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THE WILSON BULLETIN

AN ILLUSTRATED QUARTERLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED
TO THE STUDY OF BIRDS IN THE FIELD

Edited by LYNDS JONES

OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE WILSON ORNITHOLOGICAL
CHAPTER OF THE AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION

OLD SERIES, VOLUME IX. NEW SERIES, VOLUME IV.
1897 .

Published by the Chapter at Oberlin, Ohio

Old Series, Vol. IX. New Series, Vol. iV, No. I.

The Wilson Ornithological Chapter

-_ of the Agassiz Association.

is

Base ey ry . gt,
Po ae PPM iL id Nia SE as
Coe a - rei a

’ + 7 re

Sg eter a - a” we d v “er a, ee ry
5 o eT : &, 2 8 . S a
0-0-0-20-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

LUC )-

GENERAL NOTES.

Issued Bi=-Monthly as the Official
Organ of the Chapter.

EDITED BY LYNDS JONES.

Subscription 50 cents a V Gari

“ OBERLIN, OHIO.
—<fs——__ January 30, 1897.

SOME REMARKS ON THE “BIRDS OF CHESTER
GOUaPAr

By Frank L. Burns, Berznvn, Pa.

During the latter part of 1889,* the Orzzthologist and Volog?st pub-
lished what appeared at first to be a reliable and admirably annotat-

ed list of the ‘‘Birds of Chester County, Pennsylvania.” This, the

fifth and last list devoted exclusively to the County, was subsequently
found to contain so many remarkable statements, particularly regarding
the breeding of species long known to nest only in the far north or at a

much higher altitude than our county anywhere affords, that it was cast
aside as utterly untrustworthy. The author, Mr. Cyrus B. Ressel, quoted

Mr. William D. Doan, of Coatesville, as his authority for so many state-

ments, that I was constrained to write to that gentleman, in order to

“separate some of the wheat from the chaff, if possible. As Mr. Doan

_ has long since retired from the Ornithological field for the scarcely less

‘interesting study of Entomology, I take it upon myself to publish the
following notes and corrections, taken from his letters almost verbatim,
trusting that they may not be without some value. In justice to Mr.

Doan I. will say that he had not seen the O. & O. list until I drew his
attention to it.

‘HORNED GREBE, Colymbus auritus.—One specimen secured on the
Brandywine creek south of Mortonville.

‘‘ BLUE-WINGED TEAL, Anas discors.—I shot two or three specimens
on the same creek in the fall. (I secured several during the first week

in September, about the heads of Gunpowder and Bush rivers, Maryland. )

‘““ WHISTLING SwANn, Olor columbianus.—I remember taking one out of
five, the last week in March, 1885, along the meadows south of Chadd’s
Ford, during a severe rain storm which lasted for several days. These
birds often ascend tributaries to quite a distance. My brother has
mounted specimens, shot during spring-time, north of Columbia, Lan-
caster county, on the Susquehanna; and I have also shot them as far
inland as Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, on the Potomac.

‘“YELLOW-LEGS, Zotanus flavifes.—I secured one along the Brandy-
wine creek, south of Downingtown. I believe it was in the spring of
1887, but I am not sure as to the year.

‘‘PassENGER PIGEON, Ectopistes migratorius.—I had secured half-a-

*July, August and September. See Vol. xiv, pp. 158 and 175 for criticisms.—{ED.

iv

2 Bulletin No. 12.

dozen specimens of this species in Chester and Lancaster counties “
ous to 1882, but have not seen any since that time.
‘“OQLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, Contopfus borealis.—In looking over my

Entomological notes I find in reference to this species: Sept. 30, 87, ©

secured two males near Coatesville along the Brandywine road, feeding
upon Red Ants, Hormica sanguinea. Upon examination of the stomachs,

I found them to contain besides the Red Ants: Black Crickets, Acheta |

nigra, Mosquitoes, Culex pipiens and two House Flies, Musca do- |
9 '

meslica.
‘‘ YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, Vuenianae flaviventris.—I remem-
ber collecting this bird upon one occasion during the breeding season, and |

have no doubt that it would be more frequently met with but for its |

resemblance to C. vzvrens at a distance.

3
‘« AMERICAN CROSSBILL, Loxta curutrostra mtnor. bent So eon

during the great blizzard of March, 1888. Dr. A. K. Fisher took them

during this storm, as far south as Washington, D. C. a
‘‘\WHITE-WINGED CrossBILL, L. leucoftera.—One taken during the j

same storm.
‘‘BoHEMIAN WAXWING, Ampelis garrulus.—lI shot two specimens during
the same blizzard. Climatic conditions have so much to do with bird life

that in order to be posted upon each species, one must have the necessary :

field experience. If we fail to look for northern species during the cold
and stormy days we will never secure them.

‘“PARULA WARBLER, Compsothly fis americana.—In 1883 I found this
bird breeding along the Octoraro creek which borders the county. Turn-

ing to such high authority as Mr. H. Nehrling and Prof. Ridgway, we }

find them saying: ‘From Maine and Canada to Texas it seems to make
itself at home where ever it can find a nesting place;’ and further ‘It
ranges from the Atlantic to the Plains, north to Canada. In Conneticut,
Wisconsin, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Michigan New Jersey and most of the
states bordering on the Atlantic it seems to be common.’

‘““CapgE May WARBLER, Dendroica ttgrina.—Mr. Wood, of Philadel-

phia, took this species near Coatesville. This specimen is now owned by
Mr. Thomas Windle, of the firm of Windle and Doan, Coatesville.
‘‘ BLACKBURNIAN WarBLER, LD. blackburnie.—l have met with this

species in the county as a transient visitant only, but met with a single

pair in Lancaster county, north of Columbia, along the Susquehanna,
late in June, paired and the male in full song.

‘‘PInE WARBLER, LZ. vigorst7.—I have met with it on two occasions, |

once in the spruces south of Coatesville, and the second time in what is

Tan

Bulletin No. r2. 2

known as Roney’s Pines, south of Steelesville, along the Octoraro creek.
They have been taken upon several occasions at the last named place by
the late Joseph Krider, of Philadelphia. It breeds in all our Atlantic
states, at least as far south as South Carolina. It is a summer resident
in eastern West Virginia and as far north as Manitoba. Nehrling says,
‘It seems to be especially abundant in the pine barrens of the South
Atlantic and Middle States.’ This species frequents the pines and spruces
throughout its range and must be looked for in such places.

“Prairie WarBLeER, D. dzscolor.—I found it breeding in the county,
south of Medina, along the Brandywine, but once. I have frequently
met with it during my several years’ collecting, in the rocky localities
along the Brandywine and Octoraro creeks. It can be found throughout
the summer along the Susquehanna river as far north as Peach Bottom
and it may be further north of that point, as it has been found in South-
ern Wisconsin, Michigan and New England. It is one of the smallest
and most active of the Dendroica group.

“WATER THRUSH, Sezurus noveboracensts.—Met with in this section
only as a transient visitant.

‘* Louisiana WaTER THRUusH, S. motacilla.—I secured nest and eggs
south of Atglen, along the Octoraro in the summer of 1883. I saw the
birds building their nest and secured both male and female after the eggs
were laid. They are very shy, often nesting where it is hard to get to
them for mud or water. I regard the finding of the Worm-eating Warbler
easy iN comparison.

‘“HOODED WARBLER, Sylvanta m7trata.—If my memory serves me
right, my friend, the late Joseph Krider, collected specimens south of
Steelesville, along the Octoraro, and wrote me in regard to the find
shortly afterward. I have shot it in Mayland close to ihe Pennsylvania
line. ;

“I have never met with the American Egret, Ardea egretta and
Florida Gallinule, Gallinula galeata, in the county, but I shot one of
each in the adjoining county of Lancaster, near Peach Bottom.

‘I have met with the American Bittern, &. lentiginosus ; Red-shoul-
dered Hawk, &. dzneatus,; Least Flycatcher, £. minimus, Rose-breasted

Grosbeak, H. Zudoviciana, and Wilson's Thrush, 7. fuscescens, only as

migrants.

‘‘T have not observed the Fish Crow, C. ossifragus, in the county,
and to the best of my knowledge I have not seen the Golden Eagle, A.
chrysaetos; American Hawk Owl, S. udzla caparoch, or Red-shafted
Flicker, C. cafer, in this state.”’

4 | Bulletin No. 12.

We must regard the capture of one or two belated individuals of the
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher in Chester and Blackburnian Warbler in Lan-
caster counties, in the breeding season, @s purely accidental and of no
value in determining their breeding range.

A few species, undoubtedly migrants, given by Mr. Ressel as summer
residents (to which exceptions were made), subsequently have been found
nesting in the county ; while others were undoubtedly the result of care-
less ‘identification " or misinformation.

It is to be hoped that, ere long, a competent person of large field ex-
perience in local ornithology will give us a list revised and corrected
to date.

GENERAL NOTES.

YouNG OF THE KILLDEER, A gtalitis vocifera.—May 15, 1896. While
out walking early this morning I had the pleasure of seeing, for the first
time in my life, some nestling Killdeers. Seeing a pair of old birds near
the corner of the pasture which I was crossing, I stepped over that way
and at once felt sure there were €885 or young, as the old. birds at once
set Up a fearful and pitiful crying, «Kill-dee-Kill-dee,”’ and would flutter
and crawl along in front of me after the ‘‘time honored custom” of
ground nesting birds. . I soon found the young, three in number, little
downy bits about as large as ones thumb, but able to walk quite well. On
picking one up (much to the discomfiture of Mrs. ARgialitis) he ‘‘ peep-
ed, peeped,” much like a young chicken, for a few minutes and then
nestled down in my hand, perfectly contented. When resting on the
ground the head and bill are laid perfectly flat, with the body, upon the
ground. When I left the spot, one of the parents followed me, circling
and calling, to the outskirts of town, nearly a half mile, probably think-
ing that I still held one of his offspring in captivity.

N. HotutstEr, Delavan, Ws.

SouTHERN WISCONSIN NoTES.—DICKCISSEL, Spiza americana.—A pair
of Dickcissels, the first seen in several years, summered near Delavan
last year ; the male could be seen on any day during the latter halt of
May and all through June, sitting upon 4 fence post by the road-side, —
evidently not far from the nest. .

Bap Eac te, f/aliceetus leucocephalus.—More common this fall than
for several years—several fine adults seen and also several immatures—

Bulletin No. 72. E

one of the latter having been shot at Delavan Lake, extent seven feet
two inches, weight nine pounds.

PASSENGER PIGEON, Lctopistes migratoriws.—A fine single Passenger
Pigeon shot on September 8, 1896.

Am. Osprey, Pandion haliaetus carolinensts.—Several Ospreys, quite
a rare bird here, seen during the fall and summer—one in July and the
remainder in September.

Snowy OwL, WVyctea nyctea.—One Snowy Owl, so far this winter,
seen on December 11.

REDPOLLS, Acanthis linaria.—Have appeared here this winter for the

‘first time to my knowledge. The first were seen on November 24 and I
_ thought them to be Goldfinches from their long drawn-out ‘‘me-e-e-e-e-,”

but on catching a glimpse of one, I at once recognized it as Acanthis
linarta. They have since become very abundant and are still here
(January 12), but I have so far searched in vain fora red male. Their
flight is exactly like that of the Goldfinch and they call repeatedly while
on the wing. When very close to a party of them in the bushes, one
can hear a repeated ‘‘ch7p-chif-chif-chip,’’ with a rising and falling in-
flection, as if in conversation. This and the call are the only notes I
have heard. N. HotuistEer, Delavan, W7s.

A New Mexican Birp.—WESTERN NIGHTHAWK, Chordeiles virginta-
nus henry?.—This bird is quite common in New Mexico, replacing the
common Nighthawk. The cry and flight are the same, but the birds ap-
pear to sleep oftener on the ground. I have often started them up when
out walking, long after the end of the breeding season. When flushed
from their nests they would circle around once or twice and then alight
within a few yards and wait anxiously until I walked away. The eggs
were laid on the bare ground without even a sign of a depression to keep
them from rolling away. How the birds ever found them after once
leaving them is a wonder to me, as the places all looked alike and the
eggs resembled the soil so in appearance that it was hard to distinguish
them, even when they were pointed out. These birds did not seem to
gather together as much as does our common eastern form while flying.

SYDNEY S. WILson, St. joseph, Mo.

Mr. Wilson also sends a clipping from a local paper which gives an
account of a ferocious attack by a Bald Eagle upon a horse. The horse
had been ridden into a field, and tied to a tree while its owner was hunt-
ing. Soon the eagle appeared and pounced upon the horse, which was
unable to break away and free itself from its tormentor. ‘‘ Holzhauser

6 Bulletin No. 12.

ran to the assistance of the horse, and using his gun as aclub, he knocked
the eagle to the ground. It started to attack the man, but he fought it off,
and finally the bird rose to the limb of a tree near by. From this point
the hunter brot the eagle to the ground by a well directed shot.” Mr
Wilson saw the horse and vouches for the story. He says that the
bird measured eight feet from tip to tip of wings.— Eprror. |

AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, Sfz2us ¢77st7s.—At Overbrook, Pa., on the
morning of Jan. 8, a male of this species was seen sitting ona fence. He
flew away at my approach, and uttered the ordinary note. This is the first
time I have seen this bird in winter, although it is common in summer.

RusseELt Gray, Philadelphia, Pa.

WESTERN SEMI-PALMATED SANDPIPER, Lveuneles occidentalis, IN N.
J.—In looking over my series of less than a dozen skins of the Semi-
palmated Sandpiper recently, I discovered an unquestionable specimen of
the Ereunetes occidentalis. It was a female taken August 31st, ‘QI,
with several £. puszllws, from the meadows near Atlantic City, New
Jersey. Stone, in his Bzrds of New Jersey and Eastern Pennsyl-
vanta gives it as a straggler, and Chapman, in Birds of Eastern North
America as occasional on the Atlantic coast. Bailey (Auk, Vol. xm. p.
174) found -it more’ abundant than the Semi-palmated in Cape May
county, N. J., during the first two weeks in September, 1895, and his
concluding remark ‘‘that it may not be as accidental as heretofore sup-
posed”’ is apparently well founded. Eastern collectors would do well to
scan their specimens labelled £. pusz/lus with care and record every
occurance of the western species on the Atlantic coast, so that it may be
possible to determine whether the extension of its range is of common
occurrence within recent years. .

FRANK L. Burns, Berwyn, Pa.

UnusuAL ACTIONS OF SPARROWS.---Of the many who have interested
themselves in the general traits and habits of any group of the higher
classes of wild animals, there are few who have not found some peculiar-
ity or individuality, transmitted or acquired, in an isolated example of
some species or other. It is impossible to detect such so-called eccen-
tricities unless the observer be familiar with the regular habits of the
species, and even then it may prove to be the rule under different sur-
roundings, when it is the exception in the locality in which the observa-
tions were made. I will relate two instances of marked departure from

Bulletin No. r2. Fi

the normal traits, neither of which have I seen duplicated in the eight
years succeeding. Both the enactors belong to the Sparrow family.
The first may be easily explained on the score of heredity ; the second is
not so easy, as the motive is not so evident, possibly owing to my lack of
personal knowledge of the habits of the bird in its summer home.

On June 22, 88, I discovered an undersized nest of the Chipping
Sparrow, six feet above the ground on a dead and exposed branch of a
peach tree. The bird sitting on two small young, almost let me put
my hand on her before she cast herself off and down upon the ground,
there fluttering along in exactly the manner of a Vesper Sparrow when
flushed from her young. She soon came back and rested on a branch
quite near me. Some of our tree-nesting Thrushes will sometimes
go through similar antics upon being startled from their nests, especially
when they have newly hatched young. Does not this point toward
strictly terrestial proclivities of the parent stock? In all the cases I can
_ recall, where the various species of a family nest indifferently on the
ground or above it, the latter is unquestionably the advancement, either
from the increase and variety of sites or the superior cunning and craft
requisite to construct it.

The second incident occurred on October 4th of the same year. A
White-throated Sparrow, skulking close up to a row of bean stalks, came
out almost under my feet and ran for some distance in advance of me before
flushing to a bush where it sat scolding me in so earnest a manner that I
instinctively began search for its nest, which of course was not found. I
repassed the same spot three or four times during the course of the after-
noon and presumably the same bird repeated this performance every
time. Icannot reconcile its presence and actions at this particular spot

to a desire for either food or shelter.
Frank L. Burns, Berwyr, Pa.

NOTES FROM CINCINNATUS, N. Y.. PILEATED WoopPECKER, Ceofhloeus
pileatus. On September 30, a fine female Pileated Woodpecker was
brought me, and on October 26 I secured a male bird. Ten years ago
this bird was almost unknown in this section but is now a fairly common
resident, known to breed here. I know of at least a dozen being killed
in this vicinity in the last three years.

AMERICAN GOSHAWK, <Accifter atricapillus.—October 24, a female
American Goshawk was brought me. As far as I am aware this is the
first record of the occurrence of this species in this immediate vicinity.
The bird was killed in Chenango county about two miles from the Cort-
land county line.

8 Bulletin won we."

Within the past half dozen years a Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) |

and a Barn Owl (Strix fratincola) have been taken just in the edge of
the same county.
H. C. Hiceins, Cincinnatus, VOY.

NoTES FROM LA CRESCENT, MINN., SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER AND NOVEM-
BER, 1896.—CAaSPIAN TERN, Sterna tschegrava.—Saw eight flying south
on the 14th and twenty on the 15th of Sept. The last flock stayed ona
sand-bar in the Mississippi for about half an hour.

GREAT BLUE HERON, Ardea herodias.—More than the usual number
seen this month; mostly young birds. A few still present in the river
bottoms in October.

AMERICAN OspREy, Landion haliaetus carolinensis.—A good many
seen in the southern part of this county along the Mississippi.

MyrTLe WarBLER, Dendroica coronata.—Not so many this fall as
last. Saw the most on Sept. 22nd.

TREE SpaRROw, SAzzella monticola.—Seen everywhere during October,
and until Nov. 15. Very few Nov. 30.

BLUEBIRD, Stadia szalis. Only one bird seen in Sept.

Junco, /Junco hiemaliés.—Seen everywhere during October, and until
Nov. 15. Very few Nov. 30.

Fox Sparrow, fasserella tlaca.—Commenced to arrive from the
north yabout Sept zéth, Present everywhere in our bottoms during
October.

WHITE-THROATED Sparrow, Zonotrichia ailbicollis.—Few seen with
the Fox Sparrow. Present during October.

RUBY-THROATED HLUMMINGBIRD, 7Z7vochilus colubris.—One seen on
Sept. 29th. Notas many seen the past season as usual.

AMERICAN Crow, Corvus ameritcanus.—More seen than usual in
Sept. Seem to be increasing in this locality.

DOUBLE-CRESTED CoRMORANT, Phalacrocorax dilopus.—Quite a num-
ber were noticed going south about the 15th of October.

RING-BILLED GuLL, Larus delawarensts. Some flocks have been
seen along the rivér as late as Nov. 8th, going south.

Loon, Urinator imber.—Only two have been noticed in October.
Last on Nov. 8.

Am. Coot, /ulica americana.—Last on Nov. 12.

Canava Goose, Aranta canadeasis.—A few flocks seen flying south
in October ; the last Nov. 8th.

MaLiarD, Anas boschras.—Last on Nov. roth.

Bulletin No. Vib hs 9

RuBY- AND GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, Regulus calendula and
satrapfa.—Are seen and heard in the woods. Seem to be about the
same number as last season.

Rusty BLacxksirD, Scolecophagus ferrugineus.—Were seen in small
flocks during October. Last Nov. 12.

RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, 4gelazus Phoniceus.—Were with us in large
flocks during October.

BRONZED GRACKLE, Quzscalus quiscula aeneus.—Present in large

flocks during October.
Wuit Harrison, La Crescent, Alinn.

_ WHERE THE JuNcos Roost.—Jn a hilly piece of woodland near here
the banks in many places are so steep that the earth slides down, leaving
an overhanging fringe of roots and rootlets, covered above with mould
and fallen leaves—a continuation of the surface soil of the hill-tops.
Within these cave-like places the Juncos roost in considerable numbers,
probably all within reasonable distances of the banks, and apparently

occupy them all winter.
J. C. GaLttoway, Jontgomery, O.

THE AMERICAN LONG-EARED OWL IN CONFINEMENT DRINKS WATER.—
An American Long-eared Owl was taken on May 25th last, together
with four others, from an old crow's nest in a deep tamarack swamp in
Jackson county. They were apparently about two weeks old and yet in the
down. The individual in question was kept alive and christened ‘‘Soc-
crates”, while his four less fortunate brothers and sisters with the parent
bird were made ready for the skin shelves. Now I had kept Great
Horned Owls, and Screech Owls for over two years at a time and never
had I known one to drink water nor had they an opportunity to do so if
they wished. Socrates was kept for about six months in our cellar and
well fed with mice, sparrows and red squirrels, bits of meat, etc., and he
thrived and grew. One day a dish of water chanced in his presence and
he placed himself in the three inches of water, drank very heartily, tak-
ing long gulps and then raising the head and swallowing as do the ordi-
nary fowls. Since then he has been regularly provided with water, and he
seems to want it as would acanary or goldfinch. He is now ina spacious
cage, a hearty undisputed example of a survivor of total abstinence of
water (not fire water, but aqua pura, H,O). Let the camel ‘‘look to his
laurels.”” Query, do owls and hawks at large and in confinement usually

drink and do they need to do so?
L. WHITNEY WATKINS, Alanchester, Mich.

10 Bulletin No. 12.
Mr. Benjamin T. Gault, Glen Ellyn, Ill., writes: ‘‘I saw two Mea-

dowlarks here on the 1oth of January, and a large flock of Canada Geese
on the 15th. Unusual winter visitors here.

EDITORIAL.

The year just closed has been the most prosperous one in the history
of the Chapter, both financially and intellectually. Increased interest in
the study of the birds has resulted in a larger paid up membership than
for any previous year. There has been a marked tendency toward in-
quiry into the inner life of birds, an intelligent effort to search out the
cause of any action while seeking a closer acquaintanee with each bird.
An accurate record of the migrations, the song, the food, the nesting, the
eggs and the many other characteristics which we are wont to notice,
will always be useful, but we need to look beyond these external things
into the life of the bird and determine, if we can, why these things are so.
We are just beginning to learn that the real problems of bird life are
more than skin deep. The old grind that a ‘bird in the hand is worth
two in the bush’ may still apply to other things, but it certainly does not
apply to the birds. We.want to know them, not simply their skins.
May the coming year see still greater advance in this good work.

An invitation has been received to attend the January meeting of the
Cooper Ornithological Club at the residence of our fellow member, Mr.
Chester Barlow, 529 South Fourth street, San Jose, Calif., which met on
January 9. | Among the papers presented is one on the ‘‘Habits of the
Red-bellied Hawk” by another fellow member, Mr. Henry Ward Carri-
ger. This live club is doing good work.

PUBLICATIONS (RECEIVER:

The Oologist, Vol. 1X. No. 1. Frank H. Lattin, Albion, N. Y.

Bulletin of the U. S. National Museum No. 49. A Bibliography of
the Published Writings of Philip Lutley Sclater, by G. Brown Goode.

The lowa Orinthologist. Vol. I. No. 4., Oct. 1896. David L. Sav-
age, Salem, Ia.

The fern Bulletin, Vol. V. No. 1., Jan. 1897. W. N, Clute aie
hamitons NEW.

we SP eg.
‘ oaths
.

