8 PEOCEEDINGS OF THE 



The "Fragments" are in three parts, an introduction of 18 

 pages, the main text occupying 14 pages, followed by a 10 page 

 appendix. Barton explains that he uses Linnsean names, but 

 sometimes those of ' ' Professor Gmelin, the laborious and often 

 successful editor", and sometimes had to impose new names of 

 his own making. He first gives the dates of arrival of 99 species 

 in the spring of 1791, of which 71 are land birds. Next come 

 notes on 26 species of fall migrants and remarks on the time 

 when the summer residents depart. Last are four pages of ob- 

 servations on the ' ' Resident Birds of Pennsylvania. ' ' 



The notes on the spring arrivals are the most interesting part 

 of the whole treatise and these will be compared with the dates 

 at which these same species now arrive at Philadelphia. The 

 Biological Survey has a very large amount of data on the 

 arrival of the birds in the vicinity of Philadelphia, and the 

 average dates compiled from these records are used as the basis 

 for the comparison with Barton's dates. He begins with the 

 arrival of the Red-winged Blackbird March 1st, which is close 

 to the average. Then no more records until on March 12th he 

 records the arrival of six species of which the Phoebe is just 

 about average. The Fox Sparrow is two weeks late, but Bar- 

 ton says that in 1792 he saw it February 28th, which is just 

 average. Among these six are the Chipping Sparrow and the 

 Swamp Sparrow both far ahead of their usual time and both 

 probably errors. His Chipping Sparrow is probably the Field 

 Sparrow. The next day he adds the Cowbird just on time; two 

 daj'S later the Bluebird and the Killdeer, both late; then no 

 more until April 10th, when he notes the Purple Martin, a week 

 late; April 15th he records six species all but one of which, the 

 Barn Swallow, probably came long before. From April 20th 

 to May 1st he seems to watch arrivals carefully, and most of 

 his species were probably seen shortly after their arrival. In- 

 deed, the Kingbird, Baltimore Oriole and Orchard Oriole are 

 recorded earlier than they are usually seen at Washington, D. C. 



After May 1st Barton seems to have lost interest in his migra- 

 tion watching, and reports no more arrivals until May 12th, 

 and only a few more for the rest of the season. The eleven 

 days then from April 20th to May 1st are the period he is 



