Birds and Seasons 



SIXTH SERIES 



WITH this issue of Bird-Lore the series of papers on 'Birds and 

 Seasons ' is concluded. That it has been of assistance to field 

 students their numerous and cordial expressions of appreciation 

 assure us. The idea of a definite plan of study has also found favor 

 and the editor is encouraged to follow these papers on 'Birds and Sea- 

 sons ' by a series of articles on the families of Passerine birds. The 

 chief aim of these articles, which will be fully illustrated, will be to aid 

 the student in identifying birds in nature, but information will be given 

 for those who desire to know at least the main points of structure on 

 which families are based. F. M. C. 



OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER BIRD-LIFE NEAR BOSTON 



By Ralph Hoffmann 



The first of October is the height of the fall migration. The woods 

 and dry country lanes are now full of restless bands, which seem to any 

 one who has become familiar with the order of arrival which birds keep 

 in spring, to be made up of strange companions. The Yellow Palm 

 and the BlackpoU Warblers, birds which in May could only accident- 

 ally overlap, are now encountered day after day together. In the grassy 

 swamps, Sparrows, chiefly Song and Swamp, are swarming by the hun- 

 dreds. A trained eye may detect among them on some fortunate day 

 the more elegant form and markings of a Lincoln's Finch. 



About the twentieth of the month the last regular migrants arrive, 

 the Fox Sparrow, the Tree Sparrow and the Shrike. About the same 

 time all but the hardiest of the summer birds, and the earlier migrants 

 take their departure. The Sparrows in the weedy fields, the Yellow- 

 rumps in the now leafless thickets, a White-throat or a few lingering 

 Blackbirds, how one treasures the sight of these familiar birds! We 

 follow the last Bluebird as we did the first, knowing that a weary 

 interval may divide us from another sight of his warm blue. Even 

 in November, the warm sunshine occasionally tempts these birds to 

 linger on till some severe storm covers the earth with the first snow, and 

 we come down to winter fare. 



(163) 



