine.

For two succeeding mornings, to my surprise, at about the
same hour of the day, and in the same locality, I heard the rich
voice, but each time it moved toward Underwood without being
seen. On several occasions, about the middle of September, its song
was heard, but nothing more was known of the bird till September
22nd. On that day. Town Lranding and Underwood were thronged
with innumerable birds. I have never seen a greater number to-
gether. There were hosts of Robins, Cedar Waxwings, Sparrows of
several species, Thrushes, Flycatchers, Warblers, Vireos, Finches,
Nuthatches, Kinglets, Brown Creepers, Woodpeckers, Chickadees
and others, all, apparently, on the verge of insanity. Certainly, to
say the least, I have never seen a more active or social company.
My cottage was surrounded by this band of migrants, many
attracted, undoubtedly, by two fruit-ladened, black cherry trees.
As I took my glass and quietly stepped to the door to watch them,
the first to greet my eyes was my Carolina Wren, not three feet from
me, all by himself for a few seconds. He was inquisitively inspecting
my steps, bobbing about and gesticulating wildly with his expres-
sive tail, and though every movement was like a flash, yet he re-
mained quiet long enough to give me a great opportunity to note
his every marking very distinctly without my glass. I felt as sure
as it is possible for an amateur to feel when discovering something
new, that I had correctly named my bird. There was its size, the
bill, the clear, rich brown upper parts, with wings and tail finely
barred with a little black, the long, heavy white line over the eye,
its whitish, full throat, breast washed with buffy brown, and the
unmistakable wren-like movements of the tail. All answered ex-
actly to its description. He had a very smooth sort of a peurri7ig

JOURNAI. OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 7

alarm note, reminding one of a tree-toad. This he sounded Ire-
quenth^ and gave also that da}' another variation of song in a loud,
clear whistle. It is said the song of this Wren can be heard a (juar-
ter of a mile, and I do not doubt it.

After leaving my steps, he joined the mixed company, remain-
ing near by the house for some time, apparently enjoying the excite-
ment as much as any, yet always intent upon his own affairs. In
such a motley array of birds, with many similar in size and color,
one would perhaps have thought it impossible to follow him with
the glass, yet I could do so, his movements being unlike all others.
As this band of migrants roamed about from trees to bushes and
tangles, and back to trees again, this little fellow followed on, and
finally, as usual, all wandered back to Underwood, the favorite
resting place at night.

The following ten days he remained with this company of birds.
In the meantime, however, some of the Flycatchers, many Warblers
and others disappeared from the ranks, and Siskins and Juncos
joined them. Each day they seemed to travel over about the same
route. It apparently ranged from near our cottages at the I^anding,
along the shore to the northern line of Underwood, around and
through to the western borders, back to Casco Terrace and Town
lyanding. I never saw the Wren outside those boundaries, however
favorable seemed the locations beyond. Mornings it was with its
companions around our cottages and the bushes along the shore,
from noon till night at Underwood and Casco Terrace.

This Wren was certainly one of the most attractive birds I have
yet known. At every glimpse I noted and enjoyed his many char-
acteristics as keenly as at first. Not so brilliant in colors as some,
but always good to look at in his rich, modest coat of brown, yet I
think much of the fascination lay in his alert, saucy manners, and
his inspiring voice; his way of suddenly appearing before one
when least expected, and in such odd places; his busy, active man-
ner of inspecting some old log, or stump, or a moss-covered roof
which seemed to contain mau)'^ choice morsels to his liking, or the
latticed basement of some closed cottage, bobbing in and out of the

8 JOURNAL OF MAINE) ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

openings and giving one the impression he must be looking for a
suital)le spot as an abiding place for himself and mate another j^ear.
At least, we hoped that might be his intention, to return with a
wife, and I am sure, had \-ou known him, you would wish, with me,
that more of his kind could be added to our summer residents.
But Mr. Norton rudely dispelled that illusion, saying that, as he
was an accidental visitor only (never but two having been authenti-
cally recorded as taken within the limits of our State of Maine, his
home being in the Carolinas, and rarely coming further north than
Connecticut), undoubtedly, had he returned south and safely
reached his destination, he would not have returned to us another
year.

At different times in my observations, I heard three distinct
variations of his song, all of which I can now place in my mind,
but not in words or sounds ; bird songs are not easy to repeat. Two
forms were very similar to those described by Hoffman, and one
entirely different. I also, several times, heard his caching note, as
well as \.\\^ pe2irri7ig alarm, all of which seemed characteristic of the
bird, and unlike the notes of other birds I have heard. I think,
should any of you who are familiar with bird songs and notes once
hear the Carolina Wren, it would instantly attract your attention,
as something unlike all others, and I heartily wish you may be for-
tunate enough to some day make his acquaintance. Another fea-
ture of the song was the regularity of its occurrence. I noted it
by my watch many times, and it was almost invariably fifteen to
twenty minutes between his songs. He would repeat one variation
several times, then a pause of about twenty minutes, perhaps to be
followed by another form in the same way, then back to the first
variation. I often rested by the way during those pauses, feeling
pretty sure I could again locate him by his song, if I waited that
time.

His choice of food seemed to be tiny insects and bits that he
gleaned from the thick bushes, old bark and moss, mostly near the
ground, rarely feeding in the trees, but often singing from the low
branches. One morning, while sitting quietly alone watching others

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL .SOCIETY. 9

of the merry band, the Wren suddenly appeared and proceeded to
take his bath, all by himself, in a small stream slowly running
through a gully at Underwood. The process of bathing was car-
ried through with as much vigor and evident enjoyment as one
could wish to see. It was most amusing to watch his antics, all
done with such nervous haste, yet thoroughness seemed to be his
motto, whether bathing or inspecting buildings.

In going out each day, he was the first one we looked for, and
rarely in those days were we disappointed. He invariably appeared
somewhere. Each glimpse, however, we expected to be the last,
especially as cool nights came on. He was likely to move on south
with the other birds before another morning. In meeting him so
often we began to feel a sort of ownership, as if he belonged to us
alone, and really became very fond of him. Nevertheless, when I
found he was inclined to remain, and believing him an uncommon
and desirable specimen, I felt it a duty to notify someone of his
presence and secure him, if possible. Mr. Norton seemed the one
to appreciate such an addition to his collections, consequently I told
him what I thought about the bird. He kindly consented to try
and secure it, and, with a little help to locate the bird, easily took
him on the morning of October 3rd, at Underwood. It proved to
be a male Carolina Wren. His plumage showed him to be moult-
ing, which undoubtedly accounted for his remaining in the vicinity
that length of time, and perhaps would have remained a few days
longer, his wings being in hardly the strong condition for long
flight. My friend and I had become very fond of our little Wren,
watching for him and enjoying his glorious voice, and when we
heard his last song, and saw him drop from his perch on one of the
seats at Underwood, as Mr. Norton skillfully aimed and secured
him, womanlike, for all we wanted it done, we each had to shed a
tear for our dear little songster, and I must confess the woods
seemed rather uninteresting ever after, although they were well
filled with the same merry band of bird friends, each one of which
we loved and were glad to meet, yet the one favorite bird of all, our

lO JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL .SOCIETY.

Carolina Wren, had gone. It is now in the collection at the Nat-
ural History rooms, and, without doubt. Mr. Norton will gladly
show it to you, should you care to see it.

Christmas Bird Census.

Reports of Winter Birds by Members of the Maine Ornithological Society
During the Period from Dec. 20 to 31, Inclusive.

The third Christmas bird census, taken by members of the
Maine Ornithological Society, has been fully as successful as those
which have preceded it. During the present winter birds have been
unusually plentiful all over the State, and many of the reports are
of permanent interest. The presence of Bohemian Waxwings in
eastern Maine and the neighboring island of Grand Manan is note-
worthy. Several new observers have taken part in the bird census
and their contributions are welcome. For the sixth consecutive
winter Myrtle Warblers were observed at Cape Elizabeth during
Christmas week.

The reports sent by different members for the closing days of
1908 are as follows:

W. H. Brownson.
Observations at Cape Elizabeth and Pine Point:
Crow, 104; Herring Gull, 1,050; Great Black-backed Gull, 5;
Horned Lark, 20; Snow Bunting, 22; Redpoll, 115; Red-legged
Black Duck, 250; Old Squaw, 115; White- Winged Scoter, 50;
American Golden-eye, 80; Meadowlark, 16; Goldfinch, 20; Horned
Grebe, 5; Loon, 4; Tree Sparrow, 3; Brown Creeper, i; Snowy
Owl, 2; Brunnich's Murre, i; Chickadee, 10; White-winged Cross-
bill, 15; Red Crossbill, 20; Myrtle Warbler, 15; Buf^lehead, 10;
Downy Woodpecker, 2; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 2; Red-breasted
Nuthatch, i.

Additional list out of date or reported by others:
Song Sparrow, 4; Hermit Thrush, i; Pigeon Hawk, i; Pine
Siskin, 20; Robin, i; Northern Shrike, i.

JOURNAL OF MAINK ORNITHOI.OCUCAT, SOCII'TV. 11

J. Merton Swain.

Observations at Farmington and elsewhere:

Dec. 2oth, 7 Pine Siskins, 3 Chickadees.

Dec. 2ist, drove from Farmington to Wilton, Jay and Liver-
more Falls. Saw i Hairy Woodpecker, 5 Pine Grosbeaks, 2 Cana-
dian Ruffed Grouse.

Dec. 22nd, drove from Livermore Falls to East I^ivermore,
Fayette, Wayne, Monmouth and Winthrop. Saw three flocks of Sis-
kins, probably 150 individuals in the three flocks, 7 Snowflakes, 3
Canadian Ruffed Grouse.

Dec. 23rd, drove from Winthrop to Readfield, Belgrade Lakes,
Mt. Vernon, Vienna, Chesterville to F"armington. vSaw 2 Downy
Woodpeckers, 5 Chickadees, 50 Siskins, 7 Blue Jays, 3 Cana-
dian Ruffed Grouse.

Dec. 24th, went by train to Phillips. Saw 25 Snowflakes, two
small flocks of Siskins, 25 birds.

Dec. 25th, went by train from Phillips to vStrong, Kingfield and
Bigelow, and back to P'armington. Saw i Canada Jay, 3 Blue Jays,
2 Crows, 7 Siskins, i Pileated Woodpecker.

Dec. 26th, Farmington. No birds seen.

Dec. 27th, Farmington. No birds seen.

Dec. 28th, drove from F'armington to New Vineyard, and New
Portland. Saw 3 Canadian Ruffed Grouse, i Blue Jay, 3 Pine Gros-
beaks, I White-breasted Nuthatch, 5 Chickadees.

Dec. 29th, drove from New Portland to North An.son, North
Cornville, West Athens and Athens. Saw 2 Chickadees, 5 Blue
Jays, I Hairy Woodpecker, i Pileated Woodpecker, 7 Canadian
Ruffed Grouse.

Dec. 30th, drove from Athens to Brighton, Cornville, East
Madison and Madison. Saw 3 Blue Jays, 100 Siskins, 3 Snow-
flakes.

Dec. 31st, drove from Madi.son to West Mills, vStark, Mercer,

12 JOURNyVIv OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL .SOCIETY.

New Sharon and Farniington. Saw 3 Chickadees, 25 Siskins, 7
Pine Grosbeaks, i Canadian Ruffed Grouse.

F. M. David and R. T. David.

Observations at Damariscotta:

Sunday, Dec. 20th, 15 Redpolls, 26 Snow Buntings, 2 Blue
Jays, 2 Crows, 14 Chickadees.

Monday, Dec. 21st, 12 Golden-eyes, i Partridge.

Tuesday, Dec. 22nd, 3 Chickadees, i Partridge, i Blue Jay.

Wednesday, Dec. 23rd, 18 Redpolls, 3 Blue Jays, 2 Crows.

Thursday, Dec. 24th, 4 Crows, 9 Gulls, 3 Blue Jays, 3 Chick-
adees.

Friday, Dec. 25th, 2 Gulls, i Crow, 5 Blue Jays, 3 Chickadees.

Saturday, Dec. 26th, i Crow, 3 Blue Jays, 5 Gulls.

Sunday, Dec. 27th, i White-breasted Nuthatch, 3 Chickadees,
2 Blue Jays, two large flocks of Redpolls, should say over 100 in
each flock.

Monday, Dec. 28th, 2 Blue Jays, i Crow, 3 Chickadees.

Tuesday, Dec. 29th, 2 Crows, i Blue Jay, 7 Gulls, 6 Golden-
eyes.

Wednesday, Dec. 30th, 3 Blue Jays, 3 Pine Grosbeaks, i
Partridge, i Nuthatch, 80 oi- 100 Redpolls.

Louis E. Legge and Danforth S. Hersey.

Observations at Cape Elizabeth:

Dec. 20th, Red-breasted Nuthatch, 3; Myrtle Warbler, 9;
American Crossbill, 2; Chickadee, 13; Redpoll (estimated), 20;
Herring Gull, 25; American Crow, 2.

Dec. 27th, Chickadee, 5; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 2; Myrtle
Warbler, 3; American Goldfinch, 2; White-winged Crossbill, 22;
Red-breasted Nuthatch, 4.

Allan L,. Moses.
Observations at Grand Manan, New Brunswick.

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL .SOCIETY. 13

Dec. 20th, 1908. Saw 10 Crows, i Fox Sparrow, 3 Tree Spar-
rows, 6 Juncos.

Dec. 2ist. Saw 11 Juncos. These birds were feeding on meal.
They have been feeding there three days and more are coming every
day. A great many Herring Gulls were in the harbor this morning.
Redpolls are very plentiful; saw as many as a dozen flocks, from 4
to 50 in a flock, 5 Tree vSparrows, i Vesper Sparrow, 2 Chicka-
dees, I Song Sparrow. The reason that these song birds are here
is due to so much open weather. I never saw so many at this time
of the year since I can remember. It is not an unusual thing to see
Juncos, Song Sparrows and Tree Sparrows here in winter, but it is
very unusual to see them in flocks.

Dec. 22nd. Early this morning I saw 4 Juncos under the win-
dow eating meal I put there the day before. Next I saw one of the
rarest birds that com*e to the island, the Bohemian Waxwing.
Three specimens have been seen here this winter, and I have two of
them in my collection. This is the second record of this bird being
taken on the island. The first was taken by my father, John R,
Moses. I don't know the exact date, but it was about fifteen years
ago. To-day I saw 19 White-winged Crossbills, i Chickadee, 3
Golden-crowned Kinglets and 2 Robins. I was out on the Bank to
see the Kittiwakes flying to their feeding ground, off North Head.
Any day at this time of the year, when the wind is north or north-
west, you can go out here and see Kittiwakes, Razor-billed Auks
and Dovekies going in flocks of from 3 to 100. To-day, with the
wind northwest, and on the ebb-tide in the morning, there was not
one moment that some of these birds were not in sight. I saw nine
flocks of Razor-billed Auks, at least 150 birds in all. I also saw a
great many Dovekies, 2 Holboell's Grebes and i Black Guillemot.
I also saw a Hermit Thrush in company with a Robin. This bird
surely had forgotten himself. I was positive of his identity, for the
day was cold and the bird was so stupid that I could get within two
or three yards of him. I also saw about a dozen Redpolls.

Dec. 23rd. Very few birds seen to-day, as it was stormy. 1 1

14 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

Juncos were around the window on the ground all day. Saw 6
Redpolls and i Tree Sparrow.

Dec. 24th. Juncos still around the house. Saw about 30 Red-
polls, I Vesper Sparrow, 3 Tree Sparrows and 7 Crows.

Dec. 25th. Saw 3 Chickadees, 2 Golden-crowned Kinglets, a
flock of Redpolls, about 100 Black-backed Gulls, one large flock of
Razor-billed Auks, 5 Black Guillemots, 2 Holbcell's Grebes, 2 Brun-
nich's Murres, and a great many Herring Gulls.

Dec. 26th, Went gunning to-day among the islands, so had a
pretty good chance to see water fowl. Saw 2 American Golden-
eyes, 2 Black Ducks, 50 Red-breasted Mergansers, nearly all old
males, many Old Squaws, 4 White-winged Scoters, i Surf Scoter,
many Black Guillemots, Dovekies very plentiful. Razor-billed Auks
more plentiful than any other day this winter. Also saw 4 Horned
Larks, 2 White-winged Crossbills, i Red-breasted Nuthatch, and
heard many Chickadees and Kinglets. About a week ago, on Long
Island, saw a flock of about 40 Purple Sandpipers, but did not see
them to-day, though the birds are undoubtedly there, for they
make this small island their home every winter. Saw hundreds of
Herring Gulls and Black-backed Gulls.

Dec. 27th. Saw 3 Chickadees, a small flock of Redpolls, i Snow
Bunting. The 1 1 Juncos were around the house to-day, having
been absent for two days. Other birds seen to-day were a young
Bald Kagle, 20 Crows, hundreds of Kittiwakes, a few Dovekies and
I White-winged Crossbill.

Dec. 28th. Saw 5 Redpolls. Juncos absent again to-day.

Dec. 29th. vSaw i Vesper Sparrow this morning, i Sharp-
shinned Hawk, 7 White-winged Crossbills, i Brown Creeper, i Red-
breasted Nuthatch, several Chickadees, a Hairy Woodpecker, three
flocks of Redpolls, i Tree Sparrow, i Northern Shrike, 5 English
Sparrows, 18 Crows. Juncos were around again to-day, also a new
flock of about 20.

Dec. 30th. Saw 2 Northern Ravens and i Bald Eagle. I was
at the North Head to-day, where the Kittiwakes feed. The birds

JOURNAL OF MAINR ORNITHOLOGICAL .SOCIETY. 1 5

were rather scarce to-day, but even then there were thousands of
them. I stood on the top of the bank, where it was not less than
three hundred feet high, and gazed at the birds sitting in a white
line as far as I could see. They were feeding on shrimps, which
are their favorite food around the island in the winter.

Dec. 31st. Saw to-day 4 English Sparrows, flock of Juncos
near my house, small flock of Crows, 5 White-winged Crossbills, 4
Chickadees, and with them i Hudsonian Chickadee, very rare here.
Saw also thousands of Kittiwakes and Razor-billed Auks, and the
only Ivory Gull I ever saw alive. It was an elegant specimen, as
white as snow\ This Gull is an accidental visitor in the neighbor-
hood of Grand Manan.

Nellie F. Dunton.

Observations at Bath:

Dec. 20th, 1908, was at Winnegance (south end of Bath). Day
fine. vSaw 4 Blue Jays, 6 Chickadees, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches, i
Gull, 3 birds flying, too far off to be identified. Heard a Crow.

Dec. 2ist, snow squall early, then clearing. Saw 5 Blue Jays, 3
Chickadees, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches and a Crow,

Dec. 22nd, saw 3 Blue Jays, 2 Chickadees, i Red-breasted Nut-
hatch, I Gull.

Dec. 23rd and 24th, was busy preparing for Christmas and did
not see any birds excepting the large flocks of English Sparrows
and Pigeons on our streets.

Dec. 25th (Christmas), walked along the country roads some
two miles in West Bath and vicinity, and saw only 2 Crows and 2
Goldfinches, or the same one twice, but they tell me that the next
day there were four different kinds of small birds around the house
I visited that day. They were quite sure one was a Junco, but I
have not seen any in this vicinity for some time.

Dec. 26th, at Winnegance again, and took a long walk in the
woods in the afternoon. Saw 3 Blue Jays, 4 Chickadees, 2 Red-
breasted Nuthatches, 3 Crows, i small Hawk, probably a vSharp-

l6 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL .SOCIETY.

shinned, but he did not give us much time to note his colors, also
two larger ones sailing over the woods, having long wings and color
whitish as seen from below, also a flock of 14 or 15 birds, apparently
about the size of Pine Grosbeaks, in the spruces, but we could not
get near enough to identify them. They did not give the Grosbeak
whistle, but a sort of chattering, as they flew.

Dec. 27th, saw 4 Chickadees, i Crow, 2 Red-breasted Nut-
hatches, 6 Blue Jays, i Brown Creeper, i Gull.

Dec. 28th, saw 4 Crows, 4 Chickadees, 4 Blue Jays, i Song
Sparrow. A flock of 7 or 8 Pine Grosbeaks were reported a mile
or two below here.

Dec. 29th, went across the river in Woolwich for an hour or
two, and saw only 4 Gulls and 2 Crows. A Partridge was seen
there earlier in the day.

Dec. 30th, a flock of about a dozen Goldfinches flew over my
head here in town, near the park, with their characteristic dipping
flight.

Dec. 31st, at Winnegance, saw 4 Crows, 4 Blue Jays, i Chick-
adee, in the morning. lyater in the day my friend saw a White-
breasted Nuthatch with them.

Jan. 2nd, I saw a Golden-crowned Kinglet in the woods, get-
ting one good look at the top of his head as he fidgeted around in
the evergreens, and next day i Hairy and i Downy Woodpecker.
Doubtless these were in the vicinity at time of the census, but I did
not happen to see them in time to include on those days.

Have only mentioned a few Gulls I happened to see in passing;
have not been around the river much or given them particular at-
tention. There are usually many more around Bath.

Have been quite anxious to know if the Song Sparrow^ is win-
tering at Winnegance, and have looked in same place several times
since without seeing him, but he may be in the vicinity.

The regularity of seeing Blue Jays, Chickadees, etc., at Winne-
gance comes from the fact that my friend puts food for them in a
small apple tree some teit or fifteen feet from the back window.

JOURNAT^ OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 1 7

Have always supposed Blue Jays were rather shy, but they come
there freely and do not pay much attention to us when we stand in
the window to watch them. There is quite a large flock around,
but I have only given the number seen at one time.

Sara C. Eastman.
Observations at Pine Point, Deering and Cape Elizabeth:
Dec. 2ist, 3 Meadowlarks, i Black-backed Gull, 5 Crows,
and hundreds of Herring Gulls. Dec. 22nd, 15 Redpolls, i Red-
shouldered Hawk, which, high in air, sailed in wide circles above
the woods, i Chickadee, i Tree Sparrow, i Crow. Dec. 23rd, 75
Herring Gulls, 6 White-winged Crossbills, 6 Chickadees, 4 Golden-
crowned Kinglets, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches, i Tree Sparrow, 5
Crows. Dec. 24th, 6 American Crossbills, 10 Horned Earks, 2
Meadowlarks, 5 Snow Buntings, 2 Eoons, i Brown Creeper, a large
flock of Redpolls, a large flock of Crows, a large flock of Herring
Gulls, 17 Black Ducks on the wing, and well in toward the shore,
large flocks of Old Squaws and Scoters. Dec. 27th, 12 Myrtle
Warblers, 8 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 2 Golden-crowned Kinglets,
3 White-winged Crossbills, a large flock of Redpolls and 3 Crows.
Dec. 29th, I Northern Shrike.

Mrs. Ernest E. Brewer, Portland.

Observations at Woodfords:

My list of birds for the Christmas census is not large, as it in-
cludes only what I saw from my windows. A flock of a half dozen
Chickadees and a Downy Woodpecker nearly every daj^, a flock of
twelve Pine Grosbeaks several times and a single bird at others,
flock of at least twenty-five or thirty Crossbills, both Red and
White-winged, several days, i Brown Creeper, i White-breasted
Nuthatch, i Red-breasted Nuthatch, 3 Crows and a Hawk I did not
identify. As usual, I have a piece of suet hung in a tree near my
window, and lately have put with it a doughnut, which I find the
Chickadees and Nuthatches are extremely fond of. Several times I
have also noticed the Creeper eating with evident enjoyment from

1 8 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

both doughnut and suet. It is something I have never seen before,
although a Creeper comes each year to the same tree, but has
always seemed indifferent to the suet. As the tree is very near the
window it is quite interesting to watch the Chickadees, both Nut-
hatches and the Creeper all feeding there at once, but one thing I
have noticed is, that never two birds at a time have I ever seen par-
taking of the suet, each courteously waiting his turn.

Sherman E. Phillips.

Observations , at Canterbury, N. H.:

You will find my list of birds short this year. During the ten
days I saw only Chickadees and Blue Jays. There were 6 Chicka-
dees in the flock. I cannot give the exact number of Jays, as I saw
the same birds several times.

Mrs. Charles G. Atkins.

Observations at East Orland:

Dec. 2oth, 7 Chickadees, 12 Redpolls, 10 Pine Grosbeaks.
Dec. 2ist, 4 Chickadees, i Blue Jay. Dec. 22nd, 4 Chickadees,
2 White-breasted Nuthatches, i Blue Jay, i Hairy Woodpecker,
8 Herring Gulls, i Rusty Blackbird. Dec. 23rd, 3 Chickadees,
I Blue Jay. Dec. 24th, 4 Chickadees, 3 Blue Jays. Dec. 25th,
5 Chickadees, 3 Blue Jays. Dec. 26th, 2 Pine Grosbeaks, 4 Chick-
adees, I Blue Jay, i Northern Shrike. Dec. 27th, 4 Pine Gros-
beaks, 2 Blue Jays, 5 Chickadees. Dec. 28th, 6 Chickadees, i Blue
Jay, I Northern Shrike. Dec. 29th, 7 Chickadees, 3 Blue Jays.
Dec. 30th, 7 Chickadees, 3 Blue Jays. Dec. 31st, 4 Chickadees,

4 Blue Jays.

Maud M. Oilman.

Observations at Cape Elizabeth:

I saw a flock of eight Tree Sparrows, in Scarboro; a Robin, a
Red-breasted Nuthatch, and a Grebe, at Pond Cove. The Grebe
was rather small and the white on his throat extended nearly around
his neck, but he was quite far out when I first saw him and kept
going farther, so that I could not see him well enough to identify
him positively. [Undoubtedly a Horned Grebe.]

journal op maine ornithological society. 19

Clarence H. Clark.

Observations at Lubec:

I made several trips through the bird haunts during the "cen-
sus week," but did not secure a very large list, many of our favor-
ites of preceding years being absent. The summary of my trips
included a dozen of the Black-capped Chickadees, scattered over
several miles of territory; a dozen Tree Sparrows, in the open spots
in the woods; a dozen Golden-crowned Kinglets, in the small growth
woods; the regular colony of American Herring Gulls, numbering
about 2,000; 300 Crows, that are wintering with us; 300 Old Squaws,
which is an average winter number; 18 Pine Grosbeaks, which came
just in time to be enrolled; 20 Bohemian Waxwings, which have
made up in interest for all that have otherwise been missed.

A. L. Grover.

Observations at Orono and Bethel:

Dec. 22nd, at Orono, two flocks of Pine Siskins, about 40 in
all, 2 Downy Woodpeckers, i Canadian Ruffed Grouse, 2 Chicka-
dees. Dec, 27th, at Bethel, 8 Pine Siskins, 4 Blue Jays, 6 Pine
Grosbeaks, 3 Downy Woodpeckers, 11 Canadian Ruffed Grouse, 2
White-breasted Nuthatches, 6 Chickadees. Dec. 29th, at Bethel,
2 Chickadees. Dec. 30th, at Gilead, one large flock of Snow
Buntings, between 300 and 400. Dec. 31st, at Bethel, i Hairy
Woodpecker.

Sam. a. Lurvey.

Observations at South West Harbor:

Dec. 20th, 4 Crows, 6 Chickadees, two large flocks of Tree
Sparrows, nearly 100 in number, 8 White-winged Crossbills. Dec.
2ist, 2 Chickadees, 6 Tree Sparrows, 150 Harbor Gulls. Dec. 22nd,
I Chickadee, 40 Tree Sparrows, i Rusty Blackbird (saw him in the
morning, also at night near the same place), 120 Harbor Gulls.
Dec. 23rd, 75 Harbor Gulls, 2 Crows, 4 Chickadees, 3 Tree Spar-
rows, English Sparrows (there are about 30 of these settled in the
village) . Dec. 24th, 50 Harbor Gulls, 9 Tree Sparrows, i Chickadee.
Dec. 25th, 4 Chickadees, 12 Tree Sparrows. Dec. 26tli, 30 Crows,

20 . JOURNAI, OF MAINE ORNlTHOTvOGICAL SOCIETY.

lo Chickadees, 7 Tree Sparrows, i Sparrow Hawk. (This bird was
seen across a mill pond. He was on a stake when first seen. He
would fly a short distance and then return to his stake. A flock of
Chickadees were at work in the low bushes near by, when he flew
over them with a harsh cry, and they stopped singing at once. The
distance was a good four hundred yards, so my identification is not
sure.) Dec. 27th, 4 Crows, 2 Juncos, 10 Chickadees, 5 Tree Spar-
rows, 3 Brown Creepers, 2 Red Crossbills, male and female. Dec.
28th, 6 Chickadees, i Brown Creeper, 10 Gulls. Dec. 29th, 6 Crows,
ID Chickadees. Dec. 30th, 12 Crows, 50 Gulls, 4 Chickadees, 10
Tree Sparrows, 6 Yellowhammers. Dec. 31st, 12 Crows, 6 Chicka-
dees. A large flock of White- winged Crossbills was seen Dec. 19th.
The sexes were about equal. They stayed near our house nearly
all of the forenoon.

Mrs. Harriet S. McIvEIvEAn.

Observations at Cape Elizabeth and elsewhere:

Dec. 20th, at Cape Elizabeth, in the woods near the five-cent-
limit station, 4 Chickadees, 5 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 2 Brown
Creepers, two flocks of Redpolls, numbering in all about 50, one
flock of White-winged Crossbills, perhaps 20 in all, and from the car
window, while crossing the bridge, large flocks of Herring Gulls and
4 Crows were seen.

Dec. 2ist, at Evergreen Cemetery, Deering, 6 Chickadees, 4
Brown Creepers, 2 Crows, three flocks of Redpolls, at least 60 in
all, one flock of 11 Pine Siskins, two flocks of Crossbills, all that
were distinguishable being the White- winged.

Dec. 22nd, at Pine Point, i Loon, 3 Scoters, 14 Old Squaws,
4 American Crossbills, 3 Chickadees, 2 Brown Creepers, 2 Red-
breasted Nuthatches, two large flocks of Snow Buntings, number-
ing at least 50, 75 Crows (estimated), 6 Horned Earks, 3 Meadow-
larks, a flock of about 40 Redpolls, at least 150 Herring Gulls, and
the gunners reported a Snowy Owl which had been on the marshes
for several days, but I did not see him.

