74 BULLETIN OF THE NUTTALL 



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The Philadelphia Vireo in New England. — The increase and de- 

 crease of certain species in given localities is becoming a subject of much 

 interest, instances of which are cited every year. A single specimen may 

 be captured in a locality far from the usual habitat of its species, where it 

 may not be seen again for years, or it may gradually increase and later be 

 found as a regular autumn migrant, though not detected in the spring, and 

 vice versa. The above-named species was first given as a New England 

 bird by Prof. Charles E. Hamlin, based upon a specimen which be cap- 

 tured at Waterville, Me., May 21, 1863. For the next nine years it escaped 

 the notice of our collectors, when during a collecfing trip at the Umbagog 

 Lake, Maine, I procured a specimen on June 3, 1872, and on the follow- 

 ing day, in company with Mr. Wm. Brewster, obtained two more. In a 

 communication from Geo. A. Boardman, Esq., he states that on June 2, 

 1872, he obtained a female at Calais, Me., the only one, however, which 

 he has met with. We did not hear of the Vireo again until September, 

 1874, when Mr. Brewster took six specimens at Lake Umbagog. On 

 September 11, 1875, I procured a female at the foot of Bipogenus Lake, a 

 beautiful sheet of water situated about one hundred and fifty miles north- 

 east from the Umbagog Lake, and observed two others. There was an 

 immense migration of Warblers, Sparrows, and other species on that morn- 

 ing, and the specimen taken was in company with the Becl-eyed and Yel- 

 low-throated Vireos.* 



All these specimens were undoubtedly on or near their breeding-grounds, 

 and although but few pass tln-ough the coast States, yet it is strange that 

 the species should have escaped the notice of the many watchful collectors 

 of the present day until Mr. Brewster procured a specimen in Cambridge, 

 Mass., on September 7, 1875 (see Bulletin No. 1, p. 19). Three specimens 

 were taken during the first week of June, 1876, at Lake Umbagog, in 

 which locality it now must be considered as a summer resident. — 

 buthven deane. 



Geographical Variation in the Number and Size of the Eggs of 

 Birds. — It is not surprising that the now well-known law of geographi- 

 cal variation in size among birds should find expression in the eggs of 

 birds as well as in the birds themselves. I have only recently, however, 

 met with satisfactory proof of the fact, for which proof I am indebted to 

 the kindness of Captain Charles Bendire, U. S. A. Under date of May 

 21 (1876), Captain Bendire wrote me as follows : "The geographical vari- 

 ation in size among North American birds holds true also in respect to 



* This is the most northern locality in Maine at which I have known the Yel- 

 low-throated Vireo to occur. 



