Chapter XI: Part 11

121. =Antrostomus vociferus arizonæ= _Brewster_. STEPHENS’ WHIP-POOR-WILL.—During 1881 this Whip-poor-will was again met with in Arizona among the Santa Rita Mountains, where, however, it was less numerous than it had been in the Chiricahua range in 1880. The only specimen obtained was an adult male which was shot, by moonlight, in oaks near a stream.

Through Mr. Stephens’ kindness I am now enabled to present descriptions of the female and egg alluded to in a letter quoted in connection with the original description[99] of the race.

Adult ♀ (6309, author’s collection, Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona, July 4, 1880. F. Stephens). General coloring similar to that of the male, but lighter, the ground tints more ochraceous; the white of the tail replaced by reddish-fulvous which forms a narrow tipping on the outer three pairs of rectrices; the tawny gular crescent continued around the sides of the neck, the ends meeting behind and forming an uninterrupted collar.

_Dimensions._ Length, 9.60; extent, 18.80; wing, 6.27; tail, 5.03; culmen, .80; tarsus, .70; longest rictal bristle, 1.40.

This specimen differs even more widely from the female, than does my type from the male of _A. vociferus_. The ochraceous of the lores, superciliary-stripe, and neck-collar, spreads over the entire plumage both above and beneath, giving it a tawny tinge which overlies and obscures the usual dark markings. On the shoulders, breast, lores and throat this color deepens to a fine reddish-chestnut, and elsewhere it replaces the ashy, dirty white and other light tints of the eastern birds. In its general coloring the plumage strikingly resembles that of the brown phase of _Scops asio kennicotti_. The ochraceous neck-collar is also present in the male from the Santa Rita Mountains, but it is less distinctly defined, being somewhat obscured, especially on the nape, by dusky mottling. In all other respects this example agrees closely with my type.

The egg is white with a dull gloss. At first sight it appears to be immaculate, but a closer inspection reveals a few faint blotches of the palest possible purple, so faint indeed that they might pass for superficial stains were it not for the fact that they underlie the external polish. The absence of well-defined markings may probably be explained by the assumption that the bird had laid one or more clutches earlier in the season, thus exhausting her supply of coloring pigment. The specimen measures 1.17 × .87.

355, ♂ ad., Santa Rita Mountains, May 11. Length, 9.90; extent, 18.70; wing, 6.50; tail, 5.15; culmen, .76; tarsus, .70; longest rictal bristle, 1.73.

(_To be continued._)

NOTES UPON THE OSTEOLOGY OF _CINCLUS MEXICANUS_.

BY R. W. SHUFELDT.

It has never been my good fortune to enjoy the opportunity of studying the habits and manners of our American Dipper in its native haunts, but this seems to have been due more to my ill-luck, than to any neglect on my part to seize upon every chance to visit the localities where this bird, one that I have so often longed to see alive, certainly should have occurred; I refer to the rocky, mountain streams that course down the gorges of the Big Horn Mountains and the Laramie Hills. Many a time I have scrambled alone up through the rocky cañon that marked the bed of one of these noisy, bounding torrents with the vain hope of finding _Cinclus_, but, like many a naturalist before me, I was obliged to leave the country where these birds undoubtedly occur without ever having seen one of them. So that of my own personal experience I have nothing to add, so far as its life history is concerned, to the many beautiful descriptions of this bird given in our standard ornithologies, familiar to all lovers of the science, and to those read in its literature.

Of skins of _Cinclus_ I have examined many a score, as has every one who from time to time has gone through large collections, but the very nearest, the most intimate acquaintance that I can boast of ever having made with this little bird, was with a pair and three young that had been stowed away by themselves in alcohol for several years in the large collection at the Smithsonian Institution. Of this material I was kindly allowed to avail myself, or of so much of it at least as was necessary to develop the facts that I now have the pleasure of presenting to my reader in this paper.

I did very little with the viscera, and this part of its anatomy has been laid aside for some future study, my attention having been directed more particularly to the skeleton, and to the extremely interesting points that it presented for consideration. These I shall endeavor to describe, as minutely and elaborately as the limits of this article will permit, at the same time suppressing as many of the technicalities in terms, as is compatible with exactness, and in accord with the tastes of those who have not devoted themselves especially to anatomical reading and work.

In studying the skeletons of birds, or of anything else for that matter, the student must keep the fact ever present in his mind, that the great value of such studies and the descriptions that may follow them, rests almost entirely upon the comparisons that he makes; the more carefully and minutely he compares the form he may have under consideration with nearly related forms, the greater will be the value of his results; to this end tend all the studies of biologists of the present day.

With respect to the skull of _Cinclus_, our space will not permit us to enter upon the engaging part of the subject as to the mode of formation of this part of the skeleton in the adult from the many segments found in the cranium of the chick, it being enough for us to say that the usual bones ossify, unite, and leave the ordinary ones free, as the pterygoids, the ossa quadrata, and the lower jaw. The superior mandible is drawn out into a sharp point, and the bony nostril on either side occupies considerable space, being long and elliptical in outline; as in all nearly related genera these apertures are not separated by a bony partition or septum, but below we detect a delicate vomer in the median plane.

The eye-cavities or orbits are well shut off from the nasal chambers beyond them by broad bony walls composed of the usual elements, and here each is of a quadrate figure, as seen in so many genera of birds. The upper and outer angles of these osseous partitions are rounded. The almost complete separation existing between the two cavities just referred to by no means exists between the orbits themselves, for here we find an extremely deficient septum, and a large aperture leading into the brain-case at the usual site of the exit of the nasal nerves, the openings for the optic nerves being circular and entire.

On the inferior aspect of the skull we find maxillo-palatines, of a more or less spongy composition, existing between maxillaries and the delicate palatines, which latter are slightly bent downwards from the horizontal plane. The pterygoids are very slender, and articulate in the usual manner with the quadrates and the palatines.

The external form of the brain-case is more or less globular, the supra-occipital prominence being well developed behind. Above in the median line a shallow furrow is carried forward as far as the fronto-maxillary suture.

There is but little of interest to note in the lower mandible, to illustrate the points we have in view.

From this slight sketch of this part of the skeleton we are prepared to look a little into how _Cinclus_ compares with other forms of near kin. The writer, to illustrate his remarks, offers the student the four accompanying cuts of the superior aspects of the skulls of birds chosen with the view of showing the comparable points.

A is of _Oreoscoptes montanus_, B of _Sialia mexicana_, C of _Cinclus_ itself, and D of _Siurus nævius_.