Dec. 23rd, at Delano Park and Pond Cove, a flock of 7 Amer-

JOURNAI. OF MAINE ORNITHOI.OGICAL SOCIETY. 21

ican Crossbills, 2 Redpolls, 4 Golden-crowned Kin^^lets, i Tree
Sparrow, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 5 Chickadees, 6 White-winged
Crossbills.

Dec. 24th, at Pine Point, 6 American Crossbills, 2 Meadow-
larks, I Shelldrake, 17 Black Ducks, 2 I^oons, 10 Horned I^arks,
5 Snow Buntings, i Brown Creeper, large numbers of Crows, Her-
ring Gulls, Old Squaws and Scoters, and a large flock of Redpolls,
feeding among the beaoh grasses and weeds. The Snowy Owl was
still reported on the marshes.

Dec. 25th, near Bath, i White-breasted Nuthatch, 4 Golden-
crowned Kinglets, 2 Chickadees, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 4
Blue Jays, 5 Pine Grosbeaks, 6 American Crossbills, a small flock
of about 15 Goldfinches, 7 Herring Gulls and 6 Crows, which were
perched upon the cakes of ice floating down the river.

Dec. 26th, at Yarmouth. 4 Crows, i Northern Shrike, 2 Chick-
adees. Later, at Underwood, I met a true bird lover, a Mrs. Tay-
lor, who has fed the birds about her house for so many years that
they are very tame. At least 50 Chickadees and Red-breasted Nut-
hatches came when she called, lighting upon our heads and shoul-
ders, and eating freely from our hands. The birds were evidently
true New Englanders, for she says that doughnuts are their favorite
food, and it was very amusing to see them select the outside pieces,
with the fat upon them, and push aside the others. They invari-
ably selected the largest pieces, also, and frequently hid them in the
crotch of a tree or some other convenient cranny, returning imme-
diately for more. I afterward tried calling them to me from differ-
ent parts of the woods, always successfully. A Brown Creeper was
with them, apparently much interested in proceedings, but did not
dare to come to me. A large flock of Redpolls, 2 American Cross-
bills, 4 Crows and 5 Black Ducks were also seen there, and from the
two bridges hundreds of Gulls.

Dec. 27th, at Delano Park and Pond Cove. 2 Brown Creepers,
9 Chickadees, 8 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 2 Golden-crowned King-
lets, 6 American Crossbills, i White-winged Scoter, four small

22 JOURNAL Ol' MAINK ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

flocks of White-winged Crossbills, about 40 in all, 10 Myrtle War-
blers, a large flock of Redpolls, and I heard, but did not see, a
Shrike.

Dec. 28th, at Underwood, at least 25 Chickadees, which came
when I called and ate greedily from my hand. Five Red-breasted
Nuthatches were with them, but were too timid to come to me.
One Downy Woodpecker, iS Redpolls, a small flock of Pine Siskins,
and I White-winged Crossbill were also seen there.

Dec. 29tli, at Riverton, 4 Brown Creepers, 12 Chickadees, 2
Red-breasted Nuthatches, 6 American Crossbills, two small flocks
of White-winged Crossbills, and a large flock of Redpolls and Pine
Siskins, about 60 in all.

Dec. 30th, very cold and cloudy. I visited the Western Prom-
enade and cemetery, but saw nothing there. Later, in the woods at
Cape Elizabeth, 6 American Crossbills, two flocks of White-winged
Crossbills, two flocks of Redpolls, one very large and one smaller,
about 75 in all, 3 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 8 Chickadees, and 2
Brown Creepjrs. From the bridge 4 Crows and many Gulls were
seen.

Dec. 31st, at Underwood, i American Crossbill, 2 Brown Creep-
ers, 2 Downy Woodpeckers, a flock of about 20 Pine Siskins, 4 Red-
breasted Nuthatches, and about 25 Chickadees, which came to eat
from our hands, the Nuthatches, this time, seeming almost as tame
as the Chickadees. Large numbers of Gulls were seen from the
bridges.

Review of **Camps and Cruises."

Camps and Cruises of an Ornithologist. By Fratik M.
Chapman, Curator of Birds in the American Museum of Nat-
ural History, 1908, 8vo., 432 pages, illustrated by 250 photo-
graphs from nature by the author. D. Appleton & Company.

The Journal is always pleased to call to the notice of its read-
ers any work of Frank M. Chapman. His "Handbook of Birds of
Eastern North America," "Bird Life," "Bird Studies with a Cam-
era," and "The Warblers of North America" make a series inval-

JOURNAL Ol' MAINE ORNITIIOLOGIC A r, S()CI1<;TV. 23

liable to anyone who would know of the advances made in ornithol-
ogy in recent years, more especially in the line of the life history of
the birds.

The "Handbook" named above is not only deservedly popular
and well-nigh indispensable to the bird student, but, in arrange-
ment, scope and adaptability to field work, is a model for handbooks
in any department of nature study.

This latest volume, "Camps and Cruises of an Ornithologist,"
is in many respects a great advance over the others, and is almost
certainly the most delightful of all. Its very appearance is a delight.
The paper and type are of quite unusual excellence, and the pic-
tures, both in presentation and in the unique and interesting sub-
jects, from the standpoint of the bird student, are unequalled. It is
difficult to take one's attention from them to the text. The author's
photographs of the "Golden Eagle's Nest," for grandeur, "Little
Blue Herons," for wildness, the Flamingo groups and "White Pel-
icans— Saskatchawan," as studies of birds in masses (to take only
these few illustrations almost at random) teach more than many
pages of writing. •

And the story accompanying the pictures could hardly be better
told. The author is an enthusiast, albeit a sane one. For seveu
years he has "devoted the nesting season of the birds to collecting
specimens and making field studies and photographs on which to
base a series of what has been termed 'Habitat Groups' of North
American Birds for the American Museum of Natural History," it
being his purpose "to illustrate not only the habits and haunts of
the birds shown, but also the country in which they live." To do
such a work adequately required not only a fullness of knowledge
and experience, and faithfulness to detail, but made it necessary for
the author to go into the wildest and most remote parts of the coun-
try. His studies of the American Egret in the cypress swamps of
the South, of Pelican Island on the Florida coast, the Flamingo
colonies of the Bahamas, the Prairie Hen of the plains of Nebraska,
the Murres of the F'arallones and the Ptarmigans of the Canadian

24 JOlTRNAT< OF MAINE ORNITHOI^OrrlC AI. SOCIETY.

Rockies are a few of the many in this remarkable book that get a
hold on one, intense, helpfiil and lasting.

The last chapter, "Impressions of English Bird-Life," is per-
haps quite as inspiring as the parts relating to this continent. It is
particularly valuable as showing how an experienced American
ornithologist, not only scientific but appreciative, right in the glow
of his enthusiastic study of the birds of his own country, regards the
Nightingale, the Skylark and other characteristic species of Old
England.

All in all, this is one of the most noteworthy ornithological pub-
lications in recent years. And it is a book for more than the bird
student. To almost an equal degree it is for the photographer and
the general naturalist as well; while for all other readers it will not
only have a constant charm as a work beautifully done, but cannot
fail to create an increased interest in out-of-door life and things.

J. F. F.

NoTEvS FROM Orand Manan, N. B. — The Duck Hawks are
beginning to think about their home affairs, as they have come to
their old locality, and have been there about a month.

There have been the most Redpolls wintering here this winter

that I have ever known. There was a flock of about a hundred

under the kitchen window late this afternoon. I put out hay seed

in the yard, and they came nearly every day. They all seem to be

the common form.

Allan L. Moses.
Grand Manan, N. B., March 3, 1909.

Look for Bohemian Waxwings. — If the attention of our

members could be called to the desirability of being promptly on

the lookout for the Bohemian Waxwings it seems likely that we

might be able to obtain several more records before they pass north

again, which will be in a couple of weeks now.

Ora W. Knight.
Bangor, March 11, 1909.

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOI.OGICAL SOCIKTY. 25

®hr Jnitntal

nf tlip

Mmxt OPntitltnlngtral ^nrtrtg

A Quarterly Magazine Devoted to the Study and Protection of Birds

Vol. XI Published March 1, 1908 No. 1

SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Sl.OOayear; 25 cents a copy

OFFICERS OF THE MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Pres., Dr. Henry H. Brock, Portland W. H. Brownson, Portland
Vice-Pres.. J. Merton Swain, Farmington Editor

Sec.-Treas., Dana W. Sweet, Philips Louis E. Legge, Portland
Councillors. Dr. Wm. C. Kendall, Freeport Associate Editor

Walter H. Rich, Portland

Since the Journal was in type we have received a two-page
article from Mr. Ora W. Knight, entitled "The Bohemian Wax-
wings in Maine," which will appear in the next number. We call
attention to Mr. Knight's note on another page.

The present session of the Maine lyegislature is no exception
to its predecessors, in being called upon to consider several bills
relating to the protection, or rather destruction, of birds.

One bill was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and
called for a bounty to be placed upon Hawks. At the hearing it
was explained that 25 cents was the bounty asked for the destruc-
tion of three Hawks, the Hen Hawk, the Pigeon Hawk and the
Marsh Hawk. When asked which of the several birds called Hen
Hawk was meant, its supporter replied: "Any Hawk prowling
about hen-houses might be so designated." This bill was reported,
"ought not to pass," by unanimous vote of the Committee.

Before the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Game several
bills and petitions have been introduced, one a measure ask-
ing the repeal of the principal sections of the Non-game-bird Law,
and a substitution offered, so worded as to open to the general pub-
lic the right to take and keep alive wild birds. At this point it
should be remembered that earliest bird laws contained numerous
exceptions, such as, "except alive," "except for scientific pur-
poses," which resulted in nullifying the law. With experience pur-
chased through failure of cases in court, as early as 1886, a commit-

26 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

tee of the American Ornithologists' Union, drafted by advice of able
counsel a form since known as "The A. O. U. Model Law," which
has been adopted with necessary (and probably some unnecessary)
changes by thirty-seven states. In 1901, the State of Maine, with
unusual public enthusiasm, adopted almost exactly the A. O. U.
Model Law, and since that time objections to it, if any, have not
been of a public nature. It is believed that the committee will
report against making any change.

However great the interest in non-game birds, nothing is more
public than that taken in game birds. Great interest is mani-
fested, and funds are being raised for the introduction of the Hun-
garian Partridge {Perdix cinerea) into Maine, and the Legislature
has been asked to appropriate a small sum for the purpose.

The troublesome Whistler again receives attention for local
and spring open seasons, to the discomfiture of the anti-spring-
shooting party of sportsmen, showing the virulence of traditional
customs even in the sporting fraternity.

Black Ducks, notwithstanding the fact that a boreal race
winters in Maine, which was early recognized by gunners as mark-
edly different from the summer bird, has been so long protected by
even a fluctuating law that all would regard a perpetual open sea-
son as sacrilege. Yet there are those, even at this session, petition-
ing the legislature to open March and April, the most vital months of
the year to the interest of duck protection. Nearly all of the pair-
ing has been completed, and some species begin laying in Maine in
April. To open shooting during this month, or even March, is to
harass and drive away birds that might remain to breed.

But Whistlers and others, partly or wholly marine ducks, have
been exempt from protection, audit appears extremely hard for gun-
ners and legislatures to grasp the principle of universal spring pro-
tection and reject the dogma that some birds need no protection at
any time. This bickering shows plainly that the time has come for
a thorough investigation of the field, and a uniform revised duck
law, proposed and supported by a wider circle of sportsmen and
bird protectors than now are striving for its support. Some excel-
lent suggestions on this subject are given in the recent Report of
the Commission of Inland Fisheries and Game for the year 1908.

Evening Grosbeak {Hesperiphona vespertina) at Port-
land, Maine. — I have just examined at the shop of Mr. John A.
Lord, a Portland taxidermist, a splendid adult male of this species,
taken at Woodfords, March 6, 1909,

Walter H. Rich.
Portland, Me., March 15, 1909.

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 27

Mxth Nnt^s*

Notes and observations upon bird life within our State are earnestly desired from all our readers
for publication in this column, and should be sent to Louis E. Legge, 22 Dow street, Portland, Maine.

We note with much satisfaction the increasing frequency with
which the members of our society report to this Journal their
ornithological observations. This is an important part of our duties,
one to another, and should be shared in by all interested in bird
life. The Journal's columns are always open to contributors of
items of general interest relating to Maine birds, and we trust our
members will, through this medium, disseminate such knowledge as
they personally possess.

Myrtle Warblers at Cape Elizabeth. — For the sixth
consecutive winter a small flock of Myrtle Warblers has wintered in
the vicinity of Delano Park, on the shore of Casco Bay in Cape
Elizabeth. During Christmas week there were fifteen or twenty of
these birds in this locality. This is a larger number than has ever
been observed before at the corresponding time of year. January
3, 1909, about the same number were observed. February 7th, a
dozen or more Myrtle Warblers were observed at this point, and up
to this date the birds have been constantly seen by several other
observers. On this day the birds were very nervous, scarcely com-
ing down at all into the bayberry bushes, but flying more or less
compactly from one tree top to another. The previous week there
had been a big storm of more than fifteen inches of snow, accompan-
ied by severe weather, yet the birds appeared to have survived with-
out any inconvenience. February 14th, no Myrtle Warblers were
seen, in fact, not a bird of any kind was in sight, even a Chickadee,
although the day was fine and warm. A careful inspection of the
bayberry bushes on the two slopes where the birds had usually been
seen during the winter disclosed the fact that the bushes had been
almost completely stripped of the waxy berries, which had formed
the principal food supply of the Warblers through the fall and win-
ter. Hence I conclude that the birds at this date were seeking a
new food supply, though probably less than half a mile away, but it

28 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

is not improbable that the birds may be seen again in their old

haunts before spring.

W. H. Brownson.
Portland, Feb. 25, 1909.

A Song Sparrow's Nest. — I was surprised to find the past
summer that a Song vSparrovv had built its nest in a birch sapling,
about thirty feet from the ground and overhanging the lake. These
birds got to be very tame and would come on constant visits to the
back door of the camp where I always kept a supply of cracker and
bread crumbs for them. These crumbs they would carry to their
nestlings.

lyOUIS E. lyEGGE.

Portland, Feb. i, 1909.

Notes from Avon. — Aug. loth, I came upon a Hermit
Thrush's nest with three eggs. The bird flew from the nest as I
approached.

Sept. 27th, I heard a Hermit Thrush sing once, though not in
full song. This species regularly ceases to sing about Aug. loth
or 12th.

I have at various times read in the newspapers accounts of
White Crows and other remarkable monstrosities in the bird line,
and often wondered why my activity in searching for birds did not
introduce me to some of thesie rare sights. L,ast April the problem
was solved. I was out on a large wet tract of land, numerous Crows
were flying about, and among them was a male Marsh Hawk. Sev-
eral times the Hawk flew along in the midst of three or four Crows.
The beautiful white plumage of the Hawk made a striking contrast
with the dark garb of his companions. As I left the field and came
again into the highway, I met an acquaintance to whom I inciden-
tally remarked that I had been looking for birds, and he gave me
this interesting item: "Oh, you ought to have been over there in
that field yesterday. Bill was coming through there and he saw a

White Crow."

D. W. vSwEET.
Avon, Feb. 10, 1909.

JOURNAL OF MAINK ORNITHOLOGICAL vSOCIKTV. 29

Bronzed Grackle in Winter. — As I shall not be able to

attend the meeting at Portland this week, I will give you an item

that may be of interest. Last winter a Bronzed Grackle remained

here from fall until spring, being seen in various parts of the town

by myself and others, apparently well and hearty. It did not

mingle with the English Sparrows, as I have seen Cowbirds do, but

seemed to enjoy its own company best, and in the spring was in

song several weeks before its mates arrived from the south.

Fred B. Spaulding.
Lancaster, N. H., Nov. 25, 190S.

Fox Sparrow in January. — Sunday morning, January 24,
1909, at Delano Park, Cape Elizabeth, near the highway and within
a quarter of a mile of the sea, I observed a Song Sparrow and a
Fox Sparrow, both able to fly and apparently in perfect condition.
There was a strong northeast wind blowing, with some snow and
sleet. The birds had sought shelter on the westerly side of the
height of land in the Park, and were at first in the lower branches
of a small spruce and later running about on the snow.

I don't recall any other Maine record for the Fox Sparrow in

January. Mr. Brownson saw one at Cape Elizabeth, Dec. 9, 1906,

and Mr. Knight says in his book that this species has been seen

near Bangor, in February and March.

Jed F. Fanning.
Portland, Feb. i, 1909.

Chipping Sparrow Killed by Lice. — While engaged in
building a fence for a party here in Farmington, Me., I found a
Chipping Sparrow dead, near by, and curiosity led me to examine
its body as lo the cause of its death. Many Sparrows had been
killed here in town by boys with air guns, but upon examination of
the bird's body no wound was visible, but the body of the bird was
enveloped with a layer of lice covering the body so thickly that the
skin could hardly be seen. These lice had no doubt been the cause of

the death of the Sparrow.

H. W. Jp:;well.
Farmington, Feb. r, 1909.

30 JOURNAL OF MAINK ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIKTY.

Ducks at Highland Lake. — Wild Ducks were unusually
plentiful at Highland Lake during September, October and Novem-
ber, many more than I have ever seen in either of the six years I
have camped there, American Golden-eyes were very conspicuous.

Louis E. Legge.
Portland, Feb. i, 1909.

Robins Used Same Nest Six Seasons. — The group of
Robins' nests described by Mrs. Elizabeth H. Marks, in the Decem-
ber number of the Journal, leads me to report a single Robin's
nest used for six successive seasons, and also a multiple nest built by
the same species in one season.

In the "Birds of Essex County," page 313, I recorded a Robin's
nest that was built under the porch, on the lintel of the front door
of my summer house, at Ipswich, Mass., and, at the time the book
was published, had been occupied, presumably by the same pair for
four successive seasons. Since then it was used for two more sum-
mers, or six in all, but in the winter following the last, i. e., the
winter of 1906-7, it was blown down, and the spot has not been
built on since. I think, however, that the same pair have since
built in a bush close to the front door. This nest over the door was
repaired and built a little higher each year, so that in the summer
of 1906, when it was last occupied, it had attained a height of eight
inches, and was practically a six-storied nest.

The multiple nest was built, presumably by one pair of Robins,
in the spring of 1907, on the ledge over a window in a boat house,
on the marsh at Ipswich, and a brood was raised in one of the nests.
On the ledge four nests were built side by side of mud and dried
eelgrass {Zostera ma-tina). Each of these nests was only about one-
third of the height of the usual Robin's nest. Beyond these on the
ledge was a fifth nest, represented by a slight cup-shaped depres-
sion, while beyond this was a sixth, represented by but a small
amount of mud, not shaped, and covered with eelgrass. The re-
maining space on the ledge, large enough for two nests, was covered
with eelgrass alone.

The Phoebe has been known to use the same nest for several

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOI.OGICAI. .SOCIETY. 31

seasons, building up successive stories, as in the first instance, and

also a number of nests in the same season, as in the latter instance.

Charles W. Townsend, M. D.
Boston, Nov. 27, 1908.

Bohemian Waxwings in Eastern Maine. — Bohemian Wax-
wings made their appearance December 6th, and evidently wished
to be recorded, as they first put in their appearance in a tree within
a few feet of my home. I happened to be looking out of my window
and saw them arrive, but at first supposed them to be the ccdroricm
but the longer I watched them the more strange points I noticed.
I first noticed their unusually heavy crests, but supposed they were
a well-plumed flock; I next noticed their plump bodies and judged
that the open winter had afforded them an abundance of food, but
finally when I noticed their somewhat awkward or "Sparrer" like
movements it dawned on me that I had a "new bird," and I hustled
out for a better view, and as they were very tame I got so close that
I did not need my glasses, but the chestnut forehead and under
tail coverts, white wing markings and the points previously noted
proved that the Bohemian was with us, and this is the first time to
my knowledge. I gathered in every bird student or admirer that I
could find (about a dozen), and had them fully note all the points
in order to establish good evidence, as I did not care to shoot them
around the residential section of the town and I am aware that the
"professionals" want good proof, and in view of the good work some
of them have done in getting out "Birds of Maine," I think they
deserve careful evidence.

This small flock remained with us until January 3rd, and gave
good opportunity to observe them. Their flight was in a compact
flock, and when in a tree they would endeavor to all get on one
branch in place of scattering throughout the tree. The Waxwing
affection was much in evidence, and I was sure they were from the
"North," because they rubbed noses like the Esquimaux. Their
food while here consisted wholly of the mountain ash berry.

The Pine Grosbeak and Bohemian were here at the same time,
and I frequently noticed how greatly they resembled each other

32 rOURNAL OF MAINE ORNlT7IOI<OGlCAL SOCIKTY.

while in flight, both having the Robin-like appearance, which the

more slender Cedar Bird does not have.

The Bohemian Waxwings, which left us January 3rd, arrived

again to-day. The weather is raw and rainy, and the Bohemians

are keeping up an incessant metallic trill.

Clarence H. Clark.
Lubec, Feb. 6, 1909.

Bird Notes from IvUbec. — The American Goldfinch and
Snow Bunting were here just before census week, but I could not
find them for record during that period.

I was much interested in finding the Meadowlark with us
again on October 9th, which is exactly two years from the date
when the last record was made in 1906, and both records were for
the same heath at South lyubec, a single bird in each case.

Most every winter brings a different "bird of prey" in abun-
dance. Two years ago the Snowy Owls were thicker than Partridges.
Last winter most every gunner brought in a Goshawk, and this win-
ter it is the Great Horned Owl, several specimens having been
brought in.

Clarence H. Clark.

lyUbec, Jan. 15, 1909.

Mockingbird in Winter. — I am taking this way of telling
you the latest news of our strange bird visitant, the Mockingbird.
I have seen it occasionally and heard of it in the neighborhood
often. Last Sunday morning, about eight o'clock, it flew again to
the hedge near the window. A cat was making frantic endeavor to
get at it, and while I studied the bird, noting for the first time its
almost yellow iris, Mrs. H. tried to "shoo" the cat away without
frightening the birds; when it flew the white in the tail showed
remarkably well, also on the primaries. The bird was about here
for at least three-quarters of an hour, although a second cat ap-
peared, and the two were plainly anticipating a great delicacy for
breakfast. Their greedy attention did not seem to disturb the bird.
Miss S. said she saw the Mockingbird Saturday forenoon, on
Spring street, eating mountain ash and bittersweet berries, and
again Monday, on the hedge of the Brown estate, on Vaughan street,
and at this time it sang a little song, or not exactly a song, but
twitter in the throat. vShe heard it distinctly and several times.

Elizabeth W. Russell.
Portland, Feb. 3, 1909.

<1 o >•

®l)p Journal

uf tljf

Mmu (inittI|fllogtral i'ori^tif

Published by (he Society on the first of March, June, September and December
Vol. XI JUNE, 1909 No. 2

The '^Hungarian Partridge" — the Gray Partridge.

{Pcrdix cincrca.^
By Waltkk H. Rich, Portland.

For the purpose,^ of advancing the interests of our supply of game
and its protection and propagation, a number of local sportsmen
have formed a society under the title of "The Cumberland County
Fish and Game Protective Association." As first fruits of their
endeavors, and as earnest of their intentions, they have imported and
liberated in five or six colonies in the neighl)orhood of Portland,
fifty pairs of "Hungarian Partridge" {Pcrdix cincrca) , generally
considered the prime game bird of luirope.

The societ)'' has secured the passage of an act establishing a
close time of four 3'ears, with the proper penalties for non-observ-
ance thereof.

In its numerous species and varieties the race is scattered all
through temperate Europe, prospering best in its milder regions and
shunning extremes of either heat or cold. Its range extends from
southern Scandinavia and England on the north and west, Naples
on the south, eastward through Persia, India and Tibet, to China.

34 JOURNAL OF Mx\INE ORNITHOLOGICAL .SOCIETY.

As is natural over so wide an extent of territory, there is much
variation in size and coloring, but it is upon the great wheat plain
of Hungary, where they thrive best and are exceedingly numerous,
that the birds of this species attain their greatest size.

The relationship of the Old World Partridges with our "Quails,"
as w^e usually term them, seems to be very close. The American
group, as most of our members probably know, is separated from
its over-sea relatives chiefly because its mem1:)ers have a more or less
distinct serration on the cutting edge of the mandible near the tip.
This is scarcely apparent in some species. The bill in our Ameri-
can group {Odontophorhiis) seems more arched, giving it a
shorter and heavier appearance. In the Hungarian Partridge the
bill is noticeably flatter and longer than in our "Quails," and the
side view of the head gives a very pigeon-like appearance, save, of
course, the lack of the tumid membrane at the base of the bill as
shown in the pigeon.

Of our American Partridges the species most suggesting this bird
is the Plumed Quail of California, though Perdix lacks the plumes,
is rather more brownish in his tones, and is of generally lighter
coloring. Our new citizen is plump and stocky, powerful in figure,
short of wing with a short tail, carried low in Quail fashion. I
weighed the largest of those which I had and he tipped the scales at
eleven ounces. He was in fair order, not fat, and in condition might
have weighed thirteen or fourteen ounces. The meat is dark,
which rather surprised me, for I had taken it for granted that it
would be white.

As many of our members may be unfamiliar with the appearance
of this bird, a brief description uiay not be out of place here. Their
markings are as follows : top of the head, dark yellowish brown ;
throat, light reddish buff, with a broad band of the same shade run-
ning back above the eyes to the hind head ; above, in general a
brownish or yellowish ash, lightening toward the rump, the feathers
here, as also on the tail coverts, crossed by a broad subterminal
band of chestnut, and everywhere the feathers are finely barred with
broken, irregular dark lines ; the scapulars with more or less reddish

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 35

or chestnut, and central lines of pale Iniff ; the tail short, carried
low like a Quail's, 1)right reddish l)rown ; the flight feathers
brownish, the primaries still darker, and all cross-barred with irregu-
lar bands of ochraceous, black-margined ; the upper breast bluish
ash, growing lighter below, and brownish on the flanks, where the
feathers show a broad band of chestnut near the tips, and are crossed
by fine vermiculations of darker color, sometimes unbroken lines,
but oftener their mere suggestions made up of small dots ; a chest-
nut "shield," or "horse-shoe," of considerable size in the middle of
the lower breast; under tail coverts, light yellowish brown, very
faintU^ and finely barred ; feet and legs, brownish flesh color ; bill,
gray-blue ; eyelids, gray-blue or pale flesh color ; iris, brown or red-
brown ; naked patch just behind the eye of light orange.

"The dark chestnut 'horse-shoe' on the gray breast is nearly
obsolete in most adult females ; female invariably distinguished by
widest buff bands on black scapulars and adjoining wing coverts,
which in cock are light brown with black vermiculations and chest-
nut blotches. The latter sex, moreover, has gray instead of brown
sides to the neck." {Ogilvie Grant.)

There are great variations in coloring. Specimens from dry soil
are said to exhiint the richest hues, while some are occasionally
taken showing white "horse shoe." A particularly dark variety
has been denominated montana. There are even records of hybrids
between this species and the red-legged Partridge, and also with the
Scotch Grouse.

East of the Altai and Tian Shan this species is replaced by the
allied Perdix daurica (barbata), which has lanceolate feathers on the
side of the throat and a black "horse-shoe" on a golden-buff l)reast.
Other species in vSouth Tibet, North India, Northwest China, and
North Tibet. These last are more hardy, ascending the mountains
to the snow line.

The Gray Partridge pairs in February and nests in April, and
success in raising the brood depends much on excess of wet or
drought. The nest is made upon the ground, a circular cavity,

36 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

lined with grass, in the herbage and often in exposed situations.
Eggs are from nine to twenty, drab or bluish. It is wellnigh im-
possible to see the bird upon her nest, where her blending colors of
gray and brown so closely match the surroundings of dry grass and
herbage. Both parents tend the young and employ the same wiles
and tricks to mislead the intruder as does the Ruffed Grouse or the
Bobwhite in a similar situation. lyarge numbers of eggs are never
hatched, and many a chick falls victim to his enemies in fur or
feather, owing to the exposed position of the nest or the feeding
ground.

These Partridges roost upon the ground at night. Late in tlie
fall they "pack up" into large coveys, much as do our Prairie
Chickens, and these are said to be equally as wild at this time as are
the Chickens in the same circumstances. Rarely does the Gray Par-
tridge desert the open for the woods, even in hot weather, only seek-
ing shelter under low brush, or the broad leaves of the crops, the
corn, the cabbage, the turnip, the clover clump. The larger the
cultivation in a district the better their chance of prospering.

Often pursued, they trust to their legs for escape, or may crouch
low in the grass, motionless, trusting to their plumage's matching
tones to render them invisible. When flushed they rise with a loud
whirr — the flight rather labored until under way, when they glide
on bowed wing rapidly and easily. As to their qualities as game
birds it is somewhat too early for us to speak with full decision.
The}' are highly esteemed in Europe, but are more often driven than
hunted over dogs, mainly, it is said, because the cultivated ground
has so little of waste spaces in hedgerows or brush to lead them to
lie close, so they are apt to run unseen to the end of the furrows
and so flush wild. They are swift of foot and very quick in all their
movements. If I were to express any opinion at present, I should
say that I should expect them to do a great deal of running before
the dog, especially when the young have become well grown, and
from the little I have seen I should judge them to be far inferior in
wing power to Grouse or Quail.

I was fortunate enough to have a colony of these birds left in

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 37

my care for setting out, and I took them home with me. During
the evening I brought a male bird in to make the acquaintance of
the family. I spent the half-hour in which he lay snuggled under
my chin in scratching his head. At first his heart jumped in lively
fashion but he soon quieted down and merely blinked his eyes in
deep content. It seems as though they would tame very easily.

In their coop they used a great variety of language ; they
clucked like a Grouse ; they chattered like a Blackbird; they snapped
their bills like an Owl ; they "jawed" like a Parrot; they made a
guttural note of alarm like the "br-r-r-r" of a startled Pigeon ; they
hissed like a Black Duck guarding her nest, or like a Thomas cat
whose dignity is ruffled not quite enough for anger ; and, in addition,
they are said to "crow" at evening. Their Latin name, Pcrdix, is
said to be a fairly close imitation of their call. English? Conti-
nental ? Or ancient Roman pronunciation ?