Bulletin No. 72. Et

The Museum, Vol. II. No. 12, Vol. III. Nos. 1, 2, and 3, Oct., Nov.,
amageiee. 1500, jan. 1897.- W. EF. Webb, Albion, N.Y.

Meemngarolas7s:,-Vol. IV. Nos. 2; 3, 4, and. 5, Oct:, Nov. Dec.,
poop jan, 18907. H. R. Taylor, Alameda, Calif.

The Osprey, Vol. I. Nos. 4 and 5, Dec., 1896, Jan., 1897. W. A.
Johnson, Galesburg, Ill.

The Observer, Vol. VII. Nos. 11 and 12, Nov. and Dec. 1896. E.
F. Bigelow, Portland, Conn. We are pleased to see this popular
magazine again in the field, and wish it a long and useful career.

SOEPRICERS, ‘COMMITTEES. AND MEMBERS.

memcoi tee N SLTONS, os Sines soup eons oe sles ele Oberlin, Ohio.
Maeeearardens ——N- Hollister, - 62. 60.008 oc kek Delavan, Wis.
Berner —|. E. Dickinson,..... 1122 S. Winnebago St., Rockford, Ill.
meses? -— yNGS JOMES,! ou ee eg oe Museum, Oberlin, Ohio.
Executive Council.—John H. Sage, H. C. Oberholser, W. I. Mitcheil.
COMMITTEES.

The Migartions of the Warblers.—J]. E. Dickinson, 1122 S. Winnebago

NE ee CTS a ahd anu e NS Slates pie at) obs ela alte Rockford, Ill.
The Nesting of the Warblers.—H. C. Higgins,..... Cincinnatus, New,
The Food and Song of the Warblers.—Lynds Jones,....Oberlin, Ohio.
Weomiceeey. rami, Burns, 39. Shieh ol meine eee Berwyn, Pa.
Nestling Down.—Howard P. Mitchell,............. Mt. Sterling, Wis.
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; ACTIVE MEMBERS.

aI See |S pela! 25 bes 2a w laps, Se dhe wie E,- dialed 4 > © wires Cornish, Me.
eigen WEStEK © 62 ffo5 ox a 45 « ood « sxe che we 529 S. 4th St., San Jose, Calif.
Bartsch, Paul,....Box 189, U. S. National Museum, Washington, D. C.
[Sec pecs. [Eee Saeed OG Peete BOR eee ee eer Miller’s Corners, N. Y.
pl LCOS ee cre Se oN 2 NS thie de ‘ahs els mune o\g Taunton, Mass.
LE LPRWBIAE., " LLTABNG/S 1S FRB Dis Aili Sie ae ae SR Columbia, Pa.
LEONG, (TES ge a eee ea Wethersfield, Conn.
CEASE) CER CAA AE he Ree LS ed Milton Junction, Wis.
JETS 5. UE eA A aes gl eae ee Pee eS Berwyn, Pa.
ems IP NOMCS |.) 300s 5 pe nyse oh apie tees 200 Honore St., Chicago, Ill.
eG NAI Se ET 0S Ag 2 ai ee» ioe Sele a BAL dw, oj sama Wady Petra, Ill.
ape DG Ise bes) [dips coo avey s,s date te Wale asd wee ms Germantown, Pa.
Phe my int sn el Bae Oy a ee ee) a Oberlin, Ohio.
SEIGUST ENTS TIE 5 |) a 1122 S. Winnebago St., Rockford, IIl.
Paw can agent teil ino sp daha opti label eile a) <widiie = so pigsle Montgomery, Ohio.
er sea te yes cham piisiee, ene eis Gimewa pitas ayare at Sin aa Ble oes Glen Ellyn, Il.
aH Ran UM MLAB O AS MN tae E cali, of ate avai sak SZ wo dyslel oars s Cincinnatus, N. Y.
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12 Bulletin: Mowwr.

NaCon S 5 i], WW ana eris oat OE os ep cab te cate gee oe tiem Waynesburgh, Pa.
omies heya sya." Mp clam shes, der apa Rhee ec ee i Museum, Oberlin, Ohio.
yones) Olver WV.) fan chi. ates 1101 Logan Ave., N. Minneapolis, Minn.
Sia, WO ra WE Ree weet, eer em te 384 Hammond St., Bangor, Me.
Haw, \] oUGeNe, | ies. ee So sie eS oa ee Cae ee ee Perry, Iowa.
Nicieoutly CO 1): Wu, cats ia e sinve Gorceie Als meee Muskegon, Mich. —
ireMell yay alton la. 0 ee eee Re ee 534 Summit Ave., St. Paul. Minn.
Mitchell Eloward Py potiicc: Ste Mt. Sterling, Crawford Co., Wis.
Sots, MAC Pie Wig hice dye etotete, Pate Meo Box 555. Hanover, N. H.
@bernoliser, HMC esa ee. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.
ROD allio Parana, eh sn eu e are scp, Seema Sho ae leas 2 IS rr Gay’s Mills, Wis.
BliMelich) INV NCS as UN EUS fap rele Mont kL a ea Port Sanilac, Mich.
RBSeIES EGON IS dca tit oh. deaths chu gids sey allot ha ce ge Box 117, DeWitt, Neb.
ERS peer COL MD) 5, Wels Ee Meenas fae ES 230 Liberty St., Salem, Ore.
HE AMOK AG Mes aso ca aad eaten Moms nek The Pines, Kennett Square, Penn.
S)VCER I 6) SO & DRIES hy Re ME COMME MAEM Cs Portland, Conn. |
Sawacey Dawid de. ae tane tis shih iw «aera Nita Scare ae Salem, Iowa.
SAV ALC, s AMES, foe eretar Sa Rha Secs aA rates 134 Abbott St., Buffalo, Nv Y:
SEMA ay Ll, Lae eyabae, nay et td la 428 Michigan St., Detroit, Mich.
SMEARS VN .. Ley hone Rea ie aoa Oe ale cus Medical College, Galveston, Texas.
SBROW G7 ER Nhe die Ms nth» ake serie eae hid pepe ie ate er Oberlin, Ohio.
MiSerit Wold eit: eis Sst ee ere ae «Sy Seat tu beenee East Hartford, Conn.
GDR Ngee) e000 BERR Se ay ae ecate a Aen Re ok SR MA 1 Bt Box 1620, Rockford, Il.
Refer Wt tale ED Le Lie Neat aitae sg eels) «eile ees) Sane eee Vans Harbor, Mich.
Railay uA Tlie Ge? hay nara dak, SS ae ae Mt. Pleasant) Sa CG.
NAVAIUSYOy Mars Oleh Sh Ze Ui Sin arte Rergenge Rey: ace eae 420 South ro St., St. Joseph, Mo.

HONORARY MEMBERS.
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WANTE D! Clean, unbound back numbers of the 4k, and
Ornithologist and Oologist. Will pay good cash

prices for the right numbers.—HeEnry R. Buck, Wethersfield, Conn.

3
Bs

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om 2

Ay

‘in situ.” Subscription only one dollar with premiums to every sub-

2000 to be (DNS as Remit to "

Founded September, 1893.

Edited and published by H. R. Taylor, associated with Dr. ae WwW.
Shufeldt of the Smithsonian .Institute. Presents a charming menu on
good reading every month for lovers of Nature and Birds. Its illustra-_ :
tions are gee living birds in their native haunts and nests and eggs

scriber. Photographs of a “ve California Condor, now in capes

H.R. TAYLOR, or THE NIDOLOGIST, Manta, california,
THE STORY al
OF THE gee
FARALLONES. 4

A BEAUTIFUL SOUVENIR. 3

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BY H. R. TAYLOR AND C. BARLOW. __

The Farallone Islands, the ‘‘Paradise of Oologists,’’ and the greatest Ornithological —
wonder in America today, have never been fully described or illustrated. _Farallone
Island has been visited by but a hand full among the thousands of collectors who
have read of the marvellous myriads of the bird tribe which make it yee summer f2
breeding home. oe

The Story of the Farallones is an elegant souvenir, with artistic cover, printed on
heavy coated paper, profusely illustrated with the finest half-tones that can be made, |
graphically presenting the picturesque features of the Islands, with their countless
Gulls, Cormorants, Murres, Puffins, Petrels, Pigeon Guillemots, etc.

One large illustration presents a panoramic view of South Farallone Island. show-
ing it complete from Fisherman’s Bay and Arch Rock to South Landing, and extend- __ |
ing to the ‘‘bridge over Jordan’’—a most ingeniously conceived picture from ‘unpub- |
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PRICE 50 CENTS. pee
Address all orders to H. R. TAYLOR, Alameda, California, |

»

See

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DR SR oe eG 2 ph fk Bla
ban tee h So renee Sh ia cys ret en St. i Ya Ge

" aon Z hee Fk, ca ea." i =" “ ‘
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a ~The Wilson Ornithological Chapter

of the Agassiz Association.

Issued Bi-Monthly as the Official
Organ of the Chapter.

EDITED BY LYNDS JONES.

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OBERLIN, QCHIO.
~ftes—_ — Marchi 30, 1897.

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GENERAL =
|

VOLE A

MAJOR CHARLES

E. BENDIRE.

‘

MadOn CARLES. E. BENDIRE.

The Wilson Orinthological Chapter mourns the loss of Major Charles
E. Bendire, an Honory member, who died at Jacksonville, Florida, Feb-
ruary 4th, 1897, of Bright’s disease. He had removed to Florida in the
hope that the genial climate might stay the progress of the disease, but
he died only five days after leaving Washington.

Major Bendire was born in Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, April 27,
1836, came to this country in 1852, and in 1854 enlisted as a private in
Company D of the 1st Dragoons, United States Army. After serving
for many years with distinction and rising to the rank of Captain, he was

_ retired iu 1886 on account of an injury to his knee. In 1890 he again

took the field and was brevetted Major for gallant services in fighting the

Indians at Canon Creek, Montana, on September 13, 1877. He com-
_ bined the characteristics of fearlessness with sound sense, always dealing

out justice to wrong doers, and always respecting the rights of both In-

_dians and Whites. He was both respected and feared by the Indians,

who knew they could expect only justice from the White Chief. He
never treated them unjustly.

Of Major Bendire’s contributions to science, it is enough to mention his
two unequalled volumes of ‘‘Life Histories of North American Birds.’
Never. since Audubon, Wilson and Nuttall has any such comprehensive
work been attempted, and Major Bendire’s extensive field experience and
intimate association with nature eminently fitted him to undertake so
great a task. It is not too much to say that these two volumes have
never been equalled in completeness and accuracy of treatment of the
habits of the species discussed. Our loss is the more keenly felt when
we realize that we cannot now look forward to the succeeding volumes
which he had planned and hoped to finish. These volumes and the col-
lections of the eggs of North American birds in the United States
National Museum, of which he was the Honorary Curator, and of which
his personal collection donated to the Museum formed so large a part,
will forever stand as monuments to his untiring devotion to the cause of
science.

The excellent portrait of Major Bendire, which appears as frontispiece
in this issue, is by the kindness of Mr. Walter A. Johnson, editor of 7he
Osprey, Galesburg, Illinois. It was made about 1884.

14 Bulletin Noo?

THE BIRDS AT “HOME:

I have been surprised at the tameness of- wild birds here in our woods.
Perhaps you do not know that I am living in the midst of woods, and
many of the wood birds are familiar everyday visitors at my door. The
outlet from our spring spreads out into shallow pools, and in places just
covers the dead leaves with an inch or two of watef ; across this is a fal-
len tree—now moss-grown, anda tiny bridge. It makes an ideal bathing
place for the birds, and last April and May I spent hours in my hammock
watching them, and found it the best place to see them all that could be
found.

One day I noticed how close to me a Wood Thrush came, hopping on
the ground, and pausing to look at me, but ever coming nearer. Sud-
denly it picked up a dead leaf and flew with it into a small hemlock about
three yards off, and then I discovered that Madame Thrush was building

i

anest there. After that for two days she worked hard carrying mud and ~

leaves and not minding in the least that I was so near.
A Black-throated Green-back Warbler, in gathering materials for her
nest, came right under my hammock (when I was in it) picking up hairs

from the horses, which she gathered until she had six or eight, sticking

out of her bill both sides, and about four or five inches long. Then
twice in flying back and forth to her nest she passed so close to my face
that I felt the wind from her wings, and the sound from those tiny wings
was like the roar of the wind in the distance. It seemed incredible that
so small a creature could make such a commotion.

This little warbler was especially fearless. Once one flew toward me

and poised on wing a few inches from me as if to find out what I really

was, I saw it do the same thing several times before alighting on a tree.
It would hang suspended in the air by the rapid beating of its wings,
as a Hummingbird does before a flower.

Many of the other birds who came to bathe paid no attention to me
but dressed their feathers in the tree over my head, or just in front of
me. One bird alone tried to slip by unseen, or flew away at the slightest
movement; this was the Chewink, or Towhee. But the Scarlet Tanager
flashed his fire before me recklessly, the Rose-breasted Grosbeak also, and
the Thrush, Oven-bird, White-crowned and White-throated Sparrows,
Chickadee, Nuthatches, Goldfinch, Indigobird, Phoebe, Pewee, Crested
Flycatcher, and many warblers and vireos came daily.

Do you know that nearly all the birds go down for a second dip? Af-

Medel ten IV ODF 15

ter one bath and preening the feathers sometime, back they go for

another plunge and such spattering and shaking of wings! They bathe

just as a canary does in its bath tub.

Mrs. T. D. DERSHIMER, Square 7opf, Wyoming Co., Penn.

( GENERAL NOTES.

Somaterta dresseri Sharpe, BREEDING ALONG THE MAINE CoastT.—
The American Eider formerly nested in considerable numbers along the

‘Maine coast, but of late years they have been sadly reduced in numbers

during the breeding season, although they still continue to be common
winter residents. In 1895, at least ten pairs of these birds were nesting on
various small islands near Isle au Haut. In June, 1896, I again visited
the haunts of the Eiders and found evidence of only seven pairs having
nested. On a small rocky ledge, covered with a scanty growth of Cow
Parsnip (Heracleum lanatum Michx). I found evidences of there hav-
ing been three nests, but some fisherman had robbed them of their eggs
long before my visit. On another island, visited the same day, I found
two nests seemingly ready for eggs, but saw no evidences of the birds
in the vicinity. - The nests of these birds are, however, readily distin-
guishable by the down in them, and by being situated on islands not
frequented by other ducks, except the Red-breasted Merganser, the nest
of whch is easily distinguishable.

A few days previous, on June 2oth, well over toward Little Duck Is-
land, I had found a nest with a partially incubated set of five eggs of the
Eider, and this was the only nest found of this species containing eggs. It
was found by flushing the female and was in plain view, being placed on
the bare rock, near the point of the island. - This was an unusual situa-
tion, as the: nests of this species found elsewhere were fairly well con- °
cealed in the shelter of the various plants growing on the islands. An
empty nest found this same day was also well hidden in the midst of
a clump of Cow Parsnips. This plant seems to be a favorite hiding
place for the nests of Eiders and Red-breasted Mergansers, but the fish-
ermen are keen egg hunters so that the nests of both species are often
robbed to form a welcome accession to the larder. It is only a question
of a few years when these birds will cease to nest along our coast. _-For-
merly they nested as far west as Muscongus Bay, while now Isle au Haut
is their western limit. To the eastward of this they still appear in deci-
mated numbers.

“J ‘- % 2 of oy
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16 Bulletin No WT:

The nests are composed almost entirely of the dark-colored down from
the breast of the female bird, and in her absence the eggs are usually cov-
ered with this down, which is done by the birds pulling the sides of the
nest together over them. The eggs, which I mention finding on June 20,
are of a greenish drab color, and measure 2.99 x 2.07, 3.04 X 2.00, 3.05 x

PROM ta LZ), OAH ANG BLOG 21as-
O. W. Knicut, Bangor, Waine.

Brunnicwu’s Murre, Urita lomvia, ON LAKE Er1iz.—Writing under
date of February 5th and March ist, Prof. E. L. Moseley, of Sandusky,
Ohio, announces the capture of three specimens of this species on San-
dusky Bay, December 19, 1896. The specimens have been carefully ex-
amined by him, and prove to be in immature plumage.

The entry of two specimens of U7-¢a ¢voz/e under date of Decamiber 18,
1896, on a migration schedule forwarded by Rey. J. M. Keck, of Mentor,
Ohio, ied to an inquiry which happily resulted in the purchase of the one
specimen taken. Through the courtesy of Mr. H. F. Lapham, of Paines-
ville, Ohio, who prepared the skin, it is now the property of the Oberlin
College Museum. Careful examination of the specimen proves it to be
an immature Brunnich’s Murre, U77a /fomvia. It was captured on Lake
Erie near Painesville, Ohio. These two records, and the capture of
Uria troile at Gibralter, Mich., as recorded in the Bulletin of the Michi-
gan Orinthological Club, Vol. I., No. 1, page 10, indicate a decided in-
land movement of these closely related species.

Lynps JonES, Oberlin, Ohzo.

THE Lark Sparrow's SonG.—A few Lark Sparrows are seen here
every year during the spring migrations, and they seem to be getting
more common yearly. I have seen none during the breeding season, but
cannot say positively that they do not breed here. In 1895 I took some
notes on the songs of a single individual. A noticeable feature was the
frequency of harsh notes resembling ‘‘kah.”” Some of the songs resemble
much the songs of the domestic canary, another is somewhat like the
song of thé Orchard Oriole. One song may be characterized by: ‘‘Che
che che wee wewewe chee kah,” the wee with a rising inflection.
Another is: ‘‘Cher whee, cher yer yer whee cher ver yer.” Another,
very similar: ‘‘Cher cher whee, cher yer yer chee whe whe whe”
All songs are uttered rapidly and easily, and these given are among the
most simple ; the others were many of them too complex to be recorded

wtth accuracy.
J. C. Gattoway, Alontogomery, Ohio.

Bulletin No. £3. ) 17

NOTES FROM WISCONSIN ; AMERICAN GOSHAWK, Acc7piler atricapil-

lus.—That rare and ferocious bird, the Goshawk,’ made its first appear-

<¥

aia

ance, to my personal knowledge, in this locality the present winter. The
_ first was seen in the early part of November. Two others were seen
later, one of which was killed. They were very daring and persistent in

their attacks upon the poultry, returning day after day and often
not without success.

REDPOLL, Acanthis linarta.—In the winter of 1896 the Common Red- .
poll came under my observation for the first time, there being several
small flocks in this locality. Perhaps they were common in previous

winters, but owing to their resemblance to the Goldfinch at a distance,

were not noticed. They are quite abundant this winter, being the charac-
teristic bird of weedy fields and hedge rows.

CEDAR WAXWING, Amfelis cedvorum.—The Cedar Waxwing is becom-
ing more abundant every year. Large flocks are often seen on Cedar and
Siberian crab trees.

LapLtanp Lonaspur, Calcarius lapponicus.—A few Lapland Longspurs
have been observed.

- GOLDEN EAGLE, Aguzla chrysaetos.—Occasionally seen soaring about
the points overlooking our small streams.
Howarp P. Mircuei., 47. Sterling; Crawford Co., Wrs.

NoTEes FROM NORTHERN ILLINOIS. — AMERICAN GOSHAWK, Accrpiter
atricapillus.—An adult male shot in this (Winnebago) county on Janu-
ary 18, 1897. This is the first record I have of its occurrence here.

CANADA GoosE, Branta canadensts.—Quite common this winter, but
very few are taken.

REDPOLL, Acanthis linaria, were noted November 3, 1896, when they
were quite common on a creek bottom in company with Goldfinches.
They were very wild but several were taken, among them one red male.
All taken were arta. A few were again noted January 12, and Janu-
BryoLS, 1897.

SNOWFLAKE, /%leclrophenax ntivalis.—A few Snowflakes were reported
February 3, 1897. White-bellied Nuthatches and Titmice are more com-
mon this winter than usual and are more frequently seen within the city.

Prairie Chickens are as common as usual, while Bob-whites are on the
increase, but the Ruffed Grouse will, I fear, soon be a bird of the past
in this county.

AN UNUSUAL (?) WINTER PLUMAGE OF THE GOLDFINCH. —A neighbor of
mine has a female Goldfinch which he slightly wounded and captured

18 : Bulletin No. F3.

two years ago. The first winter he assumed the usual winter dress, but —
this year he still has on his yellow dress and black cap. This is the first

instance of the kind that ever came to my notice. Have you ever ob-
served it with captive birds ?

An UNUSAL NEST OF THE CRESTED FLYCATCHER.—June gth, 1895, I
took a set of five fresh eggs of this species from a fence post beside a
a railroad. The nest was discovered when I was climbing the fence,
using the post as an aid. Neither parent was observed at all, though the
eggs were left until several hours later. They were placed on a soft bed
fifteen inches within the post and were reached from the top. The con-
struction of this nest is as peculiar as its location, consisting of a mat of
cedar bark, a large tuft of hair from Gray Rabbit, (Z. svlwaticus); a
quantity from Muskrat, (/. 27zbefhicus) ; several large tufts from the
Woodchuck, (A. movax) and about thirty feathers of the Mourning Dove.
The hair is all in tufts as though taken from a dead body. The eggs are

in all respects typical. :
J. E. Dickinson, Rockford, 11.

Notes From Missourr.—February roth, For the last night or so
some kinds of birds have been going over here in large numbers, as their
notes could be heard quite plainly.

February 25th. The birds were going over again tonight in large num-
bers. AsI was returning home about midnight their notes could be
heard very plainly. They had chosen cold weather for their migrating
as the temperture was down almost to zero and snow was falling.
The next morning was rather foggy and they were still passing over but I
could not distinguish their species, and I have been unable to go into the

country to see what kinds they were.
SIDNEY S. Witson, Sf. Joseph, Mo.

Notes FROM OSAWATOMIE, KANSAS.—BIRDS AND NESTS DESTROYED BY
A FLoop.—The nesting season for the small birds in the vicinity of Osa-
watomie, Kans., was practically ruined last year (1896). Osawatomie lies.
between two rivers, viz., the Marais des Cygnes and the Pottawatomie.
The former forms the northern boundary of the city, while the latter is
located one fourth of a mile south of town. The Pottawatomie flows
into the Marais des Cygnes river east of town. On the afternoon of May
22, the Pottawatomie commenced to rise about 4 P..M. and by g Pp. Mo. the
whole valley was a sheet of water two and three miles wide in the widest
places. Thousands of both eggs and young birds were destroyed by the
flood.

.

Bulletin NOT 3: 19

® Aw Usuar NEstT oF PROTHONOTARY WaARBLER.—On June 15, 1896, a
_ farmer’s boy reported to me a strange bird that had built a nest in the
_ front gate-post on their farm. A few days later I chanced to visit the
"nest, which proved to be that of the Prothonotary Warbler (Pr-ofonotarta
_ citrea) containing five half fledged young. The nest was fifty yards from
_ the river, and the bank of the river at that place is twenty-one feet above
the level of the water, there being no water nearer than the river. The
_ post in which the nest was built stood within a few feet of an often trav-
-elled public road. The excavation was formerly that of a woodpecker.
AN ALBINO ENGLISH SPARROW.—While passing along the Mo. P. R. R.
¢ on Dec. 16, 1895, I was surprised to see an albino English Sparrow light
" within a few feet of me where I could examine it carefully. It was a fe-
male in the adult plumage. The secondaries, primaries and bastard

.

wing were of a dull white color; the rest of the wing was normal
The outer tail feathers were a dirty white, and the two middle
tail feathers a dusky brown and ash color tipped one third the way with
white. On January roth, 1897, I noticed the same bird in almost the
_ same spot that I saw it on December 19, 1896.
On Feb. 5th, ‘97, I noticed two female Bluebirds in town. Since that
date they have been increasing in numbers until at the present date they
are quite abundant in town and also the country.

