Aug. 1887.] 



ANT> OOLOGIST. 



133 



My own observations are corroborated by 

 Mr. John C. Cahoon, who pi-obably has had 

 more recent experience than any other person 

 with our New England shore birds. In fact 

 Mr. Cahoon first drew my attention to this 

 question, and I should have hesitated before I 

 publicly expressed my assertions had not such 

 evidence presented by that gentleman's notes 

 as to settle any debatable point beyond dispute. 

 I regret that I have not at hand a complete list 

 of such species as retain tlicir si)ring plumage 

 during the autumn, but in absence of such 

 data I find it ditficult to exclude any variety, 

 as I have notes collected from various authentic 

 sources bearing upon every New England spe- 

 cies of shore birds, but in some cases the infor- 

 mation is so meagre, as to doubt whether it is 

 a governing rule to retain tiie breeding plum- 

 age, or rather individual exceptions. 



I have shot in the fall both \V"oodcock and 

 Grouse that appeared to be nuich brighter in 

 plumage and "better" birds tlian those seen in 

 spring, and can find no sportsman of any field 

 experience who does not relate the same obser- 

 vation. 



That the difference in plumage should be at- 

 tributed to age and not season seems to be a 

 correct view, and other evidence either pro or 

 con should be oftered upon this subject, to 

 which the foregoing statements are but a pro- 

 logue. 



Migratory Movements of Herons. 



BY WALTKU IIOXIK, FKOGMOKK, S. C. 



Some migratory movements of Herons have 

 come under my notice whidi are, perhaj^s, 

 worth reading. 



The Black-crowned Night Heron arrives here 

 the last of March, and the bulk leave about the 

 last of November. But throughout the winter 

 a few of the young remain. These very likely 

 were too fat and lazy to join the southern exo- 

 dus of their fellows and probably pass the 

 ordeal of our not very trying winters in making 

 good resolutions to be carried out next fall. 

 His white-headed cousin I have never caught 

 out during the inclement season. He seems 

 while here to depend entirely upon crawfisli 

 for his sustenance and the whole familj' doubt- 

 less go to where they can get all they need. 



The Little Blue Heron breeds but sparsely 

 on these islands, but about the first or second 

 week in July there is a heavy influx of the 

 young in their white plumage wiio hang about 



till frost. Throughout August they certainly 

 are ten to one the commonest heron liere. 

 This is plainly a movement towards tlie coast 

 of the young of the year, and from numerous 

 correspondents I gather the fact that it is like- 

 wise a spreading movement both up and down 

 the coast. I cannot account for it satisfac- 

 torily. 



Tiie Gi'eat Blue Heron is like the poor. He 

 is always with us. Not that he may strictly 

 be called a irsident bird, but we are witiiin tlie 

 overlapping limits of his migration range. 



The Great White Heron I have never de- 

 tected breeding here, but considerable num- 

 bers of the young are found about the time of 

 the visitation of the Little Blues, and generally 

 remain much longer. In mild winters they 

 stay through till spring and frequent tlie salt 

 marshes entirely. A very few adults visit us 

 in the spring. I am inclined to think that their 

 breeding habitat is a little further inland. 



The Snowy Heron breeds abundantly, ai- 

 riving about the :i4thof March with remarkable 

 regularity. By the middle of May tlie nests 

 are full and by the end of June all, young and 

 old, have departed. It is very seldom that one 

 can be found until the first of October wlien 

 they are back in full force again for a few 

 weeks. Where the intervening time is passed 

 I cannot tell. 



The Louisiana Heron follows pretty- much 

 the same course as the Snowy, but is not quite 

 so conspicuously absent in summer. A tew 

 young can almost always be found. 



The Green Heron and the I^east Bittern show 

 nothing remarkable in their movements. They 

 come and go with tolerable regularity and do 

 not seem to go through any disapiieanince 

 scene. 



The Greater Bittern turns up at all sorts of 

 odd times and in all kinds of unlikely corners. 

 I have scattering records coming nearly every 

 month in the year. He must be a confirmed 

 tramp. 



Nesting of the Yellow-bellied Fly- 

 catcher. 



BY FUEDEKIClv B. .SI'AU1J)IN(!, LANCASTE15, N. II. 



In describing the yellow-bellied Flycatcher, 

 (Eiupklonaj\jfin-ic<'ntris) in X. E. Bird Life, l)v. 

 Coues says, ''Thus far it is only known to breed 

 in Maine." I wish to record it as breeding in 

 New Hampshire also. Wliile collecting on 

 June 14th, 1886, I found a nest of this species 

 containing five fresh eggs. The nest was sunk 



