_brachyrhynchos_ reaches the west side of the Rockies in Colorado;
there is but one reference to it in literature, known to me, as
occurring on the western slope of Colorado, to-wit, that by Warren (20)
who listed the Crows of Gunnison County as subspecies _brachyrhynchos_,
doing it, however, as a matter of expediency only, as he took no
specimens. If this subspecies does range to the west side of the Rocky
Mountains in Colorado, I believe it will be found in northwestern
Colorado, coming in as a straggler from Wyoming. Records of the Crow
from northwestern Colorado and southwestern Wyoming are lacking (21),
or at least unknown to me.
One can hazard the guess that the Crows of southeastern Colorado are
subspecies _brachyrhynchos_, but _hesperis_ may also be found in that
area, coming in as an infiltration from Texas. I am convinced that
_hesperis_ works its way up from the Lower Rio Grande Valley, along the
eastern foothills, finally reaching, as we now know, as far north as
Weld County.
It is highly desirable that a considerable series of Crow skins be
collected from Colorado, embracing specimens especially from the
western portions of the State, and also from the southern border, to
the end that the exact distribution of subspecies _brachyrhynchos_ and
_hesperis_ be definitely delimited for Colorado.
RÉSUMÉ.
I.—It can now be said categorically that the Crow occurs in Colorado
in the guise of two subspecies, viz., _brachyrhynchos_ and _hesperis_,
both being found on the eastern slope, and only the latter on the
western slope of the Rocky Mountains.
II.—The above conclusion stands if my determinations of the skins I
have studied be correct; if my determinations be incorrect they show
that the criteria by which these two subspecies are differentiated, are
too subtile and refined for an ordinary ornithologist like myself to
grasp and apply, or that the described differences between these two
subspecies break down with the Crows found in Weld County.
Measurements of _hesperis_ skins (8: millimeters).
Bill
┌───────┴───────┐
│ │
Locality Sex Wing Tail Length Depth Tarsus
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Weld Co. ♂ 303 172 49 18 57
" " ♂ 312 178 45 17 56
Ignacio ♂ 317 183 44 17 53
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
BIBLIOGRAPHY.
1. AIKEN: Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., XV, p. 193 et seq.
2. RIDGWAY: Field and Forest, June 1877, p. 208.
3. STEPHENS: Bull. Nutt. Ornith. Club, iii (1878), p. 94.
4. DREW: Bull. Nutt. Ornith. Club, vi (1881), p. 143,
and Auk, Jan., 1885, p. 16.
5. RIDGWAY: Man. N. A. Birds, 1887, p. 362.
6. AUK: July, 1908, p. 348.
7. RIDGWAY: Birds No. and Mid. America, vol. iii, p. 270 et seq.
8. MORRISON: Ornith. and Oölogist, July, 1888, p. 107.
9. MORRISON: Ornith. and Oölogist, xiv (1889), p. 147.
10. COOKE: Condor, July, 1912, p. 147.
11. HERSEY AND ROCKWELL: Condor, xi (July-Aug. 1909), p. 118.
12. WARREN: Condor, Jan. 1910, p. 34.
13. SCLATER: Birds of Colo., 1912.
14. WARREN: Condor, Jan. 1909, p. 15.
15. LINCOLN: Birds of Yuma Co.,
Proc. Colo. Mus. Nat. Hist., Dec. 1915, p. 9.
16. BETTS: Univ. Colo. Studies, X, No. 4, 1913, p. 203.
17. WARREN: Auk, Apr. 1910, p. 147.
18. HENDERSON: Annot. List Birds Boulder Co.,
Univ. Colo. Studies, Vol. vi. No. 3, p. 233.
19. DREW ET AL.: Ornith. and Oölogist, Oct., 1889, p. 147.
20. WARREN: Auk, July, 1916, p. 306.
21. KNIGHT: Birds of Wyoming,
Univ. Wyo., Bull. No. 55, 1902, p. 109.
22. COOKE: Birds of Colorado,
Colo. State Agric. Col. Bull. No. 37, March, 1897.
23. WARREN: Condor, May, 1912, p. 97.
FOOTNOTE:
[17] My thanks are due to the following friends who made it possible
for me to study crow skins from parts of the State not covered by
my own collection; L. A. Adams, A. H. Felger, J. D. Figgins, F. C.
Lincoln, E. R. Warren, Witmer Stone, and to my various friends for
permitting me to quote them in the body of this paper.
WINTER ROBINS IN NOVA SCOTIA.
BY HARRISON F. LEWIS.
