THE OOLOGIST. 



103 



part of the Gulf of Mexico to any other. 



In the spring they Hy iu a northwest- 

 erly direction, but I can not account 

 for this bj- the directions of the storms. 

 March 26, 1891, I saw a large flock, per- 

 haps 75 in number, flying nearly direct- 

 ly west. Can anyone account for this 

 direction? I can but guess. They ma}' 

 go to breed in the northwest, or they 

 maj- gather in large flocks, on the plains 

 and then pass on north. 



How many interesting and often per- 

 plexing questions are raised by tiie 

 study of migration! But it is pleasant 

 nevertheless. Last spring on a beauti- 

 ful bright daj' I studied the Warblers, 

 near a little stream where tinted Hepa- 

 tieas were almost as thick as the peb- 

 bles at the bottom of the water. I was 

 happy in the woods that daj'. But all 

 days are not pleasant out of doors. 

 When "the days are dark and dreary" 

 I feel as much pleasure, almost in see- 

 ing flocks of the great Canada Geese 

 flying high overhead, as I do when I 

 find some rare beautiful Warljler in the 

 blossoming April woods. 



Earle a. Bkooks, 

 French Creek, W. Virginia. 



Association of Americam Ornithologists- 



A number of the ornithologists, of 

 Washington, D. C, and vicinity, met 

 with a view to organization, on April 

 nth last. The meeting was held at F. 

 S. Webster's studio of taxidermy, on 

 Penn. Ave., and a partial organization 

 effected. 



The following ofHcers wei'e elected: 



Pres , Rev. J. H. Langille, Kensing- 

 ton, Md.; Vice Pres., W. H. Aspinwall, 

 1305 Riggs St., Washington, D. C; 

 Treas., to l)e fllled; Sec, A. B.Faridiam, 

 Bennings, D. C; Board of Correspond- 

 ing Secretaries, Chairman, W. A. Mer- 

 litte, 118 Md. Ave., N. E. Washington, 

 D. C, other See's to be supplied. 



The above name was determint^d on 

 and anotht^r meeting appointed in two 



weeks, when an association oigan will 

 be determined on, and other matters 

 perfecte4. The main object of the 

 associaticm is the eflective study of bird 

 life by ways and means adapted to 

 those wiio are not pi'ofessional natur- 

 alists. 



Corresponding members are desired 

 everywhere, especially those isolated 

 regarding ornithological tastes. Such 

 persons gather much that is new to 

 many stutlents of bird life, and as the 

 associations headquarters ai'e iu Wash- 

 ington it hopes to offer advantages to 

 such members-at-large, in the way of 

 identiflcation, comparison and the ac- 

 counts of eminent naturalists. The 

 association having access to the collec- 

 tions and library of the Smithsonian 

 Institution it will be easy for it to fur- 

 nish its members any such information. 

 Persons wishing to ascertain more re- 

 garding the association and member- 

 ship in the same will please write the 

 Cor. Secretar}^ oi" any of the officers. 

 A. B. Faunham, 



Cor. Sec. 



Notes on Wright's Flycatcher. 

 {Empidonax oh.scnn/s) 



The eggs of this species being consid- 

 ered quite rare, I thought a few notes 

 on the nesting habits would l)e accept- 

 al)le. I have found this Flycatcher iu 

 young aspens, willows, etc., and usual- 

 ly near water, during the breeding sea- 

 son, but never have I gained any know- 

 ledge as to the nesting habits, until the 

 season of 18!K), when I collected a line 

 set of three fiesh eggs. Tlie nest was a 

 veiy neat structure, eomi)osed mostly 

 of soft gra.ss, but with a few line strips 

 of l)ark and a small pi«'ce of twini', 

 tightly woven together with a lining of 

 horse iiairs. It was plactul in some 

 buck-brush, only three feet from the 

 ground and but two fe(!t from a creek, 

 riic eggs were a pale Ijufly-white, but 

 after they were blown, cliangcd to 



