DELAWARE VALLEY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 23 



ber 28, 1903. Dear Mr. Rhoads: In reply to j'our question in 

 regard to the Blaclc-throated Bunting, I would state that in the 

 forties, when I was so much in the country and closely observ- 

 ing the habits of our birds, it was very common and was to be 

 seen and heard in every grass field in the eastern portion of this 

 state [Pennsylvania]." Dr. AVoodhouse also tells me that it 

 was found in Camden county, N. J., in almost equal numbers at 

 that time. After the j'ear 1850, he was not engaged in this field. 



1850-1860. F. M. Chapman, Auk, 1891, p. 395. "Mr. C. S. 

 Galbraith informs me that forty years ago the Dickcissel was a 

 common summer resident near his home at Hoboken, N. J." 



The continuity of our notes is here badly broken. Data re- 

 garding this period is jaarticularly desirable. It covers a time 

 when the activities of Delaware Valley ornithologists were at a 

 standstill. 



1860. Vincent Barnard. Birds Chester Co., Pa., Ann. Re- 

 port, Smithson. Inst., 1860 (1861). "April 27 to May 3." 

 This note refers to the dates of their arrival during ten years' ob- 

 servations in the county. See also his manuscript note under 

 C. J. Pen nock below. 



1862. John Cassin, in Smith's History Delaware Co., p. 438. 

 "Frequent." 



1863. Ezra Michener. Birds Chester Co., Pa., Report U. S. 

 Dept. Agric, 1863, p. 303. " Sunmier resident. Common." 



1868. W. P. Turnbull. Bds. East Pa. and N. J. "Plen- 

 tiful." 



1868. C. C. Abbott, Geol. N. J. (Cook), p. 779. "Rare. 

 Appears in meadow lands in May, but none probably remain 

 during the summer. Re-appears in September, and remains 

 for several weeks, in few numbers." 



1869. Libhardt in Mombert's History Lancaster Co., Pa. 

 "Resident — frequent. Breeds in the county." 



1870-1871. Thomas H. Jackson: "West Chester, Pa., De- 

 cember 31, 1903. I regret to say that I can give little informa- 

 tion concerning the 'Dickcissel.' The only eggs (a set of 6) 

 in my collection were taken near Lancaster, Pa., by Chas. H. 

 Nauman about 1870. With the exception of a single specimen 

 seen and heard near West Chester a year or two later I have no 

 recollection of any occurrence here." 



