Nh Ay et dN aN ies 5 a < oe ie age « a Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2009 with funding from University of Toronto http://www.archive.org/details/audubonnati22nati ILLUSTRATED BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE STUDY AND PROTECTION OF BIRDS _ T. GILBERT PEARSON : | AxD A. A. ALLEN VOLUME XXII—1920 -D. APPLETON & COMPANY HARRISBURG, PA,, AND NEW YORK CITY BY AUTHORS Brown, D. E.. sce Crickmore, Mra. C. C. Elizabeth G.. . Report of, Brown, Nathan Clifford, Hawks in } ork City, 219. Bruen, and Elbert E. Smith, Christmas Census, 20. Bryan, Katherine, see Crickmore, Mrs. C. C Bunce, Florence de la Montagne, at tt eT En anc Bax Elizabeth, Report of ee to i Lorene omgeery Butterwick, A., Christmas Census, 52 Button, Lily R 4 Buzzell, Mrs. tog: from Bangor, 135 Caskey, R. C. Christmas Census, 27. Chapman, Frank M.., meeveeans 55, we 237. 300, 366; Notes on the American Birds, 91, 216, 347; ie by. 53. s4.1 . toe 174. *38- 256, 363. a Chase, hard, see Grant, W. see Meade, Gandon I M. Chase, Richard M.. Twenty-one Warblers in « Day, 161; Record of a Feeding Station, 254. Childs, Helen P., Secretary, Report of, 405. Childs, Henry E., Christmas Census, ro. . Bayard H., Ra, Frank A. Hegner, Christmas Census, 5 Cleaves, Howard H., A Partridge Don Quixote Clements, Jennie, see Bolt, Cobb, Clement P.. sce ao ‘ie. B. Coffin, Francis Hopkinson. President, Report of, 418. Compton. Mra. C. Norman, ae Colne, Mrs iraaklin, and Howell C. Conk "Franklin and I C., Christmas Cen- Cok F. W.. we Crickmore, Mra. C Coolidge. ohn T., Yellow-crowned } wlohe Heron in New Hampshire, 25. Cordier, Dr. A. H.. photograph by, one. Crosby, Elizabeth Mae. Bobby, 300 © . Maunsell S.. Christmas Coneus, 25. © m, Walter, sce Bolt, B. F. Custance. . L.. Christmas Comeus. a2 Cutter, Lacia B., and Nina C Spaulding. Chrie. mas Census, 6 (iti) . D. a Muchused Robin's Nest, Sieian: Lele. end Rebect ©, Chelsteies Commas,’ Saad OE. al A. P teint, Chl Ceneus, a. Dyer. Mra. W. E. L.. Honorary Corresponding Geentecs, Renest ol 416. = 3 ar: P 4 a m ower Fae Stations at High- i i | i fi P.. see Dana, Edward F. Evening Grosbeaks at Nyack, ! i “fl at y B. F. Wm. Bacon, see Linton, Albert H. H. E.. Winter Notes from Ames, Iowa, Farrar, ay see Crickmore, Mra. C. C. Pinky, W and Irene, photograph by, 127. Pinky. Willam H. Fi Agent. Report of, 5 Fish. C. B.. a Pair of Robina, 186 Forbush. Edward Howe, Field Agent. Report of, ‘. sa Ralph. Christmas Census, 26; White- winged Crosbills in Brooklyn. os. ru i i 4 Ni if if ik . ; yanks pr “ a Cm ‘ age ee oA Index | v + Kate A. How We Became Junior McG Lilian Rea. ‘Cock neat 16. . Christmas 23. 43 Setens, Waacy Seine: and facsy f. Blors, z. McGrew. A. D.. see Crickmore, Mrs. C.C Ilwraith I Club, Christmas Cen ous, TS. McKnight, Thor, Census, 43 mas 29; Belated E Grosbeaks, 222. Meade, Gordon M.. and Richard M. Chase, 22. Mehl, A. K.. see Stockbridge, Miller: W. W. Christmas Census, 28. R., Secretary, R of, 415. xi can i tay Rael Nice, Matar Mt mtb. os cn Nichi. F., W. F., and J. T., Christmas Cen- Nichola. John Treadwell, New York Region. 46, 165, 225. 201. 356; Reviews by, 112, 174. wc2 Ph S84! The Tree Swallow on Lang Land, 270 Nelson, Christmas Consus, 25 at . eee eek Chae Cae on Oberholser, Harry C.. Washington Region. 4 106, 167, 226, 292, 557; The Migration of North American QO 215. 545. Overton, Dr. Frank, Photograph by. 270. Packard, Charles W.. Purple Gallinule in Con- necticut. 160. Packard, Winthrop, Field Agent. Report of, so2; Report. 404 Ss. eeceme be, S28 S00. $37. 205; The Life Work of William Dutcher, aty Parker, George W.. sce Crickmore. Mrs. C. C. A Liv Publication, 152: Treaty Act Safe, 192: Bid Treaties Wa bh Other Countries, sos; Audubon Feather Exhibits, 196; Birds Pomoeed, 199; New Audubon Societies Formed. : Exp tor New Bird Colonies. ag. s2u; 262; Another Cat Ordinance, 265; Broneed and ures fos 76; A National Hunting License, 576 Down for Malheur Lake, 577. Pell, Walden. and. Morris, Christenas Census, 27; we Nichols, Edward G i Hersey. Mignetion of Durie aad Geese at t 180; The Screech Owl as a 4g0 ).. Secretary, Report of, 421. . Christ ® « Secretary, Report of, 416. . and S.. Photographs by, 10, 11. . Report of, 421. . Photograph by. 45. . Mies A. L.. we Cric . Mrs. C. C. . Earl L. and Wendell Kern, Christmas Consus, Potter, wllen K.. Christmas Census, 29; Phila- Region, 47. 105. 166, 225, 356. Potter, Lawrence B.. ; r ig ue ih bes PF : f Quarles, Kathryn. Poem by, 13s. Raker, Mary E... Christmas Census, 44. Nettie, Wrens Drive Away English Sparrows, 164 Ratterman, Katherine, Secretary, Report of, 406 Reader, Ray E. Willis C.. and Walter J. Christ- mas Consus, 54 Recks, Eather, House Finches Eat Salt, 286. Rhoads, Samuci N. sce Linton. M. Albert. Rice, Helen M.. Christmas Census, 96 Rice, [sof Christmas Census, 57. Rich, Julia / President. Report of, 416. Richardeom. A. P. Evening Grosbeak in New Ze os Rusell, Bloe Grosbeak at Newtown, Ringwak. A. A. we Stockbridge, Chas. A Robbins, C. A. and Frank, sce Tyler, Dr. Win- F wf tee f it : i , ists’ Union, The, 55, 282, 300. Sion, Aneual of the, 375; pd, 412, 174. 208, 364. Sand work 157- / Report of the New York, 415. rections for ing @, 116. Lonn's Twentieth, 14; Twenty- ing, % % vii Helen G.. A Town of Five Thrushes, 214. ee er nnes Couns, 26. i oa oy merely mol 2, Wilson, Etta S. Christmas Consus, 44: Taming Wild Birds, 1 Wilt, Mrs. Chace M., Secretary, Report of, Wilson, Gordon, Christmas Census, 59; What Has Become of the Golden-crowned Oo moony, ety yy” oF Se apg in Lg we hy ie Wolfe, Robert, and Graham Reskein, Christmas y 4 aorek Frectita. t Birds’ Nests, 367; figured, 572. Birds’ Plumage, 91, 216, 347; Suppression of traffic in, 580. Bittern, 230; American, 292; Least, 98. Blackbird, 49; Brewer's, 228, 251. 285. 205; Red- winged, 27, 100, 101%. 102, 104, 108, 109, 167, 168; Rusty, 48, 101, 108, 168, 160, 226, 227. 496; Tri-colored, 234; Yellow-headed, roo, 228, 254. 40. 107. 110, 165, 165, 168. tpt, 227. 250, 355. 350; Mountain, 175; Western, 175. 254, 301. Bluebird, The, noticed, 152. : Bobolink, figured, 122, facing, 205; Migration of the, 122, 215, 226. Bobwhite, 225, 285 British Columbia, 42, 252. 414. Brooks's ‘The Food of West Virginia Birds,’ re- viewed, 965. Buffichead, 52, 110. Bunting, 1 226, 227, 2027; Lark, 251; Lazuli. 252, 244. 960; Painted, 101, 549; Snow, 90, too, 104. 105, 157. 155 Burns's “The Ornith y of Chester County, Pennsylvania,’ reviewed, ¢4. Buzzard, Turkey, «e Vulture, Turkey. California. 44, 190, t71, P78, 252, 245. 206, 207. Canvasback., 40, 51, 167. #71, 250 a ; nest Ggured, 572. yg Ondinance for the contval of otra, 26s. 298. Chesman'e’ “Want Bird to That?’ reviewed, Chickadee. Acadian, 46; Black a9 8 ek one iene. 5 nk M = tog; Santa 2. $2, 108, LPO, BET, 905. 350- Condor, The de vee i! 200. : . 305; Second Ten- Year Index to, Connecticut, 19. 05, 160,..907. 401, 415. 414, 421. Coot, 290, 253- ant, sb e ee, G Life,’ noticed, ss. Cowbird, 81, 82. Sy, os 166; 227. 343: figured, facing 520; Broneed, 345; Dwart, 545; Red- Creeper. 46. 99. 105, 109, 296; Shera. 175; "Rak 46, 89. 97. 104, 105, 165; Sierra, 110, 875. 252; 46, 47. QO, 107. $0. Crow, 84; 106, 168, 227; figured, s05; s $2. 100, 171; North: western, ; Cuckoo, Black-billed, 226, 229, 358; Yellow-billed, 1, 22 t, 205. poe Saag be dg 201, 297; Long-billed, 254. Dickcinel, District of Cotesble, 33. 47. 106, 167, 226, 292, 557. 307. Dore. Ground: gure. facing. 1; 136; nest and eees Geured, 127; 107, 109, 227, 705 207 » 356; Le Dock. figured; 4, 105, 106, 166, 167, 225; Lemer Scaup, 53, 110, 167, 171, <— necked, so, 167; Ruddy, 51, 110, 1 220; —— 40. St, 105, 166, 167, 169, 225. 229; 220, 203. Willian, Obituary, 257, 252, 351; Life |, 307. 261: nest figured, 522. Rus County Ornithological Club, Bulletin of . rev ; Peeding Birds, & 84. o5. 284. 355. ® 343; Reports of. x01. Pinch, Cassin's he, 171, 561; Howse, 171, 286; Lark, 228; . 46, 40. 105, 108, 159, 165, _ 468, 170, 172, 226, 227, 230 Plan's ‘Bird vior, Peychical and Physiologi- cal,’ reviewed, 254 Flicker, 40. 108, 158, 166, 267, 160, 556; Red- shafted. <1. 100 Florida. 55. 105. 549. 401, 422. Flycatcher, Crested, figured, 150; 221. 290; Least, 221, 226, 228; Olive-sided, 227, 252, 296, 207, 596, y60; Traill's, 175. s60; Western, 172, 173, 560; Yellow-beliied, 286 Mlinols, 37. 98, 402, 411. 100, 410, 419, 420. Junco, 46, 49, 50, 107, 108, 2 fe 109, 231; ses fed, 173, 251; ; 17%, 231; Slate-colored, gi , 226; White- $2. ON nn Index ix Pelican, Brown, figured, 260; White, 254, 360, 961; figured, 525. 20, 30, 31, 52, OB, tos, 166, 222, 225. 408, 8, . See, Wiaaaes Weed soe: plot Wend ces: cso, 357. viele, Northern, 234. 560, 361; Wilson's, 220. ,. a s. % 4, 105. 100 Pherbe, 166, 167, 168, 171, 221, 227; Say’s, 251. Pigeon, ate Pintail, s1, 110, 160. 367, 169, 171, 226, 229, 250, ", 08, $02, 347. 285; Plumed, 170. 15, 146. Black, 295; King, 101; Virginia, 219. 49, $2, 167, 227, 229, 230. ee ee 109, Robin, 46, 49. 52. 107, 108, 110, 147; nests tat. 151, 289, 372; figured, 149, 152, 158, 159. 62, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 170, 175. 225, 227. oe deena 293; Western, 110, 296, 360. Sanderling, 253. 234. etait oot 234. 291, 361; Pectoral, 170, 291; Solitary, 59, s9s; Spotted, sop; Stik. pra A nceggoney 254. a Red-breasted, 5 naped, 173: ¥ ellow-bellied, allied eure wr Po Haro — 7 a7, 5 winged, 49. Seane, The, aa * 224, sone 355. Shrike, 290; 168, 227, 229; Northern, 108, 109; . 205. + 171, 229, 2590, 5 Shovel. ‘Guide t oye by San Birds of the Bear Mountain Harriman Park Sections of the Palisades Interstate Park.’ reviewed, 965. Siskin, Pine, 46, 47. 48, 105, 107, 110, 150, 175. 251. 15 bg ae 101, 229, 291, 358. 212; 252, ; ‘ownsend's, $2, 100. 254. + 252. 206, 358, 350; English, 283. ae Painted. South Dakota, 40. Sparrow, Bachman’s, 227; Black-chinned, 562; Brewer's, 359. 961; Clay-colored, figured, to; 51, 105, 110, 175, 252; 6, 158. 228, 220, 350; wee, &. 46, 47, 166, 167, FPO. 224, 227, 253. 5596, $50; nest 572; Ene- ah . 164; Ie molt molt figured, yo2; figured, 8; St; 104, 227; Fox, 46, 47. 47.50; figured. 154; 150, 166, 167, 168, ago, 252, 5 Reger jambel's, 175. 252. 255. 450, §60, sOt; 173, 252, 233. 360; Gras serge geen eg 290; Harris's, s0, 51, 170, 224, apes 3 Lark, 230, 240; Lincoln's, 227, 961; uttall’s, 110, 172; Savannah, mt 220. a, Sang. $1, 104. 165, 166, 1 227; } alle ys :s ey ceasaeth on cee 244; $2, ny ba, £05, 109, 110, 1548, 164, +78: wh ha as7iV 16%, 227: White-crowned, 221, 225, 227. er 232; White-throated, 46, o8, 104, 205, 221. 277. a78, 293. 356, J57. 350 “Moon Martin ofthe 03) Fis pre, Sees, aonb 34 Re "1,66, EPA. 226, 250, 201. 202. . 390: eis ico sat sk, 167, 227. 270 _ 270. 28a, at; Violet-green, 172, 173. Teen, Scarlet, 205: set sn Reonng Tem, Black, 228 204. 358; Cabot’ 2s: Calan, eta aes ured, $3 Thiraer, Brown, 226,227,229 8; Califloria . a hasten’ Reem. p00; Bare ae Hype osc sn. Monterey. 23 75. 282. 254, $60; Wood, 218, 228, 292; Varied, = | Semoeen Hag econ as 1, 270, 361; Tufted, figured, os. Towhee, Green-tailed, 251; San Francisco, 110. oo Fulvous, 234. , Turnstone, Ruddy, Fr a am Se See ; Von a Bh a = 228; Hutton's, 110; Phila- Plumbeous, cv; na lapel 72: Slitary aaie Warbline, 172, 224. 228. 5 ; Whi a 250; Vellow-throated, 250, Bird- Lore A BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE STUDY AND PROTECTION OF BIRDS Orriciat Oncan oF THe Avoveow Socictics Vol. XXII JANUARY—FEBRUARY, 1920 No, 1 er § | The Ring-Necked Pheasant By VERDI BURTCH, Branchport, N.Y. With photographs by the Author INCE its introduction into western New York, this beautiful and inte- esting bird has thrived and multiplied until now it is the principal game- bird of this section of the state. In interest to the hunters, it has dis- placed the Ruffed Grouse, which is now rather rare. Unlike the Grouse, which keeps to the thick brush and gully banks, the Pheasant is a bird of the meadows and swamps and seldom goes far into the woods. In March, after the snow has left the ground and the first warm days have come, we hear the first crow of the cock, and, as the season advances and the ~ be ~~ a a ee RING-NECKED COCK PHEASANT Photegraphed by Verdi Bertch, Branchpert, N. ¥ Bird - Lore ming. from all over the bottom-lands, that grass grows green, ca every morning peculiar, weak w is heard. We follow one and soon find him walking through the meadow, a t beautiful sight, as he moves along with head-plumes erect, the wt ga neck contra » strongly with the dark metallic blue f his hea k. a his breast shining like burnished copper. Now he snd utters his silly litthe crow which he immediately : , et four rapid wing-beats. Then.he sees us and with great “ms ,) ia and aWay MALE AND FEMALE PHEASANTS About May the eggs are daid. The nest is a slight hollow in the grass iz fence hedgerows, in the edge of bush-lots, or in the open fields, and is der a piece of brush, Many nests are found in the grape vineyards, ler the t wires; also out in the drier places in the cat-tails in the marsh. Frequently the nests are found by the roadside, sometimes so close that they ure en the roads are worked. May 7, 1916, I found a hen Pheasant t the edge of a wooded hillside, close to a main vehicles were passing within six feet. There was | sma above, and a piece of brush stuck up over the nest. It a er for the nest, yet the dull colors of the bird blended so n earth and the dead grasses and oak leaves that The Ring-Necked Pheasant she was scarcely noticeable. Several vears ago lined a hollow between the ties just outside the rail ' ; where both passenger and freight Cars are passing tre ent if feet from a switch and was found by one of the ukemen, wi before the eges were laid,.and she never came back to the ne The ne almost sure to he deserted if found before the set is complete ur even after incubation is commenced In summer, the principal food of the Pheasant ms to be insect a5 grasshoppers, June bugs, and caterpillars, and th ften destroy ant eating the ants, but as the season advances they do some Agee gra corn. In September, they congregate in the valley ‘ ' where they can be found gleaning the fields that have After the snows cover their natural food-supp na ' e a patrolling the shores of the lake in compa: with ( ws, Herring ( Black Ducks, searching for food in the we cake ave : ashore During very cold TM il 4 he ry ire vet their tA : wet \ to them, freezing on and causing them hen Pheasant that had a great bunch of snow and Weighting her down so much that it was with great difhculty that she manag to rise and fly away. 4 Bird - Lore They also come into the barnyards and feed with the chickens, and into the gardens, where I have seen them jump up and strip the pole beans from the poles. They cat almost any kind of weed seed, that of the burdock being a favorite. When we have heavy snows that lay on the ground for a long time, the Pheasants have a very hard time of it and can be seen wandering over the fields, searching every tuft of weeds, or in the appl trees pi king at the frozen apples that are still hanging to the trees It was just such a time as this, in the winter of 1916, when the Pheasants were almost famished, that we established the feeding-place described in the last number of Brrp-Lore. At first we could not get the Pheasants to come, so we shoveled a path in the snow, leading off in the field, and scattered seeds along in it. The English Sparrows were first to find the seed, and I think that they were a help in directing the Pheasants to it. It was only a day or two before three hens were coming up the trail, but it was nearly a week before a cock bird came to the feeding-place. The hens came in increasing numbers every day. From the swamp away across the field, they would come, singly and in twos and threes, cautiously at first, then running rapidly in little spurts and stopping often to look around, but they would all soon be at the feeding-place and mingle with the Tree Sparrows, Horned Larks, and Snowflakes. We had great sport for nearly a month watching and photographing these beautiful birds, but as the snow began to go off and bare spots showed in the fields, they scattered, and soon our feeding-place was deserted and only a memory. k Le he Pokiok River, N. B., Jane a0, 1610 Bobbie Yank ss By KATRINE BLACKINTON, Blackinton, Mass. call-him the White-breasted Nuthatch—my friend out meee ae tae T cal Se ee Vent. n for my familiarity is the fact that we have been on speaking era year. It began on Thanksgiving Day, 1917, over a piece of suet alcor post, and has continued in a progressive fashion, by means ces and encouragements like sunflower seeds and nut-meats put in 4 oe ea ss course 1g and summer find him with intensive family duties on his (at whic ic laa Saharan ines laches) of, with at least two batches of j wsters coming on to be sheltered, fed, and taught, what time, I to ask has B. Yank for as much as a thought of his winter pals? itis the highest authority that he passes Downy and Chickadee, on in the cold months, without as much recognition as the turn- es right by them with such rude haste that our Alice- rs and Whiskers Rabbit would feel obliged to pause and raise astonishment. So I need not feel that he singles me out for it, and when I tell you that he really did call on me during his rush u understand how honored I felt? as I was giving the garden a good ‘hosing’ after a very hot day, I r yank close to my ear, and, turning, saw my friend, his wife, and ren on the trunk of a young black walnut at the garden's s edge, only m where I stood. If the most distinguished man in the world had made grimage with his family to see me, I couldn't have felt%more ‘set up. } were the proud, sleek parents and their five overgrown, fluffy youngsters, se-gray! Their father’s look told volumes: “Well, here they are! ing lot, if I do say so. I'll tell you a family like that represents re's just the feeding alone—many’s the time I've gone to bed tiv sly couldn’t fill them!’ Of course, his manner was bristling who could blame him? Certainly not I, as I stood spellbound — n watching those young black-capped, blue-grays imitating their 1 woulda’ t have given a cent for the life of a grub in that tree, with lively, new, inverted grub-enthusiasts carrying on their bill-driving cam- th all the pristine vigor of youth. Sate nth $ intervened before I next saw Bobbie, and then in the company of friend, which prompted me to draw the conclusion that he had set up . Japartments for the winter. Upon my first glimpse of him I put some is on the upper balcony and just inside my bedroom window, and The balcony meats made a prompt-disappearance, and then, sure (s) ‘4 Bird - Lore enough, in he came—very cautiously at first—hopping over the window-sill with his individual zigzag hop, and changing his yenk, yond as he entered into - h Mr. Chapman has well described as his a subdued colloquial tone wh conversational twitter.’ Later on, when the nuts appeared, not only on the floor but on the furniture and in unexpected corners, Bobbie made his entrance by fiving from the balcony rail onto the corner of the dressing-table, which stands long French windows, and there he took a survey in order to ORBY YANK decide whi nching-place gave the best promise. These visits often came ut about 7 o'clock in the morning, and I could watch him from the vantage y id of my bx The steady stream of conversation which he carried on with himself, under his breath, interested me almost more than any other cun- wild thing about hit The more acquainted I grow with this altogether fascinating | he stronger is my impression that he conceals an adventurous pirit behind that matter-of-fact mask of his. Every new device for feeding that I put out he is the first to approach, and one sunny day I sat in the open Bobbie Yank 7 is room with a nut-meat riding on the toe of my boot, foot extended. pping in very cautiously, looking at me with head on one side, his questioning my face, plainly saying “Will you keep still? Really, ee ae Sorel way he grasped the wut and made off with oO quality of Bobbie's is his great love of playing to the SIMI Giccccative exdionce and ko mando One day I sat ‘desk to write, glanced out of the window and saw Bob all tucked r of the seed-tray of the Packard feeding-station on his favorite sly settled for a luxurious siesta after a large meal. As soon as E mine he gave himself a quick shake, assumed the defensive bday who has been caught napping, but won't own it, moved out of the tray and made his bill fly in all directions like a person ISI ee rece 00 ene winds I rapped on the window *r at him, mentioning Mr. Hoover’s name. He stopped an Site iieda with all the tecklesanees of 6 drunken sailor ca ve afte a long voyage, and “a fig for your Hoover” in every motion ave come to an interesting psychological fact about Bobbie. m a plaster Barye lioness standing out rather large and white any bookcase. Bob has taken nuts from every piece of furni- object in the room except the lioness; he has never touched her, ions has taken nuts from her pedestal. I thought I would force ‘ing a very large nut-meat (he is especially weak about large and not a fragment anywhere else in the room. That day I shining new coat of paint on our east enclosed veranda, which we ist-room, when I heard the worst clatter—a perfect din—out on .. ee eee of the Robin at his most excited bined with the blatant quality of the Flicker. Sans, tony samen % At the moment I entirely forgot the lioness incident, ace r i. 0 find what was wrong. As I approached he threw off his pee dodging around the bark of the tree, assumed sine grub-searching expression—“positively not a moment ‘im .conversation.”” Not until I had resumed my paint-and-brush d the picture of the nut in the lioness mouth come to me. So that ithe cause of this outburst of unparliamentary speech hurled from the maple, | then it came to me that, sandwiched in between anathemas, I had detected ething to this effect: “I'm not going to fly into the jaws of death for you eer wonna! My mother told me at a tender age to recognize that bination of lines as cat, than which bird has no worse enemy.” Now if rebod; it hans studied bird peychology would explain this little quirk of "s, or at least advance a theory, I would be grateful. 5 Bird - Lore + held cue abort the mets wntil the :lolleniie ase. nulas aaiuannn me as I approached our front door after a marketing trip. He flew from the west maple, lighted on the top of the spindle of the lower blind nearest me, came down the spindle as he comes down the trunk of a tree, inverted, head up — and his ‘conversational twitter’ transformed into a genuine teasing tone! Could anyone resist such an appeal? And now do you wonder that my window stands open in all kinds of weather, and that I cast aside such frills as curtains that blow and shades that fap, in order to receive every winter sech a delight- ful guest? The Staghorn Sumac Py E. A. DOOLITTLE, Painesville, Ohio SIERE la one tree to ach wo oondieciann aa northern states should gratefully lift our hats—the staghorn sumac,. Rhus typhina. In the sense of providing food for birds it holds a peculiar place and has two attributes possessed by no other, namely, it never fails to hear fruit and the fruit stays on the tree. Besides, it is abundant and freely distributed: let it get a start along a fence-row and it marches along in both directions, without loss in the center; let it start at the foot of a barren hill- side and as certain as fate it will reach the crest; on flat lands or in neglected fields it will form round, even-topped thickets, and in places preoccupied by other trees and shrubs it lives, and waits. So we, and, incidentally, the birds, may be thankful that there is a class of land-owners who do not cut out the sumac until it is a case of cut sumac or buy a new farm. Virtually, it isa weed among trees, but, like lots of other weeds, it has a beauty of its own in the num- erous red fruit-cones at the apex of the branches, and most bird-lovers know, I presume, that these seed clusters are a food-supply for numerous species of birds; but do we all recognize the most important part the sumac plays, rela~ tive to the birds’ bill-of-fare? It may surprise some when I state that my personal conviction is that the birds do mot like the sumac seeds. Ever eat a few yourself? Iam much addicted myself to tasting and eating all sorts of wild fruit, berries, seeds, leaves, barks, and roots, and find that for pure ‘cussedness’ the seeds of sumac rank third after wild crabapples and Indian turnip. The taste is sour, very, very sour; otherwise they appear to consist of very hard, flat seeds covered with red hair. There may be a thin flesh also, as they are classed as a sort of dry drupe, but for ordinary purposes, including food, they are hard stones, red velvet, and acid. Perhaps a bird's taste is different from mine, and maybe the fur tickles their palates in a pleasing manner, but taste is not my chief reason for thinking the birds do not like the sumac’s offering. J long thee acter at, bre eae : ee a |e eee eee “ ; The Staghorn Sumac 9 find the chumps of sumac barren of feeding birds. In the fall, when the pepper idge bears, you will find each tree alive with many different species, greedily Stripping them to the last little drupe; then, as winter approaches, arrives, and vanishes, one by one, in the order of their delectableness, do the other natural fruits and berries vanish—wild grapes, woodbine, mountain-ash, and numerous Others; but as long as a few frozen apples still cling to the trees, just so long do the few remaining Robins, Waxwings, and others evade the waiting sumac. The first spring arrivals come at last: Bluebirds, Robins, Flickers, and Black- birds galore. There is still nearly enough food to satisfy the returning hosts, for it has been augmented by early insects, swelling buds, and the melting snows have uncovered hidden stores. And still the sumac waits! STAGHORNG SUMAC A little later come the Pharbes and Hermit Thrushes. And then, in this latitude, with a most charming regularity, comes something else. A change of wind to the north, several inches of snow, freezing at night, and, out of the soft ground, great quadrangular crystals of ice appear. The morning after the storm you will find the Robins, hustlers that they are, searching the wet edges of the ponds and brooks, hopping along the sheltered sides of buildings and fences and even out on the snow-covered lawns where they no doubt find many a Dlizzard-caught ‘night-walker;’—and they are so cheerful about it too! Much different are the actions of the Grackles who perch in bunches at the tops of Uh windiest trees they can find and, in muffled feathers, disconsolately pulse out a Grackle curse every few minutes It is at such a time the sumac has its day—just go out late in the afternoon and see for yourself. Bluebirds are there in bunches, and the Robins, with 10 Bird - Lore hunger still unappeased in spite of their hopeful search, have finally trooped off to the scraggly trees that have held aloft their maroon cones of velvety seeds so long. Last spring one little tree held two Flickers, a Robin, a Bluebird, a Hermit Thrush, and a Phoebe, all frantically pulling the seeds from the clusters Years ago it worried me considerably as to what the Phacbe did for food during such a spell of weather. Since finding them eating sumac seeds I have felt better about it. Then I had an idea—perhaps those thick seed-clusters held insects also upon which the Pharbe could feed. So I examined a cone or so. Yes, there were lots of those little dancing flies and similar insects enmeshed in the velvety clusters. Not being an entomologist, I cannot give the ‘botanical names’ of the bugs, but they consisted of gauzy wings and long legs, principally, while as for bodies, there was no meat, no juice, no skin—just a sort of film surround- ing a suggestion, so I was convinced the Pharbes were eating the sour seeds also. lo be sure, I am only speaking in generalities, and do not mean to imply the sumac is never visited at other times. But usually I find them barren of birds except at the period mentioned, while then it fills a gap in the food- supply that helps out the birds’ bill-of-fare prodigiously. So let's doff our hats to Rhus typhina, the staghorn sumac, the Tree of Last Resort. CLAY-COLORED SPARROW Photographed by H. and S. Pittman, Hartacy, Manitoba Council,’ which were feu pebched a Bano 1.oux es BURAIIAEIEINGS 3 To those of our readers who are not familiar with the objects of the Council, z 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 diff : culties which beset the isolated worker. The success of the plan during the twenty years that it an aannaannneR: tion fully equals our expectations. From both students and members of — the Council we have had very gratifying assurances of the happy results attending our efforts to bring the specialist in touch with those who appreciate ; the opportunity to avail themselves of his wider It is requested peanlrpeirpibibes pidindeerm” accompanied by a stamped and addressed envelope for use in replying. NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY COUNCIL. UNITED STATES AND TERRITORIES Atasxa.—Dr. C. Hart Merriam, 1919 16th St., N. W., Washington, DIC. ; Axizona.—Harriet I. Thornber, Tucson, Ariz. me Catirogxta.—Joseph Grinnell, University of California, Berkeley, oul ms ie Cativornts.— Walter K. Fisher, Palo Alto, Calif. é Covorapo.—Dr. W. H. Bergtold, 1159 Rose St., Denver, Colo. Conwecticut.—-J. H. Sage, Portland, Conn. | Detawanre.—S. N. Rhoads, Haddonfield, N. J. Distaict or Corumsta.—Dr. C. W. Richmond, U.S. Nat'l. Mus., wabhenes D. C4 Fiorma.—Frank M. Chapman, Am. Mus. Nat. History, New York City. Fionipa, Western.—R. W. Williams, Jr., Tallahassee, Fla. Grorota.—Dr. Eugene Murphy, Augusta, Ga. Ittiwo1s, Northern.—B. T. Gault, Glen Ellyn, Ill. . Ittswots, Southern. —Robert Ridgway, U. S. National ee Washington, . c ; Ixptana.—A. W. Butler, State House, Indianapolis, Ind lowa.—C. R. Keyes, Mt. Vernon, Iowa. Kawnsas.——University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kans. Kewrockxy.—A. C. Webb, Nashville, Tenn. Lovisiana.—Prof. George E. Beyer, Tulane University, New Orleans, tn}: Matne.—A. H. Norton, Society of Natural History, Portland, Maine. : Massacnusetts.—Winsor M. Tyler, Lexington, Mass. +: Micmoanx.—Prof. W. B. Barrows, Agricultural College, Mich. Mixwgsota.—Dr. T. S. Roberts, Millard Hall, University of Minn., sinsteyetisy Minn. Missovunt.—O. Widmann, 510s Morgan St., St. Louis, Mo. Mowtana.—Prof. J. M. Elrod, University of Montana, Missoula, Mont. Neneaska.—Dr. R. H. Walcott, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb. , Nevapa.—Dr. A. K. Fisher, Biological Survey, Dept. of Agr., Washington, D. C. New Hampsutax.—Dr. G. M. Allen, Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., Boston. (12) Bird-Lore’s Advisory Council 13 sky, Northern.—Frank M. Chapman, Am. Mus. Nat. History, New York City usxY, Southern.—Witmer Stone, Academy Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, Pa. . ao Biological Survey, Dept. of Agr., Washington, D. C. . A. K. Fisher, Biological Survey, Washington, D. C. E. H. Eaton, Hobart College, Geneva, N. Y. of. O. G. Libby, University, N. D. rof. T. G. Pearson, 1974 Broadway, New York City. § Jones, Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio. FA) Picker, Biological Survey, Dept. of Agr., Washington. D. C. ee Oe astern.—Witmer Stone, Acad. Nat. Sciences, Philadelphia, Pa. m.—W. E. Clyde Todd, Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh, Pa. S. Hathaway, Box 1466, Providence, R. I. A.—Dr. P. M. Rea, Charleston Museum, Charleston, S. C. Albert F. Ganier, Nashville, Tenn. Attwater, Houston, Texas. cus E. Jones, Salt Lake City, Utah. of. G. H. Perkins, Burlington, Vt. a . C, Rives, 1723 I Street, Washington, D. C. — muel F. Rathburn, Seattle, Wash. —Dr. W. C. Rives, 1723 I Street, Washington, D. C. HL. Ward, Public Museum, Milwaukee, Wis Piers, Provincial Museum, Halifax, N. S. James H. Fleming, 267 Rusholme Road, Toronto, Ont. W. E. Saunders, London, Ont. ‘ t Mousley, Hatley, Quebec. F MEXICO Survey, Dept. of Agr., Washington, D. C. WEST INDIES Museum, Chicago, Il. GREAT BRITAIN it, Rhinebeck, N. Y. EE gra — - : = pe Sey ‘CWente Bird-Lore’s Twentieth Christmas Census HIE highest number of epecies recorded fe. tla connes ta man and middle Atlantic States is forty-three by Orient, Long Island; in the south, forty-five by St. Petersburg, Fla.; in the forty-ive by Nashville, and forty by Kansas City; on the Pacific Coast 109 by Santa Barbara. Despite the wintry conditions prevalent at Christmas time, the open fall experienced by northeastern states is reflected in the presence of birds which ordinarily have moved south before this date. For instance, the Grackle occurs on four reports from Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York states (75 at New Haven, the others single birds); twenty-five Red-winged Black- birds are reported from New Haven, one from New York City; we have six Rusty Blackbirds (Norwalk, Conn.), and twenty-five (Fort Plain, N. Y.); and the Cowbird is reported from two localities on Long Island (37 and 1). Rusty and Cowbird often migrate very late, and it will be more remarkable if the latter winters than if it moves on at this latedate. A census too late for pub- lication from Bucksport, Me., lists a Towhee (Dec. 28) present in one locality since Dec. 3. The bird was found dead next day, sent to the American Museum (Mrs. W. H. Gardner), and the identification confirmed. A Wilson's Snipe is reported from two widely separate Long Island localities; a Vesper Sparrow from New York City and Plainfield, N. J.; a Catbird on Long Island and in New Jersey. Of more casual occurrence, the Baltimore Oriole at Cohasset, Mass (Dec. 21); King Rail at Orient, Long Island; Tree Swallow at Gardiner’s Island, and seven Swallows on the Hackensack Marshes; Phoebe at Moores-— town, N. J., and Northern Phalarope at Telford, Pa., should not be overlooked. Yet the interest of the census centers largely in what it can tell us of this” year’s movement of northern Finches,—Siskin, Redpoll and Crossbills are more than usually abundant. Twenty-seven Siskin reports are scattered over New England, New York and New Jersey (1 to roo individuals). Besides one just — across the river from Trenton, there is one report each from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Indiana, western Missouri, eastern Kansas (1 to 7); it is mentioned - once in Illinois, and strangely enough, the largest number (500) is reported from Youngstown, Ohio. Twenty Redpoll reports are scattered over New England | and New York, in which state we find it as far south as Rhinebeck, on the Hudson, and twice on the coast (eastern Long Island and Staten Island). It also occurs at Youngstown (12). Both Crossbills have come south this year, but at this date seem to have almost completely left New England and eastern Long Island, though the Red Crossbill is recorded from Martha’s Vineyard, both “within a few days” at Orient, L. I., and a single Red at Wareham, Mass. The census finds the Red Crossbill once on western Long Island (13 individuals), twice on Staten Island, N. Y. (same locality, 26 and 13), once each in New Jersey (7), Maryland (10), and District of Columbia (2); also (14) Bird-Lore's Twentieth Christmas Census t5 . “ap (2), western Missouri (21), eastern Kansas (35), South Dakota (2). Minds the White-winged Crossbill once each in northern (14) and western (3) | k, and in New Jersey (1); both species once in Ohio (Youngstown, : inged, 11), in Wisconsin (Red, 1; White-winged 40), and in winged 36). to credit to blind chance even the presence of such erratic y speculate on whether Youngstown’s good fortune in having all an environment particularly attractive to such visitors, or being situ ae come migration route.—J. T. Nicnots. oP.mM. Clear to 9.30 A.m., cloudy thereafter; moderate enewtil | began at PM. am continued till dark; 6 in. snow; wind northeast, light; temp. —5° at start, Grate Fifteen miles on foot. Downy Woodpecker, 1; Evening Grosbeak, 13; Grosbea! $45 Redpoll, 14; Red-breasted Nuthatch, 1; Chickadee, 18; Robin, 3. 7 species, 104 individuals.—Harnzison F. Lewis. Stans County, P. Q.—Dec. 26; 9 a.m. to 12 M. and 1 to 4 P.M. Fine; 5 wind southwest, light in the morning, fresh in the afternoon; temp. 2° at Canadian Ruffed Grouse, 4; Blue Jay, 1; Pine Grosbeak, 1; Red- ~b d Nuthatch, 4; Black-capped Chickadee, 17. Total, 6 species, -H. Movstey. on, Ont. of.— Dec. 27; 8 a.m. to 12 M. and 2.30 to 5.30 P.M. Overcast; At 8 Ax, rising to 55°, then dropping to 29° at 5.30 P.M.; an inch or two of ; wind, southwest, moderate; heavy snowfall commenced about 4 P.M. list of two parties working in the morning and four working in the afternoon. ‘Long-eared), 1; Downy Woodpecker, 8; Blue Jay, 10; Crow, 22; Purple 55 (reported by nearly all parties); Goldfinch, 1; Siskin, 65 (one y Bur 20 (one flock); Tree Sparrow, 15; Song Sparrow, 3; Cardinal, 3; ep t, 73 White-breasted Nuthatch, 7; Red-breasted Nuthatch, 1 (at food i Chickadee, 87 (very common this winter); Brown-cap Chickadee, 1; ned ' Kinglet, 15. Total, 18 species, 323 individuals. Also seen recently Je, American Merganser, White-throated Sparrow, Screech Owl, and th ago, both White-winged and Red Crossbills. The absence of Juncos this ite unusual.—W. E. Saunpers, J. F. Carverr, J. C. Hicors, E. H. Perxis, by, J. R. McLeop, G. Gutesrm, E. M.S. Dare, Mas. Date. (MclIl- ithological Club.) ) to Manvers Station, Ont. (Lat. 44° 1s’ N.).—Dec. 22; 7.35 A.M. to § P.M. = Minch snow; wind southwest, light; temp. 32° to 35°. About 25 miles on Duck, 1; Ruffed Grouse, 13; Hairy Woodpecker, 6; Downy Woodpecker, 2; ; Crow, 1; Rusty Blackbird, 1; Pine Siskin, 3; Redpoll, about 90; Snow (heard); Tree Sparrow, 3; Fox Sparrow, 1; White-breasted Nuthatch, 2; $1. Total, 14 species, 145+ individuals. The Blackbird and Fox Sprarow, be Duck, were scen to excellent advantage (with 12 power binoculars), hence no in the identification. Also seen during the month: Horned Lark (7th); Epeve (14th); Northern Shrike (18th); Great Horned Owl (218t).--Eant bunk, Me. (to Parsons Beach and back).—Dec. 26; 10 a.m. to 4 Pm. Over very little snow in patches; wind south, light at start, strong at noon and on temp. varying, about 20°. Ten miles on foot. Observers together. Horned 16 Bird - Lore | Grebe, 5; Herring Gull, 20; (American or Barrow ?) Golden-eye, 12; OW w, 6; American Scoter, 15; White-winged Scoter, 20; Hairy Woodpecker, 1 (seen bel starting); Downy Woodpecker, 2; Crow, 30; Purple Finch, 2; Black-capped Chickadee, 20. Also a small Plover or Sandpiper, Se Oe te 6 ee [Tota 12 species, about 154 individuals.—Sreaune Dow, Eowaap B. Hovcxiey. — F Wilton, N. H.—Dec. 25; 8 a.m. to 12 M. noes orthwest light; temp. 20° to 26°. Ruffed Grouse, 1; Red-tailed Hawk, 1; Downy ) oe Crow, 10 (one flock); Starling, 4; Goldfinch, 15; Redpoll, 58 (two flocks); Tree row, 5; Junco, 5; Chickadee, 11; Robin, 8 (one flock). Total, pe 9 da Hairy Woodpecker and White-breasted Nuthatch were seen Dec. “sere ° BLANCHARD. Jaffrey, N. H.—Dec. 22; 9.45 A.M. to 4 P.M. Cloudy in At, cea fa a bare; wind southwest, light; temp. 24° at start, so” at return, Eleven miles on foot. Observers apart. Hairy Woodpecker, 1; Blue Jay, 1; Redpoll, 146; American Goldfinch, 2; Tree Sparrow, 20; Chickadee, 16. ‘Total, 6 species, 186 individuals.—Locta B. Curree, Noxa G. SPAULDING. Wells River, Vt. (to East Ryegate along the banks of the Connecticut River, back on first range of hills west of river.)—Dec. an; t to 5 vx} ee temp. 32° at start, 42° at return. Eight miles on foot. Ruffed Grouse, 3; ‘Blue Jay, 2; Redpoll, 1; Brown Creeper, 2; White-breasted Nuthatch, Chad (oc Total, 6 species, 20 individuals. On the preceding day I observed a Hairy Wi and two Pine Grosbeaks.—Wenvect P. Surrn. Bennington, Vt.—Dec. 23; 9-45 to 11.15 A.M. Clear; » in, asia Gey light; temp. 24° at start, so" at return. Four-mile auto ip with 8 walle a «mie fields and woods. Observers together. Ruffed Grouse, 2 (a pair); Hairy Woodpe Downy Woodpecker, 3; Blue Jay, 2; Crow, 6; Starling, 404+; Meadowlat Siskin, 50+; Tree Sparrow, 4; Red-breasted Nuthatch, 1; Chickadee, 6. cid um species, about 120 individuals. On Dec, 12 and 13 « Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was observed.— Dr. and Mes. Lucxerius H. Ross. Devereux to Marblehead Neck, Mass. (and back).—Dec. 26; 12M. t0.4 P.M. Partly, cloudy; ground bare; wind northeast, strong; temp. 32°. Observers together. Grebe, 1; Horned Grebe, 7; Black Guillemot, 8; Dovekie, 1; Kittiwake, 4; Great Black- backed Gull, 4; Herring Gull, 350; Ring billed Gull, 1; Red-breasted Merganser, 1; Black Duck, 1; American Golden-eye, 38; Old Squaw, 5; Bald Eagle, 1 (full plumage); Sparrow Hawk, 2; Crow, 5; Flicker, 3; Starling, 125 (in two flocks); Tree Sparrow, 2; Black-capped Chickadee, 4. Total, 19 species, 573 individuals. The Gulls were all seen at close range as they sat on the water.—Atice O. Jump, Loptaw E. Barpox. Boston, Mass. (Arncld Arboretum and viciaity).—Dec. 26; 10.30 AM. to § P. Cloudy; 2 in. snow; wind southwest; temp. 25° to 35°. Herring Gull, 1; Pheasant, 1; Northern Flicker, 5; Blue Jay, 11; Crow, 40; Slate-colored Ju Myrtle Warbler, 11; Black-capped Chickadee, 30; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 4. 9 species, 115 individuals —Grorce MacDonatp, CHanpter Brooxs. Boston, Mass. (The Arnold Arboretum).— Dec. 22; 10.30 A.M. to 2.30 P.M. (the last hour sunny); a trace of snow only; wind northwest to southwest, light; 25" at start, 57° at return. Sparrow Hawk, 1; Downy Woodpecker, 1; Northern 4; Blue Jay, 24; Crow, 22; Starling, 140; Redpoll, 3; Goldfinch, 2; Pine Siskin, 13; White-throated Sparrow, 3; Slate-colored Junco, 22; Song Sparrow, 4; Myrtle War bler, 8; Mockingbird, 1; White-breasted Nuthatch, 2; Chickadee, 21; Kinglet, 2; Hermit Thrush, 1. (Hoth kinds of Crowbils hed been present om Oct to Dec. 1, inclusive.) Total, 15 species, 274 individuals—Hozace W. Waionr. Roslindale, Mass. (Forest Hills Cemetery, Franklin Park, Arnold Arboretum, Allendale Woods.)—Dec. 25; 10.30 a.m. to 5 put. Clear; Min. snow; wind east, Bird-Lore’s Twentieth Christmas Census 17 at start, 28° at return. Eight miles on foot. Observers together. Ring- 3; Sparrow Hawk, 1; Downy Woodpecker, 1; Blue Jay, 7; American 9; ome oertonteg 3; Goldfinch, 14; Tree Sparrow, 54; Slate-colored d Nuthatch, 1; Chickadee, 8. Total, 12 species, 120 individuals. Gross, Rox Maore. ford, Mass. and Middlesex Fells. Dec. 28; 8 a.w. to 1 p.m. Clear; ground rith snow; wind southwest, moderate. Seven miles on foot. Ring-necked rE + Woodpecker, 1; Downy Woodpecker, 2; Flicker, 2; Blue Jay, 10; >) ree euncvew, emai t Sparro pw, 7; Myrtle Warbler, locally numerous in tracts of bayberry. cies +2 (?), several thousand individuals.—E. P. Bickwet. peqt ua, Long Island, N. Y. (and vicinity).—Dec. 27; 10.30 A.M. to 8 Pm. = light; temp. 30° to 35°. Black-backed Gull, 2; Herring Gull, ' , 2; Black Duck, 250+; Scaup Duck, 400+ (doubtless the romp apedies cally wes killed there on Dec. 29); Canada Goose, 150+; oe _ 1; Black-crowned Night Heron, 1; Marsh Hawk, 1; Sparrow Hawk, 2; ney pr, 2; Blue Jay, 12; American Crow, 20; Fish Crow, 15; Starling, 14; = American Goldfinch, 8; Pine Siskin, 5; Tree Sparrow, 8; Slate-colored on Sparrow, 9; Myrtle Warbler, 23; Brown Creeper, 1; White-breasted Blac d Chickadee, 19. Total, 25 species, 1,480+ individuals. On ‘licker ink dhisliried. Large numbers of Black Duck, Canada Geese, and unidentified ducks were observed in Great South Bay, about 400 to re.—Arex. B. Krors, CLement P. Conn. ; N. Y.— Dec. 28; all day. Clear; patches of snow and bare ground; hwest, moderate; temp. 30° sunrise, 38° sunset. About « 2-mile radius from , garden and orchard, including deciduous and pitch pine woods, brushy ites, bordering salt marshes and bay (frozen, with strip of open water along shore), of fresh-water creeks. Observers together. Black-backed Gull, 10; Herring erican Merganser, 25; Black Duck, 110; Golden-eye Duck, 25; White-winged Great Blue Heron, 4 (separate); Wilson's Snipe, 1; Bob-white, 7 (tracks of er covies); Red-tail Hawk, 2; Bald Eagle, :; Sparrow Hawk, 1; Horned Owl, 5; wodpecker, 2; Flicker, 1; Blue Jay, 20; American Crow, 55; Starling, 110; :, 10; Cowbird, 1; Goldfinch, 10; Pine Siskin, 1; Tree Sparrow, 15; Junco, 4; Y, Si “pee Warbler, 180; White- breasted Nuthatch, 6; Chickadee, 1s. : note; Cowbird perched in tree-top with Starlings, cctnanatie Brak miosane aohe acted. —C. F., W. F. and J. T. Necuoxs. 