Flight of 
Bobolinks 
Canada 
Nuthatch 
?/ 7 t> 
on the meadow, marking its course by a succession of scaipes • 
The "drumming" was precisely like that produced by this bird 
in spring, I have never heard it in autumn before and know 
of only one instance (communicated to me by Faxon, who heard 
a Snipe drum in the early evening last September on Rock 
Meadows)where it has been noted by others. 
As daylight strengthened, Bobolinks began chinking 
and I heard them at frequent intervals until the sun rose, 
but not afterwards. One and all seemed to be moving south¬ 
ward at a considerable height. 
Shortly after sunrise I fell asleep and it was 
7 A. M. when I again awoke and stepped from my cramped quar¬ 
ters out into the air and sunshine. It was a truly glar ious 
morning, not tne least speck of cloud visible in the tender 
blue dome overhead, the air as clear as possible, the sun¬ 
shine bright and warm, every leaf and blade of grass frosted 
with big d©w drops. 
A Canada Nuthatch, the first that I have noted this 
season, was gleaning its brea.kfa.st among the cones of a pitch 
pine on the hillside above me and every now and then utteriig 
its prolonged nasal whining as if expressing discontent at 
the quality or quantity of its food. 
For three weeks or more small birds have been very 
scarce both as regards species and individuals. As nearly 
as I could make out, the region has been gradually but almost 
completely drained of such summer residents as habitually 
