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LIBRARY

THE AMERICAN MUSEUM

NATURAL HISTORY

ISirli lore

AN ILLUSTRATED BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEFOTED TO THE
STUDY AND PROTECTION OF BIRDS

VOLUME XXIII, 1921

5^-^^';L'.0^o(n^

INDEX TO ARTICLES IN VOLUME XXIII
BY AUTHORS

Ahl, Henry Curtis, Christmas Census, 5.

Aitkenhead, Paul, see Fisher, M. L.

Allatt, Frank, Christmas Census, 15.

Allen, A. F., Christmas Census, 26.

Allen, Amelia Sanborn, San Francisco Region,
.38, g6, 148, 208, 255, 313.

Allen, Arthur A., A Bird in the Schoolroom, 46;
The Bird as a Flying Machine, 48; photographs
by, 77, 125; Structure and Habit, 102; The
Implements of Birds, 103; Summer Bird-
Study, 154; The Geography of Birds, 215;
The Yellow Warbler's Tale, 216; The Color-
ation of Birds, 260; Concealing Coloration of
Birds, 320

Allen, Mary Pierson, Christmas Census, 13.

Ankeney, Helen, Christmas Census, 124.

Ashcraft, Ross, see Bates, T. I..

Ashenhurst, Hope. A Flicker's Bed, 245.

Atwell, George C., Secretary, Report of, 366

Ayres, Douglas, Jr., and Arthur SchuU, Christmas
Census, 9.

Bagg, Aaron C, and John L., see Mitchell,

Arthur.
Bailey, Guy .\., Three Weeks in the Boat-Blind,

233.
Bailey, Mrs. H. M., The Flicker Bathing. 136.
Bantan, Roger A., see Keep, O. Davis.
Barrett, Mary T., Enthusiastic Robins Bathing.

128.
Bates, Gardner, Christmas Census, 25.
Bates, T. L., Christmas Census, 28.
Battell, Mrs. F. L., Mockingbird Winters in

Iowa, 88.
Baynard, Oscar E., see Mounts, Beryl T.
Beale, A. W.. The Robin Takes Shower Bath as

Well as Plunge, 137.
Beard, Theodore F., see Daniels, Leslie.
Beck, Herbert H., Christmas Census, 17.
Beckwith, Helen C, Secretar\', Report of, 382.
Bedell, Edgar, Christmas Census, 9, 21; A Tame

Grouse, 139.
Beebe, Ralph, Christmas Census, 21.
Bennett, Elizabeth F., Secretary, Report of, 385.
Bergtold, W. H., Christmas Census, 30: Denver

Region, 38, 96, 147, 207, 312.
Bessie, Alvah C, and Eugene Eisemann, Christ-
mas Census, 11.
Bicknell, E. P., Christmas Census, 12
Bicknell, Mrs. E. T., President, Report of, 383.
Biological Field Club of DeWitt Clinton High

School, Christmas Census, 11.
Black, Bob and Edgar, see Thomas, Edward S.
Blair, Helen, Secretary, Report of, 371.
Blair, Parker, Christmas Census, 25.
Blaisdell, Maurice E.. Christmas Census, 5.

Blake, Maurice C. Christmas Census, 12.

Blanchard, George C, Christmas Census, 5.

Blincoe, Ben. J., Christmas Census, 2b: Two
Rare Kentucky Songsters, 244.

Bodine, Mrs. Donaldson, Secretary. 376.

Bonesteel, V. C, see Allen, A. F.

Borger, Denton, see Christy, Bayard H.

Bourne, Thomas L., see Savage, James.

Bowdish, Beecher S , Secretary, Report of, 366.

Brewer, Gilbert, see Emmons, E. T.

Brewer, O. C, Christmas Census, ig.

Bridge, Edmund and Lidian E., Christmas
Census, 5.

Brintnall, Mrs. Arthur W., Wren Attacks Squir-
rel 248.

Brooklyn Bird-Lovers' Club, Christmas Census,
13-

Allan, Colored plates by, facing, 119,

Brooks
231.
Brooks,
Bruen,

Chandler, see MacDonald, George.
Frank, and R. W. Ford, Christmas

Census, 8.
Bullard, Mrs. B. F., Secretary, Report of, 391.
Bunker. Sydney K., Christmas Census, 27.
Burr, Mary H , Secretary, Report of, 386.
Burroughs' Nature Club, Christmas Census, 27.
Bush, Clarence H., Goldfinches Nest in Thistles,

247.
Butterwick, Claude A., Christmas Census, 16.
Button, Lily Ruegg, Christmas Census, 28.

Calvert, Earl W., Christmas Census, 4.
Calvert, Mrs. John B., President, Report of, 371.
Cannon, Gabriel, Christmas Census, 20.
Cardinal Ornithological Club, Christmas Census,

23-

Cartwright. Wm. J., Christmas Census, 6.

Case, Clifford M., Christmas Census, 7.

Caskey, R. C, Christmas Census, 14.

Chapman, Frank M., Reviews by, 42, 43, 44, 151,
152, 211, 257, 317; editorials by, 45. loi, 153,
214, 259, 319; Notes on the Plumage of North
American Birds, 83, 195, 299; John Burroughs'
Obituary, 119; Photographs by, 120, 122.

Chase, Jennie F., Secretary, Report of, 389.

Chase, Richard M., see Emmons, E. T., see
Meade, Gordon M.; Bird-Study at Home, 55;
A Nest Census, 138.

Childs, Helen P., Secretary, Report of, 360.

Christy, Bayard H., Christmas Census, ig.

Clark, L. Elizabeth, The Visitors to an Enameled
Bath-Tub, 133.

Cole, Margaret G., A Bluebird's Nest in a Mail
Box, 220.

Coleman, Dell. Billy: A Great Homed Owl, 293.

Collins, Homer, Minnesota Migration Notes, 302

(i)

Index

Compton, M. I., Redwings and Caterpillars, 246.
Compton. Mrs. C. N., President, Report of, 3q2.
Cook, Franklin P., Christmas Census, 16.
Corninp, Emily A., Hanging the Bird-House, go.
Craigmile, Esther A., The Yellow Rail Near

Chicago, 142.
Crane, Mrs. Bessie L., President, Report of, 306.
Crawford, Ellis, see Johnston, T. H.
Crosby, Maunsell S., Christmas Census, 10, 13;

President's report, 388.
Cutting, Alfred W., A Bird-Bath of the Centuries,

130.
Culver, Deles E., Christmas Census, 16.

Dadisman, A, J., Christmas Census, ig.

Dale, E. M. S., Starling and Henslow's Sparrow in
Ontario, ig8.

Danforth, Ralph E., An Unusual .\ccident, 23O.

Danforth, Stuart T., Christmas Census, 15.

DanieN, Leslie, Christmas Census, 29.

Danner, May S., Christmas Census, 23.

Davis, Edwin Russell, Christmas Census, 6.

Davis, Raymond, see Bates. T. E.

Dawson, \Vm. L., see Henderson. H. C.

Denton, Adelaide L., Vellow-throaled Warbler
at Lake Ceorgc, N. ^'., igg.

Derr. William, see Beck, Herbert H.

Des Brisay. .\. .\., Notes from Nova Scotia, 134.

Dingle, E. S.. Christmas Census. 20.

Donaghho, Waller, see White, Bertha E.

Doolittle, E. .\., Christmas Census, 22; More
About the Song of the Red-eyed \'ireo, 141.

Dow, Sterling, and Edward H. Hinckley, Christ-
mas Census, 4

Dozier, Cornelia, A Robin's Nest and Famih', 58.

Dressel, Evan C, see Fordyce, Geo. L.

Duer, H. E.. Christmas Census, 23.

Dunbar, Laura, and Robert, Jr., Christmas
Census, 22.

Dwight, Jonathan, Treasurer, Report of, 4og.

Dyer, Mrs. W. E. L., Corresponding Secretary,
Report of, 387.

Earle, Grace K.. and ().. Christmas Census, 5.

Early, C. H., The Mockingbird of the Arnold
.\rboretum, 179.

Eaton, E. H., see Emmons, E. T.

Eaton, Warren F., Christmas Census, 6.

Edgctt, C. C, Chairman, Report of, 370.

Edson, Wm. L. G., Christmas Census, 10.

Ehinger, C. E., and Edwin S. Smith, Christmas
Census, 17.

Elder, Harry E., The Cowbird: A Parasite, 185.

Eliot, W. A., Christmas Census. 30.

Elliot, LLH., see Stahl, R.H.

Elliott. Sarah J., Secretary, Report of, 395.

Ellis. Mrs. J. \'.. Chairman, Report of, 305.

Emmons, E. T., ("hristmas Census, 10.

Eno, Henry Lane, Christmas Census, 15.

Erol, George E., Preparation of Food by a Black-
bird, 140.

Farley, Frank, Christmas Census, 3.
Fee, Rosalee M., Birds' Love for Color, 197.
Finley, William L., Field Agent, Report of, 350.
Fisher, Dr. and Mrs. G. Clyde, Christmas Census,

1 1,
Fisher, M. L., Christmas Census, 25.
P'landers, Daisy, Secretary, Reixjrt of, 384.
Fleener, f)wen D., Cardinal and Other Birds at

Kellogg. Minn., 243.
Fleisher, ICdward, Christmas Census, ii.
Metcher, L. B., Christmas Census, ().
Forbush, Edw. Howe, Field Agent, Reixjrt of, 345.

Ford, Louise P., see Pellew, Marion J.
Ford, R. W., .see Bruen, Frank.
Fordyce, Geo. L., Christmas Census, 22.
Fowler, Gladys, .\ Yellow Rail in a Street, 85.
Fread, Bernard, Christmas Census, 13.
Freidrichs, Frank, see Hankinson, Prof. T. L.
Friedmann. E. and R., Christmas Census, 12.
Fuertes, Louis Agassiz, Colored plates by,
facing, 71, 175, 281.

Gandette, Marie E., Secrelarj-, Report of, 368.
Ganung, Harriet, The Burroughs Audubon

Nature Club of Rochester, N. Y., 68.
Gardner, Mrs. Arthur F., Birds I have Seen

Bathe, 132.
Gasser, Mrs. G. W., With the Birds in Alaska, 230.
Gibson, Hamilton, and Tertius van Dyke,

Christmas Census, is.
Gillette. Mrs. D. C, see Mather, :Mrs. F. E.
Gilreath, R., see Larrabee, A. P.
Goble, Lloyd, A Wisconsin Mockingbird, 248.
(ioode, Mrs. Harriet \J., Christmas Census, 6.
(jormley, Liguori, and Charles MacNamara,

Christmas Census, 4.
Gould, Maitland G., Christmas Census, 4.
Granger, Walter, Christmas Census, 12.
Graves, Bessie >L, Christmas Census, 6.
Graves, Frances Miner, Christmas Censu-^, 8.
Green, Bess R., and Edna Johnson, Christmas

Census, 30.
Green, Jennie Lovan, Secretary, Report of, 382.
Green, Lorenzo S.. Christmas Census, 24.
Green, Margaret S., Secretarj-, Report of, 388.
Gregg, William C. Letter from, 27g
Gregory. Stephen S., Jr., see Blair, Parker.
Greim. .Mbert P., A Tufted Titmouse Storj-, 8g.
Griscom, Ludlow, see Crosby, Maunsell S.; see

Granger. Walter; reviews by, gg, 100, 212.
Griswold, Geo. T., see Vibert, C. W.

Hadden, Minnie H., Secretary', Report of, 378.

Hall, Esther R., Secretar>\ Report of, 385.

Hamilton. W. J., Photograph by, 178.

Handley. Chas. C, Christmas Census, ig.

Hankinson, Prof. T. L., Christmas Census, g,

Harbaum, Frank, Christmas Census, 24; A
Family of Wood Thrushes, 140.

Hardy, Leonard Daniel, Bird-Notes from Mis-
sissippi, 56.

Harper. Francis, see Mc.\tee, W. L.

Harris, Harry, Kansas City Region, 35, 95, 147,
206, 254, 311.

Harris, John U., see Blake, Maurice C.

Hathaway. Harrj- S., Christmas Census, 7.

Haulenbeck. Richard F., Christmas Census, 14.

Hayward, W. J., see Allen, A. F.

Heacock, Esther. Secretary. Report of. 397.

Hegner, Frank .\., see Christ>-. Bayard H.

Hempel, Kathleen ^L, Secretary, Reiwrt of, 370

Henderson, Mrs. H. H., see Emmons, E. T.

Hennessey, Frank C, Christmas Census, 3.

Herr, Harry G.. Watching Starlings, 260.

Higbce, Harry G., see Goode, Mrs. Harriet U.

Hill, !•'. Blanche, Secretary, Report of, 395.

Hinckley, Edward H., see Dow, Sterling.

Hinnen, G. A., .\ Crackle's Intelligence, 246.

Hix, George E., Christmas Census, 11.

Hooker, Arline B., ,\merican Egrets in New
Jersev, 305.

Horsiy. K. E., see Edson, Wm. L.

Horsfall. K. Bruce, Colored plate by, facing, i.

Horlon, Theodore, President, Report of, 378.

Ilotchkiss, Neil, Christmas Census, g.

Houghton, Clarence, see Lawrence, Dr. Joseph S.

Index

111

Howard. Russell, Christmas Census, 2g.
Huber, William E., 17.
Hubricht, Russell, Christmas Census, 25.
Hull, Mrs. Louise, President, Report of, 3O3;

Photograph of, 364.
Hyde, Sidney, see Howard, Russell.

Ingcrsoll. S. R., Robins and Flickers, 137; An
Albino Redstart, igg.

Janvrin, Dr. E. R. P., see Crosby, Maunsell S.

Jarrett, Yvonne, see Eliot, W. A.

JefTrey, Arthur A., Photograph by, 181.

Job, lierbert K., Photograph by, 59; .\nnual

Report, 353-
Johnson, Edna, see Green, Bess R.
Johnston, I. H., and Mary Belle, Christmas

Census, 19.
Jones. Eleanor P., Secretary, Report of, 392.
Jones, J. L., see Stahl. T. H.
Jones, Lynds, Oberlin Region, 35, 145, 203, 307.
Jones, S. Paul, Christmas Census, 22

Kane, Viletta C , see V'aughan, Ellen

Keep, C. Davis, and Roger A. Banton, Christmas

Census, 13.
Kelso, J. E. H., Birds and Salt, 197: Scarcity of

Nighthawks, 303.
Kibble, A. S., President, Report of, 368.
Kimes, Edward D., Christmas Census, 23.
King, Mary, see Danner, May S.
Kittredge, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph, Jr., Christmas

Census, 18.
Knevels, Mary Eastwood, Secretary, Report of

the Forest Hills Gardens (N. Y.) Audubon

Society, 68, 380.
Knight, H. H., Photograph by, 52.
Kohler, Louis S., Christmas Census, 14.

Lacej', Charlotte A., Secretary, Report of, 359.
Lancaster, L. Y., Christmas Census, 27.
Lange, D., The Evening Grosbeak a Summer

Resident in Northern Minnesota, 142.
Lano, Albert, see Bates, T. L.
Larrabee, P. J., and A. P., Christmas Census, 28.
Larson, Adrian, Christmas Census, 28.
Latham, Roy, Christmas Census, 12: see Smith,

Mrs. Frank D.
Lawrence, Dr. Joseph S., and Clarence Houghton,

Christmas Census, 9.
Lear, George, Christmas Census, 17.
Leedy, C. A., see Fordyce, Geo. L.
Leng, Charles W., Secretary, Report of, 394.
Leonhiser, W. F., see Morse, H. G.
Lewis, Harrison F., Christmas Census, 3.
Little, L. T., Christmas Census, 6.
Livermore, Robert, A Fight for a Home, 268.
Logan, Wm. Spencer, Christmas Census, 28.
Lomax, Claude, M. D., Christmas Census, 25.
I,owerre, Mrs. C. M., Olive-sided Flycatcher on

Long Island, 303.

MacDonald, George, and Chandler Brooks,

Christmas Census, 5.
MacNamara, Charles, see Gormley, Liguori.
Mallory, W. B., Christmas Census, 28.
Marquand, Henry, A Friendly Blue Jay, 86.
Marshall, Mrs. Frank, see .Allen, A. F.
Marshall, W. A., Robin and Snake, 304.
Martin, Ruth H., A Teacher's Experience in

Bird-Study, 327.
Mather, Mrs. F. E., Christmas Census, 18.
Matte, Joseph, Secretary, Report of, :iQs.
Matthews, Wm. See Merritt, Charles W.

Maxwell, Mrs. R. D., Secretary, Report of, 385.
McAtee, W. L., Christmas Census, 19.
McConnell, Harry B., Christmas Census, 24.
McConnell, Louis and Thomas L., Christmas

Census, 18.
McConnell, Thomas, The Bird-House Vot Purple

Martins, 75.
McGrew, A. D., Photograph by, 43.
Meade, Gordon M., and R. M. Chase, Christmas

Census, 10.
Mehl, A. K., see Stockbridge, Charles A.
Mengel, Mr. and Mrs. G. Henry, Christmas

Census, 17.
Merriman, R. Owen. A Nuthatch Soaking and a

Woodpecker Snow-Bathing, 129.
Merritt, Charles W., and Wm. Matthews,

Christmas Census, 10.
Merwein, Gertrude, see White, Bertha E.
Middleton, R. J., A Catbird Foundation, 88.
Miller, Abraham Beck, see Beck, Herbert H.
Miller, Francis, see Snyder, Leroy.
Miller, Waldron DeWitt, Christmas Census, 14.
Mills, Ruby R., Secretary, Report of, 381.
Mitchell, Arthur, Christmas Census, 6.
Moore, Laura B., see White, Bertha E.
Morlock, Lester, Photograph by, 90.
Morris, Lucy N., Secretary-Treasurer, Report of,

386.
Morse, H. G., and H. Grace, Christmas Census, 23.
Mounts, Beryl T., Lewis H., and Eugene, Christ-
mas Census, 20.
Munger, Edwin H., Christmas Census, 7.
Munroe, ]\Irs. Kirk. President. Report of, 376.
Myers, Harriett Williams, Winter Bird Life in

Los Angeles, 71.

Nefif, Johnson, Christmas Census, 27.

Nelson, Philip H., see Nichols, Edward G.

Newkirk, Garrett, A Flicker's Food, 85.

Nice, Margaret M., Christmas Census, 29; Some
Bird Observations During a Mild Winter in
Central Oklahoma. 302.

Nice, Marjorie Duncan, Two Pet Mourning
Doves, 268.

Nichols, Edward G., and L. Nelson, Christmas
Census, 11.

Nichols, John Treadwell, Bird-Lore's Twenty-
first Christmas Census, 3, 300; reviews by, 99,
211, 317; New York Region, 32. 92, 143, 200,
250, 305; see Granger, \Valter.

Nicholson, Nevin, Christmas Census, iS.

Norton, Arthur H., Field Agent, Report of, 355.

Norton, Mrs. Daisy Dill, Secretary, Report of,

393-
Norton, Mrs. H. B., Corresponding Secretary,

Report of, 375.
Novak, Frank, Christmas Census, 8.

Oberholser, Harry C, Washington Region, 34,
92, 144, 201, 250, 307; The Migration of North
American Birds, 78, 192, 295.

Packard, Rachel, Secretary, Report of, 373.

Packard, Winthrop, Field Agent, Report of, 349;
Secretary's Report, 363.

Palmer, Dr. T. S., Abbott H. Thayer's Contri-
bution to Bird Protection, 227; reviews by,
258, 3i8.

Pangburn, Clifford H., Christmas Census, 16.

Pardoe, Dr. J. B., Photograph by, 177.

Parkhurst, Amy C, Secretary, Report of, 379.

Parmenter, H. E., see Henderson, H. C.

Patterson, Clarence E., The Song Sparrow is a
Soaker, 136.

Index

Pearson, T. Gilbert, Brown Creeper, 60; Our
National Parks in Great Danger, 64; Report on
the National Parks Situation, in; Federal
Game Legislation, 113; To Provide a Duty on
Imported Caged Birds, 114; State Legislative
Matters, 115; Great Horned Owl, 163; Law
Regarding Sale and Wearing of Feathers, 167;
John Burroughs' Birthday Message, 167;
New Jersey Bobolink Law Passed, 168; Quail
as a Songbird. 169; The Wyoming Elk Situa-
tion, 170; New York Legislation, 171; Yellow-
stone Park Again Attacked, 171; Annual
Report for the Junior Audubon Societies, 222;
The Legal Killing of Robins, 225; Thumbs
Down for Florida Bird Protection, 22q; Hiking
for the Birds, 228; Canada Goose, 270; Joel
Asaph Allen, Obituary, 274; New Audubon
Bird Reservation, 276; Annual Meeting, 279,
,^2g; The Wyoming Antelope Episode, 279;
Annual Report, 334.

Peaslee, Denning J., A Corn-Eating Woodpecker,
328.

Pell, Stuyvesant M., see Blake, Maurice C.

Pell, Walden, see Blake, Maurice C.

Pellew, Marion J., Christmas Census, 20.

Perkins, Dr. Anne E., Notes from Collins, N. Y.,
89.

Perkins, Edward H., Christmas Census, 4.

Perkins, S. E.. A White Crow, 140.

Perley, Mary D., Ontario Notes, 301.

Perley, W. B., Jr., The Adventures of a Sparrow
Trap, 87.

Pershing, H. A-, Secretary, Report of, 393.

Philipp, P. B., Photograph by, 163.

Phillippe, Margaret, Blackcaps in Oklahoma, 108.

Phillips, Charles, see Thayer, Burton.

Pierce, Fred J., Christmas Census, 26; Birds and
Salt, 90; Scarcity of Nighthawks, 197

Pierce, Lilian W., Secretary, Report of, 396.

Pitman, Alice W., Secretary, Report of, 387.

Porter, Warren, see Thomas, Edward S.

Potter, Hamilton F., White Egrets at Smithtown,
N. Y., 244.

Potter, Julian K., see Culver, Delos E.; Phila-
delphia Region, a, 306.

Pratt, Helen S., Secretary, Report of, 359.

Preble, E. A., see McAtee, W. L.

Pumyea, Nelson D. W., Christmas Census, 16.

Raker, Mary E., and W. S., see Eliot, W. A.
Ratliff, Virginia June, A Bird Tragedy, 327.
Ratterman, Katherine, Secretary, Report of, 367.
Raymond, Margaret E., Secretary, Report of, 383.
Redfield, Alfred C, Christmas Census, 3.
Reid, Russell, Christmas Census, 28.
Rice, Ward J., Christmas Census, 25.
Riebel, Frank, see Thomas, Edward S.
Ringwalt, A, A., see Stockbridge, Charles A.
Robbins. C. A., and W. L.. see Little, L. T.
Roberts, George, Jr., Photograph by, 238.
Roberts, Prewitt, sec Logan, Wm. Spencer.
Roberts, Dr. Thomas S., Minnesota Region, 36,

94, 204, 252, 309.
Robinson, Don H., A Kingbird's Nest, 198.
Robinson, F. B., Chimney Swifts in Fall and

Spring, 245.
Roehner, Theodore G., Christmas Census, 11
Rogers, Charles H., Christmas Census, 15.
Roland, Conrad K., see Culver, Delos E.
Ronsheim, Milton, see McConnell, Harry B.
Rosenberger, Esther L., A Blue Jay Story, 56.
Ross, Dr. and Mrs. Lucretius H., Christmas

Census, 5.
Russell, John W., Christmas^Ccnsus, 7.

Sadler, Nettie M., see Hankinson, Prof. T. L.
St. Louis Bird Club, Christmas Census, 27.
Sage, Mrs. Mary S., Field Agent, Report of, 357.
Sanborn, Blanche D., The Migration of the

Martin, 248.
Sanborn, Colin Campbell, Chicago Region, 95,

145, 203, 251, 308.
Sanford, S. N. F., The Woodcock as a "Bluffer,"

139-
Saunders, Aretas A., Christmas Census, 8.
Savage, James, and Thomas L. Bourne, Christmas

Census, 10.
Savage, L. F., see McConnell, Thomas L.
Sawyer, Beatrice, A Friendly Wood Pewee, 303.
Schafer, Ethel, Secretary, Report of, 373.
Schantz, Orpheud M., President, Report of,

362.
Schneider, Frances B., Los Angeles Region, 38,

97, 149, 209, 255, 314.
Schroder, Hugo H., Christmas Census, 26.
Schull, Arthur, see Ayres, Douglas, Jr.
Seattle Audubon Society, Christmas Census, 30.
Seibold, P. F., see Stahl, R. H.
Sepper, Henry W., see Stockbridge, Charles A.
Seton, Ernest Thompson, Why Do Birds Bathe?

II, 124; What Birds Signal With Their Tails?

286.
Severson, H. P., Robin's Nest on a Trolley Wire,

249.
Shanstrom, R. T., Christmas Census, 28.
Shaw, Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Norton, Christmas

Census, 7.
Shumway, F. Ritter, see Edson, Wm. L.
Sihler, Wm., see Stockbridge, Charles A.
Simonds, Susie L., Christmas Census, 22.
Skinner, M. P., Christmas Census, 29.
Sleeper, Harry A., A Redstart Tragedy, 248.
Smith, E. E., Christmas Census, 24.
Smith, Edwin S., see Ehinger, C. E.
Smith, Ethel M., Louisiana Tanager in Massa-
chusetts, 199.
Smith, Lester, W., Christmas Census, 8.
Smith, Mrs. Frank D., Christmas Census, 12.
Smith, O. W., Evening Grosbeak Nesting in

Wisconsin, 86.
Smith, Wendell P., Christmas Census, 5.
Smith, Wilbur F., The Yellow-breasted Chat and

the Cowbird, 175.
Snyder, Leroy, Christmas Census, 29.
Southerland, H. A., Christmas Census, 10.
Squires, W. A., Christmas Census, 17.
Stahl, R. H., Christmas Census, 18.
Stevens, O. A., Secretarj', Report of, 367.
Stockbridge, Charles A., Christmas Census, 25.
Stone, Lucy B., Secretary, Report of, 376.
Stuelpnagel, D., see Larrabee, A P.
Swope, Eugene, Why Birds Interest Me, 231.

Taber, Sydney Richmond, A Bird Battle, 243.
Talbot, L. R., President. Report of, 372.
Taper, Thos. A., .\ Song Sparrow Family, 247.
Terry, Alice, Christmas Census, 7.
Terry, R. J., Secretary-Treasurer, Report of, 365.
Thayer, Burton, and Charles Phillips, Christmas

Census, 22.
Thomas, Edward S., and John, Christmas

Census, 24.
Thoms, Craig S., Photograph by, 132; The Bird

Bath in Molting Time, 182; Cultivating The

Birds, 287.
Tilton, Dr. Josiah Odin, A Screech Owl that

Soaked, 127.
Tippctts, Mrs. K. B., President, Report of, 390.
Townscnd, Manley B., sec Goode, Mrs. Harriet U.

Index

Trembath, Mrs. Mabel H., President, Report of.

397-
Tufts, R. W., Christmas Census, 3.
Tyler, Winsor M., Boston Region, 32, gr, 143,

200, 249, 304.

Uraer, Charles A., Christmas Census, 14.

Van Deren, Barnard, Christmas Census, 30.

Van Dyke, Tertius, see Gibson, Hamilton.

Van Horn, Dale R., A Bird-Bath for Your Lawn,

i2g.
Van Tyne, Josselyn and Claude, Christmas

Census, 21.
Van Winkle, Mrs. O. J., see Mather, Mrs. F. E.
Vaughan, Ellen, and Viletta C. Kane, Christmas

Census, g.
Vibert, C. W., and Geo. T. Griswold, Christmas

Census, 7.

Walbridge, Caroline C, Secretary, Report of, 391.
Walch, Weston, Christmas Census, 4.
Walker, Alex., Christmas Census, 31.
Walker. Edith F., see Terry, Alice.
Walker, Isabella, Secretary, Report of, 369.
Warner, Willis H., see Fordyce, Geo. L.
Way, W. Scott, Secretary, Report of, 361.
Weisberger, H, W., see Fordyce, Geo. L.

Weiser, Charles S., Christmas Census, 18.
Wells, H. W., The Blue Jay's Bath, 136.
Wells, Paul A., Christmas Census, 23.
Welty, Emma J., Corresponding Secretary,

Report of, 368.
Wentling, Margaret E., Crows Bathing, 219.
Weston, Francis M., Jr., Christmas Census, 21.
White, Bertha E., Christmas Census, ig.
Whittaker, Edith H., The Blue Jay Bathes in

Winter, 128.
Whittle, Mr. and Mrs. Charles L., see Fletcher,

L. B.
Wiggins, Mabel R., Sparrow Meets Sparrow, 87.
Williams, Blair S., White Egret in Connecticut,

245-
Wilmott, George B., President, Report of, 372.
Wilson, Dr. and Mrs. Frank N., A Double

Tragedy, 281.
Wilson, Etta S , Christmas Census, 21.
Wilson, Gordon, see Lancaster, L. Y.
Wilson, Mrs. Charles M., Secretary, Report of,

370.
Wiswell, Amy P., Secretary, Report of, 377.
Wood, Philo, The Long-tailed Chat, 328.
Worley, John, see McConnell, Harry B.

Zeleny, Lawrence, Christmas Census, 22; Photo-
graph by, 85.

INDEX TO CONTENTS

Advisory Council, Bird-Lore's, i.

Air-guns, Law controlling sale of, 66.

Alaska, Birds in, 239.

.'VUen, Joel Asaph, Obituary of, 274; Photograph

of, 27s; Tribute to, 319, 343.
American Bird-House Journal, noticed, 213.
American Ornithologists' Union, exhibition of

paintings at the, 45; Report of Annual Meeting,

316.
Arkansas, 28.
Audubon Societies, Annual Meeting of the

National Association of, 279, 32g; Advisory

Board of Directors, 330; Annual Report, 333;

Reports of Field Agents, 345; State reports, 3g8.
'Auk, The,' reviewed, gg, 211, 317.
Avocet, 148, 314.

Baldpate, 148, 150, 207, 209.

Bent's 'Life Histories of North American Gulls and

Terns,' reviewed, 317.
Bill, Conservation, 66; Water- Power, 64, 65, in.
Biological Survey, Report of Bureau of, reviewed,

42.
Bird Banding, Manual of Instructions for, 211.
Bird Clubs, 277; Li.st of, 3g8.
Bird Houses, 75, go.
Bird Migration, ig2, 288, 2g5, 302.
'Bird Notes and News,' noticed, 213.
Bird-of-Paradise, Sale of plumes of the, 167.
Bird Protection, 227, 229, 276, 331, 345, 381.
Bird Reservations in Texas, 276.
Bird Study, 55, 154, 327.
Birds' Bath, 124; figured, 72, 73, 74, 129, 130,

132, 135, 182, 183, 241, 288, 290, 341.
Birds' Food, 291.
Birds' Plumage, 83, 260, 29g.
Birds' Songs, 141, i7g.
Bittern, 148, 205, 206; American, 202; Cory's

Least, figured, 262; Least, 305, 322.

Blackbird, Brewer's, 205; figured, facing, 28 1;

2gs, 298, 299; Crow, 192; Red-winged, 92, 94,

143, 144, 207, 210, 246, 310; Rusty, 36, 92, 94,

95, 143, 205; figured, facing, 281; 295, 299;

Tricolored, 210; Yellow-headed, figured, facing,

71; 78, 79, 84, 150, 205, 210.
Bluebird, figured, 52, 90; 92, 94, 96, 127, 143,

147, 200, 209, 221, 249, 302, 305, 311, 312;

Mountain, 40, 41, 98, i4g; Western, 38, 40, 98,

149, 256, 314.
Boat-Blind, 233; figured, 233.
Bobolink, Law in New Jersey protecting the, 168;

205, 206, 207, 250, 307.
Bob-White, 35, 206, 207.
BufBehead, 35, 37, 40, 93.
'Bulletin of the Essex County Ornithological

Club, ' reviewed, gg.
'Bulletin of the New Hampshire Audubon

Society, ' noticed, 258.
' Bulletin of the West Chester (Pa.) Bird Club, '

noticed, 258.
Bunting, Indigo, 201, 206, 250, 306; Lark, 147;

Lazuli, 2og, 210, 256; Snow, 95.
Burroughs, John, Obituary of, 119; Photographs

of, 120, 122; Birthday Message, 167; Memorial

Association, 153, 214.
Bush-Tit, 97, 149, 2og, 255.
Buzzard, Turkey, see Vulture, Turkey.

Caged Birds, Duty on Imported, 114.
California, 31, 38, 71, g6, 98, 148, 149, 208, 209,

255. 313. 314. 3SO. 359. 383. 387-
Canvasback, 97; figured, 106; 311.
Cardinal, 35, 93, 95, 144, 146, 206, 243, 250,

308.
'Cassinia, ' reviewed, 43.
Catbird, 32, 33, 88, 92, 93, 96, 201, 205, 208.
Census, A Nest, 138; Bird-Lore's Twenty-first

Christmas, 3; Twenty-second, 300.

Index

Chat, Long-tailed, 210; Ycllovv-lireasted, 175,

305, 307; nest figured, 176.
Chewink, g2.
Chickadee, 91, 314; Black-capped, figured, 30,

log, 2yi; log; Long-tailed, 147; Mountain, 147.
Chicken, Prairie, 37, ys-
Colorado, 2g, 30, 38, q6, 147, 207, 312.
Coloration of birds, 260; concealing, 320.
"Condor. The,' reviewed. 258, 318.
Connecticut, 7, 8. 245, 35Q, 382, 386, 306.
Conservation, United States Dept. of, 66.
Cooke's 'Birds of the Washington Region,'

reviewed. 151.
Coot, 92, 145, 147; American, 93, 202, 207.
Cormorant, 98, 210; Brandt's, 150; Double-
crested, 32, 146, 205, 309, 311.
Cowbird, 143, 145, 175, 185, 205, 207, 302;

figured, 176, 283.
Creeper, 94, 209; Brown, figured, facing, i, 60,

95, 146, 200, 305, 306, 309; Sierra, 314.
Crossbill, American, 93; White-winged, 93,

figured, 104; Red, figured, 301.
Crow, 94, 98, 140, 145, 302.
Cuckoo, Black-billed, 205, 254; Yellow-billed,

205, 207, 25s, 256.
Curlew, 313; Hudsonian, 149, 209, 255, 256;

Long-billed, 40, 256, 314.

Dickcissel, 293, 297, 251, 252, 311.

Dove, 206; Mourning, 92, 94, 144, 255, 268;
figured, 178, 182, 183, 288, 308; young figured,
178; Western Mourning, 302.

Dowitcher, 149, 150, 255, 306, 313, 314; Long-
billed, 150, 209.

Duck, Black, 32, S3- 34. 93. i44. 202; Fulvous
Tree, 209; Greater Scaup, 34, 93, 146; Lesser
Scaup, 34, 35, 93. 144. 147. 148, 202, 254;
Ring-necked, 146; Ruddy, 144, 148, 209;
Scaup, 147, 209; Wood, SS- 207, 254, 310;
figured, 265.

Ducks, killing by aeroplane of, 67.

Dutcher, William, photograph of bronze tablet
to, 344.

Eagle, Bald, 34, 93, 306.

Egret, American, 40, 41, 150, 244, 245, 250, 303,

307; sale of plumes of the, 167.
' ICl Hornero, ' reviewed, 151.

Farmers ' Bulletin, No. 1235, noticed, 258.

I'eathers, Law regarding sale and wearing of, 167.

I'leid .Agents, Reports of, 345.

I'inch, California I'urple, 98, 149, 314; Cassin's
I'urple, 314; House, 38, 147, 207; I'urple, S3<
92, g6, 200, 202, 309.

l'"lamingo, Chilian, figured, 152.

Eli(ker, 85, 94. 95, 143, 147, 2og, 245, figured,
with nest, 287; 310; (Jolden-winged, 97; Red-
shafted, 97.

I'lorida, 20, 21: bird protection in, 229, 361, 376,
38.$, 390.

Flycatcher, Alder, 202; Crested, 205, 251, 254,
309; Least, 201, 20s; Olive-sided, 206, 209,
2SS. 256, 303; Traill's, 206, 207. 254, 255, 256;
Western, 38, 148. 256, 313.

(labrielson's 'The Birds Found al Marhliall

County, Iowa,' noticed, 213.
(ladwall, 35, 207.
Ciannet, 32, 34.
(leorgia, 391.
(Inatcatcher. Black-tailed, 255; Blue dray, 144,

251; Western, 40, 97, 313.

Ciodwit, Marbled, 40, 149, 150, 209, 255, 256

313. 314-
Golden-eye, 32, 35. 37, 40, 93, 94, 95, 254.
Goldfinch, 32, 247; Green-backed, 149, 256;

Lawrence's, 209, 314; Willow, 98, 149, 210,

2.'56, 314.
Goose, Blue, 146, 147; Canada, 32, 33, 96, 143,

146, 311; figured, facing, 231, 272; Hutchin's,

35, 147; Lesser Snow, 35, 146, 147; White-
fronted. 35.
Grack'e, Bronzed, 95, 143, 146, 192, 193, 195,

207; figured, facing, 175; figured, 238, 302.

313; Florida, figured, facing, 175; 192, 195;

Purple, 92, 93, 94, 192, 193, 195; figured,

facing, 175.
Grebe, Holboell's, 98, 145; Horned, 32, 35, 146,

315; Pied-billed, 34, 36, 144, 146, 148, 205,

207, 311; Red-necked, 310; Western, 40, 97,

98, 149, 256.
Grosbeak, Black-headed, 150, 207, 208, 256,

313; Blue, 206, 207, 209, 210, 254, 256; Evening,

86, 91, 95; figured, 104, 142; Pine, 91, 95;

Rose-breasted, 202, 205, 252, 305; figured.

264, 289. 290, 291.
Gull, Black-I)acked, ^2; Bonaparte's, 40, 95,

145, 150, 202, 252, 315; California, 98, 150;
Franklin's, 35; Glaucous-winged, 98, 150;
Heerman's, 40, 98, 315; Herring, 32, 34, 94,
98, 147, 205, 3ii,« 345; Laughing, 34, 202;
Ring-billed, 35, 37, 98, 144. 147, 150, 202, 315;
Sabine's, 314; Short-billed, 98; Western, 98,
315-

Hawk, Broad-winged, 34, 207, 306; Cooper'.s, 34,
207, 208, 306; Duck, 34, 53, 146, 306, 309;
Ferruginous Rough-legged, 98, 149; Fish, see
Osprey; Marsh, 34, 94, 146, 306. 311; Pigeon,
201, 309, 311; Red-bellied, 210; Red-tailed, 34,
38, 311; Rough-legged, 33, 38, 146; Sharp-
shinned, 34, 147, 208, 306, 309, 313; Sparrow,
34, 38, 205, 306.

Heron, Anthony's Green, 209; Black-crowned
Night, 95, 14b, 148, 204, 209; Great Blue, 144,

146, 148, 202, 205. 210, 254; figured, 237. 310;
Green, 36; figured, with nest, 77, 103; 201,
207, 209, 306, 308; Little Blue, 250, 307, 311.

Howard's 'Territory in Bird-Life,' reviewed, 257.

Hudson's 'Birds of La Plata,' reviewed, 42.

Hummingbird, 201; Allen's, 38, 148. 149, 209,
31,5; Anna's, 98, 210, 213; Black-chinned, 256;
Calliope, 256; Costa's, 150, 210, 256, 314; Ruby-
throated, 149, 150, 20s, 251, 256, 306, 311.

Ibis, White-faced Glossy, 210.
Illinois, 25, 26, 95, 145, 203, 251, 308, 362.
Indiana, 25, 67, 376, 393. 395-
Iowa, 26, 88, 379.

Jay. Blue, 56, 86, 128, 182, 206, 255, 302, 305,
30O, 311; Blue-fronted, 40, 97, 149; Long-
crested, 38; Pinon, 314; Woodhouse's, 38.

Junco, ^2, 41, 91, 03. 04. '47. MO. 206, 207, 209,
304, 305, 309; Gray-headed, ^S, 40, 140, 313;
Montana, 38, 309; Pink-sided, 38, 313; Shu-
feldt's, 38, 147; Sierra. 313; Slate-colored. 38.
313; Thurber's, 40, 256, 314.

Kalmbach and Gabrielson's 'Economic \'aluc of
the Starling in the United States," reviewed,

257-
Kansas, 28, 29.
Kentucky, 26, 27, 244.
Killdeer. 36, 41, 144, 146, 148, 205, 207. 238;

figured, 323, 324.

Index

Kingbird, 127, lyS, 201, 205, 311: rassin's. gS;

Western, 210, 314.
Kingfisher, 04. g(), 105, 210; figured, loj, 263;

Western Belted, 313.
Kinglet, 314; Golden-crowned, 33, 36, 91, q4, c;7.

149, 30s, 306; Ruby-crowned, 38, 143, 144,

149, 202, 208. 30s, 30f), 313-
Knot, 306, 308, 315.

Lark, Horned, 33, 38, 40, 94, 98, 149, 210;

Prairie Horned, 95, 146, 147; Western. y8.
Legislation, iii, 115, 167, 168, 171, 22$, 279;

Federal Clame, 1 13-
Lincoln's 'Instructions for Bird Bunding,'

reviewed, 211.
Linnsan Society, Abstract of the Proceedings of

New York, reviewed, 44.
Linnet, 210.

Longspur, 95; Lapland, 95, 146, 147; Smith's, 146.
Loon, 40, 98, 205, 310, 315; Red-throated, 40, 98.

Maine, 4, 377, 393-

'Maine Naturalist, The,' noticed, 213.

Mallard, 35, 37. 93, 94, 96, 144. i47. 207, 252

254, 310, 311.
Malheur Lake Reservation, 352, 368.
Martin, Purple, 36, 75, 144, 145, 147, 150, 202,

205. 248, 251, 256, 302, 307, 310. 311, 314;

Western, 209.
Maryland, 18, 116, 363.
Massachusetts, 5, 6, 7, 304, 349, 363, 372.
McClintock, Norman, moving picture lectures by,

66.
Meadowlark, 40, 79, 83, 92, 94, 95, 96, 98, 143,

146, 147, 206, 207, 261, 312; figured, 71, 261,

323; Eastern, 79, 80, 81, S3; Florida, 80;

Northwestern, 82; Rio Grande, 80, 83, 84;

Southern, 83; Western, figured, facing, 71, 8r,

82, 83.
Merganser, American, 40, 98, 144, 149, 202;

Hooded, 35; Red-breasted, 34, 150, 202, 256.
Merlin, Richardson's, 148.
Michigan, 21, 382.

Minnesota, 22, 36, 94, 142, 204, 243, 252, 302, 309.
Mississippi, 56.

Missouri, 27, 28, 35, 95, 146, 206, 254, 31 1, 365, 389.
Mockingbird, 34, 88, 93, 97, 144, 149, 179, 203,

208, 255, 306.
Murrelet, The, noticed, 213.

National Park, Yellowstone, 171.

National Parks, Great Danger in our, 54; Report

on the. III.
Nelson's ' Report of Bureau of Biological Survey, "

reviewed, 42.
New England, Bird Protection in, 345.
New Hampshire, 5, 258, 366, 384, 385.
New Jersey, 13, 14, 15, 16, 303, 366, 379, 386,

395; Bobolink Law in, 168.
New York, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 32, 92, 143, 200, 303,

30s. 370, 371. 372, 373. 378. 383. 388; Legis-
lation in, 171.
Nighthawk, 197, 202, 302, 303, 31c, 312.
North Dakota, 28, 367.
Nova Scotia, 3, 134.
Nuthatch, 129; Pygmy, 209; Red-breasted, 33,

93. 250, 305, 306, 307, 3og; White-bellied, 91;

White-breasted, 205.

Ohio, 22, 23, 24, 35, 145, 203, 307, 367, 376.
Oklahoma, 29, 108, 302.
Old Squaw, 94, 95.
Ontario, 3, 4, 198, 301, 381.
Oregon, 30, 31, 368.

Oriole, 314; Arizona Hooded, 150, 210; Baltimore-
201, 202, 205, 206, 249, 251; Bullock's, 150.
207, 208, 210, 256; Orchard, 203, 207, 252.

Osprey, 34, 105, 143, 144, 147, 203, 210, 30O,

310,315-

Ovenbird, 201, 205, 306.

Owl, Barn, 33. 203, 309; Great Horned, 34; fig-
ured, facing, 1 19, 163, 293; Long-eared, 34; Saw-
whet, figured, 85, 95, 389; Screech, 127, 252; fig-
ured, 177, 323; Short-eared, 34, 309; Snowy, 95.

Patch's 'Bird Stories,' reviewed, 211.

Pelican, Brown, 98, 315; White, 35, 40, 210,

31 1, 314.
Pennsylvania, 16, 17, 18, 33, 306, 369, 371, 378,

392, 396, 397.
Pewee, Wood, figured, with nest, 59; 205, 208,

2og, 210, 256, 303, 313.
Phainopepla, figured, 74; 97, 255, 256, 314.
Phalarope, Northern, 40, 210, 313, 314; Red,

314, 315; Wilson's, 205, 209.
Phoebe, Black, figured, 73; Say's, 97, 147, 210.
Pigeon, Band-tailed, 38, 148; Chinese Spotted, 97.
Pintail, 34, 35. 93. 96; figured, 105; 144, 148,

150, 207, 209, 254, 311.
Pipit, 33, 40, 41, 97. 98, 147. 148, 149. 314;

American. 93, 145, 205.
Plover. Black-beUied, 149, 203, 209, 255, 308,

313, 314; Golden, 308; Mountain, 41, 97;

Piping, 204, 306; Semi-palmated, 40, 150, 203,

205, 209, 251, 255, 256, 308, 313; figured.!; I.

Snowv, 41, 256, 315; LTpland, 147.
Puflin, tufted, 148.

Quail, 169, 209; figured, 283, 284, 285.
Quebec, 3, 387.

Rail, Virginia, figured, 51, 251; Yellow, 85, 142.

Redhead, 35, 209.

Redstart, 199, 201, 205, 248, 250, 252, 306, 308.

Redpoll, 91, 95.

Rhode Island, 7, 368.

Roadrunner, 210.

Robin, 34, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 143, 144, 14s, 147,

149, 200, 207, 209, 302, 304, 310, 312, 314;

figured, 182, 183; nest figured, 89, 249; Western,

38; figured, 72.
Robins, The legal killing of, 225.

Sage, Mrs. Mary S., Photograph of, 357.

Sanderling, 41, 203, 251, 308, 315.

Sandpiper, 313; Baird's, 203, 315; Bufif-breasted,
308; Least, 203, 205, 206, 209, 250, 251, 252,
308; Pectoral, 251, 306, 308; figured, 323; Red-
backed, 40; 149, 209, 308, 313; Semipalmated,
203, 251, 252, 308; figured, 234; Solitary, 202,
205; Spotted, 41, 149, 204, 206, 210, 251, 308;
Stilt, 203, 250; Western, 209, 255.

Sapsucker, 149; Red-breasted, 40; Red-naped.
312; Yellow-bellied, figured, 107, 305, 309.

Scientific Monthlj', reviewed, 213.

Scoter, Surf, 40, 41, 98, 148, 149, 315; White-
winged, 34, 36, 98, 149, 202, 256, 315.

Season, The, 32, 91, 143, 200, 249, 304.

Shoveller, 35, 93, 144, 148, 150, 207, 209, 254.

Shrike, Migrant, 147, 204, 206, 250; Northern,
33< 38- 93. 95. 146-

Siskin, Pine, 33, 93, 147, 149, 209, 309.

'Slabsides.' Photographs of, 120, 122.

Snipe, Wilson's, 32, 92, 94, 148, 250.

Snowflake, 93.

Solitaire, Townsend's, 148, 149, 313.

South Carolina, 20.

South Dakota, 28, 287.

Vlll

Index

Sparrow, Black-chinned, 314; Brewer's, 208, 314;
Chipping, 87. q8, 143, 144, 145, 147, 205, 207.
208, 200, 306, 314; figured, with young, 263;
Clay-colored, 203, 208; English, 38, 302;
figured, with nest, 181; Field, 143, 207; Fox,
38, 93 95. 143. 144. 149. 208, 313, 314; Gambel's
41, 98, 147, 208, 314; figured, 241; Golden-
crowned, 38, 40, 41, g8, 149, 208, 313; Grass-
hopper, 201, 207; figured, with nest, 282;
Harris's, 147, 203, 206, 207, 309, 311; Hen-
slow's, 198, 201, 305; Intermediate, 149, 208,
313; Lark, 149, 203. 205; Lincoln's. 94, 147,
203, 207, 302; Rufous-crowned, 210; Savannah,
92, 98, 145, 204, 206, 207, 306; Song, 32, 136.

143, 144, 250, 255, 306, 310, 312; figured, with
nest and young, 247; Swamp, 93, 205; Tree,
32. 33. 35. 38, 91. 94. 96. 309; Vesper, 98, 143,

144, 147, 205, 302; Western Chipping, 41;
Western Lark, 149, 302; Western Savannah,
149; Western Vesper, 149; White-crowned, 34,
302, 311; figured, 87; White-throated, 93, 97,
I2S, 205, 206, 25 254, 302, 304, 305, 309, 311.

Starling, European, :>,2, 198, 251.

State Societies, Reports of Affiliated, 359.

Stilt, 149, 150, 209; Black-necked, 314.

Swallow, Bank, 150, 205, 207, 209, 254, 256, 311,
314; Barn, 34, 148, 202, 205, 210, 250, 256,307,
311. 313. 314; Cliff, 150, 255, 314; Northern
Violet-Green. 150; Rough-winged, 34, 201, 209,
254; Tree, 92, 98, 145, 148, 150, 202, 205, 209,

250. 305. 306, 310; Violet Green, 209, 256. 314;
White-bellied. 36.

Swan, Whistling, 93, 145.

Swift, Chimney, 201, 205, 206. 245, 308, 310;
Vaux, 209; White-throated, 40, 41, 98, 210.

Tanager, Louisiana, 199; Scarlet, 34, 205, 250,

251, 254; Western, 150, 210, 256. 313, 314.
Tattler, Wandering, 209, 210, 315.

Teal, Blue-winged, 207, 254, 310, 311; Cinnamon,
148, 150, 209; Green-winged, 35, 97, 98, 144.
147, 148, 150, 209.

Tennessee, 117.

Tern, Arctic, 345, 346; Black, figured, 50, 103,
235; nest figured, 50, 205, 207, 209, 252, 254,
256, 309. 311. 314; Caspian. 150, 255. 256, 309,
311, 315; Common, 202, 205, 252, 311, 314,
345; figured, 346; Forster's, 255, 256, 311, 314;
Least, 210, 256, 311, 315; Roseate, 345, 346;
figured, with nest, 347; young figured, 348;
Royal. 98.

Texas, Legislation in, 276.

Thayer's, Abbot H., Contribution to Bird
Protection, 227.

Thrasher, figured, 132; Brown, 143, 145, 147,
200, 205, 20O, 252, 302; figured, 290.

Thrush, Alaska Hermit, 38, 149; Audubon's
Hermit, 313; Bicknell's, 309; Gray-cheeked,
202, 205, 207; Hermit, 35, 36, 97, 144, 145, 149,
202, 206, 208, 308, 309, 313, 314; Olive-backed,
202, 205, 207, 313; Russet-backed, 209, 210, 255,
313. 314; Varied, 38, 40, 97, 149, 208, 25O;
Wilson's, 202; Wood, 140, 201, 205. 206, 250.

Tippets, Mrs. Katherine, Photograph of, 332.

Titmouse, Tufted, Sg, 144, 146, 309.

Towhee, 144, 405, 304, 305, 308; Green-tailed,
208, 313, 314; San Francisco, 255.

Townsend's 'Supplement to the Birds of Essex
County, Massachusetts,' reviewed, 99.

Turnstone, 251, 306. 308; Black, 40, 41, 209, 256,
315; Ruddy, 203, 251.

Veery, 205.
Vermont, 5.

Vireo, Bell's, 207. 311; Blue-eyed, 206; Blue-
headed, 207, 309; Cassin's, 150, 313; Hutton's,
256; Least, 150; Philadelphia, 307; Plumbeous,
3i3;Red-eyed, 141, 205, 250. 254, 306, 310; Soli-
tary, 144, 201, 205; Warbling, 148, 150, 205.
209, 256. 309, 313, 314; White-eyed, 201, 207;
Yellow-throated, 205, 250, 251.

Virginia, 19.

Vulture, Turkey, 34, 37, 49, 203, 205, 306, 310.

Warbler, Audubon's, 149, 150, 208, 313, 314;
Bay-breasted, 200, 307, 308; Black and White,
figured, 104, 147, 201, 203, 205, 251, 306, 308;
Blackbumian, 202, 308, 31c; 34, 205, 304, 305.
308; Black-throated Blue, 201, 202; Black-
throated Gray, 40, 150, 209, 256; Black-
throated Green, 201, 306; Blue-winged, 201,
202, 203, 206, 251; Calaveras, 150; Canadian,
200, 203, 205, 307; Cape May, 200, 202;
Cerulean, 203; Chestnut-sided, 201, 202, 205.
307, 310; Connecticut, 203, 309; Dusky, 210;
Golden-winged, 203, 307, 308; Hermit, 210;
Hooded, 201; Kentucky, 206, 252; Lutescent,
4c, 148, 150, 208, 209, 256, 314; Macgillivray's,
150; Magnolia, 201, 205, 308; Mourning, 203;
Myrtle, 32, 93, 146. 202, 205, 250, 304, 305,
306, 307, 309; Nashville, 201, 205; Orange-
crowned, 97, 313; Palm, 205, 309; Parula, 201;
Pileolated, 38, 40, 97, 148, 150, 210, 256, 313,
314; Pine, 144, 203, 205; Prairie, 201, 251, 308;
Prothonotary, 203; Tennessee, 200, 202, 205.
207, 308; Tolmie, 38, 148; Townsend's, 40, 97,
149, 150, 313, 314; Wilson's, 203, 205, 308;
Yellow, 38, 40, 201, 205. 207, 208, 209, 210,
216, 250, 251, 256, 305, 310, 313; Yellow Palm,
32, 34, 143, 144, 14s, 306; Yellow-throated,
199, 201.

Washington, D- C. 30, 34, 92, 144, 201, 250, 307

Water Ouzel. 40.

Water Thrush, 249; Grinnell's, 205; Louisiana,
34, 14s, 203, 205; Northern, 201, 244, 250.

Waxwing, Bohemian, 95; Cedar, 38, 40, 97, 98,
149, 208, 210, 312.

West Virginia, 19.

Whip-poor-will, 207, 209, 312.

Whitman's 'Familiar Studies of Wild Birds, Their
Haunts and Habits, ' reviewed, 44.

Widgeon, 311; European, 97, 98.

Willet, 36, 149, 252, 256, 306, 313; figured, 325;
Western, 150, 255.

Wilson Bulletin, The, reviewed, 100, 212.

Wisconsin, 22, 86, 248, 293

Woodcock, 139, 145, 147, 200, 204.

Woodpecker, Batchclder's, 148; Cabanis', 150,
210; Downy, 129, 147, 251; figured, 291;
Lewis's, 149, 313; Northern Pileated, 35;
Pileated, figured, 43, 93, 205, 206, 307; Red-
bellied, 203; Red-headed, 94, 95, 146, 205, 238,
252, 309.

Wren, Bewick's, 203; Cactus, 255; Cafion, 256;
Carolina, 35, 93, 147; House, 148, 200, 201,
205, 206, 208, 209, 250, 313; Long-billed Marsh,
201; Parkman's, 40, 256; Rock, 208, 313;
Short-billed Marsh, 203, 250, 309; Texas, 302;
Tule, 148, 150; Winter, 93, 206, 244

Wren-Tit, 255.

Wyoming, 29; Elk Situation in, 170; Legislation
in, 279.

Yellow-legs, 35, 146, 148, 206, 207, 209, 306;

Greater, 150, 206, 251, 252; Lesser, 205, 250,

251, 252, 307.
Yellow-throat, 210; Maryland, 201, 205, 306.

BROWN CREEPER
Order — Passeres Family— Certhid^

Genus— Certhia Species — Americana

National Association of Audubon Societies

2^irb=1lore

A BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE

DEVOTED TO THE STUDY AND PROTECTION OF BIRDS

Offjcial Organ of The Audubon Societies

Vol. XXIII January— February, 1921 No. 1

Bird-Lore's Advisory Council

WITH some slight alterations, we reprint below the names and
addresses of the ornithologists forming Bird-Lore's 'Advisory
Council.'

To those of our readers who are not familiar with the objects of the Council,
we may state that it was formed for the purpose of placing students in direct
communication with an authority on the bird-life of the region in which they
live, to whom they might appeal for information and advice in the many diffi-
culties which beset the isolated worker.

The success of the plan during the twenty-one years that it has been in
operation fully equals our expectations. From both students and members of
the Council we have had very gratifying assurances of the happy results
attending our efiforts to bring the specialist in touch with those who appreciate
the opportunity to avail themselves of his wider experience.

It is requested that all letters of inquiry to members of the Council he
accompanied b\' a stamped and addressed envelope for use in replying.

NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY COUNCIL
UNITED STATES AND TERRITORIES

Alaska. — Dr. C. Hart Merriam, 1919 i6th St., N. W., Washington, D. C.

.\rkansas. — Albert Lano, 220 E. Lafayette Ave., Fayetteville, Ark.

Arizona. — Harriet I. Thornber, Tucson, Ariz.

California. — Joseph Grinnell, University of California, Berkeley, Calif.

California. — Walter K. Fisher, Palo Alto, Calif.

Colorado. — Dr. W. H. Bergtold, 11 59 Race St., Denver, Colo.

Connecticut. — J. H. Sage, Portland, Conn.

Delaware. — S. N. Rhoads, Haddonfield, N. J.

District of Columbia. — Dr. C. W. Richmond, U. S. Nat'l. Mus., Washington, D. C.

Florida. — Frank M. Chapman, Am. Mus. Nat. History, New York City.

Florida, Western. — R. W. Williams, Jr., U. S. Dept. .\gricuUure, Washington, I). C.

Georgia. — Dr. Eugene Murphy, .\ugusta, Ga.

Illinois, Northern.— B. T. Gault, Glen EUyn, 111.

Illinois, Southern. — Robert Ridgway, Olney, 111.

Indiana. — A. W. Butler, State House, Indianapolis, Ind.

Iowa. — C. R. Keyes, Mt. Vernon, Iowa.

Kansas. — Harry Harris, 18 W. 5 2d St., Kansas City, Mo.

2 Bird - Lore

Kentucky. — A. C. Webb, Nashville, Tenn.

Louisiana. — Prof. George E. Bej^er, Tulane University, New Orleans, La.

^L^iNE. — A. H. Norton, Society of Natural History, Portland, Maine.

Massachusetts. — Winsor M. Tyler, Lexington, Mass.

Michigan. — Prof. W. B. Barrows, Agricultural College, Mich.

Minnesota.— Dr. T. S. Roberts, Millard Hall, University of Minn., Minneapolis .Minn

Missouri. — O. Widmann, 5105 Morgan St., St. Louis, Mo.

Montana. — Prof. J. M. Klrod, University of Montana, Missoula, Mont.

Nebraska. — Dr. R. H. Walcott, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb.

Nevada. — Dr. A. K. Fisher, Biological Survey, Dept. of Agr., Washington, D. C.

New Hampshire. — Dr. G. M. Allen, Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., Boston.

New Jersey, Northern.— Frank M. Chapman, Am. Mus. Nat. History, New York City.

New Jersey, Southern. — Witmer Stone, Academy Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, Pa.

New Me.xico. — Dr. A. K. Fisher, Biological Survey, Dept. of Agr., Washington, D. C.

New York, Eastern. — Dr. A. K. Fisher, Biological Survey, Washington, D. C.

New York, Western. — E. H. Eaton, Hobart College, Geneva, N. Y.

North Dakota. — Prof. O. G. Libby, University, N. D.

North Carolina. — Prof. T. G. Pearson, 1974 Broadway, New York City.

Ohio. — Prof. Lynds Jones, Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio.

Oklahoma. — Dr. A. K. Fisher, Biological Survey, Dept. of .Vgr., Washington, D. C.

Oregon. — W. L. Finley, Milwaukee, Ore.

Pennsylvania, Eastern. — Witmer Stone, Acad. Nat. Sciences, Philadelphia, Pa.

Pennsylvania, Western. — W. E. Clyde Todd, Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Rhode Island. — H. S. Hathaway, Bo.x 1466, Providence, R. L

South Carolina. — Charleston IMuseum, Charleston, S. C.

Tennessee. — Albert F. Ganier, Nashville, Tenn.

Texas. — H. P. Attwater, Houston, Te.xas.

Utah. — Prof. Marcus E. Jones, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Vermont. — Prof. G. H. Perkins, Burlington, Vt.

Virginia. — Dr. W. C. Rives, 1702 Rhode Island Avenue, Washington, I). C.

Washington. — Samuel F. Rathburn, Seattle, Wash.

West Virginia. — Dr. W. C. Rives, 1702 Rhode Island .\vcnue, Washington. D. C.

Wisconsin. — H. L. Ward, Pul)]ic Museum, Milwaukee, Wis.

CANADA
.\lberta. — G. F. Dippic, Calgary, .\lta.

British Columbia. — Francis Kermode, ProN-iniial .Museum. Mdoria. H. C.
Manitoba. — Ernest Thompson Seton, Cireenwich, Conn.
Nova Scotia. — Harry Piers, Provincial Museum, Halifax, N. S.
Ontario, Eastern. — James H. Fleming, 267 Rusholmc Road, Toronto. Ont.
Ontario, Western. — W. E. Saunders, London, Ont.
Quebec. — ^W. H. Mouslcy, Ilatley, Quebec.

MEXICO
E. W. Nelson, HiDJogical Sur\e_\-, Depl. of Agr., \\ asliinglon, J). C

wi;sr ixDiEs

C. H. Cory, Field .Museum, Chicago, III.

(;rkat nkii \i\

Clinliiii (i. Aliliolt, Conscrv.-ition Cnninxission, .\lli:iiiv, X \'

Bird-Lore's Twenty-first Christmas Census

THE highest number of species recorded in this census, in the northern
and middle Atlantic States, is 38 at Montauk, Long Island, and Cape
May, N. J.; in the south, 58 at Plant City, Fla., and in the Mississippi
Valley, 35 at Kansas City; and on the Pacific Coast, Santa Barbara with 96
has no close competitor.

The unusually open season, no doubt, accounts for a number of sporadic
records of birds far north of their usual winter range, such as the Phoebe,
Catbird, and Palm Warbler.

The early date at which the census goes to press leaves little opportunity
for statistical study of it. We may note, however, that the 'comeback' anti-
cipated for the Golden-crowned Kinglet exceeds our expectations. In the 1919
census, 26 of the 138 lists for states east of the Mississippi reported i to 11
individuals of this species, with a total of 85. This year (1920), 41 of 134 lists
record i to 37 individuals with a total of 278.

On the other hand, the scarcity of birds in places is less general than was
anticipated. The average total species for Massachusetts is 14, versus 16 in
19 19; whereas in New York it is 17, and in New Jersey it is 20, in both 1919
and 1920. In Ohio, however, there has been an increase of from an average of
16 in 1919 to 18 in 1920. — J. T. Nichols.

Cambridge, England. — Dec. 12. Snowing; temp. 28°. Moorhen, 3; Lapwing, 25;
Great Spotted Woodpecker, i; Green Woodpecker, i; Rook, 50; Starling, 75; House
Sparrow, 100; Pied Wagtail, 4; Grey Wagtail, 2; Wren, 10; Tree Creeper, 2; Nuthatch
i; Great Titmouse, 4; Blue Titmouse, i; Redbreast, 10; Hedge Sparrow, i; Song Thrush,
15; Blackbird, 8. Total, 18 species, 313 individuals. — Alfred C. Redfield.