26 Bird - Lore East Marion, Long Island, N. Y.— Dec. 26; 9.90 A.M. to 5.90 P.M. Sunny in: orenox cloudy in afternoon; ground partly covered with light snow; wind southwest, light; temg 26° at start, 33° at return. About 4 nt cutee Galt ston Horned Grebe, 5; Black-backed Gull, 1; Herring Gull, 50; Scaup, 2004; A Golden-eye, 12; Old-squaw, 5; White-winged Scoter, 1; distant raft of ducks largely of Surf Scoters, 50; Downy Woodpecker, 1; Horned Lark, 17; Blue Jay, 2 Crow, 80+; Redpoll, 18 (some of flock at times almost within reaching distance, all markings visible both with and without field glasses); American Goldfinch, 8; Tree Sparrow, 5; Slate-colored Junco, 9; Song Sparrow, 16; Myrtle Warbler, 30; Black-capped Chickadee, 5. Total, 19 species, about 511 individuals. Two White-siagee, Capetite were seen Dec, 5 and 4.—Maser R. Wioors. Orient, Long Island, N. Y.—Dec. 28; 6 a.m. to dark. Clear; ground mostly bare, pond and swamps mostly frozen; wind west, light to fresh; temp. 27° to 35°. Holbcrll’'s Grebe, 1; Horned Grebe, 24; Loon, 30; Great Black-backed Gull, 1; Herring Gull, 350; American Merganser, 2; Red-breasted Merganser, 150; Mallard, 7 (6 males); Blac Duck, 70; Greater Scaup Duck, 300; Golden-eyed Duck, 11; Bufflehead, 100; Old-sq 250; White-winged Scoter, 1,000; Surf Scoter, 25; Canada Goose, 1 (associating with flock of Gulls); King Rail, 1; Virginia Rail, 1 (4 others taken within a week); Wilson Snipe, 1; Marsh Hawk, 2; Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1; Cooper's Hawk, 1; Red-tailed Ha 2; Red-shouldered Hawk, 1; Screech Owl, 1; Kingfisher, 1; Downy Woodpecker, Flicker, 4; Horned Lark, 400; Crow, 100; Starling, 150; Meadowlark, 5 (one singin, Goldfinch, 10; Pine Siskin, 35; Snow Bunting, 300; Tree Sparrow, 60; Junco, 30; Son Sparrow, 75; Fox Sparrow, 1; Myrtle Warbler, 65; Catbird, 1; Chickadee, 38; Robin, " 2 (one flock). Total, 43 species, 3,760 individuals. Both Red- and White-winged | vssbills and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet have been recorded within a few days.—Roy LATHAM. — Greenport, Long Island, N. Y. (across Gardiner’s Bay to Gardiner’s Island « return).—Dec. 21; 8 A.M. to 3.30 P.M. Overcast at start; snowing from 8.30 A.M. ie 1.30 P.., then partially clearing; ground snow-covered, marshes and ponds mostly frozen; wind northeast, light; temp. 28° to 20°. Observers together. Horned Grebe, 8; Loon, 4; Great Black-backed Gull, 4; Herring Gull, 25; American Merganser, 22; Red. breasted Merganser, 25; Mallard, 1; Black Duck, 100; Baldpate, 23; Golden-eye, 50; Old-squaw, 200; White-winged Scoter, 400; Surf Scoter, 250; Canada Goose, 70; Brant, 3 Great Blue Heron, 1; Black-crowned Night Heron, 2 (excellent view); Pheasant, 10 Marsh Hawk, 1; Hawk (Red-tail or Rough-leg), 1; Short-eared Owl, 1; yey We d- pecker, 1; Flicker, 3; Blue Jay, 1; Crow, 10; Starling, 50; Meadowlark, 2; Tree Spare row, 12; Song Sparrow, 10; Tree Swallow, 1 (an anomalous sight in a winter snow: storm; bird well seen, the green in the back made out even through the snow and bt light); Myrtle Warbler, 10; Chickadee, 3. Total, 32 species, 1,304 individuals. snowstorm responsible for the few land birds noted, and the recent cold wave for th comparative scarcity of birds in general. Hawks, once remarkably abundant — winter, are now systematically trapped and shot.—Lorzp Witutam Peacy, Lupo Gaiscom. New York City (from Battery via St. George to and at Grant City and Cemetery, Staten Island).—Dec. 27; 11.20 A.m. to 4.20 p.m. Cloudy (foggy on wat ground mostly snow-covered; wind southwest, light; temp. 35° at 3.30 p.m. Five mile by boat, 5 miles by railroad, chiefly in the Cemetery on foot. Black-backed Gull, 1 adull Herring Gull, 145; Bonaparte’s Gull, 2; Downy Woodpecker, 1; Blue Jay, 2; rica! Crow, 8; Starling, 8; Red Crossbill, flock of 13; Goldfinch, 1; Tree Sparrow, 1; Junct Sock of 4; Song Sparrow, 1; Fox Sparrow, 1; Cardinal, 1 pair; Myrtle Warbler, flock of § Black-cap Chickadee, flock of 6; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 1; Hermit Thrush, 1; Robin, ap Bluebird, 1 male. Total, 20 species, about 205 individuals —Cuamtes H. Roceni Moravian Cemetery, Staten Island, N. Y.—Dec. 21; 10.30 A.M. to 4 P.M. - Bird-Lore’s Twentieth Christmas Census 27 pe t cating Long-eared Owl, 1; ‘Hairy Saar 1; Blue Jay, 6; arin , 4; Red Crossbill, 26 (one flock); Redpoll, 2; White-throated Sparrow, 1; W, 16; Junco, 1; White-breasted Nuthatch, 1; Tufted Titmouse, 1; Black- ads Emer: Brown-capped Chickadee, 1; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 1. “Individuals. Bonaparte’s Gull observed through field-glasses pasbills were very tame. The Brown-capped Chickadee was also very er mm the Tufted Tit, approached to within 6 feet of me.—Ratru jettstown. Sparrow Hawk (?), 1; Downy Woodpecker, 1; Flicker (?), 1; 19; Starling, 19; Purple Finch, 7; Goldfinch, 54; Tree Sparrow, 15; ¢ Sparrow, 1; Nuthatch (probably White-breasted), 1; Chickadee, 4. es, og 129 individuals—Mary Prerson ALLEN. 1 Re N. J. (Overpeck Creek and Phelps Estate).—Dec. 26; Th AM. loudy; 2 in. snow; wind south; temp. 28°. Observers together. Black- t; Gull, 50; Marsh Hawk, 1; Sharp-shinned (?) Hawk, 1; Red- d Hawk, 1; Sparrow Hawk, 2; Barred Owl, 1; Hairy Wood- “Woodpecker, 4; Flicker, 1; Blue Jay, 7; Crow, 12; Starling, 13; Goldfinch, 20; Pine Siskin, 12; White-throated Sparrow, 2; Tree Spar- yred Junco, 22; Song Sparrow, 14; Swamp Sparrow, 1; Brown Creeper, 2; ‘uth: 1; Chickadee, 7; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 2. Total, 26 wals.—Watpen Pevi ad., S. Morats Per. ‘Glen Rock and Ridgewood, N. J.—Dec. 25; 9 A.. to 3.30 Pw. Clear; ne { southwest, brisk; temp. 28° at start, 36° at return. Nine miles afoot. ter, 1; Downy Woodpecker, 3; Horned Lark, 2; Blue Jay, 5; American 78; Purple Finch, 1; Goldfinch, 5; Pine Siskin, 8; White-throated | Sparrow, 10; Junco, 4; Song Sparrow, 6; Cedar Waxwing, 3; White- atch, 1; Black-capped Chickadee, 7; Bluebird, 3. Total, 17 species, - J.—Dec. ag; 9 to 10.30 A.M., 3 to 4 P.M. Clear; 2 in. snow; temp. 18° t edge and in northern section of Branch Brook Park, Second River— | 5 miles. Auto ride to South Orange, where the Grackles were found in where they had evidently accompanied Santa Claus down the chimney. Downy cker, 1; Crow, 1; Starling, 7; Purple Grackle, 2; White-throated Sparrow, 13; arrow, 2; Junco, 6; Song Sparrow, 2; Brown Creeper, 2; Chickadee, 7. Total, c , 43 individuals. It may be of interest that a Long-cared Owl sat on a tree in k yard in residential section of Newark all day Dec. 19. It was very tame and ja live identification. Also the following late lingerers in Branch Brook t Robin, Dec. 20; Hermit Thrush, Dec. 15.—R. F. HaAvLennnex Y eee B. J-—Dec. 26; 10 A.M. to 1.30 p.m. Cloudy; 2 in. snow on ground; a ; temp. 15° to 20°. Along crest of South Mountain Reservation to Wash- oc! istaraing to South Orange slong base of Mountain. Distance about 7 miles. puldered Hawk, 1; Downy Woodpecker, 4; Blue Jay, 20; Starling, 2; Tree f, 20; Junco, 18; Song Sparrow, 5; Cardinal, 2; White-breasted Nuthatch, 8; ee, 12; also a large Hawk not positively identified, but probably a Red-tailed acer 10 species, o2 individuals. —Ronext Worre, Gaanam Rosxer. wa, N. J.—Dec. 28; 8 to 11 A.m., 1.30 to 5.15 P.M. Fair; 1 in. snow on ground, ne bare places; wind northwest, light, gradually rising; temp. 29° to gs". Burn- , Sherman Hill, Lake Road, Speedwell Park, along D. L. &W. and Erie tracks 28 Bird - Lore to disposal beds. Ruffed Grouse, 1; Red-tailed Hawk, 1; Sparrow Hawk, fisher, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Downy Woodpecker, 5; Blue Jay, 32; Cr ling, 25; Pine Grosbeak, 2 (observed only in flight, and identified chiefly | think there can be no doubt of the correctness of the record); Purple s; Ree Crossbill, >; Goldfinch, 6; Pine Siskin, 5; White-throated Sparrow, 1; Tree Sparrow, Field Sparrow, 1; Junco, 63; Song Sparrow, 9; Cardinal, 1; Brown Creeper, 95 breasted Nuthatch, 17; Chickadee, 51; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 3. ‘Total, 24 sp 338 individuals. On Dec. 24, crossing the Hackensack Meadows on a P.R.I noon, I saw 7 Swallows (undoubtedly White-bellied) on the telegraph vir CASKEY. ‘ i a Westfield, N. J. (to Second Watching Mountain and back).—Dec. 25; 8.15 A.m. | _ 3.20 P.M. Clear; 2 in. fresh fallen snow; wind west, moderate; temp. 19° at start, 22° 3 a return. About 12 miles on foot. Red-shouldered (?) Hawk, 1; Ring-neck Pheasant, “a Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Downy Woodpecker, 3; Blue Jay, 3; Crow, 7; American Goldfinch, 1; Tree Sparrow, 18; Junco, about 20; Brown Creeper, ‘ breasted Nuthatch, 1; Chickadee, 11 Total, 13 species, 66 indi . TT, Plainfield, N. J. (to Ash Swamp and back).—Dec. 28; 8.90 A.M. to 545 PM. lene ground mostly lightly covered with snow; little wind; temp. 30° at start. rked> Pheasant, 4 (flock); Red-tailed Hawk, 1; Red-shouldered Hawk, 2; ‘Soule Hawk, 7 Barred Owl, found fresh roost and probably glimpsed Ow! as it flew; Peseta ge Downy Woodpecker, 9; Flicker, 1; Blue Jay, 12; American Crow, 50; oreo 45 Grackle (or Rusty Blackbird ?), 1; White-winged Crossbill, 1; Goldfinch, 7; kin, 12; Vesper Sparrow, 1; White-throated Sparrow, 8; Tree Sparrow, 70; Field S row, 3 (flock); Junco, 40; Song Sparrow, 17; Swamp Sparrow, 1; Cardinal, 5; My le Warbler, 12; Brown Creeper, 2; White-breasted Nuthatch, 9; ne Tufted Titmouse, 5; Black-capped Chickadee, 12. Total, 29 species, 314 it W. DeW. Mitcer. : New Brunswick, N. J.—Dee. 27; 8.50 A.M. to 1.40 P.M. Cent's Geta nd west, very light; temp. 32° to 41°. Cooper's Hawk, 2; Red-tailed Hawk, 3; Hairy Woo pecker, 4; Downy Woodpecker, 7; Blue Jay, 9; American Crow, 49; Fish Crow, 1¢ Starling, 147; Purple Finch, 8; Goldfinch, 11; White-throated Sparrow, 1; Tree S row, 2; Junco, 88; Song Sparrow, 13; Brown Creeper, 2; White-breasted Nuthatch, @ Tufted Titmouse, 17; Black-capped Chickadee, 26; Carolina Chickadee, 8. Total, 5 species, 418 individuals. Robins, Myrtle Warblers and Horned Larks were seen ecentl ye —Srvart T. Daxrorrn. q Millstone, N. J. (to Westen Mill along river, erees county 6s INNIS 1 river to Blackwells Mills, cross country to Millstone).— Dec. 23; 8 A.M. to6Ppm. © . light clouds toward night; light snow remaining from previous week of snow and weather; wind west, very light; temp. 8 a.w. 20°, 6 p.m. 40°. Fifteen miles on area 85 square miles, approximately. Mallard Duck, 21; Ring-necked Pheasant, 1 1 Mourning Dove, 20 (flock); Marsh Hawk, 2; Sparrow Hawk, 2; Barn Owl, 1; § Owl, 2; Northern Downy Woodpecker, 13; Northern Flicker, 2; Horned tek) (flock); Blue Jay, 24; American Crow, 5,000 (est.); Starling, 60; Purple Grackle, § American Goldfinch, 8; White-throated Sparrow, 4; Tree Sparrow, 200; Slate-color Junco, 110; Song Sparrow, 16; Cardinal, 5; Northern Shrike, 1; Brown Creeper, - | White-breasted Nuthatch, 6; Tufted Titmouse, 24; Black-capped Chickadee, 309) Robin, 2. Total, 26 species, 5,630 individuals, approximately —N. C. Wycxor! Atlantic City, N. J. (to Brigantine Island and back).—Dec. 26; 11 A.M. to 4 P. Clear; patches of snow; wind south, strong, but lighter in the afternoon; temp. 30° && start, 42° at return. About 5 miles on foot, the rest of the time birds observed frot gunning skiff. Went up the island along the seashore, and returned along the and inland creek shore. Observers together. Horned Grebe, 1; Great E re’s Twentieth Christmas Census 29 Gull and Ring-billed Gull, 200; Red-breasted Merganser, 10; Black juaw, s; White-winged Scoter and Surf Scoter, 30; Marsh Hawk, 2; Tree Sparrow, 20; Myrtle Warbler, 10. Total, 13 species, about s00 kiN P. and Howe.. E. Cook. ly, N. J.—Deec. 28;.9 A.u. to 5 p.m. Cloudy, ground partly covered with a start, §8” at return. Seven miles on foot. Observers together most Vulture, 5; Red-shouldered Hawk, 1; Sparrow Hawk, 3; Hairy Wood- . 7; Blue Jay, 13; Crow (roost), 10,000 (est.); Starling, 25; 35 (flock); White-throated Sparrow, 20; Tree Sparrow, 13; 40; Song Sparrow, 14 (one singing); Cardinal, 5; Catbird, 1 several times not 15 feet away); Brown Creeper, 5; White- 6; Tufted Titmouse, 11; Carolina Chickadee, 10; Hermit Thrush, 1. 224 individuals.—Mr. and Mrs. Netson, D. W. Pumyga. 3 $5 6.35 AM. to 4.30 P.M. Clear to partly cloudy; 2 in. snow; wind alls at start. About 45 miles in auto and afoot. Three separate Gull, s; ornare (sp. ?) 4; Mourning Dove, 11; Turkey Vulture, 4; Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1; Red-tailed Hawk, 4; Red-shouldered (?) TOW pent 5; Long-eared Owl, 1; Ringteher, 1; | Dome wenreon, 6 : 114; Rusty Blackbird, 8; Meadowlark, 59; Purple Finch, 9; hroated Sparrow, 14; Tree Sparrow, 8; Junco, 166; Song Spar- ; Myrtle Warbler, 1; Winter Wren, 2; Carolina Wren, 2; Brown d Nuthatch, 1; Red-breasted Nuthatch, 1; Tufted Titmouse, 7; 9; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 2. Total, 36 species (1 uncertain), 5 Crow (sp. ?) seen on the 20th, 23d and 24th.—M. Aserr Linton, , Saver N. Ruoaps, Auice C. Darwect, Avice M., Exven C., and Groror H. Hatterr, Jx., Wu. Bacon Evans. nN. J. (and vielaity).—Dec. 28; 8 AM. to 4 P.M. Cloudy; ground partly 145 English Pheasant, 2; Red-tailed Hawk, 2; Sreree Hawk, 5; Barn Long-eared Owl, 3; Screech Owl, 1; Blue Jay, 5; Crow, 200; Star- wiark, 5; Goldfinch, 1; White-throated Sparrow, 25; Tree Sparrow, 30; oo 5° 20; Cardinal, 10; White-breasted Nuthatch, 1; Golden- ; w Hermit Thrush, 1. Total, 21 species, 470 individuals.—JuLian or in Pennsylvania, opposite Trenton, N. J- —Dec. 25; 11.30 A.M. to in. snow; wind northwest, brisk; temp. 25°. Downy piegmeiemay 3; in, 15; White-throat, 2; Tree Sparrow, 12; Song Sparrow, 5; Cardinal, 2; Tufted Titmouse, 2; Chickadee, 6. Total, 10 species, so individuals.— t, Pa.—Dec. 25, 8.30 a.m. to 4.15 p.m. Cloudy; 5 in. snow; no wind; rage. About 12 miles, both covering same ground. American Merganser, 2; tker, 1; Downy Woodpecker, 20; Crow, 115; Evening Grosbeak (female) 1; . t; Tree Sparrow, 80; Slate-colored Junco, to; Song Sparrow, 7; 7; Brown Creeper, 6; White-breasted Nuthatch, 17; Tufted Titmouse, 21; f Chickadee, 22; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 2; Robin, 1. Total, 16 species, uals. This is our first record for the Cardinal, and its abundance shows that ‘ established. The White-winged Crossbill was seen Dec, 5.—Joun P. and /. P. Youns. r, Br Co., Pa.—-Dec. 26; 10 A.M. to 12 M., 1 PM. to 4 Pw. Cloudy; 5 in. ind south, light; temp. 20° at start, 29° at return. Six to 7 miles on foot through 30 Bird - Lore | woods and fields. Observers together, Ruffled Grouse, 6 (one flock); Hawk Shary shinned ?), 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 1; Downy Woodpecker, 5; Blue Jay, 2; American — Crow, 45; Starling, 21; Goldfinch, 1; Tree Sparrow, 54; White-breasted Nutha or | Black-capped Chickadee, 25. Total, 11 species, 170 individuals. Mee Dec. 23.--—-Mms Marraa McMorean, Mas. O. J. Van Wovxrk, Mas. J. R. Mas. F. E. Marure. Reading, Pa to State Hil via Tulpehocken Creek).—Dee. 26 9.30 At. to 3307. Overcast; 5 in. snow; wind southwest, light; temp. 19° at start, 26° at return. About 10 miles afoot. American Merganser, 8 (one flock, all females); Red-tailed Hawk, 3; Red-— shouldered Hawk, 1; Sparrow Hawk, 2; Belted Kingfisher, 1; Downy Woodpecker, a Horned Lark, 12 (one flock); Crow, about 250; Starling, 10; Meadowlark, 1; q Grosbeak, 1 (this was seen under the best possible conditions, feeding with a pair of — Cardinals on » sheltered hillside. Allowed a close approach, but finally flew off with — a rolling cheerp, cheerp after I had it under observation for some 10 minutes. it wes ; feeding on the buds of several shrubs and low trees); Tree Sparrow, 7 (one flock); Junco, 5 (one flock); Song Sparrow, 8; Cardinal, 4; Brown Creeper, 5; Tufted Titmouse, 3; _ Chickadee, 12 (two flocks, 8 and 4); Golden-crowned Kinglet, 2. Total, 19 species, 341 individuals.—Eaat L. Pootn, Wexpett Keen. Reading, Pa.—Dec. 22; 8 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Partly cloudy; ¢ ta. een, aie, | light; temp. 18° at start. Observers together. Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1; Red-tailed — Hawk, 1; Sparrow Hawk, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 1; Downy Woodpecker, 13; Crow, 15; — Starling, 40; Meadowlark, 6; Purple Finch, 11; White-throated Sparrow, 4; Tree Spar- — row, 15; Junco, 38; Song Sparrow, 8; Cardinal, 6; White-breasted Nuthatch, 6; Chick- — adee, 12; Robin, 4; Bluebird, 8. Total, 18 species, 190 individuals —Ma, and Mus, ; G. Henry Mence. Hills and back).—Dec. 24; 7 A.u. to 5.45 Pu. Cloudy; 3 in. snow fall ulna ial E northwest, moderate; temp. 26° at start, 32° at return. Eighteen miles on foot, 8 miles on trolley. American Merganser (?), 6; Red-shouldered Hawk, 3; Sparrow Hawk, 1; Barred Owl, 1; Screech Owl, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 1; Northern Downy Woodpecker, 8; Crow, about 10,000; Starling, 18; Meadowlark, 1; Pine Grosbeak, 1; American Gold-— finch, 1; Tree Sparrow, 75; Slate-colored Junco, 75; Song Sparrow, 25; Fox Sparrow, 3; Cardinal, 1; White-breasted Nuthatch, 1. Total, 18 species, 220 individual + Coppee= Epwarp K. Zincier. West Chester, Pa.—Dec. 25; 10.30 A.M. to 3.30 Pw. Clear; PE ar 2 in. snow; wind northwest, brisk; temp. 28° at start, 35° on return. Ducks (species uncertain), 2; Red-tailed Hawk, 2; Red-shouldered Hawk, 1; Sparrow Hawk, 2; Screech Owl, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 1; Downy Woodpecker, 6; Flicker, 1; Crow, 259; Starling, 55; Slate-colored Junco, 56; Song Sparrow, 9; Cardinal, 8; White-breasted Nuthatch, 3; Chickadee, 2. Total, 15 species, 388 individuals —C. E. Enrncer. Chestnut Hill (Philadelphia), Pa. (Cresheim Creek northeast to near Glenside, Pa.). —Dec. 28; 10.45 A.M. to 3.15 p.m. Cloudy; light covering of old snow; wind west, light; — temp. 38° to 40°. About 6 miles on foot. Hairy Woodpecker, 1; Crow, 24; Starling, 24; Purple Finch, 3; White-throated Sparrow, 1; Tree Sparrow, 15; Field Sparrow, 2; Junco, 50; Song Sparrow, 4; Cardinal, 9; Brown Creeper, 1; Carolina Wren, 1; Winter Wren, 2. Total, 13 species, 137 individuals. A Purple Grackle seen at Chestnut Hill on Dec. 25.—Grorce Lean. ne ee oo —- 7-45 AM. to 5.15 p.u. Cloudy; 4 in. snow; wind northwest, light; temp. 32° at start, approximately same throughout day. Party divided over two routes, half the time. Total ground covered 26 miles on foot. Bob-white, 156 (15 coveys); Ruffled Grouse, 6; Ring-neck Pheasant, 4; Turkey Vulture, 5; Hawk (Goshawk ?), 1; Red-tailed Hawk, 1; "s Twentieth Christmas Census 31 “Hawk, 1; Sparrow Hawk, 6; Screech Owl, 1; Belted Kingfisher, 1; ker, : y¥ Woodpecker, 30; Northern Flicker, 7; Crow, 600; Star- ywiark, 8; Goldfinch, 9; Tree Sparrow, 190; Junco, 340; Song Sparrow, 37; ‘Winter Wren, 1; White-breasted Nuthatch, 19; Tufted Titmouse, 1; le by a favorable tracking snow, and a good bird dog —Herserr H. “ Poerx Mitter, Cuartes S. Bricker. long Susquehanna River and Impounding Dam).—Dec. 26; 8.15 A.«. to ly; 2 in. snow; waterways entirely frozen; wind west, light; temp. 21° at urn. Five miles on foot. Observers together. Cooper's Hawk, 1; Spar- Woodpecker, 4; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 1; Flicker, 3; American 0; Star! 3; Meadowlark, 1; Goldfinch, 5; Pine Siskin, 7; White-throated Tr ee jee Sparrow, 69; Slate-colored Junco, 40; Song Sparrow, 5; Cardinal, 10; fen, 3 (singing); Brown Creeper, 7; Tufted Titmouse, 9; Golden-crowned : uebird, 17. Total, 20 species, 1,057 individuals.—Axtaur FArQquHar, MAN NEDINST, Cuartes S. Werser. pons, P | (Lakemount Park, Canan’s Ridge and Ant Hills).—Dec. 25; 10.30 AM. PeM., 2 to 4.30 P.M. Clear; 4 in. snow; wind south, light; temp. 30° at start, ix salles on foot. Observers worked separately. Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1; . 1; Downy Woodpecker, 5; Crow, 1; Meadowlark, 2; Goldfinch, 1; 5; Slate-colored Junco, 4; Song Sparrow, 1; Cardinal, 4; Brown Creeper, 1; d Nuthatch, 2; Chickadee, 3; Robin, 1. Total, 14 species, 82 individuals.— McGraw, Harry P. Hays. arg, Pa.—Dec. 26; 6.45 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Clear; light snow; wind west, a at start, 27° at return. Observers together. Kingfisher, 1; Downy ker 4; Crow, 30; Starling, 5; Purple Finch, 4; Goldfinch, 1; Tree Sparrow, 50; ‘Sparrow, 3; Cardinal, 8; Winter Wren, 1; Brown Creeper, 1; White- 1. Total, 13 species, 149 individuals. Although only 30 Crows | great flocks fly across the valley in the morning and return at sunset.— ind Roseaxt Waxrreco. Dec. 25; 9 A.M. to: p.m. Cloudy; 6 in. snow; wind north, cold, in- . 20°. About 7 miles covered thoroughly. Observers together. Ruffed i Hawk, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 1; Downy Woodpecker, 13; Blue oa ow, 2; Goldfinch, 3; Tree Sparrow, 113; Junco, 164; Song Sparrow, 16; ; Brown Creeper, 1; White-breasted Nuthatch, 12; Tufted Titmouse, 4; , 22; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 2; Robin, 3. Total, 17 species, 582 individuals Bi Caner, Frank A, Heoner. “Springs, Dec. 23; 8.30 A.M. to 2.30 p.m. Clear; 5 in. snow; no wind; temp. 22° ’ —e noon. Five miles walked. Ruffled Grouse, 1; Great Horned Owl, 1 ‘Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Downy Woodpecker, 3; Pileated Woodpecker, 1; Blue tan Crow, 5; Slate-colored Junco, 4; Song Sparrow, 1; White-breasted Sr etich- cartes Chickadee, 4. Total, 11 species, 25 individuals.—Ansnt B, , Pa. (Moon Run, Thornberg and vicinity).—Dec. 25; 10 Aw. to 4 PM, yi 4 in. snow; wind southwest, light; temp. 28°. Eight miles on foot, Sparrow kr Downy Woodpecker, 5; Tree Sparrow, 16; Junco, 12; Song Sparrow, 12; i, 16; White-breasted Nuthatch, 1; Tufted Titmouse, 18; Black-capped Chick- . Total, 9 species, 95 individuals. —L. F. Savace. worth, Pa.—Dec. 25; 8.30 to 10 A.M., 10.90 A.M. to 5 Pw. Cloudy; 4 in. snow; , light; temp. 20°. Eight miles on foot. Screech Owl (now spending seventh in bird box), 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 4; Downy Woodpecker, 13; Blue Jay, 2; » 3; Tree Sparrow, 61; Junco, 25; Song Sparrow, 18; Cardina‘, 7; |AVAR 32 Bird Lave: White-breasted Nuthatch, 10; Tufted Titmouse, 4; Black-capped bird (heard), 1. Total, 14 species, 156 individuals.—Taos, L. McConnent. Telford, Pa.—Dec. 28; o A.M. to 5 P.M. From 1 to 3 in. snow; wind » temp. so” at start and 38° at return. Cooper's Hawk, 1; 4 Sparrow Hawk, 1; Kingfisher, 1; Downy Woodpecker, y Rew a Starling, 26; Meadowlark, 9; Purple Finch, 2; Goldfinch, 7; Tree colored Junco, 165; Song Sparrow, 18; Cardinal, 2; White-breasted Nui : crowned Kinglet, 1. Total, 17 species, 368 individuals. On Dec. 22 a Ne Phalarope was brought to me for proper identification. It is still being ¢ 4 farmer till the streams open. Dec. 25, 1 Flicker, cod Sarpsined Hah wee ee | Cravpe A. Burrerwicx. PY? | Greensboro, Md.—Dec. 26. Fair; ground almost covered with snow; temp. 2 to 3s". Black Duck, 2; Bob-white, 20; Mourning Dove, 1; Turkey Iss th, shinned Hawk, 1; Red-shouldered Hawk, 1; Barred Owl, 1; Kingfisher, 7 Ha pecker, 2; Downy Woodpecker, 5; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 1; Flicker, | Lark, 5; Blue Jay, 10; Crow, 4; Starling, 4; Meadowlark, 26; Rusty Blac y Finch, 3; Red Crossbill, 10; Goldfinch, 25; Pine Siskin, 1; White-tasetal geen 68 Tree Sparrow, 7; Field Sparrow, 3; Junco,.s5; Song Sparrow, 28; Swamy 3a Towhee, 1; Cardinal, 30; Myrtle Warbler, 25; Carolina Wren, 1; hatch, 1; Tufted Titmouse, 4; Carolina Chickadee, 7; Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 1; Her- | mit Thrush, 1; Robin, 1. Total, 38 species, 352 individuals—Orro McCreary. — Chesapeake Beach, Md.—Dec. 233 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. Clear; ground covered by about F 2 in. snow; wind northwest; temp. 35°. Horned Grebe, 5; Hering Gull 4; Ring bie Gull, 2; American Merganser, 2; Golden-eye, 3; Buffichead, 13; Surf Scoter, 6; Bob-white, 9; Turkey Vulture, 11; Marsh Hawk, 1; cee 7" Sparrow Hawk, 1; Belted Kingfisher, 1; Downy Woodpecker, 2; Red-bellied Wood-— pecker, 1; Blue Jay, 7; Crow, 87; Starling, 122; Red-winged Blackbird, 2; Meadowlark, 22; 7 Goldfinch, 7; White-throated Sparrow, 10; Tree Sparrow, 3; Field Sparrow, 3; Slate- 4 colored Junco, 4; Song Sparrow, 8; Towhee, 1; Cardinal, 3; Mockingbird, 3; Long- billed Marsh Wren, 1; Brown Creeper, 2; Tufted Titmouse, 3; Carolina Chickadee, 2; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 2. Total, 35 species, 438 individuals.—Joszen Krrraxpor, Jn. Parkersburg, W. Va.—Dec. 26; 1.30 to 4.30 p.m. Cloudy; 3 in. snow in the woods; — wind southwest, light; temp. 40°. Four and one-half miles on foot. Observers together. Hairy Woodpecker, 1; Red-headed Woodpecker, 4; Flicker, 8; Crow, 45; Meadowlark, 15; Bronzed Grackle, 1; Song Sparrow, 8; Cardinal, 7; Carolina Wren, 1; Tufted Titmouse, 1; Chickadee, 11. Total, 11 species, 102 individuals.—Bretna E. Warts, Apa Steruss- son, Watter Donacnno. Charleston, W. Va. (South Side hills and ravines, same territory as covered in the last four years).— Dec. 28; 8.30 A.M. to 1.30 P.M, Heavy clouds, spitting snow and rain throughout the trip; very light south wind; temp. 27° at start, 30° at return. Six or 7 miles on foot. Observers together. Blue Jay, 2; Bluebird, 19; Junco, 120; Carolina Wren, 24; Towhee, 99; White-throated Sparrow, 12; Red-headed Woodpecker, | : (these birds are on the increase winter and summer. Ten years ago a 0) Sparrow Hawk, 2; Cooper's Hawk, 1; Goldfinch, 21; Downy W Woodpecker, 2; Cardinal, 66; Song Sparrow, 22; Field Sparrow, 143 row, 1; Robin, 1; Tufted Titmouse, 28; White-breasted Nuthatch, 4; Blac Chickadee, 11; Crow, 9; Flicker, 5; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 1; Bob-white, 32 covies). Total, 24 species, 527 individuals.—Euts Crawrorp, Mary Betxe Je - re I. H. Jounston, Jon Luiovp. Lewisburg, W. Va.—Dec. 26; 9 am. tos p.m. Cloudy; snow. in Aneie ae temp. 15° at start, 38° at return. Six miles on foot. Turkey Vulture, 11; ailed Hawk, 1; Sparrow Hawk, 1; Screech Owl, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Downy Wo o i Sapsucker, 1; Pileated Woodpecker, 2; Red-bellied Wood- ther ickér, 1; Prairie Horned Lark, 1; Blue Jay, 10; Crow, 25; Star- ime fate hare tn winter); Goldfinch, 22; Tree Sparrow, 270; Slate-colored ; Song Sparrow, 3; Cardinal, 15; Migrant Shrike, 1; Brown Creeper, 1; White- ch, 19; Tufted Titmouse, 13; Black-capped Chickadee, 2; Bluebird, 14. ecies, 734 individuals. On Dec. 25 I was very much surprised to flush a rom a bit of swampy ground near my home. Also on Dec. 27, 1 Pine Sis- unusual bird here, was seen.—Cuas. O. HAnviey. phur Springs, W. Va.—Dec. 25; 10 to 11.45 A.m., 2 to 5 p.m. Clear; ground vered; wind west, light; temp. 20°. Observers together. Sparrow t, 2; Downy Woodpecker, 6; Blue Jay, 4; American Crow, 5; Tree 100; Song Sparrow, 4; Cardinal, 1 pair; Winter Wren, 1; White- itch, 8; Tufted Titmouse, 20; Bluebird, 3. Total, 13 species, 186 indi- and Mes. Stawiey V. LaDow. n, D. C. (Mt. Vernon, Dogue Creek, Gum Springs and Warwick, Va.).— to 5 p.m. Overcast, densely hazy, except last two hours; ground partly jw; no wind; temp. 33° at start, 41° at finish. Six miles on foot. Observers breasted Merganser, 1; Hooded Merganser, 2; Black Duck, 3; Gadwell, 1; 1; Scaup, 3,000; Golden-eye, 2,000; Bob-white, 21; Turkey Vulture, 5; }; Red-tailed Hawk, 1; Red-shouldered Hawk, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 33 wecker, 10; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 1; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 2; ue Jay, 19; Crow, 26; Starling, 14; Meadowlark, 7; Purple Finch, 8; 2; Goldfinch, 11; White-throated Sparrow, 3; Tree Sparrow, 16; Field bo, 150; Song Sparrow, 12; Cardinal, 13; Loggerhead Shrike, 4; Myrtle tingbird, 4; Carolina Wren, 1; Winter Wren, 1; Brown Creeper, 1; 26; Carolina Chickadee, 10; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 1; Ruby- ing et, 2; Robin, 1; Bluebird, 6. Total 42 species, about 5,450 individuals. fing Gull, Fish Crow and White-breasted Nuthatch are common winter resi- seen on Dec. 27, all of which were seen next day.—A.ex. Wermore, if r, W. L. McAree. » Va.—Dec. 25; 12.50 to 5 p.m. Clear; wind west, light; temp. 36° at start, . Seven miles on foot. Woodcock, 1; Killdeer, 12; Turkey Vulture, 80; , 1; Sparrow Hawk, 1; Great Horned Owl, 1; Downy Woodpecker, 3; d Lark, $0; American Crow, 4; Meadow Lark, 12; American Gold- i Junco, 58; Song Sparrow, 11; Fox Sparrow, 1; Cardinal, 2; Mock- i Nuthatch, 4; Tufted Titmouse, 7; Robin, 1; Bluebird, 6. , 276 individuals.—O. C. Brewer. &. C. (Converse Heights to Country Clyb).—Dec. 26; 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. d bare; wind south, fresh; temp. 54° at start, 46° at return. Five miles on 3; Mourning Dove, 7; Turkey Vulture, 8; Sparrow Hawk, 1; Southern : . 3; Red-headed Woodpecker, 2; Flicker, 5; Prairie Horned Lark, 1 light); Blue Jay, 16; American Crow, 6; Red-winged Blackbird, 27 (two flocks); wiark, 11; Purple Finch, 15; American Goldfinch, 15; Vesper Sparrow, 5; Savan- ah Sparro | 5; White-throated Sparrow, 15; Field Sparrow, 13; Slate-colored Junco, $5; ag Sparrow, 17; Fox Sparrow, 1; Towhee, 7; Cardinal, 7; Cedar Waxwing, 6; Myrtle 1 3; Mockingbird, 1; Carolina Wren, 5; Brown Creeper, 2; Tufted Titmouse, 9; Fehictodee 5; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 9; Hermit Thrush, 2; Robin, 70; i bird 45. Total, 34 species, about 545 individuals —Ganamt Cannon, Groner L. yworn, Lewis Barcey. Petersburg, Fla.—Dec. 24; 7 to § A.u., St. Petersburg; 10 a.m. to 12.45 P.M. along of Boca Ceiga Bay; 3 to 4 P.M, St. Petersburg. Slightly cloudy; wind southwest t, light; temp. 65° at start, 73° at return. Three miles on foot, Observers M Bird-Lore together. Loon, 7; Red-throated Loon, 5; Herring Gull, 40; Laughing Gull, 2; Bona- parte’s Gull, 1; Gull-billed Tern, 209; Common Tera, 2 [We believe the Terns have 8 ; wrongly identified; the Royal Tern should be the abundant species : Skimmer, 170; Cormorant, 9; Brown Pelican, 235; Red-breasted Merganser, 8; Gi and Lesser Scaup Duck, 87; Bufflehead Duck, 1; Great White Bonar Heron, 2; Ward's Heron, 6; Louisiana Heron, 25; Little Blue Heron, 15; Black-crowned Night Heron, 1; Limpkin, 1; Dowitcher, 5; Least Sandpiper, 5; Yellowleg, 1; Willet, 107; Spotted Sandpiper, 1; Killdeer, 9; Ground Dove, 1; Black Vulture, 25; Bald Eagle, 12; Florida Sparrow Hawk, 1; Kingfisher, 4; Red-headed Woodpecker, 1; Flicker, 1; Blue Jay, 9; Florida Crow, 79; Meadowlark, 15; Florida Grackle, 47; Boat-tailed Grackle, 6; Cardinal, 1; Loggerhead Shrike, 9; Myrtle Warbler, 6; Palm and Yellow Palm Warb- lers, 20; Mockingbird, 16. Total, 45 species, 1,206 individuals. We tried more for different species than for great numbers, so did not consider rafts of ducks on Tampa Bay, nor did we reckon husdreds of shore birds, coun bet not IentinEd aaa unees Ceiga Bay.—Ciarence D., Exxxst H., and Lucy E. Farrar. Dotrelt, Mich. (Belle Isle, Grosse Isle and River frent)—Dec. 160 Aas nde Cloudy; trace of snow; wind southwest, light; temp. 29° to 31°. Herring Gull, 51; Ring- billed Gull, 10; American Merganser, 7; Red-breasted Merganser, 5; Lesser Scaup, 7; Golden-eye, 4; Bob-white, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 3; Downy Woodpecker, 10; Red- headed Woodpecker, 19; Crow, 12; Blue Jay, 8; Pine Grosbeak, 1; Tree Sparrow, 10; Slate-colored Junco, 3; Cardinal, 2; Chickadee, 12; Brown Creeper, 4; White-breasted Nuthatch, 25. Total, 19 species, 192 individuals. About 40 Ret are wintering on Belle Isle.—Erta S. Wirson. Detroit, Mich.—Dec. 25; 8 to 11.30 A.M., castere suberke, cook Mann woodland and coppice—8 miles on foot; 2.30 to 4.40 P.m., Belle Isle Park. Partly cloudy; light snow; wind southwest, light; temp. 26°. Herring Gull, 27; Ducks (Scaup_ sp.), 11; Sparrow Hawk, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 5; Downy Woodpecker, 2; Red-headed Woodpecker, 1; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 1; Blue Jay, 2; Crow, 21; Redpoll, 11; Vesper Sparrow, 6; Junco, 12; Song Sparrow, 4; Brown Creeper, t; White-breasted Nuthatch, 143 Chickadee, 18. Total, 16 species, 137 individuals.—-Ratrn Beene. Ann Arbor, Mich.—Dec. 26; 8.30 A.t. to 12.30 p.m. Cloudy; 1 in. snow; wind west, light; temp. 35° to 38°. Observers together. Red-tailed Hawk, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Downy Woodpecker, 9; Blue Jay, 17; Purple Finch, 2; Tree Sparrow, 207; Junco, 34: Chewink, 1; Cardinal, 4; White-breasted Nuthatch, 4; Chickadee, 16. Total, x2 species, about 297 individuals.—Josse_yn and Craupe Van Tyne. Camden, Mich.—Dec. 26; 10.30 A.M. to 12 M., 2.45 to 5 P.M. Cloudy; giound partly covered with snow; wind west, strong; temp. 30° to 38°. Seven miles on foot, wooded hills and open fields, about 2 miles of river banks. Observers together. Red-tailed — Hawk, 1; Barred Owl, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Downy Woodpecker, 5; Flicker, 1; Blue Jay, 4; Tree Sparrow, 75; Junco, 16; Song Sparrow, 7; Cardinal, 5 males, 3 females; Catbird, 1 (observed with a three-power glass at 20 feet); White-breasted Nuthatch, 6; Black-capped Chickadee, 4. Total, 13 species, 131 individuals Ray E., Wituss C., Watree J. Reaper. Wausau, Wis.—Dec. 24; 9 A.M, to 1 p.m. Clear; 14 in. snow; calm; temp. 10° at start, yo" at return. Seven miles on foot. Observers together. Northern Downy Wood- pecker, 1; Blue Jay, 2; Evening Grosbeak, 25; Snow Bunting, 20; Cedar Waxwing, 13; _ Curves Chickadee, 6. Total, 6 species, about 67 individuals—H. W. Scmaans, Sreeack, Westxy Guewrure. Madison, Wis. (and vicinity).— Dec. 26; 9 A.m. to 5 PM. Clear; 5 tn. snaepeaneel: west, 12 miles per hour; temp. 31° to 37°. Twelve miles on foot. Observers together. — Hairy Woodpecker, 3; Downy Woodpecker, 3; Blue Jay, 17; Crow, 6; Red Crossbill, 1; White-winged Crossbill, 40; Redpoll, 2; Goldfinch, 5; Tree Sparrow, 20; Slate-colored Tae Sa 1; Brown Creeper, 2; White-breasted Nuthatch, 7; Chickadee, 46; ge Total, 15 species, about ros individuals.—Crara and dis ia, weeds, Sido and marshes efjelaing Lake Wingara).—Dec. 25; M. ¥ 15 v.m. Cloudy; hoar-frost on trees, 10 in. snow; thick ice on lake; wind, emp. 27° to 30°. Ten miles on foot. Bob-white, 15; Barred Owl, 2; Hairy 4; Downy Woodpecker, 4; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 1; Blue Jay, 28; Pr ch, 21; Tree Sparrow, 125; Bohemian Waxwing, 19; Brown Creeper, 2; sted Nethsich, 10; Chickadee, 37. Total, 13 species, 272 individuals.— Wis.—Dec. 22; 8.30 a.m. to 3 pw. Cloudy; 10 in. snow; wind southwest, * at start, 36° at return. Seven miles on foot along tree and shrub bor- roads. Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Downy Woodpecker, 1; Blue Jay, 15; Sparrow, 3; Northern Shrike, 1; Brown Creeper, 1; White-breasted Nut- 18. Total, 9 species, 52 individuals.—Suste L. Smons. le Wis. (near Elkhorn).— Dec. 26; 9.40 to 11.45 A.M, 1.45 to 3.30 P.M. snow; wind west, brisk; temp. 33° at start, 36° at finish. Observers together. ; Crow, 32; Red-winged Blackbird, 3; Redpoll, 29; Slate-colored Junco, 1; sted Nuthatch, 3; Chickadee, 1. Total, 7 species, 69 individuals—Lvuta ext G. Dunpar, Jr. s, Minn. (Interlachen to Minnehaha Falls).—Dec. 26; 9.30 A.M. to 4.30 8 in. snow; wind west, 28 miles per hour; temp. 30° to 34°. Eight miles on ver sarge Golden-cye, 1 (in open water on Mississippi); Downy Wood- led-bellied Woodpecker, 1 (adult male); Blue Jay, 11; Tree Sparrow, 3; t Nuthatch, 15; Black-capped Chickadee, 11. Total, 7 species, 46 indi- i-bellied Woodpecker, an exceptional record for this locality, was studied th binoculars.—Burton Tuaver, Cuartes Purturs. Minn.—Dec. 27; 8 A.w. to 12 uw. Cloudy; 7 in. snow; temp. 25°. About | foot along the cast bank of the Mississippi River. Hairy Woodpecker, 3; dipecker, 4; Blue Jay, 8; Purple Finch, 6; Redpoll, 18; Tree Sparrow, 4; ed Junco, 15; Brown Creeper, 1; White-breasted Nuthatch, 10; Black-capped dee, : Robin, 1. Total, 11 species, 77 individuals. Robins are very rare here in ; this bird bas been here all winter, feeding mostly on berries. Large flocks of ian n Waxwings have been in this vicinity for about a month, but none were seen Ohio (Mill Creek Park, Valley above park and country below Poland). —_ © A.M, to 4.30 P.M. Partly cloudy; 6 in. snow; wind west, light; temp. 17° , 22° at return. About 15 miles on foot. Observers separate some of the time. uit * (4 coveys); Ruffled Grouse, 1; Marsh Hawk, 1; Red-shouldered Hawk, 1; ed Hawk, 5; Sparrow Hawk, 2; Hairy Woodpecker, 8; Downy Woodpecker, 51; d- hes Woodpecker, 2; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 3; Flicker, 1; Blue Jay, 32; row, 1; Meadowlark, 7; Purple Finch, 1; Red Crossbill, 20; White-winged Crossbill, 11; , 12; Goldfinch, 5; Pine Siskin, at least 500; Tree Sparrow, 308; Slate-colored 14; Song Sparrow, 10; Cardinal, 20; Brown Creeper, 1; White-breasted Nut- 55; Red-breasted Nuthatch, 6; Tufted Titmouse, 65; Chickadee, 89; Golden- mi Kinglet, 7. Total, yo species, about 1,295 individuals, The Rough-legged , Redpolls, Crossbills and Pine Siskins are uncommon winter visitors. —Groacr myer, C. A. Lexepy, Wituis H. Waewee, Evan C. Dexeset, H. W. Wetscrnnne, ait Ohio.—Dec. 25; out 4 hours. Fair, cloudy; wind west, fresh; temp. "ag" to 28". Eight-mile walk. Merganser, 5; Golden-eye, 5; Sparrow Hawk, 1; Barred Ow I, 2; Kingfisher, 1; Northern Hairy Woodpecker, 1; Downy Woodpecker, 4; Red- eee, 1; Flicker, 1; Blue Jay, 6; Bronzed Grackle, 2; Tree Sparrow, 5 36 Bird «eee Song Sparrow, 2; Cardinal, 7; Brown Creeper, +5 Webcbeessted Mothatal Titmouse, 4; Chickadee, 5. Total, 18 species, 56 individuals. Hooded Mergan Horned Owl, Crows, Goldfinch, and Juncos also seen within the Census | ‘ E. A. Doourrrie. . Oberlin, Ohio. — Dec. 275 9.30 A.M. to 1.30 P.M. Cloudy; ground coveesiiailiiaies wind southwest, sharp; temp. 32° atstart, st° at return. Right alk <0 See Brown Creeper, 1; White-breasted uthateh, 4 Chickadee, 53 individuals.—Hxtex M. Rice. , Akron, Ohio (Northwest, 6 miles and return).—Dec. eau toagera, Fay clear; wind southwest, very slight; temp. 11° rising to 38°. Downy Woodpe Blue Jay, 2; Tree Sparrow, 25; Song Sparrow, 2; Junco, 10; Cardinal, 3; Brown Cre White-breasted Nuthatch, 4; Chickadee, 7. Total, 9 species, 59 Writs. forenoon. Merganser, 58; Golden-eye, 12; Bob-white, 8; Bald Eagle, 5; Sparrow Hawk, 1; Downy Woodpecker, 7; Red-headed Woodpecker, 13; Northern Flicker, 2; Blue Jay, 8; Crow, 2; Tree Sparrow, 60; Juncos, 1; Song Sparrow, 5; Cardinal, 8; Tufted Titmouse, 2; Chickadee, 4. Total, 16 species, n96 individuale.— Ma. ond Mas. ee W. E. Szonniser. Canton, Ohio.—Dec. 22} 9 AM. to § P.M. Cloudy ia the mornings with snow; wind, light; temp. 25° to 40°. Twelve miles on foot. Observers together. Bob-white, 12 (one covey); Belted Kingfisher, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Downy Wood- pecker, 10; Blue Jay, 2; Goldfinch, 4: Tees Geaaee, 100; Song Sparrow, 25; Cardinal, 12; Cedar Waxwing, 13; White-breasted Nuthatch, 6; Chickadee, 8; Robin, 1. Total, 13 species, 196 individuals.—-May S. Danner, Mary Kixo. Canton, Ohio.—Dec. 25; 7.30 A.M. to 4 P.M. Cloudy till 12.30 raat, clear thereafter; ground slightly snow-covered; wind southwest, light; temp. 20° at start, 24° at return. Ten miles on foot. Bob-white, 20 (two coveys); Red-shouldered Hawk, 2; Belted King- fisher, 2; Hairy Woodpecker, 1; Downy Woodpecker, 4; Blue Jay, 2; Crow, 1; Gold- finch, 1; Tree Sparrow, 170; Slate-colored Junco, 30; Song Sparrow, m0; Canina 5; Brown Creeper, 3; White-breasted Nuthatch, 7; Tufted Titmouse, te Chickadee, 2. Total, 16 species, 290 individuals. —-Epwargp D. Kiwes. Cadiz, Ohio.—Dec. 25; 9.30 A.M. to 1.30 P.M. Cloudy to part cloudy; 4 im. snow; wind west, light; temp. 18° at start, 24° on return. Eight miles in the woods and fields — south of Cadiz. Observers together. Bob-white, 6, and tracks; Cooper's Hawk (?) 1; — Red-tailed Hawk, 1; Sparrow Hawk, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 1; Downy Woodpecker, 4; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 4; Northern Flicker, 6; Blue Jay, 3; Crow, 5; Meadowlark, 8; Tree Sparrow, 90; Junco, 45; Song Sparrow, 16; Cardinal, 3; White-breasted Nuthatch, 3; _ Tufted Titmouse, 6; Chickadee, 5. Total, 18 species, 208 individuals. —H. B.McConwett. — Hamilton, Ohio.— Dec. 25; 9.30 A.M. to 1.30 Pw. Clear; 3 in. snow; wind southeast, light; temp. 12° at start, 30° at return. Nine miles on foot through fields and swamps — along river. Observers together. Sparrow Hawk, 4; Kingfisher, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 4; Downy Woodpecker, 5; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 3; American Crow, 41; Tree Spar- row, 98; Junco, 20; Song Sparrow, 16; Swamp Sparrow, 121; Towhee, 1; Cardinal, 18; Tufted Titmouse, 16; Chickadee, 91. Total, 14 species, 440 individuals —FRaxe and } Wiiuam Hargpacm. Xenia, Ohio (Beaver Creek to Alpha, Little Miami River to Trebeins).—Dec. 25; ; 8 A.M. to 1.20 P.M., 3 tO 4.30 P.M. Clear; 1 in. snow; wind northwest to southeast, light; temp. 4° at start, 23° at return. Seven miles on foot. washes 4, tusay ; necked Pheasant, 6; Mourning Dove, 16; Belted Kingfisher, 2; Hairy Woodpecker, 2; ; Huron, Ohio.—Dec. 28; 9 A.M. to 5 p.m. Partly cloudy; pound aaehniid north, fresh; temp. 22° at start. Observers together in afternoon, H. G. Morse alone in a Bird-Lore’s Twentieth Christmas Census 37 Vo er, 7; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 3; Flicker, 1; Blue Jay, 6; Crow, 20; ch, 15 parrow, 68; Song Sparrow, 29; Cardinal, 12; White-breasted Nut- (Tu Gi -ticsnoese, 16: Chickadee, 18; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 1; Robin, 2. speci es, 240 individuals. —Heten ANKENEY. ay Ind.—Dec. 21; 7.30 At. to 1 P.t. Fair; wind northeast, light; temp. ft, 0° on return. Ten miles of river-bank and vicinity. Bob-white, 21; Mourn- ¥e, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 4; Downy Woodpecker, 17; Flicker, 2; Blue Jay, 29; ‘Crow, 24; Goldfinch, 4; Pine Siskin, 2; Tree Sparrow, 379; ‘Song Sparrow, 14; Cardinal, 26; Brown Creeper, 2; White-breasted Nut- Tu Titmouse, 6; Black-capped Chickadee, 39. Total, 17 species, 651 in- Nov. 2 Wm. Sibler observed 15 White-winged Crossbills—Cuas. A. ne . A. Riwowatr, A. K. Ment, Henry W. Serrex, Wa. Sruzer. nd. De B00) 7 Au. to 3.90 PX. Cloudy; 3 in. snow on ground, white rime ee con ; freezing temperatures morning and evening, slightly rat mid- Merting Gull, 33; Amecican Merganser, 9} Hairy Woodpecker, 2; | Woodpeck ar, 1; Blue Jay, 2; Crow, 10; Tree Sparrow, 169; Junco, 26; Black- | Chick: 17; Robin, 1. Total, ro species, 263 individuals.—W. A. Squires. tanapolis Ind. (to territory about 10 miles from city).—Dec. 23; 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. y; light snow on ground; no wind; temp. 28°. Covering 15 miles of ‘hiking’ on have been encouraged, and observation of a winter feeding station. . Sparrow Hawk, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Downy Woodpecker, 4; ipecker, 2; Blue tay, 1; Crow, 59; Tree Sparrow, 6; Slate-colored r ig Sparrow, 3; Cardinal, 8; Tufted Titmouse, 5; Black-capped Chickadee, Species, 128 individuals—Miss Euizasera Downnovur, Mrs. Ceci Cmartorre Bacuman, Miss Marcaret Dersxut, W. T. Darker, ws III. gg 25; 9 A.M. to 2 p.m. Clear; ground bare; wind southwest, light; ree es om Soot. Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Downy Woodpecker, 8; tcker, 4; Flicker, 3; Prairie Horned Lark, 9; Blue Jay, 4; American ' inch, 1; Tree Sparrow, 36; Song Sparrow, 7; Cardinal, 3; White-breasted h, $; Tufted Titmouse, 10; Black-capped Chickadee, 18. Total, 14 species, ot Wasp J. Rice. cago, Dec. 24; 7.30 A.M. to 2.30 p.u. Cleared up about noon; about an inch w; wind, cold. Along the Desplaines River from Oak Park to Park Ridge, then t to le Alone. Herring Gull, 1; Ring-billed Gull, 4: Mourning Dove, 4; Hairy podpecker, 1; Downy Woodpecker, 10; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 2; Blue Jay, 6; — ran C , 47; Evening Grosbeak, 2; Tree Sparrow, 6; Slate-colored Junco, 1; White-breasted Nuthatch, 1; Black-capped Chickadee, 3. Total, 14 species, Dec. 27, Belted Kingfisher, 2.—Garzpner Bares. T.