Bi SaOr Whi ViCiInitTy OF INEVA YORK CITY i161 Famity TROCHILID. Humm™rinecsirps.
*Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Trochilus colubris). This, the only species of Hummingbird found in eastern North America, is here a common summer resident, arriving early in May and remaining until October. Fic. 13. Rusy-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS AND NEsv.
OrpDER PASSERES. PERcHING Birps, Famiry TYRANNIDZE. Tyrant FLYCATCHERS.
*Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus). A common summer resident, arriving early in May and remaining until October. (See group, third floor). Arkansas Kingbird (JZ yrannus verticalis). A western species; the only records for this vicinity are those of a young male taken at Riverdale, N. Y., October 19, 1875, (Bicknell, Bull, N. O. C., IV, 1879, p. 60), and a specimen taken at Princeton, N. J., Sept. 29, 1804 (Phillips, Proc. D. V. O. C., IT; p: 14). *Great-crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crimitus). A common summer resident, arriving early in May and remaining until September. *Pheebe (Sayornis phebe). A common summer resident arriving about March 20 and leaving early in November.
*Olive-sided Flycatcher (Nuttalornis borealis). A migrant passing north in May, when it is apparently rare, and returning between the latter part of August and late September, when it is not uncommon. [53]
162 THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL *Wood Pewee (Horizopus virens). A common summer resident of our woods, arriving about May 15 and remaining until the latter part of September.
*Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris). A rather rare spring and not uncommon fall migrant, arriving in May and returning from its northern home early in August.
*Green-crested Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens). A common summer resident of the Lower Hudson River Valley as far north as Sing Sing, On Long Island it apparently breeds on the north shore, while there are but two records for Connecticut, an adult taken at Suffield, June 24, 1874 (Merriam, Birds, Conn., p. 58) and a nest with young at Greenwich, June 25, 1893 (Voorhees, Auk, XI, 1894, p. 259). A rare summer resident in the vicinity of Plainfield, N. J. (Miller, MS). (See group, third floor). Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax trailli alnorum). A rather rare migrant and a local summer resident. A nest and eggs, not fully identified, but with little doubt that of this species, was found by C. L. Brownell at Nyack, N. Y. At Plainfield, N. J.. W. DeWitt Miller has found this species a locally common breeding bird (Auk, XVIII, 1901, p. 108; XX, I903, p. €8). *Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus). A common summer resident; it arrives about May 1 and remains until late in September. Famitry ALAUDID@. Larxs.
Skylark (Alauda arvensis). Individuals of this species have frcm time to time been liberated near New York City. In 1887 a small colony became established near Flatbush, L. I, where a nest containing young was found (Dutcher, Auk, V, 1888, p. 180). Without apparent increase these birds evidently manage to hold their own (Braislin, Auk, XVI, 1809, p. 191; Bildersee, Bird-Lore, VI, 1904, p. 204).
Horned Lark; Shore Lark (Otocoris alpestris). A common winter resident along the coasts; less common or very rare in the Hudson Valley.
Prairie Horned Lark (QOfocoris alpestris praticola). This small race of the Horned Lark is of rather rare occurrence in this vicinity. It is appar- Fic. 14. Hornep Lark. eutly extending its range eastward and there is one record of its having probably bred on Long Island (Dutcher, Auk, V, 1888, p. 180), where it also occurs during the winter.
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BIRDS OF THE VIGINITY (OF NEW YORK CITY, 163 Famity CORVIDE. Crows, Jays, MAGPIES, ETC.
*Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata). A common resident, more numerous during the fall migration than at other times of the year.
The Canada Jay (Perisoreus canadensis), a northern species, is included by Lawrence in his “Catalogue of Birds” on the basis of an individual killed in July near Manhattanville, New York City. This specimen is now in the American Museum (No. 42,253). Its plumage is much worn and its toe-nails are abnormally long, facts which, taken in connection with the place and date of the bird’s capture, induce me to believe that it had escaped from confinement.
Fie. 15. Brue Jy.
