23 



Mr. A. F. Gotthold was elected a resident member of the 

 Society. 



The lecturer of the evening was Mr. Alfred H. Dunham, 

 of Nome, whose subject was "The Wonders of Alaska (with 

 especial reference to its animal and plant hfe)." With the 

 aid of lantern slides, the speaker first told of his journey to the 

 Klondike in the spring of 1899, and then described the region 

 of Nome. The slides included many scenes of natural beauty 

 in Alaska, and views of the natives and their occupations; they 

 also showed something of the bird, animal, and plant life of 

 the country. 



January 26, 1909. — The President in the chair. Twenty- 

 four members and visitors present. 



Mr. C. G, Abbott called attention to the unusual abundance 

 of Redpolls {Acanthis Unaria) this winter. Mr. Ludlow Griscom 

 recorded the species in Central Park on January 26, and Mr. 

 James Chapin at Great Kills, Staten Island, on December 20. 



Mr. Griscom further recorded a Saw-whet Owl {Cryptoglaux 

 acadica) seen in Central Park on January 4 and during the 

 following four days. 



Mr. Abbott recorded a Ruby-crowned Kinglet {Regulus 

 calendula) observed at Livingston, Columbia Co., N. Y., on 

 January 3. 



Apropos of unusual birds in winter, Mr. Abbott commented 

 upon Tree Swallows {Iridoprocne hicolor) which Mr. Roy Latham 

 had told him he saw on Gardiner's Island, N. Y., on Christmas 

 Day. The birds were said to be living upon bayberries. Mr. 

 S. H. Chubb added that he had observed Tree Swallows eating 

 cedar berries in New Jersey. 



The first paper of the evening was by Mr. James Chapin, and 

 was entitled "The Hawks and Owls of Richmond County." 

 It was doubtless a revelation to many of the members to learn 

 the numbers of nesting predaceous birds which systematic field 

 work has revealed within the limits of New York City. Eleven 

 pairs of Barred Owls {Strix varia), one pair of Barn Owls (Aluco 

 pratincola), many pairs of Screech Owls {Otus asio), thirteen 

 pairs of Red-shouldered Hawks {Buteo Uneatus), several pairs 

 of Sparrow Hawks {Falco sparverius), and one pair of Fish 



