^°190?^] Pennock, Birds of Delaware. 283 



The present paper is intended to present a list of such birds as 

 have not previously been recorded from Delaware and to offer 

 notes on some other species that seem to be of especial interest. 

 Referring first to species not previously recorded : 



1. The Red-headed Woodpecker {Mela7ierpes erythrocepha- 

 lus) and (2) Magnolia Warbler (Dendroica maculosa) were 

 omitted from the 'List' inadvertently. Both are of course com- 

 mon birds in Delaware. The Woodpecker is usually resident 

 throughout the entire State and at times is locally abundant. 

 Over at least the lower half it is generally to be seen in suitable 

 localities; the large undrained timbered areas offering attractive 

 feeding grounds for this bird as well as for other members of the 

 family. The countrymen generally are familiar with this bird, and 

 its vernacular name of "Shirt-tailer" is in recognition of the notice- 

 able white patch so prominent in a rear-flight view. 



The Magnolia Warbler is a common spring and fall migrant. 



3. Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla). — Undoubtedly this 

 bird was an abundant summer resident, at least from Lewes down 

 along the coast to Fenwick Light, at the Maryland line, up to the 

 time of the extermination of our shore-nesting birds, twenty or more 

 years ago. Many of the younger generation of native gunners do 

 not know this bird at all. As they are now found nesting locally 

 in some places on the Atlantic coast considerably to the north, 

 they probably pass up along the sea coast of Delaware, and closer 

 observation should discover them more frequently than has yet 

 been done. I saw two Laughing Gulls May 20, 1907, flying north- 

 ward at Indian River Inlet. My two companions, native fishermen, 

 were not familiar with them as birds usually to be seen in that 

 locality. 



4. Forster's Tern {Sterna forsteri). — On May 14, 1905, I 

 shot a female Forster's Tern as it sat on a sand-bar in Indian River 

 Bay near the Inlet. Another bird of apparently the same species 

 and numbers of Least Sandpipers were feeding together at the time. 



5. American Merganser {Merganser americanus). — Pre- 

 sumably a rather abundant winter resident. I have noted several 

 seen May 8, 1906, flying up the coast at Rehoboth, and two birds 

 near Ocean View May 21, 1907. 



6. Red-legged Black Duck {A7ias ohscura rubripes). — I have 