W.S. CoLvin, Osazwatomic, Kans.

NOTES FROM OREGON. DwarF HERMIT THRUSH, 72urdus aonalasch-
kae, was first seen April 2, 1895, and not more than five or six were seen
during the spring. It does not stop here to breed and seems very shy.
On January 8, 1897, I secured a specimen, in a dark fir woods, which
was in good plumage. I think that it is not uncommon for them to win-
ber here.

RUSSET-BACKED THRUSH. TZzrdus ustulatus.—In 1896 the Russet-
backed Thrush was first seen May 11. This is the most common thrush
in western Oregon. From the Cascades to the coast nearly every swamp
and thicket is the summer home of a pair. I think the nest and eggs are
too well known for me to try to describe them. Ido not think Audubon

could describe the song. The bird always seems to try to do his best,
sometimes getting in a note like the Wood Thrush. But with all its
sweetness I am not sure that the song does not give him pain. It only
makes one wish that he could hear 7. mustelinus. 1 have seen the
bird here as late as the first of October.

20 Bulletin NOV LZ.
SHORT NO PES:

PURPLE GALLINULE, /onornts martinica, on Sandusky Bay, April 28,
1896. Prof. E. L. Moseley, Sandusky, Ohio.

A Rep CrossBILL appeared at Glen Ellyn, Illinois, February 19. This
is my first Glen Ellyn record. Benjamin T. Gault.

Mourning Dove, Rusty Grackle and Pine Siskin on the shore of Lake

Erie, 12 miles north of Oberlin, February 13, and Bluebird, February

17, are the earliest Oberlin records. Lynds Jones.

Robins and Purple Grackles fairly common here February 19, exactly
20 days before the first were seen by me last year. Russell Gray, Phila-
delphia, Pa.

Migrations opened at Wady Petra, Illinois, February 28, with the ar-
rival of a Bobin. March 8, Meadowlarks, Red-tailed Hawks, Mourning
Dove, Killdeer, were recorded. Virginius H. Chase.

EDITORIAL.

WueErRE Doers JuNco Koosr ?—A number of replies have been received
answering this question, but before the answers are published there
should be many more of them. Does Sunco pass the winter in your
vicinity ? Ifso, where does he roost during the night and in stormy
weather ? Answers to these two questions should be sent to the editor
at once from every member. In this way the exact range of Junco
for the past winter can be determined.

PINE SISKIN, Sfzzus finus.—Early in the winter it was known that.
the Siskins were making a phenomenal movement southward. They
were recorded in central Missouri and other localities where their pres-
ence was looked upon as unusual at least. Mr. Arthur T. Wayne, of Mount
Pleasant, South Carolina, writes as follows : ‘The Siskins were here in
enormous flocks in December, 1896. They fed upon the seeds of the
Sweet Gum, also in Short-leaf Pines. My first specimen was shot from
the top of a pine 125 feet up. This is the #vs¢ record of the capture of
this bird here since Audubon found them near Charleston in 1833. The
first Siskin was taken December 12, but the birds arrived in November.’

Nearly all reports indicate that the Siskins flock with Goldfinch.
The question naturally arises, is it not possible that Siskins are present
more often than we suspect, being mistaken for the Goldfinch? More

-

§
Fs
rr

S50 EEN Soi lng: ge

PAG? — —

ee

Bulletin No. 13. 25

careful attention to the supposed flocks of Goldfinches will settle this
point.
Mr. Wayne also reports a nest with ‘two eggs very much addled, of the
Bald Eagle, February 3, 1897.
Lynps JONES, Oberlin, Ohio.

Mr. James Newton Baskett sends the following interesting letter :

You ask for a note, or so. I can only say that Iam much surprised
that the fly-catching habit of the Red-headed Woodpecker should be
noted as anything new, as stated in BULLETIN 7, page 5, since it has been
familiar to me all my life. I am sure there must be some mistake about

Dr. Merriam being the first to observe this or even note it, since [ am

impressed with having seen it of record somewhere, before we had an
Agricultural Department. In the South the boys have a trick of hurling
a small stone almost vertically upward past the woodpecker’s perch (when
they note him at the aerial flycatching) and he will sometimes fly at the
stone in its descent and be so stunned by it as to fall.

So, likewise, the foster brother act, noted by Mr. W. L. Dawson,
BULLETIN 10, page 4, is not so rare as thought. I have seen Redbirds
and others assisting other species of birds in feeding their young. In a
cage in my own family, a Redbird (Cardinal) of the year took charge at
once of an orphan canary placed with him, and fed it all its food. He
was in every respect quite motherly, and the canary, besides it own song,
learned that of its foster brother. See similar instance of wren in Osfvevy,
January, 1897.

JAmeEs NewTon Baskett, J/exrco, Al7ssour.

THE SWALLOW REPORT.

It is a pleasure to me to extend my sincere thanks to the many persons,
members and others (and why not members ?), who have so kindly aided
me in my work with notes and suggestions. My correspondence has been
so great and my time so limited that I have failed to answer many of the
letters. In addition to those answered I have received valuable notes
from Joseph Grinnell, Horace A. Gaylord, C. D. McLouth, George
D. Peck, J. Eugene Law and N. Hollister, who would have received
prompt thanks but for the rush of business. I need notes particularly
from the Middle and Gulf states and Canada. Please send in what notes
you now have on hand and gain as many more as possible this season.

a2 Duiletin. NOe ty

Don’t wait until next fall before writing, as this report will be ready for
publication in December, and what notes I have now I can work up at my

leisure. I would ask all to observe rather than collect. A live bird pos-
sesses hundreds of possibilities for the student that a dead one does not.
If you'chance to live near a colony of Barn or Cliff Swallows you will
find the egg shells which the parent birds throw out; preserve these,
they are nearly as valuable for study as the finest prepared specimens.
In conclusion I would say, don’t take too much pains in arranging your
notes, or in the choice of paper. (Still I appreciate a finely arranged re-
port.) One acquaintance used brown paper and lead pencil, but his

notes were of almost priceless worth in the preparation of the report.
STEPHEN J. ADAms, Cornish, Me., Chatrman.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON MIGRATIGK:

There have not been as many notes sent in on the migrations of 1896
as were expected, though many are much fuller than usual. There is a
disposition among observers to refrain from sending in notes because they
may not be complete. This isa mistake, as such a note as this, which was

’

received last year, ‘‘Yellow Warbler, May 4,” may be of much value.
We have a number of reports from observers who are not members and
are very thankful for them. The Michigan Ornithological Club, through
its secretary, Mr. Mulliken, has promised its aid, and we request all
Chapter members to render the Club such assistance as they are able.
With such outside assistance and active work on the part of our members,
we hope for much in the future.

J. E. Dickinson, Chatrman.

ELECTION OF NEW MEMBERS:

The following are proposed for membership in the Chapter. For Ac-
tive membership : :

Frank M. Woodruff, Assistant Curator Chicago Academy Sciences.

Henry K. Coales, 136 Washington street, Chicago, Ill.

W. S. Colvin, Osawatomie, Kansas.

For Honorary Membership: Otto Widmann, Old Orchard, Missouri.

Adverse votes should be sent to the Secretary.

Bwiserin ING. la 232

The following Associate members have been received since the last re-
port: -P. M. Silloway, Roodhouse, Il]. ‘L. Whitney Watkins, Man-
chester, Mich.

PUBEICA TIONS RECEIVED.

The Story of the Lirds, by James Newton Baskett, M. A. Thisis the
first of Appleton’s Home Reading Books, which are edited by William T.
Harris, A.M., L.L.D., United States Commissioner of Education. The
-body of the book covers 250 pages exclusive of index, editor’s intro-
duction, author’s preface, anda very helpful ‘‘ Analysis”’ of each chapter

with suggestions for study. The Story of the Birds is told in thirty-two
chapters or subjects, beginning with a discussion of ‘‘A Bird’s Forefathers”’
running through the many problems of the bird’s life up to his Modern
Kinsfolk, ending with ‘‘An Introduction tothe Bird” and ‘‘Acquaintance
‘with the Bird.” The Story is told in a pleasant easy manner, every point

_ clearly stated, every statement based upon some accepted fact. The ar-

‘rangement of the chapters is progressive and logical, and nothing of the
first importance in the life history of the bird is omitted.

There are twenty full page illustrations, besides a full page cut of
Archaeopteryx, and a very instructive diagram of the relationships of the
larger groups ; also some sixty-two well selected cuts in the text. The
typographical appearance is unusually good, and errors are few.

The author’s aim is rather to create and stimulate interest leading to
personal study than to instruct. To awaken a lively interest in the living
bird rather than in the specimen. To induce the inquirer to think out
the problems which cluster about each action of the bird, not being con-
tent to simply discover some new trait or habit or song. To delve deep
for those things which cannot be had for the asking, but which must be
worked for earnestly and faithfully. This has induced the author to de-
part from the usual order, treating all of the birds as a unit instead of
separating group from group. The new order is refreshing to the student,
and cannot but prove stimulating to the beginner or casual enquirer. It
is a departure in the right direction. The time has come when the crit-
ical study of specimens for the purpose of determining the exact status of
any questionable species or form must be left to those who have access to
the collections of large series of specimens which are built up for that
purpose. We have urgent need to study the live bird and let it live for
another to.study. The author of this little book has shown us how to

24. . Bulletin No. Py:

study: the bird and learn its story, in a simple natural manner, giving us.
of his experience as an enquirer of the birds about him in his everyday
life. The book is published by D. Appleton & Co., New York City, and |

sold for $.65.
Birds of the Galapagos Archipelago, by Robert Ridgway. From

the Proceedings of the United States National Museum, Vol. XIX, |

pages 459-070 (with Plates LVI-LVII.)

The Museum, Vol. II, Nos. 4 and 5, February and March, 1897. — |

W. F. Webb, Albion. N. Y.
The Nidologist, Vol. IV, Nos. 6 and 7, February and March, 1897.
H. R. Taylor, Alameda, California.

The Osprey, Vol. 1, Nos. 6 and 7, February and March, 1897. Wal-

ter A. Johnson, Galesburg, Il.

The Oologist, Vol. KIV, Nos. 2 and 3, February and March, 1897. |

Prank. lattim —Albron. N® Ye

Bulletin of the Michigan Ornithological Club, Vol. I, No. 1, January,

1897. . L. Whitney Watkins, Manchester, Mich.

The Asa Gray Bulletin, Vol. V, No. 1, January, 1807. )) VV eine
zie, Agricultural College, Mich.

The Auk, Vol. XIV, No. 1, January, 1897, L. S. Mostes ier York
City.

The lowa Ornithologist, Vol. UII, No. 1, January, 1897. David L, Sav- = |

age, Salem, Iowa.

WANTED | Clean, unbound back numbers of the du, and
° Ornithologist and Oologist. Will pay good cash

prices for the right numbers.—HEnry R. Buck, Wethersfield, Conn.

f | eles
we, Ee

> * .
; aes 6.09

~. °

i.

er ed, eee ae eS ia.
,¥ , Pix . =o di ‘ + ae

-
eS

Sy ae

fae ie ie ah ean i Scrat a rat

; Old Series, Vol. IX. New Series, Vol. IV, No. 3.

The Wilson Ornithological Chapter

of the Agassiz Association.

GENERAL NOTES.

Issued Bi-Monthly as the Official
Organ of the Chapter.

EDITED BY LYNDS JONES.

Subscription 50 cents a Year. een

OBERLIN, OHIO.
~es—_ May 31, 1897.

WHene JUNEO ‘ROOSTS.

Answers to the question: ‘‘ Where does Junco Roost?” have been
_ received from sufficiently scattered localities to furnish a fairly reliable
record of its northern and southern winter range, and its roosting habits,
for the past winter.

It appears to have been absent north of 42? during the greater part of
the winter, and is reported as wintering north of 41° from only scattering
localities and in especially favorable places. It was not common much
above 40°, except in isolated places. Last winter it ranged further north
in the extreme east and in the states bordering the Mississippi River than
in Ohio and adjoining regions. Mr. Widmann found it wintering in
Louisiana about New Orleans. His is the only report from the far south.

Junco’s roosting habits are so interesting that contributors should be
_ allowed to speak for themselves.

Philadelphia, Pa.—Within fifty feet of the side of our house there isa
small patch of evergreen trees, mostly cedars and hemlocks, and in these
trees the Juncos roost in large numbers every night through the winter.
—RussELi Gray.

Berwyn, Pa.—I have always found the Junco—one of our most com-
mon winter visitors—in the sheltered and briery nooks of old and ne-
glected fence rows—here commonly called the worm or Virginia fence—
in very stormy days, or early morning and late evening. They will also,
whenever it is possible, roost in cedar trees or bushes.—F RANK L. Burns.

Washington, D. C—At my home, in a suburb of the city, we have
many Juncos throughout the winter (from October to the end of April),
and having made a practice of feeding them, together with White-throated
Sparrows and other winter birds (including of course, the English Spar-
row—an unwelcome guest, however), we have many opportunities for
observing them. The veranda of our house extends across the west,
south, and part of the east sides, and is enclosed with diagonal lattice.
Through this many Juncos make their way about dusk, and roost beneath
the porch floor, probably upon the sills or braces. Of course I have
closed all openings through which cats might possibly gain access to them.
Very often, when returning home in the evening, I have startled from
their hiding place Juncos that had taken shelter beneath the board walk,
over which I was passing. I have also accidentally startled them (other
birds as well) from the dense foliage of small red cedar trees in my yard,

26 Bulletin No. T4.

as well as from the evergreen honeysuckle hedge with which it is enclos-
ed.—RoOBERT RipGway.

Oberlin, Ohio.—Junco was entirely absent from northern Ohio during
the past winter except in epsecially favorable places in the river gorges,
in or near towns or cities. Here it roosted in the piles of brush thrown
over the ledge of rocks, or even in the bed of leaves beneath overhang-
ing ledges of stone.—LynDs JONES. .

Montgomery, Ohio.—For the note which suggested this inquiry, con-
tributed by Mr. J. C. Galloway, see BULLETIN No. 12, page 9.

Meridian, Wis.—The Slate-colored Junco is seldom seen here during
the winter, and never when there is much snow on the ground. Were
last seen December 7, 1896, and first seen this spring March 29. I have
found it roosting on the ground among dry leaves and weeds; more often
on steep hillsides. It often roosts about farm buildings, in the sides of
hay and straw stacks, and sometimes enters open buildings and sheds in
stormy weather. It leaves us the latter part of April.—J. N. Crark.

Rockford, Ill.—The Junco usually wintets here in small numbers, tho
I have not observed any this year, but then, I have been out very little.
When they have been noted it was around farm houses where there are
conifers, which are used extensively here for protection and ornament,
in which I have known them to roost.—J. E. Dickryson.

The following contribution from Mr. Widmann gives both the range
and roost in two different localities. ‘‘I found it February 26, a mile
south of New Orleans, and at Madisonville it was quite common March 5.
In the immediate vicinity of St. Louis it prefers the ornamental ever-
greens for roost, especially red cedars and Norway spruces. Where such
occur, particularly young trees thickly branched to the ground, Juncos
roost in large numbers. They go to roost pretty early in the evening.
On the farms I have seen them enter corn-shocks and out-buildings,
taking to similar places as the English Sparrow. I may also say that
they return to their winter home as other birds return to their summer
home. The first winter] put up the feeding box in a tree near the

-house, the Juncos did not enter the box before late winter, driven to it
‘by heavy snow. The next winter they had no fear from the beginning,

and it was evident from their behavior that they had been there before.
Ever since then they are regular boarders, and in cold weather never tire
eating nuts. It is a common winter visitor from St. Louis southward.
To prevent misunderstanding, the box entered by my Juncos is not a
nesting box with a small hole, but an open box 12-by 18 inches, and 6
deep. It is nailed against the trunk of an elm tree, 12 feet from the

Bulletin No. 14. ; 27

ground, and is distant from my window in the second story ro feet. In
} this we put smashed walnuts, whenever empty, all winter, day by day.
|The Blue Jays get the most of them, but they fly away with the pieces,
and in doing so attract the attention of other birds to this source of con-
tinual supply. Our boarders, besides Blue Jays, Juncos and English
Sparrows, are European Tree Sparrow, Tufted Tit, Chickadee, White-
breasted Nuthatch, Downy Woodpecker, and Hairy Woodpecker These
‘have been visitors every year for a longer or shorter period. Red-
| breasted Nuthatch was a boarder from November, ’95 to about Jan. 20,
| 796. Yellow-beilied Sapsucker is seldom seen to enter the box ; he pre-
fers the ham-bones, hung up in the same tree. Not entering, but attrac-
ted to the tree, are Golden-crested Kinglet (once the Ruby-crested in

January) Brown Creeper, Bluebird, Robin, Flicker, Bewick’s Wren.
Also Cardinals (male and female) are among the boarders in cold
: weather, and White-throated Sparrows in late snows in March. Snow,
| of course, brings the greatest number, and on some days the tree looks
enchanted ; birds of all feathers, waiting their turn.

Otro Wipmann, Old Orchard, Mo.

NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF OKANOGAN COUNTY,
WASH.

Since the appearance of other notes under this title in the September
‘and November BuLLetTins, I prepared a brief, annotated list of the birds
of this region, which appeared in the Auk, April, 1897, and was also

issued as Laboratory Bulletin, No. 6, Oberlin College. Reference to
this will make unnecessary in the present connection.a review of the
commoner species and leave me to speak at random concerning a few
of the rarer sparrows and more noticeable warblers.

HEpBURN’S LeucosTIcTE, JLeucosticte tephrocotis littoralis.—The
breeding of this rare species was conjectural until I was so fortunate as
to encounter it on Wright’s Peak during the summer of ‘95. We had
been encamped from August 5th to 8th on a shoulder of the mountain, at
an altitude of 8,000 feet, and I had caught several unsatisfactory glimp-
ses of this glacier-sprite, but it was not until early morning of the last
day, when we succumbed to the continual cold weather and retreated
from the mountains, that I saw the birds well. A pair were feeding full-
grown young, and asthe restless youngsters flitted from pile to pile of the

_ projecting morainic knobs along the foot of the glacier, I could not but

28 Bulletin No. 14.

note how perfectly at home these fledgling ice-birds seemed. The wird

was blowing piercing cold and a mountain storm was brewing, but their
rich brown coats and rosy trimmings told of anything but discomfort and

fear. The parent birds appeared to forage at somewhat lower levels for

food, inasmuch as they repeatedly plunged over the mountain rim, and.
were lost to sight in the depths below.

BaiRD’s SPARROW, Ammodramus batrdiz,—On September 5th, 1895, I
found several of these birds on a piece of weedy bottom land where they
seemed to be feeding on a little wild bean. Like many of their kin they
kept close to the ground and flushed suddenly on a near approach, only
to plump down again at no great distance. I noted them as abundant in
this same situation on the 9th of September, and they may have lingered : |
until the little beans were all gleaned from the ground. |

Their spring passage the following year was more rapid. On the 29th
of April, about a dozen were seen in an upland pasture mixing freely with
Zonotrichia leucophirys tntermedia. Only one individual was noted in
the old haunt by the lake shore.

BREWER’S SPARROW, Sf2zella brewer?.—As I stepped forth from my lht-
tle enclosure on the edge of the Chelan townsite and before I had set my
ears to test the quality of sounds, I became aware of a ‘‘chirring ’ from
the sagebrush to westward, of different proportions from the customary
trills of the Chipping Sparrows, so common there. Returning for my
glass, after careful skulking I crept close up on the little vocalist. His
strain was first a short chzr-7--7 of notes so rapid that it was impossible

for the ear to individualize them, and then a trill which, if heard separately, - |

would not attract attention ina chorus of Chipping Sparrows. When
carefully discriminated, however, one noticed the lighter, less emphatic
character. The bird kept low in the sage bushes and was with diffi-
culty secured. Nature could hardly have designed a plainer and more
inconspicuous nondescript if she had lain awake all night.

AUDUBON’S WARBLER, Dendroica audubont.—The commonest of the
Warblers in Okanogan county, although not found in the sage brush sec-
tions or wider valleys. This bird is a good mountaineer, and although I
Saw it in June on the lake shore, where it was probably breeding at an
altitude of less than 1,000 feet, it was noted in August at all levels
up to the glacier realm of 8,000 feet. It is undoubtedly the hardiest
bird of its genus.

. McGILLivray’s WarRBLER, Geothlypis macgillivrayz.—A not uncom-
mon resident in the underbrush of hillside springs and draws. One song
heard reminded me strongly of that of a Dickcissel, though of course

Bulletin No. rd. 29

lighter and much less penetrating, sicef, sheep, sheep, shear, shear
: Sheep , or sheep, sheep, sheep, sheep, shear, sheep. Another song
heard in Yakima county was much more varied and bright. A _ nest

|

found in the latter place was barely lifted clear of the ground by the over-

hanging branches of a rose bush.

PILEOLATED WaRBLER, Sylvania pusilla pileolata.—Although a num-
ber of birds were seen it was almost impossible to route them out of
their favorite tangles long enough for inspection. I introduce them in
this connection solely to describe the song which I heard repeatedly, but
especially at Snoqualmie Falls on the west.side of the mountains. It
consisted of a single syllable repeated in a lively crescendo ‘‘chip, chzf,
cH1p, CHIP, CH/P.” 1 could not but contrast it with the song of S.
pusilla heard this spring. The latter was a more varied strain of
lighter and less emphatic character, chee, chipitititity, chee, chee. This
is of course quite unpronounceable at first, but conveys the idea to the
eye. WiLitiamM L. Dawson, Ober/i2, Ohio.

GENERAL NOTES.

NESTING OF THE Rosin, MWerula migratoria.—On April 24, I found a
nest in a wild cherry, about eight feet up and directly over about six feet
of water. The robin flew off at my approach, and on climbing to the
nest I found it contained one egg. The next day, April 25, being Sun-
day, I did not visit the nest, but on April 26, the nest contained three
eggs. I supposed that the set would be completed on the next day, but
the fourth egg was not laid until noon of the 28th, leaving a day and a
half between the laying of the third and fourth egg. Incubation was ap-
parently begun with the laying of the third egg, as I passed the nest sev-
eral times each day and the female was always on the nest. I had
intended to take notes on the incubation, but on April 30 no trace of
the nest could be found, probably having been taken by some boys.

About April 28, a pair of Robins began a nest in a large pine back of
our place, but-they were driven away by a pair of Mourning Doves
(Zenatdura macroura) before the first eggawas laid. This is the first
time I have ever seen the Mourning Doves interfere with any other birds,
although they are very common here now.

RussEL_ Gray, Philadelphia, Pa.

Notes oN SOME WINTER BirRDS OF MERIDIAN, DUNN Co., WiIs.—

a

¥
wg
Y
= aa
ee

30 Bulletin No. 14.

Snowy Owls were quite abundant during November and December, 1896,
and four were taken in a steel trap set on the top of a long pole in an
open field. Goshawks were also unusually abundant during the winter,
and what is more unusual, were nearly all in adult plumage, and mostly
males. Of twenty-one captured, nineteen were in adult plumage, and
eighteen were males. We usually have the young birds in far greater
numbers than the adult. Pine and Evening Grosbeak were present but
' not in great numbers. . Lesser Redpolls and Snowflakes were also repre-
sented in small numbers. ]. N. Crark, Meridian, Wis.

