THE SPRING MIGRATION 79 



due about the middle of the month. This was the 

 case on the twelfth of March, 1907, when the de- 

 serted landscape of southern New England was sud- 

 denly alive with birds, which had arrived during the 

 night. With the early four came crow blackbirds, 

 meadowlarks, cedar-birds, phoebes, cowbirds, flickers, 

 and an accession to the winter supply of crows, and 

 probably others which I failed to note. Some of 

 these are not ordinarily seen until the twentieth, or 

 after. 



The woodcock is due at this time, when one would 

 think it impossible that there should be soft ground 

 in which it could bore, or worms therein to keep it 

 from starving. But if one will seek out open springs 

 in warm sheltered spots on the edge of woods, with 

 southern exposure, the reward may be the very pretty 

 sight of the long-billed bird, in the rich hues of new 

 plumage, flushing at close range and tamely alighting 

 not far beyond. 



Soon after the first woodcock we may expect to en- 

 counter small parties of fox sparrows along the road- 

 sides or in the woods, and toward the end of March, 

 the swamp, vesper, and field sparrows. Though the 

 birds which have already arrived increase in numbers 

 and the females, which are preceded by the males, 

 have put in their appearance, additional species are 

 slow to come, and meanwhile the winter birds are 

 leaving for the north. Many water and raptorial 

 birds arrive early, as will be told farther on. 



During early April the tiny kinglets are in evi- 



