ILLINOIS AUDUBON SOCIETY 39 



had eaten the fruit. At present writing, if they have stayed 

 in our neighborhood, they have escaped our notice. 



Port Byron 



Mr. J. J. Shafer sends another valuable series of notes from 

 Port Byron. Under date of November 15 he writes: 



"I believe that as a result of the big snow and sleet storm of 

 April 16 thousands of birds perished from the effects of cold and 

 hunger. Up to the day of the storm I had noted the arrival of 

 thirty-seven species. Among them were the Mourning Dove, 

 March 30; Phoebe, March 18; Purple Martin, April 3; Vesper 

 Sparrow, March 18; Field Sparrow, March 20; Chipping Spar- 

 row, April 4 ; and Brown Thrasher, April 10, my earliest record 

 for this species. On the day of the storm about a dozen Robins 

 took refuge in our woodshed, in which a pair of Phoebes already 

 had a nest with eggs. A pair of Robins also had a nest with eggs 

 in a maple tree beside the kitchen, and one of the Robins was seen 

 sitting on the nest during the storm. The day of the storm there 

 was a high north wind, and the temperature ranged from 28° to 

 30°. 



After the storm was over, two dead Robins were found near 

 the house, and a neighbor reported finding one dead Robin and 

 one dead Flicker. Eight Martins were in our Martin house 

 during the storm, and I feared they would perish, but the next 

 day, when the storm had subsided and the sun was shining, they 

 came out of their house and began to fly around as if nothing 

 had happened. 



The largest bird wave during the spring migration came 

 on May 8, when twelve arrivals were noted. Most of the Warb- 

 lers were late, and arrived from May 12 to 29. The Myrtle 

 Warbler arrived April 17, the day after the big storm. Several 

 Black-throated Blue Warblers were seen and heard, also one 

 each of the Prothonotary and Northern Parula. 



The Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Traill's Flycatcher, Yel- 

 low-breasted Chat, and Bell's Vireo failed to arrive during the 

 spring migration; the Chat and Traill's Flycatcher were not 

 seen or heard here this year. This makes the second year that 

 the Chat has failed to come, and the first for Traill's Flycatcher. 

 Bell's Vireo is growing scarcer every year. Only one or two 

 were heard singing this year, from June 21 to 26. The Yellow 

 Warbler is also becoming scarcer each year; none have bred at 

 our place since 1917. One Western Meadowlark was heard sing- 

 ing on March 11 ; during the summer of 1918 one pair bred here. 



The Ruby-throated Hummingbird was not seen here until 

 August 6, when my brother, Charles F. Schafer, saw one sitting 

 on the houseyard fence, near a hollyhock. The next one was seen 

 by the writer August 14, where in other years they were found 

 breeding. The last one was seen at the same place September 11, 

 my earliest date of departure for this species. Mr. Hugo H. 



