46 MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 



six times, the Swamp Sparrow trills twice, and once an Oven-bird performs his 

 crazy flight song. Carolina Rails call twice, a Red-shouldered Hawk screams 

 and the Whip-poor-wills are heard. 



2 to 2.15 a. M. There is a constant undertone of distant Whip-poor-wills 

 and a few hylas, while leopard frogs "snore" close at hand. The Long-billed 

 Marsh Wrens sing twice, a Least Flycatcher once, a Swamp Sparrow once, and 

 the Oven-bird gives his flight song again. A belated Bobolink chirps as he flies 

 north, and a few Warblers' calls are heard overhead. How comparatively silent 

 are the nocturnal migrations in the spring ! The young and inexperienced of 

 the autumn have fallen by the way, or have learned wisdom. 



2.15 to 2.30 a. m. The Marsh Wren sings three times, the Swamp Spar- 

 row sings twice, the Oven-bird indulges in three flight songs, and one incom- 

 plete, ordinary '■'•teacher" song. The Red-shouldered Hawk screams again, 

 and a Spotted Sandpiper whistles in his alarmist manner. Had I been in the 

 salt marshes I should doubtless have heard not infrequently the long call of the 

 Greater Yellow-legs. A Black-billed Cuckoo sang, but whether in flight, as 

 described by Gerald H. Thayer, 1 or from some high tree I could not determine. 



2.30 to 2.45 A. M. At 2.35 a. m. there appears in the east the slightest 

 trace of gray dawn. Oven-birds sing their common song twice, Swamp Spar- 

 rows three times, and the Long-billed Marsh Wrens bubble forth six times. 

 The Whip-poor-wills continue, one calling 1 30 times in succession. A Catbird 

 sings for the first time at 2.40 a. m. An Owl — possibly a Barred Owl — 

 flies by. 



2.45 to 3 a. m. The first Song Sparrow and immediately afterwards the 

 first Robin pour forth their songs at 2.45 a. m. My friends the Wrens perform 

 nearly to bursting eight times, and the Swamp Sparrows, with their very varied 

 tones, fourteen times. The Oven-bird explodes like a rocket in the air twice, 

 a Flicker calls at 2.50, and a Northern Yellowthroat mounts into the air in 

 song. A few Black Ducks fly by, and at 2.58 begins a characteristic note of 

 the early morning. It is the chirping song of the Tree Swallow which appears 

 to be all about me and especially overhead. There is now a constant undertone 

 of Robins singing their morning hymn. 



3 to 3.15 a. m. At 3 a. m. the rosy hue of dawn appears in the east. 

 Cocks crow at a distant farm-house, a Red-winged Blackbird sings his quank-er- 

 ree, and a Chewink calls from the woods near at hand, but best of all, the 

 divine song of the Wood Thrush is heard. Wrens and Swamp Sparrows sing 

 so frequently that all count is lost. The Oven-bird, Least Flycatcher, and 

 Northern Yellowthroat sing at frequent intervals; a Wilson's Thrush calls. 



1 G. H. Thayer: Bird-Lore, vol. 5, p. 143, 1903. 