Nearly every winter a few stray Robins are observed in Nova Scotia,
and occasionally a small flock has been noted as present at that
season, although my personal observations here during the six winters
immediately previous to that of 1917-18 do not include a half dozen
individuals of this species. During the winter of 1917-18, however,
Robins were reported in such large numbers and over so great an area as
to constitute an occurrence quite unique in the recorded ornithology of
the province.
One Robin was seen by me about December 20, 1917, but unfortunately,
the exact date of the observation was not recorded. In the last week
of January several reports of Robins seen near Halifax were noted, and
in the first two or three days of February numerous additional reports
were received and I saw a few birds of this species myself. It quickly
became evident that Robins were being observed near Halifax, at least,
in numbers very extraordinary for the season.
As soon as it was realized that the occurrence was of an unusual
character, steps were taken to secure a record of it. It is much to be
regretted that, owing to the fact of the casual appearance of Robins
here in ordinary winters, this realization was not reached a few days
sooner, for, in that case, attempts to obtain records from others
would, no doubt, have been more successful, and my own observations
would in all probability have been more extensive. It so happened that,
during the time when the Robins were most abundant in this immediate
vicinity, military duties, always exacting, became unusually strenuous,
and for a while little thought or effort could be given by me to the
birds. Nevertheless, as many observations as possible were made, and
the observations of those with whom I came in contact were recorded. At
the same time, I endeavored to obtain information from other parts of
the province, and to that end sent numerous inquiries to those whom I
knew to be interested in birds or who were likely to be interested.
Here I was greatly hindered by the present condition of the observation
and study of birds in Nova Scotia. I was forced to realize that there
are less than a dozen active bird students in the province, and,
although there are doubtless many more than that who would note with
spontaneous interest the occurrence of Robins here in midwinter, there
is no organization by which I could learn of the identity of such
individuals when personally unknown to me, or through which I could
get into communication with them. I was forced to depend very largely
upon blind guess, while following up every clue which I found, and
the resulting observations, though fairly numerous, are no doubt but
a small part of what might have been obtained had there been, for
instance, even one trained and active observer in each county. This
fact should be kept in mind when considering the records obtained as
evidence of the degree of abundance of the robins.
To all who contributed observations or information concerning the
Robins I wish to express my thanks. I am also under obligation to
the Amherst ‘News-Sentinel,’ the Truro ‘Daily News,’ and the Glace
Bay ‘Gazette’ for publishing, on the initiative of their respective
editors, requests that information concerning winter Robins be
sent to me. These requests were the means of providing me with no
inconsiderable amount of valuable data.
It may be argued that observations learned of in this way are
untrustworthy and therefore valueless, for, of necessity, I am not
personally acquainted with many of those who so kindly furnished me
with information, and I cannot definitely vouch for the skill in bird
observation of each and every one of them. It was considered, however,
that, in a case of this kind, such observations might be accepted, at
least as evidence tending to show a certain general condition, for
nearly every intelligent adult is able to identify a Robin. Certainly,
no species here is capable of more accurate popular identification, for
even the well-known Crow is confused with the common Northern Raven by
all but a few.
The observations obtained are summarized in the following list, which
shows, in each case, the date of the observation, the locality in which
it was made, the name of the observer or source of information, and
the exact or approximate number of birds seen. Care has been taken to
indicate any indefiniteness, so that no data are recorded as definite
which were not so reported to me or observed by me. Every endeavor
has been made to have the observations here recorded as definite as
possible, but a number of somewhat indefinite observations are included
because they are important, either geographically or temporally, in a
report of this nature. With the exception of those observations where
names of newspapers are quoted, and of one observation reported by
Prof. H. G. Perry and one reported by Mr. W. Archibald, the name of the
actual observer accompanies each observation.
December 20 (about). Bedford, N. S. (H. F. Lewis) 1.
December 27. Sydney Mines, N. S. (Miss Dawe) 1.
January 1. Ohio, Yarmouth Co., N. S. (Mr. Cann) about 12.
January 1. Yarmouth, N. S. (Mr. H. B. Vickery) 1.
January 5 (about). Upper Musquodoboit, Halifax Co., N. S.
(Miss Leslie) “large flock.”
January 16. Glace Bay, N. S. (Mr. A. A. McDonald) 12.
“January.” Bridgetown, N. S. (Mr. H. F. Williams) “several.”
Daily January 20-February 6. Brookfield, Colchester Co., N. S.
(Mr. Frank Little) 2.
January 24. Dutch Village Road, Halifax, N. S. (Mr. A. E. Brooks) 1.
“Last of January.” Belmont, Colchester Co., N. S.
(Miss Ruth Lear) 4.
