12 ABSTRACT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



peckers, illustrating his remarks with some partially dissected speci- 

 mens. A general discussion was then held on the species of Wood- 

 peckers which occur in the vicinity of Philadelphia. Mr. Voelker had 

 several times seen the Red-bellied Woodpecker {Melanerpes carolinus), 

 but it was considered a very rare bird in this vicinity. The diminu- 

 tion in the numbers of the Red-headed Woodpecker (J/, erythroce- 

 phalus), within the past few years was remarked upon. Mr. Voelker 

 had once seen an individual of this species near Clifton, Delaware Co., 

 Pa., in January. 



The first Snowy Owl {Nyctca nycica), of the season was reported 

 from Woodbury, N. J. 



Decejnber i, i8gi. — Twelve members present. 



Mr. William A. Shryock and Mr. William J. Serrill were elected Asso- 

 ciate Members. 



Dr. William E. Hughes, ornithologist on the West Greenland Expe- 

 dition, recently sent out by the Academy of Natural Sciences, gave a 

 detailed account of the birds observed on the expedition, illustrating 

 his remarks with the series of specimens which he had collected. The 

 route of the expedition was from Sydney, Nova Scotia, to Disko Island, 

 and thence north to McCormick Bay and Whale Sound, returning on 

 nearly the same track. The date. of starting from Sydney was June 12, 

 and in returning the expedition reached St. Johns, August 23. The 

 only land birds noticed were the Snow Bunting, Lapland Longspur, 

 Redpoll, Wheat-ear, Raven, and Ptarmigan. The first was by far the 

 most abundant. The most conspicuous water birds were the Brunnich's 

 Murre, Mandt's Guillemot, Little Auk, Puffin, Ivory Gull, Kittiwake, 

 Long- tailed Jaeger, and Fulmar Petrel. [Full accounts of the Ornithol- 

 ogy' of West Greenland will appear in the Proceedings of the Academy 

 of Natural Sciences.] 



Mr. Voelker gave some statistics in regard to the relation of sex to 

 the two phases of plumage in the Screech Owl {Afrgascops asio). In a 

 series of 322 birds that he had skinned in the past ten years, there were 

 210 red, 104 gray, and 8 of motlled or intermediate plumage. Of the 

 red birds, t6 were male and 194 female, while in the series of gray birds 

 93 vv^ere male and 11 female. The mottled specimens comprised 3 males 

 and 5 females. 



Mr. Voelker also reported the capture of a Little Auk {A/k alle), 

 and a Razor Bill (^Alca ton/a) at Pennsgrove, N. J., during the past 

 week. 



December i§, iSgr. — Ten members present. 



Mr. Stone read a paper on the " Summer Birds of Harvey's Lake, 



