The Season 



145 



however, that all of these excepting the 

 last five occasionally winter in this region. 



One bird, the Louisiana Water-Thrush, 

 was reported on March 27, by Miss M. J. 

 Pellew, in Rock Creek Park, Washington, 

 D. C, which is in advance of the earliest 

 previous record, March 31, 1918; but this 

 is the only species so far that has broken 

 its record of early arrival. 



A number of birds, such as the Wood- 

 cock, Hermit Thrush, Yellow Palm War- 

 bler, Vesper Sparrow, and BrownThrasher, 

 put in their appearance at about the nor- 

 mal time, while the Chipping Sparrow (on 

 March 26) was a few days behind time. 

 On the other hand, a few that should have 

 arrived before April i have not yet 

 (March 31) been noted. These are the 

 Cowbird, Savannah Sparrow, Purple Mar- 

 tin, and American Pipit. 



Comparatively few birds of more than 

 passii^g interest have been observed.. Two 

 Holboell's Grebes, rare here, were seen by 

 Dr. Paul Bartsch on the Tidal Basin, at 

 Washington, D. C, on March 8. No fur- 

 ther report from the Whistling Swans that 

 have wintered on the Potomac below 

 Washington has been received, but a flock 

 of eleven was seen flying over Georgetown, 

 D. C, by Mr. William Palmer, on MarchiS. 

 This last record has a further and melan- 

 choly interest, as it was the last or almost 

 the last observation on birds made by 

 Mr. Palmer. — Harry C. Oberholser, 

 Biological Survey, Washington, D. C. 



Oberlin (Ohio) Region. — The migra- 

 tion season opened at Oberlin on Febru- 

 ary 16, when the first wave of Crows, 

 Robins and Bluebirds appeared. The next 

 wave was on the 23d, with Killdeer and 

 Red-winged Blackbird as arrivals, and an 

 increase of those of the first wave. The 

 third wave began on March 2 and termi- 

 nated on the 5th, involving 14 species as 

 arrivals and the increase of the earlier 

 arrivals. Phoebe came on the 8th, Towhee 

 on the loth, Field Sparrow on the 12th, 

 Vesper Sparrow and Woodcock on thei3th, 

 Bufflehead on the 14th, Fox Sparrow on the 

 15th, Baldpate, Pintail, Shoveller andPied- 

 billed Grebe on the 17th, Turkey Vulture 



on the 19th. This scattering wave was due 

 to continued moderately favorable weather 

 over the period, and terminated with the 

 coming of less favorable weather. Yellow- 

 bellied Sapsucker came on the 25th, but 

 the next definite wave was delayed until 

 the 3d of April and was continued until 

 the 8th. The arrivals during this wave 

 were Hermit Thrush, Brown Thrasher, 

 Swamp Sparrow, Pectoral Sandpiper, 

 Purple Martin, Bittern, Barn and Tree 

 Swallows, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Upland 

 Plover, Bonaparte Gull, Louisiana Water- 

 Thrush, Savannah Sparrow, Myrtle War- 

 bler and Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher. Imme- 

 diately following this last wave, cold, wet 

 weather arrived and effectually checked 

 any further movement. The first and 

 second waves were about ten days in 

 advance of the average for this region, the 

 third wave was nearly average, and the 

 last wave recorded here approximately 

 average, but with considerable mixing up 

 of species normally belonging to other 

 waves occurred. Thus the exceptionally 

 warm winter has not resulted in any 

 marked departures from normal in the 

 migrations, except that the three species 

 making up the first wave were ten days 

 early. There is so much variation in the 

 species making up the second wave that 

 the same remark cannot be made to apply 

 to it.— Lynds Jones, Oberlin, Ohio. 



Chicago Region. — Since the last report, 

 Chicago has been having its usual spring 

 weather, changing from warm and mild to 

 cold and stormy a few days at a time. On 

 April 9, there was a flurry of snow which 

 changed to rain and, with freezing weather, 

 caused some damage to the fruit trees. 

 The birds, however, are arriving every 

 day in spite of the weather, a few earlier 

 than usual. A Hermit Thrush was seen in 

 Jackson Park on February 20 and a Coot 

 February 27. Mr. De Laubenfels reports 

 a Bonaparte's Gull (March 26) at Jackson 

 Park, Brown Thrasher (April 2) Bittern 

 and Tree Swallow (April 7) from Willow 

 Springs. 



The marshes are of special interest at 

 this time as Ducks are very plentiful, 



