iSSS.] Richmond, Birds Breeding- in District of Columbia. IQ 



marila nearctica) at Mt. Vernon: "In May, iSSi, a female 

 duck was often noticed swimming to and from a marshy trrct 

 near Mt. Vernon Springs, and in June was flushed from tlie 

 nest by Mr. L. P. Pumphrey, an experienced gunner and duck 

 shooter. The nest contained fourteen eggs, which were not 

 disturbed. Later in the same month they were found to have 

 hatched (with the exception of one), and the young ducks weie 

 transferred to the care of a hen. The ducks grew, and when old 

 enougli to fly, went oft' one at a time and never returned. At 

 no time was the male bird seen. Mr. Pumphrey's identification 

 of the bird was complete, and his gieat familiarity with the 

 birds of the river makes his dictu7n reliable." This instance, of 

 course, was purely accidental, the bird probably being wounded 

 and obliged to remain where it was discovered. 



Three birds given as breeding in 'Avifauna Columbiana,' by 

 Drs. Coues and Prentiss, are here omitted, viz : Brown Creeper 

 (yCerthia familiar is a7nericana)^ Tree Swallow (^Tachycineta 

 bicolo/-)^ and Bronzed Grackle {^uiscalus quiscula ceneus) . 

 The first is a winter resident, being comm.on from the middle 

 of October until the first week in April. The Tree Swallow is 

 said to be "a common summer resident," whereas it does not 

 occur as such, although small scattered flocks of mi^'ants are 

 often seen flying over the city during the latter part of July. 

 The Bronzed Grackle is little more than a straggler, and indi- 

 viduals passing through here hardly remain to breed. However, 

 the writer has a male, taken on April 17, 1886, a date when 

 ordinary qiiisciila is nesting, and a female shot on April 6, 

 1887, about the time the Purple Crackles are laying their first 

 eggs. Both of these birds were taken in a grove of cedars 

 occupied by a colony of Purple Crackles. 



The writer desires to thank Mr. H. W. Henshaw, Mr. Robert 

 Ridgway, and others whose names are mentioned in connection 

 with the following notes, for information and assistance in pre- 

 paring the list. The notes apply to the breeding season only. 



1. Botaurus exilis. Least Bittern. — Rare. Has been seen here in 

 summer. 



2. Ardea egretta. American Egret.— Mr. Wm. Pahner has known 

 tliis bird to nest in Arlington Cemetery. 



3. Ardea virescens. Green Heron. — Qiiite common. Several pairs 

 nest along the Eastern Branch ever_v year. 



