:N'ov. 1890.] 



AND OOLOGIST 



171 



tliat was going on, we chose tlie toji of a 

 sand dune for a dining table. Soon we 

 noticed (locks of White-bellied Swallows 

 coming over, and as one flock passed rather 

 low I managed to secnre a specimen from it. 

 During all of the afternoon flocks of from 

 twenty-five to several hundred came along 

 l>i-('tty I'egulaily, at intervals of about fifteen 

 minutes, all flying westward, so that alto- 

 gether many thousands of these birds must 

 iiave passed over in migration on that date. 

 Occasionally one ov two stragglers would fly 

 low, just over the tops of the dunes; one such 

 came within five feet of the muzzle of Joe's gun 

 barrel. I exclaimed ' O-o-o-o," and Joe, think- 

 ing I meant for him to fire, blew the poor bird 

 into a sliapelcss mass. 



Our stock of ammunition was now nearly 

 exhausted, especially the smaller sizes of shot, 

 so we started towards the depot. We had 

 gone but a little way, and were cro.ssing a strip 

 of meadow, when we saw a small Hawk skim- 

 ming along through the cedars ahead of us. 

 We dropped on our knees, and after a few 

 turns the Hawk came directly towards us. 

 When within thirty yards Joe gave him a 

 charge which made him drop his foot and look 

 sick. I followed with a dose of No. 3, which 

 cause him to spin around several times and 

 fall in a heap, showing that a shot had en- 

 tered the head. On picking him up I saw that 

 he was a new bird to my collection, namely, 

 Falro coliimbarius, and a fine specimen he was, 

 too. 



We had been scaring up Flickers (Colaptes 

 (itinttua) all day, but it was not till nearly 

 night that we secured two, both shot by Joe. 

 One was a good fifty-yard-wing shot, and the 

 other was remarkable, from the fact that after 

 l)icking him up we discovered from her 

 cries (»f distress that a Plioebe had been 

 wounded by the same shot. Phoebes 

 wcie common all day, as were Catbirds and 

 (ioldlinches. The Catbirds had a very glum 

 and sullen aspect, it seemed to me, keeping 

 well out of sight in the bushes; while on llie 

 other hand the Goldfinches, as usual, were the 

 personification of life and vivacity — and yet 

 the Catbirds were on their way to the sunny 

 south, while the Goldfinches were going to 

 brave the rigors of a northern winter — ales- 

 son for those people who are always clamoring 

 for a change. 



We saw several Brown Thrushes, and se- 

 emed a i>air of Cedarbirds in young plumage. 

 The .Snowbirds {Juncn liyenmliH) had already 

 anived in small numbers. 



As we stood on the last of the dunes before 

 starting for the depot, we saw a large fiock of 

 White-bellied Swallows pause in their migra- 

 tory flight and circle gi-acefully over a large 

 strip of meadow, and as the sun, then well 

 toward the horizon, threw his rays between 

 the hills full upon the Swallows it lighted up 

 the scene most beautifully, the ease and grace 

 with which the birds performed their evolu- 

 tions adding to the impressive beauty of a 

 scene which formed a fitting ending to a trip I 

 shall not soon forget. Arthur II. Howell. 



Brooklyn, N. Y. 



Wanderings, No. g. 



MOUNT KEARSARGE. 



The 24th of June, 1890, found me in the 

 little, but famous, town of Xorth Conway, 

 N. H., the guest of my old-time and long- 

 tried friend, J. Waldo Nash, whose name is 

 known to our readers by his notes, which ap- 

 pear in our columns from time to time. 



The home of Brother Xasli is located on the 

 outskirts of the village, and his little farm is 

 washed, oftimes too roughly, by the waters of 

 Kearsarge Brook, which takes its rise on the 

 side of the mountain whose name it bears, and 

 whuse bare and rocky crest rises above the 

 minor peaks around, like a sovereign raised 

 above his subjects. 



On the farther side the brook, the slope of 

 Lookout Point, one of the Green Hills range, 

 begins to rise, and with but little intervale 

 climbs toward the clouds, affording, from the 

 various ledges which croj) out from its sides, a 

 beautiful view of the village, the Saco Eiver 

 which winds through it, the Cathedral rocks, 

 and AVhite Horse ledge. Beyond is Mount 

 Attitash, with its noted cascades, known as 

 Diana's Baths, which show notable examples 

 of the Potholes, with which the ledges of the 

 river bottoms of this section abound; Moat 

 Mountains, and beyond, Chocorua, despite its 

 distance, lifts its height of 3,500 feet. 



It is no wonder that, with these surround- 

 ings, we find Brother Nash an artist and tax- 

 idermist of no small ability, and a thorough 

 naturalist and woodsman; and numerous spec- 

 imens of his handiwork adorn the walls of his 

 cozy dwelling. From this point did we diverge 

 for numerous tramps about the country. 



Upon this day we took the course of the 

 brook, lined with trees and bushes, and soon 

 found birds in abundance. Here, in a swamp, 

 near the railroad station, we found the nest of 



