Concord, 
1898. 
Oct . 8 . 
(No. 2). 
1399. 
April 9. 
G1 endal e , 
1899. 
Sept .1-15 
Melospiza fasciata . 
Mass. 
their sweet notes came to delight my ears. At least two and 
I think three that I heard were old birds whose voio.es sounded 
as fresh and full as at the height of the breeding season. I 
also heard a great number of them last evening as I 7/as paddli 
up the river but on that occasion most of them seemed to be 
young birds. I do not understand why the Song Sparrows are 
singing so much more than usual this October. I have cer- 
tainly never heard anything like it in former years. 
Song Sparrows are exceedingly scarce comparatively. 
... i am seeing tens where there should be hundreds and of 
the former (Fox Sparrows ) I have thus far seen but two. 
Chickadees, also, are unusually scarce and I have yet to meet 
with the Rusty Blackbirds. Redwings are common enough but my 
daily counts look small indeed in comparison with those of 
former years at this season. Meadow Larks are also very 
scarce. Robins, Bluebirds, Flickers and Crows are present in 
their usual numbers. (This scarcity is due to the past 
terrible winter especj.ally_j.ri the South). 
Berkshire Co., Mass. Scarcity. 
Although Song Sparrows have been comparatively scarce 
. everywhere this year I was surprised to meet with only one 
during my stay at Glendale, 
weedy place near the house. 
This bird was started from a 
