ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 
11 
some two hundred of these Owls examined by me, nearly all were in 
very dark plumage, and none wore that almost spotless dress which! 
we occasionally see. 
The cause of the sudden visit of such an unusual multitude of 
these boreal birds, coming as they did when the weather for a 
few days was unusually warm for the season, the thermometer stand- 
ing at 75° at noonday, is a question not easily solved. Scarcity of 
food would seem the most probable solution, or perhaps an early 
severe cold snap started them on their southward flight. If so, it 
seems strange that other less hardy species should not be affected 
in a similar way, as but few Geese and Brant had passed south 
when the Owls had been with us for a week. 
About ten years since there was a somewhat similar migration 
of this species into the British Provinces and New England, but 
the birds appeared later in the season, and not in such great num- 
bers as in the present instance. 
DISTEIBUTION OF NEW ENGLAND BIRDS. — A REPLY TO 
DR. T. M. BREWER. 
BY H. A. PURDIE. 
When asked, some time since, to review a “ Catalogue of the 
Birds of New England,” by Dr. T. M. Brewer, I at first declined, 
feeling that if I expressed jnyself conscientiously, I should give 
some displeasure to its author. But I finally consented, and penned 
the short article in the third number of this Bulletin, bearing the 
signature “ H. A. P.” I intended to give the writer of this Cata- 
logue all the credit due him ; but in this, according to his reply in 
the following number, I have signally failed. The tone of Dr. 
Brewer’s article, and the demand he makes that I must produce 
something of more weight than “ unsupported assertions,” “ sweep- 
ing generalizations,” opinions and conjectures unsupported by facts,’ 
and “ positive dogmas given out quite ex cathedra,'' renders it neces- 
sary for me, in defence, to reply somewhat in detail. He must, 
however, be aware that reviews are generally limited as to space, 
and especially so w’as the case in this instance, so that full citations 
in support of my differences with him were out of place. He now 
