O ABSTRACT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF IHE 



A melanistic Meadow Lark {Sturnella magna) with the }-ellow breast 

 entirely replaced by black was also exhibited. A short i)aper was read 

 by Mr. Stone on the " Winter Distribution of Birds and its Relation 

 to the Presence of Water-courses," which was afterwards discussed by 

 the members. 



A letter was read from Mr. S. N. Rhoads recording the capture of an 

 Ipswich Sparrow {Am??iodramus princeps) at Cape Charles, Va., on 

 March 29. 



Owing to the absence of Mr. Rhoads in the south, Mr. George S. 

 Morris was appointed Secretary pro tern. 



April 21, i8gi. — Nine members present. 



Mr. Stone gave a short account of a recent collecting trip to central 

 Chester county, Pa. He stated that on the mica-slate ridge which 

 crosses the county below the Chester Valley, he had found birds com- 

 paratively scarce, and that the great "waves" of the spring migration 

 were never well marked there. Ke attributed this to the probable fact 

 that the birds follow the valley of the Brandywine and the Chester 

 Valley in their migrations. 



A discussion was held on the species of American Warblers i^Mniotil- 

 iidce), and a large series of specimens was exhibited. Among these 

 was a female Cerulean Warbler {Dendroica co'n/ka) shot by Mr- 

 Montgomery at West Chester, Chester Co., Pa., in the spring of 1890- 



Dr. Trotter stated that there was a fine specimen of Brewster's 

 Warbler {HehniniJiflpJiila leiicobronchialis) in the collection of Swarth- 

 more College, but no data whatever were attached to it. 



May §, i8gi. — Ten members present. 



Mr. Baily gave an account of the species of Virco found in the vicinity 

 of Philadelphia, illustrating his remarks with a series of specimens. 



Mr. Morris exhibited a curious Prairie AVarbler (Dendroica discolor), 

 taken at Cape Charles, Va., May 11, 1886, which had the whole neck 

 and upper breast of a rich orange hue. Mr. Ridgway, to whom the 

 specimen had been sent, con".idered it a case of " hyperchromatism," 

 or intensity of coloration, which sometimes occurs in the Yellow-breasted 

 Chat ( Ictciia virens) and a few other species. 



The migration during April was discussed in detail. Many species 

 of birds had arrived much earlier than usual, but the prevailing " cold 

 wave," it was considered, wou^cl act as a set-back to further migration 

 for some days at least. 



May ig, iSgi. — Eleven members present. 



Mr. Stone read a paper on the " Birds of Beaver Swamp, Cape May 

 Co., N. J.," desciibing a trip recently made by Messrs. Voelker, Reed, 