In the figures, the angle formed at _l_, _l′_, _b_, and _b′_ is due to the lachrymal bone on that side; viewed from above in such forms as _Sialia_, _Turdus grayi_, _Oreoscoptes_, _Hylocichla unalascæ_, and no doubt _Merula_ and _Mimus_, less so in _Harporhynchus_, this projection is markedly angular; while in _Siurus_, the Wrens, and rather less so in _Anthus_, it is _rounded_, as shown in _Siurus_ and also in _Cinclus_ itself.

Of the forms we have examined, _Siurus_ appears to be closer to the Dipper in this respect than any other genus, the Wrens (_Salpinctes_) next, and _Anthus_ next. This also applies to the manner in which the median furrow at the summit of the cranium approaches the fronto-maxillary suture, also shown in C and D in the cuts, this feature in the opposed forms mentioned above occupying a position between the superior orbital margins.

There is still another very marked distinction among the birds we have thus far compared, and that is in the general external form of the brain-case proper. A and B show the form assumed by the genera we mentioned above in connection with them; smooth, large, and globular, all indicating the possession of a brain of no mean size as compared with the owner. In _Cinclus_, _Siurus_, and the _Troglodytinæ_ the prominence of the supra-occipital eminence causes depressions to exist at _d_ and _d′_ that are not present in A and B at _c_ and _c′_.

With regard to this last characteristic the outline assumed by _Siurus_ seems to claim the nearer place, over the other forms mentioned.

So much for the skull, and the writer must reluctantly and with as good grace as possible allow the student to observe other interesting points of difference for himself, though he would be only too glad to assist him in this part of the skeleton.

There are fourteen cervical vertebræ in _Cinclus_, the last two bearing each a pair of free ribs, the ultimate pair possessing uncinate processes; this arrangement holds good in _Siurus_ and _Salpinctes_, but we remember that in _Eremophila_[100] we found only thirteen cervical vertebræ; the number of ribs varied however. _Cinclus_ also possesses, in common with the form mentioned, four dorsal ribs; these are connected with the sternum by sternal ribs, the first sacral vertebra possessing an additional pair, but its sternal ribs only articulate along the hind border, on either side of the true sternal and last pair. This condition obtains, we know, in very many birds.

If we do not include the pygostyle or last coccygeal vertebræ, we observe that Cinclus has seven caudal vertebræ, _Siurus_ and _Salpinctes_ each only _five_, _Oreoscoptes_ having _six_, so that the number of these segments may vary more or less among the genera we have quoted above.

The general pattern of the pelvis of the Dipper, the Wrens, the Thrushes, and _Sialia_ is pretty much the same for all, that is it would be very hard to point out decided differences among them upon casual examinations; of course they are proportionate in size to that of their respective owners, and we might, in extensive series of each, by exceedingly careful measurements, detect relative differences. These remarks cannot be applied to the genus _Harporhynchus_, as the pelvis there has a very striking form, best expressed by saying that it is more angular than the others cited, the processes are more pronounced and sharper. In _Cinclus_, as in other forms noted, the bone is broad across, with the distal extremities of the pubic bones and ischia flaring well outwards; the ilio-neural canals open; the sacral vertebræ very broad, with numerous foramina or openings existing among them.

What we have just said in regard to the pelvis applies with equal force to the shoulder girdle and sternum; indeed, this latter bone is singularly alike among the various genera that I have referred to; the shape it assumes is that described by Professor Owen in his Anatomy of Vertebrates, as the “Cantorial sternum,” it being the pattern allotted to the vast majority of the class _Aves_. In front we find the manubrium bifurcated, and supported upon a stout and produced base, directed upwards and outwards. The body behind is 1–notched, the lateral xiphoidal processes thus formed having dilated ends. The keel is deep, convex below, sharp and concave in front, forming an acute cardinal angle at the point of meeting. The costal processes are very lofty, broad and directed forwards, having the facets for the sternal ribs placed along their posterior borders, which meet on either side the xiphoidal borders at a very obtuse angle. The “merry-thought” of _Cinclus_ is delicately formed, having expanded upper extremities and a median plate below.

Our subject has, in addition to the usual number of bones in the pectoral limb, quite a sizable sesamoid, to be found at the back of the elbow; this bonelet is likewise found in _Oreoscoptes_ and may be a common character of other birds we have mentioned. The arm seems to be completely non-pneumatic, indeed I have failed to find the apertures for the entrance of air in any of the bones composing it. Several months ago my attention was directed to a note, I think in the Proceedings of the Zoölogical Society of London, in which some English observer says the same of the European Dipper. This non-pneumatic condition of the long bones, not only of the upper but also of the lower extremities, seems to hold good among all the other forms and genera we have thus far referred to in this article.

The proximal extremity of the _humerus_ is very much expanded, and rather abruptly bent in the direction of the bird’s body, the member being considered in a position of rest. The “crest” we know curls over the usual site of the pneumatic fossa, which depression is divided by a bony partition from a lesser cavity above. This characteristic is also more or less strongly marked in the Rock Wren, _Siurus_, and others, and is feebly shown in _Harporhynchus_.

The articular cavity of the shoulder joint is increased in the Dipper by a good sized _os humero-scapalare_, a sesamoid that we are aware is to be found among other orders.

We will present the reader here with a table showing the relative lengths, etc., of some of the bones we have thus far examined, in order that a study of their comparative development may be made. (The measurements are given in centimeters.)

───────────────────────┬──────────────────┬────────┬──────┬─────┬────── │ Sternum │ │ │ │ ───────────────────────┼────────────┬─────┼────────┼──────┼─────┼────── │Length from │ │ │ │ │ Long │bifurcation │Depth│ │Radius│ │ axis Species. │of manubrium│ of │Humerus.│ and │Hand.│ of │ to end of │keel.│ │ulna. │ │skull. │ body. │ │ │ │ │ ───────────────────────┼────────────┼─────┼────────┼──────┼─────┼────── _Cinclus mexicanus._ │ 2.7│ 0.8│ 2.2│ 2.6│ 2.6│ 4.4 _Siurus nævius._ │ 1.9│ 0.6│ 1.7│ 2.1│ 1.7│ 3.1 _Salpinctes obsoletus._│ 1.6│ 0.5│ 1.7│ 2.0│ 1.7│ 3.6 _Oreoscoptes montanus._│ 2.3│ 0.7│ 2.2│ 2.7│ 2.4│ 4.2 _Sialia mexicana._ │ 2.3│ 0.8│ 2.0│ 2.8│ 2.3│ 3.5 _Anthus ludovicianus._ │ 2.1│ 0.7│ 1.8│ 2.5│ 2.1│ 2.9 _Merula migratoria._ │ 3.4│ 1.1│ 2.9│ 3.4│ —│ — _Hesperocichla nævia._ │ 3.0│ 1.6│ 2.5│ 3.1│ 3.1│ 4.6 ───────────────────────┴────────────┴─────┴────────┴──────┴─────┴──────

A great many points of extreme interest and of the highest importance reward the ornithotomist’s study of the pelvic limb of _Cinclus_; some of these the writer has already remarked upon in papers now in press, but he offers them here again, confident of the fact that they will be of interest to ornithologists generally, particularly to those whose aim it is to pursue the study more than “skin deep.”

