ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 9 



points of diversity, previously overlooked, have been detected, the 

 most important being the much blacker tail of Eastern birds, and 

 their decidedly shorter wing. 



Upon the whole, the two forms seem to constitute two veiy 

 strongly marked geographical races, which may be distinguished as 

 follows : — 



T. migratorius. — Wiu^, 4.85-5.33 ; tail, 4.10-4.60 ; bill, from nos- 

 tril, .48 -.51 ; tarsus, 1.20-1.35; middle toe, .83 -.92.* Inner web of 

 outer tail-feather with a distinct white terminal spot. Tail-feathers of 

 adult male dusky black, with slight edging of plumbeus. Habitat. 

 Eastern region, including the whole of Alaska, Eastern Mexico, and the 

 eastern border of the Missouri Plains. 



T. propinqiLus, Ridgw. (MSS.). — Wing, 5.35 - 5.60 ; tail, 4.60 - 4.70 ; 

 bill, from nostril, .50 -.55 ; tarsus, 1.30-1.35 ; middle toe, .90. Inner 

 web of lateral tail-feather with merely a narrower terminal edging of white, 

 or with no white whatever. Tail-feathers of adult male dusky slate, with- 

 out distinctly paler edges. Habitat. Western region, including eastern 

 base of Rocky Mountains. 



We find the character of blackish centres to the interscapulars in 

 Eastern specimens to be too inconstant a feature to serve as a 

 character. No specimens of the Western series are so marked, but 

 many Eastern ones, otherwise typical, have no trace of these mark 

 ings. It is a well-known fact that the eggs of the Western Robins 

 average considerably larger in size than those of Eastern birds. 



UNUSUAL ABUNDANCE OF THE SNOWY OWL (NYCTEA 

 BCANDIACA) IN NEW ENGLAND. 



BY RUTHVEN DE.\NE. 



In a recent number of this Bulletin (Vol. I, p. 95), Mr. N. C. 

 Brown gave some interesting notes respecting the variable abun- 

 dance of birds at the same locality in diflCerent seasons. I do not 

 think a more forcible illustration of his remarks can be cited than 

 the recent great abundance of the Snowy Owl in New England. 

 This bird is regarded as not a rare winter visitor to New England, 



* Eight specimens. 



