DELAWARE VALLEY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 21 



seem to be a solution. I thought I might prove this at one 

 time, and there is data to support such a theory, but enough 

 exceptions have been noted to malce it too weak an argument. 



Eeturning again to the migration phase of the question, I 

 would reassert the belief that there was no period during the 

 decadence of the Dickcissel on the Atlantic coast jilain where it 

 suddenly disappeared again to reajipear, as we have known to be 

 the case with the Bluebird in a large part of the same region a 

 few years ago. I doubt not this sudden dearth of Bluebirds was 

 due to a catastrophe which destroyed them during the fall 

 migration or the following winter in immense quantities and 

 probably in a short space of time. I have no records which 

 indicate such a happening to the subject of this sketch. Even 

 if such existed, what are we to say? The gentle Bluebird has 

 re-peopled its old haunts and makes us rejoice in its Phoenix- 

 like indifference to calamity, but poor "Dick" seems to have 

 left us forever. Reasoning upon the all too meagre data at hand 

 may be useless, perhaps it is dangerous, but I would rather 

 believe that the Mississippi Valley stock of Black-throated 

 Buntings had gradually influenced their trans- Alleghany breth- 

 ren to accompany them in their spring flight to the western 

 breeding grounds than believe that the eastern birds were extir- 

 minated. Many local causes may have aided this, but probably 

 the strongest agency for the deflection of eastern birds into 

 western territory must be sought for in their status during 

 winter residence in the tropics and in the meteorological condi- 

 tions attending the spring migration. But this subject cannot 

 be more than tentatively taken up in such a brief paper as this. 

 I shall hope by these remarks, however, to incite others to a 

 study of it and to elicit more data which lies slumbering in 

 older minds and manuscripts as well as in many a forgotten 

 printed page. If this is forthcoming, I may be heard from 

 again on this theme. 



The following notes relate to the Black -throated Bunting, as 

 found in Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey: 



About 1800-1811. Alexander Wilson, Amer. Ornith., 1811, 

 vol. Ill, p. 86. "They arrive in Pennsjdvania from the south 

 about the middle of May; abound in the neighborhood of Phil- 