January 26. Sydney, N. S. (Rev. T. A. Rodger) 12.
January 26. Dartmouth, N. S. (Mr. J. E. Smallman) 12.
January 27 (about). Yarmouth, N. S.
(‘Yarmouth Herald’ of January 29) “several flocks.”
January 27. Dartmouth, N. S. (Sgt. R. Smallman) about 8.
January 27 or February 3. Pugwash, N. S. (Miss B. Fullerton) 1.
January 27. Point Pleasant Park, Halifax, N. S. (Sgt. A. Cossham) 1.
January 27. William St., Halifax, N. S. (Miss H. Paul) 1.
Daily, January 27-February 8. Truro, N. S. (Prof. L. A. DeWolfe) 2.
January 28 (about). Sydney, N. S. (Mr. Geo. McLeod) “several.”
January 28. Sydney, N. S. (Rev. T. A. Rodger) 20.
January 28. Amherst, N. S. (Miss D. Hurtley) 1.
January 31. Truro, N. S. (Miss E. Waller) 1.
Through January and first half of February. Truro, N. S.
(Miss L. Schurman) 3-4.
February 1 (about). Pugwash, N. S. (Mrs. McIvor) 2.
February 1 (about). Carleton, Yarmouth Co., N. S.
(Miss Mary Wyman) 1.
February 1. Yarmouth, N. S. (‘Yarmouth Telegram’ of February 1)
several (killed by owl).
February 1. Dartmouth, N. S. (H. F. Lewis) 2.
February 2. Bedford, N. S. (H. F. Lewis) 1.
February 3. Jubilee Road, Halifax, N. S. (Sgt. W. J. Alsop) 3.
February 3. Young Av., Halifax, N. S. (Sgt. H. P. Eisner) 1.
February 3. “Africville,” Halifax, N. S. (Sgt. A. G. Cossham) 1.
February 3. Ocean Terminals, Halifax, N. S.
(Mr. C. Churchill) 25-30.
February 3. Kempt Road, Halifax, N. S. (H. F. Lewis) 1.
February 3. “The Common,” Halifax, N. S. (Sgt. J. A. Fraser) 1.
February 3. Dartmouth, N. S. (H. F. Lewis) 1.
February 4. Dartmouth, N. S. (H. F. Lewis) 1.
February 5 (about). Wolfville, N. S.
(reported by Prof. H. G. Perry) 12-18.
February 5. Gottingen St., Halifax, N. S.
(‘Evening Mail’ of February 14) 1.
February 6. Truro, N. S. (Prof. E. C. Allen) 2.
February 8. Loganville, Pictou Co., N. S. (Mr. Wm. McNeil) 4-5.
February 8. South End, Halifax, N. S. (H. F. Lewis) 5.
February 9. Truro, N. S. (Prof. E. C. Allen) 1.
February 11. Truro, N. S. (Prof. E. C. Allen) 1.
February 12. Dartmouth, N. S. (H. F. Lewis) 1.
February 13 (about). Glenwood, Yarmouth Co., N. S.,
(Mr. R. M. Sargent) about 12.
February 13 and for some time previously. Pictou, N. S.
(Mr. A. Scott Dawson) 30-40.
February 16. Amherst, N. S. (Mrs. H. T. Holmes) 2.
February 18. Dartmouth, N. S. (H. F. Lewis) 1.
“All winter,” previous to February 19. Wolfville, N. S.
(Mr. Gormley) “a few.”
February 21. Antigonish, N. S. (Mr. R. Archibald) 1.
February 24. Pictou, N. S. (reported by Mr. W. Archibald)
“several.”
February 25. ‘The Common,’ Halifax, N. S. (Mr. H. B. Vickery) 1.
It will be noted that the points from which Robins are reported are
scattered throughout the province, from Sydney and Glace Bay in the
east to Yarmouth in the west, and from Amherst, on the New Brunswick
boundary, to places such as Halifax and Glenwood, on the south shore.
The intervening parts of the province are fairly well represented in
the observations, so that these may be held to indicate a condition
general in Nova Scotia. I am persuaded that the fact that there are
considerable areas, such as the three counties of Shelburne, Queens,
and Lunenburg, from which no observations are recorded, is due to the
absence of observers there, or to my failure to get into communication
with any who may have been there, rather than to the absence of winter
Robins from those regions. This belief is strengthened by the fact
that, in every place in the province where trained observers were known
to be situated, winter Robins were reported by them.
