2G8 THE NATURALIST OF THE ST. CROIX 



catch most of the young birds as they swim about with 

 the old ones. A few years ago most every flock of ducks 

 or grebes would have from seven to twelve young ; now 

 we hardly ever see more than from one to four : while 

 many species of waders have left us entirely." Mr. Board- 

 man adds ; "I am sorry Henshaw was sent to so poor 

 a field ; he is such a good collector I should like to have 

 him in a good place. As for Turner — I think a person 

 going to Alaska should have something good in the 

 way of specimens to interest him." 



On September 9, 1879, Mr. Boardman writes of a 

 strange migration of southern birds at Milltown that he 

 has never known to visit there before. Among them were 

 Black Skimmers — a large flock ; Rhynchops Nigra and 

 Laughing Gulls. Mr. Ridgway writes September 17, 

 1879: "The remarkable influx of southern birds to 

 your New England shores is easy to understand. In 

 the latter part of July and early part of August Henshaw 

 and I visited Cobb's Island on the eastern shore of 

 Virginia, where all these birds were breeding, and the 

 cannonade we kept up there for over a week no doubt 

 sent you the birds you rejoice over. So you should 

 thank us for them. Brewster is down there now, and he 

 reports birds of the kind you have with }'ou as extremely 

 scarce." 



Writing to Mr. Ridgway June 12, 1881, Mr. Board- 

 man says : "I have had nothing very rare collected for 

 me here the past winter except an Ivory Gull, which 

 was not in very good plumage ; and a Black- necked 

 Stilt, this spring. They very seldom come so far north ; 

 I never got but one before. I hope you had a good time 

 out in Illinois and collected a lot of good things. Last 



