Part I.] REPORT OF STATE ORNITHOLOGIST. 97 



food, turned to the uncovered and unprotected nests of the 

 smaller birds for food. The rains in some instances produced 

 floods in the rivers, and in these floods undoubtedly many nests 

 of ground-nesting and bush-nesting birds were destroyed. 



It is interesting to note that during the cold wave of 1917, 

 migrating birds which were late in coming were also late in de- 

 parting for the north. Recent investigators, both in Europe 

 and America, have expressed the belief, after long years of ob- 

 servation and record, that the state of the weather has little 

 effect on the migration movements of birds; but my records 

 show that in years of exceptionally cold or stormy weather the 

 majority of the birds are late in coming from the south and late 

 again in moving on to the north. This proved to be the case 

 this year, for the migration of warblers which usually passes 

 on in May had not entirely passed until after the middle of 

 June. It seemed to be at its height the last week in May. 

 The blackpoll warbler ordinarily is about the last to appear and 

 depart. The species was reported from more than one locality 

 until the 15th of June. Mr. Myles S. McGeever saw a male 

 near Lowell on June 17. Some of the winter birds remained 

 longer than usual. Mr. Freeman B. Currier reports the pine 

 siskin at Newburyport June 6. Evening grosbeaks and juncos 

 stayed well into May. Many people report a subsequent lack 

 of summer birds. This was particularly noticeable in the 

 higher lands and to the north. An inquiry sent out in October 

 elicited many replies to the effect that few migrating birds 

 had been seen on the southward migration, particularly warb- 

 lers, with the exception of the myrtle warbler, which came in 

 larger numbers than usual. The myrtle warbler, however, is 

 not so seriously affected by cold and storms as are other species, 

 for it is able to live on seeds and berries. 



Possibly some of the birds which were suffering from cold and 

 starvation might have been saved by proper feeding. The 

 stomachs of most of the warblers are not fitted for digesting 

 seeds, but it is interesting to note that pine warblers in some 

 cases fed on suet, the finer parts of chick feed were eaten by 

 some, and a few were seen to peck shreds of meat from beef 

 bones hung on the trees. Mrs. Kate Denig Tower writes from 

 Port Clyde, Maine, that all the birds that come to her feeding 