Camrose, Alberta (to Dried Meat Lake). Dec. 27; i to 5 p.m. Clear; 8 in. snow;
west wind, light; average temp 32° above. Two miles on foot. Sharp-tailed Grouse,
16 (2 coveys); Ruffed Grouse, i (Red tail); Blue Jay, 2; Downy Woodpecker, i; Snow-
flake, 20; Redpoll, 30; Black-capped Chickadee, 2. Total, 7 species, about 72 individuals.
— Frank L. Farley.

Wolfville, Nova Scotia. — Dec. 27; 9 a.m. to i p.m. Clear, ground bare and frozen;
no wind; temp. 23°. Eight miles. Area, wooded ridge above town, Greenwich to meadow
lands adjacent to the Cornwallis River and return. Herring Gull, 8; Black Duck, 100
(approximately); Canada Ruffed Grouse, 2; Crow, 7; Black-capped Chickadee, 2.
Total, 5 species, approximately 119 individuals. — R. W. Tufts.

Quebec, P. Q. (Bergerville, Ste. Foye, Cap Rouge, Bridge, Sillery).— Dec. 26;
8.30 A.M. to 3.30 P.M. Clear; 18 in. snow; wind west, moderate; temp. —12° at start,
— 4° at return. Fifteen miles on foot. Canada Ruffed Grouse, i; Downy Woodpecker, 2;
Pine Grosbeak, i; White- winged Crossbill, 20. Total, 4 species, 24 individuals. —
Harrison F. Lewis.

Ottawa, Ont. fto Hull, Quebec, Fairy Lake, Tetreauville and return). — Dec. 24;
1.55 P.M. to dark, 5.25 p.m. Clear; 5 in. snow, of which 3/4 in. was frozen crust; wind
west, 15 miles; temp. 17° at start, 13° at return. The heavy crust on the snow made
walking difiicult and noisy; observing conditions consequently very bad. Street car
3 miles, on foot 5 miles — total 8 miles. Observers together. Downy Woodpecker (?),
i; Purple Finch, 2; Pine Siskin (?), 2; Tree Sparrow, 3; Brown Creeper, 3; Red-breasted

(3)

4 Bird - Lore

Nuthatch, 2; Chickadee, 4. Total, 8 species, 19 individuals. — Hoyes Lloyd and
Frank C. Hennessey.

Bowmanville, Ont. — Dec. 27; 1.15 to 6 p.m. Cloud}'; 3 in. of snow; wind northeast,
very light; temp. 26° to 30°. Twelve miles on foot. (Cooper ?) Hawk, i; Downy Wood-
pecker, I ; Flicker, i ; Horned Lark (fresh tracks in snow identified as belonging to the
Horned Lark by the long hind toe-nail), 6; Crow, 3; Snowflake, 100; Junco, 10; Song
Sparrow, 5; Chickadee, 50. Total, 9 species, about 177 individuals. Other species seen
in the last ten days: Herring Gull, BufBehead, Hairy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Goldfinch,
Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet. — Maitland G. Gould.

London, Ont. (vicinity of). Dec. 26; 8.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Sky overcast; 2 or 3 in.
of snow on ground; brisk east wind; temp. 23° at start, 29° at finish. Combined list of
four parties covering adjacent territory. American Merganser, 2; Golden-eye, i; Red-
shouldered Hawk, i; Great Horned Owl, i; Kingfisher, i; Hairy Woodpecker, 3;
Downy Woodpecker, 8; Blue Jay, 8; Crow, 11; Snow Bunting (flock heard flying over,
not seen; number unknown); Tree Sparrow, 27; Junco, 72; Song Sparrow, 5; Cardinal, 4
(two pairs); Brown Creeper, 2; White-breasted Nuthatch, 3; Black-capped Chickadee,
26; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 27. Total 18 species, 202 individuals (plus Snow Bunt-
ings). — W. E. Saunders, C. G. Watson, T. D. Patterson, J. F. Calvert and E. M.
S. Dale (Mcllwraith Ornithological Club).

Leamington to Point Pelee, Ont. — Dec. 24; 9.20 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cloudy; ground bare;
wind strong, west; temp, about 25°. Horned Grebe, 4; Herring Gull (about) 90; .\merican
Merganser, 10; Ducks (unidentified), 20; Bob- white, 12; Marsh Hawk, 3; Red-shouldered
Hawk, i; Downy Woodpecker, i; Crow, (about) 44; Bronzed Crackle, i; Vesper Sparrow,
i; Tree Sparrow, (about) 180; Junco, 12; Song Sparrow, 8; Cardinal, 9; Cedar Waxwing,
23; Brown Creeper, 3; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 34; Robin, 2. Total, 18 species, 471
individuals. The following have also been seen recently: Screech Owl (heard). Bald
Eagle, Flicker, Goldfinch, and Chickadee. — Earl W. Calvert.

Amprior, Ont. — Dec. 25; 9.20 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Fine and clear; 4 in. of snow with a
hard icy crust; wind northwest, moderate; temp. — 5° at start, —2° at return. Twenty-five
miles on foot. Observers separate. American Golden-e\-e, i; Canadian Ruffed Grouse,
15; Hairy Woodpecker, 3; Downy Woodpecker, 3; American Crow, 23; White-winged
Crossbill, 46; American Goldfinch, i; Snow Bunting, 37; Song Sparrow, i (unusual in
winter); Brown Creeper, 16; White-breasted Nuthatch, 7; Red-breasted Nuthatch, 5;
Black-capped Chickadee, 39; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 5. Total, 14 species, 202 in-
dividuals. Seen recently (Dec. 19), Blue Jay, 3. — Liguori Gormley and Charles
MacNauara.

Waterville, Maine. — Dec. 24; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Clear; 2 to 3 in. of snow on ground;
wind, northwest, strong to moderate; temp. 26° at 9 a.m., 20° at 4 p.m. American Mer-
ganser, 2; Black Duck, 2; American Golden-eye, 3; Canadian Ruffed Grouse, 7; Crow, i;
Redpoll, 8; Northern Shrike, 2; Brown Creeper, 4; White-breasted Nuthatch, i; Black-
capped Chickadee, 22. Total, 10 species, 52 individuals. — Edward H. Perkins.

Kennebunk, Maine (to Parsons Beach and back). — Dec. 24; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Clear;
thin snow and ice in woods, none in open countrj'; wind west, strong and gusty; temp.
30°. Nine miles on foot. Observers together. Horned Grebe, 3 (probably many more
not seen); Loon, i; Great Black-backed Gull, 12; Herring Gull, 90; Golden-eye, 5 (prob-
ably American); Old Squaw, 35; American Scoter, i; White-winged Scoter, i; Common
Crow, 40; Horned Lark, i. Observation of the flock of Old Squaws and Scoters was very
difficult and unsatisfactory; no doubt more were present than could be positively iden-
tified. Total, 10 species, about 189 individuals. Dec. 23, flock of 6 or 7 Robins 17 miles
south of here and within sight of the ocean. — Sterling Dow and Edward B. Hinckley.

Brunswick, Main« (Maquoit Bay, Merrymeeting Park). — Dec. 26; 9 a.m. to 4.30
P.M. Fair; wind, northwest; i in. of snow with icy crust; temp. 10" at itart, 30" at return.

Bird-Lore's Twenty-first Christmas Census 5

Fifteen miles on foot. Herring (nill, 15S; Canada Ruffed Grouse, 2; Downy Wood-
pecker, i; Crow, 20; Chickadee, 4. Total, 5 species, about 185 individuals. — Weston
Walch.

Goffstown, N. H. (to Summit Uncanoonuc Mts. via Shirley Hill and return). —
Dec. 26; II A.M. to 4.30 P.M. Cloudy; ground bare in open, crusty snow and ice in woods;
wind south, very light; temp. 15° at start, 13° at return. Eight miles on foot. Ruffed
Grouse, 4; Downy Woodpecker, i; Tree Sparrow, 50; Slate-colored Junco, 30; Chickadee,
5; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 6. Total, 6 species, about 96 individuals. — Maurice E.
Blaisdell.

Wilton, N. H. — Dec. 25; 8 a.m. to 12 m. Clear; no snow; brisk west wind; temp. 22°
to 25°. Downy Woodpecker, 3; Starling, 4; Goldfinch, 4 (one flock); Junco, 8 (one flock);
Brown Creeper, i; Northern Shrike, 2; Chickadee, 5 (one flock). Total, 7 species, 27
individuals. Dec. 26, Golden-crowned Kinglet, i; Hairy Woodpecker, i; White-breasted
Nuthatch, 2; and Tree Sparrows, 12. — George G. Blanchard.

Wells River, Vt. (from Wells River on first range of hills back to the Connecticut
River toward Newbury, returning on bank of river). — Dec. 28; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Flurries
of snow alternated with sunshine; 10 in. snow on ground; light northwest wind; temp. 22°
at start, 30° at close. 10 miles on foot. Merganser, 8; Golden-eye, 6; Ruffed Grouse, i;
Downy W^oodpecker, 2; Northern Pileated Woodpecker, i; Blue Jay, 4; Crow, 4;
Redpoll, 40 (two flocks); Slate-colored Junco, 3; Chickadee, 10 (two flocks); Golden-
crowned Kinglet, 2. Total, 11 species, 81 individuals. — Wendell P. Smith.

Bennington, Vt. — Dec. 26; 8 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Sky covered all over with a thin
layer of clouds; ground bare; wind north, light; temp. 8° at start, 18° at return. Six-
mile walk. Ruffed Grouse, 9; Downy Woodpecker, i; Horned Lark, 3; Blue Jay, 6;
Crow, 11; Starling, 50+; Pine Siskin, 16; Tree Sparrow, 75 + ; Northern Shrike, i;
Chickadee, 8. Total, 10 species, 180-I- individuals. The absence of Nuthatches is very
unusual. — Dr. and Mrs. Lucretius H. Ross.

Newbury, Mass. — Dec. 26; 1.45 to 4.15 p.m. Cloudy; ground bare; wind southeast,
very light; temp. 20° at start, 18° at return. Herring Gull, i; Old Squaw, 2; Ruffed
Grouse, i; Flicker, i; American Crow, (about) 400; Chickadee, 3. Total, 6 species,
(about) 408 individuals. — Henry Curtis Ahl.

Lynn, Mass. (to Marblehead Neck and return). — Dec. 26; 10.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Clear;
ground bare; wind west, light; temp. 13°. Observers together. Partly by trolley car.
Holboell's Grebe, 3; Horned Grebe, 6; Loon, i; Black Guillemot, 2; Black-backed Gull, i;
Herring Gull, 4004- (est.); Cormorant, 3; Red-breasted Merganser, 39; Golden-eye, 61;
Old Squaw, 3; Scoter, 5; Ring-necked Pheasant, 2; Flicker, 7; Crow, 6; Snowflake, 10;
Northern Shrike, i; Robin, i. Total, 17 species, 551+ individuals. — Edmund and
LiDiAN E. Bridge.

Lynn, Mass. (Lynn Beach, around Little Nahant and Nahant and back). — Dec. 24;
9.30 A.M. to 2 p.m. Cloudy, clearing toward noon; ground bare; wind southwest; temp.
35° at start, 33° at return. Nine miles on foot. Observers together. Holboell's Grebe,
4; Horned Grebe, 2; Dovekie, i; Black-backed Gull, 3; Herring Gull, 1,000 or more;
Red-breasted Merganser, i; Golden-eye, 25; Bufflehead, 6x; Old Squaw, 10; American
Scoter, 11; White- winged Scoter, 8; Horned Lark, 7; Crow, 10; Starling, (about) 100;
Total, 14 species, (about) 1,250 individuals. Dovekie seen very near shore; probably
driven in by storm or slightly injured. — Grace K. Earle and Osborne Earle.

Boston, Mass. (Franklin Park, Arnold Arboretiun and vicinity). — Dec. 24; 10 a.m.
to 4 P.M. Cloudy; wind west, light; temp. 40° at start, 35° at return. Observers together.
Herring Gull, 50; Ring-necked Pheasant, 5; Sparrow Hawk, i; Hairy Woodpecker, i;
Downy Woodpecker, i ; Northern Flicker, 6 ; Crow, 65 ; Starling, 4 ; Slate-colored Junco, 7 *
Brown Creeper, 2; Chickadee, 20; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 12. Total, la species, 174
individuals. — Geosoe MacDonald and Chandlkk Bkooks.

6 Bird - Lore

Leominster, Mass. (to Lowell and back^ — Dec. 25; 8 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. Clear;
ground bare; wind northwest, blowing a gale; temp. 18° at start, 5° at return. Herring
Gull, 20; Downy Woodpecker, 3; Blue Jay, 5; Crow, 25; Goldfinch, 20; Tree Sparrow, 20;
Junco, 25; Myrtle Warbler, i; White-breasted Nuthatch, 5; Chickadee, i. Total, 10
sjiccics, 105 individuals. — Edwix Russell Davis.

Sharon, Mass. — Dec. 28; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Partly cloudy; 3 in. of snow; wind north-
west, light; tem[). 32° most of the time. Five miles on foot. Bob-white, 6; RulTed Grouse,
7; Downy Woodpecker, 3; Flicker, 2; Blue Jay, 13; Crow, 12; Starling, 6; Purple Finch, 2;
Tree Sparrow, 21; Slate-colored Junco, 45; Northern Shrike, i; Brown Creeper, 2;
Black-capped Chickadee, 23; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 6; Robin, i. Total, 15 species,
150 individuals. — Mrs. Harriet U. Goode, Harry (i. Hkibee and Manley B.

TOWXSEXD.

Weston, Mass. — Dec. 26; 9.45 a.m. to 12 m. and 1 to 4 p.m. Fair; ground bare; no
wind; temp. 11° to 23°. Overcast in p.m. .\11 on foot. Ruffed Grouse, 3; Ring-necked
Pheasant, 3; Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Downy Woodpecker, i; Blue Jay, 6; Crow, 488;
While-throated S[)arrovv, i ; Tree Sparrow, 22; Junco, 24; Song Sparrow i ; Winter Wren,
i; Brown Creeper, i; White-breasted Nuthatch, 2; Black-capped Chickadee, 17; Golden-
crowned Kinglet, 9; Robin, i. Total, 16 species, 586 individuals. — Warren F. Eaton.

Southampton, Mass. — Dec. 26; 8.30 a.m., 5 hours. Clear; ground bare; in morning
no wind, later light west wind; temp. 40° at start. Ruffed Grouse, 3; Downy Woodpecker,
3; Blue Jay, 5; Tree Sparrow, 117 + ; Slate-colored Junco, 15; Black-capped Chickadee,
18; Robin, 2. Total, 7 species, 163 individuals. Dec. 20: American Crow, 3. Dec. 22:
Starling, 25. — Bkssik M. Gravks.

Holyoke, Mass. (vicinity of Mt. Tom Range). — Dec. 25; 7 a.m. to i p.m. Clear;
ground entirely free from snow; Connecticut River and large ponds open; wind west-
northwest, absent at start but increasing as day wore on, which raised the dust from
plowed fields as well as roadways and blew across the valley in clouds; temp. 19° at
start, 27° at return. Eight to 10 miles on foot. Two observers together, joined by third
at end of trip. Ring-necked Pheasant, i; Ruffed Grouse, 6; Goshawk, i; Hairy Wood-
pecker, 2; Downy Woodpecker, 1; Blue Jay, i; Crow, 8; Starling, 10; Tree Sparrow, 4;
Junco, 12; Northern Shrike, 2; Brown Creeper, i; White-breasted Nuthatch, i; Chick-
adee, 14; Golden crowned Kinglet 5. Total, 15 species, 69 individuals. Sparrow Hawk
and (Jreat Horned Owl observed Dec. 23, the latter at South Deerfield. — -.\rthur,
MiTCHKLi,, Aaron C. Bac.c and John L. Bagg.

Williamstown, Mass. — -Dec. 24; 8 to 11 a.m. Partly cloudy with snow flurries;
ground bare e.xcept on hills; strong northwest wind; temp. 28° at start and end. .\bout
5 miles covered; altitude 600 to 1,200 feet; town, rural and woodland country. Ruffed
Grouse, 4; Downy Woodpecker, i; Crow, 3; Starling, 6; Junco, 14; Brown Creeper, 2;
White-breasted Nuthatch, i ; Black-capped Chickadee, 20. Total, 8 species, 51 individ-
uals. A scarcity of birds has been noted here all the month. — W.M. J. Cartwright.

Wareham, Mass. — Dec. 25; 7.45 a.m. to 12.15 p.m., 2.15 to 4.15 p.m. Clear, becoming
cloudy; ground bare; wind northwest, at first light, gradually freshening; temp. 10°
at start. .\p|)r<).\imately 5 miles on foot (between points by automobile). Observers
together. Horned (irebe, 8; Black-backed Gull, i; Herring Gull, 136; Red-breasted
Merganser, 8; Black Duck, 85; .\merican (iolden-eye. 140; Old Squaw. 2; While- winged
Scoter, 7; Canada Goose, 7; Red-tailed Hawk, i ; Belted Kingfisher, i ; Downy Woodpecker
i; Northern Flicker, 6; Horned Lark, 8; Prairie Horned Lark, 2; Blue Jay, 4; Crow, 55;
Starling, 85; Meadowlark, 9; Goldfinch, i; Tree Sparrow, 2; Slate-colored Junco, 17;
Song S|)arrow, n; Swamp Sparrow, 3; Myrtle Warbler, 40; Chickadee, 21. Total, 25
species, 633 individuals. — L. T. Little. C. .\. Rohhins and W. L. Robbins.

Cohasset, Mass. — Dec. 25; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Clear; no snow; brisk north wind; temp.
22° at start, 18° at return. Distance covered 10 miles on fool — seashore, salt marshes.

Bird-Lore's Twenty-first Christmas Census 7

mixed woods and farming country. Three workers hunted together. Holbcell's Grebe, 2;
Great Northern Diver, 5; Great Black-backed Gull, i; Herring Gull, 500 + ; Red-
breasted Merganser, i; Old Squaw, 2; White-winged Scoter, 6; Hawk (probably Rough-
legged), i; Flicker, i; Crow, 10; Junco, 64; Tree Sparrow, i; Song Sparrow, i; Brown
Creeper, 3; White-breasted Nuthatch, i; Chickadee, 14; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 16.
Total, 17 species, 629+ individuals. — L. B. Fletcher and Mr and Mrs. Charles L.
Whittle.

Mattapoisett, Mass. — Dec. 25; 10.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Clear; bare ground; wind
northwest, heavy; temp. 24° at start, 30° at return. Six miles on foot. Observers
together. Horned Grebe, 6; Herring Gull, 5; Old Squaw, 7; Scoter, 50 + ; Downy Wood-
pecker, i; Flicker, 4; Blue Jay, 9; Crow, 8; Starling, 6; Meadowlark, 18; Crossbill, 2;
Goldfinch, 6; Pine Siskin, i ; Tree Sparrow, i ; Junco, 6; Song Sparrow, 4; Myrtle Warbler,
44; Chickadee, 7; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 9; Robin, 2. Total, 20 species, 206 individuals.
Mr and Mrs. J. E. Norton Shaw.

Fairhaven, Mass. (Sconticut Neck region;. — Dec. 26; 12 m. to 3 p.m. Clear; ground
bare; light wind; temp. 24°. Four miles on foot. Herring Gull, 23; Old Squaw, 11;
Blue Jay, 2; American Crow, 8; Starling, 40; Goldfinch, 20; Junco, 10; Song Sparrow, 12;
Chickadee, 5; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 2. Total, 11 species, 151 individuals. — Mabel
L. Potter.

New Bedford and Dartmouth, Mass. — Dec. 26; 1 1 a.m. to 4.45 p.m. Clear until about
I o'clock then slightly haz}-; wind slight, north at start to southeast to south; temp. 12°.
About 8 miles on foot. Observers separate. Sharp-shinned Hawk, i ; Hairy Woodpecker,
i; Downy Woodpecker, i; Blue Jay, 3; Crow, 15; Starling, 400 + ; Tree Sparrow, 35;
Junco, 64; Song Sparrow, 36; Myrtle Warbler, 4; Brown Creeper, 7; Chickadee, 25;
Robin, I. Total, 13 species, 593+ individuals. — Alice Terry and Edith F. Walker.

Providence, East Providence and Johnson, R. I. — Dec. 25; all day. Clear; ground
bare; wind northwest, strong; temp. 30°. Herring Gull, 35; Scaup, 100; Bob-white, 5;
Downy Woodpecker, 2; Flicker, 4; Blue Jay, i; Crow, 10; Starling, 200; Goldfinch, 7;
Tree Sparrow, 6; Junco, 50; Song Sparrow, 3; Brown Creeper, 2; Myrtle Warbler, 12;
White-breasted Nuthatch, 2; Chickadee, 60. Total, 16 species, 499 individuals. — John
W. Russell.

Warwick, R. I. — Dec. 25; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Clear; ground bare; wind northwest,
strong; temp. 26° at start, 28° at return. Nine miles on foot. Herring Gull, 300; Scaup,
10; Flicker, 2; Blue Jay, 2; Crow, 8; Myrtle Warbler, 16; Chickadee, 9. Total, 7 species,
347 individuals. — Harry S. Hathaway

South Windsor, Conn, (beside Connecticut River and in the swamps and woodland
parallel thereto). — Dec. 26; 10 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Partly cloudy; 5-mile northeast wind;
temp. 8° to 19°. Observers together all day. Herring Gull, i; ^Merganser, 10; Mallard
Duck, 2; Black Duck, 50 + ; Sharp-shinned Hawk, i; Red-shouldered Hawk, 2; Sparrow
Hawk, 2; Screech Owl, r; Hairy Woodpecker, 6; Downy Woodpecker, 5; Blue Jay, 2;
Crow, 2,000-f; Starling, 10; Tree Sparrow, 150 + ; Song Sparrow, 8; Swamp Sparrow, i;
Brown Creeper, 7; White-breasted Nuthatch, 5. Total, 18 species, 2,263-!- individuals.
Pileated Woodpecker, 2 seen earlier in week; Golden-crowned Kinglets, Juncoes, Barred
Owl seen on Dec. 25; great scarcity of Chickadees in this vicinity. — C. W. Vibert and
(iEo. T. (Iriswold.

Hartford, Conn. — Dec. 25; 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Clear; ground bare; strong north-
west wind; temp. 30° at start, 28° at return. Barred Owl, 2; Hairy Woodpecker, i;
Downy Woodpecker, 3; Blue Ja}', 14; Crow, 14; Starling, 37; American Goldfinch, 22;
Tree Sparrow, 37; Slate-colored Junco, 57; White-breasted Nuthatch, 3; Chickadee, 23.
Total, II species, 213 individuals. — Clifford M. Case.

West Hartford, Conn. — Dec. 25; 7.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Clear; ground bare; very strong
northwest wind; temp. 24° at start and finish, only two degrees higher at noon. Si.xteen-

8 Bird - Lore

mile tramp. Sparrow Hawk, i; Barred Owl, i; Screech Owl, i; Hairy Woodpecker, i;
Downy Woodpecker, 2; Red-headed Woodpecker, i; Blue Jay, 5; Crow, 3,000; Starling,
700; Song Sparrow, 2; Brown Creeper, i; Nuthatch, 13. Total, 12 species, (about)
3,728 individuals. Dec. 26: Pileated Woodpecker, i; Robin, i. — Edwin H. Hunger.

Bristol, Conn, (northeastern part). 8 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. Nearly clear; ground barely
covered by a snow-flurry in the night; wind fresh; temp. 23° at start, 26° at return.
Five to 6 miles on foot, then about 10 miles by auto, with R. W. Ford, stopping at various
places to look for birds, a northern Shrike being the only additional bird found. The sky
remained nearly clear, but the wind became high, nearly a gale by noon. Hairy Wood-
pecker, i; Downy Woodpecker, i; Crow, 8; Starling, (about) 300; Goldfinch, 6; Tree
Sparrow, 12; Song Sparrow, i; Northern Shrike (immature), i; White-breasted Nut-
hatch, 3; Chickadee, 2. Total, 10 species, 335 individuals. The day before a Brown
Creeper and a Sparrow Hawk had been seen in town, and the writer has seen or heard
Blue Jays almost every morning on the way to the office, but, for the first time in our
experience, we failed to find them today. — Frank Bruen and R. W. Ford.

New London, Conn, (shore road to lighthouse and back by inland road). — Dec. 28;
12.40 to 4.30 P.M. Clear; ground partly covered with snow; wind northwest, light;
temp. 40° at start, 36° at return. Seven and one-half miles on foot. Herring Gull, 188;
Ring-billed Gull, 7; Great Black-backed Gull, i; Kittiwake, i; Scaup Duck, 50 (est.);
Crow, 5; Junco, 6; Tree Sparrow, i; Myrtle Warbler, 5. Total, 9 species, 264 individuals.
— Frances Miner Graves.

Meriden, Conn. — Dec. 25; 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and 1.30 to 3 p.m. Clear; no snow;
4 in. of ice on lakes; wind, northwest, very strong; temp. 15°. About 4-mile walk, open
country and one small section of woodland and brush. Sharp-shinned Hawk, i; Red-
tailed Hawk, i; Downy Woodpecker, i; Northern Flicker, i; Horned Lark, 75; Crow, 10;
Starling, 19; Tree Sparrow, 8; Brown Creeper, i; White-breasted Nuthatch, 2; Chick-
adee, 3; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 2; Robin, 3 (one a partial albino, with white patches on
back, wing coverts and tail). Total, 13 species, 127 individuals. Dec. 24: a Rusty Black-
bird. — Lester W. Smith.

Fairfield, Conn. (Birdcrait Sanctuary and Fairfield Beach). — Dec. 25; sunrise to
sunset. Fair; ground bare; temp. 18° to 38°. Herring Gull, 75 ; Red-breasted Merganser,
3; Black Duck, 9; Lesser Scaup, 32; American Golden-eye, 7; Old Squaw, 20; White-
winged Scoter, 40; Surf Scoter, 8; Black-crowned Night Heron, 6; Cooper's Hawk, i;
Sparrow Hawk, i; Downy Woodpecker, 3; Horned Lark, 5; Blue Jay, 7; American Crow,
6; Starling, 40; Meadowlark, 2; White-throated Sparrow, 6; Tree Sparrow, 10; Junco, 30;
Song Sparrow, 10; Myrtle Warbler, 5; Brown Creeper, i; White-breasted Nuthatch, 2;
Golden-crowned Kinglet, 4. Total, 25 species, 333 individuals. — Frank Novak (Warden).

Fairfield, Conn. — Dec. 24; 9.20 a.m. to i.io p.m. and 2.15 to 4.45 p.m. Partly cloudy,
ground bare; wind west, heavy; temp. 44° at start, 36° at return. Fourteen miles on foot.
Horned Grebe, i; Great Black-backed Gull, i; Herring Gull, 400; Scau.> Duck, 12;
Golden-eye, 4; Old Squaw, 2; White- winged Scoter, 4; Surf Scoter, n; Sparrow Hawk, i;
Downy Woodpecker, 2; Blue Jay, 11; Crow, 5; Starling, 6; Goldfinch, 2; Tree Sparrow,
23; Slate-colored Junco, 4; Song Sparrow, 3; Myrtle Warbler, 21; White-breasted
Nuthatch, 2; Chickadee, 5. Total, 20 species, 520 individuals. A Catbird seen Dec. 19
could not be found today. Most small land-birds are scarce this winter, and Chickadees
unusually so. — .\retas A. Saunders.

Wilton, Conn. — Dec. 24; 7.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Cloudy to fair; ground bare; wind
northwest; temp. 35° at start, 40° on return. Five miles on foot. Ruffed Grouse, i;
Kingfisher, i; Hairy Woodpecker, 1; Crow, 15; Goldfinch, 6; Tree Sparrow, 6; Junco,
37; Myrtle Warbler, 7; Winter Wren, i; Chickadee, 7; Bluebird, 3. Total, 11 species,
85 individuals. The Kingfisher was seen flying over the open waters of the reservoir at
Wilton with 6X glasses. — Sydney K. Bunker.

Bird-Lore's Twenty-first Christmas Census 9

Waterford, N. Y. — Dec. 28; 9 a.m. to 12 m, 1.30 to 4.30 p.m. Clear; 4 in. of snow;
wind northwest to west, strong and cold; temp. 32° (35° at noon), 31° at finish. Herring
Gull, 4; Marsh Hawk, i; Sparrow Hawk, i; Downy Woodpecker, 2; Crow, 14; Red-
winged Blackbird, 7 (male); Tree Sparrow, 250 + ; Song Sparrow, 10 + ; Chickadee, 4.
Total, 9 species, 293+ individuals. — Edgar Bedell.

Albany, N. Y. (west of city). — Dec. 26; 7.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. Clear at start, becom-
ing cloudy later; ground bare; wind west, light; temp. 2° at start, 16° at return. Eight
miles on foot. Observers together. Ruffed Grouse, 3; Downy Woodpecker, 5; Blue Jay,
9; Crow, 250; Starling, 175; Tree Sparrow, 50; Brown Creeper, 2; White-breasted Nut-
hatch, 3; Chickadee, 21. Total, 9 species, 518 individuals. Si.x Bluebirds seen Dec. 19;
2 Song Sparrows Dec. 25. — Dr. Joseph S. Lawrence and Clarence Houghton.

Fort Plain, N. Y. — Dec. 27;9 a.m. to 12. 30 p.m.; 2 to 6 p.m. Cloudy, with intermittent
snow-squalls from the southeast ; 4 in. snow; wind southeast, light ; temp. 20° at start, 30° at
return. Route, creek valleys, Oak Hill (large, heavily wooded tract), open fields, fence-
rows, Erie Canal towpath and vicinity of Mohawk River. About 12 miles on skiis.
Observers together; also dog. Ruffed Grouse, i; Ring-necked Pheasant, i; Rough-legged
Hawk, i; Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Downy Woodpecker, 5; .American Crow, 4; Starling, i;
Rusty Blackbird, 30 (one flock); American Goldfinch, 6; Tree Sparrow, 56; Slate-colored
Junco, 25; Song Sparrow, 2; Northern Shrike, i; Black-capped Chickadee, 5. Total,
14 species, 140 individuals. Blackbirds were recorded within ]A mile of occurrence in
same locality on Dec. 28, 1919. — Douglas Ayres, Jr. and Arthur Schull (age, 12
years).

Canajoharie, N. Y. (to Fort Plain and back by different roads). — Dec. 26; 9 a.m. to
2 p.m. Cloudy; no snow; wind east, light; temp. —4° at start, +8° at return. Seven
miles on foot. Through two woods. Observers together. Hairy Woodpecker, i ; Downy
Woodpecker, 2; Crow, 15; Junco, i; Tree Sparrows, (flock of about 25, and scattering
pairs and individuals); Brown Creeper, 3; (Chickadee ?). Total, 7 species, (about)
48 individuals. — Ellen Vaughan and Viletta C. Kane.

Marcellus, N. Y. — Dec. 24; 10.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Partly cloudy; no snow except in
widely scattered patches; ice on pools and ponds; fairly strong west wind; temp. 32°
at start, 34° at finish. Twelve miles on foot through woods, along roads, and in two cedar
(arborvitae) swamps. Ruffed Grouse, 3; Ring-necked Pheasant, r; Long-eared Owl (?), i;
Crow, 15; Tree Sparrow, 4; White-breasted Nuthatch, 2; Chickadee, 10. Total, 7
species, 36 individuals. Song Sparrow was seen on Dec. 23 near a cedar swamp. Few
Woodpeckers seen this winter. — Neil Hotchkiss.

Syracuse, N. Y. — Dec. 26; 9.30 a.m. to 4.15 p.m. Clear; 2 in. snow on ground;
wind northeast, light; temp 6° at start, 19° on return. Seven miles on foot, north of
city near Onondaga Lake. Observers together. Horned Grebe, 2; Herring Gull, 25;
American Merganser, 8; American Golden-eye, 5; Ring-necked Pheasant, i; Marsh
Hawk, i; Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Downy Woodpecker, 8; Red-bellied Woodpecker, i
(male); Crow, 12; Goldfinch, 30; Tree Sparrow, 100; Song Sparrow, i; Northern Shrike,
i; Brown Creeper, i; White-breasted Nuthatch, 4; Chickadee, 12. Total, 17 species, 214
individuals. — Prof. T. L. Hankinson, Frank Freidrichs, and Nettie M. Sadler,
(Onondaga County Bird Club).

Geneva, N. Y. ( to Junius, Border City swamp and lake shore to Dresden). — Dec.
30; 8 A.M. to 4 P.M. Cloudy; light breezes; temp. 32° to 40°. Observers working in
different directions. Holboell's Grebe, i; Horned Grebe, 8; Herring Gull, 36; Red-breasted
Merganser, 3; Black Duck, 6; Redhead, 14,000; Canvasback, 300; Greater Scaup, 2,000;
American Golden-eye, 400; BufHehead, 6; Old Squaw, 7; Great Blue Heron, i; Ring-
necked Pheasant, 17; Marsh (?) Hawk, i; Sharp-shinned Hawk, i; Sparrow Hawk, i;
Short-eared Owl, i; Screech Owl, i; Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Downy Woodpecker, 6;
Flicker, i; Crow, 250; Red-winged Blackbird, i; Meadowlark, i; Redpoll, 4; American

lo Bird - Lore

Goldfinch, 6; IMnc Siskin, 4; Snowflakc, i; Tree Sparrow, 77; Junco, 11; Song Spar-
row, 4; Brown Creeper, 6; White-breasted Nuthatch, 4; Chickadee, 46; Bluebird, 3.
Total, 35 species, (about) 17,217 individuals. On Dec. 29, i Ruffed Grouse, i Robin, and
30 Mourning Doves were reported. — E. T. Emmons, Mrs. H. H. Henderson, E. H.
E.ATox, Ri( HARD M. CiiASK and GiLRKKT Brewer.

Rochester, N. Y. (Highland Park and vicinity, Port of Rochester to Irondequoit Bay).
Dec. 24; 7.30 A.M. to 5 P.M. Fair with snow flurries; no snow on ground except a light
sifting here and there; wind, southeast 18 miles per hour; temp. 28° to 34.° Herring Gull,
300; Ring-billed Gull, 200; Merganser, i ; Scaup Duck, 2; Scoter, 2; Pheasant, 8; Downy
Woodpecker, 2; Crow, 9; Bronzed Grackle, i; Tree Sparrow, 20; Slate-colored Junco, 26;
Song Sparrow, 2; Cedar Waxwing, 50; Migrant [? Ed.] Shrike, i; White-breasted
Nuthatch, i; Chickadee, 6; Robin, i. Total, 17 species, 632 individuals. The Yellow-
bellied Sapsucker has been noted by us all fall up to the present and was seen by G. W.
Bahringcr on Dec. 24. — Wm. L. G. Edsox, R. E. Horsey and F. Ritter Siiumway.

Rochester, N. Y. (Sea Breeze, Durand-Eastman Park, Summerville, Highland
Park and Cobb's Hill and vicinities). — Dec. 26; 7.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cloudy; 3 in. of snow;
strong southeast wind; lt'm[). 0° at start, 30° at finish. Ten miles on foot. Observers
together. Herring (kill, 400 -|-; Ring-billed Gull, 800 -|-; Bonaparte's Gull, 16; Merganser,
19; BufHehead, i; White-winged Scoter, i; Marsh Hawk, i; Hairy Woodpecker, i;
Downy Woodpecker, 3; Crow, 14; Bronzed Grackle, i; Goldfinch, i; Tree Sparrow, 4;
Slate-colored Junco, 11; Cedar Waxwing, 16; Migrant [? Ed.] Shrike, i; Brown Creeper,
6; White-breasted Nuthatch, i; Black-capped Chickadee, 6; Ring-necked Pheasant, 16.
Total, 20 species, 1,320+ individuals. — Gordon M. Meade and R. M. Chase.

Buffalo, N. Y. (Niagara River shores).— Dec. 25; 9.20 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. Sky over-
cast, with snow-flurries in morning, but clear later on; ground lightly covered with fresh
snow; wind light, west in morning and east in afternoon; temp. 22° at start, 23° at
return. Observers together. Herring Gull, (about) 150; Ring-billed Gull, (about)
50; Bonaparte's Gull, 70; Red-breasted Merganser, 35; Mallard, 3 (drakes); Black Duck,
(about) 145; Golden-eye, (about) 225; Buflilehead, i; Ring-necked Pheasant, i; Downy-
Woodpecker, i; Crow, 4; Chickadee, 3; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 8. Total, 13 species,
(about) 700 individuals. Mr. Savage noted a Glaucous Gull here earlier in the month.
Red-headed Woodpeckers arc wintering locally near Hamburg. — James Savage and
Thomas L. Bourne.

Hall, N. Y. (east and south of Hall). — Dec. 20; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Very cloudy; 2 in.
snow; south wind, brisk; temp. 10° at start, 28° at finish. Distance 12 miles on foot.
Herring Gull, i ; Pheasant, 22; Barred Owl, i ; Blue Jay, 2; Crow, 100; Hairy Woodpecker,
4; Downy Woodj^ecker, 4; Red-headed Woodpecker, i ; Tree Sparrow, 1 1 ; Brown Creeper,
2; Nuthatch, 16; Chickadee, 34. Total, 12 .species, icjS individuals. — H. A. Souther-
land.

Rhinebeck, Dutchess Co., N. Y. — Dec. 25; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Clear; ground bare;
wind nortli, moderate; temp. 2(1°. l'"our miles, from Riiincbcck south to cove on Hudson
Ri\er and back. Herring (iull, iS; .American Merganser, i(malc); Mute Swan, 25
(liberated i)irds which have been breeding wild for several years); Ring-necked Pheasant,
i; Red-tailed Hawk, 2; Rough-lcggcd Hawk, 1; Barred Owl, i; Hairy Woodi)ecker, 4;
Downy Woodpecker, 6; Blue Jay, 4; Crow, 55; Starling, 75; Puri)le Finch, i; Goldfinch,
12; Tree Sparrow, 5; Junco, 10; Cedar Waxwing, 18; Myrtle Warbler, 4 (in cedargrove
on river bank); White-breasted Nuthatch, 3; Black-capi)ed Chickadee, 50 (actual
count); Goklen-crowned Kinglet, 4. Total, 21 sjjecies, 300 individuals. — Mau.nsell S.
Crosby.

Yonkers, N. Y. — 10.05 •\-^'- to 4.15 p.m. Cloudy; ground bare; temp. 21°. Covered
valley of small creek alxuit 4 miles in length. Herring (iull, 3; Shark-shinned Hawk, 2;
Downy, s; Blue Jay, i; Crow, S; Starling, 40; W liite-throated Sparrt)W, 13; Tree Sparrow,

Bird-Lore's Twenty-first Christmas Census ii

15; Junco, 3; Song Sparrow, 20; Robin, i; Bluebird, 3. Total, 12 species, 1 14 individuals.
— Chas. W. Merritt and Wm. Matthews.

New York City (Simpson Street subway station to Clason Point, Castle Hill, and
West Farms). — Dec. 25; 2 to 4.45 p.m. Clear; ground bare; wind northwest, brisk;
temp. 35° at start, 29° at return. Unidentified diving bird, i; Herring Gull, 3,000
(estimated) ; Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1 ; Starling, 83 ; Tree Sparrow, 6 (flock) ; Song Sparrow,
I. Total, 6 species, (about) 3,092 individuals. — George E. Hix.

New York City (Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx Park, and Clason Point). — Dec. 24;
8.45 A.M. to 5 P.M. Partly cloudy; ground bare; wind west, brisk; temp. 36°. About 14
miles on foot. Herring Gull, 1,200; Scaup Duck (sp, ?), 200; Black-crowned Night
Heron, 75 (in the L. Agassiz colony); Red- tailed Hawk, 2; Hairy Woodpecker, i;
Downy Woodpecker, 6; Blue Jay, 3; American Crow, 21; Starling, 456; Red-winged
Blackbird, i (male); White-throated Sparrow, 48; Tree Sparrow, 114; Field Sparrow, i;
Slate-colored Junco, 88; Song Sparrow, 25; Fox Sparrow, i; Brown Creeper, 6; Black-
capped Chickadee, 2 ; Golden-crowned Kinglfet, flock of 5 in Bronx Park. Total, 19 species,
2,255 individuals. — L. Nelson Nichols, Edward G. Nichols and Philip H. Nelson.

New York City (Van Cortlandt Park). — Dec. 26; 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cloudy; light
breeze; temp. 15° to 20°. Herring Gull. 2; Sparrow Hawk, i; Hairy Woodpecker, i;
Downy Woodpecker, 2; Crow, 5; Starling, 16; Grackle, i; White-throated Sparrow, 23;
Tree Sparrow, 35; Junco, 4; Song Sparrow, 22; White-breasted Nuthatch, 2. Total,
12 species, 112 individuals. On the 20th both Wilson's Snipe and Fox Sparrow were
seen by Mr. Eisenmann. This year there seems to be an extreme rarity of Chickadees.—
Alvah C. Bessie and Eugene Eisenmann.

New York City (Van Cortlandt Park). — Dec. 24; 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Cloudy; ex-
tremely cold; temp. 35° to 20°. Herring Gull, 3; Hawks (unidentified), 4; Sparrow Hawk,
i; Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Downy Woodpecker, i; Crow, i; Starling, 2; White-throated
Sparrow, 10; Tree Sparrow, 25; Junco, 2; Song Sparrow, 2; Brown Creeper, i; White-
breasted Nuthatch, 2. Total, 13 species, 47 individuals. Parts of the lake were covered
with Kinch of ice. — Biological Field Club of DeWitt Clinton High School,
Alvah C. Bessie, President.

Douglaston, L. I., N. Y. — Dec. 26; 9 a.m. to 12 m and 2.30 to 4 p.m. Partly cloudy;
ground bare; wind north, light; temp. 19° at start, 28° at return. Seven miles on foot.
Observers together. Herring Gull, 125; about 800 wild Ducks on Little Neck Bay, at
least 200 of which were Scaups, and at least the same number of which were Golden-eyes;
Black-crowned Night Heron, 10 (a small wintering colony); Sparrow Hawk, 2; Belted
Kingfisher, 4; Downy Woodpecker, 4; Crow, 30; Fish Crow, 30 (the voices of both
species of Crows were heard many times, but the relative numbers of each seen were
estimated); Starling, 210; White-throated Sparrow, 22; Tree Sparrow, 15; Slate-colored
Junco, 80; Song Sparrow, 34; Swamp Sparrow, 4; Chickadee, 6. Total, 16 species,
(about) 1,375 individuals. — Mr. and Mrs. G. Clyde Fisher and Farida A. Wiley.

Hempstead, N. Y. — Dec. 24; 9 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. Undecided; temp, about 40°.
Herring Gull, 11; Sharp-shinned "Hawk, i; Horned Lark, 40 + ; Crow, 62; Starling, 28;
White- throated Sparrow, 5; Tree Sparrow, 30; Slate-colored Junco, 76 + ; Song Sparrow,
12, Brown Creeper, 9; Chickadee, 5; Robin, 2. Total, 12 species, 300-}- individuals. —
Theodore G. Roehner.

Long Beach, L. I., N. Y. — Dec. 26; 7 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. Clear to cloudy; wind north-
east, moderate; temp. 18° to 25°. Horned Grebe, 9; Great Black-backed Gull, 22
Herring Gull, i,5oo-|-; Ring-billed Gull, 2; Red-breasted Merganser, 2 (4-flock of 12?)
Scaup Duck (sp.), 18; Old Squaw, 30; American Scoter, 6; Horned Lark, 24; Crow, 70
Starling, 10; Meadowlark, 3; Snow Bunting, 4; Ipswich Sparrow, 2; Tree Sparrow, i
Song Sparrow, 2; Myrtle Warbler, 3. Total, 17 species, 1,750-]- individuals. — Edward
Fleisher.

12 Bird -Lore

Long Beach, L. I., N. Y. — Dec. 27; 6.40 a.m. to 12.37 p.m. Cloudy, heavy drizzle;
strong east wind; ground partly snow- and ice-covered; temp. 30°. Observers together.
Black-backed Gull, ioo-|-; Herring Gull, 3,000 -(-; Red-breasted Merganser, 30; Scaup, 5;
Bufflehead, i; Old Squaw, i; White-winged Scoter, 4; Marsh Hawk, i; Horned Lark, 3;
Crow, 2; Starling, 75 + ; Meadowlark, 8; Rusty Blackbird, 2; Snowflake, loo-H; Song
Sparrow, 6. Total, 15 species, 3,338-f individuals. — ^H. and R. Friedman'n.

Long Beach, L. I., N. Y. — Dec. 26; 10 a.m. to 4.15 p.m. Cloudy; ground bare; wind
northeast; temp. 30° to 40°; surf calm. Holbcell's Grebe, 4; Horned Grebe, 11; Loon, 2;
Red-throated Loon, i; Black-backed Gull, 25 -f- (several in large flock of Herring Gulls);
Herring Gull, 1,500; Ring-billed Gull, i (size, color of legs, and wing pattern clearly
noted, by good light, in comparison with Herring Gulls); Red-breasted Merganser, 22;
Black Duck, 30; Scaup, 6; Golden-eye, 3; Old Squaw, 60; American Scoter, 27; White-
winged, Scoter, 3; Sanderling, 13; Sparrow Hawk, 2; Short-eared Owl, i; Horned Lark,
19; Crow, 25; Starling, no; Meadowlark, 7; Ipswich Sparrow, 11; Song Sparrow, i;
Myrtle Warbler, 2. Total, 24 species, i,9oo-|- individuals. — Maurice C. Blake.
John U. Harris, Walden Pell 2ND, and Stuyvesant M. Pell.

Long Beach, L. I., N. Y. — Dec. 24. Partly cloudy; no snow or ice; fresh to strong
northwest wind, rough sea; temp, at daylight 37°, at sunset 34°; many dandelions in
bloom. Horned Grebe, 5; Loon, i; Kittiwake, i (adult), on shore pond; Black-backed
Gull, many; Herring Gull, innumerable thousands; Bonaparte's Gull, i (immature), on
ocean shore; Black Duck, many hundreds off shore; Greater Scaup, i; Old Squaw,
fairly common; White- winged Scoter, i (two Scoters far out appeared to be Surf Scoters) ;
Bittern, i, inward meadows nearer East Rockaway than Long Beach; Sanderling, i;
Sparrow Hawk, 3; Horned Lark, 5; Crow, common; Starling, only in the town; Meadow-
lark, 10; Ipswich Sparrow, 5; Tree Sparrow, 5; Song Sparrow, 2; Myrtle Warblers, 2.
Total, 21 species. — E. P. Bicknell.

Amityville, L. I., N. Y. — Dec. 26; 9.30 a.m. to sunset. Clear, becoming overcast;
ground bare; wind light northerly, changing to moderate easterly; temp, about 20°,
rising to 30°. Observers together until 2 p.m. Herring Gull, 20; Sparrow Hawk, 3;
Downy Woodpecker, 2; American Crow, 50; Starling, 150; White-throated Sparrow, 25;
Tree Sparrow, 60; Field Sparrow, 3; Junco, 8; Song Sparrow, 15; Fox Sparrow, 2;
Myrtle Warbler, 200; Brown Creeper, 2; Chickadee, 12. Total, 14 species, 552 individuals.
— Walter Granger, Ludlow Griscom and J. T. Nichols.

Orient, L. I., N. Y. — Dec. 25; all day. Clear; ground bare; fresh to strong northwest
wind; temp. 22° at start, 20° at return. Horned Grebe, i; Loon, 2; Herring Gull, 150;
Red-breasted Merganser, 50; Mallard, i; Black Duck, 10; Green- winged Teal, i;
Greater Scaup Duck, 200; Bufflehead, 20; Old Squaw, 100; White- winged Scoter, 75;
Surf Scoter, 10; Great Blue Heron, 4; Black-crowned Night Heron, 2; Sparrow Hawk, i;
Screech Owl, i; Mourning Dove, i; Downy Woodpecker, i; Flicker, 2; Horned Lark, 32;
Crow, 40; Starling, 6; Meadowlark, 35; Goldfinch, i; Snow Bunting, 28; Tree Sparrow,
8; Junco, 6; Song Sparrow, 8; Myrtle Warbler, 40; Catbird, i; Brown Creeper, 5; Chick-
adee, 11; Robin, 2. Total, 23 species, 867 individuals. Although a mild and open season,
both water- and land-birds, with few exceptions, were rarer than in any census the writer
has taken. — Roy Latham.

Southold and Peconic, N. Y. — Dec. 28; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Clear; ground bare; wind,
strong northwest; temp. 3^° at start, 30° at return. Herring Gull, 20; Red-breasted
Merganser, i; Black Duck, 3; Old Squaw, i; White- winged Scoter, 5; Surf Scoter, 3;
Red-shouldered Hawk, i; Downy Woodpecker, 2; Flicker, i; Blue Jay, 2; Crow,
4S; Tree Sparrow, 25; Junco, 4; Song Sparrow, 3; Towhee, i; Cedarbird, 2;
Myrtle Warbler, 6; Chickadee, 8; Golden-crowned Kinglet, i; Ruby-crowned King-
let, i; Robin, 6. Total, 21 species, 132 individuals. — Mrs. Frank D. Smith and Roy
Latham.

Bird-Lore's Twenty-first Christmas Census 13

Montauk to Montauk Point, L. I., N. Y. — Jan. i; daylight until dark. Clear; ground
bare, all ponds and creeks open; wind south, very light; temp. 28° to 36°. Observers
together. Holboell's Grebe, i; Horned Grebe, 4; Loon, 150; Black Guillemot, 2; Dovekie,
2; Great Black-backed Gull, 20; Herring Gull, 500; Bonaparte's Gull, 4; American Mer-
ganser, I (male); Red-breasted Merganser, 20; Black Duck, 50; Golden-eye, 50; Buffle-
head, i (hunter's game-bag); Old Squaw, 100; King Eider, i; American Scoter, 30;
White- winged Scoter, 125; Surf Scoter, 15; Ruddy Duck, 2; Brant, 17; Sparrow Hawk, i;
Downy Woodpecker, i; Arkansas Kingbird, i; Horned Lark, 18; Crow, 16; Starling, 50;
Meadowlark, 9; Snowflake, 7; Ipswich Sparrow, i; Tree Sparrow, 17; Song Sparrow, 5;
Tree Swallow, 12; Myrtle Warbler, 120; Catbird, 2; Brown Thrasher, i; Brown Creeper,
3; Chickadee, 6; Robin, 2. Total, 38 species, 1,373 individuals. Both Guillemots were
seen within 50 yards, diving and flying. Red feet of both seen. King Eider, a female,
observed, at leisure, sitting on a rock and asleep on the water within 100 feet. The
Kingbird was on the north beach catching insects in the piles of seaweed. It was exceed-
ingly tame, was approached within 50 feet on numerous occasions, and flitted up the
beach just ahead of us for nearly a mile, thus under observation for half an hour. Every
possible detail of coloration noted, including the outer tail-feathers, thus positively
eliminating Cassin's Kingbird. Griscom familiar with the species in life, and all three
with the Guillemot. The Catbirds and Thrasher were together in a thick patch of bay-
berries and briars, well seen by Crosby and Griscom. Jan. 2: Mourning Dove, i. —
Maunsell S. Crosby, Dr. E. R. P. Janvrin, and Ludlow Griscom.

Staten Island, N. Y.(Moravian Cemetery, Great Kills and Princess Bay). — Dec. 26;
8 A.M. to 4 P.M. Partly cloudy; wind northerly; temp. 25°. Eleven miles on foot. Ob-
servers together. Horned Grebe, 3; Loon, i; Great Black-backed Gull, 15; Herring Gull,
500; Ring-billed Gull, 6; Bonaparte's Gull, 8; Scaup Duck, 3; Golden-eye, 10; BuflBehead,
5; Old Squaw, 6; Scoter, 6; White- winged Scoter, i; Sparrow Hawk, 2; Prairie Horned
Lark, 3; Blue Jay, 2; Crow, 15; Starling, 400; Goldfinch, 6; White-throated Sparrow, i;
Tree Sparrow, 1; Field Sparrow, i; Junco, 20; Song Sparrow, 3; Cardinal, i; Orange-
crowned Warbler, i; (Yellow?) Palm Warbler, i; Chickadee, 50; Robin, i. Total, 28
species, 1,072 ^individuals. Both Orange-crowned and (Yellow?) Palm Warblers ob-
served at close range, the Orange-crowned studied at leisure; no white eye-ring. —
George B. Wilmott and Lester L. Walsh (Brooklyn Bird-Lov-ers' Club).

Hackettstown, N. J. (part of the valley between Hackettstown and Waterloo). —
Dec. 24; 8.10 to 10.45 A.M. and 1.30 to 3 p.m. Partly cloudy; ground bare; wind west;
temp. T,^° at start. Duck (unidentified), 2; Ruffed Grouse, i; Downy Woodpecker, i;
Crow, 5; Goldfinch, i; Tree Sparrow, 13; Junco, 4; Song Sparrow, 2; Chickadee, 14.
Total, 9 species, 43 individuals. Mourning Doves seen Dec. 11; Sapsucker, Dec. 28. —
Mary Pierson Allen.

Englewood Region, N. J. (Overpeck Marshes and Phelps estate). — Dec. 26; 8.35
A.M. to 4.10 P.M. Cloudy; wind north, slight; temp. 32°. Herring Gull, 40; Hawks,
(sp. ?) 3; Hairy Woodpecker, 3; Downy Woodpecker, 6; Blue Jay, 1; Crow, 13; Starling,
9; Red-winged Blackbird, i; White-throated Sparrow, 3; Tree Sparrow, 7; Slate-colored
Junco, 17; Song Sparrow, 23; Brown Creeper, 4; White-breasted Nuthatch, i; Black-
capped Chickadee, 6; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 3. Total, 16 species, 140 individuals. —
Bernard Fread.

Rutherford, N. J. (to Great Notch). — Dec. 26; 8 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. Generally over-
cast; no snow; but little wind; temp. 23° at start. About 12 miles by foot. Observers
not far apart. Herring Gull, i; Downy Woodpecker, 2; Blue Jay, 2; Crow, 16; Starling,
2; White-throated Sparrow, 10; Tree Sparrow, 75; Junco, 6; Song Sparrow, 50; Myrtle
Warbler (one large flock and several scattered individuals), 35; White-breasted Nut-
hatch, I. Total, II species, (about) 200 individuals. — O. Davis Keep and Roger A.
Banton.

14 Bird - Lore

Richfield, N. J. (Valley Road from Albion Place to Great Notch, thence to Bloom-
field Road and Clifton Avenue). — Dec. 25; 9 a.m. to 12 m. Clear; ground bare; wind
west, light; temp. 26° at start, 34° at return. Downy Woodpecker, i; Blue Jay, 2; Crow,
7; Starling, common; Goldfinch, 3; White-throated Sparrow, 5; Tree Sparrow, 3; Junco,
20; Song Sparrow, 2; White-breasted Nuthatch, r; Chickadee, 4; Robin, i. Total, 12
species, 49 individuals, excluding the Starlings, of which there was a great flock of prob-
ably tlirec to four hundred. — Loris S. Kohi.kk.

Branch Brook Park, Morris Canal, and Third River, N. J.— Dec. 26; 8.30 to 10.30
A.M., and 3 to 5 P.M.; Cloudy; ground bare; raw northeast wind, strong to light; temp.
18° to 22°, Branch Brook Park; temp. 25° to 28°, bank of Morris Canal and along Third
River, a wide brook with two large ponds, running through open woods, marshy in
places; back across open country. Downy Woodpecker, 2; Flicker, i; Starling, 23;
White-throated Sparrow, 50; Tree Sparrow, 4; Junco, i; Song Sparrow, 2; Fox Sparrow,
2; Brown Creeper, 5; also the following [? Orange-crowned Warbler— Ed.] which I am
at a loss to identify: Length about 5 inches or less; crown dark grey; back olive-green,
brighter on rump; underparts pale gray, strongly washed with pale yellow on sides and
belly; bill small, thin, and pointed, no sign of head-stripes, wing-bars, or eye-ring.
Watched at close range (about 15 feet) for about ten minutes with a good glass, — on a
medium-sized elm when first seen, but afterwards always on bushes. I saw it Dec. 25
and 26, each day accompanied by 2 Brown Creepers and a Downy Woodpecker. Its
movements were very active, taking it quickly from bush to bush. Total, 10 species,
91 individuals. — Raymond F. Haulenbeek.

Morristown, N. J. (Bumham Park, Speedwell Park, along the Whippany River,
Evergreen Cemetery). — Dec. 25; 7 to 8.30 a..\i., 9 .\.m. to i p.m. Clear at start, partly
overcast later; ground bare; wind west to northwest, light to strong; temp. 25° at start,
30" at return. About 10 miles on foot. Kingfisher, i; Hairy Woodpecker, 3; Downy
Woodpecker, 5; Blue Jay, i; Crow, 38; Starling, 6; Goldfinch, 6; White-throated Sparrow,
6; Tree Sparrow, 158; Field Sparrow, 8; Junco, 65; Song Sparrow, 24; Cardinal, 2;
Pine Warbler, i; Brown Creeper, 2; White-breasted Nuthatch, 14; Chickadee, 6;
Golden-crowned Kinglet, 20. Total, 18 species, (about) 366 individuals. The Pine
Warbler was seen through field glasses, three times at ranges of about 10 yards; the
dusky back and yellowish breast were distinctly noted. — R. C. Caskey.

Elizabeth, N. J. (shore Newark Bay to Milbum). — Dec. 26; 7.45 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
Cloudy; wind variable between northwest and east; temp. 18° at start, 28° at return.
About 15 miles on foot. Herring Gulls, 1,200 (conservative); Black Duck, 5; (Golden-
eye ?) Duck, 3; Ring-necked Pheasant, i; Marsh Hawk, 2; Red-shouldered Hawk, 2;
Sparrow Hawk, i; Short-eared Owl (fresh pellets found on ice left from Dec. 25 high
tides; species seen same locality Dec. 11 and 18); Hairy Woodpecker, i; Downy Wood-
pecker, 5; Horned Lark, 13; Blue Jay, 5; American Crow, 16; Starling, 4; Meadowlark,
6; White-throated Sparrow, 40; Tree Sparrow, 135; Field Sparrow, i; Slate-colored
Junco, 41; Song Sparrow, 37; Fox Sparrow, i; Cardinal, 2; Titlark, 3; Winter Wren, i;
Brown Creeper, 6; White-breasted Nuthatch, 6; Tufted Titmouse, i; Black-capped
Chickadee, 6; Golden-crowned Kinglet, i. Total, 29 species, (about) 1,545 individuals.
Two large flocks of water-birds, probably chiefly Gulls, but, judging from sound, con-
taining some Canada Geese too far out in Newark Bay for positive identification and
not included in count. Titlarks closely approached on salt meadow and seen dis-
tinctly through good glass — Charles A. Urner.

Scotch Plains, N. J. (to Washington Valley). — Dec. 26; 11.55 a.m. to 5.15 p.m. Clear;
ground bare; partly frozen, little wind; temp, at start, 29°. Ring-necked Pheasant, i;
Long-cared Owl, i ; Downy Woodpecker, i ; Flicker, i ; .\merican Crow, i ; White-throated
Sparrow, 2; Tree Sparrow, 3 (flock); Field Sparrow, i ; Junco, 50 (flock); Song Sparrow, 4;
Cardinal, 6 (three pairs); Catbird, 1; White-breasted Nuthatch, 2 (together); Black-

Bird-Lore's Twenty-first Christmas Census 15

capped Chickadee, 4; Golden-crowned Kinglet, i; Hermit Thrush, i; Bluebird, 4 (flock,
flying over). Total, 17 species, 84 individuals. — W. I:)eW. Miller.

Westfield, N. J. (along foot of Watchung Mountains to Scotch Plains and back).—
Dec. 25; 7.30 A.M. to 4 P.M. Fair (bright sun); no snow; very gentle breezes; temp.,
start, 21°, return, 24°. About 8 miles on foot. Red-shouldered Hawk, i; Sparrow Hawk, i;
Downy Woodpecker, 3; Blue Jay, 4; Crow, 11; Starling, (flock of about 40); American
Goldfinch, 6; Tree Sparrow, 2; Slate-colored Junco, 15; Song Sparrow, 2; Brown Creeper,
2; White-breasted Nuthatch, 2; Black-capped Chickadee, i; American Robin, 7 (appar-
ently passing winter in a swamp); Bluebird 6. Total, 15 species, (about) 103 individuals.
— FR.A.NK Allatt.

New Brunswick, N. J. — Dec. 24; 8.05 a.m. to i.io p.m., 1.45 to 3.45 p.m. Partly
cloudy; ground bare; wind west, moderate; temp. 34° to 39°. Herring Gull, i; Ring-
billed Gull, i; Sora Rail, i; Killdeer, 9; Ring-necked Pheasant, i; Cooper's Hawk, i;
Red- tailed Hawk, 2; Red-shouldered Hawk, 3; Hairy Woodpecker, i; Downy Wood-
pecker, 4; Blue Jay, 12; Crow, 67; Fish Crow, 2; Starling, 53; Meadowlark, 12; Gold-
finch, 3; White-throated Sparrow, 13; Tree Sparrow, 22; Junco, 123; Song Sparrow, 20;
Fox Sparrow, i; Cardinal, 5; Brown Creeper, 3; White-breasted Nuthatch, 4; Tufted
Titmouse, 4; Robin, i. Total, 26 species, 369 individuals. The Sora took flight from
almost under my feet, and flew (apparently feebly) to a nearby bunch of cat-tails. The
streaks on the back, size and color identified the bird. Red-winged Blackbirds were
noted until Dec. 18, and Purple Crackles until Dec. 20. — Stuart T. Danforth.

Princeton, N. J. (along Stony Brook from bridge on Lawrenceville road to Diuble
Bridges). — Dec. 28; 11 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. Clear; sprinkling of snow; wind westerly; temp.
34° to 38°. Observers within calling distance. Mourning Dove, 5; Broad- winged (?)
Hawk, I (seen at distance, attacked by Crows from above); Pigeon Hawk, i; Downy
Woodpecker, i; Northern Flicker, 3; Blue Jay, 2; Crow, 1,500; Starling, 200; Goldfinch,
4; White-throated Sparrow, 8; Tree Sparrow, 10; Slate-colored Junco, 150; Song Spar-
row, 3; Cardinal, 10; Migrant Shrike, i; White-breasted Nuthatch, i; Tufted Titmouse, 4
(bathing in a spring); Chickadee, 12; Golden-crowned Kinglet, i; Bluebird, 20 (one
with a broken leg). Total, 20 species, (about) 1,937 individuals. (The Shrike was
watched for four minutes while eating a piece of a bird at a distance of about 15 feet in
the top of a tree that grew below the bank on which I stood. He was in bright sunlight,
and I had an entirely unobstructed view though I had no field-glasses with me. I noted
particularly that he was well under 10 inches in length and that the upper and under
parts were almost uniformly gray. — T. v. D.). — Hamilton Gibson and Tertius van
Dyke.

Princeton, N. J. (to Rocky Hill, Dutch Neck, and vicinity). — Dec. 24; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Clear; ground bare; wind west to northwest, fresh; temp. 34° at start, 36° at return.
Thirty miles by motor and on foot. Mourning Dove, i; Marsh Hawk, 2; Sharp-shinned
Hawk, I ; Red- tailed Hawk, 2 ; Red-shouldered Hawk, i ; Sparrow Hawk, 5 ; Screech Owl, i ;
Downy Woodpecker, i; Blue Jay, 5; Crow, 203; Starling, 46; Meadowlark, 33 (30 in one
flock); Tree Sparrow, 26; Junco, 25; Song Sparrow, 2; Cardinal, 5; Brown Creeper, i;
White-breasted Nuthatch, 2; Robin, 2; Bluebird, i. Total, 20 species, (about) 364
individuals. White-throated Sparrows, Chickadees, and Red-breasted Nuthatches
conspicuous by their unusual absence. — Henry Lane Eno.

