No. 123.] ORNITHOLOGY. 109 



northern Ontario, and the smaller or more southern race had 

 appeared. An immense flight of Sapsuckers was reported in 

 the west. Late in the month the numbers of Evening Gros- 

 beaks thinned out, and Pine Grosbeaks practically disappeared 

 from Massachusetts. Goldfinches remained scarce, but many 

 were reported from the south. The delayed migration of Fox 

 Sparrows reached immense numbers in southern New England, 

 but the great majority passed northward early in the month. 

 The Red-breasted Nuthatch was extremely scarce, and Black- 

 capped Chickadees were much less common than in February 

 and early March, while Golden-crowned Kinglets, as last year, 

 appeared to be very rare. 



There was an early flight of Kingbirds on Cape Cod and 

 Marthas Vineyard this month. 



May. 



The first fourteen days of May were mainly cold with snow, 

 frosts, much cold and rainy weather, and northerly or easterly 

 winds. During this time many of those land birds which feed 

 chiefly on the ground moved on to their northern breeding 

 places, but arboreal birds were slower in coming. The migra- 

 tion of the month was peculiar. The weather was generally 

 cold and backward from the southern States to New England. 

 During the colder periods, with east and northeast wdnds and 

 much rain, there was little evidence of forward movement, 

 except as the birds worked northward in the daytime, feeding 

 as they moved along; but when the wind shifted to the south- 

 ward, with fair, warm days and clear nights, the northern 

 migrants made great leaps over wide spaces. 



The Spring Movement of Warblers. — On May 6 the weather 

 moderated and a south wind brought several species of War- 

 blers to northwestern Massachusetts that were not recorded in 

 the eastern sections until later, where most species w^ere re- 

 ported as late and few in number. On the 17th rains and 

 easterly winds gave place in southern New England to fair, 

 warm weather with southerly breezes. On that day and the 

 next, a great flight of Warblers and other land birds appeared. 

 It reached New Hampshire on the 18th. The temperature of 

 northern Maine at this time had attained the maximum of 