In the adult Dipper the pelvic limb, as far as its skeleton is concerned, is made up of the most usual number of bones; the thigh having the _femur_, the leg the _tibia_ and _fibula_, a _patella_, the tarsus the bone _tarso-metatarsus_, and finally a foot arranged upon the plan of four toes, with first, second, third, and fourth digit composed of 2, 3, 4, and 5 joints respectively.

I have already said that these bones are non-pneumatic, they are also of lengths proportionate to the size of the bird, the claws being curved about as much as they are in a typical Thrush. Anatomists have described certain general points for examination on these long bones composing the leg; many of these are present, but we shall only call the student’s attention to a few of them, so as to make clear what we have to point out hereafter. Nothing of striking variance marks the femur, as distinguishing it from the common form of the bone among birds of this class. The same might be said of the tibia, but we must note the two large flaring processes at the anterior and upper end of this, the larger bone of the leg; in this bone, too, the condyles are well developed below. The _tarso-metatarsus_, or the bone of the tarsus, we observe in the old bird, has rather a slender shaft, presenting for examination at its upper end the usual dilatation, crowned by a smooth, undulating surface to articulate with the tibia; behind this, at the same end, we find a tuberous process that has given comparative anatomists no little trouble to name; but we will speak of this further on. The lower end of the tarso-metatarsus has the little lateral facet for the diminutive first tarsal bone, and the three trochleæ for the other toes.

Let us now, after this brief survey of the bones in the adult take up the young of this species. We find first that the femur has grown in the usual manner, its lower end bearing the two large condyles has been formed by one epiphysis which included both of these articulate surfaces. Nothing of particular interest is to be observed in the development of the fibula or the small “splint bone” of the leg. The superior end of the tibia has been formed by the epiphysis including the two large processes that I spoke of above. These plates are called the procnemial and the ectocnemial processes, the inner and outer one respectively. They are turned slightly outwards, springing abruptly from the shaft in the adult, very much as I figured them in _Lanius_.

Such of my readers as have read my account of the development of _Centrocercus_ in the Osteology of the _Tetraonidæ_, will remember what we had to say in regard to the lower end of the tibia and its growth, and also all that Professor Morse has done for us in that direction. The specimen we have of the young of _Cinclus_ does not admit of the demonstration of the _intermedium_; the _fibulare_ and the _tibiale_ seem to ossify separately, however. We must admit, then, that in this instance we are no nearer solving the problem of the homologies of the avian tarsal segments than we were before, but a little light at least is thrown on the subject when we come to examine the next bone, the tarso-metatarsus.

In nearly all birds this bone has at the back part of its upper end a tuberous process, amalgamated with the shaft in the adult, that assumes various forms in different members of the class. This bony process has long been regarded with suspicion, as to whether it was one of the ankle or rather tarsal bones or not. Let us hear what a few of the authorities have to say in this matter. Professor Owen tells us in Vol. II of his Anatomy of the Vertebrates, when speaking in general terms of this process, that: “One or more longitudinal ridges at the back of the upper end of the metatarsal are called ‘calcaneal’; they intercept or bound tendinal grooves which, in some instances, are bridged over by bone and converted into canals; the ridges may be expanded and flattened.” This would lead one to think that the Professor _might_ regard this process as the homologue of the os calcis, a tarsal bone.

Professor Huxley, in his Anatomy of Vertebrated Animals, page 254, tells us, in speaking of this process, that: “Again in most birds, the posterior face of the proximal end of the middle metatarsal, and the adjacent surface of the tarsal bone, grow out a process, which is commonly, but improperly, termed “calcaneal.” The inferior surface of this _hypo-tarsus_ is sometimes simply flattened, sometimes traversed by grooves or canals, for the flexor tendons of the digits.”

Mivart says, when referring to birds: “Thus no projection corresponding with the tuberosity of the os calcis exists in this compound bone.” (Elementary Anatomy, p. 206.)

Coues, in his Osteology of _Colymbus torquatus_, leaves no doubt in our mind how he regards this projection of the tarso-metatarsus; this author says:—“The process of bone representing the _os calcis_, rises at the superior end of the bone, on its posterior aspect, as a very conspicuous crest.”

Professor Morse, in his Tarsus and Carpus of Birds (Ann. Lyc. Nat. Hist., N. Y., Vol. X, 1872), speaks of the centrale, but not in connection with this process.

In the chick of _Centrocercus_ I found that the _centrale did not include this process_, consequently in my Osteology of the _Tetraonidæ_ (Bull. U. S. Geol. Surv., Vol. VI) I declared that this process had nothing whatever to do with the _os calcis_, and in the osteology of _Lanius_, termed it the _tendinous_ process, from the fact that the flexor tendons in so many birds either pass over or through it. Now our young of _Cinclus mexicanus_, just before it leaves the nest, has its metatarsal bones still ununited, and crowned by a _separate_ segment that has apparently ossified from one single centre, a segment that not only includes the _centrale_, but the entire process of which we have been speaking. So between _Cinclus_ and _Centrocercus_ we must still look for other forms to throw light upon this problem. The subject is an extremely engaging one for the ornithologist to look into and investigate.

The shaft of the tarso-metatarsus of this bird develops after the usual rule set forth in works upon the subject, and the same may be said of the phalanges.

The writer only hopes that his sketch, necessarily brief, and far from being exhaustive, will have at least the tendency to induce other ornithologists to record their observations upon this subject whenever the opportunity offers.

Our studies, as far as we have carried them, seem to point pretty conclusively to the fact that our American Dipper is quite closely related to the genus _Siurus_, and not far removed from some of the Wrens.

LIST OF BIRDS OBSERVED AT HOUSTON, HARRIS CO., TEXAS, AND IN THE
COUNTIES MONTGOMERY, GALVESTON AND FORD BEND.

BY H. NEHRLING.

(_concluded from p. 175._)

152. =Ægialites vociferus= _Bonap._ KILLDEER PLOVER.[101]—Common
resident throughout the year, but most abundant during the spring and
fall migrations.

153. =Ægialites semipalmatus= _Bonap._ SEMIPALMATED OR RING
PLOVER.—Rare and only observed during migrations.

154. =Ægialites wilsonius= _Ord._ WILSON’S PLOVER.—Common during the
breeding season, but I did not succeed in finding a nest.

155. =Strepsilas interpres= _Illig._ TURNSTONE.—Seen on Galveston Bay
and on the Gulf Coast.

156. =Recurvirostra americana= _Gmel._ AVOCET.—Winters, but not
noticed in summer.

