33 



to be desired that at the close of the season each observer should supple- 

 ment his regular reports with a synopsis of this sort. In the synopsis 

 the following abbreviations have been used : F.=the first individual 

 seen; B. A.=the arrival of the bulk ; B. D.=the departure of the bulk; 

 L.=the last individual seen; H.=the height of the season, or the period 

 when the species is most abundant; T. V.=transient visitants. Thus 

 when " B. A. Catbird T. V. " is spoken of, it means the arrival of the 

 bulk of Catbirds which do not intend to remain to nest, but are passing 

 through to their more northerly breeding grounds. 



Synopsis of Migration at Saint Louis from January 1 to May 27, 1884. 

 By Otto Widmann. 



Jan. 1. 1 Snow storm 

 2. 

 3, 



4. 

 5. 



} Coldest period; minimum tem- 

 perature— 21° Fahr. on the 5th. 



> Moderately cold. 



Ther. 56° ; snow disappeared ; first flock of Geese seen. 

 Snow Buntings gone. 



Crows begin to disperse. 



Feb. 



1 



)> Mississippi full of floating ice. 



1 



I 



Ground covered with snow. 



Mississippi gorged. 



Mississippi entirely 

 frozen. 



J 



Warm wave. Guds return. } 



Ther. 67°. (First Ducks (Mallards and Sprigtails) and the first | Creeks free from ice; ice 

 Robins and Red-winged Blackbirds go north ; Gulls J> in the Mississippi break- 

 go north ia migrating wedge; Bluebirds and | ing. 

 Shrikes begin to return. ) 



First Purple Grackle; Canada Geese go north; Red-tailed Hawks at stand. 



75-85 Herring Gulls go north. 



First green shows itself on the ground. 



Large flocks of Ducks go north. 



Cold, dark, damp weather, with rain and snow. 



. 



South wind. Birds move; flocks of Geese go north ; also Mallards, Sprigtails, and Green- 

 winged Teal. 

 Increase of Bluebirds, Goldfinches, and Black-capped Chickadees (T. V .). 



! First Fox Sparrow, Cbewink, White-throated, White-crowned, and Field Sparrows. 

 First Robin at stand. Decrease of old Purple Finches. 

 Ducks and Geese in manv flocks go north. 

 Cold winds. Robins in flocks. Bald-headed Eagle, Song, ana Swamp Sparrow. 

 , Tree Sparrows have decreased at stands, but are found in large migrating flocks in the low- 

 j lands. 



") Ther. 58°. A great day for wandering Geese. First Snow Goose. Sudden rise. 

 ! Ther. 56°. Great day for wandering Ducks. First Turkey Buzzard, Sparrow Hawk, Rusty 

 I Blackbird, and Ruddy Duck ; increase of Red-winged Blackbirds and Robins. First frog's, 

 J and mosquitoes. 



73G5— Bull. 2 3 



