JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 47 



This fixes the date of the importation of the Sparrows into this 

 cit3^ 



Very truly yours, 



Geo. C. BurgeSvS, 



City Clerk r 

 This importation, I am assured by Mr. Brown, was successful. 



Arthur H. Norton. 

 Portland, Me. 



Washington County Notes. — ^January 21st. The day was 

 exceedingly warm and pleasant, with wind southwest. I took a walk 

 to my favorite haunt, about two miles out, and found birds in larger 

 quantity and variety than on many a trip in mid-season. My first 

 find was a number of Shore Larks mingled in with a flock of Snow- 

 flakes. This was near the shore on the way out. I saw many of our 

 most common birds on the walk across fields, but on arriving at my 

 destination I found the usual winter stillness broken by a great cho- 

 rus of songs and calls of a variety of birds, and at once recognized 

 the Purple Finch, Goldfinch, Junco, Tree Sparrow, Black-capped 

 Chickadee, Hudsonian Chickadee and Golden-crowned Kinglet. 

 The Purple Finches and Goldfinches numbered a dozen each. The 

 Purple P'inch never sang more beautifulh' in the spring than it 

 did to-day. And how the brown markings of the Hudsonian Chick- 

 adee did shine in the bright sunlight! There were about fifteen of 

 these uncommon visitors, and although in the close vicinity of their 

 cousins, the Black-caps, they did not seem inclined to mingle with 

 them, but kept by themselves. The Black-caps were too active to 

 be counted, but there were at least twenty of these acrobats, and they 

 fairly reveled in the brightness and warmth of the day. Six Juncos 

 kept up a constant "tsip, tsip," and their sleek, plump bodies gave 

 evidence of the absence of snow, which allowed them easy access to 

 an abundance of food. The Golden-crowned Kinglets were con- 

 stantly flitting about from tree to tree, mingling in friendly fashion 

 with the other species and stopping now and then to exhibit their 

 bright crowns for our admiration. Tree Sparrows appeared fre- 



