THE MIGRATION OF INLAND BIRDS. 185 



a family not only, but to all of the A^arions species separately, of 

 wliich a score or more pass through the State as a general thing. 

 During certain seasons we have noticed a marked preponderance of 

 some one or two warblers, which for seasons following were much 

 less common than many others. Thus, in 1860, 1864, 186Y, and 1872, 

 the common redstarts [Setophaga ruticillcC) were very abundant, not 

 only about their natural haunts, but within the city limits, and scores 

 of them could be seen climbing over and flitting through the branches 

 of the shade-trees of the less-frequented streets. Since 1872 these 

 birds have not been so numerous as usual, and far less so than many 

 other warblers, such as the yellow-rumped {Dendroica coronata), the 

 black-throated blue {D. ccerulescens), or even the chestnut-sided (Z>. 

 Penns^/lvanica). 



Unlike the thrushes, the warblers seem to be wholly controlled by 

 meteorological influences and sudden changes of the weatlier, which, 

 unlike some birds, they seem unable to foretell, greatly influence their 

 movements, and certainly delay their northward progress ; and yet, 

 while we have frequently known them to be caught in a "north- 

 easter," they are not otherwise affected by it, so far as we could de- 

 termine, other than by the delay, before mentioned. Even a sudden 

 change from warm, summer-like weather to decided cold did not de- 

 stroy any of them, apparently, or check their lively movements among 

 the trees. 



Let us glance at the well-known and noticed swallows. For five 

 months of every year we have with us, in greater or less abundance, 

 six species of swallows and one " swift," the common chimney-swal- 

 low. Of these, one, the rough-winged [Stelgidopteryx serripennis) is 

 comparatively rare, and known only to ornithologists ; the white-bel- 

 lied {Ilirundo bicolor) are not particularly abundant, except during 

 certain seasons ; the cliff"-swallow {Petrochelidon lunifrons) is erratic , 

 now here, about the barns and stables of a circumscribed neighbor- 

 hood, for several years, and then wholly failing to appear in their 

 former haunts, when spring comes slowly up this way, to greet May's 

 sleeping blossoms. Not so, however, with the barn-swallow [Ilirundo 

 horreormn) ; with a variation in date of arrival of about ten days, we 

 have come to us, in May, our full complement of these beautiful birds. 

 They have decreased in numbers during the past thirty years, so ob- 

 sei-vant old farmers have told us, but probably not so much as they 

 think. It is more probably the increase in the numbers of other spe- 

 cies that makes the numbers of the barn-swallow seem fewer. The 

 bank-swallow {Cotyle rijmria), earliest of all, is here literally by mill- 

 ions, and the purple martin [Progne suMs), in moderate numbers, sel- 

 dom fails to occupy the boxes placed for its accommodation ; while, 

 lastly, the chimney-swallow [Chcetura pelagicd)^ which really belongs 

 to another family, nearer the humming-birds and goat-suckers, we be- 

 lieve, has never failed to appear in about the same numbers, year after 



