280 Beyer, Allison, Kopman, Birds of Louisiana. [.My 



events in southern Louisiana is of much greater uncertainty towards 

 the end of the season than earlier. Several species, however, show 

 great consistency in their movements at this season, and this is 

 particularly true of departing winter visitors. The White-throated 

 Sparrow and Myrtle Warbler nearly always depart between April 

 22 and April 27. The House Wren departs a week to ten days ear- 

 lier as a rule. The Rusty Blackbird, Savanna Sparrow, Swamp 

 Sparrow, and American Pipit leave in the first week of May. The 

 departure of these species marks the practical conclusion of the 

 spring migration. The Bobolink, the Rose-breasted Grosbeak, 

 and late warblers and thrushes, lingering sometimes for a day or 

 two of warm weather after a fresh spell about May 1, will depart 

 suddenly in a body. The Redstart and Bay-breasted Warbler, 

 however, have been seen as late as the middle of May, and the 

 Wilson's Thrush and Catbird have been noted at New Orleans 

 equally late. 



Although the nesting period in southern Louisiana represents 

 almost the extreme extension of the breeding season in the United 

 States, there are only two months, from about May 15 to about 

 July 15, when other phases of bird life are not mingled with it. 

 By the latter date, Yellow W T arblers are beginning to move into 

 southern Louisiana, from which they are absent as nesters. With 

 them, or closely following them, come Black-and-white Warblers, 

 and occasionally the Cerulean W T arbler. Considerable flights of 

 Tringa maculata, Totanus, and Bartramia reach the coast by July 

 15 or 20. Though the hottest part of the summer is beginning, 

 the nights and early mornings are frequently fresher with light 

 northerlies. By July 25 these conditions are often pronounced, 

 so that the number of Yellow Warblers increases rapidly, Black- 

 and-white Warblers become fairly common, and even the first Red- 

 starts arrive. 



In connection with the brevity of the uninterrupted breeding sea- 

 son in Louisiana, the behavior of the Tree Swallow is interesting. 

 While this species certainly does not breed in the southern section 

 of the State, even assuming that it may breed elsewhere in Louisi- 

 ana, it reappears near the coast by July 20 or earlier. As it may 

 be observed at New Orleans in the spring sometimes as late as May 

 20, it is thus about the last species to leave, and one of the first to 