Princeton, N. J. (to Plainsboro and Rocky Hill and back. Millstone River, Carnegie
Lake, and a red cedar grove).— Dec. 24; 7.50 a.m. to 5.35 p.m. Partly cloudy; river and
lake open, ground bare, little frozen; wind northwest, brisk; temp, about 38° throughout
day. Twelve miles on foot, 4 (after dark) by autobus. Herring Gull, i (adult); American
Merganser, (flock) 4; Hooded Merganser, i (male adult) ; Red-tailed Hawk, i (immature);
Long-eared Owl, i; Saw- whet Owl, i; Great Horned Owl, 2 (hooting at dusk); Hairy
Woodpecker, 3; Downy Woodpecker, 6; Red-headed Woodpecker, i; Flicker, i; Blue

i6 Bird - Lore

Jay 2, American Crow, 115; Fish Crow, 2; Starling, 37; Meadowlark, (flock) 4; Gold-
finch, 2; White-throated Sparrow, 9; Tree Sparrow, 26; Field Sparrow, 5; Junco, 108;
Song Sparrow, 21; Towhee, i (male), well seen; Cardinal, 6; Winter Wren, 2; Brown
Creeper, 3; White-breasted Nuthatch, 7; Tufted Tit, 15; Carolina Chickadee, 4; Ruby-
crowned Kinglet, 2 (together); Hermit Thrush, i; Robin, (flock) 4. Total, 32 species,
(about) 430 individuals. The Ruby-crowns were studied with 8X glasses fairly close;
eye-rings of both and crown-patch of one noted. — Charles H. Rogers.

Atlantic City, N. J. — Dec. 22. Rain most of the day; wind southeast; temp. 38° at
start, 46° at return. Inland waterway from Little Beach Island (U. S. Coast Guard
Station 120) to Atlantic City. Started at Little Beach 6.45 a.m., walked up the beach
along the seashore to Great Baj', returned through alder bushes, and meadows. Left
Little Beach in boat, and returned to Atlantic City 3.30 p.m. Going through Brigantine
Inlet, Inland Waterway, and Absecon Inlet. Horned Grebe, 3; Black-backed Gull, 2;
Herring Gull, (about) 200; Bonaparte Gull, 10; Red-breasted Merganser, i; Black
Duck, 15; Scaup Duck, i; Old Squaw, 5; Scoter (American), 2; White- winged Scoter,
Surf Scoter, 500 Scoters in all; Brant, thousands; Clapper Rail, (heard); Sanderling (?),
10; Marsh Hawk, i; Sharp-shinned Hawk (this was shot by one of our party); Horned
Lark (?), 25; Seaside Sparrow, 5; Song Sparrow, i ; Myrtle Warbler, 25. Total, 21 species,
(about) 807 individuals not counting Brants. This the first time I have ever seen a
Bonaparte Gull, but I am sure that these Gulls were Bonaparte because of their small
size, their tern-like flight, and, of course, the markings. — -Franklin P. Cook.

Mount Holly, N. J. — Dec. 26; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cloudy; ground bare; wind light;
temp 22° at start, 32° at return. About 10 miles on foot. Bob-white, i; Turkey Vulture, 6;
Marsh Hawk, 1; Red-tailed Hawk, 2; Long-eared Owl, i; Hairy Woodpecker, i; Downy
Woodpecker, 7; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, i; Horned Lark, 10; Blue Jay, 2; Crow,
(appro.ximate) 10,000 (roost); Starling, 15; Meadowlark, 12; White-throated Sparrow,
3S; Tree Sparrow, 20; Field Sparrow, 2; Junco, 50; Song Sparrow, 8; Cardinal, 5; Brown
Creeper, 6; White-breasted Nuthatch, i; Tufted Titmouse, 2; Carolina Chickadee, i;
Golden-crowned Kinglet, 3; Hermit Thrush, i; Bluebird, i. Total, 26 species, (about)
10,193 individuals. Dec. 25: Goldfinch and Screech Owl. — Nelson D. W. Pumyea.

Cape May, N. J. — Dec. 26; 9.30 a.m. to 5.50 p.m. Cloudy; wind northeast; temp. 32°
at start, 45° at return. Observers together most of the time. Horned Grebe, 3; Loon, 15;
Red-throated Loon, i (Culver and Roland); Herring Gull, 50; Ring-billed Gull, i;
Bonaparte Gull, 12; Merganser, 2; Pintail, i; Scoter, 14; White- winged Scoter, 2;
Great Blue Heron, 4; Kildeer, 2; Turkey Vulture, 15; Marsh Hawk, 2; Red-tailed Hawk,
i; Sparrow Hawk, i; Short-eared Owl, i; Kingfisher, i; Horned Lark, i; Crow, 200;
Starling, 25; Meadowlark, 30; Goldfinch, i ; Savannah Sparrow, 10; Sharp-tailed Sparrow,
i; White-throated Sparrow, 10; Tree Sparrow, 8; Field Sparrow, ft; Junco. 10; Song
Sparrow, 2; Myrtle Warbler, ico; Palm Warbler, 3; Long-billed IMarsh Wren, i; Tufted
Titmouse, i; Carolina Chickadee, 8; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 3; Hermit Thrush, i;
Robin, 5. Total, 38 species, 554 individuals. — Delos E. Culver, Conrad K. Roland
and Julian K. PoTn';R.

Bethayres (Montgomery Co.), Pa. — Dec. 25; 9 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. Clear; ground bare;
wind, strong northwest; temp. 28°. Red-shouldered Hawk, 2; Sparrow Hawk, 4; Downy
Woodpecker, 3; Crow, 17; Starling, 75; Meadowlark, 14; Goldfinch, 19; White-throated
Sparrow, 3; Tree Sparrow, 32; Field Sparrow, i; Junco, 45; Song Sparrow, 6; Swamp
Sparrow, i; Brown Creeper, i; Golden crowned Kinglet, 2. Total, 14 species, 225
individuals. — Clifford H. Pangburn.

Telford, Pa. — Dec. 25; 9.15 a.m. to i p.m. Clear; ground l)are; wind, northwest;
temp. 27° at start, 30° at return. Cooper's Hawk, i; Red-tailed Hawk, i ; Sparrow Hawk,
i; Downy Woodpecker, i; Flicker, i; Blue Jay, i; Crow, 29; Starling, 4; Tree Sparrow,
3; Slate-colored Junco, 35; Song Sparrow, 21; Brown Creeper, i. Total, 12 species, 99

Bird-Lore's Twenty-first Christmas Census 17

individuals. On Dec. 26, 3 White-breasted Nuthatches and 6 Golden-crowned Kinglets
were noted. Beginning of Christmas week Meadowlarks and large flocks of American
Pipits were observed. — Claude A. Butterwick.

Chestnut Hill and White Marsh, Pa. — Dec. 26; 10.45 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cloudy; ground
uncovered and frozen; wind, east, light; temp. 25°. Five miles on foot. Turkey Vulture, i ;
Hawk (not identified), 2; Hairy Woodpecker, 3; Downy Woodpecker, 4; Flicker, 3;
Crow, (about) 300; Starling, (about) 200; Goldfinch, i; Junco, 9; Song Sparrow, (i in
song), 10; Cardinal, 6; Winter Wren, 2; Brown Creeper, 2; White-breasted Nuthatch, i;
Tufted Titmouse, 4. Total, 15 species, (about) 548 individuals. — George Lear.

Philadelphia, Pa. (city line to Fort Washington and return, along Cresheim Creek
to Fairmount Park). — ^Dec. 28; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Clear; sprinkling of snow; wind north-
west; temp. 32° at start, 30° at return. Fifteen miles on foot. Mourning Dove, i;
Red-shouldered Hawk, i ; Hawk, i (either Red-tailed or Red-shouldered) ; Sparrow Hawk,
2; American Crow, 5; Starling, 100; Meadowlark, 25; White-throated Sparrow, 12;
Tree Sparrow, 20; Slate-colored Junco, 35; Song Sparrow, 3; Cardinal, 6; White-breasted
Nuthatch, i. Total, 12 species, 212 individuals. Mourning Dove identified at close
range. Winter visitant Chickadees late in arriving. — Willi,am M. Huber.

Philadelphia, Pa. (Oak Lane and Wissahickon Valley). — Dec. 25; 8.30 a.m. to 3.30
p.m. Clear; no snow; wind northwest; temp. 26° to 34°. Fifteen miles on foot. Rough-
legged Hawk (American), i; Downy Woodpecker, 2; Flicker, i; Crow, 25; American
Goldfinch, i; Starling, 50; Carolina Wren, i (scrutinized with good glass at distance of
10 feet); Tree Sparrow, 55; Song Sparrow, 10; Junco, 150; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 20.
Total, II species, 261 individuals. — W. A. Squires.

Reading, Pa. — Dec. 25; 7.15 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Clear; ground bare; wind west, light;
temp. 23° at start. Observers together. Sparrow Hawk, 3; Downy Woodpecker, 7;
Flicker, i; Blue Jay, 10; Crow, 30; Starling, 20; Purple Finch, 18; Goldfinch, 7; White-
throated Sparrow, 18; Tree Sparrow, 125; Junco, 175; Song Sparrow, 25; Cardinal, 7;
Carolina Wren, i; Winter Wren, 3; Brown Creeper, i; White-breasted Nuthatch, 6;
Chickadee, 6; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 3; Robin, i; Bluebird, 2. Total, 21 species,
469 individuals. — Mr. and Mrs. G. Henry Mengel.

West Chester, Pa. — Dec. 25; 7.30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Clear; ground bare and frozen;
light west wind; temp, at start 23°, on return 32°. Seven miles on foot. Observers
together. Mourning Dove, i; Turkey Vulture, 3; Marsh Hawk, i; Red-tailed Hawk, 2;
Red-shouldered Hawk, i; Broad-winged Hawk, 3; Sparrow Hawk, i; Screech Owl, i;
Downy Woodpecker, 7; Flicker, 3; Crow, 595; Starling, loi; Tree Sparrow, 36; Slate-
colored Junco, 377; Song Sparrow, 14; Cardinal, 8; Winter Wren, i; Brown Creeper, 7;
White-breasted Nuthatch, 5; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 2. Total, 20 species, 1,159
individuals. — C. E. Ehinger and Edwin S. Smith.

Lititz, Pa. (northern Lancaster County, upper valley of the Hammer Creek). —
Dec. 26; 8 A.M. to 4.45 P.M. Cloudy; ground bare; wind east, light; temp. 22° at start,
26° at return. Total course, 27 miles on foot; observers in two parties over two-thirds
of the way. Bob-white, 13; Ruflfed Grouse, i; Turkey Vulture, 3; Marsh Hawk, i;
Cooper's Hawk, i; Red-tailed Hawk, 4; Red-shouldered Hawk, i; Sparrow Hawk, i;
Screech Owl, i; Downy Woodpecker, 19; Northern Flicker, 5; Blue Jay, i; Crow, 100;
Starling, 25; Meadowlark, 15; Purple Grackle, 7; Goldfinch, 10; Tree Sparrow, 95;
Slate-colored Junco, 490; Song Sparrow, 68; Cardinal, 3; Brown Creeper, 2; White-
breasted Nuthatch, 11; Chickadee, 7; Golden-crowned Kinglet, i; Bluebird, 5. Total,
26 species, (about) 890 individuals. A Short-eared Owl on Dec. 24. The unusual species
are Bluebird, Grackle, Short-eared Owl, Marsh Hawk and Cooper's Hawk. The last
four, common in October and early November, have never before been recorded in a
Christmas Census in northern Lancaster County. — Herbert H. Beck Abraham
Beck Miller and William Derr.

i8 Bird - Lore

Ulster, Bradford Co., Pa. — Dec. 27; 9 to ii a.m., i to 3.30 p.m. Cloudy in forenoon,
clear in afternoon; ground covered with snow; wind northwest, shifting to southwest, then
to north, brisk; temp. 24° at start, 20° at return. Ten to 12 miles on foot. Observers
worked in pairs in forenoon, all together in afternoon. Ruffed Grouse, 2; Hawk, i;
Hairy Woodpecker, i ; Downy Woodpecker, 8; Blue Jay, i ; American Crow, 29; Starling,
i; Goldfinch, 9; Tree Sparrow, 105; Junco, 29; Song Sparrow, i; Cedar Wa.xwing, 12;
Brown Creeper, 3; White-breasted Nuthatch, 6; Black-capped Chickadee, 52. Total,
15 species, 262 individuals. — Mrs. F. E. Mather, Mrs. O. J. Van Winkle, Mrs. D. C.
Gillette and Miss Martha McMorran.

York, Pa. (along the Susquehanna River). — Dec. 28; 8 a.m. to 12 m. Partly cloudy;
I in. snow; wind north, strong; temp. 19° at start, 29° at return. River entirely free from
ice. Four miles on foot. American Merganser, 3; Black Duck, 2; Sparrow Hawk, 2;
Downy Woodpecker, 3; American Crow, 1,500; Starling, 8; Meadowlark, 16; Goldfinch,
4; White-throated Sparrow, 2; Tree Sparrow, 35; Slate-colored Junco, 26; Song Sparrow,
11; Cardinal, 2; Carolina Wren, 1; Winter Wren, i; Brown Creeper, 2; Tufted Titmouse,
i; Black-capped Chickadee, 5; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 3. Total, 19 species, 1,627
individuals. — Charles S. Wkiser.

Pittsburgh, Pa. (Forest Hills to Deer Creek). — Dec. 26; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cloudy;
ground bare; wind southeast, very light; temp. 29° at start, 34° at return. Fifteen miles
on foot, 8 miles by trolley. Observers together most of the time. Ruffed Grouse, 2;
Screech Owl, 2; Hairy Woodpecker, 3; Downy Woodpecker, 7; Flicker, 3; American
Crow, 2; Cowbird, i; Tree Sparrow, 88; Junco, 10; Song Sparrow, 26; Cardinal, 9;
Brown Creeper, i; White-breasted Nuthatch, 3; Tufted Titmouse, 9; Black-capped
Chickadee, 7. Total, 15 species, 173 individuals. A flock of sixteen Prairie Horned Lark
is wintering on the Edgewood Golf-Links. They were seen on Dec. 25 and on seven pre-
vious dates, but we could not find them today. Several Redwings were reported to be in
a swamp adjoining that where the Cowbird was seen, but we could not flush them. A
Robin and two Bronzed Crackles were observed also recently. — R. H. Stahl, H. H.
Elliott, P. F. Seibold and J. L. Jones.

Grove City, Pa. — Dec. 27; 9.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. Very cloudy and dark; slow drizzle;
I in. of snow on frozen ground, melting rapidly; wind west, light; temp. 40° at start,
36° at return. Eight miles on foot. Ruffed Grouse, 2; Red-shouldered Hawk, i; Hairy
Woodpecker, 4; Downy Woodpecker, 10; Flicker, 2; Blue Jay, 24; Goldfinch, 10; Tree
Sparrow, 60; Junco, 20; Song Sparrow, 7; Cardinal, i; White-breasted Nuthatch, 12;
Black-capped Chickadee, 50; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 20; Robin, i. Total, 15 species,
(about) 224 individuals. Dec. 24, Brown Creeper, Chewink, and Tufted Titmouse were
listed. — Nevin Nicholson.

Emsworth, Pa. — Dec. 26; 9 to 11 a.m., i to 5 p..\i. Cloudy; ground clean, light snow
lasting 2 hours; wind northeast, light; temp. 28°. Eight miles on foot. Observers
together. Hairy Woodpecker, i; Downy Woodpecker, 5; Flicker, 2 (were stoned out of
hollow tree); Crow, 2; Tree Sparrow, 24; Junco, s^'y Song Sparrow, 8; Cardinal, 10;
Winter Wren, i; Brown Creeper, 3; White-breasted Nuthatch, 3; Tufted Titmouse, 2.
Total, 12 species, 93 individuals. — Thomas L. JMcConnell, Louis McConnell and
L. F. Savage.

Chesapeake Beach, Md. — Dec. 26; 10 a.u. to 4.30 p..\f. Cloudy; ground bare; wind
southeast, light; temp. 33°. Five miles on foot. Horned Grebe, 3; Herring Gull, 8;
Golden-eye, i; BufBehead, 11; Old Squaw, 5; Scoter, 2; White- winged Scoter, 85; Surf
Scoter, 29; Killdeer, 2; Turkey Vulture, 32; Belted Kingfisher, i ; Downy Woodpecker, 3;
Flicker, i; Blue Jay, i; Crow, 25; Fish Crow, 155; Starling, 900; Red- winged Blackbird,
171; Meadowlark, 4; Goldfinch, 6; White-throated Sparrow, 15; Tree Sparrow, 16;
Junco, 51 ; Song Sparrow, 9; Swamp Sparrow, 2; Towhcc, i; Cardinal, 4; Myrtle Warbler,
i; Mockingbird, i; Carolina Wren, i; Long-billed Marsh Wren, 1; Brown Creeper, i;

Bird-Lore's Twenty-first Christmas Census 19

Tufted Titmouse, 6; Carolina Chickadee, 3; Hermit Tlirush, i; Robin, 10. Total, 36
species, 1,558 individuals. — Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Kittredge, Jr.

Sewickley, Pa. — Dec. 25; 9 .a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Clear; light northwest wind, increas-
ing to fresh; temp. 32°. About 7 miles covered thoroughly. Observers together. Ruffed
Grouse, i; Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Downy Woodpecker, 4; Tree Sparrow, 12; Junco, 64;
Song Sparrow, 8; Cardinal, 8; Carolina Wren, 2; Tufted Titmouse, 3; Chickadee, 6;
Golden-crowned Kinglet, i. Total, 11 species, iii individuals. — Bayard H. Christy,
Denton Borger and Frank A. Hegner.

Morgantown, W. Va. (State Farms). — Dec. 24; 8.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and 3 to 5
P.M. Slightly cloudy; wind light; temp. 26° at start, 34° at return. Thirteen miles on foot.
Cooper's Hawk, i; Red-shouldered Hawk, 2; Sparrow Hawk, i ; Screech Owl, i; Downy
Woodpecker, 7; American Crow, 6; Vesper Sparrow, i; Chipping Sparrow, 31; Slate-
colored Junco, 79; Song Sparrow, 32; Cardinal, 35; Carolina Wren, 2; Tufted Titmouse,
12; Chickadee, 3; Bluebird, 7. Total, 15 species, 220 individuals. — A. J. Dadisman.

Parkersburg, W. Va. — Dec. 27; i to 5 p.m. Cloudy; ground bare; light west wind;
temp. 40°. Five miles on foot. Observers together. Sparrow Hawk, i ; Downy Wood-
pecker, i; Crow, 15; Song Sparrow, 9; Cardinal, 2; Carolina Wren, i; Tufted Titmouse, 3;
Chickadee, 7. Total, 8 species, 39 individuals. — Miss Bertha E. White, Miss Laura
B. Moore, Miss Gertrude Meerwein and Walter Donaghho.

Charleston, W. Va. (South Side hills and ravines). — Dec. 26; 9.30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Heavy clouds; light south winds; ground bare; snow flurries; temp. 30° at start, 35° at
return. Six-mile hike on foot; same territory as covered in previous years. Observers
together. Bob- white, t,;^ (two coveys); Hairy Woodpecker, i; Downy Woodpecker, 11;
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 2; Crow, i; Goldfinch, i; Tree Sparrow, 10; Field Sparrow, 18;
Junco, 107; Song Sparrow, 81; Towhee, 19; Cardinal, 73; Carolina Wren, 45; House
Wren, i; Winter Wren, i; White-breasted Nuthatch, 5; Tufted Titmouse, 24; Black-
capped Chickadee, 30; Bluebird, 7. Total, 19 species, 470 individuals. — I. H. Johnston,
Ellis Crawford and Mary Belle Johnston.

Lewisburg, W. Va. — Dec. 25; 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Clear in evening; ground bare;
wind west, light; temp. 14° at start, 21° at return. Ten miles on foot and on horseback.
Ruffed Grouse, i; Turkey Vulture, 15; Red- tailed Hawk, 2; Sparrow Hawk, 2; Hairy
Woodpecker, 2; Downy Woodpecker, 5; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 3; Flicker, 5; Blue Jay,
20; Crow, 1,000 (est.); Goldfinch, 9; Tree Sparrow, 168; Slate-colored Junco, 230;
Song Sparrow, 12; Cardinal, 16; Mockingbird, i; Carolina Wren, i; White-breasted
Nuthatch, 13; Tufted Titmouse, 18; Black-capped Chickadee, i; Bluebird, 19. Total,
21 species, 1,513 individuals. — Chas. O. Handley.

Motrnt Vernon to Dyke, Va. — Dec. 29; 8.25 a.m. to 5.25 p.m. Clear; ground bare;
wind 'southwest, light; temp. 22° at start, 38° at finish. Twelve miles on foot. Observers
together. Herring Gull, 5; Ring-billed Gull, i; American Merganser, 15; Hooded Mer-
ganser, 13; .\merican Golden-eye, 290; Buffiehead, 1; Killdeer, 6; Mourning Dove, 15;
Turkey Vulture, 27; Marsh Hawk, 2; Bald Eagle, i; Kingfisher, i; Downy Woodpecker,
5; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, i; Red-bellied Woodpecker, i; Flicker, 2; Horned Lark
(subsp. ?), 75; Blue Jay, 8; American Crow, 11; Fish Crow, 3; Starling, 113; Meadowlark,
5; White-throated Sparrow, 32; Tree Sparrow, 4; Field Sparrow, 10; Slate-colored
Junco, 175; Song Sparrow, 5; Chewink, i; Cardinal, 7; Myrtle Warbler, 9; Mockingbird,
5; Carolina Wren, i; Winter Wren, 3; Brown Creeper, 3; White-breasted Nuthatch, 3-
Tufted Titmouse, 3; Carolina Chickadee, 10; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 10; Ruby-
crowned Kinglet, i; Hermit Thrush, 3; Bluebird, 11. Total, 41 species, 897 individuals.
In addition, a number of Goldfinches and one or two Wilson's Snipe were heard, but not
seen (revised total 43). — W. L. McAtee, E. A. Preble and Francis Harper.

Pulaski, Va.— Dec. 25; i to 6 p.m. Clear; ground bare; light west wind; temp. 38°
at start, ^2° at return. Seven miles on foot. Woodcock, i; Killdeer, 11; Bob-white, 14

20 Bird - Lore

Mourning Dove, 6; Turkey Vulture, 90; Black Vulture, 3; Red-tailed Hawk, i; Hairy
Woodpecker, i; Red-headed Woodpecker, 2; Crow, 12; Meadowlark, i; Slate-colored
Junco, 32; Song Sparrow, S; Cardinal, 4; Mockingbird, 2; White-breasted Nuthatch, 8;
Tufted Titmouse, 2; Black-capped Chickadee, 4. Total, 18 species, 202 individuals. —
O. C. Brewer.

Spartanburg, S. C. (Ezell Divej. — Dec. 27; 7.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Cloudy; ground
very wet; some fog with a misting rain from 11.30; wind north. About 3 miles on foot.
Mourning Dove, i ; Marsh Hawk, i ; Southern Downy Woodpecker, i ; Red-headed
Woodpecker, i; Flicker, i; Blue Jay, 18; American Crow, i; Meadowlark, 6; Purple
Crackle, 2; White-throated Sparrow, 30; Field Sparrow, 23; Slate-colored Junco, 68;
Song Sparrow, 8; Towhee, 7; Cardinal, 7; Mockingbird, i; Carolina Wren, 3; Brown
Creeper, i; Tufted Titmouse, 2; Carolina Chickadee, 7; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 13;
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 15; Hermit Thrush, 5; Bluebird, 3. Total, 24 speties, 225
individuals. — Gabriel Cannon.

Summerton, S. C. — Dec. 25; 10 a.m. to i p.m. Clear; temp. 40°. Killdecr, i ; Turkey
Vulture, i; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 2; Phcebe, 2; Blue Jay, 2; Meadowlark, 25; Rusty
Blackbird, i; Goldfinch, 6; Vesper Sparrow, 6; Savannah Sparrow, 4; White-throated
Sparrow, 15; Chipping Sparrow, i; Field Sparrow, 6; Junco, 30; Song Sparrow, 5; Red-
eyed Towhee, 3; Cardinal, 2; Loggerhead Shrike, i; Myrtle Warbler, 6; Pine Warbler, 2;
Palm Warbler, i; American Pipit, 20; Mockingbird, 2; Brown Thrasher, i; Carolina
Wren, 2; Brown-headed Nuthatch, 6; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 2; Ruby-crowned Kinglet,
4; Hermit Thrush, i; Bluebird, 6. Total, 30 species, 166 individuals.— E. S. Dingle.

Aiken, S. C. — Dec. 21 ; 10.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. Overcast, with occasional light showers;
calm; temp, at return 65°. About 3 miles on foot along a wooded creek and adjoining
fields. Observers together. Killdeer, 18; Bob-white, 30 (2 coveys); Mourning Dove, 4;
Turkey Buzzard, 15; Marsh Hawk, i; Sharp-shinned Hawk, 2; Red-tailed Hawk, i;
Sparrow Hawk, 2; Southern Hairy Woodpecker, 7; Southern Downy Woodpecker, 2;
Red-cockaded Woodpecker, 2; Pileated Woodpecker, 2; Red-headed Woodpecker, 3
(in town); Red-bellied Woodpecker, i; Flicker, 12; Phoebe, 5; Blue Jay, 19; Crow, 45;
Meadowlark, 18; Goldfinch, 10; Vesper Sparrow, 9; Henslow's Sparrow, 2; White-throated
Sparrow, 250; Chipping Sparrow, 43; Field Sparrow, 59; Carolina Junco, 300; Song
Sparrow, 156; Swamp Sparrow, 32; Fox Sparrow, 5; Towhee (both Red, and White-
eyed), 15; Cardinal, 18; Cedar Waxwing, 60; Loggerhead Shrike, 7; Myrtle Warbler, 45;
Pine Warbler, 5; Yellow Palm Warbler, 2; Mockingbird, 6; Brown Thrasher, 7; Carolina
Wren, 7; Winter Wren, 2; Brown Creeper, 2; White-breasted Nuthatch, i; Brown-
headed Nuthatch, 22; Tufted Titmouse. 8; Carolina Chickadee, 19; Golden-crowned
Kinglet, 11; Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 38; Hermit Thrush, 80; Robin, 300; Bluebird, a.
Total, 50 species, (about) 1,736 individuals. — Marion J. Pellew and Loiise P. Ford.

Plant City, Fla. — Dec. 25; 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bright and clear; light northeast wind;
temp. 40° to 60°. Trip made by auto from Plant City to Hillsboro River, i mile north
of Crystal Springs, Fla., about seven hours spent looking for birds along the bank of
the Hillsboro River, and return by auto. Total distance one way, 14 miles. Anhinga, 1 ;
American Bittern, i; Ward's Heron, 6; American Egret, 3; Snowy Heron, 3; Louisiana
Heron, 5; Little Blue Heron, 50; Green Heron, i; Black-crowned Night Heron, 5;
Yellow-crowned Night Heron, 2; King Rail, i; Woodcock, 4; Killdeer, 7; Florida Bob-
white, 9; Mourning Dove, 11; Ground Dove, 4; Turkey Vulture, 11; Black Vulture, 20;
Marsh Hawk, i; Sharp-shinned Hawk, i; Red-shouldered Hawk, 2; Sparrow Hawk, i;
Osprey, i ; Florida Barred Owl, 4; Florida Screech Owl, 1; Belted Kingfisher, 6; Southern
Downy Woodpecker, 2; Pileated Woodpecker, 3; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 2; Flicker, i;
Phcebe, 13; Florida Blue Jay, 10; Fish Crow, 4; Florida Rc<l-winged Blackbird, 73;
Florida Meadowlark, 16; American Goldfinch, ^^ (approx.); Vesper Sparrow, 13;
Field Sparrow, i; White-eyed Towhee, 2; Florida Cardinal, 10; Loggerhead Shrike, 15;

Bird-Lore's Twenty-first Christmas Census 21

Blue-headed Vireo, i; Black and white Warbler, 9; Myrtle Warbler, 3; Vellovv-throated
Warbler, 6; Palm Warbler, 22; Yellow Palm Warbler, 18; Oven-bird, i; Florida Yellow-
throat, i; Mockingbird, 19; Brown Thrasher, i; Florida Wren, 4; House Wren, 7;
Tufted Titmouse, 8; Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 14; Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, 50; Robin, i;
Bluebird, S3- Total, 58 species, 557 individuals. — Beryl T., Lewis H., and Eugene
Mounts and Oscar E. Baynard.

Pensacola, Fla. — Dec. 25; 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Weather clear and cool; ground clear
of snow and ice; wind 20 miles, from northeast. Walk along shores of bay and through
partly cleared scrub pine growth. Pied-billed Grebe, 3; Loon, 3; Herring Gull, 60;
Ring-billed Gull, i; Laughing Gull, i; Bonaparte Gull, 2; Florida Cormorant, i; Red-
breasted Merganser, 14; Killdeer, 4; Mourning Dove, 2; Turkey Vulture, 2; Kingfisher, 2;
Red-bellied Woodpecker, i; Flicker, 5; Whip-poor-will, i; Phoebe, 4; Blue Jay, 10;
Fish Crow, 5; White-throated Sparrow, 10; Swamp Sparrow, i; Cardinal, 2; Towhee, 12;
Loggerhead Shrike, i; ]VIyrtle Warbler, (about) 125; Pine Warbler, 6; Palm Warbler, 3;
Maryland Yellow-throat, 2; Titlark, 6; Mockingbird, 6; Catbird, i; Carolina Wren, i;
House Wren, 4; Tufted Titmouse, i; Brown-headed Nuthatch, 4; Ruby-crowned King-
let, 8; Hermit Thrush, i; Bluebird, 9. Total, 37 species, 324 individuals. — Francis M.
Westcx, Jr.

Miami, Fla. — Dec. 22; 9 a.m. to 12 m. (in citj^ limits), 2 to 6 p.m. (at Miami beach).
Partly cloudy; wind southeast; temp. 76° at start, 78° at return. Herring Gull, 50;
Ring-billed Gull, 30; Bonaparte Gull, 20; Royal Tern, 15; Florida Cormorant, i;
Brown Pelican, 100; Sea Duck (?), 300-I-; Black-crowned Night Heron, 20; Semi-
palmated Sandpiper, 5; Spotted Sandpiper, 4; Sanderling, 50; Killdeer, ioo-|-; Florida
Bob-white, 65 (4 coveys); Mourning Doves, 150; Ground Dove, 45; Turkey Vulture, 50;
Black Vulture, 12; Red-shouldered Hawk, 4; Sparrow Hawk, 20; Osprey, 4; Kingfisher,
3; Southern Hairy Woodpecker, 3; Downy Woodpecker, i; Red-headed Woodpecker, i;
Red-bellied Woodpecker, 12; Flicker, 11; W^hip-poor-will, 5 (heard several); Ruby-
throated Hummingbird, 3; Crested Flycatcher, i; Phoebe, 25; Florida Blue Jay, 10;
Meadowlark, 13; Florida Grackle, 250-I-; Red-eyed Towhee, 3; Florida Cardinal, 15;
Tree Swallow. 25; Loggerhead Shrike, 29; Blue-headed Vireo, 8; Worm-eating Warbler, i
(was within 4 feet of it); Yellow-throated Warbler, 3; Pine Warbler, 50-]-; Palm and
Yellow Palm Warblers, 300-I-; Prairie Warbler, 10; Florida Yellow-throat, 20; Mocking-
bird, 100; Catbird, 150; House Wren, 150; Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, 48. Total, 49 species,
2,535+ individuals. Dec. 21, Florida Wren, 3; Brown Thrasher, i; Brown-headed
Nuthatch, 10; Winter Wren, i; Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 5; Oven-bird, 3; Red-cockaded
Woodpecker, 7. — Edgar Bedell.

Detroit, Mich, (eastern suburbs and Belle Isle Park). — Dec. 24; 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cloudy; trace of snow; wind west, brisk; temp. 24°. Herring Gull, 75; Greater Scaup, 14;
Ring-necked Duck, 4; Hairy Woodpecker, 8; Downy W^oodpecker, 4; Prairie Horned
Lark, i; Crow, 7; Tree Sparrow, 125 (flock); Slate-colored Junco, 12; Song Sparrow, 2;
Brown Creeper, i; White-breasted Nuthatch, 8; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 15. Total,
13 species, 276 individuals. — Ralph Beebe.

Detroit, Mich. (Belle Isle and river front). — Dec. 27; 8 to 12 a.m., 2 to 4 p.m. Clear;
no wind; 4 in. of new-fallen snow; temp. 30° to 38°. Herring Gull, 22; Ring-billed Gull,
12; Merganser, 8; Red-breasted Merganser, 4; BuflSehead, 12; Golden-eye, 50; Barrow's
Golden-eye, 10; Cooper's Hawk, i; Screech Owl, 2; Horned Owl, i; Hairy Woodpecker,
i; Downy Woodpecker, 8; Crow, i; Brown Creeper, 2; White-breasted Nuthatch, 12;
Golden-crowned Kinglet, 2. Total, 16 species, 148 individuals. — Etta S. Wilson.

Ann Arbor, Mich. — Dec. 26; 9 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Cloudy; snowing all day; 2 in. of
snow; wind east, light; temp. 26° to 30°. Observers together. Bob- white, 2; Marsh
Hawk, I (male) ; Long-eared Owl, i (two have been seen repeatedly in the same evergreen
thicket for several weeks); Hairy Woodpecker, 4; Downy Woodpecker, 5; Flicker, i;

22 Bird -Lore

Jilue Ju}-, 4; Crow, 2; Tree Sparrow, s^', Junco, 45; Sonj; Spiirrow, i; Cardinal, 8; Urown
Creeper, i; White-breasted Nuthatch, 5; Chickadee, 27. Total, 15 species, 139 in-
dividuals. — JossELYN Van Tyne and Claude Van Tyxe.

Madison, Wis. — Dec. 27; 8 a.m. to 5.45 p.m. Sunshine and partl}^ cloudy; 6 in. of
snow; brisk west wind; temp. 8° to —2°. Eighteen miles on foot; marshes, fields and
woods along three lakes. Belted Kingfisher, i; Hairy Woodpecker, 3; Downy Wood-
pecker, 5; Blue Jay, 8; Crow, 14; Goldfinch, i ; Tree Sparrow, 53; Slate-colored Junco, ^i;
Brown Creeper, 8; White-breasted Nuthatch, 4; Chickadee, 20. Total, 11 species, 150
individuals. The Belted Kingfisher was seen along an unfrozen spring run at a distance
of 30 feet. — S. Paul Jones.

Hartland, Wis. — Dec. 27; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Clear; 7 in. of snow; strong northwest
wind; temp. 4°, at start and at return 0°. Pedometer registered 11 miles. Along wooded
lake-shores and country roads. Hairy Woodpecker, 3; Downy Woodpecker, 5; Blue Jay,
5; Crow, 7; Puri)le Finch, i; Pine Siskin, iso-f- (i flock); Tree Sparrow, 8; Slate-colored
Junco, 18; llrown Creeper, 3; White-breasted Nuthatch, 5; Chickadee, 8; Golden-
crowned Kinglet, 4. Total, 12 species, 217 individuals. Kinglets have been rather com-
mon in this locality for several weeks. — Susie L. Simonds.

Lauderdale Lakes near Elkhorn, Wis. — Dec. 26; 9.20 to 11.20 a.m., 1.20 to 3.20 p.m.
Cloudy; 4 in. of snow; wind southeast, light; temp. 26° at start, 30° at return. About
8 miles on foot. Observers together. Wilson's Snipe, i; Marsh Hawk, i; Hairy Wood-
pecker, i; Downy Woodpecker, 5; American Crow, 20; Tree Sparrow, 100 (approx.);
Slate-colored Junco, 20; Song Sparrow, i ; Brown Creeper, i ; White-breasted Nuthatch, 5 ;
Black-capped Chickadee, 5. Total, 11 species, 160 individuals. A Northern Shrike was
observed Dec. 24 and two Goldfinches Dec. 22. — Lila Dunbar and Robert Dunbar,

Jr.

Minneapolis, Minn. — Dec. 22; 8 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Cloudy; snowing lightly; 6 in.
snow; wind northwest, moderate; temp. 21° at start, 25° at return. About 8 miles on
foot along the east bank of the Mississippi River and nearby fields and woods. Screech
Owl (seen at 5 p.m.), i; Hairy Woodpecker, 8; Downy Woodpecker, 4; Blue Jay, 6;
Redpoll, i; White-breasted Nuthatch, 10; Black-capped Chickadee, 2; Bluebird, i.
Total, 8 species, ;i;i individuals. The Bluebird is an unusual winter record for Minnesota.
.\s this bird has been seen every day for about two weeks, there is no doubt as to its
identification.^LAWRENCE Zeleny.

Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnehaha Falls and Lake Nokomisj. — Dec. 27; 9.30 a.m. to
1 P.M. Fair; S in. of snow; wind west, medium; tem]>. — S° to 0°. Distance covered, 5
miles; observers together. Hairy Woodpecker, i; Blue Jay, 2; Tree Sparrow, 5; Brown
Creeper, 3; White-breasted Nuthatch, 4; Chickadee, 2. Total, 6 species, 17 individuals. —
Burton Thayer and Charles Phillips.

Youngstown, Ohio.— Dec. 25; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Partly cloudy; ground bare; temp.
12° to 22°; light southwest wind. Distance walked, about 15 miles. Bob-white, 15;
Red-tailed Hawk, 2; Sparrow Hawk, i; Barred Owl, 2; Screech Owl, i; Belted Kingfisher,
i; Hairy Woodpecker, 14; Downy Woodpecker, 52; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 4; Flicker,
2; Blue Jay, 24; Crow, 3; Meadowlark, 9; Goldfinch, i; Tree Sparrow, 295; Slate-colored
Junco, 98; Song Sparrow, 18; Cardinal, 34; Winter Wren, 5; Brown Creeper, 12; White-
breasted Nuthatch, 72; Tufted Titmouse, 55; Black-capped Chickadee, 124; Golden-
crowned Kinglet, 37; Robin, i. Total, 25 species, 882 individuals. — Geo. L. Fordyce,
C. .\. Li;i;i)V, Fvw C. Dressel, H. W. Weisgerber, and Willis H. Warner.

Painesville, Ohio. — Dec. 26; 4 hours. Cloudy; snow flurries; brisk southwest wind;
temp. 28° to 32°. Birds very scarce and diflicult to locate. Si.x-mile walk and return.
Herring Gull, 25; Bonaparte Gull, 300+; Merganser, 2; Black Duck, 2; Kingfisher, i;
Red-shouldered Hawk, i; Downy Woodpecker, 2; Blue Jay, 4; Red-winged Blackbird
{forh's?}, 1; Bronzed Grackle, i; Snow Bunting, i; Tree Sparrow, 15; Slate-colored

Bird-Lore's Twenty-first Christmas Census 23

Junco, 5; Cardinal, 2; White-breasted Xuthatcli, 2; Chickadee, 4. Total, 16 species,
368+ individuals. — E. A. Doolittle.

Lakewood (Cleveland) Ohio. — Dec. 25; 8.15 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Cloudy till 10 o'clock,
then clear; no snow except in timber and shaded parts of river valley; southwest wind,
8-mile velocity at start, 3-mile velocity at return; temp. 15° at start, 22° at return.
About 14 miles on foot along shore of Lake Erie west of Rocky River, also up Rocky
River Valley. Herring Gull, 29; Bonaparte (?) Gull [accompanying sketch of wing
pattern is diagnostic of this species. — Ed.], 205; Pintail, 6; Red-head, 3; Canvasback (?)
25 (2 flocks flying low over lake); American Golden-eye, 3; Bob-white, i; Red-shouldered
Hawk, i; Sparrow Hawk, i; Downy Woodpecker, 5; Blue Jay, 10; Pine Grosbeak, 1;
(ioldfinch, 6; Tree Sparrow, 23; Slate-colored Junco, 13; Song Sparrow, i; Cardinal, 2;
Brown Creeper, 3; White-breasted Nuthatch, 7; Tufted Titmouse, 2; Chickadee, i.
Total, 22 species, 348 individuals. The Pine Grosbeak was studied with 6X glasses at
40 feet: Robin size, stocky build, slightly forked or Finch-like tail, rose-colored head,
breast and rump, slate-colored belly and large, strong bill. Golden-crowned Kinglet, 2
(Dec. 2i).^H. E. DuER.

Oberlin and vicinity, Ohio. — Dec. 27; 8 a.m. to 3.45 p.m. Cloudy; 2 in. snow; wind
west; slight, increasing to strong; temp. 36° at start, 30° at return. The area included
7 miles north, 5 miles east, 2 miles south, and 2^2 miles west. Observers separate. Bob-
white, 18; Sparrow Hawk, 4; Screech Owl, i; Belted Kingfisher, i; Hairy Woodpecker, 6;
Downy W'oodpecker, 12; Red-bellied Woodpecker, i; Flicker, 2; Blue Jay, 10; Crow, i;
Meadowlark, 4; Goldfinch, i; Tree Sparrow, 96; Junco, 6; Song Sparrow, 4; Cardinal, 15;
W'hite-breasted Nuthatch, 17; Tufted Tit, 16; Chickadee, 8. Total, 19 species, 223
individuals. — Harold C. Jones, Roland W^alker and S. Charles Kendeigh (Cardi-
nal Ornithological Club).

Akron, Ohio. — Dec. 25; 9.30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Clear; wind west, very light; temp. 12°,
rising to 21°. Northwest 6 miles and return. Kingfisher, i; Downy Woodpecker, 3;
American Crow, 7; Tree Sparrow, 74; Song Sparrow, 6; Junco, 40; Cardinal, 4; Brown
Creeper, i; White-breasted Nuthatch, 4; Tufted Titmouse, 5; Chickadee, 12. Total, 11
species, 157 individuals. — Paul A. W^ells.

Huron, Ohio. — Dec. 26; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cloudy and snowing lightl}-; wind south,
light; temp, at start 31°. Observers together in p.m., H. G. Morse alone in a.m. Along
Lake Erie beach and through woods. Horned Grebe, i; Herring Gull, 5; Bonaparte
Gull, 5; Merganser, i; Old Squaw, 2; Sparrow Hawk, i; Hairy Woodpecker, i; Downy
Woodpecker, 5; Northern Flicker, i; Phoebe, i; Blue Jay, i; Crow, i; Bronzed Crackle, 7;
Tree Sparrow, 67; Song Sparrow, 2; Cardinal, 4; White-breasted Nuthatch, i; Tufted
Titmouse, 6; Chickadee, 4; Golden-crowned Kinglet, i. Total, 20 species, 117 individuals.
The Phcebe was watched from a few feet away with good glasses and had the flight and
pumping tail characteristic of the species. Both rear and front view were had. Seemed
to be feeding on the wave wash of the beach. — H. G. Morse, H. Grace Morse and W.
E. Leoxhiser.

Canton, Ohio. — Dec. 27; 8 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Cloudy; ground lightly covered with
snow; wind, very light; temp. 31° to 46°. Ten miles on foot. Observers together.
Sparrow Hawk, i; Downy Woodpecker, 5; Blue Jay, 2; Red-winged Blackbird, 2; Tree
Sparrow, 150; Slate-colored Junco, 100; Song Sparrow, 7; Cardinal, 17; White-breasted
Nuthatch, 3; Tufted Titmouse, 6. Total, 10 species, 293 individuals. — May S. Danner
and Mary King.

Canton, Ohio. — Dec. 25; 8 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Clear; ground bare; wind west, light
temp. 16° to 24°. Eleven-mile walk. Red-shouldered Hawk, 2; Sparrow Hawk, i
Hawk, I (upper parts slate-colored; species undetermined); Hairy Woodpecker, 2
Downy W^oodpecker, 8; Goldfinch, i; Tree Sparrov/, 160; Slate-colored Junco, 18
Song Sparrow, 34; Cardinal, 12; White-breasted Xuthatch, 5; Tufted Titmouse,

24 Bird - Lore

Black-capped Chickadee, 5. Total, 13 species, 255 individuals. — Edward D.

KiMES.

Cadiz, Ohio. — Dec. 25; 9 a.m. to i p.m. Part cloudy; ground bare; wind west, light;
temp, at start 18°, on return 24°. Ten miles by auto and 9 miles on foot. Observers
together most of the time. Bob-white, 36; Ring-necked Pheasant, 3; Red-tailed Hawk,
2; Red-shouldered Hawk {?), i; Sparrow Hawk, 4; Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Downy Wood-
pecker, 8; Red-headed Woodpecker, i; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 6; Flicker, 11; Blue
Ja-Y) 3; Crow, 11; English Starling, 25; Meadowlark, 5; Tree Sparrow, 40; Junco, 75;
Song Sparrow, 20; Cardinal, 16; Cedar Waxwing, 5; White-breasted Nuthatch, 6;
Tufted Titmouse, 10; Chickadee, 5; Robin, i; Bluebird, 30. Total, 24 species, 326
individuals. The Starlings were found in a thicket where there was an abundance of
dogwood berries and gum-berries. They flew to the top of nearby trees at our approach,
and their peculiar notes led us to make as thorough an investigation of their identity
as possible. We used a pair of Zeiss high-powered Austrian army binoculars on them, and
Mr. Worley had previously made their acquaintance while attending Princeton Uni-
versity. — Harry B. McConnell, John Worley and Milton Ronsheim.

Scio, Ohio.— -Dec. 25; 8.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Part cloudy; ground bare and frozen;
wind from the west and very light; temp. 14° morning, 25° noon, and 22° evening.
Distance traveled, 5 miles. Country hilly, overgrown with second growth sapling and
hazel brush and briers. Sparrow Hawk, 2; Screech Owl, i; Hairy Woodpecker, 3;
Downy Woodpecker, 5; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 5; Flicker, 10; Crow, 3; Tree Sparrow,
30; Junco, 25; Song Sparrow, i; Cardinal, 4; White-breasted Nuthatch, 5; Tufted Tit-
mouse, 15; Chickadee, 15; Bluebird, 6. Total, 15 species, 130 individuals. — E. E. Smith.

Freeport, Ohio. — Dec. 25; i.io to 5.20 p.m. Hazy sky; ground bare; moderate
breeze from south and southwest; temp, 31° at start, 33° at finish. Walked about 5 miles
(radius of 2 miles east, south, and west of town). Birds more numerous on east slopes.
Red-tailed Hawk, i; Hairy Woodpecker, i; Downy Woodpecker, 5; Red-bellied Wood-
pecker, i; Crow, 4; Tree Sparrow, 49; Song Sparrow, 12; Junco, 16; Cardinal, 3 males,
6 females; Carolina Wren, i; White-breasted Nuthatch, 2; Tufted Titmouse, 6; Chick-
adee, 5; Bluebird, 2, (gave cheery-cheery flight call). Total, 14 species, 1 14 individuals. —
Lorenzo S. Green.

Hamilton, Ohio. — Dec. 25; 8.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., 2.30 to 4.30 p.m. Partly cloudy;
ground bare; wind southeast, light; temp. 14° at start, 26° at return. Fourteen miles on
foot through open fields and wood patches and 3 miles along river. Mallard Duck, 14;
Bob- white, 9 (i covey); Kingfisher, 2; Hairy Woodpecker, 6; Downy Woodpecker, 10;
Red-bellied Woodpecker, 7; Flicker, 12; Crow, 14; Tree Sparrow, 310-I-; Field Sparrow, 6;
Junco, 172; Song Sparrow, 9; Swamp Sparrow, 32; Cardinal, n; Brown Creeper, 7;
White-breasted Nuthatch, 20; Red-breasted Nuthatch, 3; Tufted Titmouse, 40; Chick-
adee, 62; Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 2. Total, 20 species, 950 individuals. — Frank Har-

BAUM.

Xenia, Ohio. — Dec. 24; 8. a.m. to 3.30 p.m. Clear; ground bare; wind southwest, fresh;
temi). 21° to 30°. Nine miles on foot. Merganser, i; Mallard, 12; Ring-necked Pheasant,
3; Sparrow Hawk, i; Belted Kingfisher, i; Hairy Woodpecker, i; Downy Woodpecker,
9; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 3; Flicker, 7; Crow, 23; Tree Sparrow, 8; Song Sparrow, iS;
Cardinal, 11; Brown Creeper. 3; White-breasted Nuthatch, 3; Tufted Titmouse, 12;
Chickadee, 6; Golden-crowned Kinglet, i. Total, 18 species, 123 individuals. — Helen
Ankeney.

Columbus, Ohio. — Dec. 26; 8 to 11.30 a.m., 12.30 to 4.30 p.m. Steady snowfall all
day, no snow on ground up to 6 a.m., 2>^ in. by evening; moderate wind, south, shifting
to southeast; temp. 28°, 7 a.m.; 33°, 4.30 p.m. Distance covered, 6 miles on foot, 25
miles by automobile. Bob-white, 9; Mourning Dove, T,y, Marsh Hawk. 1 ; Sparrow Hawk,
1; Hail)- Woodpecker, 4; Downy Woodpecker, 12; Flicker, 13; Horned Lark, i; I'rairic

Bird-Lore's Twenty-first Christmas Census 25

Horned Lark, 200 (est.); Blue Jay, 4; Crow, 4; Meadowlark, 8; Goldfinch, i; Tree
Sparrow, i; Junco, 68; Song Sparrow, 19; Cardinals; Brown Creeper, 10; White-breasted
Nuthatch, 11; Tufted Titmouse, 20; Black-capped Chickadee, 2; Golden-crowned
Kinglet, 7. Total, 22 species, 434 individuals. — Edward S. Thomas, accompanied by
Frank Riebel, Bob Black, Edgar Black, and Warren Porter, in a.m., Frank
RiEBEL and John Thomas, in p.m.

Fort Wayne, Ind. — Dec. 26; 8 a.m. to i p.m. Cloudy; i in. of snow; snow-flurries at
intervals; wind light, southeast; temp. 26°. Four miles along river bank and vicinity.
Observers together. Mourning Dove, i; Marsh Hawk, 2; Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Downy
Woodpecker, 5; Flicker, i; Blue Jay, 8; Crow, 4; Rusty Blackbird, i; Bronzed Grackle, i;
Goldfinch, i; Tree Sparrow, 128; Slate-colored Junco, 59; Song Sparrow, 10; Cardinal,
26; Brown Creeper, i; White-breasted Nuthatch, 11; Tufted Titmouse, 8; Black-capped
Chickadee, 12; Robin, i. Total, 19 species, 281 individuals. — -Charles A. Stockbridge,
A. A. Ringwalt, a. K. Mehl, Henry 'Vy. Sepper and Wm. Sihler.

Lafayette, Ind. — Dec. 25; 9 a.m. to i p.m. Partly cloudy; ground bare; wind southeast,
raw, light; temp. 16° at start, 19° at finish. Seven miles on foot, through Happy Hollow
and along Tecumseh Trail north. Observers together. Sparrow Hawk, i; Downy Wood-
pecker, 11; Blue Jay, 4; American Crow, 9; American Goldfinch, 9; Tree Sparrow, 55;
Junco, 80; Song Sparrow, 4; Cardinal, 14; Brown Creeper, 3; Tufted Titmouse, 12;
Chickadee, i. Total, 12 species, 203 individuals. — M. L. Fisher and Paul Aitkenhead.

Roachdale, Ind. — Dec. 25; g a.m. to i p.m. Partly cloudy; ground practically bare;
wind southeast, light; temp. 14° to 18°. Eight miles on foot. Duck (sp. ?), i; Mourning
Dove, 10; Sharp-shinned Hawk, i; Red-tailed Hawk, i; Downy Woodpecker, 6; Red-
bellied Woodpecker, 3; Flicker, 6; Blue Jay, 3; American Crow, 30; Meadowlark, i;
Tree Sparrow, 40; Slate-colored Junco, i; Song Sparrow, 5; Cardinal, 3; Brown Creeper,
3; White-breasted Nuthatch, 3; Tufted Titmouse, 8; Black-capped Chickadee, 20.
Total, 18 species, 145 individuals. — Ward J. Rice.

St. Meinrad, Ind. — 8 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Cloudy; no snow; not windy; temp, about 32°.
Six miles horseback, 3 miles on foot; another trip 3 miles on foot. Country covered,
through creek-bottoms, through large woods, and across high meadows. Killdeer, 3;
Bob-white, 4; Mourning Dove, 2; Red-tailed Hawk, (?) i; Sparrow Hawk, 2; Barred
Owl, i; Hairy Woodpecker, 6; Downy Woodpecker, 3; Flicker, 24; Blue Jay, 3; Crow, 6;
Meadowlark, 46 (i flock); Goldfinch, 8; Tree Sparrow, 11; Slate-colored Junco, 126;
Song Sparrow, 2; Towhee, 2; Cardinal, 7; Carolina Wren, i; Winter Wren, i; Brown
Creeper, 3; Tufted Titmouse, 4; Chickadee, 8; Bluebird, 5. Total, 24 species, 284
individuals. — Claude Lomax, M. D.

Kokomo, Ind. — Dec. 26; 8.45 a.m. to 3.15 p.m. Cloudy; snowed all day; 3 in. of snow;
south wind, light; temp. 29° at start, ^^° at return. Two miles of river bank and vicinity;
to and from woods on bicycle. Bob-white, 9 (i covey) ; Sparrow Hawk, i ; Barred Owl, i ;
Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Downy Woodpecker, 3; Flicker, 4; Prairie Horned Lark, 3;
Blue Jay, 4; Crow, 5; Tree Sparrow, 45; Junco, 40; Song Sparrow, 14; Cardinal, 2;
Brown Creeper, 5; White-breasted Nuthatch, 3; Tufted Titmouse, 12. Total, 16 species,
(about) 153 individuals. — Russell Hubricht.

Chicago, 111. — Dec. 26; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Three in. of snow; snowed slightly all day;
temp, about 30°. North along the Deslaines River from Oak Park to Irving Park
Boulevard, then east to city. Ring-necked Pheasant, 50; Marsh Hawk, i; Hairy Wood-
pecker, 5; Downy Woodpecker, 9; American Crow, 3; American Goldfinch, 8; Tree
Sparrow, 100; Slate-colored Junco, 95; Song Sparrow, 5; Fox Sparrow, i; Cardinal, 5;
Brown Creeper, i; White-breasted Nuthatch, i; Black-capped Chickadee, 12. Total, 14
species, 296 individuals. — Gardner Bates.

Waukegan, 111. — 10.15 a.m. to 3.15 p.m. Cloudy; 3 in. of snow; wind southwest, very
light; temp. 30° at start, 2,^° at return. Ten miles on foot. Observers together. Herring

26 Bird - Lore

Gull, 27; American Merganser, 22; Hairy Woodpecker, i; Downy Woodpecker, 2; Crow,
100; American Goldfinch, 25; Tree Sparrow, 30; Slate-colored Junco, 40; Lincoln's
Sparrow, i; Northern Shrike, i; Chickadee, 2. Total, 11 species, 251 individuals. The
Lincoln's Sparrow was collected. — Parker Blair and Stephen S. Gregory, Jr.

Port Byron, 111. — Dec. 26; 8.30 to 11.30 a.m., 12.15 to 3.30 p.m. Cloudy and hazy;
3 in. of snow; calm in a.m., light north wind in p.m.; temp. 30° to 35°. Twelve miles on
foot. American Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, and American Golden-ej^e, 500;
Bob- white, 12 (i covey); Rough-legged Hawk, i; Great Horned Owl, 2; Hairy Wood-
pecker, 7; Downy Woodpecker. 23; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 9; Prairie Horned Lark, 12;
Blue Jay, 6; Crow, 15; Tree Sparrow, 45; Slate-colored Junco, 75; Brown Creeper, 2;
White-breasted Nuthatch, 9; Tufted Titmouse, 2; Black-capped Chickadee, 30. Total,
18 species, (about) 750 individuals. — Johx J. Schafkr.

Winthrop, Iowa (Pierce farm and vicinity, along Buffalo Creek to Speese Pond and
return). — Dec. 2^; 12 m. to 4 p.m. Clear; ground covered with 2 to 4 inches of ice-
encrusted snow, making walking hard and very noisy; trees and bushes covered with
frozen sleet; creek frozen C}uite solidly with occasional open places; wind northwest,
strong; temp. 10° at start and also at return. About 3 miles on foot. Bob-white, 3;
Mourning Dove, 2 (these birds, which I have never before seen here in winter, are stay-
ing near a corn-fodder stack back of our barn); American Rough-legged Hawk, i;
Belted Kingfisher, i (this bird is staying in this vicinity, for it has been heard 'rattling'
at intervals for several months) ; Hairy Woodpecker, i ; .\merican Crow, a mammoth flock,
which I estimated at 300, was seen in a cornfield — I counted 181 Crows at other points
in my tramp; Tree Sparrow, 14; Slate-colored Junco, i; Brown Creeper, i; White-
breasted Nuthatch, 6; Tufted Titmouse, i; Black-capped Chickadee, 8. Total, 12
species, (about) 520 individuals. .\ Barred Owl was seen here Dec. 13. — Fred J. Pierce.

Bettendorf, Iowa. (Credit Island Park, Davenport, and along Mississippi River and
Duck Creek). — Dec. 26; 9 a.m. to 12.50 p.m., 2.15 to 4.30 p.m. Cloudy, rather hazy most
of morning; 4 in. of snow; ice in creek and river almost frozen over; wind light, north-
west, increasing during day; temp. 26° at start, 22° at return. Eight miles on foot.
Loon, i; Herring Gull, 23; American and Red-breasted Mergansers, 50-I-; American
Golden-eye, i; Cooper's (?) Hawk, i; Rough-legged (?) Hawk, i; Hairy Woodpecker, 4;
Downy Woodpecker, 26; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 5; Northern Flicker, i; Blue Jay, 9;
Crow, 26; Red-winged Blackbird, 14; White-throated Sparrow, i (with flock of Tree
Sparrows); Tree Sparrows, 325 + ; Junco, 23; Song Sparrow, 4; Cardinal, 8; Brown
Creeper, 11; White-breasted Nuthatch, 12; Tufted Titmouse, 15; Chickadee, 20. Total,
23 species, 581+ individuals. Saw a flock of 16 birds flying over which I took to be
Prairie Horned Larks. — Hugo H. Schroder.

Sioux City, Iowa.— Dec. 26; Riverside Park and return; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; si.\
miles on foot; one observer. Perry Creek Road and return; 2 to 5 p.m.; five miles
on foot; two observers. Morningside; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; one observer. Clear; deep snow;
strong northwest wind; tcmj)., 9 a.m., 15°, 3 p.m., 8°. Cooper's Hawk, i; Screech Owl, 2;
Hairy Woodpecker, 3; Downy Woodpecker, 6; Northern Flicker, i; Blue Jay, 6; .\merican
Crow, 5; Purple Finch, 3 (i in mature male plumage); Tree Sparrow, 37; Slate-colored
Junco, 2; Song Sparrow, i; Cardinal, 6; Brown Creeper, i; White-breasted Nuthatch, 3;
Black-capped Chickadee, 33. Total, 15 species, no individuals. — A. V. .\llen, W. J.
Hayward, V. C. BoNESTEEL and Mrs. Frank Marshall.

Bardstown, Ky. (west, south, and southeast of town). — Dec. 24; 8.15 a.m. to 3.30
P.M. Cloudy at start, after 1 1 o'cloi k i)artly clear; ground bare, hard at start, thawing
about noon; wind southwest, light; temp. 20° at start, 26° at return, .\bout 12 miles on
foot. Ducks, 25 (i flock, flying high); Wilson's Snipe, i; Killdeer, 10; Sparrow Hawk, i;
Belted Kingfisher, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 3; Downy Woodpecker, 17; Red-bellied Wood-
pecker, 8; Flicker, 5; Prairie Horned Lark, 9; Crow, 56; Tree Sparrow, 20; Field S[)arrow,

Bird-Lore's Twenty-first Christmas Census 27

10; Slate-colored J unco, 435; Sons Sparrow, 49; Towhce, 11; Cardinal, 51; Cedar Wax-
wing, 55; Myrtle Warbler, 9; Palm Warbler, i; Mockingbird, 4; Carolina Wren, 8;
Bewick's Wren, 2; Winter Wren, 2; White-breasted Nuthatch, 2; Tufted Titmouse, 72;
Carolina Chickadee, 71; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 3; Bluebird, 29. Total, 29 species,
(about) 970 individuals. The Palm Warbler seen at close range as it took wing; green-
ish yellow rump and white tips to outer tail feathers plainly seen. On Dec. 23, three of
these Warblers were seen at the same place, and were studied at a distance of about
10 feet for a period of ten minutes. Besides the characteristic markings, the continual
tilting of the tail and a (listinguishahle cJiip, identified these birds. — Ben. J. Blixcok.

Bowling Green, Ky. (Smith's Woods, and along Big Barren River and Jennings
Creek). — Dec. 24; 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thick, cloudy until noon, broken clouds after noon;
ground bare; light northwest wind; temp. 25° to 35°. About 15 miles on foot. Observers
together. Mallard, 4; Mourning Dove, 10; Black Vulture, 20 (all seen near the slaughter-
house on Jennings Creek) ; Marsh Hawk, i ; Sharp-shinned Hawk, i ; Hairy Woodpecker,
5; Southern Downy Woodpecker, 25; Red-bjllied Woodpecker, 11; Flicker, 16; Blue Jay,
17; American Crow, 450 (a good-sized flock at a roost near town); ^leadowlark, 115
(100 in one flock); Purple Finch, 13 (rare this winter); American Goldfinch, 25; White-
crowned Sparrow, 75; White-throated Sparrow, 36; Tree Sparrow, 63; Chipping Sparrow,
3; Slate-colored Junco, 255; Song Sparrow, 57; Lincoln's Sparrow, 5; Towhee, 24; Cardi-
nal, 60; Cedar Waxwing, 5; Myrtle Warbler, 23; Mockingbird, 14; Carolina Wren, i;
Bewick's Wren, 3; Brown Creeper, 4; White-breasted Nuthatch, i; Tufted Titmouse, 97;
Carolina Chickadee, 68; Bluebird, 35. Total, t,t, species, 1,552 individuals. Species
wintering here seen Dec. 18: Broad- winged Hawk, i; Sparrow Hawk, i; Prairie Horned
Lark, flock of 25 to 30. Dec. 25: Killdeer, i. — L. Y. L.a.xc.a.ster and Gordon Wilson.

St. Louis, Mo. (Creve Coeur Lake). — Dec. 26; 9.45 a.m. to 3 p.m. Heavy snowstorm;
light wind in the north; temp. 30° to 38°. Hairy Woodpecker, 10; Downy Woodpecker,
10; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 3; Flicker, 18; Blue Jay, 2; Crow, 2; Slate-colored Junco, 2;
Song Sparrow, 3; Cardinal, 12; Carolina Wren, 2; White-breasted Nuthatch, 4; Tufted
Titmouse, 15; Chickadee, 3; Bluebird, 8. Total, 14 species, 94 individuals (in an area of
I square mile). — R. J. Terry and E. H. Christie (St. Louis Bird Club).

