.')(» Joint Bulletins 4 and 5 



they appeared, after careful search, rising before the vision almost 

 magically, sometimes alone, sometimes in clusters, and exhaling a 

 subtle fragrance as of violets. It seems nothing short of a miracle 

 that such beauty and delicacy can be developed from the defunct roots 

 and leaves of other plants, with only here and there a ray of light. 



Another Nelson's Sparrow Record 

 Nelson's sparrow, of which a note has been previously published 

 in the bulletin, has appeared at Rutland in three consecutive seasons. 

 The dates are: October 8, 1916; October 2, 1917; October 10, 1918. 

 (Kirk.) 



Barrow's Goldeneye in Vermont 



A number of specimens of Barrow's goldeneye, the western form 

 of the whistler duck, were collected on Lake Champlain during the 

 fall of 1917. Birds in the hands of hunters were seen by D. E. Kent 

 and G. L. Kirk. 



Big Flight of Shorebirds 



There was a heavy flight of shorebirds at East Pittsford pond on 

 September 15, 1917. Among the species taken which are unusual in 

 Vermont except on Lake Champlain were a black-bellied plover, semi- 

 palmated plover, pectoral sandpiper, least sandpiper and semi-palmated 

 sandpiper. (F. L. Osgood.) 



Cormorants in This State 



A double-crested cormorant was shot at Lake Bomoseen on October 

 14, 1917. On the same day two were observed at Bridport on Lake 

 Champlain. There are very few records for this bird in the state. 



A Laggard Teal 



A blue-winged teal was shot at Lake Bomoseen November 6, 1917. 

 This duck is seldom seen in Vermont after September. 



Late Dates for Migrants 



Because of the continued mild weather migratory birds remained 

 unusually late in northern New England during 1918. Some interest- 

 ing records from Rutland when the last of the given species were 

 seen are as follows: Whippoorwill and brown thrasher, September 23; 

 October 3, black-throated blue, bay-breasted and black and white 

 warbler; October 20, catbird; November 2, ruby-crowned kinglet; No- 

 vember 21, rusty blackbird. 



