3o6 



MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 



or at least very near, the Cambridge Region. At present the species is definitely known to have 

 occurred in Massachusetts only at North Adams, where two pairs were found nesting in June, 

 1S95,' and at Easthampton, where a single specimen was obtained by Mr. W. S. Clark in May, 

 1851.2] 



[ Ampelis garrulus Linn. Bohe.viian Waxwing. Dr. Allen, in his ' Rarer Birds of Massa- 

 chusetts,'^ says of the Bohemian Waxwing, "A specimen has been seen the present autumn 

 (October, 1S69), in Cambridge, by Wm. Brewster." The substance of this statement was 

 repeated by Mr. C. J. Maynard in his ' Naturalist's Guide ' (which appeared almost contem- 

 poraneously with, but, I believe, a little later than. Dr. Allen's paper) in the following words: 

 "Mr. William Brewster also saw a specimen, during November of 1S69, at Walertown.'"' The 

 bird to which both writers refer was met with by Mr. H. W. Henshaw and myself in Watertown 

 (not "Cambridge") on October i (not "during November"), 1869. At the time it was by no 

 means certainly or even confidently identified by us, as is shown by an entry, made, that evening, 

 in my diary, where the observation is noted briefly under the heading '■^Ampelis garrulus (proba- 

 bly)." Not long afterward, as I distinctly remember, Mr. Henshaw and I decided that the bird 

 could not have been a Bohemian Waxwing. We had only a very poor view of it, for it was in 

 dense woods, and too shy to be closely approached. No doubt I spoke of it to Dr. Allen and Mr. 

 Maynard, for I met them both rather frequently that autumn ; the fact that the former was in 

 error respecting the locality where the bird was seen, and the latter mistaken in regard to the date 

 of its occurrence, indicates, however, that neither author could have taken very careful note of 

 whatever I may have said, while it is practically certain that I could not have either wished or 

 intended the matter to get into print, at least in the form of such meagre, yet positive, state- 

 ments. Now that the record must be expunged no evidence remains, I believe, that the beauti- 

 ful bird to which it relates has ever been found in the Cambridge Region. The species has 

 occurred, however, at localities no more distant than Bolton, where eleven specimens were col- 

 lected by Mr. S. Jillson, in January, 1S64,'* and Lynn; where Mr. N. Vickary took a single female 

 on February 18, 1877." 



According to Dr. Brewer, " in a single instance, in midwinter, somewhere about 1844, 

 during a severe snow-storm, a large flock of these birds made their appearance in Boston, and 

 alighted on a large horse-chestnut tree that stood in an open and retired place. There were at 

 least twenty or thirtv in the flock; they remained in their shelter undisturbed for some time, 

 and their true specific character was plainly noticeable."' As the name of the person who made 

 this observation is not given, his testimony cannot be accepted with much confidence. Even if 

 ■we assume that the birds were seen by the writer of the paragraph, himself, — as is not improba- 

 ble, — the case must still remain in doubt, for, as I have abundant reasons for asserting, Dr. 

 Brewer was not a reliable field ornithologist. The record" by Audubon of "a pair," which his 

 sons found "in the autumn of 1832, whilst rambling near Boston," and "pursued more than an 

 hour, but without success," is also far from satisfactory.] 



1 W. Faxon, Auk, XII, 1895, 392. 



2H. L. Clark, Birds of Amherst and Vicinity, 1SS7, 49. 

 ^J. A. Allen, American Naturalist, III, 1870, 579. 

 ■•C. J. Maynard, Naturalist's Guide, 1870, 108. 

 *J. A. Allen, American Naturalist, III, 1870, 579. 



" W. Brewster, H. D. Minot, Land-birds and Game-birds of New England, ed. 2, 1895, 154, foot- 

 note. 



' Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway, History of North American Birds, I, 1874, 398. 

 *J. J. Audubon, Birds of America, IV, 1842, 166. 



