8 Chamberlain's Nc-v Brunswick Notes. [January 



It was among one of these groups, feeding nearest the seaward 

 point of the flats, that Mr. Alfred Morrissey discovered a flock of 

 Ipswich Sparrows ( Passerctdus princeps) on April 1 1 . The 

 species was new to this locality, for Mr. Brewster's solitary indi- 

 vidual, taken at Point Lepreaux in April, 1876 (as recorded in this 

 Bulletin, Vol. I, p. 52), is the only instance of its occurrence 

 previously known. Of the birds as they appeared to Mr. Mor- 

 rissey he says : "Whenlfii'st saw the Ipswich Sparrows they 

 were in company with Song Sparrow^s, their actions being so 

 nearly identical that the species could only be distinguished by 

 the diflerence in the length of the tail and the general color of the 

 plumage, that of the Ipswich being somewhat the lighter. 



"There were some twenty individuals in the flock, and, as they 

 were very tame, allowing me to approach within a few yards, I 

 v^as enabled to easily watch their movements during the few days 

 they remained, they feeding always in one locality. Most of the 

 weather while they were here was stormy, but they appeared 

 indiflerent to it and were ver}' active, picking about in the sand, 

 even in a snow-squall, hopping around and taking short flights, 

 all the while uttering a sharp chirp, but not attempting any song. 

 Of the few specimens I secured, one was merely wounded, and I 

 placed it in a cage with a Canary, where it lived for a week, being 

 fed during the entire time by the Canary. It was exceedingly 

 tame, allowing one's hand to be put in the cage without disturbing 

 it in the slightest degree." 



The Fox Sparrows did not put in an appearance in the vicinity 

 of St. John until "April-fool's day," a full week after the Wild 

 Geese were first seen going northward. They are rarely observed 

 here after the third week in March, but this year they remained 

 fully a month later. By the fifth day of April they had gathered 

 in immense numbers and were in full song. Everywhere about 

 the city and suburbs, and at all hours, in the early dawn and in 

 the gloaming as well as at noonday, alike indiflerent to storm or 

 sunshine, they sang as if singing were the end and aim of their 

 existence. But theirs is a song that one does not soon tire of; 

 indeed to my ear it is more beautiful than that of any other mem- 

 ber of the family, entitling the species to high rank among our 

 northern songsters. Of course such eminent performers as the 

 Winter Wren and Hermit Thrush take precedence, and in the 

 song of the present bird we miss many qualities for which other 