Next evening. May 6, 1909, about sundown, I carried them into
a clearing in the woods where was a couple of acres of newly turned
soil sloping down to a brook, the north side well wooded, on the
south open to the sun, and a good bit of cultivated land near by. I
placed the box upon the ground with a corner of the burlap cover
loosened so that they might easily get out. They got out ; they
stood not upon the order of their going but went at once. The box
was scarcely set down when they began to stream out into the dusk.
They made only a short flight— twenty yards or so, the longest not
over forty— and dropped into the plowed ground. A few scurried
into the woods at the right. In a moment the gloom was filled with
curious noises as the scattered birds began calling each other. It
w^as as though every wheelbarrow in the neighborhood had lifted up
a voice of protest against the high price of oil. Presently they gath-
ered together, the last straggler came out from the woods, and all
collected on a little hummock in the midst of the plowed ground,
and viewed their surroundings, as it seemed to me, with no great
approval. They squeaked and called for a few minutes until finally
the whole covey made off on foot, entering the edge of the brush

38 JOURNAI. OP MAINP: ORNITHOI.OGICAL SOCIKTY.

and apparently settled down for the ni<;ht. Here we left them and
another experiment in game propagation is under way.

Will they survive or no ? It is to be hoped that the optimists
may win this time, for it would be a great pity to lose these beauti-
ful little creatures. For their welfare during all but the bitterest of
our weather there need be no fear, 1)ut the furnishing of the table of
a bird who depends mainly on grain and insects for its sustenance
may become a vital issue when our northern winter descends u])on
us, and when the door of the North Pole swings open about January
15th to stand wide until March 20th, and the north wind comes
down, swirling and heaping the snow through the woods and over
the open, I greatly fear that these little folk will regret the day they
left the billowing grain fields and sunny vine-clad slopes of far-off
Hungary.

Occasional Notes on Birds at Sea.

By Dr. Wiij^iam C. Kendai^i,, Scientific Assistant U. S. Bureau of Fisheries.

The following notes were made by the writer while serving as
naturalist on the U. S. Fish Commission Schooner, "Grampus," in
1 89 1, 1894 and 1895, during cruises connected with enquiries relat-
ing to mackerel. These cruises extended from off the coast of Vir-
ginia to the Gulf of St. I^awrence, and even southern I^abrador, but
all of the notes are not now available, thus rendering those following
more or less fragmentary, desultory and indefinite. They are copied
almost verbatim from the available notes, about the only change being
that of adjusting such technical names as were used to the more
modern nomenclature of "Knight's Birds of Maine." Owing to the
writer's unfamiliarity with birds, unfortunately they could not always
be identified with certainty when at a distance, and in the case of the
Petrels not even when in hand. Therefore when the species is in
the least in doubt the technical name when used is questioned.
Many references are to Phalaropes without specifying the particular
species. This is due mainly to inability to determine which they

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 39

were. But always when identifiable the Northern Phalarope was the
more common.

The only excuse the writer has for offering these notes for puli-
lication in the Journal is that he was urged to do so by officers of
the society. So, ever desirous of obliging his friends, he has com-
plied, even though contrary to good judgment and discretion.

1891.

May 5. lyatitude 41° 16' north ; longitude 71° i' west. Two
Herring Gulls {Larus argcntatus) seen flying northwest.

May 8. About 5.5 miles north and west from latitude 39° 46'
north ; longitude 73° 46^ west. Two Herring Gulls were seen in
shoreward. Two I^oons {Gavia imbcr') and two Ducks (sp.?) were
also observed. Fresh southwest by west breeze and hazy sky.
When about six miles off Navesink a Yellow Warbler {Dendroica
(zstiva) flew aboard and remained for some time.

May 9. About 10.30 A. M.; near latitude 39° north; longi-
tude 73° 55^ west. A small flock of Phalaropes {Phalaropus lobatusf)
and one Petrel (sp.?)seen. At 12 M. Small numbers of Phalaropes
and Petrels occasionally seen. lyatitude 38° 39' north ; longitude 73.°
39^ west; gentle west southwest breeze ; temperature of air 56.5°.
A flock of about thirty or more Phalaropes seen. 2.6 miles south
and west of above position several small flocks of Phalaropes were
observed. About latitude 38° 39' north ; longitude 73° 59^ west.
Small flocks of Phalaropes seen. Have seen frequent small flocks
during the afternoon. All the Phalaropes seem to be one species
{P. lobatus?).

May 10. Near latitude 38° 21' north; longitude 74° 26' west ;
light west southwest air. A Yellow Rumped Warbler {^Dendroica
coronafa) flew aboard and remained several hours. (About noon ;
near latitude 38^^ 18' north ; longitude 74^^ 24' west, a red Bat flew
aboard). About latitude 38^ 15' north; longitude 74" 22' west, a
few Northern Phalaropes seen. 4.7 knots south and west from lati-
tude 38" 9^ north ; longitude 74" 19' west ; temperature air 58°;

40 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIKTY.

gentle southwest l^reeze and somewhat hazy. Two large flocks of
Northern Phalaropes seen.

May II. Latitude 38° 11' north ; longitude 74° 22' west ; 11 A.
M. Observed small flocks of Northern Phalaropes,

May 18. Latitude 38° 23' north; longitude 74° 45' west ; 8 A.
M. A few Northern Phalaropes seen. Latitude ^yS^ 3' north ; longi-
tude 74^^ 39^ west ; II A. M. Several Petrels (sp.?) seen.

May 19. Latitude 38° 40' nofth ; longitude 74° 10' west ; 11 A.
M.; wind west by south ; light air. Observed some Petrels (s]).?).
Here an Ovenbird {Seiicrus aitrocapillus) flew alioard and remained
until night. Latitude 39° 2 north ; longitude 73° 53' west ; 7P.M.
Two small bunches of Northern Phalaropes and one Petrel (sp.?)
seen.

May 25. Latitude 40° 17' north ; longitude 73° 23' west ; 6 P.
M. Large flock of Petrels (sp.?) seen.

May 26. 12 M. ; light south wind; heavy rain; fog lifting
some. Two Maryland Yellowthroats flew aboard. Latitude 41° 2'
north; longitude 71° 46' west ; 2 P. M. Two Black Hags (/*«^/w?«
fuliginosusf) seen.

May 28. Latitude 41"^ 6' north; longitude 71" 15' west ; 4 P.
M. Few Petrels (sp.?) and Hags {Puffinus gravis) observed. Lat-
itude 41° i north ; longitude 71° 16' west ; 6 P. M. One small
flock of Northern Phalaropes seen.

May 31. Latitude 41° 9' north; longitude 71° 9' west; 8 A.
M. Petrels (sp.?) appear whenever toll-bait for mackerel is thrown.
These birds, as well as preceding Petrels, are called by the sailor on
the vessel "Carey Chickens" or just "Caries."

June 3. Latitude 41° 15' north; longitude 71' 2' west; 4.30
P. M. A few Petrels ("Caries") observed.

1894.

April 22. Latitude 38° 22' 30" north ; longitude 74° 26' 30.

west; 2 P. M. Two small flocks of Petrels (sp.?) feeding in a slick"

Near station ; latitude 38° 22' 30" north ; longitude 74° 26' 30" west ;

1.6 knots southeast by south. Several small flocks of Northern

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL .SOCIETY. 4I

Phalaropes, from eight to thirty birds eacli, one or two Jaegers and
many lyoons seen to-day. Near latitude 38^ 19' north ; longitude
74° 23' west. A flock of Gannets seen.

April 23. Near latitude 38'' 15' north ; longitude 74" 18' west ;
dead calm. Phalaropes have been common this morning in small
flocks and scattering birds, generally flying southward. Latitude
38'' 12' north ; longitude 74" 17' 30" west. One Gray Gannet shot;
stomach contained nothing. Two Northern and two Red Phalaropes
shot. Their stomachs contained copepods and coarse and fine
sand, and had a few small gastropods. Latitude 38*^ 13' north ;
longitude 74^ 20' west. Phalaropes have been common this morning.
A few Arctic Terns observed. Phalaropes mostly on the wing, but
flying in no particular direction.

April 25. Latitude 37' 35' north ; longitude 74 " 47' west. Oc-
casional flocks of five or six Phalaropes each have been seen to-day.

April 26. Latitude 38° 3' north ; longitude 74° 31' west ; 12 M.
Very few birds thus far to-day. Two Loons heard crying. East
northeast; 5.2 knots from latitude 38'^ 17' north ; longitude 74" 26
west ; 5 P. M. A small flock of White Gannets seen sitting on the
water.

April 27. Latitude 38" 42' north ; longitude 74^" 2' west ; 8
A. M.; temperature of air 53' F.; moderate south southwest breeze.
Phalaropes very common. Latitude 38'' 27' nortli ; longitude 73°
37' west ; 12 M. Some Phalaropes seen.

April 28. Latitude 38" 24' 30" north ; longitude 74° 6' west ;
6 A. M. A few Phalaropes seen in flocks of three to five.

May I. Latitude 38° 24' 30" north ; longitude 74^9' west ; 12 M.
Quite a number of scattering Phalaropes have been seen through the
last hour. Six knots southeast by east from latitude 38" 24' 30"
north; longitude 74"" 9' west; i P. M. Northern and Red Phala-
ropes quite common but scattered.

May 2. Latitude 38° 13' 30" north ; longitude 73° 33' west ;
12 M. Very few Phalaropes seen to-day, one Pomarine Jaeger(?).
Latitude 38° 9' 30" north; longitude 73^^ 44' 15" west; 4 P. M.
Phalaropes scattered but common.

42 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOI.OGIC AI. SOCIETY.

May 4. Near latitude 38° 29' north ; longitude 74° 47' 45"
west. Numerous large flocks of Phalaropes and large schools of
mackerel seen.

May 12. East by south, 4.3 knots from latitude 39' 19' north ;
longitude 72° 49' 30" west ; 8 A.M.; gentle northeast by east breeze ;
temperature of air 53^ F.; clearing; moderate swell. Scattering
Phalaropes seen this morning, also one "Marlinspike" i^Stercorarius
longicaudics f). West northwest, 1.3 knots from latitude 39° 19'
north ; longitude 72^ 37' 30" west ; 10 A. M.; temperature of air 56"
F.; gentle northeast by north wind ; moderate swell. Few scattered
Phalaropes.

May 12. L,atitude 39° 21' 45" north; longitude 72° 49' west;
temperature of air 56'^ F.; gentle north wind ; sea smooth. Observed
a few Phalaropes and one Common Jaeger. Latitude 39'^ 24' 30"
north; longitude 74° 55' west; temperature of air 64*^ F. ; calm.
Several flocks of Phalaropes seen flying.

May 13. Latitude 39° 22' north; longitude 72° 29' 30" west;
temperature of air 54.5^ F.; gentle west southwest wind ; sea
smooth. Several fair sized flocks of Phalaropes seen this morning.

May 16. Latitude 40° 41' 30" north ; longitude 69° 5' 30" west ;
temperature of air 57^ F.; moderate west breeze ; smooth sea. A
small flock of Phalaropes circling about the same spot repeatedly,
and alternately sitting on the water and rising again in quick suc-
cession. Nine Terns {Sterna hiriDido 1^) seen "plugging" in the
same spot, but soon flying off to the westward.

May 18. Latitude 45° 6' 30" north ; longitude 65° 29' west ; 10
A. M.; temperature of air 47"; moderate east southeast wind ; sky
cloudy, clearing some ; sea smooth. Small flocks of Phalaropes
seen, very wild. No birds seen during the afternoon.

May 23. vSoutheast by south from latitude 44" 11' 15" north;
longitude 64" 14' west ; 12 M.; temperature of air 43" F.; moderate
east wind ; clear sky ; moderate swell. A very large number of Her-
ring Gulls were seen, two flocks of from 100 to 200 each, also a
flock of Red Phalaropes on the water and Terns {Sterna paradisea f)
"plugging," and covering this one place. Latitude 44° 22' north ;

JOURNAL OP MAINE ORNITHOI^OGICAL vSOCIETY. 43

longitude 63° 53' west; 5 P. M.; temperature of air 44" F.; gentle
east southeast breeze ; cloudy ; sea smooth. "Mackerel Gulls"
{S. paradisea /) very common this afternoon. Northeast by east,
3.3 knots from latitude 44'' 22' north ; longitude 63" 53' west ; 6 P.
M.; temperature of air 44' P\; gentle east southeast wind ; sky
cloudy ; sea smooth. About 7 P. M., a large flock of Phalaropes
seen sitting on the water. One (/^. lobatus) was shot. Tow net
took a lot of "red feed" (copepods) here. Birds contained frag-
ments of copepods. Nothing found in proventriculum ; everything
in gizzards and intestines

May 23. Latitude 44" 23' north ; longitude 63° 51' 30" west ; 7
P. M.; temperature of air 42.5° F. ; light east southeast breeze ;
cloudy ; sea smooth. Shot five Arctic Terns (^Sterna paradisea) and
three Phalaropes {P. lobatus). Terns had been eating Crustacea;
contained fragments. Phalarope had copepods in gi/zard. The
Terns were very common to-day. If one is wounded and utters a
cry when shot, the others will hover over it and everyone could be
killed.

May 24. Latitude 44° 24' 45" north ; longitude 63° 27' west ; 5
P. M.; temperature of air 44° F.; gentle southeast breeze; sky
cloudy ; sea smooth. Surface net took a very few minute copepods
in ten minutes. Surface life is scarce. Terns {S. paradisea) have
been numerous all day. They were frequently observed to dive.
Phalaropes have been very common also, but so far away that it
was impossible to identify them. Those we succeeded in shooting
were (/*. lobattis) . Red Phalaropes {^Crymophihis fiilcarius) may
have been present, as some looked redder than others.

May 25. Latitude 45° o' 45" north ; longitude 61° 28' 30" west ;
7 P. M,; temperature of air 46'' F.; light west southwest air ; sky
clearing ; moderate swell. All along a few flocks of Phalaropes
have been seen. A few "Medricks" {S. paradisea f) also observed.

May 28. . Latitude 44° 49' i 5" north ; longitude 62° 9' 30" west ;
9 A. M.; temperature of air 45° P\; light north wind; sky cloudy;
moderate swell. Several small flocks of Phalaropes seen sitting on
the water.

44 JOUR NAT. OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAT, SOCIETY.

May 29. Nearly one knot (.7) east northeast from latitude 45"
39' 30" north ; longitude 60" 4' 15" west ; 2 P. M.; temperature of
air 55° F.; light west northwest air; ^ky clear; sea smooth. A
couple of small flocks of Phalaropes seen sitting on the water ;
seemed pretty "tame".

July 9. One knot north by east from latitude 42° 34' 45"
north ; longitude 70° 29' 15" west ; 2 P.M.; temperature of air 66°
F,; sky overcast; fog; light north by east breeze; sea smooth,
lyarge flock of Petrels (sp.?) seen sitting on the water or hovering
over the surface in certain localities, probably feeding on something
at*the surface.

July 17. Ivatitude 42° 54' 30" north ; longitude 70° 18' 30''
west; I P. M.; temperature of air 72°; light southwest air ; overcast;
fog; sea smooth. Observed a large school of large fish (^^Bomio")
followed by a lot of Petrels (sp.?).

July 30. lyatitude 50° 9' north ; longitude 65° 2' 30" west ; 9
A. M.; temperature of air 53° F.; gentle east southeast breeze ;
overcast ; fog ; sea smooth. Very few l)irds have thus far been seen
up here. One or two Ducks, a few Plover, a few large Gulls, a
Loon and a Gannet.

August 5. Latitude 47° 52' north ; longitude 60° 57' 30" west ;
"Bird Rock" light bearing west northwest about six miles;
II A. M.; temperature of air 61° F.; fresh west by south wind;
cloudy; very choppy. A large number of Gannets seen flying
about.

August 18. Southwest by south | south, 5.5 knots from lati-
tude 44° 59' 45" north ; longitude 61° 44' west ; 6 P. M.; temperature
of air 62'' F.; stiff west by south wind; sky clearing; sea chopp}^
Few Medricks seen.

August 23. Near latitude 43" 11' 15" north ; longitude 65° 27'
15" west; 10 A. M.; temperature of air 60" F.; light northwest by
west air; sky clear; moderate sea. Five Phalaropes (/*. lobatus)
seen. Latitude 43° 13' 30" north ; longitude 65° 33' west ; 11 A. M.:
temperature of air 55° F.; gentle west by south wind ; sky moder-

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL -SOCIETY. 45

ate ; moderate sea. Scattering^ Phalaropes {P. /obaius) seen about
10.30 A. M.

September 11. Latitude 43° 11' 30" north; longitude 6(f 45'
west; I P. M.; temperature of air 59°; moderate west northwest
wind ; sky clear ; sea choppy. Four Red and four Northern Phala-
ropes seen.

[To be concluded in the September Journai,.]

A Pet Cedar Waxwing.

By Mrs. DeIvLA F. Wkntworth, .South Portland.

September 17th, 1908, a young Cedar Waxwing was found
helpless and almost unconscious on the lawn. On examination its
left wing seemed dislocated, and the left leg from the knee to the
foot was bent toward the right foot. We think that the dense fog
which prevailed the night before and that morning may have pre-
vented the bird from seeing the electric wires overhead and so been
the means of the accident.

After beixig brought into the house he revived, and little by-
little recovered the use of his injured leg. After five months the
wing still hangs down nearly touching the perch, though, strange to
say, he can spread it fully, and close it nearly to the dimensions of
the well wing when closed.

Cedric, for so we have named him, can hop from perch to perch
of the canary bird cage and from the floor of the cage to the
perches. When I take him out of the cage on my finger, Cedric
will sometimes try to fly, but succeeds only in flopping down upon
the floor, often striking heavily. Although frequently trying to fly
upward, he cannot use his left wing well enough to raise himself
wholly from the floor.

Cedric does not appear to regard his cage as a prison, and,
though he sometimes shows fear of strange inanimate objects, is not
afraid of any person, and will take his favorite tidbits from any
offering hand. When first we offered food we found black cherries

46 JOURNAL OK MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

and choke cherries were his choice, but when cherry time had
passed he reluctantly accepted as a substitute dried currants such as
are used in cooking. It is interesting to watch him eat a cherry or
currant. Seizing it quickly in his bill and pointing his bill upward
he rolls it over and over in his mouth, as a juggler revolves a ball in
the air, then suddenly one quick gulp and the tiny ball has
disappeared.

Cedric is very fond of live flies, and angleworms cut in half-inch
sections are graciously received, but grasshoppers and beetle-like
bugs are rejected. Cedric seems to like flies best when their wings
are buzzing, and if he is at the farther side of the cage when a fly
is offered him he will jump to the perch near the fly and oftentimes
seems to catch the fly in his bill before his feet have touched the
perch. He comes as near taking the fly "on the fly" as is practica-
ble within the confines of his cage. In the absence of flies and
worms, fresh beef, veal and lamb, cut in tniy fragments, are eagerly
swallowed, but never in great quantity. Cedric is also fond of fruit,
and will eat apple cut in bits, or scraped fine, and small pieces of
orange or banana.

Our little bird protege always knows when he has eaten
enough, and when his needs are satisfied he will leave the most
tempting morsels and resolutely fly or hop to the opposite end of the
cage and turn his back on us as if to say, "I won't even look at it
lest I may be tempted" — a lesson to the featherless bipeds who
pride themselves upon their superior wisdom.

When very hungry, about eighteen flies seem to be a satisfying
portion, though often half as many suffice. A half dozen bits of
meat the size of a green pea, and a less amount of fruit are suffi-
cient. Of course these meals are frequent, six or eight a day,
while he always has access to the dried currants which we keep in
his food dish, and which are washed and soaked before putting in
the dish. If the currants are too dry, he will roll them about in his
bill and toss them scornfully over his shoulder. Any food which we
offer him that he does not want is promptl}' thrown down. We
tried him on cedar cones and the berries of the ground juniper, but

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 47

he would have none of them. The berries of the bush honeysuckle
he ate until we got him cherries, when he utterh^ refused the honey-
suckle berries, and threw them out of his dish. Seeds and sand he
will not notice, but pecks regularly at the cuttlefish in his cage.
When hungry he announces it in shrill staccato whistles, but when
his hunger is satisfied, he will seek an upper perch and preen his
feathers, and often sing to us in a soft, sweet whistle, which seems
full of love, confidence and content, though it may have a shade of
vague regret.

On hearing our footsteps after a period of solitude, we are
greeted with a welcoming whistle, which is very delightful. This,
and the more strident tones of our Poll Parrot, convince us that
"they miss us at home."

At night, though in the full glare of the electric light, Cedric is
ready to settle down to quiet, and when asked if he is ready to go to
bed, he will flutter all his feathers and snuggle up in a corner, when
we cover the cage with a paper and bid him "good night." If
offered food at night he snaps his bill at us and makes an indescrib-
able little querulous sound in his throat and will peck at our fingers
if we continue to annoy him.

The cage is placed on the end of the piano and often when we
play and sing, Cedric sits very still and accompanies us with his
soft, whispering trill.

Every morning Cedric has his bath in the big bath tub, where
he is sprinkled with cold water from a bath sprinkler. He spreads
his feathers and prances about apparently in great delight. He
always seems sorry when his bath is ended. Notwithstanding his
daily bath, he frequently goes through the motions of taking a
second bath, this time in his drink dish, though no water gets
farther than his eyes.

Cedric has been moulting for two months or more. When
found his breast was whitish, mottled with dark spots, like the breast
of a thrush. He had no red spots on his wings and was not the
beautiful purplish fawn color which is now showing on back and
crest and breast, as the new feathers make their appearance. Now

48 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

very few mottled feathers remain on his breast, which is nearly
covered with the pretty fawn-colored feathers. The feathers of the
belly are light lemon color. The lemon-tipped tail feathers have
come out, one or two at a time, and are now nearly all new. The
vivid black forehead and chin are new, but the crest is in such a
state of pinfeatherdom that one would hardly think our little friend
had any crest to speak of. Long and anxiously have we looked
forward to the day when the little red tips would appear on the
wings, and February loth the first one was observed on the lame
wing. It is salmon colored, rather than the vivid red of sealing
wax, as yet, but we are watching closely for all the changes as they
come, and shall hope soon to see our pet arrayed in the full insignia
of the very daintiest groomed of all the distinguished Cedar Wax-
wings.

Our great regret is that we cannot cure him and set him free
with his kind. It is pathetic to hear him chirp at his own image in
the mirror, and for some time he has been tearing paper in his cage
and trying to make string or paper stay upon his perch, apparently
as the foundation of his nest. Much as we love him, we would
gladly set him free could he but hold his own in the bird world and
escape his enemies. Could we but find someone who could set his
wing so that he could fly among his kind, we would be gladly con-
tent with only the memory of a brave, patient, trusting, dainty,
delightful friend.

The Bohemian Waxwing in Maine.

By Ora W. Knjght, Baii.nor.
About the first of March the writer noticed an item in the Ban-
gor Commercial to the effect that Mr. Clark had seen large flocks of
the Northern Waxwing at Lubec during the past winter, but paid
no further attention to the event, knowing that Mr. Clark would
doubtless record the matter in proper shape in a more scientific
medium in due season.

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 49

On March 9th, Dr. W. H. Simmons, of Bangor, called me up on
the telephone and said he wished to tell me about the flock of
Bohemian Waxwings which he had seen daily near his home since
the middle of February. He stated that there was a good sized
flock of the birds, and that they had been feeding daily on the fruit
of a mountain ash tree which grew beside a window of his home,
where he could look down on them. The birds had been coming
for some time before he paid any especial attention to them, think-
ing that they were doubtless Pine Grosbeaks, until he happened to
notice that they all had crests, which he knew was not a fact with
the Grosbeaks. He then examined the birds critically and identified
them as Bohemian Waxwings by their having white wing bars,
yellow tips to their tail feathers, and by their prominent crests. Dr.
Simmons also states that in February, 1908, a flock of birds of the
same size were daily in the habit of visiting the same locality, but
at that time he took no particular notice of them, though he is
inclined to believe that they were of the present species.

March nth, the writer and Mr. Winch visited the locality for
the purpose of personally seeing the birds. They were not about
Dr. Simmons' premises, but he was able to give us an idea of the
general route they pursued, so that finally we found the flock feeding
on rotten crab apples in an orchard several blocks away. Yes,
there is no question as to their identity, as they were positively
Bohemian Waxwings. They were busily engaged in eating the
rotten apples, sometimes eating the pulp itself, at other times peck-
ing the apple to pieces and eating the seeds, which the}^ swallowed
without shelling out the meat as do the Pine Grosbeaks.

Now and then the birds would fly from the tree in which they
were feeding to a neighboring tree, uttering low lisping notes and
whistlings which sounded very appreciably different in character
from the notes of the Cedar birds.

They were very tame, so that I was able to get up within fifteen
feet of them and secured six exposures of them with my pocket
kodak. As if to show their kindly and obliging nature, they waited
patiently until I was through taking photographs, and then at a

50 JOURNAL OP MAINE ORNITHOLOGIC.VL SOCIETY.

sii;nal the wliole flock flew away in a compact bunch. Later in the
day Mr. Winch secured one at the same locality, to which they
returned.

From Dr. Simmons I was able to learn somewhat of their feed-
ing habits. They did not seem to eat the pulp of the mountain
ash berries but delved into the berry to obtain the seed while the
pulp was dropped on the snow beneath. They seem to l)e more or
less regular in their feeding habits, frequenting certain localities in
a given route or circuit through the immediate neighborhood for a
distance of a dozen blocks or so.

One of the teachers at the neighboring grammar school, who has
aspirations to be somewhat of an ornithologist, had an item printed
in the Bangor Comvicrcial to the effect that the Cedar Waxwings
had been wintering in the immediate neighliorhood. Dr. Simmons
saw this item in print and immediately called nic wy on the tele-
phone to call my attention to the error, thus happily resulting in
giving me much valuable information and the pleasure of seeing the
birds as well.

It is well on to twenty years ago, when the writer was a high
school l)oy, just beginning his scientific career, tliat the Bohemian
Waxwings last visited this locality. In those early days Bohemian
Waxwings and other northern birds used to visit us rather more fre-
quently than they do now, as we used to see them every three or
four 3^ears, but now that twenty years has elapsed from their last
call to the present visit it is indeed a pleasure to be able to see them
once more.

Practically all our winter bii'ds seem to come in fewer numbers
and less frequently and regularly than formerl}', though even in
those early days such eccentric creatures as the Bohemian Wax-
wings, Crossbills, and to a lesser extent the Pine Grosbeaks, could
never be depended on.

Formerly we always found the Crossbills in winter, not at any
other season, while now about Bangor both species of Crossbill occur
more commonly and regularly as summer birds in May, June, July
and August.

JOUKNAL OF MAINP: ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 51

Birds of the Boston Public Garden.

Birds of the Boston Pubijc Garden. A Study in Migration. By Horace
Winslow Wright, with an Introchtction by Bradford Torrey, ami illustra-
tions. 238 pages. $1.00 net. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston and New

York.

The Journal has no hesitation in designating this vohime as
one of the most satisfactory local lists of birds ever published. For
nine years the author has been a constant student of the migration
of birds at the Boston Public Garden, adjoining Boston Common.
Frequent excursions through that delightful locality in the early
morning at the season when the birds are traveling northward or
southward have made Mr. Wright perfectly familiar with the con-
ditions which govern their arrival and departure. The data which
he gives are valuable for all New England students, as well as a
service beyond estimate for the young people who are making their
first observations in that locality. A description of the Public Gar-
den and the vegetation it contains is of exceeding interest. The il-
lustrations are excellent half-tone engravings of the trees which at-
tract different rare species of birds and the locations which they
love. Particulars of the noteworthy features of the migrations for a
series of years are given, both from the personal observations of the
author and from the added testimony of other reliable observers.

More than three-fourths of the volume is devoted to an anno
tated list, of the birds of the Boston Public Garden and incidentally
of the Common, in migration, 1900-1908. This list is exhaustive
and authority for numerous records and dates is freely given. An
examination of the list is of unusual interest on account of its clear-
ness and completeness, as well as the systematic order in which it is
arranged. Many birds which one would expect to visit the Public
Garden frequently in migration are noted as very rare. On the
other hand, birds often are recorded as connnon which one would
not expect to find their way to that locality. The book, as a whole,
is of great value to the bird student, and it is so well done that it is
worth a place in the library of any ornithologist.

W. H. B.

52 JOURNAL OF MAINK ORNITHTOLOGIC AL SOCIETY.

The Ornithological Magazines.

Thk Auk. — The Auk for April, 1909, is an unusually interest-
ing num1:)er. It contains "The Position of Birds' Feet in Flight,"
by Charles W. Townsend, M. D.; "Ornithological Miscellany from
Audubon Wardens," by B. S. Bowdish; "Notes on the vSunimer
Birds of Northern Georgia," by Arthur H. Howell; "The Training
of Wild Birds as a Means of Studying Their Movements," by Leon
J. Cole; "A List of the Birds of Western vSouth Dakota," by
Stephen S. Vischer; "Barrow's Golden-eye in Massachusetts," by
William Brewster; "The Habitat Groups of North American Birds
in the American Museum of Natural History," by J. A. Allen;
"Something More about Black Ducks," by William Brewster, and
"New Records and Important Range Extensions of Colorado Birds,"
by Merrit Cary. Besides these general articles there are many
valuable notes of birds and bird literature.

The Condor. — The G?«^/^r for March-April, 1909, has articles
on Mearns Quail, Dusky Poor-will, California Black Rail, Thrashers,
of Arizona, Birds of Southern Mexico, and the usual number of
notes. In an interesting article Jonathan Dwight, Jr., M. D., of
New York, makes a plea for retaining the common names of birds
and for stability in vernacular appellations.

The Wilson Bulletin. — The Wilson Bulletin, for March,
1909, includes an index to the preceding volume. There are
articles and notes on the birds of the Washington coast, American
Barn Owl, Yellow-breasted Chat, Wood Thrush, Robin, Song
vSparrow, Warblers of Wayne County, Michigan, and others.
There is a long article on Alexander Wilson by Frank L. Burns.

