GROSBEAK.—Common in low hard woods at Grand Falls. Rather common at
Fort Fairfield, apparently more so than in eastern Massachusetts.
Rather common at Houlton.
52. =Dolichonyx oryzivorus= (_Linn._) _Swains._ BOBOLINK.—Apparently
not rare at Fort Fairfield. Found in grassy fields and meadows near
the river. Not observed at Grand Falls. At Houlton “arrives by the
25th of May, common by June 15.” July 2, on our return from Fort
Fairfield, Mr. Dwight and I saw them at several places along the St.
John River above Fredericton.
53. =Agelæus phœniceus= (_Linn._) _Vieill._ RED-WINGED
BLACKBIRD.—“Quite common at Eel River, ten miles from Houlton” (R. R.
McL.). It does not occur at Fort Fairfield or Grand Falls.
54. =Quiscalus purpureus æneus= _Ridgw._ CROW BLACKBIRD.—Common at
Fort Fairfield, in the town, along the river, and about a small pond
back in the woods. At Grand Falls it was not uncommon about the town.
“Very common” at Houlton.
55. =Corvus corax= _Linn._ RAVEN.—Rare at Grand Falls. Not met with at
Fort Fairfield. “Very rare” at Houlton.
56. =Corvus americanus= _Aud._ CROW.—Common.
57. =Cyanocitta cristata= (_Linn._) _Strickl._ BLUE JAY.—Common at
Grand Falls. At Fort Fairfield it was rather common, but shy and
seldom seen.
58. =Perisoreus canadensis= (_Linn._) _Bp._ CANADA JAY.—At Houlton:
“very common. These birds do not often appear in the thickly settled
part of the town, but are very abundant around the lumber camps in
this vicinity.” This no doubt explains the fact that the species was
not seen by any of us at Grand Falls and Fort Fairfield.[72]
59. =Tyrannus carolinensis= (_Linn._) _Bd._ KINGBIRD.—Rather common at
Fort Fairfield. At Grand Falls several were seen, but it was not
common.
60. =Myiarchus crinitus= (_Linn._) _Caban._ GREAT CRESTED
FLYCATCHER.—In June, 1878, Messrs. H. A. Purdie and Ruthven Deane
observed a pair nest-building at a point in New Brunswick about six
miles east of Houlton.
61. =Sayornis fuscus= (_Gm._) _Bd._ PEWEE.—One was observed at Fort
Fairfield, June 28. “Very rare” at Houlton.
62. =Contopus borealis= (_Swains._) _Bd._ OLIVE-SIDED
FLYCATCHER.—Common in the woods at Grand Falls. This species was
rather common at Fort Fairfield. We usually saw them perched on the
tops of tall dead trees in clearings. They were rather shy.
63. =Contopus virens= (_Linn._) _Caban._ WOOD PEWEE.—At Fort Fairfield
it appeared to be not uncommon. It was not met with, however, at Grand
Falls.
64. =Empidonax flaviventris= _Bd._ YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER.—At Fort
Fairfield this species was rather common in wet evergreen woods,
especially in those that had small streams flowing through them. It
was not observed at Grand Falls. Messrs. Purdie and Deane found it
rather common at Houlton in June, 1878.[73]
65. =Empidonax trailli= (_Aud._) _Bd._ TRAILL’S FLYCATCHER.—Not common
at Grand Falls. They were to be found mostly where there were
scattered dead trees. We did not find it at Fort Fairfield. Mr. H. A.
Purdie informs me that it was not uncommon at Houlton in June, 1878.
66. =Empidonax minimus= _Bd._ LEAST FLYCATCHER.—Very abundant in hard
woods at Grand Falls. At Fort Fairfield it was rather common.
67. =Caprimulgus vociferus= _Wils._ WHIP-POOR-WILL.—Mr. McLeod notes
that there are a few at Houlton during the summer. The species was
neither seen nor heard at Fort Fairfield and Grand Falls.
68. =Chordeiles popetue= (_Vieill._) _Bd._ NIGHTHAWK.—Very abundant at
Grand Falls. At Fort Fairfield it was common; they frequented burnt
lands.
