82 PROCEEDINGS MANCHESTER INSTITUTE 



larger than others as to suggest the possibility of their being ^. 

 Jiornemannii on a visit from Greenland. As no specimens were 

 taken the compiler has not presumed to put these last two on re- 

 cord. Concerning A. I. rostrata there can be no question. 



NOTE a, 



On the Migration of Warblers Observed in May, 



1900. 



The month of May, 1900, was remarkable for the extraordi- 

 nary incursion of warblers, including several species never be- 

 fore reported in our area. Soon after the first of the month the 

 birds were observed to be unusuall}- abundant. By the 9tli the 

 numbers, both of common and rare migrants, surpassed the 

 record of any previous year. The fijst new record was that of 

 the Palm Warbler on the 9th. On the loth were also recorded 

 for the first time the Nashville and Cape May Warblers, and a 

 few da3^s later the Golden-winged Warbler. All these species 

 were observed in greater or less numbers for about two weeks, 

 the maximum number occurring about the 12th. Soon after 

 this date another extraordinary succession of events occurred. 

 Day after da}^ great numbers of warblers were found dead. In- 

 to one of the public schools the children brought "a basketful" 

 of them, about three dozen, as I was afterwards informed b}- one 

 of the teachers. Into another school nearly as man}' were brought 

 and a number were sent to a taxidermist to be mounted. Among 

 these birds were the following eight species : Maryland Yellow 

 throat. Redstart, Parula, Chestnut-sided, Blackburnian, Mag- 

 nolia, Canadian and Nashville. Examination of the stomachs 

 of these birds indicated that they had not been able to procure 

 their requisite amount of food and had starved to death. The 

 occurrence of an unusually cold wave on the nth and 12th and 

 a subsequent succession of cold, rainy days may account for the 

 facts in the case of those visitants who were off their accustomed 

 track and whose supply of insects may have been cut off tem- 

 porarily by the weather. The fatality in the cases of the ordin- 

 ary residents, like the Redstart and the Maryland Yellow-throat, 

 hardly seems as eas}- of explanation. 



