258 MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 



but on one occasion, both parents of a young Vesper Sparrow performed in this 

 manner for my benefit. 



221 [541] Passerculus princeps Maynard. 

 Ipswich Sparrow. 



Winter visitor, locally common and at times abundant in autumn and early 

 winter, very rare in late winter, and uncommon in the spring ; October 1 2 to 

 April 12. 



The above description of the prevalence of this bird is the result of a care- 

 ful census of observations at Ipswich for the last six years. A few birds arrive 

 in October, but they do not become common until November. In the latter 

 half of this month and throughout December they are often very common, and 

 I have recorded as many as twenty-five or thirty in one day. Contrary to the 

 statement of most writers, I have found the birds common up to the end of 

 December. In January, they fall off in numbers, and after the first week, one is 

 fortunate to find more than one or two, although I have recorded six for the 

 24th, and that, too, in the severe winter of 1904. In February, they are indeed 

 very rare and I have only two recorded for that month, one of which was taken 

 by me on February 5th, 1899. In March, the spring flight begins about the 

 15th, and in the last week of that month and in the first four or five days of 

 April, perhaps half a dozen may be found in one day. They are certainly far 

 less common then than in the autumn migrations. My earliest date, October 

 1 2th, is one given by Bradford Torrey ' in the Clerk of the Woods, the bird 

 being seen in 1900. My latest date, April 12 th, is of a bird seen at Ipswich 

 in 1902, by Mr. H. W. Wright. 



On the late date, April loth, I have three records from Ipswich : a bird in 

 Mr. Brewster's collection taken April loth, 1874; one seen by Mr. Torrey and 

 spoken of in a letter from him ; and a third bird seen by myself and taken on 

 April loth, 1904.2 The last bird was a female and very fat, as is usually the 

 case with spring specimens. 



The following is the list or census of Ipswich Sparrows observed at 

 Ipswich: October 19, 1902, i; October 23, 1904, 12; October 26, 1892, i; 

 October 26, 1901, i; October 28, 1894, i; October 30, 1904, 12; November 

 I. I903> 3; November 3, 1901, 12; November 20, 1904, 5; November 22, 



' Bradford Torrey; The Clerk of the Woods, p. 102, 1903. 



^ Dr. A. L. Reagh shot a male at Plymouth, Mass., on the late date of April 20th, in 1903 

 (reported at a meeting of the Nuttall Ornithological Club, May, 1903). 



