individuals of the Pine-creeping Warbler remained so late with us the
last season, that their courage deserves a record. I found four of them
on December 5, 1881, in company with Chickadees, in a rocky run thickly
set with maples and alders. There were no pines, but a small bunch of
them not far away. I shot one, according to rule, to make sure of the
species. Being desirous of ascertaining if they proposed to spend the
winter in that cheerful company, on January 1, 1882, I sent a young
friend, who is well posted and a good observer, to the locality, and he
reported seeing two of the Warblers so near at hand, perhaps twenty
feet, as to make the identification positive. I intended to look for
them again in February, but was unable to do so.—F. C. BROWNE,
_Framingham, Mass._
THE HOODED WARBLER IN WESTERN NEW YORK.—From various points in the dense
forest, on the balmy days of May, comes the common and familiar song of
the Hooded Warbler,—_che-reek, che-reek, che-reek, chi-dì-eê_, the first
three notes with a loud bell-like ring, and the rest in very much
accelerated time, and with the falling inflection. Arriving early in
May, this is one of our common summer residents throughout the dense
upland forests, occupying the lower story of the woodland home, while
the Cœrulean Warbler occupies the upper. Here let me say that in
addition to its alarm note, a sharp whistling or metallic _chip_ which
is very clearly characterized, the Hooded Warbler has two distinct
songs, as different as if coming from different species. Never shall I
forget how I was once puzzled by this trick. I was strolling in a thick
forest, near the corner of a slashing, in an evening twilight in June,
when I was surprised by a strange whistling melody.—_whee-reeh,
whee-ree-eeh_—with a marked emphasis on the second syllable, and a still
more marked one on the last. Part of the time this utterance was
somewhat varied, a few notes being sometimes added, and again a few
being dropped. My curiosity was greatly excited, for I had supposed
myself familiar with the voices of all the birds in the neighborhood;
but it became too dark to identify the bird. For nearly a week I went to
that spot every day, always hearing the song, but never being able to
get a clear sight of the bird. It seemed exceedingly shy. In vain did I
crawl on hands and knees among the undergrowth to get near to it; for
just as I would seem about to gain a good view of it the song would
cease at the point under observation and come from one more distant.
Just as I was about to give the matter up one evening, down came the
singer, stage by stage through the thick foliage, and alighting within a
few feet of me and in clear sight, gave the full effect of his whistling
song. I have since heard the same song a number of times and in
different places from the Hooded Warbler. So I conclude that in the case
of this species there are, occasionally at least, two distinct and
altogether different songs.
The Hooded Warbler is one of those which make their home on or near the
ground. Here it keeps itself for the most part well concealed among the
foliage of the thick undergrowth, having a rather slow and dignified
movement for a bird of its kind.
It builds its nest from a foot to eighteen inches from the ground,
generally in the upright or somewhat leaning fork of a little bush. I
once found it on a beech limb, lying on the ground, but still retaining
the dry leaves. It is somewhat bulky, but quite neat, the lower part
being of dry or skeleton leaves, the upper part, especially the high and
well-defined rim, of long fibrous bark, as that of the grape vine, ash,
basswood, or elm, laid almost as nicely as coiled cords, the whole
structure being bound together by a webby material, and lined with fine
grasses, bark-fibres, and horse-hair. In location, material, and
structure, it is quite unique, and, like most other birds’ nests, is a
much more certain means of identification than the eggs themselves.
These, two to four in number, varying from .63×.52 to .75×.50, are clear
white, delicately specked and spotted, sometimes even blotched, with
reddish, brown, and lilac. In form and coloration the eggs are very
variable. They may be found fresh from the last week in May till the
middle of June. A second set may be found in July. The male aids in
incubation.