157. =Gallinago wilsoni= _Bonap._ WILSON’S SNIPE.—Common during
migrations; arriving from the north usually in the middle of October,
sometimes earlier, sometimes later. I think none remain here to breed,
and all go farther south to winter. The time of arrival from their
winter quarters is unknown to me.

158. =Tringa maculata= _Vieill._ JACK SNIPE; GRASS SNIPE.—Common in
September and again in April. None remain to winter or to breed.

159. =Tringa minutilla= _Vieill._ LEAST SANDPIPER.—Not uncommon in
winter.

160. =Actiturus bartramius= _Bonap._ BARTRAMIAN SANDPIPER; UPLAND
PLOVER.—Abundant on the prairies during March and April and again in
October. None remain to breed or to winter.

161. =Limosa fœda= _Ord._ MARBLED GODWIT.—Rare; seen only in March and
October.

162. =Totanus semipalmatus= _Temm._ WILLET; TATTLER.—This well-known
bird is also common in this region in all suitable localities.
Resident throughout the year; breeds.

163. =Numenius longirostris= _Wils._ LONG-BILLED CURLEW.—Common during
migrations; occasionally seen during the breeding season.

164. =Tantalus loculator= _Linn._ WOOD IBIS.—This bird is common in
all marshy localities near the Gulf Coast. I have seen it frequently
in the marshes and ponds near Spring Creek and the Brazos, in company
with Herons and other water fowl.

165. =Platalea ajaja= _Linn._ ROSEATE SPOON-BILL.—Common in the
breeding season. Never seen in companies, but always singly,
associated with Herons, Ducks, etc. Particularly common on the prairie
ponds in the northern part of Harris County, Texas.

166. =Ardea herodias= _Linn._ GREAT BLUE HERON.—Quite regularly
distributed, but nowhere common; breeds on trees near ponds in the
woods.

167. =Herodias egretta= _Gray._ WHITE HERON; GREAT WHITE
EGRET.—Abundant summer resident; breeds. This beautiful bird is to be
observed in numbers in all the prairie ponds. They breed in
communities on bushes in swamps. The nests are bulky, built of sticks;
the nesting cavity is very flat; eggs three or four in number. The
birds begin to breed in the latter part of April.

168. =Garzetta candidissima= _Bonap._ SNOWY HERON; LITTLE WHITE
HERON.—Exceedingly abundant during a large part of the year. I have
seen these birds by thousands in the marshes near the Brazos River and
on the Gulf Coast. Large colonies breed in the marshes near Spring
Creek, where they build their nests on bushes, or, more frequently, in
the lower horizontal branches of forest trees, bordering ponds and
marshes. None remain to winter.

169. =Florida cœrulea= _Bd._ LITTLE BLUE HERON.—This beautiful bird is
exceedingly abundant in all suitable localities. Many are resident
throughout the year, but most migrate further south in winter. They
nest in large colonies in swamps and marshes overgrown thickly with
bushes. I have always found the nest in the top of button-bushes
(_Cephalanthus occidentalis_). Eggs three or four, in one case five,
in number. I have seen hundreds of nests in one pond. They are built
entirely of sticks without any lining. In the second week of May many
eggs were already hatched.

170. =Butorides virescens= _Bonap._ GREEN HERON.—Common summer
resident; breeds; never observed in flocks, but always in pairs or
singly.

171. =Hydranassa tricolor ludoviciana= _Ridgw._ LOUISIANA HERON.—One
specimen, shot May, 1880, on Spring Creek. Seems to be not very
common. Breeds in the swampy woods.

172. =Nyctiardea grisea nævia= _Allen_. BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON.—Not
common and very shy. Breeds in the swamps where other Herons have
their nests.

173. =Botaurus lentiginosus= _Steph._ AMERICAN BITTERN.—Occurs during
migrations; none observed in the breeding season or in winter.

174. =Ardetta exilis= _Gray._ LEAST BITTERN.—Common during migrations;
rare in summer; breeds in the marshes of tule reeds and water shrubs,
such as _Cephalanthus occidentalis_ and _Pinckneya pubescens_, in
company with Herons and other water fowl.

175. =Grus americana= _Temm._ WHOOPING CRANE.—From November to the end
of March these beautiful birds are exceedingly abundant on all the low
prairies in the vicinity of Houston. Very shy.

176. =Grus canadensis= _Temm._ SANDHILL CRANE.—Even more abundant than
the preceding. Observed flocks of many hundreds on the low prairies in
the western and northern parts of Harris County. Very shy.

177. =Porzana carolina= _Bd._ CAROLINA RAIL; SORA.—Seen in summer,
breeds. but I have not discovered the nest.

178. =Porzana noveboracensis= _Cass._ LITTLE YELLOW RAIL.—Very rare
during migrations.

179. =Porzana jamaicensis= _Cass._ LITTLE BLACK RAIL.—One taken April
29, 1879.

180. =Gallinula galeata= _Bonap._ FLORIDA GALLINULE.—Common during the
breeding season in all marshes where reeds and bushes grow, but
especially so where the magnificent _Nymphæa odorata_ (Water-Lily)
opens its fragrant flowers, and where _Nuphar advena_ (Yellow Pond
Lily) and another beautiful aquatic, _Nelumbium luteum_ (Water
Chinquepin), are found; over the broad leaves of which plants the
little Florida Gallinule runs with exceeding quickness, searching for
water insects and other food.

181. =Fulica americana= _Gmel._ AMERICAN COOT; MUD HEN.—Decidedly more
numerous than the preceding. Especially common in the large prairie
swamps.

182. =Cygnus buccinator= _Rich._ TRUMPETER SWAN.—Every winter there
are large numbers on Galveston Bay and on the Gulf of Mexico near the
coast.

183. =Cygnus americanus= _Sharp._ AMERICAN or WHISTLING
SWAN.—Sometimes these birds winter abundantly on Galveston Bay.

184. =Anser hyperboreus= _Pall._ SNOW GOOSE; WHITE BRANT.—Exceedingly
abundant on Galveston Bay, also on the rivers and bayous near the Gulf
Coast in winter.

185. =Anser albifrons gambeli= _Coues_. AMERICAN WHITE-FRONTED
GOOSE.—This is the first Goose to arrive from the north in autumn, but
they all migrate farther south.

186. =Bernicla canadensis= _Boie_. CANADA GOOSE.—Exceedingly abundant
during winter. Large flocks are to be observed on the wet prairies in
company with Cranes.

187. =Anas boscas= _Linn._ MALLARD.—Very common during migrations and
in winter.

188. =Anas obscura= _Gmel._ BLACK DUCK; DUSKY DUCK.—Common during the
breeding season. A pair of these Ducks are seen in almost every pond
among Herons, Roseate Spoonbills, Anhingas, Gallinules, and Blackbirds
(_Agelæus phœniceus_).

