8 
Chamberlain’s New Brunswick Notes. 
[January 
It was among one of these groups, feeding nearest the seaward 
point of the flats, that Mr. Alfred Morrissey discovered a flock of 
Ipswich Sparrows ( Passer cuius -princeps) on April n. The 
species was new to this locality, for Mr. Brewster’s solitary indi- 
vidual, taken at Point Lepreaux in April, 1876 (as recorded in this 
Bulletin, Vol. I, p. 52), is the only instance of its occurrence 
previously known. Of the birds as they appeared to Mr. Mor- 
rissey he says: . “When I first saw the Ipswich Sparrows they 
were in company with Song Sparrows, their actions being so 
nearly identical that the species could only be distinguished by 
the difference in the length of the tail and the general color of the 
plumage, that of the Ipswich being somewhat the lighter. 
“There were some twenty individuals in the flock, and, as they 
were very tame, allowing me to approach within a few yards, I 
was enabled to easily watch their movements during the few days 
they remained, they feeding always in one locality. Most of the 
weather while they were here was stormy, but they appeared 
indifferent to it and were very active, picking about in the sand, 
even in a snow-squall, hopping around and taking short flights, 
all the while uttering a sharp chirp, but not attempting any song. 
Of the few specimens I secured, one was merely wounded, and I 
placed it in a cage with a Canary, where it lived for a week, being 
fed during the entire time by the Canary. It was exceedingly 
tame, allowing one’s hand to be put in the cage without disturbing 
it in the slightest degree.” 
The Fox Sparrows did not put in an appearance in the vicinity 
of St. John until “April-fool’s day,” a full week after the Wild 
Geese were first seen going northward. They are rarely observed 
here after the third week in March, but this year they remained 
fully a month later. By the fifth day of April they had gathered 
in immense numbers and were in full song. Everywhere about 
the city and suburbs, and at all hours, in the early dawn and in 
the gloaming as well as at noonday, alike indifferent to storm or 
sunshine, they sang as if singing were the end and aim of their 
existence. But theirs is a song that one does not soon tire of ; 
indeed to my ear it is more beautiful than that of any other mem- 
ber of the family, entitling the species to high rank among our 
northern songsters. Of course such eminent performers as the 
Winter Wren and Hermit Thrush take precedence, and in the 
song of the present bird we miss many qualities for which other 
