Chapin: Local Notes on Migratory Birds 187- 



In a cedar grove, near Richmond Valley, on January 3, 1909,.. 

 some long-eared owls' feathers sticking to the trees, and pellets 

 lying under several of the cedars showed that the grove had 

 recently sheltered some of these owls, though none were to be 

 seen either on this date or the following Sunday. 



Dryobates villosus. The breeding of the hairy woodpecker on 

 Staten Island was discussed in a recent number of the Proceed- 

 ings. Its rarity here in winter as well as in summer is shown 

 by the fact that the writer, though he has made weekly excursions- 

 on Staten Island during the past autumn and winter has noticed 

 but one hairy woodpecker, near Huguenot, on February 21, 1909. 



Loxia curvirostra minor. About five crossbills were observed 

 in Robinson's Woods, Great Kills, Staten Island, on December 

 20, 1908, and about the same number, in the same place, on 

 the 25th. 



Acanthis linaria. Notes on the occurrence of redpolls on 

 Staten Island in the winter of 1906-7 may be found in the 

 Proceedings for March, 1907. On December 20, 1908, a flock 

 of six or eight was seen at Great Kills, 



Spinus pinus. During the winter of 1907-8 no pine finches 

 were seen on Staten Island by the writer, but the next winter 

 has again witnessed the abundance of these irregular birds. 

 They have been quite numerous from early November to the 

 date of writing, and are often seen on the beaches, eating the 

 seeds of a goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens) , as well as in the- 

 uplands, where the alders, birches, and sweet gums furnish them 

 with food. 



Passer cuius sandwichensis savanna. On December 25, 1908, 

 two Savanna sparrows were seen on the beach near Oakwood,. 

 Staten Island. This is my second winter record for the island, 

 the first being that of a single individual taken at the same place 

 about January 1905. 



Ammodramus maritimus. Seaside sparrows, though very- 

 common breeding birds in our salt meadows, generally depart 

 during early November. Mr. Witmer Stone, in the " List of the- 



