24 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



1871. C. F. P[hillips], Forest and Stream, vol. VI, 187G, p. 

 67. "A nest with eggs found July 4, 1871 near Avondale 

 [Chester Co.], Pa." 



1874. Witnier Stone. "Nest and eggs taken near Eagle 

 Hotel, Radnor Twp., Jlontgy. Co., Pa., in 1874, by D. N. Mc- 

 Cadden and Geo. C. Thayer — eggs in Mr. Thayer's possession." 

 Mr. McCadden tells me further that the nest was in a currant 

 bush in a garden; and was very conspicuous because of being 

 made of bleached green grass. The bird was a rare species in 

 that region, even then. 



1871-1875. Charles J. Pennock, in letter of December 30, 

 1903. "This bird was fairlj' abundant in southern Chester 

 county, Pa., up to 1875 but seemingly locally distributed as to 

 breeding places. I recall two localities where we always ex- 

 pected to find the birds in nesting season, one near the village 

 of Avondale, where nests were found in the Osage Orange hedge 

 at roadside, the other locality was one-half mile south of Ken- 

 nett Square. I have frequently heard the male singing from a 

 few scattered trees or bushes by the roadside but never found a 

 nest. I moved away from the neighborhood of Kennett Square 

 in spring of 1875, returning spring of 1880, since which time I 

 have never seen the bird in this county. Vincent Barnard, in 

 MSS. on Birds of Chester county in my possession about 1860, 

 lists it as 'Known to be a Chester county bird,' and indicates 

 it as being in his collection. In Dr. Warren's list of the Birds 

 of Chester county, Pa., Forest and Stream, February 5, 1880, 

 he says, 'Rare, arrives April 27th to May 7th, I have never 

 known it to breed.' In his list of breeding birds of Chester 

 county. Pa., from Daily Local News (newspaper), September 3, 

 1885, he says, 'This species seems to be somewhat plentiful in 

 the southern portion of the county during the summer,' but I 

 suspect he was inferring this from old records of Michener, Bar- 

 nard, etc." Mr. Pennock further tells me he never saw the bird 

 in Pennsylvania after 1875, having gone to Ithaca, New York, 

 for a few years' schooling, during which time it became extinct 

 in his home locality. He first became acquainted with it about 

 1871, and never knew of more than two or three pairs which 

 always affected certain spots. 



