PART II. 



GENERAL NOTES AND WEATHER REPORT FROM ST. LOUIS, 

 MO., BEGINNING WITH JANUARY 1, 1883. 



O. WIDMANN. 



"We have had unusually cold and disagreeable weather since the first of 

 January. Old Boreas was reigning and kept the ground white, and the tem- 

 perature below the pleasure-point for ornithological field work. January 

 was cold and windy. February tried to make things better by a two days' 

 rain, with the mercury below 30 dgs. Of course it succeeded splendidly in 

 making matters worse, for everything from the smallest blade of grass to 

 the largest tree was covered with a heavy coat of glittering ice. Consequent- 

 ly ornithology had to go on skates or stay at home. This miserable weather 

 lasted a whole week, from the 3d to the 10th. On the 14th, however, a warm 

 rain and a strong breeze from the south raised the mercury to 62 dgs. 



This first warm breeze brought the first flock of ducks, and since that 

 time thousands and thousands have gone north. Between 4 and 5 p. m., on the 

 15th, twenty-eight large flocks passed over, and at5 p.m. twenty gulls were in 

 sight, passing slowly up in beautiful gyrations ; two small and two very large 

 flocks of geese were also seen. Between 7 and 8 p. m., on the 16th, I counted 

 over fifty flocks of ducks, aggregating over two thousand individuals, going 

 the same way and at the same height. To-night the mercury stands at 25 

 dgs., and all is white and hard again. Did these ducks know about this ap- 

 roaching great change in the weather and did not mind it, or contrary to the 

 theory of some ornithologists, are unable to read probabilities ? 



Since this first south-wind period seems to mark a new era in our bird life 

 it will be well to close the chapter of mid-Winter notes now and report what 

 I have seen. 



As the weather during the first six weeks of this year did not permit excur- 

 sions to new fields, I contented myself with revisiting the ground gone over 

 in December, to see what had become of my little friends enumerated in my 

 New Year's report. 



Of the three mocking birds mentioned there, two stood the weather bravely 

 and are doing well, but the other has not been seen since the freezing rain of 

 February 3. Bluebirds have also remained at their old places, and as a 

 sign that they did not suffer even during the ice storm, the first mild day two 

 males were already courting a female, with as fine a carol as ever was heard 

 in Spring. 



Titmice, chicadees, wrens and nuthatches are not disturbed by any kind 

 of winter weather, as they can find food where few other birds would think 

 of looking for it, while tree holes afford them unexcelled shelter. Never- 

 theless they all appreciate southerly winds, and become loquacious in their 

 exultations over a big rise in temperature. 



Most, but not ail of the yellow-rumped warblers have vanished. The pur- 



