163 
ham, Tex., and Gainesville, Tex., the first were seen April 22. The Kan- 
sas records also were regular, so far as that single State is concerned. 
They were: Emporia, Kans., April 11; Richmond, Kans., April 15, and 
Manhattan, Kans., April 18. The eastern records were much earlier. 
The first came to Paris, IlJ., April 2; to Heron Lake, Minn., April 12 
_(common there April 16); to Huron, Dak., April 14; to Argusville and 
Menoken, Dak., April 20 and 21; and to Two Rivers and Shell River, 
Manitoba, May 1. 
498. Agelaius phoeniceus (Linn.). [261.] Red-winged Blackbird. 
An abundant summer resident in Manitoba and the Mississippi 
Valley. It breeds abundantly in eastern Texas and in the valley of 
the Lower Rio Grande. In 1884 sixty-eight observers reported on the 
movements of this well known bird. But, as in the case of must other 
species, the number of records from the southern part of the district 
were few. Enough, however, were received to confirm the belief that 
these Blackbirds gather in flocks in winter; that they have regular 
roosts, sometimes in company with Grackles or even Crows; that the 
females do not always retire so far to the south as the males, or so 
early in the winter; and that the males precede the females in spring 
migration. 
At Yazoo City, Miss. (latitude 32° 50’), they were seen “dusting” them- 
selves with snow in January. At Abbeville, La. (latitude 29° 57’), they 
are common winter residents. At Caddo, Ind. Ter., they were common 
during the entire winter of 1883~84. At Saint Louis, Mo., a flock of 
females was seen December 29 and again during January. At Manhat- 
tan, Kans., a few females were seen during January and February, always 
in warm, cloudy weather. They seem to winter in flocks as far north 
as Kansas, Missouri, and southern Ilinois—say up to latitude 40°. Their 
accidental occurrence in winter has been noted at various more northern 
points. At Alda, Nebr. (latitude 40° 53’), three or four were seen every 
few days during the entire winter coming to the cattle yards tofeed. At 
Lake Mills, Wis. (latitude 43° 06’), an accidental visitor arrived Feb- 
ruary 19 and was fed with corn by a farmer for several weeks. | 
The first northward movement recorded in the spring of 1884 came 
from Pierce City, Mo. (latitude 36° 56’), where large flocks passed north 
January 29 and 30. At Saint Louis, J: anuary 31, a flock of twenty went 
north in advance of the Robins. On January 22 they began to increase 
in numbers at Caddo, Ind. Ter, The first wave of migration reached 
Odin and Carlinville, Ill., February 12, when large flocks arrived. Feb- 
ruary 16 additional flocks of migrants arrived at Caddo, Ind. Ter. 
No further progress was recorded until March 11, when large flocks 
appeared in the lowlands near Saint Louis. On the following day 
migrants appeared at Osceola and Polo, Ill. March 15 the first arrived 
at Ferry, lowa; Manhattan, Kans. (a flock of young males), and Una- 
dilla, Nebr. From this date to the close of the month was but a sue. 
eession of records of appearance, either of first or of bulk, at the 
