5(5 The Wilson Bulletin — No. 62. 



seem to be of peculiar interest for tlie period covered by the head- 

 ing are : A Hock of 42 American White-fronted Geese, a single Dou- 

 ble-crested Cormorant, and the first Snowtlakes (31), on November 

 4. The first Pine Siskin and Winter Wren, and the last Swamp Spar- 

 row, Killdeer, American Coot, and Hooded Merganser, on Novem- 

 ber 18. The last Horned Grebe on Deceuiber 27. The last Canada 

 Geese and Bonaparte Gulls, and the presence of two Bob-whites, on 

 January 6. The small amount of ice on the lake at any time has 

 enabled American Mergansers. American Golden-eyes, and Buffle- 

 heads to remain all winter, and more than the usual numbers of 

 Herring Gulls have been present. On the other hand. Song Spar- 

 rows have been very scarce. Lynds Jones, Oberlin, Ohio. 



A Belated Oriole. — Among my fall notes for 1904 are various ref- 

 erences and occasional detailed statements in regard to an adult 

 male Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) that remained about our 

 premises until very late in the season — from the 15th to the 29th of 

 November, the date when it was last seen. For a bird he appeared 

 strong and active. His late stay seemed, therefore, the more re- 

 markable. 



The weather during this period was generally fair and agreeable 

 for so late in the year ; the prevailing winds being southwesterly, 

 and with a mean temperature of 48°. Some days 60° was reached 

 (Nov. 27) during the warmest part of the day, and then again the 

 mercury dropped to 20°. Wintry weather set in the first of Decem- 

 ber and apparently may have caused the bird's hasty departure about 

 that time. A snow fiurry of the 25th of November, however, with a 

 registered temperature of 40 at 2 p. m., seemed to have little or no 

 effect upon him. 



During his late stay with us he was observed to feed largely on 

 the frosted and hanging apples, always seeking out those which were 

 the most decayed and therefore the tenderest. Once he was discov- 

 ered feasting on ripe red asparagus berries and sliowed a spirit of 

 resentfulness as I approached within a few feet of him. He also 

 drank at the poultry pans, and at times ate freely of the food pre- 

 pared for the hens, along with the English Sparrows. 



A general summary of these facts has seemed worth while record- 

 ing since the usual departure of the Baltimore Oriole from here 

 is early in the fall, the bulk leaving in August, while the first week 

 in September ordinarily sees the last. 



Ben.t. T. Gault, Glen Ellyn, III. 



