DISTRIBUTION OF OUR BIRDS IN WINTER 89 



the regularity of its appearance. The lowest record was 42, and 

 the highest, 50; and for each of two years there were 48 records. 

 The total for the four seasons was 188. In the winter of 1916-17, 

 December had 13 records; January, 18; and February, n; with 

 a total of 42. This species is never present in large numbers, and 

 may on that account be missed, even in its habitat in the woods. 

 I think, too, that this Nuthatch is given much to wandering, 

 especially in winter; and as few observers wander as much as the 

 bird, they are unlikely to find it on many days. 



The Red-headed Woodpecker had 51 records the first winter, 

 and 45 the second; there were no records of this species for the last 

 two seasons. These were the only winters in which I found the 

 Red-headed Woodpecker. ' It seems rather inexplicable that the 

 species should have been seen for the two first seasons, and entirely 

 absent during every other winter. That the two winters when the 

 bird was found were exceptional out of a dozen seems impossible, 

 and even though they were successive it does not appear to the 

 writer that they were necessarily identical in conditions favorable 

 for the Red-headed Woodpecker's remaining here during winter. 



The records of the Snowbird for two winters show considerable 

 irregularity. There were 22 records as the difference between the 

 higher and lower of these totals. In the second and the third 

 season the species was quite regular, there being but three records 

 more in one than in the other. The total for the four winters was 

 137 records. The winter of 1 916-17 was the severest, and to this 

 fact, I think, is due the small number of records made that year — 23. 

 Like the Snowbird, the Downy Woodpecker was quite irregular 

 for two winters; the first and the third there was a difference of 

 28 records. The second and the fourth season show records almost 

 equal — 25 and 22. The total for four years was 99 records. It 

 would be interesting to know what are the determining factors 

 in the distribution of this species in winter. Can it be that the 

 Downy Woodpecker is a wanderer and, not being abundant, is 

 therefore often absent in many localities? 



The records of the Tree Sparrow are as interesting as they are 

 irregular. Beginning with the highest record, 35, in the first season, 

 there is a decrease between each successive year: 7 the second 

 winter; 13 the third; and 9 the fourth. The four seasons totalled 

 87 records. I think severe weather and deep snows are the cause 

 of the scarcity of this species; and probably in parts of the north 



