^°^i^lO^"] General Notes. 83 



them as Reedbirds. Red-winged Blackbirds, plucked, are also palmed 

 off to the ignorant as Reedbirds. 



By October 1 the dead marshes are almost forsaken by the Reedbirds; 

 my latest records of their occurrence are October 7, 1907, and October 14, 

 1908, when I saw several on both occasions at Bridesburg, but I have the 

 assurance of reliable gunners that they have taken them as late as October 

 25, and wounded individuals have been killed as late as November. 

 Whether the adult or young birds are the last to depart I cannot state 

 from experience. — Richard F. Miller, Harrowgate, Philadelphia, Pa. 



Regular Summer Crossbills at Ithaca, N. Y. — These erratic nomads 

 have so long enjoyed a reputation for irregularity in their movements, 

 both winter and summer, that the regularity of their appearance at Ithaca, 

 especially during the past four years, seems worthy of note. In fact they 

 have come to be predicted as accurately as many of our spring migrants. 



In all we have about 40 records for the species. Of these, none have 

 been made during the fall migration, but six during the winter, five during 

 the spring, from the middle of March to the first of May, and thirty during 

 the month of June. 



A more detailed study of our data will better reveal the regularity of their 

 appearance. The first record was made June 16, 1889, by Mr. L. A. 

 Fuertes who with us in recent years has noticed the regularity of their 

 occurrence. In 1900 and 1904 records were also made in June. In 190(3 

 a flock of 10 were seen on the Cornell Campus from June 21 to 24. In 1907 

 they were first seen on May 28 when twelve were recorded, and they con- 

 tinued common until June 24. In 1908 they were daily noted from June 

 10 to 17. In 1909 a flock of fifteen appeared June 6 and the species re- 

 mained until June 14. Thus, for four successive years they have returned 

 in approximately the same season of the year and the appearance is 

 apparently i-egular. — Albert H. Wright, Arthur A. Allen, Ithaca, N. Y. 



Breeding of the White-throated Sparrow in Yates County, N. Y. — ^ Owing 

 to the fact that the White-throated Sparrow {Zonotrichia albicollis) has 

 never been reported as breeding in western New York, it gives me pleasure 

 to record the nesting of this species in the famous bird haunt. Potter Swamp, 

 in the northern portion of Yates County. 



On the evening of May 31, 1909, as I was leaving the edge of this swampy 

 forest I was surprised to hear the sweet clear whistle of a White-throated 

 Sparrow coming from a two-acre clearing at the edge of the woods. Again 

 on June 6, while photographing a nest of the Cerulean Warbler "in situ" 

 near this clearing I heard the White- throat again, and as the bird sang so 

 constantly and remained in a restricted area I felt convinced that is was 

 singing to its mate on the nest. Therefore upon descending from the Ceru- 

 lean's nest I began a search for the nest that was only sviccessful after over 



