DELAWARE VALLEY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 49 



almost within reach. A white-footed mouse, which has taken 

 up quarters under the cabin, has also gotten the habit of forag- 

 ing for cracker crumbs. 



July 9th. — Flushed a Black Duck on the upper creek. Can 

 this bird nest among these marshes? Twice to-day I saw a 

 Yellow Warbler in pursuit of a Kingfisher. Found both King- 

 birds and Yellow Warblers feeding upon a black slug that in- 

 fests the leaves of the spatter-dock. 



July SOlh. — Bobwhites were whistling this afternoon. This 

 bird seems to be increasing about here. This evening I saw a 

 mink swim across the creek. 



July 21st-22d. — Spent the night on the creek. Marsh Wrens 

 sang at intervals, and at eleven o'clock a Swamp Sparrow sang 

 with much vim. At 11: 30 a Cuckoo called. By midnight the 

 last-quarter moon was just appearing above the trees, and a 

 Screech Owl welcomed it with a mournful wail. Just before 

 dawn a Spotted Sandpiper flew past with a whistle. The first 

 bird to usher in the day was the Song Sparrow, then followed 

 the Swamp Sparrow, then the Kingbird, then the House Wren, 

 Cardinal, Redwing, Wood Thrush, Carolina Wren and White- 

 eyed Vireo in order. 



August ISth. — This afternoon I had the luck to be out in a 

 very heavy thunderstorm. It had been a warm day and the 

 birds were not very active. I stood upon the bank watching 

 the approach of the storm. Great numbers of butterflies 

 {Annsia and Papilio), which had been clinging listlessly to the 

 pontederia blossoms or fluttering lazily across the marsh, now 

 sought shelter among the leaves of the chestnut oaks along the 

 bank. Just before the storm broke a large flock of Red-winged 

 Blackbirds circled round and settled down in the marsh. If 

 not upon the ground they were certainly close to it, not one 

 being in sight. For over half an hour the rain fell in torrents, 

 the wind blew, leveling the wild rice, and the lightning zigzagged 

 its way across the sky. When the storm passed and the sun 

 shone forth once more, these Redwings were to be seen perched 

 upon the bent stalks of the wild rice spreading their wings and 

 tails and drying off. Why did these birds take refuge in the 

 open marsh ? The thickets along the bank would seem to have 

 furnished a better shelter. 