American Raven (Corvus corax principalis). Now of very rare occurrence in this vicinity. It is said to have been formerly common on the northern New Jersey coast (Lawrence), and is still uncommon along the southern coast of the State (Stone, Auk, XI, 1894, p. 137).
*American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos). The Crow is here an abundant resident, but, as in the case of other species which are present the year round, it is probable that the individuals which summer with us pass the winter farther south, while our winter birds come to us from the north. *Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus)). A common inhabitant of the Lower Hudson River Valley as far north as Sing Sing and occasionally reaches Highland Falls. In Connecticut it is of regular occurrence as far east as Stratford (Eames, Auk, VI, 1889, p. 338), while on Long Island its exact status appears to be unknown, though it is probably not uncommon. A few remain on the coast during the winter.
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164 THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL FaMity STURNIDA.
Fic. 16. STARLING, (SUMMER PLUMAGE). three successive seasons in the roof of this Museum. STARLINGS.
*Starling (Sturnus vulgaris). This Old World species has been introduced into this country on several occasions, but only the last importation appears to have been successful. The birds included in this lot were imported and released in Central Park, under the direction of Eugene Schieffelin of this city. They seem to have left the Park and to have established themselves in various places in the upper part of the city. A pair have bred for S. H. Chubb reports a pair nesting in a church at 122nd st. and Lenox avenue, and they also have nested at 1ooth st. and Riverside Drive. C. B. Isham tells me he has found their nest at Kingsbridge, New York City, and that he repeatedly observed a flock of fifty birds in the same locality during the late summer and fall of 1893 and 1894. To the above statement, which stands as it appeared in the first (1894) edition of this List, may be added the further information, obtained from Mr. Schieffelin, that 80 Starlings were released on March 6, 1890, and 40 more on ‘Aprsl 25, 1601. So tan asf am aware the present (1906) boundary of the range of this species in America is marked by New Haven, Conn., on the east, Ossining, N. Y., on the north and Red Bank and Princeton, on the south. It is resident throughout the year, but gathers in flocks, sometimes containing several hundred birds, in the fall, when it wanders, about the country. Its economic status remains to be determined, but from the _ bird-
BIRD SOP THE VICINITY (OF NEW YORK CITY 165 lover's point of view the Starling is a decided acquisition to the bird-life of our cities where its long-drawn, cheery whistle is in welcome contrast to the noisy chatter of House Sparrows.
Famiry ICTERIDAz. BLacksirps, ORIOLES, ETC.
*Bobolink; Reedbird (Dolichonyx oryzivorus). <A locally distributed summer resident, arriving in early May and remaining until October. In August the males assume the Reedbird plumage and resort to our wild-rice marshes, where they are joined by large numbers from the north, which pause to feed on the wild-rice.
Twenty-five years ago the Bobolink was an abundant and generally distributed summer resident in this vicinity. Since that date it has rapidly decreased in numbers and is now entirely wanting in localities where it was formerly of regular occurrence.
7 Fic. 18. BoBoLink.
*Cowbird (Molothrus ater). A common summer resident arriving late in March and remaining until November. It has been recorded as occurring in winter (Foster, Abst. Proc. Linn. Soc., No. 5, 1893, p. 2). *Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius pheniceus). A common summer resident, abundant during the migrations when it occurs in large flocks. It is one of the first birds to reach us in the spring, frequently arriving before March I, and it remains until December.
*Meadowlark (Sturnella magna). A common summer resident, occuring in reduced numbers during the winter, when it is largely confined to the extensive marshes near the coast.
*Orchard Oriole (Jcterus spurius). A common summer resident, arriving early in May and remaining until September. (See group, third floor). [57]
166 THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL *Baltimore Oriole (/cterus galbula). A somewhat more common summer resident than the preceding species. It arrives early in May and remains until September. (See group, third floor).
*Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus). A common migrant, passing northward in March, returning in September and sometimes remaining during the winter.
*Purple Grackle: Crow Blackbird (Quiscalus quiscula). A common summer resident of local distribution, nesting in colonies. It is one of our earliest migrants, arriving from the south with the Red-winged Blackbird about March 1. During the breeding seascn it is not seen far from the vicinity of its nest, but about July 1, when the young are on the wing, the birds gather in small flocks and wander over the country, pausing wherever they find an abundance of food. These flocks gradually coalesce and, in October and November, form enormous gatherings numbering thousands of birds.
