42 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 8-No. (> 



stopping over of birds, whicli, if it was not 

 for the cold, would have passed unnoticed 

 in the niglit. 



The real migration at (2G) connnenced 

 3-1, but even at 3-21, they were still pass- 

 ing in large numbers. The inunense niun- 

 bers foTuid during the Winter at (21) be- 

 gan to disappear in the middle of February, 

 but the disapjiearance was quite gradual. 

 On 3-12, 300 were seen in a single mile, 

 but by 3-25 all had dispersed through the 

 country and no more flocks were seem. At 

 (30) small Hocks began to come 3-4, but 

 the j)rincipal migration was not until lunir 

 the end of the month. No. (32) found ten 

 large flocks 3-1, (38) found them (piite nu- 

 mei'ous 3-il ; (39) saw at (> r. m. 3-23, a 

 large flock going north. They were flying 

 abreast in an extend(>d lin(>, as far east and 

 west as the eye could reach, and at a height 

 of 75 to 100 feet. At (52) after the first 

 one 3-1, no more were seen until 3-14 and 

 then only two, the first flock came 3-17, 

 since then have been very slowly increas- 

 ing, and seem now to be as plentiful as 

 they ever Avill be, and the first comers are 

 looking out nesting places. 



After they get to ncu'thern Minnesota the 

 main army follows fast on the track of its 

 scouts and will reach Jiritish America from 

 the 15th to the 20th of April. Let us wish 

 them a safe journey, a pleasant Sunnner, 

 and plenty of bugs; they will have mos- 

 qiiitoes enough anyhow, and hope to see 

 them again next Fall. 



When we take uji the subject of Ducks 

 and Geese we are met at the very outset 

 by the great difficulty, that few observers 

 can identify ten per cent, of the Ducks and 

 Geese seen and so have to enter them with- 

 out giving species. Moreover the larger 

 part of th(> observers are kept by their 

 business within or near city limits and (can- 

 not visit the watery haunts of these birds. 

 In these notes I shall not attempt to scpa 

 rate into the several sp(H'ies, but treat alto 

 gether. 



The larger part of l)oth Dncks and Geese 



Winter near the seacoast, but in the Mis- 

 sissippi Valley as far up as they can find 

 open water, just so far they, that is some 

 of the species, will stay, and their move- 

 ment northward seems to be entirely de- 

 pendent on the opening of the frozen wa- 

 ters or their expectation of finding them 

 open. That their expectations are often 

 not realized is a matter of common obser- 

 vation ; and this brings up the query, 

 whether, when birds are migrating during 

 the night, they can see the ground at all 

 over which they are flying; or at that 

 height even in clear nights can distinguish 

 frozen water from litpiid. One would be 

 tempted to say they could not, else why 

 should they fly during the night miles be- 

 yond the last open water, only to return 

 the next day ? 



[Continued noxt Month.] 



Dr. Merriam's Return. 



The following exti*act from a private let- 

 ter will fully explain itself. Tlie Doctor 

 has been studying the Seal in its own home 

 and where only its habits can be properly 

 studied. 



T linvc at liiHt rcaclu'd lioinc, after nii intorcstinf; tlioufjlt 

 l)prilouH voya;;!' to the Arctic ice, where I collected I'iOspeci- 

 nu'iitt of Seals, and niiicli valuable information hearing; upon 

 their huhits, niif,'rations, and the iniluntry known as the 

 " Seal Fishery." C. Hart Merriah. 



Lapland Longspur. A female {Centro- 

 pfianes lapj^onlcus) was shot in this vicin- 

 ity, Jan. 26, 1883, by Mr. Charles H. Neff. 

 It was alone in a barren field. — John H. 

 Sage, Portland. Conn. 



Banded-backed Woodpecker. Among 

 my rarities of February apjiear one pair, 

 male and female, and one adult Glaucous 

 Gull. — E. iS. Bovder, Bangor, Maine. 



Lewis' Woodpeckers. D. D. Stone re- 

 ports shooting one pair of the above birds 

 at Denver, Colorado, May 13, 1882. They 

 were the only ones seen there by him dui'- 

 ing three seasons. 



Arrivals. — Sunday morning, May 13, 

 Baltimore Orioles, Cat-Birds, Bob-o-links 

 and Yellow Warblers appeared at Dorches- 

 ter, Mass. 



