188 MASS (Middletown) 1875. Sept. 9 Clear and hot; wind S.W. Rose at 5.30 and started for the swamps. Finding no large birds on the ponds I turned my attention to collecting but found the woods almost destitute of birds. Shot a single Emp. flaviventris, a very fine autumnal specim. of J. fuscascus and a Piro morbraensis. Saw Hirundo horreorum at riparia and bhoctura pelagicus, Hydmecles bondriei, S. morbraensis at aureocapillus, Dol. orizurus etc. After breakfast drove up as far as the Willows with Stow but saw nothing worthy of note. In H.M. with S. went up to Block is. to await the evening flight of blackbirds. Large numbers of Molothrus pucos flew first and we shot two in transitional plumage. Just at dusk all the birds came in one immense flock, a perfect cloud of birds comprised of thousands of individuals; as they approached the working place the hodos swooped down nearly to the ground, all behind imitating the swarm and producing a sound like the wind roaring through the pines in winter. I shot a wild pigeon that was trying on a dead tree in the marsh. Heard a & Ci. stillani singing. Saw two Chordiles prophetus and have seen others migrating at frequent intervals since Aug. 21st. Peters Baltimore left about Sept. 5. Vel. Ruficapilla were all gone by Sept. 11th and probably a little earlier; the last specimen I saw lingered about our linden trees till the last days of August, S. morbraensis is still very abundant and some of the Vicos are showing as yet. Did not recognize any Aglaenus phe. this evening.