—Dec., 26; 9-45 A.M. to 4.15 p.m. Clear; about 6 in. snow; wind south- i ; temp. 56° at start, 37° at return. About 14 miles on foot. Observers to- i Merring Gull, 200+; American Merganser, 25; Red-breasted Merganser, 5; ican Golden-eye, 12; Old Squaw, 2; Canada Goose, 106; Hairy Woodpecker, 1; Woodpecker, 3; Blue Jay, 8; Crow, 15; Red Crossbill, 2; Tree Sparrow, 52 4 Junco, 7; Bohemian Waxwing, 1; Brown Creeper, 1; Chickadee, 2. Total, Species, about 420 individuals. The Bohemian Waxwing was identified by its large band the white markings on the wings —Parxee Briar, Sternen S. Ganoory, Je. fan Rock Island Co., Ill.—Dec. 28; 8.50 to 10.90 A.M., £2.05 to 3.15 P.M. ly in forenoon, clear in afternoon; 2 in. snow; wind north, light; temp. 20° at start, “at return. Bob-white, 35 (two covies); Screech Owl, 1; Great Horned Owl, 2; ty Woodpecker, 4; Downy Woodpecker, 15; Red-headed Woodpecker, 2; Red-bellied tcker, 5; Northern Flicker, 5; Blue Jay, 10; American Crow, 14; Goldfinch, 12; is sags 38 Bird - Lore Tree Sparrow, 15; Slate-colored Junco, 25; Cardinal, 3; Brown Creeper, 5; W ite. breasted Nuthatch, 5; Tufted Titmouse, 1; Black-capped Chickadee, 25. Total, about 178 individuals. Heard « Lapland Lonyspur call, hile Sying ome ta J. J. Scmarns. i Rantoul, Iil—Dec. 24; 8a... to4 pt. Light clouds; ground bere; wines temp. 22°. Four miles on foot through woods, by vehicle to and from woods, Observers together. Cooper's Hawk, 1; Red-tailed Hawk, 5; Red-shouldered Hawk, 2; Broad- winged Hawk, 1; American Rough-legged Hawk, 20; Srcdiggaen so 1; Screech Owl, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 18; Downy Woodpecker, 56; Flicker, 3; Yalow ae Prairie Horned Lark, ts; Blue Jay, 9; American Crow, about 300; American Gold- finch, 16; Vesper Sparrow, 1; White-throated Sparrow, 2; Tree Sparrow, about 600; Junco, about yoo; Song Sparrow, 7; Swamp Sparrow, 1; Cardinal, 37; Brown Creeper, 20; White-breasted Nuthatch, 12; Red-breasted Nuthatch, 4; Tufted Titmouse, about 500; Chickadee, 3; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 1. Total, 28 species, about 1,900 individuals. Prairie Hen, Species wintering in this vicinity but not seen on this date: Bob-white, Lapland Longspur, and Snow Bunting, seen at frequent intervals. Wilson Snipe, Dec. 23; Mourning Dove, Dec. 18; Sparrow Hawk and Pine Siskin, Dec. 21; Brown Thrasher and Rusty Blackbird, Dec. 10; Robin, Dec. 19. These dates are the latest observa- tiens of the birds named, although they have Soon soon Crcquently Saee ee Grorcr, and Eppre Exataw. Albion, Ill. —Dec. 26; 1.30 to 5.30 P.M. Cloudy; ground bare; wind sits MAaIaE 44° to 36°. Nine miles on foot. Bob-white, 13; Dove, 5; Barred Owl, 1; Hairy Wood- pecker, 3; Downy Woodpecker, 15; Red-headed Woodpecker, 1; Red-bellied Wood- pecker, 8; Blue’ Jay, 3; Crow, 15; Goldfinch, 10; White-crowned Sparrow, 25; Tree Sparrow, 300; Slate-colored Junco, 50; Song Sparrow, 30; Cardinal, 8; Tufted Tit- mouse, 12; Carolina Chickadee, 9. Total, 17 species, about 508 individuals. Two Mock- ingbirds were seen Dec. 19.-——Joux H. Goocn. t Emmetsburg, lowa.—Dec. 24; 8 a.t. to 1 pw. Clear until 10.30 A.tt., then cloudy; 10 in. snow that fell first of month, melted down to 6 in., rendering walking difficult; wind northeast until 10.30 a.m., then southeast; temp. 17° at start, 24° at end. During the first three weeks of December the thermometer has registered below zero on thirteen mornings; on cight of those mornings, from 11° to 22° below. Ring-necked Pheasant, 1 (female); Hairy Woodpecker, 8; Downy Woodpecker, 3; Flicker, 1; Blue Jay, 3; Crow, 47; Lapland Longspur, 30; Tree Sparrow, 3; White-breasted Nuthatch, 6; Chickadee, 11. Total, to species, 113 individuals.—LeRoy Titus Weeks. lowa City, Iowa (2 miles south, then back; then 1 mile north and x94 miles went of town).—Dec. 26; 8 a.m. to 2 pw. Partly cloudy at start, cleared at 10.30 A.M; 4 in. snow; wind northwest, light; temp. 24° at start, 40° on return. Eight miles on foot. Observers together. Bob-white, 15 (one covey); Sparrow Hawk, 1 (studied at 20 yards with five-X glasses); Barred Owl, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 1; Downy Woodpecker, 16; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 3; Northern Flicker, 1; Blue ley, 26; American Crow, 8; Goldfinch, 40 (two flocks); Tree Sparrow, 2; Slate-colored Junco, 9; Towhee, 1 (male; studied at distance of 15 feet); Cardinal, 13; Brown Creeper, 5; White-breasted Nut- hatch, 18; Tufted Titmouse, 2; Black-capped Chickadee, 40. Total, 18 species, 108 individuals. —Dayron and Litusan C. Stoner. Sioux City, lowa (Ravines north of North Riverside, 6 miles from city).—Dec. 23; 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. Clear; ground covered with snow 6 to 14 in.; no wind; temp. 31° to 38°. Observers together. Six to 8 miles afoot. Hairy Woodpecker, 1; Downy Woodpecker, 2; Flicker, 2; Blue Jay, 1; American Crow, 7; Goldfinch, 6; Tree Sparrow, 17; Slate-colored Junco, 13; Towhee, 1; Cardinal, 10; Bohemian Waxwing, 1; Brown Creeper, 2; White- breasted Nuthatch, 2; Red-breasted Nuthatch, 2; Chickadee, 34. Total, 15 species, 102 individuals. This is an actual count but we estimated at least thirty more Chick- eo | a a | 39 ai ioe ou icin acti 21, having been seen for ! days previously. Red Crossbills have been frequently seen this winter, ¢ Bohemian Waxwings was seen north of the city on Dec. 19. So many t any Cedar Waxwings is very unusual here-—Muiss Jutta Ross, mile KD 25; 7 A.M. to 4 P.M. Clear; wind slight; temp. 18° at start, eres maees on Sect. Killdeer, 3; Turkey Vulture, 1; Red-shouldered Br peeeend Howk (?), 1; Belted Kingfisher, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 1; ecker, 9; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 1; Flicker, 2; Blue Jay, 28; American on owlark, 8; Purple Grackle, 25; White-throated Sparrow, 21; Tree ‘ield Sparrow, 2; Slate-colored Junco, 116; Song Sparrow, 43; Cardinal, 36; 1; Carolina Wren, 1; Brown Creeper, 4; White-breasted Nuthatch, 11; 37; Black-capped Chickadee, 32; Bluebird, 3. Total, 26 species, —Burr L. Monroe. Ky. (Glen Lilly, Jennings Creek, Pea Ridge, and along Barren 22; 8.30 A.M. to4 p.m. Very heavy fog lasting all day; ground bare; temp. jout 10 miles on foot. Killdeer, 7; Mourning Dove, 27; Marsh Hawk, 1; . t; Belted Kingfisher, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 1; Southern Downy Wood- ated Woodpecker, 2; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 7; Flicker, 1 (rarer than , Horned Lark, 29; Blue Jay, 13> American Crow, 250; Meadowlark, 30; 14; American Goldfinch, 2; White-crowned Sparrow, 12; White-throated re Sparrow, 16; Chipping Sparrow, 3; Slate-colored Junco, 250; Song owhee, 4 (unusually scarce this winter); Cardinal, 50; Cedar Waxwing, 5; r, 3 (rare this winter); Mockingbird, 10; Bewick Wren, 1; Brown Creeper, 4; Titmouse, 25; Carolina Chickadee, 50; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 8 (I made this real at object of my trip because it has been so scarce since the winter of 1917-18); . Total, 33 Species, 897 individuals —Gorpon Wison |, Mo.—Dec. 24; 8 A.m. to 12.30 P.M. Cloudy; ground bare, with a little }; wind fairly strong and from northeast; temp. 32° to 25°. Observers ou t 20 miles covered. Bob-white, 5; Mourning Dove, 2; Screech Owl, 1; ey t, 7; Downy Weedpecker, 25; Yellow-heltied Sapsucker, 1 (the identhy 14; Purple Finch, 1; Goldfinch, 25; Wihadiaasad Sparrow, 1; vais ail 375; red F Yunco, 750; Song Sparrow, so; Cardinal, 89; Carolina Wren, 4; Winter Br Creeper, 4; White-breasted Nuthatch, 9; Tufted Titmouse, 24; Chick- : Total, 24 species, 1,589 individuals.—J. Crarx Sawyer, E. Gorpon anaes City, Mo. De 21; 7.30 A.M. to 4.30 P.M. Heavy fog and mist all day; 24 hard, and covered with old ice and snow in sheltered places; wind south, ernoon; temp. 28° to 30°. Missouri River and Big Eddy region, Missouri sand bluffs near Courtney, upper Brush Creek Valley, Country Club district ow Park neighborhood, Mount Washington Cemetery, Mill Creek region of Independence, Forest Hill Cemetery, upper Blue Valley near Dodson. Ob- fm were paired in the different regions, and were in the field from 5 to 9 hours. = (identification entirely satisfactory); Merganser, 3; Black Duck, 2; Marsh mith Cooper's Hawk, 1; Barred Owl, 1; Screech Owl, 2; Great Horned Owl, 1; Lingfi 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 27; Downy Woodpecker, 69; Red-headed Wood- ver, 1; ‘Red-bellied Woodpecker, 26; Northern Flicker, 14; Blue Jay, 96; Crow, 65; ‘winged Blackbird (subspecies ?), 15; Purple Finch, 7; Crossbill, 21; Goldfinch, 55; ‘Siskin, 4; Lapland Longspur, small flock in the air (identification not entirely ); Harris's Sparrow, 15; White-crowned Sparrow, 2; Tree Sparrow, 485 (est.); d Junco, 710 (est.); Song Sparrow, 15; Lincoln's Sparrow, 1; Swamp Spar- 40 Bird - Lore row, 2; Fox Sparrow, 3; Cardinal, 129; Cedar Waxwing, 5; Mockiaghied Caroll Wren, 27; Brown Creeper, 19; White-breasted Nuthatch, 11; Tufted Titmouse, Chickadee, 194; Robin, 14; Bluebird, 2. Total, 40 species, about 2,046 individuals. — B. F. Bour, Miss Jexwre Cuewents, Watrer Conwninonam, Mas. T. F. Exouisi Wa. C. Micnaris, Expow Micuats, Miss Exta Proctor, Miss Magy Ropiwson, Mas. T. C. Suxewoon, A. E. Sureuiwc, Cuas. W. Treats end Sox, Rox C. Woop- wortn, Hazzy Harais. Marioaville, Mo.—Dec. 27; 1.g0 P.M. to sunset. Cloudy; ground bare; iad aun west, strong; temp. 35° and upward. Twenty-five to 30 miles in car, with foot trips about ¢ miles more. Bob-white, 25; Sparrow Hawk, 1; Cooper's Hawk, 2; Screech Owl, 1; Great Horned Owl, 1; Downy Woodpecker, 2; Kingfisher, 3 Horned Lark, 50; Blue Jay, 14; Crow, 10,000 or over; American Goldfinch, 60; Harris's Dec. 27; 9 A.M. to 4 P.w. Clear; ground bare; no wind; temp. 32° to 46°. Twelve miles on foot. Redhead Duck, 2; Lesser Scaup Duck, 25; Ruddy Duck, 9; Killdeer, 16; Bob-white, 8; Mourning Dove, 6; Black Vulture, 7; Cooper's Hawk, 1; Red-tailed Hawk, 4; Sparrow Hawk, 6; Barred Owl, 1; Great Horned Owl, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 4; Downy Woodpecker, 8; Pileated Woodpecker, 2; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 7; Yellow- bellied Sapsucker, 5; Flicker, 60; Prairie Horned Lark, 25 (one flock); Blue Jay, 8; Crow, 5 (flying to large roost 25 miles cast); Cowbird, 3,000 (roosting in cometery in magnolia and coniferous trees with Grackles and Robins); Bronzed Grackle, 12,000 (at roost, see Cowbird note); Meadowlark, 11; Purple Finch, 5; Goldfinch, 12; White- throated Sparrow, 70; Field Sparrow, 140; Song Sparrow, 90; Fox Sparrow, 2; Slate- colored Junco, 140; Towhee, 22; Cardinal, 65; Cedar Waxwing, 1; Myrtle Warbler, 40; Mockingbird, 32; Carolina Wren, 5; Winter Wren, 1; Bewick’s Wren, 1; White-breasted Nuthatch, 12; Tufted Titmouse, 7; Carolina Chickadee, 28; Hermit Thrush, 4; Robin, 8,000 (roosting, see Cowbird note); Bluebird, 17. Total, 45 species, about 23,800 in- dividuals.—-Gro. R. Mayrrecp, A. C. Wenn, H. 5S. and Wu. Vavonn, A. F. Gantzn (two parties). Anniston, Ala.—-Dec. 25; 8 a.m. to 12 M., east portion of city and adjacent territory, on foot—about 5 miles; 2 to 5 P.M., Oxford Lake and Chocoloco Creek, 5 miles south of Anniston, over circuitous route. Clear; ground bare, except a copious hoarfrost till © sun was well up; wind northwest, light; temp. 22° at start, 42° at finish, 35° mean for — the day, being 8° below the normal. Killdeer, 6; Mourning Dove, 20; Belted King- fisher, 1; Southern Downy Woodpecker, 1; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 2; Red-headed Woodpecker, 5; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 2; Flicker, 6; Blue Jay, 36; Meadowlark, 50; Goldfinch, 4; White-throated Sparrow, 20; Field Sparrow, 85; Slate-colored Junco, 81; Song Sparrow, 16; Towhee, 27; Cardinal, 5; Myrtle Warbler, 9; Pipit, 51; Mocking- bird, 6; Brown Thrasher, 1; Carolina Wren, 2; Brown Creeper, 2; Tufted Titmouse, 6; Carolina Chickadee, 7; Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 1; Robin, 1; Bluebird, 43 (in one flock 28 were counted). Total, 28 species, 496 individuals.—R. H. Dean. Charison, N. D.—Dec. 25; 10.45 A.M. to 5 P.M. Cloudy, ground snow-covered on prairie; hills more or less bare; wind southeast, light; temp. 27°. Prairie Sharp-tailed Grouse, 42; Rough-legged Hawk, 1; Horned Lark, 1; Magpie, 7; Redpoll, 42; Snow Bunting, 7; Bohemian Waxwing, 12; ‘Long-tailed Chickadee, 2. Total, 8 species, 114 in- : dividuals. Saw the Hairy Woodpecker on Dec. 15.—Apaian Laxson. s Yankton, S. D.—Dec. 26; 10.30 A.M. to 5.30 Pw. Clear; ground bare is places, but mostly covered with 3 to 4 or more in. of snow; wind northwest, medium; temp. 40°. Distance covered, 7 miles. Observers together. Ring-necked Pheasant, 1; Hairy Wood- z 3 md Sect * | wny Woodpecker, 9; Flicker, 5; Blue Jay, 3; American Crow, 14; Red 6; Goldfinch, 1; Tree Sparrow, 6; Slate-colored Junco, 35; Car- nt Waxwing, so; Brown Creeper, 4; White-breasted Nuthatch, 4; a ckadee, 75; Robin, 25 (‘whisper song’ heard twice). Total, 17 species, Ay eveclgaiag Reported as unusually common this winter. ) A. P. Larnasee. )—Dec. 22; 1.30 to 6 p.u. Snow on the ground, melting; temp. 35° to ante il tithes Westpechae, a; Downy Woodsochar s; Northern Flicker, 2; ; tk, 2; Blue Jay, 3; Crow, 12; Red Crossbill, 6; White-winged Cross- Idfinch, 3; Tree Sparrow, tt; Slate-colored Junco, 6; White-breasted Nut- ‘Creeper, 4; Chickadee, 10. Total, 15 species, 108 individuals. Up to nian Waxwings were in the cemetery, often 75 to 100 in a flock; ‘ and numerous Golden-crowned Kinglets—Luy Rvuzco §.—Dec. 22; 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 Pw. Cloudy; snow in patches; wind temp. about 32°. Fifteen miles on foot. Duck (unidentified flock), s; covey); Mourning Dove, 1; Red-shouldered Hawk, 1; Hawk (an- ry Woodpecker, 5; Downy Woodpecker, 8; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 3; Jay, 5; American Crow, 12; American Goldfinch, 1; Tree Sparrow, pred Junco, about 85; Song Sparrow, 3; Cardinal, 35; Mockingbird, 1; er, 2; White-breasted Nuthatch, 2; Tufted Titmouse, 13; Chickadee, 41; 22 species, about 322 individuals (fewer than usual for this terri- Stile week: Marsh Hawk, Prairie Horned Lark, Northern (?) Shrike, ie, 22; 8.10 A.M. to $.30 p.m. Damp and cloudy; few patches of light; temp. 29° to 32°. Fourteen miles, wooded creek and prairie. + most of time. Marsh Hawk, 2; Cooper's Hawk, 2; Western Red- ns Hawk, 1; Sparrow Hawk, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Downy Wood- 1 Sapsucker, 1; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 11; Northern Flicker, 8; fink, 6; Blue Jay, 6; Crow, 32; Crossbill, 35; Goldfinch, 1; Pine - (at least one of which was a Chestnut-collared), 27; Tree Spar- 28; Song Sparrow, 4; Cardinal, 23; Brown Creeper, 8; White-breasted 4; Red-breasted Nuthatch, 1; Tufted Titmouse, 13; Chickadee, 57; Robin, 50; Te 28 species, 405 individuals. Seen recently in same territory: Dec. 18, eadow! 13; Cedar Waxwing, 30; Harris's Sparrow, 1; Dec. 19, Carolina Wren, 1; Wi ter Wren , 2-—Horace Gunruorr, Sioxey Hype. saacpebbap , Okla. (Polecat Creek Bottom).—Dec. 22; 9 a.m. to 5.30 Pp. Cloudy; ad bare o oe north, light; temp. slightly above freezing. Bob-white, 15; OU; d Hawk, 3; Hairy Woodpecker, 4; Doway Woodpecker, 1; Red- wdpecker, 1; Northern Flicker, 1; Blue Jay, 1; American Crow, 1; Harris ; p80; Field Sparrow, 1; Slate-colored Junco, 150; Swamp Sparrow, 2; Cardinal, 10; Y 4; Hermit Thrush, 1; Robin, 22; Bluebird, 2. Total, 17 species, about s4c mopor RK. Bragp. Okla.— Dec. 24; 8.30 A.. to 12.590 P.u., 2 to 5.30 Pw. Cloudy; ground bare; i, moderate; temp. 34° in A.u., and 36° in r.u. Eleven miles on foot, Observers ti (Canada Goose, 29; Bob-white, 9 (one covey); Mourning Dove, 5; Marsh j + seeagelboe Hawk, 1; Screech Owl, 1; Hairy Woodpecker, 5; Southern | Woodpecker, 19; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 1; Northern Flicker, 25; Red-shafted f, 1; Prairie Horned Lark, 7; Blue Jay, 2; Crow, 21; Red-winged Blackbird, 600; m Meadowlark, 6; American Goldfinch, 21; Harris Sparrow, 82; Tree Sparrow, 5; Sparrow, 5; Junco, 28; Song Sparrow, 20; Towhee, 1; Cardinal, 95; Carolina bad Bewick’s Wren, 2; Brown Creeper, 2; Tufted Titmouse, 2; Carolina Chickadee, 2 Bird - Lore $4; Robin, 5; Bluebird, yo. Total, 51 species, 1,005 individuals. Log Mockingbird seen on Dec, 25.—Mancarer M. and L. B. Nice. Eastend, Saskatchewan, Canada (Valley of the Frenchman Riv @.J0 A.M. to 5.50 Pm. Overcast; little snow left, except in drifts; wind (Chinook), strong; temp. 36° at start, 40° at finish. About 15 miles on fo tailed Grouse, 1; Magpie, 8; Redpoll, 20; Snow Bunting, 15; Lapland Lor Bohemian Waxwing, 9; Chickadee, 6. Total, 7 species, 60 - Calgary, Alberta, Canada.—Dec. 21; 9.30 A.M. to 5.30 p.m. Calm; g ‘mor bare; temp. 8 a.m. 34°, 5.30 Pm. 40°. Five miles sleeg the Rew So foal limits. On the prairie coming back. American Merganser, 6; Mallard, 2 Golden-eye, 11; Deck iene); Win Si 2 Owl + eam ds river); Redpoll, 45+; Snow Bunting, heard; Chickadee, 24. Po cies, individuals. Seen recently: Dec. 20, Bohemian Waxwing, 10; Dec. 14, Gr Owl, 1; Kingfisher, 1.—Peecy L. Custanxce. Bozeman, Mont.—Dec. 24; 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. Partly doudy; sn: ) breeze; temp. 37° at start, 48° at return. About 5 miles on foot. Magpie, 15; headed Jay, 2; Western Crow, 11; Alaskan Pine Grosbeak, 5; Redpoll, 18; Western Tree Sparrow, 13; Slate-colored Junco, 2; Intermediate Junco, 3; Mountain Song Sparrow, 3; Bohemian Waxwing, 9; Long-tailed Chickadee, 5. Total, 11 species, 86 individuals.— Newtson Luxpwatt. Denver, Colo.——Dec. 25; 8.30 10 9.30 A.M., 11.30 A.M. to 12.90 2am 1.30 to 4.30 P.M., 9 miles east by auto, and then afoot. Partly cloudy; old snow in shaded patches; wind, forenoon, south, light, afternoon, cast, stronger; temp. 38° at sunrise, 47° at sunset. Ring-neck Pheasant, 3; Mourning Dove, 2; Prairie Faloon, 1; Richard- — son Merlin, 1; Western Sparrow Hawk, 1; Saw-whet Owl, 1; Rocky Mountain Screech Owl, 2; Rocky Mountain Hairy Woodpecker, 1; Lewis's Woodpecker, 2; Red-shafted Flicker, 6; Desert Horned Lark, 1; Magpie, 90; Red-winged Blackbird, 200; House — Finch, 23; Western Tree Sparrow, 12; Grey-headed Junco, 1; Long-tail Chickadee, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 8; Townsend's Solitaire, 1. Total, 19 species, about 358 viduals, The absence of our different Christmas Junces in. the pare eee the presence of the Hawks and Owls.—W. H. Bercrotp. - Marnel, Colo. (15 miles south of Pueblo).—Dec. 23; 8.30 A.M. to 4.20 P.M. ‘Chest ; and calm; ground bare except in the forests and north slopes where the snow was sev- eral inches deep in places; temp. 28° at start, 40° at return. Ten miles through field and forest, partly on foot. Sealed Partridge, 13 (one covey); Ferruginous Rough-legged Hawk, 2; Hairy Woodpecker, 1; Red-shafted Flicker, 3; Desert Horned Lark, 35; — Pifion Jay, 19; Long-crested Jay, 2; Magpie, 11; American Raven, 1; Western Grosbeak, 1; House Finch, 10; Montana Junco, 50; White-winged Junco, 6; Pink-sided Junco, 3; Canyon Towhee, 1; Bohemian Waxwing, 250+; Gray Titmouse, 2; Chickadee, 2; Western Robin, 4; Townsend Solitaire, 43; Mountain Bluebird, 100+. Total, 21 species, about 560 individuals.—J. G. Dick. Comox, B. C.—Dec. 24; 8.30 A.M. to 5 P.M. Fine spring-like day; no snow; wind : south, light; temp. 40° at 8 a.m, 58° at noon. Distance covered about 10 miles on foot. All large numbers estimated. Western Grebe, 500; Holbarll’s Grebe, 4; Horned Grebe, 20; _ Loon, 3; Pacific Loon, 40; Red-throated Loon, 3; Marbled Murrelet, 2; Pigeon Guille- — mot, 1; California Murre, 2; Glaucous-winged Gull, 250; Herring Gull, 4; Short-billed — Merganser Gull, 52; White-crested Cormorant, 1; Violet-green Cormorant, 4; American (?), 3; Red-breasted Merganser, 14; Hooded Merganser, 2; Mallard, 35; “American — Faby * Sam, ; American land 300; White-winged Scoter, 1,000; Surf 2 Brant, 3; Northwestern Coast Heron, 2; Coot, 4; Oregon Ruffled linese Pheasant, 2; Northern Bald Eagle, 2; Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1; | Northern Pileated Woodpecker, 1; Gairdner's Woodpecker, 1; North- 8; Steller's Jay, 3; Northern Raven, 2; Northwest Crow, 120; Western ark, 30 Blackbird, 70; Northwest Redwing, 6; Evening Grosbeak, 3; 24; Sooty Song Sparrow, 6; Oregon Towhee, 2; Northern Shrike, 1; 3; Western Winter Wren, 1; Anthony's Vireo, 1; Dwarf Hermit Thrush am 1; Varied Thrush, 2. Total, 56 species, 7,157 individuals.— 26; 7.40 A.M. to 5 p.m. Cloudy most of day, with a little ; wind south, warm, light; temp. 46° at start, 52° at end. Five r UP back along beach. Horned Grebe, 30; Marbled Murrelet (?), 2; d Gull, 30; California Gull, 3; Red-breasted Merganser, 1; Canvas- P, 30; American Golden-eye, 30; Surf Scoter, 40; Fannin’s Heron, 1; | Snipe, 14; California Quail, 9; Oregon Ruffed Grouse, 1; Kingfisher, 2; pecker, 2;-Gairdner’s Woodpecker, 1; Northwest Flicker, 14; Steller’s west ‘Gree, 60; Northwest Redwing, 3; Western Meadowlark, 1; Western 30; California Purple Finch, 18; Pine Siskin, 28; Oregon Junco, 50; arrow, 30; Oregon Towhee, 16; Bohemian Waxwing, 30; Cedar Wax- le Wren, 15; Western Winter Wren, 75; California Creeper, 3; Red- thatch, 2; Oregon Chickadee, 25; Chestnut-backed Chickadee, 30; Western © Kinglet, 100; Sitkan Kinglet, 2; Western Robin, 62; Varied Thrush, 1. a. roughly, 833 individuals. The Bohemian Waxwings were studied igh glass for 15 minutes or more, while they were feeding on frozen Th Kac ; Fox or Townsend's (?) Sparrow was observed in the dense under- ea evel near Tumwater on Dec. 24.—Taor McK»tonr. We (Seattle Lake Shores and Parks, Medina, Kirkland, Mercer Island).— 151 aM to 5s p.m. Cloudy; thick mist after 1 p.u.. rain after 2.55 P.w.; ground id easterly, light; temp. 49° to 54°. Observers in eleven parties as indicated, ering a different territory. Horned Grebe, 22; Western Grebe, 8; Holberll d-billed Grebe, 3; Pacific Loon, 1; Glaucous-winged Gull, 995; California #t-billed Gull, 6; Herring Gull, 25; Ring-billed Gull, 1; Pigeon Guillemot, 55; | Merganser, 1; Mallard, 111; Shoveller, 3; Pin-tail, 8; Canvasback, 15; 248; Bufflehead, 82; Golden-eye, 1; Old Squaw, 3; Ruddy Duck, 12; m Coast Heron, 5; Coot, 1,272; Wilson Snipe, 3; California Quail, 250; ; 19; Pigeon Hawk, 1; Sparrow Hawk, 2; Northwest Belted King- panis Woodpecker, 1 (specimen collected and positively identified); Gaird- . Woo eck , 2; Harris Woodpecker, 2; Northwestern Flicker, 105; Steller’s Jay, 90; “Western Crow, 299; Northwestern Redwing, 1; Western Meadowlark, 8; Western ‘Evening Grosbeak, 52; California Purple Finch, 8; Willow Goldfinch, 141; Pine Siskin, 98; ; Shufeldt's Junco, 1,076; Rusty Song Sparrow, 278; Fox Sparrow, 8; Oregon 128; Cedar Waxwing, 80; Bohemian Waxwing, 1,380 (large size, white wing ts noted); Anthony's Vireo, 2; Audubon Warbler, 51; Townsend's Warbler, 1; ihe 66; Western Winter Wren, 30; Tule Wren, 4; Red-breasted Nuthatch, 4; " 125; Chestnut-backed Chickadee, 55; Bush Titmouse, 55; Western + Kinglet, 125; Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 14; Townsend's Solitaire, 1; ‘ Robin, 251; Varied Thrush, 100; Western Bluebird, 19, Total, 65 species, di —Mas. C. C. Carcxwuone and Mes. J. D. Texny; Mas. S. M. Kane, ns Marae Farnan, Miss Gaack Farsan and Miss Kare Tompson; Mies A. L. Ck; Miss Tumwa Mowacte and Miss Karueaixe Bevan; F. W. Cook; Mas. “4 Bird - Lore ae e j: + - Laura Kuext; Georce W. Parker; Miss Susan Weep; Mas. Exzawon DeLoxo and Lezoy DeLowo; Mas. Nevum Toowerman and Mars. C. N. Compton; pa. Brown, T. D. Burtercu and A. D. McGaew. Portland, Ore.—Dec. 24; 9 A.M. to 4.30 P.M. Rain; ground bare except! ual spots of melting snow in drifts; temp. 54°. Holbeell’s Grebe, 1; Pied-billed Grebe, 2; Glaucous-winged Gull, 200; Mallard, 5; Baldpate, 40; Blue-winged Teal, 1; Pintail, 15; Lesser Scaup Duck, 25; Bufflehead, 10; Coot, 30; Ring-necked Pheasant, 3; Cooper's Hawk, 1; Short-cared Owl, 1; Belted Kingfisher, 1; Red-shafted Flicker, 2; Steller's Jay, 3; California Purple Finch, 12; English Sparrow, 4; Golden-crowned Sparrow, 1; Oregon Junco, 50; Rusty Song Sparrow, 8; Oregon Towhee, 3; Bohemian Waxwing, 4; Cedar Waxwing, 24; Audubon’s Warbler, 1; Western Winter Wren, 1; Tule Wren, 2; California Creeper, 2; Red-breasted Nuthatch, 1; Oregon Chickadee, 21; Chestnut-backed Chickadee, 7; Bush Titmouse, 10; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 5; Western Robin, 1; Varied Thrush, 1; Western Bluebird, 2. Total, 37 species, 508 individuals —Many E. Raxken. Los Angeles, Calif. (to Brush Canyon, Griffith Park, Silver Lake, and back).—Dec. 22; 7.90 A.M. to 5.30 Pw. Clear; ground bare; wind light; temp. 48° at start, 52° at return. Nine miles on foot. Observers together. Western Grebe, 5; California Gull, 2; Duck (unidentified), 19; American Coot, 250; Spotted Sandpiper, 2; Killdeer, 35; Valley Quail, (heard); Sharp-shinned Hawk, 2; Road-runner, 1; Nuttall Woodpecker, 4; Red-shafted Flicker, 44; Hummingbird (unidentified), 2; Black Phacbe, 2; Steller Jay, 1; California Jay, 2; Red-winged Blackbird (sub. sp. ?), 7; Western Meadowlark, 13; Brewer Black- bird, 175; House Finch, 28; Green-backed Goldfinch, 22; Western Lark Sparrow, 1; Gambel Sparrow, 11; Sage Sparrow (?), 4; Song Sparrow, 5; Shumagin (?) Fox Spar- row, 2; Spurred Towhee, 2; California Towhee, 7; California Shrike, 4; Audubon War- bler, 13; Pacific Yellow-throat, 3; Western Mockingbird, 11; California Thrasher, 2; Wren (unidentified), 1; Plain Titmouse, 1; Wren-tit, 2; Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 4; Western Gnatcatcher, 1; Hermit Thrush, 6; Western Robin, 25. Total, 39 species, 690 — individuals. On Dec. 21 we saw and identified for certain, a Sandhill Crane, about 25 miles northeast of here.—Epwarp Prrerxson, Ricnaxp Sraxr. Santa Barbara, Calif.—Dec. 24; $.30 A.M. to 6.30 P.m. Clear, except low fog on ocean which greatly hindered sea work; temp. 42° at alt. 300 feet, 54° at alt. yoo ft. Territory — covered 8 miles across, 44 miles by auto, 6 miles on foot. All observers in one party. — Western Grebe, 2; Eared Grebe, 1; Pied-billed Grebe, 1; Red-throated Loon, 2; Ancient Murrelet, 1; Glaucous-winged Gull, 6; Western Gull, 200; California Gull, 500; Ring- — billed Gull, so; Heermann Gull, 10; Bonaparte’s Gull, 200; Royal Tern, 11; Farallone © Cormorant, 500; Brandt's Cormorant, 400; Baird’s Cormorant, 10; California Brown — Pelican, 2; Mallard, 16; Gadwall, 1; Baldpate, 20; Green-winged Teal, 20; Cinnamon Teal, 1; Shoveller, 1,500; Pintail, 500; Canvasback, 300; Lesser Scaup Duck, 50; White- — winged Scoter, 4; Surf Scoter, 40; Ruddy Duck, 300; Whistling Swan, 44; Great Blue Heron, 4; Egret, 1; Coot, 400; Least Sandpiper, 200; Sanderling, 500; Spotted Sand- piper, 1; Black-bellied Plover, 150; Killdeer, 10; Snowy Plover, 30; Valley Quail, 12; Mourning Dove, 3; Turkey Vulture, 1; Marsh Hawk, 1; Sharp-shinned Hawk, 2; Western Red-tail, 2; Red-bellied Hawk, 2; Bald Eagle, 1; Duck Hawk, 2; Sparrow Hawk, 6; Barn Owl, 4; Short-cared Owl, 1; California Screech Owl, 2; Pacific Horned Owl, 1; Road-runner, 1; Belted Kingfisher, 1; Nuttall’s Woodpecker, 1; Red-breasted Sap- — sucker, 2; California Woodpecker, 30; Red-shafted Flicker, 60; Anna's Hummingbird, 8; | Say's Pharbe, 4; Black Phorbe, 6; California Horned Lark, 1; California Jay, 16; San 4 Diego Kedwing, 400; Western Meadowlark, 80; Brewer's Blackbird, 300; Purple Finch, 20; House Finch, 700; Willow’ Goldfinch, 2; Green-backed Goldfinch, 40; — Pine Siskin, 30; Western Savannah Sparrow, 40; Bryant's Sparrow, 4; Belding’s Spar- — row, 30; Large-billed Sparrow, 2; Western Lark Sparrow, 10; Gambel’s Sparrow, 1,200; — Bird-Lore's Twentieth Golden-crowned Sparrow hurber’s | Diego Song Sparrow, 10; Thick-billed I S} races of Fox Sparrow pr ; San Diego T Swallow, 1: California Shrike Hutt Vir Audubon'’s Warbler, < Townsend's Warbl Western Mockingbird. 6: California Thra Tule Wren, 6; Red-breasted Nuthatcl P| Wren-Tit, 20; Ruby-crowned Ku: a W Thrush, 10; Dwarf Hermit T! i tain Bluebird, 6. Total n Hexperson, Mes. Cuan Ro ‘ Ms Dawson (guest and four m ' M La Jolla, Calif. eM. t came clear; practically tem : coast for 2 miles, return st f around and down into th Faralione and Brandt's Cormor 1 ° at the distance at which observati Sandpiper, 92: Red-backed San piper > Sandpiper, 8; Black-bellied Plover Ki Road-runner, 1; Say's Pha .- B k Phoeb Savannah Sparrow, 15; Gambe! s Shrike, 1: Audubon's Warbk ; s: We 451 individuals Epwarp R. WAR Christmas Census k | Spar | er ¢ known : rhe Ant! Towhe Dusky Warbler, 4: Myrtle War Western Yellow-throat, 2; Pipi } k Wrer San Diego Wre sin Tits Bush-Tit P . (sna 4; Ala rn Ro 10; Varied Thru Mi lividua Ratepn Horruan, De. H THE SEASON © XVII. October 15 to December 15, 1919 Bostox Recion.—The weather during the period covered by this report has been mild, in the main, but during the two months there occurred several sudden, sharp falls in temperature which brought midwinter conditions for a day or two. Soon, however, the west wind restored the spring-like, showery weather, during which wintering Meadowlarks sang freely. Birds have not been numerous. Chip- ping Sparrows left, as usual, promptly on October 25. Purple Finches, during the latter half of October, fed in small flocks on the seeds of the white ash (of which there is an abundant crop) and to a less extent on the seeds of the tulip tree. Red Cross- bills were heard on October 19 and Pine Siskins were numerous for the month following October 15. Fox Sparrows were late in appearing, but the main flight had passed at the normal date, November 15. Myrtle Warblers were present until November 11. It may be recalled that this species appeared here in late August, hence the last migrant was eleven weeks behind the first. Both August and Nov- ember birds were positively migrauts, for the species never breeds o. winters in Lexington. Mr. Horace W. Wright has kindly sent me records of his careful, systematic observations during the autumn, about Boston. He found Redpolls in fair numbers between November 8 and De- cember 2; White-winged Crossbills, October 29 to December 1; a flock of 25 birds at Fresh Pond, Cambridge, October 29; Red Crossbills October 30 to December 1; 30 at Belmont, November 3; he saw none of either species after December 1. . Tree Sparrows, arriving normally on October 29 (Wright), have since become scarce, as have Juncos. Acadian Chick- adees, Pine and Evening Grosbeaks have not appeared. A late flight of Brown Creepers was noted in early December.— Wixsoxr M. Tyier, M.D., Lesingion, Mass. (46) | i; ‘e ‘J oa 4 ‘ 4! > newt ‘ p c : : bf ilies 7 * ay ie h - 3 . A r : Me 7" os eas . , @ - \ se es ea Se ; i ? } BAaA8 & =. i. P Yo a t : i Fa i Ht al ae The Fox Sparrow was noted on December P 7; the Robin on December 15. None of | the three winter in the immediate vicinity, — Reperts {rom New JO ay of Canada Geese near New York City the - end of the first week in Decembe: Some distance up the Hudson (accord- _ ing to M. S. Crosby of Rhinebeck, N. Y.) the American Merganser arrived Novem- — ber 21 and the Golden-eye Duck December — 1 (both early), and Redpolls were noted on the first of December, but not since. — Grackles to the number of : yet near the city, though Siaiainll iegeensl numbers among the pitch pines cast on Long Island in early November. Tt bas formance for the Fox Sparrow. The fall shooting-season was reported to have been the most successful since the state license system was adopted in New Jersey. The more common Ducks were quite plentiful on the Delaware River and Bay, and Quail were abundant in southern New Jersey. A few Wood- cock were also secured by the sportsmen, perhaps more than the ordinary number. Three .reasons may be advanced for the plentiful game-supply this fall: the mild winter of 1918-19; the dearth of gunners last fall, many of whom were occupied in the more strenuous work of the World War; and the probable beneficial effect of the Migratory Bird Law. As for this fall, gunners without end appeared to be afield, and the few Saturday afternoons that walks were taken during the season sounded like the Fourth of July, so constant was the bang! bang! If observations can be relied upon, all living things were being brought to bag that wore fur or feathers, and these not being found, a rail-fence, tin can, or most anything, came in for a load of shot. This reckless shooting was more especially noticeable among the younger gunners. Boys of fourteen years can obtain a license in New Jersey now, with their parents’ consent. Should the coming winter be a mild one, sportsmen will have abundant opportunity to observe next fall just what result the unprecedented army of gunners has had on the game. In summing up the year's o' servations, which were confined almost entirely to southern New Jersey, 1919 appears to have been a remarkably good year for birds, both as to number of individuals and species noted. During the year. 193 varieties were observed in the above mentioned locality.—Jutianw K. Porres, Camden, N. J. Wasmincton Rectox.—October and November of 1919 were ornithologically rather interesting months about Washing- ton. The relatively warm and pleasant weather was favorable to bird observa Pt) tion, and on many of thé milder days, when the atmosphere was still and hazy, the birds were very active as well as apparently numerous for the time of year. This was true not only of the country districts, but also of places well within the city limits. Of the habitually later arrivals among our winter residents, only two were much earlier than usual. These were the Herring Gull, which appeared on October 17, although its average autumn date is November 8; and the Rusty Blackbird, which was noted by Mr. A. Wetmore on Plummer’s Island, Md., October 5, but which ordinarily docs not come until October 21, Others generally were rather late. Apparently allured by the prevalent mild weather, many species lingered later than ever before known. These include the following, the dates in parentheses indicating the latest records previous to this year: The Laughing Gull, seen at New Alexandria and Dyke, Va., by Mr. Francis Harper on October 26 (September 24, 1894); Blackburnian Warbler, reported by Miss Marion Pellew, October 10 (October 7, 1889 and 1914); Wilson Warbler, reported by Miss Pellew, October 13 (October 6, 1904); Parula Warbler, by the same observer, October 17 (October 16, 1899); Northern Water-Thrush, seen by Miss Pellew at Chain Bridge, D. C., October 16 (October 7, 1897); Maryland Yellow-throat, reported from the Ana- costia River, D. C., by Mr. Francis Harper, November 2 (October 22, 1916); Phila- delphia Vireo, seen at Plummer’'s Island, Md., by Mr. A. Wetmore, October 5 (September 22, 1889); and the Rose- breasted Grosbeak, noted by Miss Pellew on October 11 (October 6, 1907). Several other birds, while not breaking their extreme records, remained later than usual, among them, the Black and White Warbler, seen by Miss Pellew on October 14, while its average date of departure is September 22; the White-eyed Vireo, reported on October 13 (average date of departure, October 7); the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, noted by Mr. A. S. Ferrell yes to date (the 18th). People + 2 i Th: gfigtice 49 of Duluth, caused the marooning of a party of duck-hunters on one of the islands, and their release was only effected by breaking the ice with a strong logging steamer. Traveling in the forests became difficult, and several men were lost. Snows have been frequent all over this upper country to the present time, and in places the accumulation has reached as much as 3 feet in depth. By November 2 the small lakes and ponds in the vicinity of Minneapolis were finally frozen over, and many Ducks, taken by surprise, were to be seen sitting about in disconsolate groups on the surface of the ice. November continued cold there- after, with frequent light snows. December opened with a minus 12 degreesin the a ™. at Minneapolis, and a subzero day through- out. This sort of weather has continued, with little let-up, to the present date. The whole state is now covered with snow— several inches in the southern part, 1 to 3 feet in the northern part. Navigation closed on Lake Superior December 9, after many terrible and disastrous storms, and the lake is now frozen to an extent unusual at this time of year. On December 8, the temperature was minus 26 degrees at Duluth and minus 20 degrees at Moorhead, over on the Red River of the North. Winter came upon us early and intensely. The great abundance of Ducks that appeared in Minnesota in the carly fall continued throughout the remainder of the season until the ‘freeze up’ and may be regarded as the salient feature of the autumn bird movement. Not only were the numbers greater than for some years past, but the variety of species represented at most localities was unusual, Canvas- backs, Redheads, Scaups, and even White- winged Scoters were frequent in the eastern part of the state where they are normally uncommon. It would appear that there was a more than ordinary fight of Ducks into Minnesota this year from the north western breeding-grounds. Every- where duck-hunters made easy and varied limit-"bags." But the carly cold weather put a premature and sudden end to the 50 Bird - Lore season, even at Heron Lake away down by the Iowa line. The number of Ducks in the immediate vicinity of Minneapolis, even within the city limits, revived memories of the old days when shooting used to be good in ponds and lakes now included in, or adjacent to, the present park system. Late in October and carly in November, Lesser Scaups, Ring-necks and Golden-cyes congregated in Lake Minnetonka, a big lake not far from ing upon the Commissioner of Game and Fish to provide a remedy for the impeded navigation! Of other migrant birds and late dates the following records are of interest—all for the vicinity of Minneapolis: October 19, 3 young Harris's Sparrows. On October 26, during a walk of two hours in the outskirts of the city, in company with Mr. Burton Thayer, some 250 birds were seen, divided very unequally among 32 species, the features of special importance being a flock of 25 Sandhill Cranes flying over high in the air, 1 Solitary Sandpiper beside the frozen margin of a small lake, 3 much-belated Chimney Swifts, 3; Fox Sparrows, 2 very late Hermit Thrushes, 3 Red-headed Woodpeckers, and the first distinct fall ‘wave’ of Juncos and Tree Sparrows. On November 8, Burton Thayer and Charles Phillips reported 1 Pied-billed Grebe and 3 Coots at Lake Minnetonka, which was still open and full of Ducks. Migrating Juncos and Tree Sparrows were abundant everywhere on that date. A walk on November 23 over the same route followed on October 6, revealed only the dreary conditions and paucity of bird-life found here in the winter season. Silence and loneliness prevailed in the woodlands, and many skaters gliding over the surfaces of the lakes replaced the water-fowl that had so recently fled. Winter visitant birds have appeared in various parts of the state, in some instances rather earlier than usual. Dr. Leslie O. complete data have been obtained.—Tuos. 4 S. Rosserts, University of Minnesota, — Minneapolis, Minn. . a on resulted in the accumulation of some data of no little value. Chief among the items — of interest to record is the addition to the writer's list of the birds of this region of — The Season 51 Professor Johnson of Lawrence, Kans., met the species this spring in its usual abundance only go miles to the west of this point. (November-December, 1919, | Brap-Lore, p. 360.) Most of the other Fringillide passed in their usual numbers and on time, though no Clay-coloreds were seen. } A small party of Yellow-legs and a flock of Red-breasted Mergansers were reported on November 1. This is indeed late for Yellow-legs, and Red-breasted Mergansers have been rarely seen here during the past few years. Greatly to the relief of several residential districts of this city, the immense flocks of Bronzed Grackles left between Novem- ber 2 and 5. Permission was had from local authorities to use shot-guns within the city against these hordes, and the U. S. in much warfare against the bird and the waste of quantities of ammunition. On November 5, two Woodcocks were flushed from a small marshy spot in the Blue Valley within the city limits (La Brie). As has been before stated here, this region seems to lie practically outside the range of this bird. On the 16th, a Red- shafted Flicker was seen, the first local record of this species since 1916. Myrtle Warblers, Cedar Waxwings, and Cross- bills seen on this date will doubtless remain all winter, as their food is abundant. On the 27th, the van of the wintering Rough- legs and Marsh Hawks was noted, though these birds had probably been in the region ten days or more. This day also marked the finding of many Crow pellets recently cast on the fresh snow. Four Green- winged Teal were found feeding in a sheltered slough near the mouth of the Blue River on this cold day. A cold rain froze as it fell on November 28 forming a thick sheet of ice, and making conditions for bird-life as unfavorable as could be imagined. A protracted period of unseasonable cold has continued to date (December 9), accompanied by high wind and temperature below sero, and the 2 Bird - Lore Fortunately there is a most unusual crop of sunflower and weed seeds available to tide over the hard times. Despite the adverse conditions, 41 species were noted It is regretted that an error crept into the writer's last letter to ‘The Season’ (November—December Bixp-Lorg). Ref- erence was there made to the local rarity of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, when the Black-billed was meant—an unaccountable slip of the pen.—Harry Hara, Kensas City, Mo. Dewxver Reciox.—It would be exceed- ingly interesting to know the causes of the Bohemian Waxwing’s irregular visitations. This species has been in the neighborhood of Denver at least three times this fall, on one of the occasions being seen as a large flock in one of our parks. This makes its third consecutive fall-winter visit, some- thing unprecedented in the bird-records of Denver. If cold weather drives this species south, it certainly has an excuse for being here now, since Denver has had five spells of zero, or near-zero, weather since the first of November. Juncos may be expected in this region any time after September 14, the Grey- headed coming first, Shufeldt’s next, and montanus or the Pink-sided, third, while the Slate-colored or the White-winged are very uncertain in their visits here, though. the first was seen here in the winter of 1917 and again in the winter of 1918. The first Juncos (sp.?) were noticed here- abouts on October 19, though the writer is confident that he saw some Juncos along the Platte River, west of Denver, about October 1, but the glimpse was so fleeting that identification was not definite. The small flock of Crossbills (L. ¢. ttricklandi) reported in the last regional notes lingered about Denver until Novem- ber 13, but have not since been seen. On October 26, two pairs of Buffichead Ducks This is the first record ¢ under writer's notice) of this species in Der eR ener throughout the is alwa a considerable flock of Redheads w seen in the same park, One can expect, at this season of the year, to find certain birds almost any day in this vicinity, i. ¢., the Hairy Wood- Townsend's Solitaire, yet they are very irregular in their visits. A single Solitaire 7, & Sharp- a couple of blocks of the same place, two. Clark's Crows on December 7, which makes _ : its first record within Denver. It is, in the writer's experience, very exceptional to the other uncommon or unexpected — visitors. —W. H. Berctoup, Denver, Colo. — r endi June 30, 1919. Nearly of this document is devoted to a of the destruction of mammals wild fowl have been ted, the wild life of National ty of Wisconsin, for the state Work was begun May 15 and ention being devoted to the Apostle lands in Lake Superior. Mr. Harry H. idon for the Biological Survey, and ir. Arthus J. Poole, for the Wisconsin rvey, assisted throughout the season. In Montana, Mr Marcus A. Hanna, assisted by Mr. Harry Malleis, worked e valley of the Missouri and the border- and mountains from the mouth of Milk River westward, under the general direction of Mr. Edward A. Preble. The Little Rockies, Moccasin Mountains, Big and Little Belt Mountains, and Castle Mountains were visited during the latter part of the summer. Victor N. House- holder was a member of the party during the early part of the season. The biological survey of Florida was continued by Mr. Arthur H. Howell. Field studies were carried on during March and April over a large part of Lee County and in the region around Lake Okeecho- bee. The collections in the Florida State Museum were examined and the specimens carefully identified. A collection of bird records from Florida, both published and unpublished, shows approximately 390 species and subspecies recorded from the state. Cobperating at different times with the Biological Survey in field-work in the state of Washington were the following: Prof. William T. Shaw, State College of Wash- ington, Pullman; Prof. H. S. Brode, Whit- man College, Walla Walla; Prof. J. W. Hungate, State Normal School, Cheney; Prof. J. B. Flett, National Park Service, Longmire; Mr. William L. Finley and Mrs. Finley, Portland, Ore.; and Stanton Warburton, Jr., of Tacoma. The Biolo- gical Survey was represented for a part of the time by Mr. Stanley G. Jewett, Pen- dieton, Ore, and throughout the season by Mr. George G. Cantwell, Puyallup, Wash., and Dr. Walter P. Taylor, of the Biological Survey, the last named in charge of the work. Investigations were made in the Blue Mountains area of extreme south- eastern Washington, in which occurs an unusual mixture of Rocky Mountain and Cascade Mountain types, and in Mount Rainier National Park, in connection with which the circuit of Mount Rainier was made for the first time, so far as known, by any vertebrate sodlogical expedition. In North Dakota Mr. Vernon Bailey (s3) s4 Bird - Lore worked through September and October to get data on the hibernation of mammals and on the stores of food laid up for winter by nonhibernating species. He has re- turned with many valuable notes to be added to his report on the mammals of the state, and with an interesting collection of live rodents for study of habits in captivity. Tax Boox or a Naturausr. By W. H. Hepson. H. Doran New York. Svo. iii+ 360 pages. Sundry essays on varying aspects of na- ture and animal life, contributed by Mr. Hudson to half a dozen periodicals, to- gether with several before unpublished ones, are included in this volume. Hudson may be accorded a high place in the small group of what Burroughs has termed ‘literary naturalists.’ To power of observation he adds a mind keenly re- sponsive to the influences of nature and to them both, the gift of expression. The last is by far the most uncommon. In a greater or lesser degree all mankind is affected by natural phenomena, but how few can give adequate expression to their emotions! While these essays are based mainly on observations and experiences in England, it is interesting to observe how frequently their author harks back to the “far away and long ago” of his youth in Argentina. Birds, ants, frogs, toads, snakes, bats, and people are his subjects, and whether or not what he writes is interesting in itself, it is all made readable through the side- lights of seasoned experience and by the art of the writer.—F. M. C. Bieps or Easreen CANADA. Taveexee. Memoir 104, Survey of Canada, Ottawa, 191 ili+221 pages text; so gece 3.» This is a practical manual of cast Canadian bird-life, with keys to families, descriptions of species, emphasizing their distinctive characters and field-marks; nesting sites, general distribution, haunts, habits, and economic status. There are also sections on * Distribu- tion,’ ‘Migration,’ ‘Means of Attracting Birds’ and ‘Ornithological Literature.’ By P. A. Mr. Taverner’s experience in Pry ae study, combined with an ability to think for himself, gives to his work an originality in thought and expression which places it above the plane of mere be. hes a clenr conception of tha Sanu audience and supplies them in a which cannot fail to make this book of res practical value to the Canadian pate We cannot but regret, however, that the paragraph on ‘Distribution’ does not include more details on the birds’ seasonal status in eastern Canada, and that migra- tion dates are practically wanting. — The fifty colored plates, each containing two pictures, introduce to us a new bird artist—Mr. F. gift for the portrayal of birds. We hope Se a dori te hs that a poorly drawn bird may spoil a Summer Resident o sake wee ses 72 ‘ Winter Visitant eee eeee ** tenes 26 q —- Visitant . ....05 vices S..4 traggler Pee e eee eee | see 42 4 Estivrpated ... «i. sane ovbewe +O —F. EG ings, it must either prolong its ses- timens and discuss, informally, teche questions in which the general wablic has little or no interest. For this " Feason, as well as for lack of time, such iscus has been largely barred at AOL meetings, and the more technical phases of ornithology have consequently Mot received the attention due them at these annual gatherings of representative orn fists. For example, Dr. Witmer paper, at the recent Congress, on = a *The Use and Abuse of the Genus’ merited far more consideration than of necessity could be given it, and the worth of a paper of this character can be determined far better by debate than by publication alone. We hope therefore that this ques- tion of sectional meetings will receive duc consideration before the Washington Congress of 1920 convenes. ‘Country Lire’ for December gives the place of honor to an admirable article on ‘Christmas Birds’ by the Editor of Brep- Lore’s School Department. We wish that we could commend the illustrations as highly as we can the text, but, in truth, we do not recall any bird illustrations in a reputable publication which contain so many and such inexcusable inaccuracies. The layman will hunt in vain for an artist's name, but to the initiated these seven full-page plates are evidently cut- out photographs of mounted birds which have been grouped in what are believed to be natura! associations, colored by hand, and about, below, before, and behind them are painted such perches, surround- ings, and landscapes as seemed appro- priate. The work has been skilfully done, with results which are, in some instances, as superficially pleasing as they are funda- mentally erroneous, and hence are as per- nicious as the clever type of natural history faking which Mr. Roosevelt so vigorously condemned. For example, the two Nuthatches are grouped as ‘Field Birds,’ a Short-cared Owl has sought the seclusion of a pine tree with a Screech Owl and Great Horned Owl for companions, and a Horned Lark per- ches on the limb of an oak, grasping its perch in a way no bird of its kind ever did or could. The retouching of the photo- graphs has produced numerous errors in form and color—the Flicker, for example, has no trace of yellow in its quills, the Meadowlark has a yellow-striped head, and the Red Crossbill is about the color of a Hermit Thrush; while, without going into further detail, nearly every bird in the series is a libel on the appearance of the species in life. Che Audubon Societies 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. ¥. COOPERATION _ One of the greatest lessons learned from the World War was the value of codperation. In her manifold, well-laid schemes, Germany did not allow for — it, the Allies discovered its use very early, the United States entered the war with it uppermost in her mind, and the world was saved. The inspiration and the power of working together, utilizing the discoveries of the others and bene- fiting by their mistakes, made the armies of each of the Allies far more powerful than they could have been had they fought side by side without the spirit of codperation. Individual honors were very often sacrificed and subservient positions were taken by one or another of the Allies that they might work to- gether as a unit and defeat the enemy. There was one great task to be accom- plished, and it mattered not to whom the momentary glory fell. Now that the war is over and the history is being written, it is perfectly evident that every- one is to receive the honor that is his due, and the glory of self-sacrifice for the sake of codperation is no less than that of leadership. If anything is ever gained from war and bloodshed it is by reason of the great truths that are exposed. The only legitimate gain to the individual that — can be obtained from the slaughter of his fellowman is by the application to his own life of these truths or principles. So if we would gain something from the great conflict, we should acquire the spirit of codperation and apply it in | our teaching of little children, for the teaching of the rising generation will have more effect upon the world a hundred years hence than any conflict, however — great. It is to the teachers that the world must look for progress, and the — teachers must, therefore, look well to the lessons that the great war has taught. If there is any place where codperation is imperative, it is in the teaching pro- — fession where there are so many great principles to be inculcated through so — many different channels. Perhaps no greater opportunity has ever been offered to teachers for co- . operation and for codrdination than the movement for the conservation of wild life, which finds its chief expression in bird-study. This conservation movement — involves so many of the principles that we would give to children to make them — better men and women that it is little wonder that every progressive organiza- tion is behind it and that funds are always forthcoming for its support. — Chambers of commerce, civic improvement societies, the Boy Scouts, the — Camp Fire Girls, the Red Cross, and numerous other organizations always — (56) The Audubon Societies $7 te with the Audubon Societies inthis work, and teachers wil away in any undertaking which has for its object the making and women. at the end of this editorial a little story that has been ted by the Red Cross, called ‘Feathered Allies,’ and with it a photograph uni Red Cross members who have been building bird-houses. The ‘of this department of Brep-Lore will then be devoted to a discussion to Build and Where to Place Bird-houses,” for the building of bird- eee crepentiee ornare cnn ee ered, Cancun ve bepest It likewise offers nity for codrdination of school-work, reading, writing, arith- Steal trnhsing. etc. In some places entire communities rece i their whole animus for the protection of wild life through the “ge ‘a ‘bird-house competition’ by one of the teachers of the local et nas 2 es cuttin fad goes that have been made by the children if enough general - ys xd. The local press, also, will always be ready to prin st pr and announce prize-winners, and such publicity always an o the competitions. Lastly, every effort should be made to interest teres Sree poopie an to got all fo coBperate, ac ts ter the p blicity given to the proposed competition, the more successful be nd the more good it will do. One should always bear in mind, however, , ch a competition should not have as its sole object the mumbe af bird } const Accuracy of construction, careful workmanship, and, most eg SE iceaht for the birds should be emphasized. The underlying of for others, of working for the birds and not for the prizes, at all times, for it is from this that the greatest good Competitions end with the completion and exhibition of the bird eee isa mistake. It is just as important that a bird-house be p ay, ' placed as that it be properly constructed. A child that has worked thfu y in building a bird-house deserves to have the pleasure of seeing it d. Moreover, it is the response that the birds make to his efforts toward ng them that will fix his interest permanently in the work of conservation. I ces a wn caer tn cgnet tc cocoa te ee tn bovens The award of prizes may be conditioned upon the per placing of the houses or a second competition may be started based upon atest number occupied or the best written account of what transpires ——. There are here again numerous ways of codrdinating the work ‘8 Bird - Lore FEATHERED ALLIES With the first call for fighters there also came a call for ‘messengers,’ and so it was that our faithful little allies—soft-feathered Homing Pigeons were : taken into service. Today we may see many of them returning from service overseas, bearing that same mark of honor which distinguishes our men-heroes, r each bird now wears around its leg a gold band for every wound received. The Navy has a number of these brave birds which suffered wounds, but which have been tenderly nursed back to health and strength and are now find- ing a life of comfort in the country they so faithfully served. lruly these birds have proved faithful allies to America. But the Homing Pigeons alone do not constitute this allied force. The little feathered sharers HESE JUNIORS OF HIGH BRIDGE. N. J.. HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN THE NEEDS OF OUR FEATHERED ALLIES Photographed | the American Red Cros ir everyday life, the chattering little birds of our busy cities, and the sweet- throated songsters of the woodland places have served us at home as faithfully as those other strong-winged Pigeons served us overseas. rhe ‘home-force’ birds, as we might call them, have hunted out the poison- little insects that would destroy our valued trees; they have served us in all the ways that birds are known to serve our world of living things; and more than this, they have cheered us with their trills and songs, and even their noisy rnine c} P Many of us are heedless of the bird-needs of these feathered folk, but some i us have remembered. Among those who have remembered materially are the Juniors of the American Red Cross. With their strong spirit of service for ail who need, they have not forgotten the birds. And so, through all parts of The Audubon Societies $0 try, Junior boys have made litle homes in which some of our bird from the cold and heavy winter snows and in which their nests when they come back in the spring. pass through the early morning quiet of a snow-covered wood, that thie nota nin of «rum sam the bright, bead-like eye of a tiny dweller of the wood, e in the new home that some thoughtful Junior had built. TEE this chatter end trills coming from the Bittle inhabitants, n a clear “Thank you!” their thanks come not in songs alone, for all day long the Woodpeckers, an PiChickadees that have roosted in the hoses search oat and mating insects that are waiting only for spring to start them the foliage and undermining the bark of the trees. And then when es th Silater birds will be joined by other songsters that will make ‘in the boxes—the Wrens, the Bluebirds, and the Tree Swallows nen ne eet Truly ce ne renee ae ene es for the birds.—ConrrisuTep BY THE AMERICAN RED 7 * ghee HOW TO BUILD BIRD-HOUSES ng of bird-houses is an old, old story, but, like many other classic r re-telling. The original idea was simple enough, but of recent has s bee encumbered by so many suggestions that people hesitate to ; oh at is really an easy task, for the more simple the box, the more [appear and the more attractive will it be to the birds. The fanciful ser —l/?[— SS chimneys, frescoes and verandas, while eat rae ast mote he al lective , of course, entirely out of place. The more it resembles the old ow limb in the orchard or the hole in the fence-post, the more pleasing to the of the bird will it be. iz ere are over fifty species of birds in the United States and Canada which roying Woodpeckers, the larve-destroying Nuthatches, the CRR- ying Chickadees, the mosquito-destroying Tree Swallows—all build in h trees and may be attracted to nesting-boxes. In these days of scientific try, when every dead tree is condemned and when every dead branch is ee eee, their natural nesting-sites are rapidly disappear- ad their numbers must necessarily decrease unless they are provided with ee It is a wise timber-owner who puts up at least one in the place of every dead tree which he removes. The Chickadees id Woodpeckers that are with us in winter, and the Wrens and Bluebirds hat return in the spring, will move on unless they find plenty of nesting-sites, 60 Bird- Lore Of the hole-nesting birds, a comparatively small proportion have yet learned — to accept the artificial nesting-site, only nine species taking them regularly — and nineteen more utilizing them occasionally. It is to be expected, however, that eventually all the species will learn to adapt themselves, and, perhaps, - even others will so modify their present nesting habits as to accept the artificial — structures. This proved to be the case in the celebrated experiments of von — Berlepsch, in Germany, where out of 1,000 nesting-boxes placed on his estate, birds gradually were induced to occupy over goo. The species which regularly use nesting-boxes are as follows: ‘House Wren (and all its subspecies), Bluebird (eastern and western), Chickadee (northern and southern subspecies), Purple Martin, Tree Swallow, Flicker, ‘Violst-greee Swallow, House Finch, Bewick’s Wren, House Sparrow, and Starling. — The species which occasionally use nesting-boxes are as follows: White breasted and Red-breasted Nuthatches, Downy, Hairy, and Red-headed Wood- peckers, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Crested Flycatcher, Screech, Saw-— whet, and Barn Owls, Sparrow Hawk, Wood Duck, Song Sparrow (rarely), and Dipper. Se ee ee a ee are Robin, Phoebe, and Barn Swallow. j 7 ; ro j oF e Optic a\ Section CorweW Mengroved Bwa Weuse Gor Biuervieds, Tree Swat Wrews ona Cwiemadees | | | Bluebirds. These can be made in numbers for K @ maximum cost of 1o cents each, and have the advantage of being as easily made by girls 4 as by boys. The only tools that are necessary ) the edges together can be purchased at any |) hardware store. If a great many boxes are to >) be built, it is wise to have a short piece of 144 7 Bios pipe sharpened to serve as a punch for 4 cutting the hole, but otherwise this can be done "with the knife. The blocks of wood, 4 inches ? The Audubon Societies bn MATERIALS The best Materials to select in building bird-houses are weathered boards, " rustic cedar, slabs of wood with the bark adhering, or asphaltum roofing-paper ) Smoothly planed boards and paint should be avoided except on such houses as ) are intended more for ornament than use. Gourds, when obtainable, can be ) made very acceptable by cutting a hole of the proper size in one side, cleaning _ them out and drilling a small! hole in the bottom to drain off any rain that may beat in. Tin cans may be used but are usually unsightly and become ) excessively hot in the sun, unless covered with bark. One end should be re- | placed by a block of wood and the opening of the proper size should be made to- ward one edge of this or in one side of the can. Green bark of chestnut or other " trees can sometimes be obtained and nailed into the form of a hollow cylinder, > but such boxes are usually not durable. A hollow limb, a deserted woodpecker’s nest, or a block of wood hollowed out in the form of a woodpecker’s nest are | all good devices, but usually it is easier to cut rough boards into proper lengths ' and nail them together securely in the form of "a small box. Sometimes boxes of the proper "size, such as chalk- boxes or starch-boxes, can be ‘found ready made and require only some _ reinforcement. If one plans to make a great many of stand- ’ ard size, heavy asphaltum roofing-paper lends itself most readily at a minimum of expense. A working drawing is here given of the Cornell improved bird-house for birds up to the size of ) are a pair of heavy scissors or a knife for cut- > ting the paper, an awl for punching holes for " the rivets, a tack-hammer and a piece of iron pipe or a window-weight against which to > fatten the rivets. The split rivets used to fasten a - . ; = in diameter, can be cut from a log of that size or THE CORNELL IMPROVED ) made in numbers in the manual training depart RIRDHOUSE MADE OF RUM ING - PAPER Al A cCosT oF ) Ment or the local carpenter shop on the jig-saw ABOUT TLN CENTS EACH 62 Bird - Lore The first exercise in the school-room should be to draw the pattern, cut it out, and pin it together. The best pattern should then be taken to mark the roofing paper. In putting together the patterns, one soon learns the o,der in which the various steps should be taken. Thus the perch and the roof must be fastened to the piece forming the sides before it is fast- ened into cylinder form. The circular piece cut out for the door may well be used to reinforce the front on the inside where the perch is nailed in place. The very last step is the nailing of the completed house to its bottom, and thisshould not be done until the bottom is fastened by screws or face plate to the top of the post or pipe where the bird-house is to be per- - ; manently placed. It will be seen from this that this house is in- tended only for use on top of a post, and the reason for this will be stated later on. CORRECTLY BUILT BIRD-HOUSES MEASUREMENTS These may be pe pel ner er ot Whatever material is used, the exact size of the box is not of great importance except that it should not be so large as to waste material, nor yet so small as to give insufficient room for the nest. A box should never be smaller than 344 x 3% x 6 inches inside measurements, and it is better to make it somewhat — larger, even for Wrens. In making bird-houses for the first time, it would be well to make them of medium size so that they will be acceptable to thegreatest — variety of birds. In this way the chances of attracting them are increased. Such a box would measure about 4 x 4 x 9 inches inside with the long axis vertical. If special effort is to be made to attract Flickers, Screech Owls, or Sparrow Hawks, boxes 64 x 614 x 24 inches should be made. If Purple Martins are | : desired, a house of from ten to thirty compartments should be constructed, - with each compartment 6 to 8 inches square. Rows of gourds tied to cross- | pieces and raised on poles will likewise attract Martins and are extensively used | in the South. If one wishes to build a large Martin-house, explicit directions and working drawings can be obtained from Farmers’ Bulletin No. 609, of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, entitled ‘Bird-Houses and How to Build” Them.” All other bird-houses should be built with only one compartment. ; | The Audubon Societies 63 OPENINGS ‘The size and position of the opening are much more important than the exact size of the box. A round hole is best, and, except in Martin-houses, should cut above the middle line on one side and preferably about 2 inches from the . Gay hole-nesting birds, except the Martins, wish to be out of sight of the entrance while incubating. There should never be more than one entrance to the box, but if the box is very tightly built, a \4-inch hole may be drilled just beneath the roof for ventilation and another through the floor for drainage. These are unneces- hk sary however, and in natural - INCORRECTLY BUILT BIRD-HOUSES nesting cavities, of course, never fete ts consing too low, in the other it is too large occur. If there are not many ‘Sparrows or Starlings about, it is best to make the openings in all the boxes, except those for the largest birds, 144 inches in diameter. This will |) admit birds up to the size of the Bluebird and the Tree Swallow, and is not ; - large enough to be objectionable to the Wrens and the Chickadees. If Spar- _ fows are numerous, one can keep them out of the boxes and still admit the smaller species by making the opening 1% inches in diameter. One can keep out the Sparrows until the Bluebirds arrive by having a removable piece | with a small opening fastened over the 1'- inch hole. When the Bluebirds q re seen trying to get in, this piece can be removed, and then the Bluebirds ‘will have an even chance with the Sparrows. Je one wishes to build houses for particular birds, the following table of roper diameters for the openings, as given by H. K. Job, will be found valuable: - (@) 1% inches: House Wren, Be- ick’s Wren, Carolina Wren, Chickadee. _) 134 inches: White-breasted Nut- hatch, Tufted Titmouse. a ©) 1% to 154 inches: Bluebird, | Downy Woodpecker, Crested Flycatcher, | SR Selon Violet-green Swallow. > @) 1% to 2 inches: Red-headed K ad Hairy Woodpeckers. _ (@) 2% inches: Flicker, Saw-whet Owl, Purple Martin. _ (f) 3 inches: Screech Owl, Sparrow 3 (g) 4% inches: Barn Owl, Wood A HOME-MADE MARTIN-HOUSE AND 4 , : 4 MARTIN DRIVING AWAY AN ENGLISH : SPARROW ha Bird - Lore NESTING MATERIAL No nesting material in the form of straws, feathers, or sticks should be placed in the box, though if they are placed abundantly in the vicinity they may encourage nesting. If a prospective tenant find nesting material in the box, he will usually consider it already occupied and move on. In Flicker and other Woodpecker boxes, however, there should be placed in the bottom a couple of inches of ground cork or coarse sawdust, mixed with a little earth, because the Woodpeckers build no nests and must have something to keep the eyes irom rolling about A laver of sawdust will do no harm in anv other box but is not PROPERLY PLACED FLICKER-BOX AN ORNAMENTAL MARTIN-HOUSE Mart ae hould be on poles at least 17 feel - : : \.H t high and away from trees PLACING THE BOX Quite as important as the proper construction of the bird-house is the selec- of the place to put it. It is possible to put up ten or fifteen boxes and have thing but House Sparrows nesting in them, but, if properly placed, they would be oc ip 1 by Wre ns, ( hi KACCES. Swallows. or Bluebirds. If several xes are put up, they should be at least 25 feet apart and, preferably, farther, fighting will usually result until one of the tenants is evicted. If The Audubon Societies 65 one examines the natural nesting-places of any of these hole-nesting birds, he will find that, with few exceptions, they are in open places in bright sunlight or light shade, and seldom among thick branches of a tree or in dense shade. The best place for the box, therefore, is on a pole, 5 to 15 feet from the ground, in an open space or at the edge of trees facing the open. An iron pipe, an inch or more in diameter and 8 feet long, set in the ground 2 feet, makes an ideal location for a box, as it likewise gives pro tection from cats and squirrels. It is for this reason that the Cornell bird-house is designed to be put up in no other way. A post on the porch or the unshaded side of the house will also serve if the box is turned to face outward. The trunk of a large tree, several feet below the first branches, a telegraph pole, or a high fence-post are other places which will prove suitable, although perhaps not quite so satisfactory as the separate post. An excel lent place for the large Flicker or Sparrow Hawk box is the top of a dead tree, particularly if the smaller branches are cut away from around the res ' box. Occasionally a Wren aeugrouns Sy “rested 5 = ora Nuthatch will use a box placed in the shade among the branches of a tree, but such places, while appealing strongly to most people as highly desirable, should be shunned. House Sparrows are the only birds that will regularly use boxes when so placed. CARE OF THE BOA hough it } If a box is well made, once in position, it nee i never be removed will probably last longer if taken inside during the winter. Frail or fancy Soxes 66 Bird - Lore should be taken in each fall and replaced in March. Cleaning a box is not necessary under ordinary circumstances, as the birds will do their own renova- ting, but it is well to have the top or one side hinged, so that one can get at the inside if necessary, to throw out the nests of Sparrows, or squirrels, or mice, or hornets that sometimes usurp the box before the birds arrive. Aside from this there is little need of care, and at the end of the season the old nests can be thrown out or left in, it making little difference to the birds when they return the following spring. The lice which often infest the nests of Wrens are harm- less and die soon after the young leave. If anything is to be done, the nests should be sprinkled with insect powder while still occupied. THEIR FIRST BIRD-HOUSES. WHICH ONES ARE NOT CORRECTLY BUILT? Photographed by Mra. G. C. Hulwey TIME TO PUT UP BOXES The boxes should be in place as early in the spring as possible, especially those intended for Nuthatches and Chickadees that are with us throughout the winter. Although they do not begin nesting until April, Chickadees often commence excavating their nesting cavities in February, and it is probable that they have selected their nesting-sites by this time. Boxes put up after March 1, and even as late as May 1, are often occupied the same year, but the chances are much better if they are put up early. Anyone planning a bird-house competi- tion in the schools should start immediately, so that the boxes will be ready by April : QUESTIONS What birds utilize nest-boxes? Give three reasons for putting up bird-houses? Give three reasons why it is advisable to have school children build them? 4. What advantages can be derived from codrdinating school-work? What advantages are to be derived from coéperation bet ween the teachers of the different gradcs/ What advantages are to be derived from coéperation between teachers and The Audubon Societies 67 a of publicity? t are the most important points to emphasize in such a competition? te should the opening in a bird-house be made and how large should it be? t are the best materials to use in building bird-houses and how large should je houses be? d any bird-house be built with more than one compartment? ¢ placing of bird-houses important, and what is the best method of placing SCHOOL ITEMS HOW WE BECAME JUNIOR NATURALISTS dea that the power to create belongs only to a favored few of a com- as swayed public opinion in the United States for a century or more. I hs coher ths ee: ete te to me that every child is gift when he enters this life. His failure to develop the power struct ye work is the fault of those who have his education in charge. ST Gs ccctecece evel wake 0 ally of the groves of sient peoples. He will find that all members of a tribe had the power to aterialize, in one form or another, beautiful, rhythmic, harmonious thoughts | 1 exist for us to enjoy today, and these antique works of art are more valued ey the efforts of the artists of the present time. But one is not obliged to del into ancient history for substantiation of this truth, because near and — to our own lives is the work of the tribes of Indians of this continent. eee) ‘The success of the expressions of these arts can be traced to the cultivation 6 the perceptive faculties that gained for the people a clear knowledge of the oe about them, especially of nature. Through the study of nature came knowl- ¢ of the laws of growth from which they deduced the underlying principles “their work in design. Yet these developments would have been of little ie if the spirit had not been trained to work irrespective of time and . All beautiful work has depended for its existence upon this last | quality in the aris or artisan. Until the organizations for the education of | public will recognize the necessity of training the spirit as well as the "intellect, the educational work of the public schools will deprive the children of __ the development of their full inheritance. | Five years ago, when we began in this city the work of learning to write and _ draw, there were no organizations for the systematic growth of the various arts _ Of expression in our public schools. Our schools were as good as the average ‘City schools, but I failed to find in any system with which I could come in touch a provision for the healthy growth of the children of a class. The little Ones of our country had become creatures of circumstances. For years, ideas and details had been influencing the educators in charge instead of these directors holding to established principles for teaching and religiously carrying them out. rn ~ ge “ 08 Bird - Lore Our first struggle was with the art of penmanship. We succeeded in following closely the fundamental principles for growing power in the expression of the art, and when the practicing of the exercises began to demand ie themes, we found it necessary to hunt for subject matter. The struggle to gain control in writing was slight compared with that required to learn to express. a thought orally in the classes of the grades above the second. Many and varied were the means employed to produce life in our efforts at conversation. The school program is so arranged that a supervisor of a subject is allowed not more than twenty minutes with a class each week. But the classes in which the members had practiced faithfully required only two or three minutes to prove their increased power in writing, and all the remaining SauemmEmerstes to oral expression. By slow process the minds of the 1,800 boys and girls were led to think of the beauties of our city. The city had been noted for its natural beauty and the inhabitants have always had to depend upon its natural resources for an exis- tence. Years of selfishness on the part of individuals and corporations, as well as carelessness on the part of the city government, had made a sad inroad toward the destruction of this charming spot when the state came to the rescue and saved the lives of the springs and parks. An opportunity to set the whole com- munity at work to assist the state arose right here in the school system. Through the children all the homes could become familiar with the necessity of caring for the trees and for the birds whose work places them as our first assistants. — Without a dissenting voice we decided to seek ways to entice the birds to live among us. Aids from intellectual sources were not at hand. The season was winter when we began our explorations for knowledge of out-of-door life upon which we were to compare notes when we should meet. We were most fortunate in— both conditions, as we were given the chance to find the literature that would — help us best and the winter is the time to begin not only the study of the birds — but also of the trees, the deciduous ones anyway. It was understood that there — would be no time for conversation if the writing was not well practiced. The — organization for work expanded to such a degree that the penmanship advanced — beyond our expectations and each period together gave a chance for everyone © to add something to our knowledge of bird-life. The interest grew weekly, and the time came when no one wished to be left — out of the talk. Now and again one who had been clever at collecting material at the expense of others, and had not entered into the work of observing for — himself, would risk giving a description of a bird which he wished named. At first he caused a questioning atmosphere to exist among his hearers, but after a short time the power that comes to those who get their knowledge first-hand — discouraged these deceivers and caused them to begin to observe for themselves. One exercise was to practice the calls and songs of the birds. As yet we have not done great work in this line but we shall. One day a little girl in The Audubon Societies 69 )an opportunity to try. Siuedilnetead ant che : open. Eusistkeocs that Prcthaes wee cast ceee: wes wid ‘e sponses of all the cocks in the vicinity. A fine lesson in concentra- fed immediately, for we gave ourselves up to listening for the crow We learned that some of us could detect fainter sounds than s developed in us love and sympathy for our feathered c gi TE Ta csthalen Vint wis intiak seocide Mieon tet tease ond ‘ion SUE cor: barge aewall ex boarates co tiaras Drawing Es into all the graces the first year through the industrial problem bird-cotes from working drawings and patterns. A thousand houses / ied Wrenn, or Chickadees were constructed. About 800 ording to specifications. Experts in the manual training de- structed the 200 failures. ur junior naturalists’ societies is assured, for the foundation was rough directing the child to search for knowledge and then ing of the societies by organizing the work to produce a union h has caused a union of minds. Unconsciously the children chers of the whole community through their discussions out- for everyone is beginning to help. Business, always on the ok up ‘the subject. Publishing houses had constant calls for books. Bird were advertised. All who could afford bought these helpful mate- ri I im those who couldn’t afford found a way by doing without some et delightful of our interesting experiences was our introduction on Societies. With very little effort, hundreds of us became f th acitas chide whtcl cistitle us to the bird leadlets and the mage- Lore. This literature of the great ornithologists who sacrifice them- t ¢ education of the masses enters the homes and is enjoyed by every f the family. The little children sit and look at the illustrations uider boys and girls read aloud. These leaflets are doing a great work z of the foreign element. While the contents of these series are or the grade classes from the fifth through the ee wt is wat privilege to study under the directors of these societies oa leading us to realize fully the responsibilities connected with the work ‘Protecting our natural resources.—Kate A. McCiosxey, Supervisor of rial Arts, Saratoga Springs, N.Y. 7° Bird - Lore BIRD-STUDY IN VIRGINIA He inay ‘bof tahantet:‘to-cquse ofl oot’ meuties he: Aaiew alana Audubon Society we had at Timberville, Va., which was organized in January of this year (1919). We all enjoyed it exceedingly, and I am sure that, besides this, it did good in the hearts and lives of the little folk who were members. _ They learned a great many facts about birds which will never be forgotten — and it will be a great pleasure for them to meet with their bird friends year after — year. A society of twenty members was formed in my first grade. After we — te taal cee all the other children in the first grade joined and others came from other grades and asked to join. ] Before six weeks had passed, our society numbered 114 members. We held our meetings twice a week. A new bird was taken up at each meeting and — studied. We studied forty-eight birds altogether. At every lesson a little review was made of previous lessons. The following outline was used in our notebooks: — 1. Name of bird. 3. Nest. 5. Young. — ; 2. Color } feat, 4. Eggs. 6. Food. At different times in the spring, short programs were prepared, made up of songs, recitations, etc., and given in chapel before the whole school. Sometimes, instead of a regular meeting, we would go for a bird-walk, then within the — next day or two, during language period, papers were written telling of the birds — we saw. Nearly always they could identify the birds themselves, sometimes I _ helped them, sometimes my bird-book helped me. One day my primer class — was reading when one little six-year-old boy held up his hand and said, “Oh, — Mrs. Hulvey, look out there on the post is a Downy Woodpecker.” We all went — quietly to the windows for fear we would scare him away, and there, only about — 10 feet away, was little Downy getting his dinner. We called in the other grades and took turns watching him. At noon there were nearly a hundred children around the post all trying to see where little Downy had been. The day before we had a lesson on the Downy Woodpecker and little Garland recognized him at once by the picture we had used. We had quite a number of - songs about different birds that the children took great delight in singing. Old bird-nests were collected and examined. In the spring nearly one-third of our members made bird-houses which were | placed on poles and in the trees. Everyone of us thoroughly enjoyed watching © our bird friends making their new homes and caring for their young. p This session I have organized a Society of twenty-five members in my second grade in the Denton Primary School, Denton, Md., and hope by spring to have many more children have a keen interest and true love for their little brothers in the air—Trnney Cue Hutvey, Denton, Md. (Mrs. Hulvey is to be congratulated upon her success in forming Junior Audubon Societies. One can be sure that she feels well repaid for the effort which she puts forth by the response she gets from the children under her charge. The teacher who has not entered this field does not know how much easier it makes all teaching.