Bird Migration in the Mississippi Valley. 21 



seen and heard everywhere in pairs, there being no flocks at all. I have not 

 seen more than four birds together any time during this Spring. 



Blue-gray Gnat-catcher (P. aerulea). St. Louis — Summer sojourner. First 

 seen on April 9. Bulk came on the 14th. April 17. — Pairs continually seen 

 in the woods, and singing. Jefferson. — Does not occur. 



Ruby-crowned Kinglet. (R. calendula) St. Louis. — Transient. First seen 

 on April 4. Height of the migration from the 4th to 12th. April 17 only two 

 seen. April 27. — Still present. May 1. — One pair seen, and on the 3d" the last 

 bird. Jefferson. — Transient. On April 11 first saw a flock of seven, of 

 which three were singing, and exactly imitating the song of the Winter wren. 

 April 13. — Height of the migration, and on the 14th or 15th the bulk departed. 

 On April 28 I visited a tamarac swamp, three miles from here, where I 

 found the ruby-crowns in their glory. The swamp was full of them. I 

 counted twenty-three in front of me at one time, and the rest of the swamp 

 seemed to be just as full of them. As this was only one of many such swamps 

 within a mile, their united number must have been very great. All were in 

 song, and very active. April 26 the first female was seen, and from then on 

 the number without the red crests increased very rapidly, until on May 3, 

 though still quite numerous, not more than ten per cent, had a red crown, 

 and the next day, out of eighteen or twenty, not one had an ornamental top- 

 knot. At 11 p. m. on May 5, one came to my window and tried to get in, act- 

 ing as if attracted by the light, or frightened by the thunder and lightning of 

 the approaching storm. May 7. — Nearly all gone ; saw only seven. May 12. 

 — Aboivt one-fourth as many in tamaracs as on the 5th. May 21. — Last regu- 

 lar visitor seen, though a straggler was seen on the 28th. 



Golden-crowned Kinglet (R. satrapa) St. Louis. — Winter visitant and tran- 

 sient. January 6. — Two pairswere seen in different places, and no more were 

 seen until March 1, when two pairs were found in the same places. April 4. 

 — First of transients, and on the 10th the last. Jefferson. — Transient. April 

 4. — Five first seen in one piece of woods. On the 9th they were more numer- 

 ous, and on the 10th migration was at its height, lo every mile I traveled 

 there averaged eight birds. On April 12 the bulk of the birds departed, and 

 from the 14th to the 26th I occasionally saw one or two at a time. The last 

 was seen on April 26. 



Tufted Titmouse (L. bieolor) St. Louis — Resident. January 1 they were 

 too numerous to count, generally in family groups of six or eight birds, and 

 conspicuous in every grove. It is a true resident. Jefferson. — Does not occur 



Black-capped Chickadee {P. atricapillus). Resident at both St. Louis and 

 Jefferson. 



White-bellied Nuthatch (8. carolinensis). Resident at both St. Louis and 

 Jefferson. 



Red-bellied Nuthatch (8. canadensis). Not noticed at either St. Louis or 

 Jefferson. 



Brown Creeper (C. familiaris rufa). St. Louis — Transient, and occasional 

 Winter visitant. On January 6 one bird was seen, and no more until 

 February 19, when a second was seen in a cemetery, and also on March 1 

 and 16. On April 4 the bulk of the birds were seen, and from the fifth to 

 the ninth was the height of the migration. The last one was seen on April 9. 