Kansas City, Mo. (heights north of Independence, mouth of Blue River region,
Country Club district, Marlborough region. Upper Blue Valley, 63rd Street and state
line region, Shilo Hollow and Swope Park, Upper Brush Creek Valley). — Dec. 19;
Cloudy; sharp north wind; temp, from 23° to 28°. Seven parties in as many different
regions from three to eight hours. Bob- white, 17; Marsh Hawk, i; Cooper's Hawk, 2;
Red-tailed Hawk, 3; Sparrow Hawk, 2; Short-eared Owl, 3; Screech Owl, 2; Belted King-
fisher, i; Hairy Woodpecker, 28; Downy Woodpecker, 95; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 12;
Flicker, 11; Prairie Horned Lark, 5; Blue Jay, 31; Crow, 92; Red-winged Blackbird, 5;
Bronzed Crackle, i; Purple Finch, 2; Goldfinch, 154; Pine Siskin, 2; Harris's Sparrow, 3;
Tree Sparrow, 675; Field Sparrow, 2; Slate-colored Junco, 534; Song Sparrow, 59; Fox
Sparrow, 5; Cardinal, 141; Carolina Wren, 12; Winter Wren, 2; Brown Creeper, 10;
White-breasted Nuthatch, 6; Tufted Titmouse, 120; Chickadee, 246; Robin, 2; Bluebird,
2. Total. 35 species, 2,288 individuals. — B. F. Bolt, Isabella Clark, Walter Cun-
ningham, Mrs. T. F. English, Katherine Hines, Wm. C. Michaels, Eldon Mich.aels,
Mary Robinson, Mrs. T. C. Sherwood, Prof. .\. E. Shirling, Dix Teachenor,
Charles W. Tindall, Donald Ti.ndall and Harry Harris (Burroughs Nature Club).

Marionville, Mo. — Dec. 27; 8 a.m. to i p.m., and 1.30 to 5.30 p.m. Clear, i or 2 in.
of snow; slow northwest wind; temp. 10° to 20°. Distance covered, approximately 18
miles on foot (in diameter 6 miles). Bob- white, 25; ^Mourning Dove, 2; Cooper's Hawk, i ;
Screech Owl, 2; Kingfisher, 3; Hairy Woodpecker, 3; Downy Woodpecker, 20; Red-
bellied Woodpecker, i ; Flicker, 3; Prairie Horned Lark, 100; Blue Jay, 35; Crow, 2,ooo-|-;
Meadowlark, 4; .American Cioldfinch, 50; Tree Sjiarrow, 175; Field Sparrow, 20; Slate-

28 Bird - Lore

colored Junco, easily 500; Song Sparrow, 100; Cardinal, 25; Loggerhead Shrike, i;
Mockingbird, i; White-breasted Nuthatch, 5; Tufted Titmouse, 45; Chickadee. 60;
Bluebird, 10. Total, 25 species, 3,190+ individuals. — Johnson' Neff.

Conway, Mo. — Dec. 26; 1.15 to 4.30 p.m. Snowing; wind light; temp. 32° at start,
27° at return. A 6-mile loop on foot. Observers together. Bob-white, 30; American
Rough-legged Hawk (black phase), i; Hairy Woodpecker, 3; Downy Woodpecker, 4;
Red-headed Woodpecker, 2; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 4; Prairie Horned Lark, 18;
Blue Jay, 10; American Crow, 8; Meadowlark, 75; Purple Finch, 8; American Goldfinch,
50; Tree Sparrow, 300; Slate-colored Junco, 65; Song Sparrow, 4; Cardinal, 7; Migrant
Shrike, i; White-breasted Nuthatch, 2; Tufted Titmouse, 8; Carolina Chickadee, 12.
Total, 20 species, 579 individuals. Dec. 27: Mourning Dove, 3; Mockingbird, 2. —
Wm. Spencer Log.\n and I'kewitt Roberts.

Fayetteville, Ark. (south to White River, also city park north of town). — Dec. 29;
12.30 to 4.30 P.M. Clear; ground bare and unfrozen; wind southwest, strong; temp; 55°.
Covered 7 miles of pasture, wood and brush lands. Wilson's Snipe, i; Bob- white, 25;
Red-tailed Hawk, 6; American Sparrow Hawk, 2; Downy Woodpecker, 2; Red-bellied
Woodpecker, 3; Blue Jay, i; Crow, 20; Red-winged Blackbird, i; Meadowlark, 56;
Purple Finch, i; Vesper Sparrow, 10; Junco, 50; Song Sparrow, 3; Fox Sparrow, i;
Towhee, 5; Cardinal, 30; Migrant Shrike, 2; Mockingbird, 2; Carolina Wren, 2; Tufted
Titmouse, 2; Carolina Chickadee, 8; Bluebird, 14. Total, 23 species, 247 individuals. —
T. L. B.\tes, Raymond Davis, Ross .'X.shcraft and Albert Lano.

Bismarck, N. D. (Hay Creek to Burnt Creek). — Dec. 25; i to 5 p.m. Cloudy; 3 in. of
snow; wind northwest, light. About 12 miles on foot. Prairie Sharp-tailed Grouse, 4;
Northern Hairy Woodpecker, 5; Downy Woodpecker, i; Northern Flicker, i; Hoyt's
Horned Lark, 20; Magpie, 35; Brown Creeper, 3; Chickadee, 12. Total, 8 species, 81
individuals. — Russell Reid.

Charlson, N. D. — Dec. 25; 8.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Partly cloudy; ground snow-covered;
northwest wind, blizzardy; temp, at start — 1°. Prairie Sharp-tailed Grouse, 10; Horned
Lark, 40; Magpie, 4; Long-tailed Chickadee, 2. Total, 4 species, 56 individuals. —
.\drian Larson.

Yankton, S. D. — Dec. 28; 7.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fair; about i ft. of snow; light south
wind; temp. 25°. In the field from 10.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m.; remainder of time around
home. Distance covered during walk about 5 miles. Observers together. Screech Owl, i ;
Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Downy Woodpecker, 12; Flicker, 4; Blue Jay, 8; Crow, 10;
Tree Sparrow, 20; Cardinal, 2; Chickadee, 35. Total, 9 species, 94 individuals. — A. P.
Larrabee, p. J. Larrabee, D. Stuelpnagel and R. Gilreath.

Lennox, S. D. ( and vicinity). — Dec. 25; 10.30 a.m. to i p.m. Partly cloudy; 12 in.
of snow on level; wind south, light; temp, about 30°. About 6 miles on foot. Downy
Woodpecker, 2; Crow, 28; Tree Sparrow, 2; White-breasted Nuthatch, 2; Chickadee, 5;
Screech Owl, i. Total, 6 species, 40 individuals. Most of these seen at feeding-station.
Practically all ground-feeding species driven out by snow covering ground. — W. H.
Mallorv.

Fremont, Neb. (cemetery, Hormel's Island, and surrounding country). — Dec. 25;
8.30 a.m. to 2 p..\i. Cloudy; 4 in. of snow (light llurry of snow); scarcely any wind; temp.
35° at start, 42° at return. Ten miles on foot. Screech Owl, i; Hairy Woodpecker, 7;
Downy Woodpecker, 9; Northern Flicker, 3; Red-shafted Flicker, i; Blue Jay, 3; Crow,
19; Pine Siskin, 6; Tree Sparrow, 22; Slate-colored Junco, 12; Cardinal, 3; Brown Creeper,
3; White-breasted Nuthatch, 5; Chickadee, 28; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 4; Robin, i.
Total, 16 species, 126 individuals. — Lily Ruegg Button.

Coolidge, Kans. (Riverside Farm). — Dec. 26; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Overcast; light skift
of snow; wind north, nutliiiin; temp, about 10°. Ring-i)illed Gull, 1; .Mallard, 1,200;
Green-winged Teal, 5; Pintail, i; Mob-white, 12; Prairie Chicken, (>; Mourning Dove, i;

Bird-Lore's Twenty-first Christmas Census 29

Marsh Hawk, i; Closhawk, i; Golden Eagle, i; Sparrow Hawk, i; Screech Owl, i;
Great Horned Owl, 2; Hairy Woodpecker, j; Red-shafted Flicker, 8; Horned Lark, 150;
IMagpie, 16; Red-winged Blackbird, 17; Meadowlark, 6; Redpoll, 5; Pine Siskin, 2;
Tree Sparrow, 185; Slate-colored Junco, 95; Song Sparrow, 64; Loggerhead Shrike, i.
Total, 25 species, (about) 2,484 individuals. — R. T. Shanstrom.

Topeka, Kans. — Dec. 24; 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., 2 to 3.30 p.m. Clear; ground bare;
light south wind; temp. 9° to 23°. Seven miles. Observers together. Downy Woodpecker,
5; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, i; Red-bellied Woodpecker, i; Northern Flicker, i; Blue
Jay, 2; Crow, 5; Goldfinch, 7; Longspur (sp. ?), i ; Harris's Sparrow, 4; Tree Sparrow, 150;
Junco, 125; Song Sparrow, 4; Cardinal, 12; Carolina Wren, i; Brown Creeper, 3; Tufted
Titmouse, 2; Chickadee, 16. Total, 17 species, 340 individuals. Dec. 23: Screech Owl. —
Russell Howard and Sidney Hyde.

Wichita, Kans. — Dec. 24; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Clear; no snow; strong southeast breeze;
temp. 6° to 22°. Five miles along Gypsum Creek south of Wichita and some of interven-
ing country. Observers not together. Sharp-shinned Hawk, 2; (unidentified) Hawks, 2;
Downy Woodpecker, 3; Red-bellied Woodpecker, i; Flicker, 2; American Crow, 20;
Goldfinch, i; Harris's Sparrow, i; Tree Sparrow, 200; Slate-colored Junco, 68; Cardinal,
13; Brown Creeper, i; Black-capped Chickadee, 13. Total, 13 species, (about) 331
individuals. — Leroy Snyder and Francis Miller.

Norman, Okla. — Dec. 26; 8.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cloudy; ground bare; wind north,
moderate; temp. 30° at start, 37° at return. Eleven miles on foot. Canada Goose, 12;
Marsh Hawk, i ; Western Red-tail, i ; American Rough-legged Hawk, i ; Sparrow Hawk, i ;
Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Downy Woodpecker, 3; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 2; Red-bellied
Woodpecker, 6; Flicker, 20; Red-shafted Flicker, 2; Blue Jay, 3; Crow, 11; Red-winged
Blackbird, 90; Western Meadowlark, 52; Brewer Blackbird, 10; Goldfinch, 40; Harris's
Sparrow, 245; Tree Sparrow, 45; Field Sparrow, 52; Junco, 25; Song Sparrow, 30; Fox
Sparrow, 2; Arctic Towhee, 4; Cardinal, 62; White-rumped Shrike, i; Mockingbird, i;
Carolina Wren, 2; Texas Wren, 3; Tufted Titmouse, 29; Plumbeous Chickadee, 37;
Bluebird, 18. Total, ^2 species and (about) 800 individuals. — Margaret M. Nice.

Yellowstone Park, Wyo. — Dec. 23; 8.30 a.m. to 4.45 p.m. Clear; snow at north
boundary i in., at Undine 5 ins.; wind, none; temp. 0° at start, 18° at noon, 12° at end.
Twenty-two miles on horseback. From north boundary of the park, altitude 5,300 feet,
up the Gardiner, south and east, to Undine Falls, altitude 6,500 feet and return. American
Merganser, i; Mallard, 85; Green -winged Teal, 5; American Golden-eye, 8; Wilson's
Snipe, i; Kingfisher, i; Black-billed Magpie, 21; Raven, 2; Clark's Nutcracker, 4;
Gray-crowned Rosy Finch, 351; Hepburn's Rosy Finch, 501; Black Rosy Finch, 151;
Mountain Song Sparrow, 3; Dipper (Water Ousel), 59; Townsend's Solitaire, 3. Total,
15 species, 1,196 individuals. The unusual features of this list, such as large number of
Ducks and Dippers, and the presence of Wilson's Snipe and Kingfisher, and probably
also the Townsend's Solitaires and Song Sparrows, are due to the fact that the Gardiner
River receives a large quantity of warm water from Mammoth Hot Springs, about 5
miles above the north boundary, and that from this point down the water never freezes
and water vegetation grows all winter long. — M. P. Skinner, Park Naturalist.

Boulder, Colo. — Dec. 19; 7.45 a.m. to 5.20 p.m. Partly cloudy; snow in patches;
light south winds; temp. 17° to 23°. Observers together. Nineteen miles on foot,
south to Bear Canon; east to Base Line Lake, and return by North Boulder Creek.
Lakes frozen over. American Coot, 2 (dead); Dusky Grouse, 6; Ring-necked Pheasant,
10; American Rough-legged Hawk, i; Rocky Mountain Hairy Woodpecker, 3; Red-
shafted Flicker, 10; Desert Horned Lark, i; Black-billed Magpie, 100; Long-crested
Jay, 6 ; Rocky Mountain Jay, 2 ; Nutcracker, i ; Brewer's Blackbird, 66 ; (identified by the
solid black coat and small size at a distance of 30 feet); Gambel's Sparrow, i; Western
Tree Sparrow, i; Pink-sided Junco, 8; Mountain Song Sparrow, 12; Plumbeous Vireo, 3

so Bird - Lore

(idcntit'icd by the gray upjierparts, white thrcxit and orbital ring and wing bars, and
olive-gray flanks); Long-tailed Chickadee, i; Western Robin, ii6. Total. 19 species
351 individuals. — -Leslie Daxiels and Theodore F. Beard.

Boulder, Colo. — D:;c. 22; 9.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Cloudy; 8 in. of snow; wind southeast
in A.M., west in p..\i., very light; temp. 18° at start, 10" at return. Ten miles on foot
along foothills, mesas, mouths of canons and plains. Observers together. Dusky Grouse,
2; Ring-necked Pheasant, 6; Rocky Mountain Hairy Woodpecker, i; Red-shafted
Woodpecker, 19; Magpie, 68; Long-crested Jay, 88; Western Meadowlark, 3; Slate-
colored Junco, 10; Shufcldt's Junco, 30; Pink-sided Junco, 40; Gray-headed Junco, 10;
.\rctic Towhee, i; Mountain Chickadee, 5; Townsend's Solitaire, 10; Western Robin,
flock of about 150. Total, 15 species, (about) 443 individuals. — Bess R. Green and
Hdxa Johxsox.

Denver, Colo. — Dec. 25; Q.30 to 11.30 a.m., 2.30 to 5 p.m. Partly cloudy; 4 in. snow;
wind southwest in a.m., east in p.m.; temp. 12° at 8 a.m., 25° at 5 p.m. Two hours afoot,
and two and one-half hours by motor. Ring-necked Pheasant, 28; American Rough-
legged Hawk, i; Lewis's Woodpecker, i; Orange-shafted Flicker, 5; Horned Lark, 36;
Magpie, 123; Red-\yinged Blackbird, 160; House Finch, 3; Tree Sparrow, i ; Song Sparrow,
3; Montana Junco, i; Great Xorthern Shrike, i. Total, 12 species, 363 individuals. —
W. H. Bekgtold.

Paonia, Colo. — Dec. 25; 12.30 to 4 p.m. Cloudy; snowing a little; 8 in. of snow; wind
southwest, light; temp. 24° at start, 20° at return. Five miles on foot. California Quail,
11; Harris's Woodpecker, i; Gilded Flicker, 8; .\merican Raven, 2; Pinon Jay, 6;
Willow Goldfinch, 21; Gray-headed Junco, 46; Shumagin Fox Sparrow, 5; Oregon
Towhee, 3; Northern Shrike, i; Oregon Chickadee, 2; Townsend's Solitaire, 2; Western
Robin, 68. Total, 13 species, (about) 176 individuals. — Barnard Van Deren

Seattle, Wash. — Dec. 20; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Misty and overcast, rain in morning;
ground bare; slight wind, southeast and east; average temp. 44°. Parties hunting in
groups as indicated; southwest shore Lake Washington, Mrs. C. C. Crickmore and Dr.
J. D. Terr)'; Lake Forest Park, Mrs. T. T. Leman; Burroughs Landing, Misses L.
McMonagle and K. Bryan; Lake Union and Union Bay Shores, C. Richie and G. W.
Parker; Interbay and Queen .Anne Hill, L. DeLong; Renton Slough. F. W. Cook;
University Campus, Mrs. S. M. Kane and Mrs. M. Schuler; Kirkland, M. I. and C. N.
Compton. Western Grebe, 17; Horned Grebe, 12; Hcfilbell's Grebe, 3; Pied-billed Grebe,
4; Glaucous-winged Gull, 1,143; California Gull, 32; Herring Gull, 42; Western Gull, 70;
Red-breasted Merganser, 3; Mallard, 60; Green-winged Teal, 224; Shoveler, 99; Pin-
tail, 22; Can\asback, 5; Scaup Duck, 254; Bufflehead, 95; Old Squaw, 8; Ruddy Duck.
19; Northwest Coast Heron, 4; Coot, 649; Wilson's Snipe, 28; Ruffed Grouse, 12;
California Quail, 225; Ring-necked Pheasant, 7; Cooper's Hawk, i; Sharp-shinned
Hawk, 3; Owl (?), 3; Northwest Kingfisher, 5; Gairdner's Woodpecker, i; Harris's
Woodpecker, i; Northwest Flicker, 53; Steller Jay, 39; Western Crow, 211; Northwest
Redwing, i; Brewer's Blackbird, 52; Western Meadowlark, 4; Western Evening Gros-
beak, i; California Purple Finch, 46; Willow (ioldfinch. 1,314; Pine Siskin, 1,453;
Shufeldt's Junco, 387; Rusty Song Sparrow, 159; Fo.x Sparrow, 51; Oregon Towhee, 66;
Cedar Waxwing, 196; Anthony's Vireo, 4; .\udubon Warbler, 2; Seattle Wren. 20;
Western Winter Wren, 35; Tule Wren, 7; Tawny Creeper, 5; Oregon Chickadee, 106;
Chestnut-backed Chickadee, 11; Western Golden-crowned Kinglet, 79; Ruby-crowned
Kinglet, 9; Western Robin, 868; Varied Thrush, 46. Total, 57 species. 8,285 individuals.
A notable feature of this trip was that the birds were found congregated in small areas
with a large part of the field practically deserted. — Skatti.k .Vidihon Society, M. i.
Compton, P reside 11 1.

Portland, Ore. (Portland Heights, Reed College, Mt. Tabor, and Columbia Slough).
— Dec. 26; 9.30 A.M. to 4.30 P.M. Heavy rain and fog all day; light souliuMslerly wind;

Bird-Lore's Twenty-first Christmas Census 31

temp, about 42°. HolbiX-ll's Clrcbc, 4; Picd-l)illcd (irebo, 3; Hcrrinj; Gull, 7; California
Gull, 50; Ring-billed Gull, 4; Hooded Merganser, i; Ealdpate, 3; Bufflehead, 15; Shoveler,
4; Lesser Scaup, 25; Great Blue Heron, i; Coot, 12; Ring-necked Pheasant, 5; Desert
Sparrow Hawk, i ; Belted Kingfisher, 2; Red-shafted Flicker, 2; Steller's Jay, 3; Crow, 15;
California Purple Finch, 12; Pine Siskin, small Hock; White-crowned Sparrow, i;
Golden-crowned Sparrow, 3; Oregon Junco, 50; Rusty Song Sparrow, 7; Townsend's
Fox Sparrow, i; Oregon Towhee, 9; Oregon Chickadee, 4; Chestnut-backed Chickadee,
lo; Varied Thrush, 5. Total, 29 species, 250 individuals. — W. A. Eliot, W. S. R.vker,
Yvonne J.\rrett and Mary E. R.\ker.

Netarts, Tillamook Co., Ore. — Dec. 25; 8.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cold and rainy; wind
north; temp. 48° to 50°. Horned Grebe, 6; Loon, 3; Cassin's Auklet, i; Ancient Mur-
relet, 1; Glaucous- winged Gull, 60; Western Gull, 40; Pacific Kittiwake, i; Brandt's
Cormorant, 10; Baird's Cormorant, 2; Scaup Duck, i; Golden-eye, 18; BufHehead, 10;
White-winged Scoter, 25; Coot, 5; Black Oyster-catcher, 2; Western Red-tail, i; Bald
Eagle, i; Belted Kingfisher, i; Northwest Flicker, 3; Coast Jay, 2; Raven, i; Pine Siskin
75; Junco (Shufeldt's and Oregon), 50; Rusty Song Sparrow, 4; Sooty Fox Sparrow, 6,
Oregon Towhee, 2; Western Winter Wren, 2; California Creeper, i; Oregon Chickadee, 4;
Coast Wren-tit, 2; Western Golden-crowned Kinglet, 8; Sitka Kinglet, i; Alaska Hermit
Thrush, 2; Varied Thrush, 2; Western Bluebird, 4. Total 35 species, 357 individuals. —
Alex. Walker.

Santa Barbara, Calif, (wharf, Estero, foothills, Hope Lake (fresh water), tide flats at
Goletaj. — Dec. 24; 0.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cloudy with low fog till 3.30 p.m., after that clear;
calm; temp. 40° to 60°. Distance of course 30 miles, largely in automobile. Western
Grebe, 5; Horned Grebe, i; Eared Grebe, 4; Pied-billed Grebe, 4; Loon, 2; Parasitic
Jaeger, i; Glaucous- winged Gull, i; Western Gull, 600; Herring Gull, i; California
Gull, 130; Ring-billed Gull, 25; Short-billed Gull, 8; Heermann's Gull, 7; Bonaparte
Gull, 50; Royal Tern, 10; Farallone Cormorant, 50; Brandt Cormorant, 12; Baird's
Cormorant, 2; California Brown Pelican, 15; Green-winged Teal, i; Cinnamon Teal, 3;
Shoveller, 40; Pintail, 50; Canvasback, 150; Lesser Scaup, 50; BufHehead, 2; White-
winged Scoter, 100; Surf Scoter, 75; Ruddy Duck, 50; Great Blue Heron, 5; Anthony's
Green Heron, i; Sora Rail, i; American Coot, 215; Wilson's Snipe, 4; Least Sandpiper,
10; Sanderling, 25; Western Willet, i; Black-bellied Plover, 2; Killdeer, 5; Snowy
Plover, i; Spotted Sandpiper, 2; California Valley Quail, 225; Mourning Dove, 3;
Turkey Vulture, g; Sharp-shinned Hawk, i; Western Red-tail, 2; Duck Hawk, 4;
Pigeon Hawk, i; Desert Sparrow Hawk, 8; California Pygmy Owl, i (W. L. D.); King-
fisher, 2; Californian Woodpecker, 8; Red-shafted Flicker, 20; Anna's Hummer, 15;
Say's Phoebe, 10; Black Phoebe, 14; California Horned Lark, 2; California Jay, 20;
San Diego Redwing, 2,400; Western Meadowlark, 3; Brewer's Blackbird, 300; California
Purple Finch, i; House Finch, 140; Green-backed Goldfinch, 4; Belding's Sparrow, 5;
Gambel's Sparrow, 200; Golden-crowned Sparrow, 10; Large-billed Sparrow, 3; Thurber's
Junco, 50; Rufous-crowned Sparrow, 5; San Diego Song Sparrow, 40; Mountain Song
Sparrow, 2 (W. L. D.); Lincoln's Sparrow, i; Valdaz's Fox Sparrow, 12; San Diego Tow-
hee, 12; California Towhee, 20; California Shrike, 12; Dusky Warbler, 6; Townsend's
Warbler, 3; Audubon Warbler, 200; Pacific Yellow-throat, 5; Pipit, 20; Western Mock-
ingbird, 4; California Thrasher, 2; Dotted Caiion Wren, i; Western Bewick's Wren, 4;
Western House Wren, 3; Tule Wren, 3; Sierra Creeper, i (H. E. P.); Plain Titmouse,
8; Pallid Wren-tit, 2; California Bush-tit, 12; Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 40; Western
Gnatcatcher, 4; Hermit Thrush, 12; Western Bluebird, 6. Total, 96 species, 5,596 indi-
viduals. Three Egrets were seen daily from Dec. i to Dec. 15. — H. C. Henderson, H.
E. Parmenter and Wm. L. Dawsox.

THE SEASON
XXIII. October 15 to December 15, 1920

Boston Region. — The weather dur-
ing the last two months has been mild,
with an abundant precipitation in the
form of rain and transient, wet snow.
At present, December 15, the ground is
bare and the grass on Lexington Common
is green.

So far this season, the scarcity of country
birds has been remarkable; only a dozen
species were found during two careful
searches over excellent bird-country in
November and December, a condition
indicating that the bird-population has
been reduced to its lowest winter terms.
The migration of Canada Geese was
prominent for a few days about the middle
of November; during the night of
November 23-24 especiall)*, the birds
were heard 'honking' as they pushed south-
ward in a high, blustering wind.

Dr. C. W. Townsend and Mr. C. A.
Robbins have kindly sent me the results
of their observations in localities more
favorable for meeting winter birds than
the counlry about Boston — from Ipswich
and Wareham respectively. Dr. Townsend
reports as common the two Loons, Horned
Grebe, Golden-eye, and Black-backed
Gull, and as abundant the Herring Gull,
Black Duck, and the three Scoters.
Gannets and Double-crested Cormorants,
abundant migrants, were seen last on
November 21. He lists no wintering Song
Sparrows.

Mr. Robbins, referring to the scarcity of
landbirds, remarks that he "never saw
just such conditions," but reports the
arrival in good numbers of Tree Sparrows
and an increase of Goldfinches and Juncos
during the second week of December.

A comparison of these two reports from
stations 60 miles apart brings out the
interesting inference that Myrtle Warblers
moved from the northern to the southern
shore of Cape Cod in mid-November. Dr.
Townsend, at Ipswich, noted a sudden
diminution in their numbers at this time,
while Mr. Robbins observed a marked

influx of the birds to the shores of Buzzard's
Bay.

.\bout our homes, one bird's voice
breaks the silence of early morning. The
Starlings sit on high — on the roofs of our
houses, on church steeples, even on the
gilded ball at the tip of the flag-pole on
Lexington Common — and at dawn squeak,
hiss, and whistle. But by imitating the
Cowbird's whistle, they sometimes give us
a hint of spring. — Winsor M. Tyler,
Lexington, Mass.

New York Region. — The weather
was unusuallj- mild during this period, and
up to the middle of December there were
few nights when the temperature fell
below freezing. There are some reports of
birds lingering beyond the dates on which
they ordinarily depart for the South, but
these are not numerous.

On November 25, a Catbird and a
Yellow Palm Warbler were observed at
Long Beach (Griscom, Janvrin, and
Crosby), and, on December 12, a Bittern
at the same locality (Janvrin and L.
Williams). The writer noted a Catbird at
Garden City, November 7, and a Bittern
was picked up in the streets of Brooklyn
and brought to the Brooklyn Museum
alive, December 13 (R. C. Murphy). Six
Wilson's Snipes are reported from a small
marsh near Poughkeepsie, December 5
(M. S. Crosby).

Some birds which one finds lingering
late in the fall after other members of their
species have moved on to the South seem
to be of purely casual occurrence at such a
late date. The occurrence of the Catbird
in November, however, we hesitate to
attribute merely to chance, although the
last Catbirds are ordinarily not seen after
the middle of the preceding month.
Probably in this species, after the main
migration wave has passed there are other
lesser waves representing so few individuals
that these are ordinarily overlooked.
When, this year, a Catbird was seen on

(.52)

The Season

November 7, the writer thought the bird
likely his latest for the species on Lonj^
Island. Reference to records, however,
showed that he had noted a Catbird on
November 7 some twenty odd years
previous, and, strangely enough, there is a
record for some years' standing for Novem-
ber 25 also, considered a straggler of migra-
tion. The species very rarely winters.

On the whole, the late fall was marked
by an unusual scarcity of bird-life, both as
regards land birds and Ducks, coastwise
and up the Hudson. There have been few
instances of those northern species which
are of uncertain occurrence, few or no
Siskins, almost no Red-breasted Nut-
hatches (a single one of the latter, Decem-
ber 2, Forest Park, Long Island — L. N.
Nichols). Exceptions are a flock of un-
determined Crossbills in Brooklj'n (R. C.
Murphy), a Northern Shrike balancing on
a telegraph wire. Long Beach, November
26 (J. T. N.), and one at West Nyack,
December 11 (R. B. Potter). The Purple
Finch, usually regular in small numbers,
has been practically absent. Pipits, and
later Horned Larks, were apparently more
numerous than usual. A Rough-legged
Hawk at Rhinebeck, December 5, and two
at Cruger's Island, December 12 (M. S.
Crosby) are worth noting, as this Hawk
is much rarer up the Hudson than over the
coastwise marshes near New York City,
where it seems to have been absent this
year. — J. T. Nichols, Neui York City.

Philadelphi.\ Region. — It is seldom
that this region experiences a milder fall
than the one just passed: October 31,
woods still green; evening primrose, aster,
knotwood and white snakeroot still in
bloom. November 20, a bat flying about.
November 21, at Cape May, N. J.,
dragonflies and mosquitos present.
December 4, a thunderstorm of summer-
like proportions. December 12, Seaside
Park, N. J., a butterfly flying about.
Winter has registered only one character-
istic cold snap — November 13 and 14 —
when skim-ice was formed on the ponds.

While the common winter birds are
present in their normal numbers there is

an entire al)scnce of such Inrds as Cross-
bills, Siskins, and Redpolls. The Chick-
adee and Red-breasted Nuthatch seem
to be among the missing also. On the other
hand, the Golden-crowned Kinglet, which
has been comparative!)' uncommon the
past two years, is again here in numbers
(,14 November 28). Tree Sparrows were
first noted December 4, rather late.

Probably the most interesting feature of
the fall has been the great flights of wild-
fowl. Ducks and Geese have been reported
to be unusually abundant on Barnegat
and Delaware Bays and also along the
coast. At Cape May, November 7, long
lines of Ducks were observed streaming
down the coast and out into the bay.
There were hundreds, if not thousands, of
Ducks on the wing and they appeared to be
mostly Scoters. At inland points, Black
Ducks are said to be more abundant than
last year. Two Wood Ducks were noted at
Fish House, N. J., October 31; one at Mt.
Holly, N. J (Mr. N. D. W. Pumyea,
October 24.) A few Canada Geese were
seen November 7 (13 at Cape May).
But the great flight occurred the third
week of the month, November 21 (400
at Cape May) ; the same day 200 at
Atlantic City, N. J. (C. K. Roland). In
all probability this was only a small por-
tion of the birds on the wing and no doubt
the flight was on at least all along the
Jersey coast.

On November 11, here at Camden, a
Barn Owl which flew in one of the windows
of the Temple Building (a moderate-sized
ofifice-building in the center of the city),
was captured by the janitor. .\s usual
in such instances, the local paper came out
with an elaborate description of the bird:
"This 'Jersey Devilbird' has a forked
tongue, like a snake; a face like a monkey;
feet like a chicken; feathers like a Pheasant;
wings like an Eagle. It hisses like a steam
radiator." Wonderful to relate, the
janitor, after keeping the Owl about a week,
let the bird go through fear of a fine. It
is quite probable that a local game warden
warned him about keeping the Owl a
captive.

Other observations that might be

Bird - Lore

mentioned are: Great-horned Owl (found
dead), White-crowned Sparrow, and two
Gannets (?), large birds some distance
out flying about with a lot of Gulls and
plunging into the sea from a distance of
lo to 12 feet with considerable splash (at
Cape May, November 7); at the same
point, November 14, Short-eared Owl and
two Barn Swallows; Laughing Gull near
Ferry at Philadelphia, November 4; 3
Long-eared Owls, first noted in winter
roost November 28.

Through an oversight, a remarkable
flight of Hawks observed at Cape May
October 3 was omitted from last season's
report. During a period of about an hour
the following Raptores were noted:
Marsh Hawk, i; Sharp-shinned Hawk, 10;
Cooper's Hawk, 5; Red-tailed Hawk, i;
Broad- winged Hawk, 60; Sparrow Hawk, 2 ;
Duck Hawk, i ; Fish Hawk, 6; Bald Eagle,
I and in addition about 40 Turkey
\'ultures. — Julian K. Potter, Camden.
X. J.

Washington Region. — The warm
weather of September, 1920, about
Washington extended its influence well
into October, and even November was
mild. On some of the warmer days in the
latter month the birds were active, and
therefore conspicuous in the outskirts of
town as well as in the country, but in
neither October nor November did birds
seem to be unusually numerous, either in
species or individuals.

The warm w-eather, while it produced
thus no marked influence on the bird-life,
apparently induced a few birds to linger
beyond their ordinary time of departure.
This was evident in the case of the Scarlet
Tanager, which ordinarily leaves us about
October 3, but which this year was seen
as late as the 15th of that month; the
Black-poll Warbler, the average date of
departure of which is October 12, and the
very latest record October 26, seen this
year on October 20, 21, and 25; and the
Yellow Palm Warbler, the average date of
departure of which is October 19, which
remained at least until November 8.

Three birds were observed UUer in the

autumn than ever before: The Pied-billed
Grebe, by Ludlow Griscom, near Dyke,
\'a., on November 8, the latest previous
record of which is November 3, 1884; the
Louisiana Water-Thrush, seen near Wash-
ington, by Miss M. J. Pellew on October 4,
the latest previous record of which is
September 30, 19 19; and the Rough-
winged Swallow, obser\-ed along the canal
near Cabin John Bridge on September 11,
as against a previous latest date of
September 5, 1916. The Rough-winged
Swallow record should have been included
in our previous report.

Perhaps the rather unusually warm
weather of October was also the cause of
the singing of a Robin on October 16,
heard by E. A. Preble near Cleveland Park,
although the inducement to sing did not
seem to extend to other species. The Mock-
ingbird, so far as its song was concerned,
seemed to be entirely silent, although its
calls \A'ere heard almost daily in the suburbs
of Washington.

Comparatively few rare birds w'ere
noted during these two months, the most
interesting species being the White-winged
Scoter, a single adult male of which was
seen by Ludlow Griscom near Dyke, Va.,
on November 8. This record is the sixth
of this species for the vicinity of Wash-
ington, and as a matter of interest the
dates of the previous records are here given :
December, 1842; November, i88o;October,
14, 1882; .\pril 18, 1892; and October 28.
1894.

The Herring Ciulls have appeared in
their usual numbers in the Potomac River,
prepared for their winter sojourn. The
Ducks, that for a few years past have been
so conspicuous a feature of the winter
bird-life along the river have begun to
gather below Washington, particularly
from Dyke southward. The species thus
far reported are the Red-breasted Mer-
ganser, Black Duck, Pintail, Greater
Scaup, Lesser Scaup, and White-winged
Scoter, though doubtless other species
have been present as well. There seems to
be no reason to suppose that Ducks will
not be as numerous during the present
winter as thev have in recent vears been at

The Season

this season. — Harry C. Ohekholser,
Biological Survey, Wasliinglon, D. C.

Oberlin (Ohio) Regiox. — The out-
standing feature of the autumn was the
almost uninterrupted mild weather. There
were two light frosts in early October, and
some six inches of snow in the second week
of November, which melted in three days
and was followed by mild weather until
the opening of December. At the present
writing (December 15) the ground is not
frozen and the grass is still green.

This mild weather seemed to have no
effect in holding the mass of the birds in
this region. Of course, many of the water-
birds did remain — are still with us. By
the middle of October, while the trees
still retained most of their leaves, the woods
and fields had assumed nearly their winter
aspect as far as the bird-life is concerned.
Such birds as the Warblers, Sparrows,
Swallows, Thrushes, and the like, had
betaken themselves southward at their
accustomed times, at best leaving only
casual stragglers behind. One may still
find an occasional Towhee, Robin, Grackle,
Hermit Thrush, and even Catbird by
diligent search; but this is not unusual.

Perhaps the most significant fact is that
there are none of the birds from the north
which visit us during the more snowy
winters. The only winter visitants which
are in their usual nur.ibers ire the Tree
Sparrows and Junror

Among the resident birds the Cardinal
seems to have considerably decreased in
numbers, for some unknown reason.
Carolina Wrens have not been found in
six years. The Northern Pileated Wood-
pecker seems to have finally entirely
disappeared from the region. The same is
true of the Ruffed Grouse. Under the
protection of the state law the Bob-white
seems to be increasing slowly. The long
continued snow and severe weather of last
winter did not seem to lessen its numbers.
— Lyxds Jones, Oberlin, Ohio.

Kansas City Region. — The lesser
migrants, especially the Sparrows, passed
through this region with a rush during

early autumn and iia\'c not tarried in
numbers as is usual when food is abundant
and the season mild and open. A few waves
were noted during the last half of October,
notably on the 23d when Sparrows, War-
blers, Kinglets, and other small species
were everywhere, but thirty days later
there was a most unusual dearth of life in
the woods and thickets.

Conflicting reports were received dur-
ing the early weeks of the current period
regarding the numbers of passing Ducks
and Geese. Lake- and marsh-hunters
maintained with enthusiasm that the old-
time abundance had been noted, and a
few have been honest enough to praise the
law that has made this possible, thereby
admitting their error in opposing it so
stoutly. Contrary to this good news there
comes a report from my most trustworthy
source of information on the Missouri
River (Wm. Andrews) that with the excep-
tion of almost unprecedented numbers of
Green- winged Teal during late October the
flight has been subnormal. Conditions
not easy of analysis have operated a
few times in the past to cause a like deser-
tion of the big river during the fall migra-
tion. Andrews' notes show encouraging
numbers of Geese of all species during late
October and early November, but this
conservative observer will not admit that
there has been the least indication of anv
increase in numbers over recent years.

Chief among the species noted late in
October were 15 Lesser Snow Geese on the
24th, and 21 Horned Grebes, 11 White-
fronted Geese, 26 Franklin's Gulls, 30
Hutchins's Geese, 75 Ring-billed Gulls,
300 White Pelicans (very late), great
numbers of large Hawks (sp. ?), and six
species of the commoner Ducks on the
25th.

November opened with every upland
lake and pond black with Mallards,
Pintails, Red-heads (few), Ring-necks,
Scaup, Lesser Scaup and Shovellers, while
on the river were some Gadwall and im-
mense numbers of Green-winged Teal.
On the 7th a party of 5 Golden-eyes were
seen, and on the loth a flock of 14 Buffle-
heads, with a few Mergansers and Hooded

Bird - Lore

Mergansers, were noted, lietween these
dates, 3 Willets, a few Kilklcers, and a small
flock of belated Yellow-legs were present.
During this period also immense numbers
of Rusty Blackbirds and Red-wings were
passing. It is presumed from their notice-
ably dififerent notes that the Red-wings
were of the large Thick-billed race. Be-
tween the nth and 19th the weather was
freezing cold with some snow, and many
flocks of migrating water-fowl were noticed
daily. Prior to the 21st a flock of perhaps
a thousand Pintails rested for three days
on a sand-bar not far below the city. This
sight was reminiscent of other days.

Evidence gathered from all quarters in
this immediate region and from eastern
and central Kansas indicates that the
Ducks came south this fall in greatly
augmented numbers. Needless to say a
heavy toll was taken by an ever-increasing
horde of pump-gunners. — Harry Harris,
Kansas City, Mo.

Minneapolis (Minn.) Region. — The
month of October, this year, was the mild-
est ever recorded here — more like Septem-
ber weather. The average temperature for
the month was 56.4 degrees, 7 degrees above
the normal for the month. On the night of
the 20th a heavy rainstorm was accom-
panied by thunder and lightning, a most
unusual phenomenon in mid-fall. It is
not uncommon to have two or three inches
of snow in October, and the average date
of the first 'killing' frost is the sth. This
year there has been no snow that lay on
the ground, and after the 'cold snap' on the
ist, no temperatures below freezing except
on the mornings of the 27th and 28th,
when the mercury fell to + 27 degrees for
a few hours and a littlci thin ice formed on
shallow water. Roses were in bloom here
and there until well after the middle of the
month. On the 29lh, tamarack swamps
were only just beginning to show yellow
and many willows, apple trees, prickly ash,
and an occasional oak were almost as
green as summertime.

November was a dull, gray month with
raw, cold winds, mostly from the north and
northwest. There were onlv two cloudless

days and nineteen days were wholly dark
and gloomy. The lowest temperature was
-f-Q degrees on the nth and the highest
+ 5S degrees on the 5th. The average
was +33-1, about normal. Only one inch
of snow fell and this did not last. On the
loth and nth all the small lakes froze over
but the larger and deeper ones remained
open and free of ice to December 15th.
The first two weeks of December continued
very mild for the time of year. The lowest
temperature was -|-2i degrees on the
7th, and there was practically no snow on
the ground in this vicinity. It will thus
be seen that the whole fall and the first
two weeks of December have been excep-
tionally 'open' with no settled winter
weather as yet.

As stated, the first destructive frost did
not occur until the night of October 27-28,
and to show how mild it had been up to
that time, it may be of interest to note
that the following flowers were in bloom
in the garden of Mrs. F. W. Commons at
Lake Minnetonka on the 27th: Cosmos,
calendula, petunia, stock, pansies, zinnia,
scabiosa, delphinium, verbena, dahlia.
Dutchman's pipe, and several other varie-
ties.

On October 21 the writer witnessed a
great flight of Purple Martins through the
Minnesota River Valley, ten miles south
of the city. For an hour before sunset the
air from near the ground to a great height
was literally filled with the birds, circling
and fluttering about in all directions, but
maintaining a steady onward course. On
the 22nd a small movement of White-
bellied Swallows was seen in the same
locality, and many large flocks of Crows
were passing southward. A single Green
Heron was seen on this date. On the 26th,
F. W. Commons saw a Hermit Thrush and
reported many CJolden-crowned Kinglets
in migration.

October 28 and 29 there were many
Pied-billed Grebes in Lake Minnetonka.
They were in little parties of two or three
to a dozen or more, feeding along the icy
shore, while out in the open lake they rode
the waves like flocks of Ducks. On the
30th, a White-winged Scoter was shot from

The Season

a flock of five at the Long Meadow Gun
Club. One or two had been killed there
earlier in the season. This is an uncommon
Duck in the eastern part of Minnesota.
About twenty-five Ring-billed Gulls were
seen on the 31st. This Gull has been rather
more common than usual this fall. Three
or four were seen at Lake Minnetonka as
late as December 12. A single Turkey
Buzzard was seen on October 31.

With the freezing of the sloughs and
small lakes on November lo-ii, the sur-
face-feeding Ducks praclically all left this
vicinity. Up to this time the usual flight
of Ring-necks and Scaups had not
occurred, only occasional small flocks
appearing now and then. But it was
reported that on the loth a great south-
ward movement of Ducks took place,
passing along the Minnesota River Valley,
mostly high in the air, flock succeeding
flock for hours. Apparently this mid-
Xovember flight largely passed by this
locality in spite of the open large lakes, and
it was not until the first week of December
that large flocks of diving Ducks appeared
in Lake Minnetonka and elsewhere. On De-
cember 12 the writer made a trip to Lake
Minnetonka to investigate conditions, and
in a limited survey saw many Golden-eyes,
a considerable number of large ^Mergansers
("probably both species), a small flock of
BuflBeheads, a single male Mallard, and
many hundreds, perhaps thousands, of
Ring-necks. But while it is safe to say that
there were thousands and thousands of
Ducks in this great lake, the number
present by no means equaled the vast
concourse that assembled there last year —
in the first half of November, as the lake
froze over much earlier last year.

Down at Heron Lake in the south-
western part of the state, the lake, which
is shallow, froze over in November and
the great body of Ducks left. It then
opened again with the milder weather and
great numbers of Mallards gathered there
and continued to afford good shooting
until the middle of December. .All this
sounds as though Ducks were plentiful, and
so they were at times and in certain places,
but the general consensus of opinions

among hunters and other observers has
been that, on the whole, Ducks have not
been nearly as abundant this fall as they
were last. Various supposed causes have
been offered in explanation — chieflj' the
unusual weather conditions. But it is
probable that last year was an accidentally
e.xceptional season of plenty due to cir-
cumstances farther west that forced east-
ward large numbers of birds that did not be-
long to this area, thus causing an abnormal
abundance in this state and adjacent
territory. If this assumption is correct the
two years are not fairly comparable.

The open season for Ruffed Grouse this
year found the birds wonderfully abun-
dant, and they were killed throughout the
northern part of the state in great numbers.
The long preceding close season had re-
sulted in their being surprisingly tame in
many places, and this made the slaughter-
ing of them an easy matter. One hunter
told me, with some embarrassment, that of
twenty-five Grouse killed he had been
forced to shoot all but three on the ground,
as they would not take wing 1 It remains to
be seen whether the present plan of
alternating open and closed seasons will
suffice to preserve this grand bird.

Reports from all over the state seem to
indicate that the Prairie Chicken, or
Pinnated Grouse, is decidedly on the
increase. If so, it is a pity that it cannot
be given a long period of protection in the
hope that it might become reestablished
again in numbers really worth while.
Even in the southeastern part of the state,
where Prairie Chickens have been practi-
cally extinct for some years past, word has
come of their presence in one or two
localities under conditions indicating that
they bred there last j'ear and will probably
breed the coming year. This is encourag-
ing but nothing short of the most rigid
and continued protection can save a bird
that is so easily killed under modern
hunting conditions.

There have been no reports of winter
visitant birds from this locality as yet. —
Thom.\s S. Roberts, Zoological Museum,
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis,
Minn.

Bird - Lore

Denver Region. — When the writer
reviews his notes and impressions concern-
ing bird-life in this region during the last
two months, he feels as though he had
played the lottery and had drawn a blank.
With the exception of three slight snow-
storms and a spell when the temperature
stayed around eight above for a day or so,
there has been hereabouts an almost
unbroken procession of sunny days. And
this seemed to have meant no bird move-
ment; the absence of snow in our neighbor-
ing foot-hills, along the nearby creeks, and
on the prairies leaves uncovered an
abundant food-supply for the birds.
Consequently they have not been massed
into restricted feeding areas to be found
in the city and its parks. A large influx
of Horned Larks is an invariable aftermath
of a widespread and heavy snowstorm in
this region; they are then to be seen feed-
ing in the streets and park areas where
many places have bare ground after the
storm. After each of the storms since
October 15 last, there has been a slight but
temporary increase of Juncos in Denver,
mostly Pink-sided, and Gray-headed,
though Shufeldt's and Montana were also
detected, and also a single Slate-colored
(November 23).

There have been rather more Great
Northern Shrikes in and about Denver
in the period now reported upon, taking
toll ;jf English Sparrows, and, alas, also
of House Finches. .\ single Sparrow Hawk
was seen near the State Capitol on Decem-
ber I, it being the only Hawk that the
writer has noticed here for the past ciglit
weeks. Usually by this time there are still
a few American Rough-legs and a few
Red-tails, and Swainson's. At this season
one is justified in expecting to see Long-
crested and Woodhouse Jaj's, and, too,
large flocks of Pinon Jays are to be notice<l
working their way eastward; up to the
present writing not a single jay of any
sort has been detected b>- the writer in
this vicinity. While he suspects that the
Tree Sparrow has been here some time,
yet be believes that it is not present now
in its accustomed numbers. If this region
has no more snow or cold weather lietween

this date and Christmas, the census for
that day will make a meager list indeed. —
W. H. Bergtoli), Denver, Colo.

S.\x Fr.vnxisco Region. — Four summer
residents of the San P'rancisco region were
seen after the last report was sent in,
namely the Allen Hummer on O.ctober 13,
and the Western Flycatcher, Pileolated
Warbler, and Yellow Warbler on October
16. An accidental occurrence of the Tolmie
Warbler on November 26 is the second
record for the state during the winter
months. This Warbler was seen several
times by a party of six who were scouting
for birds at the Claremont Country Club.

Winter residents have been, perhaps,
more abundant than usual during the earh-
part of the winter. Continuous rain has
softened the ground so that birds of all
categories are provided with an abundance
of food. The fruit of Toyon berries planted
on the Berkeley hills has probably fur-
nished an added attraction. Western
Robins and Varied Thrushes were noted
October 14 and Cedar Wax wings Novem-
ber 15; Western Bluebirds have also been
reported from different parts of the city
and their calls are often heard as they fly
over the hills in flocks of from six to
twenty. Of the winter birds that come to
my feeding table three are now banded.
One of these, a Fox Sparrow, has returned
for the second season; while two Golden-
crowned Sparrows, banded last spring,
arc noted daily among the eight or ten
regular boarders of this species.

A flock of twenty - fi\e Hand - tailed
Pigeons seen by ^Ir. H. S. Swarth is the
most interesting record of transients noted
during the period covered by this report. —
.\mei.i.\ S. .\llen, Berkeley, Calif.

Los .\ngeles Region. — The Alaska
Hermit Thrush was a fortnight late in
reaching our region, and up to date fewer
individuals have been recorded than in
former seasons, one or two only beirg
seen on a day's walk where they have
formerly been abundant. He made his
lirst api)earance about the i8th. as did also
the Ruby-rrowncd Kinglet. On this date.

A LITTLE BROTHER OF THE AIR
Photographed at Blackinton, Mass.

(39)

Bird - Lore

also, many Warblers were noted passing
through. The Pileolated, the Yellow, the
Lutescent, the Black-throated Gray, and
the Townsend, were recorded. Another
flight was noted on the 27th and 28th in
which Black-throated Grays predominated.
October 21a Water Ouzel was seen in the
Arroyo Seco. Thurber's Junco was first
reported October 27. The 28th, Parkman
Wrens were reported passing through, and
the first Robins, Western Bluebirds, and
Cedar Waxwings arrived in Sjcamore
Grove Park. Bluebirds were fairly common
in the large valleys all summer. The first
Golden-crowned Sparrow record for the
season was made on the above date, also
White Pelicans flying southward. October
31, Mountain Bluebirds were seen near
Culver City, and in the same locality
Meadowlarks were abundant. November
2, the Black-throated Gray Warbler was
noticed. This date was notable for an
extraordinary gathering of White-throated
Swifts at Point Firmin. Their swift flight
and kaleidoscopic changes of formation
as they wheeled in lofty evolutions, their
white throats illuminated b}' the level
rays of the descending sun, made a spectacle
of wonder and great beauty, long to be
remembered. Another group of people
went down on the 5th and found them still
there. No estimate of the numbers could
well be made. November 9, a flock of
25 to 30 Pipits was seen in a dry field near
Silver Lake, where one lone bird gleaned
along the margin of the water. Who can
say why Pipits are solitary when on a shore
and gregarious in fields? Six Western
Gnatcatchers were also seen along the
brushy border of the field. November 10,
and on later dates, the Townsend Warbler
was seen in Echo Park, where a number of
them wintered last year. On this date a
Gray-headed Junco was found in Eagle
Rock Park with a large flock of Thurber's
that annually winter there. It is, very
probably, the same bird that was there
last year, as it is of rare occurrence here.
November 17, two Varied Thrushes were
seen in Mocahucnga Canon, and one of the
Blue-fronted Jays that havr been ihere
throughout the year. \()venil)er 27, a

Common Loon was observed at the
reservoir in Franklin Canon. November
2Q, Red-breasted Sapsuckers were observed
at F^agle Rock and at Echo Park. At the
latter place there was a Common Loon.
Trips made to San Diego and interior
points November 20 to 30, by two diflterent
parties showed Say's Phoebe regularly
distributed throughout the region. Horned
Larks and Meadowlarks abundant. Hawks
and Crows in large numbers. The Fer-
ruginous Rough-leg has several times been
noted. White Pelicans were at San Jacinto
Lake.

December 7, an afternoon of clearing
weather following a rainy morning, a very
large flock of Cedar Waxwings, estimated
at several hundred, alighted on the wires
over a Hollywood street, descending to
drink from the puddles.

The shore-bird migration increased in
interest as the season advanced, several
species that were poorly represented in
the earlier part of the season becoming
abundant in November. Semi-palmated
Plover, Red-backed Sandpipers, Long-
billed Curlews, and Marbled Godwits were
very numerous. One Black Turnstone
was seen November 2 on a rocky point.
Northern Phalaropes were again observed
on November 9 on a slough near Wil-
mington, estimated about thirty birds.
November 1 7, three Red-throated Loons
and very large flocks of Bonaparte and
Heermann Gulls were observed. November
II, near White's Point, five American
Mergansers were noted and several White-
winged and Surf Scoters. The beautiful
Western Grebe is seen frequently upon the
ocean and at Silver Lake, .\mong the
rarer Ducks to visit this Lake were one
male and three female Buffleheads. The
American Golden-eye was seen on Franklin
Reservoir November 27.

Twelve American Egrets have been
about the Harbor district all the fall.
They seem fearless and prosecute their
search for food undisturbed by passing
trolley cars and automobiles. December
3 and 5, in the broad open valley some
forty miles east of Los .Angeles, on freshly
plnwefj fields, Mountain Plover were

The Season

found by the hundreds. In some instances
they were closely following the plow.
While listed as common some years ago,
they are of infrequent occurrence now.
On December 9, Mrs. F. T. Bicknell
and two other members of the local
Audubon Society went out in an automo-
bile to search for Mountain Plover on the
plains to the south and west of the city,
where they were seen last year. No Plover
was found there, but a very large flock of
Mountain Bluebirds was seen in a field
which was being seeded, some hovering on
the wing, others taking their insect food
from the air or from the ground. The num-
ber was estimated at from 100 to 200 birds.
Pipits also were in the fields in equally
large numbers. In a weedy place were

many Sparrows, including Western Chip-
ping, Western Savanna, Western Lark,
as well as the more common Gambel and
Golden-crown.

Extending their trip by way of San
Pedro Harbor, where ten Egrets were seen,
to Point Firmin and White's Point, they
found White-throated Swifts (about 200),
a flock of 32 Black Turnstones, about the
same number of Killdeer, group after
group of Sanderling (totaling, perhaps,
250), Snowy Plover and Spotted Sand-
pipers in small numbers. White-winged
and Surf Scoters, and the dead bodies of
a Shearwater and a Fulmar. In Inglewood
Cemetery were gathered hundreds of Kill-
deer scattered about in groups of 25 to 50.
Frances B. Schneider, Los Angeles, Calif.

L£^;y^^

A JUNCO PORTRAIT

2^oofe Ji^ettjjS anti CHebietuiS

Birds of La Plata. By \V. H. Hudson,
with 22 colored illustrations by H.
Gronvold. J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd.
London and Toronto. K. P. Dutton
& Co., New \'ork, 1920. Ro>. 8vo.
Two volumes. \'ol. I, pp. xviii + 244,
12 ills. \'o]. II. p|). xi + 240.

Some thirty-two years ago, as the senior
author of a work on Argentine birds,*
Dr. P. L. Sclater introduced to the world
an Argentine ornithologist who has since
won an enviable reputation as a liter-
ary naturalist. To this work the junior
author contributed observations on the
230-odd species of birds known to him,
while Sclater, in addition to supplying the
scientific framework of the book (descri])-
tions, synonymy, etc.), added notes on
about an equal number from the recorded
writings of other ornithologists, the whole
making a complete treatise on the avifauna
of the .\rgentine.

.\cting on the frankly expressed belief
that the "only interest" the original work
"still retains for the reader is the account of
birds' habits contributed by me" Hudson
has "thrown out" all the matter contrib-
uted by Sclater leaving only his own
observation on the birds of the La Plata
region.

.\lthough the reference value of the
book is thereby materially descreased,
Hudson's share of the joint work con-
stituted so large a part of it and contained
so much original matter that it well
deserves publication alone. Furthermore,
the fact that the volumes of iS88-8q
have long been out of ])rinl is an additional
reason for making Hudson's admirable
bird biographies accessible to a larger
audience.

The text of the original api)ears to have
been practically unchanged, only such
modifications having been made as the
dilTerent character of t lie book necessitated,
or, in some few instances (e. g. Eskimo

* Argentine OrnitholoRy, a descriptive catalogue
of the birds of the Argentine Republic; by P. I-.
Sclater, with notes on their habits l)y \V. H. Mud-
son. London. K. II I'ortcr, 1888.

Curlew; here called 'Eskimo Whimbrel')
the changed status of the species de-
manded.

The two volumes are beautiful examples
of bookmaking, and Gronvold's plates
are artistically pleasing as well as ornitho-
logically illustrative. — F. M. C.

Report of E. \V. Nelson, Chief of
Bureau of Biological Survey, for
the year ending June 30, 1920, pp.
1-36.

From the first to the last paragraph
this report is solid meat. No one can read
it without being impressed by the wide
scope of the Bureau's activities and the
value of the service it is rendering.

Man cannot depart far from a purely
savage state without coming into conflict
with other forms of life which share his
environment, and when he reaches that
stage in his development which we are
pleased to term civilization, his relations
to organic nature have become so com-
plicated that it is of supreme importance to
his welfare to understand them. It is
primarily the function of the Biological
Survey to promote this end by investigat-
ing our relations to other mammals and
to birds, and, after ha\-ing determined
the economic status of a species, the Survey
is entrusted with the task of protecting
harmless and useful species and of destroy-
ing noxious ones.

.\ large part of the present report deals
with these phases of the Survej-'s work,
wherein it is clearly shown that during the
past year millions of dollars have been
saved stock-growers and agriculturists by
the destruction of animals injurious to
their interests. There is also a summary
of the work of the Scientific StalT of the
Survey, that court which gathers and
weighs the evidence before deciding
whether a species is beneficial and to be
conserved, or injurious and to be con-
demned.

'I"lu' Sur\i-y is further I'lit rusted wit !i
the administration of the .Migratorx- Bird

(42)

Book News and Reviews

Law, with the care of our seventy bird
reservations, and with so many other
responsibilities that it is difficult to under-
stand why similar Bureaus have not been
established in countries having economic
problems essentially like our own. — F. M.C.

Cassinia: a Bird Annual. Proceedings
of the Delaware Valley Ornithological
Club, No. XXIII, 1919, pp. 1-55;
2 half-tones, ills., i chart.

During the year 1919, the D. V. (). C.
held sixteen meetings with an average
attendance of twcntN'-five meml)crs, or

joint meeting of these two clubs. Doubtless
other common interests of both societies
might be served by such reunions which
could be held annually, and alternate
between the two cities. Held in May,
these meetings might lead to cooperation
in the study of bird migration.

In this issue of 'Cassinia,' Wm. L.
Baily presents a review of the ornitho-
logical achievements of the uncle after
whom he was named, which makes it clear
from whom the reviewer inherited his love
of Inrds, and Samuel Scovillc, Jr., con-

riLKATEI) WOODPECKER

Photographed by A. D. McGrew and reproduced by the courtesy of the

Delaware Valley Ornithological Club

about 20 per cent of its resident member-
ship. Just why the Philadelphia organiza-
tion should have over 120 resident
members on its roll, while the New York
Society musters but seventy-odd, is a
problem in ornithological sociology which
might well form a subject of debate at a

tributes a lively account of a hunt in May,
1919, in Centre County, Pennsylvania,
for nests of the Pileated Woodpecker.
Several were found and the photograph
of one of these fine birds at the entrance
to its home, which is here reproduced,
was secured by A. D. McGrew.

Bird - Lore

The usual \'carly report on the spring
migration, local bird-notes, an abstract
of the proceedings of the club at its sixteen
meetings, club notes, a bibliography, and
list of members conclude this well-edited
publication. — F. M. C.

Abstract [No. 32] of the Proceedings

OF THE LlNN^AN SOCIETY OF NeW

York. For the year ending March 9,
1920, pp. 1-39.

During the year covered by this .\b-
stract, the Linnasan Society has held
nineteen meetings with an average atten-
dance of eleven members, or about 14
per cent of its resident membership.
With the exception of several addresses,
the matter presented before these meetings
relates to local bird-life, and the data here
printed doubtless will in time be incor-
porated in a list of the birds of the New
York region which it is announced (p. 5)
will be prepared by a committee of the
Society.

Pages 18-30 are devoted to 'A Revision
of the Seaside Sparrows,' by Ludlow
Griscom and J. T. Nichols, whose intensive
studies of this group, indoors and out,
have resulted in the description of two new
races (Passerherbulus mariiimus howcUi,
Alabama, and P. m. juncicola, northwest
Florida) and more definite knowledge of
the range and relations of those which
were previously known.

It is announced that this annual 'Ab-
stract' will be succeeded by a 'Proceedings'
issued as occasion requires. Pages 1-8 of
the Proceedings, indeed, appeared July
15, 1920. We note that it bears the serial
volume number of the Abstract and is
consequently Volume XXXIII. It is
devoted to descriptions of reptiles and
amphibians, from the West Indies, in the
American Museum. May we venture to
suggest that this material should have
appeared in an .Vmerican Museum publica-
tion, while the funds of the Linnaean
Society might be employed more advan-
tageously in the publication of matter
relating to the fauna in which most of its
members are interested. — F. M. C.

Familiar Studies of Wild Birds Their
Haunts and Habits. By F. N.
Whitman, with many photographs
by the author. Boston, Richard G.
Badger. 8vo. pp. 1-85; numerous
half-tones.

Over seventy beautifully reproduced
photographs bear witness to Mr. Whit-
man's skill as a photographer, while the
accompanying text bespeaks his keen
sympathy with birds. In addition to
pictures illustrating the home-life of birds,
there are several of rather unusual
character, notably one of a Bronzed
Grackle in flight, and spirited portraits of
the Brown Thrasher, Catbird, and Magpie.
— F. M. C.

Editorial

A Bi-Monthly Magazine
Devoted to the Study and Protection of Birds

OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE AUDUBON SOCIETIES

Edited by FRANK M. CHAPMAN

ContributinE Editor, MABELOSGOOD WRIGHT

Published by D. APPLETON & CO.

Vol. XXIII Published February 1, 1921 No. 1

SUBSCRIPTION RATES

Price in the United States, one dollar and fiftv- cents a year;
outside the United States, one dollar and seventy-five cents,
postage paid.

COPYRIGHTED, 1921, BY FRANK M. CHAPMAN

Bird-Lore's Motto:
A Bird in the Bush Is Worth Two in the Hand

The exhibit of paintings and photo-
graphs of birds which, thanks to the local
committee of arrangements, was held in
conjunction with the annual Congress of
the American Ornithologists' Union, which
convened in Washington November last,
aroused so much interest that we hope
future congresses may be made the
occasion for similar exhibitions. They
serve not only to introduce artists to the
public, but personally, or through the
medium of their work, they introduce
artists to one another. Furthermore, they
have a distinct value which should react
favorably on the study of birds and
incidentally on the A. O. U. itself. Phila-
delphia Committee please take notice !

Unfortunately the distance between the
Congressional Library, where the pictures
were placed, and the National Museum,
where the A. O. U. was in session, was
great enough to prevent many, the writer
included, from returning to the exhibition
after the opening night. At the best, one
visit would not have warranted anything
like a critical review of the work of the
fifty or more artists and photographers
shown, while the crowd on A. O. U. night
prevented one from making a satisfactory
examination of the many subjects dis-
played. We brought away, therefore, only
impressions of an enthusiastic and appre-
ciative audience and of a surprising lot of
good bird portraits, including numbers by
artists practically unknown in the ornitho-
logical world.

Most of the artists represented, however,
are primarily painters of birds, the larger
part of whose work has appeared as
illustrations in ornithological publications,
where, with identification as the chief end
in view, the figures have been made as
large and as detailed as possible. It was,
therefore, doubtless to be expected that
paintings of this nature would form the
larger part of the exhibition; and the
number and excellence of those shown is
an assurance that we shall not lack for
ornithological illustrators.

On the other hand, paintings which
satisfactorily depicted the birds' haunts
as well as the bird were few in number, and
an artist without an interest in birds would
doubtless have examined the collection
with controlled enthusiasm. The need for
bird portraits will exist as long as there are
books and articles on birds to illustrate,
but beyond and above this field there is
another and even larger one occupied in the
Old World by such men as Thorburn, Lodge,
and Liljefors, a study of whose works
we commend to Americanb bird artists.

To one who recalls the very beginning of
bird photography, and who remembers
the first photographs of living birds shown
before an A. O. U. Congress (secured with
much difficulty by a committee appointed
at the preceding Congress), the exhibit of
bird photographs was astounding evidence
of the part the camera has come to play
in bird-study during the past twenty-five
years. Nor could this exhibit adequately
mark the advance which has been made
since the motion-picture camera has been
added to the bird-photographer's outfit.

This type of bird photography was,
however, duly represented at the regular
meetings of the Congress where Major
Allan Brooks showed motion pictures of a
surprising number of wild Trumpeter
Swans, Norman McClintock, intimate
studies of Egrets, White Ibises, Least
Bitterns and Gallinules on the reservation
of the National Association of Audubon
Societies on Orange Lake, Florida, and
Robert Cushman Murphy exhibited films
depicting the bird-life of the guano is-
lands off the Peruvian coast.

SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

Edited by A. A. ALLEN. Ph.D.
Address all communications relative to the work of thit
department to the Editor, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y*

A BIRD IN THE SCHOOLROOM

Readers of Bird-Lork and l)ird-lovers in general are always much more
interested in wild free birds than they are in captive specimens, and naturally
so. A bird in a cage, unless it be a Canary or some semi-domesticated species,
is not happy, is not itself, and spends most of its time in an effort to escape.
Even if it eventually becomes contented, observations made on its habits in
captivity do not make the appeal that would the same observations if made in
the field. The tendency, therefore, when a wild bird comes into one's possession,
in one way or another, is to release it immediately without any attempt to
learn from it. This is highly commendable unless one has a satisfactory place
to confine it, but because of this feeling many a splendid opportunity has slipped
through the fingers of teachers who would like to interest their children in the
study of birds. For the captive bird offers opprrtunities for observation quite
different but quite as valuable as those of the bird in the open. The wonderful
adaptation of the bird to the life which it is designed to lead can scarcely be
appreciated until it is observed at close range and even handled. In no better
way can the parts of the bird and the arrangement of the feathers be learned
and the lessons be given which lead to careful and accurate observation in the
field.

Objection is sometimes raised to the keeping of a bird in the schoolroom on
the grounds that it will distract the attention of the children from their lessons,
but those who have tried it tell us that it works the other way. It often proves
the best source of discipline for unruly children who can be bribed to pay atten-
tion to their studies in no better way than by being told that they will be allowed
to watch the bird for a few minutes when the lesson is completed. The chief
objection comes from the lack of a suitable place in which to keej) the bird,
hut this is easily overcome when the schoolroom has what it ought to have, a
'terrarium,' a cage in which any sort of animal or plant may be kept. The
ordinary bird-cage is not satisfactory because the large spaces between the
bars permit the bird to get its bill and usually pari of its head through and
encourage it to try to escape. Thus it wears the feathers from the base of its
bill and frays the feathers of its wings and tail and becomes a distressing sight,
in addition to being a continual distraction to the children. The terrarium, on
the other hand, which is a cage made of fly-screening, does not permit the bird
to injure itself and discourages the bird at the outset from trying to escaj)e.

(40)

The Audubon Societies

THE BEST PLACE TO KEEP A BIRD IN THE SCHOOLROOM— A 'TERRARIUM.'

THE TERRARIUM CAN BE PUT TO A GREAT VARIETY OF OTHER USES

fCourtesy of the Cornell Rural School Leaflet')

Anything from a Hummingbird to a hen can jje kept in it to advantage, and,
at other times, it can be put to a great variety of uses. Anyone can build a
terrarium, for if he has no skill whatsoever as a carpenter, he can purchase
five adjustable window-screens and nail or hook four of them together for the
sides and use one for the cover. The best type of terrarium, however, will have
a strong frame covered with screening, a hinged top, and one side covered with
glass through which one can watch more easily. A shallow metal tray or pan
will form the bottom which will hold sand or soil. Such a terrarium will prove
one of the most valuable pieces of equipment in the school.

48 Bird - Lore

These paragraphs, however, are not intended for a discourse on terraria,
but on what may be learned from a captive bird. One need not wait for some
wild bird to be brought into the school before giving a lesson, for a Canary or
a domestic hen will serve the purpose equally well and can, therefore, be fitted
in during the winter months when other opportunities for bird-work are scarce.
—A. A. A.

THE BIRD AS A FLYING-MACHINE

\\'ith Photographs by the Author

There can be no doubt that one of the most wonderful cases of adaptation
to be found in all nature is that of the flying bird. The modifications which
the entire structure of the bird has undergone in its development from the
ancient lowly reptile have been controlled primarily by the requisites of an
efficient ilying-machine. Other needs have been sacrificed or made subservient
to the requirements of flight, so that today, except for degenerate forms, the
bird stands as the ideal heavier-than-air flight mechanism. It is little wonder
that man, in his endeavor to learn to fly, went to the bird and tried to invent
wings that would lift him from the ground. But wings, alone, do not make the
bird nor account for its ability to defy the action of gravity. A man with wings
is no more a bird and capable of flight than is a hat because it has feathers.
It is not alone the fact that birds have wings that makes them capable of flight
but it is the hundreds of little and big adaptations of their bodies, their legs,
their tails, their heads, their very bones that lift them from the ground and
drive them successfully through the air. It was not until these principles
were thoroughly understood and applied that a real successful aeroplane was
invented.

One cannot, of course, study the mechanism of flight with a captive bird in
a terrarium or hope to explain in detail to children all the principles involved,
but if one bears in mind a few of the principles that governed Mother Nature
in moulding the bird so that it could fly, it wiU make the study of the structure
of a bird fascinating rather than dry and uninteresting. When one visits a
museum or a large aviary where birds from all parts of the world are assembled
together, one is at first led to believe by their various sizes and shapes that they
have little in common except wings and feathers. But when one examines them
al all critically, he discovers that the apparent diversity of form is quite
suj)erficial, and that down underneath they are all fundamentafly alike. Their
different methods of securing food have given rise to different bills and feet,
which we may consider at another time, but aside from these conspicuous parts,
their structure is very similar. Let us see, therefore, what are the main re-
quirements of an aeroplane and how these are met by the bird.

I. Lightness: Aboveallelse, a flying-machine must be light. The materials
used must be as light as comi)atable with strength and there must be no
unnecessary materials or parts. So, in a bird, we find, developed from the crude

The Audubon Societies

reptilian cales, the e tructures called feathers, which are as delicate as they
are beautiful, but which, withal, are the strongest structures for their weight
known. We cannot take space here for a discussion of their wonderful variety
of form and color; we can merely call attention to their lightness, their strength,
their durability, the beautifully accurate way in which they grow on the bird's
wings and body, so that each one has a particular place and a particular manner
in which to lay; overlapping certain other feathers and in turn being over-
lapped, producing the intricate color patterns of some birds and yet at all times,
giving the greatest protection to the bird and involving no unnecessary weight.

A TURKEY VULTURE SUNNING ITSELF, ILLUSTRATING THE BROAD,
ROUNDED WING BEST ADAPTED FOR SOARING

We cannot take space to discuss the arrangement of the flight quills which give
the greatest possible resistance to the air on the downward stroke of the wing
and the least resistance on the upward or non-effective stroke. We can merely
suggest running one's fingers or a pencil through the flight quills of a fowl to
show how easily it passes one way and with what resistance the other.

But there are other ways in which a bird is made light. Let some child
bring to school the cleaned bones from a fowl that has served its purpose at
Sunday dinner, not one of the bones, but all of them, for there are many lessons
to be learned from them. One of the things that impresses us first is their
unusual lightness. If we break one of them we see the reason: the marrow that

50 Bird - Lore

fills the bones of mammals is absent, the bones are hollow, and their walls,
moreover, are thin. Here is another great saving in weight. They are, likewise,
connected by air-sacs with the lungs and filled with air. These air-sacs fill
every available space within the body of the bird that is not occupied by some
organ and when they are all filled with air the bird becomes much lighter for its
size.

A RLACK TERN AT ITS XEST, ILLUSTRATING THE LONG,
NARROW WING ADAPTED TO GLIDING

Examine a bird's mouth and one finds not the slightest vestige of a tooth.
The lirst birds had them but they all disappeared ages ago because they were
heavy and required heavy jaws to support them and heavy muscles to manipu-
late them. A real, efficient Hying bird could not have all this extra weight, so
Mother Nature devised another method of grinding the bird's food and today
it is done in the stomach, which is called the gizzard, and the bird's head
weighs but little.

The first bird, likewise, had a long lizard-like tail with feathers along the
sides but this, too, was heavy and so graduall}- it became shortened until today

The Audubon Societies

all of the feathers are borne on one bone and the skeleton of the tail is very short.
And so we might go on considering each and every part of the bird and we would
discover how it has been made as light as its required strength would permit.

2. Strength: If lightness were the only requirement of the flying-machine,
it would be a simple matter to construct one, but, unfortunately, great strength
is likewise required, and it is the combination of the two that is so diiBcult to
achieve. The framework of the machine must be extremely strong to withstand
the tremendous strains, and so we find, with the bird, that its framework or
skeleton is the most rigid of all animal's. Bones fuse together to get greater
strength and are reinforced by the development of new bones from mere bumps
or processes to act as props. One cannot fully understand the many beautiful
ways in which the bird's skeleton is strengthened unless he has some knowledge
of the skeletons of other animals with which to compare it, and so here we can

A VIRGINIA RAIL, BALANCING ON A FENCE OF FLY-SCREENING,
ILLUSTRATING THE SHORT, ROUNDED WING

merely call attention to the rigidity of the bird's backbone and pelvis, the box-
like form of the thorax with the ribs firmly fastened both to the backbone and
to the breast bone, and further strengthened by overlapping processes. The
familiar 'wishbone' is nothing more nor less than the two collar-bones fused
together to give greater strength to the attachment of the wings, and so on.

If one examines the breast-bone of a bird, he discovers that it is not flat as
in man, but has a relatively enormous ridge down the middle for the attach-

52 Bird - Lore

ment of muscles, the familiar breast muscles or white meat of the fowl. These
are the powerful muscles that manipulate the wings, relatively hundreds of
times more powerful than the similar muscles in man.

3. Compactness: A third requisite of a flying-machine is compactness,
the heavier parts must all lie close to the center of gravity. There must be no

A BLUEBIRD IN FLIGHT, ILLUSTRATING THE WING OF AVERAGE PROPORTIONS
ADAPTED TO THE NORMAL METHOD OF FLIGHT

great weight on the wings or the tail or it will not be steady. This is most
strikingly accomplished in the bird. We have already spoken of the shortening
of the tail, the loss of teeth and heavy parts of the head, and the location of the
flight muscles on the breast-bone instead of on the wings. These are all adapta-
tions, not only to make the bird lighter, but also to bring the weight close to the
center of gravity. What is true of the wings is Hkewise true of the legs. Birds
do not have fat calves. Most of the muscles are on the upper leg close to the
body, and, when necessary, they are prolonged to the tips of the toes as very
light tendons, just as is done in the wings. The body itself is short and deep
for the same reason of bringing the heavy liver, gizzard, and intestines as close
to the center of gravity as possible.

4. Power: A fourth requisite of a machine that will fly is power. Until
gasoline was discovered and the gasoline engine, flight was impossible because
the known engines and fuels were all too heavy. Great advance has been made
in recent years in improving the engines, making them lighter and more powerful
for the amount of fuel used, but still the great problem and the greatest draw-
back to long-continued flights is the weight of the fuel. An aeroplane can carry

The Audubon Societies 53

sufficient gasoline to drive it only a relatively few hundred miles before it has to
descend. But what of the birds? Think of the Golden Plover that starts on a
non-stop trip from Nova Scotia to northern South America or from Alaska to
the Hawaiian Islands, distances of over 2,500 miles, with only the fat stored up
on their bodies to serve as fuel. Surely gasoline is not the last word in fuel for
aeroplanes.

If one watches the captive bird closely, he can see the feathers of its breast
and elsewhere pulsating in accord with the throbbing of the heart. If one counts
the pulsations, he will learn how rapidly the heart of a bird beats compared with
that of man, and that means how much more rapidly all of its processes work.
The bird's temperature is normally nearly ten degrees higher than that of man,
and that means that its tissues are burned up and replaced much more rapidly.

A DUCK HAWK PURSUING A SWALLOW, ILLUSTRATING WITH BOTH BIRDS THE
MODERATELYLONG, POINTED WINGS BEST ADAPTED FOR SPEED OF LONG DURATION.

Photographed by H. H. Knight

and it means that energy in the form of muscular power is liberated much more
rapidly. What a strange misshapen creature man would be if he had relatively
the muscular power of a bird.

And so in these four respects, in their modifications for lightness, strength,
compactness, and power, birds are all much alike in spite of their many apparent
differences. But birds do not all fly alike or in equal amounts, nor are their
modifications all carried to the same extreme. As is well known, some birds, like
the Ostrich, the Penguins, and certain birds of New Zealand have lost entirely
the power of flight; and birds like the domestic fowl are far inferior to the Hawk
or the Eagle. It is interesting to note the differences in the flight of different
groups of birds and to try to find differences in the structure of the birds or the
shapes of their wings correlated with the differences. Thus, if we consider the
wings of a Bluebird or a Crow as of normal or average proportions and their

54 Bird - Lore

method of flight by continuous beating of the wings, that normal to most birds,
we find four general modifications correlated with specialized methods of flying.
The first of these is that found among terrestrial birds like the domestic fowl, or
the Ruffed Grouse that seldom fly except to escape their enemies when it is
necessary that they should be able to rise quickly and fly very rapidly for short
distances. They ordinarily do not fly very far. The type of wing developed
among this class of birds is one that is much shorter than the average and rounder,
and it is moved much more rapidly. It would be a distinct disadvantage for a
bird that has to fly long distances to have this t^pe of wing as it would soon
tire, but it is approximated in many of the Flycatchers and Hawks, like the
Sharp-shinned and Cooper's, that ordinarily lie in wait for their prey and dart
out after it. With this type of wing they are able to develop full speed almost
immediately. The wings of Rails are likewise of this type though, because of
lack of use, their breast rriuscles have been reduced and their flight is weak.

The second type is very different being a large, broad, rounded wing, such
as is found in the Eagles, Buzzards, and larger Hawks. It is adapted for soaring,
and birds having this type of wing can maintain themselves in the air sometimes
for hours without flapping their wings, merely by taking advantage of the up-
ward currents of air and adjusting their wings accordingly. A third type of wing
found among birds, that likewise enables them to take advantage of the air-
currents, is the long, narrow wing, found best developed among the Albatrosses
but also among the Gulls and Terns and other sea-birds that are on the wing a
large part of the time. Among the Hawks, the Marsh Hawk and the Fish Hawk
have longer and narrower wings than the others and they seldom soar and never
lie in wait for their prey but spend their time sailing back and forth over the
water or over the fields, for the long, narrow wing is best adapted for what may
be called gliding. The fourth type is that of the pointed wing, usually broad at
the base and moderately long. This wing is best adapted for speed of long duration
and is that found among the Swallows and among the Falcons, birds that pursue
their prey on the wing and strike it at full speed. They need to have full control
of their flight at all times and to develop great speed, and the moderately long,
pointed wing seems best adapted for this. Thus one might go on analyzing the
differences among the wings of birds and perhaps find a reason for even the
minor differences that are known to occur, but the differences that have been
mentioned will suffice to make the wing of the bird in the schoolroom have some
meaning and perhaps start some child delving for the reasons for that which he
sees. — ^A. A. A,

QUESTIONS

1. What is the best way to keep a bird in the schoolroom?

2. Why is the ordinary bird-cage unsatisfactory?

3. What is meant by a 'terrarium'? Describe one.

4. What arc four requisites of a flying-machine?

5. Name ten ways in which the weight of a bird is reduced.

The Audubon Societies 55

6. Why do birds not have teeth?

7. Where is the bird's food ground up and why?

8. What is meant by the 'center of gravity'?

9. Describe five ways in which the weight of a bird is brought close to the center of

gravity.

10. What is the framework of a bird called and how is it made strong?

11. In what form is energy stored up on the bird's body?

12. Why are birds able to fly long distances without stopping?

13. How far do some of them fly?

14. Do all birds fly alike?

15. Describe four different types of birds' wings and explain the kind of flight for which

each is adapted.

FOR OR FROM YOUNG OBSERVERS

BIRD-STUDY AT HOME

Many people are discouraged in starting a bird-list because it seems such an
undertaking. They have to walk two or three miles and then only see a few
birds, but if you keep your eyes open and use your ears you need not go out of
your own yard to see such birds as will start you well on your list. My yard is
such a yard as you would find in the residence section quite near the heart of
any large city. It is about 50 feet long by 25 feet wide. It is surrounded by a
cherry, an elm and plum trees, together w^th a climip of large lilac bushes on
one side, a poplar tree, lilac bushes and a flowering quince and shrubbery on
the other. I try to protect the birds from their enemies and I have two baths to
which have come Robins, English and Song Sparrows, Flickers, and Gold-
finches. I also have four feeding-devices which have been patronized by Robins,
Slate-colored Jimcos, House Wrens, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, English, Song,
Chipping, White-throated, and White-crowned Sparrows.

I had many interesting experiences in observing some of the birds. In the
morning of May 18 I saw a Brown Creeper on a telegraph pole in another yard
and went nearer to be sure of its identification. Coming back I scared up an
Oven-bird. When I came home from school it was raining but that did not
prevent me from seeing a Black-throated Blue Warbler, House Wren, and Wood
Thrush. In the afternoon it stopped raining and I saw four Canada Geese. I
had an interesting time with a Nashville Warbler in the quince bush. He would
always keep on the other side from me and it was rather hard to identify him.
When I saw some Pine Siskins eating the dandelion seeds I ran back for my
camera, but while I was adjusting it they flew away. When I was dressing one
morning I heard a Wood Pewee and looking out of the window found him
perched on a telegraph wire.

Forty different kinds of birds were seen in the garden between March and
August. — Richard M, Chase (age 12 years), Rochester, N. Y.

[This is an excellent record for a city garden. Who can do better?] — A. A. A.

56 Bird - Lore

BIRD-NOTES FROM MISSISSIPPI

Not having see any notes in Bird-Lore from Mississippi I thought some
of Bird-Lore readers would like to know of my experience in bird-study.

I have had good success with feeding-boards and bird-baths. The Cardinals,
Bob-Whites, and White-throated Sparrows were numerous though the latter
only during the winter, going north when spring came.

During the nesting season I found many bird-nests. They are as follows:
lo Mockingbird's, 6 Blue Jay's, 8 Purple Martin's, 6 Brown Thrasher's, 2
Cardinal's, i Towhee's, i Orchard Oriole's, 2 Bob-White's, 2 Nighthawk's, 4
Loggerhead Shrike's, 2 Red-headed Woodpecker's, i Brown-headed Nuthatch's,
I Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher's, i Mourning Dove's, i Meadowlark's, and i
Chimney Swift's.

The Mourning Dove's nest was built on the ground and when the eggs
hatched the ants ate the young. Both Cardinal's nests contained but three eggs
while last year there were four eggs in all the Cardinal's nests I found. There
were twenty eggs in one of the Bob- White's nests and fifteen in the other.

Some of the above nests we photographed, one of which contained a Cow-
bird's egg. When the figs got ripe I put some on my feeding-boards and the
Mockingbird ate them.

I am the editor of a bird-study column in the county newspaper which is
published once a week. I was the president of a Junior Audubon Bird Club
last year and hope to establish one this year.

One of my friends and I have made a bird sanctuary of about ten acres.
We have five feeding-boards, many bird-houses, one bird-bath, and right
through the center of the woods is a small stream. I have made five more bird-
houses already for next year. — Leonard Daniel Hardy (age, 13 years),
Gulf port, Miss.

[Bird-Lore readers will congratulate Leonard Hardy upon his activity and success
in discovering birds' nests and will quite envy him his opportunities for watching them.
Ants constitute a form of bird enemy that our northern birds are seldom troubled with.
Will some of our other southern friends tell us their experiences. — A. A. A.l

A BLUE JAY STORY

Nellie Small and her mother were spending the winter in Colorado and while
there Nellie made the acquaintance of 'Sammy', the Blue Jay.

Sammy is generally considered a naughty bird but Nellie grew to like him
very much before she had known him long. He proved by his actions that he
could be a gallant fellow and a friend to the weaker and more timid members of
his band.

Nellie and her mother lived near the mountains in a cabin which was
surrounded by large pine trees and at a short distance flowed a clear mountain
stream.

The Audubon Societies 57

Every morning Nellie went to the little stream for a pail of water. At first
Sammy and his companions, who spent a great deal of their time in the tree
tops above the brook, kept very quiet when she appeared, watching her care-
fully. Knowing Jays to be curious she placed a small dish of cornbread,
broken in pieces, on the fence some distance from the house.

It was not long before Sammy flew down to investigate. His squawk to the
others was answered and a half dozen Jays were soon enjoying a fine breakfast.
Several mornings of such feeding convinced the birds that she was their friend
and soon her appearance was greeted by a chorus of squawks from the tops of
the trees.

As she passed along the trail to the brook the birds flew from tree to tree,
calling down to her not to forget that cornbread. If, on entering the cabin she
did not immediately reappear, Sammy, larger and bolder than his friends, would
fly to the ground where he could be seen from the window. Stalking back and
forth he would cast anxious glances toward the door, his bravery seconded from
the tree top. His friends could 'root' for him if they couldn't help him.

When Nellie came out he would fly to a safe distance among the branches
above until she returned to the house. Then, darting down several times, he
would carry pieces of bread to the timid ones in the tree. He must have por-
tioned out the bread, for the other birds rarely came so near the house.

As the days grew colder and the snow deeper, they were driven by hunger
to come nearer and soon learned the exact spot on the fence where she kept their
dish. To avoid going out so early in the morning she would fill the dish late the
evening before, then, jumping out of bed as soon as she awakened, would
watch them from the window. Each bird would shovel away the snow with his
bill, seize a piece of bread, and fly to the tree where he ate it at his leisure.

NeUie grew very fond of Sammy, who seemed to be the captain of this Blue
Jay company, and tried various ways of enticing him nearer the house. One
day, when she knew the Jays were aloft, she went to the fence in front of the
house, much nearer than where she had been in the habit of placing the food.
Placing several bits of bread on the gate-post she ran into the house and waited
for Sammy to appear.

Soon he began flying about overhead, darting and squawking, afraid to
venture so near. Finally, almost on the wing, he siezed a piece. Having settled
his plumage after such a daring act, he flew down again, less cautiously, and
took another piece. After a few days he would often perch on the post and send
friendly glances toward the window.

By this time Nellie believed that he knew she was his friend, but she wanted
to try him still further. She scattered some grains of corn, nice, large, yellow
grains, from the fence to the porch.

Sammy watched her from a safe distance. He was 'game' but very much
frightened. He flew down and ate the first few grains, looked cautiously about,
crept nearer, flattened his topnot, spread his wings and fairly crawled to the

58 Bird - Lore

step to secure the last grain. Then with an air of bravery which was funny to
see he flew to the fence, settled his plumage and jeered at the timid ones in the
tree.

From that time Nellie placed his bread on the porch railing. For a day or
two he was afraid to venture so near, as the rail was just below the window,
then began to come very early in the morning, gobbled the crumbs and fled.

One evening Nellie forgot her pet until morning. During the night about two
inches of snow had fallen. When she looked out and thought of Sammy she
decided to wait and see what he would do. Soon he flew dowTi and began tossing
away the snow with his bill. Faster and faster he flirted but no crumbs
appeared. When the bare railing showed and Sammy knew that he was forgot-
ten, he was angry. He began to scold. The more he scolded the more
angry he became. He fairly quivered as he sat and squawked.

Nellie laughed but resolved that he should soon have his breakfast.

Nellie thought Sammy a very wise bird, don't you? — Esther L. Rosen-
BERGER, San Carlos, Ariz.

[Nellie's experience in enticing the timid Blue Jays to the window shows how even
the wariest birds will finally respond to kindness and lose a large measure of their fear. —
A. A. A.]

A ROBIN'S NEST AND FAMILY

This Robin's nest, we observed, was in the fork of a white oak tree about
40 feet from the ground and was made of grass and mud. We began our observa-
tions when the young were about sLx or seven days old, on August 3, and kept
a one-hour's feeding record for three days. The first day, August 3, they were
fed eight times in the hour that we watched, the male feeding five times and the
female three. Owing to the extreme height of the nest we were never able to see
very well the kind of food but the few times that we did see, it was usually
grubs. On August 5, when the young were eight days old, we made our next
observation. This time, also, they were fed eight times in the hour, only the
male and female each fed an equal number of times. On August 6, we made our
last observation. Only seven feedings were made, five by the male and two by the
female. Feedings usually lasted about one or one and a half minutes and often
came immediately following each other but sometimes five or even ten minutes
elapsed between feedings. In chilly weather one would feed and then remain on
the nest until the other came in order to keep the young birds warm. Only once
did we see any ncst-cleaning, then the female went to the nest to feed and then
went away with some small white thing in her bill. We did not see her drop it.
Perhaps nest-cleaning was done later in the day. Two days later the young had
flown and we were denied the especial pleasure of seeing them leave the nest. —
CoRisTELiA DoziER (age, 15 years).

[This is the way to become reall)' familiar with a bird by watching it at its nest and
making careful notes of all that transpires. — A. A. A.J

WOOD PEWEE AT HOME

Photographed by Herbert K. Job

(59)

BROWN CREEPER

By T. GILBERT PEARSON

Ctie Rational Skmotiation o( Hubution ^octetit<

EDUCATIONAL LEAFLET NO. 104

Few birds are more modest and retiring in their habits than the Brown
Creeper. Its life is passed creeping about the trunks of trees, and when alarmed
by the approach of an intruder will often remain stationary and thus avoid
detection. Its notes are few and the song of the male so low that it is rarely
heard. The bird is altogether so difficult to see and to hear, and blends so
perfectly with its wild surroundings, that even a trained observer will often
pass near one without learning of its presence.

The Brown Creeper is from 5 to 5^ inches long. Nearly one-half of this
length is taken up by the long tail which is stiff and bristly at the end, not unlike
the tail of a Woodpecker. The bill is about ^ inch in length, slender, rounded,
and slightly curved. It serves the bird well, for it is of the greatest use in explor-
ing the small, deep crevices of the bark in quest of food. In color the Creeper
is brown above and streaked lengthwise with white. Two wide whitish bars
cross each wing. The rump is light rusty red. Beneath, from bill to tail, the
bird is white. The brown-streaked back of a Creeper, clinging motionless to the
bark of a forest tree, presents a mark not easily seen by one who is unaware that
a bird is hiding there in open view.

In the greater part of its range in the United States, people see this little
tree, mouse-like, bird only during the colder portions of the year, for its summer
home is farther north. It is often found in companies of three or four — family
groups, possibly — and very frequently associated with a band of Chickadees,
Nuthatches, and Downy Woodpeckers.

In feeding, the Brown Creeper climbs along the bark of trees by means of
little jumps or hitches. Generally it begins about 2 feet from the ground, and, as
it moves upward, it examines critically the cracks and crevices of the rough bark.
Usually it also moves slightly sidewise, so that by the time it is among the limbs,
often 20 feet or more from the ground, it has circled the tree two or three times.
Rarely it will creep along some large limb, but more generally, when reaching
the region of the tree trunk from which the limbs grow, it will fly to another
tree close by. Alighting near the base, it again begins its upward climb.

While the bird is well known to be an eater of insects and their eggs and
larvae, but little has been learned regarding just what insect food it most pre-
fers. It is known, however, to eat ants, sawflies, spiders, and, to some extent,
the seeds of the scrub pine.

Its usual cry is a fine chip or screep, the sound of which has often been likened
to the call-notes of the Golden-crowned Kinglet. Its song has been heard in
the spring and summer by some naturalists who have penetrated the forests

(60)

Brown Creeper 6i

to its nesting-haunts. Forbush describes this as "a sweet, wild, indescribable
song." William Brewester, who studied the bird much in the nesting-season,
has left on record his impressions of its singing. In a bulletin of the Nuttall
Ornithological Club, published in 1879, he wrote: "Though one of the sweetest
that ever rises in the thickets of the northern forests, it is never a very conspicu-
ous song. This is due to the fact that the song is short and by no means power-
ful, but its tones are so exquisitely pure and tender that I have never heard it
without a desire to linger in the vicinity until it has been many times repeated.
It consists of a bar of four notes, the first of moderate pitch, the second lower
and less emphatic, the third rising again, and the last abruptly falling, but dy-
ing away in an indescribable plaintive cadence like the soft sigh of the wind
among the pine boughs. I can compare it to no other bird-voice that I have
ever heard."

The nest of the Brown Creeper is made of sticks, strips of bark, cobwebs,
plant dowTi, and other materials. It is sometimes placed in hollow trees, but
much more often the birds hide it between a strip of loose bark and the body
of the tree or stump to which it still clings.

In the Auk magazine for April, 1905, appears this interesting account of a
search made by Frederic H. Kennard for a Creeper's nest in Massachusetts:

"On May 12, 1904, at about dusk, while Mr. Kennard was in the top of a
red maple on the edge of a swamp in Canton, inspecting a Hairy Woodpecker's
nest, he heard the call-notes of a pair of Brown Creepers as they flitted through
the woods behind him. He did not see the birds, much less follow them, but
only was able to note the direction in which they apparently flew.

"Two days later, however, on May 14, after finding one nest in a swamp
2 miles away, we determined to have a look for this pair, which we guessed
were probably breeding in a certain cedar swamp. The quest seemed nearly
hopeless, but we had an afternoon to spare, and waded in accordingly.

"The water was deep, the trees were thick, and the swamp particularly dark,
as it was cloudy, while the leaves that were then bursting forth added very
materially to our difficulties. However, after an hour, we at last thought we
heard one of the call-notes of the Creeper, a note that closely resembles that
soft call which Chickadees often utter when feeding and which differs somewhat
from the Creeper's ordinary Kinglet-like call. After considerable search we
finally discovered the Creeper, and the discovery seemed to be mutual, for he
allowed us to light our pipes and sit down and watch him for about fifteen
minutes, during which he never stirred until, apparently making up his mind
that we were harmless, he moved on. The trees and bushes were so thick, and
his movements so rapid, that it was impossible to keep an eye on him all the
time, and we often had to content ourselves with merely a general idea of his
whereabouts. When all at once we realized that two birds had come upon the
scene, our difficulties were doubled, each of us trying to watch one bird, and
often finding that we were watching the other's, particularly after the male had

62 Bird - Lore

mixed things up by feeding the female, which he did at intervals. However,
one of them finally flew to a hard pine stub, some lo feet from where one of us
was standing, and disappeared beneath a long strip of bark about 6 feet above
the water.

"One of us climbed on the other's shoulders and peeking in, found that the
nest contained six fresh eggs. This nest could never have been discovered had
it not been for the bird's kindness in leading us to it, as it was absolutely hidden
behind a very large strip of bark, while the stub stood in the middle of a very
thick tangle, so thick in fact that we were unable to photograph it, as we
could not do so without cutting away a lot of trees, shrubs, etc., and we had no
hatchet."

P. B. Philipp, who has made much study of the habits of the Brown Creeper,
in a recent letter to the writer, made the following statement regarding some of
his observations.

"For anyone who is not afraid of wetting his feet in the ice-water freshets
of early spring, a more or less intimate acquaintance with the Brown Creeper
is not difficult.

"At this season this little feathered gleamer frequents wet woodland or
bottom lands, which overflow and in which there are dead trees with loose-
hanging bark. Such places are usually remote from human habitation and
visited only by wandering muskrat hunters and hardy bird observers.

"Here, in mid-April, when the maples are putting on their spring dress of
red blossoms, and the skunk-cabbage is pushing its nose out of the muck, you
will hear a thin, plaintive song of three or four notes, different from any other
bird in these solitudes. Careful watch will disclose the source of the strange
song, and you will see a small brown bird closely hugging the rough bark of some
tree. A good way to find the bird is to watch the bases of the trees near where
the song appears to come, for the Creeper usually begins low down when it
starts to climb.

"On account of the character of its haunts it is often passed by, and it is
much commoner than it would appear to be from published records. Most
of the birds we see in the vicinity of New York City are migrants on their way
to the spruce and fir bogs of Canada. Some, however, slay with us to breed in
favored places. Such a locality is a certain swamp near Newton, N. J. Here the
bird is a regular breeder. The swamp is timbered with ash, elm, and maple, and
has a heavy undergrowth. Many of the trees have been killed by repeated
flooding, and the loosened bark has cracked and sprung outward from the trunks,
making the nesting-places which this bird most frefiuenlly selects. A nest
there found is typical. It was placed behind a piece of bark which had separated
from the trunk sufficiently to permit the passage of the bird, and quite a bit of
engineering skill was employed in its construction. First there was built a
foundation of dead twigs criss-crossed and interlaced with bits of dead wood
and bark secured together with cobwebs and fine strips of plant-down, some

Brown Creeper 63

six inches deep and tilling the space between the bark and the tree trunk.
The lowermost twigs were stretched across the space and acted as braces for
the material placed above them. On this foundation was built a tiny cup of fine
dried grass, well matted together, lined with very fine fibers, and fine strips of
inner bark as the shreds from dead cedars. This nest was placed in a dead
maple tree three feet above the water in a very wet part of the swamp, and on
May 3, 1913, contained five eggs, white, sparsely specked with light brown and
amber. Sometimes the bird will lay six or seven in a nest.

"The female of those pairs that I have watched, does the nest-building and
is accompanied by the male while gathering and arranging material. Both birds
feed the young and are very tame and unsuspicious. One pair I found in
northern New Brunswick unconcernedly visited the nest while observed from a
distance of ten or twelve feet.

"Nesting in the latitude of New York City is early and the young hatch in
late May. When newly out of the egg they are tiny creatures with a covering of
blackish natal down. When grown and out of the nest they appear to stay with
the old birds for a time, and I have seen whole families in late June creeping
about the tree trunks in their characteristic way."

The Brown Creeper breeds chiefly in Canada as far West as Manitoba and
in United States as far South as Nebraska and New Jersey; also along the
Alleghany Mountains southward into North Carolina. This bird belongs to
the family Certhiidce or Creepers, of which about twelve distinct species are
known. They are all confined to the Old World with the exception of the Brown
Creeper, which is found in North America. It is divided into five subspecies or
climatic varieties. It is migratory. At Washington, D. C, for example, it is
known only as a winter visitant, arriving about September 21 and leaving about
Mav I.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT

Edited by T. GILBERT PEARSON. President

Address all correspondence, and send all remittances, for dues and contributions, to

the National Association of Audubon Societies, 1974 Broadway, New York City.

Telephone, Columbus 7,327

T. Gilbert Pearson, President
Theodore S. Palmer, First Vice-President William P. Wharton, Secretary
Frederic A. Lucas, Second Vice-President Jonathan Dwight, Treasurer

Samuel T. Carter, Jr., Attorney

Any person, club, school or company in sympathy with the objects of this Association may become
a member of it, and all are welcome.

Classes of Membership in the National Association of Audubon Societies for the Protection of Wild
Birds and Animals:

$5 annually pays for a Sustaining Membership
$160 paid at one time constitutes a Life Membership
$1,000 constitutes a person a Patron
$5,000 constitutes a person a Founder
$25,000 constitutes a person a Benefactor

Form of Bequest: — I do hereby give and bequeath to the National Association of Audubon
Societies for the Protection of Wild Birds and Animals (Incorporated), of the City of New York.

OUR NATIONAL PARKS IN GREAT DANGER

Few people in the United States today
realize that commercial interests which for
years have sought to gain access to the
National Parks have at last broken through
the strong cordon of protection hitherto
thrown around the parks by Congressional
action and public sentiment. These raiders
must be repelled and our nineteen great
National Parks held intact.

Listen to this! At the last session of
Congress a provision was inserted in the
Water Power Bill, which turned over to
three members of the President's Cabinet
the authority to grant water-power con-
cessions in National Parks. This bill is
now a law! Only two votes, therefore, are
now required to admit the enemies of
the wild parks to an orgy of destruction
and desolation.

THE REPEAL BILL OF SENATOR JONES

Very naturally this Cabinet Committee
is being besieged by requests for permis-
sion to enter the National Parks for the
purpose of building dams, power-houses,
and other constructions for the utilization
of the water for power development
purposes. Two of these requests have come
from Los Angeles where commercial inter-

ests are seeking to gain access into the
beautiful Yosemite National Park. This
portion of the Water Power Bill must, of
course, be repealed and it should be stated
here that on December 7, 1920, Senator
Jones of the state of Washington intro-
duced into the United States Senate a
bill for the purpose. At the time of going
to press this bill had not been advanced.
It goes without saying that it will meet
with strong opposition by those moneyed
interests who would exploit the parks.

THE DESTRUCTIVE SMITH BILL

On February 11, 1920, Mr. Smith, of
Idaho, introduced a bill to permit the
building of a dam in the Falls River basin
in the southwestern part of the Yellow-
stone National Park, with a view of mak-
ing a reservoir covering 8,000 acres and
then use the water for irrigation purposes
across the park line in the state of Idaho.
This measure was passed by the United
Slates Senate, after a Committee hearing
at which A. P. Davis, Chief of the Bureau
of the United States Reclamation Service,
stated that this little-known region was
largely swamp land and therefore of little
or no interest to tourists. Continuing on

(64)

The Audubon Societies

its course, this bill has been reported
favorably by the House Committee to
which it was referred, and it is at this time
waiting in the House for final action.

During the past summer, William C.
Gregg, a life member of this Association,
fitted out and headed an expedition 'nto
the Falls River region. His findings are
set forth in an article which appeared in
the Saturday Evening Post for November
20, 1920. He states that he found this
was not a territory of swamps but a beauti-
ful upland meadow traversed by streams
filled with fish, a territory in which game
is abundant, and a region that would afford
beautiful camping sites for at least 10,000
tourists. A few miles of dirt road from the
upper geyser basin would open this new
territory to motor parties. He found along
the edges of the basin no less than forty
waterfalls, cascades, and hot springs, some
of which would be destroyed and the most
of the others rendered inaccessible should
this unsightly reservoir be created. This
Smith Bill must be killedl

THE NEW WALSH BILL

Already other commercial interests are
looking forward to repeating the benefit
from the precedent they expect to be set
by Congress in passing this measure.

Senator Walsh, of Montana, has intro-
duced in the Senate a bill to dam the
Yellowstone River where it flows out of
the Yellowstone Lake. The idea is to
accumulate water here during the flood
season and let it off later for irrigation pur-
poses in Montana. Of course, dams could
be built on this river outside the Park, but
this would mean the flooding of private
lands that would have to be paid for.
If the dam can be built inside the park
no private expense would be attached to
the flooded lands, hence from the stand-
point of that class of our citizens who are
willing to destroy anything of interest or
esthetic beauty if money can be made
thereby, all these propositions appear
eminently worth while, and their consum-
mation is, by them, to be devoutly hoped
for.

The National Association of Audubon

Societies, the National Parks Association,
the National Civic Association, and some
other public-spirited institutions, as well
as many thousands of unorganized in-
dividuals, do not see the subject in this
monetary light. This Association is fight-
ing these park propositions as hard as it
can. We have recently made a call among
our members and others for funds to use
in arousing the public to the imminent
danger that threatens our National Parks.
About $4,000 have been collected to date,
and this money is being used in circulars,
publicity, traveling expenses of speakers,
and such other items as incidentally arise
in connection with the campaign.

I have referred above to three distinct
bills pending in our United States Congress.
It will help matters very materially if our
members write to their Senators and Con-
gressmen and express their hope, first,
that the bill of Senator Jones, intended to
take out of the Water Power Bill, the words
"National Parks and National Monu-
ments" will become a law. Second, that
the bill by Congressman Smith of Idaho,
intending to build a reservoir in the south-
western part of the Yellowstone Park,
and which bill is now pending in the House
of Representatives, shall be repealed; and
third, that the Walsh Senate bill, to dam
Yellowstone River, shall be defeated. We
are told, on what we believe to be com-
petent authority, that there are no less
than a dozen splendid dam-sites in the
Yellowstone Park, and, if commercial
interests are allowed to use one of these, a
precedent will be set for a vast disfigura-
tion and despoliation of America's greatest
natural beauty area.

Anyone interested in the preservation
of the wild natural beauties of America's
choicest spots included in National Parks,
or who cares for the preservation of the
wild life within their boundaries, should by
all means communicate their views to their
Senators and Congressmen. This Associa-
tion has no means of fighting such detri-
mental matters except by the weapon of
public sentiment, and public sentiment
freely expressed in Washington always has
its effect.

Bird - Lore

MOVING PICTURES NOW AVAILABLE FOR
FLORIDA AUDIENCES

Norman McClintock, the well-known
nature photographer, of Pittsburgh, will
be available for moving-picture lectures in
Florida during the months of February
and March. His addresses will be fully
illustrated with remarkably beautiful and
interesting moving pictures of Florida bird-
life. His collection of these subjects was
very much enriched by his studies at the
Association's protected Heron and Egret

colony in Orange Lake during the past
summer. Any members or friends of the
Association who are spending the winter
in Florida and who would like to make local
arrangements for having the pictures
shown are invited to communicate with the
home office of the Association at 1974
Broadway, New York, or directlj' with
Norman McClintock, 504 Amberson Ave.,
Pittsburgh.

ILLEGAL TO GIVE CHILDREN AIR-GUNS

We so often see air-guns in the hands of
children that it is thought wise to bring
before the attention of our readers the fact
that there is a provision in the Penal
Code of the State of New York, that makes
it illegal to give an air-gun to any person
under the age of sixteen years. It is also
illegal for any person under the age of
sixteen to carry or have in possession such
air-gun.

"Section 1896 — L. 1913 ch. 608.

"A person who manufactures, or causes
to be manuactured, or sells or keeps for
sale, or offers, or gives, or disposes of any
instrument or weapon of the kind usually
known as a black-jack, slungshot, billy,
sandclub, sandbag, bludgeon, or metal

knuckles, to an_\' person; or a person who
offers, sells, loans, leases, or GIVES any
gun, revolver, pistol or other fire-arm or
any air-gun, spring-gun or other instru-
ment or weajjon in which the propelling
force is a spring or air or any instrument
or weapon commonly known as a toy
pistol or in or upon which any loaded or
blank cartridges are used, or may be used,
or any loaded or blank cartridges or
ammunition therefor to any person under
llie age of sixteen years, is guilty of a mis-
demeanor.
"Section 1897 — L. 1913, ch. 608.

"Any person under the age of sixteen
years, who shall have in his possession,
any of the articles named or described in
the last section, which is forbidden therein
to offer, sell, loan, lease or give to him.
shall be guilty of juvenile delinquency."

FOR A UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF
CONSERVATION

On December 8, 1920, Congressman
McDufTy, of Alabama, introduced in the
House of Representatives a bill intended
to create a new Cabinet officer to be
known as 'Secretary of Conservation.'
The bill arranges for the usual machinery
for the creating of a new (k'i)artmcnt of
Government, and |)r()vides tliat this de-
partment shai! liave jurisdiction over llie
Forest Service, and Bureau of Hiological
Survey, now under the jurisdiction of the
Department of Agriculture; also the
(Geological Survey and the National Parks
Service, now under the jurisdiction of the
Department of Interior; and the Bureau of

I'isheries, now under the jurisdiction of the
I)e])artment of Commerce.

The bill also provides for the creation of
a new bureau to be known as the 'Bureau
of Birds and Game.' The Department
is to be sujiplicd with a legal offiice in
charge of a solicitor. Tlie duties and
authorities of the proposed Department of
Conservation are also set forth in detail.

Prominent among the sponsors for the
bill is Hon. John H. Wallace, Jr., of Ala-
bama who for many years has been active
and energetic as State Game Warden of
tliat Co mnion wealth.

The Audubon Societies

KILLING DUCKS BY AEROPLANE

A few weeks ago, the Pathc weekly news
film, in moving-picture houses all over the
country, showed a Duck-hunt by. aero-
plane. In the picture two or three planes
swooped over the marshes and when the
Ducks arose in clouds the planes dashed
among them. It was easy to see that many
were killed by striking against the wires
or other parts of the machines. The picture
closed with a statement that it is estimated
2,000 Ducks were killed that da\' in this
manner.

Upon hearing of this the President of
the Association secured a copy of the lilni
and it was shown to a number of interested
people in the lecture hall of the American
Museum of Natural History, New York
City. We at once took up the matter with
the Biological Survey, for to take Ducks
from aeroplanes is illegal under the
Federal Law. Dr. E. W. Nelson, the
Survey's Chief, replied that the subject
was already under inv'estigation, and that
agents were on the ground seeking to
apprehend these violators of the law.
Complaint at the same time was made to

the California State Hoard of I'ish and
(iame Commissioners, and t lie iCxecutive
Ofticer of the Commissioner, Charles A.
Vogelsang, replied that he sent a warden
to investigate but was unable to get
exidence that any Ducks were killed by
gun-fire from the planes, therefore no
action was brought by the state authori-
ties. We are still hoping for action by the
Federal Covernment.

In the January number of Popular
Mechanics there appeared an extended
article, with many illustrations, telling of
this and similar big hunts carried on in the
rice-fields in the Sacramento Valley, by
aviators who it seems are employed by
rice-growers to keep the Ducks frightened
from the fields. The writer tells of going
on one of these trips and how he was con-
stantly spattered with the blood of Ducks
killed by the propellers of aeroplan''^. It
is a gruesome story and among other
things well illustrates the point that there
is still vast need for Audubon Society work
in this beloved country of ours.

INDIANA AUDUBON SOCIETY

We have had a very excellent year and
note a marked increase in public interest
for bird-protection. Our Society has been
instrumental in having established a num-
ber of private bird sanctuaries through-
out the state, and, in cooperation with the
State Conservation Commission, has had
every public park and state reservation
converted into a bird sanctuary where
bird-food is supplied in winter and nesting-
sites erected in spring.

The annual meeting at Martinsville,
Ind., May 20-22, was one of the best ever
held by the Society. The program consisted
of a very interesting illustrated lecture by
Hon. Amos W. Butler, a series of dinner
conferences, at which matters of vital
interest were thoroughly discussed and
many helpful suggestions made, addresses
in the schools, a l)ird-walk, and a public

meeting addressed by Richard Leiber,
Director of the Conservation Commission
of the state of Indiana, on 'Bird Conserva-
tion,' and Miss Roussou McClelland on
'Bird Work in the Schools.'

Our Society desires to acknowledge its
indebtedness to our new State Conserva-
tion Commission, whose activities in
enforcing the laws has done much to call
attention to the importance and economic
necessity of conserving our bird-life. We
cooperate with the Commission in every
way possible, and we are encouraged
to hope that before long the Commission
will secure the services of a trained orni
thologist to supervise bird-conservation
work in the state. Our Society was never
more enthusiastic or active and we are
looking forward to a most successful
vear. — Fr.ank C. Evans, Serrctarv.

Bird - Lore

REPORT OF THE FOREST HILLS GARDENS (N. Y.)
AUDUBON SOCIETY

The two outstanding things accom-
plished by our local Audubon Society the
last year are : First, a change in the form of
government, and second more emphasis
upon the junior activities. The work is
now done through committees appointed
by the president instead of by a board of
trustees. The main advantage is that the
different committees meet as often as is
necessary in small groups and there is a
quicker and more efficient transaction of
business. The names of the committees
are: Publicity, Field and Educational
Work, School and Junior Work, and Bird
Enemies. The officers of the Society are:
President, Mrs. George Smart; Vice-
President, Mrs. I. A. Washburne; Secretary
and Treasurer, Miss M. E. Knevels.

A contest held in the schools to deter-
mine how much the children knew about
local birds showed more need of education,

and the Society had H. C. Button of the
New York State School of Applied Agricul-
ture at Farmingdale, Long Island, come
to the Gardens and give talks on birds to
groups of children from each grade, show-
ing pictures and adapting his instruction to
the age and comprehension of each group.
This same instruction was also given in the
Kew-Forest School. It is planned to keep
on with this kind of instruction. Fifty
pounds of mixed grain were distributed
in the early spring when late storms do
much harm to the migratory birds. Our
future work would seem to lie in the uni-
fication of all the bird-protective activi-
ties on Long Island so that the parks,
cemeteries and golf-links might form a
chain of natural preserves extending the
length of the Island. — Mary E.^stwood
Knevels, Secretary.

THE BURROUGH'S AUDUBON NATURE CLUB OF
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK

The past year has been the most
prosjjerous in the history of the Club.
During the winter indoor meetings were
held in Reynolds Library, and consider-
able interest was manifested in the
illustrated bird-talks given by our presi-
dent, William B. Hoot. The climax of
interest and attendance was reached when
the bird-hikes began in May. The last one
was attended by nearly one hundred
members and friends. During past years
no hikes were held in July and August.
This year by unanimous request of
members two were held each month from
May to October inclusive. About 120
species of birds were seen and identifu-d.

Complying with the request from tin-
National Association, copies of a protest
against the measure known as the Smith
liill, intended to turn over a large tract of
Yellowstone National Park for a reservoir,
were circulated and signed by everyone
present. The co|)ies were then sent to

our Senator and Representatives in Con-
gress.

Membership day was celebrated October
23. It was for members only and all who
attended had to have their membership
card. This resulted in bringing in quite
a large number of new members, and the
payment of dues by old ones. A car was
chartered and about seventy-five members
went to Canandaigua and enjoyed a
most delightful walk through the spa-
cious and interesting grounds at Sonnen-
berg. This fall, Audubon bird-charts were
donated to several of the rural schools,
and it was very gratifying to see with what
interest and enthusiasm the pupils and
teachers accepted them. In each school
nearly every child manifested a desire to
become a member of the Junior Audubon
Society. In one school the pupils arc
saving their pennies to buy a bird-fountain
next s|)ring. — Hvkkikt Ganuno, Secre-
tary.

The Audubon Societies

New Life Members Enrolled from
October 20, 1920 to January 1, 1921

August, Harmon S.

Barlow, Dr. W. Jarvis

Barnev, D. Newton

Bibb, William G.

Blodgett, Mrs. Williiun T.

Brady, James C".

Carlisle, Geo. L., Jr.

Church, Charles T.

Church, F. E.

Douglass, Mrs. Charles

DuBois, Miss Katharine

Dunbar, Miss L. H.

Erlanger, Sidney C.

Evans, Dr. Evan M.

Farr. Miss Shirley

Field, Mrs. Isaac N.

Foot, Sandford D.

Goodwin, Mrs. James J.

Gosline, W. A., Jr.

Gregg, \Vm. C.

Harkness, Mrs. W. L.

Haynes, William DeF

Hill, Clarence H.

Hitchcock, Francis R.

Hobbs, Jasper J.

Hosmer, Mrs. Estelle de Peyster

Jennings, Mrs. Walter

Law, Mrs. Robert, Jr.

Lee, Charles N.

Lincoln, E. K.

McLane, Miss Catharine M.

McLean, Mrs. James

Mattlage, Charles Henry

Miller, Mrs. Galbraith, Jr.

Otis, William A.

Prentice, Ellsworth

Winslow, Miss Maria L. C.

Woolman, Henry, X., Jr.

New Sustaining Members Enrolled from
October 20, 1920 to January 1, 1921

Adams, Miss Marian H.
Akeley, Carl E.
Amory, John J.
Bacot, John V., Jr.
Bailey, Edward P.
Baily, Henry P.
Baker, Mrs. Arthur N.
Bascom, Chas. E.
Beck, L. H.
Beckman, H. C.
Begg, Mrs. W. R.
Bell, C. Edward
Benjamin, Wm. M.
Bennett, Rosanne D.
Bennett, Winchester
Bensel, J. A.
Benziger, Miss Lulu
Biggs, Hermann M.
Bishop. H. R.

Blaine, George Bassctt

Blair, Parker

Hlattner, D. I).

Blayney, W. N. W.

Bliss, Arthur K.

Boit, Mrs. John E.

Bonfils, F. G.

Bonties, Mrs. H. P.

Borden, Norman E., Jr.

Bortell, Mrs. G. C.

Brackett, Mrs. W. R.

Bradley, Mrs. E. C.

Brooks, Fred E.

Brown, Ernest B.

Bucklev, B. Lord

Burdett, Mrs. W. W.

Burhorn, Edwin

Burr & Burton Seminary

Butler, Mr. and Mrs. Edward H

Cady, John D.

Caldwell, C. A

Callaway, Fuller E.

Candlin, Asa G.

Capen, Wallace C.

Capron, C. Day

Card, W. H.

Garden, George A.

Carlebach, Walter M.

Carroll, Mrs. John F.

Catchings, Master Waddill, Jr.

Chadsey, Miss Edith W.

Chambers, W. L.

Chapin, S. B.

Chapman, Miss Nancy

Chase, Arthur Taft

Chouteau, Auguste, Jr.

Christophersen, Louis P.

Chubb, S. Harmsted

Church, Austin

Clark, F. Ambrose

Clarke, James King

Cleveland, Dr. Clement

Cobb, Edward F.

Coffin, Francis A.

Cone, Mrs. Jeanette

Conover, H. B.

Cook, Amsel G.

Cordier, Dr. A. H.

Corson, H. C.

Crawford, Mrs. J. A.

Crimmins, Mrs. Thomas

Cushman, B. A.

Cutter, Mr. and Mrs. E.

Davidson, Mrs. E. L.

Davis, Waters S.

De Camp, Mrs. Alice

Derr, Mrs. Andrew F.

Doane, Merritt Howard

Dorman, Mrs. Franklin W.

Drosten, Mrs. F. W.

Duer, H. E.

Earle, Samuel L.

Eddy, Bartlett

Ellsworth, John S.

Faust. Clarence

Bird - Lore

litld, W . L. \\ .

Kisher, Robert J.

Gale, Mrs. John K.

Garel, :\Irs. Anna K

(ilare, Francis J.

(Jlisan, R. L.

(Joddard, Mrs. Morrill

(ionzalcs, Mrs. J. C.

Grant, Mrs. Marion K

Gray, Mathews

GrilTin, William \'.

Gude, A. \'., Jr.

Hall, Henry H.

Hartwell, .Arthur S.

Hatch, Ho>(l

Hatch, Kdward, Jr.

Hatch, Livingston

Hatch, \'an .\ote

Hawly, Mrs. Charles H

Haj'ward, J. B

Hershcy, Andrew H.

Heydt, Charles K.

Howard, Frederick T.

Hoyt, Alfred ().

Hoyt, S. B.

Hubbard, Miss .Vnna Weir

Hughes, R. S.

Hutcheson, C. 1>.

Irwin, Mrs. Robert

Jameson, Miss Marjoric Ruth

Jamicson, .Small

Kuhn, .\rlhur K.

Laughlin, Mrs. .\le.\ander

Le Due, Mrs. .Mphonse

Lucker, Lawrence IL

McLellan, A. H.

McManamy, Mrs. .\. M.

Ma.xon, Donald C.

Merrilt, L. Fveline

Minnesota .\udubon Sotiety (The

Montaut, Mrs. .\.

Montclair Bird Club

Myers, Mrs. Florence B.

Myers, Louis G.

Nicholson, \e\in G.

Penson, ^Irs. F.

Perkins, Cleveland

Powers, Waller C.

Prcscote, Mrs. Henry I).
Rea, Mrs. Samuel
Remick, Mrs. Miiry 11.
Robb, Mrs. .Alexander
Roth, Mrs. Joseph
Saunders, W. L., 2d
Savage, Mrs. D. P'itzhugh
Sellers, William F.
Sessions, Miss Flizabeth
Sheimrd, Miss Fmily R.
Shepherd, Thomas ^lunroe
Shoemaker, Frncst
Simpson, Mrs. Mark L.
Sleejicr, Henry 1).
Smith, Miss Fayette
Smith, Mrs. (i. Fdwin
Smith, Mrs. Hiram A.
Smith. X. G.
Snow, Miss C. L.
Solberg, Thorvald
South wick, Mrs. Joseph
Speck, Rcinhard S.
Spiegel, Arthur and Marjorie
Sprague, Dr. Francis P.
Stewart, James B.
Strubing, P. H.
Taylor, Mrs. J. Hall
Thompson, Fthan W.
Thorne, G. Wisner
Todd, Mrs. Margaret Ross
Towle, W. J.
Trammell, Thomas
Turner, Mrs. W. R.
Tuttle, Mrs. Fannie F.
Underwood, Mabel W.
Van Cleef, Miss Fugenia
\'inal, Mrs. .Amelia U.
Vinal, Mrs. W. H.
Warber, Miss Mary
Ward, Joseph, Jr.
Watson, Miss Lucretia S.
Webster, Stella C.
Wehmann, H. & Co.
White, Wm. Pierrepont
Wilcox, Mrs. Anslcy
Wildo, W. H.
Wilson, Fugcne S.. Jr.
Young, Miss Isabel

/fa^T^a/f^i 5^d»^/fX

MF.ADOWLARK ADULT. SPRING
WI-SlliRN MLADOWl ARK. ADULT. SPRlNc^
YI-LLOVV-MIADr.D lil ACKBIRD. AIX 1 I MM I
'>I:LL()\V-III ADLD IMA( KIMRD. I I MALI

2^irb=lLorc

A BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE

DEVOTED TO THE STUDY AND PROTECTION OF BIRDS

Official Organ cf The Audubon Societies

Vol. XXIII March— April, 1921 No. 2

Winter Bird Life in Los Angeles

By HARRIETT WILLIAMS MYERS
Secretary Calitornia Audubon Society; Chairman Birds, G. F. 'W. C.

\\'ith Photographs by the Author

NEVER in my twenty-one years' residence in Los Angeles have I had
so many birds in my garden so early in the fall as in the year 19 19.
We are in the habit of having the Gambel Sparrows (a subspecies
of the White-cro-\ATied) arrive not later than September 26, to have Ruby-
crowned Kinglets, Audubon Warblers, Alaska Hermit Thrushes follow soon
after, but 19 19 brought a series of delightful surprises for the bird-lover.

Our winter rains came earher than usual, and during November the Sierra
Madre Mountain range was covered with snow, an almost unheard-of condition
at this time of year. In September a most diastrous fire raged for several weeks
on portions of this same range, driving into the valley many of the small
animals and birds. But whether or not this fire, or the early cold, or the fact
that there were fewer pine cones and acorns in the mountains than usual
had anything to do with the unusual visitors that seemed fairly common, I
would not venture to say. Suffice it that a more delightful fall and winter for
the bird-lover could scarcely be imagined.

I usually have Cedar Waxwings in my garden during the winter and early
spring months, when they come to eat the berries from the big pepper trees,
six of which grow in our garden. These charming birds go about in flocks, which
are usually large, flying together in a compact form, their long-drawn-out notes,
which always remind me of sighing wind, announcing their presence as, still
in close formation, they light in the trees. They are extremely fond of pepper
berries and have an interesting habit in connection with the eating of them.
These berries have hard centers which the birds cannot digest, so when they
have eaten their fill of them and, I suppose, the digestible outer portion has
been assimilated, they fly into some other tree, the eucal^^Dtus being a favorite,
and there disgorge these inner pellets, which fall onto the ground below like
falling rain. In my own yard, beneath these eucalyptus trees, large patches cf
pepper trees have sprung up and the uninformed might wonder how they got

Bird - Lore

there. When these eucalyptus trees grow along a roadway, or beside a cement
walk, the remains of the red berries are most abundant and a cause of surprise
to one who cannot "read a roadside as he reads a book."

This year I was amazed to find my yard full of Waxwings the first of
October, and they were reported to have been seen in September, a most
unusual occurrence. On October 24 a Robin called in the yard. I thought that
I had heard one earlier in the month, but by the end of October the yard was

full of these big, jolly birds, and
some of them were singing their
'really, truly,' song as well as the
familiar 'wheat-wheat,' 'tut-tut-tut'
call-notes. Last year was the first
time that I had heard, commonly,
that wonderfully clear, liquid song
which, so far as my recollection
goes, is just like that of the eastern
bird, and brings fond memories of
a childhood when Robins nested
familiarly in the garden and dug
worms from the lawn.

These birds are also fond of
pepper berries, gathering them from
the trees and from those fallen on
the ground. They also disgorge the
hard inner pellet as, I doubt not,
all birds do that eat them. These
spicy little berries seem to create
in the Robins a great thirst, so
that my bird drinking-plates are
freely patronized and , often the
pellets are deposited there. Some-
times four big Robins are on one small dish at once, and one day I saw a Cedar
Waxwing circle dangerously near the head of a Robin as it tried to find a
resting-place. The larger bird resented the Wa.xwing's presence and made
faces at it in a most undignified way, but nevertheless the Waxwing dis-
regarded the Robin's protest and, lighting on the dish, helped himself to
water. I rcgrettefl that my camera was not set up in time to catch this
attractive picture.

On November 9 a busy little Mountain Chickadee was seen foraging in a
fruit tree in the garden. Some days before I had heard a call which I thought
might l)e that of this little stranger, but as it came from high up in the tree-
tops and I felt might l)e that of the Plain Titmouse. I gave it little heed. Only
once before have I had these mountain-loving birds in my yard and that was

WESl

Winter Bird Life in Los Angeles

about two years ago, in January or February, when one of them stayed about
for two or three weeks; so one may imagine my deUght on seeing this httle
visitor.

On November 12, a Crested Jay, dweller of the mountains, was seen in the
valley not far from my home. California Jays we have in abundance, but these
beautiful, high-crested birds ordinarily prefer the high mountains.

Wren-Tits, those distinctively western birds that usually live on the brush-
covered hillsides or wooded canons, are constant visitors this winter and their
peculiar clear whistles are often heard. Plain Titmice, those dainty crested
midgets; California Bush-Tits, a tiny western species; .\laska Hermit Thrushes,
Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Audubon Warblers, Dusky Warblers, White-crowned
Sparrows, Spurred Towhees, such common birds as Black Phoebes, Linnets,

BLACK PHttBP:

Song Sparrows, Towhees, Anna's Hummingbirds, Blackbirds and Green-
backed Goldfinches are about in abundance.

One surprise of November 25 was the appearance in my elderberry of a
male Phainopepla. These beautiful black-crested birds are summer visitors
that, for the most part, are gone by August, although occasionally a stray one
is reported in the winter time. On December 5 a gray female of this species
also \'isited the yard and drank from a bird-bath. My camera was in position
but the light was not strong enough for a good picture. On December 9 the
male was about again, and all through December he has been here. As I write
this (December 23) he is still with me and I am hoping to get a photograph of
him at my bath. These birds are also fond of pepper berries.

Perhaps the greatest surprise of the season was on November 19 when, on
casually glancing out of the window, I saw a small dark bird whose big white
collar stood out against the dark background and made him conspicuous where
otherwise he blended into the tree. He was resting, head downward as im-
movable as though dead, and in this position he remained for fully five minutes

Bird - Lore

without stirring. When I opened the porch door and stepped out he only hitched
a few inches away. Quite evidently he did not mind mankind. A loud 'yank,
yank, yank' from a neighboring tree proclaimed that he was not alone and con-
firmed my belief that I was looking at a Slender-billed Nuthatch, western
representative of the White-breasted Nuthatch. He finally climbed about on
the tree, inspecting crevices before he flew away. His cousin, the Red-breasted
Nuthatch, has also been reported in the valley.

California Purple Finches are in my yard earlier than usual this year. They
forage mostly on the ground, also eating the pepper berries fallen there. Later
in the season they are fond of fruit buds and some complaint has come because
of this habit. I notice, however, in my own yard, that I have plenty of fruit
after they have feasted in my blossoming trees. Perhaps it is only insects that
they molest. At any rate, I always welcome them in my garden.

Varied Thrushes, large cousins of the Robins, have been seen this winter
in the valley, as has also that gorgeous creature, the Red-breasted Sapsucker.
As yet, these two birds have not visited my garden when I have been at home
to receive them, but as about eighty species of California birds have done so
at some time of the year, I shall live in hopes that they will not pass me by when
they are making their southern calls, but will show my garden the same con-
sideration that so many other birds have shown.

MALE PHAINOPEI'LA
Courtesy of The Condor

The Bird-House for Purple Martins

By THOMAS L. McCONNELL, McKeesport, Pa.

THE problem of designing a good house for a colony of Purple Martins
is simply a matter of attending to many little details. When a Martin-
box is deserted after two or three years the cause is apt to be one of the
following: Improperly designed house, uninviting situation, such as too near
or under trees, or too close to a fence or building, a poorly selected pole, the
Sparrows may have been allowed to take possession of the quarters, the small
boys may be persecuting the birds, or the place may not be cheerful.

The bird-house should have at least ten separate rooms, for the sociable
Martins love to live in colonies and small colonies suffer much from the English
Sparrow. Make the rooms about 6 inches wide by 8 inches deep by 8 inches
high. There is really no exact size necessary. For instance, one authority
suggests 5 or 6 inches wide and of similar height and 8 or 9 inches deep, the
long rooms being favored so that the Screech Owl cannot reach the nests.
Another writer recommends rooms 8 inches wide by 8 inches deep by 6 inches
high.