Confined to the eastern part of the United States, and barely entering
the southern part of New England, Western New York, and Central New York
where it is quite common, must be about the northern limit of this
species.—J. H. LANGILLE, _Knowlesville, Orleans Co., N. Y._
BREEDING OF THE PINE GROSBEAK (_Pinicola enucleator_) IN LOWER
CANADA.—Last summer I had the rare good fortune to accompany, as his
guest, the Hon. Judge H. E. Taschereau (Chief Justice Supreme Court of
Canada) on his annual salmon fishing excursion to the Godbout River,
which empties into the St. Lawrence from the north, about six miles from
the Pointe des Monts where the river widens into the Gulf.
One rainy afternoon about the middle of July, while the Judge was
catching salmon at the famous “Upper Pool” on the Godbout, Mr. Nap. A.
Comeau and I climbed a high and densely wooded hill that rises from the
western border of the pool, and when near the summit saw a Pine
Grosbeak, in the slate and golden plumage, hopping about amongst the
branches of a large Balsam (_Abies balsamea_). I was within twenty feet
from the bird, but having only a rifle was unable to secure it. Mr.
Comeau, who lives at the mouth of the Godbout, told me that this species
was by no means rare here, and that he regarded it as a resident. He has
since written me that he shot several after I left, and that “the bird
is quite common here both summer and winter.” Although he has never
taken its nest, he says “I have no doubt they breed here, and I have
often seen them in the early part of the fall while out trapping. They
seem to be fond of keeping near streams and lakes.”
Dr. Coues found the Pine Bullfinch breeding on the Labrador Coast, and I
have no doubt that it breeds all along the north shore of the Gulf of
St. Lawrence, and perhaps extends even as far west as the Saguenay,
along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. It is asserted, on high
authority, that it breeds in some parts of Northern New England.—_C.
Hart Merriam, M.D., Locust Grove, N. Y._
COTURNICULUS LECONTEI, C. HENSLOWI, AND CISTOTHORUS STELLARIS IN
FLORIDA.—Mr. C. J. Maynard has kindly placed at my disposal the
following notes made during his recent trip to Florida. In November,
1881, he spent three weeks collecting at Rosewood, a small settlement on
the northern edge of the Gulf Hummock, about eighteen miles northeast of
Cedar Keys. Around the outskirts of this town were a number of old
fields, grown up to rank grass and tall weeds, but nevertheless
perfectly dry. Here he found Leconte’s Buntings, Henslow’s Buntings,
Yellow-winged Sparrows, and Short-billed Marsh Wrens, associating
together in comparative numbers ranking in the order in which their
names are mentioned. The first _C. lecontei_ was shot November 4.
Shortly afterwards they became so abundant that as many as twenty were
sometimes seen in a day, but notwithstanding their numbers, it was by no
means easy to obtain specimens. The chief difficulty arose from their
excessive tameness, for they could rarely be forced to take wing, while
in the long grass it was impossible to see them at a greater distance
than a few yards. Indeed so very fearless were they that on several
occasions Mr. Maynard nearly caught them in his insect net. All four
species were apparently established for the winter.
The detection of Leconte’s Bunting at Coosada, Alabama, by Mr.
Brown,[56] and more recently in Chester County, South Carolina, by Mr.
Loomis,[57] has prepared us to expect it almost anywhere in the Southern
States, but I believe that this is its first Florida record. The
occurrence of Henslow’s Bunting is also of importance, as confirming
Audubon’s more or less discredited statement that it wintered numerously
in Florida; while that of the Short-billed Marsh Wren is interesting
from the exceptional character of the locality and the distinguished
society in which the little bird was found.—WILLIAM BREWSTER,
_Cambridge, Mass._
AMMODRAMUS CAUDACUTUS.—A SOMEWHAT INLAND RECORD ON THE ATLANTIC
COAST.—On June 21, 1881, in company with my friends Messrs. Chamberlain
and Daniel, of St. John. N. B., I found a few pairs of Sharp-tailed
Finches in the tall grassy marshes bordering the Kenebecasis River at
Hampton, which is about twenty miles to the north of the above named
city and the Bay of Fundy, and about at the head of tide water. The
birds were singing, and undoubtedly breeding, but a severe hunt for
their nests was unsuccessful. Although a closely allied variety
(_nelsoni_) is known to occur in certain western States, I think our
maritime form has not before been observed away from the immediate coast
on the Atlantic seaboard. It might however be looked for up our rivers
and creeks as far as or a little above the flow of tide water. See this
Bulletin. II pp. 27, 28; III, pp. 48, 98; V, p. 52.—H. A. PURDIE,
_Newton, Mass._
THE WHITE-THROATED SPARROW IN WINTER NEAR WORCESTER, MASS.—I saw
White-throated Sparrows (_Zonotrichia albicollis_) at different dates
during December, 1879. I also saw some on January 1, 1880. I, myself,
had not observed it before, though possibly it may not be uncommon.—J.
