es 
166 Wricut, Labrador Chickadee at Boston and Vicinity. 
view. The largest company observed in 1913 consisted of nine 
individuals on the Belmont lands. In this second incursion twelve 
birds have been reported in the Arnold Arboretum, twelve at 
Belmont, ten at Ipswich, and nine in the Middlesex Fells. In 
each instance these numbers were assembled essentially together, 
although on some occasions seen in scattered near groups. 
The crest of the wave of the 1916 migration in this vicinity seems 
to have been between November 9 and December 10; earlier records 
are of one to three individuals only, while my later records fall to 
two or three individuals respectively in the first week of January, 
1917, three birds on the Belmont lands and two birds in the Arbore- 
tum. Mr. Barrett, however, furnishes a record of ten birds seen 
in the Arboretum, January 21, after having obtained smaller 
records on previous dates, and on January 28 he found but four 
birds. 
In general it may be said that these Hudsonians of the migration 
of 1916 have been much more shy than the birds of the 1913 migra- 
tion. I have seen none at as near range as I viewed many in the 
former migration. Then they were accustomed to be feeding in 
the sunlight and frequently upon stalks of golden rod and aster, 
allowing very near approach and as full scanning as the observer 
desired to make. During this migration of 1916 the birds have 
been very elusive and kept themselves very largely in dense shade 
either in the cedars, hemlocks, or pines, as the growth might be, or 
upon the ground underneath from which all strong light was 
excluded. The birds have also been very restless and suspicious 
upon approach, leading the observer a considerable chase sometimes 
to follow them up. This has made difficult the determination of 
their particular coloration. So “a bird in the hand” rather than 
“in the bush” has been required for an examination adequate to 
determine the subspecific type. Happily, Dr. Townsend with the 
assistance of others is rendering this necessary service. The call- 
notes, however, are always specific and distinct from those of the 
Black-capped Chickadee. So an identification of the species is 
readily made. 
A letter from Mr. George L. Kirk of Rutland, Vermont, to Dr. 
Townsend, which the latter has kindly placed in my hands with the 
privilege of quoting, is of so much interest as bearing on this 1916 
