34 BULLETIN Nu. 35 



Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, and Juncos, was now 

 entirely deserted. Turning from the path, and walking through 

 a small growth of woods, a few Juncos, not more than a half 

 dozen, flew from an old brush heap, which had partly sheltered 

 them from the snow, and lit on a low thorn bush, only a few 

 yards away. 



Adjoinip.g these woods is a low marshy field, commonly 

 known here as bottom land, where Indian corn had been culti- 

 vated the previous year. 



This land had become overgrown with crab, Johnson and 

 some other kinds of grasses the names of which I do not know. 



At haying time the season was so wet that the grass could 

 not be harvested, so it was left uncut upon the field; thus mak- 

 ing a tempting feeding ground for all seed eating birds; but not 

 a bird, not a vestage of a feather was found. 



Winding in an irregular manner through the field is a ditch 

 overgrown with briers, sumach, alder, elder, wild grape 

 vines, and other kinds of growth generally found in kindred 

 places. In the eastern side is a small cane brake covering an 

 area of about two acres, while immediately beyond, the ground 

 forms a slight incline or hillside, from which the underbrush 

 has been cleared, making a high open wood. 



In making a detour of this spot I failed to see a bird, and 

 although I searched carefully for dead or frozen specimens not 

 a single one did 1 find. 



During the night of the 15th, it began raining, and on the 

 morning of the i6th, the glass showed one fourth of an inch of 

 rain fall, at 6 P. M. the thermometer registered 42 degrees, and 

 though it had been cloudy throughout the day, the snow had 

 melted very fast. 



At ten o'clock on the morning of the 17th I heard the 

 plaintive notes of a White-throated Sparrow. In a few mo- 

 ments afterward I saw several of these birds perched among 

 the branches of the plum trees in my orchard. Tramping 

 through the soft ground, and melting snow, I made my way to 

 a swamp a short distance west of my home. Here 1 counted 

 five Song Sparrows, one Cardinal, and one Towhee. On my 

 return I passed through a low pine thicket where 1 saw three 



