THE OOLOGIST. 



69 



Received : Catalogue of the Birds of 

 Michigan, Food of the Birds of Illinois as 

 related to Agricultui'e, Guide and Catalogue 

 to Woodward's Gardens, San Francisco, 

 and the constitutions and rules of several 

 ornithological societies and sporting clubs. 



j'liThertccu'L Q^irds. 



Fascinated by Light. 



||t[ROFESSOR Spencer F. Baikd, in 



tj I a recent letter from Cape Hatteras, 

 TIT published in the American ISjyorts- 

 }nan^ says : 



" On the night of October 17, 1876, I 

 was on the top of Cape Hatteras light-house. 

 It was a very dark night and 'misting.' 

 The wind was blowing thirty-five miles per 

 hour from the north-east. As soon as it 

 was fairly dark I could see thousands of 

 small birds flying around the leeward of the 

 tower. It was a grand sight, as the lens 

 of the light would perform its steady revo- 

 lution, throwing its dazzling rays upon them 

 while seeking shelter by liovering close up 

 under the lee of the tower. As soon as the 

 light would fall upon them they would fly 

 toward it, and come in contact Avith the lan- 

 tern with such force that they were instant- 

 ly killed. At one time the whole element 

 was ablaze Avith them, shining in the rays 

 of the light like myriads of little stars or 

 meteors. The moon arose by ten o'clock, 

 which afforded them light to go on their 

 way south (for they were coming from the 

 north and going down the coast south). I 

 do not think one bird stopped alone or went 

 into the woods at all, as not one was seen, 

 for I particulai'ly noticed. After the moon 

 was up, one of the birds came striking the 

 lantern glass. I went out and gathered 

 from the balcony of the watch-room and 

 lantern three hundred and fifty dead birds, 

 besides one hundred and forty that were 

 picked up the next morning off" the ground 

 at the foot of the tower, which had been 

 blown oiF the balconies. They were a spe- 



cies known here as ' myrtle bird,' or 'win- 

 ter yellow" bird. They were about the size 

 of the sparrow, with gray back and head 

 audyellovv breast. They are excellent food." 

 — Harper'' s WeeJdy. 



Ornithological Notes. 



Our correspondent Mr. J. H. Severance, 

 sends us the following interesting notes on 

 the winter birds, in his section of the State : 



— But very few Owls have been captured 

 about here this winter. Last year, over a 

 dozen specimens of the White Owl and a 

 few of the Horned Owl were caught alive, 

 near this place, but I have heard of but 

 two or three such instances this season. I 

 suppose that the weather has not been suf- 

 ficiently cold (especially this month), to 

 drive the migrating species so far south as 

 this State, or else our hunters have not been 

 so fortunate as usual in discovering them.. 

 I recently had a Screech Owl {iScops asio) 

 brought to me to be mounted, and it is the 

 smallest one of that species I have ever 

 seen, its length being but little over 7 (sev- 

 en) inches. The general color above is a 

 light rufous or cinnamon, with the usual 

 mottled appearance below. 



— I have not seen any Pine Grosbeaks or 

 Mealy Red-polls this winter, wdiich I hard- 

 ly know how to account for. Last year I 

 procured several specimens of both, and two. 

 years ago this winter, they were very nu- 

 merous. 



— A few Robins have been seen here this, 

 month, but as the prospects for spring seem- 

 ed rather discouraging, they did not remain 

 with us long. 



— Snowbirds are not so numerous, ap- 

 parently, this year as last, and I have seen 

 only a few small flocks. 



— Ducks are reported to be moving north- 

 ward. This is considered by sportsmen to 

 be a sure sign of an early spring. I hope 

 it may be so, for I am anxiously awaiting 

 the return of our resident birds, and the 

 spring migrations of the non-residents. 

 Mexico, JV. Y., Mb. 1877. 