In the case of observations made in Halifax I have recorded the
street or part of the city where the birds were seen, so as to show
that the distribution in the Halifax area was general, and that it is
improbable that the same few birds were being recorded repeatedly by
different observers. This is particularly important in connection with
the observations made on February 3, on which date many observers saw
Robins in and near Halifax. No two of the observations recorded for
that day are from the same part of the city. It should be borne in
mind, also, when considering these records, that Dartmouth and Halifax
are really parts of one area, for they are on opposite sides of Halifax
Harbor, less than a mile apart.
With reference to the observations made in Halifax and Dartmouth, I
wish to add that the number of indefinite observations received or
learned of was very great. In the presence of a very considerable
number of definite observations from that area, it was not thought best
to make use of these indefinite ones, but a very fair idea of their
nature and extent was gained through conversations, intentional and
accidental, and through newspaper reports. After considering the matter
carefully, I am of the opinion that a conservative estimate would place
the number of adults who, during the winter of 1917-18, saw Robins in
Dartmouth or Halifax at forty per cent of the resident adult population
of all classes in the two communities. As scarcely any of these people
were intentionally looking for Robins, this would indicate a degree of
abundance extremely high for the time of year.
Mr. A. Scott Dawson, in his letter of February 13 concerning the
large flock of Robins reported by him as remaining for some time near
his residence at Pictou, says, “They spend the most of their time on
the willows, and are picking at the bark; no doubt they are getting
insects, etc., there. They also visit the haw bushes and the holly,
as they eat both haws and berries.” Those seen by Mr. Wm. McNeil at
Loganville on February 8 are said to have been seeking food on a manure
pile. Mrs. H. T. Holmes reports that the two Robins seen by her at
Amherst on February 16 “were busily picking among some hay in search
of food.” Rev. T. A. Rodger states that those seen by him in Sydney
were fed by his children with crumbs, and Mr. Frank Little, writing
from Brookfield on March 25, says, “ ... this one [winter] between
January 20 and February 6 we fed from our back door two Robins and a
flock of nine Pine Grosbeaks. It was very cold here then and both came
daily between those dates.” Several of the birds seen by me were in
hawthorn trees, and were feeding on the fruit, which hung on the trees
in considerable quantities. The two Robins seen by me at Dartmouth on
February 1 were hunting along the upper edge of a low, sandy bank,
where some plants of the upland cranberry remained uncovered by the
snow. When I examined these plants, a few minutes later, I could find
no fruit upon them. On February 12 I saw one Robin in a mountain ash
tree, planted for ornamental purposes, but it flew from the tree at my
approach. There was no fruit remaining on that tree.
In several instances it was reported that the Robins were as bright and
as lively as in the springtime, but the birds seen by other observers
were stated to be slow and stupid, as though weak or numb. Miss Dorothy
Hurtley, in a letter dated February 20, says of a Robin seen in Amherst
on January 28, “I thought I could catch it, as it was stupid with cold,
but it evaded me by flying a little way ahead of me.” Nearly all the
Robins which I saw appeared to be very loth to move, and when finally
“flushed” their flight was slow, short, and uncertain. Besides the
killing of some Robins at Yarmouth by an owl, two instances of Robins
dying were reported. In a letter dated February 19, Mrs. H. T. Holmes
says of Robins recently seen by her at Amherst, “One, while flying,
seemed to falter and flutter to the ground. Hoping to revive it, it was
brought in, but soon died, possibly starved.” Miss Bertha Fullerton, of
Pugwash, states, in a letter dated February 26, “My sister is one of
the teachers here, and one morning when she went to school there was a
frozen Robin on her desk. Likely some of the boys had put it there.”
In order to present as clearly and briefly as possible the fluctuations
in the number of Robins reported as observed at different times
during the past winter, and to facilitate comparison with the local
meteorological conditions at any part of that season, I have prepared
three graphs, which are shown herewith. They cover the time from
December 2, 1917, to March 16, 1918. The upper graph indicates, as
closely as possible, the number of Robins reported to me as seen in
Nova Scotia in each week of that period. The second graph shows the
total number of inches of snowfall at Halifax for each week of the
time considered, and the third graph presents the weekly averages
of the daily minimum temperatures (Fahr.) at Halifax. To facilitate
comparison, this last graph has been inverted, so that lower
temperature is represented in the same way as is heavier snowfall
or a greater abundance of Robins. For the data used in preparing
the two lower graphs I am indebted to Mr. Fred P. Ronnan, official
meteorological observer at Halifax.
[Illustration: WEEKLY TOTAL OF ROBINS REPORTED]
[Illustration: WEEKLY TOTAL SNOWFALL (INCHES)]
[Illustration: WEEKLY AVERAGE OF DAILY MINIMUM TEMP. (F.)]
