JOUNRAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



47 



Ammodramns nelsoni subvigatus 

 (Dwight). Acadian Sharptailed 

 Finch. 



Summer resident breeding as far to 

 the westward as Popham Beach, Cape 

 Small, Maine. (Proc. Port. Soc. N. 

 H. II, p. 99-100). 



As a migrant it is abundant swarm- 

 ing on salt marshes in western Maine 

 during the month of October. 



The limits of its migratory move- 

 ments have not been fully determin- 

 ed. The earliest date that I have 

 found it at Scarborough is October 3, 

 (1897) when a typical specimen was 

 taken. On the' ninth of the same 

 month, 1898, it was abundant there, 

 with intermediate specimens, and on 

 this date one specimen of nelsoni was 

 found associating with it. 



I have found it quite common as 

 late as October 24, after which it has 

 become scarce, probably though 

 remains regularly until the 31st of the 

 month. Indeed Mr. Nathan Clifford 

 Brown has found some form as late as 

 November 15* (1877) (Proc. Port. 

 Soc. N. H. II, p 13). 



Mr. W. H. Brownson found birds of 

 this group "In numbers" at the Dyke 

 marsh, at the mouth of the Presump- 

 scot River on the 4th of October, 

 1903. A specimen which he had tak- 

 en for identification (now in my col- 

 lection) was typical of this form. 



Through the kindness of Prof. L. A. 

 Lee, I have examined an interme- 

 diate specimen which was taken in 

 fall on marshes at Brunswick, Me. 



Mr. Clarence H. Clark of Lubec has 

 a male specimen in his collection 

 which is intermediate. This was 

 taken at "The Narrows Lighthouse, 

 May 21, 1903." (Clark in Epist. Feb. 

 20, 1904). Though the last two spec- 

 imens are intermediate they are best 

 placed under the present sub species. 

 Mr. Clark's specimen is especially 

 interesting as it is the earliest spring 

 record for any of the group so far re- 

 corded for the state. 



Ammodramiis niaritinms (Wils.). Sea- 

 side finch. Seaside Sparrow. 



But a single Maine specimen is 

 known. This was reported by its 

 captor, Mr. Everett Smith in the 

 Forest and Stream, December 18th, 

 1884, page 405. 



*The collection of the Portland Society of Natural 

 History contains a specimen of this snb species col- 

 lected on November 15, belonging to the Brown col- 

 lection 



As this paper is out of print Mr. 

 Smith has very kindly furnished me 

 the following data concerning the 

 specimen: 



"Aug. 18, 1884, I visited Shark Is- 

 land, [Muscongus Bay,] a grass cover- 

 ed islet, where I shot the bird you ask 

 about, a Seaside Finch (immature 

 male ) and I have its skin." (Smith 

 in Epist. Feb. 9, 1904.) 



[To be Continued.] 



Bir^ motes. 



Notes and observations on bird life 

 are earnestly desired for publication 

 in this column and should be sent to 

 the Associate Editor, Frank T. Noble, 

 at Augusta, Maine. 



Black Ducks. 



From John A. Lord and other ob- 

 servers in the vicinity of Portland 

 comes the report that Black Duck, 

 Anas obscH'-a^ are wintering in great 

 quantities in Casco Bay, which is of 

 importance as it insures large num- 

 bers of breeding birds throughout the 

 state the coming year. 



Score another point for the great 

 benefits these fine game birds are de- 

 riving from the prohibition of spring 

 shooting. 



Connecticut Warbler at 

 Westbrook. 



Mr. Arthur H. Norton writes us 

 that he took a young female Connec- 

 ticut warbler, (7.','////i'//^ ''i'?^'-S at West- 

 brook on Sept. 5, 1901, and that it is 

 the second specimen taken there. 



The rare occurrence of this species 

 within our state would make other 

 records of much interest to our 

 readers. " 



Canada Jay near Bangor, 

 Maine. 



Prof. O. W. Knight found near Ban- 

 gor in Sept. 1903, a recently killed 



Canada Jay, Pensorens canadensis 

 (Linn.) which some one had shot and 

 left. He tells the editor it is the only 

 record for some years in this vicinity. 

 The Journal would be glad to re- 

 ceive notes on the occurrence of this 

 species south of its usual localities. 



