ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 10-No. 1 



ary line about April 1, reaching Two Rivers. 

 Manitoba, 4938 qh April 3, wliile Kobins and 

 Blackbirds did not appear until the middle of the 

 month. 



If now we consider the speed al which tliis 

 wave moved, we find that all the eiTorts of Febru- 

 ary were productive of no real forward move- 

 ment; and that its true advance dates from March 

 9. Diu'inj: the next seven days, it pa.ssed to lati- 

 tude 43°, or forty -tliree miles a day. This hiii-h 

 rate is probably due to the previous retardation. 

 The next five days it advanced to latitude 44°, or 

 only fourteen miles a day. This slow rate may 

 lie due to the nortli winds and abundant rains 

 which occurred on these days; or it may be that 

 having moved rapidly to the limit of open water, 

 their further progress was necessarily slow, until 

 they were ovei'taken by the general advance of 

 the season. To reach latitude 46° required tive 

 more days, being twenty -eight miles a day, and 

 the next eight days, at thirty-one miles a day, 

 brought them to latitude iQ-*. It will lie seen 

 that tlie last three hundred and eighty miles were 

 ti-avelled al nearly the average speed, i. e., thirtj' 

 miles a day. This is nearly twice as fast as the 

 first wave of last year, which started early, pro- 

 greased slowly, and reached its destination even 

 later than that of this year. 



In the preceding remarks we have intimated 

 that the notes of last Spring were not altogether 

 .satisfactory. This was to have been expected 

 from the fact that less than half of the observers 

 had ever done any previous work of the kind. 

 But what was done shows that there are in tlie 

 Mississippi Valley, men sufficiently interested in 

 the work to make it in the future a grand .sitccess. 

 A very propitious beginning has been made, and 

 we intend that this shall be but the beginning. 



The particulars in which last Spring's notes 

 were lacking, are principally in regard to the 

 movements of the bulk, and the weather reports. 

 In regard to the weather the fault is mine rather 

 than the observers. It was my belief that the 

 Signal Service reports would prove amply .suffi- 

 cient, and so the observers were told they need 

 not pay much attention to weather reports. Ex- 

 perience has proved that I was wrong, and there- 

 fore the coming Spring it is desired that full 

 weather reports be furnished by each observer. 

 Instructions in regard to the form of the report 

 have been printed and will be sent to each ob- 

 server. Concerning the movements of the bulk, 

 the problem is more difficult of solution. Theo- 

 retically the arrival of the first, and of the bulk, 

 give us all the data we need, but practically, we 

 are met by the difficulty, that less than twenty 

 per cent, of the observers have the rcc^uisite ex- 



perience, or can spare the necessary time to de- 

 termine when the bulk do arrive. To obviate 

 this difficulty, a .slightly different series of observa- 

 tions will be refjuested in the forthcoming circu- 

 lar of the committee. With these changes and 

 increased attenlion p.-iid lo the matter of bird 

 waves, there ought to lie iidthing lacking in next 

 Spring's work. 



Of course, it is hoped that all the ob.servers will 

 be aV)le to help on the work again next S])ring, 

 but in addition we are in need of many more new 

 observers, and particularly in the following new 

 localities; One more in .southern Mississippi: 

 one in northwestern Mississippi; two in central, 

 two in northern Louisiana, and one at Xew 

 Orleans; three in southeastern Texas, one near 

 Corpus Christi, and one near Brownsville; two in 

 southern and two in central Arkansas; one in 

 eastern and one in western Indian Territory; two 

 in southeastern, and one in northwestern Mis.souri: 

 one in western Tennessee; one in western Ken- 

 tucky; one in southern Illinois; several in western 

 Kansas; and the same in western Nebraska; one 

 in southwestern. an<l one in northwestern Iowa; 

 as many new ones as possible in Wisconsin and 

 Minnesota north of 45° latitude; three in the 

 upper peninsular of Michigan; while the whole 

 of the prairie region of Dakota is practically 

 without observers. There is a rich field for ob- 

 servation in southwestern Dakota, and it is very 

 desirable to get as full notes as possible from that 

 district; while the Turtle Mountain region offers 

 a very fine chance for the ornithologist, especially 

 during the breeding .season. Here then are about 

 forty-five new observers needed in order to have 

 every part of our immense district imder close 

 observation. The larger part of the places men- 

 tioned have been comparatively little visited and 

 studied by ornithologists and will richly reward 

 any one who devotes his spare time to the work. 

 In this connection we cannot refrain from men- 

 tioning the excellent work done last Spring by 

 some of the lady observers. One of the best and 

 fullest report received came from a lady, while 

 for clearness and beauty of fini.sh it was excelled 

 by none. Hence when we call for ob.servei"s, we 

 wish both sexes to be considered as addressed. 



A year ago, a call for observers was Lssued in 

 this magazine. The results far exceeded the ex- 

 pectations; some forty-five answers were received 

 from the iVIississippi Valley and about fifty from 

 other parts of the United States. 3Iay this year 

 prove as successful. Let all who are willing to 

 aid, send their address, and full instructions will 

 be furnished. Those outside of the >Ii.s.sissippi 

 Valley will please apply to Dr. C. Hart Jlerri.im. 

 Locust Grove, N. Y. ; others can obtain circulars 

 from me. 