—A. A. A. Mert i, ep al , Foe EXECUTIVE Telephone, and and THE KLAMATH thee friends of wild-life protection = é While: ade William L. Finley’s report } Malheur Lakes Bird Reser- ons in the last issue of Brap-Lore are, He fin which these two reservations : today, further remarks may be in ie eae that em for agricultural operations. Some | years ago the Government Reclamation | Service undertook to do this by making a g Serlenel canals and ditches. After expending = 225 and overcoming only a small per- "centage of the difficulties to be met with, _ the plan seems to have been abandoned. ‘The Lake was made a bird reservation and dreds of thousands of water-birds, in- an Terns, Gulls, Grebes and Coots, : i to make of this area of 60 or ieee square miles, one vast nursery for birdlife. But those who wanted the lake "drained continued their efforts, with the result that the legislatures of the states of Che Audubon Societies DEPARTMENT Edited by T. GILBERT sremenom Address de all correspondence, and seod all remittances for Base Mg bE Re wag Rb Columbus 7527 school or company in sympathy with the objects of this Associstion may become » in the National Association of Audubon Societies for the Protection of Wild annually pays for a Sustaining paid at one time constitutes a Life oo constitutes a person a Patron constitutes a person a Founder yaaa poreae @ Denetacter pany to the National Association of Audubon mals (Incorporated), of the City of New York. LAKE SITUATION California and Oregon, in which the lake lies; recently passed laws for the purpose of especially encouraging the drainage of the lake, particularly the swampy margins, and ceding such rights as they might have to the United States Government. An Oregon company, known as the Klamath Draining District, took over 20,000 acres of lands lying in the state of Oregon for a consideration, and up to date have made their first two payments on the land. It was evidently the hope of the Government officials that companies or individuals might take up the California territory. The lake is fed by a stream that runs in from Klamath River on the north. A railroad, running from the main line of the Southern Pacific Railroad to Klamath Falls, Ore., runs across the marshes above Upper Klamath, and where it crosses the stream that foeds the lake, a gate has been put in. This gate has been closed, with the result that no more water flows into Lower Klamath. There is very little rainfall in that region, and, naturally, during the past summer the lake very largely dried up. A member of the Audubon Society who recently visited the region states that in. (73) 72 Bird - Lore the area where a few years ago Ducks and Geese and their young were found by thousands in the spring and summer, today there is nothing but a barren desert over the surface of which the wind whips the dust and sand as it does among the sage brush on the shore. The Biological Survey of the Depart- ment of Agriculture, which is greatly in- terested in preserving all the bird reser- vations, recently had a soil survey made of this Klamath Lake soil that had been exposed by the drying up of the water. The report shows that it is so filled with alkalies that it is practically useless for agricultural purposes. Apparently noth- ing can be induced to grow on it but a rank kind of native grass. Congressman Raker, of California, re- cently introduced a bill in Congress (House Bill 8440) which, among other things, au- thorizes and directs the Secretary of the Interior “to determine and make public announcement of what lands in and around Littl or Lower Klamath Lake in Siskiyou County, California and Klamath County, Oregon” may be opened for homestead entry. A sop is thrown to the bird-lovers of the country in the following: “The Secretary of the Interior shall determine which of the lands now within the boundary of the Bird Reservation are chiefly valuable for agricultural purposes and which for the said reservation, and should open for homestead entry those lands that are chiefly valuable for agricultural pur- poses.” In other words, we are given to under- stand that the marshes around the lake, and perhaps a portion of the lake, is not needed as a bird reservation and can therefore be converted into farm land, while such portion of the lake as may be deter- mined by the Secretary of the Interior shall be kept as a bird reservation. As a matter of fact, the marshes are just as valuable, if not more valuable, for the birds than the open water, as with the exception of the Western Grebe all the birds mentioned above build their nests in the marshes. naval forces of the United ee | the wer between the United States and Germany and her allies and have been hon- act for a period onths folle the time the said lends are open to entry.” This, briefly, is the situation, as we probably be all that is necessary to dry up . the lake completely. ranches along the margins of the reserva- _ tion which of course will likewise be ruined. — Franklin B. Lane, Secretary of the © Department of the Interior, might per- — haps be able to save these reservations if enough people in this country were quickly to register their protests against this de- | struction. Ce:tainly the Senators in Wash- _ ington should be urged to vote against the — Raker Bill. This Association has fought — from every point in the slow, losing fight — for the Klamath and Malheur Lake Reser-— vations, and it shall continue to use every — effort within its means until the matter is — There are a few iD iecahon the state. Benja- wa me | present when the Commie- held their meeting, but the latter of wild life, and the other to handle the commercial fishing interests. He declared, furthermore, if the Legislature did not do this he would dismiss all the old Fish and Game Commissioners and appoint a new Board. In any event, there is little doubt that Mr. Finley will shortly be offered his old position, and the indications are that on the platter holding the commission of office there will be a nice bouquet in the form of a substantial increase in salary. Bird Lectures Available Herbert K. Job, in charge of our De- partment of Applied Ornithology, is accepting appointments for public lectures, using » wealth of splendid motion pictures and colored slides, either or both, of various classes of wild birds from life. We urge our friends to secure a lecture this season. Not only are they delightful, but the pro- ceeds go toward maintaining the above department of our work. Write to him for a circular; address 291 Main St., West Haven, Conn., or our New York office, Bird - Lore CHARLES HENRY DAVIS Lonnebacker; allis; Secretary, Win- The Audubon Societies 75 throp Moore; Treasurer, Kenneth Watson. The reason of the Club is to be kind to all New Life Members Enrolled from ‘Bs Be fi> IN poee ae Wood, Robert Matheson 76 Bird - Lore New Sustaining Members Enrolled from October 20, 1919, to January 1, 1920 Aldrich wee’ 5 M. Allen, . ‘ E iF : ; H ba He FS Felton, Mrs. C. E. Felton, Mrs. W. S. F : : i | # st Bel, Qe Bird -jLore A BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE | DEVOTED TO THE STUDY AND PROTECTION OF BIRDS Orriciat Oncan of Tre Avoveon Societics MARCH—APRIL, 1920 No. 2 A Bird Watcher in France By DR. HERBERT R. MILLS, Tampa, Florida T, ROM August 1917 until July 1919 it was my fortune to serve as medical PY officer with the American Expeditionary Forces, first with the British _ Amy in Belgium and later with the American First Division in France 1 Gamany; and during this time I fnade such bird-notes as my limited opportunities would permit. In the northeastern part of France, where for “obvious reasons these notes were principally taken, bird-life is fairly abundant, s far os the small song-birds are concerned and the insectivorous and seed- species, while the larger raptores and water-fowl are notably lacking, he country is beautiful rolling farm-land cultivated to the ordinary grains, bles, and fruits. Among the carefully groomed fields, meadows, and park- ke woods, the little villages are clustered as closely almost as single farm- |) houses are in our country. I do not believe that the average United States soldier would consider it an exaggeration to call the climate “cool and moist.” __ I believe that the most conspicuous birds of France are the Crows of several _and it was with the Rook (Coreus frugilegus), a member of the Crow y, _ I became most intimately acquainted. Rooks are everywhere— is may be seen feeding in the field at one time, and they nest in the i groves in colonies of thousands; whence it is likely that our word | “rookery” originated. The young are used for food, and about April, when the \ nestlings are still in the down, the people resort to the rookeries with climbing . sand sacks and gather the young from all the accessible nests. The govern- jent pays a bounty of 25 centimes (5 cents) for young and old birds, so that, i ~ the French soldier is said to be paid but 25 centimes a day for his services, Ido not wonder that he seeks to augment his meager pay and wartime rations th h this source of food. In the fields, associated with the Rooks, are Crows reus corone), Hooded Crows (Corvus cornix), Jackdaws (Coreus monedula), and Starlings i= In _prpege 1918, on the march of the First Division into Germany, I saw 1 s of Jackdaws swarming to the Moselle Valley every night to roost. that season, and in that northern latitude, it is interesting to note that the : ive 78 Bird - Lore —— = they inhabit cathedral towers, ivy-grown ruins, and fortifications. Their ny is very similar to that of our Red-bellied Woodpecker. Magpies (Pica ic) isolated pairs and often place their nests of twigs in the tops of poplars, where they are sometimes difficult to distinguish from the clumps of miletieton witli | Magpie laboring along with a full-grown field-mouse in its bill. In the fall, the - Starlings (Sturnus enlgoris) Sock to the fields with the CoussueEaaas about buildings or in holes in trees. Atal times the Starling is pleasant and interesting companion, a comical songster, and moreover a bird of useful us blind to his many virtues. 4 In order of abundance the Swallows probably come next. The Swallow don urbica), distinguished by the white upper tail coverts, are by far the most — common representatives of this family. Only once have I seen Sand Martins — and House Martins build their mud nests under the eaves of buildings, and I saw them with young in the nest as late as September 22, 1917. In fact, this” as I have never seen common house flies in such overwhelming millions (excep in Kansas) as they were in France in the early fall. The Great Titmouse (Parus major), Blue Titmouse (Parus caruleus), Marsh Titmouse (Parus palustris), Coal Titmouse (Parus ater), and the Crested (Acredula rosea) 1 observed but once and this was last April in the Westerw c of Germany. Finches. The beautiful Chaffinch (Fringilla celebs), the Goldfinch (Card elegans), and the Bullfinch (Pyrriula europea) are named in order of numeri montanus) and the Yellow Hammer or Yellow Bunting (Emberisa citrinella), both of which are abundant. On April 14, 1918, near Beauvais, I saw the Cirl seem as numerous here as with us, and instead of being despised, I found it in? some localities, at least, to be held in rather high esteem. In fact, it is oftet ing jugs placed under eaves and over doors and windows; and I have seen up | o a dozen of these innocent looking traps on one little cottage. Traps they are, Jackdaw's night began at about 3.30 p.a. During the teeeding: a a are common all over France. Like the Crow (Coreus corone) they nest in’) which these trees are so heavily infested. I was surprised one day to see a in mating-time they usually frequent dwelling-places, building their nests habits. It is unfortunate if our prejudice toward him inthis country has made (Hirundo rustica), resembling our Barn Swallow, and the House Martin (Cheli- © (Cotile riparia). ‘This was in September, 1918, near Mont Sec. The Swallows — ought to be a good time for insect-cating birds to raise thelr young sa. P anaes The Titmouse family is well represented, six sce apenting on my a Titmouse (Parus cristatus) are all very common. The Long-tailed Some of the most attractive birds of Europe are included in the family “ occurrence as I found them. Of plainer plumage are the Tree Sparrows (Pe a Bunting for the only time. The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) does encouraged to nest about dwellings by means of special nesting devices resembl- for as soon as the young are well feathered and ready to leave the nest, ti A Bird Watcher in France 79 meee ung Rooks, are used for food. During the season one pair of i young ributé several broods of young toward the food-supply of ss many splendid song-birds. The Robin or Redbreast (Erithacus tkeap (Sylvia airicapilla), Skylark (Alauda arvensis), Woodlark , but if I did I will give any of the above a place ahead of him as’ ne May night, in Coblenz, Germany, I heard a bird singing which tive to be the ‘nachtigall.’ It sounded like someone blowing a we kind in which water is employed to produce the warbling ME corms 4 aes etobekraation rd, and to watch him in his estay is to behold one ofthe most wonder cles of nature. He begins to sing as he takes to the air and continues | without interruption as he mounts, hovers, soars, and, finally, after a or athe cle a ue song of the Lark is more than a song; it is a musical play and ‘is his stage. From early March until late summer, from dawn until ; ily be heard: even in the driving rain I have watched him sing. especially remarkable bird is the brilliant little Kingfisher (A/- I fet tase I caw hima was in September, 1918, while I-was swim- ye River Meuse. It is said that the feathers of this species are used Be of era teh aie, protny tacos of some seca which the plumage of this little fisherman is believed to effect his SII Se chs won, with the body subsnerged im the water, is a very peat which to observe birds at close range, as they often show no man head apparently detached and floating aimlessly about in the hus I have sometimes been able to encroach within a few feet of beach o anes coast, that would, ordinarily, require a high-power sy for sat observation. The method is not original with me, I : be tired it from an enthusiastic and resourceful bird-watcher of will permit me to mention only the remaining birds of my list, h the Water Ouzel (Cinculus agquaticus) and the Wryneck (Lynx : ila) ‘are as odd and remarkable as their names sound. The others are: Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris); Song Thrush (Turdus musicus); Wheatear (Saxicola nthe); Whinchat (Pratincola rubetra); Stonechat (Pratincola rubicola); . ut (Ruticilla phanicurus); Black Redstart (Ruticilla titys), nest with oung , 1919, located in niche in wall of Casino (Officers’ Club), Coblenz; tpg cinerea); Goldcrest (Regulus cristatus), very similar to our oo iden-crowned Kinglet ; Hedge Sparrow (Accentor modularis); Nuthatch (Sitte | sia ); Ween (Troplodytes parvulus); White Wagtail (Motacilla alba); Pied Wagtall (Atotacia ingubris); Grey Wagtail (Motacilla melanope); Red. backed “Shrike (Lanius collurio); Tree-Creeper (Certhia familiaris), almost identical 80 Bird - Lore with our Brown Creeper; Jay (Garrulus glandarius), a very handsome and noisy — bird with one very characteristic note which sounds like the ripping of a piece of tough canvas; Crested Lark (Alauda cristaia); Black Swift (Cypselus apis); Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus), its call is a musical ‘cuckoo’ with the accent and higher intonation on the first syllable; Barn Owl (Strix flammea); Long-eared Owl (Asio ofus); Kite (Mileus ictinus)—I saw three of these uncommon birds together near Julvecourt on September 28, 1918, on the march of the First Division into the Argonne; Kestrel (Tinnunculus oloudarius) nesting in old Crow’s nest, May 7, 1918, one egg; Mallard (Anas boscas); Wood Pigeon (Columbia palumbus); Turtle Dove (Turtur communis); Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus); Partridge (Perdix cinerea); Moor Hen (Gallinula chloropus); and Coot (Fulica atra). It is interesting in this connection to compare the common English names of the European birds with those of ours and to note how misleading such names — often are. The Blackbird of Europe is a “blackbird” in size and color of plum-— age perhaps, but the comparison ends there, for otherwise he is a Thrush in | appearance, habits, and song. The Redstart is a representative of the old World | Warblers and is entirely different in markings to our Warbler by this name. The English Robin, or Redbreast, is a ‘Robin’ as far as popularity goes, but that is all. He is, in fact, a small Warbler (Sylviine) with a bubbling, Wren-like song. Even the crimson throat and breast of this species and the rufous under- parts of the American Robin are hardly enough alike to be worthy of Only the most casual observer would allow himself to be so influenced by the Sparrow-like markings of the little Warbler (Accentor modularis) as to call it the Hedge Sparrow. The Tree Sparrows of the two hemispheres are not to confused. The Yellow Hammer is a Finch instead of a Woodpecker, and the Buzzard is a Hawk and not a Vulture. It seems that the early settlers in naming many of our birds were very careless observers and were guided largely by slight superficial resemblances with the birds of the mother country, with which they were familiar. The scientific name is the only exact designat of a species. Game-birds are sold in the markets of France, whether legally or ne I cannot say. In Dijon I have seen Mallards and other Ducks exposed for and in Nice, last fall, I saw Moor Hens, two species of Rails, and also Song Thrushes, Blackbirds, Jays, Magpies, and Tree Sparrows. In Marseilles, at the same time, I saw Thrushes, Skylarks, Goldfinches, and Bullfinches offered for sale as cage-birds. With the small birds of the insect-eating class in predominance, and the: birds of prey greatly reduced in numbers, we are not surprised at the resul which this unbalanced condition seems to have caused, namely, a moderat in the numbers of insect pests and’ an over-abundance of injurious rodent field-mice and moles with which the fields of France abound, and rats were one of the scourges of the army. Snakes, another of the natural A Bird Watcher in France 8 } "of these pests, are also very scarce. During the entire two years that I was in | the A. E. F. I saw but one snake—a small Colubrine species—and it was dead. a _ That the remaining raptores, of which the Kestrel is the most numerous, are ) making a faithful effort to make up for the thinness of their ranks is evident at | every hand. Pellets of bone and hair, and often of the chitinous parts of in- 4 sects, are frequently found in the fields, and great quantities of them lie about | the nesting-sites of the Owl, which I take to be the Short-eared Owl. At | Nowart, near Buzancy, I found a pair of Barn Owls occupying a ruined church ) tower. Not only was the floor of this tower littered with bushels of ‘pellets,’ ' but there were many dead field-mice lying about uneaten, indicating that the ’ Owls had continued to kill them even after their hunger had been satisfied. ) Two American 75's had struck this church before the Germans had evacuated ) the village, one of them carrying away part of the tower, but the Owls stuck to ) their post. It is probable, also, that weasels, which are quite common, exact | some toll from the excess of rodents. With the exception of the fly plague, which , persists for a few weeks in the fall, insects are kept well in check. Part of the | “credit for this must go to the birds but some at least is due their more humble “allies, the lizards, toads, and bats with which this land is so richly endowed. Field Sparrows By F. N. WHITMAN, Ithaca, N. Y. With Photographs by the Author : SLIM Sparrow form, with a caterpillar in its bill, dropping into a bush A in a nearby slough, directed me to its nest, which I found located about 8 inches above the water, under a tuft of tall grass that bent over it. § It was an unusually safe situation. When I drew aside the tall grass, instantly _ four young Field Sparrows jumped forth and started paddling away, but a & — a gate _ " ate ee ene Ri ~ ies at ec Ee eR om a ll seer THE YOUNG COWBIRD CLAIMS Ht! HARE. COMPARE HIS SIZE wiTtt THAT OF THE YOUNG FIELD SPARROW ae 1:4 ry a e 3. . ee Bird - Lore STUFFING THE FOOD WELL DOWN THE YOUNGSTER’S THROAT Cowbird included in the family with its inherited trust in Providence, was quite content to remain where it had been well cared for. In contrast to the fairly well-feathered condition of the young Sparrows, then (June 12) about eight days old, the foster bird, which was about twice their size, was still in the quill- AFIELD SPARROW FAMILY AND (AT THE RIGHT) A YOUNG COWBIRD ABOUT ELEVEN DAYS OLD Field Sparrows Rs feather Stage. Once, when I picked it up, its cries attracted the attention of a female Cowbird, which appeared much disturbed. Having palmed her famil) cares off on S6me other small bird, she apparently nevertheles®felt a genera! interest in the young of her species On the third day after discovering the nest, as I wa’ focusing onthe young birds perched on a stick, the image of on yne of the old birds’ appeafed on the screen, and thereafter they showed little concern at my presence, even when TrHE Fike PARROW HOME } jrii PARENT yey sty 4] I stood within arm's reach. Greet also spiders, grasshopper . ete mostiv obtained on the ground Both Lin ‘ mare! were kept very busy with four of their owns g and a foster Cowbird (wh required double portions) to be cared for. The Spa ws tall and wints of seeds is varied in the spring and summer by one mainiy of insect 7 ° young are apparently raised entirely on the latte During the busy period of raising their ing, the Field Sparrow time for singing. but they, together with ma: ther of w ta voice their buoyant spirits well into the fall, and eve nN er W : hear their slightly tremulous farew: A Surprised Crow By VERDI BURTCH, Branchport, N. Y. O lure Crows close enough to the barn, from which the Pheasants figured in the last issue of Binp-Lore were photographed, for a good picture we nailed several pieces of suet to a board, laid it on the ground and overed it with snow, leaving the pieces of suet exposed. Then, with C. F. Stone, I retired to the building. and, with both cameras trained on the suet. we awaited developments. Soon a Crow came and alighted some 8 to ro feet from the suet and approached slowly and with great caution, walking around the : suet and making feints at it. Finally he made a grab for it, and it was at this nstant that we pressed the levers to our cameras, my shutter being released a fraction of a second before Mr. Stone’s. As the Crow struck the suet, he imped back, raising his wings, and my camera caught him before he was 54 SE — ——————— i Iv i" i t- A Surprised Crow 85 fairly under way, his tail in the snow and head and feet hidden by his partly opened wings (Pig. 1). Mr. Stone, however, caught him clear from the ground, his wings fully extended, head and feet forward, and with a beautiful look of surprise (Fig. 2). After this he seemed to be satisfied that there was no danger, for in a few minutes he was calmly pulling the pieces of suet from the board and eating it, with others of his clan. An Unusual Horned Lark Family By FRANK LEVY With a Photograph by the Author 1915, I first saw the pair of Prairie Horned Larks of which I am writing. At that time I could find no sign of a nest, although the birds appeared to be attached to a certain portion of the prairie. This was a dry section bounded on three sides by swamps at a distance of about 200 feet. It seemed queer to ¢ was in the Calumet region, just south of Chicago, that on May 17, HORNED LARK ABOUT TO FEED YOUNG me to see three species of Rails, Coots, Pintails, and Blue-winged Teal within a short distance of the dry country inhabited by Horned Larks. On May 24, while working the same place, I flushed one of the birds from its nest, and, Upon examining it, I found eight eggs. They were unquestionably all Horned Lark’s eggs, and, to all appearances, from this one pair of birds. As far as I know, the usual set of eggs is three or four, this being the only exception that I have heard of. Two weeks later, on May 31, after we had had two days of violent rain, I returned to Calumet and found not only that the nest was intact and that all of the eight eggs had hatched, but that the birds were about five days old. In fact, some of them kicked themselves out of the nest when I came near and tried their feeble legs. While I was examining the young birds from a distance of ig 3 ee a t Be 86 Bird - Lore | not over 3 feet from the nest, I was surprised to see one of the parents approach and feed the fledglings as though I was not within a short distance of them and in no way concealed. I could not determine the sex of the adults, but I do know that they both fed the young ones and with the greatest regularity, about two minutes elapsing between each visit of the same bird. Thus, at least while I was there, some of the birds were fed every minute. The parents would circle about the nest after having found their food and approach on foot on the opposite side of the nest from where I sat. Usually they flew away from the nest, and walked up to it on the return trip. The young birds were fed only a peculiar white object from all sides of which fine, hair-like filaments projected. They seemed to get this food from the ground all about the nest and usually moved it around in their bills before feeding it. I could not identify this food or obtain a sample of it. It is shown in the accompanying photograph, taken without any concealment, and with the lens within ten inches from the nest. Migration Group Chart | : By 8. A. HAUSMAN, Cornel! University, Ithaca, N. ¥. HE accompanying chart is designed to show graphically the rather com- plex relationships of the various migrational groups of birds which occur within any given area, and was devised to meet the needs of Junior bird — students to whom the intricacies of migrational movements of birds are often — apt to be somewhat of a puzzle. The dotted area represents any given locality within which there normally occur at least six well-defined groups of birds: (1) The Permanent Residents (PR), or those which reside within the area, and do not migrate, at least to any great degree. Within the permanent resident group are included such birds as are represented within the area as lo species. It isprobable, however, that the individuals which one sees in the winter are not the same ones observed in the summer. Examples of this group in New York state are the Bob-white, White- breasted Nuthatch, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers. (2) The Spring Migrants — (SM) are those birds which nest to the north of the area, and winter to the south of it, and pass through the area in the spring. Examples: White-throated — Sparrow, Myrtle Warbler, and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. (3) The Fall Mi- grants (FM) are those of the group just mentioned returning to their winter- ing grounds in the fall. (4) The Summer Residents (SR) are the largest group - and consist of those birds which winter to the south of the area, and return to © it each spring to nest. This group contains the largest number of our best-— known birds, such as the Robin, Bluebird, Phoebe, etc. (5) The Winter Resi- dents (WR) comprise those birds which nest to the north of the area and come ~ to us in the fall to spend the winter, such species as the Red-breasted Nuthatch, Migration Group Chart 87 | and Herring Gull. (6) The Irregular Visitants (IV) ich Seiad ghopiily saab at the avifauna of the area, but mtly, by pure chance or accident, straggle into the area from A caeidics part of Mom York tate llaegieret Ce group oe pspanbortrapeas d that, in our latitude, the spring migration is from the south h in the case of each group, and is represented by the upper SOUTH MIGRATION BIRD GROUP CHART vy, cross-barred arrows, while the fall migration is in the opposite d is represented by the lower lines of plain-shafted arrows. The hich show the routes of the Irregular Visitants are intended to indicate rrivals and departures are capriciously north, south, east, or west. icted areas where a bird migration record is being kept, such a 1 ry helpful. It can be expanded and space sufficiently large left under of each group to enable the listing there of all the birds belonging to ps with the dats of thei arivas and departures. GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET AT HERBARIUM FEEDING STATION Photographed by Wm. L. G. Edson Winter Feeding-Stations at Highland Park, Rochester, N. Y., 1916-17 By W.L. G. EDSON, and KR. E. HORSEY HE winter feeding-stations at Highland Park, Rochester, N. Y., were continued through the winter of 1916-17, special attention being given to the Herbarium feeding-station, of which a day's record was kept on March 5, 1916, and printed in Brrp-Lore for September—October of that year. \ window-shelf placed at one of the Herbarium windows gave a chance for close study and sure identification, with photographs of our most interesting visitors, the American Crossbill, seven of which arrived January 15 and were seen almost every day until April 27. They lived only on sunflower seed, both from the food-shelf and food-hopper. At the end of the season (April 26 and 27) two White-winged Crossbills visited the food-hopper. The suet was the attraction for another visitor not recorded last winter, a Golden-crowned Kinglet, noted all winter. The Cardinal, an accidental visitor at Rochester, was with us again all winter, cating sunflower seed. The last one seen here was in 1913-14. It was recorded in the ‘Report from Rochester, N. Y." on bird-feeding in Bmp-Lore for December, 1914. The value of a feeding-station was proved, for sceptical persons were soon convinced of this bird’s presence here, by spending a few hours at the stations where food was placed. Phe Red-breasted Nuthatch ate quite freely of sunflower seed, while a year ago we had no record of them doing so. The best result, perhaps, was the nesting (38) % Winter Feeding-Stations at Highland Park 89 of the Red-breasted Nuthatch in the Highland Park Pinetum, five young being raised in an Audubon bird-house No. 2, placed for them on an electric, wire pole in the midst of thick hemlocks. The parents and young often come to the suet to feed. They left the nest on June 28. This is the first record we have seen of this bird breeding in Monroe County, N. Y. Of course, the Chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatch, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Tree Sparrows, Brown Creeper, and Pheasants visited the stations, feeding as reported last year. While last year the Pheasants were fed in the thick portions of the evergreens, this year a station was established in the edge of them, where they were watched from the Herbarium windows, as many as eight being seen at a time, usually in early morning or late afternoon. The suet is kept out all summer and is much enjoyed by Red-breasted and White-breasted Nuthatch, Catbird, Robin, Wood Thrush, and Brown Thrasher. AMERICAN CROSSBILL AT HERBARIUM POOD-SHEL? Photagrapbed by bh. Hersey x ‘e “ee — The Migration of North American Birds _ SECOND SERIES XII. ARIZONA JAY, CALIFORNIA JAY, AND THEIR ALLIES Compiled by Harry C, Oberholser, Chiefly from Data in the Biological Survey (See Frontispiece) ARIZONA JAY The Arizona Jay (A phelocoma sieberii arizona) is a subspecies of Sieber’s Jay, of which there are several subspecies in Mexico, but of which only the present and following form occur in the United States. The Arizona Jay is practically resident wherever found, and ranges from southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico south to northeastern Sonora and northern Chihuahua. COUCH’S JAY Couch’s Jay (A phelocoma sieberii couchii) is the other United States race of Sieber’s Jay, and ranges from southern Nuevo Leon northwest through the Mexican state of Coahuila to just over the United States boundary in the Chisos Mountains of central western Texas. FLORIDA JAY The Florida Jay (A phelocoma cyanea) is resident, locally, in the peninsula of Florida, where it inhabits the low scrub south to Fort Myers and Miami and north to Jacksonville. CALIFORNIA JAY The California Jay (A phelocoma californica) as a species now includes as subspecies several forms of the genus A phelocoma that were formerly considered species. It thus has a rather wide geographic range from Washington and Idaho south to southern Mexico, and from the Pacific coast east to Wyoming and Texas. All its races, like all the other representatives of the genus, are strictly resident, and we have, therefore, no migration dates to offer. ; The typical California Jay (A phelocoma californica californica) occurs in the coast district of central western California, east to the Coast Ranges, north to the southern side of San Francisco Bay, and south to Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. Swarth’s Jay (A phelocoma californica odcleptica) inhabits the coast region of northern California, east to the Coast Ranges, south to San Francisco Bay, and north to Wedderburn, southwestern Oregon. The Long-Tailed Jay (A phelocoma californica immanis) is confined chiefly to California and Oregon, ranging north to central southern Oregon and — southwestern Washington, west to the Coast Ranges of Oregon and northern — California, south to the southern Sierra Nevada and south central California, — (90) _— Migration of North American Birds or ¢ Mountains in western Oregon. 8 Jay (A phelocoma californica obscura) occupies the coast region restern California and northern Lower California, north to the San ie aod San Bernardino Mountains, California south to Santa Ana, Lower nik » at about 29° 20’ north latitude, and east to the San Bernardino 29° 15’ north latitude. Texas Jay (A phelocoma californica texana) ranges in central and cen- m Texas east to Keir County, north to Taylor County and the ti west to the Davis Mountains and the Chinati Mountains, th othe Chinn Mountains Ys Jay (Aphelocoma californica woodhousei) ranges in the ) | States north to southern Wyoming, southern Idaho, and oy SANTA CRUZ JAY nta Cruz Jay (A phelocoma insularis) is resident and confined to Santa id in the Santa Barbara group, California. | es on the Plumage of North American Birds . FIPTY-SIXTH PAPER By FRANK M. CHAPMAN (See Frontispiece) 01 a Jay (A phelocoma sieberii arisona).—In juvenal (nestling) plumage 7 are uniform gray, the underparts much as in the adult. molt these slight differences disappear and on its comple- n ng and old are alike in color. There are no sexual or seasonal differences. 4 — Jay ranges over the greater part of the Mexican tableland, some ‘six forms of it being recognized, of which two enter the United States, the _ present, and Couch’s Jay. . " Florida Jay (A phelocoma cyanea). In juvenal (nestling) plumage the crown, : pie breast- band are sooty instead of blue, the back somewhat darker, the s whiter, and the throat unstreaked; but these differences disappear hh the Siattwvenal molt, when all but the wings and tail-quills are shed; an ee gree an thd are alte rec. Jay must not be confused with the Florida Blue Jay. The latter SS ET - : F + bo iets ile ak anc ai i ; Beas bs a, = 2 nies a WS * aa — : re? 9 a bs iy bn ciety related form of cur northern Bios Say, thi/ioraec Mist tive of the A phelocoma californica group of Jays of the western United States. Reference to the plate will show how closely it resembles the California Jay, nevertheless its range is separated from that of the nearest race of that species — (Texas Jay) by no less than 1,000 miles. The occurrence in south central Florida of the Burrowing Owl presents a similar and equally puzzling prob- lem in distribution. California Jay (A phelocoma californica californica). In juvenal (nestling) plumage the crown and sides of the head are grayish brown, the back somewhat paler with no tinge of blue, the white line over the eye of the adult is obscure or almost wanting, the breast-band is faint dusky and the streakedappearance of the throat is barely suggested. At the post-juvenal molt the tail and wing- quills are retained, the balance of the plumage molted when the bird acquires _ & plumage similar to that of the adult; and thereafter there is no essential change | in its appearance. In slightly differentiated forms the California Jay is found throughout the greater part of the western United States and southward into Mexico. Since it is non-migratory, only one form may be expected to occur in a given locality, and the various forms may be better identified by the locality in which they are found than by the characters on which they are based. The student is there- fore referred to Dr. Oberholser’s statement of the ranges of the various races in the preceding paper. Santa Cruz Jay (A phelocoma insularis). This is a closely related, dark form of the California Jay inhabiting Santa Cruz Island of the Santa Barbara — group. If its range met that of the mainland form the two would doubtless — intergrade, when the island bird would be ranked as a subspecies, but as the — insularity of the bird’s home prevents such contact, and as it is sufficiently — distinct not to intergrade by individual variation, it is ranked asa full species. _ Its plumage changes are doubtless similar to those of the California Jay. — Motes from Field and Study Brewer's Blackbird, Western Robin, Varied A Western Bird-Table Bird-lovers in the East who dread the appearance of frost and snow would do well to remember that it is these things alone that make possible the friendly intimacy of winter bird-feeding Phe accounts which I read in Brep-Lore bring back to me chilly remembrance of the friendly Chickadees, Nuthatches, and Blue Jays in Wisconsin I myself have a bird-table prepared in my yard, yet though it is placed in a most inviting situation, under the shelter of a giant, broad-leaved, red-berried madrona not a single bird visits it, nor do I expect any to come unless we have a fall! of snow Then for a day or two, or, if the winter is severe, for a possible two weeks, the birds fairly swarm to the table, only to desert it entirely with the coming of the first ‘Chinook.’ Perhaps some of you would be interested in knowing of the bird that visit a Pacific feed-table. The follow ing is my latest list: Oregon Towhee Rusty Song Sparrow, Oregon Junc Thrush Red-shafted Flicker Harris Woodp« ner North western Redwing Townsend's Sparrow I hav had sm s I ’ : ft C varicties feeding at once Rust Song Sparrows, Oregon Jun Varied Thrush and Western Robins, and, at another time Urea rhr nm | IsSnCcs whees an d Western Robi The Juncos the table, from t birds otten send . “Sparrows tw wenty waiting rr easily are also hy and the picket tence to ing apologeti sort Robins, tl gh sh bo ‘thet ible ‘ right and left them after gorging ho r at mam tire for their are very three visil (Uregon Tune rs Varied ns : ind’ )«=6most swarm about five to one hundred turn own shy, seldom ing the table frightened. The Red yrrie ree lickers and Harris's Woodpeckers . eping alon . btedly the ther visi rm een me ; tf an + the rf ) CHICKADEE AND P hotagra phe o4 Bird - Lore birds away, though he did not care to cat himself. Next in number to the Juncos are the beautiful Varied Thrushes. The bright- colored males are much wilder than the females, scldom approaching when any- one is in sight. Among their own kind they are a very quarrelsome bird, fighting and squabbling continually. One of the pleasant features of the Varied Thrushes’ visit is that even in winter they give voice freely to their unique, vibrant song, which has a peculiar, most penctrating effect on a clear frosty morning. While the cold and snow drives Town- send’s Sparrows and the Varied Thrushes from the mountains to settled sections and villages, it seems to bring the Brew- er’s Blackbirds from the lowlands into the hills, perhaps for the shelter which the firs afford. A single female of this species first visited my table late one winter and was very tame. Later she returned with a very shy male, and finally a flock of five were visiting me, accompanied occasionally be a female Northwestern Redwing. The Oregon Towhees seldom visit the table itself, but are content to eat the crumbs that fall to the ground, while the Rusty Song Sparrows divide their atten- tion about equally between the table and the ground beneath. Suet, the standby for bird-feeding in the East, is rather at a discount here. Apples and rolled oats are the most favored food, though a dry cookie, carefully nailed down, is much relished. If the season is favorable we may have several of these skits of snow between December and March, during which the bird visitors come and feed, but two or three weeks, altogether, in a winter is the extreme limit.—Lesus L. Hasxix, Lebanon, Ore. » What Has Become of the Golden- crowned Kinglet ? The article on ‘The Scarcity of Golden- crowned Kinglets,’ by Francis H. Allen, in the November-December, 1919, Biep- Long, caused me to inspect carefully my bird-records for the past several years. a i UE HH At only one time did it approach normal numbers, April 7, the last date it was seen by the winter of 1917-18, is again normal. The Carolina forms, as of old, one of the small group of vigorous winter songs! and the Mockingbird kept up its med- ley in unusual richness until the bitter days of the December —Gi Witson, Bowling Green, Ky. Scarcity of Golden-crowned Kinglets The article by Francis H. Allen, in the December issue of Brrp-Lore,on the scar- city of the Golden-crowned Kinglets in Massachusetts, was of interest to me from here in northern Ohio, and dates from the same period as Mr. Allen's observations —the fall of 1917. ~ ar During the year of 1917 I noted this species on forty-two different days and usually in large numbers. During 1918, I noted them on but ten different days, and only in small numbers or individual birds. During 1919 I have seen them on only six different dates and only two or three at a time. These figures give a correct ratio of the increased scarcity, I believe, for I have — = , = ££ 7 en . i eo “ey Pots ee < ri ri ah ot i 2 ” ieee , vs AE, a — a fs » . : x — i ue + r a ie i? as ~ 0 4 4 . = e — al Notes from Field and Study 95 ts were wet and windy and d, and then Ben Ge the sudden Mite: the second storm of that December, : h a storm can put a Bald Eagle hors de combat, what must it not do to such birds as Kinglets, Tree Sparrows, Juncos, and wintering Song Sparrows?—E. A. Doo- LittLe, Painesville, Ohio. Evening Grosbeak in Connecticut Tt may be of interest to note that yester- day, December 17, I saw a flock of from six to eight Evening Grosbeaks. The flock contained birds with the bright-colored plumage of the males and also a number of the duller colored females. This is the second time I have had the pleasure of seeing these birds, the other occasion being in tort, when a large flock stayed for some time in this vicinity. I have heard Mr. Job in one of his lectures express regret that although he had been informed of this large flock of Evening Grosbeaks on account of business reasons he was unable to come here and secure photo- graphs of them.—W. E. Futter, Norwich, Conn. White-winged Crossbill in Brooklyn I think it will interest readers of Brep- Lore to know that the writer has had the extremely good fortune to see a White- winged Crossbill this fall—and that in the heart of the city. On October 31 I saw this rare and interesting bird in the midst of a flock of House Sparrows about 100 feet from my house. The bird first attracted my attention by its white wing-bars and yellow rump as it few down to the gutter from a small tree. I had it within 4 feet of me for almost 2 minutes, and had a fine oppor- tunity to scrutinize every mark on it, The general color was a dull greenish olive; the underparts were quite gray, and the back and head mottled with black. The tips of the mandibles were plainly crossed. Altogether there could be no doubt but that it was an adult female White-winged Crossbill. When I came back in the afternoon the bird was not to be found and since thea has not appeared.—Ratrn Fainomann, Brooklyn, N.Y. 96 Bird - Lore Prairie Horned Larks and Lapland Longepurs at Ithaca, N. Y. The winter of 1915-16 was very severe in this part of New York, and many birds whose habitat is a more northerly one spent the winter with us. It was noticed that the Prairie Horned Larks were here in great numbers, and since practically all of their natural food was covered up by the heavy and successive snowflalls, a feeding-station was started for them on a sheltered hillside. The Larks were soon coming by tens and even hundreds, and a quart of feed would barely last an hour. Almost all of them became quite tame and moved away but a few feet when one came to replenish the food-supply. At such times it was an interesting sight indeed to see the field dotted with Larks waiting for their luncheon! It was an excellent opportunity for close study, and we found that we had not only the Prairie Horned Larks (Olecoris alpesiris praticola) but also several of the Shore Larks (0. alpes- tris alpesiris) that are very rare in this vicinity, coming regularly to the feeding- station. They were very quarrelsome while feed- ing and were continually rushing atone LAPLAND LONGSPUR AND HORNED LARKS the field, and, on one occasion, one perched on a small tree, a quite unusual thing for a Horned Lark to do. The Horned Larks were not to enjoy this free food all by themselves, however, for soon Snow Buntings began to come and mingle with them, They were rather shy and always stayed on the outskirts of the noisy Lark-mob, not seeming to appreciate their rough tactics. When the Larks were satisfied and moved away from the food, the Buntings would go in and help themselves. These birds never be- came as tame as the Horned Larks and generally flew away on our close approach. One day, several Sparrow-like birds were seen at the station, but they flew re a a i Notes from Field and Study or i), harvesting some pump- J sath potatoes from my Garden, when a flock of Red Cross- tering overhead and lighted left growing among the and now quite ripe and dry. ©, perhaps, twenty to twenty- tof them, both male and female. They — at their case, and seemed to c There could citron ei _ back, shading to red-gray on the wings, «but yut the dull olive-green of the females, _ a8 well as the one characteristic mark ener ee nnd Setmalo—the crossed ; plainly discernible at not 10 feet distance. They soon took t but returned a moment later and settled down all around me, and I noticed their swift, dipping flight like that of the American Goldfinch, while on the wing. They remained in the vicinity for some minutes and then flew off in a bunch over the corn-shocks toward the distant hills, with a low, twittering song in unison, as if the birds were talking to themselves. It was the first Crossbill of my experience and the earliest, I believe, to be recorded in the vicinity of Pittsburgh. All accounts seem to indicate that it is a winter bird and that it feeds almost exclusively upon the seeds of coniferous trees. Does their early arrival, together with their feeding upon sunflower seed, indicate a scarcity of cone seeds in the far north? In this con- nection it is interesting to inquire, with Mabel Osgood Wright, “If its beak is a development to meet food conditions, will it be gradually modified by the cutting down of the forests of conifers?” Perhaps the Crossbill is changing its habits to meet the changed conditions as a result of the H. C. of L.—Mrmo H. Mrizer, Pitisburgh, Pa. Notes from London, Ont. As it is several years since any notes have appeared from London, Ont., the following unusual occurrences may be of interest to Brep-Lore readers. On the afternoon of May 4, 1918, while hunting through a large field for Bartram's Sandpiper, we flushed a Short-cared Owl from one of the low, damp spots. The bird flew a little way and lit on a stump, We tried to get closer to it but it flew to another stump. Finally, it rose into the air, and, circling higher and higher, was soon lost to sight in the distance. In the air it looked like a large Hawk, for which we would have, no doubt, mistaken it had we not first seen it on the ground. This bird may be commoner in our neighbor- hood than is generally supposed, but if so, keeps itself well out of the way of the members of our club. Just south of the city there is a group of three small ponds which we hope some day may be turned into a bird sanctuary. 