The doors may be 2% inches wide by 3 inches high, including a i^ inch
radius arch at the top, or round holes 2^ inches in diameter. A round hole
or arched hole should be made 'bulging' or become wider towards the center of
the box. "Even so small a change as boring a bulging hole in a box, instead of
a straight one, and beveling the lower edge of the entrance hole, increased the
occupancy of the boxes in the Berlepsch woods from 50 to 90 per cent." It is
better never to use a square hole and when one is. cut, by all means round
off the top into an arch. Birds seem really to prefer a round hole.

Two of the large, successful Martin colonies in McKeesport dwell in houses
with each room having two circular entrances about 2^^ inches in diameter
placed about i inch apart. This seems an excellent idea and the writer has
noticed that the old birds, when feeding their young, use both holes and dart
in and out with less confusion and interference than when only one opening
is provided. These entrances should be on the same side of the room and never
on different sides, as this leads to fighting among the old birds and spells
disaster to their eggs and young.

Porches, about 2 to 2^ inches wide must be provided in front of the doors
for the convenience of the old birds when feeding their nestlings and for the
young when they are ready to learn to fly. If there are no porches many young
birds fall to the ground and are lost. When a nestling unable to fly drops to
the ground it must be replaced on the box because the parents never feed their
young on the ground and, moreover, cats are usually on the lookout for such
accidents. By a suitable and artistic selection of porches the house may be
made a structure of beauty and grace.

No ventilation is necessary besides the entrance holes and all rooms should

(75)

76 Bird - Lore

be separate and draft-proof. Usually the door-sill is the floor line, although
many authorities advocate raising the sill about )/2 inch above the floor and
porch levels, which prevents rain water from flooding the rooms. No wind-
wheels, flagpoles, lightning-rods or other fantastic appliances should be fast-
ened to the house. This point is often raised by beginners. A blind chimney or
two may be built on to the roof for the sake of beauty and synmietry, and
besides a chimney makes the house more cozy and homelike.

The house should be substantially built of ^- to i-inch pine or other wood
so as to withstand the weather. It should be painted white because white is
the coolest color. During the hot weather the young birds suffer much from
the intense heat of the sun. The writer usually paints the roof a darker color,
often some shade of green, never red. Avoid a red color because all birds in-
stinctively shun a red bird-box.

The height of the box above the ground should be from 13 to 16 feet, never
less, although the author knew of one old established colony living in a house
only 7 feet from the ground. The box should not be fastened to the pole with
brackets, but with angle irons, and vines should not be grown around the pole,
for the birds are afraid of cats climbing the pole— a cat-proof pole is absolutely
essential.

To curb the English Sparrow, take down the house or close all the openings
after the Martins are gone. Either method is effective. In Bird-Lore, January,
19 14, the author covered many other points in his article, 'Notes on How To
Start a Colony of Purple Martins.'

A few years ago the writer studied a handsome ten-room bird-house which
the Martins would not inhabit after four or five years of trial and believed that
the box may have been improperly designed. He bought this box and found the
openings to measure 2 inches square. This is rather too small for the Martins
to enter easily and carry in nesting material. The entrances were enlarged by
cutting a semi-circular arch over the doorways, making the new height 3 inches.
Last year this box was erected at the Youghiogheny Country Club near Mc-
Keesport and about three pairs of Martins immediately occupied the pretty
residence.

Few people realize how permanent a Martin colony may be. McKeesport
has one colony over thirty years old and still as thriving as ever and there had
been one within 100 feet of this one for over forty years previous, which carries
us back well before the advent of the English Sparrow. The writer put up his
first Martin-box about twenty five years ago at Kittanning and the successful
colony still flourishes. Since then he has started many colonies at other places.
His last effort at his present home in McKeesport has been unsuccessful and
every scheme and device was used in vain. The birds seemed to come and stay
a few days and then leave. The house was the identical one that the Martins
loved at his former residence only six or eight blocks distant. Finally one spring
day, upon coming home, he caught one of the neighbor's boys stoning a Martin

The Bird-House for Purple Martins

off the box. This solved the mystery and illustrates one reason why a Martin-
house may not be inhabited.

Referring to the selection of a cheerful spot for the prospective Martin-
home, one can say nothing better than to quote the words of Mr. C. W. Parker
{In the Open, April, 1918): "Place your Martin-house in the most cheerful
and prominent place to be found, in the brightest sun, away from all trees, and
where people pass most. . . . The main requisite is that you have a cheerful
location, which is perhaps best described by the two words, 'pleasantly
situated.' "

GKKKN UKRdX AXD NEST
Photographed by A. A. Allen, Ithaca, N. Y.

The Migration of North American Birds

SECOND SERIES

XV. YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD
AND MEADOWLARKS

Compiled by Harry C. Oberholser, Chiefly from Data in the Biological Survey

YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD

This beautiful bird is distinctly an inhabitant of the West, for it occurs but
casually in eastern North America. The breeding range of the Yellow-headed
Blackbird {Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) reaches north to northern Manitoba,
northern Saskatchewan, southwestern Mackenzie, and central British Col-
umbia; west to southwestern British Columbia and western California; south
to southern California, southern Arizona, the States of Jalisco, Michoacan,
and Mexico, in Mexico ; and east to the valley of Mexico, western Texas, east-
ern Kansas, central Missouri, eastern Illinois, northwestern Indiana, eastern
Wisconsin, and central Manitoba. It winters north to southern California,
southern Arizona, southern Texas, and southwestern Louisiana; south to the
States of Puebla, Michoacan, and Jalisco, Mexico. It is of casual occurrence
east to Maine, Connecticut, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Florida; and
accidental in Alaska, Greenland, Quebec, as well as in the islands of Cuba and
Barbados in the West Indies.

SPRING MIGRATIOX

LOCALITY

Chillicothe, Mo

Chicago, 111

Sioux City, Iowa

Wall Lake, Iowa

Madison, Wis

Heron Lake, Minn

Minneapolis, Minn

St. Vincent, Minn

San Antonio, Texas

Gainesville, Texas

Wichita, Kans

Onaga, Kans

Syracuse, Neb

Sioux Falls, S. D

Rapid City, S. D

Argusville, N. D

Aweme, Manitoba

Reaburn, Manitoba

Qu'Appelle, Sask

Ft. Chipcwyan, Alberta. .

Durango, Colo

Denver, Colo

Rupert, Idaho

Terry, Montana

Great Falls, Mont

FlagstafT, Alberta

Modesto, Calif

Malheur Lake, Oreg

Okanagan Landing, B. C.

Number

Average date of

Earliest date of

record

spring arrival

March i6

March 14, 1914

May 2

April 10, 1892

April 2o

April 3, 1887

April 19

April 14, 1907

April 25

March 23, 1902

April 19

April 10, 1S87

May I

April 21, 191 7

May 2

April 25, 1896

April 16

April 13, 1885

April 21

April II, 1876

April 17

April 5, 191 7

April 24

April 13, 1898

April 19

April 3, 1904

April 27

April 17, 1910

Mav 8

April 26, 1905

May 2

April 19, 1884

April 30

April 13, 1897

Mav 2

April 24, 1897

April 30

April 6, 19 13
May 24, 1901

April 27

.\pril 10, 191 7

April 14

March 30, 1907

.\pril 16

April 6, 191 2

May 9

May 5, 1899

May 8

Mav 6, 1912

April 28

April 16, 19 1 5

April II

April I, 1908

.\pril 21

April I, 1915

Mav I A

May 14, 1914

(78)

The Migration of North American Birds

SPRING MIGRATION, continued

LOCALITY

San Antonio, Texas

Onaga, Kans

Syracuse, Xeb

Number

of years'

record

4
14

Average date of
last one observed

May 21
May 1 9
May lo

Latest date of
last one observed

May 25, 1885
June 3, 1893
May 16, 1895

FALL MIGRATION

LOCALITY

Chicago, 111

Sioux City, Iowa. .
St. Vincent, ]Minn .
Sioux Falls, S. D.. .
Aweme, Manitoba.

Boulder, Colo

Rupert, Idaho

Great Falls, Mont.

Number

of years'

record

Average date of
last one observed

October 26

September 18
September 14
September 28

Latest date of
last one observed

October'30, 1891
October i, 1910
October 25, 1897
September 20, 1908
October 20, 1911
October 30, 1910
September 16, 1911
September 12, 1891

CASUAL RECORDS

Florida No date.

Augusta, Ga September 23, 1S93.

Chester, S. C April 18, 1884.

Buckhannon, W. Va Spring, 1888.

Washington, D. C August 29, 1892.

Baltimore, Md. (near) September 10, 1891 ; September 18, 1893, October

I, 1894.

Eris, Pa. (near) August 22, 1896.

Allegheny Co., Pa April 26, 1895.

Chester Co., Pa ..May 3, 1880; September 15, 1885.

Fish House, X. J. (near) Xo date.

X^ew Haven, Conn June, 1878.

Hartford, Conn July, 1884.

Stamford, Conn July, 1888.

Watertown, Mass October 15, 1869.

Eastham, Mass September 10, 1877.

Monomoy Island, Mass September 8, 1897.

Spruce Head, Maine August 17, 1882.

Godbout, Quebec September 4, 187S.

MEADOWLARK

The well-known Meadowlark {Sturnella magna) has a wide geographic
distribution, occurring from southern Canada through the United States,
Mexico, and Central America, to Venezuela. Of its eight recognized subspecies,
only three occur in North America. These with their geographic ranges are as
follows :

The Eastern Meado\^iark {Sturnella magna magna) breeds in eastern
North America north to New Brunswick, southern Quebec, southern Ontario,
and northeastern Minnesota; west to central and southwestern Minnesota,
western Nebraska, central Kansas, and northwestern Texas; south to central
Texas, southwestern Missouri, central Illinois, central western Tennessee,

Bird - Lore

western North Carolina, and southern Virginia; and east to the Atlantic Coast
from Virginia to New Brunswick. In winter it retires from the northernmost part
of its range, but remains at this season north, at least irregularly, to southern
Maine, southern Ontario, and Michigan, and passing at least as far south as
southern South Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, and southeastern Texas. It is of
casual occurrence northeast to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

The Florida Meadowlark {Stumella magna argulula) is resident and
breeds in the southeastern United States north to North Carolina, northern
Alabama, northern Mississippi, southwestern Indiana, southern Illinois, south-
eastern Missouri, northeastern Arkansas, and northeastern Texas; west to
eastern Texas; south to southeastern Texas, with the Gulf Coast of Louisiana,
Mississippi, Alabama, and southern Florida; and east to eastern Florida, eastern
South Carolina, and eastern North Carolina.

The Rio Grande Meadowlark iSturnella magna hoopesi) is resident in
the southwestern United States north to south central Texas, central New
Mexico, and central Arizona; west to central Arizona and central Sonora;
south to Sonora, central Chihuahua, southern Coahuila, and southern Tam-
aulipas; and east to eastern Tamaulipas and central southern Texas.

All the migration dates given below refer to the common Eastern Meadow-
lark, and may be more or less misleading because, at all except the northernmost
localities, some individuals of this species usually pass the winter. The spring
dates represent, however, the normal appearance when the bird is not wintering,
or the dates when it becomes more conspicuous from its winter seclusion; while
those for the autumn show its normal disappearance from ordinary observation
or from the localities given when not actually wintering.

SPRING MIGRATION

LOCALITY

Beaver, Pa

Renovo, Pa

Morristovvn, N. J..

Alfred, N. Y

Syracuse, N. Y. . . .
Jewett City, Conn
Providence, R. I.. .
Amherst, Mass.. . .

Boston, Mass

Rutland, Vt

Tilton, N. H

Portland, Maine. .
Montreal, Quebec.
Scotch Lake, N. B

St. Louis, Mo

Chicago, 111

Fort Wayne, Ind..
Columbus, Ohio. .
OberliD, Ohio

Number

of years'

record

13
18
16
29
19
24
9
8
21

9
24

Average date of
spring arrival

March 8
March 26
March 10
March 22
March 21
March 7
March 5
March 17
March 19
March 18
.\pril 6
•April 9
March 31

March 2
March 12
March i
February 27
March 3

Earliest date of
spring arrival

February 11, 1888
March 13, 1913
Rare, winter
March 9, 1913
February 6, 1902
Rare, winter
Rare, winter
February 3, 1886
Rare, winter
Rare, winter
March 26, 1915
March 20, 1908
March 21, 1913
.April 0, 1907
Rare, winter
February 28, 1890
February 10, 1890
February 5, 191 5
Rare, winter

The Migration of North American Birds

SPRING MIGRATION, continued

LOCALITY

Vicksburg, Mich.. .
London, Ontario. . .
Ottawa, Ontario. . .

Keokuk, Iowa

Sioux City, Iowa. .

Madison, Wis

Lanesboro, Minn.. .
Minneapolis, Minn

Onaga, Kans

Red Cloud, Neb. . .

Number

of years'

record

13
12

34
I 2
II
21
10
15

Average date of
spring arrival

March 9
]March 16
April 2
March 5
March i 2
March 14
March 30
March 29
March 5
March 4

Earliest date of
spring arrival

February 6, 1910
March 2, 1885
January 10, 1909
Rare, winter
March 7, 1910
March 5, 1894
March 21, 1889
March 18, 1903
Few, winter
February 18, 1916

FALL MIGRATION

LOCALITY

Beaver, Pa

Renovo, Pa

Morristown, N. J.
Hartford, Conn.. . ,
Providence, R. I..
Amherst, Mass.. . .

Boston, Mass ,

Portland, Maine. .
Montreal, Quebec.
Scotch Lake, N. B
Concordia, Mo.. . .

Chicago, 111

Fort Wayne, Ind..
Richmond, Ind. . .
Wauseon, Ohio. . .

Oberlin, Ohio

Vicksburg, Mich..
Newberry, Mich..
London, Ontario. .
Ottawa, Ontario . .

Keokuk, Iowa

Madison, Wis

Lanesboro, Minn..
St. Vincent, Minn.
Onaga, Kans

Number

of years'

record

Average date of

Latest date of

last one observed

November 11

December 10, 1887

October 24

November 23, 1-9 11

November 6

Rare, winter

October 26

Rare, winter

November 2

Rare, winter

November 7

December 9, 1892

November 24

Rare, winter
December 24, 1908

October 11

November 7, 1909
December 27, 1907

November 4

Rare, winter

October 28

December 4, 1915

November 4

December i, 1912

November 14

Rare, winter

November 12

Rare, winter

October 25

Rare, winter

November 2

December 12, 1913

October 15

October 23, 1910

October 29

November 20, 1901

October 15

November 13, 1915

November 4

Rare, winter

October 24

November 8, 1913

October 14

October 19, 1892

October 20

October 31, 1897

November 13

Few, winter

WESTERN MEADOWLARK

The rich, melodious song of the Western Meadowlark {Sturnella neglecta),
so different from that of its eastern relative, is a familiar feature of western
bird life. The geographic range of the species extends from southwestern
Canada through the United States to central Mexico. Two subspecies are now
recognizable, of which the distribution is as follows:

The Western Meadowlark {Sturnella neglecta neglecta) breeds in western
North America north to southern Manitoba, central Saskatchewan, central
Alberta, and south central British Columbia; west to south central British

Bird - Lore

Columbia, central Washington, central Oregon, and western California; south to
southern California, northern Sonora, northern Durango, southern Coahuila,
and southern Tamaulipas; and east to central Tamaulipas, central Texas,
central Oklahoma, eastern Kansas, eastern Missouri, eastern Iowa, and
Wisconsin; occasionally to eastern lUinois and northern Michigan. It winters
from southern British Columbia, Colorado, and Nebraska, south to Louisiana,
southern Texas, southern Tamaulipas, Michoacan, Jalisco, and southern Lower
California. It is of accidental occurrence at Fort Simpson in southwestern
Mackenzie.

The Northwestern Meadowlark {Sturnella negleda confluenta)* is
resident and breeds in the Pacific Coast region of North America north to
southwestern British Columbia, south through western Washington to north-
western Oregon, and east to the Cascade Mountains.

Records in the subjoined migration tables all pertain to the Western
Meadowlark.

SPRING MIGRATION

LOCALITY

Sious Falls, S. D

Rapid City, S. D

Argusville, N. D

Marstonmoor, N. D.. . .

Bathgate, N. D

Pilot Mound, Manitoba

Aweme, Manitoba

Reaburn, Manitoba. . . .

Qu'AppcUe, Sask

Ft. Simpson, Mack

Beulah, Colo

Denver, Colo

Cheyenne, Wyo

Rathdrum, Idaho

Terry, Mont

Bozeman, Mont

Big Sandy, Mont

Columbia Falls, Mont..

Flagstaff, Alberta

Spokane, Wash

Mirror Lake, B. C

Number

of years'

record

5
10

3
4

.•\veraKe date of
spring arrival

March 18
March 26
March 31
March 21
April 3
March 31
April I
April 5
April 2

March 10
March 16
April 1
February 22
March 30
March 23
March 30
March 27
April 7
February 2^
March 2'8

Earliest date of
spring arrival

March 11, 1908
March 7, 1910
March 17, 1S94
March 11, 1910
March 24, 1894
March 20, 1910
March 21, 191 1
March 26, 1902
March 14, 1909
May 20, 1904
Rare, winter
Rare, winter
March 27, 1889
February 4, 1906
March 22, 1894
March 20, 1903
March 24, 1907
March 19, 1896
March 23, 1915
February 1 1, 1907
March 18, 191 1

FALL MIGRATION

LOCALITY

Sioux Falls, S. D.. . .

Rapid City, S. D

Marstonmoor, N. D.
.\weme, Manitoba. .

iJculah, Colo

liozeman, Mont

Big Sandy, Mont

Nu"mber

of years'

record

4
3

.\verage date of
last one observed

November 2
November 9
October 27
October 25
October 27
October 22
October 15

Latest date of
last one observed

November 7, 1915
November 26, 1915
November 27, 1909
November 8, 1907
Rare, winter
November 5, 191 2
October 27, 1906

♦This proposed form has not as yet been acted upon by the Committee on Nomenclature and Classi-
fication of the .American Ornithologists' Union. (Ed.)

Notes on the Plumage of North American Birds

FIFTY-NINTH PAPER
By FRANK M. CHAPMAN

(See Frontispiece)

Meadowlark (Sturnella magna). In the Meadowlarks the sexes are much
aUke; the nestlings resemble their parents; there is but one molt a year, and
seasonal variations in plumage are due chiefly to wear which is exceptionally
pronounced in these birds.

When it leaves the nest a young Meadowlark wears a necklace of black
instead of the solid breast-crescent of its parents; it is dull buffy yellow below,
its sides practically unstreaked, but the plumage of the upper parts is much like
that of the adult and the bird is unmistakably a Meadowlark.

The first fall (post-juvenal) molt is complete and the young bird then
acquires a costume not distinguishable from that of the winter adult. This
differs from the summer plumage by its generally browner tone due chiefly to
the presence of brownish margins to the body-feathers, the black breast-cres-
cent being much obscured by them.

As the season advances, these margins largely wear off and what remains
of them becomes much faded, and the result being the darker, yellower bird of
the nesting season. In some instances, particularly in arid regions, at the end
of the nesting season, this wearing and fading of the plumage is carried to
an extreme which almost obliterates the bird's markings.

The geographical variations in the color and pattern of the Meadowlark's
plumage are as complex as its seasonal variations are simple. From the southern
border of its range, in northern Brazil, to its northern limits in Canada, nine
different forms are currently recognized, of which four are known from north of
Mexico as follows:

1. Eastern Meadowlark {Sturnella magna magna, Fig. i). The race of the
eastern United States.*

2. Southern Meadowlark {Sturnella magna argutula). A smaller, darker
form from the southern states.

3. Western Meadowlark {Sturnella magna neglecta). The paler form of the
western states in which the yellow of the throat extends to the sides of the neck,
and the bars on the rump and tail are more clearly defined than in the eastern
bird.

The relationships of the Eastern and Western Meadowlarks have never
been satisfactorily determined. In the Mississippi Valley typical examples of
each form may be found in the nesting season at the same time — evidence of
their specific distinctness in that region, where the few intermediate specimens
found may with reason be called hybrids.

But in the Rio Grande Valley a form {hoopesi) occurs which so obviously

*The ranges of the several forms are given by Dr. Oberholser in the preceding paper.

(83)

84 Bird - Lore

combines the characteristics of both magna and neglecta that it is difficult not
to consider it a connectant between the two.

In life the two birds may readily be distinguished by the marked difference
in the call-notes and songs; but I recall no study of the song of hoopesi by one
thoroughly familiar with those of magna and neglecta. In my notes made at
Corpus Christi, Texas (where hoopesihrttds) ,\ong before this bird was described,
I record the Meadowlark songs heard as resembling those of magna, but at
that time I had never heard the song of neglecta. A study of the songs of Mead-
owlarks on our Mexican border by a well-equipped observer would be sure
to yield interesting results.

4. Rio Grande Meadowlark {Sturnella magna hoopesi). In general colora-
tion this bird more nearly resembles neglecta than it does magna, but the yellow
of the throat does not spread to the sides of the neck, as it does in the first-
named form.

Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus, Figs. 3, 4).
The nestling Yellow-head is quite unlike its parents. The whole head and breast
are warm buff, giving the effect of a broAvn-headed bird; the abdominal region
whitish; the back blackish, both more or less fringed with buff; the tail and
wings black, the wing-coverts tipped with white. At the post-juvenal molt
the tail and wing-quills and primary coverts are retained, while the rest of the
plumage is exchanged for a costume which resembles that of the female, but is
usually without streaks on the breast, or if streaks are present, they are yellow.
This plumage is worn at least until the following May, when there are evidences
of molt about the head, and it may not be entirely replaced until the second
fall molt, but I have seen no specimens after May 24 which were not in fully
adult plumage (Fig. 3).

All of the thirteen May birds in immature (first winter) plumage in our
collections are from Texas and northern Mexico. It does not seem possible
that they could have molted into adult plumage in time to nest in it, and the
absence from our large collections of more northern breeding birds in immature
dress suggests the possibility of such birds remaining in their winter quarters.

The adult male winter plumage resembles that of the summer, but the
crown and nape are more or less obscured with brown. The primary coverts,
as in summer, are conspicuously white with black tips. There is also more
or less white on the outer greater coverts.

The female is much alike throughout the year, but in winter plumage all
the yellow areas are deeper and the plumage generally is darker.

J^ott^ from iFielb anb Mvi^P

A Yellow Rail in a Street

On September 14, 1920, when reading
on the porch, my neighbor called to me
to ask what the queer bird was that was
walking in the middle of the street. What
was my surprise to see a Yellow Rail
coming toward the curb !

It took refuge among some petunias
that formed a border along the curb, and
it did not move as I got down to within
two feet of it to study it.

That so shy a bird should land on a
much traveled street in the heart of
Chicago seemed strange indeed. It was
a disappointment that I could not watch
it till it moved on. — Gladys Fowler,
Chicago, Ills.

SAW-WHET OWL

Photographed by Lawrence Zeleny, at

Minneapolis, Minn., March 13, 1920

A Flicker's Food

In a poem by the writer, " Mr. Flicker
Writes a Letter", printed in Bird-Lore
for August, 1899, are these lines in connec-
tion with his food habits:

"But my delicacy is ants.
Stump or hill inhabitants;
Thrusting in my sticky tongue,
So I take them, old and young."
Running back from our house in Pasa-
dena is a walk made of the natural clay,
packed down to nearly the hardness of a
brick. For years I have seen occasionally
upon that walk one of our beautiful
California Flickers. But he seemed to be
always on the watch. A slightest move-
ment at the near-by. window, or on the
screened porch, would send him flying
with his brilliant under-wing display of
old gold. It will be remembered that his
coin is of a darker yellow than that of his
eastern cousin. I had supposed that my
'Golden Wings' came occasionally, like
the California Thrasher, for crumbs that
are put out dajly for the smaller birds.
But today I glimpsed him first and learned
what he was after. Going through the porch
very slowly I escaped his vision till I
could get my head fixed at the edge of a
curtain for observation: and he was very
busy. Just beneath that brick-like surface
the small brown ants have burrows. Lead-
ing to these are openings in which a small
lead pencil might be inserted. Mr. Flicker
was pegging away first at one hole then
another, enlarging and tracing them out.
Then he would insert his bill far as possible
and one could imagine the catch on his
tongue, and detect the quick movement of
swallowing. But not five seconds elapsed
without his lifting his head high to take
a sweeping observation. After watching
him for several moments I retraced my
steps carefully hoping to leave him undis-
turbed in his enjoyment. I was well within
the house door when he took the alarm and

(85)

Bird - Lore

went off. I then went out to see just what
he had done. There were several places
where he had exposed the tunnels from
one to two and a half inches. At the place
where one went deeper he had enlarged it
with his bill and the ants were again com-
ing out in what he would, I suppose, con-
sider paying numbers. — Garrett New-
kirk, Pasadena, CaliJ.

A Friendly Blue Jay

This is a true story of a Blue Jay. About
the middle of September a wounded Blue
Jay appeared at my farm at Bedford Hills,
New York. One leg was broken, a wing
was bruised, and its condition was alto-
gether forlorn. John, a member of the
household, took pity on him, bound up
the broken leg with adhesive plaster and
gave the bird comfort in many waj's. The
Blue Jay rewarded these friendly minis-
trations with the most extravagant evi-
dences of gratitude and affection. It
followed John about his work, remained
with him nearly all day and spent the night
in John's room. If John took a walk, the
bird kept him in sight, flj'ing from tree to
tree, and would come home perched on
John's shoulder or his cap. Although
demonstrating its attachment to its friend,
it did not like to be touched and reluctantly
allowed itself to be caught by the object
of its affections.

When John was laid up for some days
with a slight ailment, the bird became more
assiduous in its attentions to its bene-
factor. It hardly left the sick chamber,
spending the night perched on John's
toes or near his head picking off any stray
fly that presented itself. If John gave it
some food, the bird would hide it after the
way of its kind, perhaps placing it in a
corner of the room under a newspai)ir or
other object and from time to time lifting
the edge of the cover to see if its treasure
was safe. The strangest jiart of this strange
love-making was the lilue Jay's call to
John in the morning. It would insert its
beak between John's lips and waken him
by tapping gently upon his teeth. For
weeks this curious affair went on. The bird

was perfectly free. The windows were
open and it came and went at will.
Occasionally the bird betrayed the ma-
rauding instincts of its race by snatching
some glittering object and hiding it, but
commonly its behavior was most domestic.
After the bird had been a guest of our
house for six or seven weeks, the time came
for the family to move to the city. Fear-
ing that the wild bird would injure itself
against the wires if confined in a cage, a
band box was prepared with slits for
ventilation, and in that the bird made the
journey. John kept his visitor shut up for
a week or ten days until it should be
accustomed to its new surroundings. But
the time came when humanity demanded
freedom for the bird and the top of the box
was removed. The emancipated Blue Jay
made for the open window and has never
been seen since. Whether it became be-
wildered and lost its way, or came to grief,
or felt it had paid its debt to civilization
we never shall know. John, who never had
a bird friend before, is heart-broken and
' I'ou-i Pou-i' has left a household of mourn-
ers. — Henry yi arc^v .\'SD,\Vashi ii gton ,D. C.

Evening Grosbeak Nesting
in Wisconsin

This past summer while at ni)- cottage
on the shores of Lake Superior, between
Washburn and Bayfield, Wis., one cold
day the middle of August my attention was
attracted by a peculiar metallic bird-note,
"like the creaking of a rusty barn-door
hinge," which I at once took for the call-
note of a Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Imagine
my astonishment when I discovered a
whole family of Evening Grosbeaks, a
male, female and three young birds, feed-
ing on the half-rijic fruit of an elderberry
which grew dose to our living-room
window. There could be no mistake about
their identity, for wc were within ten feet
of them an<l had ample time to observe
their actions. Though the young were
well able to feed themselves, and did,
now and then one of the parent birds
would pluck a berry and thrust it into the
open beak of a young one; then the whole

Notes from Field and Study

family would go on feeding as before.
The young birds could fly for short dis-
tances but were very awkward upon the
wing, much preferring to sit and ruminate.
They were undoubtedly onlj' a short time
out of the nest. For three days the family
were about the cottage, or until they had
cleaned the elderberry of fruit, and then
disappeared. Later I think I discovered
the nest in which the young were hatched,
in a low shrub close down by the edge of a
purling trout stream just below the cottage.
The nest was loosely built of dead grass
and small twigs, and contained the remains
of greenish-blue eggs, lightly flecked with

we hastened to photograph them, also to
release them immediately thereafter with
profuse apologies.

On the eleventh of November the trap
was moved from its barnyard home to the
vicinity of our feeding box, in an effort to
reduce the number of English Sparrows
who daily feasted there.

Two English Sparrows were left in the
trap as decoys. A casual glance a little
later revealed, not a trap full of English
Sparrows, but a Loggerhead Shrike, the
first one we have seen in this vicinity,
frantically endeavoring to make a meal of
our imprisoned Sparrows. He was not

WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS AWAITING THEIR RELEASE
Photographed by W. B. Perley, Jr.

brownish spots. Of course I could not be
sure of the identity of the nest, though
there was not a shadow of doubt about the
birds. — O. W. Smith, Evansville, Wis.

shy about it either, as he stayed for half
an hour before finally deciding that those
Sparrows were making him ridiculous. —
W. B. Perley, Jr., Ojibway, Ontario.

The Adventures of a Sparrow Trap

Imagine our feelings when we found
thirty English Sparrows in a patented
Sparrow trap that we had scoffed at for
six months. One might think that our
trap, having vindicated itself, would rest
on its laurels, but no ! Several weeks later
we found three White-crowned Sparrows
in its capacious interior.

As this member of the Sparrow family
is rarely seen under such circumstances.

Sparrow Meets Sparrow

The first part of July, 1920 (unfor-
tunately, I did not record the exact date),
I discovered a pair of Chipping Sparrows
building a nest in a Baltimore Oriole's nest,
which has hung for several seasons about
fifteen feet up in an old apple-tree in our
yard. In this nest within a nest there were
to be strange happenings.

I was away from home much of the
time and so paid little attention to the

Bird - Lore

birds after the nest was built until the
early evening of July 24. Then I noticed
that there were at least three, good-sized
young in the nest, though the high edge of
the Oriole's nest made it difhcult to see
the contents well. I also detected some
kind of a commotion about the nest, in
which an English Sparrow was undoubtedly
concerned.

The next afternoon trouble in the apple-
tree was still present in the form of the
English Sparrow. I watched with field-
glasses from the porch about twenty-five
feet away and on the lawn under the tree
for the greater part of the afternoon. I
do not attempt to explain my observations,
but the following is what I saw:

On the edge of the nest was a female
English Sparrow making vicious stabs at a
Chipping Sparrow that was trying to go to
the nest with a worm. Six or seven times
(I did not think to begin to count at first),
did that Chippy make the attempt before
it succeeded. Almost constantly the
intruding Sparrow continued on the watch.
Sometimes she would sit motionless on the
edge of the nest only moving her head to
watch the Chipping Sparrows when they
approached, and then peck at them when
they were within reaching distance. At
other times she would perch in the branches
and dash to the attack when the parents
came with food. No male English Sparrow
came near. Also I several times saw her
drive away another female English Spar-
row as fiercely as she did the Chipping
Sparrow. Once I saw her snatch a sizable
green worm from the beak of a parent
Chippy and fly away with it. Frequently
she came to the nest and went through the
motions of feeding the young herself, but
1 could not see that she had anything in
her beak. Several times she did this im-
mediately after a Chipping Sparrow had
fed, and, although I could not prove it,
because her motions were so rapid, it
looked to me as though she snatched some-
thing from a young bird's beak. The parent
birds did manage to feed the young occa-
sionally by working quickly. A little later
I distinctly saw the English Sparrow
remove excreta from the nest and carry

it away. She continued at intervals her
apparent process of feeding the young, and
once I saw her gis'e one a worm. Occa-
sionally she left the tree and went hunting
down in the grass, usually going through
the feeding process upon her return.

What could have been the reason for
such exceptional conduct? One might say
that by some chance the English Sparrow
also had young in the nest, but all the
young I saw were decidedly Chipping
Sparrows, and called like them.

The next day I was unable to make
observations, and in another day all the
young had left the nest. — M.A.BEL R.
Wiggins, East Marion, L. I., N. Y.

A Catbird Foundation

While looking after my bird nests last
May I discovered that the Catbirds had
built their nest in the lilac bushes and by
June 10 four young ones had left the nest.
:\ pair of Robins looking for a nesting-site
for their second brood, now built a second
story to the deserted nest and by July i
they had four eggs which, in due time
hatched and the brood was reared in
safety. — R. J. Middleton, Jejffersonville,
Pa.

Mockingbird Winters in Iowa

On December 15, 1920, at noon, I was
surprised by a visit from a strange bird.
The feeding-shelf is just outside the
kitchen window and while we noted the
bird's markings it very leisurely inspected
all' the arrangements and foods displayed,
ate of sunflower and wild rose seeds, and
finally, after five or ten minutes, flew away.

On the i6th I saw it four times, twice on
the shelf. On the i8th it visited the shelf
and on the 19th was in the yard.

I find in 'Birds of Ohio,' p. 196, that
"C. H. Morris, on Jan. 25, 1903, in
company with E. J. Arrick, found and
captured a Mockingbird near McConnells-
viile, Ohio." Also, Blanchan, in 'Bird
Xeighbors,' p. 82, records that "even in
midwinter the Mockingbird is not unknown
in Central Park, New York City."

With this evidence added to my own

Notes from Field and Study

conclusions, based on identification and
elimination, I feel confident that my visitor
was a Mockingbird. — Mrs. F. L. Battell,
Ames, Iowa.

A Tufted Titmouse Story

Reading of the Tufted Titmouse in
Bird-Lore prompts me to describe my
experience with this to me entirely new
bird. I hear its beautiful call of three notes
while I am writing; in fact, it is this call
which started me doing what has been on
my mind for some time.

It was in May last year when I distinctly
heard one of my chicks call in a rather
distressed and persistent manner. I sent
a boy to the chicken yard to see what the
trouble was. He reported that there was
nothing wrong with the chicks, and that
the calling came from the woods near by.
We stopped work to investigate, as is our
custom when the song of a strange bird is
heard, and soon discovered two beautiful
mouse-colored birds, lighter grey on the
under side and with crest, a mark which
enabled us to locate them on the chart^
and we do not often feel so sure that we
get the correct name.

In the woods, and in fact all about our
place, are many bird-houses, and the
Tits showed a lively interest in an old,
obsolete Bluebird-house.

In summer we eat our meals in a tent
the whole north side of which is wire-
screened. Just outside of this, and within
six feet of our table we have a feeding plat-
form. In summer this is mostly visited
by Catbirds. We cater to them by soaking
bread in milk which they seem to relish,
and sometimes we add boiled rice.

It was not long before our new friends
discovered this feeding shelf to which they
came often, and there was a new interest
in life for us. In due time they brought
their four young, and amidst a good deal
of 'scrapping' they all got their fill. Two
of the young would often cling to the pole
underneath the shelf, but they would never
all eat at the same time.

We saw much of them all the autumn,
but as seeds ripened they came less and less

to feed. In November and December we
often did not see them at all for days,
but I believe that they were never absent
for more than a week. — Albert P. Greim,
Toms River, N. J.

Notes from Collins, N. Y.

I was much interested in the notes in
Bird-Lore, May-June, 1920, on Robins'
nests and regret that I did not have
photographs of several I have observed.

A MUCH-USED ROBIN NEST

One built under a wagon, several have
built on the fire-escape starting as many as
four to eight nests, at the same end of the
stairs, one above the other. One Robin
used the same nest (see photograph) on
top of a window of a cottage for at least
four years, adding to it annually until it
nearly toppled over. The nest was removed
in painting the cottage, but another was
built this year. Robins build just outside
the noisiest wards. Several have built in
low spruce trees in the hedge and one in a
hollow in the trunk of a tree.

The House Wrens certainly do destroy
eggs and nests of Bluebirds, as well as
those of English Sparrows. They will
break the eggs and drag out the nests.

An abundance of cotton put out for
birds has been used by Yellow Warblers,
Goldfinches (which began to nest May 30)

Bird- Lore

and Cedar Waxwings. A Brown Creeper
and Red-breasted Nuthatch fed at my
stations, with Chickadees, White-breasted
Nuthatches, and Downies. The Chickadees
and Nuthatches fed from my hands and
several more confiding ones took nuts from
my lips.

A dead tree so full of holes that we call
it the 'apartment stub' held at once in
its many openings a Flicker, Downy, and
a Bluebird, but the latter was driven off by
an English Sparrow. The Chickadees
made many holes in a fickle manner, half
finishing them and then taking others. —
(Dr.) Anne E. Perkins, Collins, N. Y.

BLUEBIRDS .'\T HOME
Photographed by Lester Morlock. I'lymouth, Ind.

Hanging the Bird-House

Like other bird-lovers I have found the
annual putting up and taking down of
bird-houses to be a good deal of a nuisance,
and the means of attaching them to trees
or other supports by means of nails or
screws a very unsatisfactory method. Re-
cently I hit upon a i)Ian which I have

tried out for a season and found verv use-
ful.

Instead of fastening the house up with
nails I make a small hole on each side of
the box, near the roof and near the back.
Through these holes, and extending about
a foot on each side, I slip a piece of strong
but flexible wire. The wire must be strong
enough to support the box, but not so
heavy that it may not be easily bent.
I then drive two nails into the tree or other
support on which the box is to be hung, and
a little higher up than the place for the
box to rest. The nails should be about a
foot further apart than the width of the
box. The wire I then twist about these
nails, making sure that the box hangs
straight down and is level. It will be found
that this sui)ports the box firmly against the
tree, and that the wire is practically
invisible. .\ few seconds' time is sufficient
in which to untwist the wire and take the
box down, or place it in position. The
nails may remain in place for use again.
Heavy wire, with hooks formed at each
end for attaching to the nails, is a satis-
factory arrangement, but requires more
careful work in accurately measuring
distances, etc., the first time the box is
hung. — Emily \. Corning, Si. Paul,
M ill II .

Birds and Salt

I was much interested in what Esther
Reeks, Boulder, Colo., said about 'House
Finches Eating Salt' in September-Octo-
ber Bird-Lore, 1920 (page 286). It was
the first published note on salt-eating by
birds I have ever seen. From some cas-
ual observations I have made, I have
been led to believe that some birds like
salt nearly as well as cattle, horses and
other animals, and if they had access to it
at all times, a general liking for it would
soon be developed.

Across the road from our house, in a
pasture, there is a trough where barrel
salt is kept most of the time. English
Sparrows can be seen on and around this
trough nearly every day, and if one looks
closely, they can be seen industriously
picking away at the salt. While they are

Notes from Field and Study

the chief visitors to the trough, I have also
Mourning Doves, Crows and some other
common birds there apparently eating
fragments of salt. I have given salt to
chickens and find that they eat it greedily.
The above notes are not by any means

conclusive, and if the fact that birds like
salt has not already been established,
it should offer some opportunities for
interesting experimental work at feeding
stations, etc. — Fred J. Pierce, Winthrop,
Iowa.

THE SEASON
XXIV. December 15, 1920 to February 15, 1921

Boston Region. — The winter in
Massachusetts has been mild, so far, with
very few cold days. About Boston the
ground has been bare, or covered by only
two or three inches of snow. These con-
ditions are in marked contrast to those
of last winter when periods of intense
cold were protracted and the snow-fall
was over ten times as great.

The scarcity of birds reported two
months ago has been no less noticeable
during January and February. Not only
is there a total absence of the irregular
winter visitors, the Grosbeaks, Redpolls,
and the Crossbills, but in this region
there are very few of the usual winter
visitors, such as Tree Sparrows, Juncos,
and Golden-crowned Kinglets. Permanent
residents also — Chickadees and White-bel-
lied Nuthatches for example — are present
in numbers far below normal. During
midwinter excursions into the country,
although the sun shone brightly and the
air was soft and spring-like, we found the
woods and thickets deserted, and for mile
after mile as silent as midnight.

This absence of birds set us thinking,
wondering where the birds are which
usually spend the winter with us, and why
they did not move southward this season.
Observers who visited northern localities
last autumn reported a good crop of pine-
cones there, and hence predicted that
there would be no invasion of Crossbills
into New England; perhaps the successful
fruiting of birches, alders and other trees
similarly accounts for the absence of Red-
polls and Pine Grosbeaks.

Mr. Edward H. Forbush advances the
ingenious explanation of the rarity of
the smaller passerine birds which usually

winter here. He says in Bulletin XXXVII,
Division of Ornithology (Mass.), Jan. 31,
1921: "Perhaps this [scarcity] may be
accounted for in part by the fact that many
individuals that were accustomed to stay
here were killed off by the severe weather
of last winter." This suggestion becomes
very significant when considered in the
light of Mr. S. Prentiss Baldwin's discovery
that many individual birds pass the winter
in definite localities.

The Evening Grosbeak has become, of
late years, such a regular winter visitor
in eastern Massachusetts that some
explanation other than the abundance of
food in the North seems necessary to
account for its non-appearance this year.
The favorite food of this Grosbeak while
wintering here is the seed of the box elder
{Acer negundo) and it has been suggested
that extensive planting of these trees
between New England and the Great
Lakes has resulted in inducing the birds
to extend their winter range toward the
southeast. Examination of the fruit of the
box elder trees in Lexington, Mass., shows
that, although the trees appear to have
ripened seeds this winter, a large propor-
tion of the embryos are so withered that
they would be worthless as food for the
Evening Grosbeak. The failure of this
crop of seeds, if at all general, may be
responsible for the absence of this bird
from New England.

If observers who live on the Grosbeak's
line of travel to the Atlantic Coast will
examine the seeds of the box elder in their
respective localities and report the results
to me, I shall be glad to summarize them
for publication. — Winsor M. Tyler, Lex-
ington, Mass.

Bird - Lore

New York Region. — Mid-December
to the first of February the season was
remarkably mild and open. A short cold
snap in each of the last two weeks of
January, and a snowstorm which whitened
the ground for the first time, the very end
of the month, provided but a taste of
winter.

Response to these conditions by bird-
life is found in records of various species
north of their ordinary winter range, for
which see the Christmas Census in the
preceding number of Bird-Lore. Of
other such records which have come to
hand the most noteworthy is that of a
small flock of Tree Swallows wintering at
Long Beach, L. I. They were observed on
New Year's Day by E. P. Bicknell and
Charles Johnston. Another observer (W.
C. Starck) reports "six of the Tree
Swallows still left of the original ten,"
Long Beach, February 13. At Mastic, L. I.,
a Catbird and flock of 20 Mourning Doves
were noted January i, and a Savannah
Sparrow on January 2 (J. T. N.). At this
same locality several Wilson's Snipe were
present, December i8 (R. Floyd, Jr.).
The bay marsh where they occurred is
suitable for migrating rather than winter-
ing individuals and they were likely mov-
ing south late. That this species did winter
on the island, however, is evidenced by
two in the hands of gunners, and one or two
more heard at Elmhurst, January 8 (H. S.
Boyle).

There appears to have been a small flight
of Bluebirds the first week in January. Six
or eight are reported from the vicinity of
Yonkers, January 2 (Gladden), and on the
same date a flock of upwards of 50 at
Oyster Bay (W. B. Nichols). January 9,
a number, Oyster Bay — Purple Finches
with them; and Bluebirds observed in the
vicinity through the rest of the month
(W. B. N.). The Purple Finch has been
unusually scarce this fall and winter.
Its presence with these Bluebirds is in
line with the opinion that they had just
come in from further north, and form the
rear of the southward movement, com-
posed of birds which, under ordinary
circumstances, would ha\c passed in late

fall. A male Chewink is reported from
Bronx Park, January 15 (L. S. Crandall).

From up the Hudson (M. S. Crosby,
Dutchess County) five Wilson's Snipe are
reported on January 16 from "Brick-yard
Swamp" where they were observed in
early December; a Rusty Blackbird and
a Sapsucker, January 16; a Red-winged
Blackbird and 24 Crackles, January 22; a
Mourning Dove, February 13; and a Coot
at Constitution Island, January 7.

It is interesting to enumerate these
unusual instances, but they stand out
against an apparent scarcity of passerine
bird-life, as compared with an ordinary
winter. This scarcity can be explained by
the effect of the very severe winter preced-
ing on the personnel of birds which might
ordinarly winter in the region, and the
absence, also, of individuals driven south
or coastwise by severe weather. In the
interior of western Long Island (near
Garden City) Meadowlarks were noticed,
apparently in migration, from December
15 to 23, after which date they seemed to
have gone; but on January 15 there was a
flock of 8 or 10 at Garden City, already in
song, and a few, perhaps members of this
same flock, have been continually present
since. No Horned Owls were heard the
first of the year at Mastic, a favorite
resident locality for them where they were
unusually plentiful the winter of 1919 to
1920. They likely had wandered because
of an observed scarcity of rabbits, and one
or more Horned Owls, reported from the
outskirts of New York City this fall,
and winter, may have been such wan-
derers. — J. T. Nichols, New York City.

Washington Region. — Notwithstand-
ing the mild winter weather about Wash-
ington during December, 1920, and
January, 1921, birds have been neither
unusually numerous nor conspicuous.
Perhaps the lack of snow, cold and high
winds has induced the birds to remain
more on the uplands and has less concen-
trated them in the valleys and other
sheltered places. Be that as it may, the
open winter of the northern United States
has at least had an influence on the

The Season

numbers of northern winter visitors here,
as we have had no reports of such birds
as the Pine Siskin, Red-breasted Nuthatch,
White-winged Crossbill, Snowflake, Amer-
can Pipit, Northern Shrike and Swamp
Sparrow. It is, of course, possible that the
lack of information regarding the occur-
rence of these species is due in part to lack
of observation in favorable places, but it is
nevertheless true that northern birds, such
as the Winter Wren, have been of less fre-
quent appearance than usual, and the same
remark will apply to most species of Hawks.
On the contrary, some common winter
visitors, such as the Junco, White-throated
Sparrow and Fox Sparrow, have been as
numerous as ever. The Myrtle Warbler
apparently has been more often ssen than
is the rule during the winter, for wa have
records in December and January from
various localities in this region. The Robin,
which is nearly always a rare winter bird
about Washington, was seen on January
4, 1921, and also later in the month.
Purple Crackles were noted on January
25 by Miss M. T. Cooke, and doubtless
' were present during the entire winter,
although we have no other reports. A
Catbird was seen by Mr. and Mrs. L. D.
Miner near Rossl}^, Virginia, close to
Georgetown, on January i, and was kept
under observation for nearly ten minutes.
This is apparently the only District of
Columbia record for the month of January,
although the species was noted on Decem-
ber 31, 1883. The occurrences just men-
tioned may well have been due to the mild
winter weather, as was possibly also that
of the American Coot, seen near Washing-
ton by Mr. J. Kittredge, Jr., on December
19, 1920, which date is nearly a month be-
yond the previous latest record of the spe-
cies in this \'icinity, November 26, 19 16.
As possibly worthy of mention, a Pil-
eated Woodpecker was observed at its
roosting hole by Mr. E. A. Preble on
Bullneck Run, near the old Leesburg
turnpike, on January 23, 1921. This spe-
cies is of considerable rarity about Wash-
ington and is confined to the wilder and
more heavily timbered parts of the coun-
try. The only Crossbills reported are eight

individuals of the American Crossbill, seen
by Mr. F. C. Lincoln on the lower part of
Difi&cult Run, December 16, 1920. It may
also be worthy of note that an adult Bald
Eagle was noticed on December 3 soaring
over the northern part of the city of Wash-
ington, for, though the species is of com-
mon occurrence along the Potomac River,
both below and above Washington, it seems
not frequently to visit the city itself.

It is of perhaps more than passing inter-
est that even the relatively mild weather
of this winter has not roused the song
birds to song, for even such common winter
singers as the Carolina Wren, the Cardinal
and the Mockingbird have been heard
singing very little during either December
or January.

While the various species of Ducks that
regularly resort to the Potomac River in
considerable numbers during the winter
months have been present during December
and January, they have been for the most
part apparently not nearly so numerous in
total numbers of individuals as during
last winter, evidently a direct result of the
milder weather which has enabled them to
remain on good feeding grounds farther
north. The list of the twelve species so far
observed this winter is as follows: Mallard,
Black Duck, Pintail, Shoveller, Greater
Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, American
Golden-eye, White-winged Scoter, Ameri-
can Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser,
Hooded Merganser. Of these the most
numerous have been the Greater Scaup,
Lesser Scaup, Black Duck and American
Golden-eye. Three Shovellers, noted by
Mr. F. C. Lincoln, on December 16, near
the Potomac River at Difficult Run, form
the latest local record that we have, since
no one has previously reported the species
beyond October 28 (1887). The Buffle-
head, noted by Mr. E. A. Preble near
Dyke, Virginia, on December 29, is also
an interesting occurrence as the species
is not very common in this vicinity.

The Whistling Swan, which for several
years past has regularly visited the
Potomac River below Washington, re-
turned to Widewater, Virginia, about
October 20, so we are informed by Miss

Bird - Lore

Pickett Waller, whose previous observa-
tions on this Swan at the same place have
been recorded in these columns. In De-
cember of this winter there were several
hundred individuals about Widewater,
although they did not feed so near the
shore as has ordinarily been the case. The
majority of these birds disappeared about
December 25, and Aliss Waller has seen
only an occasional individual since that
time. The increase in the numbers of the
Whistling Swan as indicated by its re-
appearance on the Potomac River during
the past few years is one of the most
interesting developments of the protection
afforded waterfowl by recent protective
legislation. — Harry C. Oberholser,
Biological Survey, Washington, D. C.

Minnesota Region.— The weather dur-
ing the past two months has been ab-
normally mild for the time of year. There
have been no considerable falls of snow
and none that has remained on the ground
in the southern part of the state, and
only six to twelve inches in the northern
counties where it is usual to have three or
four feet at this time of the year. At the
present writing the ground is practically
bare in the southern half of the state and
the ice on the lakes is only fifteen to
eighteen inches thick compared with
nearly three feet last year. Not for many
years has there been such a mild, snowless
winter. The Mississippi River below the
Falls of St. Anthony has not been frozen
and only rarely has it been cold enough to
make the rapids 'steam.'

Generally speaking, there has ap-
parently been a more than usual scarcity
of bird-life thus far this winter, only one
or two observers reporting any consider-
able number of birds. This applies not
only to winter visitants but also to the
familiar resident species. Thus the now
large number of bird-lovers who maintain
feeding stations have, with few exceptions,
been disappointed in the number of their
callers. May it not be that, in the case
of the resident birds, they are really here
in normal numbers but that the mild
weather and absence of snow make it

possible for them to take care of themselves
without resorting to the proffered larders?
A correspondent from far-awaj' Pennsyl-
vania, where conditions seem to be about
the same, takes this view for granted:
"It has been so mild here this winter that
the birds haven't needed us and with the
exception of the ever-present 'Downies,'
a few Juncos and Tree Sparrows, we see
none of our usual goodly company. What
is their gain is our loss and I suppose we
should be glad they are not forced to come
to us for help — but we do so love to have
them."

Reports indicate that more individuals
of the half-hardy species — birds that
largely desert us during severe winters —
have remained in the North this year.
Word has been received of the presence at
various places in southern Minnesota of
numbers of Tree Sparrows, Juncos, Brown
Creepers, Red-winged Blackbirds, Horned
Larks, Crows and less numerously of Rusty
Blackbirds, Crackles, Golden-crowned
Kinglets, Red-headed Woodpeckers, Wil-
son's Snipe and still more rarely of an
occasional Meadowlark, Flicker, Robin,
Bluebird, Mourning Dove, Kingfisher and
Marsh Hawk. A few ^Mallards have
remained in open water in some of the
streams and this Duck was present at
Heron Lake "in immense numbers"
until a few days after the middle of
December. Lake Superior has remained
unfrozen and there are present there many
Golden-eye Ducks, Old Squaws, Mergansers
and Herring Gulls. Crows, which usually
leave the state during the winter, have
been common and widely distributed.

Of special interest are reports from
Pipestone County (Mr. Alfred Peterson)
and Lincoln County (Mrs. J. S. Campbell),
in the e.xtreme southwestern corner of the
state, that the Horned Lark is wintering
there in large numbers. Mr. Peterson
writes from Pipestone under date of
February 14: "On Sunday, January 30,
I heard and saw many Horned Larks
scattered in many places on plowed ground,
such places being preferred to pastures
during colder weather or time of snow. In
a'ficld three miles east of town I found

The Season

about 150 of them, as near as I could
estimate, and about 300 Longspurs in
one flock." And on the following day thej'
"were to be heard and seen almost every-
where, particularly in pastures, being
more numerous on the whole than hereto-
fore. They seemed to be in full song, many
standing on stones or clods of earth while
singing, and I noticed one soaring to a
height of 200 feet, just as they do in the
spring (thermometer 54° plus at 2 p.m.)."
The particular interest in this is that this
bird has of late years been very scarce in
many places where it was formerly abun-
dant.

Winter visitants have thus far not been
numerous. Snowy Owls have appeared in
limited numbers, only seven reports to
February 15, the most southern being from
St. Peter, well down toward the Iowa
line. Only five reports of Evening Gros-
beaks, three of Pine Grosbeaks, six of
Bohemian Waxwings, five of Snow Bunt-
ings and three or four of the North-
ern Shrike. Redpolls have been no-
where abundant and reported from only
three localities. Lapland Longspurs have
been noted at two places in the western
part of the state, Mr. Peterson stating
that they are wintering in large numbers
in the vicinity of Pipestone, Pipestone
County.

Several correspondents continue to
report seeing unusual numbers of Prairie
Chickens. Mr. H. J. Jaeger writes that
he saw, not long since, a flock of at least
150 in each of three southwestern counties
and many additional scattered birds. —
Thomas S. Roberts, Zoological Museum,
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis,
Minn.

Chic.\go Region. — This region has
enjoyed the mildest January since 1906
and this weather still prevails. The cold-
est time during the recent period was the
last week in December when the mercury
dropped to around zero. Since then the
temperature has averaged about thirty
degrees.

This weather seems to have kept away
the usual winter birds from the North as

no Redpolls, Siskins or Crossbills have
been reported. The only one here is the
Northern Shrike. One seen at Beach by
Mr. Gregory, December 26 and one at
Willow Springs, January 8 by Mr. .Abbott.
However, a number of birds that generally
go south are staying here for the winter.
Mr. Gregory reports a Lincoln's Sparrow at
Beach, December 26 and Mr. Sanborn, a
Flicker, February 6. Meadowlarks and
Bronzed Crackles have also been reported
from here. On January 4 a hunter was
arrested here with a young Black-crowned
Night Heron which he had just shot. The
specimen came into the possession of Dr.
C. W. G. Eifrig, who preserved it.

West of the city, about at La Grange,
Song Sparrows and Meadowlarks are
reported and at Oak Park on February 6,
Dr. Eifrig reported a Fox Sparrow and a
Robin. In the sand dunes of northern In-
diana a Rusty Blackbird and Bonaparte's
Gulls were seen by Dr. Lewy on December
15. Messrs. Coffin and McBride report
two Bluebirds here January 22.

Other birds of interest for this time of
the year are Saw-whet Owl, Rough-legged
Hawk, Red-headed Woodpecker and
Brown Creeper, seen by Mr. G. A. Abbott
about Willow Springs, January 8.

The common winter birds are here in
their usual numbers, including Cardinals,
Prairie Horned Larks and the winter
Ducks, Mergansers, Golden-eye, Old
Squaw and Scoter. — Colin Campbell
Sanborn, Chicago Ornithological Society,
Chicago, III.

Kansas City Region. — Midwinter has
been marked by most unusual warmth.
During the entire current period there have
been scarcely ten days of cold, but com-
paratively few birds have been present to
enjoy the fine open weather. Unusual
numbers of Doves in large flocks and
scattered over a wide area have been found
wherever there are suitable feeding places,
and at least one flock of Crackles, contain-
ing about two dozen birds, has wintered
within the southern city limits. This bird
does not stay here in winter in numbers
except under the most favorable circum-

Bird - Lore

stances. Two other species not commonly
found here at this season, the Kingfisher
and Catbird, have both been noted, the
former in some numbers. A lone Catbird
wintering in the neighborhood of the
Country Club constitutes the only known
local winter record for this species. Cross-
bills, Waxwings and Siskins, so common
during recent winters, have been noted this
season only as stragglers, and not a single
Purple Finch has been recorded.

Ducks stayed late and returned early.
The last large flocks of south-bound
Mallards were seen late in December, and
by the middle of January impatient hordes
of Pintails were noted congregating in
restless rafts on the Missouri River.
William Andrews writes from the Court-
ney region that on January 25, at 5 p.m.,
the river near his cabin was filled with
immense flocks of resting Pintails with a
few Mallards mixed in. By actual count
there were in sight at one time 43 flocks
containing from 50 to 500 individuals
each, and by dark these were being in-
creased by the continual arrival of fresh
hundreds. Canada Geese were noted in
some numbers in late December and early
January, birds that were doubtless winter-
ing in this immediate neighborhood.

Migrating Bluebirds and Robins, im-
pelled by the balmy winter weather, moved
into the city in numbers, and were singing
early in January, perhaps a month in ad-
vance of their normal time of arrival.

Notes of interest received from Mr. A.
Sidney Hyde, of Topeka, Kansas, indicate
that a few Meadowlarks and Crackles
wintered in that region, and that an early
movement of north-bound Geese was
noted. — Harry Harris, Kansas City, Mo.

Denver Region. — This report will be
of value only because of its negative
characteristics, since it shows that this
region has shared in the actual or relative
paucity of bird-life which has been so
frequently reported from the eastern
states during the past winter. The writer
cannot recall any other winter in Colorado
during the past twenty-five years, with so
little bird-life about Denver, all of which is

substantiated by his notes. This cannot all
be due to his inability to be in the field
as much as he wishes, for during other
winters he has been equally busy in his
vocation, without noticing so few birds.
There have been, for example, no Chicka-
dees or Long-eared Owls in the city, and
very few Juncos (of the latter), principally
the Montana form. Usually the Pink-sided
and the Grey-headed Juncos are abundant
hereabout all winter, yet during the past
eight weeks they have been very rare
about Denver.

A twenty-mile motor ride in and about
Denver any time between November and
April should disclose hundreds and
hundreds of Tree Sparrows and a goodly
number of Song Sparrows, yet such a ride
on December 25 uncovered but one Tree
Sparrow and three Song Sparrows. It
seems undeniable, from the writer's ex-
perience, that there have been both fewer
species and fewer individuals in the bird
population of this region all this winter.
It is his belief that an ordinary day to day
survey of the neighboring foot-hills and
adjacent streams would show that our
urban winter bird population had this
year remained suburban.

The two months embraced in this report
have been mild, sunny, and with but two
light snowstorms, all of which may in
part account for this suburban drift.
Robins returning during the past week
(February 13) may indicate the approach
of the northward advancing Robin army.
Two resident outposts of this army were
seen in Denver on December 29, which,
however, is not an extraordinary record.
The species which delights the writer most
by its return in numbers in the early
spring is the Meadowlark, ten of which
were noticed at the eastern edge of the
city on February 9. He believes that our
spring migrants will appear earlier than
usual this year. — W. H. Bergtold,
Denver, Colo.

San Francisco Region. — After three
dry winters, the northern part of the state
is rejoicing in an abundant rainfall. It is
difficult to estimate to just what extent

The Season

this condition has affected bird distribu-
tion without reports from all sections of the
state. In the Bay Region, there is an
apparent reduction in the number of
Ducks on Lake Merritt and on the lakes in
Golden Gate Park. This affects par-
ticularly the fresh-water species, as
Canvasbacks on Lake Merritt show no
decrease, while Pintails, according to Mr.
Dixon, are about two-thirds as numerous as
heretofore. The very abundance of fresh
water in inland lakes and flooded areas
might very well account for this diminu-
tion as it increases the territory affording
appropriate feeding ground.

The land birds which show the effect
of increased rainfall are the Bluebirds,
Western Robins and Varied Thrushes.
They are not conspicuously more abun-
dant but they certainly are more scattered,
since they can dig worms anywhere regard-
less of lawn sprinklers or irrigation systems.
The western Robin, this winter, is a
duplicate in behavior of its eastern cousin,
as it hops about the lawns in the residence
section instead of being limited to the
neighborhood of berry-bearing trees or
shrubs.

One wonders whether Golden-crowned
Kinglets and Red-breasted Nuthatches
are mutually exclusive. Last winter
Nuthatches were abundant but Golden-
crowned Kinglets were very scarce. This
year the tables are turned as the Kinglets
are abundant but Nuthatches are missing.
Perhaps the cones provide nothing but
worms this year. Crossbills are also
lacking so far. Flocks of Cedar Waxwings
have been small and those of Bush-Tits
very large. One is at a loss to account for
the apparent shortage of Hermit Thrushes
and Pipits. The latter are probably con-
gregated somewhere in the Bay Region
but have been few and far between in
Berkeley. Perhaps they prefer dry slopes
where the seeds have not all sprouted.

Among the rarer land birds are the
Orange-crowned Warblers, reported by
several observers, Say's Phoebe (December
3), Western Gnatcatchers, again confined
to a Claremont hillside, a White-throated
Sparrow, on the campus of the University

of California, and a Western Mockingbird,
observed in Oakland repeatedly between
December 19 and January 16, oy Miss
Margaret Wythe.

Among water birds one might mention
the Green-winged Teal and European
Widgeon on Lake Merritt, the abundance
of Western Grebes on San Francisco Bay,
and the frequency with which Gulls are
seen in the parks of San Francisco and
about the school grounds and University
campus in Oakland and Berkeley.

On the whole, the midwinter visitants
(which always exceed in number the mid-
summer residents) seem to me to be some-
what below the average both as to number
of species and of individuals. — Amelia S.
Allen, Berkeley, Calif.

Los Angeles Region. — December was
characterized b^ fine, mild weather with
very little light rain, the storms that were
so frequent on the northern coast not
reaching this region until January.

The Mountain Plover, reported in the
last issue, remained in the locality where
they were first seen throughout December,
and were still there in very large numbers
January 12. December 10, a Golden-
crowned Kinglet was seen near the Arroyo
Seco. This is the only record we have of a
resident of the higher altitudes seen in
lower regions this season. Townsend's
Warblers have been several times reported
from the Arroyo region. Echo Park, and in
Pasadena gardens. A Pileolated Warbler
has remained in Sycamore Grove through-
out December and January. On December
24, a female Phainopepla appeared in a
garden where it has lived for two winters
past. The pair of Blue-fronted Jays
that nested in Griffith Park are still there
with their two full grown young, and are
tame enough to come down to share the
luncheon of some of the park men.

The Chinese Spotted Pigeon introduced
some years ago seems to have become
established in certain foothill localities
where it is seen and heard at all seasons of
the year. In December a Golden-winged
Flicker came in company with several of
the Red-shafted, to the Museum Building

Bird - Lore

in Exposition Park to eat the berries of the
Virginia creeper on the walls, near the
office windows, from which it was observed
and fully identified by the Curator of
Ornithology. In the open country many
large flocks of Pipits, Horned Larks,
Meadowlarks, are seen, as well as Western
Larks, Chipping, Vesper, and Savannah
Sparrows, and the usual Gambcl's and
Golden-crowns. A Cassin's Kingbird was
seen December 12, and a flock of Willow
Goldfinches in the olive-brown winter
plumage. Large colonies of Crows have
been reported from three different localities,
and the Ferruginous Rough-legged Hawk
several times.

Mountain and Western Bluebirds, Cedar
Waxwings and Western Robins are
occasionally seen, and California Purple
Finches are abundant since the storm of
January.

