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February 12, 1912, with the thermometer at 10°, and ice 

 floating in the ocean, ten species of waterfowl were observed. 

 At no time last winter were more than four species noted on 

 any one day, while only six species were recorded during 

 the entire season. The same holds true of the Hudson River. 

 When the weather is cold and the river is full of ice, Ducks 

 of various kinds are common, as well as Bald Eagles, especially 

 when the tide is down-stream. This would seem to indicate 

 that these birds come from the lakes in the northern part 

 of the state or the upper reaches of the Hudson River, when 

 their usual winter quarters are frozen over. This theory is 

 confirmed by last winter's observations, again in comparison 

 with the preceding year, when the river was more or less 

 full of ice the whole time. Ducks of several kinds and Bald 

 Eagles were unusually common. The early half of this past 

 winter, the river was practically ^'duckless" — to coin an adjec- 

 tive. Early in February occurred the only cold spell worthy 

 of the name. On February 12 the river was full of ice, and 

 severe cold was reported from the northern part of the state. 

 Ducks were very common even below Yonkers, and three 

 Bald Eagles were noted. 



Apart from the waterfowl, the status of a few other species 

 is worthy of comment in that they were absent altogether or 

 in fewer numbers than usual. In the first class belong pre- 

 eminently the Alcidae, the Glaucous Gull, and the boreal 

 finches, such as the Pine Grosbeak, Crossbills, Redpoll, Pine 

 Siskin, Snowflake, and Lapland Longspur. Of these, the 

 Alcidse and the Glaucous Gull undoubtedly are present in 

 very cold weather only. The Snowflake is usually a regular 

 winter visitor, and as a rule is present in small numbers even 

 in mild weather. Its absence, therefore, was a great surprise, 

 and probably there is some other reason which will account 

 for it more satisfactorily than the high temperatures prevail- 

 ing all winter. With the other Finches mentioned, lack of 

 their usual food supply is probably more important than the 

 severity of the winter in influencing them to pay us a visit. 



In the second class mentioned — those species which occurred 

 in fewer numbers than usual — two good illustrations are the 