Cassinia. — Cassinia, issued in March, 1908, contains the pro-
ceedings of the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club of Philadelphia.
There are articles of permanent value on the birds of Pennsylvania
and New Jersey. It is an interesting and valuable publication, well
printed and adequately illustrated.

journal of maine ornithological socie'tv. 53

The Purple Martin and Houses for its Summer
Home. — This pamphlet is Gleanings No. 5, by J. Warren Jacobs,
of Waynesburg, Pa. It is an article reprinted from the publications
of the Pennsylvania State Board of Agriculture. It contains all the
information that anyone could desire about Martin houses, and how
to obtain them or build tliem. There are also full suggestions for
attracting the birds to the houses after they are erected. For sale
by the author.

54 JOURNAL OK MAINR ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIKTY.

c51|i^ Sintrual

of tl|P

Mnxm (intitlinlnytral i^nrtrtg

A Quarterly Magazine Devoted to the Study and Protection of Birds

Vol. XI Published June 1, 1909 No. 2

SUBSCRIPTION RATES: SI. 00 a year; 25 cents a copy

OFFICERS OF THE MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Pres., Dr. Henry H. Brock, Portland W. H. Brownson, Portland
Vice-Pres.. J. Merton Swain, Farmington Editor

Sec.-Treas., Dana W. Sweet, Philips Louis E. Legge, Portland
Councillors. Dr. Wm. C. Kendall, Freeport Associate Editor

Walter H. Rich, Portland

The Journal prints in this issue the first instalment of an in-
teresting series of notes of birds at sea, by Dr. William C. Kendall,
Scientific Assistant U. vS. Bureau of Fisheries, gathered in 1S91,
1S94 and 1895 on the United States Fish Commission Schooner
Grampus, the cruises extending from the coast of Virginia to the
Gulf of St. Lawrence and even to southern Labrador. The notes
for 1 89 1 and 1894 are here printed and those made in 1895 will be
published in the September Journal. We are under obligation to
Dr. Kendall for this valuable contribution.

Mr. Dana W. Sweet, the new Secretary and Treasurer of the
Maine Ornithological vSociety, has for some years compiled, in an
able manner, the migration reports sent to him by members of the
vSociety. In addition to his duties as Secretary and Treasurer, Mr.
Sweet will continue to edit the migration reports, and this will be
eminently satisfactory to all members.

The attempt to introduce the Hungarian Partridge into Cum-
berland County will be watched with considerable interest, to see
whether the birds liberated will take kindly to their new habitat.
In this issue Mr. Walter H. Rich writes of the circumstances attend-
ing the introduction of the bird and contributes an excellent original
portrait, drawn from life.

During the winter of 1908- 1909 the Bohemian Waxwing
appears to have been seen by a number of reliable observers, mostly
in Eastern Maine. Reports of its occurrence continue to come in,
so that it is sure that the region visited by the bird was quite ex-
tensive.

JOURNAL OF MAINK ORNITHOLOGICAT, vSOCIF:TY. 55

All subscribers to The Journal, who liav^e not paid for the
year 1909, are requested to send their dollars as soon as convenient.
The money is needed to pay the current expenses of pul)lishing
The Journal, the membership dues, which should l)e paid to the
Treasurer, not being sufficient for that purpose. Subscribers, as
heretofore, should remit to the editor.

Attention is again called to the necessity of having a good
department of notes, and this can only be accomplished when the
members make frequent and generous contributions. The new
associate member, Mr. I^ouis E. Legge, has charge of this feature
of the magazine, and under his direction there is no doubt that it
will be a credit to the Society. It is hoped that members will not fail
to respond to Mr. Eegge's request for material to make a good
showing.

Members who have copies of Vol. 7, No. i, March, 1905, Vol.
8, No. I, March, 1906, or Vol. 9, No. 4, December, 1907, and who
do not care to preserve them for binding, will do a favor by sending
them to the editor. The file is nearly exhausted for those issues of
The Journal, and there are frequent calls for complete sets from
libraries in different parts of the country. Those who have copies
issued previous to 1905 should preserve them carefull}^ and send
them to the editor unless they are intended for binding. There are
many of the early issues of The Journal which are now lacking,
and it is getting to be difficult to make up a complete set.

Lincoln's Sparrow and Mourning Warbler in Port-
land, Maine. — On May 30, 1909, I received as one of the victims
of a plate glass window on Bowdoin vSt., Portland, a Lincoln's vSpar-
row {^Mclospiza Lincolnii), a male in good plumage. This is appar-
ently the fifth recorded specimen for the vicinity of Portland. On
June I, 1909, from the same source, an adult male Mourning
Warbler {Geothlypis Philadelphia). This appears to be the third
recorded specimen for the vicinity of Portland. The other two
specimens are recorded by Mr. N. C. Brown, May 31, 1876, Deer-
ing, Bro7vn Dull. Nidt. Orn. CI.-, Vol. i, p. 95, and May 30, 1868,
Cape Elizabeth, Me., Proc. Part. Lac, N. H., Vol. 11, p. i. Both
birds are preserved and in my possession. — Miss Helen M. Leivis,
Portland, Maine.

The White-Crowned Sparrow. — After walking a number
of miles and visiting several places in a vain search for the White-
crowned vSparrow, I gave up all hope of finding it this spring, but
on May 26th I was so fortunate as to see a fine specimen of the
male bird. He was perched on a post which stands at the edge of a
tract of swampy land and appeared to be resting. I called the
attention of my companion to him, and as he did not appear to
object to our presence we took a long look at him. Should any
person in this part of the state see this most interesting bird at a
later date, I should be very glad to know it. — Sara C. Eastman.
Portland, Maine.

56 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

Itrli Nutf0.

Notes and observations upon bird life within our State are earnestly desired from all our readers
for publication in this column, and should be sent to Louis E. Legge, 22 Dow street, Portland, Maine.

We note with uuich satisfaction the increasing frequency with
which the nieml)ers of onr society report to this Journal their
ornithological observations. This is an important part of our duties,
one to another, and should be shared in by all interested in bird
life. The Journal'.s columns are always open to contributors of
items of general interest relating to Maine birds, and we trust our
members will, though this medium, disseminate such knowledge as
they personally possess.

Birds at Grand Manan. — Allan L. Moses sends from
Grand Manan a list of birds seen there in March, April and the
early part of May. Among the most interesting notes are a thou-
sand Northern Phalaropes, a large flight of Sharp-shinned Hawks
April 6th, Sparrow Hawks abundant on the same day, a Sora Rail
heard on April 21st, a large flight of Ruby-crowned Kinglets from
April 23rd to 25tli. Mr. Moses reports on March 6th a Wilson's
Phalarope, the only time he has seen it there. He records for the
first time on the island an Ipswich Sparrow on March 26th. A I^ittle
Blue Heron was seen April 17th, this being the fourth time it has been
recorded at Grand Manan. Brunnich's Murre was seen March 31st,
Dovekie May 4th, Pigeon Hawks common after May ytli. Yellow
Palm Warblers common after April 14th, Myrtle Warblers common
after April 17th, Redpoll April 22nd, American Pipit May nth.
— Louis E. Legge., Portland.

Mourning Doves. — March 19th, I discovered a pair of Mourn-
ing Doves in the old Deering Golf lyinks, near the junction of
Falmouth Street and Deering Avenue. My attention was first
called to them by their size, and their peculiar movement on the
ground. They were feeding quite close together, and finally I
succeeded in making them take wing, when I at once discovered

JOURNAL OF MAINP: ORNITHOLOGICAL S0CIF:TY, 57

what variety of birds they were by the heart-shaped tail and the
white feathers on each side. From their action on the wing, I
should imagine that they were a pair, male and female. Possibly
these birds are not rare, but I never recalled seeing but one other
specimen, which I shot eleven years ago, late in October. — Si/as B .
Adams ^ Portland.

Bohemian Waxwings in Bangor. — The flock of Bohemian
Waxwings, which has been seen about the streets of Bangor since
early in February, had not left us March 30th, 1909. I had not
seen them until that date, although I had made many efforts to do
so. I was walking down Court Street, near my own home, when
I heard the note which I knew to be a Waxwing note, but enough
different from that of the Cedar bird so that I at once guessed that
I was at last to see our own rare visitors. I discovered a good
sized flock among some apple trees in a neighbor's yard. For a
good half hour I watched the birds at close quarters. They were
busy with the old fruit on the trees and flying back and forth to the
ground, the snow under the trees often being thickly dotted with
them. They did not seem to mind at all my close proximity,
neither did they mind some chattering English Sparrows who came
around to see what was going on. But the strident note of a crow
seemed to disturb their nerves somewhat. At his near call they
would rise and fly off a short distance, but would soon return again
to the same trees. A couple of White-breasted Nuthatches and a
Chickadee, seemed to be on very friendly terms of companionship
with them. I had ample opportunity to observe all the distinguish-
ing features of the Bohemian Waxwing, the shape of the crest, the
white on the wings, the chestnut coloring of under tail coverts and
forehead, which in the sunlight looked almost a rich orange. I think
I never enjoyed a more interesting and beautiful bird sight. — Bertha
L. Brozmi, Bangor.

Phillips Bird Notes. — I had never been able to find the Fox
Sparrow in spring until last year. This spring I have found this

58 JOURNAL OK MAINE ORNITHOI.OGIC AI. SOCIETY.

species coininon, and most of the birds that I saw were singing.
The song, when heard a little distance away, impressed me as being
remarkably similar to that of the White-crowned Sparrow. I saw
one White-crowned May nth, two May i6th, and two the 17th.
They were all in song. May 5th, I came upon a flock of nine
Pipits. This is my earliest record. The same day I saw a large
compact flock of Redpolls. I estimated the number to be between
100 and 200. The Sparrow Hawks have been fairly common this
spring. With me this is a rare species. Up to date, the present
month seems to have been most unfavoral:)le for the observation of
Warblers. They are not inclined to sing much, owing to the cold,
backward weather. A few have arrived at the usual time, but it
takes perseverance and sharp eyes to find them. — Dana W. Sweety
Phillips.

Fox SparroWvS vSing in Bangor. — The 2nd of April I was
delighted to hear again the inspiring song of the Fox vSparrow. I
rushed out of doors with my glasses, and sure enough the little fellow
was perched on a high branch of a young birch tree in our garden,
his cinnamon back gleaming in the sunlight, and his joyous notes
fairly crowding from his bursting little throat. This is the earliest
spring record that I have of the Fox Sparrow. I first learned to
know the song five years ago. Since then, every spring, num])ers
of the birds have visited our grounds, scratching among the leaves on
the hillside, and singing exuberantly in the trees, generally staying
with us about ten days or two weeks in April. As yet my little
songster seems to be alone, but I hope soon to welcome his friends.
Some bird books say the F'ox vSparrow sings only on his northern
breeding grounds ; but I and several of my bird-lover friends know
very well that of late years, at least, they sing around Bangor. In
our own garden, and also in another garden somewhat similarly
situated in another ])art of the city, we enjoy their most beautiful
ringing song every April. — Dcrtha L. Broivn, Bangor.

More Bohemian Waxwings. — Mrs. F^lizabeth H. Marks, of
Yarmouth, writes that Miss Ellen F. Paine, of Bangor, reports a

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNlTIIOLOrrlCA I, SOCIETY. 59

flock of Bohemian Waxwings at Bangor, the week previous to
March 7th. The birds were positively indentified — IV. H. Brow)i-
son, Port/a/id.

KiLLDEEK Plover. — Sunday, April 4th, while out for a walk
looking for birds, I was very much gratified to see a Killdeer Plover.
It was in fine plumage and was a beautiful bird. — H. IV. /e^ae//,
Fari)ii)ioto)i.

Spotted Sandpiper Lights in Bushes. — While out looking
for birds back of the depot here at Farmington, I saw a vSpotted Sand-
piper fly and light on a bush which hung out over the water. They
have done this before when I have been at the same place. There
is a small creek back of the depot and a sewer runs into it from the
village. The Sandpipers were here picking up bugs and worms
from the mud on the banks of the creek. — H, W. Jeivell, Farming-
ton.

An AlbinIvSTic Hermit Thrush. — On the morning of May
1 7th, 1909, the writer saw an albinistic Hermit Thrush at Westbrook,
Me. The bird was not captured. The entire head and upper part of
the neck and throat appeared to be white and immaculate, and the
large spots of the breast were resumed below the albinistic portion,
their irregular upper border showing the irregular termination of
albinistic portion. The unusual number of Hermit Thrushes seen
that morning made it appear that a movement was in progress. The
bird has not been seen since. Should any one see the bird, it is to
be hoped that it may be reported through these pages. — Arthur H.
Norton., Portland.

A Robin's Strange Nesting Place. ^ — I found a year or two
ago what seemed to me to be an interesting incident, which was in
the shape of a Robin's nest built on a ledge, the ledge being on a
level with the surrounding land. A small bush gave protection
from the blazing rays of the sun. The nest was six feet from the
track (Sandy River Railroad), where four passenger trains passed,
also several freight trains each day, ])ut did not disturb the bird in
the least. — H. IV. Jewell, Farmington.

6o JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIP^TY.

Notes from Franklin Co. — I saw a Wood Thrush near Farm-
ington village, May 21st. I had visited the same place the morning
before without hearing it. I saw another May 24th, near my home
in Avon. May 23d, I saw a Philadelphia Vireo. It was singing in
a clump of small trees on a bank in a field. The same day I saw a
Veery with a pure white place on its upper parts. It seemed to be
on the wing near the rump, about the width of a feather, and one-
half to three- fourths inches long. — Dana W. Sweety Phillips.

L,ATE Myrtle Warblers. — On account of illness I have been
unable to watch the migration of birds except from the piazza of my
cottage in South Portland. As late as May 22nd, a considerable
flock of Myrtle Warblers frequented the small gray birch trees which
abound here. There were from twenty-five to forty individuals, in all
grades of plumage. The adult males are very brilliant in slaty blue,
black and yellow. This date seems to me to be quite late for so
many of these birds to be in this section of the state, as they rarely
nest here. A few Yellow Palm Warblers are with the Myrtles, and
it is late for them to be so far south. Brown Thrashers, Catbirds,
Baltimore Orioles and Yellow Warblers are quite numerous around
the cottage. A large flock of Tree Swallows fly around the field all
day, seeking insects in the air, but often settling down among the
bayberry bushes and varying their early fare with the waxy ber-
ries.— W. H. Brownson^ Por-tland.

Highland IvAke Migrants. — While I have not been out at
all this spring, as is my custom, to watch for the migrants, I have
seen a few on the way to my camp at Highland Lake, as noted be-
low ; March 27th, i Bluebird; April nth, 5 Phoebes, i Pine Warb-
ler; April igth, 2 Yellow Palm Warblers; April 19th, 2 Vesper Spar-
rows; April 27th, 3 Spotted Sandpipers; May 2nd, Black-throated
Green Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Barn Swallow, Blue-headed
Vireo; May 9th, Kingfisher; May 15th, Catbird; May i6th. Oven-
bird, Redstart, Chestnut-sided Warbler.

Mr. Fred Frost reports seeing a flock of 42 Canada Geese going
over the Western Promenade March 25th.

Mr. Harry Hanson reports two Song Sparrows wintering near
and about Deering Oaks. The pair were observed at various times
during November, December and January — Louis E. Legge, Port-
land.

Sylvkstek R. Bhckktt.

®I|0 Journal

uf tljf

Mtxxnt QPrttitiinlngiral ^ort^ty

Published by the Society on the first of March, June, September and December
Vol. XI SEPTEMBER, 1909 No. 3

Reprint of Some of the Ornithological Papers of
Sylvester B. Beckett.

(With a portrait.)
A. H. Norton, Portland.

The present paper contains nothing original, or new. Its rea-
son for appearing in the pages of The Journat, is to put in an
accessible place certain papers already in print, but practically
beyond the reach of students of the literature of Maine birds.
These papers were contributed at meetings of the Portland Society
of Natural History at different times, and were printed in the Port-
land newspapers. One is impressed with the fact that they appear
in the third person, and that they may not be what Mr. Beckett
would accept as his statements. Examination of the Society's rec-
ords, kept by Mr. Beckett himself, mentions these papers invari-
ably in the third person. A set of clippings of reports of the meet-
ings of the society, prepared during Mr. Beckett's life by Dr. Wm.
Wood, his associate and long-time president of the Society, from
which these articles are copied, shows no corrections. The writer
has hesitated about bringing these papers forward, particularly

62 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

certain ones containing records that may be regarded as hypothet.
ical. Reflection upon the point resulted in the decision to repro-
duce them for several reasons. They have a value and interest
from the historical point of view, as contributions to our local avi-
fauna. We find in them a charm and interest that grows upon us
as we read them, and look backward to the conditions of ornitho-
logical science at that time.

The epoch of ornithological biographies had come to a close,
while the epoch of critical revision was coming into dominance.
The period of faunal studies had hardly assumed definite form.
Baird, Cassin and Lawrence were the dominating figures of the
day.* As a local student, Mr. Beckett commands a period by
himself. When his final paper on Sparrows was delivered. Holmes,
Boardman and Verrill were still unheard from in ornithological lit-
erature. His name does not appear in the writings of his contem-
poraries, or his successors. This is a fact to be regretted, for had
he been in correspondence with Baird or Brewer, his observations
would have been contributions to the History of North American
Birds, and other works, and that portion relating to Maine would
have been more representative than it now is.

It may be pointed out that in 1858 Mr. Beckett stated, as the
result of his investigations, the occurrence of nearly three hundred
species of birds in the state. This fact is a testimonial of his skill
and industry, as the following summary will emphasize. In 1839
Audubon had accredited to Maine only about one hundred and
thirty -six species, and in 1861 the first ostensible state catalogue,
by Dr. Ezekiel Holmes, contained but one hundred and ninety-
three species, to which he added thirteen the next year. In 1862,
Professor Hitchcock, with the assistance of E. A. Samuels, listed
but two hundred and thirty, and Professor Verrill recorded but
two hundred and sixty-six species. It was not until 1882-83 that
three hundred birds were recorded in the literature of the state.

At a meeting of the Portland Society of Natural History, held

*Of course several other eminent names had appeared, but theirs were peri-
ods of a later time.

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL .SOCIETY. 63

Dec. 4, 1882,* Dr. Wm. Wood, the president, paid the following
tribute to the memory of Mr. Beckett, whose death occurred at his
home in Portland, December 3, 1882.

"It is with profound sorrow that the Society hears the an-
nouncement of the death of one of its earliest associates, one from
the few now living who were instrumental in its formation. The
Portland Society of Natural History was founded in 1843, and the
name of S. B. Beckett appears as the clerk of the first meeting,
called Nov. 24th, 1843. On Dec. 20, 1843, the Society was duly
organized, by the choice of officers, as follows : President, Hon.
Ether Shepley ; Vice-President, Woodbury Storer, Esq.; Corre-
sponding Secretary, J. W. Mighels, M. D.; Recording Secretary,
S. B. Beckett, Esq. Mr. Beckett continued to act as Secretary till
the annual meeting of the Society, Dec. 21, 1858, when, at his own
request, another gentleman was chosen, and Mr. Beckett was elected
one of the board of managers, which position he has continued to
occupy to the day of his death. During the whole period that he
w^as the Secretary, and for many years after, he was the curator of
ornithology. He filled this office at the time of the first fire, in
1854, to which the Society was subjected, losing at that time a large
and very valuable collection of birds, the purchase of which formed
the nucleus about which gathered a unique and very rare collection,
forming a cabinet of which we were justly proud, and the loss of
which is yet a source of unfailing regret.

"Mr. Beckett was energetic in the effort to reconstruct the
Society, and he was ever active in the promotion of its welfare, and
he so continued through the long and trying periods that intervened
between the first and second fires, and for some time after the
erection of the hall in which we are now assembled, losing in this
second fire a much larger, more costly collection of birds than in the
first, as we had been fortunate enough to receive through a wealthy
merchant of Salem, and others, numerous representative birds of
the Himalayas, and the Indian Archipelago. In all the duties
devolving upon a comparatively small number of the members of
*PortlaiKl Daily Press, Dec. 6, 1882.

64 JOURNAL OF MAINK ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

the Society, in the midst of these disasters, he ever took an active
part, and the Society is under many obligations to him for the
laljors he has performed in their behalf. He was also elected to the
office of Vice-President in 1875, and retained it till 1879-80. These
active labors continued down to the time of our taking possession of
this building, and for a short time after, when his failing health
warned him in some measure to desist."

FIRST PAPER.

Portland Daily Advertiser, Feb. 26, 1S52.

Dr. Wood was followed by Mr. Beckett, who introduced the
accessions that had been made to the bird department since the last
meeting. He stated that we have been visited by several species of
birds during the present winter that have rarely before come to this
section. Among them are the Pine Grosbeak {Corythiis eniccleator)^
the Lesser Redpoll Linnet {Linaria minor) , and the Great American
Shrike or Butcher Bird {Lanius borealis) .

The Pine Grosbeak had been seen in quite large flocks in our
\ncinity, and specimens have been procured for the Society within
the limits of the city.

The Lesser Redpoll he had never seen alive till the present
winter, and the first that came under his observation was a single
bird, seen during the bitter snow storm some three weeks since.
For several days thereafter he noticed them in quite large flocks on
the hill, and he procured several specimens, two of which had been
mounted by Mr. Ogden, taxidermist of the Boston Society, which he
brought to the notice of the meeting. He described the species as
being a little smaller than the Bay-winged Sparrow, being only five
inches long from extremity to extremity, bill yellow, crown of the
head in the male of a rich crimson, the breast a rich carmine, the
remainder of the plumage being of a brownish gray. The female
differs in plumage in having no carmine color on the breast. Those
that he saw uttered a note similar to the call note of the common
Yellowbird. They seemed to be of an affectionate disposition, and
while picking up the hay seed on a bare spot near his dwelling, he

JOURNAL OF MAINK ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 65

noticed them frequently feeding each other. He also noticed them
on the trees picking the buds, sometimes with the head downward
and clinging to the under part of the limbs like the Chickadees and
Nuthatch.

The Redpoll, in the arrangement of Audubon, belonged to the
Fri7igilla or Finch family, which family comprises eighteen genera
and sixty-three species pertaining to the United States.

The third bird to which he alluded was the Great American
Shrike or Butcher Bird. This was a little larger than the common
Robin. The upper portions of its plumage are of a bright slate
color, wings edged with black, breast whitish, tail white and
black. It is well named the Butcher Bird, as it is inclined to kill
everything it can master, and when hard pushed for food will dash
through the window at the Canary that may be hanging up within.
Mr. L. O. Reynolds, who lives in the western part of the city, has
one which thus came into his house.

The Butcher Bird is extremely savage in disposition, and will
kill a much larger quantity of food than it can eat. He strikes the
doves and larger birds upon which he preys on the head, and one
blow from his sharp, hooked beak is generally sufficient to produce
death. They have a practice of impaling the insects and smaller
birds upon which they prey on thorns, and it is not unusual to see
thorn bushes where they harbor stuck over with beetles, grass-
hoppers, caterpillars, and here and there a Sparrow or some smaller
bird. He had no doubt that the Butcher Bird breeds in the hilly
part of our state. They are extremely affectionate towards their
young, and in their defence will attack the largest Hawk, and even
the Eagle, with a pertinacity and vigor that soon induce them to
quit the contest.

SECOND PAPER.

Portland Advertiser, May IS, 1852.

Mr. Beckett called notice to four species of birds new to this
quarter, which had made their appearance in our vicinity this spring.
They were the Cardinal Grosbeak, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Scarlet
Tanager, and Summer Tanager or Redbird.

66 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

These birds appeared here at the close of the long northeaster-
ly storm which occurred last month — at least a month earlier than
their usual time for appearing in states south of us. It seemed
singular that they should thus come to us in the teeth of a strong
gale that had been blowing eight or ten days almost incessantly,
but Mr. Beckett explained the circumstance by supposing that they
were wafted hither on the upper current of the air which blew in an
opposite direction. Many of the Tanagers died with the cold soon
after their appearance here.

Mr. Beckett described the change of plumage which takes
place in the Scarlet and Summer Tanagers from young to the adult
bird and from one season to another.

THIRD PAPER.

Portland Daily Advertiser, January 17 , 1S53.

Mr. Beckett stated that he had rather a singular specimen of
the feathered race to present to the notice of the meeting, the great
American Shrike or Butcher Bird, the Lanius borcalis of Vieillot —
singular for the strength of its neck, head and beak, contrasted with
the smallness and slenderness of its legs and claws, singular for its
habit, singular for its intrepid courage.

There were two varieties of the Lanivs family pertaining to our
country, the Great American [Great Northern] and the Loggerhead
Shrike.

The Loggerheads inhabit the most southern sections of our
country, while the Great Shrike takes to colder regions. So far
as his observation went, few, if any, of the Loggerheads came to
New England. They are quite common at the south and are
treated with friendliness on account of their destructiveness to
field mice.

The Lanius borcalis is very rare south of New York. He was
inclined to believe, indeed, that they were not very plentiful
anywhere. In our own immediate section he had only met with
them for the past two years, and within that time had seen but few
individuals. They came to us during the fore part of the winter,

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 67

simultaneously with the Snow Bunting and I^esser Redpoll, upon
which he doubted not they prey. Their disposition is to con-
fine themselves to the more unsettled parts of the country,
and in summer they retire to the deep woods and mountain
wilds of the interior, where they rear their young. They often
hover about the camps of logging and surveying parties, eagerly
seizing upon such bits of meat and other food as may be thrown
to them, and are known to the woodsmen by the name of Meat
Hawks.* He met with them among the wooded steeps of Mount
Washington last summer, and they probably build their nests and
rear their young in the wild glens of the White Mountains, as well
as other sparsely settled districts of New P^ngland. He quoted
from Wilson that they build a large compact nest in the upright
fork of a small tree, composed outwardly of dry grass and whitish
moss, and warmly lined within with feathers ; that the female lays
six eggs, sets fifteen days and produces her young in early June.

He spoke of the rapacity of the Butcher Bird. Whatever it
seizes, dead or alive, must first be dropped over or impaled upon a
thorn, or small, sharp twig, before it can be eaten, or, in case no
facilities for such a purpose are at hand, then its food must be
dropped into the crotch of some limb or twig, too small to allow the
article to pass through entire, and there pulled to pieces. Grass-
hoppers, caterpillars, mice, small birds, must all be impaled before
they can be eaten, however hungry the merciless butcher may be,
and reliable ornithologists speak of thorn bushes in the vicinity of
the haunts of these birds being stuck all over with insects, inter-
mingled here and there with small birds — more than the Lanius can
possibly need for food.

As to its courage it seems to fear no other bird that flies, and,
like the Musicapa \_Tyran7n1s tyranmis\, orKing bird, drives away the
largest and fiercest birds from its haunts.

He had not infrequently heard of the Great Shrike in winter
dashing at Canaries hanging inside of windows, and it was such a
freak that led to the capture of the specimen then before the meet-
* It will be perceived that the Canada Jay is here confused with the Shrike.

68 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

ing. He was taken by Mr. Edward Elmer on the hill. Mr. Elmer's
attention was called to his canaries by hearing a pounce against the
window. Seeing the bird fly to a small tree near by, he took down
the cage, carried it out of doors, and held it up in his sight, and,
notwithstanding his own presence, the bird pounced upon the cage
and was seized while he was clinging to it.

FOURTH PAPER.

Portland Daily Advertiser, Jan. S, IS58.

The occasion was the opening to the public of the new rooms of
the Portland Society of Natural History

Mr. Beckett made statements in reference to the bird depart-
ment. The whole number of specimens collected in this department
was about four hundred and fifty, but three hundred and thirty of
which were mounted. The unmounted birds were mostly from
foreign countries. The mounted birds, which included nearly two
hundred species, were nearly all representatives of the birds of
Maine, and it had always been a leading object of the Society to
illustrate the natural history of our own State.

In his investigations he had ascertained that nearly three hun-
dred varieties of birds inhabit or frequent our State — he had arranged
and classified two hundred and seventy-six, one hundred and sixty-
six of which belong to the class of land birds, one hundred and ten
to the water birds — hence it may be perceived that the Society's
cabinet embraced about two-thirds of all our State birds.

He stated that the whole number of species of birds to be found
within the limits of the United States and British Dominions of
North America was not far from six hundred. Audubon enumer-
ated five hundred and eight and supposed he had ascertained all,
but quite a number had been added since his great work was
published.

During the last two years the Society had not been able to
devote funds to the enlargement of this department, much to his
regret, as he had been obliged to forego several rare opportunities
for making purchases, which would not be likely again to occur.

JOURNAL OF MAINK ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 69

Those who have contributed materially (in specimens) to build
up this department, were Rev. Mr. Hopkins, formerly of Saco;
Messrs. Wm. W. lyincoln, of Savannah, Ga., formerly of this city;
Geo. W. Dam, of San Francisco, Mr. Small, of San Francisco, son
of A. M. Small of our city ; A. ly. E. Clapp, Mrs. Chas. Q. Clapp,
Miss Anna B. Fox, and L,ieut. Geo. H. Preble.

The whole amount expended by the Society on this department
since the destruction of the former cabinet, which took place four
years ago, is $450.94, only $99.68 of which was expended for speci-
mens, the remainder having been for cases and painting.

The Society had no ornithological books, and so long as it was
cramped for means, as at present, very little could be done to facili-
tate general investigation in this line. Mr. Beckett enumerated the
members of each family of birds that are found in our state ; and in
conclusion took occasion to call attention to a package of very
beautiful bird skins from Australia, presented that evening by
H. N. Jose, Esq.

FIFTH PAPER.
Portland Daily Advertiser, February 1, IS58.

Mr. Beckett, curator of ornithology, called attention to a
specimen of the wild Pigeon, the only article saved from the con-
flagration of the Society's former cabinet, and with this for a text,
read a paper on the Columba or Pigeon family generally.

He stated that there were nine species of Doves or Pigeons indig-
enous to our country. These were the Band-tailed Dove or Pigeon,
the Zenaida Dove, Key-west Pigeon or Dove, the Ground Dove, the
Blue-headed Pigeon or Dove, the White-headed Dove or Pigeon,
the Carolina Turtle and Texas Turtle Dove and the Passenger or
common wild Pigeon.

