lo Biilli'tin No. /S. 



and small trees. On the other side of the wood was a field and further 

 on a thinly wooded tract. I did not leave the road and the whole piece 

 examined on December 26th did not include over a few acres. 



The birds I saw where as follows: 

 In the bushes along the stream, Tree Sparrows, 40 ... 40 



In the trees along the stream, American Crossbill 30, Northern 



Shrike i. Cardinal 2, Chickadee 3 . ... j6 



In the held. Prairie Horned Lark 3 ..... . 3 



In woods bordering field, Crow 5, Blue Jay 2, White-breasted 

 Nuthatch i. Hairy Woodpecker i, Downy W^oodpecker 2, 

 Screech Owl i . . . 12 



On the ground by a fence. Bob-white 5 ..... 5 



Flying overhead. American Goldfinch 6, Hawk 1 ... 7 



Total . . . . . .103 



Sidney S. Wilson. 



AFIELD IN A STORM. 



Doubtless few ornithologists care to be abroad in a wind storm, for in 

 addition to more or less bodily discomfort, collecting is almost an impos- 

 sibility; yet some things can be learned at that time not accessible in 

 more favorable weather. Some species of birds disappear entirely as 

 long as it lasts, others do not seem to mind it at all, while a third class 

 battle against it with indifferent success, picking up an irregular exis- 

 tence only through great exertion. 



The equinoctial storms swept over the country March ig, 1896. a 

 driving rain from the south, followed by one of the most beautiful rain- 

 bows I ever beheld. Daylight breaking on the 20th with the tempera- 

 ture at a standstill one degree above freezing and a northwest wind 

 blowing probably at the rate of forty miles an hour, I concluded to spend 

 a couple of hours in the Great Chester valley. 



Few birds were abroad, the cold wind forcing them to seek shelter. 

 The creek having overflowed its bank the day before, leaving a deposit 

 of black mud for many rods on either side, small companies of sombre- 

 plumaged crows were wading about in the slime or buffeting heavily 

 against the wind immediately above it, searching for the detached mus- 

 sels and other edibles thrown up by the freshet. Of all the birds the 

 White-breasted Nuthatches appeared to mind the searching wind the 