98 Bird - Lore In the vicinity of these ponds many of our most interesting ‘finds’ are made, and the summer of 1918 was one of the best yet experienced. This was probably due to the fact that one of our members camped there for some weeks, and each morning paddled around in a canoe to see what inter- esting changes had taken place over night. On August 8, a Long-billed Marsh Wren was found, although the location was rather different from that usually favored by these birds. It was not seen again. This is only the third time this Wren has been reported from our county. On August 11, a Black-crowned Night Heron, in the juvenal plumage, was noted. It remained for several days and was seen by a few fortunate ones. This bird is decidedly rare with us. A family of Least Bitterns, consisting of the parent birds and four youngsters, was also located. They made a very pretty group as they squatted among the willows along the shore, or walked sedately away through the bushes to avoid the prying eyes of those who wished to study them more closely. On Oct. 22, 1918, a Barred Owl was seen, also at the ponds. This is the first record of the Barred Owl for many years. On April 19, 1919, an adult Bald Eagle was observed, and about two weeks later the nest was discovered in a large button- wood tree. This is the first time in many years that the Bald Eagle has nested in our county. They succeeded in raising two young, but we heard afterward that they had both been shot. We can only hope that the old birds have escaped. A Carolina Wren spent the summer of 1919 with us, living in the north end of the city. It was first noted on May 209, and after that its ringing song could be heard almost every day. We never learned whether it had a mate or not. Previous to 1919 we had only one record of the Hudsonian Chickadee. This winter two specimens have been taken in the country just north of London, and a third bird has come into the city and has visited the food-shelves of several of our members. ing with savers inches i mow on the fe oo et ee Prerers, Newtown, Pa. Evening Grosbeak in New Jersey During the heavy snowstorm of the first week in February there arrived at — my home in Point Pleasant, Ocean County, — N. J., two Evening Grosbeaks, a male and — a female. This is the first time, to my knowledge, that these birds have been ; and a male Blue Jay sat le on the limb of a wild cherry te my window for almost an th een an of battle. — son, Point Pleasant, N. J. Fimas easly besieged with an mber of visitors. The Blue Jay : y Woodpecker came to a window- ge shelf to feed, while male Downies ted themselves, unperturbed, only a thes away on the outside of the ow- The feeding-station visitors much more abundant during the h of December than during the more “month of January or the first two cs of February. own Creepers have been unusually idant this winter at Ames. Out of a ford of to species and 144 individuals | December 25,8 were Brown Creepers; species and 186 individuals recorded 99 on December 28, 5 were Brown Creepers; of 8 species and 38 individuals reported for January 25, 5 were Brown Creepers. A flock of Bohemian Waxwings was noticed on January 20. They were first seen feeding on a few thorn-apples left adhering on a tree just outside of the city limits. After being observed a few minutes, the flock flew into the city. At this time 37 birds were counted. The next day the flock attacked a tree of wild crab-apples in the same vicinity, but inside the city limits. The tree was well loaded with fruits perfectly formed but frozen and bitter. Here these birds were seen not only on the 21st, but some of them for every day thereafter until February 4. As they continued to feed on these fruits, some of them became quite tame and would sit or feed in the tree, even with the observer only an arm’s-length away. This was true, however, of only a few birds. Upon near approach, some of them would always, and most of them would usually, fly away at the alarm of a leader. The large flock frequently broke up into smaller flocks, yet no matter how fre- quently divided, they would later all get together in one flock. All birds at first were averse to feeding near the snow- covered ground, with the result that by January 28 the upper and middle branches were completely robbed of their fruit, while those near the ground were loaded and untouched. On February 4, the flock disappeared, and not a single Bohemian has been seen at Ames since. An examination of the crab-apple tree on the 7th showed that hardly a single fruit had been left. The lower branches had shared the fate of the upper ones and were bare. In this flock, which contained at one time about so individuals, not a single Cedar Waxwing was observed, and, it may be added, that Cedar Waxwings have not been recorded here since January t. The white-winged Crossbill was seen a few times during the winter. On February ts, Dr. Charles Murray brought a dead male to the Department of Zodlogy for determination. Dr. Murray statgl that the bird, together with two others not so strongly marked, had been observed for several days previous. The Cardinal, which is rare at Ames, was observed only once, December 28, one individual being seen. The largest number of Cardinals ever reported for one trip at Ames is only 5, which were seen April 20, roto. Conditions for the Cardinal have been improved here, and it is hoped that in the future it will become the fairly common bird that it now is in some other parts of lowa.—H. E. Ewinc, Ames, lowe. Unusual December Birds at Branch- port, New York Although December, 19190, was a wintry month, with considerable zero weather, several species of our summer birds failed to take advantage of the op- portunity to migrate with others of their kin. Between December 16 and 23, I ob- served a Great Blue Heron braving the wintry winds out on the ice of Lake Keuka, while, nearby, a Kingfisher seemed to be admiring the Heron's stately, one- legged pose. An active, noisy Robin is a visitor of our locust trees, and a Mourning Dove is a frequent visitor and feeder in a nearby barnyard. December 23, about twenty Redwinged Blackbirds and Cowbirds flew about town. At the same time the weather was such that Siskins and Crossbills were numerous, and great numbers of Snow Buntings have been here since December 20. Evening Grosbeaks were reported at Penn Yan on January 1 by James Fla- hive, therefore we may expect to have these aristocratic visitors with us this winter.—Ciarence F. Stonx, Branchport, N.Y. The Golden-crowned Kinglet In the November-December (1919) Brep-Loxr, page 361, some interesting data relative to the growing scarcity of Bird - Lore Golden-crowned review my notes on this species for past few years, it has become a scarce bird, locally, generally a common migrant usually winter. However, only seen on three dat than half a dozen individuals. taken several long tramps during the winter, (1919-20) "4 § . z marsh just outside of the city, I 7 Notes from Field and Study was surprised to start a bird of this species from a clump of matted reeds. I had a very good look at it as it ran over the snow, and there could be no doubt as to its identity. On February 12 I again visited this marsh, and saw the bird. This time it ran out, as before, from almost underfoot, but managed, with great apparent effort, to take to the air. It came down in the reeds about a hundred feet away, quite close, as it happened, to a wandering boy and dog. The dog immediately gave chase, and the Rail, doubtless weakened by hunger, did not attempt to fly again. The Rail was overtaken after it had run @ great race, but we managed to rescue it uninjured. After a careful examination, we released it. Other birds I have observed this winter and consider unusual are: a Wilson's Snipe and cight female Red-winged Blackbirds on January 4; and a male Red- winged Blackbird, and a male with two female Rusty Blackbirds on February 12. —James R. Wenn, New York City. Nonpareil Wintering in Florida While spending the winter in Daytona, Fia., there came, several times a day, to a feeding-station upon the ground, four female (or immature) Nonparcils, and fed on the mixed grains kept there. The first one I saw on February 5, 1919. Not knowing what it was, I took a book and turned to the Key for Sparrows, tracing it at once to the Painted Bunting (female). I had never seen one before, so hesitated to name it positively, On my way north I stopped at Charleston, and there visited the museum, where I saw good specimens of the Nonpareil. The female and the birds I saw in Daytona were identical. I also visited the new museum at Wash- ington and again verified them. Several bird-lovers, who had spent many winters in Daytona, came to see these birds, and all said they had never seen any like them. One gentleman (Mr. Stillman of Plainfield, N. J.) said he was positive there was no record of a Nonpareil in 102 Bird - Daytona, and as be was a careful bird student who had watched the birds there many years, I thought it might be worth sending this account. After a few days two birds appeared, and six days from the time of seeing the first bird, there were four beautiful Nonpareils feeding several times a day. With the three. As they fed on the ground their green blended perfectly with the green of the violet leaves. These birds, visiting this yard at Day- ing-station—Hermit Thrush, Thrasher, Woodpeckers (Red-bellied) ,Ground Doves, Cardinals, White-throats, Song Sparrows, Blue Jays and Mockingbirds.—Mary C. Dopor, Wercester, Mass. The Purple Grackles Steal Their Suppers After a three-day blizzard, on April 12, 1918, I counted 37 Robins feeding in the schoolyard which in spots had been swept clean of snow by the wind. Besides these Robins, there were at least’ 20 Purple Grackles and maybe 60 more up in the pines nearby. The Robins were busy catching their suppers, which consisted chiefly of worms, and they seemed rather successful. The Grackles weren't doing as well and looked with envy, at the fat worms the Robins were pulling out of the ground. One of the Grackles, seeing a Robin right next to him pull up a worm, while he couldn't find any, darted down on the surprised Robin, who flew away, leaving ula i ti this point is within the city limits of lowa City. In the process of its formation — during the past several years, willow trees, 15 to 20 feet in heavy water grass and rushes $ bp nile HE until, at the very edge of the willow-covered — mud-flat, the noise seemed almost deafen- — ing. The trees, grass, and reeds were — sarc —The winter of 1919- long be remembered in eastern tts as a real, old-fashioned jods of intense cold alternated itorms. After January 9, the nd was covered by an increasingly blanket snow; twice the tempera- yelow, and on seven days in ua ary the p thermometer registered below | to the typical New England : a January thaw (on the ip. 50°) and a blizzard on 4s mid-February, the flocks were Jarge and as numerous as during last big flight in 1906-7. These birds > once in the same trees that they in thirteen years ago, so promptly, a8 to suggest that when these m birds come yearly (as the Even- 3 do nowadays), it is their ealities which brings them back to the ime spots year after year. Notes from Field and Study 103 returned each succeeding evening, so that, after two or three days following this observation, only about the normal number of birds was to be found at any time in this congregating-place. No doubt the abundance of Red-winged Blackbirds, as well as many other of our common birds, is to be attributed, in part, at least, to the widespread influence of the various Audubon and other bird- ganda.— Dayton peoean, lowe. Towa City, THE SEASON Pine Siskins and Redpolls have been numerous all winter, in flocks of fifty birds or more sometimes, feeding most often on the seeds of the gray birch. Well- fruited birches, where these birds con- gregate, can be recognized at a glance, for they are soon surrounded by a brown area, so thickly are the bracts of the cat- kins scattered on the snow, Many Tree Sparrows and Goldfinches, and a few Juncos and Song Sparrows, have wintered here, and Blue Jays and Chickadees have been present in normal numbers. In contrast to the roving flocks of Red- polls and Siskins, Song Sparrows spend the winter alone, or, at most, with one or two companions. Their winter quarters are always near dense shrubbery, or perhaps a pile of branches, where they are sheltered from wintry winds. Even a gale, filtering through the interstices of such a thicket, must lose its force when broken into innumerable draughts of air and become, toward the interior, progressively milder until in the midst there is a space where a bird can find a safe, calm roosting- place. Our forefathers applied this prin- ciple when they made their tin lanterns, punctured with countless, tiny holes, The ground on which the Bluchirds 104 must find their food when they come north next month is now covered by two feet and more of the hardest ice and snow. Wixson M. Tytex, M.D., Lexingion, Mass. New Youre Recion.—These two months cover comparatively unchanging condi- tions of winter bird-life. Nevertheless, as is generally recognized, traces of the fall migratory movement may frequently, if not always, be observed later than December 15. Birds are often present at Christmas time which will be absent later in the winter; or they may even linger into the first week of January and then move on. Also, beginnings of the spring migratory movement may sometimes be noted as carly as the middle of February. The present season, a snowstorm on Christmas Eve ushered several weeks of white, cold, monotonous winter to the interior of the west end of Long Island. During this period the ground was almost continually, though thinly, snow-covered. Even the commonest winter birds were remarkably scarce. An unusually large flock (about 25) of Meadowlarks was noticed from the train, January 7, and as none was seen again during the month, the species probably left the vicinity about that date. Beginning ten days later, came recurrent storms, with general temperature gradually rising. The some- what changed conditions were accompanied by an increase in Tree Sparrows and Juncos. One or two White-throated Sparrows appeared at Garden City. Four Field Sparrows appeared again January 22, in a vacant lot within the town, grown to tall grass (Andropogon virginicus), where half a dozen had been found December 25. Following a three days’ northeaster, with drifted snowfall the first week in February, on the 7th a small flight of Red Crossbills was noted and an increase of Horned Larks on the ‘plains’ near Garden City. February 8, a flock of about 20 Evening Grosbeaks was reported at Forest Hills (one, disabled, brought to the New York Zodlogical Park from there. —L. S. Crandall). On the 8th and 12th, Bird - Lore ties which they ordinarily do not visit. More remarkable is the presence om that date of about 15 Snow Buntings and a 4 q 7 | 1 _ 4 ' q q = 4 ti + Fr He Fes th a atpegdi Ute Ho section of the New York region, because fluctuation of winter bird-life was un- — flock of Red-winged Blackbirds, February — 12 (Englewood, N. J., both sexes.—L. Griscom), should rather be considered — wails from more inhospitable territory — produced more beautiful effects in 105 Doubtless, the winter has taken a more than usual toll of bird-life, yet few dead birds have been found. However, it must be remembered that such objects are meat for the starving and do not lic around very from seeds, leaving the prickly husks scattered about on the crusty snow. Groups of Crows stand and walk about the edge of the tidal streams, waiting for low water but, nevertheless, it is of interest. The rarer northern Finches continue to be the most interesting feature of the season. In addition to those mentioned in the October and November report, Redpolls and Evening Grosbeaks have been reported at several localities, the latter mostly in- dividual birds at widely separated points. There appears to be an unusual scarcity of Winter Wrens, and Northern Shrikes seem to be entirely absent in this district. Truly, the descendants of the Rock 106 Pigeon are becoming thoroughly domesti- cated. A short time ago one was seen to fly up from the street and settle on a pass- ing electric car; the car continued on down the street, the bird sitting there with the utmost unconcern, and it was still in the same position when lost to view. On February 9, while crossing the Dela- ware River on a ferryboat, a Duck Hawk off rapidly up the river toward a grain elevator, where they dashed into a flock of Pigeons, with what success could not be determined as the birds at this time were too far distant.—Juusan K. Porrer, Camden, N. J. Wasutnctox Recion.—Notwithstand- ing protracted cold weather, the orni- thological happenings about Washington during December, 1919, and January, 1920, were little out of the ordinary. Birds, as a whole, were about as numerous as usual, but, in spite of the severe winter, comparatively few of the rarer northern birds put in an appearance. However, the Northern Shrike was noted in the northern part of the city of Washington, on Jan. 26, 1920, by Dr. G. W. Field, and the American Crossbill at Mount Vernon, Va., on Dec. 27, 1919, by Messrs. Wet- more, McAtee, and Preble. On the other hand, the Kuby-crowned Kinglet, which is a rare and irregular winter resident about Washington, was seen at Mount Vernon, Va., on Dec. 27, toro. A Gadwall was reported on Dec. 27, 1919, also, by the same observers; a King Rail on Alexander Island, Va., Dec. 4, 1919, by Mr. E. A. Preble; a Long- billed Marsh Wren along the Anacostia River, December 21 and 28, by Mr. Francis Harper, are likewise worthy of record. 1990, & fleck of so was Siaeeeaaaes® W. Diehl, eating persimmons. ‘The season, some of them pea Kansas Crty Recion.—Unbroken pe- or ten days’ duration are unusual in this gle cs to appear in this eon for jomland thickets and 3 do not harbor the smaller hei net winter abundance. ¢ fcaaee the up-river country not ray. The first Short-eared Owls of the r were found during this period. », had evidently only just moved ' roosting-ground in high grass i iiasedly littered with pellets. A oe fourning Doves were found during fe cond week of the month making their eadquarters in a small patch of hemp. Sumbers of Siskins and Crossbills were al he on the fat seeds, and there d hard! have been a sufficient supply this crowd another week. first week in February was warm, is usual at this time, when no threaten, the carly restless move- of north-bound water-birds was Robins and Bluebirds were Piwlth the Grebes, yet this will hardly o as an excuse for calling the Horned -G an Eared Grebe, as was done in the : st letter from this point. It should have ¢ stated there that the former bird had - The Season 107 been added to the local list, and that it breeds occasionally in Nebraska.—Harey Hargis, Kansas City, Mo. Minnesota Reoion.—The two-months period covered by this report opened on the morning of December 15 with a temperature of —1o° at Minneapolis and ~24° at Duluth. This weather continued for several days, with almost daily or nightly snowfalls. Somewhat milder weather prevailed during the final week of December, with two or three days when the snow melted a little at noon and settled rapidly under high, dry winds, but the new year opened with another cold ‘snap,’ —12° at Minneapolis on the rst and —17° on the ad. The month continued cold and snowy, with many subzero days, interrupted only occasionally by warmer, sunny days, the warmest being on the 2oth when a maximum of 38° was recorded at Minneapolis. February has been con- tinuously cold thus far, with a temperature of —18° on the 14th and —19° on the 15th at Minneapolis. The winter has been steadily cold, with no very marked January or February ‘thaws,’ and yet with no excep- tionally low temperatures. An unusual amount of snow has fallen, especially in the northern part of the state. For this reason it has been a hard winter for the birds, particularly the ground-feeding and weed seed-cating species. Several of the Museum's correspondents have commented upon the scarcity of birds this season, while others seemingly have considered conditions as to resident species about normal. On the whole, it would appear that fewer birds have been noted than last winter, which, however, was an exceptionally good year considered from the observer's standpoint. But, compared with two years ago (winter of 1917-18), when all bird-life, including the common- est species, was at the lowest ebb known here, there has been a marked improve- ment. A notable feature of the winter, in spite of the continued low temperature and deep snow, has been the presence in the state of a considerable number of birds 108 commonly considered as only ‘half-hardy.’ Most of the reports of such species have come from the southern half of the state, but a few are from localities much farther north than heretofore recorded. More and keener observers and a more active campaign in search of winter bird-notes may be the real explanation of these seemingly exceptional occurrences. Brown Creepers have been present all winter in the southern half of the state, and O. J, Murie reports that some individuals of this species are wintering as far north as Moorhead, on the Red River of the North, only a little south of latitude 47°. Tree Sparrows, Juncos, Goldfinches, and Purple Finches have been reported from the southern portion of the state; Red-headed Woodpeckers from Red Wing (Mrs. Green and Miss Densmore), St. Paul (Thompson), Cannon Falls (Swanson), and Rochester (Mrs. MacCarty); Golden- crowned Kinglets from Martin County (Dr. Luedtke), and Fillmore County (Dr. Hvoslef); a Robin at Moorhead, December 12 (Murie), and one at Minneapolis December 27 (Zeleny); two Flickers at Moorhead January 8 (Muric); a Rusty Blackbird at Fosston, far up in the Red River Valley, January 2 (Miss Torgerson), and three wintering at Pipestone (Peter- son); a Red-winged Blackbird at Fosston January 2 (Miss Torgerson); and Bronzed Grackles at Duluth, December 18 (Green) and at Fosston in January (Miss Torger- son). Cardinals have been wintering at Red Wing (Miss Densmore), La Crescent (Whit Harrison), and Lanesboro (Dr. Hvoslef). It should, perhaps, be stated that competent observers, though greatly increased over former years, are still so few in number and so widely scattered over Minnesota's more than 84,000 square miles, that these notes can only be regarded as fragmentary and merely suggestive of actual conditions. Of winter bird visitants only brief mention will be made here. Goshawks have been reported from only four locali- ties. There has, however, been a consider- able influx of Snowy Owls, as reports have been received from nineteen stations Bird - Lore > ' FLEE ert He RE g ‘i ire i : ' i B i ? . Denver Recion.—The weather con- +S j — ; 2 a ee ee _—— ia » > 5 ae gid ome wstances there has been a bir , & scarcity showing itself sumber of individuals than in pear that under such mild h the scarcity of snow, many ing country, and the city and its “seven different species have been seen on Christmas Days of the years 1912 to 1919 Hawk, Saw-whet Owl, Screech Owl, Great Blue Heron, Mourning Dove, and Sparrow Hawk, are prone to be here only during mild winters, and, contrariwise, 2 species are more apt to visit this neighbor- hood during severe winters, that is to say, the Redpoll and Cassin’s Finch. Seven others of these 37 species one can possibly see on any winter day in this area, but, in truth, it must be said that one might have to institute a patient search for them in suitable places in order to be successful; these are: Marsh Hawk, Prairie Falcon, Screech Owl, Downy Woodpecker, Song Sparrow, and Long-crested and Wood- house Jays. Many others of these 57 species have been observed here in mid- winter, but on two or three occasions only. In all probability these birds were present each year on Christmas Day, but lack of time or adverse weather conditions, or both, prevented a search thorough enough to reveal them. In this list may be included American Rough-legged Hawk, Long- eared Owl, Hairy Woodpecker, Meadow- lark, Great Northern Shrike, Shufeldt's, Mountain, and Grey-headed Juncos, and Long-tall and Mountain Chickadees. The 4 species occurring in the greatest abundance in this season are Red-winged Blackbird, Desert Horned Lark, Magpie, and Tree Sparrow. Of these 4, it can readily be seen that 5 are residents through- out the year, and 1 a winter visitor only. On Christmas Day, 1912, only 5 species were seen, due to inclement weather pre- venting an extended search, while on the same day, in 1919, 19 species were seen, notwithstanding that the early part of the month of December had been extremely cold. While weather conditions make a difference in the lists gathered, yet it seems to the writer that the thoroughness and extent of search make a greater difference. One can say from the brief review of this season's bird-life, during the past few years, that it was, in 1919, somewhat out of the ordinary. Thus one learns that of the 57 species seen during eight years, seven were noted for the first time; why this happened to be one cannot say. Perhaps it was pure luck. This large fhtumber of birds new to that date, together with the fact that only once before were as many as 19 species seen on Christmas Day, gives color to the idea that the season just passed has been out of the ordinary.—W. H. Bercrotp, Denver, Cole. San Francisco Rection. — Wintry weather in the bay region lasted from Thanksgiving Day until January 9, with occasional warm days to relieve the monotony of cold north winds. Unusual bird records are expected when such cold visits us, for it means that birds are driven down from the higher altitudes where the weather is much more severe. This may account for the numerous records of Sierra Crossbills which have been sent in from Carmel, Pacific Grove, Golden Gate Park, Berkeley, and other points, as also for the early flocking of Western Robins in this vicinity. All the winter visitants have been noted this year, with the exception of the Golden- crowned Kinglets, which were surprisingly Sido to the sooth, « Hite a Gnatcatchers has remained since October, while farther north a House Wren, more hardy than most of its tribe, has been resident for the third winter. After January 10 the weather very mild, so that now (February 1) is in full bloom and almond tress, Japanese Berkeley, Calif. Essex Country Ornt- Vol. 1, No. 1, Dec., $5 pages; 1 line- se Gouaty Ornithologie Club, il 10, 1916, presents in this, roll of the Essex gical (why not Bird?) d the record of its activities at it has before it a long and —F. M.C. a. ere aa co biome Bert Boapeat Some bo rn: status, general habits, vate @ and bibliography of the forty of Hawks and Owls ' oun are here presented 1. There are photographs of, for part, excellently mounted Pci ss in the Coe College Museum, of th Dr. Bailey was curator, and maps fording the distribution in Iowa of the Birds treated. The whole forms an admir- een ot © groep of birds of vat , concerning the Gt which the pobtc canner be told é ne = t. Bailey unfortunately did not live » complete the manuscript of this work, d it was brought to completion and d by his colleague, Miss Clementina ir Spencer.—F. M. C. ok Dews and Kieviews Brep-Hovuses anp Nestinc-Boxes. a Epwarp Howe Forsvusu. Massachusetts Pauaiites of Aes: culture 28 pages; numerous illustra- Ovrpoor Brep-Srupy. Hixrs ror Be- ornners. By Eowarp Howse Forsvusn. No. 12. Massachusetts De- partment of Agriculture. 51 pages; numerous illustrations. . Here are two publications of practical value to students and lovers of birds. Mr. Forbush knows his audience by actual contact and has in a marked degree the gift of meeting its wants. We hope that these two bulletins will have a wide cir- culation, not only in the state which we have to thank for them, but throughout the Union.—F. M. C. Tue Brens or Rep Deer River, ALBERTA. By P. A. Taverner. From “The Auk,’ XXXVI, 1919, pages 1-21; 248-265; s. 4. Tue Biss or Smoat Laxe, Mantropa. P. A. TAVERNER. “The Ottawa aturalist,’ XXXII, 1919 pages 137-144; 157-164; XXXII, 1919, pages 12-20. The first of the above-mentioned papers is based chiefly upon field work between June 25 and September 26, 1917, when a voyage of nearly 200 miles was made by Mr. Taverner and his assistant, Mr. C. H. Young, down the Red Deer River. Eleven camps were established at different places as bases from which to work the adjoining territory. There is an excellent descrip- tion of the region traversed and a well- annotated list of 194 species. Mr. Taverner’s studies of Shoal Lake birds were made by himself and Mr. Young for a short period in the spring and fall of 19017 and were supplemented by Mr. Young's observations and collections from April 23 to October 2, 1918. Access to the notes, published and unpublished, of other observers gives a total of 212 species for the district. It is difficult for the reviewer to re- cognize in the photograph on page 139 of the far-stretching, boulder-strewr shore (sa) 112 Bird - Lore of Shoal Lake in 1917-18, and doubtless today, any resemblance to the Shoal Lake he knew in roo1, with a margin of quill- reeds, so wide that in places one could not see open water from the shore of the lake. Since that date, Mr. Taverner writes, the water in the lake has fallen from 6 to 10 feet and the shallow margins in which the quill-reeds grew and countless Coots, Grebes, and Yellow-headed Blackbirds nested are now “broad reaches white with alkali crystals.” Mr. Taverner adds: “Of the vast numbers of birds that once threaded the mazes of the marsh, practi- cally none remain but the few that are restricted to the borders of the rapidly disappearing pools back from the shore.” The transformation is as sad as it is interesting.—F. M. C. The Ornithological Magazines Tux Avx.—The first thirty-two pages of the January number comprise ‘In Memoriam: William Brewster,’ by Henry W. Henshaw, followed by other articles dealing with Mr. Brewster. His photo- graph, reprodoced as Plate I, is excellent, and such of the younger ornithologists as knew Mr. Brewster comparatively little personally will find interest and inspiration in the account of his life. A ‘William Brewster Memorial’ has been placed in the hands of the American Ornithologists’ Union, the income from an established fund of $5,000 to be used in recognition of “the most important work relating, in whole or in part, to the birds of the Western Hemisphere,” with the ‘Brewster Memorial Medal’ and an honorarium. We have here some slight tribute by American ornithologists to the passing of a great leader. In ‘Sequestration Notes,’ by J. Grinnell, from observations of the Audubon Warb- ler and Ruby-crowned Kinglet, it is con- cluded that their call-notes functioned to keep the birds apart, give each indi- vidual monopoly in a certain feeding-area, to the common advantage. Many field students will call to mind similar observa- tions, and the conclusion is so logically Barner, a Pioneer Naturalist,’ st of Quincy, Plumas County, ® contributed by H. C. Bryant, bited at the Panama - Pacific | in 1915 and is now deposited High School. Eight of the ns which form the basis of impor- ee eee oontiened. is discussed by Frank N. Irving, who gives directions for the use of beginners in this branch of field-work. An account of the “Rusty Song Sparrow in Berkeley and the Return of Winter Birds’ is given by Mrs. Amelia S. Allen. A Yakutat Fox Sparrow, which had been banded, left on April 21, Habit of Grebes,’ is described by Wetmore who has found quantities of feathers in the stomachs of these birds. He suggests that the habit of swallowing feathers is developed mainly in species which feed on fish, and that the feathers “act as strainers that prevent the passage of bones and scales into the intestine until they have been properly digested.” In ‘Notes on the Limicola of Southern British Columbia,’ Allan Brooks lists 38 species that have been recorded from this region and makes a plea for more attention to this group of birds, which promises much in advancing our present knowledge of the distribution and migra- tion of several species. A ‘Description of a New Otecoris from California’ is given by H. C. Oberholser, who bases the new form (Otecoris alpestris sierra) on a speci- men collected by A. S. Bunnell, June 15, 1906, at the head of Pine Creck in Lassen County. Among the brief notes are four remark- able records of Clark's Nutcracker show- ing the occurrence in 1919 of this moun- tain-loving species near Indio, below sea- level on the Colorado Desert, in October, on board a steamer at sea between Los Angeles and San Francisco in September, and at Carmel and Polat Pinos, in Mont- erey County, in November.—T. S. P. 14 Bird-Lore VoL. XXIL = Published April 1, 1920 No. 1 SUBSCRIPTION RATES a2 apes —- emg teag he mb gd — tay ta year, COPYRIGHTED, tee, BY FEANK Bw. CHAPMAN Bird-Lore’s Motto: A Bird in the Bush In Worth Two in the Hand Recent experiences have impressed us anew with the vagueness with which most people see birds. This is due to hasty, inadequate, and careless observation, to ignorance of what may be called the topography of a bird, to a lack of training in the art of seeing things accurately and in detail, and to the difficulty with which most birds may be studied at short range. It is, of course, the last reason which has prevented birds from becoming more widely known. But it is the very clusive- ness of birds which makes bird-study so fascinating. They appeal not only to our desire to know, but to our inherent love of the chase. Surely no bird student who has experienced the thrill of follow- ing strange calls and songs would ever want to pursue his study in an aviary! With some exceptions, therefore, we may accept the shyness of birds as a lasting characteristic and we may accept it also as a characteristic which demands care and patience on the part of the field- student if he hopes for success. In this fact, indeed, we have no small part of the educational value of bird-study, even when bird-study means merely naming birds out of doors. This study should, when possible, be preceded by a sufficiently detailed examina- tion of the bird to enable one to become familiar with the meaning of the terms which are used in descriptive ornithology. *Wing-bars,’ ‘primaries,’ ‘secondaries,’ ‘coverts,’ ‘back,’ ‘rump,’ ‘breast,’ ‘crown,’ color an outline of it. This, itis tae, I cannot always be done, but, as we have said, therein lies half the charm of the study of birds in nature. Certainly no one would care to pluck EEA % as well as birds. “It is not sufficient,” — he writes, “that the child’s eyes be opened; it is necessary that they be trained tosee,” and if, through an interest in birds, this — oper preririadi the pupil doubly fortunate. a Audubon Societies SCHOOL DEPARTMENT Edited by A. A. ALLEN, Ph.D. Address all communications relative to the work of this “i department to the Editor, Cornell University, Ithaca, N. ¥. a KEEPING TRACK OF THE BIRDS the whol ldo mare oe ca elect no more engaging tly than d- tion. The brilliant colors of birds, their sweet songs and nteresti ng habits please us and invite to further study, but the mystery A ro their travels will always hold us fascinated. The strange calls louds by night, the passage of the well-formed flocks of Ducks and } day, the flash of new wings through the garden, and the sound of ic seach spring inspite us to marvel atthe power and precision of c #that draws birds back each year to their homes of the previous = x BU go the pempce of Brazil and, on schedule time, comes back lowing May and hovers over the same fields and alights on the same a employ scientists to study and investigate it, and that nds of people, scientists and laymen, spend much time following the an effort to learn their secret. The sport of bird-study never grows old; _grows monotonous; and grown-ups join with the children in the jon to see the first Robin, the first Bluebird, and the first of each a its turn. The return of the birds in the spring takes thousands of t into the woods and fields to enjoy nature and affords to many the ) _ keeping a journal of passing events. The accurate recording of servations is something to be greatly encouraged, and many a fine ity y of school children will doubtless never continue their studies of birds enough to add much of value to the volume of ornithological knowledge, it this is no reason why they should not receive the benefits to be derived from arning to observe accurately. They should, therefore, be encouraged in every ly to follow the return of the birds from day to day and to record their ions on some form of a bird-calendar. Incidentally, the teacher will i that the keeping of a bird-calendar in the schoolroom is one of the sim- | plest and most profitable ways of stimulating bird-study, and it is the object | ‘ ‘these paragraphs to suggest ideas for their use. | _ There is a feeling among some people that mere interest in birds is sufficient 7 @ lead a child to all the benefits that can be derived from their study. While (115) fin 16 Bird - Lore - Sea free thet the child's lntorest fs the pelea eos sonnel has him and open the door to a great storehouse of pleasure and resource, this interest can well be utilized by the teacher to inculcate the most fundamental of all teachings, accuracy of obsersation, It is not sufficient that the child's eyes be opened; it is necessary that they be trained to see. The man who sees accurately understands what he sees, and makes a success of life instead of a failure. A judicious use of a bird-calendar, with emphasis laid upon the accuracy of the records, will not only arouse interest in bird-study and maintain it, but also will give to the children a most vital training. It is a matter of common knowledge that the active imagination of a child will lead him to see almost anything that he is expected to see or wishes to see without any intentional dishonesty on his part. As a result, he often reports impossible observations of birds out of season or birds not found in the locality, and, unless the teacher is circumspect, these observations are given equal value on the bird-calendar with more commonplace but correct observations. It should not be necessary for a teacher to know all of the birds himself or the proper time of arrival of all of them before starting a bird-calendar in his school. What is important is that he should cultivate an attitude of accuracy himself and impress the chil- dren with the need of it. Many a fine bird-calendar has fallen short of its full” usefulness because the teacher has not dared to question the children’s obser- vations and has allowed inaccurate reports, intentional and unintentional, to appear upon it. There are available, for most localities, local lists of the birds known to be found in that part of the country. Many of these local lists give the average date of arrival of each bird. If a teacher can refer to such a list he can quickly tell whether a child's record is improbable and question him accordingly, The train- ing which a child receives in this way may do more good than the calendar itself, for not only will it impress him with the value of careful observation, but it will also impress him with one of the greatest marvels of migration, the accuracy of the spring arrival of each species of bird year after year. DIRECTIONS FOR KEEPING A BIRD-CALENDAR ia For the use of individuals wishing to keep a full record of their observations throughout the season and from year to year, the method employed by Dr. Chapman and described on page 10 of his ‘Handbook of Birds of Eastern North America’ cannot be improved upon. At Cornell, in addition to keeping individual records of this kind, we maintain a ‘Bird-Chart,’ which is essentially the same as a roll-book spread out, upon which the observations of all who codperate are recorded. It is made of profile paper and covers a wall-board about 9 feet long and 4 feet wide. At the left are three vertical columns for the names of the birds, the names of the discoverers, and the localities where they were first seen. The remainder of the chart is divided into squares so that there The Audubon Societies 117 re 35 of them following the name of ac rd wo recive the diy reco a than necessary, 00 Lwhich he has not seen and which he would like to hear bout. In all three there are at least four vertical columns: The rst for the name of the bird; second for the name of the liscoverer; the third for the ace where it was seen; and the ourth for the date when it was first seen. In order to verify the st record, it is well to keep ie second record also, so that i i too great discrepancy occu the first record and average date of arrival, the 1 date can be retained ’ instead. The calendar would of still greater value if a S ve items are sufficient. or convenience the-chart is ruled into weekly columns and a rider is used : Eo nem © facilitate the entry of semet. The chart i vertically to receive the names of about 200 birds which is the Seiwiuaher reported each year. This chart system, which was started snipe Dr. A. H. Wright, has always stimulated a great BE scr cocina, so es ned in x srt al of vale BIRD CALENDAR REDSTART — First seen Where enene 1218 a0 22 at Nerpcoratie Toes). a fay. AR Ger tare bynaye. 