69. =Chætura pelasgica= (_Linn._) _Bd._ CHIMNEY SWIFT.—At Fort
Fairfield they were common, breeding both in chimneys and in hollow
trees. Common in the burnt country at Grand Falls. Not many were
breeding in chimneys, the people disliking to have them there.
70. =Trochilus colubris= _Linn._ RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD.—Common at
Grand Falls. At Fort Fairfield it was apparently rather common—we saw
several.
71. =Ceryle alcyon= (_Linn._) _Boie_. BELTED KINGFISHER.—Rather common
at Fort Fairfield. At Grand Falls it was to be seen wherever there was
good fishing ground.
72. =Picus villosus= _Linn._ HAIRY WOODPECKER.—Common.
73. =Picus pubescens= _Linn._ DOWNY WOODPECKER.—At Fort Fairfield this
species was much less common than _P. villosus_. It was not uncommon
at Grand Falls.
74. =Picoides arcticus= (_Swains._) _Gray._ BLACK-BACKED THREE-TOED
WOODPECKER.—Common at Grand Falls in burnt cedar swamps. At Fort
Fairfield we shot two, all we saw.
75. =Sphyropicus varius= (_Linn._) _Bd._ YELLOW-BELLIED
WOODPECKER.—Common—the commonest Woodpecker—at Fort Fairfield. They
were generally found about recent clearings, or in the more open mixed
woods. At Grand Falls they were common in hard woods.
76. =Hylotomus pileatus= (_Linn._) _Bd._ PILEATED WOODPECKER.—At Grand
Falls half a dozen pairs were seen. Probably there is too little of
the heavy forest left in the immediate neighborhood of Fort Fairfield
to suit their tastes, as we did not meet with them. “Common” at
Houlton.
77. =Colaptes auratus= (_Linn._) _Sw._ GOLDEN-WINGED
WOODPECKER.—Rather common at Fort Fairfield. Not common at Grand
Falls.
78. =Coccyzus erythrophthalmus= (_Wils._) _Bd._ BLACK-BILLED
CUCKOO.—Mr. McLeod records this bird in his notes, but without
comments. It was not seen at Fort Fairfield or Grand Falls.
79. =Strix nebulosa= _Forst._ BARRED OWL.—“Very common” at Houlton. We
were shown a mounted specimen by Mr. Frank P. Orcutt at Fort
Fairfield. He considered it the commonest Owl.
80. =Nyctale acadica= (_Gm._) _Bd._ SAW-WHET OWL.—This bird is not
uncommon at Houlton. Mr. Frank P. Orcutt told us that it was tolerably
common at Fort Fairfield.
81. =Bubo virginianus= (_Gm._) _Bd._ GREAT HORNED OWL.—“Very common”
at Houlton. Mr. Orcutt said it was rather common at Fort Fairfield.
82. =Circus hudsonius= (_Linn._) _Vieill._ MARSH HAWK.—Rare at
Houlton. One seen at Fort Fairfield.
83. =Accipiter cooperi= _Bp._ COOPER’S HAWK.—Not common at Grand
Falls. Not observed at Fort Fairfield or Houlton.
84. =Accipiter fuscus= (_Gm._) _Bp._ SHARP-SHINNED HAWK.—“Not common”
at Houlton.
85. =Falco sparverius= _Linn._ SPARROW HAWK.—Commonest Hawk at Grand
Falls. Not met with at Houlton or Fort Fairfield, though Mr. Orcutt
considers it common at the latter place.
86. =Buteo borealis= (_Gm._) _Vieill._ RED-TAILED HAWK.—Not common at
Grand Falls. Not observed at Fort Fairfield. “Common” at Houlton.
87. =Buteo pennsylvanicus= (_Wils._) _Bp._ BROAD-WINGED HAWK.—Not
common at Grand Falls. It was found breeding at Houlton, but not met
with at Fort Fairfield.
88. =Haliæetus leucocephalus= (_Linn._) _Savig._ BALD EAGLE.—“Not
common” at Houlton.
89. =Ectopistes migratorius= (_Linn._) _Sw._ WILD PIGEON.—Breeding at
Grand Falls, but not common.