PINE SISKIN, Sfzmus fPinus.—Further notes upon the unprecedented
southward movement of this species have been received ; this time from

the extreme south. Writing of his visit in Louisiana, Mr. Widmann
says: ‘‘I found it. first March 2, a flock of fifty, near Mandeville,
La., north of Lake Pontchartrain, and again March 5, at Madisonville,
La., also a good sized flock in company with Goldfinches. Then again

March 13, in the woods on the right bank of the Mississippi opposite
New Orleans, a few, of which Mr. Kopman, a local ornithologist, took a
specimen, the first he had ever seen. Prof. Beyer and Mr. Allison, the’
other ornithologists of New Orleans, confirm his statement, and consider

it a rare find.”
The species was fairly common at Oberlin, May 22.

AMERICAN Crow, Corvus americanus.—While out collecting Crow
eggs on April 22, 1897, with Mr. F. L. Burns, I found a nest containing
two young Crows several days old, and Mr. Burns took a set of six eggs
from a nest lined with human hair. Thisis rather an early date for
young. - Russet Gray, Philadelphia, Pa.

Is it generally known that early in the season the Towhee has a
lengthy, fragmentary, soliloquizing song? The general effect of it is like
the song of Brown Thrasher when heard in the distance. The Towhee
utters this song as he works about the brush-piles, his scratching not inter-
fering with the song. In scratching for food he hops forward and then
kicks back with both feet simultaneously, alighting at his starting point.
Beetles and other articles of food are thoroughly masticated before being
swallowed. J. C. Gartoway, Montgomery, Ohio.

WaRBLING VIREO, V77eo gilus.—During the collecting season of 1896,
having occasion to collect a few sets of eggs and nests of three birds,
eight sets were taken as follows :

<a aa
. atte ts

W Lege

Bulletin No. 14. ee
May 28, three sets of 4 eggs each. Incubated. Fresh.
MA) MOAT PEN AL OSE RE 2 Bf 2 (slightly)
BOMONET Sy tates 3 af ey: ot

June 8th I again visited this locality and found and examined seven
nests of these birds that had built and completed second sets, and nests,
on the same tree, or in the immediate vicinity. Not any were over
twenty-five yards from the site of the first nest. Six contained four eggs
each, and one, three ; three sets appeared to be slightly incubated and
four were fresh. Time between taking the first sets and the building of
new nests and completion of second sets, is as follows: In three (first)
eleven days ; in three (second) ten days; in one (third) nine days. The
latter being the nest taken May 30 and containing but three eggs might
not have been completed, although the first set of this pair contained
but three. These second nests appeared to be more hastily built and
contained less material than the first nests, and were generally built near-
er the ground than the first nests. *

J. N. Crark, Aleridian, Ws.

THE WORK FOR 1897.

Members should bear in mind that there are three committees at work
upon the warblers, each one desiring material from all sources for their
final report: The ‘‘Migrations’” are under the direction of Mr. J. E.
Dickinson, 1122 S. Winnebago street, Rockford, Ill. ‘‘Nesting’’ is under
the direction of Mr. H. C. Higgins, Cincinnatus, N. Y, ‘‘Food” -and
“Song” under the direction of Lynds Jones, Oberlin, Ohio. Besides
these committees there are others. Mr. Frank L. Burns, Berwyn, Pa.,

' asks for notes on the /iicker,; Mr. Howard P. Mitchell, Mt. Sterling,

Wis., for notes about Nestling Down, Mr. Stephen J, Adams, Cornish,
Me., for notes relating to the habits of the Swallows, and Mr. W. L.
Dawson, Oberlin, Ohio, outlines the proposed work on Ceographical
Distribution in another place in this BuLLETIN. Let these committees
have your hearty cooperation in all of their proposed investigations.

PovMittLie ON GEOGRAPHICAL -- DISTRIBU-
AION: OF: BER DS.

The study of geography, like charity, should begin at home. Hence
what I shall have to say by way of suggestion in outlining methods and

a2 Bulletin No. rd.

work will refer only to that which can be done in the garden, the orch-
ard, and by the hedge, or on the occasional ‘‘day off.” It is because we
believe that there is no more fascinating or profitable nature study than
that concerning the geographical distribution of animal life that we ask
ourselves if there is not a necessary and important work which we may
begin where we are. Birds, on account of their almost universal distri-
bution and widespread movements, as well as for the reason that all the
species in one locality can be learned and kept readily in mind, afford an
ideal field for the investigation of the problems of specific variations, in-
herited traits and the influence of and accomodation to climatal and geo-
graphical changes.

Without proposing at present any elaborate scheme of co-operation
among the. members of the W. O. C., I wish to recommend for prelimi-
nary work two simple tasks, which, if undertaken and faithfully carried
out will lay good foundation for fuller work. The first is what I should
call the taking of dazly horizons. That is, when you are in the field
make a note of all the species seen, however common, and preserve these
for future comparison. It will be a surprise to some to find how many
species of birds may. be seen on a little early-morning-before-breakfast
ramble. Simple recording, however mechanical it may seem at first,
will stimulate the powers of observation to a wonderful degree. I may
instance sample ‘‘bags,” or horizons, taken here at Oberlin this past win-
ter and spring. On the 13th of February last Mr. Lynds Jones and I
took a trip to the lake shore and found 18 species of birds—not of course
counting such vermin as English Sparrows. By the first of April the
number of resident and migrating species to be found on a day’s tramp
had reached 37. While by the 29th of the same month, between the
hours of 4:30 and 6:30 A. M., we saw 55 species of birds in town and in a
neighboring wood. The best horizon of the season was taken on the
forenoon of May roth, when we found 76 species of birds present, includ-
ing 18 kinds of warblers.

In connection with this Mr. Jones has an excellent scheme in a pass-
book of quadrille-ruled paper. In this he enters every bird as it appears
each year and allows a space, or square, for each day throughout the re-
mainder of the season. When returning from a morning ramble he
enters the. number seen after each species, however common. In this
way, by glancing over the pages, the exact dates of arrival and departure
of any given bird may be easily noted.

Another plan and one requiring a little more consecutive attention is
the taking of the 627d census for a given locality. Such expressions as,

wy
ri
q

oh ay {
4 X *
a ;

Bulletin No. TZ. a3

“common”, ‘‘tolerably common”, ‘‘abundant’, ‘‘rare’, etc , which we
constantly meet with, do not tell the story. To get any adequate concep-
tion of the various relations of different genera and species throughout
the country we need to make an approximate estimate of their numerical
relations based on reliable data from different localities. | Lay out a giv-
en section, however small, a pasture, a swamp-lot, or an orchard and
count the exact number of each species you find present at acertain time.
It is evident that by laying meadow to pasture and swamp to copse one
may obtain a fairly accurate estimate of the bird population.

These two plans are submitted to the Chapter as forming the present

work of the Committee on geographical distribution. The first must
necessarily be continued for a term of years to be of more than individ-
ual value, but it is believed that it will, as a skeleton or framework of
field observations, provoke a discriminating interest in the birds afield,
which alone would be worth the trouble, and that if carried on it will af-
ford useful material for correlation papers.

The second plan is evidently available for immediate service although
publications cannot be undertaken until some considerable number of
censuses have come in. All those who are willing to undertake this
work are asked to submit their results to the chairman of the Committee
for correlation and ultimate publication. W.. Ls Dawson, Oberlin, O.

EDITORIAL.

When does the Whippoorwill arrive at your station? When does the
Purple Martin arrive at your station? This information is earnestly
desired from every member so that a record of the movements can
be made, and the controversy over earliest arrivals settled. Write your
earliest records for these two species on a postal card and mail to the
editor at once. The records of previous years would also be welcome.

We gladly note the growing success of the new ornithological art peri-
odical, ‘‘&z7ds,’”’ published by the Nature Study Publishing Company of
Chicago. It has come to filla want long felt and gives promise of being
able both to interest the uninitiated and to delight the professed votaries
of the birds. Each month a varied assortment of mounted bird groups
from all climes is reproduced in colors, and every plate is accompanied
by a simple descriptive text, together with a short talk to the children
purporting to be by the bird itself.

Numbers 1-4 of the monthly have appeared, and while all the plates

5 Pi ey ee a

34 Bulletin No.. Td.

are not of uniform excellence as to pose and fidelity of coloring, there is
a determination to improve manifest and some of the color photographs
must be pronounced superb. There is not a weak plate in the March
number and the ‘‘Barn Swallow” alone is worth the price of the maga-
zine.

Of course the periodical aims primarily to reach juvenile readers, but

none of us have outgrown an appreciation of the faithful delineation of
bird life. Hence a word of suggestion may not be deemed amiss. First
by all means let the proper sczeztzfic name be attached to every bird-
plate. A modestly printed Latin name ( in parenthesis if you like) will

not scare the children and will greatly add to the value of a picture in |
the eyes of those who care to know a bird accurately in its relationships. :
And along this same line too, while a bird is being painted so truly, why
not tell us briefly what sex is before us ? what seasonal phase of plumage |
is depicted ? and what locality that precise subject hailsfrom ? All these

points would add to the educational value of ‘‘477ds” and need not inter- |
fere in the least with its commendable work for the children.—W. L. D. |

An invitation to attend the regular meeting of the Southern Division of
the Cooper Ornithological Club, to be held in honor of the late Major
Charles E, Bendire, has been received. The meeting, was held at the
home of Otto J..Zahn, 427°S. Hope St., Los Angeles, Maseh yaya

NEW MEMBERS ELECTED.

The April election of new members resulted in the election of the fol-
lowing persons : ; |

For Acttve Membership: Frank M. Woodruff, Assistant Curator
Chicago Academy of Sciences ; Henry K. Coales, 136 Washington street,
Chicago, Ill. ; W. S. Colvin, Ossawatomie, Kansas.

For Honorary Membership: Otto Widmann, Old Orchard, Mis-
souri.

For Associate Membershif: John W. Daniel, Jr., Lynchburg, Va. .

PUBEICATIONS. RECEIVED:

The Birds of Colorado, by W. W. Cooke, Bulletin No. 37, Technical
Series No. 2, State Agricultural College, Agricultural Experiment Sta-
tion. A catalogue of 363 species of birds which have been found within
the state, 230 of which are summer residents, and 51 are stragglers. The
introductory chapter gives us a glimpse of Colorado topography and cli-

:

Bulletin No. 14. 35

mate while defining the scope of the work in hand and suggesting profita-
ble work in future. Following the introductory note, nine pages are de-
voted to a ‘‘Classification of Colorado Birds” under twelve heads accord-
ing to their occurrence in the state, as ‘‘Residents’, ‘‘Winter Visitants”,

regular and irregular, ‘‘Summer residents” subdivided under five heads
according to their breeding range. ‘‘Migrants’” regular and irregular from

different directions, and ‘‘Stragglers.” ‘‘Dates of Migration’ for three
localities are compared with dates of arrival of the same species at St.

Louis, Mo. An exhaustive bibliography is followed by ‘‘The History of

Colorado Ornithology,” beginning in 1807. In the body of the work the
363 species are treated in the order of the A. O. U. check list, each one ©
being fully annotated. The vertical breeding range of breeding birds is
given, adding greatly to the interest in such species. This work easily
takes first rank among the published state catalogues of the west. A
map of the state illustrating the topography would add greatly to the val-
ue of the work.

The Story of the Farallones, by. C. Barlow and H. R. Taylor.
This neat little booklet contains twenty-eight photo-engravings of more
than usual excellence, illustrating the physical features and bird life of
that paradise of the birds ; which, with the eleven pages of well written
text descriptive of the island life and features, makes one feel well ac-
quainted with the place. The fact that the islands have lately been
closed to visitors makes it the more necessary to possess one of these
booklets, which can be purchased of H. R. Taylor, Alameda, Calif., at
the very low price of fifty cents. No one can afford to be without a
copy.

Catalogue of a Collection of Birds Made by Doctor W. L. Abbott in
Madagascar, with Description of Three New Shecies, by Charles W.
Richmond. From the Proceedings of the United States National Mus-
eum, Vol. XIX, pages 677-694. An annotated catalogue of 83 species
representing 39 families of birds.

A Preliminary List of the Birds of Okanogan County, Washington,
by William L. Dawson. Reprinted from the 4wk. An annotated list of
143 species positively known to occur in the county, and a hypothetical
list of ten additional species. This list, the author tells us, was made
during-a residence of fourteen months at Chelan, on Lake Chelan, June,
1895 to August, 1896, during the intervals of labor as a Home Missionary.
The annotations are well selected, intended to acquaint the reader with

_the habits and nesting of the species whenever possible, and in many

cases with the characteristic note and song. Coming from a region so

36 Bulletin No. r4.°

little known, it is doubly welcome as a contribution to the subject of dis-_

tribution. ;

‘“Some Common Birds in thetr Relation to Agriculture,” by F. E. L.
Beal, B. S., Assistant Orinthologist, Biological Survey, May, 1897.
Farmer’s Bulletin No. 54, of the U. S. Department of Agriculture. In

this Bulletin there are treated in their relation to agriculture, the Cuc-—
koos, the Woodpeckers, Kingbird, Phoebe, Bluejay, Crow, Bobolink, —

Red-winged Blackbird, Meadowlark, Baltimore Oriole, Purpie Grackle,
the commoner Sparrows, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Swallows, Cedarbird,
Catbird, Brown Thrasher, House Wren and Bluebird. A statement of
the sorts of food eaten is based upon stomach contents of a sufficient

number of specimens to make the statement reliable. The object of the

bulletin is to show that while the species under consideration may seem

injurious sometimes, or may. even be injurious to some extent, they are —

on the whole, beneficial to the agriculturalist on account of the hordes of

noxious insects destroyed. The effort of our government to determine —

the exact relation of the birds to agriculture is a laudable one, and the
conclusions reached may well be heeded.

The Museum, Vol. IUl, Nos. 6 and 7, April and May, 1897, W. F°
Webb, Albion, N. Y.

The Nidologist, Vol. IV, No. 5, April, 1897. H.R. Taylor, Alameda,
Calif.

The Osprey, Vol. I, No. 8, April, 1897. W. A. Johnson, Galesburg,
Ill.

The .Oologist, Vol. XIV, Nos. 4 and 5, April and May, 1897. F. H.
atin. sAlipiona Ne) ¥°

Bulletin Oologist’s Association, No. 1, March 15, 1897.

The Fern Bulletin, Vol. V, No. 2, April, 1897. W.N. Clute, Bing-
hamton,-N. Y:

The Observer, Vol. VIII, No. 5, May, 1897. E. F. Bigelow, Port-
land, Conn.

The Microscopic Bulletin and Sctence News, Vol. XIV, No. 2, April,
1897. Queen & Co., Philadelphia, Pa.

WANTE D | Clean, unbound back numbers of the Auk, and
- Ornithologist and Oologist. Will pay good cash

prices for the right numbers.—HEnry R. Buck, Wethersfield, Conn.

Old Series, Vol. IX. New Series, Vol. IV, No. 4.

The Wilson Ornithological Chapter
of the Agassiz Association.
THE
§ OBERLIN GRACKLE Roost,

BY LYNDS JONES.

| OBERLIN, OHIO.
es —_ July 30, 1897.

Seu AAMOM A

airy ay are j fy”
“ae Mea

Qa

‘2
-
+
Ss

INTRODUCTION.

_ This account of the Oberlin Grackle Roost is based upon three years’

_ more or less continuous study from the first appearance of the birds
"in the trees to the final departure of the last one. Thus far the present

i year (1897) has added little to what has already been learned, partly due

|

}

the birds, partly because it is yet too early in the summer for any marked

to a pressure of other duties during the early weeks of the gathering of
Mieatures in the habits to be looked for.
' | The facts given are taken from notes written on the spot day after day,
and while I cannot hope that there are no errors of observation or inter-
‘ pretation, I shall be satisfied if this account of a single gathering stimu-
__ lates others to a study of any similar gatherings within their reach. It
| would be interesting and valuable to. know in how many villages and

| cities of each state such roosts occur, with the numbers inhabiting each

\ roost. There must also be many in swamps and woods far removed
: from villages, in some parts of the country. Mention of such would
‘show in what regions the grackles still cling to old habits.

It gives me pleasure to acknowledge the kindness of Mr. R. M. Strong,
who prepared the map of the College Campus, and whose friendly ad-
vice and encouragement have been greatly appreciated. Thanks are also
due the College Y. M. C. A., by whose kindness the map of Oberlin

village has been secured. Any acknowledgment of thanks would be —

| incomplete without mention of the kindly interest and valuable suggest-

ions of Professor A. A. Wright, and the enthusiasm of the students of

my ornithology classes, which have been a constant inspiration and incen-
| tive to better and more faithful work.

| Lynps JONEs.

OBERLIN, Onio, July 30, 1897.

°
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So ie SS ee eee

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<2

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sn eh Fo

fakes OBERLIN SUMMER GRACKLE. ROOST.

_ The forces of nature in action all about us are untiring in their recur-
rence, and yet how few of them ever reach even the surface of our con-
sciousness. We enter some new field of study and investigation only to
be amazed at our stupidity in not seeing those things which may have
touched us every day of our lives before. Thus it is that nature study
is so fascinating to most of us; every day is full of surprises. This is,
_ perhaps, more true of the study of birds than of almost any other living
' things because we have the birds always with us in their varied beauty,
' the charm of their song and the intense activity of their lives. They
seem to speak directly to us in a language which we can sometimes partly
understand, and which we can always appreciate. The measure of our
knowledge of the birds js often not the degree of our intimacy with any
of the many species, or, indeed, all of them if that were possible ; for if
a species is well known and common we are too much inclined to pass it
: by with the thought that there is little more worth knowing about it, to
| study with more care some rare species from whose history we are pretty
sure to discover the hint of some general truths never before suspected in
» the commonplace life of the more familiar species. Many ‘‘ Life Histo-
of the birds have been written, shedding much light upon the
vexed questions of our favorite science; but I venture to say that the

,

ries '
_ entire life history of even our most common birds has never been ap-
4 proached, certainly not in any one work. Thus it is possible for any
_ of us, by careful, patient study, to add greatly, it may be, to our im-
i perfect knowledge of the birds.
* There is nothing new in the announcement that many birds which may
_ or may not be gregarious at other times, congregate in large numbers to
4

t

H pass the night together in some favored spot. Alexander Wilson was

_ acquainted with this fact, and no doubt others before him. It has been
4 noticed and mentioned by later writers from time to time, but this inter-
_ esting habit has not received the attention it deserves in literature until
" within-recent years. We are indebted to Mr. O. Widmann for an account
- of the ‘‘Crow’s Winter Roost at St. Louis, Mo.,”* to Mr. William Brew-

”

a .
_ ster for an accurate account of the ‘‘ Summer Robin Roosts”’ near Cam-

*Crow’s Winter Roost at St. Louis, Mo., Oruzzthologzst & Oolog7st, February, 1888,
Dsik7.

As
n
i

a GS Om

40 Bulletin No. 15.

bridge, Mass.,* to Mr. William T. Davis for an article on ‘’ Staten Island |
Crows and their Roosts,” + to Mr. O. Widmann again for a description of
‘A Winter Robin Roost in Missouri,’ t{ and to Abby F. C. Bates for ac-
quaintance with ‘‘A Swallow Roost at Waterville, Maine.”§ In the
scanty literature at my disposal I can find no other account of roosts,
except by casual mention.

Conspicuous and well known as the Bronzed Grackle is to nearly every
one, he has received almost no attention from students of birds, if we
are to judge from printed accounts of his roosting habits during the sum-

mer season. I find mention made of such a habit in Vol. I, p. 333, of

Wilson's American Ornithology, and casual mention in the writings of

many subsequent authors, but nothing approaching a careful study of it.
Some tell us that these gatherings are in the shade trees of villages,
towns or Cities, others that the birds still cling to their primitive habit of
passing the night in thick woods or swamps. There is, therefore, nothing
unique in this gathering in the heart of Oberlin. In this part of the
state the grackles seem to prefer such places to the country. Inthe hope
of throwing a little more light upon the life history of a species already
so well known, I may be permitted to discuss somewhat in detail this
favorably situated roost.

The grackles have had a summer rendezvous somewhere in the village
of Oberlin for no one knows how many years. There isa fairly accurate
record of them as far back as early in the eighties, but earlier than that,
recollection is at fault. Their habit of roosting in the trees whose
branches overhang a public or private walk has brought them into ill
repute, and they have been driven from place to place in the village by
irate property owners until forced into the campus, which is virtually the
public square. Here they have enjoyed comparative peace, because it is

everybody’s and therefore nobody’s business to drive them out. Inde- -

pendence Day, with its deafening din and showers of fiery hail, has been
full of terrors for the grackles, but they have endured it all for the sake
of the old habit. .

There is nothing about the situation of Oberlin that would seem to make
it a more desirable place in which to spend the night, in the eyes of a
grackle, than any one of the many remnants of woods in the immediate
vicinity. The village lies in a plain region 250 feet above lake Erie, cut

*Summer Robin Roosts, 4vk, Vol. VII, October, 1890, p. 360.

+Staten Island Crows and their Roosts, Awk, Vol. XI, July, 1894, p. 228.

tA Winter Robin Roost in Missouri, etc., Awk, Vol. XII, January, 1895, p. tf.
SA Swallow Roost at Waterville, Maine, Azz, Vol. XII, January, 1895, p. 48.

|

|

cS |

iz

. Ein \ )
hhh OF .

OBERLIN;
DRAWN FoR COLLEGE BUILDINGS.
wh M 1—Chapel.
i a yy. S CA. epee Hall.
\ HAND BOOK ”’ 3—Spear Library.
14893. 4—Warner Hall.

EDutton Tn Cleveland, 0 5—Science Laboratory.
6—Cabinet Hall.
7—Men’s Gymnasium.
8—Society Hall.
9—French Hall.

to—Talcott Hall.

11—Baldwin Cottage.
12—Sturges Hall.
13—Lord Cottage.
14—Council Hall.
15—Stewart Hall.

CHURCHES.

16—-First Congregational. ~
17—Second Congregational.
18—Baptist.
19o—Methodist. |

20—E piscopal.

21—Rust Methodist.
22—Catholic. S
23—Judson Cottage. :

LIMITS

CTT,yY
SOUTH -CROSBY ~— —-NORTH CROSBY— —

\

‘TOWN BUILDINGS.

24—Town Hall.

26—Union School.
27—Pleasant Street School.
28—Prospect Street School.
29—Water Works.

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Bulletin No. 15. 41

by the slight gorge of Plum creek, twelve miles south of lake Erie, three
miles from Black river on the east, and seven miles from Vermillion river
on the west. Both rivers flow in a northerly direction to the lake. The
country is liberally dotted with remnants of the primitive forests which
once covered the land, many of them dense enough to afford excellent
protection for more than all the grackles in the county. The village is
more than usually well supplied with shade and ornamental trees, and the

“campus will be seen to possess at least three distinct groves. These

groves contain maples, elms, conifers and oaks in varying proportions.
A glance at the map of the campus will make clear the position of these
groves. All of the trees in the roost grove are maples ; those in the grove
north and east of Society Hall are mostly elms, while those north of the
Chapel and French Hall are maples, elms and conifers, and a few trees
of other varieties. The other trees of the campus are of no importance
in the discussion of the roost, except those along the north bourdary.
These are of various kinds, mosly large, with wide spreading branches
and dense foliage. ‘The campus is nearly level, but with a slight depres-

sion beginning north of the west side of the chapel and running nearly

south-east, ending a little west of the corner of the street.