A. FARLEY, _Worcester, Mass._
PEUCÆA RUFICEPS EREMŒCA.—In Gillespie County, Texas, which adjoins
Kendall Co. on the north, where Mr. Nathan C. Brown’s specimens were
taken, I collected on April 24, 1878, a pair of Sparrows which Mr. J. A.
Allen identified as _Peucæa ruficeps_. From the fact that Mr. Brown
collected no typical _ruficeps_ it is more than likely that my specimens
were var. _eremæca_.
My specimens were sent to the late Greene Smith, Esq., Peterboro, New
York, and are Nos. 961 and 962 in his Museum.—G. H. RAGSDALE,
_Gainesville, Texas_.
THE CANADA JAY AT PORTLAND, MAINE.—A specimen of the Canada Jay
(_Perisoreus canadensis_) was killed in Scarborough on October 15, 1880,
by Mr. Luther Redlon, of Portland, and delivered into my hands a few
hours after its capture. The specimen is worth noting from its being the
first that I have ever known to occur in the vicinity of Portland,
although its kind is said by Professor Verrill (Proc. Ess. Inst., Vol.
III, p. 151) to winter commonly at Norway, Maine, only forty miles
farther north.—NATHAN CLIFFORD BROWN, _Portland, Maine_.
THE WHITE-THROATED SWIFT BREEDING ON BELT RIVER, MONTANA.—About the
middle of last July, while hunting on Belt River, I happened to approach
the edge of the high limestone cliffs which rise above the stream for
several miles after leaving the mountains. Watching the Violet-green and
Crescent Swallows, which were abundant, for some time, I was about to
leave, when I noticed a Swift evidently flying directly towards me. It
passed only a few yards overhead, displaying at the same time the
extensive white throat-patch of _Cypselus saxatilis_. Further search
revealed some half a dozen altogether. A small opening in the rock which
a bird of this species was seen to enter and reappear from several
times, I approached, near enough to hear a vigorous twittering at each
visit of the parent bird, from which I presume the young were well
advanced. This is the only species of Swift I have yet seen in the
Territory.—R. S. WILLIAMS, _Gold Run, M. T._
CAPTURE OF THE GOLDEN EAGLE (_Aquila chrysaëtus canadensis_) NEAR
COLUMBUS, O.—December 13, 1881, I received a male specimen of the Golden
Eagle, killed five miles west of the city.
This bird, according to information which I have gathered from various
sources, had caused the farmers in the neighborhood in which it was
killed a great amount of annoyance. A reward was offered, and published
in our city papers, for the capture of a “Bald Eagle” (as they called
it), which had killed several young calves. By further inquiry I
ascertained that the bird was seen eating at two of the calves, but was
not seen in the act of killing them.—OLIVER DAVIE, _Columbus, O._
THE LITTLE BLUE HERON IN MAINE.—During the summer of 1881 a small white
Heron took up his abode in a dense swamp bordering the eastern side of
Scarborough Marsh. He foraged regularly about the neighboring ponds and
rivers, and before autumn had been seen and unsuccessfully shot at by
many covetous gunners. In September, however, he fell captive to the
wiles of Mr. Winslow Pilsbury, and now reposes in the cabinet of Mr.
