/jW^^ (i>eru^*i^, UCadh. Jh. 



Another bird, not included in the list, came to 

 iny notice several years ago, viz., the Bluer 

 g_raj- Guatcatehei- {PoUoptila aerulea). 



This Is an exceedingly rare bird in this State, 

 and probably only an accidental straggler from 

 the South. A farmer residing at Nippenicket 

 Pond brought me an egg, unquestionably of 

 this species, which he found in a small nest re- 

 sembling a Flycatcher's, built in the fork of a 

 small fruit tree. His description of the nest and 

 bird, vk'hich I was unable to procure, coincided 

 with this species, and I know of no New 

 England egg with which it could be confused. 

 Of course, this is i-ather poor authority on 

 which to establish a record, still 1 mention it to 

 show that the species might occasionully be 

 found to breed here. Audubon says he " saw it 

 on the border line of Upper Canada, along the 

 shores of Lake Erie." On Dr. Brewer's author- 

 ity, it is found in Massachusetts and as far 

 north as the Canada line, and Dr. Coues states 

 its habitat as North to Southern New England. 



O, & O.-Xl. AnglSBO. V. Wm /9f 



The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in Massachdsetts. — Mr. C. J. ; 

 Maynard informs me of a fourth specimen for Massachusetts of the Gnat- 

 catcher (Polioptila cmndea), which was taken at Magnolia, Mass., August 

 27, 1879, by Mr. Ontram Bangs. The bird was a young female, and was 

 probably blown north of its nsual range by a severe gale, which occurred a 

 few days previous to its capture. — Ruthven Deane, Camhridge, Mass. 

 BuaN.O.O. 5. Jan.. 1880. p, V7. 



Oape Ood. G.B,MiUer. J) . ^ 



Polioptila cserulea.— An adult female was secured on October 9, 1889. 

 The bird was feeding among some small pines not over four feet high, in 

 company with a small flock o( Dendroica coronata, Sitta canadensis and 

 Sfinus tristis, and is the only one that I have met with on Cape Cod. 



Auk. VII. July. 1890, p. 5^^- 



The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in Massachusetts. — I observed a Gnat- 

 catcher, doubtless the Blue-gray (Polioptila cmrulea) at West Manchester, 

 Mass., November 16, 1902. My attention was at first attracted by a 

 new bird note — a nasal tiuee — several times repeated. The bird was 

 flitting about in the top of an apple-tree and gave me a good, though 

 brief opportunity to note his catbird-like form and kinglet-like actions 

 before he flew farther off. He was very active and soon disappeared 

 entirely, but not without having shown me his blue-gray color against 

 the graen of a Norway spruce. Messrs. Howe and Allen's list of the 

 'Birds of Massachusetts,' credits the State with six records for this spe- 

 cies — all in the fall (August 27 - December 18). West Manchester is only 

 a few miles from Magnolia, wliere Mr. Outram Bangs took an immature 

 female, August 27, 1879. — Francis H. Allen, Boston, Mass. 



Aak. XX, Jan., 1903. p >^ , 



The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in Massachusetts.— A male Blue-gray 

 Gnatcatcher {Polioptila coerulea) was shot at Hyde Park, Mass., on Sept. 

 22, 1906, by Franlc E. Webster of this town. The bird was alone, feeding 

 in 'a clump of white birches in a yard. It was very lively in its actions, 

 continually flitting about and now and then uttering a little squeaking 

 note. The skin is now in the collection of Mr. John Thayer, Lancaster, 



