Lomvia Arra Brünnichi and L. Troile in New England.—Mr. Merrill’s note on these birds in the July number of this Bulletin (p. 191) was a timely correction of a long established error, for the common Murre found in winter off the New England coast is, as he has stated, Lomvia arra brünnichi, and not L. troile. At different times during the past ten years I have examined specimens from various points along the shores of Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, and all of the numerous birds that have come under my notice have proved to be Brünnich’s Guillemots. Indeed the example of L. troile mentioned by Mr. Merrill is the only New England one of which I have any knowledge. Dr. Coues says that the young of L. troile in their first winter plumage “are colored precisely like the adults, but may be always distinguished by their much shorter and slenderer bills which are in great part light colored (yellowish).”[[123]] If the latter peculiarity be constant it will afford a ready mark of distinction between young of the two species, for the bill in young brünnichi, so far as I have seen, is invariably black.—William Brewster, Cambridge, Mass.
Rare Warblers in Massachusetts.—In the wonderful flight or bird wave, especially of the Mniotiltidae, that took place with us May 21 and 22 last, and for some species continued during a few succeeding days, three Mourning Warblers, all males, were shot near Fresh pond, Cambridge. These, in the flesh, were kindly shown me by Mr. C. J. Maynard.
At Framingham,[[124]] on the above-named dates, Mr. Browne and myself identified twenty species of Warblers—among them specimens of the Cape May, Tennessee, and Bay-breasted; of the last two several were obtained in Eastern Massachusetts. Among New England Warblers, collectors here consider Geothlypis philadelphia to be the rarest, and Dendrœca tigrina next in scarcity. Helminthophila peregrina and Dendrœca castanea follow, though in the fall migrations this latter species occurs in moderate numbers with more or less regularity.—H. A. Purdie, Newton, Mass.
The Unusual “Wave” of Birds during the Spring Migration Of 1882.—A note by Dr. Coues in the July Bulletin[[125]] describes the remarkable “tidal wave” of our smaller birds that occurred at Washington, D.C., during the spring migration this year, and it may be worth while to throw a little light upon its further course.
As Dr. Coues says, the vast number of birds was doubtless due to the cold and rainy weather that prevailed, checking the progress of the migration beyond the latitude of Washington. When the weather changed, the gradually accumulated throng was let loose, and rushed in a great wave towards the northern breeding grounds. In the vicinity of New York, as I learn from my friend Mr. J. Dwight, Jr., after prolonged cold and wet weather a change came on the morning of May 20, and with the pleasant weather the rush of birds began. Almost all the Warblers and Thrushes were in great numbers, and continued very abundant at least throughout the following day. In the latitude of Boston birds had been unusually scarce for some days. The change to clear and warmer weather took place about noon of the 2lst, and before the rain ceased the rush of birds had begun. All day long the smaller birds came in unheard of numbers, stopping awhile to feed, and then hurrying on. The next morning the host was even greater, and the trees fairly swarmed with Warblers. Before noon of that day most of the birds had passed on, but for a day or two afterward the number of loiterers was sufficient to be noticeable, compared with ordinary migrations, though they seemed but a few stragglers after the army that had swept over the country during the previous days. Almost all the species of Warblers that occur in the spring migration through New England were observed. Among the rarer ones were Helminthophila peregrina, Dendrœca tigrina, D. castanea, and Geothlypis philadelphia. A White-crowned Sparrow was also shot in Cambridge.
Dr. Coues suggests that the cold wave spoken of by Mr. King[[126]] was the cause of this accumulation of birds. Such could hardly have been the case, as that occurred on the 21st and 22d, whereas by that time the accumulated hosts had reached Massachusetts.
It would be interesting to hear further of the course and magnitude of this “bird wave” as observed at other points.—Charles F. Batchelder, Cambridge, Mass.
Birds new to or rare in the District of Columbia.
1. Bewick’s Wren (Thryomanes bewicki). An adult ♂, taken at Arlington, Virginia (immediately opposite Washington), April 10, 1882, by W. Palmer, is in the collection of the U. S. National Museum (No. 86,218).
2. Yellow-throated Warbler (Dendrœca dominica). The National Museum also possesses a fine young ♂ of this species, taken at Arlington by Mr. Palmer, September 7th, 1881 (No. 84,858).