3 ORNITHOLOGIST 
A Season's Notes from Bristol 
County, Mass. 

A. Brief Review from My Note Book of 1885. 

BY F. M. MERCK.—PART I. 

As is usual in our New England climate, ‘‘win- 
ter lingered in the lap of spring,” and our bird life 
did not arrive in force until late in May. 
A warm spell in latter February and early 
March, brought a few Red-wings, and a Song 
Sparrow burst into song March 5th, but colder 
weather ensued, and I did not hear his sweet trill 
again until the 27th. A few Robins showed 
themselves, and now and then a Bluebird came 
about the house. 
April 1st, was warm and bright, and to-day I 
noticed the first White-breasted Swallow of the 
season. Cowbirds and Pewees arrived a day or 
two later, together with the Meadow Larks. 
April 7th, I visited my friend, Mr. “F. H. C.,” 
and arrived at his house to find him absent on a 
day’s collecting trip. In the afternoon he re- 
turned with a set of two eggs of the Barred Ow], 
thus showing that Strix kept up to date, despite 
the inclement season. During the fortnight spent 
at Rehoboth, the weather grew much warmer. 
Fox Sparrows appeared in numbers, and the van- 
guard of the Red-poll Warblers arrived. A Great 
Northern Skrike was shot April 16th, and both 
Junco’s and Fox Sparrows were last observed 
on the 18th. 
A Red-shouldered Hawk was seen building her 
nest in a tall oak tree; she seemed loath to leave 
her work, although I passed under it. My friend 
secured a set of two eggs from it April 27th. 
The latter part of April was warm, and brought 
Barn and Cliff Swallows, Brown Thrushes and 
Black-and-White Creepers. The spring plumaged 
Yellow-rumped Warblers were very plenty, and 
do not resemble the modest autumn migrants. 
Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawks are now 
laying, though the latter species is well along in 
incubating. One nest of the former found April 
27th, with three eggs, and two nests the 28th, with 
tliree eggs apiece. 
May 1st to 10th, very pleasant; Blue Yellow- 
backs, Golden-crowned Thrushes arrived on the 
6th, Yellow Warblers and Wood Thrushes the 
7th, Kingbirds and Spotted Sandpipers the 8th, 
and Chimney Swifts on the 9th. 
Fish Hawks are not common in my section of 
this county, but from the colony on Palmer’s 
River comes the report of “F. H, C.” “ Visited 
the Ospreys in company with F. W. A., May 8th, 
and found them with complete sets, though we 
failed to find any with four eggs, as we did in ’84.” 
[Vol. 11-No. 3 


A nest of the Cooper’s Hawk was found April 
29th, with four eggs; this nest was in oak woods, 
and from the inside arrangement (lining of cedar 
strips) Iam of the opinion it was an old habita- 
tion of Corvus. 
Another nest of Cooperi found May 2d, was the 
same from which a set was taken in ’84; the only 
instance I have noted of A. cooperi using the same 
nest for successive seasons. 
My first Blue Jay’s nest was found May 11th, 
and while despoiling it, a Sharp-shinned Hawk, 
doubtless attracted by the discordant screams of 
the angry Jays, dashed into the grove of pines and 
seizing a Jay, bore it to the ground, then suddenly 
catching a glimpse of me it flew away, while it’s 
would-be victim shambled off, a badly scared 
specimen of Corvide. 
May 10th to 20th, White-eyed Vireos, Baltimore 
Orioles, Redstarts and Wood Pewees arrived. 
Nashville Warblers are seen, and one fine male 
Black-and-Yellow Warbler ; a rare migrant. 
May 23d, I secured a fine specimen of the Rose- 
breasted Grosbeak, which I find from the testi- 
mony of several collectors to be quite rare in this 
county, and May 29th I had the good fortune to 
secure another, also a male ; these were the only 
ones I have observed, and can find no authentic 
reports of its nesting within the limits of this 
county. 
The male Scarlet Tanagers arrived here in force 
May 20th, and the females a few days later. 
These birds by reason of brilliant color and fine 
song are conspicuous features of our local Bird 
Life. Other birds are now breeding ; two nests of 
the Black-capped Chickadee are found in birch 
stubs, open at the top, with a soft lining of rab- 
bit’s hair and wool. 
Flickers and Downys are occupying their domi- 
ciles in old orchards and groves, and on May 29th 
I secured a pair of P. villossus, a very late date for 
these birds, which usually figure in our fauna as 
winter visitors. I am of the opinion they were 
nesting in the vicinily, or intended to do so, and 
my belief is further strengthened by the occur- 
rence of their breeding at Rehoboth, where a hole 
was found in an old apple tree tenanted by a pair 
of Hairy Woodpeckers. 
The set was four in number and advanced in 
incubation. This is the first instance on record 
of the breeding in this county, and i presume the 
fortunate collector (F. H. Carpenter) will give 
fuller particulars. 
June Ist, the last migrants, the Black-poll War- 
blers, arrived last week, and bird life is at its 
zenith. A nest of the Field Sparrow in some low 
trailing briars, with four eggs, another of Chewink 
ina low bush with one egg, and several of the 
Catbird with a fullcomplement of eggs are noticed, 
