1^8 Howell, List of SumDier Birds of Mi. Mansfield _ \ ^"^^^ 



such a limited period are necessarily incomplete, and I am fortu- 

 nate in being able to supplement my notes by those of Mrs. Carrie 

 E. Straw, who resides in Stowe, five miles from the mountain. I 

 am indebted, also, to Mr. Bradford Torrey and to Mr. Clayton E. 

 Stone, for notes on Mansfield birds. 



Mr. Torrey has written a charming account of his visit to the 

 mountain, in which he mentions more or less casually eleven 

 species, giving considerable space to Bicknell's Thrush (under 

 the name of the Gray-cheeked) and several other characteristic 

 species. His article,^ and a note of his on Bicknell's Thrush in 

 'The Auk,' 2 seem to be the only published records from this 

 region. 



The mountain rises abruptly from the Champlain Valley, some 

 twenty miles to the eastward of Lake Champlain, and about 

 thirty-five miles south of the Canadian boundary. It extends 

 nearly north and south, and is made up of two principal peaks, 

 united by a comparatively level ridge about two miles in length — 

 "the ridge-pole of Vermont," Mr. Torrey styles it. The northern 

 peak is the higher, its altitude, as determined by the U. S. Coast 

 and Geodetic Survey, being 4364 feet. Viewed from the east, 

 the profile of the mountain presents somewhat the appearance of 

 a man's face turned to the sky. This fancy has given rise to the 

 local names for the peaks, the southern one being 'The Nose,' 

 the northern one, 'The Chin.' 



On the northeast, separating Mansfield from Sterling Moun- 

 tain, is Smugglers' Notch, a famous collecting ground for the 

 botanists since Pringle made known the resources of its rugged 

 cliffs. Though of less interest than the mountain proper, the 

 Notch proved a fruitful locality for birds, as well as for mammals 

 and plants. Several species of birds, notably the Mourning 

 Warbler and the Solitary Vireo, were found almost exclusively in 

 this region. The summit yielded a number of species not found 

 at lower altitudes, among which Bicknell's Thrush was the com- 

 monest and most interesting. 



On the southeast lies Stowe Vallev, whence a wagon road 



See ' The Foot-Path Way,' pp. 90-110. 

 ■Vol. VII, p. 194. 



