29 



cleared these shifting gales were succeeded by cold, piercing 

 northwesterly winds of nearly hurricane force. The storm was 

 regarded in some localities as the "worst blizzard within the 

 memory of man." 



Bird Mortality. — After this storm birds of even the hardiest 

 northern species were found dead in the snow, some of them in 

 sheltered places, even under cover, apparently in splendid con- 

 dition, and with stomachs full of food; others with empty 

 stomachs and emaciated frames. Hardy birds, like Grebes 

 and Loons, were cast up dead on some of the southern New 

 England shores. For the first time in the writer's experience 

 dead Snow Buntings were reported. When the storm ended, 

 the few species of small winter land birds still left in Massa- 

 chusetts seemed to have decreased much in numbers. Gold- 

 finches had practically disappeared. Most of New England 

 was now buried under from 3 to 6 feet of snow. Railroad 

 trains were stalled for days; a large number of trolley lines 

 were completely blocked and moved no more cars until spring. 

 On the 13th rain swept Cape Cod nearly clear of snow, but 

 the same storm added more in the interior. Deep snow con- 

 tinued throughout New England during the first half of the 

 month. Then came a sudden change. Soon hylas were 

 heard peeping, snakes were seen. By the 23d bullfrogs and 

 aquatic beetles were reported; the 23d and 24th seemed like 

 summer days. From the 26th to the 28th butterflies and 

 moths were seen. 



The Northward Movement begins. — During the month the 

 early bird migration had progressed very slowly up the coast 

 to the middle Atlantic States. Snow and cold on the 14th 

 arrested this movement and only a few stragglers reached 

 southern New England. 



The First Great Bird Wave. — From the 16th to the 19th 

 more stragglers began to filter into Massachusetts, but the 

 great bird wave of the month came from the 23d to the 25th, 

 when multitude's of early land birds were moving northward 

 from Florida to Maine. From the 27th to the 30th a great 

 movement took place. Holboell's Grebes came in numbers. 

 Many flocks of Ducks and Geese were "flying north from 

 March 27 to 30. The Great Blue Herons known to have 



