SOME OCTOBER BIRDS. 



199 



On the same trees in which the cedar birds were perched, were quite a 

 flock of warblers. They were at once recognizable as such by their slim forms, 

 rather slender bills, and restless movements. It was not so easy, however, 

 to determine the species, but a little observation revealed the white wing 

 bands, greenish back, and slightly streaked yellow under parts, which char- 

 acterize the black-polls, and as some of the birds darted off the trees, a patch 

 of yellow at the base of the tail betrayed the yellow-rumps. On this day 

 we also saw j uncos. 



On October 7th, we observed a large number of swamp sparrows in a 

 marshy place in Newton Highlands. This was rather late in the afternoon, 

 and we did not hear the morning song which this species sometimes gives 

 early in the day in autumn. We did, however, a little later hear the full 



Fig. 92. 



Wilson's Thrush. 



cantata of the song sparrow given several times from some alders in a 

 meadow. We were admiring the beautiful colors of the foliage, with which 

 the woodlands have arrayed themselves this season, and as all of our spir- 

 its were in tune with autumnal sights and sounds, this song, from its very 

 unexpectedness, sounded exceedingly sweet, like an echo of the past summer. 

 We saw numbers of white-throated sparrows that day, also chippies, 

 and savannas. Both white-throated and chippies have been reported to me 

 as singing this autumn, and today (Oct. 14) when with my class at Scit- 

 uate, we heard a savanna give its full summer song. Here at Scituate 

 we also saw Ipswich, swamp, and song sparrows all together in one scat- 

 tering flock. On the way to Scituate, several white-bellied swallows were 

 seen from the cars. This is a late record for this species, but I think I 



