4 Massachusetts Audubon Society 



EXHIBITIONS. 



Exhibitions of bird-protection material have been held recently at the 

 Public Library, at Wareham, under the supervision of the Librarian, Miss 

 Burgess, and at the Museum, at Springfield, in charge of Miss Johnson. 

 Much of the material exhibited was supplied by this office and a part of it 

 in each case will remain as permanent exhibition material. It is gratifying 

 to learn that these exhibitions were well attended and received much favor- 

 able comment. 



The Society will exhibit at the forthcoming winter meeting of the State 

 Board of Agriculture, to be held at Worcester, on the 8th, 9th, and 10th, in 

 Horticultural Hall on Front Street. All the best in bird literature, charts 

 and leaflets as well as bird-houses, feeders and other material will be shown 

 there, liberal space having been offered by the Board. To protect our native 

 birds is one way to help the farmer increase the food-supply, and the exhi- 

 bition thus made possible through the courtesy and wisdom of the State 

 Board of Agriculture should add its mite to the efficient work which the 

 Board is doing for the welfare of the State. 



A Greater Snow Goose, a rare bird for Massachusetts, is now to be seen 

 mounted in the New England room of the Boston Society of Natural His- 

 tory. Early last May this bird was seen on the farm of Mr. Charles W. 

 Welch, Stoughton. An injury to the tip of the wing prevented it from flying 

 far and it was captured. The greater snow goose breeds in the Arctic and 

 migrates in winter to the South Atlantic States. So far as known, no speci- 

 men has been taken in New England since 1868. 



An Arctic Horned Owl has also recently come into the possession of 

 the Museum; no doubt one of the numbers of predatory birds which seem 

 to be flocking to us from the Far North this winter. The bird was shot 

 in Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge by an employee there during Decem- 

 ber. It is a noteworthy specimen because so light in color, being much 

 lighter than another Arctic horned owl which has been in the Museiun 

 collection for many years. 



A Black Vulture, taken in Wenham, Mass., last August, and donated to 

 the Museum by Dr. John C. Phillips, is another rare bird for Massachusetts. 

 The black vulture's range is more southern than that of its close relative, 

 the turkey buzzard, which is considered a casual visitor to our State. 



RHODE ISLAND MOCKINGBIRD. 



Mrs. Annie B. McConnell writes under date of Dec. 1st: "We four 

 of us saw a mockingbird yesterday. He was about some hours. As we 

 have lived in Maryland, we knew our guest." 



Mockingbirds have been reported during the past year from Manches- 

 ter, N. H., Portland, Me., Cape Cod, the Berkshires, Quincy, Mass., and other 

 places in the Bay State. Are these desirable birds seen in New England 

 more frequently of late because they are extending their range, or is it be- 

 cause bird study and bird students are extending their range? 



