28 JOURNAL OP MAINE ORNITHOI.OGICAL SOCIETY. 



flock at fully five thousand birds. They were feeding about in 

 stubble in some open fields, and when taking wing, he says, "they 

 certainly justified their name by the appearance they presented of a 

 snow storm of huge flakes." 



Miss Mabel P. Ridley, of the State Normal School at Castine, 

 is an ardent bird student and has a large class in ornithology. She 

 keeps a careful record of occurrences of species in that section. 

 One of her class, Hiram Blake, contributes an interesting paper 

 on experiments made with cod's livers as a means of attracting the 

 Herring Gulls in the harbor, so their manner of feeding and mark- 

 ings could be closely observed by the class. He relates that the first 

 Gull, which was an old bird, to spy the food supply did not attempt 

 to eat any at first, but flew away and informed his companions of the 

 discovery, bringing back with him a number, and that soon the flock 

 had increased to thirty or more. 



From Damariscotta we have additional evidence of the late 

 tarrying of birds ordinarily seeking warmer climes at a much earlier 

 date. Mr. Fred M. David writes the Journal that on December 27th 

 he noted a Cowbird {Molothrus ater) and on January 23rd he saw a 

 flock of eight Robins about a mile from the town. The following 

 day, January 24th, a flock of nine Robins (possibly the same pre- 

 viously seen) flew past his place of business and settled in some 

 trees in the centre of the town. A lone Bald Eagle has also 

 remained about Damariscotta all winter. On February i6th he ob- 

 served the unusual sight of a Butcher Bird chasing a yellow but- 

 terfly, and, capturing him, devouring with much apparent relish such 

 an unusual variety to his winter bill of fare. 



An interesting note from Prof. O. W. Knight, of Banger, is as fol- 

 lows : "A small flock of American Herring Gulls {Lams argcntatus) 

 have been around the dam at Bangor all winter. There seemed to 

 be three full-plumaged adults and four dark-colored immature birds. 

 They swept about the open water in short circles, at the upper 

 radius of which they always came just over the end of the sluice. 

 They repeatedly dropped into the water and caught tomcods, rising 

 just in time to avoid being swept under the ice by the swift current. 

 Some fish were eaten in the water, but the larger ones they flew 

 with to the ice near by where they could eat at leisvire. 



From Pittsfield, Mr. H. H. Johnson reports a Belted Kingfisher 

 {Cerjlc alcyoii) seen upon the river in that town as late as December 

 27th, a very exceptional record in this latitude. 



