204 



Bird - Lore 



limited to Bennington, Vt., and vicinity, 

 have been as follows: From 1901 to 1911 

 inclusive, not a single individual of the 

 species was seen; in 191 2, a dead male was 

 found on May 8, and a pair was seen 

 daily from May 16 to May 22; in 1913, a 

 pair was seen on May 13, and for two 

 or three days after; in 19 14, a pair was 

 seen on May 6; in 1915, a pair was seen 

 on May 16 and several individuals dur- 

 ing the following week; in 1916, one was 

 seen May 5 and eight to ten the follow- 

 ing week. 



The Tennessee Warbler has shown a 

 like increase during the last two years. 

 From 1901 to 19 14 inclusive, only one 

 inidvidual was seen (May 11, 191 2). In 

 1915, there was a large migration begin- 

 ning May 20 and ending May 26. During 

 the last two days of this migration, a large 

 number were in the village, frequenting 

 almost entirely the elm trees. In 1916, 

 there was another large migration, begin- 

 ning May 19 and ending May 30. During 

 both these migrations, the birds were 

 singing a great deal. The song of the 

 Tennessee Warbler is a loud one — as loud 

 if not louder than the Redstart's. He 

 starts with a repetition of notes like the 

 Chestnut-sided. After three or four, he 

 gives a hitch in the song and then con- 

 tinues but on a different note and not 

 quite so loud. Or it might be described as 

 similar to the Chipping Sparrow's; but 

 shriller. 



Two other species of Warblers have 

 shown a marked increase in this vicinity 

 during the last two or three years, namely, 

 the Bay-breasted and the Wilson. 



The Evening Grosbeak has visited this 

 neighborhood again this past winter. 



On October 7, 1916, we saw a flock of 

 White-winged Crossbills — numbering over 

 40 — on Stratton Mountain, which is a 

 peak in southwestern Vermont. — Dr. and 

 Mrs. Lucretius H. Ross, Bennington, 

 Vt. 



An Evening Grosbeak Sumniers in 

 New Hampshire 



About the middle of August, 1916, Miss 

 Emma Johnson, of Nashua, N. H., 



noticed, one morning, a peculiar bird 

 feeding upon the seeds of a lilac bush just 

 below her window. As it was an entirely 

 new bird to her, she got her field-glasses 

 and watched it for at least fifteen minutes. 

 There could be no doubt about its being a 

 male Evening Grosbeak. There was the 

 great beak, the bright yellow on head and 

 body, the black wings and tail, and the 

 large white wing-patches. The lilacs were 

 close to the house, and every marking on 

 the bird was plainly visible without the 

 glasses. The bird did not return again. 

 Miss Johnson is a close observer and could 

 not have been mistaken. 



This bird may have been injured and 

 left behind or it may have found New 

 Hampshire to its liking and decided to 

 become a permanent resident, as some of 

 us featherless bipeds have. A report has 

 come from Hanover that a pair of these 

 birds once started a nest near that town 

 but left it unfinished to migrate with the 

 flock. This report is rather vague but 

 entirely credible. The bird observed by 

 Miss Johnson may have had a mate, and 

 they may have nested hereabouts. At 

 any rate, it will be well for bird students 

 to keep their eyes wide open and watch 

 the Evening Grosbeaks. If these birds 

 should begin to nest in New England they 

 would be a great acquisition. Has not 

 the Prairie Horned Lark worked east- 

 ward until it has reached New Hampshire 

 and become a permanent resident? If we 

 can hold the Grosbeaks at our food sta- 

 tions late enough in the spring, perhaps 

 the breeding instinct will seize upon them 

 before the migrating instinct, and they 

 might remain and breed. The coniferous 

 forests of northern New England offer 

 ideal nesting facilities. — Manley B. 

 TowNSEND, Nashua, N. H. 



Evening Grosbeak in Connecticut 

 in May 



While looking for birds near North 

 Branford, Conn., in a sparsely settled 

 district, our attention was attracted by a 

 persistent chirping which resembled that 

 of an English Sparrow but was clearer and 



