18 



The Canadian Field-Naturalist 



[Vol. XXXIIL 



185. '^PALM WARBLER, Dendroica palmarum. 



In 1917, present in limited numbers on our ar- 

 rival but none seen after May 25. Several seen 

 between Sept. 19 and 22. In 1918, noted by Young 

 from May 8 to 30 and Sept. 6 to Oct. 2, the 

 date of departure. 



186. ^OVENBIRD, Seiurus aurocapillus. 



In 1917, a few^ single individuals v^ere heard 

 and seen in the deeper woods from May 29 on. Be- 

 fore leaving they become slightly more common. In 

 1918, noted by Young from May 21 to June 3, 

 one individual in July, and then again from Sept. 

 2 to 14. This is a retiring species and oftener 

 recognized by ear than sight. Its absence through 

 June, July and August is probably more apparent 

 than real. 



187. ^NORTHERN WATER THRUSH, SeiuTus nove- 



boracensis. 

 In 1917, two water thrushes were seen, perhaps 

 an original pair. May 18 and June 2, in the dry 

 willow grown creek bed by the Ward house. On 

 Sept. 19 another was noted in the same locality. In 

 1918, the species was noted with daily regularity 

 from May 10 to 25 and Sept. 4 to 26, with a 

 single individual on Aug. 22. The specimens are 

 in a very mixed lot of plumages, and one a male, 

 Sept. 12, is nearly as white below as a Louisiana 

 Water Thrush, 5. motacilla ; two other specimens 

 are nearer the eastern one S. n. noveboracensis than 

 S. n. notabilis. Three others while yellower below 

 and blacker above and characteristic notabilis are 

 quite comparable with some New Brunswick birds. 

 I find that Grinnell's Water Thrush rests UDon very 

 inconstant characters. 



188. ^CONNECTICUT WARBLER, OpOTornis agiUs. 

 On June 4, 1917, one bird was seen under ex- 

 cellent conditions for determination, when shot it 

 fell far away in heavy brush and could not be found. 

 One juvenile was taken by Young on Sept. 16. 



189. ^MOURNING WARBLER, OpoTotnis Philadelphia. 

 Several times in the spring of 1917 I thought I 



heard this bird in a slashing in the oak patch in the 

 big bluff behind the camp. It kept so close to a 

 limited locality that I have no doubt that it was 

 nesting nearby. It was absolutely identified June 

 14 when secured. In 1918, the species was noted 

 by Young from May 30 to June 8 and one was 

 taken Sept. 7. Specimens of this species in fall 

 plumage are rather scarce in collections as it usually 

 drifts through very inconspicuously early in the 

 autumn. 



190. ''^MARYLAND YELLOWTHROAT, Ceothlypis 



trichas. 

 Quite common after June 2. In the autumn in- 

 dividuals were seen Sept. 21 and 22. The species 

 obtained are referable to G. /. occidentalis, the 



Western Yellow Throat. The backs are faintly 

 lighter than eastern and intermediate between them 

 and individuals from Indian Head and Edmonton, 

 but the white foreheads are decidedly more extensive 

 than in eastern species. 



191. "^Wilson's warbler, Wihonia pusilla. 

 Only seen in 1918 on May 18. In 1918, Young 



observed the species on May 16, 18 and 24. 



192. "^CANADIAN WARBLER, Wilsonia canadensis. 

 One taken on June 6, 1917, and noted by Young 



on May 24 and June 4. 



193. "^REDSTART, Setophaga ruticilla. 



Not seen in 1917 until May 29, but common 

 thereafter. In 1918, Young observed it from May 

 18 to June 8 and from Aug. 26 to Sept. 27. He 

 did not note it through the summer. 



194. "^AMERICAN PIPIT, Anthus rubescens. 



In 1918 fairly common during the early days of 

 our spring visit along the lake shore, but none seen 

 after May 30. Abundant in the fall occurring in 

 large flocks, scattered bunches and individuals on all 

 bare ground. In 1918, noted by Young on May 

 13 and 27 and Sept. 14 to date of departure Oct. 2. 



195. "^sprague's pipit, Anthus spraguei. 

 Between June 5 and 9, 1917, I was much puzzled 



by an oft repeated and haunting bird song that could 

 be barely heard and which I was unable to locate 

 or recognize. It was a fine silvery gradually de- 

 scendmg Ree-ree-ree-a-ree-a-ree-a-aree-aree of 

 about eight notes, and an octave in range. It had a 

 peculiar ringing jingle like the Veery but mere sus- 

 tained and regular. After innumerable futile at- 

 tempts at discovering the singer at last I found it 

 high over head flying about in circles for minutes 

 at a time. It beat its wings vigorously against the 

 slight breeze, making altitude rather than headway, 

 and then the song came down. After the first two 

 or three syllables reached the ground the wings fixed 

 and the bird would sail in a downward spiral 

 through the remainder of the song. This was re- 

 peated time and time again. It took considerable 

 patience to watch the little vocalist until it came 

 down to earth by an almost straight dive. Though 

 nearly out of sight in the air the speed with which 

 it dropped and the distance away at which it alighted 

 indicated that it was originally up no more than a 

 hundred yards or so while singing. Thereafter we 

 could hear this song nearly the whole of every fine 

 day, but this was the only bird of the species that 

 we met. In 1918, Young reports the species oc- 

 casionally throughout the summer from June 21 to 

 Sept. 7. 



196. ^CATBIRD, Dumatella carolinensis. 

 Common, found in nearly every bluff. In 1918, 



Young noted it almost daily from May 20 to Sept. 

 11. 



