Ardetta xiphis 177 MASS. (Middlesex Co.) 1875. Aug. 4. The number of birds that passed my station was at least 25,000 and probably as many more came in from the other side. As late as I remained in the vicinity they kept up a continual conversational chatter all over the swamp. This forenoon I took a short turn up through the lower swamp; shot an adult & Ardetta xiphis in rather worn plumage; its stomach contained a number of small beans & sund pickrel. Also shot a young N. Gardenia a y.y. Porzana Carolina and 6 Eremotas petrifacius. The latter I killed on the flats in Cambridge took out of a flock of over a hundred among which were 2 dozen or more Aug. Semipalmatus & 1 Gambetta flamipes, Aug. 9 Clear and hot. Weather for the past two weeks has been anywhere between 80° and 95° during the day. Went up into the swamps this afternoon and collected a few birds among them an adult & Ardetta xiphis and a do. Cistothorus Ocellaris. The latter species I found quite abundant around Block is. The males were in full song and good plumage and a dissection of the specimen shot revealed the fact that the duties of incubation had just commenced, as a comparison of the testes with those of a & Chrysomitis tristis (taken) showed a perfectly mature condition in the former and a state of decided decline in the latter birds. This quite satisfactory saw the first fly. Obituaries