DISTRIBUTION OF OUR BIRDS I Si 



other species. Late in June the old birds manifest great anxiety 

 if their young are approached by an intruder upon their breeding 

 grounds. 



The records of the Snowbird in March were scattered up to 

 the 19th, when the species was seen daily until the end of the month. 

 In April the Snowbird reaches its maximum in distribution — the 

 records this Spring being 29. Wherever an observer goes toward 

 the middle of April he will be sure to flush flocks of Snowbirds. 

 Even in May, for about a week, he will still find the birds, but not 

 so numerous. This year the last Spring record of the Snowbird 

 was made on May 8th. 



In early Spring the Cardinal seems to be almost accidental 

 here, for as typical of its rarity I may cite the few records of March 

 and April 191 7 — two for each month. In May there were 9 records 

 this year, which are sufficient to establish the fact that the Cardinal 

 does not breed at Notre Dame. It merely flies from no great dis- 

 tance, probably from the banks of the St. Joseph River, or some 

 deep woods, where it is breeding. In such places I hear the note of 

 the Cardinal often. 



In the Goldfinch we have a very irregular species in March 

 and April, and even in the early part of May. This year there was 

 a single record for March — the 19th. The species was not seen 

 again until April 18th, when there followed five scattered records. 

 In May no Goldfinches appeared until the 12th, when they must 

 have come in force, for after that date the species was recorded 

 daily . 



The Kingfisher arrived March 30, 19 17, and was not seen 

 again until April 4. The records of this species are more or less 

 scattered in Spring — April had 18, and May 17, this year. These 

 figures show the relative abundance of the Kingfisher, which rarely 

 breeds at Notre Dame. One nest was found this Spring. 



A very remarkable record of the Purple Finch was made this 

 Spring. The species arrived very early — on March 5 — and had 8 

 scattered records for that month. Toward the end of April, Purple 

 Finches became our most abundant species, large flocks feeding in 

 low places on weed seeds. For this month there were 23 records; 

 and 9 for May — one being so late as the 31st. The beauty of the 

 rose-colored plumage and the sweet strain of the Purple Finch are 

 one of the greatest delights of the bird lover. 



The Phoebe is our earliest flycatcher — arriving this year on 