Turning now to the map of Oberlin, the position of the campus in its
relation to the rest of the village will be seen. The representations of
the buildings are far too large in proportion and those of the streets are
far too wide, but that does not matter. North of Council Hall (No. 14)
is an orchard of old trees whose branches interlace, and south of the First
Congregational Church (No. 16) a considerable number of maple trees
form a secure hiding place, by their intertwining branches. Many of the
larger village blocks are unoccupied in the center, and are pretty well filled
with trees besides the trees lining the streets each side. In the lower
left-hand corner of the map ‘‘ Westwood Cemetery” will be seen. East
and a little south, there still remains a small natural grove of tall trees—
Ladies’ Grove—through which Plum creek flows, and immediately east
of that the large new water-works reservoir. On the south side of East
College street, between Spring street and the railroad, there is an exten-
sive lawn and orchard in which I am told that the grackles once roosted.
Later, when driven from here, they were to be found between Water
and Pleasant streets near Plum creek, and still later at the intersection
of East College and Pleasant streets, from which place they sought
their present quarters on the campus. While roosting in the eastern
part of the village the birds seem to have returned at evening from the

42 Bulletin No. 15.

south-west, passed over Ladies’ Grove, followed the course of the creek |

downward, and so reached their roosting place.

The grackles first occupied the campus trees in June, 1893, when a
small company was in the habit of spending the night there. The num-
ber was never large, probably less than 500 at any one time during the
summer. The following summer there was a marked increase in the
number occupying the trees, but still not a company large enough to
attract the attention of the casual observer. Absence from town during
the greater part of the summer of 1895 prevented any systematic study
of the roost and its nightly occupants during that year. An effort to
determine the number of individuals was made late in September, which
resulted in an estimate of 3000. It is almost certain that the number at
this time was smaller than a little earlier, because every day noted a de-
crease in the birds occupying the trees. It was learned that at least
nine-tenths of all of the birds came from the east-south-east, apparently
from the region of Black river, which les about three miles distant in
that direction. A few small companies came in at a considerable eleva-
tion, but the great majority skimmed along just above the tree tops. By
the end of the second week in October all had dispersed.

Practically the entire summer of 1896 was devoted to the study of this
roost and the habits of the birds occupying it. Spear Library proved an
excellent point for observation, the highest part of its roof being almost
on a level with the tree-tops, and its north end removed only a few rods
from the southernmost row of trees of the roost. But the point of ob-
servation varied with the habits of the birds and the time of day, as will
be seen later. Several unsuccessful attempts were made to determine
the exact feeding grounds of the birds. Neither horse nor bicycle is in
the same class as the grackle a-wing, and during the day they could not
be found. From some high vantage point their approach at night could
be watched, and their general direction in that way determined, but that
was all.

This habit of collecting in such large companies to pass the night

together is so interwoven with the other habits of the birds that the

whole life history of the grackle must be known before any correct ex-
planation can be hoped for. The gregarious instinct seems to pervade
his whole being and finds expression in every phase of his life. He
winters in communities, migrates in communities, nests in communities
and even molts in communities, as we shall see presently. It does not
seem incongruous, therefore, if he becomes partial to communities of
men instead of clinging to the old habit of nesting and roosting in woods

{

eunnes

Bulletin No. 15. 43

and swamps removed from civilization. In many parts of the country
he certainly has gone from his former haunts to the habitations of man,
and has been enough pleased with the change to continue to do so each
successive year.

Let us follow the life history of the grackle from the day of his arrival
at Oberlin in 1896, to the day of his departure.

The persistent cold weather of early spring was decidedly unfav-

‘orable to the early migratory species of birds, but the van-guard of

the grackles reached Oberlin on March g, very little later than usual.

The continued cold weather during the next two weeks held the less

hardy individuals in the south. An increase in the number present was
noticed on March 24, and on the 28th the grackles were conspicuous
among the many other migrating species. A small company paid a short
visit to the roost late in the afternoon, showing clearly by their actions
that they were well acquainted with the place. From this time on, at
irregular intervals, flocks of varying size visited the roost, though none
passed the night in it: they seemed to prefer the trees in which they
finally built their nests. During the day few were seen in the village,
but at evening their voices made them everywhere evident.

On April 12 mating began, in many cases apparently ending at once,
since the first completed nest was found on the zoth. It was not possible
to determine whether both birds were engaged in building the nest. On
May 14 young birds about four days old were found. This would make
the period of incubation about fifteen days.

May 16 seemed to be the first day on which sufficient numbers to
attract attention began to resort to the roost at night. Previously the old
males had passed the night near the nest, but now they were not to be
found near it late in the evening. An actual count made on the aist
gave the record of roo birds leaving in the morning. Another count was
made on the 23d, when 352 birds left the trees, all old males in full
plumage except one young with tail feathers about half grown. Attempts
were made to count the arrivals in the evening, but the constant shifting
about of the earlier arrivals among all of the trees on the campus, made
any degree of accuracy impossible. None of the birds seemed to go far
away from the trees in the morning, and all came from near the ground
and from the immediate region in the evening. This, as well as their
actions, led me to strongly suspect that nearly if not quite all of them
had nests in or near the village. The young bird was fed several times
after settling in the trees. His begging call was heard after all other
noises had ceased.

44. Bulletin No. 15.

This small company was recruited from day to day, first by such old
males as had not already been able to shift the care of the nest or young
upon the mate, a little later by the more forward young, and about July
10, by the more backward young and ‘the old females.. This order of
recruiting the roosting host was made very evident by the desertion of
the nest at night, a point which was carefully noted. The sudden com-
plete desertion of the nest by the old females and young and the simul-
taneous decided augumentation in the numbers found at the roost was
very noticeable about July 10. At this time the trees became so crowded
full of birds that other places were sought and occupied by the overflow.
On the 14th a few small campanies began to pass the night in the
shade trees on North Professor street, and on the zoth more were seen to
leave and settle in the trees on North Pleasant street south of the school
house. A few were contented with the low orchard trees north of Council
Hall. On the evening of July 17 the birds came in at the rate of 52a
minute for an hour, the flight terminating with the arrival of an un-
countable company just as the sun sank below the horizon. There must
have been fully 5000 birds in the trees of the roost on this date, and 500
more in the neighboring trees. An actual count was impossible but a
fairly accurate estimate was arrived at from noting the appearance of the
trees immediately before the arrival of the last great flight, counting the
birds in sight, and their appearance after the flight; and also noting the
time occupied by the last flight in passing a given point, the number of
birds abreast being known. These two methods gave practically the
same result.

During the early part of July the birds did not wander far from the
roost at any time, but by the first of August lack of sufficient food in the
near vicinity forced them to go farther, when none were seen in town
during the day. Naturally enough, with the necessity for a wider range
for food came a change in the order of arrival and departure. The birds
no longer came straggling in from near the grotind and from all direc-
tions, but arrived in greater or less companies from above the tree-tops
after considerable flights across the country. But a far better under-
standing of this change will be obtained if a detailed account of the
arrival and departure for two widely separated times is given. The
order of departure in the morning and arrival in the evening of May 23
will well illustrate the earlier manner. .

Arrived at the roost at 3:00 a. M.. Temperature 50°; airchilly. Partly
cloudy. Station: beneath a tree north of the roost.

3:00. No evidence of bird life in the trees.

Bulletin No. £5. 45

3:15. A few birds began to sing.
| Bao Eirstone left the trees.
| 3:31. Ten have left, and small companies of from three to twenty left
every few seconds until 4:05, when the last one departed, accompanied
by a young one. 352 were counted leaving. At 3:40, robins, and at
3:45, cowbirds were seen to leave the trees. The last company of about
a dozen cowbirds was driven out by four old grackles at 4:00. All the
: birds seemed to be singing up to the last ten minutes before the trees
'-were entirely deserted. The cowbirds, however, were not heard at all
until 3:45, when but few grackles remained. Robins were heard shortly
after the first grackle began to sing, and were heard as long as any re-
mained in the trees. None of the birds went far away at first, but
seemed to have business close at hand. All but the youngone were
old birds.
In the evening observations were taken from the roof of Spear Library.
The sky was almost clear, the air warm and still.
6:45. Three grackles arrived from the south, but soon flew away
again. They were calling.
6:55. A straggling flight of from one to ten individuals every few
_ seconds began, and ended at 7:15. The birds came in from the south
and east in about equal numbers. There was no large flight at any time,
nor any concerted action except in the small companies. Nine-tenths
came from low down among the trees, the rest at about roo feet elevation
‘above the tree-tops. These had apparently made a much longer flight
than the others and came in even smaller companies or singly. A very
small proportion arrived singing, or sang immediately after settling in the
tree-tops, but there was little noise at any time. The flight of all was
rapid and straightforward, and the tail was not carried in the keel-shape,
except by those coming in from the neighboring trees. The last small
company arrived at 7:20, as darkness settled down. There were no
females and only the one young of the morning in the company. As
careful an estimate as could be made placed the number occupying the
trees at 500. Thc earlier arrivals remained in the tree-tops for some
time before sinking into the foliage, but the later ones usually disap-
peared at once. Until some minutes after the arrival of the last company
there were always a few birds to be seen in the tree tops. Before it
became too dark to see clearly every bird was out of sight. Settling into
the foliage and shifting for position occasioned considerable scolding,
until darkness brought quiet.
Cowbirds began to put in an appearance even earlier than the grackles,

46 Bulletin No. £5.

but none ventured into the trees at first. They came from the south-east
in companies of from five to ten individuals, avoided the trees of the
roost and settled in the grove on the west side of the campus. At 7:00
more than fifty cowbirds from these trees came dashing into the roost
and disappeared at once. A little later a smaller company dashed in.
From this time on the cowbirds flew directly to the roost without mo-
lestation from the grackles ; previously the grackles had resisted attempts

to share the roost with them. None of the cowbirds were singing, and -

but few uttered the whistling note. ‘There were about too cowbirds, but
no robins.

The contrast between the actions of the birds early in the season and
relatively late will be made evident by the record of the departure and
arrival of the grackle host on September 7. The sky was clear, the air
chilly but still, temperature 50° in the morning. Station: 300 feet west
of the roost, commanding a view of the north, west and south-west sides.

Arrived at the roost at 3:30 A. mM. No birds stirring.

4:00. The first sleepy note was heard.

4:15. Several awakened and sang.

4:30. Many were singing and shifting about in the trees.

4:40. Very noisy, and much shifting about. Cowbirds began to leave.
By 4:50, 300 counted leaving,

4:50. Several hundred grackles came to the roost from the neighbor-
ing trees where they had passed the night.

4:55. Grackles coming from all directions and settling in the roost
with much noise and scolding ; the most sink out of sight.

5:04. Several come from the north-west, the most stop in the roost,
but as the rear guard passes on southward those in the roost rise and fol-
low in one continuous stream which flows up out of the trees where
few birds were seen before, over the still slumbering village and away
into the south-west, leaving an oppressive stillness where a moment ago
the air was filled with their voices. The birds did not rise from the trees
in one mass as we have so often seen them do, but in consecutive order
from the south to the north edge of the group of trees, as though by pre-
vious arrangement, giving the impression that the foliage was melting
away into that black stream. The appearance of the departing birds
created a strong impulse to be up and follow them. I did follow them
well out into the country, but soon found myself hopelessly beaten in the
race. As long as it could be seen, the flock remained intact, and did
not stop to rest. The flight was near the ground, and followed the con-
tour of the country closely, rising only to clear farm buildings and woods,

eevee

Bulletin No. 15. 47

then dipping again to the former level. The lowermost birds were
scarcely more than twenty feet from the ground. While the birds were
flying there was no singing and not much noise of any kind except that
made by the wings. It was evident that the birds had some definite

feeding ground selected, toward which they were hurrying in a straight

line.

During the day no grackles could be found within four miles of Oberlin
in any direction. From the top of Spear Library I watched them come
in at evening.

5:14. Five arrived from the north-east, flying high.

5:17. Three more heard in the trees of the roost.

5:20. Three arrived from the north-east,

5:24. One from the south settled in the roost.

5:26. One from the south settled in the roost.

5:27. Seven from the south settled in the roost.

5:32. Thirteen from the south settled in the roost.
~ 5:34 to 5:45. About 5000 arrived from the south, settled first in the
trees south of the building, then passed to the roost or to the trees west.
They came in companies of from 200 to 800, forming an almost continu-
ous flight. There was very little singing and no continuous chatter while
flying. . |

5:50. 200 from the north and 150 from the south. During the next
five minutes about 100 arrived, the most from the south, but a few from

the east.

5:58. 300 from the east-south-east. These and those of the previous
flight settled in the trees at once.

There was much shifting about and flying to and from the roost until
6:00. One attempt to settle in the roost at 5:55 did not succeed. Proba-
bly less than half of all the birds which finally passed the night in the
roost were there at 6:00; the rest were scattered in the neighboring trees,
or restlessly flying about overhead. There was no singing, and little
scolding or sounding of the alarm note.

6:02. Many returned to the roost from the north-east.

6:03. Grand return from all directions.

6:04. 150 arrived from the east.

6:05. The birds well settled down in the foliage.

6:07. Ten arrived from the south.

6:10. 100 left the roost and flew to’ the trees some distance east on
North Pleasant street. Very few in sight in the trees.

6:15. Practically all out of sight in the foliage. A few minutes later

48 Bulletin No. 15.

all noise had stopped, when it became too dark to see the birds more
than five rods away.

About 350 cowbirds and a few robins entered the roost after the great-
est flight of grackles. At 5:30 the cowbirds were gathered in the trees
north of the campus awaiting an opportunity to steal into the northern-
most trees of the roost. They were seen on the roof of Council Hall
and the First Congregational Church some minutes before the first
grackles put in an appearance. On succeeding days the cowbirds came
first to the roof of Council Hall, where they remained for half an hour
before perching in the trees south of the building preparatory to their
plunge into the grackle roost.

The first large flock of grackles was sighted a little west of south com-
ing over a considerable woods a mile anda half away. Their habit of
flying so low made it impossible to see them farther away because they
were hidden by the woods. From here they came in almost a direct line

to the south end of Professor street, then turned directly up that street

to the intersection of Elm street, then passed east of the Second Congre-
gational Church and the Chapel to the campus. Many of the birds
stopped in the trees north of the Chapel and in those south of Spear
Library, while more flew directly to the roost or to the trees west of it.
During the summer the direction of the flight varied somewhat, although
it was southerly at all times. The birds invariably turned eastward to
pass east of the church and Chapel building at night, and never neglected
to pass east of them in the morning, even though their final direction
was decidedly westerly. It is difficult to resist the conclusion that the
tall steeple of the Second Church served the grackles as a landmark on
their evening return, but why they should always pass on the east side of
it is not clear. It may be that the large buildings on the. west side of
Professor street caused the eastward movement. During the previous
years the birds had not followed this route, nor had they during the early
part of 1896, so it could not have been a fixed habit. It was only after
the birds had begun to form into large flocks that they followed any
definite line of flight at all.

As we have seen, during May, June and the early part of July the
birds had not gathered into any considerable flocks, either at their morn-

ing departure or evening arrival; but the gregarious instinct asserted

itself more and more as the season advanced and the necessity for a
wider range of feeding ground increased. Early in the season the birds
were not yet free from the care of the young, and so were naturally
busied in different places by different things. The numerous small flocks

Bulletin No. £5. 49

gradually joined together until there was but the one huge flock with few
stragglers.

There were no wet days during the summer, but several thunder
storms swept over the region early in the evening at the gathering time
of the grackles. The actions of the grackles at such times were different
enough from what we have already seen to warrant particular mention.

On September 5, conditions were favorable for the formation of local
thunder storms. Early in the afternoon a storm began to form in the
west, which moved eastward as it increased in magnitude. The sun was
not obscured until about four o'clock, but the mutterings of thunder gave
promise of a considerable storm. At 5:00, the storm cloud had spread
well over the heavens, and at 5:04, a light sprinkle began, which gradu-
ally increased to a brisk rain. At 5:10, 500 grackles came swiftly in from
the south, flying low and settling into the foliage at once. 5:15, steady
rain with a light south-west breeze. A flock of about 2000 grackles
arrived from the south at several hundred feet elevation ; they went at
once to the roost and disappeared in the foliage. 5:16, harder rain with
more wind. A flock of about 3500 grackles appeared high up over the
roost. They dropped down with half closed wings and at once disap-
peared. 5:20, the storm burst with sheets of rain and a westerly gale
which tore the leaves from the trees and must have drenched the foliage
with the first blast of the storm, which had spent itself in five minutes.
During this time there was no sign of the grackles. At intervals of
five minutes after the passage of the storm heavy showers followed until
5:45. Between showers the birds shifted about some, but did not show
themselves. Theirs must have been a wet berth on that night. All
arrived noiseless, and uttered scarcely a sound afterwards, even when
shifting about,

The falling rain made it impossible to see the birds until they were
nearly ready to descend into the trees, but the direction of their flight
seemed to be the same as on other days. The last birds arrived at 5:16,
four minutes before the storm burst in earnest, and forty-five minutes
earlier than the last arrivals on September 7. Normally the return flight
would hardly have begun until after the time that the storm had passed
over. The weather after the storm was more suitable for flight than
when the birds came in, and there was ample time for them to have
reached the roost before dark had they waited for the storm to pass, but
they could not risk being kept away from their accustomed sleeping place.
Whenever a storm threatened during the aftermoon, unless it passed over

before four o'clock, the grackles left their feeding grounds in time to

reach the roost before the storm burst upon it.

50 Bulletin No. £5.

Cloudy days had the effect of retarding the morning departure and
hastening the evening arrival. The difference between the time of de-
parture and arrival on cloudy and clear days was coincident with the
difference in the amount of daylight of two such days. My daily notes
of the time of departure and arrival indicate a close correspondence with
the varying length of the days from the time the birds were first seen
until the roost was deserted, allowance being made, of course, for the
effect of cloudy days and thunder storms.

There was no diminution in the number occupying the roost up to
September 21, but not one bird appeared at the old stand on the two suc-
-ceeding days. On the 24th less than a hundred occupied the trees during
the night, and none visited it afterwards. This sudden failure to report
promptly was undoubtedly due to the persistent persecution of would-be |
hunters of tender years, who made it a business to shoot into the flockas |
it passed over the outskirts of the village. While watching the incoming
flock on September ro, a fusillade of shots caused the approaching flock
to rise suddenly several hundred feet, turn abruptly back and divide, one
part making a wide detour to the west and coming in from that direction;
the other going back fully a mile and rising to a thousand feet elevation
before venturing back again. This altitude was maintained until the
flock was nearly above the roost, when the birds came dropping down
like leaves. For about ten days following this serious disturbance the
birds came in from a different direction—more southwesterly—avoiding
the dangerous region. On September 21 they again came in from the
south over the old route for the last time.

It was feared (hoped by some) that this experience would cause the
grackles to abandon the old roost permanently, but on June 3, 1897, the
trees were occupied for the first time by about fifty birds. The number
has gradually increased since, with fair promise of as large a gathering
as usual before the close of the season. At the present writing they have
not begun to flock, so the direction of their feeding grounds cannot be
determined.* The tendency heretofore to a southern direction may

*Since the above was written the grackles have formed into considerable flocks, and
the direction of their feeding grounds has been determined, which is a little east of
north. Their line of flight from the country passes a little east of the east end of
Maple street to a large elm tree, where the majority of the birds rest for a few minutes
before flying directly to the roost. It is difflcult to see them immediately before they
reach the roost, because they descend almost to the ground at the intersection of
Lorain and North Main streets, then fly upward to the tree tops. It would be inter-
esting to know what effect, if any, this change in the direction of the Oberlin birds
has upon occupants of the other roosts in the county. That would require the re-
mainder of the roosting season to determine.

Bulletin Now £5. 51

be at least suggested by mention of three other roosts in the county.
The Vermillion roost, which is fourteen miles north-westward, con-

sisted of about 3000 birds, nearly all of which came from the east or

south-east in 1896. It is situated on the shore of lake Erie, thus making
a northerly feeding ground impossible. Birds belonging to this roost

were traced as far east as directly north of Oberlin, and five miles inland.

The Elyria roost, nine miles north-eastward, is apparently a larger one
than the Oberlin roost, the birds of which feed in a south-easterly direc-
tion. A small proportion range northward and westward.

The Wellington roost, eight miles directly south, is said to be fully as
large as the one on the Oberlin campus. Iam told that the most of the
birds inhabiting this one feed southward. For information relating to
this and the Elyria roost Iam largely indebted to residents of the two
villages. ;

The reason why the birds of the Oberlin roost foraged in a south-
westerly direction is thus made clear. The foraging grounds in other
directions were occupied by the inhabitants of the other roosts. Several

times it was noticed that when a strong wind blew from the east or north

more birds than usual came from that direction ; and vise versa, when the
wind blew strong form the south or west, almost no birds came from the
opposite direction. This suggests that when the wind is favorable for
them to do so, such individuals of the other roosts as wander away in
the direction of this one, come to it rather than breast the strong wind to
return to their own. And it is undoubtedly true that an unfavorable
wind caused some birds belonging to this roost to seek the shelter of one
of the others. Thus there would be a slight variation from day to day
in the number at each of the roosts. Strong north winds were of rare
occurrence, but when they did blow there was no apparent effect upon
the incoming host from the south. It was too large and too well organized
to be turned back by weather. .

After the grackle host had formed into one huge flock, the form of that
flock, as it passed over the fields and woods on its return to the roost or to
its feeding grounds, was an interesting study. It could not be seen to ad-
vantage from Spear Library or near the roost, because the birds were
headed that way; but at the proper time of day almost any station in the
flelds south of Oberlin was sure to give one an excellent side view of the
passing flock. The accompanying representation of the varied appear-
ance of the flock on different days as well as at different stages of the
flight on the same day, will give a fairly accurate idea of the average forms
assumed. At the beginning of the return or departing flight a form similar
to the upper figure was assumed, and the end of it, either gt the feeding

5.

Bulletin No.

N

grounds or at the roost, as the case might be, was more like the middle

figure, because the flock had the habit of resting on the installment plan

FORMS ASSUMED BY THE GRACKLE FLOCKS, SEPTEMBER, 1896.

d from the roost, and so would become more and

ing to an
more drawn out and broken up as it proceeded. The van-guard would

when pass

1t

-top and rest until the others had passed over, when i

In some tree

stop

Bulletin No. 75. 53

rose and formed the rear-guard. In this way the whole flock secured a
short breathing time, part by part. Occasionally the flock became more
broken up and extended from the van to the rear than represented in
either of the figures. Rarely two flocks were formed during the flight.
We have seen that the advancing season brought certain changes in
the habits of the birds resorting to the roost at night. These changes
had several causes, chief among which was the food supply. All young
birds subsisted upon insects for some days after occupying the roost for
the first time. As they grew older the diet of both young and old was
changed to blackberries, upon which the birds seemed to subsist while
they were to be found insufficient abundance. A greencorn diet followed

the blackberry diet, and corn formed the staple of grackle food as

long as the birds inhabited the trees. Grasshoppers were everywhere
abundant during the entire summer, inviting the grackles to a hearty and
easily obtained meal where ever they might go; but I was unable to find
any grasshopper or other insect remains in the droppings after the birds
began eating blackberries. The damage inflicted upon the green corn crop
must have been considerable, much of which, I suspect, was laid at the
door of the crow, since flocks of two or three hundred crows were seen
every day in the south-western part of the county. No doubt the crows
ate their full share of green corn, but the grackles were many times more
numerous and literally covered some corn fields. Twice I surprised them
at a hasty evening lunch while they were resting on their way to the
roost. None of the corn fields in the vicinity of Oberlin were molested
during the latter part of July, and all of August and September. They
showed their cunning by passing the night miles from the scene of their
daylight depredations. I assume that the flock does not disperse during
the day but forages as a flock, because the farmers and others who ought
to know tell me of huge flocks of ‘‘ blackbirds” seen at all times of the
day, and because such flocks were every day occurrences during the
summer at my old home in central Iowa, where the conditions are the
same as here in Ohio. Earlier in the season, while they were foraging
for the young, they were found singly or in small troops.

