^rar. 1890.] 



AXD OOLOGLST. 



43 



X. B. Five egfijs, fresh. Gieenisli-white, 

 spotted and speckled, more heavily at tlie 

 hirger ends, with burnt umber and drab: 

 .71X.52; .GSx.4it; .70x.5i; .Tlx.ol; .G5x.48. 

 Set XVII. June 17, 1885. Grand Manan, 

 N.B. Four eggs, fresli. Greenish-wliite, 

 speckled wiih mouse-gray. Near the larger 

 ends the markings are much heavier, where 

 tliey form indistinct wreaths: .(iSx .54; .68x.54; 

 .()!> X ..",4; .70 X .r)4. ,/. P. N. 



Winter Notes from Cornwall, Vt. 



There seems to be in this locality an influx 

 of winter birds, which, as regarding the num- 

 ber of different species present and the abund- 

 ance of some of them, f uinishes a more varied 

 and interesting stti<ly of bird life than this 

 period of the year has furnished for several 

 seasons. 



Besides those birds which are resident with 

 us, although of not less interest, yet wc are es- 

 pecially given at this time of the year to the 

 study of those which come among us only dur- 

 ing tlie winter months, which gives us only a 

 limited time to make ourselves acquainted 

 with their habits. The most conspicuous 

 among these visitors from boreal regions, is 

 the Snowy Owl (Nyctea nijctea). Erratic in 

 their movements one cannot safely say when 

 they will or will not be seen. I can note three 

 instances thus far this winter of their either 

 being seen or captured. One was seen Nov. 

 l;^, but was not taken. One was caj^tured Dec. 

 S, and the third was taken in the same locality 

 and about the same lime as the second. I 

 have hear<l of others l)eing seen but cannot 

 vouch for the trutii of the statement, except 

 that so conspicuous a bird in regiird to size and 

 color would not easily be mistaken. 



In comparing these notes with those of the 

 two winters preceding I find that in 1888 and 

 188!) I have not a note on this owl, Avhile 1887 

 and 1888 furnished me notes on six. In their 

 migrations through tliis locality they seem to 

 favor file lake shore and along the wooded 

 banks of the stream. 



Tlie l!ed-poll Linnet (Acumtliif^ liuurin) is 

 another winter visitant oi whose appearance 

 we cannot always speak of for a certainty. In 

 1888 they came in laige numbers, although 

 they did not arrive until the spring months, 

 the first being observed on March 6th. They 

 remained in abundance during that month and 

 April, the last ones being noted on May 1st. 

 The winter of 1888 and 1889 did not furnish 



me a note on this species, while this season 

 they are exceedingly common. 



They were first seen Nov. 14, making the ex- 

 treme dates at which I have seen them in this 

 locality Nov. 11 and May 1. The Pine Linnet 

 {SpinuH plnux) which generally appears in 

 greater or less numbers, often mingling with 

 the Ited Poll, has been watched for with inter- 

 est but has not been noted thus far. 



The Snow Bunting {Plectrophanax na-alis) 

 has been with uscunstantly since December, al- 

 though not near as common as usual. 



The Pine Grosbeak (Pinirola enucleator) has 

 played a very conspicuous part among our 

 winter visitors. It has appeared in such num- 

 bers and has been so universally distributed as 

 to call forth miny remarks from disinterested 

 persons who could not help but notice tliis 

 large and handsome linch when it comes 

 around theii- door at a time of the year when 

 the trees seem to them so barren of bird life. 



They were first noted Nov. 15th. Upon 

 turning to my note book I find that the winter 

 of 1888 and 1889 did not bring with it any of 

 this species as far as my knowledge goes, 

 while 1887 and 1888 gave me only three speci- 

 mens. 



AVhen shot at, or otherwise disturbed, they 

 will rise with a sharp cry of alarm and after 

 circliug aroiuid for a few minutes will often 

 return to the same place from which they were 

 started. 



The Red Crossbill made its first appearance 

 on Nov. 20, 1889, although not abundant, as 

 there are no tracts of coniferous trees in this 

 immediate vicinity. I have examined speci- 

 mens in the Museum of Middlebury College 

 (all collected on the Campus) which have the 

 following dates: Feb., 1884, April 11, 1884, 

 June 28, 1884, with the suggestion that tlie 

 June birds were breeding. 



The year 1888 furnished me one note; June 

 16, three specimens seen in the same vicinity 

 and positively identified by A. D. Mead. 



White Winged Crossbill (Loxla leucoptera) 

 although not as common as its near relative of 

 the crossed bill, yet it has made its way from 

 the north to help enliven the monotony which 

 the bird fancier feels during a long cold winter 

 when a greater per centage of his feathered 

 friends are absent in their southern homes. I 

 collected a $ of this species Jan. 3, 1890. 



1888 furnishes a note of a jiair of these 

 birds, the $ being collected Feb. 27. 



Hawk Owl (Snrnia ulala). This Owl is cer- 

 tainly rare in this vicinity. One was collected 

 during the winter of 1884, and this winter 



