26 The Wilson Bulletin.— No. 42. 



malar stripe, mixed with the throat color in two, and the 

 ivory white tip of the upper mandible. One, a female with 

 the mixed malar stripe, altogether lacks the red nuchal cres- 

 cent. I did not discover the oddity in time to have secured 

 the parent birds. If I had done so and one or the other 

 had exhibited some additional characteristic of the Red- 

 shafted Flicker, it would have been considered excellent 

 proof of former hybridism. Such being not the case, and 

 leaving out the small auratus group, the plain top of the 

 head might almost be said to be one of the common charac- 

 ters of the genus; and as hard to account for in this instance 

 as the unique specimen of the same species, with mandibles 

 crossed, in the collection of Mr. L. S. Foster, of New York 

 City. 



Under the head of migration on pages 17 and 18 of the 

 report, "N. Brighton" should read North Bridgton, The 

 former is situated in northeastern Maine, while the place 

 from which Mr. J. C. Mead reports lies in the southwestern 

 section. 



THE NEW YEAR'S DAY BIRD CENSUS. 



Our first attempt to begin the year with a census of the 

 birds in many different places, has resulted fairly well. While 

 the number of reports is not great a genuine interest in this 

 winter study is manifest. Everybody should know that at 

 no time of year are birds wholly absent in any part of the 

 United States where water is obtainable. The possibility 

 of making a pretty accurate census of the birds in winter en- 

 ables us to arrive at a pretty accurate estimate of the actual 

 value of birds as destroyers of noxious animals and weeds. 

 This is practical work. 



With this good beginning let us look forward to more ac- 

 tivity during the winter months next time. 