10. Bc caeactpen telliwlastectederete 4 ’ ‘ Mes a eipy Rian Mey \ Ee a — A GOOD TYPE OF BIRD CALENDAR FOR THE SCHOOL It permits of coSrdination between the drawing and nature work, aad preserves the records from year to year to inspire each class of children. When the bird is fret seen, the card should either be made or brought out of the cupboard, and the entry made. It should then be hung in a conspicuous place td were kept of when the bird became common, when it began to nest, fd when it was last seen, but, for most school calendars, the first four or The three types of calendars differ primarily in their decorations: Some achers prefer to have but a single competition in the drawing-class to select design for the calendar, and this usually results in one such as here illus- 8 Bird - Lore e top ota sheet and all of the observations beneath Mher tea ra { time for considerable drawing and trv to have each bird that oe trated. Often the child who sees the bird is permitted to make y : » 7 ‘ 4 - « Bowes A - . : oat Be ondehe ans - . V as Fe Mu. ° - -* «8 * - ,* - \ : pete 7 a he ‘abe wv bde wre »* _ : — ~ hp tied Domb Ye " = g "ee - ~ ¥ Fal ait? - —— - - 7 & - 4 . - le we - ~~. « Zl aa. Ma rewh We aA . - ” a : + ns - ee + » 4 i - 4 RI ALENDAR HERE EVERY BIRD Is RDINATING ART AND NATURE WORA en cut out and pasted in the margin opposite its A rhs re res a very large card, and often several of them. The method ve to the writer is to have a separate sheet for eac h several years can be kept. As often as a lrawing should be saved for the bird- The Audubon Societies 119 | ms but few of the birds are illustrated the first year, but thos es piration for the next year’s class to surpass them. As lis reported, its card should be brought forth, the date, authority L s will like to improve upon the picture, and the competition ‘will stimulate the drawing lesson, while the presence of the names anc girls in the last year’s class who first observed the birds the as ‘stimulate them to greater observation out of doors. - type of calendar is employed, it should always be borne in mind better than quantity, and that accuracy is of prime importance. should be started before the birds begin to come back in the spring, : de the winter residents. The nearer the first of January it is ter, though it may be started at any time. The children must gniz ip that certain birds are with us throughout the year (permanent r ee con BS ore eee es s), while the majority spend the winter in the South and I Ge coe that make “ieuhike ota calendar so interesting, the of their arrival in the spring, but the first two must not ed, such as that in the introduction to Dr. Chapman's ‘Handbook [ Eastern North America,’ or the paper by W. W. Cooke on ‘Bird ’ published by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, or the little {The Travels of Birds by Dr. Chapman, he will be able to make fi SETS Gli des ‘enable to véler %0 a more counplete accom, g summary prepared by the writer for the American Forestry Y prove useful. THE RETURN OF THE BIRDS high tide of the spring migration comes, it is about the middle of May and } months have passed since the first Horned Larks started northward over ered fields. The March Robin brings forth its crowd of admirers, the call of fird draws a response from others, but when every hedgerow and thicket with musical voices, and even the trees of the city streets flash with brilliant » everyone likes to stop and listen and notice the unusual number of birds. help whence have come these little wanderers, where they are lag nd wit he mening journeys. In great waves they come from the uth flood us with beauty and song for a few days, and then pass on. Wave after ra We passes: over us during the course of the month, until June arrives, when the last mature birds hasten on to their nesting-ground and leave us with only our summer ‘Birds until the fall migration shall bring them back once more. : little observation from year to year shows us that these May birds are extremely : Ve ca 120 Bird - Lore regular in their appearance and disappearance. One can soon learn just when to expect each species, and, if the weather is normal, it will arrive on the day set. The earlier birds, uch as the Robin, Bluebird, Blackbird, Canada Geese, Meadowlark, and Mourning Dove, which come during March, are much less regular because of the idiosyncrasies of the weather. If there were no such thing as weather, if food were always equally abun- dant and if there were one great level plain from the Amazon to the Great Slave Lake, ‘the birds would swing back and forth as regularly as a pendulum and cross a given point at exactly the same time every year. For this migrating instinct is closely associated with the enlargement and reduction of the reproductive organs, a physiological cycle which, under normal conditions, is just as regular as the pulsing of the heart and records time as accurately as a clock. With most species the organs of mature birds begin to enlarge before those of birds hatched the preceding year, and those of the males before those of the females. Because of this, the male birds arrive first and are followed by the females and later by the immature birds. With some species, like the Robin, Bluebird, and Phabe, there is very little difference in the time of arrival, but in the case of the Red-winged Blackbird, often a period of two weeks, or even a month, intervenes. This may be a wise provision of nature to secure a nesting-area that will not be overcrowded, for once the male has established himself—and it is often at the same spot year after year— he drives away all other males from the vici- nity, awaiting the arrival of the females, and particularly his mate of the previous year. But with the later migrants, such as the shore-birds, that have a long way to go, the THE SCREECH OWL A PERMANENT RESIDENT femalics usually arrive with the males, and, with some species, courting takes place en ite and they arrive at the breeding-ground fully mated and ready to nest. rhe carly migrants are those that have spent the winter entirely within the United States. This is true of all the March birds in the northern states, but, during the last of the month, the first birds from the West Indies and Mexico begin to arfive in the thern stat About the middle of April, many of the birds that have wintered still further south begin to arrive, including the Swallows, the Spotted Sandpipers, the Black nd White Warbler and the Water-Thrush. The last of April and first of May brings ven to the northern states the initial wave of birds from Central America, and perhaps ven northern South America, and about the middle of this month, when occurs the ght of the migration, thousands of tiny Warblers, Vireos, and Flycatchers that have the slopes of the Andes or the pampas of Brazil, are winging their verhead to Labrador, Hudson Bay, and Alaska. The shortest route which one th t to arrive, the Blackpoll Warbler, may traverse is 3,500 miles, while those \laska travel over 5,000 miles. Some of the shore-birds, which bring up the ¢ of the migration in late May or early June, have undoubtedly come from Chile, ng-grounds again, they will have traveled 16,000 miles since leaving a pio incsdiietence welerend? of them all, however, is the Arctic ne Sul alhste nesting ond wintering senges est tiees miles apart, so rai fas to wonder how these tiny wayfarers are able to travel such trem- jand still return so accurately to their homes. That many of them do oved by placing aluminum bands on their legs, so that they can be if to year. Not only has this been demonstrated, but it has likewise same way, that many birds spend the winter in exactly the same fit was thought that they followed well-marked highways in the moun- surveyed, as it were, by their ancestors and unfailingly ts. ete tak tie ty afford abundant food, and when the ES sea ahanctions they aes ane. d. What is it, then, that guides them mile ir flights, flights made mostly under the hess, and often at altitudes varying from p00 fee above the carth? A sense of direc- called, an instinct for recording directions @ compass, which we, having only so wae in ourselves, are at a loss to under- instinct which permits birds to travel north, or) and not lose their bearings. For the Nees Vids act desc meth on iny preface their southerly journeys by long or west. The Bobolinks and Vireos states, for example, leave the country or the Gulf Coast, and first fly directly : pi Valley, to join the others of their Starting southeasterly. The White-winged ch ST Ghied the fakes of contra! Conta, errant lion of their nesting duties, fly directly MIGRATION OF THE t to the Atlantic and Pacific where they ARCTIC TERN (From Cooke) ’ preface their migrations by long The extreme summer and winter homes are 11,000 miles apart to the north, so that occasionally Little Blue igrets are found in the northern states during August and September. § that travel such enormous distances, it is interesting to note their rate ce. While it is possible for birds to travel great distances without a rest, as itnesse sips fall fights of the Turnstone from Alaska to Hawaii, or of the Golden "hon er from Labrador to northern South America, distances of over 2,000 miles across im sea, they do not ordinarily progress far in single flights. The spring advance of | the Robin, for example, averages only 13 miles a day from Louisiana to southern Minne- ‘sot The rate increases gradually to 31 milesa day in southern Canada, ¢2 miles per day ) By the time it reaches central Canada, and a maximum of 70 miles a day when it reaches Tt should not be inferred from this that each Robin does not ever migrate less | Of more than 7o miles a day. Probably they often fy more than a hundred or i miles in a single flight, as do, undoubtedly, many of the smaller birds, but ‘each flight they dally about their resting-place for several days before starting on , and this brings down the general rate of advance. he rate of speed at which birds travel is rather difficult to estimate, except in the i22 Bird - Lore Homing Pigeons, which can be timed from one place to another, or in the Ducks and Geese, whose conspicuous flocks, traveling high over cities and towns, can be easily followed. The championship speed for Homing Pigeons has been recorded as ss miles an hour for a period of four hours. A Great Blue Heron has been timed by a motorcyclist keeping directly below it and found to be 35 miles an hour. A flock of migrating Geese has been found to be traveling at a speed of 44.3 miles per hour and a flock of Ducks at 47.8 miles. The speed of smaller birds is usually less, although when they mount high in the air and start on their migratory flight, they doubtless fly faster than the birds one so often passes flying parallel to a pas- senger train or a suburban car. during the night; some migrate both by day and by night; others only by birds that find their food in the open and can feed as they travel. Such are the Robin, the Kingbird, and the Swal- lows. Other birds like the Sparrows, Vireos, Warblers, and marsh birds, The vast majority of birds migrate — day. The latter are, for the most part, — that find their food among the trees © THE BOBOLINK NEAR ITS NEST WITH or in dense vegetation, migrate entirely — FOOD FOR ITS YOUNG by night. The necessity for this is shown when they arrive at the Gulf of Mexico or other large body of water where it is © If they started early in the morning, so as to be © impossible to get food of any kind across by night, they would not be able to get much food before starting, and by the time they reached the other side, it would be dark and again impossible to feed. Thus an interval of thirty-six hours would elapse without food, a period that might result disastrously for many birds because of their high rate of metabolism. lf, however, they spend the day feeding and migrate by night, their crops are full when they start, and, when they arrive at the other side, it is daylight and they can begin immediately to glean their living During these night migrations birds are attracted by any bright, steady light, and every year hundreds and thousands dash themselves to death against lighthouses, high monuments, and buildings. When the torch in the Bartholdi Statue of Liberty was kept lighted, as many as 7oo birds in a month were picked up at its base. On some of the English lighthouses, where bird The Bobolink summers in the nort states and winters chiefly in nort Argentina. (From Cooke.) MIGRATION OF THE BOBOLINE bern bern ‘ : | : — eee The Audubon Societies 12% destruction was formerly enormous, ‘bird-ladders’ have been constructed, forming a sort of lattice below the light where the birds can rest instead of fluttering out their lives against thé glass. Again, in crossing large bodies of water, birds are often over- taken by storms, and as their plumage becomes water-soaked, they are beaten down to the waves and drowned. Sometimes thousands of birds are killed by a single storm But, of course, the vast majority of birds sweep on and arrive at their destinations in safety. And so, if one steps out on a cloudy night, when the birds are migrating low to escape fiying through the moisture-laden clouds, he will hear their strange calls, only faintly resembling their familiar daytime notes. Then he can picture to himself the thousands of winged travelers returning from a sojourn in the tropics and pushing on through the black night, guided by an innate sense of direction straight to their old homes. Then he ean think over the past ages through which this migrating habit has evolved to the days when all North America basked in a tropical sun and birds darted among the palms and tree ferns without ever a thought of leaving the homes of their forefathers. Then one can picture to oneself the coming of the ice age and the destruction af all the life that could not adapt itself to the changed conditions or flee before them. One sees the birds pushed gradvu- ally to the south, encroaching upon those already there. One understands the crowding that must have ensued, and how these birds spread northward again as the glaciers receded, only to be pushed back once more by the coming of winter. One contemplates how, with the with- drawal of the ice and the evolution of the seasons, these migrations, by repetition through the ages, became permanent habits or instincts; and, with the ensuing modifications in the contour of the con- ey seas tied wah clandivets bands ® hen tinent, and the changes in the location been proven not only that many come back to the of the food-supply, many variations same place cach year. but aleo that they winter in developed in the migration route of each the same locality year alter year species which seem inexplicable today. One pictures these things to himself; one understands a little better the great myster) of the bird's life; and, perhaps, one appreciates somew hat more fully the presence in our thickets and gardens of these songsters, whose lives are ever one series oF hardships and dangers, and yet which, withal, are so expressive of the happiness and joy to be derived from nature. 4 BANDED HOUSE WREN QUESTIONS t. Name five birds that are permanent residents in your locality 2. Name ten birds that are summer residents 5. Name ten birds that are transicnt visitants 4. Name five birds that are winter visitants 5. What is the carlicst date of arrival of the Robin in your locality The Bluebird? The Phoebe? The Red-winged Blackbird? The ¢ anada Goose The Bobolink The Baltimore Oriole? The Scarict Tanager? 6. Why do some birds return earlier than others in the spring? 124 Bird - Lore : e's 7. How many different kinds of birds have you seen in one day? When wae this ‘ sit shee ahd soul din sane oh thle SEMI 8. Which birds are the most regular in their return from year to year and why? 9. Do you keep a record of all the birds you see every year? What kind of a record book do you have? 10. Do you have a bird-calendar in the school every year? How many birds were seen last year? 11, What is the largest number of birds you have seen in a year? How many different birds do you know? 12. Do you know if the male or the female bird comes back frst in tn annntn Chall cases of the Robin, the Bluebird, the Red-winged Blackbird, the Bekiiuareniaay, a4) d the Scarlet Tanager? 13. Do all birds sing as soon as they come back in the spring, or do some of them wait until the females arrive? 14. Are the first Robins you see in the spring the ones that nest im your vicinity, | or do they go on farther north and your birds come later? Are all birds alike im this, respect? 15. Do birds return to the same place to nest year after year or are thee places taken by others of the same kind? 4 FROM YOUNG OBSERVERS AN INTERESTING RECORD — Lam ings ef anova ose of the gio on age 86 a Lore for November-December, 1919. 2 I have a list of twenty-five species recorded since December 20. majority of them are permanent residents. 2. I know of what the food of a large portion of them consists. LIST OF WINTER BIRDS : a 1. English Sparrow; P. R.; food, oats and other grains found about the barn; rocets under caves or ta Sheds. a ae 2. Harris’ Sparrows; W. V.; feeds chiefly on weed seeds; roosts in bi 3. Slate-colored Juncos; W. V.; food, seeds (as near as I can tell); roosts deep weeds. 4. Chickadees; W. V.; feeds from the bark of tree on insect pests. == 5. Cardinals; P. R. I cannot be sure of his food but it is partially cc posed of wild winter fruits, such as hackberry and huckleberry. 6. Red-bellied Woodpecker; P. R.; feeds from walnut tree-boring f chiefly, but often is seen on sycamore or dead tweak: a 7. Hairy Woodpecker; P. R.; this is a rare bird here and I cannot ne sure of his food. ; ; 8. Hermit Thrush; W. V.; feeds from the: wonns ie halen t roosts near the ground in thickets. g. Field Sparrow; P. R. © The Audubon Societies 125 me ete America’ P. R.; feeds from the sumac bushes or other wild A ae reeled: roosts in thickets. a Flicker; P. R.; wood-boring insects, chiefly from dead wood. ; W. V.; roosts in deep, thick grass. Woodpecke PR: feeds chiefly on boring insects in the small rees ah or even in weed stalks b-white; P. R.; its food consists of seed picked from, on or near ; Toosts on the ground in thickets. Se Ridaah-logged Hawk; W.V.; food, Bob-white, (?), Blue Jays ad rats; roosts in tall trees. Crow; P.R.; food, corn, poultry (?) and carrion; roosts in n trees. dd Hawk; W. V. ; P.R. (more abundant in winter; rare in summer); feeds isn the ground in low game Wren; W.V. ed Titmouse; rare P.R., abundant W.V.; feeds to a large extent s from the bark of trees. orthern Shrike; W.V.; food, Sparrows chiefly. € amv. xd Woodpecker; P. R.; feeds on boring pests from post oak * ee ease ofthe Flicker, Robin, Blue Jay, and Bluebird they migrate, ent residents in this locality. In each of these cases there is Sin ihc sas dies hétwoun the sunianer dud winter birds. naller birds are usually found in creek-bottoms or near ponds rger ones roam about over large areas. All birds are not alike in t; fe instance, one pair of Blue Jays is always found near a slough er pair roams over a section of land. STE tsetse the booed toes in feout ond one bebiad without apression made by the tarsus. That of a Pheasant is as a chicken's, ir SIE Aatete leaves 6 hoticenble print which the hind toe does not Sparrow has a long hind toe and three front ones. The hind toe of Staak oo long. os. 2.—Twropore R. Bean, Sapulpa, Okla. re is @ record of observations that can well be emulated. How many boys and sre there that can do as well for their locality? As soon as you have introduced ‘to a bird by learning its name, there are numberiess observations to make on its you really know it. Does everyone agree that the hind toe of the Lark r than that of the Sparrow?—A. A. A.) ay; P. R.; eo a fs “ie = 4 vat ies i Ne THE GROUND DOVE SrabL: By T. GILBERT PEARSON The Mational Association of Audubon Societies EDUCATIONAL LEAPLET NO, 101 4 A dainty little pedestrian is the Ground Dove. One mey niin anywhere, in the gardens, fields, or the quiet streets of Florida towns. Its legs are very short and it moves with elevated tail and a queer bobbing of the head, but with a grace and dignity that are both quaint and very charming. — It fs the smallest member of the Pigeon Ssunity Ss West se 6% inches from bill-tip to tail-tip. a Unlike the Inca Doves of Texas and the Southwest, Chis nnnnnnnnnn others on a wayside limb, like a row of little brown dummies, and unlike the Mourning Dove they seem never to gather in large flocks. Rarely are as many as eight or ten seen at a time, and when this happens the birds are ee a care oer is a soft, cooing, moun many localities has given it the name of ‘Mourning Dove.’ The call, often repeated, issuing from the depths of an orange tree or the sheltered limb of Lo unusual effect on the mind of the average Florida negro. To him this is one bird that should not be molested. I have often been warned by dusky field” hands of the risk one would run should he harm a Ground Dove. These eager — hunters, who will unhesitatingly shoot Meadowlarks, Flickers, Robins, or other birds that may chance to come within their range, are loth to fire on this semi- sacred bird. To their minds it is certainly ‘bad luck’ to kill one. 4 The Ground Dove's food consists largely of small seeds which it gathers in the garden, on the lawn, by the roadside, in the field, and other places where weeds or grasses are found. Naturally many insects are also picked up in their travels, particularly in the spring and summer. Small wild berries also are consumed. So far as known they never adversely affect the interests of man- kind, even in the slightest degree, and wherever found they are protected by ~ statute and by the still stronger law of public sentiment. Although a terrestrial bird when feeding, it does not hesitate to light upon fences, trees, and buildings. Often they may be seen sitting on the tops of barns, farmhouses, or dwellings in the towns, and from these elevated perches ~ they send forth their gentle cooing notes which the sortd saa Sea (126) OO ee The Ground Dove 127 We are accustomed to think of Doves as being birds of peace. The Ground Dove is by no means one of the species that may believe in peace at any price Unhesitatingly he will attack one of his kind, or even a Mockingbird. Brown Thrasher. or other feathered neighbor that may seck to take his food. H soft bill does not make much of a weapon, and he seems to rely mainly on the stroke of his wing to disconcert his opponent NEST AND EGGS OF THE MEXICAN GROUND DOVE IN MESQUITE & H Photographed y W : ; ama if ef : luce A In my experience, when a brooding | ird is approached it leaves the nest suddenly and flutters away. Occasionally an ind lua! found that declins to expose her treasures without an argument. As the i ng hand come Close to the nest, she does not strike with her bill, nor even indulg scolding, but with ruffled feathers raises her wings in a threatening attitude as if she would crush the offending fingers if they came t lose irely puny, hopeless bit of resistance; neverthel it shov that a stout heart throbs within the feathered breast of the little mother There is no bird in the United States that to my &: wiedge breed eT! long @ period of the year as does the Ground Dove. In my experience these birds in Florida, I have found their nest ipying varying situat 128 Bird - Lore , a. during different seasons of the year. ae 8 = found nests located on the tops of partially decayed stumps of pine trees, only about 2 feet from the ground. Later in the season I have seen numerous nests placed on the ground, usually in fields of weeds or in standing grain. Fields of oats seem to be especially favored with their presence during midsummer. Late in July, August, and on to the latter part of September, I have found — their nests on horizontal limbs of large orange trees, on the level fronds of palms, and on See csone Lars or rails; yo Commieny et | widespreading scuppernong grape-vines. Wherever placed the nest is composed chiefly of grasses with paEian m few | twigs or rootlets. It must have a support, for it is entirely too frail a structure to withstand the destructive forces of the winds and rains, if placed in the crotch of a bush. Two elliptical-shaped pure white eggs are laid—never more. In flight the Ground Dove usually keeps near the ground when flying across open fields, only rising to clear shrubbery, trees, or buildings. Ordi- narily it does not proceed over 100 yards before again alighting. In fact it seems y attached to the immediate neighborhood in which it lives. On some occasions, however, I have noticed its flight prolonged to what seemed an_ unusual extent. For example, during June, 1918, while lying becalmed on the yacht, ‘Seafoam,’ at Sara Sota, Fla., these birds were very frequently noticed as they passed over the town and out over the bay at least a mile to a neighbor- ing island. To make this journey they had to fly quarteringly across a breeze so strong that no captain of any vessel in the harbor cared to face it. Yet the Ground Doves flew back and forth between the town and the island, appa- rently without hesitation. 1 In traveling along the sandy roads through the pine barrens in Florida, it is no uncommon sight to come upon a pair of these little birds dusting them- selves. They scratch out little hollows and lie in them, sometimes on one side, then on another, kicking and fluttering, and causing the warm sand to trickle down through their feathers, much as does a Bob-White in similar surroundings. I have spoken of the Ground Dove only as occurring in Florida. It is found also in Georgia and South Carolina. Over these states its range seems to be confined almost entirely to the immediate vicinity of the coast and outlyin; islands. Its extreme northern natural limit may be said to be eastern North: Carolina. It likewise occurs along the Gulf Coast, but in yery Eaaiaes num be: ordinarily not beyond New Orleans. Further west we meet with the very closely allied species known as th Mexican Ground Dove. The birds are very similar, and practiced indeed must be the eye that can distinguish them. The Mexican Ground Dove found in the southwestern tier of states and down throngy eae Central America. In speaking of the nesting habits of the Mexican Ground Dove, in William L. Finley, writing in Brep-Lore for May-June, 1915, says: The Ground Dove 129 nds ee arcs bn Os elisa Sods Two rount jes, whose nests we found, were very shy; but at a third Gt wis able to move the canal te Willie 10 or t Ee as case risus. After it had stood there while, we slowly moved it to within 4 or 5 feet. Instead of leaving her ve raised her wings and spread her tail in anger. She gave a fine, fing note, as she struck at us with her soft bill. We annoyed her putting a finger up to the edge of the nest, and finally stroked ne fee sreeed 10 senline that we had no intention of harming ake as many pictures as we wished.” he laws of nature that most birds that spend their lives largely d are subjected to so many natural enemies that it is necessary xy a large number of eggs in order to keep up the race. Thus a Use from six to ten, a Wild Turkey from eight to fourteen, and te all the way from a dozen to eighteen or even twenty. Yet the : is able to hold its numbers against its enemies by laying only two tis is possible has not been fully explained. It certainly indicates le De t is well able to take care of itself. Among its enemies are numerous mammals, such as skunks, opossums, and foxes. Many -eaught by domestic and semi-domestic cats for no matter how ee eee oe tee pypercanty. occ n I saw a Sharp-shinned Hawk suddenly drop into an open und i Geound Dove, but, fortunately for the Dove, it escaped before had flown more than 50 feet with its victim. The Dove was out of tle oak bush before the numerous feathers that the Hawk had d drifted to the earth. Walking over to see if the bird was much “injures op as surprised to see another Dove rise on the wing at a spot which pean Se cout es ee vce 0a composi hat hoe sled ; the Haw! teres ame See Srey, Hn extent 8 tee ¢, the other probably escaping detection by the wise expedient nless when sudden danger came upon it. he Audubon Sects i EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT > Edited by T. GILBERT pracy ap Ce Rial Reef Aad *, ene Pes i ‘ature, First Se jes Any popes, cg hool or company in sympathy with the objects of this Amociation may become Oe Genes ef” od sit are in the stional Association of Audubon Societies for the Protection of Wild Birds and matt sare ie 0 Sens i eee co constitutes a person a See conten Faron Founder & person « Foam ov Buquser>—I do hereby give aad oy Oo mies artis SUMMER RECREATION-SCHOOL OF NATURE-STUDY Three years ago the generosity of Charles M. Ams, Esq., of New York City, placed at the disposal of this Association the use of his great private estate at Ams- ton, in eastern Connecticut, comprising several square miles of ideal country for birds and game, and a large sightly lake. This has been made an Experiment Station and Wild-Life Sanctuary of the Associa- tion, a model game-farm and demonstra- tion point. Last season this game-farm produced over $4,000 worth of game-birds, and afforded great pleasure to writers and students. In conjunction with this there has developed a very successful Recrea- tion School of Nature-Study and Nature- Lovers’ Colony, with students and visitors from all over the United States andCanada. For 1920 the whole program and plan is to be materially broadened. From the middle of May and through June there will be informal watching of the bird mi- gration, finding of nests, with plate and motion-picture photography, also special experimentation in new methods of rear- ing young Ruffled Grouse, Wood Ducks, and other species. Well-known ornitholo- gists plan to be in attendance. From July 3 to 23 will be held the first (x30) Soshonn, Ceaaheraa ceeeteetrc e . President Jonatuan' Devout, Treasere? Aller ney term of the regular Summer School, with | studies as follows, always from the popular standpoint, and never in a way to be dry The second term will be from July 24 August 13. There will be a special in practical game-farming, to prepare or women to breed and raise and wild-fowl for pleasure or profit. above courses will be continued ms may be secured at Amston Inn scent cottages or camps, with meals an. The Audubon House is a social s of the Association, and has ET PROTECTION IN hte ee Semaing Ss the pee Egrets of the United States, now ly conceded that but ee hci, Je Snowy Egret would y! ientered upon a definite policy ling some of their agents actively in j ral of its agents are in Florida, 4 wing letter, written March 4, is been received from E. W. Nelson, { of ihe Berean of Biclogcal Survey y Mr. Pearson: 1t will interest you me that a few days ago Pacetti, with ed States Game Wardens, Farnham ich, arrested William B. Macken- } . and found in his posses- mm the plumes of one hundred large and a BR ia dation so these of oxbee is, which were estimated locally to at $12,000. Mr. Mackenson was y taken into court, tried, and fined ‘< ( The Audubon Societies 131 quite a complete collection of bird speci- mens, a working Nature library, and other exhibits. Amston is ro miles west of Willi- mantic, and everything is within walking distance of the railway station. Circulars with full details and terms will be mailed to all who inquire. Write to the Director, Herbert K. Job, West Haven, Conn., or to our New York office. THE SOUTHERN STATES which certainly means that much will be accomplished. Last year the Government's agents made a seizure of plumes at Migmi state. A few more legal actions of this kind will have a most salutary effect on the movements of the plume-hunters. It is confidently expected that the mem- bers and friends of the Association will continue to make it possible for us to em- ploy as complete a series of guards for the Egret colonies as it is possible’ to procure, and with the active and hearty codperation of the Government, which is now actually in operation, there seems no reason why the Egrets should not again increase and be brought back to their old haunts much in the same way that the Gulls and Terns along our eastern coastline have been restored through the legislative, educa- tional, and warden work of this Associa- tion. AN INTERESTING LETTER $250 and the plumes confiscated. As you have formerly advised me he is an old offender in Florida and we are greatly pleased to have been able to capture him. I hope that our wardens may be able to get other plumers before the season is over. “United States Warden Smith, at Nor- folk, recently seized a wagon-load of Ducks and Geese which he found illegally held in a number of cold storage plants in that place. He was instructed to turn these over to the naval and other hospitals in that 132 city. Many similar cases are being con- stantly reported. “Yesterday the hearing over the consti- tutionality of the Migratory Bird Law took place and several of us went to the Supreme “ourt and heard the arguments, I am very The Bureau of Biological Survey of the United States Department of Agriculture is now issuing a monthly mimecographed bulletin, containing items of news in con- nection with the Bureau's activities. The February issue, for example, contains many notices of the work of the members of the office and field staff. Reference is made to the special undertakings in which they have been engaged, the lectures they have given, etc. Reports on the work of the destruction of predatory animals and rodents, and the From the Hon. John H. Wallace, Jr., Commissioner of Conservation in the state of Alabama, it is learned that on Feb. 7, 1920, the United States Senate agreed to Senator Bankhead's resolution (Senate Resolution 56) secking conventions be- tween the United States and certain Latin-American republics for the protec- tion of migratory birds. This resolution requests the President to propose to such countries treaties for the protection of birds which, in the course of annual flight, pass through or from the United States and temporarily sojourn in the countries of Mexico and Central and South America. “BLUEBIRD, A LIVE PUBLICATION One of the brightest, most informing,and up-to-date publications on conservation of wild life issued in this, or any other country, is the monthly magazine, Bluchird as it has been appearing of late. This publication was first started on April 15, 1910, by Dr. Eugene Swope of Bird- Lore Cincinnati. Under the dele of Store 04 Culture it ran through five volumes. — October, 1913, it appeared with the na Biuebird. After completing Volume V with the number issued in September, 19 Dr. Swope disposed of the pa Mrs. Elizabeth C. T. Miller, of C r : ne to become a member who nt uy on other resources for extra art Diaiating-houses. Twenty + es were set out in the city has become a member of the | Association of Audubon Societies min touch with the National work t Biep-Loer. A contribution ‘Sent for the ‘Roosevelt: Memorial ee to give much added vitality to the maga- zine. She has a wonderful faculty for gath- ering current information on topics of con- servation and presenting them most enter- tainingly. With such an associate there is no wonder that the Bluebird under Mrs. Miller’s support and direction has come to be one of the most valuable publications that reaches the office of the National Association. We hope for it a continually increasing circle of readers. REPORT FROM BANGOR Fountain.’ We have exchanged circulars with other clubs and we have received many letters of inquiry regarding the _ work, and many gratifying remarks of We have sent letters and telegrams to our Senators regarding the ‘Migratory Bird Law’ at critical moments. Last year we placed a large glass cabinet of mounted birds in the children’s room of our Pub- lic Library, these birds having come tc their death by accident. This winter we are planning to place another like it in the same room, hoping it may help to interest and instruct the children in bird-life. Many delightful outings have been en- joyed each year, often through the cour- teous invitation of members, several of whom have charming summer cottages near the city. Members have thus had an opportunity of adding to their lists of birds seen and heard. The winter birds that remain will be our comfort and care so far as we can do for them. We shall hope to see visitors such as Grosbeaks, Redpolls and Snow Buntings. Many Woodpeckers, Nuthatches and Chickadecs come to feed near our homes. We are trying to interest the Grangers in the preservation of bird-life. The President of our Club presented the mat- ter to about three thousand members of the State Grange, who were holding a series of meetings here. The question presents itself, “Who should be interested if not farmers?"-—(Mas.) J. C. Buzznet, President. %, a La a : TATE GAME PROTECTOR DIRECTING BOY SCOUTS IN PLACING DD FOR BIRD SUET FOR INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS ABOVE, CORN FOR The Audubon Societies : we * Al NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION In May, rord, there was organized in Washington, D. C., the National Parks Association. Its worthy subjects as:—encouraging the ex tension of the National Parks System, and increasing “the popular study of the his tory. exploration, tradition, and folk-lore of the National Parks and Monuments This Association also desires ‘‘to encourage art with National Park subjects, and the literature of Nationa! Parks, travel, wild life, and wilderness-living, and the inter pretation of scenery.” The organization issues new bulletins from time to time to be sent to the press and for the enlightenment of the general objects include such A WEATHER-VANE BIRD FEEDING.DEVIC!I ARK. N. J. SUPPORTED BY A PivoT fi! BROAD TAIL public. One of the recent calls rsaucs attention to the Yucca House National Monument, a prehistoric ruin a few miles Mesa Verde National Park in Reference is made also to the Scott's Bluff National Monument recently west of Colorado established on the “old Oregon trail This organization is appealing to th« public for financial support and its circular contains a blank stating that the annual membership fee is $3. The President is Henry B. F. McFarland, of Washington + OD & Secretary 1s Robert Trust Building, Washington, D. C is a most worth-while undertaking and the Executive Sterling Yard, Room o14, Union This INVENTED BY W.L.D BEDELL. NEW WING WHEN THE WIND BLOW ru? SAVE THE REDWOODS LEAGUE An organization with the above tith with headquarters at 450 Library, Univer sity of California, Berkeley, has recent) come into active operation, The literature states that the President is Franklin A Lane, and the Secretary- Treasurer, Robert G. Sproul The objects of the organization and it work are sect forth as follow Che Save the Redwoods League Was or ganized! to aaeiat if bringing about a better and more general understanding of the vaiue of the primeval red wood forests of America a8 natural objecta of extraordi nary interest as well as of economic im and for the inte unity of action all wrth the m if these forests aa eho riancs purpose of bringing oncerned h per interests ovement to preserve ld he « oresent their fullest beauty af gran ‘The plan of the lecagw if ove a NEW LIFE MEMBERS from January 1 to March 1, 1920 NEW SUSTAINING MEMBERS Acheson, M. Ww. Jr. Bolster, te 1. : Boctead, Mrs. Jobe Jay Boylston, Miss Margery ee Miss Caroline E. Brill, Fred W. c isey, Miss Edith w. Chandler W Clark, Everett ; Claypool, Mrs. George r > M. Lou Whiting, Mrs § Leer Miss “of Sel Curtiss, Miss Sophia Cushing, Mrs. Lexington ohne Se 8.2 Dabney, eo. Be ee: my Desison, ). 1 ee Dennett, Carl P. Devens, Elizabeth P. sq The Audubon Societies. nT ae CONTRIBUTIONS FOR EGRET PROTECTION From October 20, 1919 to March 1, 1920 gor. Pe | a re a ee $5 00 ; 3.00 §=©6 Brown, Mrs. Addison $ oo Fic} es 10 co)=6s Burgess, E. Phillips ... . . 3 00 Exestet oi % sco Burnham, Mrs. Wm... .. . 10 oo Pe aie's aT ae eg ee 2 co ‘eae soo co )«6CBusk, Fred T.. ....... 5 oo Wee iah-~ .« 20 co «= Butler, Mrs. Paul 10 00 5 co ©=- Button, Conyers 10 oo 8 en... Came, Mamitt. «oe et 6 2 00 al a? ve 10 co «© Chahoon, Mra. George, Jr 25 0° | SS 2s co ©Chase, Helen E § 00 ue eee 25 co 6. Christian, Elizabeth . . . . . 2 00 i aaa soo Christian, Mrs. M.H. ... . 2 oo See ee 10 0o «= Christian, Susan . 10 00 eee ar at sco Clark, Mrs. Louise 2 0° a wee 8s 1 00 Cockcroft, Elizabeth V 10 oo ie a t+ co Collins, Mrs. Charles Henry 25 co Se aa 6 ete. e 5 0° paornng BAS ogy yy 20 00 5 co 6. Cotton, El 50 oo tooo )«6€6Cu Mrs. H. K 1 so 200 Curle,Charles........ $ co soo Cutter, Ralphledd..... $ —— aE oe - a ve ih he Soot eee Re Ph en eee 8 a ee oe oe ee oF ues ck aa“ b. aoe a eee ee ee, eee, oe Oe Oe ae Reh ee. 8 ete feo 8. ee ; . gore: 4 . = ye ieee . ee Bese ae, Sk We a) Bee. wie . SO ye a8 ep le . - eh Re Pe EEE fils tt ey Age wag Tne sil ue ae fal rane ne eT nitissaseinienins waemmaene wee e7""s,2"3 273 323° neers” TAYER STE ~ a % in Ga ew oe ee Ce ee eee ee Se Se eo Bee, ee Oe. 6 8 Oe he 8 ee 2 eRe Oe COR Se) we © » = Mile ee eo eS Se eee ee ee ee ee ee eee ey em er 27 e ee eee ee: ee 8) OR oe CT te we — ) . oe ee oe en ee ee ee ee, Se ee ee eee 6. ee ES, 2 OREN a ew. © fila 2.3 Lia tilly de gti ' jdt RE tainly Laat, > be Peet eek tin erence Bird -Lore _ A BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE “PEVOTED TO THE STUDY AND PROTECTION OF sinne ' Orriciat Onaan oF THe AUOUGON SocieTiecs MayY—JUNE, 1920 No. 3 Spring Thunder . By H. BE. TUTTLE, New Haven, Connecticut ‘i re in late February, or the scream of _ the Red-shouldered Hawk, sailing in slow circles in the cloudless heights, i Pp Pater under a summer sun. I love the Bluebird’s faltering lyrics and Seiad he peo defiance. ‘The rigors of a New England winter have 9 Des tek wiring Salone to more ii hearts, and ends in a roar of _— mufiled thunder. This is the true song of the pulsing sap; here is the call to 3 living. The Bluebird, and even the Red-shouldered Hawk, fly south before the frosts have stripped the maples of their glorious liveries, but | the Ruffed Grouse is of stouter heart. They are but spring’s harbingers; he is the sturdy native that endures the winter's snows. Those who rise early on spring mornings may hear the air tremble to the throbbing wing-beat of the cock Partridge, and go their ways rejoicing for the inspiration of that impetuous — If your path lies along some forgotten ‘tote-road’ where the leaves are soft i with last night’s dew, you may steal upon the drummer unaware. Standing stiffly on a log that has lain dead for generations, he watches from a screen of friendly birches. Head up and crest erect, he is the embodiment of unceasing Vigilance. The jeering cry of a Blue Jay is not unworthy of his attention; the ‘sudden jump of a chipmunk among the damp leaves does not betray him into ‘revealing motion. Assured that the Blue Jay’s note is innocent of warning, he — slowly about, shifting his feet uneasily, as if to obtain a better stance on the log. Partially squatting to steady himself, his head thrust forward, his tail ‘spread into a horizontal fan, he takes a quick outward and downward stroke with his wings. For a fraction of a second they hang limp at his sides, 140 Bird - Lore | ag flash out once more to beat the air three times in rapid veccenlall ae - stayed again while the bird draws himself erect, braces his tail across the log, and seems to fling the whole force of his physical being into the next wing- strokes, till the short, staccato thumps run together and reverberate in the roar of the roll. While the madness of the moment is still on him, he rises on 4 tiptoe, his tail carried high, his ruffs spread, as if to challenge an unseen rival. - 7 A moment after, his tail droops slowly and the ruffs subside. rn q From a hillside a quarter of a mile away there travels on thalstll Mi the a measured thumping of another Grouse, while from the shelter of a swamp, even farther away, comes a half-heard pulsation, like a distant echo. Itisa mysterious and subtle summons. 