48 



Bird - Lore 



tion, and on many of the milder days, 

 when the atmosphere was still and hazy, 

 the birds were very active as well as 

 apparently numerous for the time of year. 

 This was true not only of the country 

 districts, but also of places well within 

 the city limits. 



Of the habitually later arrivals among 

 our winter residents, only two were much 

 earlier than usual. These were the Herring 

 Gull, which appeared on October 17, 

 although its average autumn date is 

 November 8; and the Rusty Blackbird, 

 which was noted by Mr. A. Wetmore on 

 Plummer's Island, Md., October 5, but 

 which ordinarily does not come until 

 October 21. Others generally were rather 

 late. 



Apparently allured by the prevalent 

 mild weather, many species lingered later 

 than ever before known. These include 

 the following, the dates in parentheses 

 indicating the latest records previous to 

 this year: The Laughing Gull, seen at 

 New Alexandria and Dyke, Va., by Mr. 

 Francis Harper on October 26 (September 

 24, 1894); Blackburnian Warbler, reported 

 by Miss Marion Pellew, October 10 

 (October 7, 1889 and 1914); Wilson 

 Warbler, reported by Miss Pellew, October- 

 13 (October 6, 1904); Parula Warbler, by 

 the same observer, October 17 (October 

 16, 1899); Northern Water-Thrush, seen 

 by Miss Pellew at Chain Bridge, D. C, 

 October 16 (October 7, 1897); Maryland 

 Yellow-throat, reported from the Ana- 

 costia River, D. C, by Mr. Francis Harper, 

 November 2 (October 22, 1916); Phila- 

 delphia Vireo, seen at Plummer's Island, 

 Md., by Mr. A. Wetmore, October 5 

 (September 22, 1889); and the Rose- 

 breasted Grosbeak, noted by Miss Pellew 

 on October 11 (October 6, 1907). 



Several other birds, while not breaking 

 their extreme records, remained later than 

 usual, among them, the Black and White 

 Warbler, seen by Miss Pellew on October 

 14, while its average date of departure 

 is September 22; the Whiie-eyed Vireo, 

 reported on October 13 (average date of 

 departure, October 7); the Ruby-throated 

 Hummingbird, noted by Mr. A. S. Ferrell 



at Woodridge, Md., on October 6 (average 

 date of leaving, September 20); and the 

 American Redstart, observed by Miss 

 Pellew on October 7, the average autumn 

 date of departure of which is September 

 19, and the very latest date, October 8, 

 1916. 



Furthermore, the Black-bellied Plover, 

 of which there are but two previous records 

 for the district, September 26, 1914 and 

 October 24, 1916, was seen by Mr. A. 

 Wetmore at Plummer's Island, Md., on 

 October 26, 1919. 



Notwithstanding the warm weather in 

 this vicinity, two northern birds have been 

 unusually numerous during this autumn. 

 The Pine Siskin, in flocks, has been common 

 all about Washington since October 26, 

 when several companies were noted by Mr. 

 Francis Harper near New Alexandria, Va. 

 That always interesting bird, the American - 

 Crossbill, made its appearance here on 

 November 13, when some were seen in the 

 Mall of the city of Washington by Mr. 

 J. P. Young. Later it was observed in small 

 flocks on November 18 at Arlington, Va., 

 by Miss Katherine H. Stuart; on Novem- 

 ber 22 in the Zoological Park, by Mr. N. 

 Hollister; and at Four-Mile Run, Va., 

 on November 30, by Mr. A. Wetmore. 



Ducks of several species, in company 

 with other water-fowl, have been reported 

 as abundant on the Potomac River below 

 Alexandria, Va., though comparatively 

 few have been observed above that point. 

 Apparently their numbers are increased 

 over last year, which is generally gratify- 

 ing in view of the efforts that have in re- 

 cent years been made for the protection 

 of these birds. Among the most pleasing 

 developments of this character is the 

 return of the Whistling Swans to this 

 region. A flock of about forty individuals 

 was seen by Mr. George Marshall on 

 November 2, which indicates that the 

 birds will doubtless winter on the Potomac 

 River, as they have done for the several 

 years jusi pasL — Harry C. Oberholsek, 

 Biological Survey, Washington, D. C. 



Oberlin (Ohio) Region. — It was a 

 most unusually warm autumn season. 



