8 TlIIv lilRDS ()!•' Sl'RINCKIEI.r) AND VICINITY. 



the aiithorit\' of Rev. W. B. (). Peaboch-, rererred to a recent 

 vi.sit of this " little sea bird " to this region, which he ret;arded 

 as a good omen. The specimen in the Science building, 

 Springfield, was caught by a cat, in a meadow close by the 

 Connecticut river, in Agawam, September 20, 1900. 



120. Phalacrocorax dilophus (Swain.). Doublk- 

 CRESTED CoK.MOK.\xT. During the >-ears 1887 and 1888, a 

 number were seen here in small flocks, and se\-eral were taken, 

 but with the exception of these two years it has appeared here 

 only as a rare vi.sitor. 



129. Merganser americanus (Cass.). American 

 Merganser. On the Connecticut river and its tributaries 

 this is the most abundant of the duck family, from November 

 15 until May i ; occa.sionally it is found on the large ponds, and 

 I have observed it here repeatedh- in mid-summer, but have no 

 further e\-idence of its breeding. One sunnner, I saw one here 

 in company with a blue-winged teal. During the ver>- cold 

 winters, these mergansers as.semble in large numbers on the 

 Connecticut, in the rapid water just l)elow the Knfield dam. 



130. Merganser serrator (I/inn. ). Red-breasted 

 Merganser. Mr. E. O. Damon has taken one specimen in 

 Northampton, and I ha\-e done the same near Springfield; with 

 the.se exceptions, I have never known of its presence here. 



131. I/Ophodytes cucullatus ( I/inn. ) . Hooded Mer- 

 ganser. A connnon late autumn migrant; I have not observed 

 it here at other .seasons, but it undoubtedly ma\- l)e found 

 occasionally in early s]>ring. 



132. Anas Boschas I/inn. Mallard. Rather common 

 autumn visitor, arriving about the first of November; I have 

 taken it here in the .spring, but it is rare at that .season. 

 Usually it ma\- l)e found as.sociating with .bias obscuia, l)ut 

 one year within m>' experience the mallards appeared in larger 

 numbers than the black ducks, and thev then flocked h\ them- 



