Berrier on Birds at Fort Hamilton , L. /. 1 3 
rather scarce both in spring and autumn. About the middle of 
the present month, May 1880, I noticed it in considerable num- 
bers. 
What occasions these erratic movements of the birds? The 
supposition that a variation in the supply of food is the cause 
seems hardly probable, for it appears incredible that the food of 
the Chickadee and Nuthatches should have been so scant last fall 
as to cause these birds to avoid this locality in their migrations. I 
say it is incredible because their kind of food is shared by many 
other birds that were abundant. As for the character of the 
season influencing their travels, unless it can be shown that they 
wintered north of Long Island in unusual numbers, I do not think 
it can be taken as a reasonable explanation, for the birds men- 
tioned above are regular migrants whatever the character of the 
seasons may be. 
In closing I may remark that there are three common birds that 
are always rare about Fort Hamilton, viz. : The Hairy Wood- 
pecker {Ficus villosus ) , the Downy Woodpecker (Ficus pube- 
sccns ) , and the Purple Martin (Progne purpurea ) . Now I 
expect that some readers of this article will conclude that its 
author is either afflicted with blindness, or else is a very careless 
observer. I beg leave to say that neither conclusion is correct. 
The statement regarding the scarcity of the species just named, 
is the result of four years’ careful observation of the birds of this 
locality. Mr. Geo. H. Coues has, indeed, given both the Hairy 
and Downy Woodpeckers as common about the Naval Hospital, 
Brooklyn (this Bull., Vol. IV., p. 31). The Hospital is scarcely 
a dozen miles from Fort Hamilton, nevertheless I must stand to 
my statement, and am willing to take my oath upon a copy of 
Dr. Coues’s u Key to North American Birds,” as to its validity. 
In this vicinity I have met with the Downy Woodpecker only 
two or three times, and with the Hairy Woodpecker not at all. 
It is true that the woods have been pretty nearly cleared away 
from this part of the island, still a sufficient amount of woodland 
remains, and certainly the orchards should furnish ample accom- 
modations. The case of the Purple Martin is equally curious. 
This bird is common enough at the eastern end of the island, 
yet here I have only seen a few individuals. 