189. =Dafila acuta= _Bonap._ PINTAIL DUCK.—Common during migrations.

190. =Chaulelasmus streperus= _Gray._ GADWALL.—Exceedingly abundant
during winter.

191. =Mareca americana= _Steph._ AMERICAN WIDGEON.—Common during
migrations.

192. =Querquedula carolinensis= _Steph._ GREEN-WINGED TEAL.—Very
common in autumn and spring, rather rare in winter.

193. =Querquedula discors= _Steph._ BLUE-WINGED TEAL.—Very common
during migrations but all pass further south.

194. =Querquedula cyanoptera= _Cass._ CINNAMON TEAL.—Not common during
migrations; none remain to winter.

195. =Spatula clypeata= _Boie_. SHOVELLER; SPOON-BILL DUCK.—Abundant
in winter.

196. =Aix sponsa= _Boie_. WOOD DUCK; SUMMER DUCK.—Common during
migrations; some remain to breed.

197. =Fulix marila= _Bd._ SCAUP DUCK.—Common in winter on Galveston
Bay.

198. =Fulix affinis= _Bd._ LITTLE BLACK-HEAD.—Very common in winter.

199. =Aythya vallisneria= _Boie_. CANVAS-BACK.—Abundant in winter on
Galveston Bay and on all marshy districts near the Gulf Coast.

200. =Bucephala albeola= _Bd._ BUTTER-BALL; BUFFLE-HEAD.—Abundant in
winter near the coast.

201. =Erismatura rubida= _Bonap._ RUDDY DUCK.—Very common during
migrations; none remain to winter, but many breed.

202. =Pelecanus erythrorhynchus= _Gmel._ AMERICAN WHITE
PELICAN.—Common during winter, especially near the coast.

203. =Pelecanus fuscus= _Linn._ BROWN PELICAN.—Common during the
breeding season on all the rivers, creeks, and bayous near the coast.

204. =Plotus anhinga= _Linn._ AMERICAN ANHINGA; SNAKE-BIRD; “WATER
TURKEY.”—Breeds in all marshy localities and is very common.

205. =Larus atricilla= _Linn._ LAUGHING GULL.—Abundant near the Gulf
Coast; breeds on the small sand islands in Galveston Bay.

206. =Sterna anglica= _Montag._ GULL-BILLED TERN.—Breeds abundantly on
the islands of Galveston Bay.

207. =Sterna regia= _Gambel._ ROYAL TERN.—Breeds in considerable
numbers on the islands of Galveston Bay.

208. =Sterna cantiaca acuflavida= _Ridgw._ CABOT’S TERN, and—

209. =Sterna forsteri= _Nutt._ FORSTER’S TERN.—These and a few other
Terns breed in abundance on the islands near the coast, especially on
the sand-bars of Galveston Bay, where they lay their eggs on the bare
sand. It was impossible for me to distinguish the eggs, as the birds
all leave the nests as soon as they are approached.

NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED BY CAPT. CHARLES BENDIRE, AT FORT WALLA
WALLA, WASHINGTON TERRITORY.

BY WILLIAM BREWSTER.

The following paper is based on a collection of about two hundred and fifty birds obtained in the immediate vicinity of Fort Walla Walla during the autumn and winter of 1881–82, and submitted to me for determination by Capt. Bendire, who has kindly consented to my publishing any notes respecting them, that seem of sufficient interest.

As an exponent of the workings of geographical variation in species easily modified by their surroundings, this material is especially instructive. The region represented apparently constitutes a sort of neutral ground between the Pacific and Middle Provinces and naturally its fauna is a mixed one. Setting aside species not subject to geographical modification, and migrants from the north which have only an indirect bearing on the general question, we find the collection divisible into three classes: (1) Forms identical with or most nearly like Pacific coast types; (2) Forms about intermediate between representatives inhabiting the Pacific and Middle Provinces; (3) Forms to a certain extent intermediate between Pacific and Middle Province representatives, but differing from both in certain original characteristics. The locality seems to be nearly lacking in typical representatives of the Middle Province; and its fauna, on the whole, must be regarded as closely related to that of the coast region.

The third class, although least numerous, includes many of the most interesting birds. The majority of these are resident forms, a fact which sufficiently explains many of their peculiarities, for it is well known that sedentary species are, of all others, the most subject to local variation.

But while the philosophic bearing of this material is not doubtful, there are certain systematic difficulties in the way of its satisfactory presentation. I refer to the _naming_ of these intermediate forms. The practice has been to use the name of the race to which the bird seems most nearly related, and this I have been forced to adopt in default of a better way. But the method obviously fails to meet the requirements of such cases, while to a certain extent it is unscientific and inaccurate. The evil, however, is not likely to be remedied, for it is difficult to conceive of a system of nomenclature that would adequately designate the numberless intermediate and local types.

In the present connection I would gratefully mention the assistance received from my friend, Mr. Ridgway, who, during my study of the collection, has given me every facility for examining the matchless series in the National Museum, and to whom I am further indebted for many valuable suggestions. My obligations to Capt. Bendire are greater than I can adequately express, for, in addition to other kind attentions, he has generously presented me with many valuable specimens included among those about to be discussed.

List of Species and Varieties represented in the Collection.

1. _Turdus migratorius._[102]

2. _Turdus migratorius propinquus._

3. _Sialia arctica._

4. _Myiadestes townsendi._

5. _Regulus satrapa olivaceus._

6. _Parus atricapillus occidentalis._

7. _Telmatodytes palustris paludicola._

8. _Anthus ludovicianus._

9. _Lanius borealis._

10. _Ampelis garrulus._

11. _Ampelis cedrorum._

12. _Hesperophona vespertina._

13. _Chrysomitris tristis._

14. _Passerculus sandvicensis alaudinus._

15. _Zonotrichia gambeli intermedia._

16. _Spizella monticola ochracea._[103]

17. _Junco oregonus._

18. _Melospiza fasciata guttata._

19. _Pipilo maculatus megalonyx._[104]

20. _Agelæus phœniceus._

21. _Sturnella neglecta._

22. _Scolecophagus cyanocephalus._

23. _Corvus americanus._[105]

24. _Pica rustica hudsonica._

25. _Cyanocitta stelleri annectens._

26. _Eremophila alpestris._[106]

27. _Picus pubescens gairdneri._

28. _Melanerpes torquatus._

29. _Colaptes auratus hybridus._[107]

30. _Colaptes auratus mexicanus._

31. _Ceryle alcyon._

32. _Asio americanus._

33. _Asio accipitrinus._

34. _Scops asio kennicotti._[108]

35. _Bubo virginianus subarcticus._[109]

36. _Bubo virginianus saturatus._

37. _Nyctea scandiaca._

38. _Falco columbarius suckleyi._

39. _Falco richardsoni._

40. _Falco sparverius._

41. _Accipiter fuscus._

42. _Astur atricapillus._

43. _Astur atricapillus_ var. ——?[110]

44. _Buteo borealis calurus._

45. _Buteo swainsoni._

46. _Archibuteo lagopus sancti-johannis._

47. _Archibuteo ferrugineus._

48. _Zenaidura carolinensis._

49. _Bonasa umbella sabinii._

50. _Pediœcetes phasianellus columbianus._

51. _Charadrius dominicus._

SPECIES AND VARIETIES CALLING FOR SPECIAL CONSIDERATION.

