112 JOURNAL OK MAINK ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



"Alexander Wilson, III," by Frank L. Burns; "August Notes 

 from a Watering Place," by Althea R. Sherman; "Notes on Hens- 

 low's Sparrow in Mahoning County, Ohio," by Krnest W. Vickers; 

 "Winter Notes from Detroit, Mich., and Vicinity," In- Bradshaw H. 

 Swales. 



Thk GiiDK To Xatlrk. — The Guide to Nature for Septem- 

 ber, 1908, has finely illustrated articles on "Desert Plant Life," 

 "Microscopy," "Use of the Camera in Photographing the Aquatic 

 Fowl," and many fine half-tones accompanying notes on general 

 nature study. 



The United vSlate Department of Agriculture has issued a 

 pamphlet giving in detail a summary of the Game Laws in all the 

 States of the Union. 



Pine Siskins Unusually Abundant. 



rinc Siskins liave been unusually abundant all through Cum- 

 berland County since about the middle of October. On the iSth of 

 October, the Cape Kli/abeth woods were fairly filled with them. In 

 a circle half a mile in diameter, covered by pitch pines, there were 

 several hundred of them. A week later they had apparently all 

 gone. A week after that, they were again in the same locality, not 

 quite so numerous as before. Up to the middle of November they 

 have continued to be abundant all through the southern part of 

 Cumberland County. Reports from other parts of the county are to 

 the effect that they have been just as abundant everywhere. They 

 have commonly been seen in flocks of fifty or seventy-five, coursing 

 rapidly over the fields and often dropping down into the pines to 

 extract seeds from the cones much after the manner of Crossbills. 

 They are very partial to alder swamps, which they seem to like 

 almost as well as the pines. On account of their exceptional abun- 

 dance this fall, many people not familiar with them before, have 

 had a chance to make close obser\-ations of their handsome streaked 

 plumage, distinctly tinged with greenish yellow. 



With the Siskins there are good-sized flocks of both species of 

 Crossbills. Flocks of forty or fifty of these birds are not at all un- 

 usual this fall. A flock of White-winged Crossbills has been roam- 

 ing through the southern part of Cumberland county since early in 

 September. 



