June, 1885.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



83 



took place in that territory, as certainly it did not 

 in Manitoba. Nor is the movement of special 

 importance south of Keokuk. The influence of 

 the low area has not yet extended south of there, 

 !ind it is not until the next night that a full bird 

 wave occurs at St. Louis. Here then we have 

 an excellent example of a bird wave and a warm 

 wave both working from the north, southward. 



In order to compare the conditions under 

 which the birds were migrating in March and 

 May, we will recapitulate in the same manner as 

 last montli. 



The temperature at which tlie migration was 

 made, is as follows: At 46', 39 records of firsts; 

 at 53°, 11 records; 55% 116, 59', 66, 63°, 70; 67", 

 9. Thus instead of 37° to 41° as the favorite 

 temperatures as was found in March, we have 55° 

 to 63° as the favorite temperature for nearly the 

 last wave. Indeed 63° is about the average tem- 

 perature at which the real rear guard, the 

 Cuckoos, Whippoorwills, &c. , usually move. 



In cloudy weather we find 184 records, and in 

 clear weather 113, or 63 per cent, cloudy to 38 

 per cent, clear, as against 60 and 40 in March. 

 The records with relation to the wind stand, with 

 N. 64 records; N.E. 0; E. 6; S.E. 47; S. 49; 

 S.W. 43; W. 33; N.W. 33; or for N. N.E. and 

 N.W. 97; with 138 for S. S.E. and S.W. 



The average barometer for 398 records was 

 39.88 inches against 30.00 inches in March. 



In studying the conditions under which each 

 species migrates, great dissimilarity was found. 

 For instance the greatest wind velocity at which 

 any Kingbird was recorded as migrating was 

 30 miles an hour, and the average velocity 9.8, 

 while the highest velocity for the Redstart was 7 

 miles and the average only 3.1 miles an hour. 

 The average temperature at which the Brown 

 Tlirush migrated was 54°, and the Orchard Oriole 

 63\ However, this part of the work, we have 

 studied very little as yet, and will leave its full 

 exposition >mtil anotlier time. 



The Birds of the Vicinity of Troy, 

 New York. 



Mr. Austin F. Park, of Troy, recently delivered 

 an interesting lecture under this title before the 

 Troy Scientific Association. He exhibited a col- 

 lection of about 330 specimens, representing 175 

 species of local birds. The lecturer gave a chai- 

 acteristic description of each bird family, and in- 

 terested his audience with many important de- 

 tails. The songs of the thrushes peculiarly re- 

 sembling the human style of expression and the 

 beauty and intense activity of the insectivorous 



warblers were dwelt upon. The bad side of the 

 English Sparrows being so otteu a subject of com- 

 ment by citizens, Mr. Park defended the birds by 

 showing their excellent capacity as scavengers, 

 and that the nuisance of their lodgment in vines, 

 trees and window blinds can be avoided by rout- 

 ing them out once or twice in the night time, 

 when they will leave their lodging place and seek 

 other and more peaceful lodgings. This clearing- 

 out process can be eflected by the use of poles or 

 fireworks or a stream of water directed from the 

 hydrants. Their war upon insects is unremitting 

 for a large part of the year, and when driven 

 from town they seek the suburbs, and assist the 

 farmer to destroy his grasshoppers, and some- 

 times, but only after the grasshoppers are gone, 

 to dispose of his surjjlus grain. 



Mr. Park showed a specimen of the Barred Owl, 

 which was shot in Harrison Place a few years 

 ago, which had in its stomach the foot and leg of 

 a Screech-owl. A series of six Sparrow Hawks 

 was exhibited, ranging from the white downy 

 nestling to the adult. He also showed the Gos- 

 hawks, Chicken Hawks and Sharp-shinned Hawks, 

 of which the females are greatly the largest, and 

 which live mainly on other birds. The 

 White Gulls Mr. Park denominated the " white 

 winged angels of the Arctic seas," which are 

 rarely found here even in Arctic weather. The 

 " Kuralien's Gull " is a species lately discov- 

 ered. It breeds in Cumberland Gulf, in the re- 

 gion of Greenland. The one shown by the lec- 

 turer is the first recorded specimen found in this 

 State. It is white, with a pearly blue back, and 

 beautifully shaped. The speaker observed, con- 

 cerning the intelligence of birds as indicated by 

 the fiuantity of brains, that the amount of brains 

 in proportion to the weight of the body is vastly 

 greater in the active birds, as the Thrushes, 

 Warblers and Sparrows, than in the Ducks and 

 Geese, and that some birds have a larger brain in 

 proportion to the weight of the body than is pos- 

 sessed by the average man. These facts indicate 

 a higher degree of intuitive intelligence in the 

 higher and more active grades of birds. The 

 cerebrum of a Song Sparrow's brain has a greater 

 weight, in proportion to its body, than the whole 

 brain of the average man in proportion to his to- 

 tal weight. The birds made a beautiful and 

 striking appearance. They constitute only a 

 part of the very large collection of Mr. Park, 

 which he is in hopes may some day be a nucleus 

 for a public museum in this branch of natural 

 history. The address was replete with interest, 

 and was very instructive and entertaining to all 

 who were so fortunate as to be present. 



