No. 123.] ORNITHOLOGY. Ill 



on the coast of Massachusetts. In the early evening of June 

 7 many small birds were heard migrating in Massachusetts 

 and Maine. 



Waxwings, Vireos, Cuckoos, Nighthawks, Purple Martins, 

 Goldfinches, Wood Pewees, Black-poll Warblers, Baltimore 

 Orioles and Indigo Buntings continued to appear locally in 

 New England and Canada after June 1. The last flight of 

 Red-breasted Mergansers noted at Block Island, Rhode Island, 

 was June 4, and 20 Loons were reported off Cape Cod on 

 June 7. Goldfinches and W^axwings were first noted the 

 second week in June in some places, while a few shore birds 

 were reported still migrating. Among the rarer birds noted in 

 Massachusetts were Worm-eating and Mourning Warblers, and 

 several Blue Grosbeaks were reported from Massachusetts and 

 Maine. Notwithstanding the severe winter, which must have 

 reduced the vigor of winter residents, there were many reports 

 of large sets of eggs deposited by the Ruffed Grouse. The 

 spring migrations were hardly finished when a few shore birds 

 appeared, apparently on their southward journey, but these 

 may have been non-breeding birds that had remained some- 

 where on our shores. Great Blue Herons were reported on 

 the Massachusetts coast and on Long Island during the last 

 week of June. 



July. 



July was not far from normal generally in most of southern 

 New England, with only one short period of abnormally high 

 temperatures and a few very cool days the last week, but there 

 was a heavy rainfall in some localities, particularly in the hills 

 of western Massachusetts. In northern New England there 

 was a favorable breeding season for the birds, with much 

 pleasant weather. 



Autumnal Migration begins. — On July 1 some of the shore 

 birds had reached Long Island, and about July 15 some of the 

 earlier breeders among the land birds began flocking or de- 

 serting their breeding places. Herring Gulls appeared in 

 numbers on Marthas Vineyard by the 26th, and on the 28th 

 five Black Terns were noted there. During this month Ruby- 

 throated Hummingbirds were reported as feeding on small 

 caterpillars. There seems to have been no considerable num- 



