70 



THE MUSEUM. 



in the water so exhausted that even 

 when within a few yards of the island 

 they would have to succumb, others 

 would just reach the shore at the edge 

 of the water. I have had them light 

 at my feet in this condition when gun- 

 ning from the shore, so exhausted that 

 their wings would rest on the rocks, 

 and they would make no effort to get 

 out of my way. Again I have seen 

 them struggle to reach the island when 

 with every few strokes of their wings 

 the ends of the quills would touch the 

 water, it not seeming possible for them 

 to reach the land although most of 

 them would. On a number of occas- 

 ions when they have dropped within 

 a short distance of the boat I have left 

 my decoys and picked them up and 

 after they had rested and got dried by 

 the sun they would take wing and fly 

 to the island. Although I have seen 

 many of them drop in the water I 

 have seen but one rise out of it. This 

 was a sparrow which, rising three 

 times in succession, finally reached the 

 island. Of the large birds, such as 

 Herons, Ducks, etc., I have only 

 known of one instance of their striking 

 this light. That was a Brant Goose 

 which struck some part of the tower 

 during the night and was picked up 

 next morning with a disabled wing but 

 still alive. I have heard of a number 

 of other incidents along the coast 

 where they have gone through the 

 plate glass of the lantern Such hap- 

 pened during this month at Half-way 

 Rock Light, a Dusky Duck going 

 through and striking the lens which 

 surrounds the lamp and was taken up 

 alive by the keeper. 



Of the birds most abundant during 

 migration and to which happens the 

 greatest mortality are the White- 

 throated, Song, Savannah, Vesper, 

 Chipping and Swamp Sparrows, Mary- 

 land Yellow-throat, Myrtle, Pine, Par- 

 ula. Black-throated Green, Am-Red- 

 start. Water Thrush and Oven bird 

 Warblers and Hermit Thrush. Those 

 of less numbers: Red-eyed Vireo, 

 Least Flycatcher, Black and White, 



Magnolia, Blackpoll, Yellow Palm, 

 Mourning, Wilson's and Canadian 

 Warblers. Of rare occurence: Black 

 throated Blue, Chestnut-sided, Bay- 

 breasted and Blackburnian Warblers, 

 tvuby and Golden-crowned Kinglets. 



While I have noticed many Brown 

 Creepers and Red-breasted Nuthatches 

 on the lantern I have never found a 

 dead or injured one. 



Birds rarely found dead or seen on 

 lantern: One Semipalinated Sand- 

 piper, two least Sandpipers, one Spot- 

 ted Sandpiper, one Yellow-leg, one 

 Virginia Rail, one Barn Swallow, one 

 Rose-breasted Grosbeak, one Black- 

 bill Cuckoo, two Robins, three Rusty 

 Blackbirds, one Golden-winged Wood- 

 pecker and three Yellow-bellied Sap- 

 suckers. 



Of other birds, of rare occurence on 

 the island: Three Red-headed Wood- 

 peckers, two Scarlet Tanagers, two 

 Baltimore Orioles, three English Spar- 

 rows, one Ipswich Sparrow, one Mock- 

 ing Bird, (this I took the 17th of Sep- 

 tember, 1897). I will mention also 

 the unusual late occurrence of the 

 Sa\annah Sparrow, of which I took a 

 specimen Jan. 24, 1897. Of the year 

 of '97 I will say that it has been un- 

 usual at the station from the fact that, 

 excepting a few of the most common 

 species, there has been a very small 

 flight both spring and fall, with little 

 mortality, so my observations for that 

 date have been limited. 



Bumble-bees and Fox-gloves. 



BY ERNEST \V. VICKERS. 



The ways of bees in their relations 

 with flowers, have long proved an in- 

 teresting study for naturalists, as well 

 as many beautiful figures and pretty 

 fancies for poets. And not only bees 

 but other insects which officiate as 

 high priests in the marriage of flowers. 



While visiting with a friend early in 

 the past summer, I one day became 

 amused by the actions of the bumble- 

 bees as I stood admiring the great ele- 

 gant spikes of blossoms on the Digital- 



