The Season 



165 



bunting, noted by C. H. M. Barrett, along 

 the Anacostia River, on December 19, 

 191 7; one American Crossbill, seen by 

 E. A. Preble, near Cleveland Park, on 

 December 15, 1917; and a single Northern 

 Shrike, observed in Potomac Park, on 

 December 28, 191 7, about comprise the 

 list. 



Perhaps the most interesting ornith- 

 ological feature of this winter has been 

 the large number of various kinds of 

 Ducks. These have remained in the Po- 

 tomac River, from the Potomac Park 

 down to Dyke and beyond, so long as the 

 river or a portion of it was free from ice. 

 In fact, the Ducks have been much more 

 numerous this season than for many 

 years; and, off Dyke alone, observers 

 have frequently seen flocks aggregating 

 several thousand. When undisturbed 

 they often approach near the shore, but 

 habitually keep to the middle portion of 

 the river. The species thus far reported 

 this winter are twelve, as follows: Ameri- 

 can Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, 

 Hooded Merganser, American Golden- 

 eye, Buffle-head, Greater Scaup, Lesser 

 Scaup, Canvasback, Redhead, Ruddy 

 Duck, Black Duck, and Mallard. — Harry 

 C. Oberholser, Biological Survey, Wash- 

 ington, D. C. 



Minnesota. — Until the beginning of the 

 second week in February, uninterrupted 

 low temperatures prevailed all over 

 Minnesota. The cold has been unusually 

 severe, and there have been no intermis- 

 sions, not even for a day, as is usual in 

 January. No snow of any account has 

 fallen, and as a result the ground is deeply 

 frozen and the ice on lakes and sluggish 

 streams is between 2 and 3 feet thick. 

 The gorge of the Mississippi River below 

 St. Anthony Falls has been daily filled 

 with a dense mist which rose from the 

 water's surface in great swaying wisps 

 and floated away over the top, making the 

 chasm seem like some great, dim, and 

 mysterious steam-vent from regions un- 

 seen. Between February 8 and 13 came a 

 break in these arctic conditions, and for 

 the first time since last November, melting 



temperatures at noontime appeared. The 

 scanty snow disappeared in exposed 

 places, and on February 12 a venture- 

 some Horned Lark was reported near 

 Minneapolis. A considerable flock of 

 Cedar Waxwings appeared in the out- 

 skirts of St. Paul, feeding on mountain- 

 ash berries (Miss C. K. Carney). But on 

 the 14th came the severest blizzard of the 

 season, with wind 45 miles an hour, 

 blinding snow, and, the following morn- 

 ing, a temperature of 10° below. 



In spite of all this severe weather, there 

 have been occasional reports of Robins 

 seen in the vicinity of the Twin Cities — 

 stray birds that for lack of migrating 

 instinct, or other reasons, failed to depart 

 with their more normal fellows. 



Frank A. Bovey reported seeing a Car- 

 dinal several times during January on his 

 grounds at Lake Minnetonka, some 15 

 miles west of Minneapolis. This is a rare 

 event. From Lanesboro has come the 

 report that the Brown Creeper and the 

 Golden-crested Kinglet have survived the 

 winter (Hvoslef). 



A single flock of Bohemian Waxwings at 

 Christmastime, a Shrike January 22, and a 

 flock of 50 Redpolls February 10, all at 

 Duluth, with Pine Grosbeaks in Carlton 

 County about December 25 (Van Cleef), 

 comprise all the winter visitants thus far 

 reported. 



An occasional Red-breasted Nuthatch, 

 Junco, and Tree Sparrow has been seen 

 in the southern part of the state. 



Chickadees and all our regular winter 

 birds are still scarce.— Thos. S. Roberts, 

 University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. 



Kansas City Region. — The outstand- 

 ing feature of the season's work was the 

 finding of three forms of the Red-winged 

 Blackbird wintering here. The aggregate 

 number of individuals was below normal, 

 but the presence of Agelaius phcenicens 

 fortis, A. p. arctolegus, and A. p. predatorius 

 (formerly A. p. phceniceus) is, as far as the 

 writer knows, unusual. The three forms 

 were present in about equal abundance, 

 as indicated by specimens taken. 



The wintering Ducks and Geese were 



