Vol. XVIII 



1 90 1 



1 Bishop, Winter Birds of Pea Island, N. C. 267 



29. Haliaeetus leucocephalus. Bald Eagle. — Common, sometimes 

 several being in sight at one time. Two in immature plumage were taken 

 on Feb. 4 and 5. The majority seen were adults, and were feeding on the 

 dead fish and birds along the shore. 



30. Otocoris alpestris. Horned Lark. — A male and two females 

 were taken on Feb. 7 and S, but no others seen. The male was moulting. 



31. Agelaius phcEniceus. Red-winged Blackbird. Two were taken 

 from a Bock of about a dozen females on Bodie Island, Feb. 16. One had 

 the crimson shoulders and salmon throat characteristic probably of matu- 

 rity, the other the dull ochraceous shoulders and pale buffy throat of the 

 young. 



32. Sturnella magna. Meadowlark. — Common. Of a male and 

 female taken the latter alone showed pin-feathers. 



33. Scolecophagus carolinus. Rusty Blackbird. — A single male 

 called at the clubhouse for a few minutes on the evening of Feb. 17, and 

 returned to be collected before we sailed the next morning. 



34. Quiscalus major. Boat-tailed Grackle. — I saw one male on 

 Feb. 10, and five males near Oregon Inlet on the i6th. This bird is 

 locally known as the 'Jack-daw.' 



35. Passerina nivalis. Snowflake. — I found a flock of three on Feb. 

 14. Two were males and one a female, and all were moulting. If, as Dr. 

 Dwight states, the whiter birds are adults, these were j'oung birds, and I 

 find the following characteristic differences in plumage at different ages. 

 Males and females in first winter differ chiefly in the males having white 

 on inner web of third rectrix. Adult males differ from young males by 

 more white on wings and wing-coverts. Adult females differ from 

 young females by whiter wings and white on inner web of third rectrix. 

 Adult females differ from young males bj' the blacker interscapulars of 

 the latter. Adult males differ from adult females by whiter wings and 

 wing-coverts, and by having the dark markings of the interscapulars, 

 wings and tail blacker. 



36. Ammodramus princeps. Ipswich Sparrow. — Rather common. 

 Six were collected on Pea Island, and I think I saw others. On Bodie 

 Island I took one and saw several in a short walk. All taken were fe- 

 males, and only one showed moult. 



37. Ammodramus sandwichensis savanna. Savanna Sparrow. 

 — The most common bird on the island, living in the weeds and dry grass 

 about the sandhills. Six males and nine feinales were collected, one of 

 the latter alone showing moult. 



38. Ammodramus caudacutus. Sharp-tailed Sp.\rrow. — Follow- 

 ing the last in numbers, this species kept closely to the marshes and could 

 seldom be obtained except on the wing. None were moulting. Ten males 

 and nine females taken seem to show two distinct races, — a dark, highly- 

 colored bird, with strongly' contrasted plumage, both above and below, 

 and a paler, duller-colored bird, with little contrast in the plumage, 

 especially of the back, which apparently represents caudacutus of New 



