Monthly Bu II e tin ' 



tween these hours by the calls of a "host" of these birds. Sometimes they 

 were so near that it seemed as if they must come in at the open window. At 

 daylight a few stragglers were left behind on various parts of the island. 

 The last bird recorded there was on Dec. 2. 



This flight appears not to have been noted anywhere except at Block 

 Island and at Toronto, Canada. It probably denotes a great movement of 

 herons from some of the farthest points of their northern breeding range. 

 Great blue herons breed in the northern parts of Ontario, probably in the 

 province of Quebec, and possibly even in Ungava. There is a regular 

 movement over Block Island at this season every year. It usually occurs 

 about the middle of November and commonly in the night. It seems prob- 

 able that the Toronto herons were headed for the Ohio valley, while those 

 farther east came down the coast. Apparently they must have been birds 

 from the far north, as our well-known flight of great blue herons comes 

 much earlier. One blue heron was seen on Martha's Vineyard Nov. 29, 

 and one on Dec. 2 and Dec. 3 near the coast in Essex County, Mass. These 

 may have been stragglers from the great flight. 



Egrets 

 Reports were received in September, October and November of white 

 herons of some kind, but in no case were they identified. 



Ibises 

 A white ibis was shot on Martha's Vineyard Nov. 26. What was this 

 southern bird doing here at that late date? 



Woodcock 

 The statement was made in the last bulletin that if any large flight of 

 woodcock had then passed, it had not been reported. No large flight of 

 woodcock has yet been reported from eastern Massachusetts, but 3. Rhode 

 Island hunters shot 17 on Nov. 9, which some one remarked was "pretty 

 good for a small State." One of the greatest flights in years is reported 

 from Berkshire County, Mass., from about October 20 to 26. The largest 

 flight the observer has noted for twenty years in the southern Connecticut 

 Valley passed from Oct. 20 to Nov. 6, and reached its height Oct. 31. 

 After Oct. 31 the flight consisted largely of male birds. In southwestern 

 Connecticut a considerable flight was noted about Nov. 14 to 16. 



Eagles 



A few bald eagles have been reported along the coasts of Massachu- 

 setts. 



Hawks 



The main autumnal flight of hawks had passed before November 15. 

 Since then only single birds have been reported, among them 14 goshawks. 

 The flight of goshawks was much smaller than that of last year, and many 

 have passed on, but a few are still here. Grouse are now so scarce that 

 these voracious hawks have taken to catching starlings, English sparrows 

 and rats. The goshawks are also destroying many fowl, including guinea 

 hens. All hawks that can catch a starling are now after them. For this 

 they can be easily forgiven. Sparrow hawks, red-tails and red-shoulders, 

 and rough-legs are here. One marsh hawk was reported from Connecti- 

 cut Dec. 7, and one Cooper's near Boston Nov. 29. A late osprey was 

 seen at Martha's Vineyard Nov. 27. 