90. =Canace canadensis= (_Linn._) _Bp._ SPRUCE PARTRIDGE.—At Houlton
“mostly found in the deep fir thickets, or in the swamps of firs and
cedars.” Not met with at Fort Fairfield and Grand Falls, though of
course it occurs there.
91. =Bonasa umbellus= (_Linn._) _Steph._ RUFFED GROUSE.—Rather common
at Fort Fairfield. At Grand Falls only a few were seen—in the hard
woods.
92. =Ardea herodias= _Linn._ GREAT BLUE HERON.—“Common” at Houlton.
93. =Nyctiardea grisea nævia= (_Bodd._) _Allen_. NIGHT HERON.—“Not
common” at Houlton.
94. =Botaurus lentiginosus= (_Montag._) _Steph._—BITTERN.—“Common” at
Houlton. One seen at Grand Falls.
95. =Philohela minor= (_Gm._) _Gray._ WOODCOCK.—One seen on Little
River Flats near Grand Falls. At Fort Fairfield we saw a specimen in
the collection of Mr. Frank P. Orcutt, who considered it rare in that
neighborhood. “A few breed in the vicinity” of Houlton.
96. =Rhyacophilus solitarius= (_Wils._) _Cass._ SOLITARY SANDPIPER.—At
Grand Falls some were seen along the river June 9 (J. A. J.).
97. =Tringoides macularius= (_Linn._) _Gray._ SPOTTED SANDPIPER.—At
Fort Fairfield it was very numerous along the Aroostook River, and was
also noticed in one or two other places. It was abundant along the
rivers at Grand Falls. At Houlton too it was very common.
98. =Porzana carolina= (_Linn._) _Bd._ CAROLINA RAIL.—One seen at Fort
Fairfield, June 20, in a wet meadow partly grown up with alder bushes
(J. D.).
99. =Anas obscura= _Gm._ BLACK DUCK.—“Very common, breeding” at
Houlton.
100. =Aix sponsa= (_Linn._) _Boie_. WOOD DUCK.—“Quite common” at
Houlton.
101. =Clangula glaucium americana= (_Bp._) _Ridgw._ GOLDEN-EYE.—A few
seen at Grand Falls.
102. =Mergus merganser americanus= (_Cass._) _Ridgw._ SHELDRAKE.—Not
uncommon at Grand Falls.
103. =Mergus serrator= _Linn._ RED-BREASTED MERGANSER.—“Very common,
breeding,” at Houlton.
104. =Larus argentatus smithsonianus= _Coues_. HERRING GULL.—At
Houlton it is common on the neighboring lakes, where it breeds.
105. =Podilymbus podiceps= (_Linn._) _Lawr._ PIED-BILLED GREBE.—Rare,
breeds, Houlton.
A SKETCH OF THE HOME OF _HYLOCICHLA ALICIÆ BICKNELLI_, RIDGWAY, WITH
SOME CRITICAL REMARKS ON THE ALLIES OF THIS NEW RACE.
BY EUGENE P. BICKNELL.
That there remained unrecognized at this late day a bird regularly
inhabiting one of the must populous portions of our country; or, indeed,
that a species of eminently boreal habitat during its breeding season,
and not known to occur at all at such time within the limits of the
United States, should have a representative race regularly breeding in
our midst, are facts for which we were little prepared. Mr. Ridgway’s
recent paper[74] announcing these facts being necessarily of a technical
nature, and confined to a formal description of the new Thrush, it has
been thought well on the present occasion to allude more particularly to
the character of the locality inhabited by the bird, and to some of its
associates there, in connection with other sequential considerations. As
the general physical character of the Catskill Mountains and the faunal
features of the region will be treated by the writer elsewhere, it will
be unnecessary to extend the range of the present relation from the
summit of Slide Mountain in Ulster Co.,[75] where the new race was
discovered.