On January 12, Mrs. F. T. Bicknell and
two other observers found on the
Franklyn Canon Reservoir a Holboell's
Grebe and a European Widgeon, both of
which are very rare visitants to this region.
Many Ducks were on the lake. Green-
winged Teal being most largely repre-
sented, their number being estimated at
two hundred. Another party, of which the
writer was a member, had a good observa-
tion of the Grebe a few days later and
also examined specimens in the Museum.
They all believe the identification was
correct. January 23 was a day of partiallj^
clearing weather, following the severest

storm of the winter, which blanketed the
mountains with snow, and, as in past
seasons under similar conditions. Tree
Swallows flocked into Echo Park in
hundreds, circling about above the lake.
Flocks of White-throated Swifts were
noticed January 26 and 31. Nuptial flights
of Anna's Hummingbird were very fre-
quently noticed during December and
January, and the females were seen gather-
ing nesting material. February 2 a half-
constructed nest was found and the bird
observed at her work.

Very heavy gales along the coast the
first week in February resulted in an
unusual assemblage of birds in Santa
Monica Bay. On February 7 our party of
observers found there about fifty Western
Grebes, about twenty Red-throated Loons,
three or four Common Loons, with a few
of the smaller Grebes, and one Royal Tern.
Surf and White-winged Scoters, American
Mergansers, Cormorants and Brown Pelicans
were represented by small numbers. Out-
numbering all other species combined were
the Gulls. Californias were most numerous,
and after them the Ring-billed. About ten
Herring, five Glaucous-winged, a few
Western, Heermann's and Short-billed
Gulls completed the list. It was truly a
scene of 'Wild Wings,' when all the Gulls
were in the air above a sea of glorious color
and life, the wind whipping off the spume
from the flying surf. — Frances B.
Schneider, Los Angeles, Calif.

^ocik ^eltJsJ antr iltetiteUjjf

Supplement to the Birds of Essex
County, ^Massachusetts. By Charles
Wendell Townsend, M.D. ^Memoirs
of the Xuttall Ornithological Club,
No. V. Cambridge, ]\Iass., Aug., 1920.
196 pages; one plate and one map.

It is significant of the ever-increasing
interest taken in ornithology that nearly
200 pages are required to cover the in-
formation acquired in the fifteen years
which have elapsed since the publication
of Dr. Townsend's 'Birds of Essex County.'
With a large number of junior amateurs
as competitors, Dr. Townsend has con-
tinued active field work and is still the
leading authority of his locality, able to
judge and weigh the value of the numerous
sight records. The result is one of the most
convincing and valuable reports on a local
area which has appeared since sight rec-
ords have enormously outnumbered those
based on specimens taken. There is a
most interesting preliminary chapter on
'Changes in the Bird-Life of Essex County
since 1905,' a second, containing censuses
of nesting birds and migrating Warblers
in various restricted areas, and the bird-
life of several ponds; while the third
chapter presents the more noteworthy
migration dates, records of occurrence of
the rarer species, etc., of the past fifteen
years. An excellent feature of the book is
a brief recapitulation of the status of every
species, even when no additional informa-
tion has been obtained. The author's
wide field experience is evidenced by many
pertinent and interesting comments on
life-history and field characteristics writ-
ten in his usual easy and simple style.
With all sight records of rare species,
even unusual or extreme dates, the obser-
vation is given with as much detail as
necessary and full credit is given to the
observer. Many amateurs would do well
to note that no observations are given in
greater detail than those of Dr. Townsend
himself, in spite of the fact that in years,
knowledge, and e.xperience, he outranks
every other student in the county, and

that his mere word would carry much
more weight than theirs. — -L. G.

Bulletin of the Essex County Orni-
thological Club, Vol II, No i,
Dec, 1920. Salem, Mass. 54 pages; two
plates.

This second number of the Bulletin
shows that the Essex County Ornitho-
logical Club has fully lived up to the
promise of its first year. The record of its
regular meetings shows an average attend-
ance of over twenty, an e.xample which far
older organizations might well envy.
'Notes on the Lincoln Sparrow,' by E. H.
Forbush; 'At a Food-Shelf,' by Albert P.
]Morse; 'Variations in the Song of the
Whip-poor-will,' by Rodman .\. Nichols;
'Notes on the Ip5\vich Sparrow,' by C. J.
Maynard; 'Imitative Construction of Birds'
Nests,' by Edmund S. Morse; 'Notes on
Bird Nests,' by Walter E. Bates; 'On the
Nesting, Song and Play of the Tree
Swallow and Barn Swallow,' by C. W.
Townsend, M.D.; 'The White Gulls at
Swampscott,' by Arthur P. Stubbs, are all
pleasantly written, informative, or inter-
esting papers. — L.G.

The Ornithological Magazines

The .\uk. — A leading article in the
January Auk is 'The Dickcissel {Spiza
americana) of the Illinois Prairies,' by
Alfred O. Gross. We have here the first
part of a detailed study of this interesting
bird which has completely disappeared
from eastern localities where it formerly
bred, but is abundant farther west,
apparently increasingly so in places. The
Dickcissel is "preeminently a bird of the
meadows, where, for the state (of Illinois)
as a whole, its concentration is 81.2 birds
to the square mile." The dense low vege-
tation of this type of land provides it with
congenial nesting-sites. Fence-posts, tele-
phone wires, etc., adjacent to the nest are
favorite singing stations for the male bird.
From here he delivers his short unmusical

(99)

lOO

Bird- Lore

song, which gives the species its name, with
remarkable persistence through the day,
despite the midday heat, averaging seven
or eight times per minute. The male takes
no part in construction of the nest or care
of the young. In fact, in one case when
his mate was killed by a Sharp-shinned
Hawk, a male continued regular singing
while the near-by young starved to death.
This article is illustrated with four full-
page plates, photographs of habitat, and
nests with eggs and young.

Harrison F. Lewis (in a paper which is
to be continued) gives a detailed narrative
of the behavior of a nesting pair of the
Philadelphia Vireo near the city of Quebec,
beginning with the nest under construc-
tion. There is a careful summary of the
known occurrences of the Bohemian Wax-
wing in New England by Horace W.
Wright, who met with this species in
Massachusetts in the late winterof 1918-19.

More technical are 'Notes on Ortalis
velula and Its Allies,' Miller and Griscom,
reviewing this genus of Guans which are
game-birds replacing the Grouse, to which
they are unrelated, in the tropics of the
New World. Oberholser finds that the
Holboell's Grebe is not a distinct species
but a race of an Eurasian bird, as the
Wilson's Snipe is of the Old World Snipe.
Little Brown and Sandhill Cranes are
races of the same species; but the American
Bittern, though that bird's representative
in America, is distinct from the European
Bittern. He also separates a northern from
a southern race of Blue Jay. There is an
account of the 38th meeting of the
American Ornithologists' Union held in
Washington, by T. S. Palmer, its Secretary.

Under the general heading of faunal
papers may be classed one on the birds of
Hatley, Quebec, in 1919, by Mousley,
as also some of the general notes. Among
numerous records of unusual occurrences in
'General Notes' are three of the Arkansas
Kingbird in Atlantic states — Massachu-
setts (September and November) and New
Jersey (November). These corroborate a
record from Montauk, New York, in the
Bird-Lore Christmas Census, which see.
Judging from dates of migration of our

eastern Kingbird it would seem that these
stragglers far from their regular migration
route are at a loss to find their way south.
Charles L. Whittle describes a nest of the
Water Ousel placed on a horizontal
timber under the eaves of a lean-to directly
over and some eight feet above the water
of a small stream flowing through Fort
Bidwell, California.— J. T. N.

The Wilson Bulletin. — The Septem-
ber, 1920, number contains 'Some Inter-
esting Records of Nebraska Birds for the
Year 19 19.' by Clarence E. Mickel and
Ralph W. Dawson, in which four species
are added to the state, based on specimens
secured. David C. Hilton gives some
'Notes on the Birds of the Fort Leaven-
worth Reservation, Kansas,' based on very
fragmentary observation during the spring
of 19 19. Only eighty-two species were
noted, but some interesting local informa-
tion about several was secured, showing
that lack of opportunity is often more
apparent than real. Dayton Stoner
discusses the frequency' of Whip-poor-will
calls, and Wetmore publishes an addition
to his list of birds observed near Minco,
Central Oklahoma.

In the December issue Alvin R. Cahn
lists 108 species observed in Itasca County,
northern Minnesota, from mid-July to
mid-August, a useful record in a region
where civilization will inevitably work
much havoc. Howard Clark Brown pre-
sents interesting evidence to show a north-
ward movement of the Cardinal in north-
central Iowa, and W. G. Ericksen gives
some breeding habits of three birds of
Chatham County, Georgia. We note that
the Ground Dove has decreased nearly to
the point of disappearance without any
obvious explanation, just as has been
recorded in northwest Florida. V. B.
Peabody contributes a long review of the
'Migration Records for Kansas Birds'
by Bessie Price Douthitt, published in
previous numbers of the Wilson Bulletin.
The improbability of many of the state-
ments, and the fact that the data given
did not support other statements was
noted by the present reviewer in a previ
ous issue of this magazine. — L. G.

Editorial

lOI

A Bi-Monthly Magazine
Devoted to the Study and Protection of Birds

OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ADDDBON SOCIETIES

Edited by FRANK M. CHAPMAN

ContributingEditor.MABELOSGOOD WRIGHT

Published by D. APPLETON & CO.

Vol. XXIII Published April 1. 1921 No. 2

SUBSCRIPTION RATES

Price in the United States, one dollar and fifty cents a year;
outside the United States, one dollar and seventy five cents,
postage paid.

COPYRIGHTED, I921. BY FRANK M. CHAPMAN

Bird-Lore's Motto:
A Bird in the Busb Is Worth Two in the Hand

The nature lover who would live in
complete harmony with his environment
must find no small difficulty in explaining
satisfactorily the warfare which exists
between man and his fellow-creatures.
So far as birds are concerned, wholly aside
from direct destruction for sport, food, or
feathers, the advance of what we call
civilization is inevitably marked by the
gradual retreat or entire disappearance
of those species which for one reason or
another cannot endure contact with man.

The mere presence of man is often
sufficient to drive away the wilder birds
and the motor car, motor boat and air-
plane have so increased man's ubiquity
that one must now travel far to get beyond
the sound of exploding gasoline. Marshes
are drained, forests are felled and even
the trees that remain have their nesting-
cavities filled with cement and their
foliage sprayed with poison.

Returning to an oft-frequented winter
resort in Florida we went to call on a
Screech Owl and Flicker which, the year
before, we had left peacefully occupying
homes in opposite sides of a cabbage palm
stub, only to find that the Village 'Im-
provement' Society had replaced the dead
tree with a living one. The general effect
for the casual observer was no doubt
'improved,' but heedless improvements of
this kind only sacrifice superficial appear-
ances to the things that are really worth
while. The little Owl sitting in grim
quaintness at his door had made a host of

friends during the preceding winter and
his place could not be taken by another
palm tree exactly like a hundred others in
its row. Fortunately, in this instance,
those responsible for the birds' eviction
were more than ready to repair an un-
witting error and homes hollowed from
palm logs were placed near the site of the
stub. Within a week one was occupied by
a Screech Owl and the other by a Flicker;
possibly the Owl and the Flicker that had
been dispossessed. Incidentally there is a
lesson here, for the case admirably illus-
trates how improvements and regard for
the rights of other creatures may go hand
in hand.

From the Owl's home one may look
out over the waters of the Atlantic where
daily are being enacted countless tragedies
in bird-life which are perhaps the saddest
of any for which man is unintentionally
responsible.

We have all heard of the gradual
substitution of oil for coal as fuel on
steamers and have learned with satis-
faction that this step in human progress
would make unnecessary the killing work
of stokers at flaring furnace doors in the
bowels of a ship. But we did not realize
that oil-burning or oil-bearing vessels in
cleaning their tanks at sea spread a death-
trap over the waters in which thousands
of birds meet their fate.

Today (February 25) the east coast of
Florida is strewn with dead or dying
Loons, Horned Grebes, Brown Pelicans,
Gannets, Gulls and Terns whose plumage
has become so clogged with crude oil as to
be functionless. A Brown Pelican, that
looked as though it had been dipped in a
tar-barrel, was a subject for the kodaks of
thoughtless tourists at Daytona Beach
who seemed not to realize the bird's hope-
less plight, for birds thus affected must die
by starvation.

We understand that an appeal has been
made to the Department of Commerce to
instruct the captains of steamers not to
clean their oil-tanks within twenty miles
of land, but even should they comply, the
birds of the high seas will still fall vic-
tims to the onward march of civilization.

SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

Edited by A. A. ALLEN. Ph.D.
Address all communications relative to the work of this
department to the Editor, Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y.

STRUCTURE AND HABIT

With Photographs by the Author

Discussing the bird as a flying machine, we endeavored, in the last number
of Bird-Lore, to point out how all birds are intrinsically alike in their general
structure because of the physical requirements of flight. It remains for us,
now, to call attention to the differences in the structure of birds arising from
their varied habits, especially those of procuring their food. Whether the
differences in the form of bills and feet that are found among birds are due to
their different methods of securing their food, or whether it is the other way
around, and their method of feeding is due to the differences in the structure
of these parts, is a disputed point which we will not try to settle here. Suffice it
to say that the majority of scientists today believe that modifications of the
individual bird which are the direct result of its environment are not inherited
but that the process of 'Natural Selection' or the 'Survival of the Fittest'
serves to weed out those birds which do not show adaptations to their mode of
living, and the result is the same. That is to say, the differences in the form of
hill, and feet, and wings that we are familiar with today are the sum total of a
great many little and big variations that have been preserved through the
course of evolution because they were adapted or well suited to the mode of
life of the bird. That a beautiful adaptation between a bird's structure and its
mode of life docs exist, there can be no doubt, and one of the most interesting
studies in ornithology is the endeavor to learn the reason for each little peculiarity
of structure that we find in our familiar birds.

The changes or adaptations that have occurred in the evolution of birds
have been for the most part gradual. This is evidenced by the fact that today
the birds that have arisen from common ancestors are still, for the most part,
more like each other than they are like other birds, in spite of their diversity
of habits. Were it not so it would be impossible to group birds into orders
and families. The fact that some birds have been more plastic than others
in their ada])tations and have develo{)ed parallel with unrelated birds of
similar iiabits, causes many of the difficulties in our present scheme of classi-
fication. Thus the Hawks and Owls are really very distantly related, the Owls
probably belonging with the Nighthawks and Whip-poor-wills, but because of
the Owls' camiN'orous habits, they look superflcially like the Hawks and are
still put with them for the sake of convenience by many American orni-
thologists. Herons, Kingfishers, and Terns, likewise, have bills that are much

(I02)

The Audubon Societies

103

alike, adapted to spearing fish, but in other respects they are very different and
no one would think of calling them closely related.

A good example of divergent evolution, on the other hand, occurs among
the Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers, which are really closely related as shown
by their anatomical structure, forming the order Longipennes, but which have
bills which are extremely different in form, probably because of their differ-
ent feeding habits. Shrikes, Grosbeaks, and Warblers, of the order Passeres,
likewise, are similar in all their structures except their bills, and it is natural
to suppose that they had a common ancestor and that their variously shaped
bills have arisen as adaptations to particular feeding habits. But, as before
intimated, it may be that the history of these birds was the other way around,

BLACK TERN KINGFISHER GREEN HERON

Similar feeding habits have produced similar bills in these birds, which are but distantly related

and that these diverse bills have persisted from the thousands of possible varia-
tions of their ancestors because the individuals were able to adapt their habits
to fit their modified structures. Indeed there is much evidence to support the
belief that both factors have been important in the course of evolution.

Irrespective of how the changes have come about, let us consider some
of the structures or implements of birds in relation to the birds' methods of life.
Let us suggest in a few paragraphs a field that promises rich rewards to the
careful observer. — A. A. A.

THE IMPLEMENTS OF BIRDS

With Photograph by the Author

When one passes through the halls of any of our large museums and in-
spects the collections of mounted birds from all over the world, one is impressed
by the great variety of form and color. Almost every imaginable combination of
colors is found represented in the plumage of some bird, and the many modifica-
tions of size and shape are such as to leave one confused by the heterogeneous
assemblage. One is almost led to believe that Nature has given loose rein to her
imagination and allowed her most fantastic dreams to take the form of birds.
Yet we are constrained to believe that there is a reason for everything, that
no structure exists unless perfectly adapted to the function which it has to

I04

Bird - Lore

perform. The varied colors of birds we may consider at another time; in these
paragraphs we wish to consider some of the modifications of bill and feet, the
implements of birds.

The long legs, slender neck, and the great humped bill of the Flamingo, we
are told, are eminently adapted to its peculiar method of feeding on the minute
mollusc life of the tropical mud-flats where it lives. The tremendous bills of the

BLACK AND WHITE WHITE-WINGED EVENING GROSBEAK

WARBLER CROSSBILL

Diverse feeding-habits have brought about the very dissimilar bills in these closely related

birds. Note also the differences in their eyes

South American Toucans and African Hornbills serve as arms for reaching far
out to the smaller branches for the fruits upon which these ungainly creatures
feed. But let us consider the commoner of our North American birds with
reference to their food and see if there are similar reasons for their variety of
form.

The Hawks, with their strong, hooked bills, sharp talons, and powerful
wings fitted for the pursuit of small birds and mammals, we have already
mentioned, and have noted that the type of bill and foot are so necessary to
birds having a carnivorous diet, that the Owls, though unrelated, have developed
similar structures. One group of the common perching birds, the Shrikes, have
taken up a carnivorous diet and have likewise developed hawklike bills,
although their feet are of the ordinary perching type and are not used to
assist them in secu;-ing their prey. The Vultures, on the other hand, which have
degenerated from a strictly carnivorous diet to one of carrion, while retaining
the hooked bill for rending flesh, have lost the powerful talons and the accom-
panying strength of limb through disuse, so that now they even spring from the
ground with diflSculty.

But, if one examines more closely such a group of birds as the Hawks,
all having the same type of food, one discovers differences of form of jjody and
wings according to their method of securing their prey, as was pointed out in
the last number of Bird-Lore. There are, for example, those like the Red-
shouldered and Red-tailed species, which find their quarry while soaring high
in the air with their keen eyes fixed upon the ground. These have broad,

The Audubon Societies

105

rounded wings, fanlike tails, and rather heavy bodies. Others, like the Marsh
Hawk, beat back and forth close to the ground, seldom if ever soaring, and
these have long narrow wings and slender bodies. Still others like the Cooper's
and Sharp-shinned species, remain perched on some outpost awaiting the
approach of their quarry and then dart out after it, and these have short,
rounded wings for sudden bursts of speed.

Another group of animal feeders are those which feed upon fish, frogs, and
crayfish. Practically all have long, pointed, javelin-like bills for spearing
their prey, but their various methods of catching the fish have brought about
modifications of their other structures. The Herons and Cranes, which catch
their fish by stalking them in shallow water, have long, slender legs for wading
and long toes for distributing their weight and keeping them from sinking
into the soft mud. The Kingfishers, on the other hand, which secure their
fish by plunging from above, have little use for their legs and these, following
nature's economy, have degenerated. The Terns, likewise, with similar habits,
have weak legs, although the toes are webbed for swimming. The Gulls, which
have become scavengers and seldom plunge for their food, have developed
somewhat hooked bills for rending the flesh of the larger dead fish upon which
they feed.

Another fish-eating bird, and one that plunges for its quarry, is the Osprey
or Fish Hawk. This bird still retains the sharp, hooked bill characteristic of
its family and so, instead of spearing its fish as does the Kingfisher, it catches
them in its strong, sharp talons,
and the soles of its feet are
armed with sharp horny tuber-
cles to cut through the slime
covering the fish and keep it
from slipping from its grasp.
When the Osprey rises from the
water with its prey and flies to
some high tree to devour it, it
has merely to continue holding
it in its talons in order to tear
it to pieces with its strong bill.
But when the Tern or the King-
fisher rises from the water, the
small fish is transfixed by the
partially opened bill of the bird.
(All of the fish which I have
examined that have been speared
by Terns or Kingfishers have
shown the two holes made by pintail (Captive), a dabbling duck

1,1 j'i_i • >i Note the relatively long, slender neck and small feet

both mandibles as m the placed weii forward

io6

Bird - Lore

photograph of the Kingfisher with the small sucker on page 109.) Just how
the biU is extricated is a mystery to me unless it is done under the water
before the bird rises. Perhaps some observer, who has been more fortunate
than I, can explain it.

Others of the fish-eating birds, such as the Loons and Grebes, are expert
divers and pursue the fish beneath the water. They have powerful legs with
strong webbed or lobed toes, the legs being situated far back like the propeller
of a boat so that, although most graceful on the water, they are extremely awk-
ward and almost helpless on
land.

The group of insect-eating
birds is large and varied, for
there are many kinds of insects
and many ways of securing them.
Some insects live in the soft mud
about shores and marshes, and
for these the birds must probe;
some live among the leaves and
harder soil of the forest floor,
and for these the birds must
scratch. Others live within the
trunks and branches of trees, and
to secure these the birds must
be proficient carpenters supplied
with chisels for gouging. Still
other insects spend most of their
time darting hither and thither
in the sunlight and these must
be caught on the wing. Lastly,
there are those insects that hide
in the grass or among the leaves of shrubs and trees, and these must be searched
out with keen eyes. And so, among birds, we have probers in the Snipe and
Woodcock, scratchers in the Grouse and Quail, borers in the Woodpeckers,
flight-feeders in the Swallows, Swifts, and Nighthawks, and gleaners in the
Blackbirds, Thrushes, Vireos, and Warblers. In each group of birds we find
those modifications of bill, feet, wings, tail, tongue, and eyes which best fit
the birds for securing the insects in their particular way.

Among the vegetable feeders the largest number live upon seeds and are of
rather generalized structure except for their bills which are heavy and conical
like those of the well-known Sparrows and carried to the extreme in the Gros-
beaks. There are a few birds like our Hummingbirds, the tropical Honey
Creepers, and the African Sunbirrls which take a large part of their sustenance
from the nectar of flowers. These birds have slender, probe-like bills and more

CANVASBAC K (( aptivk). A IHMNl, U L e k

Note the relatively short, thick neck and large feet

placed far back

The Audubon Societies

107

or less tubular tongues modified so as to be best suited for sucking the nectar
from the various-shaped corollas of the flowers. Among the five-hundred-odd
species of Hummingbirds we find almost every conceivable variation in the shape
of the bill, from those like Docimastes, with probes nearly three inches long for
sucking the nectar from large tubular flowers, to those of the tiny Rhampho-
micron, with a bill scarcely half an inch in length, so short that the Hummer
alights on the base of the
flower and pierces the nectary
in an unlawful way. A few
Hummingbirds have curved
bills, one almost sickle-
shaped, and others slightly
upturned, and all are adapted
for feeding on particular
flowers.

Other vegetable feeders
are found among the water-
fowl, a considerable part of
the food of many species con-
sisting of the leaves, stems,
or roots of aquatic plants.
Their broad, flat, fluted bills
and their curiously fringed
tongues are excellently ad-
apted for sifting their food
from the silt and water, and
their bills are so sensitive
that they can locate their
food no matter how roily the
water or how dark the night.
One group of Ducks called
the Diving Ducks find their
food in deep water and it is
interesting to observe that in those species like the Canvasback and Scaup
Ducks which dive without using their wings, the feet are placed far back
toward the tail and are relatively very large. In the species like the Old Squaw
that use their wings under the water and in all of the Dabbling Ducks, like
the Mallard, Pintail and Teal, the feet are very much smaller. The Diving
Ducks, likewise, have much shorter necks and stockier bodies than the Dab-
bling Ducks, another adaptation to their mode of life.

Finally, there are birds which feed almost entirely upon fruits, and a few,
the Sapsuckers, which derive most of their nourishment from the sap of trees.
This they secure by drilling series of small holes through the bark and establish-

YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, A DEGENERATE
WOODPECKER

The Sapsucker's tongue is no longer barbed and spear-like nor
greatly protusible, but has become short and brush-like at the
tip to assist in gathering the sap which forms a large part of
the bird's food.

io8 Bird - Lore

ing regular 'sugar bushes,' visiting the different trees as often as the sap collects.
Occasionally, it is reported, the sap ferments and the unsophisticated Sapsuckers
are treated to a beverage which rapidly causes them to act in a questionable
manner. Indeed one has been reported to have become so confused that it
mistook a man's leg for the limb of a tree, and very often they fly into windows,
or dash themselves against the sides of houses, or fly erratically through the
trees as though they did not see very distinctly. Whether this is due to fer-
mented sap or to some other cause, has never been definitely settled, and there
is still plenty of opportunity for experiment and observation to establish the
truth. The Sapsuckers are degenerate Woodpeckers, and although they still
retain the characteristic bill, feet, and stiff tails, their tongues, instead of being
greatly protrusible, spearlike, and armed with barbs as in the true Woodpeckers,
have become spUt and brushlike for better gathering the sap.

Were we to consider fully the food of all species of birds, we would discover
that there is scarcely an animal or vegetable substance that does not furnish
the food of some group of birds. Between the Loons and Grebes that find their
food at the bottom of the lakes, and the Swallows that dart over the trees,
there are birds, probing in^the soil, scratching its surface, turning over fallen
leaves, gleaning through the grass and herbage, searching the leaves and twigs
of shrubs, chiselling in the trunks of trees, and climbing about the branches;
and each bird has some adaptations, some modifications, some implements
that are fitted to its own peculiar food and method of securing it. — A. A. A.

FROM YOUNG OBSERVERS
BLACKCAPS IN OKLAHOMA

I am ten years old, and in the 4th-A grade at school, and since last February,
a year ago, when Daddy brought home a copy of 'Bird-Life,' I have been very
much interested in wild birds. Some time before that date. Daddy borrowed
several copies of Bird-Lore, and then subscribed for the dear little magazine.

Our home is in Illinois, on a farm, with plenty of trees, underbrush, shrub-
bery, and a big orchard, where the birds can build their nests, and we also have
nest boxes for the Wrens and Martins, and window-boxes and feeding-shelves
for the birds in winter. When we return home, we are going to plant bushes
for seeds and berries, and a boulder bath-and-drinking place is to be placed on
the lawn.

We have been living in this city since last October, and have only a small
back yard, with just a few young trees, but we think that if we had put up the
right kinds of bird-houses, and had put them up early enough, we would have
had Martins and Bluebirds, and maybe Wrens, as well as the Chickadees.

Many of the birds here are quite different from those we have at home,
while others look almost the same, and really belong to the same families. The

The Audubon Societies

1 09

strangest bird here, is the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, which is very often seen,
even flying around in town, and sitting on the telephone wires. But they don't
always "utter their loud, harsh, chattering notes, on the wing," for about two
weeks ago, three of them sat in a row on a wire behind our house for quite a
while and they all took 'turn-about' with their 'singing,' acting just like
they were crowing. Among other new birds are: the Yellow-headed Blackbird,
a much larger bird than the others of his family, and a better singer, though it
sounds like he would choke in getting some parts of his song out; the Blue-
gray Gnatcatcher, a neat, trim, sweet
little bird, but too active to watch very
long; the Lark, Sparrow and the Red-
belhed Woodpecker.

Early one morning near the last days
of March, Mother saw a pair of Black-
capped Chickadees searching around our
house for a suitable place for a home,
one even going down in the top of a
piece of pipe, used for a clothes-line post,
and she said, "Now if there was a box on
top of that pipe, I beHeve they would
use it." Daddy went down town and
brought home a small water keg, about
a gallon-and-a-half size. After taking off
the handle, and driving a cork in the
small water hole, he bored a larger hole,
just the right size for Chickadees, in the
side of the keg near the top, and fastened
it on top of the clothes-line post.

Daddy says the only 'fad' we have
is birds, and you may be sure we were
all watching, the next morning, hoping
that the Chickadees would come back.
Sure enough they returned, looked the keg over very carefully, and then flew
away, after staying about twenty minutes. The second morning they came
again, and began at once to carry bits of damp grass into their new home, pack-
ing it down very firmly, and both kept at it until the keg was filled with short
grass, almost up to the hole. Then they made a small hollow in the grass, at the
back of the keg, opposite the hole, and lined it with bits of moss, string, dog
hair, and cotton. They were having trouble to find lining for their nest, and
Mother put out some little pieces of cotton, which the lady Chickadee seemed
thankful for, and began to use at once.

Five tiny eggs were laid in this nest, and while Mrs. Dee-dee was sitting on
them, we often saw Mr. Dee-dee bring a little green worm, or a bug and feed her,

THE CHICKADEE AND HIS KEG HOME

no Bird - Lore

and they would then both fly away to a small park, near our house. Almost
before we knew it, the little Dee-dees were out of the eggs, and making their
'sizzing' little calls for food, and the work of worm-bringing began in earnest,
both Dee-dees being kept busy from early to late, trying to fill little yellow-
edged pink mouths, that were always open, and always hungry.

After about two weeks the baby Dee-dees had been climbing up the inside
of the keg, to look out of the hole, and each trying to be the first to get the worm,
when it was brought, so Daddy wired a little perch across the keg, just below
the hole, to see if it would help them to come out. In a few minutes the bravest
little Dee-dee scrambled (or was pushed) out on the perch, shook himself, and
at once flew to a near-by plum tree, where he began hopping from limb to limb,
flirting his funny little tail, and looking so important. All four of the other
Dee-dees followed the first one out of the keg, about one or two minutes apart,
and all began to take little short flying trips, as fast as their little wings would
rest up a bit, and seeming to worry their mama nearly crazy. They came out of
the keg in the morning, and by the next morning, we saw no more of them, and
we think the babies were guided to the little park, and there taught to hunt for
the little green worms and white 'millers' that they like so well.

They were all such clean-looking birdies, just the image of their parents,
but with short, cute little tails. Mrs. Dee-dee was a clean housekeeper, for we
found no mites about their home, after the young birds left the nest. Daddy
put up a larger keg, with a larger opening in it, for Bluebirds, and two smaller
Wren houses, but although a Jimmy Wren came and* looked them over, and a
pair of dear Bluebirds have been here several times, the houses are all em.pty,
and we fear that the closely-built-up part of a city is not the best place to have
bird friends. — Margaret Phillippe, Okmulgee, Okla.

[One often wishes when he is compelled to move from one town to another that he
could take his friends with him. In this story Margaret shows very delightfully how one
who has bird friends does not have to move them for one finds them wherever he goes
and it is easy to make new friends when he has good books to introduce them. — A. A. A.|

Cte Hlutiution ^ocietiesi

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT

Edited by T. GILBERT PEARSON. President

Address all correspondence, and send all remittances, for dues and contributions, to

the National Association of Audubon Societies, 1974 Broadway, New Vork City.

Telephone, Columbus 7327

T. Gilbert Pearson, President
Theodore S. Palmer, First Vice-President A\illiam P. Wharton, Secretary
Frederic A. Lucas, Second Vice-President Jonathan Dwight, Treasurer

Samuel T. Carter, Jr., Attorney

Any person, club, school or company in sympathy with the objects of this Association may become
a member of it, and all are welcome.

Classes of Membership in the National Association of Audubon Societies for the Protection of Wild
Birds and Animals:

$5 annually pays for a Sustaining Membership
$100 paid at one time constitutes a Life Membership
$1,000 constitutes a person a Patron
$5,000 constitutes a person a Founder
$25,000 constitutes a person a Benefactor

Form of Bequest: — I do hereby give and bequeath to the National Association of Audubon
Societies for the Protection of Wild Birds and Animals (Incorporated), of the City of New York.

REPORT ON THE NATIONAL PARKS SITUATION

In the last issue of Bird-Lore an ac-
count was given regarding the attacks
being made in Congress on the Yellow-
stone National Park. Bills had been intro-
duced for the purpose of legalizing two
projects whereby private parties could
use the waters of the Park for commercial
developments.

First, H. R. 12,644, introduced by-
Congressman Smith of Idaho, sought
authority to build a reservoir covering
8,000 acres in the southwestern part of the
Park. Another bill, introduced by Senator
Walsh of Montana, known as S. B. 3,554,
sought to secure in Congress authorization
to dam the Yellowstone River and make a
reservoir of the beautiful Yellowstone
Lake. Smith wants water for irrigating
lands in Idaho, and Walsh wants to use
the waters of the Yellowstone River for
irrigation north of the Park in Montana.

There would appear to be no reason why
the waters of the Fall River Basin and the
waters of the Yellowstone River could
not be dammed up outside of the Park,
but this is not what is wanted, for to do
this the waters of the reservoir would cover
lands, some of which would have to be
paid for, whereas if the waters can be
dammed up in the Park, no payment would
have to be made, as the lands of the Park

belong to the public. What these men are
after is free storage base for the water
that they want to use for private com-
mercial purposes outside the Park.

The plans which these men sought to
carry out by means of Federal legislation
would not only be detrimental to the
Yellowstone Park, but the success of either
would mean the setting of a precedent
which would undoubtedly result in the
eventual destruction of a large amount of
the scenic beauty and interest of this
territory, which nearly fifty years ago was
set aside by Congress as an area in which
the natural beauties of the region were to
be forever preserved.

When through the publicity of this and
other organizations the general public
became advised as to just what was taking
place, protests in the form of letters,
telegrams and petitions by the thousands
were sent to senators and congressmen,
with the result that it was found impossible
to further advance either bill.

That publicity killed the Fall River
Basin project was admitted by Congress-
man Smith of Idaho at a memorable hear-
ing before the Select Committee on Water
Power of the House of Representatives on
January 6, 1921, when many of us were
present. Mr. Smith denounced the

(ill)

Bird - Lore

Audubon Association and others for giving
out, what he called misleading statements,
and stated:

"That sort of information has been
disseminated throughout this country,
and has scared the members of Congress.
Many members of Congress have come to
me within the last two or three weeks,
who were in favor of the Fall River Basin
project last session, who now say: 'Xow,
Smith, we are in favor of this proposition —
we were in favor of it before — but mv
people at home are so aroused that it
would be political suicide for me to vote
for it and I, of course, will not be able to
vote for it.' "

To which Secretary of the Interior
Payne, a little later replied:

"Let me say, first, about the timidity of
Congress: Congress is accustomed to
propaganda. I do not know of anybody
in the world so capable of measuring the
value of propaganda as the Congress. So
that I do not think the members of Con-
gress are terrified because of some pro-
paganda."

To which Smith retorted:

"You ask any one of them, and they will
tell you they are terrified and would be
afraid to go home, almost, if they should
vote for this bill."

In addition to the National Association
of .\udubon Societies, many other organiza-
tions and numerous individuals im-
mediately took up the cudgel in defense of
the Park. Chief among the other organized
groups may be mentioned, the American
Civic Association, which under the lead-
ership of J. Horace McFarland, has been
fighting battles for the Parks for many
years; the National Parks Association,
New England Conference for Protection
of National Parks, .Vmerican Game Pro-
tective Association, Mazamas, Sierra
Clubs, and a committee of active men
headed by Dr. George Bird Grinnell, of
New York City. This Association sent
out 25,000 circulars calling the attention
of the public to the dangers that threatened
the Park, and asking those who received
the circular to file their i)rotests with their
senators and congressmen. Contributions
were also asked for, the money to be used
as a National Parks Defense Fund. The
responses were immediate and effective,

and the thousands of protests of outraged
citizens that poured into the Capitol
resulted in stopping further progress of
both of these bills and they died with the
adjournment of Congress on March 3. On
February 28, there was a Committee
hearing on the Walsh Bill, on which oc-
casion both sides of the controversy were
heard. The Association was represented
ably by our First Vice-President, Dr. T.
S. Palmer. However, it never came to a
vote in either House, but the Smith bill
did pass the Senate and was more than
once up for passage on the Unanimous
Consent Calendar in the House.

Another measure in which we were
greatly interested was a bill for amending
the Water Power .'\ct, whereby three
members of the President's Cabinet had
been authorized to grant water power
concessions in National Parks. The
amendment which we favored proposed
to put this authority back in the hands of
Congress. The move was bitterly fought
by our opponents, but was carried in both
Houses and the bill signed by the Presi-
dent. The sum total of the campaign to
date is that the friends of the Parks were
able to kill both the Smith and the Walsh
bill, and had sufficient strength left to
amend the Water Power .\ct as described
above.

Action by the organizations interested
in the preservation of the Parks and the
wild life within their boundaries was not
taken a minute too soon.

The contributions sent in to the
Association have been sufficient to meet
our immediate needs and have also en-
abled us to contribute financially to the
e.xpenses of two of the organizations with
which we have been so intimately asso-
ciated in this endeavor. It should be
borne in mind, liowever, that while we
have won the first battle, the opposition
is gathering its forces for a new attack at
the ne.xt session of Congress, and we shall
have to make the fight all over again.
Mr. Smith has already served notice that
he is going to make another attempt to
get possession of the Fall River section
of the Yellowstone Park; in fact he is

The Audubon Societies

113

reported to have stated he is going to
introduce a bill to take this entire territory
out of the Park, and should he succeed in
this undertaking, it would, of course, then
be easv to use the waters.

The following statement shows the
income and expenditures of the Associa-
tion's fund for National Parks Defense
from December 9, 1920 to February 28.
1921.

Income fund for national parks defense

Contributions §5,977 50

Expenses —

Printing and mailing 25,000 Circulars Si, 503 53

Postage on Circulars and Correspondence. . . 501 50

Expenses of Agent in Washington 82 70

Slides illustrating National Parks no 10

Contribution to National Parks Association 690 00

Contribution to American Civic Association . 250 00

Miscellaneous 3 52 3,141 35

Balance unexpended, March i, 192 1 $2,836 15

FEDERAL GAME LEGISLATION

Federal legislation in reference to birds
and game has of late been confined almost
entirely to the subject of appropriations
for enforcing the existing laws.

The President of this Association, in
company with representatives of various
other organizations interested in wild life
protection, appeared before the Appro-
priations Committee of Congress and asked
for $10,000 with which to protect the Mt.
McKinley National Park in Alaska. This
is a territory as large as the Yellowstone
Park and although it contains an abun-
dance of game animals, it does not have one
warden to protect it. A railroad from the
coast has been pushed up into the Mt.
McKinley country and its completion next
summer will mean that numbers of big-
game hunters will visit the territory, hence
the urgency for immediate action in the way
of providing warden service. The Com-
mittee gav^e kindly attention to the pro-
position and in the end provided $8,000
for the purpose.

The President of the Association and
Mr. Holland of the American Game Pro-
tective Association appeared before one of
the subcommittees and urged that the
request of the Secretary of Agriculture for
$200,000 to enforce the provisions of the

Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act should
be granted. The Committee exhibited
a charming indifference to the arguments
of the speakers and in the end granted the
same appropriation as last year — about
$145,000.

Scattered throughout Alaska are a few
wardens that work under the direction of
the Government. For years this depart-
ment has been kept up by an annual
appropriation of $25,000. The House
Appropriations Committee provided that
sum for the present year, but the Senate
cut away the entire appropriation.

The President of the Association hap-
pened to be in Washington at the time
and at once visited various members of
the Conference Committee of the two
Houses of Congress to which the bill
would be referred and strongly urged that
the appropriation be retained. He also
wired to New York for further help and
representatives of the American Game
Protective Association and the Camp-
Fire Club immediately appeared in Wash-
ington on the same mission. It is pleas-
ant to report that in the end the ap-
propriation was put back so that we
should still have some game protection in
.Alaska.

114

Bird- Lore

TO PROVIDE FOR A DUTY ON IMPORTED CAGED BIRDS

The following is a copy of the brief
submitted by T. Gilbert Pearson for the
National Association of Audubon Socie-
ties to the Ways and Means Committee
of Congress on February 20, 192 1, re-
lative to paragraph 416 in the tariff
act, pertaining to and suggesting the
advisability of a duty on imported wild
birds.

The United States imported under
normal conditions (prior to the war)
nearly 500,000 live birds annually. These
birds may be divided roughly into three
groups, viz., Canaries, 360,000; game birds,
40,000; and miscellaneous cage birds,
60,000.

The Canaries were imported chiefly

from German}'. Other cage birds, the
game birds, comprising mainly Quail and
Pheasant, came chiefly from Europe,
Canada, Mexico and the Orient. These
game birds were imported for restocking
game areas. The miscellaneous cage birds,
included parrots, finches, weaver birds
and a great variety of species of brightly
colored small birds. These latter birds
arrived from Europe, Africa, Australia,
the Orient and a few from tropical America.
The following table shows the number
imported for eleven years, 1908—18, includ-
ing six years prior to the passage of the
present laws and five years since the en-
actment of the law (see report of Biological
Survey, Department of Agriculture.)

IMPORTATION OF BIRDS DURING THE YEARS 1908-1918, INCLUSIVE

Year

Canaries

Pheasants

Partridges

. Quail

Other Gamej
Birds

Miscel-
laneous

ToUl

1908

325,265

4,415

7,781

724

9,533

47,467

393,562

1909

338,256

2,996

29,895

868

2,009

41,414

427,777

1910

361,054

7,200

18,931

1,933

2,481

48,478

451,749

1911

354,858

13,399

39,986

3,753

2,340

64,338

475,264

1912

362,604

15,412

23,181

7,751

3,742

44,387

457,077

1913

392,422

9,417

10,283

2,936

2,829

59,477

476,364

1914

368,676

4,146

36,760

2,940

62,868

464,79c

19IS

216,037

15,841

7,080

3,341

5,345

25,747

266,587

1916

127,706

8,000

11,547 1

44,827

185.028

1917

16,471

832

32,814

42,514 i

46,015

93,519

1918

10,000

150

5-205

6,232

51,302

66,000

The figures for 1919 and 1920 are not at
present available, but it is known that the
importations have not yet reached the
normal condition that obtained prior to
the war.

VALUE OF THE BIRDS IN QUESTION

Figures as to the value of the birds
vary widely, depending on the species and
the source of the shipments. The lowest
appraisals are those of miscellaneous
shipments from the Orient. The records
of the Custom House in San Francisco
show, among other consignments received
during the quarter ending December 31,
1920, the following:

146 Parakeets, $22; 15 cents each.
130 Chestnut Finches, S13; 10 cents
each.

400 Strawberry Finches, $32; 8 cents
each.

150 Sociable Finches, $5; 3 cents each.
205 Strawberry Finches, $4; 2 cents each.

These birds are imported free of duty
and when sold by retailers bring from Si
to several dollars each, leaving a wide
margin of profit between the value at
point of shipment and the retail price. In
bringing these birds into the country the
importer needs only to secure a permit
from the Secretary of Agriculture. Other
than this there is no means of controlling
the industry, and there is evidence to
show that there is a large waste of bird-
life through lack of proper care while in
transit, or after arrival, or due to the fact
that few foreign species are able to become
acclimated in this countrv.

The Audubon Societies

Ii:

In order to more properly regulate
traffic and also to produce an income to the
Government from a source wholly untaxed
and perfectly capable of sustaining a tax,
the National Association of Audubon
Societies for the Protection of Wild Birds
and Animals recommends the following
change in Paragraph 416, so as to read:

"Live wild birds, including land and
water fowl, but not including game birds,
domesticated food fowl or birds imported
b)' public Zoological Gardens, Si each."
(Or 50 cents plus 20 cents advalorem.j

By way of illustration, a Canary
appraised at $2 would pa}" Si duty under
the flat dollar rate or 90 cents under the
graduated rate. The same bird would
retail at $5 or more at present prices. A
five dollar parrot would pay Si under the
flat rate or $1.50 under the graduated rate
and would retail at from $10 to $25. It is
believed that this rate of duty would pro-
duce a revenue of anvwhere from $200,000

to 8300,000 annually from a source which
heretofore has yielded no revenue. This is
more than Congress at the present time
appropriates to the Agricultural Depart-
ment for the enforcement of the Migratory
Bird Treaty Act.

The charge of the flat dollar rate is to
effect the low appraised value of birds in
the Orient and from some European
countries where currency at present is
greatly depleted. Naturally it will be
prohibitive in cases of birds less than a
dollar in value, but the losses on the traffic
will probably not be serious. A bird that is
not worth a dollar is given little attention
by dealers and the losses on these miscel-
laneous birds, from the time the birds were
captured until they reach the retail store
are numerous, and would probably reach
75 per cent in the first few months.
Comparatively few of these birds thrive
in captivity, and many thousands have
lost their lives through experiments.

STATE LEGISLATIVE MATTERS

This year the legislatures in forty-one
of the states assembled. As usual this
means much legislation that affects the
wild bird life, and Audubon workers have
much to do and to think about. Among
the propositions that are up for considera-
tion was a bill drafted by the Audubon
Society of the State of North Carolina
intended to establish a State Game Com-
mission. Such efforts have been made
by the Audubon Society for ten years
past, but all attempts have failed for the
reason that in North Carolina it has been
an almost iron-clad, though unwritten
law, that any representative in the legis-
lature can ask for any kind of a game
law or change in the existing game laws
for his county that he desires, and through
courtesy the legislature always lets him
have it. The result has been that there has
grown up a hodgepodge of game laws in
that state which is marvelous and wonder-
ful to behold. People often ask this office
when the season for shooting Quail in
North Carolina is. There is no way to
answer this except to tell them to buy

copies of all the laws that have been en-
acted in the past ten years in North
Carolina, go through these books and hunt
out the latest law for the particular county
in which they are interested. At the
present time there is a county measure
pending in the North Carolina Legislature
that is being fought strongly, but this is
because there is a division among the
people themselves as to what they want.
Such a situation is almost unheard of in
that state, for as a rule people there take
little interest in the game laws, one way or
another.

If the Audubon Society can succeed in
establishing a Game Commission with
state-wide authority, it will undoubtedly
be the most notable piece of state bird and
game protective legislation that will be
enacted in the year 1921. Just as this is
going to press we learn that the Game
Commission bill was defeated in the
Senate.

In Florida a bill has been prepared for
introduction in the Legislature by the
Florida Wild Life Protective League, a

ii6

Bird- Lore

newly formed organization at Fort ]\lyers.
The moving spirit is Dr. George H. Stone,
who with good judgment and knowledge
is going about his task with full realization
of the opposition he will have to meet.
This bill is for the establishment of a
State Game Commission and State Warden
Force. Some years ago the writer cooper-
ated with the Florida Audubon Society in
working personally with the members of
the Legislature in Tallahassee and suc-
ceeded in getting a State Game Warden
Force established. Two years later, how-
ever, the law was repealed. Still later,
with the splendid aid of Dr. Williams S.
Blackman, then President of the Florida
Audubon Society, we were able to induce
the Legislature to again provide for a
Game Commission, but the Governor
vetoed the bill. So at the present time,
with the exception of some county wardens
who are practically worthless, so far as
enforcing the law is concerned, there are no
wardens in the state but those employed
by this Association and a few provided
by the Federal Government. In the mean-
time the game of Florida is fast disap-
pearing.

In New York State a bill is pending
which if passed will practically wipe out
the splendid force of more than a hundred
experienced game protectors, and turn the
protection of game over to the State Police.
It is inconceivable that the New York
Legislature should adopt such a measure or
if adopted that the Governor would sign it.

We have had much correspondence
with people in Missouri where those
supposed to be interested in the protection
of wild life appear to be having royal
battles, one group wanting to change the
game laws and the other group wanting
them to remain as they are.

The Association has maintained a IoIjIjv-
ist at the Massachusetts Legislature. At
this writing nothing of a specially detri-
mental character has occurred there. On
the other hand, it is pleasing to note that
the prosjjccts are good for getting an
appropriation of $4,000 to allow Mr. For-
bush to go ahead with ha\ing drawings
made for his monumental book on tin- birds

of Massachusetts. Another important
game and bird bill in which we were ac-
tively interested was successfully con-
ducted through the New Mexico Legisla-
ture of the New Mexico Game Protective
Association under the able leadership of
our friend Mr. Leopold.

In Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsyl-
vania, Arkansas, Kansas and some ether
states, the subject of encouraging the kill-
ing of Crows, Hawks, and Owls by offering
bounties has been up for consideration.
These measures in some places are being
backed up by the organized sportsmen's
Associations, and it is regrettable to note
that in some instances they appear not
to recognize the fact that some species
of Hawks and Owls are beneficial to
man's interests, and on the other hand
rarely if ever destroy game birds or game
animals.

The subject of cat legislation is, of course,
again under consideration in many parts
of the country, just as it is every year when
legislatures are in session.

To keep track of these various measures
or even to handle the correspondence that
reaches the office of the National Associa-
tion in reference to state legislation is
enough to keep one man busy.

Good Work in Baltimore

The ]\Iaryland Audubon Society, under
the energetic leadership of its President,
Mrs. Baker Hull, is very active in bird
work. Under the auspices of the Society,
Chalmers Brumbaugh has given a course
of public lectures on bird study and numer-
ous field trips have been taken. Recently
the Society secured from the office of the
National Association a field glass and a
series of fourteen bird books which will be
otTered as prizes in a bird-box contest that
will be held among the young people of
Baltimore. By an arrangement with the
State Conservation Commission of Mary-
land, the boxes will be placed in the Loch
Raven watershed territory where they will
be of practical use in supplying homes and
roosting places for the hole-loving birds
of that interesting region.

The Audubon Societies

117

Audubon Exhibit in Tennessee

The Middle Tennessee Audubon Society
recently held an interesting exhibit in the
Tennessee Hermitage National Bank of
Nashville. It included a large number of
skins, nests and eggs of birds, also many
mounted birds, pictures, charts, and
original drawings. Prizes were offered
for the best drawings of birds submitted
and every measure was taken to insure an
active interest in the exhibit by the general
public. That the methods employed were
wise is indicated by the very large atten-
dance of people who visited the exhibit.

The oflScers of the Middle Tennessee
Audubon Society are: A. C. Webb,
President; Mrs. Katherine P. Wright,
Secretary; Mrs. G. R. Mayfield, First Vice-
President; Jesse M. Shaver, Second Vice-
President; and Mrs. Sanford Duncan,
Treasurer.

New Life Members Enrolled from January
1, 1921, to March 1, 1921

Allen, Thomas
Armstrong, George R.
Baldwin, Miss Sarah B.
Banks, George W.
Bliss, Mrs. Robert Woods
Bole, Mrs. B. F.
Bowman, John McE.
Corning, Mrs. John J.
Dexter, Miss Alice S.
Dove, J. Maury
Draper, Eben S.
Duryea, J. Frank
Eddy, Mrs. J. Frank
Edwards, Miss Hannah M.
Foster, Francis A.
Gannett, William H.
Gillette, King G.
Heurich, Charles
Hicks, Mrs. John Jay
Hollweg, Louis
Hudson, Mrs. Kate W.
Hunnewell, Mrs. H. S.
Hutchins, A. S.
Hutchinson, Mrs. F. B.
Jennings, Miss Constance
Kespohl, Julius
Maxwell, Francis T.
Meurer, Miss Mabel
Miller, Mrs. Charles T.
New, Mrs. Elizabeth R.
Paine, Rev. George L.
Russell, Richard S.
Stark, H. J. Lutcher
Stinchfield, Mrs. Charles

Thompson, E. L.
Walcott, Frederic Collon
While, Mrs. Thomas H.
Wood, George

New Sustaining Members Enrolled from
January 1, 1921, to March 1, 1921

Acheson, Edward Campion

Adams, Benj. H.

Adams, Irving

Allison, Mrs. George

Ammidon, Mrs. D. C.

Anthony, Edwin P.

Audubon Society of Genesee

Austin, Mrs. Willis

Avery, Dr. H. T.

Bach, Evielena P.

Baxter, Hector

Beale, Mrs. F. H.

Berri, Mrs. Ethel P.

Betham, Herbert L.

Biddle, Mrs. Arthur

Bishop, Mrs. T. H.

Borcherdt, Mrs. H. A.

Braine, Miss Elizabeth A.

Brandreth, Courtenay

Bray, Dr. C. W.

Breg, William G.

Brewerton, W. A.

Bronson, Barnard S.

Brown, Edwin H.

Brown, Lawrence E.

Brown, Miss Sally Eugenia

Buckley, R. Nelson

Burnett, Charles

Carlton, L. A.

Carroll, J. J.

Carter, Miss H. L.

Carter, Shirley

Champion, Mrs. W. J.

Chase, V. H.

Chauvenet, Mrs. Annie L. A.

Chouteau, Mrs. Pierre

Clark, Raymond Skinner, Jr.

Cofl&n, Edward H.

Comegys, The Misses

Cook, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew E.

Coonley, J. Stuart

Cooper, Mrs. M. LeBrun

Dana Natural History Society

Davis, Clinton W.

Dexter, Miss Mary L.

Douglass, Francis S.

Downes, John I. H.

Duff, Mrs. J. Robertson

Dumm, Clarence L.

Earl, Thomas M.

Edmunds, Miss Margaret M.

Edwards, Mrs. James A.

Einstein, R. E.

Eisenmann, Eugene

Elder, George R.

Elliott, Dr. Arthur R.

ii8

Bird - Lore

Ellis, Mrs. Samuel

Ernst, Mrs. Edward H.

Evans, Mrs. C. DeLacey

Faithorn, W. E.

Fales, Mrs. Charles H.

Farmer, Edward C.

Farmer, Oscar

Farrow, Miss Marjorie S.

Feineman, Miss Emma B.

Fernald, Mrs. W. L.

Fitz Simmons, P. W. A.

Folger, Mrs. H. C.

Fread, Bernard

Freeman, Mrs. Charles

Frothingham, Robert

Gardner, Mrs. Georgia B.

Goodwin, George B.

Goulden, Charles J.

Graham, W. W.

Graves, J. M.

Greims, Mrs. Herbert S.

Griswold, S. A.

Haas, Charles W.

Hall, J. P.

Hanlon, Claude

Harmon, Mrs. Wm. E.

Hasting, Glover

Heinitsh, H. E.

Hibbard, John D.

Hinchliff, Mrs. Wm. E.

Hodge, James

Holzhauer, Mrs. Charles W.

Hornor, J. C.

Husson, Miss J.

Jacobs Bird House Company

Johnston, J. Herbert

Kibbee, W. B.

LaBar, Eugene S.

Leavens, Miss Annie M.

Lyons, Howard J.

McLean, Mrs. Ridley

Morgan, William Fellows

■ Marston, Miss Laura A.
Meriden Sportsmen's Association
Mohr, Lewis S.
Monday Conversational Club
Morris, Robert O.
Munger, Mrs. T. T.
Nature Study Society (111.)
Nellington, Sirs. C. O.
Nichols, Mrs. George
Obrig, Mrs. Adolph
Oppenheimer, Peter
Owen, Miss Harriette A.
Perera, Mrs. Lionello
Peter, Julius C.
Purdy. F. A.
Raymond, Howard E.
Regan, William M.
Renson, Joseph H.
Richardson, William D.
Rockwood, Miss K. C.
Rogers, G. Vernor
Ryle, IMiss Julia
Saunders, Caroline C.
Schmidt, Miss C. Tessa
Scholle, William D.
Schweppe, Mrs. H. M.
Shiman, Mrs. A.
Shonnard, Mrs. Frederic
Sidenberg, George M.
Simon, Theodore A.
Stefansson, Vilhjalmur
Stuart, Mrs. R. Douglas
Sturgis, Miss Elizabeth M.
Taft, Mrs. John H.
Talbot, Mrs. E. S., Jr.
Upmeyer, William H.
Vonnegut, Franklin
Wadsworth, Samuel F.
Walker, Miss Lydia ^L
Webb, C. Edwin
Wheeler, Miss Laura
Whitncv, Edward F.

GREAT HORNED OWL
Order— R A pro RES Family — Strigid.€

Genus — Bubo Species — Virginianus viroinianus

National Association of Audubon Societies

2^irb=ltore

A BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE

DEVOTED TO THE STUDY AND PROTECTION OF BIRDS

Official Organ of The Audubon Societies

Vol. XXIII May— June, 1921 No. 3

John Burroughs

1837-1921

MORE than a quarter of a century has passed since first I met John
Burroughs, and when, less than a year ago, I saw him last he seemed
no older. His joy in life was ever so fresh and keen that he seemed to
embody the spirit of everlasting youth. There are but few people living who
can remember a world without him.

Mentally he was no older in 1920 than in 1895; indeed, if increasing age is
marked by waning interest in one's surroundings, he was younger. And if
the John Burroughs of 1920 was the John Burroughs of 1895, I believe that
we may go back another quarter of a century and with equal truth say that
he was the John Burroughs of 1870.

Certain it is that he was as much the author of 'Wake Robin' on the day
of his death as on the day of its publication, and in this fact lies the incontro-
vertible evidence of the absolute sincerity which formed the dominant char-
acteristic of John Burroughs' nature. Simple, direct, genuine, unself -conscious,
he not only sought to discover the truth but to express it. He posed no more
in print than in person. He did nothing for effect; there was no 'playing to
the gallery' and he avoided any situation where he could not be his own natural,
everyday self. It is this fundamental characteristic of truthfulness in the man
and in his works that have won for him an enduring place among the great
teachers. What he wrote had the unmistakable ring of honest conviction.
He won the confidence of his readers who found in his printed page a reflection
of the eternal verity of nature itself.

It was this uncompromising love of truth that accentuated Burroughs'
hatred of falsehood. What contempt and loathing he had for the so-called
nature writer who, playing upon the credulity of the public, presented fiction
as fact I How he scourged these nature fakers ! With what righteous indigna-
tion he protested against this wanton defilation of the temple of nature ! All
estimates of Burroughs' achievements must accept this inherent honesty as

John Burroughs 121

their cornerstone. It is not open to discussion. For the rest, so far as his place
as a naturalist is concerned, annotators will continue to compare him with
Gilbert White and Thoreau, Muir or even Darwin, and the comparison will
show that with each he possessed certain attributes in common.

Like White, he had a strong and abiding love of the everyday life about his
home. Both found an endless source of interest and pleasure in the miracle of
the changing seasons, the unfolding leaf and opening blossom, in the return of
the birds. But to Burroughs in much greater measure was given the poet's
temperament, the power of interpretation, and the gift of expression. His was
the more subjective mind.

Thoreau, on the other hand, had no lack of temperament, or of power to
interpret and express, but his nature was far more complex than Burroughs'.

Even in his journals there is frequent suggestion of pose wholly lacking in
Burroughs' books. He wrote as though someone were looking over his shoulder.
Nor in Burroughs' sane, sweet, companionable, lovable nature do we find
much resemblance to the disposition we commonly think of as Thoreau 's. It
is diflScult to picture Thoreau welcoming the thousands of pilgrims who have
received so cordial and kindly a greeting at 'Riverby,' 'Slabsides,' and 'Wood-
chuck Lodge' and who, knowing John Burroughs, loved him. There was no
guest-book at Walden Pond.

Between Burroughs and Darwin, in spite of the wholly different places
they occupied in the world of naturalists, I have long felt there were many
strong points of resemblance; and the likeness, I believe, would have been
greatly increased if they had both had similar training. Burroughs' was the
more emotional, Darwin's the more material nature, but, given Darwin's
education, Burroughs would have made a great philosophic naturalist. He had
Darwin's love of truth for truth's sake; he was fair-minded, unprejudiced,
patient, and possessed of a keen desire to discover the relation between cause
and effect.

But the lesson of Darwin's later years makes us grateful that Burroughs
was never subjected to the atrophying influences of long-continued, intensive
research. Primarily he was a lover, perhaps one should say a worshipper of
nature, rather than an investigator of nature. A technical education would
doubtless have made him a research zoologist, but schooled only by nature
herself, it was the poet rather than the naturalist in him that grew; the emo-
tional, rather than the scientific side of his character which was developed.
He traveled far and wide, but no lure of new species ever made him contented
far from home. The riot of tropical life repelled rather than fascinated him.
The Longspur of Alaska was not a voice of the tundra, but a reminder of the
Bobolinks singing in the meadows of his boyhood. He had no collection of
specimens; he made no definite, objective, continuous studies of animal life;
he recorded but few notes. Indeed, he had small patience with those who,
notebook in hand, 'interviewed' nature. "I go to the woods," he wrote, "to

_ _ ^^k^^i.

John Burroughs 123

enjoy myself, not to report them." And again: "For my part, I can never
interview nature in the reporter fashion. I must camp and tramp with her to
get any good, and what I get I absorb through my emotions rather than con-
sciously gather through my intellect. Hence the act of composition with me
is a kind of self-exploration to see what hidden stores my mind holds. . . .
I come gradually to have a feeling that I want to write upon a given
theme. . . ." How the expression "I want to write" explains the potent charm
of Burroughs' writings. No editor ever prevailed upon him to write unless he
had something he wanted to say. The written word with him was merely the
visible results of the reaction of an exquisitely sensitive, svTnpathetic nature to
the spirit of the forest, the peace of the sunset hour, or the heaven-born melody
of the Hermit Thrush.

'T have loved nature no more than thousands upon thousands of others
have" he said, but how many among these thousands have understood the
manifold voices of woods and fields until Burroughs acted as their interpreter?

I clearly recall the delighted surprise, when as a boy, I first read Burroughs
and found expressed on page after page some vague, half-formed thought of
the possession of which I had been barely conscious. His books helped to
acquaint me not only with nature, but with myself. This discovery I attempted
to describe to him in a letter sent ten years or more before we met. Promptly
came the reply expressing his pleasure that anything he had written should
possess this potency. How many such letters he must have written as the suc-
ceeding third of a century rapidly widened his audience I How immeasurable
was the influence they exerted upon the lives of those who received them!
And if we are saddened by the thought that Burroughs' last letter is written,
we must remember that his published works have that direct, intimate, per-
sonal quality which make them letters to the nature-lovers of all time. They
are his legacy to the world.

If from this wealth of human documents I were asked to select one passage
which more than any other revealed John Burroughs' attitude toward Nature
at the end, as well as at the age of twenty-eight, when he wrote it, I should
take these lines from Tn the Hemlocks,' published in 'Wake Robin.'

"Moimting toward the upland again, I pause reverently as the hush and
stillness of twilight come upon the woods. It is the sweetest, ripest hour of
day. And as the hermit's evening hymn goes up from the deep solitude below
me, I experience that serene exaltation of sentiment of which music, literature,
and religion are but the faint types and s\Tnbols."

This is John Burroughs' 'Angelus. '—Frank M. Chapman.

WHY DO BIRDS BATHE? II

By ERNEST THOMPSON SETON

MY ARTICLE on this subject in the November-December Bird-Lore
has resulted in some valuable information contributed by Dr. A. A.
Allen, Ithaca, N. Y.; S. W. Hopper, East Orange, N. J.; Mrs. H. H.
Dunshee, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Mrs. F. A. Snow, Aiken, S. C; Mrs. Bruce
Ford, Philadelphia, Pa.; E. J. Saw>'er, Watertown, N. Y. ; Edith H. Whitaker,
Toledo, Ohio; Dr. J. O. Tilton, Lexington, Mass.; R. Owen Merriman, Hamil-
ton, Ontario, Canada; Mrs. T. T. Munger, New London, N. H.; Miss Mary T.
Barrel!, Portland, Maine, and others. To utilize their notes I submit a second
summary.

My attention is called also to an article in the October Auk for 191 5, pages
465-468 on 'The Birds' Bath' by Heyward Scudder. He points out four
variants of the common or wet bath.

(a) The typical plunge, with ruffled feathers, spread wings, head ducked,
splashing with wings and tail, the body shaken for 2 to 100 seconds, (b) A
short bath of 2 to 50 seconds, flight to a drying perch, then one or more up to
six or seven similar baths, (c) A number of short dips, without soaking.
(d) A dip with wings tight shut.

To this he adds the 'air-bath' described later.

THE VARIOUS BATHS

1. The Dip. That is, one or more dips with fluttering wings and tail, wet-
ting, however, only the surface of the body feathers. There are at least three
variations of this as above. The dipping of the Kingbird is a good illustration,
but another kind of dip is the one that Swallows take while on the wing.

