^SS^.] Job 071 Massachusetts Whiter Birds. 



149 



I did not see any Rough-legged Hawks myself, but a friend 

 received one from a farmer's son, which the latter had shot as it 

 sat perched on the chimney of his house one cold day in Decem- 

 ber, — perhaps to get warm. Another good capture was a 

 Hermit Thrush, which I took on Christmas day in a pine grove, 

 in company with a flock of Robins. 



I have been interested for the last few years in noticing the 

 irregular movements of our Nuthatches in winter. One season 

 both kinds were present ; another followed in which the White- 

 bellied species {carolinensis) was common, but in which no 

 Red-bellies (canadensis) were seen. I did not see one of either 

 kind during the whole of the next winter, but in the last the Red- 

 bellies were abundant, while the others hardly occurred at all. 

 The cold evidently does not drive them from us, for it is during 

 the severest winters that they seem to remain. What then does 

 influence them } 



Last winter was, as all know, a very cold one, and considering 

 this I was much surprised to learn from a friend that on January 

 3 he met with a flock of some five or six Bluebirds near his 

 home in Sharon. The winter before would have seemed more 

 favorable for their occurrence. 



I wish now to speak of that season (1881-82), which was 

 rather exceptional as regards its birds. The weather being very 

 mild and warm, few noi'thern birds were found as far south as 

 this State, while on the other hand some of the more southern 

 species, such as seldom remain with us during the winter months, 

 were more often noticed. • Pine Grosbeaks, Crossbills, and Red- 

 polls were altogether absent, but in their place flocks of Purple 

 Finches roamed about the country ; also Goldfinches, Robins, 

 Jays, Golden-winged and Downy Woodpeckers and other such 

 birds were much more frequently seen than is usual. The Sharp- 

 shinned Hawks seemed to take advantage of this state of aflairs, 

 and remained here in force. On several occasions I saw them 

 in the densely populated parts of Boston, and once I saw one 

 fly boldly up to the window of a house, as if seeking something 

 within. 



I do not remember having known of a Great Blue Heron here 

 in winter before, but last year, late in December, I observed one 

 on an island in Boston harbor, where it was feeding in a marsh. 

 Happening to revisit the island about the first of January, I met 



