Mortality among Birds at Philadelphia, 

 May 21-22, 1915 



BY DELOS E. CULVER 



About 10 a. m., May 22d, 1915, there was received, at the 

 Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, a call from the 

 ^' Evening Bulletin " of that city for aid in the identification of 

 a small "yellow and green" bird which had been picked up 

 in the court yard of the City Hall. 



From this it was learned that hundreds of birds were lying 

 about on the ledges surrounding the Public Buildings and City 

 Hall Tower. Immediately upon receiving this information, I, 

 accompanied by a "Bulletin" photographer, hurried to the 

 scene, and the mortality, when ascertained, was really appalling. 



Upon reaching the court-yard the areaways were first exam- 

 ined. Looking down into them, we found that although very 

 few dead specimens were visible (most having been gathered by 

 employees), there were many living birds continually flying 

 up and down the full length of the areaways, apparently having 

 lost all sense of direction. Maryland Yellow-throats were in 

 evidence everywhere. Every areaway was full of fluttering 

 birds of this species, and it was among them that the greatest 

 mortality occurred. 



Upon entering the areaways from below, the following species 

 were identified : Maryland Yellow-throat, Parula Warbler, 

 Redstart, Red - eyed Vireo, Chewink, Long - billed Marsh- 

 Wren, Water-Thrush, Black-throated Blue, and Black-poll 

 Warblers. Of the Vireo, Chewink and Wren but single speci- 

 mens were observed. The former was caught alive and later 

 liberated in the country, making little or no effort to escape 

 when approached. The Wren was the most active of the three, 

 while the Chewink, apparently hungry, was continually picking 



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