Chas. H. Chandler, of Cambridge, Mass. Upon writing Mr. Chandler, to
ascertain the species represented by his specimen, I learned that Mr.
Henry A. Purdie[58] had seen the bird and pronounced it the Little Blue
Heron (_Florida cærulea_). No previous instance of its occurrence in
Maine is on record.—NATHAN CLIFFORD BROWN, _Portland, Maine_.
BAIRD’S SANDPIPER ON LONG ISLAND, N. Y.—A CORRECTION.—In the Bulletin
for January, 1882, p. 60, it is stated that the record of a specimen of
this species from Long Island is apparently its first from any point
south of New England. A note to the editors from Dr. E. A. Mearns calls
attention to a previous record of the species for Long Island in an
article by Newbold T. Lawrence, entitled “Notes on Several Rare Birds
Taken on Long Island, N. Y.,” published in “Forest and Stream,” Vol. X,
No. 13, p. 235, May 2, 1878, as follows:—
“_Tringa bairdii_, Baird’s Sandpiper.—Four specimens taken at Rockaway.
The first two in September, 1872, shot on a small piece of meadow, out
of a flock of _Tringa minutilla._ The third was taken August 26, 1873,
while snipe shooting on a low strip of sand that separates the ocean and
bay. My attention was first called to it by hearing a peculiar
long-drawn whistle, and soon after I perceived a small snipe flying very
high. The next moment it darted down and settled among my decoys, where
I secured it. The fourth was taken in the same locality as the first
two, September 20, 1874. Three of the above specimens were males.”—EDD.
PELIDNA SUBARQUATA ON THE MAINE COAST.—I have to thank Mr. C. H.
Chandler of Cambridge, for allowing me to view a mounted specimen of the
Curlew Sandpiper, which he shot on the beach at Pine Point, Scarborough,
Cumberland Co., on September 15, 1881. The plumage is immature—probably
a bird of the year. It was in company with Peeps, but its larger size
and lighter coloration were noticed, hence this visit to American shores
is registered. The species is new to the Maine fauna, at least this is
the first instance of actual capture within the limits of that
State.[59]—H. A. PURDIE, _Newton, Mass._
THE KING RAIL IN NEW ENGLAND.—It seems that in making up the New England
record of the King Rail (_Rallus elegans_)[60] I overlooked a note on
this species, published in “Forest and Stream” of March 11, 1880. In
this note Mr. Jno. H. Sage announces the capture of a female specimen at
Portland, Conn., September 19, 1879.—NATHAN CLIFFORD BROWN, _Portland,
Maine_.
PURPLE GALLINULE (_Ionornis martinica_) IN RHODE ISLAND.—Mr. Newton
Dexter states that some years ago Mr. P. W. Aldrich showed him a fine
Purple Gallinule just received in the flesh from Westerly, R. I. Mr.
Dexter bought, and now has the bird. He is not able to give the exact
year, but thinks it was in 1857.—FRED. T. JENCKS, _Providence, R. I._
NOTE ON THE HABITS OF THE YOUNG OF GALLINULA GALEATA AND PODILYMBUS
PODICEPS.—Mr. N. R. Wood, who collected quite a number of young Grebes
and Gallinules this summer at Montezuma Marsh, near Clyde, N. Y., tells
me that the little Gallinules use the thumb to aid them in moving about.
The thumb in the young of this bird is quite long and sharp, and the
nestlings, when unable to walk, hook it into any yielding substance, and
drag themselves along. The young Grebes are more vigorous than the
Gallinules, and progress by little hops.—FREDERIC A. LUCAS, _Rochester,
N. Y._
RHYNCHOPS NIGRA.—AN EARLY RECORD FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS
COAST.—Champlain,[61] while cruising along the sandy shores of Cape Cod
on a voyage of exploration in July, 1605, makes mention of the Black
Skimmer, as his narration, p. 87, shows.
