20 



runner of the great " Thrush and Warbler waves " of May, and which 

 brings the first stragglers of many species which are really character- 

 istic of the latter month. 



The following list includes such species as have been noted — gen- 

 erally in small numbers — from April 20 to 30 in the vicinity of 

 Philadelphia, but which do not arrive in force until May : 



Kingbird, Black-throated Green Warbler, 



Crested Flycatcher, Parula Warbler, 



Orchard Oriole, Water-Thrush, 



Scarlet Tanager, Catbird, 



Red-eyed Vireo, Wilson's Thrush, 



Yellow Warbler, Wood Thrush. 



About the first of May the species just mentioned, together with 

 •many Warblers, etc., arrive in abundance and form the first great 

 •'' AYarbler wave." Thousands of Thrushes, AVarblers and Vireos, 

 pass through at this time and the woods seem fairly alive with birds. 

 ♦Several other waves occur during during May, which are mainly 

 characterized by Warblers, and indeed, for the first three weeks of 

 the month these birds seem to be passing almost continuously. By 

 the 20th of the month, however, the migration begins to wane, and 

 although stragglers of many species are seen until the 30th, and some 

 Blackpoll Wai'blers linger as late as June 6, there are rarely any 

 migratory waves after May 20. 



As regards the departure of the winter birds, the records of the 

 Club show that the Herring Gulls leave the Delaware River about 

 April 4, and they seem to desert the meadows at Atlantic City, 

 IN. J., about the same time. 



AVinter Wrens,* Fox Sparrows and the bulk of the Snowbirds 

 generally leave Philadelphia by April 15, while the Brown Creepers 

 and Golden-crowned Kinglets stay a few days later. 



Most of the White-throated Sparrows have departed by May 1, 

 but a few occur regularly as late as the IGth of the month, and one 

 was seen in 1888 on May 27. The straggling Snow-Birds have 

 usually left by May 1, but occasionally one is seen a few days later; 

 May 10 being the latest date recorded. 



Tlie first evidence of the fall migration in the vicinity of Phila- 

 •delphia is seen during the last week in July, or, perhaps, earlier, 

 •when the old birds of several species leave their breeding grounds 



*One has been recorded as late as May 5. 