Another cause for the change in habits as the season advanced, one
whose influence was very marked, was the summer molt. I say ‘‘sum-
mer molt” because the first feathers were shed on June 14, and the last
feathers were fully renewed early in October. Feathers were collected
every day during the summer in order to determine, if possible, the exact
order in which the flight feathers were renewed, and also to determine
the length of time occupied in molting. The birds were also carefully
watched from day to day to further determine the progress of the molt.

54 Bulletin No. 15.

‘

A more exact method would have been to secure birds and study the
plumage, but this would have thwarted study of the roosting habits by
driving the birds away. It was the roosting habits and not the molt that
I wished to study at that time ; the other could wait. The first feathers
found were the innermost primary and outermost greater wing-covert,
both at the same time. The contour feathers could not be definitely
located, and so were passed by. The primaries were molted in regular
order from the innermost outward and the greater coverts from the outer-
most inward, followed by the secondaries from the outermost inward,
except that many secondaries were found before any of the first and
second primaries. This is practically the order determined by Mr. Wit-
mer Stone for the genus Qursca/us.* But the subject of molting will be
fully discussed in a subsequent BULLETIN, and so need not be further
treated here. In 1894 and 1895 the desertion of the roost was coincident
with the completion of the molt. It would probably have proved the
same in 1896 if the birds had not been driven away before the usual time.
The beginning of the molt so soon after occupying the roost and the de-
sertion of the roost as soon as the molt is completed make an irresistable
argument in favor of the supposition that the molt is directly responible
for the formation of the roost. This is suggested by Mr. F. E. L. Beal
in his pamphlet, Some Common birds in Their Relation to Agriculture,
page 25, in which he says: ‘‘ After July it [the Bronzed Grackle] becomes
very rare, or entirely disappears, owing to the fact that it collects in large
flocks and retires to some quiet place, where food is abundant and where
it can remain undisturbed during the molting season, but in the latter
days of August and throughout September it usually reappears in im-
mense numbers before moving south.” It is true that the Oberlin grackles
are not nearly so much in evidence while molting as while nesting, and
are rather more abundant after dispersing from the summer roost, but
their choice for roosting is anything but a quiet place. Instead of feed-
ing near their roosting place, they wander miles away before ceasing
their flight. A better designation for our grackles would be, ‘‘ Locally rare
or absent during the molting season,” for surely they are numerous
enough in many places at certain times of the day.

While there are many things i in common between the praelee s and the
robin’s roosting habits, there are also some differences. Mr. Brewster’s
excellent account of the ‘‘Summer Robin Roosts”
Mass., already referred to, and my own notes on this Oberlin Summer
Grackle Roost form the basis for this passing comparison.

near Cambridge,

*The Molting of Birds with Special Reference to the Plumage of the Smaller Land
Birds of Eastern North America, Witmer Stone.

Bulletin No. 15. 55

‘Mr. Brewster found the robin roosting from the second week in June
(June 11) until the end of the first week in October. Grackles were
found at the Oberlin roost from May 16 until the end of the second week
in October—a difference of nearly four weeks between the two species.
Mr. Brewster describes the woods occupied by the robins as a point
toward which the host converged from all directions, singly or in small

companies. The grackles approached their roost from one direction only,
and arrived in larger or smaller flocks. The feeding habits of the robin
are therefore different from those of the grackle. Sometimes the robins
were almost equalled in numbers by other species which shared the roost
with them. But the grackles far outnumbered all the other species seek-
| ing the protection of their roost. The fact that many robins rear two
broods in a season and that the grackles rarely if ever rear more than one
in this locality, would of necessity make some difference in the roosting
| habits of the two species. So wide a range in the time of nesting among
| the different grackle individuals—April 20 to June 1o—prolongs the molt-
ing season and occupancy of the roost beyond that of the robin, even
with his two broods to rear. If the molted feathers, which were carefully
gathered daily, can give accurate information, it is certain that the period
| of molting is at least a week shorter with the robin than with the grackle.
| The period of incubation is a day or two shorter, and the young leave the
| nest earlier, how much I have been unable to determine accurately. In
| a few isolated cases the young robins have remained in the nest fifteen
days after hatching, and the young grackles twenty days. But there is
considerable variation with both species. The first robin’s nest is com-
pleted about a week before the first grackle’s nest. Thus the robin is
more expeditious in all respects. Mr. Brewster does not mention the
molting of the robin while it occupies the roost, but from the number of
first primaries found under the trees I am strongly inclined to think that
all of the robins which occupied this roost in 1896 performed the entire

| molt during the roosting season.
| After the roost was deserted small companies of grackles were seen in
the country about Oberlin almost every day until their departure for the
south—November 7, 1895, October 31, 1896. During the interval no
evidence of a roost could be detected, and it seems probable that none of
a general nature existed in this region. On more than one occasion a
-small flock was seen to enter a convenient small woods in the evening and
passed the night there. Lines of flight would certainly have been dis-
covered if any had existed. It is not impossible that the desertion of the
_ roost on September 22, 1896, was the signal of departure southward for
those birds, but it is improbable. The ragged condition of the majority

56 “Bulletin NON D5.

of the birds would seem unfavorable for a long journey, but, as we §
know, not impossible. |

The study of this roost has shown that during courtship and nesting,
each occupying about two weeks under normal conditions, none of the
grackles flock together to pass the night, whatever they may have done
previously ; but as soon as incubation has well begun the old males seek
the shelter of some convenient grove and pass the night there with others
of their kind. As soon as the most forward young are able to fly they
are escorted to the common roost by the old male, or if the whole brood
should develop at the same time, by both parents; and where there is
any marked difference in the development of the young of the same
brood, the later ones, accompanied by the old female, bring up the rear.
The young are fed for some days after they begin to roost with the old
ones. All of the birds eat fruit while it-is sufficiently abundant, then
green and later ripening corn until the roost is deserted. ‘The complete
summer molt is performed while the roost is occupied. The fruit and
green corn diet is coincident with the molting season, either from neces- |
sity or from choice. In general, the birds depart from the roost with
the rising sun, and return to it at sunset. Singing and calling begin with
the break of day, and continue until the birds depart for their feeding
grounds. At night there is comparatively little singing, and all noise
and shifting about cease as darkness falls. Early in the season the birds
arrive and depart independent of each other, but with the advancing
summer flocking increases, until finally all move as one individual.

During his sojourn in the north the grackle has a period distinctly bene-
ficial to agriculture—the breeding season—and a period distinctly injuri-
ous to agriculture—the roosting season. The little injury done by robbing
other birds’ nests during the beneficial season is not worth taking into
account. It is not probable that the berries eaten are any loss to any-
body, since there are no complaints from fruit growers against this species.
Hence, the only real damage done by the grackles is when they feed upon
growing grain and upon that which has not been put out of their reach.
This reduces the injurious season to a small fraction of the whole year,
and is far too little damage done for the death sentence to be pronounced
as a penalty.

Scarcely a beginning has been made in the study of this roosting habit.
Before we can understand it we need to know more about the influence of
migration, nesting, molting, food and food supply, disposition, enemies,
and the role of man upon the life of the grackle. In short, we need to
know far more about the grackle than we do now. His is an interesting
character which will amply repay persistent study.

_KEAS (PARROTS) OF NEW ZEALAND, ATTACKING SHEE >

i.

(One of the many smaller pictures in The Osprey.)

Is an established popular monthly Se has te
the HIGHEST PLACE in its field. It has UNEQUA
opportunities for securing valuable and interes
contributions, through its close relations with
of the leading ornithologists, and all of- the <
A field naturalists, of America. Not equaled i in «
hens ence of illustrations and make-up.

tes From a fang Ereaiohien of the Great Audubon:

“Tt is a beautifal magazine, and we all enjoy it very much, It is deli cht

o

ful for those who, like ourselves, love the birds yet are not ornithologists (thou
ange I ee we ought to be). After our immediate family have read and ate

than destroy the birds ; : even those who do not care so much for asthe his
are attracted by the beautiful pictures. With every wish for the success of
attractive a publication, I am very truly yours, M. R. AuDuUBON. ie

Its average circulation since its first issue has been GREATER than |
: of any other published for Ornithology. zy

$1.00 A YEAR. 10 CENTS ACO
PUBLISHED BY ‘ey oa ee

THE OSPREY COMPANY, 61 North Prairie Street, Galesburg, Il, —

ke ® ;
i @
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ee TE he Wilson Ornithological Chapter

of the Agassiz Association.

; GENERAL NOTES.

Issued Bi=-Monthly as_ the Official

Organ of the Chapter.

| Subscription 50 cents a Year.— em

OBERLIN, OHIO.
~<s—__ September 30, 1897.

OO EKG 7

oat

OU Ni AAT OT

NUE

bay
“ARRIVAL OF WHIPPOORWILL AND PURPLE MARTIN
ot ae | IN SPRING. —

Information of the time when these two species arrive in spring was A
solicited in BULLETIN 14. Only a very few localities were heard from, “4 ae :
but the presentation of records from these few will aid materially in any a
further study of the movements of these birds.
; The record of Mr. Frank L. Burns, of Berwyn, Pa., is as follows:
For Purple Martin, April 4, 1889; April 22, 1890; June 2, 1896; April
23, 1897. At West Chester, Pa., March 24, 1897. Mr. Burns states that
this last is ‘‘ very ear sal ” For Whippoorwill, Mr. Burns has no spring
_ records.
— Mr. James Savage, Buffalo, N. Y., sends the following record: For
Purple Martin, April 16, 1894; April 23, 1896; May 19, 1897. At Ann
“Arbor, Mich., April 15, 1890. For Whippoorwill, May 1, 1894; May
; Tp LB O7.:
At Oberlin, Ohio, I have the following records: For Purple Martin, ae
April 8, 1896; March 31, 1897. The arrival of Whippoorwill has not ©
been observed. It is not common.
Mr. J. N. Clark, Meridian, Wis., sends the: following notes: For
Purple Martin, May 18 is the earliest recorded arrival, but since it 1s rare

—

‘in this locality it may come earlier. For Whippoorwill, April 23, 1891
‘is the earliest date, April 26, 1887. ;
My Grinnell, Iowa, records are as follows: For Purple Martin, April <a
eto, 1885; April 13, 1886; April 3, 1887; April 3, 1888; April 1, 1889 ;
April 8, 1890. For Whippoorwill, April 23, 1885; April 28, 1886; April
ne4, 1887 ; April 17, 1888; April 19, 1889; April 23, 1890. ;
_ Mr. John W. Daniel, Jr., Lynchburg, Va., sends the following records
7 for the Whippoorwill: April 2, 1896; March 26, 1897.
_ Mr. O. M. Meyncke, records one Whippoorwill on March 2, 1897, at
4 Brookville, Ind., in 7he Osprey for May, 1897, p. 123.
My experiences with both species at Grinnell, Iowa, where they are
_ far more common than here in northern Ohio, led me to believe that they
* were greatly influenced by weather. The Martins came with the first
- genuine signs of spring, and the Whippoorwill’s first note came in with
_ the perfume of opening blossoms. But with the Martins it is necessary

ee

ay a. “4

58 Bulletin No, 70.

to be particularly careful, for the first few days, or even weeks it may be
rarely, they stay closely at home in the boxes or hovses where they are
first seen. ‘The present season the first one appeared promptly at noon
on March 31, taking possession of the house at once, where he rested the
remainder of the day, and was not seen a block away during the next
two weeks or longer. Severe weather late in April, and weather unfay-
orable for vegetation and insect life during all of April resulted in the
starvation of one of the company. No other Martins were seen nor re-
ported until well into May. Hence, keep watch of your martin boxes if
you would make early records.

In this region the Whippoorwill is restricted to certain localities several
miles from Oberlin, and hence has not been recorded until some days or
even weeks after its arrival, Twice only have I heard its note in the
woods near Oberlin, and then only one day in an entire season.

Lynps Jones, Oberlin, Oho.

GENERAL "(NOWTES:

SomE WaRBLERS OF ELDorapo County, CALIFoRNIA.—A hint of the
physical features of the county is necessary to a proper understanding of
its Warbler inhabitants. he altitude is about 3750 feet above the ocean.
The country for miles around is covered with tall furs, pines, cedars,
spruces, with here and there oaks and thick brush, called ‘‘ deer brush.”
In various places under the trees there are large patches of a species of
wild rose, called ‘‘ mountain misery.”

Hermir WarRBLER, Dendroica occidental’s.—During my stay from the
7th to the 14 of Jnly, 1897, I saw but six Hermit Warblers. A nest with
four young was found in a cedar tree about twelve feet up. All but the
one female belonging to this nest seemed to be males. They seemed to
prefer the tops of tall trees where they searched through the foliage for
insects, singing all the time.

CALAVERAS WarBLER, /lelminthophila rubricapfilla gutturalis.—
These were quite common, spending their time in the ‘‘deer brush ”
and ‘‘ mountain misery.” No nests were found, but several broods of
young were noticed. They keep well out of sight and therefore are
easily overlooked.

BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, Dendroica nigrescens.—One of the
commonest Warblers, both in brush and high trees. A pleasant song-

Bulletin No. 16. 59

ster. Isaw several broods of young, and watched the old birds feed

them.

MAcGILLIVRAY’S WARBLER, Geothlyfis macgillitvrayz.—It was quite
common in the ‘‘deer brush,” where it builds its nest. One nest was
found, and I saw some young nearly fully grown. There seems to be no
difference in the habits of the individuals here and those in Sonoma.

YELLOW WARBLER, Dendroica aestiva.—Il saw a few in the ‘‘ deer
brush.” One nest with fresh eggs and one with three young and one egg
was seen. This is probably the rarest warbler in the hills.

AUDUBON’S WARBLER, Dend7oica audubont.—Ilt was fairly common,
keeping well up in the trees, where it frequently uttered its peculiar note.
A brood of young was seen, which the old birds were feeding at that
time.

PILEOLATED WARBLER, Sylvania pusilla pileolata.—On September 20,
1895, I saw about twenty individuals of this species in the trees (alders,
laurels, etc.) along a mountain stream. They were in low trees, but
went up about twenty-five feet at times. All were apparently young of
the year, as but one had the black crown. They were searching around
through the trees after insects. On September 26, I saw two along the
same stream, but in the valley about a half mile from where the others
were seen a week before. One which was shot proved to be a bird of
the year; the colors of the other one indicated that it was an old bird.

_ They acted like the Yellow Warbler. The above noted instances are the

only times I have met this bird. HENRY W. CarriGER, Sonoma, Calif.

NoTEs FROM NORTH GREENFIELD, Wis —CLIFF SWALLows.—Near the
house where I am spending my vacation is a barn whose eaves shelter
the nests of about thirty pairs of Cliff Swallows. The protection of this
colony, by the way, from the persecution of the English Sparrow has
been accomplished only by frequent use of the shot gun and constant
vigilance ; nearly one hundred of the little pests having been shot so far
this season. On Sunday afternoon, June 11, about seven o'clock, a
thunder shower, accompanied by a heavy wind, came up from the north-
west. As the rain began to fall the Swallows left their nests and flew
about in an erratic manner, apparently much disturbed. In a few min-
utes, however, with one accord they turned towards a large elm tree and
disappeared in the foliage of the upper branches, where they remained
for several minutes. This is the first time that I have known Swallows
to resort to trees.

AN ALBINO Crow.—A large white bird, evidently an albino Crow, was

60 Bulletin No. 16.

seen by my brother the past spring at North Greenfield. As observed at
some distance, the bird seemed pure white in color. It was with a flock
of Crows of normal color and behaved like any ordinary Crow. It did
not seem to receive any unusual attention from its companions.

RED-HEADED WOODPECKER AND KiInGBIRDS.—A pair of Kingbirds built
a nest in a white oak tree, near the house, in June. About the time of its
completion, an ill-tempered Red-headed Woodpecker came along and pro-
ceeded to tear up the nest in spite of vigorous attempts at remonstrance |
by its owners. Several times the birds came to close quarters and in-
dulged in a rough and tumble fight.

R. M. Strone. North Creemfield, Wes.

NOTES FROM OBERLIN, Oni10.—-Of the 180 odd species of birds which
an active ornithologist might feel reasonably confident of finding in

Lorain County during a spring, summer and early autumn, only 149 have
been seen by the writer thus far during 1897. Of the thirty odd unre-
corded species at least two must have failed to appear in the county.
These are the Dickcissel (SAéza americana) and Henslow’s Sparrow
(Ammodramus henslowit). They were diligently searched for in all
places without success. Many of the others escaped notice because of
lack of opportunity to search for them where and when they could be
found. Of the 149 actually recorded, at least twenty-six appeared in a
more or less unusual role. Since there was a marked increase in the
numbers of twenty-two species, and just as marked a decrease in the
numbers of but two, it is fair to conclude that the season has been fav-

orable for the birds. The records of many of these twenty-two species is
so interesting that they deserve special mention :

GREAT BLUE HERON, Ardea herodias.—\t has been not only more
common than usual, especially on the lake shore, where a small flock was
seen for weeks during the early autumn, but one settled in a pasture
within the village corporation. His vain efforts to balance himself upon
the top wire of a fence were tantalizingly ludicrous.

Bos-wuHite, Colinus virgintanus.—Iit is gratifying to notice that this
species is decidedly on the increase. A covey of some fifteen was startled
from an evergreen in my neighbor’s front yard, on a Sunday morning.

TURKEY VULTURE, Cathartes aura.—Seen almost every day during
the spring and summer. |

LONG-EARED OWL, Aszo wrelsontanus.—This is the first.year that it has
ever approached being common.

Bulletin No. 26. } 61

YELLOW-BELLIED WOoOoODPECKER, Sphyvrapficus varius.—The first season
it has been actually found nesting. ”

RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, J/elanerfes carolinus.—A very noticeable
increase in numbers and consequent greater boldness. During Septem-
ber one individual ventured upon the college campus several times.
His call sounded strangely on the busy street.

Bospo.tink, Dolichonyx oryztvorus.—A decided decrease in numbers,
probably due to the conversion of so many pastures and meadows into
cornfields. It seemed to be more common after the molt.

BALTIMORE ORIOLE, Jctexvus galbula.—It has been universally
remarked that the ‘‘Orioles” were never so numerous before. ‘‘Abun-
dant” would not overestimate the numbers.

AMERICAN CROSSBILL, Loxza curvtrostra minor.—Not only far more
numerous than ever before, but remained much later also. There is a
suspicion that broods were raised in the county.

AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, +Sfznmus ¢7rzstis.—Certainly abundant. One
could not get beyond the reach of the plaintively fretful call note.

CARDINAL, Cardinalis cardinalis.—In nearly every small woods, and
common along the rivers. A noticeable increase.

CEDAR WAXWING, Amfpelis cedrorum.—Never so many before.
Nested plentifully in the village.

OVENBIRD, Sezurvus aurocapillus.—Abounded in the woods. Unmer-
cifully imposed upon by the Cowbird. Last year (1896) the Ovenbird
was not at all common.

YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, /cterta vii-ens.—The increase over last year
was fully too per cent., judging from the numbers observed.

Barn Swa.iow, Petrochelidon luntfrons.—The birds came into town,
two pairs nesting in my neighbor’s barn. They were everywhere in evi-
dence.

Brown CREEPER, Certhia familiarts americana.—Common during
the spring migration. The increase seemed to be fully 300 per cent.
None could have spent the summer here.

PurpeLeE Martin, Progne subés.—While not common outside of town,
it was not unusual to see birds flying over the country. In former years
it has been confined to the towns.

BLUE-GRAY GNaTCATCHER, Polioptila ceeriulea.—Never more common
before. This summer every woods boasted several pairs. Nesting in
all woods.

Witson’s THRUSH, 7urdus fuscescens.—Common and nesting in the
deeper woods. Singing well into July.

62 Bulletin’ Nov LO.

BLUEBIRD. Szalia szalis.—Nearly equal to its former numbers, but
not singing.

GREEN-CRESTED FLYCATHER, Lmpidonax wtrescens.—Abundant in
all woods, and nesting plentifully. Its note was one of the ceaseless
sounds of the woods. Lynps Jones, Oberlin, Ohio.

RUBY-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD BREEDING IN THE SAME LOCATION FOR
TEN CONSECUTIVE YEARS.—On May 29, 1897, I collected a nest and two
fresh eggs of the little Ruby-throat from a pair of birds which have an-
nually nested in the same locality. ‘The bird remained on the nest while
I severed the branch on which it was placed. The locality in which this
pair of birds have nested so long, is a small group of sugar maples near
a brook in a ravine on the border of a large wood. The first time I
found them nesting here was May 29, 1897, when. I took a nest and two
fresh eggs from a neighboring tree. On the same branch, and only six
inches away, was an old nest, showing the birds had used the locality in
previous years. J. WarREN JacosBs, Waynesburg, Pa.

ABUNDANCE OF DENDROICA IN CALIFORNIA.—For about a week prior to
January 21, 1897, I noticed a number of Warblers along a creek that
ran near a road, over which I passed daily. They were very active and
could be heard chirping as they searched for insects in the trees and on
the ground. I thought they were Audubon’s, but on the 22nd I thought
the note sounded different from Audubon’s, so I returned earlier than
usual (about 4:50 P. M.) and found them quite common, and they allowed
me to approach within from six to eleven feet, when to my surprise I saw
they were Myrtle. The creek was quite low and they would sit on the
rocks in water or search along the bank. On the 23rd I found about fifty
and shot one. On the znd of February I shot two more, and they ap-
peared to be old birds, though I could not say for sure. (One of the birds
was named by Mr. R. Ridgway of the Smithsonian.) I had not met the
Myrtle at any place except along the creek, but after February nearly all
the birds I noticed seemed to have the white throat patch. I could not
see any difference between this bird and Audubon’s except there seemed
to be a slight difference in the note, and in the latter part of February 1
could generally tell by note whether it was Audubon’s or Myrtle. A small
note-book in which I kept my rough notes after March was lost, so all I
have is as follows: February 6, about twenty in oaks on hills. February
14, more common than Audubon’s. March 7, about equally divided.
March 20, still common in hills. April 4, common as Audubon’s. Al-

Bulletin. Mow £6. 63

‘though this species may have been here previously I never noted it till this
year. It was common in places and, roughly speaking, I must have seen

' four hundred. I counted forty along the creek one evening. I think

this bird breeds in California, for I believe some young were taken in
E] Dorado or Placer County in the high Sierras.
H. W. Carricer, Sonoma, Calzf.

On June 8, 1896, I flushed a Mourning Dove from a nest seven feet
from the ground on a grape vine which was growing over a small dead
willow. It was composed of dry sticks, weed stalks, grass and a cotton-
wood leaf, and contained three eggs, Two of these were heavily incu-
bated while the other was perfectly fresh. The above notes were taken
on Bear Creek about ten miles from Denver, Col.

A. S. Pearse, Lincoln, Neb.

THE SWALLOWS.

Work is progressing rapidly on the Swallow report. The season has
closed in the north, but further south the swallows still remain. Work
up your notes while the matter is fresh in your minds. I wish all matter
in before November 1, that I may have time to arrange it. As a last
appeal I ask you as a friend and fellow worker to help me. It is impos-
sible for me to call on you personally ; in fact life is too short to visit all
the ornithologists even had I the means. Please sit right down and tell
me all you know about the Swallows. Don’t use postals.