On June 15, 1881, nearing the summit of this mountain, the forests of a
more northern latitude were forcibly suggested. A shower had fallen
during the ascent, and the sun was still obscured, while a sharp wind
from the northwest piercing the wet woods and sighing among the balsams,
blasted and weather beaten, heightened an impression of remoteness and
desolation. The evergreens, constituting the principal arboreal growth,
extended off on all sides, clothing the rocky and moss-grown slopes, and
presenting the striking contrast of a young and fragrant second growth
clustering about the branchless and spiny trunks of their sires
tottering in decay; or, with tangled and matted branches outlined here
and there, as we approached the summit, against a gray and cheerless
sky. Owing to the comparatively short life of these trees, that high
portion of the mountain where their tribe had pitched was brought into
grim contrast with its surroundings. Old age and death, continually
present invading their ranks, had everywhere left their traces;
flourishing clusters had been stricken in their fellowship, groups and
gatherings had been divided and scattered, and like a contagion the
destroyer had spread among their hosts. But the younger generations are
continually forming their associations, and with green and fragrant
grouping filling in deserted chambers and screening the devastation that
has gone before, although only to furnish material for its continuance
in the future. All this, with an occasional undergrowth of greater or
less luxuriance, gave a diversified and somewhat open character to the
surroundings, entirely dissimilar to that of the environing forest;
conditions, which, in conjunction with humidity and elevation, have
brought this mountain top into some relation with the swampland of a
more northern region.
Reaching a more elevated portion of the ridge where the ground was more
level and the surface less rocky, that north-woods tree, the Paper Birch
(_Betula papyracea_) occasionally appeared, and more abundantly the
Mountain Ash. Almost the only remnant of the dense mountain forests
below was the Yellow Birch (_Betula lutea_) which, joining the
undergrowth, persisted with small and stunted stature to the summit. On
all sides were to be seen the white blossoms of _Viburnum lantanoides_
which, though also found in the valley woodlands, had there long since
flowered and was now bearing green fruit. Another characteristic shrub
was _Amelanchier canadensis oligocarpa_; lower down had been found the
var. _botryapium_, but here, the northern form was well marked, seeming
almost specifically distinct. In the deep, damp moss, covering and
filling in the rocks beneath the balsam growth, and relieving the
ruggedness of the slopes, northern plants were growing in greater or
less profusion. The Dwarf Cornel (_Cornus canadensis_) grew in such
close luxuriance in congenial spots, that its snowy bracts imparted an
almost uniform whiteness to whole beds. With, or near it, blossomed the
Wood Sorrel (_Oxalis acetosella_) with delicately violet-veined petals,
and the appropriately-named Gold-thread (_Coptis trifolia_) of
evanescent bloom but shining evergreen leaves, and the little Star
Flower (_Trientalis americana_) were often also associates. Excepting
the pale yellow bells of _Clintonia borealis_, and the purplish tinge,
or veining, of the blossoms of several other species, all the plants
noticed in bloom at this time upon the mountain bore flowers of some
shade of white. The more open ground about our course along the ridge
supported a luxuriant and graceful growth of that lovely fern _Aspidium
spinulosum_, and with it, in openings about the summit, grew abundantly
the Mountain Golden-rod (_Solidago thyrsoidea_) which, although yet many
weeks from bloom, heralded a royal emblem to light the mountain’s brow
ere the white locks of winter should again possess it.
At the elevation where these plants first appeared the trees nowhere
attained more than a medium stature, those which seemed best to have
surmounted the difficulties of their situation, the Balsam and the Paper
Birch, never rising to a height of more than, perhaps, twenty-five feet.
This growth completely encompassed the range of vision, but an
occasional scantiness in the foliage permitted glimpses of surrounding
mountains rolling off like huge green billows into the blue distance.
From these evergreens came the leisurely call of the Canada Nuthatch
(_Sitta canadensis_), and on closer approach the low, plaintive notes of
the little Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (_Empidonax flaviventris_). The
brief warble of the Black-and-Yellow Warbler (_Dendrœca maculosa_) told
of the presence of its unseen author in the surrounding trees, while
among the undergrowth the less frequent, but louder and more sustained
song of the Mourning Ground-warbler (_Geothlypis philadelphia_) showed
that this species, which had been left at the foot of the mountain, had
here reappeared. At intervals, faintly mingling with these songs, from
some hidden fastness below, came the _fantasia_ of the Winter Wren, a
melody that seemed to pass from the spirit of unclaimed nature, voicing
some mystery of the mountains. The clamor of a party of Blue Jays
occasionally arose and died away in the forest, but here, in this
mountain solitude, their screams seemed more subdued than in less
primitive regions, and lacked that suggestion of consciousness which
individuals constantly within human hearing, seem to acquire. Busily
roaming Chickadees (_Parus atricapillus_) at times came about our path,
and the Snowbird (_Junco hyemalis_) was present with its simple song.
