The Winter Distribution of the Swamp Sparrow a»d--the-¥eHow-'««Bp. 
— On pages 380 and 381 of the last volume of ‘The Auk,’ Mr. Arthur P. 
Chadbourne has something further to say with respect to the wintering of 
Swamp Sparrows in Massachusetts iw*l-e£A-eHo u Lumps in Marne, during 
the season of 1884-85. Mr. Chadbourne intimates that he is willing to 
have the question made one of evidence, and repeats with some changes 
of phraseology the information he has previously (Auk, Vol. II, p. 216) 
brought forward on the subject of the Sparrows, without, however, the 
addition of any new facts. This information is in brief as follows: Four 
Swamp Sparrows were seen by a collector in Cambridge on December 
29, 1884, and one of them was shot and preserved ; the remains of another 
perhaps one of the original four — were found, not far from the same 
spot, on January 31, 1885. Upon such ground is based the conclusion 
that Swamp Sparrows tarried in the vicinity throughout the winter,— a 
conclusion which is plainly not justified in the light of the facts, that the 
season was exceptionally severe after the middle of January and excep- 
tionally mild before that date, and that this species has never been shown 
to remain in Massachusetts throughout any winter season. The claim 
that in Massachusetts January is a test month for irregular winter residents 
cannot be made in behalf of the Swamp Sparrow, for the very reason that 
the bird has as yet no right to a place in that class. To assert that it 
never will have such a right, is far from my intention. Not much evi- 
dence is needed to prove that it can brave the rigors of an entire winter 
season in Massachusetts; but until the missing links in the chain are pro- 
duced, no good strict constructionist will admit, I think, that the Swamp 
Sparrow has been found ‘wintering’ in that State. Mr. Chadbourne’s cita- 
tions of instances wherein certain other kinds have passed the winter far 
to the north of their usual habitats are simply irrelevant, and his references 
to what may be possible are entirely outside the range ol evidence. 
n '&-■£<.- 'yo^cC f 
/3&-/S7 ■ 
Auk, 3, Jan. , 1880. 9 . 
