56 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



spring; since then three more of these banded birds have been 

 taken. 



In October, during the session of the American Ornithologists' 

 Union in Chicago, the Inland Bird Banding Association was 

 formed, which will include in its field of operations the great 

 area included in the Mississippi River Valley, from Canada to 

 the Gulf of Mexico. 



With an adequate supply of bands assured, the officers of the 

 New England Bird Banding Association plan to direct the 

 activities of the members toward the solution of certain definite 

 problems in field ornithology, particularly that greatest puzzle 

 of all — the immemorial mystery of migration. 



Bird Migration and Distribution during the Year. 



(Summary compiled from reports of divisional observers and office records.) 



This report begins December 1, 1921, as this date is the first 

 day of the fiscal year covered by all Massachusetts reports. 



December, 1921. 



In 1921 there were about three hundred and fifty days in 

 which the temperature averaged much above normal; therefore 

 the year on the whole was perhaps the warmest on record in 

 southern New England. But the last half of December brought 

 a change, with temperature lower than normal and with severe 

 weather in the North. 



Numbers of Wild Fowl and Sea Birds. — Large numbers of wild 

 fowl and sea birds appeared on the New England coast during 

 the month. Brants were abundant early. Canada Geese 

 continued to pass, and many remained along the coast. 



Numerous Dovekies, Razor-billed Auks, Black Guillemots 

 and Brunnich's Murres were reported in the coastal waters, 

 and later a few Puffins began to come south. 



Many Owls. — In the coastal region there was a great flight 

 of Long-eared and Short-eared Owls, while a flight of Barred 

 Owls reached its height in the interior. Storms which pre- 

 vailed on the North Atlantic drove ashore many ducks, Dove- 

 kies and other sea fowl. Some of these birds were exhausted, 

 dead or dying because of the rough seas, while others were 

 dead or disabled from contact with waste oil pumped out of 

 oil-burning steamships. 



