10 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



and airy in motion, they make the Herring Gulls seem heavy and 

 awkward. Instead of pounding the water with their feet, as the 

 Herring Gulls do, when they rise from the surface, the Bonapartes 

 spring lightly up, more like pigeons leaving the ground. Their 

 dark heads, when they happen to have them, are good field- 

 marks, permitting confusion only with the Laughing Gull. These 

 seldom stray so far from the salt water. I have seen only one 

 at Chester in three years, so the confusion is more possible than 

 actual. In any plumage the Bonaparte may be recognized by 

 its three white areas, as seen from above, namely, its tail and a 

 broad band along the front edge of each wing, from the bend of 

 the wing outward. When flying away from one, the white of 

 the tail flanked by two waving bars of the same color may serve 

 for identification at anj'^ distance up to a mile. The Bonapartes 

 tarry only a few days. With their passing, the bird life of the 

 river dwindles rapidly. The Herring and Ring-billed Gulls 

 gradually vanish away. An occasional flock of geese may 

 afford brief excitement and a few Ospreys may draw their easy 

 circles above the river. The sweet whistle of the Yellowlegs 

 may sometimes be heard, and even less frequently, a bunch 

 of misguided Semipalmated Sandpipers or Ring-neck Plovers 

 may drift past. A few kinds of land birds may be seen, but 

 these clearly have no interest in the river. To them it is but a 

 mere accident of the landscape. The Swallows, however, do 

 seem to use the river as a highway. Barn and Bank Swallows 

 have been identified. It is probable that other species also 

 should be included. What use is made of the river by night 

 migrants, of course does not appear from these limited obser- 

 vations. 



By the middle of 5th month (May) except for the noting of 

 Turkey Vultures over New Jersey, (where they may be seen at 

 any season) and an occasional Crow, the daily record begins to 

 read thus: "no birds", "no bird life of any kind". This 

 dearth of life continues almost unbroken until summer has be- 

 gun to wane. Of course, the rails, marsh wrens, bitterns, etc. 

 are hidden away among the reeds, and do not show themselves 

 in the open. 



Sometime in the 8th month (August) there come the Black 