6. =Parus atricapillus occidentalis= (_Baird_) _Coues_. OREGON
CHICKADEE.—A series of six specimens furnishes satisfactory
proof—which I believe has been heretofore wanting—that _P.
occidentalis_ is simply a dark, geographical race of _P.
atricapillus_. One example is absolutely typical of _occidentalis_,
while the others grade evenly into a form that is essentially
undistinguishable from _atricapillus_. Indeed the lightest colored
specimen is so nearly like some Massachusetts birds taken at the same
season that I have been unable, after a most careful comparison, to
detect the slightest difference in either color or markings: the wing
of the Walla Walla skin, however, is slightly shorter. There are no
apparent approaches in this series to _P. septentrionalis_.

16. =Spizella monticola ochracea= var. nov. WESTERN TREE SPARROW.—Ch.
Subsp. ♂ ♀ Similis _S. monticolæ_, sed colore suprà dilutiore; strigis
dorsalibus rarioribus, angustioribus et magis acutè in tergo
pallidiore depictis; lateribus gulâque magis ochraceis; vertice, in
auctumnalibus quidem avibus, sæpissimè magis cinereo.

♂ (Fort Walla Walla, Washington Territory, Nov. 8, 1881. Capt.
Bendire.) Back and rump pale sandy-brown or brownish-ochraceous, the
back with sharply defined black streaks which, excepting on the
scapulars, have no chestnut bordering; crown invaded centrally, from
the nape, by a broad space of pale ash which tinges most of the
feathers to their bases and confines the usual chestnut to a small
area on the forehead and two narrow, lateral stripes; lores and sides
of head pale fulvous; entire under parts washed with warm ochraceous,
deepest on the sides and abdomen, palest on the throat where it only
partially conceals the ashy beneath. Otherwise similar to _S.
monticola_.

_Dimensions._ Wing, 2.94; tail, 2.73; culmen, .43.

_Habitat._ Western North America, east to Dakota, north to Arctic
Ocean: Alaska?

The specimen above described differs widely from its nearest
approaches among my eastern examples. The ground-color of the back is
decidedly paler, bringing out the dark streaks in sharper contrast,
which is heightened by the absence of their usual chestnut edging; the
ash of the throat and sides of the head is much fainter, and in many
places replaced by brownish-fulvous; the under parts, especially the
sides and abdomen, are more strongly ochraceous; and the broad, ashy
crown-patch gives the head a very different appearance.

Upon testing these characters by comparison with the extensive
material in the National Museum, I find the different ground-color and
markings of the back to be constant in western birds, while the
ochraceous tint of the throat and sides of the head, although most
conspicuous in fall and winter specimens, is also a good distinction;
the ashy hood is apparently confined to autumnal birds, and with these
is variable in extent, as well as sometimes wanting; but as it _never_
occurs in eastern examples it is not wholly lacking in diagnostic
value.

A comparison of measurements taken from a large number of specimens of
both races shows little average difference in size, although the
western birds usually have smaller and narrower bills.

18. =Melospiza fasciata guttata= (_Nutt._) _Ridgw._ RUSTY SONG
SPARROW.—The thirteen Song Sparrows sent me from Fort Walla Walla
represent a form very nearly intermediate between _fallax_ and
_guttata_. Most of these specimens are decidedly browner above and
more heavily streaked beneath than true _fallax_; but on the other
hand none of them are as dark as typical _guttata_, although several
closely approach that form. One of the lighter examples is even grayer
than a Utah skin, and, taken by itself would necessarily be referable
to _fallax_. But the series as a whole may perhaps best be referred to
_guttata_.

25. =Cyanocitta stelleri annectens= (_Baird_) _Ridgw._ BLACK-HEADED
JAY.—An interesting series of Jays collected by Capt. Bendire includes
five typical representatives of _annectens_, two nearly typical
_stelleri_ and four birds about intermediate between these forms. The
differential characteristics of the three styles may be briefly given
as follows: The first-named has a well-defined and conspicuous patch
of white over the eye; the second entirely lacks this marking; the
third has it merely indicated by a narrow gray line. In all, the crest
is glossy black; the rest of the head, with the breast anteriorly,
plumbeous-black; the back plumbeous-brown; and the throat streaked
with bluish-white. All have the head above more or less streaked with
blue, but the shade and extent of this marking bear no apparent
relation to the presence or absence of the white patch over the eyes.
Thus examples of each style have the forehead and crown, to a point
half an inch behind the eye, thickly marked with blue or bluish-white,
while with all there is a more or less complete gradation from this
pattern to one in which a few pale streaks are confined to the
forehead. Similarly, the greater wing-coverts are distinctly barred
with black, faintly crossed with fine dark lines, or entirely
immaculate, without regard to the character of the features already
mentioned.

The above evidence clearly goes to show that _annectens_ grades
directly into _stelleri_; but it does not necessarily preclude the
recognition of the former as a well-defined geographical race, for the
locality under consideration abounds in similarly intermediate forms.

33. =Asio accipitrinus= (_Pall._) _Newton_. SHORT-EARED OWL.—A female,
taken Oct 7, has the ground-color of the plumage, both above and
beneath, rich, almost rusty, ochraceous; the markings, also, are
unusually dark and broad. Three males represent the other extreme,
their coloring, especially beneath, being remarkably pale and almost
free from any ochraceous tinge.

36. =Bubo virginianus saturatus=[111] _Ridgw._ DUSKY HORNED
OWL.—During the autumn of 1881 Great Horned Owls were unusually
abundant about Fort Walla Walla, and Capt. Bendire secured no less
than fourteen specimens, of which twelve are now before me. In a
general way these are referable as follows: eight to _saturatus_, two
to _subarcticus_, and two to a form apparently about intermediate
between these races. Five of the representatives of _saturatus_ are
typical, while the remaining three grade into the intermediate form
which, in turn, approaches one of the light specimens referred to
_subarcticus_. The latter example is not typical, but its companion
differs from an Arizona skin only in having slightly darker dorsal
markings and a little stronger rufous cast about the face and across
the breast, the color and markings elsewhere being essentially the
same.

