Notes from Field and Study 



427 



scientific fact. We understand that Mr. 

 Cleaves is at present preparing a report of 

 the work of the Bird-Banding Association 



which will present much interesting data 

 already obtained by bird-banding in 

 America.— J. T. N.] 



THE SEASON 



X. August 15 to October 15, 1918 



Boston Region. — The fine summer 

 days of late August passed with little note- 

 worthy to the general observer. The fall 

 rains began in early September, storm fol- 

 lowing storm, with dull weather between 

 for much of the month. The first heavy 

 frost came September 11, but otherwise 

 the month was not unusually cold. In dis- 

 tinct contrast have been the man}' clear, 

 cold days, with occasional frosts, of late 

 September and early October. 



The gradual withdrawal of the summer- 

 ing birds through August and early Sep- 

 tember, and the apparent absence of mi- 

 grants from the north may have con- 

 tributed to cause the seeming great dearth 

 of birds throughout most of the latter 

 month. As a means for determining the 

 approximate time of departure of the local 

 Robins and Bronzed Crackles, the dis- 

 appearance of those that summer on the 

 Public Carden and Common in the heart 

 of Boston is important. A number of 

 pairs of each species live constantly on 

 these green oases during the summer, rais- 

 ing their young in the. midst of the city 

 noise. Their numbers gradually dwindle 

 in late summer, but a few individuals of 

 each species were seen up to September 16, 

 familiarly hopping or walking about on 

 the grass, sometimes accompanied by full- 

 grown young. It was at about this same 

 time that a Robin-roost, previously noticed 

 at Lexington, was abandoned, though up 

 to the end of August it had become the 

 nightly resort of nearly a thousand birds. 

 The recrudescence of song in several species 

 before they leave for the south is a pleas- 

 ant reminder of springtime. A last Balti- 

 more Oriole was heard bugling August 31 

 at Cambridge. On September i, a Warb- 

 ling Vireo sang gaily from the village elms 

 at Lexington and was heard by another 



observer a few days later. A Yellow- 

 throated Vireo was heard in full song Sep- 

 tember 12, near the same place. Both 

 species have been rare with us the last two 

 years, a result, in part, perhaps, of the 

 thorough spraying of orchard and shade 

 trees to destroy the insect pests or bene- 

 factors. The old elms about Boston ha^'e 

 particularly suffered of late years so that 

 the few still remaining in Cambridge have 

 long since ceased to attract the Warbling 

 Vireo. 



On September 15, two Myrtle Warblers 

 were seen at Lexington, feeding in the red 

 cedars at the edge of a pine wood, the first 

 northern migrants to be noticed. It was 

 not, however, until September 27 that 

 migrants appeared with a rush, when, on 

 the wings of clear weather following a suc- 

 cession of rainy or inclement days, Myrtle 

 Warblers, Black-poll Warblers, Juncos, 

 and White-throated Sparrows, and a num- 

 ber of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers appeared 

 suddenly, and with them a few Red- 

 breasted Nuthatches, a bird of irregular 

 appearance here. In the first half of 

 October, the two species of Warblers just 

 noted have swarmed over the country, 

 every birch thicket having its quota of 

 birds. Juncos abounded in the weed-fields 

 and by the roadsides. Bluebirds have been 

 markedly common, their notes being con- 

 stantly in the air, as small flocks passed 

 over in the early mornings. In feeding 

 they haunt the pastures and gather with 

 Chipping Sparrows and Myrtle Warblers 

 about the open brooks and rills. Yellow 

 Palm Warblers in small numbers have at 

 times accompanied them. The first one 

 seen was on October 2, with a flock of 

 Bluebirds, Chippies, and Myrtle Warblers. 

 Like the last species, it was seen feeding 

 on the smooth, brownish caterpillar com- 



