Berriek on Birds at Fort Hamilton, L. I. 1 3 



rather scarce both in spring and autumn. About the middle of 

 the present month, May 1SS0. I noticed it in considerable num- 

 bers. 



What occasions these erratic movements of the birds? The 

 supposition that a variation in the supply of food is the cause 

 seems hardly probable, for it appears incredible that the food of 

 the Chickadee and Nuthatches should have been so scant last fall 

 as to cause these birds to avoid this locality in their migrations. I 

 say it is incredible because their kind of food is shared by many 

 other birds that were abundant. As for the character of the 

 season influencing their travels, unless it can be shown that they 

 wintered north of Long Island in unusual numbers, I do not think 

 it can be taken as a reasonable explanation, for the birds men- 

 tioned above are regular migrants whatever the character of the 

 seasons may be. 



In closing I may remark that there are three common birds that 

 are always rare about Fort Hamilton, viz. : The Hairy Wood- 

 pecker {Picus villosus). the Downy Woodpecker {Pic us pube- 

 sccns), and the Purple Martin {Progne purpurea) . Now I 

 expect that some readers of this article will conclude that its 

 author is either afflicted with blindness, or else is a very careless 

 observer. I beg leave to say that neither conclusion is correct. 

 The statement regarding the scarcity of the species just named, 

 •is the result of four years' careful observation of the birds of this 

 locality. Mr. Geo. H. Coues has. indeed, given both the Hairy 

 and Downy Woodpeckers as common about the Naval Hospital, 

 Brooklyn (this Bull., Vol. IV.. p. 31). The Hospital is scarcely 

 a dozen miles from Fort Hamilton, nevertheless I must stand to 

 my statement, and am willing to take my oath upon a copy of 

 Dr. Coues's "Key to North American Birds," as to its validity. 

 In this vicinity I have met with the Downy Woodpecker only 

 two or three times, and with the Hairy Woodpecker not at all. 

 It is true that the woods have been pretty nearly cleared away 

 from this part of the island, still a sufficient amount of woodland 

 remains, and certainly the orchards should furnish ample accom- 

 modations. The case of the Purple Martin is equally curious. 

 This bird is common enough at the eastern end of the island, 

 yet here I have only seen a few individuals. 



