98 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 18-No. 7 



Spring Notes from Philadelphia. 



Unfortunately, I have not had enough 

 leisure to make observations on the migra- 

 tion every day, but have been tied down to 

 a few days each week. 



I noted the first Robins and Crackles in 

 any numbers on March 12. Song Sparrows 

 came about the same time, and , immense 

 flocks of them could be found among the 

 willows in the meadows. On March 27th 

 a few stray Warblers showed up, chiefly 

 Yellow-rumps. The Woodpeckers and Fly- 

 catchers came at about the same time. By 

 April ist the Tree and Fox Sparrows had all 

 left, and I think the Juncos and White- 

 throat Sparrows left about the same time. I 

 was away for two weeks then, and had to 

 trust to hearsay. By April 21st the War- 

 blers were coming in numbers, they being 

 Yellow-rumps, Yellow Red-poles, Black- 

 throated Blue and Black- throated Green. 



May I St I was out all the afternoon in 

 woods and fields, and saw, besides the above 

 many S Maryland Yellow-throats and Black- 

 white Creepers. 



May 3d I was out again, and saw many 

 9 Maryland Yellow- throats, and fewer ^'s. 



On May ist I saw no ?, which seems to 

 mean that the sexes migrate separately. 



May 7lh I saw many Wood and Brown 

 Thrushes, and many pairs of Oven-birds. 



May 9th I walked along the bank of the 

 Schuylkill in Fairmount Park, and had a most 

 delightful afternoon. It was quite warm, 

 and with very little breeze. The sun was 

 bright and the air full of the scent of flowers. 

 Birds were singing all around, but I recog- 

 nized very few of the songs. Among those 

 I knew, that of the Catbird was prominent. 

 I saw one sitting on a grapevine, singing 

 away for all he was worth. I stole up near 

 him, and began to squeak and whistle in a 

 manner that would have frightened any other 

 bird, but it only angered him. He turned 

 towards me, and tried to drown me out with 

 his song, and when I stopped, gave several 



curious notes, probably of triumph at silenc- 

 ing a rival. One in particular was very cu- 

 rious, quite different from anything I have 

 ever heard before. It was a quick, low 

 cuttyJniiikcrhunk in a hoarse, tremulous 

 tone. While I was looking around for more 

 birds, I heard a song that I've often heard 

 before and never traced. I worked hard 

 over this one, stealing right under the tree 

 whence it came. It was a loud, clear wisk- 

 eiiciv thrice repeated, making the woods 

 ring. I swept the trees with my glasses, but 

 no bird could I see, which was most aggra- 

 vating, for it seemed as if he was nigh at 

 hand. Finally, I threw a stick up among 

 the boughs, and a little brown bird darted 

 out, and lighting in a bush quite near, 

 after remarking c/iick, chick, repeated his 

 zvislicnc~v. I looked at him carefully, and 

 decided he was a Wren very quickly ; but 

 which one, I don't know yet. He was ruddy 

 brown above, dirty white beneath, with a 

 pronounced, gray superciliary line, and an 

 ashy cheek-patch. His tail was short, but I 

 couldn't see the pattern. He seemed larger 

 than the House Wren. His bill was about 

 two thirds of his head, I should say. 



On walking further, I saw in a thicket a 

 Thrush that I think was the Olive-backed, 

 but it was too dark to see well. 



Down at the shore I looked over to a 

 little island, about thirty feet out, and in a 

 willow there I saw a pair of what I am firm- 

 ly persuaded were Blue-gray Gnatcatchers. 

 They hid down among the branches, and 

 from there dropped into the long grass, and 

 were lost to view. Back in the woods I saw a 

 Wilson's Thrush and many Warblers, chiefly 

 Maryland Yellow-throats. I saw a few $ 

 Black-throated Blue Warblers, and one in- 

 conspicuous Olive and Gray Warbler that I 

 think was the ? Black- throated Blue. 



Up in the woods on the hills back of the 

 river I flushed Uvo Golden-winged Wood- 

 peckers, and saw a Least Flycatcher and two 

 Pewees. Herbert W. Congdon. 



1336 Spruce St., Philadelphia. 



