and two & Cistic familiars which latter I found. York old Dart i bat carefully for quail but did not succeed in finding the bay. Saw one large flock of Siblea snechetor a Turdus migratoriis, Solpito auratus &c fus Chry. tristis. Cyanua cristata is very rare as they always are at this season. They begin to appear in early Feb, May March an terribly abundant. When they go at this name is a perfect mystery to me. I have however noticed that in the more extensive woodlands of the interior, about Concord for instance, there is no great diminution of these members in Dec. as with us. Cistic familiars does not I think remain pass'd the year around. Can usually find two together but this time of the year, but they are as often of the same sex as dunner. I'm cottage can seem equally much attached to one another. This habit of lifting the tail like the hanks when about to mount is peculiar: I never remember having seen any of the Picidae do it & in fact cannot recall having seen them perform that necessary act at all. With the creeper it is of singularly frequent recurrence. As I am writing this at a later date than the madam I will be with that I yesterday (Dec 13) saw a Melaespiza Palmotris and a flock of Spiz monticola in Dr. Mayman's yard. M. melodica is unusually abundant for the season. Saw one in one flock to day (Nov)