Ask all your friends to tell you something of the Swallows. What
species have they observed ? etc. I append a list of questions to aid you.
What species have you ever observed? State places of observation if
other than your present residence. What species breed? About what
number, and the location of nest? When arrive and depart? How
long incubating and rearing young? Number, color and size of eggs ?
When, where and how fed, and of what does food consist? By this I
mean do they feed at all hours and all seasons in the same manner or
differently. What can you tell me in regard to the nesting boxes for
White-bellied Swallow and Purple Martin? How should they be con-
structed? You should copy from others giving credit to the author each
time. I cannot consult all the old magazines, so I ask you to give definite
reference to any thing you think will interest me. If you cannot answer

more than one question do that at once.

64 Bulletin No. 16.

My corresponcence has increased so rapidly that it will be impossible
for me to reply to all as speedily as I should like; but remember that I
shall acknowledge all in the report.

STEPHEN J. ADAMS, Cornish, Me.

EDITORIAL.

The news of Major Chas. E. Bendire’s death, whose work was thus
so prematurely closed, brought with it not only a keen sense of the loss
of the true scientist, but as well the almost certainty that his ‘‘ Life
Histories’ would never be completed. We are gratified to see that the
scientific organizations of the country are bending every effort to insure
the continuance of this great work by some competent man. Toward this
end we would beg to submit the following resolutions :

‘Whereas, the death of Major Charles E. Bendire leaves his great
work, the ‘‘ Life Histories of North American Birds,” scarcely more
than begun, and |

‘‘ Whereas, the ornithologists of the United States anticipate that the
work will never be completed unless concerted interest be shown by
scientists and scientific organizations, be it

“Resolved, that the Wilson Ornithological Chapter of the Agassiz
Association hereby expresses its keen interest in the completion of this
work by some competent oologist, and earnestly urges that those in au-
thority in the Smithsonian Institute do all in their power to further the
completion of this great work, and be it further

‘‘Resolved, that a copy of these resolutions be forwarded to the officers
of the U. S. National Museum.”

We regret the discontinuance of our esteemed contemporary, Zhe
Nidologist. Mr. Taylor's earnest efforts deserved more lasting success
and his excellent magazine will be universally missed by bird students.
Unexpired subscriptions will be filled by 7ke Popular Science News.

The present number is behind time from a lack of copy, and for no
other reason. This is the first time such a thing has happened, and we
trust it will be the determination of every member of the Chapter that
it will be the last time. In many parts of the country conditions have
been favorable for some strange freaks among the birds, some of which
must have come within the range of your eyes. You will confer a favor
upon all ornithologists by submitting such things for publication.

me =a
4 Car?
+t

Balienn Noi". ; 65

In another place members will find the announcement for the annual
election of officers for the coming year, anda list of names presented
Bor membership. Let it be the duty of every active member to cast
| his vote in this election. The encouragement you will thus give to
the officers will result in great good to the Chapter.

There is great need of a larger list of associate members. If you
have a friend, acquaintance or correspondent who is not now a member,
but whose interest in the birds is more than transient, invite him to
become a member. We need his help, and we may be of service to him.

i= The roosting habits of birds deserve more notice in print than they
have received. It must be true that many birds have been noticed
/ going to roost, or have been flushed from their roosting places at twilight
' or during the night, perchance even seen to leave their nocturnal retreat
at dawn, yet how few even casual references can be found in current
| literature. Can we not have a symposium of roosting habits in which each

member shall briefly give whatever he may have noticed, even casually,
about this subject? The editor would be delighted to receive brief notes
_ about the roosting habits of any and all species. Notes like these are
| interesting: ‘A company of fifty or more Meadowlarks was seen to
| enter a clover meadow and disappear under the clover, at twilight.”
} ‘Frightened a dozen Flickers from a thicket of prickley ash, half an
| hour after sunset.’”’ ‘‘ Watched a solitary Tufted Tit go to bed undera
| huge leaf.” Such notes show what the birds do at night. Will you not

send the editor at once a few such short notes? They may be longer if
you can spare the time to make them so.

’

One of the most encouraging ‘‘signs of the times’ is the general
awakening of the public to the pleasures and profits of bird study. Is
it because that interloper, the English Sparrow, everywhere and at all
times obtrudes himself upon the people’s notice, or is it the intrinsic .

value of tbe birds in leading us to see more in life than material wealth ?

| With only a little knowledge of nature, how much more the short walk
for exercise, or the run into the country, or the daily drive, means to us
and brings tous. Even though we may never wish to touch the deeper
problems of the bird’s life, we are led to an appreciation of all nature
through them that will make our lives fuller and more pleasant. Blind
eyes and deaf ears, among a race as active as ours in the ways of trade,
may well be made to see and hear what there is for them in the world’s
' wide range of natural objects which cannot be turned into gold, but

which will lift the race to a higher plane of living and striving.

66 Bulletin No. 6.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS FOR 1898.

The annual election of officers begins November 20 and ends Decem-
ber 5. The officers to be elected are : President, Vice-President, Secre-
tary, Treasurer and three members of the Executive Council. Very few
nominations have been made, hence the list is incomplete. Members |
are always at liberty to vote for whomsoever they please, even when the |
nominations are full. |

Mr. Frank L. Burns, Berwyn, Pa., has been appointed Judge of Elec-
tions, and all ballots should be sent to him. Our Constitution provides
that ballots must reach the Judge of Elections by December 5, in order |
_to be counted.

Only active members are privileged to vote, but those in arrears for
assessments are denied the privilege, unless their assessments reach the |
treasurer before November 20.

The following nominations have been made :

for President.—Reuben M. Strong, Lake Forest, Ill.

for Vice-President-—N. Hollister, Delavan, Wis.

for Secretary.—Walton I. Mitchell, St. Paul, Minn. ; W. L. Dawson, |
Oberlin, Ohio.

for Treasurer.—Lynds Jones, Oberlin, Ohio.

For Executive Council.—John H. Sage, H. C. Oberholser, ]> Warrem
Jacobs, H. C. Higgins, W. A. Oldfield, J. E. Law.

ELECTION OF NEW MEMBERS.

The following names are here proposed for Active membership: John
W. Daniel, Lynchburg, Va.; Geo. W. Dixon, Watertown, S. Dak. 7 |
A. C. Parker, Box 6, White Plains, N. Y.; A. H.. Howell) Bislosieas
Survey, Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. In accordance
with the Constitution, proposed members will be considered elected unless |
there are adverse votes.

CHANGES. OF ADDRESS:

It is very important that changes of address, or any errors in the
present mailing list, should be attended to before the close of the present
year. Unless you give notice to the contrary, your name and address

Bulletin No. 16. ye 67

“will be printed in the next list of members as they appear on the wrapper

of this BULLETIN.
President Strong’s address will be Lake Forest, Ill., until further

- notice.

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

The ‘‘special” nature of BULLETIN No. 15, prevented the acknowl-
edgement of publications in that number, hence the present list is both
late and longer than usual.

The Llue Jay and Its Food, by F. E. L. Beal, Assistant Biologist,
U. S. Department of Agriculture. [Reprint from the Year-book of the
Department of Agriculture for 1895, pp. 197 to 206 inclusive, with three
cuts in the text.] The evidence brought forth by the careful investiga-
tions conducted by Professor Beal may be summed up in his closing
sentence. ‘In fact, the examination of nearly 300 stomachs shows that
the blue jay certainly. does far more good than harm.”’

Bulletins Nos. 84, 85, 86, and 79, of the Alabama Agricultural Exper-
iment Station, of the Agricultural and Mechanical College, Auburn.

_ Valuable contributions to Horticulture and related subjects, by officials

of the station.

Bulletin No. 20, Department of Agriculture, Kansas State Agricultural
College, Manhattan, Kan. A compilation of experiments with wheat.

Bulletins No. 80, 81, and 82, Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station,
Wooster, Ohio. Valuable contributions to Horticulture and related sub-
jects, by officials of the station.

Bids, Vol. 11, Nos. 1, 2, and 3, July, August, and September, , 18907.
It could have no greater praise than mention of its immense and con-
stantly increasing circulation. Our constant surprise is that there are
not more inferior pictures, realizing, as we do, that perfect subjects for
illustrations are not always obtainable. The species selected for repre- -
sentation in the September number are among the more difficult ones.
Here we notice that the chief defect is a lack of light in the eye, which
is also more or less in evidence in previous plates. A steady improve-
ment is evident throughout the magazine, and we have only hearty words
of praise for the good work it is doing in putting the birds before the
eyes of an appreciative public whose need of just such a magazine is
made clear by their eagerness to know the birds through its pages.

hale “ed

“a pi? § 4
Bas | haat : {
‘ , | Sore

68 Bulletin No. 76.

The Auk, Vol. XIV, No. 3, July, 1897.
The lowa Orinthologist, Voi. III, No. 3, July, 1897.

The Osprey, Vol. I, Nos. 10, 11-12, Vol. Tl, Nooei) ame ais
August, September, 1897.

The Museum, Vol. III, Nos. 8, 9, 10, 11, June to September, 1897.
The Oologist, Vol. XIV, Nos. 6, 7, 8, 9, June to September, 1897.
The Observer, Vol. VIII, Nos. 6, 7, 8, June to August, 1897.
Popular Science, Vol. XXXI, No. 4, April, 1897.

Recreation, Vol. VI, No. 6, June, 1897.

Stories from Nature, Vol. I, No. 4, September, 1897.
Microscopical Bulletin, Vol. XIV, No. 3. June, 1897.

The Nidologist, Vol. IV, No. 9, May, 1897.

; J y : bi Be, pak i we = > ag. Me : ; :
The greatest and best b

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Professor of Dooley and nee Anatomy, =o
ue BAe Sete s,

ss COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME

With Many Figures and a Map, Index and Introduction

to be the best “all- round ”’ book we neve ever seen: the ane al be t%
- answers the purposes of the most readers: the one which conveys
most information per thousand ems, the one which is freest from

Seng ecss oak any Se the one which i is most cautious and conservat

which is the most keenly critical, yet most eminently just in “render
adverse decisions.

THE BE aE Ee COMPANY |
66 Fifth Avenue

'S BULLETIN No. 17, —e
Old Series, Vol. IX.. New Series Vol. IV, No. 6.

The Wilson Ornithological Chapter

GENERAL NOTES.

‘Issued Bi-Monthly as the Official
Organ of the Chapter. |

EDITED BY LYNDS JONES.

Subscription 50 cents a Year. ern

OBERLIN, OHIO.
eo November 30, 1897.

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— — ——— ,-

YOUNG CROW EDIBLE.

On the 22nd of April, incompany with Russell Gray, I spent almost
the entire day looking up the nests of my old friends, the Crows. One
of the interesting finds of the trip was that of two young about two
days old ina nest in the crotch of a leaning chestnut tree. The old
birds prefering to keep their affairs secret, made no outcry; influenced
doubtless by the noisy work of a near-by wood-chopper. As the nest
must have been constructed as early as the last of March, it was thickly
lined with cow hair. Now a strange tale had been but recently
related to me from first hands, in which it is made to appear that
the young are edible, and what is more, a dainty. Men and boys—as
it runs—used to visit Reedy Island, at the head of Delaware Bay,
where hundreds of Crows nested on the broken reeds, at the proper sea-
son for the purpose of securing the callow young, which brought good
prices at the various markets and restaurants of Philadelphia, under the
non-de-plume of ‘‘squabs.” The above was strengthened by a remark
made by an old lumberman and guide, formerly of Pike county, who
said that the young of the Crow were much sought after in season by the
lumbermen, by whom they are regarded as superior to young pigeons.
Accordingly I secured this pair of young when they were about sixteen
days old. The primaries, secondaries and tail feathers were just begin-
ning to develop, the feathery tips just breaking out at the ends of the
blue quills. Even when dressed, the long wings and very dark skin re-
quired some explanation before going into the frying pan. Neverthe-
less they finally reached the table under that all embracing term of
‘birds,’ and I literally ‘‘ate crow” for my breakfast. Subsequently
one of the family remarked that the Azgeon was rather tough, but the
quality of the flesh was not impeached. In fact, it was superior to many
birds I have eaten, and indeed, scarcely inferior to and tasting not unlike
squab.

FRANK L. Burns, Berwyn, Penn.

A MAY HORIZON.

The tenth day of May of this year (1897) was one to be remembered

_ by local ornithologists for its wealth of transient bird life. The previous

70 Bulletin No. 17.

day had been a sultry one and it had rained all night long, clearing again |
in the morning. The warm weather had stirred the southern loiterers
mightily, and in a forenoon tramp Mr. Jones and I had our hands full
checking off the newcomers.

On our walk we picked up the town birds as we passed, and gleaned
across field some, but worked principally in the woodlands a mile or so |
out of town. One piece of woods in particular had a southern fringe of |
bush and swamp, and was for the most part second growth, uncleared. |
The trees here were of such a height as to accommodate Warbler habits
to the limitations of human eyesight. It was preeminently Warbler
Day! All the laggard host had come. At one time within the space of
a minute I had four new arrivals, Warblers, under my glass. One does
not see eighteen species of the Mniotiltida every day in the year, nor
indeed every year in a life-time.

We count ourselves fairly fortunate here in northern Ohio as to variety

of bird life, but I'll confess that to record a species every four minutes |

for five hours straight seemed rather a heady pace. Doubtless other W.
O. C. brethren have been even more fortunate. The following list of
seventy-six species, the hovzzon of that day, is given to afford some sug-
gestion of the interest which may lie along the lines marked out for the

Committee on Geographical Distribution in BULLETIN No. 14.

1. Solitary Sandpiper. 22027 Piece:

2. Spotted Sandpiper. 21. Wood Pewee.

Be lcmideer, 22. least Plycateherm

4. Bob-white. 23. Prairie Horned Lark.

5. Mourning Dove. 24. Blue Jay.

6. Red-shouldered Hawk. 25. American Crow.

7. Broad-winged Hawk. ' 26. Bobolink.

8. Sparrow Hawk. 27. Cowbird.

g. Yellow-billed Cuckoo. 28. Red-winged Blackbird.
10. . Black-billed Cuckoo. 29. Meadow Lark.

tt. Hairy Woodpecker. 30. Baltimore Oriole.

12. Downy Woodpecker. 31. Bronzed Grackle.
13. Yellow-beilied Sapsucker. 32. American Goldfinch.

14. Red-headed Woodpecker. 33. Vesper Sparrow.
15. Red-bellied Woodpecker. 34. Grasshopper Sparrow.
nO: oe Moker, 35. White-crowned Sparrow.
17. Chimney Swift, 36. White-throated Sparrow.
18. Kingbird. 37. Chipping Sparrow.

19. Crested Flycatcher. 38. Field Sparrow.

number of the BULLETIN, came under my observation last spring.

Bulletin No.

39. Song Sparrow.

40. Towhee.

41. Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

42. Indigo Bunting.

43. Scarlet Tanager.

44. Purple Martin.

45. Barn Swallow.

46. Cedar Waxwing.

47. Loggerhead Shrike.

48 Red-eyed Vireo.

49. Warbling Vireo.

50. Blue-winged Warbler.
51. Yellow Warbler.

52. Black-throated Blue Warbler.
| 53. Myrtle Warbler.

54. Cerulean Warbler.

55. Chestnut-sided Warbler.

56. Bay-breasted Warbler.

57. Black-poll Warbler.

58.
59.
60.
Sie.
62.
63.
64.
65.
66.
67.
68.
69.
70.
fit
Wie
73-
74-
75:
76.

Vig 71

Blackburnian Warbler. ‘
Black-throated Green Warbler.
Palm Warbler.

Oven-bird.

Water Thrush.

Mourning Warbler.
Maryland Yellow-throat.
Yellow-breasted Chat.
Canadian Warbler.
American Redstart.
Catbird.

House Wren.
White-breasted Nuthatch.
Tufted Titmouse.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.
Wood Thrush.
Olive-backed Thrush.
Robin.

Bluebird.

W. L. Dawson, Oberlin, Ohio.

GENERAL NOTES.

Nest oF MourninG Dove, Zenardura macroura, CONTAINING THREE
Eacs.—An instance similar to that noted by Mr. A. S. Pearse in the last

On

May 11, I flushed a Mourning Dove from her nest in the crotch of an
appie tree in an orchard. Stepping under the tree, where I could see

into the nest, I was surprised to find that it contained three eggs.

Pre-

paring to capture a ‘‘freak”’ set I produced my note book, but just then

I heard a familiar ‘‘ Azf4-f7~” which told of finishing incubation.

Two

of the eggs were pipped, a young dove’s beak protruding through the

opening in the side of one of the eggs.

and to all appearances fertile.

The third was perfectly fresh,

‘Two weeks later I was in the orchard

and observed the two young Doves huddled close together on a branch of

a neighboring tree.

J. WarREN Jacozss, Waynesburg, Pa.

Sparrow Notes.—During the months of May and June, I took 123

72 Bulletin No. 17.

Sparrow’s eggs from the cupola of our barn. There were about eight
nests, giving,an average of fifteen eggs apiece. How many more they
laid during the season I do not know, as they all left the barn. From the
same place I took a set of five eggs, three of which were pure creamy
white, the fourth and fifth having a few hair-like lines on the large end ;
the fifth egg measured 1.25 in length, and was shaped like a double pea-

nut. The Sparrows roost by the hundred in the ivy on the house, and I |

have often killed them by taking a light and then beating the vines with
a pole. They fly around the light like moths, and may be easily killed.

Juncos Nigut Fiyinc.—When the Juncos first arrive, I have often,
when returning home about ten o’clock on dark wet nights, heard them
flying from tree to tree and calling to each other. I do not know whether
this is usual or not. Have others observed the same thing ?

AN Opp NeEstTinG PLrace.—Last August I found a nest of House Wrens,
7. aedon, in an earthen bottle or jug, which was stuck in a crotch in a
holly bush, about five feet up. The hole in the neck was one and one-
half inches in diameter and two inches long ; then the body of the jug
was five inches in diameter and six inches deep, the nest being placed on
the bottom. The nest was a mass of sticks, hair, grass, etc.

, RussEe_t Gray, Philadelphia, Pa.

Mr. Russell Gray sends the following interesting bit of old literature,
which he has copied from ‘‘The Family Encyclopedia,” published in
New York, in 1831.

ALBATROSS.—A large and voracious water fowl, which inhabits many
countries between the tropics. 7

BALTIMORE OrRIOLE.—A bird of North America, which suspends its
nest to the horizontal forks of the tulip and poplar trees, formed by the
filaments of tough plants ; it is of a pear shape, open at top, with a hole
on the side through which the young are fed, etc. [What the bird ?]
Some other birds build their nests in like manner, as the Bottle-nested
Sparrows, etc.

BuiveE Jay.—-A bird of a blue color, from six to eight inches in length,
the head of which is covered with a tuft of feathers, which it erects at
pleasure in the form of a crest. .

ButcHeEr Birp.—A sort of shrike, remarkable for its ferosity towards
the little birds, which it kills, and tearing them to pieces, sticks them
on thorns.

Cassowary.—A large bird of prey.

HuMMINGBIRD.—A beautiful bird, the smallest of which are scarcely a

|

Bulletin No. 17. ae

quarter of an inch in length. Its chief food is the nectar of flowers,
which it extracts with a humming noise like the bee, and suspends its

| nest from trees, laying two white eggs, the size of a pea.

Jay.—A bird with particoloured plumage, of the crow kind. It is
taught to speak.

Tir Mouse.—A small bird which feeds on the brains of other birds,
which it attacks with great ferosity.

Notes FRoM MONTGOMERY, OHIO. — SPARROW Hawk. — During the
month of December, 1892, a pair of Sparrow Hawks roosted nightly
upon the shutter of a window of my room. It was an upstairs window,
close under the eaves and in an angle of the house; hence a sheltered
location. About dusk I would often go quietly to my room and look at
the pair sitting side by side, with their heads drawn down to the
shoulders and the feathers of the body puffed out until they looked
quite round.

RED-SHOULDERED Hawxk.—During the winter of 1891, achum of mine
was walking through an orchard about nine P. m. to return to a neighbor
a gun he had borrowed. On walking under an apple tree he heard a dis-
turbance in the branches, and firing almost at random, brought down a
badly mangled Red-shouldered Hawk, in mature plumage, which is much
less often seen here than the immature. This bird was not more than

ten feet from the ground.

CAROLINA WREN AND ENGLISH SPARROW.—Perhaps ten years ago I
often went to an uncle’s to spend a night or day, and there his hay-stacks
would be perforated with holes from six to twelve inches deep, and from
four to six feet from the ground, probably by English Sparrows. By

going about the stacks after dark and putting my hand in the holes I

frequently caught English Sparrows, and’on one occasion a Carolina
Wren. The Sparrows often roost in great numbers in corn cribs and
grainaries ; and in school-boy days several of us would take a lantern
and go toacrib, and climb around, pocketing the birds as fast as one
took them from the crannies, or as they were caught on the wing as they
flew wildly about. Sometimes the birds would get to fighting in our
pockets and when they would bite sharply through our clothes it made
things even more lively than before. We would often get as many as
twenty-five at one haul and fully as many more escaped; all this from
one farm. During the months of August and September Mourning Doves
commonly roost on the ground in weedy fields ; sometimes in pairs, often
in small flocks. In the same season, perhaps at others also, Flickers and

74 Bulletin Wor 7.

Redheads would perhaps roost in their nesting holes. A rap on the. tree
after sunset will start them out.
J. C. GaLLoway, Montgomery, Ohio.

SomME Common Birps oF NEw Mexico.—The following were a few of
the commoner birds of south-western New Mexico this last summer ?

CURVE-BILLED THRASHER, /arporhynchus curvtrostris.—This bird
was the commonest Thrasher, although the Crissal Thrasher was seen
occasionally. It is rather a quiet bird, but has a sweet voice when it
wishes to use it, and it is sometimes kept as a cage-bird. It is fond of
building in the cactus bushes, and in nearly every bush one of the nests
or one of the House Finch may be found. One day, while lying in the
hammock on the porch, I saw a young Curve-billed Thrasher fly down to
the steps and then up to the railing; from there it hopped along and
onto the hammock, when I reached out and caught it. After examining
it for a while I let it loose, but it was in no hurry, and the next day it
repeated the performance. I did not see it afterward, and I am afraid
if it did not get over its curiosity that the cat had a nice meal some day.

Cassin’s KINGBIRD, 7yrannus vociferans.—This was one of the most

common birds, replacing the Kingbird which it resembles in habits, and
it is commonly called the Kingbird. It has a shrill, rasping cry, which
it utters constantly, especially just before alighting. They will attack
birds of prey, and I have several times seen them drive away hawks, but
they are not as brave in the defense of their nests as is the Kingbird.
There was a row of large cottonwood trees in front of our house, and in
the evening these birds would gather there in large numbers to roost, and
for about an hour there would be constant fighting and shrieking.

ROADRUNNER, CGeococcyx californianus.—It was quite a common oc-
currence, when out driving, to see one of these queer looking birds appear
in the road a little way in front of us and dart on ahead of the horses,
and after running a little way turn off into the bushes, usually going off
on the up-hill side. The ones I shot all had stomachs full of insects.
While collecting a set of eggs the bird allowed me to approach within a
few feet of the tree before hopping off on the oppasite side and running
away.

House Fincu, Carfodacus mexicanus frontalis.—This bird replaces
the English Sparrow (of which there were none where I was). They
live principally around the houses, building in holes in the porches and
are also very fond of the cactus bushes. They lay four tosix bluish eggs,
marked on the larger end with black; and raise several broods a year.