The Band-tailed Dove, he stated, mostly confined itself to the
regions beyond the Rocky Mountains. The White-headed Dove or
Pigeon, the Zenaida Dove, the Key West Pigeon or Dove and the
Blue-headed Pigeon, were summer visitants from the West Indies
to the Keys off the coast of Florida, but seldom or never came to
the main land.

70 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

The Texas Turtle Dove was a bird concerning which he had
been able to find very little reliable information, but had seen
portraits of the species. The Ground Dove, the smallest species
known to our country, was more or less abundant at the south, from
the mouth of the Mississippi to Cape Hatteras.

The Carolina Turtle Dove was abundant in all the southern
states, and in summer ranged as far north as our section, he him-
self having seen it among the low pines at Front's Neck, and a
specimen which belonged to the former cabinet of the Society hav-
ing been shot in Standish.

The common wild Pigeon was known ov^er the whole country,
and sometimes was seen in inconceivable numbers.

He gave some account of his own investigations as to their
resorts, breeding places, etc., and contradicted the assertion of
Wilson, that they raised but one young at a time, he having known
several instances of two squabs being taken from the same nest.

To be continued.

Occasional Notes on Birds at Sea.

By Dr. William C. Kendall, Scientific Assistant, U. S. Bureau of Fisheries.
(Continued from the June Journal.)

The notes made by the writer in 1891 and 1894, while serving
as naturalist on the U. S. Fish Commission Schooner, "Grampus,"
were published in the June Journal. Additional notes, made in
1895, are here printed. The cruises of the "Grampus" extended
from off the coast of Virginia to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and even
southern Labrador.

1895.

April 20. Latitude 37° 04' north ; 74° 51' west. Temperature
of air 46° F.; wind northwest by north ; moderate breeze : sky nearly
clear; sea moderate. Northern Phalaropes and Gannets {Sula bas-
sana) have been pretty common from daylight up to this time. The
Phalaropes are very abundant, but in small flocks or more or less

JOURNAL OP MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 7 1

scattering; Gannets were frequently flying in pairs, in fact they
were usually on the wing and flying northward. A few Gulls
{Lanes argentatus) were occasionally seen and Petrels (sp.?) were
common. 10 A. M.; 3 or 4 knots north and west from the above
station ; a moderate northwest by north wind ; moderate sea and
nearly clear sky. Herring Gulls and Northern Phalaropes common.
Latitude 37° 03' 45" north; longitude 74° 29' west; i P. M.; temper-
ature of the air 51° F.; gentle north by northwest breeze; light,
smooth swell. Several Herring Gulls were around the vessel, but
only three Phalaropes seen. 3.4 knots west one-half north from lati-
tude 37^" 03' 45" north; longitude 74° 29' west; 2 P. M.; temperature
of air 51° F.; gentle north by northwest breeze; clear sky and mod-
erate sea. Three Phalaropes seen. At 2.45 two more were observed,
lyatitude 37" 04' north; longitude 74^37' west; 3 P. M.; temperature
of air 55 F.; light north by northwest breeze; calm sea; bright sun-
shine. One small flock of Red Phalaropes ( C^ymophilus fulicariiis)
observed. Latitude 37" 36' 15" north; longitude 74^ 25' west; 9 A.
M.; temperature of air 50" F.; stiff east wind; clear sky; long east
northeast swell. One small flock Northern f?) Phalaropes seen fly-
ing to the westward; a large flock seen sitting on the water, the
largest bunch yet seen. Latitude 37° 34' 15" north; longitude 74°
27' west; II A. M.; temperature of the air 48° F.; stiff east north-
east wind; sky partly clear; sea smooth. Phalaropes and Gannets
numerous.

April 22. Latitude 38° 02' 30" north; longitude 74° 42' west;
7 A. M.; temperature of air 47" F.; moderate southeast wind; sky
clearing; long swell. Gannets were common this morning. Many
Phalaropes seen, a large flock bunched on the water.

April 22. Latitude 37° 41' 30" north; longitude 74° 57' west;
temperature of air 52° F.; stiff west by northwest wind, almost
squally; rain; sea choppy. Very few birds seen. Now and then a
small flock of Phalaropes.

April 23. Latitude 37° 33' 30" north; longitude 74" 29' west;
7 A. M.; temperature of air 47° F.; light west wind; sky clearing a
little; sea iiioderate. A few Northern Phalaropes seen. Latitude

72 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL vSOCIETY.

37° 58' 45" north; longitude 70"" 23' 30" west; 10 A. M.; temperature
of air 52" F.; light west wind; sky partly clear; sea moderate.
Some Gannets and Phalaropes seen. Latitude 38"" 04' 30" north;
longitude 74"" 19' 30" west; 11 A. M.; temperature of air 50'' F.;
gentle west by southwest breeze; sky partly clear; sea moderate. A
few small flocks of Phalaropes seen this forenoon. Latitude 38° 18'
30" north; longitude 73° 51' 30" west; 7 P. M.; temperature of air
47" F.; wind variable, gentle; sky partly clear; sea smooth. Phala-
ropes have been seen all day in scattering flocks of three or four to
a dozen or so. They are less abundant than they were at first.

April 24. Southwest by south 5.5 miles from latitude 38^^ 11'
30" north; longitude 74"" 14' west; 12 M.; temperature of air 51" F.;
surface water 44'' F.; wind southeast by east; a moderate breeze;
sky clear and sea moderate. Only two or three small flocks of
Phalaropes observed this morning. Latitude 37' 49' 15" north;
longitude 74'^ 17' west; 3 P. M.; temperature of air 49" F.; gentle
southeast breeze; sky clear; sea moderate. A small flock of Phala-
ropes seen at this time. A few small flocks of three or four to six
or eight have been seen during the afternoon. South by southwest
2.7 knots from latitude 37^ 49' 15" north; longitude 74" 17' west; 4
P. M.; temperature of air 50'"' F.; gentle southeast by south breeze;
sky clear; sea smooth. Two pretty large flocks of Phalaropes seen.
West 6.2 miles from latitude 37° 45' 30"; longitude 74° 29' west; 6
P. M.; temperature of air 52° F.; moderate south by east wind; sky
clear; sea smooth. Very few birds of any kind were seen at the
eastward, but at 6 P. M. and later Phalaropes became more numer-
ous, flying in flocks of from two or three to fifteen or twenty. Lati-
tude 37° 45' north; longitude 74° 45' 30" west; 8 P. M.; temperature
of air 49° F.; moderate south by west wind; sky clear; sea mod-
erate. As we approached this locality from the eastward, the Phala-
ropes became more plentiful, indicating that the food found so
plentiful in this place was attractive to the birds. vSchools of mack-
erel also seen up to 9 P. M.

April 25. Latitude 37° 41' 30" north; longitude 74° 43' 30"
west; II A. M.; temperature of air 54° F.; stifle south by southwest

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIKTY. 73

wind; sky clear; sea moderate. Only a few small flocks of Pliala-
ropes seen this forenoon.

April 26. Northwest i knot from latitude 37° 40' 15" north;
longitude 74° 36^30" west; cS A. M.; temperature of air 55" F.; light
south by west breeze; sky overcast; fog; sea moderate. Two good-
sized schools of mackerel were up near the vessel, and pretty large
flocks of northern Phalaropes were resting on the water over them.
They were so tame that they did not fly as the vessel passed close
to them. At other times they are usually very wild. I^atitude
37" 42' north; longitude 74° 36' 30" west; 9 A. M.; temperature of
air 52° F.; moderate southeast by south wind; overcast and fog; sea
moderate. Five fairly large flocks of Phalaropes seen flying north-
ward. Latitude 37°4o' north; longitude 74° 34' 30" west; 11 A. M.;
temperature of air 54° F.; gentle southwest' by south wind; fog; sea
moderate. A flock of about thirty or forty Phalaropes seen flying
northward. Courses, southwest by south 2 miles (knots), southeast
by east 4.6 miles, from latitude 37" 29' north; longitude 75° 00' 15"
west; 6 P. M.; temperature of air 51° F.; surface water 48.5° F.;
moderate south by east wind; sky cloudy; fog; sea moderate. Sev-
eral flocks of twentj^ or thirty or more Phalaropes seen during the
afternoon, all on the wing.

April 27. Latitude 37° 40' 15" north; longitude 74° 36' 30"
west; 7 A. M.; temperature of air 54" F.; light southwest by west
breeze; overcast; fog; sea moderate. Red feed (copepods) has been
very plentiful all night and still is at this station. This is the first
time that it has been taken in large quantities in the day time this
season, and the first time that we know of mackerel "showing up"
in quantities in the day time this year. Scattering Phalaropes, or
in very small flocks. Latitude 37" 42' 45" north; longitude 74" 37'
45" west; I P. M.; temperature of air 56° F.; gentle south by south-
east breeze; sky overcast; fog; sea moderate. Shot a Northern
Phalarope. Its stomach contained amphipods ( Themisto) almost
entirely. A large flock of these birds seen. Several other flocks
observed, not all on the wing, but apparently flying in no particular
direction.

74 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOI.OGICAL SOCIETY,

April 28. Latitude 37° 46' north; longitude 74° 36' 30" west;
3 P. M.; temperature of the air 59° F.; of surface water 49° F.; gen-
tle southeast wind; sky overcast; fog; moderate sea. Quite a large
flock of Phalaropes seen sitting on the water, scattered over a con-
siderable area. Latitude 37° 46' north; longitude 74° 36' 30" west;
6 P. M.; lying to, trying for mackerel; temperature 58° F.; light
southeast breeze; overcast; moderate sea. Small flocks of Phala-
ropes have been seen during the whole afternoon, but from 5 to 6
P. M. they seem to be more plentiful, yet still in small flocks of per-
haps five to twenty, all on the wing.

April 29. One knot southwest from latitude 38° 38' 30" north;
longitude 73° 55' west; 6 P. M.; temperature of air 48" F.; moder-
ate east by northeast wind; sky overcast; fog; sea rough. The
wind has been practically fresh from east by northeast all day yester-
day and up to the present time. Scattering Phalaropes have been
seen all day. One quite large flock seen at this hour on the wing.

April 30. Latitude 38° 33' 30" north; longitude 74° 04' 30"
west; 9 A. M.; temperature of air 55° F.; gentle southeast by south
breeze; sky overcast; fog; a moderate swell. One Phalarope seen.

May I. Latitude 38° 31' 30" north; longitude 73° 54' 30" west;
9 A. M.; temperature of air 50^' F.; fresh northeast by east wind;
overcast; fog; rain; very choppj^ Small flocks of Phalaropes have
been seen all the morning. One large flock seen at this hour.
Southwest by south 3.7 knots from latitude 38° 16' north; longitude
73° 50' 30" west; 6 P. M.; temperature of air 51° F.; wind north-
east, blowing a moderate gale; sky overcast; rain and fog; sea
rough. A flock of ten Jaegers {Stercoraritis poinarhnis) seen.

May 2. Five miles north by northwest from latitude 37° 13'
north; longitude 74*^ 37' 15" west; 6 P. M.; temperature of the air
49° F.; moderate northeast by east wind; sky overcast; rain and
fog; long rolling swell. A good many Jaegers seen to-day, but no
Phalaropes,

May 3. Latitude 37° 40' 30" north; longitude 74° 57' 45" west;
3 P. M.; temperature of air 49' F.; sky overcast; rain and fog. At

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOI^OGICAL .SOCIKTY. 75

3.40 P. M, a flock of about twenty Phalaropes seen sitting on the
water.

May II. East by one-half east 8.3 knots from latitude 39° 53'
north; longitude 72° 40' 45" west; 4 P. M.; temperature of air 63"
F.; wind south, stiff; skj' partly clear; sea smooth. Two flocks of
Phalaropes of about twenty-five or thirty ])irds seen on the wing.
These are the first birds observed since we left port yesterday.
Latitude 39° 57' 30" north; longitude 72° 19' 30" west; 5 P. M.;
temperature of air 63° F.; stiff, south wind; sky partly clear; sea
smooth. Since 4 P. M. Phalaropes have been quite numerous in
flocks of from six to thirty or forty, all on the wing. A few single
birds seen. A good deal of "red feed" (copepods) taken in tow
net.

May 12. 7.3 knots from latitude 40*^ 30' 30" north; longitude
69° 51' 45" west; 8 A. M.; temperature of air 58" F.; stiff south by
east breeze; sky cloudy; moderate swell. vSeveral large flocks of
Phalaropes seen in this vicinity.

May 14. Latitude 43° 27' north; longitude 65^ 18' west; Cape
Negro Light bearing north by west 4 miles; 9 A. M.; temperature
of air 42° F.; gentle northwest breeze; sky clear; moderate sea.
Phalaropes in flocks of twelve to forty or more have been fairly
numerous this morning.

May 20. One knot southeast from latitude 44° 01' north; longi-
tude 64^^ 34' 15" west; Coffin's Island lighthouse bearing northwest
about 2^ miles distant; temperature of air 61" F".; gentle northwest bj-
west breeze; sky clear; moderate swell. Three flocks of Phalaropes
seen. Took some "red feed" (copepods) and a few fish eggs in
tow net.

May 23, Latitude 44° 18' 15" north; longitude 63'' 32' west;
3 P. M.; temperature of air 48.5" P\; stiff west by southwest wind;
sea choppy. A flock of about forty Phalaro])es seen flying eastward.
Tow net took nothing.

May 24. Latitude 44" 22' 45" north; longitude 63'" 26' 30"
'west; 5 A. M.; temperature of air 42.5° F.; gentle west by north

76 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

breeze; sky cloudy; moderate swell. A very large flock of Pliala-
ropes seen flying.

May 25. Latitude 44° 20' 45" north; -longitude 63" 30' 15"
west; 7 A. M.; temperature of air 46° F.; gentle southwest breeze
moderate swell. At 7.45 A. M., 5 or 6 miles northwest by west
from the above station, four large flocks of Phalaropes were seen.
East by north 3.5 knots from latitude 45' 9' 45" north; longitude 61°
3' west; 10 A. M.; temperature of air 50° F.; wind south by west;
light air; sky clear; long rolling swell. Small flocks of Phalaropes
have been seen this morning on the wing. Tow net took nothing.
Captain Ellis of the schooner "Roulette," said that last night just
before dark he saw some large schools of mackerel farther off shore,
but could not catch them as "the birds" would settle on them and
scare them down. Fish and "birds" were moving eastward. Phala-
ropes are generally called by the fishermen, "birds" or "the birds."

May 28. lyatitude 45° 07' north; longitude 60^^ 33' 30" west;
I P. M.; temperature of air 49"" F.; stifl south by southwest wind;
sky overcast; fog; sea rough. Ten minutes towing of surface net
took nothing. A small flock of Phalaropes seen flying.

May 30. Latitude 45° 32' 45" north; longitude 60° 32' 15" west;
4 P. M.; temperature of air 52"^ F.; light air, south by southwest;
cloudy and fog; moderate swell. A small flock of Terns {Steriia
paradisea) seen "plugging."

June 12. Near latitude 46° 44' 30" north; longitude 60° 17'
west; 2 P. M.; temperature of air 67° F.; light, southeast air; sky
clear; sea smooth. Several Gannets have been seen sitting on the
water, but would not allow^ close approach.

July 21. Latitude 43° 44' north; longitude 69° 08' west; 7 P.
M.; temperature of air 61° F.; light air, north by northeast; clear
sky and smooth sea. Three large flocks of Phalaropes seen. Two
of the flocks skimming over the surface of the water, the other
sitting.

July 23. Off Seguin Island, Me.; i P. M.; temperature of air
65"^' F.; gentle north l:)y northwest breeze; sky clear; smooth sea.
Five Phalaropes seen. 3 P. M.; steering eastward; wind gentle.

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 77

from northwest by north; clear sky and smootli sea. A flock of
about twelve Phalaropes seen.

July 24. Latitude 43° 48' north; longitude 68° 49' 30" west;
9 A. M.; temperature of air 59° F.; gentle west by northwest breeze;
clear sky and smooth sea. Several fair-sized flocks of Phalaropes
seen this morning.

July 25. Latitude 43° 53' 30" north; longitude 68° 37' 30" west;
5 P. M.; temperature of air 58° F.; moderate southwest breeze; sky
overcast; fog; smooth sea. Several small flocks of Phalaropes seen
to-day.

July 27. Latitude 43° 39' 30" north; longitude 69° 34' west; 9
A. M.; temperature of air 51° F.; calm; clear sky. A fair-sized
flock of Phalaropes seen. Latitude 43" 40' 15" north; longitude 69^
30' west; 12 M.; temperature of air 62° F.; light southwest breeze;
smooth sea and clear sky. A pretty fair-sized flock of Phalaropes
seen on the water.

August 20. East b}' one-half north 5.1 knots from latitude. 40°
54' 30" north; longitude 69° 20' 30" west; 6 A. M.; temperature of
air 54° F.; moderate north by northwest breeze; clear sky. few
clouds; moderate sea. Three large flocks of Phalaropes seen sitting
on the water.

August 21. Latitude 42° 25' 30" north; longitude 70° 39' 30"
west; II A.M.; temperature of air 60' F.; fresh north by northwest
wind; clear sky; smooth sea (not rough). Three flocks of Phala-
ropes seen.

August 26. Latitude 43"^ 43' north; longitude 69" 12' 45" west;
I P. M.; temperature of air 58°; gentle southwest by south l:)reeze;
clear sky and moderate sea. Two small flocks of Phalaropes
observed.

Wild Birds in a City Garden.

By Miss Sar.\ C. Kastman, Portland, Maine.
Adjoining our house is a large garden, which was, for many
years, a delight to the eye from May to October. There were to be
seen in ])rofusion, roses, sweet peas, pansies, peonies, and many

78 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIIJTY.

Other blossoms, as well as beautiful flowering shrubs. Pear trees
spread out their fruitful branches there, and close by our windows
was a tangle of raspberry bushes, now nearly exterminated. Hither
came every year during the migratory season many wild birds, and
all through the summer might be seen and heard such birds as
remained in the citj' during that season. Now% those who made the
garden and loved it are gone, and the once lovely place has become,
as compared with its former state, a barren spot inhabited by Eng-
lish Sparrows and even less desirable tenants. Still, the wild birds
come to it, though not in such numbers as formerly. It may inter-
est some of the readers of the Journal to know how many different
kinds have been seen there. The list is as follows: Robin, Fox
Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow,
Chipping Sparrow, Brown Thrasher, Hermit Thrush, Wilson's
Thrush, Olive-backed Thrush, Black-billed Cuckoo, Baltimore
Oriole, Catbird, Phoebe, Least Flycatcher, Humming Bird, Yellow
Warbler, Parula Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Nashville Warbler,
Canadian Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Black and White
Warbler, Myrtle Warbler, Redstart, Northern Yellow-throat, Oven-
bird, Northern Water Thrush, Red-eyed Vireo, Ruby-crowned
Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, Downy Wood-
pecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted
Nuthatch, Chickadee. Winter Wren, Junco, and the Great Northern
Shrike.

The time during which these birds remain in the garden varies
from a few moments to a day or two. Usually the Warblers flit
about from tree to tree and bush to bush, sometimes stopping to
preen their feathers, and then pass on, but occasionally they are
about for an hour or more. The Thrushes make the longest stay
of any of the visitors. The English Sparrows which nest in the
elms about the house try to drive away all other birds, and as a rule
they finally succeed in doing so, but I am glad to record that an
Olive-backed Thrush that came to the garden in May showed a
proper spirit, and when attacked by the vSparrows, turned upon his
assailants and utterly routed them, I cannot express the pleasure

JOURNAL OK MAIXK ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIKTY. 79

which the visits of these' birds have given me. There are mail}'
bird students in this city, and I have no doubt that those who pos-
sess or have access to pleasant gardens coukl furnish a longer list
than that which is here given.

Maine Notes.

In the July Auk, Mr. Arthur H. Norton has several notes of
general interest to Maine readers, and the substance of them are here
reprinted.

"During the week of November i6th to 21st. 1908, a Lesser
Snow Goose {CheJi hyperborea nivalis) was shot by a fox hunter in
a field in Gorhani, Maine. The bird was much emaciated and in
the immature plumage in which it is usually seen in Maine. It was
mounted by, and is in the possession of, Mr. Leonard Leighton. of
Westbrook, where I made an examination of it."

"On February 14, 1909, in a garden in the outskirts of Sacca-
rappa village. Westbrook, I collected an adult male Hoary Redpoll
(Aranf/iis hornemamii exilipcs.) It was accompanied at the time bv
another bird, which I believe to have been of the same form, but
this was not positiveh* determined. Two and three birds had been
visiting the place for several days previous to the capture, and I had
become positive that one at least was a Hoary Redpoll, undoubtedly
the one secured."

"Having recently had occasion to examine some Gray-cheeked
Thrushes, all of the specimens contained in the collections of the
Portland Society of Natural History and of the writer were brought
together. This revealed the fact that a specimen in the Natural
History Society's collection is a Bicknell's Thrush. It is a 3'oung
female, taken in Cumberland County, Maine, September 30, 1878.
Although the specimen is so characteristic that no doubt existed as
to its identity, it was submitted to Dr. Charles W. Richmond for
verification.

"There appears to be no previous record of a specimen taken in

8o JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

Maine, yet it has been reported, in each instance without capture of
a specimen, from the following localities: Franklin, 1906 (D. W.
Sweet. Journ. Orn. Soc, VII, p. 81); Oxford, 1899 (A. P. Larra-
bee, verbal); Piscataquis, 1898 (F. H. Allen, Auk, XV, p. 60)."

In a note on the recent Status of the Meadow Lark, Mr. Norton
has this to say :

"In 1882, in his 'Catalogue of Birds Found in the Vicinity of
Portland, Maine,' Mr. Nathan Clifford Brown stated that this bird
was a rare summer resident, oftenest seen in migrations. The ex-
treme dates then given were April 22 and Nov. 3.

"To-day the conditions are decidedly different, and while the
increase of which I shall speak seems to have been somewhat gen-
eral in the southwest quarter of the State, I shall confine my
remarks strictly to the section embraced in Mr. Brown's paper of
1882, viz., the vicinity of Portland. I had been collecting several
seasons in fields in which the bird is now regularly seen in some
numbers without meeting a specimen until 1891, when I found and
collected a lone specimen at Westbrook. In August of the same
3^ear, in fields I had regularly visited in the adjoining town of Gor-
ham, two small flocks, one of five, and one of eight birds, were seen.
From that time to the present, May, 1909, there has been a slow but
positive increase and dispersal of the birds through the section.
They are not only rather plentiful in certain Westbrook and Gorham
fields, but are to be found in several places in the very outskirts of
the city of Portland, and also in Falmouth and vScarborough.

"The earliest date on which I have noted the bird's occurrence
in spring is March 27. They have frequently shown a tendency to
remain late in fall, having been recorded in November several years,
in December twice, and in January once, in Westbrook. The win-
ter just passed, 1908-09, a small flock actually wintered on the
marshes back of Pine Point Beach, in Scarborough, where they were
watched with great interest by Mr. Walker, agent of the Pine Point
R. R. station."

B3

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86 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

The Ornithological Magazines.

The Auk. — The Auk for July is rich in timely bird news and
information. For one who cares to speculate on the antiquity of
existing faunas, the article by Spencer Trotter, on "The Geological
and Geographical Relations of the Land-Bird Fauna of Northeastern
America" will be suggestive and instructive. Dr.'C. W. Townsend,
of Boston, writes in a very interesting way of "The Use of Wings
and Feet by Diving Birds." The same author gives an account of
the recent "Carolina Wren Invasion of New England." Walter P.
Taylor tells of one instance of hybridization of Hummingbirds. The
fifteenth supplement to the A. O. U. checklist is printed in this
number. It is now proper to say Snowy Egret instead of Snowy
Heron; Upland Plover instead of Bartramian Sandpiper; Veery
instead of Wilson's Thrush, and Savannah Sparrow is made the
proper spelling, instead of Savanna Sparrow. There are several
notes of special interest to Maine readers.

The Condor. — The Condor iox May-June comes from the Paci-
fic coast filled with a mass of current news about Western birds.
In this issue the reader may learn much about the White-throated
Swift, Pigmy Nuthatch, Spotted Owl, Pacific Horned Owl, Magpie,
California Shrike, Brewer Blackbird, Bi-colored Blackbird, Mourn-
ing Dove, Eark Bunting, Rocky Mountain Screech Owl, California
Brown Pelican, and other species familiar to observers in that part
of the country. The Editor of this magazine has adopted a few of
the most barbarous forms of the "simplified" spelling, and we are
shocked to learn that a certain bird "hatcht" a young one, which
became "attacht" to the feathers of its parent, as the writer observed
when he "approacht" the nest, with a cigar box "tuckt" under his
arm, thus becoming a "markt" man, in an "unlookt-for" spell of
weather. The Editor remarks that cats, as "cherisht pet," of a
murderous nature, should be kept at home, and few will disagree
with him, in view of the damage to bird life every season by cats,
both in the east and west. The typography of the Condor is clear
and handsome, the half-tone illustrations are fine, and as the stan-

JOURNAL OF MAINK ORNITHOLOGICAL vSOCIETY. 87

dard magazine of western ornithology it should prove worth reading
in many sections of the east. The Condor for July-August comes to
hand just as the Journal goes to press. It has the usual amount
of interesting and valuable information about western birds.

The Bulletin of the Buffalo Society of Natural
Sciences. — Volume IX, No. 2, of the Bulletin of the Buffalo Society
of Natural Sciences has a half-tone illustration of a group of Whist-
ling Swans, mounted for the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences, and
now displayed with its collections. These were some of the birds
taken at Niagara Falls in March, 1908, when they dropped ex-
hausted and hungry, and many were carried over the horseshoe
fall to their destruction. It is estimated that over one hundred of
the flock met death at that time in the manner described. There is
a fine article, with good illustrations, on the American Woodcock,
by Ottoman Reinecke, of Buffalo. The rest of this very creditable
publication is devoted to insects and shells, with a report of the
annual meeting of the Society.

The Biota of the San Bernardino Mountains. — One of
the latest publications of the University of California is the Biota of
the San Bernardino Mojintains, by Joseph Grinnell. Dr. Grinnell
is the leading authority in this department in the west, and the
publication is therefore of the highest value. The San Bernardino
Mountains proper constitute the largest high mountain group in
southern California, and include the highest peak of Mt. Whitney.
The forested area is more extensive than elsewhere in southern Cali-
fornia, and furnishes a more abundant fauna. There is a descrip-
tion of the life zones of the region and of the localities, with special
reference to the faunal complexion of each place. The plants of the
region, as well as the mammals and reptiles, are fully described.
More space is given to the birds than to any other part of the fauna.
A list of one hundred and thirty-nine species was found in the
region, and a detailed record of distribution is given in each case,
with extended biographical accounts of many species, and critical
notes on others. The volume is handsomely illustrated with half-

<S8 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

tone engravings of the localities described, showing mountains,
lakes, trees and forests, as well as nests of birds and the places
where they are built. The publication will appeal more readily to
those who are familiar with the region described, but there is a
large amount of valuable information for eastern bird students.

The Ontario Natural Science Bulletin. — Number 5 of
the Ontario Natural Science Bulletin is the Journal of the Welling-
ton Field Naturalists' Club, at Guelph, Ontario. It contains a num-
ber of interesting articles on the plants and birds of Ontario. There
is a paper by H. H. Whetzel upon "A Fungus L,iving as a Parasite
upon Another Fungus"; an article on the "Hibernation of the
Jumping Mouse," by \V. E. Saunders; "Biologic Plant-Types," by
Theo. Holm, Brookland, D. C; "The Geoglossaceee or Earth-
Tongues," by Elias J. Durand; "Notes on some Birds of Bruce
County, Ontario," by A. B. Klugh; "The Ericacere and Orchidacese
in the Vicinity of Gait, Ontario," by W. Herriot; "The Influence
of Darwin on Botanical Science," by J. H. F'aull; "Birds of Orange-
ville, Ontario and Vicinity," by E. W. Calvert; "Gramineae of
County Peel," by J. White; "Birds on My Farm This Winter
(1908-9)," by James H. Caesar, Mono Road, Peel County, Ontario;
"A Glance at Our Wild Flowers," by C. J. Young; "Bohemian
Waxwing," by E. Caesar; "General Notes," by Fred Mitchell; and
"The Polyporacese in the Vicinity of the Ontario Agricultural Col-
lege, Guelph." The papers are all scientific in character, and are
prepared with care and accuracy.

At the commencement exercises held at The University of
Maine on June 9th, two members of the Maine Ornithological Society
had honorary degrees conferred upon them in recognition of their
achievements. Prescott Keyes, superintendent of the school district
comprising Gorham and Westbrook, received the degree of Master
of Science in recognition of his long continued and very able ser-
vices in the cause of education in Maine. Ora Willis Knight, of
Bangor, received the degree of Doctor of Science in recognition of
the signal contribution to the scientific history of Maine in his re-
cently published Birds of Maine.

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIKTY. ^89

®l|r Journal

of tlrr

Mmxt (intitlinlngiral ^nrirtg

A Quarterly Magazine Devoted to the Study and Protection of Birds

Vol. XI Published Sept. 1, 1909 No. 3

SUBSCRIPTION RATES: SI. 00 a year; 25 cents a copy

The last three numbers of The Journal have been issued
under conditions more painful than the members of the Society gen-
erally understand. For the past seven months the editor has been
practically incapacitated for work. It has happened each time when
the March, June and September issues were due that the editor was
sick in bed and either could not read proof at all or was forced to do
so while bolstered up on pillows. Several members of the society
have given loyal help in this time of need. Thanks for important
aid should be given to Mr. Arthur H. Norton, Mr. Walter H. Rich,
Mr. Louis E. Legge, Jed F. Fanning, Esq., Miss Helen M. Robin-
son and others; also to our obliging publisher, Mr. Samuel H.
Brown of the Marks Printing House.

In this issue Mr. Arthur H. Norton begins a valuable series of
the republished Ornithological observations of Sylvester B. Beckett,
a Portland Ornithologist who flourished upwards of fifty years ago.
Many of our citizens will undoubtedly recall this well-known Port-
land man and his labors.

