April, 1S93.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



61 



any specimens. But, in my rambles about 

 the town, I noted several differences between 

 the summer birds of Potter County and those 

 of my native Mercer County, which may not 

 be entirely devoid of interest. 



Potter County is in the northern foot- 

 hills of the Allegheny mountains, and rugged 

 hills, with narrow valleys between, are the 

 constant feature of the scenery. Lumbering 

 is the principal business, and large saw-mills 

 are scattered through the valleys. Some of 

 the hills have been cleared and burned over, 

 leaving little vegetation but plenty of charred 

 logs and stumps ; others are still co\ ered 

 with " the forest primeval." 



The burnt districts were almost destitute 

 of bird-life, a young Crow which I caught 

 and a family of Wrens being the only birds 

 found. Was unable to determine certainly 

 whether the Wrens were the common House 

 Wren (^Troglodytes aedoii) or Bewick's 

 Wren (^T/irvot/iortts beT.cickti),hvA think 

 they were the latter. 



While following a trout brook through a 

 ravine in the wooded part June 25 th, I was 

 greatly surprised to see a female Junco fly 

 up in front of me. It was the first time I 

 had ever ^ten Junco hvemalis, except as a 

 visitor from the north-land, brightening our 

 winter with its cheerful chirp, and was de- 

 lighted to meet it in its summer home. On 

 June 27th I met with quite a number of 

 Juncos, both male and female, this time 

 among some bushes on the hillside in a place 

 much like those frequented in winter. Evi- 

 dently the young were out of the nest and 

 were following the old ones, keeping to- 

 gether as they do in winter. Did not hear 

 them utter any note different from the ordi- 

 nary " chipping song " heard in winter. 

 Doubtless the season of song was over ; the 

 rest of the summer would be spent in the 

 more sensual pleasures of eating. The Junco 

 was seen only on these two days, but that 

 was sufficient to convince me that it is a 

 common breeder in Potter County. 



On the same day that I saw the family of 



Juncos (June 27), I was so fortunate as to 

 meet another bird which I had hitherto 

 known only as a migrant. While wandering 

 along the wooded hillside, my ear caught 

 the charming ditty of the Black-throated 

 Blue Warbler {Dcndroica cccridcsccns). 

 F"ollowing the sound, I soon saw a splendid 

 male, flitting about among the bushes, quite 

 at home and as gay and as brilliant as dur- 

 ing the spring migration. During my w-alk 

 I obsen'ed a second male ; both this one 

 and the first one continued in song while I 

 was within earshot. No females were seen ; 

 doubtless they were on their nests near at 

 hand. Other Warblers were seen, but, with- 

 out a gun, it was impossible to identify them. 

 .\nother family of Wrens were met with, 

 evidently of the same species as those noted 

 above. 



Another noticeable feature of the bird- 

 life was the apparent absence of the Brown 

 Thrasher i^Harporhvnch/is rufiis). Not 

 one was seen during my entire stay, and "mine 

 host," an intelligent lumberman, informed 

 me that it did not occur. The absence was 

 the more marked as the valley was full of 

 localities apparently suited to its habits. 

 Indeed, the whole Thnish family seemed 

 but poorly represented. But a single Cat- 

 bird ( Galeoscoptes carolincnsis) was ob- 

 served, though they were said to be not 

 uncommon. Robins seemed less common 

 than in the older and more highly cultivated 

 districts, while the other Thrushes w-ere 

 scarcely noticed at all. F. L. Hotiter. 



Meadville, Pa. 



The trouble with the Exposition managers 

 at Chicago appears to have been that they 

 didn't begin to rush things soon enough. 



Harry .Austen, Halifax, Nova Scotia, has 

 in his collection a Red-tailed Hawk in black 

 plumage. 



C;. L. Kent, Belchertown, Mass., reports a 

 Snowy Owl on March 2. 



