Field Notes 4 J 



Numbers of Cliff Swallows, an uncommon species to the writer, 

 were flying with Bank Swallows, Purple Martins, etc., near the 

 rocky cliffs facing Muddy Creek. This was my best opportunity to 

 watch this swallow, which is rather rare in Allegheny County, 

 Pennsylvania. The Grasshopper Sparrow was evident as a breeder 

 in a field one-half mile north of Madisonville. In Ault Park I was 

 surprised by running across a Louisiana Water-Thrush feeding 

 its young. The Whip-poor-will, a rare bird around Cincinanti, is 

 apparently breeding near Cove Creek. 



In the cemetery near Fort Thomas, Kentuckj% Orchard Orioles 

 seemed to be everywhere, and for the first time I learned their 

 sweet song, which I consider after the Bobolink's, the most liquid 

 of our bird songs, and like that song a bubbling out of joyful notes. 

 Around Cincinnati the Orchard Orioles outnumber the Baltimore 

 Orioles about six to one, while in Western Pennsylvania ten Balti- 

 more Orioles are usually seen to every Orchard Oriole. In the 

 vicinity of Fort Thomas Yellow-breasted Chats were very numer- 

 ous, although they were not uncommon anywhere. 



One of the region's characteristic birds, the Bewick Wren, was 

 not seen, althoiigh a lookout was kept for him, as I have never 

 identified this bird. The Yellow-throat was observed but once, 

 while the Redstart was not placed. 



As I wandered through the woods many of the common familiar 

 birds of Western Pennsylvania were absent. One of our rich song- 

 sters, the Rose-breasted Grosbeak, heads the list. With a north- 

 ener it will take a lot of Mockingbirds to make up for the loss of 

 the "potato-bug" bird. The tinkling Bobolink's melody was lamen- 

 tably missing because no June day bird trip is complete without 

 hearing "Robert-of-Lincoln's" tambourine-like flight song. 



Thos. L. McCoxnell. 



FIELD NOTES FROM THE CHICAGO AREA FOR 1916. 



The year opened auspiciously. A week of unusually mild 

 weather in February brought, on the 22d of that month, the first 

 Bluebirds, a Killdeer and a few Song Sparrows, although the last 

 species seems some years to winter in small numbers as near as 

 LaGrange, just 5-6 miles southwest of River Forest. On the same 

 day 10-15 Ring-necked Pheasants were seen. 



The most interesting parts of the Chicago area are no doubt the 

 sand dunes, on the south shore of Lake Michigan. Here, 30-40 

 miles from Chicago, may yet be seen several pairs of Great Horned 

 Owls and Ruffed Grouse. During the winter of 1915-16, as again 

 in the present, large flocks of Redpolls and Evening Grosbeaks are 