During the past year or more Thr Journal has been rich in
the possession of manuscript from Dr. Kendall. We have now used
the last line which he has sent us and like Oliver Twist we would
be glad to have more. We hope the Doctor may find time to over-
haul the pigeon-holes of the Fish Commission in Washington, where
it is quite probable that material of permanent value to the
Journal may still be discovered.

The committee on Program has provided some interesting things
for the annual meeting for the Friday and Saturday following
Thanksgiving. It is hoped that there will be a large attendance of
members.

The Journal was never in better financial condition than nov/.
There is money enough to pay all outstanding bills and others to be
incurred between now and the date of the annual meeting.

9Q JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

The Valuable Collections of our Late Ex=Eclitor,
V Clarence H. Morrell, of Pittsfield, goes to
the Smithsonian.

The entire collection of eggs and nests of our late fellow- mem-
ber, Clarence H. Morrell, of Pittsfield, Me., consisting of some
twelve hundred specimens, has been presented to the Smithsonian
Institution. I have just completed the packing and shipping of
them to Washington. The collection was a very valuable one. It
not only was composed of many rare sets, but was very carefully
prepared, accompanied with very full data, and copious notes accom-
panied the data. The note-book, however, is retained by his sister,
Mrs. Ethel Morrell Hooper, of Exeter, N. H., who has taken extra
care of the collection since her brother's demise, and who presented
the collection to the Smithsonian. It was his wish, that, in case
there was no place in the State where it would be properly appre-
ciated and assurance of perpetual care, it should go to the National
Museum. It seems a great pity, that such collections of Maine col-
lected specimens, as this one, Geo. A. Boardman's and several other
valuable collections now in the State, that it would now seem, would
eventually go to Washington, could not be kept in the State.
Among the rare desiderate in this collection were sets of Yellow
Palm Warblers, Willson's Black-cap, Blackburnian Warbler,
Golden-crown Kinglet, several sets of Pileated Woodpecker and
many other rare sets. J. M. Swain.

Annual Meeting of the Maine Ornithological

Society.

The 14th annnal meeting will be held at Museum of Natural
History, Portland, November 26-27, 1909; meeting for reports and
business November 26th at 10.30 A. M. ; for reading of papers at 2.30
P. M. ; at 8 P. M. an illustrated paper on the Ornitholog}^ and Gen-
eral Natural History of Mt. Katahdin, by O. W. Knight ; meeting
for business and papers November 27th, at 9 A. M.

The following papers have been secured :

In memoriam, Leslie A. Eee, committee.

Interesting Rare Birds of the year in Aroostook County, illus-
trated by specimens. Prof. W. h. Powers.

Experiences with a Robin's F'amily, illustrated by lantern slides,
Mrs. Sarah R. Abbott.

The last Passenger Pigeons breeding at North Bridgton, Me.,
Hon. J. C. Mead.

An exhibition of some rare or interesting birds of the year by
members.

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 91

lirii Notps.

Notes and observations upon bird life within our State are earnestly desired from all our readers
for publication in this column, and should be sent to Louis E. Legge, 22 Dow Street, Portland, Maine.

We note with much satisfaction the increasing frequency with
which the members of our society report to this Journal their
ornithological observations. This is an important part of our duties,
one to another, and should be shared in by all interested in bird
life. The Journal's columns are always open to contributors of
items of general interest relating to Maine birds, and we trust our
members will, through this medium, disseminate such knowledge as
they personally possess.

The Yellow Palm Warbler at Peak's Island in Late
June. — On June 2gth, 1909, while engaged in investigating the
bog at Peak's Island, which is the type station of Eriophorum viridi-
carinatum Felloivsii Fernald, a Yellow Palm Warbler approached
closely to me and emphasized its disapproval of fny being in the
vicinity by many anxious chirpings. Its actions were identical with
those of birds while with young on the bog near Bangor. A glimpse
of another bird which did not permit of identification was obtained,
but the impression left was that it was likewise this species. As it
is well known that migration continues to a very late date with
many species so that migrating birds may be proceeding northwards
through a region where breeding birds of the same species already
have young, I do not feel warranted, with the evidence obtained,
in asserting that the individual positively identified at Peak's
Island was breeding. The general surroundings, however, were
identical with those of its nesting places near Bangor. Also I have
observed and studied the habits of the Yellow Palm Warbler for
years, and feel perfectly safe in asserting that I know more of their
habits and actions on their breeding grounds than any other person
living or dead, and I have never seen an individual of this species
act as the one in question did, unless a nest containing heavily in-
cubated eggs or young birds was near at hand. — Ora Willis Knight^
Bangor.

92 JOURNAI, OF MAINK ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

Troglodytes reditus. — It is more than twenty years since
the House Wren has been noted in Penobscot County. Twenty-
eight years ago the House Wren was a rather common summer res-
ident near Bangor, and in my boyhood days I found many of their
nests in this vicinity. At about the time the English Sparrow
began to appear in appreciable numbers here, the House Wrens
were no longer to be found in the vicinity. The present summer
two pair at least of these birds have been seen within the limits of
the City of Bangor, and one of these is nesting in the yard of Miss
Bertha Brown. The other pair was seen by Mr. Winch in another
section of the city. A specimen, which was killed by a cat at
Orono, has been presented to the University of Maine museum. —
Ora IV. Knight^ Bangor.

Nesting of the Hudsonian Chickadee in New Hamp-
shire.— The nesting of the Hudsonian Chickadee in New Eng-
land is of rare enough occurrence to merit some notice, and as I
have been fortunate in finding two nests of this species I will give
the data herewith. The first nest was found June 3rd, 1908, and
contained seven eggs, well incubated ; the second was found June
7th, 1909, and contained the same number of eggs, far advanced in
incubation. The nests were both placed in small spruce stumps in
a swamp, the second nest within thirty yards of the location of the
first nest. — Fred B. Spaulding ^Lancaster ^ N. H.

A Fisherman and a Bird Eover Too. — When one starts
away on a fishing trip in the spring he doesn't know how much
more he would enjoy the time if he were interested in birds. Mrs.
Rolfe and I left Portland on our annual fishing trip on the 15th of
May. We went to Moosehead Eake and staid over Sundaj- in
Skowhegan. We saw the following birds during the two weeks that
we were away. Sparrow Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's
Hawk, Fish Hawk, Crow, Bald Eagle, Herring Gull, Least Sand-
piper, Spotted Sandpiper, Yellow-legs, Prairie Horned Eark,
Meadowlark, Pipit, Blackburnian Warbler, Parula Warbler, Yellow

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 93

Warbler, Black and White Warbler, Redstart, Red-eyed Vireo,
Warbling Vireo, Robin, Bluebird, Winter Wren, Goldfinch, King-
fisher, Least Flycatcher, Phoebe, Bobolink, Song Sparrow, Chipp-
ing Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow,
Red-winged Blackbird, Bronzed Grackle, L,oon, Black Duck, Old
Squaw, Blue Heron, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker,
Flicker, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Barn Swallow, Tree Swal-
low, Eaves Swallow, Bank Swallow, Purple Martin, Hermit Thrush,
Veery, Ovenbird, Chickadee, Myrtle Warbler, and last and least the
English sparrow at a farmhouse near Moosehead Lake. On my
way to Brunswick, the last of July, I saw Meadowlarks in three
different fields, showing that they are getting more plentiful in this
part of the state. — Percival V. RoJfe, Portland.

Notes from Damariscotta. — Loons have reared young in
nearly all the ponds around here. July ist I found young. Aug.
ist I found a young loon, probably one week old, and captured the
little fellow long enough to get the parent birds up near enough to
photograph.

The Terns have bred in greater numbers than ever on the Egg
Rocks and have come into the ponds in goodly numbers in the last
two weeks.

The Puffins returned to Egg Rock again this year. New Har-
bor dry ledges had nearly one hundred eggs laid on them, which
were completely cleaned up by the crows, after which the Puffins
deserted the rocks entirely.

The Carey Chicken has suffered, as in years past, by being cap-
tured and destroyed by some enemy which I have been unable to
discover, probably mink, as all that was left were the wings of the
bird, and one could easily pick up over one hundred pair of wings in
this way.

I have seen more Cuckoos this year than for a number of years
past.

The Purple Martin was quite plentiful about May i, and no
doubt if suitable houses were provided more would have remained

94 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

with US. Let us put up proper houses and keep them with us once
more. — F. M. David, Damariscotta.

The English Sparrow, A Bird Insectivorous. — Not-
withstanding the harsh words and abuse which has been heaped up-
on this bird, I am still a friend to him and always shall be. He is,
I believe, the most diligent gatherer of insects of all the Sparrows.
Where I live the dooryard is over-run with grasshoppers and the
vSparrows (English) have a great time chasing them, catching and
carrying them to their young. I have also seen them catching the
Forest Caterpillar {Heteroca^npa guttivitta) also for its young. A
friend of mine told me he was troubled with a great many spiders
around his buildings and in the stable. The English Sparrow has
a nest behind a closed blind on one of the windows, and my friend
told me the adult birds had cleaned out the spiders around the
house and in the interior of the stable, much to his satisfaction.
When the brown-tail moth began to come in here, blown in by heavy
winds, the English Sparrows took a hand eating the body of the
moth and leaving the wings on the ground. A pint of the wings
could be picked up in the day time under an arc light, but not a
single body could be found. I watched and saw the sparrows come
and get them. I shall always be a friend to them. — H. IV. Jewell,
Farming ton.

Meadow Larks in Cumberland County. — I think that all
bird lovers living in Cumberland County will be glad to know that
the Meadow Lark is becoming common in this part of the state.
For many years these birds were not plentiful here, but latterly they
have Vjeen common residents and have bred in various places. I
know of two localities in Westbrook, one in Deering, and one in
Scarborough where they are to be found. And not long since, I
saw from the window of the car, three flying about in a field in New
Gloucester, The Larks come early and stay late and are among
the most attractive of our birds. Who that is a lover of the "realm
of beauty and of song" does not feel a thrill of joy when, on some

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 95-

bright April morning, he sees perched on a bongh of an api)le tree
or a telegraph wire a happy fellow, clad in a coat of brown, wearing
on his yellow breast the Order of the Black Crescent, and blithely
caroling, "Spring 'o the Year! Spring 'o the Year!"

A farmer upon whose land I found the Larks in the greatest
number told me that they came to his place five years ago. The
deadly mowing machines prevent the rapid increase of these dwellers
in the meadows, but if all farmers were as kind-hearted as is one of
whom I know, fewer young birds would perish. He, finding a nest
of unfledged young in his field, marked the spot and directed his
haymakers to leave a margin of grass around it so that the nestlings
should not be disturbed. If farmers generally would try to protect
the Larks they would soon become almost as numerous as they were
in the days when the tall grasses fell beneath the strokes of scythes
swung by the strong arms of the sturdy mowers. — Sara C. Eastman,
Portland.

Notes from Farmington. — On July nth, I spent the day at
my old liome in Farmington, and as I lay in the hammock, I was
surprised to see my old pair of Catbirds, evidently nest-building.
On investigation, I soon learned they were just beginning a nest
in the grape-vines, near their usual site. On inquiry I learned that
they had not come back in the spring as usual, and that they had
only been back but a few days. They should have had young birds,
on the wing at this late date. The question arises : Had they gone
elsewhere and reared a first brood, then come here for the second
nesting, or had some accident prevented them from coming back at
the usual time. They have nested here, at the usual time in May,
since 1894. I was also pleased to note that a pair of Brown Thrash-
ers had nested near the house, and were feeding their young. This
is the second record of a Thrasher being seen in this locality. Once
only, I saw a Thrasher in the spring migration. I know of noplace
nearer than on the Sandy River, five miles away, where the thrasher
breeds. I was very much pleased to have them come up to so high
an altitude so far away from the stream and river, to join the Cat-
birds, in their unusual nesting site. Several pairs of Black-billed
Cuckoos were nesting near the house.

On May 15th, while driving out into the country, with my fam-
ily, looking for wild flowers, I noticed beside the road, a female
.Woodcock standing under a small fir balsam. I alighted from the
buggy and slowly approached her. When within two feet, she

96 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

started up and whined and crawled along in the usual manner, to
attract one from the young. As I had had several experiences, in
my younger days, of trying to catch female Woodcocks, Grouse,
etc. I did not attempt it, but soon saw the four young skulking
away from under my feet. I gave chase and soon captured one,
though it was able to fly for several rods, when it dropped and ran
into a pool of water and swam across. I was on the opposite side
and caught it, when it reached shore. They were about half grown,
and quite well feathered out. The children were very much inter-
ested and amused at the little fellow, "with the long nose." Soon
I returned it to the cover and we sat quietly till the mother began
to call the young to her. The eggs must have been laid very early
to have young birds of such size at this date.

I was not a little amused a few days ago, to witness at close
range, a pitched battle between a female Ruby-throated Humming
Bird and a large Grasshopper (the variety we called "The Quak-
ers," when we were small), in mid-air. The Hummer was the
aggressor and the hopper resented it and turned on her, but the
Hopper was soon glad to dive to the grass and the Hummer alit
on the rail of the sidewalk and seemed almost dazed. She looked
toward the ground, as here her antagonist had dropped, shook her-
self and buzzed away.

Mr. E. W. Day, of New Sharon, tells the writer of a small patch
of early potatoes he had, several years ago, near his stable. He
noted the Nighthawks toward evening darting down and feeding
on the slugs of the Colorado Beetle. He says they kept the potato
bugs well cleaned off the patch. This he told me, after asking why
the Nighthawks were not as plenty now as a few years ago. Here
is his theory : They eat so many of the beetles and slugs that have
been poisoned that it kills off the Nighthawks. Have any of our
readers ever heard that theory before ? — J. Merton Swain, Fann-
ing ton .

Perhaps a Crow. — May 29th, I observed a Myrtle Warbler
lining a nest with what looked like milkweed down. The nest
was near the top of a spruce on branches next to the trunk and
about 12 feet up. About June 6th, I again visited the nest and
found the bird on it. There were five eggs. June 12th I found
only a few sticks and scraps of nesting material where the nest had
been. It had undoubtedly been destroyed by a crow. — D. W.
Sweet, Phillips.

WILI.IAM Henry Brownson.

Late Editor of The Journal op the Maine
Ornithological Society.

®I|^ Journal

nf tlir

main? (iPntttljoInQtral ^ori^ty

Published by the Society on the first of March, June, September and December
Vol. XI DECEMBER, 1909 No. 4

A Tribute to Mr. W. H. Brownson.

Mr. W. H. Brownson, our beloved friend and editor, died Sep-
tember 6, 1909. Mr. Brownson had for sometime past been in poor
health and about the first of March was operated upon at St. Barna-
bas Hospital, Portland. The operation was successful, and he re-
mained at the hospital for some weeks, constantly gaining strength,
and was soon able to be moved to Loveitt's field, South Portland,
his summer home. Here he steadily improved and resumed in part
his duties as Superintendent of Schools, but unfortunately he suf-
fered a relapse and was seriously ill, requiring the services of sev-
eral skilled physicians. He soon, however, recovered and took up his
school duties. His condition at this time showed a marked improve-
ment, and he seemed in better health than for years past, A second
relapse, similar in character to the first, caused his death.

Mr. Brownson will be greatly missed by the members of the
Maine Ornithological Society, where he was ever present at its
meetings, giving very material assistance. He was a free contributor
to the magazine, and his frequent articles on bird life in the Portland
Advertiser proved always most interesting reading. He was an
earnest worker and able adviser, a man of sterling character, and a

98 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

true bird lover. His place will be difficult to fill. The writer con-
siders it an honor to have known such a noble character, and on
future excursions through woods, fields and meadows, where he and
I so often tramped together, the memory of the pure thoughts, his
genial companionship will not soon be forgotten.

Mr. Brownson was admitted to the Society as an active mem-
ber by the Council in September, 1902. He was elected associate
editor in November, 1904, but was induced to act as editor, the lat-
ter officer declining to serve. He was elected as associate of the
A. O. U. in 1903, and contributed four notes to the Auk. To the
Journal he contributed articles, editorials and reviews, numbering
seventy-five, furnished data to fourteen Migration Reports (not
included in the former) and conducted the Christmas bird census
since December, 1906.

His articles in the Advertiser began to appear during the spring
of 1902, running weekly until the close of the migration in the fall of
1907, then irregularly until the winter of 1908-1909, when three ap-
peared. His last article was the editorial of the September Journal.
He also contributed an illustrated article on birds to the defunct
Pine Tree Magazine. His lectures were numerous.

IvOUIS E. L,EGGE.

Reprint of Some of the Ornithological Papers of
Sylvester B. Beckett.

By A. H. Norton, Portland.
(Continued from page 70.)

SIXTH PAPER.

Portland Daily Advertiser, April 6, 1858.
At the last meeting of the Society of Natural History, Mr. S. B.
Beckett read a paper on Sparrow^s. The Sparrows, he said, belong
to different genera of the Finch family of birds, and the several spe-
cies were variously called Buntings and Finches, as well as Sparrows.
The species that visit our section bear a close resemblance to each

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 99

'other, at least so to the ordinary observer, hence with its four or five
are considered under one name; indeed, our people generally recog-
nize but two species, which they designate as the Field and Bush or
Tree Sparrow, while in fact there are ten species that frequent our
section. These are the Song, the Bay-winged, the Savannah, the
Field, the Chipping, the Tree, the Swamp, the Fox-colored, the
White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows.

The Song Sparrows are the first singing birds that reach our
section on return of spring. They come in advance of the Robins
and Bluebirds even, and he generally expected to hear their song
about the middle of March. The present year they made their
appearance in the open grounds near his residence as early as the
first of March. They are exceedingly active on their arrival, flitting
from shrub to fence rail and from the fence rail to the smaller trees
of the garden, frequently pouring forth, but with subdued voice, their
highly musical notes — -and to his mind there are few better songsters
among our feathered visitors. They perform their migratory
journeys in the night. The Song Sparrow, in our section, com-
mences building its nest the latter part of April, generally in pasture
grounds, under a tussock of grass, but sometimes in a bush or
stunted cedar tree. A favorite resort of these birds in summer is on
the southern slope of Munjoy Hill, near the railroad, where the
males often mount to the top of the telegraph poles and sing by the
half hour to their mates, who are probably ensconced upon their eggs
in grassy nooks near at hand. Their nests are formed of slender
grass lined with horsehair. They lay from four to six eggs, some-
times as many as seven, and hatch three broods in a season, each
time constructing a new nest. The Song Sparrows are widely scat-
tered over our country, and are very numerous. Unlike many other
birds, they continue their song long after the breeding season is
over, and may be sometimes heard late in the fall. A prominent
mark of the species is a dark spot in the center of the breast.

The Bay-winged Sparrow or Bunting {Emberiza graminea) ,
does not make itself quite so sociable as the Song Sparrow. lyike
the former, however, it delights in open fields and pasture lands,

lOO rOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

where it builds its nest on the top of a tuft of grass, or in the midst
of a root of the buttercup, with little regard to concealment. The
nest is constructed of dry leaves and grasses and abundantly lined
with horsehair. The eggs are from four to six, and they hatch two
broods in a season, the first the latter part of May. They do not
arrive here till a fortnight or more after the Song Sparrows, and their
full, clear song is not heard in its perfection till towards May.
Mounted on a stone wall, a fence rail, or a boulder, they often tune
their viviant notes by the half hour, lifting their heads perpendicu-
larly towards the sky, as if to give them full scope at each repetition,
and heard in the midst of the solitary pasture lands, or on some
boulder on the open heath, the speaker stated that he scarcely knew
any bird song more enchanting. When a person approaches their
nest, the female has a way of attracting the attention from it by
fluttering along the ground, feigning lameness or inability to fly,
which, in some sort, compensates for her want of tact in concealing
the fabric. A prominent mark by which this species may be recog-
nized is the bright bay color on the shoulder of its wings.

The Savannah Sparrow or Bunting {^Emberiza savanna) be-
comes plentiful in our section along in May. In taking to rocky,
open fields, and in building its nest in a tuft of grass or under the
edge of the ground juniper, it resembles the Bay-winged Bunting,
as also its artifices to draw attention away from its eggs or nestlings,
but here resemblance ceases. It approaches the farmhouse, at
times, alights on the stone wall, under the spreading apple trees by
the roadside, or on the edge of the shed, or on the well sweep, and
at least cheers by its presence, if not by its song — if the few faint
notes which it is prompt to utter whenever it alights can be digni-
fied with the name of song. Indeed, these bear more resemblance
to the chirp of a cricket than to bird notes. It migrates by day, and
during its migratory tour rests upon the ground by night ; and al-
ways, when disturbed from its perch, flies quite low over the ground,
often hiding among the grass. Its nest is built of dry grasses, and
contains from four to six eggs, in our section rearing but one

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. lOI

brood in a season. A distinguishing mark of this bird is a small
yellow streak over the eyes.

The Field Sparrow (yEniberiza pusilla) is smaller than either of
the species described, being about the size of, and resembling in
some respects, the Chipping Sparrow, but may be distinguished
from the latter by its bill, which is of a bright cinnamon color, while
that of the Chipping Sparrow is nearly black and of a horny appear-
ance. The Field Sparrow arrives here about the middle of April,
migrating by day. They then seek old, uncultivated grounds, such
as sheep or cattle pastures, which are besprinkled with sweet briar
bushes, and stunted shrubbery of other descriptions, at the foot of
which they build their nests with dry grasses, lined more or less with
horsehair, much after the manner of the other species already re-
ferred to. They lay five or six eggs of a ferruginous color, and in
oursection probably hatch two broods in a season. The young leave
their nests, and follow their parents before they can fly, and when
the old folks are engrossed in rearing a new family, are left to shift
for themselves. The Field Sparrow is an exquisite songster.

The Chipping Sparrow {^Einberiza socialis) , as his I^atin name
indicates, is a social bird, and is known doubtless to most of our
citizens. He comes into the city, to localities where there is shrub-
bery or trees to attract him, builds a nest on the apple or plum tree,
the lilac or rose bush with equal facility, sometimes in the honey-
suckle or other vine that may be running up beside the portico.
The nest is of fine dried grass, lined with horse or cow hair, the
eggs (four or five) of a light blue color. The Chipping Sparrows
seldom make their appearance here till the latter part of April or
the first of May. They migrate by day in flocks, flitting along from
point to point as if in play with each other. Somebody has said
that their song (if song it can be called) resembles the noise pro-
duced by striking two pebbles rapidly together, and he thought the
comparison a good one. The males pour it out with a good deal of
self-complacency, wherever they happen to alight, whether on the
roof tree of the house, the top of the shade tree, the lilac bush, or
the fence rail, and in the calm of the slillv hours of the sunnner

I02 JOURNAI, OF MAINR ORNITHOLOOICAT, vSOCIETY.

night they often wake into song. The Chipping Sparrow may be
known by the bright chestnut color on the top of its head taken in
connection with its diminutive size.

The Tree Sparrow {Eniberisa canadeyisis) bears considerable
resemblance to the Chipping Sparrow, and by some naturalists has
been confounded with the latter, but it is much larger, and in song
differs widely from it. Mr. Brewer says they remain about Boston
all winter, but the speaker had seldom seen them here till weeks
after the Song Sparrow had made his appearance in spring. He
had never seen their nests ; indeed, he had never seen the birds
aljout here during the summer season, and was of the opinion that
they migrate farther northward to breed. They, however, make
their appearance here in considerable numbers towards the latter
part of August, both old and young, on their return. They sing
almost as sweetly as the Song Sparrow.

The Swamp Sparrow {Ammodramus palustris) is a timid species,
without song, and has not much except its docile disposition to
recommend it. It inhabits along the borders of creeks and streams,
and the uplands bordering on the extensive marshes of our sea
coasts, builds a nest in a thick tuft of grass, of weeds and fibrous
grass, at times partly roofed over, lays four or five eggs, and hatches
two broods in a year. Its only note is a public cheep. It feeds on
the coarser grass seeds and a few insects. It is abundant, as the
season may be, all over the country.

He next called attention to the large and noble species known
as the Fox-colored Sparrow {^Frhigilla iliaca) . According to
those who appear to be conversarit with the subject, this species
raises its young from Nova Scotia northward to I^abrador, and not
within the bounds of our State. It is to be found in our section dur-
ing its migration in spring, when it sings beautifully, and it seems
to be still more plentiful here in the fall. It delights in localities
along the borders of woods, overgrown thickly with undergrowth.
If such border on the water, so much the better. In such places
small parties, perhaps single families, associate with each other very
amicably, but always hold aloof from other species. Mr. B. had

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. IO3

procured a beautiful one on the Stroudwater side of I'ore River,
contiguous to Broad's woods, and elsewhere in the vicinity of the
city. He believes they never resort to the woods, but keep on their
borders. The size of the bird will readily distinguish the species.

To be continued.

Clever Builders/"^

Nest and Young of the Bay=Breasted Warbler.

B}' CoRDi'UJA J. vStanwood, Ellsworth, Maine.

When a man seeks treasure, he seems to take it for granted
that he must delve in far-away fields. Not so in bird study. Plan
a long walk, betake yourself to fresh areas, and you may return
only to find the "gem" you sought within a stone's throw of your
door. That epitomizes my experience with the Bay-breasted
Warbler.

Behind the barn, just beyond the bars, I caught a glimpse of
black and buff and terra cotta. I tried to follow it, but it was gone.
A whole year rolled slowly away before I saw it again, iMit the bird
had become one of my mental possessions. I had discovered the
Bay-breasted Warbler.

The finding of a new bird always fills me with enthusiasm.
That part of me that responds to birds reminds me of the soul of a
child. It is perennially fresh and equally responsive to each new-
comer.

This beautiful, dark bird, with heavy beak and gem-like head
of jet and garnet, appears at al)out the same time in the sjiring as
the Chestnut-sided Warbler and is about as common, but until
1908, the year I found the bird nesting, I saw it only on the dates
indicated in the table, and heard its humble little sec-saw song but
twice.

*I am indebted to Mr. Henry T. Bailey for reading part of tliih numuscriiil.

I04 JOURNAL OF MAINK ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

Bay.

-BREASTED Warbler.

1905

July I
Evidently nesting.

1906

May 26

Jtily 3

First seen.

Evidently nesting.

1907

May 24
First seen.

1908

May 24

July I Aug. 24

P'irst seen.

Out of nest. Flock migrating

Chkstnut-sided Warbler.

1905

May 28
First seen.

1906

May 15
First seen.

1907

May 24
First seen.

•

1908

May 24

July 4

First seen.

Young lately out of nest.

The Bay-breasted Warbler is leisurely, inconspicuous in its
movements and generally quiet. The female sometimes calls see-
sce-see, while slowly moving over the trees, and the male sings sce-
tce-scc-tce, eat. The latter is the only song of the Bay-breast with
which I am familiar ; it suggests a common song of the Black and
White Warbler, but is softer, fuller, more musical in tone. It is not
a song, however, that compels attention. Many times when the Bay-
breast was nesting within a few yards of a Black and White War-
bler and a Redstart, I had to pause a moment before I could decide
which of the three was singing. After migrating and during the
nesting period, the l)ird sings much less frequently than the Black-
throated Green, the Redstart, the Magnolia Warbler, the Chestnut-
sided, the Northern Yellowthroat or the Nashville.

The Bay-breast gleans from the ground to the topmost twngs,
spending much time about midway of the tree, often hovering in
air while it snatches its fare from the under side of a branch. When

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIKTY. 105

on the ground, it is apparently in pursuit of some insect knocked
from the tree. Frequently it picks up an escaping moth on the
wing. If it were possible to speak of a bird as being economical, the
term would apply to the Bay-breasted Warbler.

During incubation the male frequently feeds the female. When
the young have once emerged from the egg, he is indefatigable in
his efforts, feeding tlie nestlings, often presenting the first caterpil-
lar to his mate, coming and going with regularity even when an
observer is within a few feet of the nest, never seeming to urge
the young to partake of food, or to consider the fact that he is
exposed. The female is more cautious, less inclined to come to the
nest while anyone is near. When undisturbed the birds generally
come and go together, arranging themselves on the opposite sides
of the nest to feed the young, often making the most charming and
effective groupings.

The bird is neither timid nor nervous. Possessing an abnormal
instinct for the concealment of its nest, it makes everything else sub-
servient to that end, but when once the nest has been discovered,
no bird, not even the Black-throated Green Warbler, accepts the sit-
uation more bravely, or with less apparent concern,

June 13th, 1908, while observing a nest of young Juncos, in a
pasture near the house, a pair of Bay-breasts, apparently attracted
by the '^s/ps of tlie Juncos, came to look on. As they fed in the
grey birches and firs above the nest, there was nothing to indicate
that they resented observation or were even aware of it. Yet even
then, I afterwards learned, they were perpetrating a slight ruse.

I lost sight of this pair, except for an occasional glimpse of
them gathering food, until the i8th day of June. That morning
early, following a very rainy day, I found the Bay-breasts were
gleaning in the trees bordering the path to the boiling spring. A
slight investigation revealed their nest, a small structure not far
from the footway, about ten feet from the ground, on the horizontal
branch of a fir, four feet from the trunk and two feet from the tip of
the branch. From below, the nest looked not unlike the nest of the
Magnolia Warbler, but a trifle larger. The female was sitting,

Io6 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

only her tail showing ; the male soon came to the pine opposite
with a beakful of moths. Upon seeing me, he flew indirectly to a
white pine. When he ostentatiously came from the pine, his beak
was empty. Somewhat later, I surprised the female walking out
the branch to her nest.

The little deceit the Bay-breast had been practicing was now
laid bare. They had come to the Junco nest from the opposite part
of the pasture. At that time the female was incubating.

I sat some distance from the nest and attempted to watch the
male gather his morning meal. He flew from the neighborhood of
his abode to a pine, and alighted on a large branch across which the
sunshine fell in bars. The bird sat crosswise the branch, with out-
spread wings, perfectly quiet. I could scarcely distinguish him
from the reddish-brown, lichen-covered bark. The motionless head
resembled nothing so much as a knot. I left him there in the same
position.

