Rusty Blackbirds ( Euphagus carolinus ) wintering in Essex Co., 
Mass. — A flock of Rusty Blackbirds spent most, it not all, the past winter 
in Danvers, Mass. This seems remarkable considering the great severity 
of January and February, 1912. 
Mr. Brewster records a flock of this species in Brookline, February 8, 
1879. Mr. A. C. Conrey noted one on Concord turnpike, Concord, Jan- 
uary 22, 1905. Howe & Allen, 1901, give February 20 as earliest, except 
the accidental February 8, and in Townsend’s Birds of Essex Co., March 
14 is given. 
I first saw a flock of eight individuals during a snowstorm on January 
29, feeding on a large pile of manure close to Burley St. On January 30, 
they were in the same place. I could not find out whether anyone had seen 
them before this. On February 6, Mr. G. A. Peabody saw twelve on his 
estate near the same spot, and on February 7, he counted eighteen. I 
looked up the flock again on February 18, and also counted eighteen 
birds. They were getting most of their food, apparently, from a large 
pile of horse manure. From that date until March 19, Mr. Peabody tells 
me he constantly saw the birds at the same place. — J. C. Phillips, 
Wenham, Mass. . X X /?/•£. $ 
The Rusty Blackbird ( Euphagus carolinus ) in Connecticut in Win- 
ter. — On January 18, 1914, 1 observed two Rusty Blackbirds in Edgewood 
Park, New Haven, Conn. The birds were in a portion of the park that is 
rather swampy in character. These swamps are evidently fed by springs, 
as the shallow water does not freeze throughout the year. This makes 
the third winter record for this species in Connecticut. The other two are 
both December dates and are regarded, probably correctly, as instances of 
late fall migration (Birds of Connecticut, 1913, p. 115). It is interesting 
to note that both of these December records — one by Mr. C. H. Pangburn 
and one by myself — are from this same swampy area in Edgewood Park. — - 
Aretas A. Saunders, New Haven, Conn. 
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