9(> The Wilson Bulletin — No. 67. 



less wary, and an unusual increase had taken place in some 

 species. For instance, judging" from my own personal obser- 

 vation, such a bird as the Red-headed Woodpecker (Melaner- 

 pcs crytliroccpliahis)., ten years ag;o was one of the most un- 

 common species to be taken in the District of Columbia any- 

 where. The other morning" when I was out (May 13, '09) 

 I counted twelve of these beautiful birds in a short walk of 

 a little less than five miles, and heard others calling" in the 

 distance. Cardinal Grosbeaks fC. cardinalis) were very abun- 

 dant and the males in beautiful plumage, while in a beech 

 tree close to my home there was a flock numbering" over an 

 huaidred Purple Finches (Carpodacus purpurcus). All the 

 common birds were in full force, such as Robins, Brown 

 Thrashers, Catbirds, Flickers, and any number of others. 

 What interested me more than anything else was to observe 

 the abundance of warblers that were on. They were not as 

 plenty as I used to see them forty-five years ago, but they 

 were nevertheless very largely represented. 



In one straggling troop that were feeding as they passed 

 through some large and adjacent trees, I noted several pairs 

 of Blackburnians (D. blackbiiniicc) , ditto Black-throated 

 Blues and Greens (D. cccnilcscciis. D. viycns), also many 

 Parulas, Cape Mays, Chestnut-sided, Bay-breasted, Black- 

 polls, with numerous others, and one Cerulean (D. ccrndea). 

 In other parts of the woods and along the roadside they were 

 equally abundant, and associated with still other species. 

 ( There is a pair of superb Red-headed Woodpeckers within 

 thirty feet from my study window as I write these lines and 

 they are nesting not over that many yards from my table.) 



In a few days I shall look up the Water Birds, and hope 

 to meet with an equally gratifying state of alTairs in their case. 

 Later on in conversation with a number of the best author- 

 ities and observers who have paid attention to the ornithology 

 of the District of Columbia for many years, I was pleased to 

 learn that the facts set forth in this brief communication were 

 quite true. 



