CONCORD 
1899 
oril 
9 
Early 
mo m i ae; 
singing; at 
the Keyes’ . 
Scarcity of 
Sony Soarrows 
Killdeer 
[_Early this morning when the sun was shining 'brightly 
and before the wind rose, a number of birds were singing 
close around the house. Besides the usual Robins, Bobo¬ 
links, Song Sparrows, Phoebes, Meadow Larks, Flickers, etc., 
I heard two Tree Sparrows and a Junco. Later in the day 
I found a single Junco and two Bluebirds in our apple- 
orchard. I fear the past terrible winter — especially 
terrible in the South — has well-nigh extirpated the Juncos. 
The Fox and Song Sparrows are also exceedingly scarce 
comparatively. Of the latter I am seeing tens where there 
should be hundreds and of the former I have thus far seen 
but two. Chickadees, alas, are unusually scarce and I 
have yet to meet with the Rusty Blackbirds. Red-wings are 
common enough but my daily counts look small indeed in 
comparison with those of former yes.rs at this season. 
Meadow Larks are also very scarce. Robins, Bluebirds, 
Flickers, and Crows are present in their usual number. 
As I was returning from the Ernersonb’ this evening 
I met Fred Hosmer. He told me that he had. seen a flock of 
about 12 Fox Sparrows accompanied by several Juncos at 
White Pond and two Fox Sparrows in another place, all this 
morning. During the same walk he saw in Dugan Brook 
Meadow near Marshall Miles’s (Nine Acre Corner)"a Plover 
about the size of a Meadow Lark, with a white ring around 
the neck and some conspicuous bright cinnamon brown on the 
back or rump. It was noisy and shy, flying from place to 