Bulletin INO. 47. aS

The nest is made of dried grass. Their song was very sweet and was
kept up the entire summer, except for a short time when they were
molting. In November they began gathering in flocks preparatory to
migrating.

SIDNEY S. Witson, S¢. Joscph, Mo.

NOTES ON SOME MINNESOTA Birps.—I made a trip of two weeks last
noted for its

June, 200 miles south-west of St. Paul, to Jackson county
many water birds, where the many small lakes and sloughs afford splendid
opportunities for nesting.

Among the commonest breeding birds of the county are the Black
Terns, which nest by the hundreds in nearly every slough which has
water deep enough. In some places the water was not over ten inches
deep, while in the neighborhood of St. Paul the depth is never less than
two feet. In every instance where a barb-wire fence ran through the
slough, as often happens in submerged meadows, a colony of Black Terns
would be found nesting along the fence.

A single colony of four pairs of Forter’s Terns was found nesting in
the center of a large slough a mile or more across, in the water but four

‘feet deep. The nests were as large as the average Coot's nest and very
compacily built of dead rushes, eight inches high. On June 7th, the
nests all contained three eggs very well incubated. In the same slough
was an immense colony of Black-crowned Night Herons in a patch of
wild rice 500 feet from shore. The nests all contained from one to four
fresh eggs. Near by a nest containing nine eggs of the Ruddy Duck was
found on the top of a Grebe’s nest which had been built on an old musk-
rat run—a common situation in this locality—in the midst of a colony of
fifteen or twenty nests of the Horned Grebe. The nests of the Horned
Grebe contained from four to seven eggs each, five being the average
number.

The only nest of the Mallard I found while there was in a clump of
rushes about forty feet from the shore, and was very substantially built
of grass and rushes with very little down, and containing eleven fresh
eggs.

The Blue-wing Teal and Shovelers nest abundantly in the tall grass

about the shores of the slough, and many deserted nests as well as those
with incubated eggs were found. This region used to be a great breed-
ing place for tbe Sandhill Crane some twenty years ago, but it is a novelty
to see a bird now.

The Long- and Short-billed Marsh Wrens also nest in the wild rice

76 Bulletin No. 17.

and cat-tails, along with the Yellow-headed Blackbird, which are met with
at almost every step. But many of the wren’s nests were just finished
or contained only partial sets.

Along the edges of the sloughs, the Tree Swallow nests abundantly in
old holes of Downy Woodpeckers or Flickers, from five to seven eggs
being laid; but rarely over five, which is the average set.

WALTON I. MITCHELL, S¢t. Paul, Minn.

COMMITTEE ON GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.

‘‘ And now comes the dull season” sighs many an ornithologist, as he

lays by his field-glasses and note-book and prepares to go into winter —

quarters. But this thing need not be. Winter is the best time to begin
the work on the local 677d census. At this time of the year the bird

population of any given area may be not only estimated but counted |

with reasonable accuracy. Our editor has kindly consented to give space
to census reports in the February BuLLETIN. Let each of our members
who can possibly afford the time, put in a day or two, this coming holi-

day vacation, taking the census of all the birds found in their village, or

on the farm, or, if in the city, in the neighboring park.

Some of our northern members will be surprised at the number of
Woodpeckers, Kinglets, Chickadees and foolhardy Robins which a syste-
matic search will discover. List every individual and send the result,
together with a brief description of the area examined and such remarks
as occur to you, to the chairman of the committee. Such reports as are
available for immediate publication will appear in the February BuLLeE-
TIN, and ‘the rest will be retained (with permission) as a nucleus for more
extended work.

W.L. Dawson, Oberlin, O.

BLEC TION: OF -OPFICERS:

An unofficial note from Mr. Frank L. Burns, Judge of Elections, an-
nonnces the election of the following officers :

President,—R. M. Strong, Lake Forest, Ill.

Vice-President.—N. Hollister, Delavan, Wis.

Secretary.—W.L. Dawson, Oberlin, Ohio.

Treasurer,—Lynds Jones, Oberlin, Ohio.

Bulletin No. 17. aay

A close vote for members of the Executive Council makes it necessary
to defer announcement of that result.

CORRESPONDENCE.
To the Members of the Chapter -

If you will look up the official reports for the last year you will find
that Mr. Jones had to contribute about twenty-three dollars toward the
expenses of publishing the BuLtetin. In a personal letter Mr. Jones
informs me the deficit this year will be about forty dollars. We all
realize that it would be impossible for the Chapter to keep in existence
without some means of communication. The BULLETIN furnishes the
means needed. As the membership dues are not enough to meet the
expense of publication, let us each contribute a little to make up the
present deficit, so as not to put the burden too much on one. Are we

- not willing to blot from our account book this item ; ‘‘Contributed by the

editor of the Bu_tLETIN—forty dollars’’? Let us also try to secure a large
enough subscription list to make the BULLETIN self-supporting.
Fraternally,
MILTon JUNCTION, WIs. G. M. Burpick.

[ Nore.—The reason why this year’s deficit will be larger than last
year’s is, first, because we began last year with a little over seventeen
dollars on hand and, second, because this year a special BULLETIN
has been issued, costing about ten dollars more than an ordinary
number.—ED. |

ERRATA.

The following corrections should be made in the note on the breeding
of Kuby-throated Hummingbird, p. 62. In line two read ‘‘ May 2g,
1896,’ and in line eight read ‘‘May 29, 1887.”

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

Some Common Birds, by P.M. Silloway. The Editor Publishing

Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. In this volume, without the formality of a

78 Bulletin No. 17.

preface or an introduction, we are at once transported to the meadows
and there introduced to the feathered inhabitants. The series of essays
—each a ‘‘sketch”’ of a single species of birds—are arranged in eight
groups, each group preceeded by a well chosen essay descriptive of the

natural division of the landscape of which it treats, and giving a hint of |

the bird life to be found there. ;
These essays are ‘‘Sketches of Some Common Birds,” and hence, he
who expects exhaustive or purely scientific treatment of the species, will
be disappointed. The author’s aim has been to present that and that
only which he has learned while with the birds in the field, without any
greater attention and labor than can be given by any busy person ; to
make both attractive and profitable strolls into fields and woods by intro-
ducing to the reader the birds which must certainly come within the
range of vision in such places ; to open the eyes and unstop the ears of

’

those who go out of doors only into the orchard, or garden, or tree-lined
street, there to see and hear the many birds about them, perhaps wholly
unnoticed before.

All of the eighteen full page illustrations, are half tones of photographs
from life, many of them being of the young and nest after Shufeldt.

The chief defect is the lack of an index, which is not fully compen-
sated for by a table of contents. The 331 pages of matter should be
made easily accessible by a complete index.

The volume is to be commended for its pleasing presentation of the
habits and characteristics of our common birds, thus interesting many in
them who have never noticed them before. In these days of awakening
interest in the birds, there is great need for such books to point out
methods of study while teaching the names of birds.

Birds of Maine, by Ora W. Knight, B. S. In this‘catalog Mr. Knight
has shown us what can be done by organizing the forces at command
and working toward acommonend. It is by such methods that future
state lists will be made approximately complete and therefore the geo-
graphical distribution of all species thruout the country more completely
mapped. The list is admirably arranged both with reference to the ac-
cessibility of the information at his command and the credit due to
contributors. May such lists from other states speedily follow.

A Study of the Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus) by Jonahan
Dwight, Jr.. M.D: From ‘The Auk,’ Vol. XIV, No. 3) julyyee7 ae
this admirable ‘‘ Study,” Dr. Dwright has given us a hold on the charac-
teristics of the Philadelphia Vireo which will enable us to distinguish
him in the field with certainty.

¢

Bulietip Noi 17. 79

| The Auk, Vol. XIV, No. 4, October, 1897. .
The Osprey, Vol. II, Nos. 2 and 3, October, November, 1897.
The Aluseum, Vol. III, No. 12, Vol. IV, No. 1, October, November,
1897.
The Oologist, Vol. XIV, Nos. 10, 11, October, November, 1897.
Popular Sczence, Vol. XXXI, Nos. 9, 10, 11, September, October, No-
vember, 1897.
Bros. Vol. il; No.4, October, 1897.
Storzes from Nature, Vol. 1, Nos. 5, 6, October, November, 1897.
The Microscope, Vol. V, Nos 7 to ro, July to October, 1897.
Quarterly Book Review, Vol: I, No. 3, October, 1897.
. The Fern Bulletin, Vol. V, No. 4, October, 1897.
| The Plant World, Vol. I, No. 2, November, 1897.
The lowa Ornithologist, Vol. Ul, No. 4, October, 1897.

INDEX * TO VOEUME Tye

ACANTHIS LINARIA, 5, 17.
Accipiter atricapillus, 7, 17..
Adams, Stephen J., swallow report,
21; the swallows, 63.
/Egialitis vocifera, 4.
Agelaius phoniceus, 9.
Albatross, 72.
Ammodramus bairdil, 28.
henslowii, 60.
Ampelis cedrorum, 17, 61.
garrulus, 2.
Anas boschas, 8.
Giscors, 1:
Aquila chrysaetos, 3, 17.
Ardea egretta, 3.
herodias, 8, 60.
Asio wilsonianus, 60.

Bartow, C., notice of his ‘The
Story of the Farallones,’ 35.

Baskett, James Newton, letter from,
on fly catching habits of Red-
headed Woodpecker, etc., 21.

Beal, F. E. L., notice of his ‘Some
Common Birds in their Relation
to Agriculture,’ 30 ; ‘The Blue
Jay and its Food,’ 67.

Bendire, Maj. Charles E., _ obituary
notice, I3.

Bittern, American, 3.

Blackbird, Red-winged, 9, 70.

Rusty, 9.

Yellow-headed, 76.
Bltebird, 8) 19, 20;.27; 62,77;
Bobolink, 61, 70.

Bob-white, 17, 60, 70.:

Botaurus lentiginosus, 3.

Branta canadensis, 8, 17.

Bunting, Indigo, 14, 71.

Burns, Frank L.,remarkson ‘where
Junco roosts,’ 25 : some remarks
on ‘Birds of Chester Co., Pa..’
1; unusual actions of sparrows, 6;
Western Semi-palmated Sand-
piper, 6; young Crow edible, 69.

Buteo lineatus, 3.

CALCARIUS LAPPONICUS, LH

Cardinal; ‘21, 27, om

Cardinalis cardinalis, 61.

Carpodacus mexicanus frontalis, 74.

Carriger, Henry W., abundance of
Dendroica in California, 62; some
warblers of El Dorado County,
California, 58.

Cassowary, 72.

Catbird, 71.

Cathartes aura, 8, 60.

Ceophlceus pileatus, 7.

Certhia familiaris americana, 61.

Chat, Yellow-breasted, 61, 71.

Chickadee, Black-capped, 14, 27.

Chordeiles virgininus henryi, 5.

Clark, J. N., remarks on ‘where
Junco roosts,’ 26; notes on some
winter birds of Meridian, Dunn
Co., Wis., 29; Warbling Vireo, 30.

Colaptes cafer, 3.

Colinus virginianus, 60.

Colvin, W. S., notes from Osawa-
tomie, Kans., 18.

Colymbus auritus, 1.

Compsothlypis americana, 2.

Contopus borealis, 2.

virens, 2.

Cooke, W. W., notice of his
Birds of Colorado,’ 34.
Cooper Ornithological Club, ro, 34.

Coot, American, 8, 75.
Cormorant, Doubles crested, 8.
Corvus americanus, 8, 30.

ossifragus, 3.
Cowbird, 45, 46, 48, 61, 70.
Crane, Sandhill, 75.

Creeper, Brown, 27, 61.
Crossbill, American, 2, 20, 61.
White-winged, 2.

Crow, American, 8, 30, 53, 69, 70.
an albino, 59, 60.
Fish, 3.

Cuckoo, Black-billed, 70.
Yellow-billed, 70.

‘The

Dawson, WILLIAM L., a notice of
his ‘A Preliminary List of the

Ll RY Cte ta ae

ee:

Bulletin No.

Birds of Okanogan Co., Wash-
ington,’ 35; an editorial, notice of
‘Birds,’ 33 ; committee on Geo-
graphical Distribution of Birds,
31, 70; notes on the birds of Oka-
nogan Co., Washington, 27; a
May horizon, 69.
Dendroica xstiva, 59.

auduboni, 28, 59.

blackburnie, 2.

coronata, 8.

discolor, 3.

nigrescens, 58.

occidentalis, 58.

tigrina, 2.

vigorsil, 2.

Dershimer, Mrs. T. D., the birds
at home, 14

Dickcissel, 4, 28, 60.

Dickinson, J. E., notes from north-
ern I[llinois,. 17; ~remarks on
‘where Junco roosts,’ 26; report
of committee on migration, 22.

Dolichonyx oryzivorus, 61.

Dove, Mourning, 18, 20, 29, 63, 70,
TOS

Ruddy, 75.

Duck, Shoveller, 75.

Dwight, Dr. Jonathan, Jr., notice
of his ‘A Study of the Philadel-
phia Vireo,’ 78.

BREE, BALD, 4,055 20:
Golden, 3, 17.
Ectopistes migratorius, I, 5.

Egret, American, 3.
Eider, American, 14.
Empidonax flaviventris, 2.
minimus, 3.
virescens, 62.
Ereunetes occidentalis, 6.
pusillus, 6.

Fincu, House, 74.

Pieken ey PaO, 70, 73, 76.
Red-shafted, 3.

Flycatcher, Crested, 14, 18, 70.
Green-crested, 62.
Least, 3,70: " .
Olive-sided, 2.

Lies SI

Yellow-bellied, 2, 4.
Fulica americana, 8.

GALLINULA GALEATA, 3.
Gallinule, Florida, 3.
ZuEple; Zo:

Galloway, J. C., new song of Tow-
heer 305 theriatk» Sparrow's
song, 16; where the Juncos roost,
9; notes from Montgomery, Ohio,

73:

Gault, Benj. T., Red Crossbill at
Glen Ellyn, Illinois, 20.

Geococcyx californianus, 74.

Geothlypis macgillivrayi, 28, 59.

Gnatcatcher, Blue Gray, 61, 71.

Goldfinch, American, 5, 6, 14, 17,
BRL2N;; 30; OL CFG:

Goose, Canada, 8, Io, 17.

Goshawk, American, 7, 17, 30.

Grackle, Bronzed, 9, 40, 70.

Purple, 20:
Rusty, 20.
Gray, Russell, American Crow, 30;
American Goldfinch, 6; nesting
of the Robin. 29; remarks on
‘where Junco roosts,” 25; notes
from Philadelphia, Pa., 71.
Grebe, Lormeds 175:
Grosbeak, Evening, 30.
Rose-breasted, 3, 14, 71.
Pine, 30)

Grouse, Ruffed, 17.

Gull, Ring-billed, 8.

TIABIA LUDOVICIANA, 3.

Halizetus leucocephalus, 4.

Harporhynchus curvirostris, 74.

Harrison, Whit, notes from La

Crescent, Minnesota, 8.

Hawk, Broad-winged, 7o.
Red-shouldered, 3, 70, 73.
Red-tailed, 20.

Sparrow, 70, 73.

Helminthophila rubricapilla guttu-

ralis, 58.

Hien, Prairie, x7.

Heron, Black-crowned Night, 75.
Great Blue, 8, 60.

Higgins, Henry C., notes from Cin-

82 Bulletin

Clnmaktese iNT noize
Hollister, N., southern Wisconsin
notes, 4; young of the Killdeer, 4.
Hummingbird, Ruby-throated, 8,

PALA OZ S72 res

ICTERIA VIRENS, 61.
Icterus galbula, 61.
Indigobird, 14.
Ionornis martinica, 20.

Jacoss, J. WARREN, Ruby-throated
Hummingbird breeding in the
same location for ten consecutive
years, 62; nest of Mourning Dove
containing three eggs, 71.

Jay, Blue,'273'07,.7o;"72; 73.

Jones, Lynds, arrival of Whippoor-
will and Purple Martin in spring,
57; Brunnich’s Murre on Lake
Erie, 16; notes from Oberlin,
Ohio, 57; Pine Siskin, 20; re-
marks on ‘where Junco roosts,’
26; The Oberlin Grackle Roost,
BULLETIN No. 15, 39-56.

Junco hiemalis, 8.

Junco, Slate-colored, 8, 9, 20, 25,

QO. aE 2.

KILLDEER, 4, 20, 70.
Kingbird, 60, 70, 74.
Cassin’s, 74.

Kinglet, Golden-crowned, 9, 27.
Ruby-crowned, 9, 27,
Knight, Ora W., notice of his ‘The
Birds of Maine,’ 78; Somaterza
dresseri breeding along the

Maine coast, 15.

Lark, Prairie Horned, 70.

Larus delawarensis, 8.

Leucosticte tephrocotis littoralis,
Pai

Leucosticte, Hepburn’s 27.

Longspur, Lapland, 17.

Loon, 8.

Loxia curvirostra minor, 2, 61.

leucoptera, 2.

MALLARD, 8, 75.

INO ie

Martin, Purple, 33, 57, 58, 61, 63,
rps
Meadowlark, 10, 20, 65, 7d.
Melanerpes carolinus, 61.
Merganser, Red-breasted, 15.
Merula migratoria, 29. 2 |
Mitchell, Howard P., notes from |
Wisconsin, 17.
Mitchell, Walton I., notes on some |
Minnesota birds, 75. |
Moseley, Prof. E. L., Purple Gal-
linule on Sandusky Bay, 20.
Murre, Brunnich’s, 16.

NIGHTHAWK, 5.
Western, 5.

Nuthatch, Red-breasted, 27.
White-breasted, 14,17, 27;

ls
Nyctea nyctea, 5. -

OLOR COLUMBIANUS, I.
Oriole, Baltimore, 61, 70, 72.
Orchard, 16.
Osprey, American, 5, 8.
Oven-bird, 14, 61, 71.
Owl, American Hawk, 3.
American Long-eared, 9, 60.
Barn, 8.
Great Horned, 9.
Screech, 9.
Snowy, 5, 30. ; |

PANDION HALIZTUS CAROLINENSIS,
Iyer :

Passerella iliaca, 8. :

Pearse, A. S., three’ Mourning
Doves eggs in one nest, 63.

Peck, Geo. D., notes from Oregon,
IQ.

Petrochelidon lunifrons, 61.

Pewee, Wood, 14, 70.

Phalacrocorax dilopus, 8.

Phoebe, 14, 70.

Pigeon, Passenger, I, 5.

Plectrophenax nivalis. 17.

Polioptila czrulea, 61.

Progne subis, 61.

Protonotaria citrea, 19.

|

| QuISCALUS QUISCULA AZNEUS, Q.

( REDPOLL, 5, 17.

Lesser, 30.
Redstart, American, 71.
Regulus calendula, 9.
Satrapa, 9.
Ridgway, Robert, remarks
‘where Junco roosts,’ 25.
Roadrunner, 74.
Robin, 20, 27, 29, 45, 46, 48, 54, 55,
PEO:

on

SANDPIPER, Western Semi-palmat-
ed, 6.
Solitary, 7o.
Spotted, 70.

| Sapsucker, Yellow-bellied, 27 ,61,

70.
Scolecophagus ferrugineus, 9.
Seiurus aurocapillus. 61.

motacilla, 3.
noveboracensis, 3.
Shrike, Loggerhead, 71.
Sialia sialis, 8, 62. e
Silloway, P. M., notice of his ‘Some
Common Birds,’ 77.

Siskin, Pine, 20, 30.

Snowflake, 17, 30.
Somateria dresseri, 15.
Sparrow, Baird’s, 28.
Brewer's, 28.
Chipping, 7, 28, °70.
English, 19, 25, 26,
5905, 7 2,873> 74-
European Tree, 27.
Field, 70..
Fox, 8.
Grasshopper, 70.
Henslow’s, 60.
ark, 16.
Song, 70,
Tree, 8.
Vesper, 7,70.
White-crowned, 14, 70.
White-throated, 7, 8, 14, 25,
i i 0.
Sphyrapicus varius, 61.
Spinus pinus, 20, 30.
tristis, 6, 61.

27, 32;

‘Bulletin No. 17.

83

Spiza americana, 4, 60.
Spizella breweri, 28.
monticola, 8.
Sterna tschegrava, 8.
Strix pratincola, 8.
Strong, R. M., notes from North
Greenfield, Wis., 59.
Swallow, Barn, 22, 34, 61, 7o.
Ciitis-22_ 150:
Tree, 76.
* White-bellied, 63.
Swan, Whistling, 1.
Swift, Chimney. 7o.
Sylvania mitrata, 3.
pusilla, 29.
pusilla pileolata, 29, 59.
Syrnium ulula caparoch, 3.

TANAGER, Scarlet, 14, 71.
Teal, Blue-winged, 1, 75.
een, Black) 75:
Caspian, 8.
Forster’s; 75.
Thrasher, Brown, 30.
Crissal, 74.
Curve-billed, 74.
Thrush, Dwarf Hermit, 19.
Louisiana Water, 3.
Olive-backed, 71.
Russet-backed, rg.
Water, 3, 71.
Wilson’s, 3, 61.
Wood) -r4pero 19a,
Titmouse, Tufted, 17. 27, 65, 71.
Totanus flavipes, I.
Towhee, 14, 30, 71.
Trochilus colubris, 8.
Troglodytes aedon, 72.
Turdus aonalaschke, 19.
fuscescens, 3, OT.
mustelinus, 19.
ustulatus, 19.
Tyrannus vociferans, 74.

URIA LOMVIA, 16.
troile, 16.
Urinator imber, 8.

VIREO GILVUS, 30.

iio dey

84

Vireo, Red-eyed, 71.
Warbling, 30, 71.
Vulture, Turkey, 8, 60

-WarBLeER, Audubon’s, 28, 59, 62.

Bay-breasted, 71.
Blackburnian, 2, 4, 71.
Black-poll, 71.
Black-throated Blue, 71.
Black-throated Gray, 58.

Black-throated Green, 14, 71.

Blue-winged, 71.
Calaveras, 58.
Canadian, 71.
Cape May, 2.
Chestnut-sided, 71.
Hermit, 58.
Hooded, 3.
McGillivray’s 28, 59.
Mourning, 71.
Martle, 73, (62,7 1
Palm, 71.

jPahcalery 2.
Pileolated, 29; 59.
Pine, 2.

ireiriew 3)
Prothonotary, 19.
Worm-eating, 3.
Yellow, 22, 59, 71.

aatleinne L. Whitney, the Long-

WANTED! The Tilowies numbers of 7ze Osprey. October, —
and December, 1896, February, 1897. Will ex-

change other publications, or pay cash. Address, LynDs JONES, OPeei ae

Ohio.

Waxwing, Bohemian, 2.

water, 9.

Cedar, 17, 0,7
Whippoorwill, 33, 57, 58.
Widmann, Otto, remarks on
‘where Junco roosts,’ 26 ; Pine
Siskin, 30. a

Wilson, Sidney S., a New Méxican
bird, 5; notes from Missouri, 18;
some common birds of New Mex-
ico, 74.

Woodpecker, Downy, 27, 70, 76.
Hairy, 27, 70. a
Pileated, 7. ti
Red-bellied, 61, 70. 4
Red-headed, 21, 60, 705 74. J

/Wren, Bewick’s 27. 4
_ Carolina, 73.

House, "7a age

Long- -billed Marsh, 75.

Short-billed Marsh, 75.

YELLOW-LEGS, I. e
Yellow-throat, Maryland, pe

ZENAIDURA MACROURA, 29.
Zonotrichia albicollis, 8.
leucophrys intermedia, *28.

oe

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eed

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