“We saw also a sea-bird with a black beak, the upper part slightly
aquiline, four inches long and in the form of a lancet; namely, the
lower part representing the handle and the upper the blade, which is
thin, sharp on both sides, and shorter by a third than the other; which
circumstance is a matter of astonishment to many persons, who cannot
comprehend how it is possible for this bird to eat with such a beak. It
is of the size of a pigeon, the wings being very long in proportion to
the body, the tail short, as also the legs, which are red; the feet
being small and flat. The plumage on the upper part is gray-brown, and
on the under part pure white. They go always in flocks along the
seashore, like the pigeons with us.”
That this species was found on our shores early in this century is
proved by the older natives of the Cape telling me, since the bird’s
recent occurrence, that “them cutwater or shearwater birds used to be
with us summer times.” Also Mr. Brewster informs me that Nantucket
fishermen assert that Skimmers bred on Muskegat Island fifty years
ago.—H. A. PURDIE, _Newton, Mass._
NOTES ON THE HABITS OF THE KITTIWAKE GULL.—Some fishermen whom I lately
employed to get a few Kittiwake Gulls on the winter fishing grounds off
Swampscott, Massachusetts, gave me the following interesting account of
the habits of this species, and the way in which my specimens were
procured.
A number of small schooners sail from Swampscott every winter morning,
and reach the fishing banks, which are some twelve miles off shore,
about daybreak. The men then take to their dories, and buckets of
bait—generally cod-livers or other refuse—are thrown out to attract the
fish to the spot. Of this custom the Kittiwakes—or “Pinny Owls,” as
these men invariably call them—are well aware, and swarms of them
quickly collect around the boats to pick up the morsels before they
sink. They are very tame, and if one of the flock is shot the others
hover over it as Terns will do on similar occasions. The usual way of
taking them, however, is with hook and line, the bait being allowed to
float off on the surface, when it is quickly seized by one of the greedy
horde. In this manner great numbers are annually taken by the fishermen,
who either skin and stew them or use the flesh for bait. I was assured
that a “Pinny Owl” stew is by no means an unpalatable dish.
After the morning fishing is at an end the vessels start for their
anchorage in Swampscott harbor, and the fish are dressed on the way.
This gives the Gulls another chance which is not neglected, for the
entire flock follows closely in their wake. When the catch has been a
large one, and the work of cleaning the fish is continued at the
anchorage, they remain about the spot for hours picking up this offal
directly under the sides of the vessels. Here again the poor birds are
often mercilessly slaughtered by city gunners who shoot them for sport
or practice, leaving the dead and wounded to float out to sea with the
ebbing tide. The fishermen admit that their numbers have greatly
diminished of late years, but they are said to be still very abundant
through the winter months.—WILLIAM BREWSTER, _Cambridge, Mass._
STERNA FORSTERI BREEDING OFF THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA.—An
impression seems to prevail among ornithologists that Forster’s Tern
breeds only in the interior of North America. At least I cannot learn
that Dr. Coues’ comparatively recent ruling[62] to that effect has been
publicly corrected, or that it is generally known that the bird nests on
the Atlantic Coast.[63] On this account it may be worth while to state
that during a visit to Cobb’s Island, Va., in July, 1880, I found
Forster’s Terns breeding in moderate numbers on all the neighboring
islands. They nested apart from the other Terns, but often in company
with Laughing Gulls, on the salt marshes or on marshy islets, where
their eggs were almost invariably laid on tide-rows of drift-weed that
fringed the muddy shores. The largest colony seen in any one place
comprised perhaps twenty-five pairs, but it was more usual to find from
six to a dozen mingled with a countless number of Gulls. I was late for
the eggs, but secured a few far advanced in incubation, besides several
downy young and many adult birds in full nuptial dress.—WILLIAM
BREWSTER, _Cambridge, Mass._
NOTE ON THE FOOT OF ACCIPITER FUSCUS.—On the plantar surfaces of each
foot of the Sharp-shinned Hawk two papillae may be noticed, which differ
from the others, more properly described as pads, in their greater
length and more symmetrical form. These pads are placed at the second
phalangeal joint of the third toe, and at the third phalangeal joint of
the fourth toe, that is, at the bases of the penultimate phalanges of
the third and fourth toes. These papillae are shown to be modified pads,
the same as those at the other two joints, by the less developed
papillae of _Circus_, _Astur_, and others. This transition can readily
be traced in the sketches of the feet given in the systematic works on
Hawks, though the special prominence of the papillae in the
Sharp-shinned Hawk does not seem to be particularly noted. On removing
the skin, however, a marked difference at once comes in view. While all
the pads are nearly obliterated, the papillae still remain as solid
cones of connective tissue (?), having much the same shape and sizes as
the entire papillae. These cones or cores are internally connected with
the superficial fascia of the toes and seem to straddle the flexor
tendons running below.