The following day the Professor placed a ladder in the pine
next the hr, so that I could sit a bit more than a yard from the Bay-
breasts and watch their housekeeping. iVlthough the branch hold-
ing the nest was badly shaken in putting up the ladder, and we
were obliged to talk while arranging it, the female kept her place
on the nest. I watched her two hours before she made the slightest
move. The male flew into the tree with a beakful of caterpillars
and called very softly see-see-see several times, but she was deaf to
his entreaties.

The tree in which the nest was placed had many partly dead
branches. The nest was much the color of these. The crown and
throat of the female also had the same tone of terra cotta. The
brown-black and warm-gray, almost lavender, upper parts of the
female are nearly the same tone as the bark and lichens of the fir
or pine. The bird or nest could be detected with difflculty, so
deftly had the wise little builders concealed it.

The male, who does not assist in incubating, is a bit more
noticeable than the female, although they resemble each other

JOURNAL OF MAINK ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. IO7

closely. His crown patch and breast are brighter than terra cotta,
a more glowing color.

Sometime afterward, when I had hidden myself on the ground,
the male, who was feeding irt the pine opposite and calling con-
stantly, persuaded his mate to join him. As soon as I mounted the
ladder to examine the contents of the nest, the bird returned, flut-
tered all around me, but uttered no sound. She seemed restless and
moved quickly for the first time. After assuring herself that the
eggs were unharmed, she appeared less disturbed and rejoined her
mate.

There were five eggs, pinkish-cream-white, of a shining lustre.
Three were wreathed around the larger end with reddish-brown dots,
two had reddish-brown dots on the larger end. A few dots were
scattered over the sides of the eggs, but I think the small end of
every one was immaculate. The spots, when on the larger end,
often ran together so as to form blotches, while in the wreaths
many of them were only confluent. The eggs were long and slen-
der, widest in the middle, rounded at the large end, more pointed at
the small. They were shaped like the eggs of the Blackburnian
Warbler, marked No. 66 in Chapman's Warblers of North Amer-
ica.

June 20th, there were five young Warblers in the Bay-breast
nest. The following morning I watched the parent birds feed the
tiny, squirming burnt-orange nestlings. The young birds were
marked with thiti growths of fine, dark-brown down. At one time,
the end of a caterpillar, not a large one, hung from the beak of the
male bird. He tried it in a tiny throat. All available contortions
of the nestlings failed to force the morsel down. The parent bird
took the bit of caterpillar again, crushed and macerated it in his
beak, and presented it to another nestling, but with the same result.
This was repeated a number of times. Then each tiny atom of a
bird was so exhausted that they all sank into a little, palpitating
mass for a few seconds. The parent birds looked cabnly on ; they
were so gentle, so patient, so quiet, when ministering to their young,
that this bit of real bird life was most fascinating to witness. Now

I08 JOUKNAI, Ol'^ MAIN1<: ORNITHOLOGICAL .SOCIKTY.

the little lieads sprang up once more for another trial. This tinie
the mother bird took charge of the troublesome meal, relieving the
father bird, who flew away to regale himself. At last, one of the
nestlings, with the aid of sundry parental pokes managed to force
the caterpillar down its throat, and no doubt dozed as contentedly
as a full-fed baby.

On the second day the wind lashed the trees furiously. I
trembled for the safety of the young Bay-breasts. As I reached the
level of the nest, the male flew away. He had been feeding his
mate on the nest.

On the third day the feather tracts of the nestlings began to
look like dark reddish-brown leather.

On the fourth day the parent birds became a bit more cautious
when they discovered me in the tree ; they entered the nest by a
circuitous route, coming up through the thick foliage from the
branch below instead of walking out the branch as heretofore. In
the afternoon the female w^as on the nest, the heads of the five young
peeping up in front of her breast. The sun was blazing down on
that side of the tree. It was so hot, the mother and young had
their mouths open as if panting for breath. The body of the mother
bird shaded the nestlings.

The fifth day the female flew around me once or twice, utter-
ing the single scolding note, chcc, each time. It was the first time
either bird had attempted to scold. She seemed much more dis-
turbed by my presence than the male.

On the sixth day the young were mature looking, but still
showed the quills on the wing feathers.

Up to this time the diet of the nestlings had consisted mainly of
caterpillars and a few moths. To-day a large, black beetle was
added to the bill of fare.

The ninth day the nestlings were tones of brown, the head a
trifle lighter than the body ; the body spotted with black ; the wnngs
brownish with buffy wing-bars ; the under parts buffy with dark-
brown stripes.

For the first time, the young Bay-breasts made themselves tidy

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIKTY. IO9

in my presence. One little bird after another pushed its way to
the top of the nest, pecked at the oil gland on the rump, wet its
beak with oil, then dragged up one wing slowly from the bird-mass
and pulled it through its moistened mandibles, feather by feather
from the root of the feather to the tip. It preened the other wing
in like manner.* After moistening the beak with oil, the little
Warblers rested ; after preening a wing the bird rested ; moistened
the beak once more, rested ; drew up the other wing, rested ; preened
the wing and rested again. The nestling was fed a number of times
while this tidying process was going on. After the parent bird pre-
sented it with one more tidbit, and carried the ordure away, the nest-
ling was ready to let another little bird press to the top in its place.
Often there was a struggle between two of the young birds, for the
next opportunity to exercise.

At this time it took almost the entire time of the parent birds to
feed the young and carry away the excrement.

Somewhere near 7.30 P. M. the male fed the nestlings and flew
away for the night. I remained until it was so dark I was unable
to distinguish the nest, but the female seemed to have completed her
round of duties before I arrived.

June 30th. Two birds were out of the nest this afternoon. One
fledgeling sat on a branch just under the nest. The mother bird
went to feed it. The young bird, in its excitement, flew from a fir
branch to a maple and alighted on a mass of leaves. It went flutter-
ing through but managed to guide itself to a low fir. Great was
the consternation in Bird I^and. Both parents hovered near me,
crawling around me in narrowing circles, their wings and tails spread
and dragging on the ground. They mounted dead stumps and
branches and fell helplessly off. They were very beautiful as they
fluttered around me, quivering with solicitude for the safety of the
young. The three remaining birds snuggled down in the nest as
if they thought it a good place to be in for a time yet.

On the eleventh day, July ist, the last fledgeling was sitting on

*Mrs. N. C. King, of Ellsworth, Maine, first called my attention to the preening of Chicka-
dees in the nest. The Chickadees are fourteen da.vs old when they venture into the world and
perform their toilets ideally.

no JOURNAI, OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

a branch near the nest at 5 o'clock in the afternoon. It was there
late in the evening. Early in the morning, the family were gone.

The nest, inside, measured 2^ by 2^ inches ; depth i:^ inches ;
width outside 3^ inches, length 4^ inches ; depth 2 inches. (These
measurements were taken after the young left the nest.)

In constructing the nest, a few bits of hay were placed on the
horizontal fork of several twigs. Then fine spruce twigs were fas-
tened to the various points of attachment by spider's warp and woof.
The nest was shaped of these twigs. The lining consisted of a very
few bits of the runner of cinquefoil, a very few pine needles and
much horsehair and human hair.

The parent birds kept the nest immaculate. When the nest-
ing period was over, the male and female looked as plump and
gorgeous as when they took up their duties.

August 24th, the woods were full of migrating Chickadees, Red-
breasted Nuthatches, and Golden-crowned Kinglets. Among these
I came upon a small company of Bay-breasted Warblers, Magnolia
Warblers and Ovenbirds, evidently a part of the already receding
tide of bird life.

Note.— In 1909, the Bay-breast appeared in its usual haunts. May 27th, it was seen at nest-
ing: time in various widely separated ranges, but presumably the same pair nested in the same
locality. I saw the male bird somewhere near the nest four times, the female once. The nest
was ten feet up in a clump of four slender firs, situated about four inches from the trunlc and
eighteen from the tip of the branch. The nest, sitting on some branching twigs, was concealed
so skillfull.v I often had doubts as to its reality. The birds were never seen on or within three
yards of the nest, but having studied the habits of the bird in detail the year before, I did not
spend much time in watching them after feeling assured that they were nesting on tlie rise
above the swale. The material of the nest was identical with that of last summer. I obtained
the nest by chopping down the tree when the nesting period was well gone. At that time a hair
bird had robbed it of its lining for its near-by nest. There were no dead branches on these
trees. My attention was called to the birds' whereabouts in almost every case this spring by the
see-saw song.

Leaves from a Diary.

Aug. 4, 1909. Arrived at my destination at 3.30 P. M., and
find myself in Oxford County, long noted for its pine forests, its
gems, its flora, its birds and — its "Oxford Bears." While all these
are of interest to me, I hope to be fortunate in finding birds, al-
though this is the month when they are in retirement.

JOURNAL OF MAINE, ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIUTY. Ill

Aug. 5. Saw on the grounds of the home where I am staying,
Robins, Bluebirds, Song Sparrows, Vesper Sparrows and Chippies.
The Bluebirds were reared here in boxes placed in the big pine tree
for their use. They have been away for a time, and are now revis-
iting their homes, and there is a flashing of blue wings everywhere.
They have bred in this place for four years, and their airs of propri-
etorship are very amusing as they peep into the boxes, apparently
to see if they have been occupied during their absence.

Aug. 6. This morning a great flock of Barn and Eaves Swal-
lows came to the big pine tree. It was delightful to watch them as
they rose from the tree, circled about in the air and then settled into
the branches again. This they did several times and then departed
as suddenly as they came. I discovered a Goldfinch's nest in a
maple tree near the piazza this morning. The mother bird is sit-
ting and the male came and fed her while I was watching. I shall
keep an eye on the nest.

Aug. 7. I am charmed with the male Goldfinch. He is most
attentive to his little wife, and whenever he brings her food, inva-
riably sings a few notes to let her know that he is near, greets her
affectionately when he comes, and parts with her in the same way.
This afternoon I took a walk to the Ledges. Saw a Sharp-shinned
Hawk and heard a Hermit Thrush sing.

Aug. 8. Have spent this day in the loveliest woods and have
walked between five and six miles. Saw Chickadees, Black and
White Warblers, Redstarts, a flock of Cedar Waxwings, and heard
some Blue Jays, but did not see the handsome fellows, though they
were close by.

Aug. 10. Saw on the grounds here a pair of Phoebes, a family
of Kingbirds and two Hummingbirds. These last were darting
about among the nasturtiums, which grow in profusion about the
back piazza, and for some reason they had a difference in opinion,
which resulted in the precipitate departure of one of the Hummers.

Aug. II. There are four little birds in the nest in the maple
tree, and I am greatly concerned about their safety, for there have
been four bird tragedies on the place and I do want this family to

112 JOURNAI. OF MAINK ORNITHOLOGICAL' SOCIETY.

dwell in security. It is a treat to have so many Bluebirds ilying
about. I have not seen anything like it for years.

Aug. 13. Went to the Ledges again to-day; saw a Wood
Pewee and a Blue-headed Vireo, and on my way home, a single
Chimney Swift flying southward.

Aug. 14. My hostess is a woman of resources, and when I
imparted to her my fears in regard to the Goldfinch babies she cast
about for some means of protection. This morning I was delighted
to find that she had fastened the broad zinc mat, on which the kitch-
en range stands in winter, around the trunk of the tree, and the cats
in the neighborhood will try their claws on it in vain.

Aug. 16. Visited some woods that are very attractive to-day,
and started up some Partridges.

Aug. 18. The little birds in the maple tree are getting on
famously. They are lively youngsters and keep up a chattering all
day long. I think they will soon leave the nest.

Aug. 21. This morning as I sat on the piazza reading, a lovely
male Rose-breasted Grosbeak came into the maple tree, remained
for a moment, and then flew away. I followed him, hoping that he
might be attracted to the cherry tree, where the birds come every
day, but I did not find him, and was chagrined to learn that, dur-
ing my absence, he had returned to the tree in which I had seen
him and stayed there five minutes. While looking for him, I saw a
Downy Woodpecker on the trunk of an apple tree.

Aug. 22. This afternoon I went down to the meadow with the
friend, who has been my companion since I came to this place.
Never did I see anything so beautiful as the cardinal flowers ; great
patches of ground red with them. Saw a flock of twelve Night-
hawks flying so low that I could plainly see the white bars on their
wings, and an Osprey that was perched on a very tall stump by the
side of the river. Heard Catbirds calling, but did not see them,
although I peered into the thick growth of alders where they were
hidden.

Aug. 25. Took a long walk to-day. In passing a place on
the meadow that had grown up to bushes, a young Woodcock flew

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. I 13

up directly in front of the feet of my companion and dropped into
the bushes. On a dead tree near by was a Sparrow Hawk, which
had evident!}^ been watching the Woodcock, for after the latter had
flown to cover, the Hawk sailed off to the woods. We forded the
Androscoggin River, which was a novel experience for me, and
climbed the high, steep bank on the opposite side. When near the
top, we discovered in a small pine tree the nest of a Blue-headed
Vireo. It was finely constructed, and the little architect had woven
in the lining of pine needles so deftly that not a point could be
seen.

Aug. 26. I find the front piazza rather lonely, for the Goldfinch
family has departed, and the silence is really oppressive. Saw on
the grounds here, in company with other birds, a pair of Baltimore
Orioles, evidently on their southward journey.

Aug. 28. Saw two Brown Thrashers in the cherry tree to-day.

Aug. 31. Nothing in the woods to-day but some Crows. On
the edges of a pasture, a solitary Cuckoo slid into some bushes.

Sept. 2. Made my last visit to the river this afternoon. Saw
a Kingfisher prospecting for his supper and a pair of Red-eyed
Vireos.

Sept. 3, Some Myrtle Warblers made their appearance about
the house to-day, their yellow rumps showing to great advantage as
they flitted about.

Sept. 7. Took my last ramble in the woods. Saw a Flicker
and a Warbling Vireo.

Sept. 8. This is good-bye to good, old Oxford County. Have

had a delightful sojourn. Hope some day to come again.

Sara C. Eastman.
Portland, Me.

114

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Migration Reports, 1908.

Dates of Departure.

The following reports were made by D. W. Sweet, Avon,
Franklin County ; Everett E. Johnson, Hebron, Oxford County ;
Sara C. Eastman, Portland, Cumberland County.

AVON.

HKBRON.

PORTIvAND.

Pied-billed Grebe,

Oct. 1

Nortliern Ivoon,

j May 14
} Sept. 16

Black-backed Gull,

Nov. 14

Common Tern,

vSept. 16

American Merganser,

Aug. 27

Dusky Duck,

S May 24
1 Nov. 11

American fTolden-eye Duck,

i May 10
1 Nov. 11

Bufflehead Duck,

" 7

Old vSquaw Duck,

Dec. 24

vSurf Scoter Duck,

May 10

Ruddy Duck,

Oct. 23

Canada Goose,

Mch. 13

Nov.

25

Blue Heron,

( Apr. 30
1 Sept. 14

Sept. 1

Solitary Sandpiper,

( May 19
1 Aug. 30

Spotted Sandpiper,

" 24

" 9

Sharp-shinned Hawk,

Oct. 3

" 19

Red-tailed Hawk,

Sept. 16

Sept.

26

Red-shouldered Hawk,

" 20

Broad-winged Hawk,

Aug. 28

Sparrow Hawk,

" 31

Fish Hawk,

" 24

Black-billed Cuckoo,

Aug.

1

" 11

Belted Kingfisher,

Sept. 27

Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker,

Nov. 11

Yellow-bellied Woodpecker,

Oct. 15

Oct.

S

Oct. 17

Red-headed Woodpecker,

Sept. 6

Golden -winged Woodpecker,

4

Sept.

19

Oct. 18

Whip-poor-will,

Sept. 23

' '

11

Nighthawk,

" 5

vSept. 7

Chimne\- vSwift,

Aug. 24

Aug.

24

Aug. 25

Ruby-throated Hummingliird ,

" 21

' '

28

" 23

Kingbird,

" 30

Sept.

1

Sept. 12

Crested Flycatcher,

Julv 26

Phcebe,

Oct. 1

' '

23

" 12

Pewee,

Sept. 19

Horned Dark,

Dec. 26

Crow,

Oct. 22

Dec.

3

" 27

Bobolink,

Aug. 15

July

21

Meadowlark,

" 24

Baltimore Oriole,

" 16

Rusty Grackle,

Mch. 29

Oct.

8

Bronzed Grackle,

Oct. 13

Oct. 18

Pine Grosbeak,

Jan. 26

Purple Finch,

Oct. 14

' *

11

" 24

Dec.

27

Now

14

May
Oct.

28

18

28

Oct.
Nov.

IS
18

1

vSept.

2

Dec.
Oct.

23
16

Oct.
Nov.

21
3

Nov.
Oct.

14
14
17

Nov.

July

7

11 ,
30

Nov.

1

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. II5

White- winged Crossbill,

Redpoll, Apr. 5

American Goldfinch, Nov. 7

Snow Bunting, Mch. 8

Vesper Sparrow, Oct. 19

Savanna Sparrow, Sept. 9

1171 V q o S May 17

White-crowned vSparrow, j |,t ' o

White-throated Sparrow, " 7

,,, o . j Apr. 15

Iree Sparrow, j ^^^ I4

Chipping Sparrow, Oct. 26

Field Sparrow, Sept. 27

Slate-colored Junco, Dec. 3

Song Sparrow, Nov. 5

Swamp Sparrow, Sept. 9

Fox Sparrow, { ^ ^J

Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Sept. 8

Indigo Bunting, ' ' 10

Scarlet Tanager, Aug. 15

Cliff vSwallow, " 27

Barn Swallow, Sept. 7 Sept. 1 Sept. 9

Tree vSwallow, Aug. 29

Bank Swallow, July 25

Cedar Waxwing, Sept. 22 Oct. 8 "25

Red-eyed Vireo, " 14 Sept. 5 "11

Warbling Vireo, " H

vSolitary Vireo, Oct. 11

Black and White Warl)ler, Aug. 31 Oct. 17

Nashville Warbler, " 3

Yellow Warbler, July Z3

Black-throated Blue Warbler, Sept. 27

ISIyrtle Warbler, Oct. 26 Oct. 26 Dec. 27

Magnolia Warbler, Aug. 31

Black-poll Warbler, June 3 Sept. 19

Blackburnian Warbler, Aug. 31

Black-throated Green Warbler, Oct. 1 Oct. 18

Palm Warbler, j .. ^^ q^^ I4 .. ^^

Ovenbird, Aug. 28

Northern Waterthrush, July 23

Mourning Warbler, "9

Northern Yellowthroat, Oct. 12 Sept. 11

Wilson's Warbler, May 19

Canadian Warbler, Aug. 28

Redstart Warbler, " 25

-D- V J May 18

American Pipit, < q^^ 21

Catbird, Sept. 27 Sept. 3 '' 20

Brown Thrasher, " 20

Winter Wren, Oct. 23 Oct. 10

Brown Creeper, May 10

Hudsonian Chickadee, Nov. 11

Ruby Kinglet, { Oct^ 14 " 10

Veery Thrush, Aug. 27 Sept. 10

Olive-backed Thrush, Sept. 21

Hermit Thrush, Nov. 8 Nov. 17 Nov. 22

Robin, "12 "4 "15

Bluebird, Oct. 31 Oct. 28 Oct. 3

ii6

JOURNAI. OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

List of Members of Maine Ornithological Society,
December 1, 1909.

Following is a list of Honorary, Corresponding and Active
Members of the Maine Ornithological Society, December i, 1909 :

Honorary Members.

Cambridge, Mass.

Brewster, Wm.,
Brown, Nathan C,
Butcher, Wm.,
Hardy, Manly,
Merrill, Harry,
Palmer, Dr. T. S.,
Stanton, Prof. J. Y
Smith, Everett,

410 Main St.

Portland, Me.

New York, N. Y.

Brewer, Me.

Bangor, Me.

Washington, D. C.

lyCwiston, Me.

Portland, Me.

Corresponding; Members.

Allen, Francis H., care of Houghton, Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass.

Benson,. Frank W., Washington Sq.,

Blaney, Dwight, 82 Mt. Vernon St.,

Braislin, Dr. Wm. C, 556 Washington Ave

Brown, Frank A.,

Bent, Arthur C,

Chambers, W. Lee,

Cleaves, Howard H., Prince's Bay,

Corey, Eben F., 258 'Commonwealth Ave.,

Durfee, Ow^en,

Emery, Thomas J., 43 Davenport St.,

GiLMORE, Mrs. A. F., 1293 Dean St.,

Hatch, Lemont P., 43 Davenport St.,

I^arrabee, Prof. A. P., 630 Dyston Ave.,

Merrill, Arthur,

Metcalf, Willard Iv., 33 West 67th St

Phillips, Sherman E.,

Salem, Mass.

Boston, Mass.

Brooklyn, N. Y.

Beverly, Mass.

Taunton, Mass.

Santa Monica, Cal.

Staten Island, N. Y.

Boston, Mass.

Fall River, Mass

Cambridge, Mass.

Brooklyn, N. Y.

Cambridge, Mass.

Palo Alto, Cal.

Wilkinsonville, Mass.

New York, N. Y.

Canterbury, N. H.

Robinson, Daniel C, 241 West Newton St.,

Boston, Mass.

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL .SOCIETY.

117

Spaulding, Fred B.,

White, Dr. James C, 259 Marlborough vSt.,

Whitman, Frederick B., 23 Everett St.,

Active Members.

Abbott, Mrs. Fred P.,

Adams, Silas B., 33 Falmouth St.,

Adje, Wm. p., 74 Winter St.,

Andrews, Miss Persis N.,

Atkins, Mrs. Charles G.,

Avon, G. Ernest, 31 Maple St.,

Barrett, Franklin R., Box 105,

Barrows, Mrs. C. O., 30 Exchange St.,

Bates, Samuel E., 45 Exchange St.,

Beede, Miss Abbie S.,

Bessey, Dr. Merton W.,

Boardman, Miss Edith J., 2 High St.,

Boston, A. W.,

Brackett, Hon. J. W.,

Brewer, Mrs. Ernest E., i Rackleff vSt.,

Brock, Dr. H. H., 687 Congress St.,

Brown, W. E.,

Brown, Mrs. W. E.,

Brown, Harry B., Box 156,

Brown, Miss Bertha E., 53 Court St.,

Brownson, Mrs. W. H., 257 State St.,

Buttrick, Philip, Great Northern Paper Co.,

Call, Mrs. A. B.,

Chase, Dr. A. E., Suite 3, 57 Main St.,

Child, Miss Annie C, Myrtle St.,

Clark, Clarence H.,

Coburn, Miss Eouise H.,

Cole, Alfred,

Cushman, Geo. C, 147 Brackett St.,

Daveis, Miss Mabel S., 6 Bowdoin St.,

Eancaster, N. H.

Boston, Mass.

Cambridge, Mass.

Saco

Portland

Portland

Paris

East Orland

Skowhegan

Portland

Portland

Portland

North Berwick

Waterville

Brunswick

Islesboro

Phillips

Portland

Portland

Bigelow

Bigelow

Farmington

Bangor

Portland

Grant Farm

Pittsfield

Bangor

Augusta

Eubec

Skowhegan

Buckfield

Portland

Portland

Ii8

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIP^TY

David, Fred M., Damariscotta

David, Roy T., Damariscotta

DiNGLEY, Mrs. Frederic, 75 Kingsbury St., Gardiner

DuFFETT, Miss Charlotte R., 27 E. Prom., Portland

DuNTON, Miss Nellie F., Box 564, Bath

Eastman, Miss Sara C, 51 Chapel St., Portland

ElIvIS, Hiram, 52 Huntress St., Portland

Evans, Miss Alice I., 44 North St., Portland

Fanning, Jed F., 120 Exchange St., Portland

Flynt, H. E., Damariscotta

FoBES, Harold M., 72 Emery St., Portland

Fogler, Mrs. Hattie B., Skowhegan

Foster, Mrs. Bertha A., Pittsfield

Foster, Prof. W. T., Brunswick

Goddard, a. M., Augusta

Griggs, Miss E. M., Westbrook

Grover, Miss Alice, S89 Congress St., Portland

Grover, Archer h., U. of M., Orono

Hammond, M. F., 267 Commercial St., Portland

Herms, Emil, Turner

Hersey, Danforth S., 22 Coyle St., Portland

HiTCHiNGS, Prof. E. F., Waterville

Hooper, Mrs. Fred N., 69 Woodfords St., Portland

Jewell, Herbert W., Farmington

Johnson, Everett E., Hebron

Jordan, Fritz H., 133 Pleasant St., Portland

Jordan, Miss Nellie B., Alfred

Kendall, Mrs. W. B., Bowdoinham
Kendall, Dr. Wm. C, U. S. Fish Commission, Wash., D. C.

Keyes, Prescott, Westbrook

Knight, O. W., 84 Forest Ave., ' Bangor

Lee, W. a., Stratton

IvEGGE, Louis E., 22 Dow St., Portland

Lermond, Norman W., Route i, Thomaston

Lewis, Miss Helen S., 267 Vaughan St., Portland

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

119

lyiTTLE, Dr. Albion H., 763 Congress St.,

lyURVEY, Samuel A.,

Marks, Mrs. A. E.,

McAdam, Howard H.,

McIvELLAN, Mrs. Harry, The Slienvood,

Mead, James C,

Morrell, Mrs. Ethel,

Moulton, David E., 98 Exchange St.,

Nichols, John M., 46 Spruce St.,

Noble, Frank T.,

Norton, Arthur H., 22 Ehii St.,

Paine, Mrs. Adelaide A., 29 Grant St.,

Parker, Miss Etta B., 243 Cumberland vSt.

Payson, Henry S., 16 Gray St.,

Pendleton, Miss Alice L.,

Pennell, Dr. E. E.,

Perry, Robert D.,

Pierce, A. F., 332 Main St.,

Pope, Alton S.,

Potts, Mrs. Hugh E.,

Powers, Prof. Wm. E.,

Ray, Mrs. Isabel T.,

Reynolds, Arthur T.,

Richards, Frank M., Box 581,

Richardson, Prof. Albert F.,

Rich, Walter H., 393 Fore St.,

Ridley, Miss Mabel P.,

Ritchie, Sanford,

Robinson, Miss Helen M., 13 Tremont St.

RoLFE, Percival B., 98 State St.,

Russell, W. E.,

Russell, Miss Elizabeth W., 36 Bowdoin

Russell, Miss Marion M.,

Sawyer, C. E., 85 Market St.,

Snow, W. M., 191 Middle St.,

Portland

Southwest Harbor

Yarmouth

St. vStephen, N. B.

Portland

North Bridgton

Exeter, N. H.

Portland

Portland

Augusta

Portland

Portland

, Portland

Portland

Islesboro

Kingfield

Brunswick

Eewiston

Brunswick

Sebago Eake

Fort Fairfield

Westbrook

Gardiner

Farmington

Castine

Portland

Castine

Dovei

, Portland

Portland

Gorham

St., Portland

Wilton

Portland

Portland

I20 JOURNAI, OF MAINE ORNlTHOIvOGICAIv SOCIETY.

SouLE, Miss Marion D., 64 Highland Ave., Gardiner

Spinney, Capt. H. I^., 476 Middle St., Bath

Stanwood, Miss Cordelia, Ellsworth

Swain, J. M., ' Farmington

Sweet, Dana W., Phillips

Tufts, I^eRoy M., Farmington

TwiTCHELL, Mrs. H. F., 10 Pine St., Portland

Walton, Everett, New Vineyard

Weeks, Mrs. Gertrude, 46 Eastern Promenade, Portland

Wentworth, Mrs. E. P., 264 Westbrook St., Portland

Whipple, Wm. H., 5 Treniont St., Portland

Williams, E. C, Athens

Woods, Wm. C, Orono

Alien's List of New England Birds.

An important recent work on the birds of New England bears
the title, "Fauna of New England, 11. 'List of the Aves. By
Glover M. Allen." This is one of the parts of Volume VII of the
"Occasional Papers of the Boston Society of Natural History," and
is identical in plan with the lists of other groups of animals which
have appeared in this volume. The work may be said to consist of
two very unequal parts: First, a list of indigenous American spe-
cies, including stragglers, and, second, "Species Introduced or
Erroneously Accredited."

The treatment of the species consists of the scientific name,
with authorities, accepted to the fourteenth supplement of the Amer-
ican Ornithologist's Union Check List, issued July, igo8 ; the com-
mon name, and often one or several provincial names; "reference
to the original description with record of locality; reference to an
authentic description and illustration ; and habitat and occurrence."
The latter conveys a statement of its status for each State of every
bird treated, Maine standing first in order of citation. Hence it will
be readily understood that the work serves as an excellent, concise
Hst of Maine birds, and it iS in this capacity that it is here con-
sidered.

In his treatment of Maine birds it would appear that the author
has relied very largely upon the somewhat extensive literature, with

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL vSOCIKTV. 121

which the work shows a gratifying familiarity. In the main portion
of the work three hundred and twenty-eight North American species
are recorded as having been satisfactorily^ accredited to the State,
five species are recorded as introduced, but two successfully, (two
others, the Black Grouse and Capercally, having been overlooked),
and nine species are cited as of questionable occurrence. Eight of
those in the latter class are hypothetical records of long standing,
but one, that of Tliryojiianes bezmckii, is an error, the more unfortu-
nate because it could easily have been prevented. The record
slipped into print, through some degree of carelessness, but rested
in a degree of seclusion until brought into prominence by the pres-
ent paper. Thus the present work recognizes the occurrence of
three hundred and thirty-one birds which have occurred, or now
exist in a state of nature, in Maine. The status of the abundance,
and m some cases the manner of occurrence, of a number of species,
particularly the water birds, is not entirely satisfactorily given,
though these cases are evidently based upon the literature. Lack
of space makes their discussion impossible.

The work is a most convenient and useful one, and one that no
serious Maine bird student should be without. A. H. N.