*Bronzed Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula eneus). A spring and fall migrant, sometimes not uncommon.
Famity FRINGILLID4. FincHEs, SPARROWS, ETC.
Evening Grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertina). During the winter and early spring of 1890 there was a phenomenal incursion of Evening Grosbeaks into the northern United States. The most southern record of their occurrence in the Atlantic States was at Summit, N. J., where, on March 6, Mr. W. O. Raymond observed a flock of eight birds (Orn. and OO6l., XV, 1890, p. 46), No specimens were collected, but Mr. Raymond watched the birds for some time at a distance of about eight feet, and he has since examined skins of the species in this Museum, thus confirming his identification. [58]
Bios OF THE VICINITY OF NEW VORK.CITY, 167 *Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator leucura). This species occurs here in the winter and then only at irregular intervals. It last appeared in numbers during the winter of 1903-4 when it was first observed at Englewood, N. J., Oct. 25 (Chapman, Bird-Lore, V, 1903, p. 199).
Fic. 20. Prine GrosBEAk.
*House Sparrow; English Sparrow (Passer domesticus). From the report of the Division of Economic Ornithology of the Department of Agriculture (Washington, 1889), we learn that English Sparrows were first introduced into New York City in 1860, when twelve birds were released in Madison Square. In 1864 they were introduced in Central Park, and in 1866 two hundred were set free in Union Park. From these, and one or two other small additional importations of a few pairs each, have descended the countless numbers of Sparrows which to-day inhabit our streets and parks. In this latitude the English Sparrow has been known to rear six broods in a season, and their marvelous rate of increase is graphically given in a table in the report already mentioned, which shows that in ten years the progeny ot a single pair might amount to 275,716,983,608.
With the discordant notes of these ubiquitous little pests constantly in our ears we may read with mixed humor and regret the following quotation from Lawrence’s Catalogue of New York Birds (Ann. Lyc. Nat. Hist., VIII, 1866, p. 287): “I first observed them in the spring of 1865. A friend, conversant with our local native birds, informed me that he had seen a species in the shrubbery around the church on the corner of 5th avenue and 20th street, with which he was not familiar; on going to ascertain what they were, to my surprise I found them to be House Sparrows; they were domiciled in the ivy which grew on the walls of the church, and were quite gentle and fearless, some alighting in the street and dusting themselves quite near to where I stood.”
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168 THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL *The European Chaffinch (Fringilla celebs), several pairs of which were released in Central Park under the direction of Eugene Schieffelin in 1890, is occasionally observed in Central Park where three individuals appear to exist at present. Whether, however, they are the descendants of the introduced birds or escaped cage-birds is unknown.
*The Greenfinch (Chloris chloris) a European species was observed in Central Park, May 17, 1903, by C. G. Abbott.
*Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus). In the vicinity of New York City the Purple Finch is a rather rare summer resident, a very common migrant and irregular winter resident. It is apparently increasing in numbers during the summer on Long Island (Dutcher, MS).
*American Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra minor). A regular winter visitant. This erratic species has on several occasions been found breeding south of its regular breeding range. Such an instance occurred at Riverdale, N. Y., where it was found nesting on April 22, 1874 (Bicknell, Bull. N. O. C, IV, 1880, p. 7).
Fic. 21. AMERICAN CROSSBILL.
*White-winged Crossbill (Loria leucoptera). Of more rare and irregular occurrence in winter than the preceding species. This and the preceding species last occurred in numbers’ during the winter of 1899-1900 (Chapman Bird-Lore, JI, 1900, pp. 25, 59).
Redpoll (Acanthis linaria). This species is here an irregular winter visitant, sometimes occurring im considerable numbers.
Greater Redpoll (Acanthis linaria rostrata). Two specimens taken at Sing Sing, N. Y., are the only individuals of this species which have been recorded from this vicinity (Fisher, Bull, N. O. C., VIII, 1883, p. 121). [60]