Qo Loomis on Birds of Chester County, South Carolina. Iadi-H 



early Scoters are, or are not, south-bound migrants. It is cer- 

 tain that the individuals captured were not wounded birds 

 ('pensioners'), and on that account unable to perform the 

 migration to their breeding grounds. Observations through 

 May and June would throw light upon the matter. 



A comparison between the southward movements of water 

 birds in June, July, and August at Monterey Bay with those of 

 the smaller land birds in Chester County discloses a striking 

 similarity. There were the migration in some species of adult 

 birds soon after their breeding season, the fluctuations, and the 

 arrival of birds that breed wholly to the northward. 



Mr. Murdoch speaks of early southward movements at Point 

 Barrow, Alaska (Ray's Rep. Exped. to Pt. Barrow) occurring 

 during the latter part of July. Judging from some of his annota- 

 tions the first week of the month is perhaps the beginning of 

 such migration. So far as definitely indicated, the adults 

 migrated before the young. 



The following from Dr. Coues's 'Notes on the Natural 

 History of Fort Macon, N. C (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 

 1871, p. 31) is so pertinent that I reproduce it in full: "The 

 beach and marsh are cleared of all their sandpipers about the 

 first of June ; and, for some six weeks, scarcely a straggler of any 

 sort is to be seen. But about the middle of July — a few days 

 before or after the 15th — a few of this and the next species 

 [Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers] reappear, and in August 

 the numbers are materially increased, still in advance of the 

 main body of September arrivals." 



In Chester County, through September, breeding residents and 

 residents fluctuate with the arrival and departure of waves. The 

 majority of the former decrease permanently before the month 

 ends, and some finally disappear. Except a single species, the 

 last depart in October, several lingering almost to the end of the 

 month. Many of the residents gain in abundance in September. 

 Species whose advent was in August are then in the ascendency 

 among transients. Their numbers vary as the successive waves 

 pass southward. Extreme abundance is attained by some of 

 the earlier transients. The additional species make their 

 appearance chiefly after the first week. In most instances they 

 come to their full measure of abundance in October. In October 



