372 TRANSACTIONS OP THE [1895 



In the fall and winter they often go in flocks of 5 or 6, to 

 about 20, but generally they will be seen in pairs. On January 

 16, '95, Bluebirds were seen at Cumberland, where the rivers 

 and creeks had been frozen over from December 25 (Howard 

 Shriver, Maryland State Weather Service, Report of February, 

 '95). On June 11, '95, a brood of flying young were noted at 

 Vale Summit. 



The latter part of the winter of '94-5 was remarkable for 

 its severity all over North America, and the birds were thinned 

 out in great numbers. Perhaps from being more familiarly 

 known than other small birds, the almost complete absence of 

 Bluebirds and Phoebes caused considerable comment. The 

 blizzard of early February completely covered Maryland with 

 2 feet or more of snow, and travel was stopped for about 10 

 days by the drifts. Bluebirds had been numerous around 

 Baltimore up to this time, and 2 were still alive on February 

 10. Later in the season a number of Screech Owl holes were 

 found more or less filled with Bluebird feathers, and the owls 

 were absent. Only a very few scattered Bluebirds were noted 

 during summer and fall until November 3, when my note book 

 says, "scattered everywhere over Dulaney's Valley in pairs, 

 evidently a migration flight"; on November 9 a flock of about 

 20 was seen. At Washington "21 dead birds were found by 

 Kobt. Ridgway in a bird box on his grounds, where they had 

 been frozen by the blizzard which almost exterminated them in 

 this part of the country" (Richmond). 



