4 Bull ft ill No. 24. 



students, resulting in far better protection of. our native birds. A clearer 

 conception of the relations existing between the migrations of the birds 

 and other natural phenomena. In short, it has been a year full of profit. 



Lynds Jones, Oberlhi. Ohio. 



A SHORTEST-DAY-OF-THE-YEAR HORIZON. 



December 22nd of this winter completed in this locality a week of 

 south winds and thawing weather. The snow having vanished, except 

 for fence-row drifts, the walking was very heavv in most places. Oc- 

 casional spatters of rain all day long, detracted only a little from the 

 pleasures of a tramp which Professor Jones and I made to lake Erie, 

 via Chance creek. The course to be traversed called for twenty-one 

 miles on foot with a return in the evening "on the electrics." 



The Professor had set his heart on finding a Red-breasted-Nuthatch in 

 the Chance creek goi-ge — and so we did, just one, in company with W. 

 B's. (as we called the White-breasted Nuthatches, for short) and Brown 

 Creepers. He was evidently established for the winter and right glad 

 we were to find him ; for this is the first winter record for the county. 



While we were beating through a copse near the top of the bank I was 

 suddenly rooted to the spot by that sweetest note in any language, 

 " Cheery, cheery ! " When I could recover my breath I shouted, "Jones, 

 there's a Bluebird ! " And immediately from the top of a tree, hard by, 

 there floated down the delicious strains of a Bluebird's spring song. 

 Scarcely could I restain the impulse to fall on my knees, so like a 

 heavenly messenger it seemed. It was indeed a Bluebird, dropped down 

 out of the sky on the shortest day of winter. The first note we heard 

 a little to the north of us, while the bird was on the wing, and he passed 

 off into the murky south, flying high. It was perhaps a laggard froni 

 the north ; but if this be true, its song was all the more remarkable, for 

 it sang incessantly during the minute it stayed upon the tree. On the 

 other hand, it might have been lured north by the mild weather, but 

 struck with sudden misgiving at sight of the chilly lake a few miles 

 further on. At any rate we respectfully submit it as either the latest 

 " fall " or earliest " spring " record for this vicinity. 



Red-headed Woodpeckers appeared in another wood some three miles 

 south of the lake. I sav "another" because we had alreadv f<^und 



