Notes from Field and Study 



277 



About June 20, I noted Purple Crack- 

 les, Starlings, and Doves roaming about 

 the country for their daily ration. At this 

 time these birds commence to assemble in 

 a definite roosting-place at night, and as 

 autumn approaches and the birds increase, 

 these roosts become the rendezvous of 

 great numbers of Crackles, Starlings, 

 Robins, Doves, and other birds. 



Mid-July usually brings the first flight 

 of Swallows, or, if we live along the sea- 

 coast, the first flight of shore-birds may be 

 noted. I noticed the first flock of Barn 

 Swallows this year passing over on July 24. 

 A few days later I heard the migratory 

 lisp of some lone Warbler. I have often 

 found the Northern Water-Thrush to be 

 the first real fall migrant of the Warbler 

 family. I have observed it the last week in 

 July, but not this year. This bird seems 

 to be a sort of forerunner of the vast host 

 of Warblers that pass southward during 

 the months that follow. — J. K. Potter, 

 Camden, N. J. 



The Washington Region. — The after- 

 math of this spring's remarkably late and 

 irregular migration extended well into 

 June. Nearly all the late migrants 

 remained beyond their usual time of leav- 

 ing, and several broke the record for the 

 lateness of their stay. 



Those of the latter category are as fol- 

 lows, the dates in parentheses being the 

 latest previous dates of departure: 



Least Flycatcher, June 2 (May 20, 

 1904); Cray-cheeked Thrush, June 3 

 (May 31, 1907); Chestnut-sided Warbler, 

 June 2 (May 30, 1891); Bay-breasted 

 Warbler, June 5 (May 27, 1888); Black- 

 throated Green Warbler, June 10 (May 

 30, 1907); Magnolia Warbler, June 4 



(May 31, 1909); Mourning Warbler, 

 June 7 (May 30, 1907); and the Rose- 

 breasted Grosbeak, June 3 (May 30, 1907). 



A few of the other transients that 

 remained into June, and much later than 

 common, with, in parentheses, the dates 

 on which they have been in previous 

 years latest seen, are: 



Blackburnian Warbler, June 2 (June 3, 

 1907); Black-poll Warbler, June 8 (June 

 16, 1907); Canadian Warbler, June 2 

 (June 2, 1907); and the Tennessee War- 

 bler, June 3 (June 6, 1910). 



Of our usual summer Heron visitors, the 

 Little Blue Heron appeared on July 21, 

 when Mr. Francis Harper saw four in the 

 white plumage at Dyke, Va., which date is 

 much earlier than ordinary, though the 

 earliest is July 16, 1904. The American 

 Egret and the Great Blue Heron were 

 reported on July 29 from near Arlington, 

 Va. 



A few birds have been more than ordi- 

 narily numerous this summer, enough so 

 to draw comment from local observers. 

 This applies particularly to the Cedar 

 Waxwing, the Bob-white, and the Purple 

 Martin. 



Early in August a large roost of Purple 

 Martins was discovered in one of the parks 

 in the city of Washington. At the present 

 writing the birds are still here in large 

 numbers, and, on account of the unusual 

 interest of this occurrence, further details 

 will appear in our next report. 



As the writer was absent from Washing- 

 ton during practically all of the months 

 of June and July, almost all of the notes 

 above given have been furnished by Mr. 

 and Mrs. L. D. Miner and Mr. Francis 

 Harper. — Harry C. Oberholser, Bio- 

 logical Survey, Washington, D. C. 