The occurrence of these three forms together is not remarkable, for
two of them may reasonably be regarded as migrants from distant and
probably widely separated regions. The third possibly represents a
resident type, but on this point I have no direct evidence.

38. =Falco columbarius suckleyi?= _Ridgw._ BLACK MERLIN.—A beautiful
adult male Pigeon Hawk, taken at Fort Walla Walla Oct. 18, 1881,
presents such a puzzling combination of characters that, after
carefully comparing it with all the material available, I am still
at a loss for a definite opinion regarding its precise identity or
relationship. It most closely resembles highly colored, autumnal
adults of _F. columbarius_, but the under parts, excepting the
throat and a small central space on the abdomen, are rich
rusty-ochraceous—almost orange-chestnut on the breast and tibiæ,
while the usual cinereous above is intensified on the back to a
nearly pure plumbeous; the markings of the under parts, also, are
unusually coarse and numerous. In these respects it agrees with a
bird in the National Museum from Santa Clara, California, but it
differs from this specimen, as well as from every other adult that I
have seen, in having the outer webs of all the primaries, excepting
the first two, conspicuously marked with rounded spots of pale
ochraceous.

With _F. richardsoni_ it cannot be consistently associated, for the
adult, as well as the young of that species, always has six distinct
light bars on the tail, while the example under consideration
possesses but five. Moreover, the adult male of _richardsoni_ is very
much lighter colored than the adult of _columbarius_, whereas the
present bird is decidedly darker. The adult of _suckleyi_ is unknown,
but we should expect to find it, like the young, with sparse,
inconspicuous spotting on the lining of the wings. In the Walla Walla
bird these markings are as numerous and well-defined as in
_columbarius_.

Taking all these considerations into account, and bearing in mind the
unstable character of so many of the types furnished by this locality,
it seems most reasonable to assume that Capt. Bendire’s specimen
represents the adult plumage of a form which, although referable to
_suckleyi_, is more or less intermediate between that race and true
_columbarius_. But additional material must be forthcoming before the
question can be definitely settled.

39. =Falco richardsoni= _Ridgw._ RICHARDSON’S MERLIN.—Of this
well-marked species the collection contains two immature females,
dated respectively Oct. 13 and Oct. 21, 1881. Neither of these calls
for any special comment, but I take the present opportunity to
characterize the adult plumage of the male, which apparently has not
been previously described.[112]

_Falco richardsoni_, adult ♂ (author’s collection, Colorado Springs,
Colorado, C. E. Aiken). Above pale ashy-blue, most of the feathers of
the back, as well as the inner secondaries and many of the scapulars,
with fine, black shaft-lines; crown tinged with ochraceous (probably
wanting in the highest conditions of plumage), the black shaft-lines
here very numerous, each feather being conspicuously marked; forehead
and sides of head light ochraceous, the former with narrow black
streaks, the latter with broader brownish ones; a well-defined nuchal
collar of rusty-ochraceous with darker mottling; secondaries and
primary coverts concolor with the back, but with light bars on their
inner webs; primaries plumbeous-brown, margined with bluish-white and
marked conspicuously on both webs with the same color, the markings on
the inner webs being pure white and extending in transverse bars from
the shaft to the edge of the feather, those of the outer webs
ashy-white and in the form of conspicuous, rounded or quadrate spots;
tail crossed by five dark and six light bars, the last of the latter
terminal and pure white, the others more or less bordered by pale
ashy-blue; all of the dark bars clear black excepting the basal two,
which, on the central rectrices, are nearly uniform with the back, but
decidedly darker than the light ones with which they alternate; throat
pure white and immaculate; remainder of under parts pale ochraceous,
deepest on the tibiæ and crissum, where it is decidedly tinged with
rusty; feathers of the breast, abdomen, flanks and sides with median
stripes of clear reddish-brown, these stripes broadest on the flanks
(where they are sometimes actually transverse), narrowest across the
anterior part of the breast, and everywhere with fine but
inconspicuous dark shaft-lines; crissum entirely unmarked; under
tail-coverts and tibiæ with conspicuous shaft-lines of dark brown;
edges of wings pale ochraceous; under wing-coverts white, barred with
reddish-brown; all the markings of the primaries showing distinctly on
their under surfaces. _Dimensions._ Wing, 8.21; tail, 5.18; culmen
(from cere), .50.

Were further proof wanting to establish this Falcon’s specific
distinctness from _F. columbarius_, the difference in the adult
plumage of the two would settle the question. The adult male of _F.
richardsoni_ has the mantle almost as light as that of a Herring Gull,
while the conspicuous ashy-white spots on the outer webs of the
primaries and the six light tail bands constitute equally well-marked
characters. The specimen above described is essentially similar to
five examples in the National Museum.

42. =Astur atricapillus= (_Wils._) _Bonap._ AMERICAN GOSHAWK.—The
present collection includes four Goshawks, one an adult male, the
remaining three young, or at least immature, birds in brown plumage.
The adult is absolutely identical with Massachusetts specimens, and
must be considered typical _atricapillus_. Two of the young agree well
with Mr. Ridgway’s description of young _striatulus_,[113] but the
third does not have the markings either darker or more extensive than
do several of my New England examples, and the dorsal feathers have an
even broader light (_ochraceous_) edging; the under parts, also, are
strongly ochraceous, while the stripes on the flanks are neither
cordate nor transverse. The latter characters, however, are probably
worthless for they occur in a Tyngsboro (Mass.) bird.

Without going further into details I may sum up my conclusions as
follows: (1) That two of Capt. Bendire’s specimens (the adult and the
young bird just mentioned) are undistinguishable from typical
_atricapillus_; (2) That the other two examples (both young or
immature) differ from eastern birds in having broader, more linear
black markings beneath and a narrower light edging on the feathers
above, and are probably referable to a form more or less distinct from
_atricapillus_; (3) That true _atricapillus_ ranges westward at least
to Fort Walla Walla, Washington Territory; (4) That _striatulus_, as
at present defined, is a doubtfully tenable variety.

I am not at liberty to pursue the subject further, for I understand
that Mr. Nelson is about to propose a new Pacific coast race which
occurs, at least as a migrant, in the Western United States, and upon
the young of which Mr. Ridgway apparently based his description of
young striatulus.[114]

49. =Bonasa umbella sabinii= (_Dougl._) _Coues_. OREGON RUFFED
GROUSE.—The series of Ruffed Grouse embraces twelve specimens, all
from the immediate vicinity of Fort Walla Walla. These birds
apparently represent a dark, or more properly speaking, non-rufescent
phase of _sabinii_, corresponding to the gray phase of _umbella_, and
bearing the same relation to typical _sabinii_ that the Walla Walla
_Scops_ does to what has been considered typical _S. kennicotti_. This
peculiar plumage may be characterized as follows:

Gray phase; adult ♂. Above with the ground-color clear, dark ash,
nearly uniform and unmixed with reddish even on the wings and tail;
throat and breast tinged with reddish-yellow; remainder of under parts
white, occasionally with a trace of ochraceous; markings as in typical
_sabinii_.

