484 General Notes. pea 
the nature of accidental happening than in conformity with a remarkably 
retarded migration, not necessarily of the species as a whole, but quite 
possibly of a regional group acted upon, perhaps as long before as their 
breeding season, perhaps later, by some unusual inhibiting influence. 
The late occurrence of this species the same year in Massachusetts, at 
Belmont, November 15, 19 and 25, has been reported by Dr. Walter 
Faxon (Auk, XXXIV: 217). 
It may here be noted that the northward migration of this warbler the 
following spring was also unusually late, this, however, being true of most 
of the warblers, the result of a phenominally cold and backward May. 
It was not observed until May 17, and the later dates of its occurrence 
were the 27th, a bright male and a dingy female, and June 3, a female; 
my latest previous record having been May 18, 1916.— Eucene P. Bicx- 
NELL, New York, N.Y. 
Rare Warblers at Hatley, Stanstead County, Quebec.— Notwith- 
standing the very cold and backward spring I have added two new warblers 
to my list (which now numbers 22 species), the Tennessee (Vermivora 
peregrina) and Blackpoll ( Dendroica striata). Four examples of the former 
were seen between May 26-27, out of which two were obtained, and a 
male of the latter was seen at Ayers Cliff (about six miles from Hatley) on 
May 28 at close quarters, making identification absolutely sure. In 
addition to these between May 19 and June 2 may be mentioned twelve 
examples of the Cape May (out of which I secured three), Nashville, nine- 
teen; Bay-breasted, twelve; Blackburnian, three; Northern Parula, one; 
and Water-Thrush, eight; besides numbers of all the commoner species 
with the exception of the Yellow which was again scarce as usual, only 
three examples being seen.— H. Moustey, Hatley, Que. 
Sap Drinking Habits of Warblers.’— So far as I can gather very 
little is known concerning the above matter, for in the nine or ten pages 
devoted to the food of these interesting little birds in the standard work 
on their life history, not a word is mentioned about it, and the only refer- 
ence I know of will be found in the Biological Survey, Bulletin No. 39 
‘Woodpeckers in Relation to Trees and Wood Products’ 1911, p. 98, 
wherein the author, Mr. W. L. McAtee, speaking of some defensive meas- 
ures against sapsuckers recommends poisoning the sap, but adds the 
following warning note, viz.: “It should be noted here that hummingbirds 
and some other small birds, particularly warblers, will be killed by poison 
intended for sapsuckers.’’ From this we may gather that the habit is not 
altogether unknown, but the majority of people, I think, are unaware of it, 
certainly I have been paying special attention to this family for the past 
few years, but have never noted it until the fall of last year (1916) and 
therefore think my experience may be worth recording. It was on Sep- 
1 Read before the Nuttall Ornithological Club, May 21, 1917. 