On noting the structural difference, the cause or function of these
papillae at once becomes a point of interest. Why have these two pads
been modified into long papillae (.12 inch in a dried specimen), and
provided with a solid core? Now the foot of _Accipiter_ is so
constructed that the first toe opposes the second toe, and their claws
move in nearly parallel arcs. This is not the case with the third and
fourth toes, which are longer and not opposable to one another. Thus the
claws can be opposed to nothing except the middle portions of the toes
to which they belong. But when the claw is thus flexed a small space
well adapted for grasping twigs and feathers is formed by the papillae,
the penultimate phalanx and the claw, the point projecting beyond
resembling the feet of certain crustacea and lice. Hence the function of
the papillae would seem to be to aid the third and fourth claws in
grasping small objects, and it is an interesting point to notice that
the foot of _Accipiter fuscus_ is thus drawn in North American Birds, by
Baird, Brewer and Ridgway.
How far the same considerations hold in other species I cannot say, but
as mentioned above, allied forms seem to possess the character to a less
degree.—J. AMORY JEFFRIES, _Boston, Mass._
SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES ON TWO TEXAS BIRDS.—In a recent paper[64] on a
collection of birds made in southwestern Texas, I referred a series of
_Hylocichla unalascæ_ to the restricted form, with the remark that
several specimens closely approached var. _auduboni_. Upon reading the
article, an esteemed correspondent wrote me that one of these aberrant
examples, which had passed into his hands, appeared to him to be true
_auduboni_. In this opinion, after a reëxamination of the specimen, I
concur. The bird in question has a wing of 3.82 inches, which, though
decidedly under the average of _auduboni_, is more than should be
allowed _unalascæ_ proper.[65] Here, then, is another species, besides
those previously cited, which is represented by two distinct varieties
in the tract of country explored.
The single specimen of _Coturniculus passerinus_ taken in the same
locality represents the western variety _perpallidus_, under which, by
an oversight, it was not included.—NATHAN CLIFFORD BROWN, _Portland,
Me._
ADDENDA TO THE PRELIMINARY LIST OF BIRDS ASCERTAINED TO OCCUR IN THE
ADIRONDACK REGION, NORTHEASTERN NEW YORK.[66]—
178. =Dendrœca striata= (_Forst._) _Baird_. BLACK-POLL WARBLER.—In the
collection of the late A. Jenings Dayan (of Lyons Falls, N. Y.) is a
female of this species that he killed in the town of Lyonsdale in Lewis
Co., May 23, 1877.
179. =Dendrœca pinus= (_Wilson_) _Baird_. PINE-CREEPING WARBLER.—Mr.
Dayan took a full-plumaged male _D. pinus_ at Lyonsdale, Lewis Co., May
8, 1877. I have never observed the species within the limits of the
Adirondack Region, and it must be regarded as a rare bird here.