In the last number of ''Records of Walks and Talks with Na-
ture," conducted by C. J. Maynard, published at West Newton,
Mass., pages ii6 to 122 of Volume II are devoted to a visit to
Maine, with observations recorded near Bath, at Monhegan, the
Egg Rocks (in Muscongus Bay), and St. Georges River to Tliom-
aston. The notes are devoted to "Birds, Butterflies, etc.," and the
observations were made from July ist to 7th (1909) and published in
September. The records of interest are : "A pair of Rough-legged
Hawks, in normal plumage," between Bath and the mouth of the
Kennebec river ; a male Black-poll Warbler at Monhegan, and at
the same place a Black Vulture, seen July 4th and shot July 6th,
an adult male, preserved in the collection of Mr. Charles F. Jenney.
This specimen was reported in the Damariscotta Herald as a Turkey
Buzzard and corrected in a later issue by F. M. David. The obser-
vation of three Laughing Gulls and a pair of Eiders about the Egg
Rocks is worthy of note, while the observations on the continued
destruction of Leach's Petrel at the Western Egg Rock is a matter
of sad interest. A. H. N.

JOURNAL OP MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Itrli NotpH.

Notes and observations upon bird life within our State are earnestly desired from all our readers
for publication in this column, and should be sent to Louis E. Legge, 22 Dow Street, Portland, Maine.

We note with much satisfaction the increasing frequency with
which the members of our society report to this Journal their
ornithological observations. This is an important part of our duties,
one to another, and should be shared in by all interested in bird
life. The Journal's columns are always open to contributors of
items of general interest relating to Maine birds, and we trust our
members will, through this medium, disseminate such knowledge as
they personally possess.

October Birds at Pine Point. — Saturday, Oct. i6th, was
spent at Grand Beach and Pine Point, At the former place I
found an immense flock of Myrtle Warblers, a small flock of
Juncos, a few Chickadees, three Robins and some Crows. The
extreme restlessness of the Warblers led me to conclude that they
were nearly ready to start on their journe}' southward. At Pine
Point, I saw on a large sand bar hundreds of Herring Gulls, and
among them were eight Black-backed Gulls. I was greatly sur-
prised at seeing at least three hundred Wilson's Terns, that had
followed a school of small fish in from the ocean, and were waiting
for them to be left in the shallows by the receding tide. The
birds flew in a body, occasionally alighting on the shore. Never
in the bird world have I seen anything more beautiful than were
their evolutions, their wings and bodies glistening in the sunlight
as they wheeled and turned about in the air, and I felt richly re-
paid for my long tramp to the extreme end of the Point. — Sara C.
Eastman^ Portland.

Late Nesting of Several Birds. — This season is rather
unusual in the respect that many birds have been found nesting, or
with young, at dates far later than ever noted before. For instance,
the writer found a nest of the Black-billed Cuckoo, containing two
eggs, only partly incubated, on August 21st, atGlenburn. Septem-
ber 4th, at Islesboro, several pairs of Barn Swallows were feeding
their young, which were still in the nests, although fully fledged.

A correspondent. Miss Cordelia J. Stanwood, of Ellsworth,
writes: — "August 25th, helpless little Chimney Swifts were falling

JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIRTY. 1 23

down the chimney in Peter's Block" (Ellsworth). My last nest of
Hermit Thrushes left the nest Sept 8th, early in the morning. I
find their stay in the nest to be twelve days if undisturbed. — Ora
Willis Knight, Bangor.

Bonaparte's Gulls at Wayne, Me. — Having; noticed, re-
cently, a statement to the effect that Bonaparte's Gull is seldom
seen in New England in the black-headed condition, it occurs to
me that the following record may be of some value to your society.
My camp is on the east shore of Eake Androscoggin (Wayne
Pond), in the town of Wayne, Kennebec County. On July 30th
last, while going from lyced's Center to our shore, I noticed a small
flock of Gulls on the water ahead of us. They allowed the boat to
approach within thirty feet of them before flying, and at this dis-
tance it was possible easily to identify them as- six Bonaparte's
Gulls — one with the full black head, the others either immature, or
mature birds in autumn plumage, (probably the latter, as I failed
to notice the black tail mark). — Freeman F. Burr.

Sweet Notes of a Blue Jay. — While out for a walk one
morning I heard a few notes from a Blue Jay, which was one of the
sweetest short songs I ever heard. I did not suppose that such a
number of sweet, flute-like notes could issue from such a bird. They
were very high notes and not in accordance with the generally harsh
notes which are so well known from this bird. I wish I knew
enough of music to reproduce them. I don't know when I was ever
so startled and thrilled with surprise as I listened. — H. W.Jezcell,
Fanning ton.

Feeding Habits of the Sandpiper. — While sitting on the
banks of Sandy River one night, I was attracted to the actions of a
Spotted Sandpiper. There were lots of crickets on the shore of the
river, and the Sandpiper would catch one in its bill, run up to the
water and immerse the insect several times, then swallow it. This
seemed a very interesting performance to me, and I wondered if all
living insects caught are thus treated before they, are eaten. It
would seem so from the actions of this bird. The cricket is quite
a large insect, and as this bird ate ten or twelve, he did not go to
bed hungry that night. — H. W. Jewell, Farmington.

124 journal of maine ornithological vsociety.

The Hudsonian Chickadee at Southwest Harbor,
Me. — On May i6th, 1909, while I was chasing several .species of
Warblex's, trying to find out their identity, I saw four birds in a fir
tree that looked strange to me. Upon a close examination, in
which their markings were taken down, I could not name them.
That night, while I was reading Knight's excellent "Birds of
Maine," I happened to turn to Hudsonian Chickadee, and his
description was so like my birds that I took the note and compared
it with his, and it was so similar that I, without doubt, called them
Parus hudsoniLUs. Their caps were greyish, throat black, back
black, and the rufus band on the sides. In size and habits they
resembled the common Chickadee, but the call note was different. —
Sam A. Liirvey, Southivest Harbor, Me.

The Artic Three-toed Woodpecker on Mt. DEvSERT
Island. — When I was passing through a burnt-over pasture, I
heard a bird call, new to me. On investigating, saw a dark-colored
bird at work on an old stump, picking it to pieces. By walking
easy I was able to approach to within twenty feet of it. It proved
to be the Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker. Its back was black and
back to showed no white hardly at all. Its head on top had the
yellow patch, and the breast and throat were white. Its call was
2vhec or crcc, uttered quite often. The date was Oct. 23, 1909, at
about 4 o'clock P. M. — Sam A. Liirvey^ Soiithivest Harbor., Me.

Note on the Meadowlark in Maine. — The last number
of The Journal contained two notes on the Meadowlark in Cum-
berland County, one a reprint from the July number of the Aiik,
one writ1:en for The Journal, pages 94-95. The subject has
received some attention in other sections of the State. Some notes
on its status near Bangor are given in the October number of
the Auk by Fanny Hardy Eckstroni. In the Portland Evening
Express for May 22, 1909, Dr. Frank D. Tubbs, of Bates College, in
a special to the Express, among other notes, mentioned the
Meadowlark at Auburn. Dr. Tubbs, however, is unfortunate,
either in believing the Auburn birds to be the only ones in Maine,
or in being made to say that he believes them to be. A note on
their occurrence near Fairfield, Maine, is given in one of the sum-
mer numbers of the Good Will Record. It is to be hoped that
others will furnish notes on its occurrence and status in the State,
with a view to showing fully its distribution abundance, and period
of appearance, disappearance, and its breeding range. A. H. N.

25 cents a copy
$1.00 a year

©I|r Journal

of tljr

Mmm (irnttt|olngtral

•ort^tg

W. H. BROWNSON, Portland Associate Editor, LOUIS E, LEGGE, PortI

Published by the Society at 97 1-2 Exchange Street, Portland, Maine

Entered as second class matter June 13, 1905, at the post office at Portland, Maine, under
the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879.

J O U RIN A U

OF THE

Maine Ornithological Society.

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MAINE 0RNITI10L0GISTS

Issued every quarter on the first of March, June, September and December of each year

Publication Office: 97 1-2 Exchange St., Portland, Maine.

Editor, W. H. BROWNSON, Associate Editor, LOUIS E. LEQQE,

Portland. Portland.

Price, $1.00 per annum. Single Copies, 25 Cents.

Address W. H. Brownson, 85 Market Street, Portland, Me.

The Maine Ornithological Society comprises in its membership the
leading ornithologists and bird students of Maine. The membership
is constantly increasing and the interest in the society was never greater
than now. If you are interested in birds and wish to know more about
them you should by all means send in your name for membership in this
society. The dues are one dollar a year, and payment of this sum en-
titles each person elected to membership to the Journal free of charge.
Application for membership should be made to the Secretary, Mr.
Dana W. Sweet, Phillips, Maine. Mr. Sweet is also the treasurer
and the annual dues should be paid to him. All persons, both young
and old, are eligible to membership. It is not necessary for one to be
versed in bird lore in order to insure his election to this society. The
larger the membership the more can be done in the way of improving
the Journal and increasing its size. Send in your name without fur-
ther delay. The society will be glad to welcome you to its meetings,
which are held once a year in different cities. The officers of the society
are as follows:

Preside7it, Dr. H. H. Brock, Portland.
Vice President^ J. Merton Swain, Farmington.
Secretary and Treasurer, Dana W. Sweet, Phillips.
Councillors, Walter H. Rich. Portland; Dr. William C.
Kendall, Freeport.

Editor, W. H. Brownson, Portland.
Associate Editor, Louis E. Legge, Portland.

^^ept^^

25 cents a copy
$1.00 a year

Slip Jnitntal
illainp (irttttI|ologtraI ^nrt^tg

^■1)C~^C%.

Editor, W. H. BROWNSON. Portland Associate Editor, LOUIS E. LEGGE, Portland J

Published by the Society at 97 1-2 Exchange Street, Portland, Maine ///^

Entered as second class matter June 1 3, 1 905, at the post office at Portland. Maine under
the Act of Congress of March 3, 1 879.

J O U RIN A U

OF THE

Maine Ornithological Society.

OmCIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MAINE ORNITHOLOGISTS.

Issued every quarter on the first of March, June, September and December of each year.

Publication Office: 97 1-2 txchange St., Portland, Maine.

Editor, W. H. BROWNSON, Associate Editor, LOUIS E. LEQQE,

Portland. Portland.

Price, $1.00 per annum. Single Copies, 25 Cents.

Address W. H. Brownson, 85 Market Street, Portland, Me.

The Maine Ornithological Society comprises in its membership the
leading ornithologists and bird students of Maine. The membership
is constantly increasing and the interest in the society was never greater
than now. If you are interested in birds and wish to know more about
them you should by all means send in your name for membership in this
society. The dues are one dollar a year, and payment of this sum en-
titles each person elected to membership to the Journal free of charge.
Application for membership should be made to the Secretary, Mr.
Dana W. Sweet, Phillips, Maine. Mr. Sweet is also the treasurer
and the annual dues should be paid to him. All persons, both young
and old, are eligible to membership. It is not necessary for one to be
versed in bird lore in order to insure his election to this society. The
larger the membership the more can be done in the way of improving
the Journal and increasing its size. Send in your name without fur-
ther delay. The society will be glad to welcome you to its meetings,
which are held once a year in different cities. Theofhcersof the society
are as follows:

President, Dr. H. H. Brock, Portland.
Vice President, J. Merton Swain, Farmington.
Secretary and Treasurer, Dana W. Sweet, Phillips.
Councillors, Walter H. Rich. Portland; Dr. William C.
Kendall, Freeport.

Editor, W. H. Brownson, Portland.
Associate Editor, Louis E. Legge, Portland.

25 cents a copy
$1.00 a year

(Utir Journal

of tlie

Mmm d^rmtlinlflgtral

»ori?ty

Editor, Associate Editor. LOUIS E. LEGGE, Portland

Published by the Society at 97 1-2 Exchange Street, Portland, Maine

Entered as second class matter June 13, 1905, at the post office at Portland, Maine, under
the Act of Congress of March 3, 1 879.

J O U RIN A U

OF THE

Maine Ornithological Society.

OmCIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MAINE ORNITHOLOGISTS.

Issued every quarter on the first of March, June, September and December of each year.

Publication Office: 97 1-2 txchange St., Portland, Maine.

Editor, Associate Editor, LOUIS E, LEQGE,

Portland

Price, $1.00 per annum. Single Copies, 25 Cents.

Address Louis E. Legge, 22 Dow St., Portland, Me.

The Maine Ornithological Society comprises in its membership the
leading ornithologists and bird students of Maine. The membership
is constantly increasing and the interest in the society was never greater
than now. If you are interested in birds and wish to know more about
them you should by all means send in your name for membership in this
society. The dues are one dollar a year, and payment of this sum en-
titles each person elected to membership to the Journal free of charge.
Application for membership should be made to the Secretary, Mr.
Dana W. Sweet, Phillips, Maine. Mr. Sweet is also the treasurer
and the annual dues should be paid to him. All persons, both young
and old, are eligible to membership. It is not necessary for one to be
versed in bird lore in order to insure his election to this society. The
larger the membership the more can be done in the way of improving
the Journal and increasing its size. Send in your name without fur-
ther delay. The society will be glad to welcome you to its meetings,
which are held once a year in different cities. The officers of the society
are as follows:

President, Dr. H. H. Brock, Portland.
Vice President, J. Merton Swain, Farmington.
Secretary ayid Treasurer, Dana W. Sweet, Phillips.
Councillors, Walter H. Rich. Portland; Dr. William C.
Kendall, Freeport.
Editor,
Associate Editor, Louis E. Legge, 22 Dow St., Portland.

The Warblers of North America

By FRANK M. CHAPMAN.

With 24 full-pa<je colored plates illus-
trating male, female and young- of all
species, and 8 full-page plates of nests
and eggs. Large 8vo. Cloth, $2.90.
"The Warbler Book'' and Chap-
man's Color Key, or Reed's
North Amei'ican Birds' Eggs, $4.80
"The Warbler Book" and Bird-
Lore, full year, 3.00
Chapman's Handbook Birds Ea.

N. Am., cloth, $2.25; leather, 2.60
Coues's Key, last ed., 2 vols., cloth, 11.00
Bird Studies with a Camera, Chap-
man, 1.50
Two Bird Lovers in Mexico, Beede, 2.85
Wild AVings, Job, 2.85
Bird Houses, Dugmore, 1.82
With the l?irds in Maine, Miller, 1.00

ALL SENT POSTPAID.

Let me quote you on any book or
magazine published. My lists are free
for the asking.

Bird Ui.asses, fine pair, in case with
strap, $5.00, prepaid.

BENJAMIN HOAG,

STFPHENTOWN, NEW YORK.

Bird-Lore

is now publishing a series of plates by

and Spruce J^ors/iaii

ILLUSTRATING

The flycatchers of IVorth America

IN COLOR

20 Cents a Copy $1.00 a Year

THE MACMILLAN CO.,

FIFTH AVE.,

Ne-w YorK City

WANTED!

Ornithological Books

on American or Foreign
Birds and Eggs.

Offer fine list of choice sets,
among them 1\\ 21^; 8'2};
211 BA; 2301; 347 A^; 348 J;
349^; 356J; 424^; 486^; 663^;
645 A J; 715 J; 754 1; 763 J.
200 others.

CHAS. S. THOMPSON

Box 214
BUENA VISTA, COLORADO

WANTED.

Members of the Maine Ornithological
Society who have copies of The Jour-
nal of Vol. 7, No. 1, March, 1905, Vol.
8, No. 1, March, 1906, or Vol. 9, No. 4,
December, 1907, and who do not care to
preserve them for binding, will confer a
favor by sending them to the Associate
editor of The Journal, Louis E. Legge,
22 Dow Street, Portland, Maine. The
file is nearly exhausted for those issues
and there are frequent calls for complete
sets from libraries and individuals in
different parts of the country.

..Standard Books on Birds..

FLOWERS, INSECTS, FISHES

and all Branches of Nature , . .

We can furnish on orders received by mail any nature book that you may want
at a price that will be satisfactory to you. We have all the

STAINDARD BIRD BOOKS

published, and can supply them promptly. Write us for information about any-
thing you have in mind of this descrijition, and we will reply at once. When you
are in Poi'tland call and see what we have on our shelves.

Following is a partial list of the bird books we have in stock and can furnish
upon order :

Camps and Cruises of an Ornithologist.

Frank M. Chapman
Warblers of North America.

Frank M. Chapman
Birds of Maine. Or a W. Knight

Baby Bird Finder. Volume 1 and 2.

H. E. Richards and E. G. Cummings
Feathered Game of the Northeast.

Walter H Rich
Key to North American Birds, 2 vols.

Dr. Elliott Coues
Handbook of Birds Eastern North Amer-
ica. Frank M. Chapman
Color Key to North American Birds.

F. M. Chapman
Bird-Life. F. M. Chapman

Bird-Studies with a Camera. Chapman
Handbook of Birds of the Western Uni-
ted States. Florence Merriam Bailey
North American Birds' Eggs.

Chester A. Reed

A Guide to the Birds of New England

and Eastern New York. Ralph Hoffman

Nests and Eggs of North American Birds.

Oliver Davie
Birds of the Rockies. Keyser

The Warblers of North America.

Frank M. Chapman

Two Bird-Lovers in Mexico. Lavishly

illustrated. C. William Beebe

Bird Neighbors. Neltje Blanchan

Birds That Hunt and Are Hunted.

Neltje Blanchan
How to Attract the Birds. Blanchan

Bird Homes. Dugmore

Home Life of Wild Birds. F. II. Herrick
Field Book of Wild Birds and Their
Music. F. S. Math ems

Birdcraft. Mabel Osgood Wright

Ornithologists will always be welcome

at our store, and we shall be pleased to give all ])articulars about anything in the
book line that may be desired. Our store is in Monument Square, where all the
electric car lines center, and easily reached by all visitors to the city.

LORING, SHORT & HARMON,

PORTLAND. MAINE.

Birds of Village and Field.

Florence A. Merriam
A-Birding on a Bronco. Merriam

Birds through an Opera-Glass, Merriam
With the Birds in Maine.

Olive Thome Miller
The First Book of Birds. Miller

The Second Book of Birds. Miller

Upon the Tree-Tops. A Bird-Lover in
the West. Little Brothers of the Air.
Bird-Ways. In Nesting Time. Miller
Bird Portraits. Ernest Thompson- Seton
"Every Bird." Howe

Fowls of the Air. Lo)ig

Our Common Birds and Know Them

Grant

Field Key to the Land Birds. Knobel

Song Birds and Water Fowl. Parkhurst

Wake-Robin. Winter Sunshine. Birds

and Poets. Locusts and Wild Honey.

Pepacton and Other Sketches. Fresh

Fields. Signs and Seasons. Kiverby.

Jolin Burroughs

Everyday Birds. Bradford Torrey

Wild Wings. Herbert K. Job

The Land-Birds and Game-Birds of New

England. Henry D. Minot

Third edition edited by

Willimn Brewster
Wild Fowl of North America.

Daniel Giraud Elliot
North American Shore Birds. Elliat

Gallinaceous Game Birds of North Amer-
ica. Elliot
Birds of the United States and Canada.
Thoma.s NuUall
Revised and annotated, with additions
bj' Montague Chamberlain

The Warblers of North America

By FRANK M. CHAPMAN.

With 24 full-page colored plates illus-
trating male, female and young of all
species, and 8 full-page plates of nests
and eggs. Large 8vo. Cloth, $2.00.
"The Warbler Book" and Chap-
man's Color Key, or Reed's
North American Birds' Eggs, -$4.80
"The Warbler Book" and Bird-
Lore, full year, 3.60
Chapman's Handbook Birds Ea.

N. Am., cloth, $2.25; leather, 2.60
Coues's Key, last ed., 2 vols., cloth, ILOO
Bird Studies with a Camera, Chap-
man, L50
Two Bird Lovers in Mexico, Beede, 2.85
Wild Wings, Job, 2.85
Bird Houses, Dugmore, 1.82
With the Birds in Maine, Miller, 1.00

ALL SENT POSTPAID.

Let me quote you on any book or
magazine published. My lists are free
for the asking.

BiKD Glasses, fine pair, in case with
strap, $5.00, prepaid.

BENJAMIN HOAG,

STEPHENTOWN, NEW YORK.

Bird-Lore

is now pul)lishing a series of plates by

,£ouici ■ytffassiz Queries
and ^riice J^orsfaii

ILLUSTKATING

The Flycatchers of ^!orth America

IN COLOR

20 Cents a Copy $1.00 a Year

THE MACMILLAN CO.,

FIFTH AVE.,

Ne-w YorK City

WANTED!

Ornithological Books

on American or Foreign
Brds and Eggs.

Offer fine list of choice sets,
among tliem T.^; '21 j; 82};
211 BA; 2301; 347AJ; 348^;
3491; 3501. 4241. 486 J; 663 J;
645 A.i; 715 1; 754 1; 763 J.
200 otliers.

CHAS. S. THOMPSON

Box 214
BUENA VISTA, COLORADO

WANTED.

Members of the Maine Ornithological
Society who have copies of The Jour-
nal of Vol. 7, No. 1, March, 1905, Vol.
8, No. 1, March, 190(5, or Vol. 9, No. 4,
December, 1907, and who do not care to
preserve them for binding, will confer a
favor by sending them to the editor of
The .Journal, W. H. Hrownson, 85
Market Street, Portland, Maine. The
file is nearly exhausted for those issues
and there are frequent calls forcemplete
sets from libraries and individuals in
different parts of the country.

..Standard Books on Birds..

FLOWERS, INSECTS, FISHES

and all Branches of Nature . . .

We can furnish on orders received by mail any nature book that you may want
at a price tliat will be satisfactory to you. We have all the

STAINDARO BIRD BOOKS

published, and can suj^ply them promptly. Write us for information about any-
thing you have in mind of this description, and we will reply at once. When you
are in Portland call and see what we have on our shelves.

Following is a partial list of the bird books we have in stock and can furnish
upon order :

Camps and Cruises of an Ornithologist,

Frank M. Chapman
Warblers of North America.

Frank M. Chapman
Birds of Maine. Ora IV. Knight

Baby Bird Finder. Volume 1 and 2.

H. E. RichardH and E. G. Cumniings
Feathered Game of the Northeast.

Walter H Rich
Key to North American Birds, 2 vols.

Dr. Elliott Coues
Handbook of Birds Eastern North Amer-
ica. Frank M. Chapman
Color Key to North American Birds.

F. M. Chapman
Bird-Life. F. M. Chajnnan

Bird-Studies with a Camera. Chapman
Handbook of Birds of the Western Uni-
ted States. Florence Merriam Bailey
North American Birds' Eggs.

Chester A. Reed

A Guide to the Birds of New England

and Eastern New York. Ralph Hoffman

Nests and Eggs of North American Birds.

Oliver Davie
Birds of the Rockies. Eeyser

The Warblers of North America.

Frank M. Chapman

Two Bird-Lovers in Mexico. Lavishly

illustrated. C. William Beebe

Bird Neighbors. Neltje Blanchan

Birds That Hunt and Are Hunted.

Neltje Blanchan
How to Attract the Birds. Blanchan

Bird Homes. Dugmore

Home Life of Wild Birds. F. H. Herrlck
Field Book of Wild Birds and Their
Music. F. S. Mathewft

Birdcraft. Mabel Osgood Wright

Ornithologists will always be welcome

at our store, and we shall be })leased to give all ]>:irticulars about anything in the
book line that may be desired. Our store is in Monument Scjuare, where all the
electric car lines center, and easily reached by all visitors to the city.

LORING, SHORT & HARMON,

PORTLAND, MAINE.

Birds of Village and Field.

Florence A. Merriam
A-Birding on a Bronco. Merriam

Birds through an Opera-Glass. Merriam
With the Birds in Maine.

Olive Thome Miller
The First Book of Birds. Miller

The Second Book of Birds. Miller

Upon the Tree-Tops. A Bird-Lover in
the West. Little Brothers of the Air.
Bird-Ways. In Nesting Time. Miller
Bird Portraits. Ernest Thompson-Seton
"Every Bird." Howe

Fowls of the Air. Long

Our Common Birds and Know Them

Grant

Field Key to the Land Birds. Knobel

Song Birds and Water Fowl. Parkhurst

Wake- Robin. Winter Sunshine. Birds

and Poets. Locusts and Wild Honey.

Pepacton and Other Sketches. Fresh

Fields. Signs and Seasons. Riverby.

John Hnrroughs

Everyday Birds. Bradford Torrey

Wild' Wings. Herbn-t K. Joh

The liand- Birds and Ganie-Birds of New

England. Henry D. Minot

Third edition edited by

William Brewster
Wild Fowl of North America

Daniel Giraud Elliot
North American Shore Birds. Elliot

Gallinaceous Game Birds of North Amer-
ica. Elliot
Birds of tlie United States and C;ina(hi.
Thomafi Nvtiall
Revised and annotated, with additions
by Montague Chamberlain

The Warblers of North America

By FRANK M. CHAPMAN.

With 24 full-pag-e (colored plates illus-
trating male, female and youno- of all
species, and 8 full-page plates of nests
and eggs. Large 8vo. Cloth, 12.90.
"The Warbler Book" and Chap-
man's Color Key, or Reed's
North American Birds' Eggs, $4.80
"The Warbler Book" and Bird-
Lore, full year, 3.60
Chapman's Handbook Birds Ea.

N, Am., cloth, $2.25; leather, 2.60
Coues'sKey, lasted., 2 vols., cloth, 11.00
Bird Studies with a Camera, Chaj)-

man, 1.50

Two Bird Lovers in Mexico, Beede, 2.85
Wild Wings, Job, 2.85

Bird Houses, Dugmore, 1.82

With the Birds in Maine, Miller, 1.00

ALL SENT POSTPAID.

Let me quote you on any book or
magazine published. .My lists are free
for the asking.

Bird Glasses, fine pair, in case with
strap, $5.00, prepaid.

BENJAMIN HOAG,

STEPHENTOWN, NEW YORK.

WANTED !

Ornithological Books

on American or Foreign
Birds and Eggs.

Offer Hne list of choice sets,
among them Ti; '21 j; 82 J;
211 BA; 2301; 347AJ; 3481;
3491; 3561; 4241; 4801; 6631;
645 Ai; 715 J; 754 1; 763'.
200 others.

CHAS. S. THOMPSON

Box 214
BUENA VISTA, COLORADO

Bird-Lore

is now publishing a series of plates by

and ^ruce Jfifors/dli

ILLUSTRATING

The flycatchers of l^orth America

IN COLOR

20 Cents a Copy $1.00 a Year

THE MACMILLAN CO.,

FIFTH AVE.,

Ne^pVT YorK City

THE ONTARIO
NATURAL SCIENCE BULLETIN

OKGAN OF THK

Wellington field Naturalists' Club

GUELPH. CAN.

An annual devoted to the Fauna
and Flora of Ontario

The fifth issue will appear in a short
time, with the usual large amount of
matter, includino- contributions from
several of the leading- authorities in
Canada and the United States.

It will be well worth the price, 50
cents, to all field naturalists.

Editors:

T. D. JARVIS. (Zoology)
J. E HOWITT. (Botany)

ONT. AGR. COLLEGE

GUELPH.

ONTARIO

..Standard Books on Birds..

FLOWERS, INSECTS, FISHES

and all Branches of Nature . . .

We can furnish on orders received by mail any nature book that you may want
at a price that will be satisfactory to you. We have all the

STAINDARD BIRD BOOKS

published, and can supply them promptly. Write us for information about any-
thing you have in mind of this description, and we will reply at once. When you
are in Portland call and see wliat we have on our shelves.

Following is a paitial list of the bird books we have in stock and can furnish
upon order :

Camps and Cruises of an Ornithologist.

Frank M. Chapman
Warblers of North America.

Frank M. Chapman
Birds of Maine. Ora W. Knight

Baby Bird Finder. Volume 1 and 2.

H. E. Rlchardfi and E. G. Cummings
Feathered Game of the Northeast.

Walter H. Rich
Key to North American Birds, 2 vols.

Dr. Elliott Couea
Handbook of Birds Eastern North Amer-
ica. Frank M. Chapman
Color Key to North American Birds.

F. M. Chapman
Bird-Life. F. M. Chapman

Bird-Studies with a Camera. Chapman
Handbook of Birds of the Western Uni-
ted States. Florence Merriam Bailey
North American Birds' Eggs.

Chester A. Reed

A Guide to the Birds of New England

and Eastern New York. Ralph Hoffman

Nests and Eggs of North American Birds.

Oliver Davie
Birds of the Rockies. Keyi^er

The Warblers of North America.

Frank M. Chapman

Two Bird-Lovers in Mexico. Lavishly

illustrated. C. William Beebe

Bird Neighbors. Neltje Blanchan

Birds That Hunt and Are Hunted.

Neltje Blanchan
How to Attract the Birds. Blanchan

Bird Homes. Dugmore

Home Life of Wild Birds. F. H. Herrick
Field Book of Wild Birds and Their
Music. F. S. Mathews

Birdcraft. Mabel Osgood Wright

Ornithologists will always be welcome

at our store, and we shall be pleased to give all ])articulars about anything in the
book line that may be desired. Our store is in Monument Square, where all the
electric car lines center, and easily reached by all visitors to the city.

LORING, SHORT & HARMON,

PORTLAND, MAINE,.

Birds of Village and Field.

Florence A. Merriam
A-Birding on a Bronco. Merriam

Birds through an Opera-Glass. Merriam
With the Birds in Maine.

Olive Thome Miller
The First Book of Birds. Miller

The Second Book of Birds. Miller

Upon the Tree-Tops. A Bird-Lover in
the West. Little Brothers of the Air.
Bird- Ways. In Nesting Time. Miller
Bird Portraits. Ernest Thomj)son-Seton
"Every Bird." Howe

Fowls of the Air. Long

Our Common Birds and Know Them.

Grant

Field Key to the Land Birds. Knobel

Song Birds and Water Fowl. Parkhurst

Wake-Robin. AVinter Sunshine. Birds

and Poets. Locusts and Wild Honey.

Pepacton and Other Sketches. Fresh

Fields. Signs and Seasons. Riverby.

Jolin Burroughs

Everyday Birds. Bradford Torrey

Wild Wings. Herbert K. Job

The Land- Birds and Game-Birds of New

England. Henry D. Minot

Third edition edited by

William Brewster
Wild Fowl of North America.

Daniel Giraud Elliot
North American Shore Birds. Elliot

Gallinaceous Game Birds of North Amer-
ica. Elliot
Birds of the United States and Canada.
Thomas Nuttall
Revised and annotated, with additions
by Montague Chamberlain

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