12 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



haven is reached. The manner and cause of bird migration has furnished 

 food for speculation to countless observers since the earliest times and is a 

 never failing source of fascination to the bird student. 



SPRING ARRIVALS 



Of the loo and more observers in different parts of New York who 

 have reported the migrations only four or five sent schedules of any 

 extent on the fall migrations, and the notes on the spring movement 

 in many cases are fragmentary, and very few have reported more than the 

 commonest species of birds. The incomplete nature of these reports even 

 in localities from which the records are most desired has rendered it extremely 

 difficult to map the advance of species and trace their migration routes. 

 Selecting 20 of our migratory birds which are most universally reported, 

 and 32 of the observers who sent the longest schedules, I find the Robin 

 was reported bv 31 observers, the Bluebird and Baltimore oriole by 30, 

 the Phoebe bv 27, the Chimney swift by 26, the Kingbird by 25, the Flicker, 

 Barn swallow and Catbird by 24, the Chipping sparrow, Bobolink, Yellow 

 warbler and Song sparrow by 23, the Red-winged blackbird and Crow 

 blackbird bv 21, the Cowbird and Crested flycatcher by 20, the Humming- 

 bird bv 18, the Brown thrasher by 17, the Spotted sandpiper by 16. 



The migration dates of all species will ])e found in the county schedules 

 as explained under that heading, but for purposes of comparison, w^e have 

 selected the dates of first appearance in different years at stations in widely 

 separated parts of the State. For these comparative tables go of the 

 commoner migratory birds which are most generally reported have been 

 selected. Many interesting results will follow a careful study of the tables. 

 Some stations situated near together were taken to show how at variance 

 reports from such places may be, and I have found that two observers at 

 the same station often record the same species at dates several days apart, 

 which is undoubtedly due to the fact that one observer succeeded in catching 

 the first migrant on the day of its actual arrival, or was fortunate enough 

 to visit its proper haunts. 



