The Season 



219 



common or even rare; the most conspicuous 

 cases of this kind being the Chestnut-sided 

 Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Rose- 

 breasted Grosbeak, Kingbird, and Bobolink. 



Of rare or otherwise notable occurrences 

 the spring of 1922 produced rather more than 

 usual. The White-crowned Sparrow, which 

 we have previously reported as wintering 

 about Washington, remained in Dr. C. W. 

 Richmond's yard on the outskirts of the city 

 until May 6, having been previously noted 

 by him on April 30, May 1, and May 4. A 

 White-crowned Sparrow, probably another 

 individual, was seen by Miss Katherine H. 

 Stuart at Fort Myer, Va., on May 9. 



The Prothonotary Warbler, which seems 

 to be of more or less regular occurrence and 

 possibly breeds about Dyke, Va., was re- 

 ported a number of times this year, first on 

 April 22 by Miss Stuart. A single bird was 

 also noted in the National Zoological Park by 

 Mr. A. H. Howell and a number of other 

 persons. 



Two Black Vultures were seen at Laurel, 

 Md., on March 25, by Mr. E. B. Marshall. 

 This species is of only occasional occurrence 

 about Washington, and this record is there- 

 fore noteworthy. 



Mr. R. W. Williams reports finding a nest 

 of the Florida Gallinule containing ten eggs 

 on May n on Alexander Island, Va., in the 

 Potomac River near Washington. This 

 makes the third breeding record of this 

 species for the vicinity of Washington, 

 although it may be more common than obser- 

 vations hitherto have indicated. 



Two nests of the Virginia Rail containing 

 e<;gs were found by Mr. A. H. Hardisty on 

 what is known as Little River, a channel of 

 the Potomac River along Analostan Island 

 near Washington, on May 26. This is the 

 second authentic record of the breeding of 

 this species in the Washington region. A 

 nest of the King Rail was found by the same 

 observer on May 14 in the marshes near the 

 Arlington Experiment Farm not far from the 

 city of Washington, which record is worthy 

 of mention in view of the rarity of this bird 

 as a breeding species in this vicinity. 



Up to the present time the onby record of 

 the Willow Thrush for the vicinity of Wash- 

 ington was a single bird obtained by Mr. Ned 



Hollister on September 2, 1920, but we were 

 fortunate enough to find another one on 

 May 7 1922 in the National Zoological Park 

 in the city of Washington. 



By far the most interesting occurrence of 

 this spring, however, was the appearance of 

 the Evening Grosbeak in the Washington 

 region, since it adds this famous bird to the 

 District of Columbia fauna. So far as we are 

 aware, this Grosbeak, east of the Allegheny 

 Mountains, has heretofore not been recorded 

 farther south than Mount Holly, N. J., and 

 Haverford, Pa., both of which localities are 

 not far from Philadelphia. The first report 

 from the Washington region came from Cam- 

 bridge, Md., where it was reported by Mr. 

 W. D. Gould during the latter part of Jan- 

 uary. Later, on April 3, five were seen by 

 Mr. George Marshall, at Laurel, Md., and 

 six on the two following days. It appeared 

 in the National Zoological Park at Wash- 

 ington on April 21, on which date several 

 were seen by Mr. William Hopkins. From 

 this last date on until May 13 it was seen on 

 almost every day in practically the same 

 place in the Zoological Park, where often on 

 the ground it fed regularly on the seeds of 

 the box elder and elm, and on the buds and 

 flowers of other trees. Its characteristic 

 notes were frequently heard, and an attempt 

 at song was once noted by Miss Katherine 

 H. Stuart. While a majority of the indi- 

 viduals apparently remained in the vicinity 

 of the Zoological Park, the species was re- 

 ported also at Takoma Park, Md., on April 

 23; and by Miss M. T. Cooke on May 6 at 

 Cabin John Bridge, Md. The last straggler 

 of which we have any record was noted on 

 May 26 at Glen Echo, Md. Bird-lovers in 

 the vicinity of Washington are interested to 

 see whether or not this distinguished northern 

 visitor will repeat its visit in the near future. 

 — Harry C. Oberholser, Biological Survey, 

 Washington, D. C. 



Oberlin (Ohio) Region. — The latter half 

 of April was cold and unfavorable, so that 

 the migration brought in but a few new 

 arrivals. On the night of the 20th snow fell 

 to a depth of three inches, and on the 21st 

 and 27th there were exceptionally severe 

 frosts. The House Wren came on the 17th 