From the first graph it is readily apparent that few Robins were noted
in the province prior to the middle of January. After that time the
number seen increased rapidly, reaching its maximum about February
1, and decreasing a little more gradually until about February 20,
after which date few Robins were seen. On account of the scarcity of
observers, before mentioned, this line does not show the total number
of Robins which were present about the inhabited parts of Nova Scotia
in any week, nor can its relation to such total numbers be readily
determined. It does serve, however, as a moderately correct indicator
of the relative abundance of the Robins about the inhabited parts of
the province in one week as compared with another.
The graph indicating the weekly snowfall appears as a line of abrupt
changes and sharp angles, showing that the variation in the snowfall
from week to week was very marked. Somewhat contrary to expectation, no
relation between this line and the Robin graph appears to be traceable.
It is possible that, if the average depth of snow on the ground in
each week could be depicted graphically, the line thus formed would
show more direct relation to the weekly abundance of Robins, but,
unfortunately, no data from which such a graph could be prepared are
available.
The temperature graph appears to correspond very well with the slopes
of the Robin graph, especially in the part of the winter prior to
February 20. A period of low temperature in the week ending January
5 is found to correspond with a noticeable increase in the number
of Robins reported, while higher temperature during the week ending
January 12 accompanies a decrease in the number of Robins seen. From
January 12 to February 2 increasingly lower average temperatures are
contemporaneous with an increasing abundance of Robins observed, and
the extremes of both graphs are reached in the same week. In the week
ending February 9 both lines fall slightly lower, and in the next week
there is a very considerable decline in both. From that time on the
relationship appears less close, for a reason hereinafter stated. Such
a close correspondence between the two lines as has been pointed out,
however, seems most unlikely to be wholly fortuitous, and would appear
to indicate that temperature is a greater factor than had been supposed
in causing these birds to seek the neighborhood of man.
The question as to why these Robins were so commonly observed in
Nova Scotia last winter is one which at present does not seem to be
capable of definite answer, for too many of the possible contributory
causes are unknown. Some efforts toward a solution of the problem are,
however, here submitted.
In the first place, it would appear fair to presume that these Robins
were not, as was popularly supposed, misguided arrivals from the south
at an unusually early date. It seems probable that they had remained
in Nova Scotia, or in regions still further north, from the time of
the fall migration until the time when they were seen here. The fact
that few were seen between December 1 and the middle of January is
explainable by the supposition that during that time they were living
in the deep woods, miles from any human being except an occasional
Indian or a gang of lumbermen, and that they were then more widely
scattered. In the woods at that time large quantities of juniper
berries and mountain ash berries would be available for their food
supply.
Whether more Robins than usual remained in Nova Scotia in this way
last fall seems an open question. Mr. R. W. Tufts, of Wolfville, N.
S., in a letter dated February 13, 1918, which was published in the
Halifax “Morning Chronicle” of February 15, gives it as his opinion
that there was no unusual number of Robins in the province last winter.
He attributes the great number of Robins seen in the province at that
season solely to the fact that the snowfall was heavier than usual,
which, he says, covered the juniper bushes which supplied the Robins
with most of their usual winter food, and so forced them to seek
sustenance in the inhabited areas of the province, where they were more
easily observed. In opposition to this theory it should be noted that
the snowfall of last winter, though heavy, was not of a record-breaking
character, while I am informed by Mr. Harry Piers, Curator of the Nova
Scotia Provincial Museum, and a veteran Nova Scotian ornithologist,
that the abundance of Robin observations during the winter of 1917-18
is, so far as is shown by his records or memory, absolutely without
parallel. I have experienced some difficulty in obtaining records of
snowfall for years other than the more recent ones, but the monthly
snowfalls at Halifax for the winter of 1904-05, for instance, compare
with those of the winter of 1917-18 as follows.
_December January February March Total_.
Total snowfall 1904-05 26.3 45.9 37.4 11.6 121.2
(in inches) 1917-18 33.4 15.1 42.8 30.2 121.5
Although the totals for the two winters are practically alike, yet it
will be observed that by February 1, 1918, after a snowfall of 48.5
inches in December, 1917, and January, 1918, Robins were observed as
fairly common throughout Nova Scotia, whereas a snowfall of 72.2 inches
in December, 1904, and January, 1905, appears to have caused no unusual
observations of Robins in the province, nor is there record, so far as
I can discover, of any larger number of these birds than usual being
seen here at any time that winter. These facts would seem to tend to
show either that in the winter of 1917-18 an unusual number of Robins
did remain in this part of Canada, or that their appearance in the
settled parts of the country was due to other causes than the heavy
snowfall, or that both of these hypotheses are true.