The above description is taken from a bird which probably represents
the extreme gray condition, all the others having more or less
reddish-brown on the upper parts, especially on the back and wings,
although the tail is usually clear ashy. Two specimens, however, show
a decided approach to what may now be called the _red_ phase of
_sabinii_, in having the breast, with the entire dorsal surface,
including that of the tail, strongly tinged with orange-chestnut which
is scarcely duller than in examples from the coast region. Some of the
grayer birds present a general resemblance to _umbelloides_, but the
ground tint of their plumage is always deeper, the dorsal markings
richer and blacker, and the under parts very much more thickly barred.
It is probable that this style of coloration will prove to be more or
less characteristic of all the Ruffed Grouse inhabiting the region
between the Coast Range and the Rocky Mountains.

50. =Pediœcetes phasianellus columbianus= (_Ord_) _Coues_. COMMON
SHARP-TAILED GROUSE.—Three specimens, taken at Fort Walla Walla,
differ considerably from eastern birds. The entire upper parts are
darker and duller, the usual rusty-ochraceous ground-color being
replaced by plain wood brown; the dorsal markings, also, are finer,
while those of the under parts are blacker and more generally
distributed, the only immaculate area being the centre of the abdomen.
These differences do not seem to indicate any approach to true _P.
phasianellus_, which is an altogether differently colored bird. They
probably have only a local significance, but the region in question is
so poorly represented by the material to which I have had access, that
I have not been able to form a definite opinion on this point.

LIST OF BIRDS ASCERTAINED TO OCCUR WITHIN TEN MILES FROM POINT DE MONTS, PROVINCE OF QUEBEC, CANADA; BASED CHIEFLY UPON THE NOTES OF NAPOLEON A. COMEAU.

BY C. HART MERRIAM, M. D.

Point de Monts is the southward termination of a high rocky promontory that separates the river from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, on the north shore. It is in latitude 49° 19′ north. The country is well wooded, the forests consisting chiefly of spruce (both white and black) and balsam. Scattered about are a few birches, poplars, cedars, and tamaracks; and on a sandy terrace near the Godbout River is a quantity of the northern scrub pine (_Pinus banksiana_) that here attains a height of thirty and sometimes forty feet. The region is so far north that not only are the oaks and hickories absent, but even the hardy beech and maple do not grow here.

I visited this section of the coast in July, 1881, and again in July, 1882; and with the observations made at these times I have incorporated the notes kindly placed at my disposal by Mr. Napoleon A. Comeau, guardian of Godbout.

The nomenclature followed is that of the second edition of Dr. Coues’s Check List of North American Birds.

1. =Turdus migratorius.= ROBIN.—A common summer resident. Arrives
about the first of May, and remains till late in November. Seen Dec.
22, 1879.

2. =Turdus unalascæ nanus.= HERMIT THRUSH.—Tolerably common; breeds.

3. =Turdus ustulatus swainsoni.= OLIVE-BACKED THRUSH.—Not uncommon;
breeds.

4. =Sialia sialis.= BLUEBIRD.—Extremely rare. During a residence of
many years at Godbout Mr. Comeau has seen but one pair of these birds;
they nested in a stump near his house in July, 1880.

5. =Regulus calendula.= RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET.—A male was shot June 4,
1882.

6. =Parus atricapillus.= BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE.—A common resident.

7. =Parus hudsonicus.= HUDSONIAN CHICKADEE.—A common resident, like
the last.

8. =Sitta canadensis.= RED-BELLIED NUTHATCH.—Tolerably common in
winter, but not observed in summer.

9. =Eremophila alpestris.= HORNED LARK.—First seen April 21, 1882,
after which they were common for about three weeks and then
disappeared. I found a young one, dead, at Godbout in July, 1881.

10. =Anthus ludovicianus.= TITLARK.—Tolerably common summer resident,
and doubtless breeds. I have seen flocks of them in July feeding on
the beach at low water. First seen May 7, 1882.

11. =Helminthophila peregrina.= TENNESSEE WARBLER.—A tolerably common
summer resident. First shot June 6, 1882.

12. =Dendrœca æstiva.= SUMMER WARBLER.—Not very common. First seen
June 6, 1882.

13. =Dendrœca virens.= BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER.—A tolerably
common summer resident.

14. =Dendrœca coronata.= YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER.—A rather common summer
resident. First seen May 29, 1882.

15. =Dendrœca blackburnæ.= BLACKBURN’S WARBLER.—Rather rare. Shot June
9, 1882.

16. =Dendrœca striata.= BLACK-POLL WARBLER.—Rare. Mr. Comeau shot a
male, June 7, 1882.

17. =Dendrœca maculosa.= BLACK-AND-YELLOW WARBLER.—The commonest
Warbler, breeding abundantly. Earliest seen May 29, 1882.

18. =Siurus nævius.= WATER THRUSH.—Rather rare. Shot June 6, 1882.
Others seen.

19. =Geothlypis trichas.= MARYLAND YELLOW-THROAT.—Not common. Saw two
in the clearing about Mr. Allan Gilmour’s camp on the Godbout.

20. =Myiodioctes pusillus.= BLACK-CAPPED YELLOW WARBLER.—Rather rare.
Shot June 9, 1882. Others seen.

21. =Myiodioctes canadensis.= CANADIAN FLYCATCHING WARBLER.—A
tolerably common summer resident.

22. =Setophaga ruticilla.= REDSTART.—Tolerably common. First seen June
9, 1882.

23. =Hirundo erythrogastra horreorum.= BARN SWALLOW.—Rare, and not
known to breed. Mr. Comeau shot one May 29, 1882.

24. =Iridoprocne bicolor.= WHITE-BELLIED SWALLOW.—Common; breeds
plentifully. First seen May 12, 1882.

25. =Petrochelidon lunifrons.= CLIFF SWALLOW.—A small colony nested in
the deserted Hudson’s Bay Trading Post at Godbout this year.

26. =Ampelis cedrorum.= CEDARBIRD.—A tolerably common summer resident.

27. =Lanius borealis.= GREAT NORTHERN SHRIKE.—Occurs, but is not known
to breed.

28. =Pinicola enucleator.= PINE GROSBEAK.—A tolerably common resident.
In autumn it feeds extensively upon the berries of the mountain ash. I
have already published a note on the breeding of this species at
Godbout.[115]

29. =Carpodacus purpureus.= PURPLE FINCH.—Not very common. First seen
April 26, 1882.