Olive-backed Thrushes (_Hylocichla ustulata swainsoni_) too, were
constantly to be heard, and finally, guided by its near song, one was
followed up and secured. A moment later another Thrush darted across the
path, and disappearing through a young balsam growth, immediately began
to sing a few rods off. The song was different from that of the bird
which had just been shot, so much so, in fact, as to be remarked even by
my guide. It seemed to be more uniform in character, with less variation
and definition of the notes; as I wrote in my note-book at the time—more
suggestive of the song of _H. fuscescens_. A conspicuous point of
difference was that it was more subdued in tone, in fact of a somewhat
ventriloquous nature. On examining the bird, in hand, although I had
thought myself familiar with all our eastern _Hylocichlæ_, I must
confess to having been puzzled. It was obviously neither the
Olive-backed nor the Hermit Thrush, the only species of our own smaller
Thrushes which from the distribution of their group (as then understood)
could possibly be expected to occur. I at once noted its general
resemblance to the Gray-cheeked Thrush, but it seemed impossible that
this Hudsonian bird could be found so far south at this season; and
though a second specimen pointed more strongly toward it, it was not
until I had reached home and made actual comparisons, that I could feel
satisfied that its true relationship was with that species. I had long
noticed certain somewhat constant differences between examples of
_aliciæ_ occurring at New York on their migrations, and incited by these
specimens went carefully over my series of seventeen examples and found
them separable into two forms, characterized by slight differences in
coloration and a notable difference in size. The examples from the
Catskills were more closely allied to the smaller of the two forms, and
these, with, subsequently, my entire series, were submitted to Mr.
Ridgway, the result being the recognition of a new bird, belonging to
our eastern fauna.
But to return to the mountain. It would hardly be justifiable to make a
positive statement about a difficult song that had been but once
identified, but I feel positive that the Thrushes which were last heard
that evening about our camp on the extreme summit of the mountain were
of the new form. Night was rapidly falling, and the valleys were in
darkness, when one sang several times near the camp, and for some time
afterwards a single call-note was occasionally heard, and the varying
distance of the sound showed that the birds were still active. Excepting
these sounds, the last bird notes heard were those of the Yellow-bellied
Flycatcher.
The sharp northwest wind continued late, and the night became clear and
cold. Shortly after midnight the bright moon showed the temperature, by
a thermometer which I had hung beside the camp, to be 35°, and at
sunrise it stood at 32°. Before daylight I was standing on a boulder of
conglomerate on the dim mountain’s brow listening for the awakening of
the birds. The first songs heard were those of the Hermit Thrush,
Snowbird, and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, which began almost
simultaneously, followed a little later by those of the Olive-backed
Thrush and the Mourning Warbler, but _H. bicknelli_ was not heard, or at
least not near enough to be distinguished among the other species.
The increasing light upon the mountain seemed to attract the birds from
below, whither, perhaps, they had retired for the night, and soon many
different notes were to be heard about the camp; not, however, in that
boisterous chorus with which the day is often announced about our homes,
in which the notes of many individuals of many species are blended in
such confused medley that separate voices are almost indistinguishable,
but simply the association of a few vocalists, the very isolation of
whose position endowed their voices with an additional interest and
charm.
After those already mentioned the Black-poll Warbler (_Dendrœca
striata_) began its unpretending notes, which always to me suggest a
short dotted line, and this song, with that of the Black-and-Yellow
Warbler, occasionally alternated about us in agreeable contrast. Now and
then a Canada Nuthatch, on its morning tour, tarried to inspect some
dead trunk or thinly clothed tree, upon the projecting apex of which, or
that of some companion, a solitary Purple Finch occasionally alighted,
and with a few wild fugitive notes was gone, to other mountain tops or
the forests of the descending slopes.
But to revert to the Thrushes. The two specimens of the new form which
were obtained were both males, and were unquestionably breeding,[76]
though no nest known to belong to their species was found.