2. The Soak or Plunge. This is a thorough and elaborate wetting of the
whole plumage, making it all as wet as it can be — wet to the skin. Of this the
Robin is the great exponent; although, as will be seen later, the Screech Owl
also claims honors as a Knight of the Bath.

3. The Shower-Bath, taken usually in the rain or under the garden hose,
though E. J. Sawyer tells of an Indigo Bunting that improvised a shower-bath
by repeatedly shaking the hea\y dew down on himself. Some birds enjoy
this so much that they sing while it rains. The Robin and Wren especially do so.

4. The Sun-Bath. The sun-bath is not always easy to determine. We may,
however, consider a bird to be taking a sun-bath when it remains posed in a
sunny place, with wings raised so the sun strikes parts of the body not other-
wise exposed, especially when the bird at the same time gasps with open bill.
E. J. Sawyer, however, sends a photograph of a Robin taking a sun-bath all
spread out flat on the grass; also refers to the elaborate sunning of the Pied-
billed Grebe. The sun-bath of the Turkey-buzzard is well known. Dr. Arthur
A. Allen writes: "You do not credit Sparrows with sun-bathing and so am

(124)

Why Do Birds Bathe?

125

enclosing a photograph of a White-throated Sparrow that was so indulging
near a feeding-station."

5. The Air-Bath, a uniform fluffing and opening of the feathers to the air
only — a dry-cleaning.

6. The Dusi-Bath, commonly taken by all birds of the gallinaceous group,
but never by birds of greasy plumage. The following from my own journal
has a bearing on this: Claremont, N. H., 20 Jan., 1903. Yesterday it was
22° below zero, today is a thaw, 6° above freezing, with heavy rain. Some
English Sparrows flew on the piazza by my window, two were drenching wet,
soaked and shivering. I thought, "You are not long for this world, my little
friends." However, a flower-box under shelter afforded just what they wanted
— a dust-bath; in this they set to work to dust themselves vigorously and in
fifteen minutes all were dry and warm and in sleek feathers.

The Snow-bath is probably a mere winter substitute for the Dust-Bath.
Only the Downy Woodpecker and the Shorelark are known to take it.

WHY THEY BATHE

The question is not yet answered but Dr. A. A. Allen sends the following:
"My idea is that dust-baths kill vermin, but I have as yet found no biological
reason for sun-baths or water-baths except as it seems to bring a pleasurable
sensation to the birds. My observation has been that water-baths often follow
dust-baths, and sun-baths often follow water-baths, for obvious reasons, but I
know that that sequence is not always followed, and when a perfectly dry bird

IMMATURE WHI IE- liiKoA 1 Kl> -I'AkKoW lARlNt, A >L.\ liUII
Photographed by A. A. Allen

126 Bird - Lore

indulges in a sun-bath it seems to do so for the pleasure it derives from it.
(The only effect the sun could have on the vermin would be to drive them over
to the shady side.) My efforts to drown bird-lice have been so unsuccessful
that I can scarcely believe that the little soaking that the feathers get could
have much effect upon them. A little dust in their spiracles, however, seems
to put them out of business promptly."

GENERAL NOTES

The following is from Cedar Rapids, Iowa: "I can assert positively having
seen bathing, Blackbird, Bluebird, Robin, Catbird, Blue Jay, Cardinal, Rose-
breasted Grosbeak, Oriole, Brown Thrasher, Goldfinch, Woodthrush, some
other Warblers, and, of course. Sparrows.

"When I brush out the bath every day I thought it must surely be primarily
for cleanliness — there is so much sediment in the bottom of the bath. However,
as you say, the Robins are in, I think, for fun. I have seen as many as seven
young Robins in at once scrambling for place. The old birds won't let the
young ones bathe till they have finished.

"Once I was fortunate enough to be near when a Thrasher, Grosbeak, and
Oriole alighted on the bath at the same time. I do not remember now which
gave way to the other. Several times Hummingbirds have flown through the
spray from the hose, but this fall when it was very dry one could not be satis-
fied with that but lighted on a bent-over iris leaf and stayed as long as he
wished then flew up in a lilac bush and preened his feathers like any bird.

"I have seen Robins take a sun-bath, but never any but Sparrows take a
dust-bath." — Mrs. H. H. Dunshee, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Mrs. Bruce Ford, of Philadelphia, says: "Catbirds are most energetic
bathers in my little pool. One morning I saw one dip in the water, I think it
was twenty-eight times, before it flew up to the tree again."

S. W. Hopper, of East Orange, N. J., writes: "For about seven or eight
years I have kept a pan of water for the birds to drink and bathe in, in plain
view from the window where I pass many hours each day. When the pan is
full the water is about three inches deep. Robins, Starlings, Crackles, and
Bluejays will plunge in singly or crowd around and fight and watch a chance
to get ahead of one another. There have been as many as eight or ten in the
^an at one time and I have seen them one and all plunge in in all kinds of
weather, hot or cold, sunshiny or raining, even when sleeting and freezing oni
their feathers. While the larger birds are in the water splashing, the English
Sparrows are all around on the edge of pan enjoying a shower-bath, but as
soon as water is low enough, in they go with the others.

"Once I noticed a Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and many times a Flicker, at the
bath. They act very much alike when thinking of taking a plunge; they
stand at a little distance from the pan as though indifferent and undecided as
long as any other bird is near, but when the coast is clear, they perch on the

Why Do Birds Bathe? 127

rim of the pan to which they seem to have difficult}' in clinging while they
dip their heads two or three times into the water, and then suddenly plunge in
and make a thorough job of it, sometimes returning for a second dip to make
sure all is clean.

"The Baltimore Oriole likes to plunge and play in the water, also the Gold-
finch, and once a Blackburnian Warbler came and took a dip. The English
Sparrows are the only Sparrows I have ever noticed go entirely into water;
and they never miss a chance any more than the Robins who like to sit right
down and stay in the water some time. Song and Tree Sparrows and Juncos
only care to be sprinkled."

Mrs. Frederick A. Snow of Aiken, S. C, writes that both Blue Jay and
Cardinal take plunge baths.

A SCREECH OWL THAT SOAKED

The following account of an Owl bathing is of unusual interest:
"One evening, just at dusk, my attention was called to a great splashing
in the bird-bath near a spruce hedge. Hastily dodging behind a big tree, and
gradually crawling up to the bath, within eight or ten feet, there was visible
only a confused mass of feathers, wings, tail, and great flurry of water. Out
of this maelstrom came a Screech Owl, which hopped to a small shrub nearby,
preened and shook himself, then flew into the hedge. Not a drop of water
remained in the bath. Thinking it only a common occurrence for all birds to
bathe, the matter caused me to mention the affair to my family only as being
a most comical performance of a bird's bathing. The next night passed with-
out a \'isit, but in the morning there was no water in the stone bath while
another bath some fifty feet away was full. A few nights after, at a little later
hour, my good fortune came again just as he came on the scene. The Owl
(to me) seemed to find the water too shallow; at least his actions would so
indicate, for he (?) plunged his head dowTi into the water, then beat his wings
furiously and finally swirled his tail and belly round and round, over and over,
in one mad indistinguishable mass. No water was left in the bath after this,
and a more woe-begone looking specimen never greeted an observer of birds
as this Owl perched on the edge of the stone and finished his toilet. It certainly
afforded me then, as well as several times the next summer, much pleasure.
Some mornings last summer the water was all gone in this bath and probably
my friend had been too early for me. Now that you tell me it is a rare perform-
ance I shall watch for him when the warm nights come again, for there is the
same plaintive call as last year." — Dr. Josl\h Odin Tilton, M.D., Lexington,
Mass.

THE KINGBIRD IS A DIPPER; THE BLUEBIRD A SOAKER

"I have observed that Bluebirds and Kingbirds are my most frequent
bathers, and that they bathe in absolutely different ways. The Bluebirds

128 Bird -Lore

bathe very thoroughly, making a business of it, going into the deepest part of
the water, to the middle of the bath-tub, throwing the water all about and over
themselves, and waiting for one another that everyone may have the deepest
place. Sometimes seven Bluebirds have alighted on the bath at the same
time and enjoyed a bath en famille. The Kingbirds alight on the wire fence
and swoop suddenly down into the bath and out again, only dipping into the
water, but doing this over and over again, never alighting on the bath-tub
itself.

"I have seen seven varieties of birds at one time waiting their turn: Robins,
Kingbirds, Bluebirds, Goldfinches, a strange bird almost as large as a Robin
with olive back, white wing-bars, and brilliant breast, shaded from deep orange
to pale yellow [female Oriole] and two kinds of Sparrows.

"The birds bathe usually in the early afternoon, when I fancy the water
has become warmed by the sun. I sometimes have had to refill the bath three
times in as many hours. It holds more than a quart of water and is about
three inches deep in the middle. Our season in these uplands of New Hamp-
shire is short, and the birds bathe mostly in July and August, June and Sep-
tember being too cold." — E. T. S.

THE BLUE JAY BATHES IN WINTER

"Blue Jays are very familiar neighbors of ours, coming to the window-sill
regularly on winter mornings for peanuts and rearing their families in our old
forest trees. They take frequent water-baths all summer in the bird-bath
under the dining-room windows, thoroughly drenching their feathers and fly-
ing to a nearby branch or chair-back to shake and preen them.

"Last Friday, January 29, about the middle of the morning, two Blue Jays
came to the bath, which had been recently filled, and enjoyed a real summer-
time water-bath. The weather had moderated after some days of severe cold,
and the temperature was several degrees above freezing.

"Robins bathe as soon as they arrive in March and all through the season.
They begin their daily ablutions early in the morning and seem especially to
enjoy their evening bath. At midday they like to sit and soak in the shallow
water of the bath." — Edith H. Whittaker, Toledo, Ohio.

ENTHUSIASTIC ROBINS BATHING

"My friend in town here put two large shallow pans filled with water on
the lawn one evening. Next morning, a little before 6 o'clock, she counted
nineteen Robins, twenty Sparrows, one Nuthatch, and two Vireos. The Robins
were taking their bath, two at a time, going from pan to pan, while the Spar-
rows tried hard to get a foot in. At times they would sit in a circle on the rim
of the pans, but Robins found time amid their splashes to peck — and peck
hard too — sending the Sparrows in all directions. Then the Robins would
chase their little ones in until they, too, had a bath. The Nuthatch and Vireos

Why Do Birds Bathe?

129

stood on the fence watching. If one wants to enjoy birds, the early hours is
the time." — Mary T. Barrett, Portland, Maine.

A BIRD-BATH FOR YOUR LAWN

"A lover of birds has built
the bird-bath shown in the
illustration and placed it on
his lawn directly in front of
his living-room window. Every
morning during the summer
himdreds of birds come and
take their daily bath. This
little resort has become ex-
tremely popular and the trees
round about are wonderfully
populated with all sorts of
song birds and other feathered
folk.

"This bath consists of a
drum of sheet metal slightly
concave and in the center is
mounted a long galvanized
iron rod through which water
is piped to the spray attach-
ment at the top. The surplus
water, which amounts to only
five to six gallons a day, runs
to one edge slightly lower and
is piped away as shown in the
cut." — Dale R. Van Horn, Lincoln, Neb.

A NUTHATCH SOAKING AND A WOODPECKER SNOW-BATHING

"The only two unusual bathing observations I have made, however, have
been in the winter months, when our bird-bath has been stored away. One
was the Downy Woodpecker snow-bathing, my account of which was printed
in Bird-Lore for November-December; and the other was a White-breasted
Nuthatch which I saw at his ablutions this morning.

"The soft, conversational, nasal notes of a Nuthatch made me look up
from my book, and I soon located the talking bird. It was perching on an
iron-pipe fence, fluttering its wings and preening its feathers, especially its flight-
feathers. After a moment, it dropped to a small puddle at the foot of a tree
and there splashed about vigorously for perhaps half a minute. Then it ran
briskly up the trunk of the tree and out to one of the small branches, where it

I30

Bird - Lore

shook itself dry and arranged its feathers correctly, and, just before flying
away, refreshed itself with a bite or two of suet. The morning was mild (as
most of the winter has been), with no snow on the ground; but the absence of
sunshine and a dampness in the air made it, to my mind, an unattractive morn-
ing for a plunge out-of-doors. White-breasted Nuthatches may have the bath-
habit, but, though I have watched them at all times of the year, this is
the first time I have seen one enjoying a dip." — R. Owen Merriman,
Hamilton, Out.

A BIRD-BATH OF THE CENTURIES

"This ancient Indian mill, or 'maize-bowl,' showing the rounded cavity
where corn was pounded into meal with a stone pestle, was found in Way-
land, Mass., and is now used as a bird-basin in a garden in that town. In its
original situation on a pasture hillside, it held water and was used by the
birds as a bath from the time the last Indian ground corn in it — three hundred
years ago.

"Thus may we not assume that we here see one of the oldest bird-basins in
consecutive use in the country?" — Alfred W. Cutting, Wayland, Mass.

Why Do Birds Bathe? 131

SUMMARY

These generalizations represent our present knowledge:

All of the perching birds take soak-, dip-, shower-, sun- and air-baths, but
do not take the dust-bath except the English Sparrow, the Thrasher, the Song
Sparrow, and the Wren. (I am in hopes that we shall add greatly to this list.)

All of the 'bigwings,' that is Goatsuckers, Swifts, and Hummingbirds, take
sun-, air-, dip-, and shower-baths, but never soak- or dust-baths.

All of the Woodpeckers take all kinds of baths.

All of the Cuckoos take all kinds of baths, but their ally, the Kingfisher,
omits the dust-bath.

All of the birds of prey take all kinds of baths, excepting that probably the
Osprey omits the dust-bath.

All of the Pigeons and gallinaceous birds take all kinds of baths. -^

All of the wading, swimming, and diving birds are believed to take all
baths, except the dust-bath. There are, however, few exact observations
available.

When fuller information is accumulated a new chart of birds and their
bath-habits will be given.

WHY NOT MAKE A BIRD'S DUST-BATH?

Now that we are establishing bird-baths all over, I wish some reader would
try the experiment of a dust-bath for birds. Fine dust or ashes in a dish instead
of water, with protection from wind and rain, would answer the purpose. I
have tried it with a little lime and sulphur mixed with the dust, assuming that
the dust was to combat insects. Reference to my note early in this paper
shows how useful a dust-bath may be to the birds in the winter. Here is a
chance for a lot of good, new observations. — E. T. S.

BIRDS I HAVE SEEN BATHE

"In the article by Mr. Thompson Seton, 'Why Do Birds Bathe?' published
in the November-December number of Bird-Lore, I notice this statement:
"Outside of the Divers, Gulls, Ducks, Sparrows and Thrushes, I never saw
any bird take a water-bath." In reply to that statement I send the following
observations of visitors to our bird-bath. This bath is 4 feet long by 2 feet wide,
with a depth of water of not more than \)4. inches. It has been in use since the
midsummer of 19 16. Besides the bird groups mentioned by Mr. Thompson
Seton, I have seen the following birds take water-baths: Rusty Blackbirds,
Orioles, Meadowlarks, Cedar Waxwings, House Wrens, Redstarts, Summer
Yellow-birds, Cape May and Nashville Warblers, and one Flicker. Of course,
there have been dozens of Sparrows, Robins, and Bluebirds. I have seen seven
Bluebirds in the bath at one time. One spring a flock of fourteen Cedar Wax-
wings visited the yard and all bathed, four or five being in at a time. Then in

132

Bird - Lore

deliberate Waxwing fashion they dressed their shining feathers in the spreading
plum tree over the bath. The most beautiful sight was in the spring of 191 7
when I saw a male Oriole bathe in one end of the bath with a male Redstart in
the other end.

"As to habits in regard to bathing I have noticed that most water-bathers if
undisturbed will go in a second time. Some love to soak a long time. The Junco
is of this kind and when in the water he fluffs out his feathers until he looks like
a ball and he also spreads his tail out on the water so that the white outer
tail feathers show. It took the Flicker a long time to make up his mind to bathe.
He came repeatedly to drink and often acted as if he wanted to bathe but could
not quite make up his mind to do so. Finally one day he did it. The water was
not deep enough to suit him and he looked very awkward as he tried to dip
lender and get his feathers wet. As to time of bathing, I have little to report.
The Bluebirds in the fall always come about five o'clock in the afternoon. The
early splasher in the morning is usually a Robin and the one to bathe just as
darkness settles over the earth is a Song Sparrow. I once saw a Horned Lark
take a snow-bath on a fence post and it seemed to be a most satisfactory per-
formance." — Mrs. Arthur F. Gardner, Troy, N. Y.

A THkASHKR AT THE iiArH
Photographed by Craig S. Thorns

HOW TO MAKE A BIRD-BATH

"After trying many expedients for a bird-bath I have found a cement one
by far the most satisfactory. It can easily be made in the ground by hol-
lowing out a jilacc, l)ut a ])ird-bath should be placed at least two feet above

Why Do Birds Bathe? 133

the ground, so that prowling cats cannot so easily take advantage of the
bathers when they are off guard.

"To make a good cement bath, mix equal parts of cement and sand, with the
necessary amount of water, and pour into a large dishpan, first carefully lining
the pan with rather strong brown paper. Then press an ordinary chopping
bowl, right side up, into the cement until the cement reaches the rim of the
bowl. Weight the bowl down with bricks or other heavy material until the
cement is set, but not fully hardened. Remove the chopping bowl and care-
fully trim the rim of the new cement bath with a knife. When the cement is
thoroughly hardened, turn the dishpan upside down and the new bath will fall
out. Remove the paper and the bath is complete. It is well, however, since
cement is rather porous, to paint the bath inside and out with green paint.

"The bath should be placed, if possible, where it is shady during most of the
day, as birds do not Uke to bathe in blazing sunlight." — Craig S. Thoms,
Vermillion, S. D.

THE VISITORS TO AN ENAMELED BATH-TUB

"Replies to several of Mr. Seton's queries have been supplied by observa-
tions of birds which have frequented a white-enameled pan which I have
kept well filled with clean water and placed a few feet from my kitchen win-
dow. A sloping stone in the pan permits little birds to bathe in shallow water.

"On hot, dry days I fill this pan three and four times a day and the amount of
dirt left in it shows that birds' feathers are by no means as clean as they look.
The bathers must have been much relieved to get rid of so much dust. I am
sure that many young birds bathe just for the fun of it, as children like to
splash and wade in water.

"in that pan I have seen Wrens, Robins, Brown Thrashers, Catbirds, Rose-
breasted Grosbeaks, Baltimore Orioles, Crackles, Blue Jays, House Sparrows,
Flickers, Red-headed Woodpeckers, and Cardinal Grosbeaks. The two Wood-
peckers were slow and awkward in their motions; they did not bathe often
nor stay in the water long.

"The more I watch birds the more I am impressed with their human charac-
teristics. Birds like to 'follow the crowd' to see and do what other birds do.
In that same door-yard I attracted many birds to eat suet. When the House
Sparrows saw the Nuthatches, Chickadees and Woodpeckers eating suet, they
would eat it too ; but in another home near Chicago I put out suet two winters
without attracting birds, and though many Sparrows were around they did not
touch it. So I thought that the Woodpeckers tried the bath because they saw
other birds do it.

"Last October, at Forest Glen, on the north branch of the Chicago River, I
saw a beautiful sight — great numbers of birds bathing at the same time just a
little before sundown. Many of them were Juncos; nearest to me were a
pair of Bluebirds; just beyond them some yellow birds — they may have

134 Bird -Lore

been Goldfinches in winter dress. I dared not go too near for fear of fright-
ening the whole flock. There were Robins, Crackles and, I think, some Spar-
rows also, but the Juncos far outnumbered all the rest. I went a second
afternoon and saw the same thing repeated.

"while one of our family was using the garden hose one afternoon, a Ruby-
throated Hummingbird flew under the spray and took a good drenching, then
flew up to a telephone wire to preen and dress its feathers.

"It isa temptation to tell of the many incidents connected with that bath-tub
which I saw from my window, about four feet away, but I will mention one:
A mother Catbird brought her young hopeful there for, I have no doubt, his
first bath. She seemed to be coaxing him to enter the water, which he was
reluctant to do. Finally he made the plunge and was as delighted as any
small boy in the gutter, and one never saw a prouder mother ! The pan always
stood on a box about two feet above ground and she walked round and round
on the box arching her pretty neck like a true thoroughbred; once she hopped
on the rim of the pan looking down on her ofi^spring with greatest pride. When
he was satisfied with his splashing, they flew away together. She did not go
into the water.

"Wrens enjoy a dust bath. The paths in my garden are at times dotted with
little hollows made by them. One coquettish little fellow, who always tried to
attract my attention whenever I went into the garden, would fly down in
front of me, a few feet away and whirl about in the dust.

"I think birds bathe at any hour of the day, but they were more apt to come
the first half of the forenoon or latter half of afternoon." — L. Elizabeth Clark,
Decatur, Mich.

NOTES FROM NOVA SCOTIA

"Replying to Mr. Seton's inquiry, I have seen Robins, in pairs, bathing in
the early dawn of tener than at any other time, in flower-pot saucers on the
lawn, arranged to receive the drippings of the hose from the top of its reel.
They go in and shake their wings up and down, hop out and go in again
repeatedly. I have also seen them do the same thing in the heat of the day.
Two or three times last autumn, when they were supposed to have left us, I
saw large flocks of a dozen or more bathing in the dusk of early evening.
They perched on the bushes, and flew around in great excitement; they were
never still for a moment while waiting a chance to bathe. The three saucers
were always in use.

"Sparrows, Warblers, Goldfinches, Chickadees, Redstarts, Juncos, also
bathe at intervals all day in warm weather, but I have not seen Vireos nor any
of the larger birds except the Robins. Hummingbirds have been seen to bathe
by a neighbor, but not by me. They come often to drink the drops at the end of
the hose," — A. A. DesBrisay, Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.

BIRD-BATH FOUNTAIN AND SITE NEAR SUMMER-HOUSE AT THE HOME OF
T. B. POWERS SPRINGFIELD, MASS.

(135)

136 Bird - Lore

THE FLICKER BATHING

"To Mr. Seton's list of birds seen bathing I can add the Fhcker. This species
frequents a cement-Hned pool in our lawn so frequently in hot weather that it
has never occurred to me to make a note of its bathing in my daily record of
birds seen. On two occasions, however, because of the time of the year and
coolness of the weather, I have recorded it at the bath. Thus, on September 6,
1916, not only the Flicker but Blue Jay, Robin and Oriole bathed, and on
March 30, 191 7 there is another entry of a Flicker at the bath.

' I remember well seeing a Flicker try to teach a young bird to bathe by
going into the water and making quite a splash while the baby only stood in the
edge of the water and shivered as the water fell on him. He finally did go into
the water when the parent flew into a tree but only stayed for a minute. I
have often remarked on the length of time it always takes a Flicker to make a
toilet after a bath. Only one other bird that I know is more deliberate and that
is the Brown Thrasher." — Mrs. H. M. Bailey, Sioux City, Iowa.

THE BLUE JAY'S BATH

' In Woodville, Miss., where I formerly lived, I kept a broad, shallow recep-
tacle under the hydrant in the front yard for the sake of the birds. I know that
many birds bathed in it, but I never kept an accurate record because I supposed
that birds used water-baths pretty generally. One thing, however, I am sure of:
There was no species that used the plunge bath more regularly and enthusias-
tically than the Blue Jay. Whether all the Jays did it, or only a few individuals,
I cannot say. But I know that one Blue Jay at least used to plunge and splash
every day, like a boy in his swimming hole." — H. W .Wells, Port Gibson, Miss.

THE SONG SPARROW IS A SOAKER

"The recent article in Bird-Lore, 'Why Do Birds Bathe?' by Ernest
Thompson Seton, reminded me of an unusual incident witnessed one stormy
April day. We had been feeding a Song Sparrow in the yard since the second
of the month. Here is my record:

"April 5, 1920. — The day has been rainy and not warm, featuring fierce
showers which swooped upon the earth in relentless fashion, the sound of their
determined might occasionally augmented by a rumble of thunder. We thought
of the spring birds and spoke of them with pity. We shall have scantier fears
next time.

' Looking from a window, in the late afternoon, G noticed something

moving in a small i)ool which had collected by the doorstep. Her first thought
was that a frog was in the water. A closer scrutiny revealed our Song Sparrow.
Her instantaneous idea that it was hurt and drowning was not held long. The
incredible fact became evident that at almost dark, on a chill, stormy April day,
the bird was taking a bath. G called to me and I looked down from my room

Why Do Birds Bathe? 137

upon its thorough ablutions, marveUing exceedingly. Think of the little crea-
ture going to bed with sopping wet feathers. Nothing Sybaritic about our
Song Sparrow! This astonishing occurrence was at a quarter past five. An
hour later the street lights were shining." — Clarence E. Patterson, Bangor,
Maine.

THE ROBIN TAKES SHOWER BATH AS WELL AS PLUNGE

"Standing at the window of my room, one rainy day in the summertime,
my attention was drawn to a Robin that had alighted on the roof of a nearby
shed. There was a shower of rain falling, so much that there was quite a
splashing on the shingles. I wondered why the bird didn't seek shelter, but
while I wondered it commenced a series of gyrations and gymnastics, ducking
its head and flapping its wings precisely as if it were in a pan of water. Then I
saw it was taking a bath in the rain. After a minute of this exercise it ran up to
the comb of the shed roof and there commenced shaking itself and preening its
feathers, while all the time the rain was falling. Presently it flew away, as if
convinced that while that might be a good bathing-place it was not a good place
to dry one's feathers."' — A. W. Beale.

ROBINS AND FLICKER

"in your November-December issue I noticed the article, 'Why Do Birds
Bathe?' with a list of birds observed taking various kinds of baths. To
this list let me add the following: Robins taking sun bath, any time;
Flicker taking plunge bath, warm mornings in summer.'' — S. R. Ingersoll,
Ballston Spa, N. Y.

J^otes; from iFieltr anb ^tubp

A Nest Census

On June 17, 1919, I set out with a view
of ascertaining the number of nesting
species of birds in Cobb's Hill and vicinity.
This place is in the southeastern part of
the city and is very well adapted for the
nesting of some birds. A stream runs
through the lower portion of it, flowing
into a swamp and from there into the Erie
Canal. There are about twenty acres of
deciduous trees which comprise the woods.
The principal ones are the chestnut, white,
red, and black oak, shagbark hickory,
sassafras, and black cherry. Along the
border of the stream there are numerous
black willows and very thick underbrush.
In the forest proper there is a wonderful
place for the birds which usually nest on
the ground or in thickets. The sand-banks
also oiJer an opportunity for those birds
which burrow holes in the earth for nesting
purposes. A field of grass on the eastern
side of the woods affords a site where the
birds which generally breed in these places
may nest. There is an abundance of natural
food for birds both in the swamp and the
woods. Cherries, apples, grapes, and black-
berries grow wild here, and sumach, elder-
berries, haw, mountain-ash, and flowering
dogwood are found in large rjuantities.

One may find a goodly number of birds
here all during the year as it is, in the
writer's opinion, a fine place for them.

The following is a list of birds known to
be nesting at this place.

1. Killdeer. One pair nesting on an ash-
heap near the canal.

2. Sparrow Hawk. Nesting in the edge
of the woods near the field.

3. Black-billed Cuckoo. Two birds
were seen but no nest was found.

4. Kingfisher. A pair nesting in the
sand-bank.

5. Red-headed Woodpecker. One pair
had a nest in a red oak tree on the edge of
the woods but they left before this date.

6. Northern Flicker. A pair had a nest
in the stub of a dead tree in the swamp and
another pair were breeding in the woods.

7. Ruby-throated Hummingbird. One

bird was seen. Very likely it was nesting
in a nearby orchard as it was seen not far
away.

8. Kingbird. One pair nesting.

9. Wood Pewee. Four pairs of these
birds were breeding in the woods.

10. Crow. There seem to be no large
Hawks or Owls around to usurp these
nests, so the Crows live peacefully in the
same one year after j-ear. Three nests
were occupied.

11. Red- winged Blackbird. One male
was seen in the swamp.

12. Meadowlark. Two birds were seen
in the field.

13. Baltimore Oriole. Two pairs of
these birds were nesting in elms near the
swamp.

14. Goldfinch. There are usually about
four pairs which nest here later in the sea-
son.

15. Chipping Sparrow. One pair nest-
ing.

16. Field Sparrow. One pair breeding
in the grass field.

17. Song Sparrow. About seven pairs
were nesting.

18. Towhee. One male seen in the
woods.

19. Indigo Bunting. Three males and
two females seen.

20. Bank Swallow. Only two pairs were
nesting this year whereas for the past three
years there have been twenty or thirty
pairs of these birds breeding.

21. Red-eyed Vireo. Three pairs nesting
in the woods.

22. Yellow Warbler. Only five birds of
this species were noted and this seems a
small number compared with the number
of nests found when the leaves fall.

23. Chestnut-sided Warbler. A male
was noted in full song in a sassafras thicket
on the east side of the woods.

24. Oven-bird. One bird was seen.

25. Mourning Warbler. One bird was
observed.

26. Maryland Yellow-throat. Two pairs
of these birds were nesting in the marsh.

27. Redstart. Two males and a female
seen in the woods.

28. Catbird. About ten pairs of these
birds always nest along the border of the
creek in the thickest underbrush.

29. Brown Thrasher. Two nests of this
bird were found.

30. House Wren. Two ncst-bo.\es were
occupied and another pair had a nest in a
pile of underbrush.

31. White-breasted Nuthatch. One pair
nesting in the heart of the woods.

(138)

Notes from Field and Study

139

32. Wood Thrush. Two pairs of these
birds were nesting near the stream and
another on the margin of the woods.

33. Wilson Thrush. Two pairs nesting
in the woods.

34. Robin. About fifteen pairs nesting.

35. Bluebird. One pair breeding in a
bird-house on the edge of the woods. — -
RiCH.^RD M. CH.A.SE, Rochester, N. Y.

The Woodcock as a 'Bluffer'

The instinct of self-preservation is usually
strong in all animals, and Nature has fur-
nished many devices for the protection of
her children. Color patterns which har-
monize deceptively with the surroundings,
pretended injury to attract the intruder's
attention away from a nest, and the posture
of motionless silence are some of the most
common forms.

An excellent example of the application
of ail three methods was seen by the writer
a few summers ago when he flushed a
Woodcock while passing along an old,
unused woods-road. Because of her pro-
tective coloring the bird was not seen until
flushed, and although it was certain that
the nest was directly underfoot, it required
several minutes of close observation to
discover the three little balls of feathers
huddled in the middle of the path.

The mother bird, pretending to have a
broken wing, and uttering cries of apparent
distress, flew, fluttered, and flopped over
a stone wall into a large field adjoining.
Recognizing the trick, and wishing to see
how long she would 'play the game,' the
writer left the young birds undisturbed
and followed her. When the pursuer
stopped, the bird redoubled her efi'orts to
coax him away, now remaining temptingly
near, again flying to a safe distance. This
performance was kept up across the ten-
acre lot to the farther wall, where, partly
concealed by a fringe of small trees, this
stupid-looking, shallow-pated, but cun-
ning Woodcock, thinking she had quite
fooled the enemy, suddenly recovered the
use of her wings, and flew in a wide circle
toward her nest.

Retracing his steps, the writer sought
the young birds, and, standing very near,
slowly stooped with extended hand. Not

a movement or a peep. Closer and closer
went the hand, and still, true to the in-
stinct that in absolute quiet lay their
safety, they did not stir. Only one inch
away! Could they stand the strain?
Again the hand moved, but the instant
the finger touched those tiny balls of yellow
fluff, the spell was broken, and away they
went into the bushes, where they were
doubtless soon rejoined by their mother.
So well do the feathers match the light
and shade of the surroundings that one
may stand almost directly over a Wood-
cock on her nest, knowing the bird to be
there, and j'et for some time fail to sec
her. Turn away for a moment, then back
again, and it is almost equally difficult to
make out the form. Even the large eyes,
adapted, perhaps, for nocturnal activities,
seem to blend with the foliage of the
swampy thicket so frequently chosen for
her nesting-place. — S. N. F. Sanford .
Boston, Mass.

A Tame Grouse

In the November-December, 1920, issue
of Bird-Lore appeared the story of a tame
Grouse near Schenectady, N. Y. Several
years before that there was a tame Grouse
at Oneonta which was discovered twenty
miles away the following spring.

June I r, 1920, I noticed a Grouse follow-
ing me in a patch of woods near Melrose,
N. Y., about twenty miles from Schenec-
tady. I was on the highway, walking, but
entered the woods and cautiously approach-
ing the bird, a male, succeeded in catching
it with bare hands. He had spread his ruff
and tail like a Turkey, and slowly walked
ahead of me although I was within arm's-
length. After admiring and petting it, I set
it down and the bird calmly proceeded on
its dignified promenade, making a chuck-
ing noise. Upon mentioning this to Mr.
Burroughs the following week, he told me
of the Oneonta bird.

The date is not mentioned in the
November-December article, but there is
a possibility of this being the same bird.
A great many automobiles pass this road
on their way to Troj^ and Schenectady and

140

Bird - Lore

the occupants gather wild flowers along
the road, also berries. The bird, being so
tame, could have been captured and taken
along, escaping from its captor near
Schenectady.

At any rate, it is a queer coincidence,
and coincides with the Oneonta episode
also. If Bird-Lore readers will remember,
a tame Grouse appeared in Vermont a few
years ago, making perhaps five cases, all '
in this section. — Edgar Bedell, Water-
ford, N. Y.

Preparation of Food by a Blackbird

A kindly neighbor follows the laudable
practice of keeping a pan filled with fresh,
clean water in the center of her small gar-
den, for the refreshment of the birds. Very
often this offering is supplemented bj'
crumbs from the table. I can see this pan
and its many feathered visitors from my
window.

One day, one of the visitors happened to
be a fine, slick Blackbird. He moved
about, occasionally perching himself on
the edge of the pan and dipping his bill in
the water. Suddenly, he cocked his head
to one side and then flew a few feet away
where lay a piece of crust. Pecking away
for a moment, he flew with the crust to
the edge of the pan and dropped it in the
water. Standing guard for a short while,
he quickly took up and swallowed the
softened crust and flitted away, evidently
feeling well repaid by his sagacity in mak-
ing a tasty morsel from a hard, dry crust
of bread. — George E. Erol, Germautown,
Philadelphia, Pa.

A White Crow

On February 10, 1921, while motoring
northwest of Indianapolis, I came upon a
flock of about eight Crows, among which
was an albino, its wings and upper tail
feathers being white. I was quite close to
it for several seconds.

On February 14 I again drove to the
same locality with a party of six. Near
the same place, and in an open, newly
plowed 'field, I saw the white Crow, and

after a period of about a half minute it
flew with a black Crow. As I started in
pursuit from near the place in the field
there flew a second white Crow. I have
not seen them since, but farmers in the
neighborhood report them still in the
same locality. One neighborhood farmer
is of the opinion that the Crows have
crossed with Pigeons [ !] as an explanation
for the white Crows. He says that for
several seasons white Crows have been
common in the neighborhood.

I will attempt to follow up the situation
in an effort to ascertain more definite in-
formation regarding the cause of so many
albinos in the locality. — S. E. Perkins III,
Indianapolis, Ind.

A Family of Wood Thrushes

In the latter part of April I heard a
sweet, whistle-like call of a bird, which
was not familiar to me. I was not positive
I had heard it before, so I immediately
made a search for it. I heard the bird on
the lawn of the Miami Woolen Mills of
Lindenwald. I work there and as I am
close to the window I had a chance to
learn something of this bird. This com-
pany has a lawn, about 125 feet square,
and bounded on the north and east sides
by the large brick structure of the mill
itself, and on the south and west by
Symmes and Pleasant Avenues. Shade
trees adorn the south and west sides, and
inside are several birch and maple trees
and numerous lilac and other bushes. In
the center is a 45-room Martin house
which gives it a very pleasing look. It is
a very nice place for birds except for the
everlasting, menacing house-cat.

It was here that I saw this bird hopping
along the ground like a Robin. I soon
identified him as the Wood Thrush. For
the first week he was there alone, when,
one morning, as I was looking for him, I
saw something flashing by the window, and,
watching closely, saw him chasing another
Wood Thrush. Within an hour I saw them
again on the ground feeding on insects here
and there. The second one was a shade
lighter than the first and presumably was

Notes from Field and Study

141

the female. I did not have to wait long
for what I wanted to see, for about
May 10, I noticed the female carrying
.bits of paper, dead leaves, and wool into
a tree close by. The nest was placed out
on a limb about 12 feet high and within
5 feet of an upstairs window. There were
all kinds of noise from the looms and warp
machines in the weave-room, but it
didn't seem to bother the birds a bit. The
nest was made up of paper, wool, and
leaves for the bottom, then some sticks,
and some mud for the inside and finally
finished with rootlets for the lining.

The female seemed to do all the nest-
building while the male sang to her and
sometimes would fly with her to the nest
just as if to see how she was getting on
with her work. Within a week I noticed
the female stayed on the nest most of the
time. Knowing that incubation must
have commenced, I watched my oppor-
tunity to peep in the nest. She did not
fly off the nest until I almost touched her.
With a loud pit pit she called for her mate.
They both scolded me until I left. The
female returned to her nest immediately.
In the nest were three eggs about the color
of Robins' eggs but not quite as large.

I patiently waited for the young to
arrive and about June i the nest contained
two young. Both parents seemed to feed
the young but one always stayed at the
nest until the other returned. The young
grew fast and left the nest before the
middle of June. They were pretty little
fellows with their brownish backs and
whitish underparts. The male seemed to
do all the feeding after the young left the
nest. Within three days after that I
noticed the female carrying paper, wool,
and leaves as before. I watched her and
noticed that she was building another nest
in a maple tree about 50 feet from the
first and about the same height from the
ground. This nest was about 30 feet from
the building and well out to the edge of the
tree. I do not know how many eggs were
laid this time, as I never had a chance to
look in the nest.

While the male was busy with the first
young the female was brooding the eggs

for the second ofi'spring. I didn't see the
first two young after July 10. They were
full grown at that time and looked almost
like their parents. They left the lawn then
and I suppose went out in the world with
others of their kind. The second brood
were hatched about July 15 and left the
nest July 26. This time there were two
young again. They did about the same as
the first, the male doing the feeding.

About a week ago one of the young flew
through an open window direct to the
shipping-room. The shipping clerk, who
is also a bird-lover, caught him and put
him back with his parents.

Yesterday, August 7, when I last saw
them, they were getting pretty well grown,
and I think they will also soon leave.
The female has not been seen for the last
week, but the male is taking good care of
the young.

I hope all these Thrushes land safely
through their migrations. I will be glad
to see them return again next spring for
these birds have given me much pleasure.
— Frank Harbaum, Hamilton, Ohio.

More About the Song of the Red-
eyed Vireo

In the September-October, 1920. issue
of Bird-Lore I had a few notes concern-
ing the ability of a certain Red-eyed Vireo
to mimic the call of the Crested Flycatcher.

Since its publication I have received an
interesting letter from Mr. Winsor M.
Tyler, of Lexington, Mass.; and as he gives
me leave to quote his observations, and
suggests I send further notes on the sub-
ject to Bird-Lore, I wish to add the
following extract from his letter:

"I also have heard a singing Red-eyed
Vireo interpolate the note of the Crested
Flycatcher and Mr. Walter Faxon spoke
to me once of another Red-eye which did
the same. From these three observations,
two made in Massachusetts and one in
Ohio, we must infer (must we not?) that
the introduction of this seemingly foreign
note is a habit of the species, although the
note is rarely heard, rather than a pecu-
liarity of an individual bird.

142

Bird - Lore

"That the V^ireo is imitating the Fly-
catcher seems doubtful to me, for I can-
not recall hearing the Red-eye utter the
note of any other bird. Then, too, the
Great-crest is a very uncommon bird
with us."

It would be interesting to learn if
others have heard this peculiar song of the
Red-eye, and to hear their views upon the
subject. — E. A. Doolittle, Painesville,
Ohio.

The Evening Grosbeak a Summer
Resident in Northern Minnesota

About a year ago, I sent a brief article
on an Evening Grosbeak which I saw in
the month of July, 1917, near the Inter-
national Boundary, north of Lake Super-
ior on Gunflint Lake. The actions of the
bird and the information I gained about
the species from settlers, lead me to think
that the birds were nesting in that region,
although I did not find a nest.

On August I, 19 19, I again saw Evening
Grosbeaks in Itasca County, Minn., about
a hundred miles farther west and fifty
miles farther soutli.

Two birds, both of which seemed to be
males in full plumage, I saw on a little
patch of sand near the post office of Pine-
top in central western Itasca County.
They were apparently picking up fine
gravel and when they left, flew into a
small tamarack swamp close by. These
birds were seen within a few rods of a
farm. The postmaster of Pinetop and his
boys told me that they were there every
summer, but he did not find the nest.

August 8, the same year, I saw two
Evening Grosbeaks in a tree in front of the
post office of Popple, Itasca County,
twenty miles northeast of Deer River.
The postmaster told me that these birds
were there every summer and that they
had been in the habit of picking up sand
and gravel in front of his door, and that
about a week ago his cat had caught one
of them. These birds also flew to some
low wooded land on the Popple River
which passes the door of the post office.

I did not find a nest in this region and
saw each pair of birds only once, but these
observations lead me to think that the
Evening Grosbeak should be listed as a
summer resident over a considerable part
of northern Minnesota, and I shall try
this summer to discover a nest. Campers
and bird students who happen to see this
notice would do well to look for nests and
young as early in the season as possible. —
D. Lange, Saint Paul, Minn.

The Yellow Rail Near Chicago

A Yellow Rail was found dead on the
streets of Hinsdale during the spring of

1919. It was mounted and preserved by
the Science Department of the school.
One of my boys found one alive in a
snowdrift during the Easter blizzard of

1920. It appeared very much exhausted,
often tucking its head under its wing
before a whole room full of observers.

I am inclined to believe these Rails
pass through this area in migration more
commonly than we had supposed. —
Esther A. Craigmile, River Forest, Ills.

The Season

143

THE SEASON

XXV. February 15 to April 15, 1921

Boston Rec.ion. — Following an un-
usually mild winter, this has proved the
earliest spring New England has known
for years; not even in the notable spring
of 1910 did the vegetation develop so
rapidly. The present spring rivals that
historic one of 1775 when, during the
battle of Lexington, the grass on the Com-
mon is reported to have waved in the
breeze.

Both from an ornithological and a
botanical point of view, it has been inter-
esting to compare this year with the re-
markably late season of 1920. On Feb-
ruary 20, 192 1, just when we had begun
to look for Bluebirds and Song Sparrows
(the weather had been mild and for a week
the ground had been practically bare),
there came a foot and a half of snow, the
heaviest snowfall ever recorded here for a
single day. The delay in the progress of
the season was short, however, for after
ten days of warm sunlight the ground was
bare again, hylas began to sing, and dur-
ing the week following March 6 the first
group of migrant birds entered the region
in full numbers — Song Sparrows, Flickers,
and IMeadowIarks were distributed through-
out the country; Blackbirds, Red-winged
and Rusty, and Bronzed Crackles came in
immense flocks, "clatt'rin' in tall trees,"
and with them came Bluebirds and Robins
(feeding on the ground thus early), and
soon afterward Fox Sparrows arrived (on
the nth, before their average date). Close
on the heels of this group a few Phoebes
and Cowbirds appeared (on the 13th,
record dates) and within a few days the
latter bird was well represented in the
region, fully ten days before its average
date of arrival. A year ago at this time
the ground was completely covered with
snow and no birds had appeared.

During the mild weather of the last two
weeks in March the temperature rose to
between 70° and 80° on four days; blos-
soms and leaves burst forth three weeks
earlier than thej- did last season; the birds

pushed northward in such numbers tha
new arrivals were noted almost every morn-
ing; the Vesper and Field Sparrows and
the Fish Hawk appeared on early record
dates, and Ruby-crowned Kinglets and
Yellow Palm Warblers (both early in
arriving) are now passing through in full
numbers, singing freely.

Thus far in April there ha\e been very
few cold days to interrupt the growth of
vegetation and the migration of the birds.
Chipping Sparrows have been here for ten
days, Bluebirds are incubating, and the
Robin has begun to build "his adobe
house;" the country presents a picture ol
mid-May with grass of vivid green, blos-
soming fruit trees, and many spring flowers
in bloom, and today, the loth, appeared
an anomaly, a June-bug in April ! — -
WiNSOR M. Tyler, Lexington, Mass.

New York Region. — The end of an
otherwise open winter was punctuated by
a very heavy snowstorm on February 20.

A question which naturally arises con-
cerning summer birds which linger here
and there into a mild winter like the past
one, is whether they actually succeed in
hanging on until spring. A BrownThrasher
observed at Bayside, L. I., February 27,
by H. E. Bounce, and which had been
reported to him in the same locality about
three weeks, and again ten days previous,
had weathered this storm successfully.

The most notable feature of the period
under consideration was early and pro-
tracted movement of water-fowl, and un-
usual abundance of fresh- water species, in-
cluding records of rarer forms (Overpeck
Marshes, N. J. — Griscom). Canada Geese
wintered on the south shore of Long Island
in fair numbers, which were augmented in
February. A flock flying over somewhat
east of north in migration was observed in
February (Bayside, L. I. — H. E. Bounce)
and about March 20 (Mineola, L. 1. —
Griscom and J. T. Nichols). Up the Hud-
son Bucks were unusually numerous about

144

Bird - Lore

April I (Rhinebeck — M. S. Crosby). At a
corresponding date (April 3) Griscom and
Janvrin found the following species on the
Overpeck Marshes: American Merganser,
Mallard, Black Duck, Pintail, Green-
winged Teal (4), Shoveller (i drake) Lesser
Scaup (34), Ruddy Duck (3).

Usually some spring changes may be
observed among the land birds on Long
Island by the end of February. This year
nothing of the sort was noticed in two
days spent at Mastic at that time, doubt-
less due to the storm of the 20th from
which the ground was still snow-covered.
Ring-billed Gulls and Great Blue Herons
had doubtless been present all winter. The
snow was gone the beginning of March,
and the earliest migrants came at about
their average dates.

From this point, as regards vegetation,
the spring advanced with unusual rapidity;
so that from the 5th to the loth of April
cherry trees and Norway maples were in
flower, other maples coming into leaf, and
shrubbery becoming quite green. Though
there was not much general acceleration
of migration to meet these conditions,
several species were ahead of time and
some notably early records of arrival were
obtained. The Ruby-crowned Kinglet and
Hermit Thrush were generally scarce, or
late in appearing, though from the Bronx
a report of the former on April 3 and of the
latter on April 4 has come to hand (F. F.
Houghton). Among the early records are:
March 20, Chipping Sparrow, and April 3,
Bittern, near Plainfield, N. J. (W, DeW.
Miller); March 25, Vesper Sparrow,
Mineola, L. I. (J. T. N.); March 27, Pied-
billcd Grebe, Fish Hawk, Tree Swallow
(2 flocks), Vesper Sparrow, and April 3,
Yellow Palm Warbler at Englewood, N. J.
(Griscom and Janvrin); March 11, Phccbe,
March 26, Vesper Sparrow, March 29,
Chipping Sparrow, April 2, Ruby-crowned
Kinglet (M. S. Crosby), and April 10,
Purple Martin (Crosby and Griscom). At
Rhinebeck, Dutchess County, Cowbirds
became generally distributed toward the
end of March; April 14, Solitary Vireo,
Central Park, New York City (Granger
and Griscom).

Robins were actively building at Garden
City April 8. — J. T. Nichols, New York
City.

Washington Region. — \i birds about
Washington, D. C, were uncommonly
silent throughout January, 1921, they cer-
tainly were not so during February and
March. Most of the resident song-birds,
such as the Cardinal, Song Sparrow, Tufted
Titmouse, and Mockingbird, began singing
regularly about the ist of February and
continued in full song thereafter. They
have seemed more than ordinarily active
in this respect, though, of course, with
intermissions. The weather at this time
of year has apparently great influence on
the song as on other activities of birds, and
it is interesting to note its effect, although
of this, as of other phases of their life his-
tory, much is still to be learned. Their
singing at this time of the year is greatly
stimulated by warm, still weather, whereas
a windy or damp, cold day seems largely
to seal the fountain of song. Sudden
changes in temperature or other weather
conditions arc more likely to cause these
changes than gradual transitions. Such
variations in activities have been par-
ticularly remarked during February and
March of this year.

The generally warm weather of these
two months has apparently had some in-
fluence on the northward movement of
early migrants, though not to the extent
of bringing them here long in advance of
their usual time, nor of breaking many
records of early appearance. This effect
may best be seen in the following list of
arrivals that are earlier than the average,
which is added in parentheses after each:
Mourning Dove, observed February b
(average date of appearance, March 16);
Fox Sparrow, February 19 (^L'lrch 4);
Red - winged Blackbird, February 22
(March i) ; Killdeer, February 22 (March 7) ;
Towhee, March 7 (March 28); Belted
Kingfisher, March 7 (March 23); Phoebe,
March 7 (March 11); Pine Warbler,
March 12 (March 31); Osprey, March 20
(April 11); Picd-billed Grebe, March 20
(April i); and Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher,
March 30 (April 8). It should be noted,

The Season

145

however, that all of these excepting the
last five occasionally winter in this region.

One bird, the Louisiana Water-Thrush,
was reported on March 27, by Miss M. J.
Pellew, in Rock Creek Park, Washington,
D. C, which is in advance of the earliest
previous record, IMarch 31, 1918; but this
is the only species so far that has broken
its record of early arrival.

A number of birds, such as the Wood-
cock, Hermit Thrush, Yellow Palm War-
bler, Vesper Sparrow, and BrownThrasher,
put in their appearance at about the nor-
mal time, while the Chipping Sparrow (on
March 26) was a few days behind time.
On the other hand, a few that should have
arrived before April i have not yet
(March 31) been noted. These are the
Cowbird, Savannah Sparrow, Purple Mar-
tin, and American Pipit.

Comparatively few birds of more than
passing interest have been observed. Two
Holboell's Grebes, rare here, were seen by
Dr. Paul Bartsch on the Tidal Basin, at
Washington, D. C, on March 8. No fur-
ther report from the Whistling Swans that
have wintered on the Potomac below
Washington has been received, but a flock
of eleven was seen flying over Georgetown,
D. C, by Mr. William Palmer, on MarchiB.
This last record has a further and melan-
choly interest, as it was the last or almost
the last observation on birds made by
Mr. Palmer. — Harry C. Oberholser,
Biological Survey, Washington, D. C.

Oberlin (Ohio) Region. — The migra-
tion season opened at Oberlin on Febru-
ary 16, when the first wave of Crows,
Robins and Bluebirds appeared. The next
wave was on the 23d, with Killdeer and
Red-winged Blackbird as arrivals, and an
increase of those of the first wave. The
third wave began on March 2 and termi-
nated on the 5th, involving 14 species as
arrivals and the increase of the earlier
arrivals. Phoebe came on the 8th, Towhee
on the loth, Field Sparrow on the 12th,
Vesper Sparrow and Woodcock on thei3th,
Bufflehead on the 14th, Fox Sparrow on the
15th, Baldpate, Pintail, Shoveller andPied-
billed Grebe on the 17th, Turkey Vulture

on the 19th. This scattering wave was due
to continued moderately favorable weather
over the period, and terminated with the
coming of less favorable weather. Yellow-
bellied Sapsucker came on the 25th, but
the next definite wave was delayed until
the 3d of April and was continued until
the 8th. The arrivals during this wave
were Hermit Thrush, Brown Thrasher,
Swamp Sparrow, Pectoral Sandpiper,
Purple Martin, Bittern, Barn and Tree
Swallows, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Upland
Plover, Bonaparte Gull, Louisiana Water-
Thrush, Savannah Sparrow, Myrtle War-
bler and Blue- Gray Gnatcatcher. Imme-
diately following this last wave, cold, wet
weather arrived and effectually checked
any further movement. The first and
second waves were about ten days in
advance of the average for this region, the
third wave was nearly average, and the
last wave recorded here approximately
average, but with considerable mixing up
of species normally belonging to other
waves occurred. Thus the exceptionally
warm winter has not resulted in any
marked departures from normal in the
migrations, except that the three species
making up the first wave were ten days
early. There is so much variation in the
species making up the second wave that
the same remark cannot be made to apply
to it. — Lynds Jones, Oberlin, Ohio.

Chicago Region. — Since the last report,
Chicago has been having its usual spring
weather, changing from warm and mild to
cold and stormy a few days at a time. On
April 9, there was a flurry of snow which
changed to rain and, with freezing weather,
caused some damage to the fruit trees.
The birds, however, are arriving every
day in spite of the weather, a few earlier
than usual. A Hermit Thrush was seen in
Jackson Park on February 20 and a Coot
February 27. Mr. De Laubenfels reports
a Bonaparte's Gull (March 26) at Jackson
Park, Brown Thrasher (April 2) Bittern
and Tree Swallow (April 7) from Willow
Springs.

The marshes are of special interest at
this time as Ducks are very plentiful,

146

Bird - Lore

15 species having been reported to date,
the most notable of which are a Greater
Scaup (De Laubenfels), seen in Jackson
Park, and the King-necked Ducks which
are very numerous. Also many Canada
Geese and one Snow (ioose (De Lauben-
fels) seen at Hinsdale. The Ducks seem
to know that they arc protected as they
are quite tame and allow a close approach.
I watched a Scaup on a small pond for five
minutes, while standing within 20 feet of
it. Although I waved my arms and made
various noises it did not take alarm and
only flew when a stone was dropped near it.
fMed-billed and Horned (irebcs and (ircat
Blue and Black-crowned Night Herons
are beginning to arrive; a Pectoral Sand-
piper and Double-crested Cormorant (De
Laubenfels) were seen at Willow Springs
.April 2. The Killdeers and both Yellow-
legs are here and the Jack Snipe rise from
the marsh every few feet while the Red-
wings continue their noisy mating and the
Marsh Hawks keep a sharp watch over
the entire swamp.

Lapland and Smith's Longspurs are
here in large flocks near Argo; numerous
Tufted Titmice have been reported from
different localities. This bird seems, like
the Cardinal, to be extending its range to
the north, as they are seen more commonly
every year. Besides the common Hawks,
a few Rough-legged Hawks have been seen
in the sand-dunes. Most of the Sparrows
are here in full song and many Kinglets,
Brown Creepers and Sapsuckers are to be
found roaming through the woods. The
first Myrtle Warbler (De Laubenfels and
Ford) was seen March 20 in the sand-dunes
and is now common everywhere.

Mr. W. A. Lyons, of Waukcgan, is
doing some very interesting trapping and
handing work and among other birds
reports a Northern Shrike (March 20),
caught when it entered a trap after a
Junco, which it killed.

Three Horned Owl nests were found l)y
Mr. Richardson in the sand-dunes, and
Mr. I'ord has located a number of early
Woodcock nests. The Society now has a
list of 96 species and expects to add many
more during the next two months. — Colin

Campbkll Sanborn. Chairmun oj the
Report Committee, Chicago Ornithological
Society.

Kansas City Rkc.ion. — .\\\ records for
warm open winters in this region have been
broken during the past season. Trees
began to bud in mid-February, and by the
end of the second week in March only very
late fruit had not yet blossomed. Records
of early arrivals of birds were being broken,
and most unusual nesting dates were being
recorded, when everything was brought to
a sudden standstill by two hard freezes
during the week of March 27. Fruit was
killed generally throughout the region, and
some damage to eggs and nestlings was
noted. In the nest of even so hardy a
species as the Prairie Horned Lark two
eggs containing dead embryos were found
alongside a fully-fledged nestling.

Mr. B. F. Bush, whose meteorological
and botanical notes extend back over a
long sequence of years, states that once
before (in 1882-1883) a spring-like winter
had beguiled vegetation into a too-early
awakening only to blast everything by a
late killing frost.

Is it worthy of record that reports from
scattered correspondents indicate that
Bronzed Crackles were present in large
flocks over the entire region throughout
the winter. This is unprecedented, as
winter records for this species are few and
far between.

Meadowlarks suddenly appeared on their
breeding-stands in full song on February 27
and Red-headed Woodpeckers moved in on
the same date in numbers, both species
l)cing far in a<!vance of their normal times
of arriving in force. From the middle of
February to IMarch i a great procession
of Ducks and Geese was observed on the
Missouri River by William Andrews and
others. The abundance of water-fowl dur-
ing this period doubtless accounts for the
presence on February 25 of the first Duck
Hawk seen in this vicinity in many years.
On February 15 the first large flocks of
migrating Robins were seen, and on the
i6th and 17th numerous flocks of Canada
and Blue Geese passed through. Between

The Season

147

the 2t)th and 28th thousands of Mallards
and Pintails were passing, and on March 2
another heavy flight of Ducks, including
several flocks of Green- winged Teal, was
recorded.

Two Ospreys were seen on March 3; no
earlier local date for this species has been
recorded. The Phoebe was first noticed on
March 6, though it probably arrived earlier,
and on this date Walter Cunningham ob-
served and heard Lapland Longspurs and
Pipits on the rifle range in Swope Park.
The first Coots, a flock of about two
hundred, were seen on the 8th. For three
days following this date Ducks and Geese
were abundant on the river and a few
Herring and Ring-billed Gulls were seen
(Andrews). Geese noted on the 15th and
i6th included a small flock of Hutchins's,
25 Blue Geese and 3 flocks of Snow Geese.
Scaup Ducks were first noted on the 13th
and by the i6th were abundant. The first
Great Blue Herons were seen on March 15,
on which date great numbers of migrating
Sparrows were noted in all favorable
localities in the Missouri bottoms. The
most numerous species among the Spar-
rows on this date seemed to be Lincoln's
Sparrow. Purple Martins were noticed in
ones and twos on March 13, though earlier
arrivals were doubtless overlooked.

Three nests containing full-grown young
Prairie Horned Larks were found on the
last two days of March, and on the 30th a
set of four slightly incubated Killdeer eggs
was taken within 500 feet of the end of the
Sunset Hill car line. Brown Thrashers
came in on a wave of Harris' Sparrows on
April 3, when the thickets and hedges of
the prairie regions resounded with spring
music. Another of these characteristic
waves of Harris' Sparrows was noted on
the nth and 12th, when the birds were
present over the entire southern part of
the city.

The first local nesting of the Sharp-
shinned Hawk that has ever been made a
matter of record was noted on April 4, a
noisy old female having been flushed from
her nearly completed nest in a small clump
of trees well within the city limits. In the
same region, on April 10, a set of six Crow

eggs was found. On the same date a Dove
was found sitting on her two eggs, and two
completed nests of Migrant Shrikes were
located. Fifteen Upland Plover and one
Woodcock were seen in the Waldo region
on this date. Numbers of migrating Vesper
Sparrows were seen on the prairie regions
on the nth and 12th, and on the 13th
several Black-and- White Warblers were
present in Swope Park. Downy Wood-
peckers, Carolina Wrens, and Bluebirds
were found nesting on this date. — Harry
Harris, Kansas City, Mo.

Denver Region. — At daybreak this
morning (April 15) three native species
were singing near the writer's sleeping-
porch, viz., Meadowlark, Robin, and
House Finch, and three other species were
twittering or calling at the same time, to
wit. Pine Siskin, a Junco, and the Flicker.
That sentence seems to epitomize bird-
life about this region during the past two
months — -most of the time a few species in
evidence and not many of them.

The Robin, House Finch, Flicker, and
Siskin are busy just now beginning (or
carrying on) housekeeping; Robins and
Meadowlarks have steadily increased in
the region since February 15, but have not
come in large waves, as is so often the case.
It has taken the Meadowlark since about
March i to penetrate from the city's out-
skirts to its interior parks. The only Juncos
present in Denver, so far as the writer's
observations have shown during the past
eight weeks, have been the Montana and
the Shufeldt's Juncos. This makes a
noticeable deficiency of Juncos for the
season just passing. Ordinarily, up to
April 15, one sees hereabouts a consider-
able number of Chickadees (Mountain
and Long-tailed), Chipping Sparrows, Lark
Buntings, Say's Phoebes, and Gambel's
Sparrows. None of these birds have been
noted here up to date by the writer. There
has been a striking absence of Ducks from
the lakes of our park system, only one
species having been seen, a single female
Lesser Scaup on February 24. It is inter-
esting and noteworthy that as soon as open
water was established in one small park

148

Bird - Lore

lake there appeared in it a Pied-billed
Grebe, which clung closely to the area in
which was seen an individual of the same
species most of last year. Perhaps the
birds of last and this year are the same
individual.

There have been very few Bluebirds in
the city and its outskirts since February 15.
A Batchelder's Woodpecker remained
about my home neighborhood for two
days (April 3 and 4) ; this is the second time
the writer has detected the species in
Denver during the last twenty-five years.
A Richardson's Merlin was seen in the
city on March 22. A review of the writer's
notes shows that this little Hawk can be
depended on to visit this region every
spring, and often in the fall, too.

The writer has had little opportunity to
spend time in the hills or on the surround-
ing plains. It is quite likely that his vision,
more or less restricted to the city and its
immediate environs, has given him an in-
adequate and an impjerfect picture of the
existing regional bird conditions. Never-
theless, past experience has shown that a
fairly good idea of the bird-life of a con-
siderable area about Denver can be gotten
from a study of that within Denver and
its outskirts. — W. H. Rerotold, Denver,
Colo.

San rR.ANCisco Rkgion. — Warm spring
weather reached us the last week of Feb-
ruary, but it was anticipated by Allen's
Hummingbird, which was first seen on
February 18, though a suspicious buzz was
heard on the loth and the nth. Febru-
ary 22, being a holiday, was spent on the
bay, and one of the rewards was the sight
of a flock of some three hundred Surf
Scoters off Point Richmond. The colora-
tion was so bright that I was deceived for
a time into believing that I was watching
Tufted Puffins. The only other bird event
of the month was a glimpse of a dozen
Band-tailed Pigeons as they flew low
directly over my head and off over the
brow of the Berkeley Hills. March came
in like the proverbial lamb, but did not
remain lamblike throughout its course.
Ratlier was it like an eastern .•\i)ril with

its frequent showers followed by blossom-
ing flowers. A House Wren was merrily
singing on March 4, ha\Tng beaten the
Lutescent Warbler again for second place
among spring arrivals — this time by five
days. As I stood watching the Lutescent
W'arbler on the 9th, my attention was
attracted by an exquisite warbling song
which sounded far away. I was much
puzzled by the song and I was surprised
and delighted when I discovered that it
was being uttered by a Townsend's Soli-
taire, distant not twenty feet. This whisper
song was continued for a full half-hour,
being interrupted only by a couple of
meals which consisted of five or six
Crataegus berries hastily swallowed in
Thrush fashion.

March 16 was one of the lamblike days
and was spent on the lower reaches of San
Francisco Bay where a gun club has con-
structed a fresh-water pond. A flock of
seventy Avocets were in an excited state
which suggested the approach of the mat-
ing season. In addition to these handsome
birds, there were 8 to 10 Yellow-Legs,
30 Killdecr, a W'ilson's Snipe, a Bittern,
4 Great-Blue Herons, 6 Black-crowned
Night Herons, 8 Tule W^rens, 4 Barn
Swallows, and a Tree Swallow, sufiicient
reward, one would say, for the rough walk
over marshy cow-paths. For full measure
there were added 300 to 400 each of Pin-
tails and Green-winged Teal, about
60 Ruddy Ducks, 50 Shovellers, 10 Bald-
pates, 10 Lesser Scaup, 4 Cinnamon Teal,
and 300 to 400 Pipits, bringing the total
up to 40 species and about 2,000 indi-
viduals.

Warbling Vircosand PilcolatedWarblers
were seen in Claremont Canon on March 26
by Mr. Storer, and Western Flycatchers
were quite common on .\pril i. Tolmie's
Warbler was heard singing on .\pril 11
reminding me that a second winter record
for him was made by Mrs. Kelly and Mr.
Bassctt on February 22.

On April 1 2, a second trip to the marshes
and lower bay showed the number of
Avocets, Ducks, Coots,