4 If you have withstood all temptations to move hand or foot during the interval of silent watchfulness that follows the drumming, you may see a repe- tition of the performance, but aten or henrd s Inenired Uses ia i remain. It is white magic played in open sunshine. “a Though the dawn receives the larger share of this martial samsiesiananan am sun is not without honor, and even the moon has power to wake in the Grouse the desire to mount his log and beat the night air with his wings. ‘It was on a a cold night in April that I lay on the ground in the moonlight and the mist, — about a hundred yards from a well-used drum-log, while a cock Grouse, — unmindful of the hour, drummed until just before the sun rose. A Whip-poor- — will sang, and I shivered under a single blanket, but in spite of the cold, or because of it, the Grouse sent out his booming call at three-minute intnevale,: a like an inland fog-horn of the dripping woods. ey I will confess to an absorbing fascination in the habits of this bird, and, a oftener than any note of Thrush or Warbler, the drum-beat of the Ruffed — Grouse has lured me from the trail, and led me, like a will-o’-the-wisp, upon many a winding quest; for there is a ventriloqual quality to the drumming — that provokes curiosity as to its source and at the same time disarms pursuit. — You must be an adept at crawling if you would watch this bird at close — range, and even then fortune must favor you. By walking swiftly in his direc- — tion every time that the bird drums and by remaining motionless during the — interval of quiet, you may sometimes approach to within thirty yards, if the — cover be thick or an intervening ridge hide you from view. Whether you a succeed in creeping nearer depends upon the position in which the Grouse is — standing, the cover which you may utilize for your concealment, and your — capacity for remaining motionless in whatever intolerable position the cessa- — tion of the drumming may find you. On one occasion, by taking advantage of | two large stumps that lay between me and the log on which he was strutting, — I was able to crawl to within twenty feet of a cock Grouse, from which point of ~ vantage I watched him drum to my heart’s content. At another time, at the | edge of a little alder swamp, where the ground was soggy and no tell-tale leaf or dry twig betrayed my tortuous progress, I succeeded in reaching the upturned — 142 Bird - Lore roots of a prostrate tree on the other side of which was the watchful Grouse. I held my breath while I peered around the earthwork which clung to the roots and discovered the tail-feathers of the drumming bird braced across the log, scarcely ten inches from my nose! The use of a denim blind makes crawling unnecessary, and from this shelter, if you have set it up with caution and entered it before dawn, you may watch the drumming with comparative comfort. I have often been grateful to the naturalist who by this simple but effective method of concealment first beguiled the birds in their innocency. Hidden from all espionage beneath its folds of dappled green, I have watched the cock Grouse walk to his drum-log with noisy footsteps, confident after an hour of stealthy reconnoitering that no hostile eye intruded on his privacy. Here he felt safe to indulge his vanity and preened each feather, disarranged by the abandon of his resounding wings. To this log at the top of a second-growth ridge he repaired each morning while the stars were yet bright above the tree tops, greeted the dawn with his thunder, and stole away again before the sun was high. The sounds of spring have each their haunting appeal, from the peeping of the hylas to the Woodcock’s cerie song among the stars, but for me the vibrant drum-beat of the Ruffed Grouse, throbbing on the moist spring air, beckons me to the wildness of the hills with a voice that will not be denied. SHORT-EARED OWL Photographed by J. H. McClelland, Arnegard, North Dakota tei sae 1h Vee 7 Cedar Farm and Two Wrens ___ By ANNA ROGERS ROBERTS, Marietta, Ohio ; FARM is like, yet very unlike, other farms. The same hills, , the same creek, the same meadows, and the same dark green and vivid arn 2 envelopes the quaint setting of house, lawn, and garden, of éatiytee s, orchards, and pastures. The front of the house faces uphill, and the red road may be seen like a long streamer trailed in the hands of an angry es whee ont ne cen, The back of the house is turned t large meadow; just beyond are the lumpish banks, the lazy water, low hills. Enormous trees—elm, oak, beech, walnut, chestnut, and sometimes singly, often in groups. ‘birds’ paradise is Cedar Farm, and right well they know it, for the $ find in their daily care of the feathered folk the reward of their friend- faith, and yearly presence. The homemade devices for feeding and ing the birds, which are seen in unexpected places, are usually crowded winter and not wholly abandoned in summer. The shy wanderers soon earn that homes biilt on Cedar Farm are safely sheltered. So two Wrens found it, and here follows an account of their activities: as was in April. Roads were miry, hillsides were sodden, meadows were en haze enveloped trees and vines. ‘My room in the large, comfortable farmhouse, was a clean, cool one, with | osm and floors of oak, homemade rugs, white muslin curtains over en the invitation = Soxieado eiidences of 6 culture only abrare os thes love with Nature were abundant. ‘Thad! had a long tramp the day before I met my Wrens. I found the spring - on | well advanced. Birds were busy exploring former homes and find- osetia throbbing in every note. _ Thad retired early and slept late, and that, to Mrs. Jenny, was an unwise ) curiosity, and, seeing no movement, she entered and perched herself on the \ footboard of the bed on which I was lying. She flew to a small shelf enclosed at both ends and vacant, but for a few bottles at one side. Carefully she . eee nnioed every inch of this shelf, and then her bright eyes snapped decision. “Her impersonal air of yesterday became one of intense self-consciousness today. (149) 7 ’ ir eee SS + sok 144 Bid-Loee (Ee Wich d dive cut the window soe wont afta Faas m!— bien fa, ot. to tnvestignte, but, afer he eubamee nt inaee location of their home and tell him to get busy! He sqpoovel Siar and the building began at once. tong If human beings hed tha energy of Wmmn..asel Aaaan a ‘eh Wren's, towards home-making, I wonder if a League of Nations would be necessary. It tired me to watch their furious activity. By night, the shelf was full of sticks, strings, grasses, feathers large and small from the poul hair! Their manner of procuring that hair was a wee bit like « nation seeing a fine harbor or a stretch of land rich in minerals, saying, “I need that harbor, or that land,” and proceeds to take it whether the owner likes it or no. Jenny grew bold as the day advanced and gathered material from the room for this famous nest. Seeing a hair braid on the dresser, she tried to take it to the nest. It was too heavy. She pulled separate hairs, got her feet tangled, fell over the edge of the dresser in comical confusion, called the best she could from her wrapping for Johnny, who came, but was terrified at the predicament of his mate, and could do nothing but utter loud shrieks while Jenny rolled, tugged, feebly flapped her strong wings until she extricated herself. Then, womanlike, she made a dash at Johnny, hit him a powerful blow, and he fled— but she did not. This man-made thing baffled and angered her, and she was resolute to possess it. Back and forth she jerked it, this way and that, but the hair held fast. She stood on it and pulled, fell over, attacked it again and again, and her eyes grew vicious as she remembered how easily she had secured the nice long sorrel and white hairs off fence-rails and thorn bushes, For half an hour she stubbornly held to her task, and succeeded in breaking off a few ends, leaving the braid on the floor much the worse for her encounter with it. In a few days the small hole in the center of all this rubbish was rounded and padded, and Mrs. Jenny became quiet long enough each morning to lay a small, speckled egg, until seven were there, packed on end so close one could not be moved without moving all. Then, the miracle. Her restless, quivering, little body grew motionless with a great mother yearning as she hovered over the chocolate-splotched eggs. This was Johnny's Great Opportunity, and he met it squarely. Every hour of the day, inside the room, or nearby on a tree, his song could be heard. His whit-ty-yer, whit-ty-yer, was a pathetic inquiry, while the usually far-carrying trill was softened and anxious, There was an elbow in the stovepipe in the room (for there were cool days occasionally), and on this he would perch and sing. One morning he gave Binaauranaiem the same pillow I was using. Poets poetize over the devotion of the Cardinal to his beautiful mate. The amorous Doves are the apotheosis of Romantic Affection, but Johnny Wren is as ardent as cither and as constant. Her nervous nature keeps her close to the nest; his loyal love keeps him close to her. Cedar Farm and Two Wrens 9 ae morning he di not sing. There was a hurrying in and out the window, ering close to the nest, I saw a bundle of bones, hairless and damp, sand blind eyes! But how beautiful they were to Johnny and A tax was levied on every bush that held a worm, and from dawn until shrilled their tiny horns, this tax was collected. le day, seven helpless, sullen-mouthed, heavy-eyed birds sat ; ‘flo Daciares, chair, bed, anywhere, while father and mother called, = threatened them to try their wings and come to the garden. It wo hours to get them out in the plum tree. One by one they flew, hopped, 9t to the garden—and I saw them no more! weeks later I found Mrs. Jenny investigating a school desk on the h. A repetition of the same homely drama followed: Johnny liked erforce, the nest was built, the eggs laid, but someone unfortunately touched m and this new home was abandoned. few days later I saw Mrs. Jenny dash impetuously into the wash-house and fe i her. An empty paint-bucket, hung near the door, was her choice oe : time, and its brown wrinkled interior was cleverly concealed by the huge . Once more were the mystic seven eggs laid, close together, and once a no © was the old, old tragedy enacted—for birth is a tragedy. Not only were ms plentiful, for it was July now, but also the small, luscious fruits of the n were abundant. For days I watched this little family grow. Jenny w which one had been fed last, and if it thrust its long, thin neck and yel- ‘mouth up too high, she would chastise it with a stroke of her bill that I " ‘must have hurt. The day she made them leave the nest, I tried to help, eded only in scaring and scattering them. An hour or so after I left the friendly plum tree held them and then the garden! Snakes and Hawks in that garden, and I tried not to think of those fourteen baby Wrens had j gone to live in it. ently Mrs. Jenny believed in the husband looking after the children, ly after she was endeavoring to reach her first nest through the window, | but ‘was screened now and she had recourse to the paint-bucket. This time = vouy Jia four birds, the handy plum tree, the garden that drew them 4 like an octopus, and her season's work was done, for autumn’s yellow sere had a lien on the meadows, banks, ravines, and hills. Eighteen lithe Wrens were ~ mothered by this tiny bird in one summer. She knew the number when they left the nest. But did she remember when they reached the garden? She is a ike to those who believe race suicide beneficial, and Johnny lives true to tradition of the patriarchal father at the head of the tribe. « ~ “~ — = - 4. — ~ ~ v - oF TWO PORTRAITS f the bird, which, however, showed no alarm ri B. Perley, Ir Ojibway, Ont Some Robins’ Nests By WILBUR F. SMITH, South Norwalk, Conn With Pi ta » the Auth FRIEND who had visited Gardiner’s Island told me ol the remarkable tameness of the birds nesting there, which he claimed was due to the long years of protec tion they had had onthe island, Some Robins, whose nests I have studied in the past few years, showan equal confidence and tameness on the part of the birds, and a care and consideration for \ ROBIN’S NEST ON A WHEEL-HUB ade ies the part of the persons interested, and it would seem that if my friend’s deductions are correct, that the leaven of bird-protection 1s working in Connecticut, when a description of these nests becomes worth while One nest was built on the hub of a farm wagon lett for awhile in the orchard When the owner went to use the wagon he found four eggs in the nest, and he borrowed a neighbors wagon until the young had flown. Another Robin built a nest on the smoke-pip where it came through the back of a building. It, too, had eggs in it when found, and to make a fire in the stove meant destroving the eggs, so the owner built a shelf against the building and moved the nest to it where it was occupied by He ' ' \ MUNT 148 Bird - Lore the birds. This nest was built of the fine sprays of hemlock, showing the effect of environment upon the nest material. There must have been a sociable trait in the pair of Robins that built on the support to the roof over the station platform at Wilton, Conn. The hurrying passengers and the thundering trains did not disturb the sitting bird in the least. One could see her tail over the edge of the nest when on the platiorm It seems sure that birds come to know certain people, or to lose their fear instinct when these people are about their regular duties. How else can one v BLACKSMITH SHOP WHERE A PAIR OF ROBINS RAISED THEIR FAMILY WITHIN RANGE OF THE SPARKS FROM THE ANVIL Note the missing window-panc, removed to permit the birds to enter when the door was closed interpret the actions of a pair of Robins that built their nest over the door of the Bangall school, The teacher could stand on the porch and ring the hand- bell and the children pass in and out through the door many times a day with- out the birds leaving the nest, but they resented my simply standing and looking, and as for taking a photograph, it sent the old birds into a frenzy. Stranger still was the fancy of a pair of Robins that built their nest inside 4 Seymour's blacksmith shop on some iron used to re-tire wheels, and within eight feet of the anvil before which the blacksmith worked most of the day. Phe noise of pounding on iron, flying sparks, and kicking horses while being | ’ all was accepted and her eggs hatched and young raised. Let a stranger Some Robins’ Nests 140 enter the shop and she would leave at once, and from a perch on an old wagon- wheel or a nearby tree, protest against his presence. The kindly blacksmith, by taking out a glass from the window on the side of the shop, enabled the old birds to pass in and out through this opening when the shop door was closed. But these examples of the birds’ confidence in man and man’s kindly interest in the birds’ wel- fare are dwarfed by the history of a pair of Robins that built their nest on the under side of an oil-tank car standing near the center RAILROAD YARD WHERE A ROBIN’S NEST WA ef the busy yards of the MOVED THREE TIMES Standard Oil Company's plant at South Norwalk, last June. The nest was known and watched by the workmen and six eggs were laid—an unusual number before the car was filled with oil and ready to be started out on the road he foreman, not without some misgivings, removed the nest while the switch engine took away the car and shunted another tank car as near as he could to the place The nest was carefully placed in #i| the same relative position on the 3 \ f : hirds in the nest } \ happy thought came to him when he built an open box and ‘2 new car and the birds returned at once. This car. too, left the vard and a third car, to which the nest had been transferred, was 7 billed to leave. The foreman was puzzled to know whi there were now four hall-crown ROBIN FEEDING YOUNG IN THE STANDARD nailed it to one of the posts of the OL COMPANY YARD APTER ITS NEST HAD BEEN MOVED THREE TIMI platform used by the men in hiling Bird - Lore und put nest and young in the box, now thirty feet from its tion. Here they finished housekeeping, and at the time the picture h the female feeding the young, the switch engine was at ng and replacing cars and the whole aspect of the yard changed. xd under new and old cars, past hurrying workmen, the old birds kept though a railroad yard was as quiet and safe as a forest glade. passing, it might be mentioned that all the men in the yard were and sympathetically interested in this bird’s nest, and had anyone bed it, there would have been ‘something doing,’ with brawny arms Kit Uy | of which seems to show that the spirit of bird-protection is taking hold ple, and, where once it has rooted, that place is a pretty safe one : peopie, wild birds to call home ATCHER ABOUT TO PEED YOUNG Highland Park, I July | | alti A Much-used Robin's Nest By A. D. DeBO!IS, Chicago, Il. N the fall of 1909 we moved into an old frame house and I established my ‘den’ on the second floor. The room had two windows. Near one of them, at the corner of the building, was a down-spout for conducting rain-water from the roof. At the offset in this conductor pipe, saddled securely on the elbow against the house, was an old Robin's nest, well sheltered from rain by the projecting eaves. The following spring, on April 24, we watched a Robin gathering material for repairs, and the next day saw her sitting on this nest under the eaves. On the 26th, at 7 A.M., an examination, by means of a mirror, disclosed one egg in the nest. The second egg was deposited during the same morning, the third dur- ing the latter part of the morning of the 27th, and the fourth on the morning of the 28th. During the intervals of laying, the bird spent a part of her time on the nest but was frequently observed in the horse- chestnut tree just opposite the window. On the afternoon of May 15 there were four young Robins in this nest, and the female was bringing them worms. By the 23d the young were large and well feathered and their father was in full fighting trim. When I went to the open window to look out at the nest, he dashed at my head, striking me a sharp blow on the forehead. The young left the nest on May 24, twenty-six days after the last egg was deposited, and were at once able to fly. It was the last that we expected to see of the Robin family, and we left them to feed in the garden or on the lawn The next spring, under date of April 15, our journal relates that a Robin flew up and sat on the nest under the caves. Again, on the 21st, the bird was seen to fly to the nest and, the next morning, while sitting at my desk, I saw a Robin gather mud, across the street, and fly with it to the eaves nest. At 8 A.m. on the 24th she was sitting on the nest, and when she left, at 8.30, the nest contained one egg. The fourth and last egg of this set was deposited during the morning of the 26th. THE MUCH-USED NEST AND ITs HUNGRY OCCUPANTS (151) Bird - Lore : im”n Le night of May 8 and o, one of the czy the morning. The period of incubation : M wn in hiled the nest | ' aq DY alltacking 1 nerceiy , tive : t by the roth bot! } ow e of them. looking out. and had ‘ ' ca rprise attack She ; ' i the wv ‘ ibbed viciously at n , 4 " : cle ar nd the roon er ¥ vy Iwas tartled by the sharp : t that I faile to make note of further : \ a le - is | (al ecall \ afte ° r erm of eggs had bee est and one of them was sitting in the A Much-used Robin's Nest 153 EN center the wintow. The remainder of the training of this ily must have been very intensive, for our journal under date of June 2 eens catty: “The Robins are nesting again in the old nest t by the study window; the female is sitting on four eggs.” rst inti n was the conduct of the male; and if we ever doubted that S Bs te ws ites, tne Skt wee le aged Wy ‘personality.’ When I came to the window, as he sat in the phe showed his displeasure in his accustomed way, snapping his owing his head with a profound and challenging courtesy. His mate . ‘the same peculiar actions as before. The attitude of both birds ote over-zealous owner who has always held possession, undisputed, trate no intrusion. They tried to drive an English Sparrow from ut tree. The Sparrow darted about among the branches with the cteristic of his breed, and with admirable agility, but the Robin, , with snapping bill, eventually drove him from the premises. ater we left for a vacation. When we returned temporarily on : eggs had not hatched, but by July 8 there were half-grown young Bs t that time we photographed the ‘fighting female’ in her tree the stuc window. The young left the nest on July 17, but their ras still snapping his bill at us on the following day. eth ¢ return of another nesting season we had moved away, but we y, by letter, of the owner of the house, who knew of the old nest | e* The following was received in reply: “Ithaca, N. Y., Aug. 20, 1912. ; i your letter. to me from New York, not having observed SPEEA Gs litt there and has had two broods thie summer, one Be home and one a few weeks ago.” t history of the militant Robins and their much-used nest Eeacended:; and as to its ‘prehistoric’ origin and occupation, you 1s well as we. Of this much, however, we are certain: The same ) slight repairs, served for at least six broods of Robins. e his stage-entrance last spring at the garden-corner of the . While transplanting some perennials, my eye caught a cin- a streak darting into the eaves-pipe, simultaneous with a shiver- iS ofan unmistakable Wren song. Down went watering-pot and he t was promise of something worth while. Could it be that a S in progress? Suddenly, out hobbled the brown streak from e, with a particle of silt in his bill which he deposited into the a bustling housewife would snap her duster, and darted in re TE Sistema atl a thoronsh job was made of it. The a er the eaves also received his attention. I could hear him “a ree Sere Nn sonees Sy Saale 8 Gee Hee de zg overboard a particle of silt. Soon the apple tree over ght this cinmamon meteor, and there ensued such an outpour of g bubbles that I couldn’t but suppose that just the house SSA Vinee Semath and thee cnly.seeealaed the Guentice as “an ) some surprise, then, that the following day I saw the same scene enacted on the eaves and gutters of the barn—the same scene with a A pai ‘of English Sparrows had established themselves in a hole under the seasie € east gable of the barn, and had a family of five lusty Britishers at 1 into this troublesome world. When the sanitary inspector ie east gable, I was somewhat taken back by seeing him shoot into lishman’s castle without as much as by your leave (a truly Prussian ne > now, wasn’t it?), only to bob out again with a white feather in ke peeping protests of the youngsters strengthened my belief that d was being removed by this hustling aggressor. His manner in ¢ Siuithers said “Dear me! it will be war to the death until I teach 1c: we beds to keep clean!” The hole swallowed him again, and again a thin, ping chorus of protests, and another feather took its rudderless course to rt The third time the feather was carried to a nearby apple tree where it a pedesly released amid an intensive outpouring of Wren free-speech rected to any it might concern. At this point Madame Sparrow, who had — evi ies tly been viewing this offensive intrusion at a safe distance, entered her 3 creel a morsel in her bill and concern in her manner. Now the drama _ was in full swing! Back flew the Wren, sure enough, to the Sparrow entrance, " with all his importance and nth power initiative, but, instead of dashing in, F he suddenly right-about-faced and the apple tree caught him again. While he was explaining, in true Ludendorf style, to a solemn Bluebird pair, who weren't 3 vin the least interested, that his retreat was entirely on strategic lines, my eye (tgs) 156 Bird - Lore caught he mnt of he cane ing nce cer he ee al 4 front door, challenge in every line of him. Right here, at this vital’ un and, upon my return, I found the sod under the Englishman's ca stle : with feathers, and, could it be,—yes, there actually was a newly ha ‘a | Sparrow, pitched out during the fight that must have ensued. If I ha heard the aggressive voice proclaiming victory from a nearby tree I would — have been worried for fear an awful justice had overtaken him, but I must say his tone was reassuring in the extreme. ae. Not knowing the way of Wrens, I interpreted this anti-British campaign as expressing the fact that he had centered his desire for a house on the English- man’s property, and at once enlisted my services in his behalf. A man scaled a ladder and evicted this budding, though browbeaten family in the most radical fashion. The apartment was then thoroughly hosed out and a new doorway erected through which only a Wren might pass. Now, will you believe me when I tell you that that fickle, erratic housebreaker showed not the sMadibask interest in that establishment from that time on? Every time I heard his tea-kettle song in the orchard, I hied me forth to see what his next move would be. Where was Mrs. Wren? Was he a bachelor or widower (grass or plain)? I was obsessed by that Wren and his business, as was my — neighbor and friend whose garden joins mine. She reported one day that he had vislted her mother ns she sat ia the open, window Sc lighted on the back of a chair, raised his head, lowered his tail, and gi perfect demonstration of how the tea-kettle sang to the Cricket on the OF course we speculated every day as to where that bird who didn't iow his. own mind two minutes together would build. When my patience was nearly exhausted, it dawned on my intelligence that the Packard Chickadee house on the black walnut tree at the edge of my garden, and only a step from my neighbor's, was displaying a Wren name- — plate in the shape of a stout twig placed in the doorway to bar all intruders. Wild excitement in the garden! What a chance to study the nest and the young birds! We saw two Wrens going in with food in their bills and heard the me! me! chorus that day and the day after, and the day after that we found the house deserted by a family big enough to fly away in the early hours. — There we were, intrigued, baffled, and cheated by that little play-actor. Will anyone take exception when I say the way of the Wren is deep? in this country owe eaves for the devotion and he has conducted this uns now being formulated, this amount of invaluable will: he of dect service i the ad- trat of the Migratory Bird Treaty i to develop this work along principal lines: First, the trapping of waterfowl, especially Ducks e, on both their breeding and grounds; and, secondly, the syste- trapping of land-birds as initiated iss Baldwin, the early results of which have been published by him in the of the Linnwan Society, Ae ‘New York, No. 31, 1910, pp. 23-55. It : i to enlist the interest and services amaryl workers who will undertake fe and maintain trapping stations "throug the year, banding new birds ‘Fecording the data from those pre- i viously banded. The results from a series 4 of stations thus operated will undoubtedly give new insight into migration routes, » of travel during migration, longevity ny Sz ths tame nesting site after year, and, in addition, furnish a | wealth of information relative to the behavior of the individual, heretofore im- . _ to obtain because of the difficulty a The details of operation are now receiv- ing close attention, and as soon as possible the issue of bands will be announced, with full information regarding the methods to be followed and the results expected. In the meantime, the Biological Survey will be glad to receive communications from those sufficiently interested and satisfac- torily located to engage in this work du: ing their leisure time, for it is obvious that a considerable part must be done by vol- unteer operators. It is hoped that a suf- ficient number will take this up to insure the complete success of the project.—E. W. Newson, Chief of Bureau, Washington, D.C. Winter Notes from West Medford, Mass. Our house in West Medford, Mass., is situated in a cedar pasture (where sumac, barberry, privet, and woodbine berries are abundant) between Middlesex Falls and the Mystic River. In this exceedingly cold winter, when the ground is covered with deep snow, hiding the food-supply of our birds and driving the northern birds south, we have had such an unusual ex- perience that it seems worth while to record it. From January 1, Redpolls have been here in great flocks; then a Snowy Owl and Northern Shrike appeared in our neighborhood. The particular events of the season have been since February 12. On that day my telephone rang to ask me to identify a large flock of white birds which proved to be Snow Buntings (fifty- two, by actual count) which are being fed regularly by one of my friends two minutes away from our house. At the same place are 17 Pheasants. These birds have been a continual delight to many people for the last month. During the blizzard of March 6, the Snow Buntings went under a hedge, dug away some of the snow, and settled down to rest comfortably, first, however, (t$7) 158 scratching the falling snow from their faces with their feet—-a pretty sight. During the last week in January, 9 Pine Grosbeaks appeared. January 31, 6 Even- ing Grosbeaks, which were joined by 6 more on March 1, with an equal number of full- plumaged and gray birds. February 29, a flock of Cedar Waxwings came, and with them 2 fully identified Bohemian Wax- wings. March 1, either on our place or within five minutes’ walk, were 12 Evening Grosbeaks, 9 Pine Grosbeaks, 10 Redpolls feeding on maple buds, 52 Snow Buntings, 3 Juncos, 5 Tree Sparrows, 1 Long-eared Owl, 2 Hairy Woodpeckers, 2 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Flicker, 5 Purple Finches, 42 Cedar Waxwings, 10 Starlings, 2 White- breasted Nuthatches, 5 Chickadees, 5 Blue Jays, and 5 Robins. There are two flocks of Cedar Birds, the large flock and a smaller one of fifteen with which the Bohemian Waxwings consort; the small flock was not seen on March 1, but came again on March 3. They fed upon the fruit of two hawthorn trees near our house and also upon the few cedar berries which are left. The Long-cared Owl was seen by Mr. and Mrs. Alan Claflin, of West Medford, and the Bohemian Waxwings were first seen by them on February 28, and reported to me. I saw them at 8.30 a.m. on Feb- ruary 29, and several times during that day. Many of us here fed the birds all winter and feel repaid by the great pleasure they have given us.—Lipian E. Baipce, West Medford, Mass., March 9, 1920. Evening Grosbeaks at Boston On Feb. 16, 1920, a flock of Evening Grosbeaks appeared in the garden of St. Johns House, Arlington Heights, Boston. They remained all day. On the 26th, dur- ing a heavy snowstorm, a male Grosbeak came to the library window, evidently try- ing to get in. The window was opened, he came in and commenced eating a geranium leaf. After a while he gave a clear, loud, flute-like whistle, which one of the Sisters interpreted as a demand for food. Worms and seeds were brought to him, and he remained all the afternoon, afraid of the Sisters or children. Whe back of the convent.—F, S.S.J.E., Boston, Mass, the date of writing (April 12) BF z i e me za being this past sea- os, ) Fiorence pr 1a Mon- ‘ day, after a cold and ight. Until then very few Ducks m seen migrating in the fall of 1919, a day thowends of them passed, BX i rd. Early on the morning en aes, the first Socks of Ducks ) flying over, and they continued $0 for several hours on that morning. s working not far from Buffalo Creek at time, had a good chance to watch ' of Ducks which were very fre- ing overhead. on was first attracted by ous flocks of about one thou- ‘tion of Creek which, appa- Geese thet liking for they wheeled ce, and at a slight angle, sailed to the pd. When on the ground they attracted other smaller passing flocks, h also dropped to the ground. Nearly ‘all of the smaller flocks consisted of only ~ | or fifteen Ducks, while some contained it four or five. Once in a while a single place where most of the Ducks led was only about a quarter of a mile m where I was working, and they could eas oe ove tur in the air, to sink again to the 159 same spot. When these large flocks rose into the air, they reminded me of nothing so much as a huge swarm of bees. It was a beautiful sight to watch—these thou- sands of Ducks as they turned in the air, the sun playing on their light wings and white underparts. They stayed in this vicinity for about two hours, I believe, but I did not see them leave the place. During this period one of the largest fall freshets in years had turned small Buffalo Creek into a mighty river, covering all the low pastures and land near it with its water, These flooded ponds in the pastures were frequented by the Ducks. Scores of hunters went after the Ducks and killed many at this season. About noon on November 11, as I approached the creek, two (shot gun) shots were fired and several thousand Ducks flew up, not more than five hundred yards from me, but I saw no hunters. Most of the migrating Ducks passed over during the morning of November 11. I saw only one flock (of about three hundred) fly over in the afternoon. I have watched the migrating Ducks for several years and have never before seen more than a dozen or two flocks in the fall. Very small numbers of Wild Geese were seen migrating southward, through Buc- hanan County in the fall of 1919. Whether or not this was due to the increased num- bers of shooters this year, I do not know, but at any rate, the Geese appeared in very small numbers compared to other years. The writer, wishing to gain some know!l- edge of just how many Geese really did migrate through this part of the country, kept a careful record of each and every flock and individual seen by him. Only about soo Geese, roughly estimat- ing, out of a dozen or so flocks flying by day, were recorded by the writer. This does not include the flocks which flew over at night, but it serves to show what exten- sive shooting has done to the Canada Goose. Not so many years ago the Geese would fly south by the thousands in the fall. The writer worked out of doors all of the fall and had & good opportunity for watching the movements of the Geese. 160 The Geese recorded were seen at the following times: The first flock of Geese, containing about 25, was seen on the afternoon of October 15. The second flock was noted on the afternoon of October 20, and con- tained about 100 birds. They were flying very low when seen, and in very irregular form, as if tired and searching for a land- ing-place. The next flock was seen quite early on the morning of October 25. There were about roo in this flock. A fourth flock passed October 27, this also contain- ing about 100 Geese. On the afternoon of October 51, a flock of only 5 was seen fly- ing southward, aimlessly and without a leader; 16 more Geese were seen Novem- ber 13. On November 7, two flocks, of about 35 cach, were seen flying south, the flocks being only about 300 feet from each other; 9 more Geese were seen that day. On the evening of November 15 a very large flock passed over, judging from the honking. A flock of 35, which could not be posi- tively identified, passed on November 23. That evening, at dusk many Geese could be heard, but they were not seen. On November 25, 5 Geese passed, going south, and this was the last flock scen in 1919.— Faep J. Preece, Winthrop, lows. Purple Gallinule in Connecticut Your readers may be interested to know that on April 16 I saw a fine specimen of the Florida Purple Gallinule. It is very rarely seen above the Mason and Dixon line, two specimens having been reported on Long Island, but so far as I can ascer- tain, never in New England. I did not hunt the bird, but it appeared unexpectedly as I stood talking with a neighbor in a little-used country road, not far from a salt marsh. It ran along the ground, close to a high board fence, and passed us at a distance of 15 yards. I ob- served that it had a white bill, a small head, a small, long neck, and long legs. It was about the size of a half-grown chicken. The color of the body was a rich purple. The wings were bluish green, and in the Bint-iaee er 7 Acer ransiog post sine ned and son across the seal SS EEE if to give us aperfect side view o “ I moved quickly toward it in order to | observe its mode of flight. It flew a few paces like a Rail, alighted, ran, or ws owe of et bts pret q Hunted,’ by Neltje Blanchan. — 4 I shall always carry a pleasant memory — of the beautiful bird, and mark April 16 with a white stone.—Caartes W. Pack- — arp, M.D., Stratford, Conn. An Odd Note of the Blue Jay This morning (Feb. 2, 1920) I heard a — Blue Jay give a curious note—a harsh, rapid chatter or growl, as rapid as a Wood- _ pecker’s tattoo. The bird-note which it — most closely resembled is the jarring chat- — ter of a Catbird, but it had a duller, more wooden quality and suggested a mechanical — sound rather than a bird’s voice. The Blue — Jay was alone in a small apple orchard and — was visiting one tree after another, evi- _ dently feeding. Recalling, from the oddity — of the note, that I had heard it some years — ago, but not since, I looked up my records = and found the following note: — “Apr. 6, 1913. This morning (6.45) fifteen to twenty Blue Jays were flying — about, making a great disturbance, From — the large number of birds and from their — loud cries, I supposed that they were — Se poesia ontbcance, instances cited, entirely - ‘was unusually manifest.—W1n- Tan M.D., Lexingion, Mass. aie yee the bird secosine _ down to the ground after something. | _ was interested at once, and at first I could “not see what was running across the snow; hen it reached the barn, where it was , I saw that it was a mouse. Rane Blee Jay boldly followed it right Into the barn, dodging in and out of the 161 ‘ wagons and pecking at the mouse at every chance it got. About this time the Blue Jay's mate joined the chase, but she was just a little too late. The mouse, nearly beaten, hopped into a friendly hole and escaped. For a little while the pair watched the hole, and then gave it up.— G. Gu, Sea Clif, N.Y. Mouse and Blue Jay At 10 o'clock on the morning of Jam 30, 1920, I was seated near a window when I caught sight of a little gray mouse running about on the short grass outside. He soon began nibbling a sweet-gum ball (which contains seed). In a few seconds he ran to another and began nibbling that, but his movements had revealed him to a Blue Jay in the tree above. Down flew Mr. Jay and gave mousie a quick stab with his bill. Mousie jumped under a fallen sweet gum leaf. On came the Jay, brushing aside the leaf; quickly the mouse sought another, and another, each time coming nearer my office, evidently to take refuge under it. The Jay followed, but when I moved nearer the window in order to watch the chase, Mr. Blue Jay was frightened and flew back to his tree-top, while the mouse, sensing a new danger, crouched immovable. A Cardinal Grosbeak now joined the Jay. and both flew down at the mouse. The scene would have made a wonderful paint- ing—the tiny gray ball of fur among the russet leaves and burs, the vivid scarlet Cardinal and handsome blue and black Jay, both alert and with crests raised. Poor little mousie! I rapped on the pane, away flew the fighters, and their would-be victim vanished.—Lizzme N. Dovetas, Barns, W. Feliciana Co., La, Twenty-one Warblers in a Day In looking over my back copies of Brean- Loar I noticed in Vol. XIX, No. 4, the article by S. A. Eliot, of Pittefield, Mass, entitled ‘Seventeen Warblers in a Single Tree.’ During the spring migration of toto the writer had a similar experience which may be of interest to Birap-Lorn's readers, Se i Bs 162, Ever since the Warbler wave in the spring of 1917, when one million Warblers were estimated to be feeding at the Brigh- ton Sewage Disposal Plant on May 23, I have endeavored to visit the plant at least once during the spring and fall migrations. The plant is on an open plot of ground near Irondequoit Bay. All around it is a most wonderful woods, the underbrush being so thick it is hard to make one’s way through. It is a birds’ paradise! Then, too, the bay, with ifs vast marshes, pro- vides a wonderful place for swamp-birds. On May 24, I arrived at the plant about 3.50 in the afternoon, and, seeing no birds on the gravel beds, I decided to look in the bordering trees and underbrush, with the hope of finding some there. I had not gone far before I discovered four beau- tiful little Northern Parula Warblers feed- ing in the low underbrush. A single Nash- ville was in a tree above me, singing, and Yellow Warblers were very numerous. Seeing a flash of color in a nearby hem- lock tree, I focused my glass on the spot and found a male Pine Warbler gleaning insects from the branches. Then a Black- burnian came into the line of vision. Low- ering my glass I walked cautiously for- ward, and as I got nearer, Warblers seemed to appear all over the tree. I was now so close the glass was not necessary. A Red- start and a Black-poll were in the topmost part of the tree. Further down were Chest- nut-sided, Bay-breasted, and Magnolia Warblers and a female Cape May. My eyes were suddenly attracted to a rail of the fence surrounding the plant, and there was a splendid male Cerulean Warbler, the first I had ever seen! In a radius of fifty yards I found two Tennessees and also Hooded, Canadian, and Mourning War- blers. And I heard an Oven-bird, a Nor- thern Water-thrush, and two Maryland Yellow-throats singing in the vicinity. These, with an Orange-crowned and a Black-throated Blue seen in the morning, made a total of twenty-one Warblers for the day, nineteen of which were seen ina hundred-yard circle. Many other species were seen here, and altogether they made a total of sixty-one different varieties seen Bird-Lore One morning late in June, an svn he Ris ured ett per { to see a young one fluttering help a the lawn closely lelléwed Sif a annTnMe q the parents dashed about wildly overhe . filling the air with their frantic appeals for aid. I rescued the nestling and put itin a cage which I left on the porch, so that the old birds might keep in touch with it and take it in charge when it had recovered iZ sufficiently from fright and exhaus a be released. If subjected to fright during the early stages of flying, young birds be- come but after a few — hours of rest and quiet are then quite able 7 to bs to a place of safety. — : I supposed the parents sé sip piaibigs a would remain nearby during its temporary impriscnment, but they, apparently, took no further interest in its fate, and it soon q cried insistently for food. Ihave an aver- sion for a caged bird and did not want the — care of a Robin. Inspection showed it to be very young, only half-feathered, “still - wobbly on its legs, and unable to feed un- less steadied in the hand. It had evidently fallen from the nest and was entirely in- capable of self-support. There was no _ alternative but adoption for at least a short time. 4 It struggled wildly when I first took it 7 into my hand to feed it, but relaxed con- tentedly as I put a morsel of softened bread into the gaping mouth, and ever after en- joyed being so held while feeding. It then — and there claimed me as a foster-mother, — and I thereupon christened it ‘Bob.’ — While Bob suffered attentions from other — members of the family, he made it plainly evident that I was the sun and soul of his | existence. Shrieks of joy greeted my — appearance, and, running forward to the — bars of his cage, he awaited me with — quivering wings and eyes sparkling with — impatience. He became very tame, follow- ing me about on foot on my visits in the: 4 ce all kinship with the feath- ot ) himself more than wit — retin tc mententip jum uy. I was beginning to it he showed no inclina- steko with evil intentions so evi t that I ran to his rescue and the rye I again left Bob for a mo- P Se worm into his wide-open mouth. The per flew off as I approached, and Bob, ad of running to meet me as usual, sat uietly on the grass. So quict, so inanimate, iain toe a I examined sim closely, but could find no injury. I Sibi dows on the grass and watched He sat perfectly quiet for a few minut then slowly turned his head back- and tucked it under his wing as if ig to sleep. I tried to arouse him by - offering food. He responded with a feeble ' sep but wes unable to swallow. The next Notes from Field and Study 163 his cage. Who can solve the mystery of his death?—Litas Rea McCormick, Danville, Pa. Mrs. Wren Puts Her Family to Bed in a Robin's Nest In a pine tree, the branches of which reach to my north porch, just below the eaves, a pair of Robins build their nest nearly every year. The old nest usually is blown away during the winter's fierce gales. The evening of Aug. 28, 1919, was quite cold. While I sat on the porch, just before dark, I heard a Wren calling so loudly and long that I remained to see what the ado was all about, for, as I looked the yard over, I could see neither cat nor anything else to disturb her. After she had flown all around the yard, still calling, I noticed her in the pine tree near the porch. To my surprise, she hopped onto the edge of the deserted Robin's nest, jumping into it and out again, repeating this several times, still calling. Then from out of the branches of the tree came five young Wrens, and they all nestled down into the nest. I could hear them twittering for a few moments (much as small chickens do when they go to bed at night under the wings of the old mother hen), then quietness reigned. The next night I watched for them again, and the same process was repeated at twilight, and this continued every evening for a week, with more or less calling as the occasion demanded. One evening the little family gave her more trouble in finding them than usual. Darkness set in, and she was still calling. It was too dark to count them that night, but I heard them twitter. The House Wren usually arrives about May 4, and this was the first time that I have ever seen them here later than Au- gust 15.—Mas. J. Ettesworra Jackson, Rochester, Wis. Bluebirds va. Wrens In the summer of 1918, while we were in camp in northeastern Pennsylvania, late in August, I noticed numerous Bluebirds about and wondered where they had pested. His face lighted up and he said, “Blue- birds? I should say so!” He then told me that he had built eight boxes and the Blue- birds had occupied six of them. That very morning they had paid a visit to the boxes and he had counted thirty-two in the flock. He said after the Bluebirds had been there some time a Wren tried to take possession of one of the two unoccupied boxes, but he saw right away that the Bluebirds did not like the Wren so he drove it off. I told him why the Bluebirds do not care for the Wrens. 7 I wish to add that the Wren this last summer again interfered with the second nesting of my Bluebirds. The first egg was laid one morning between 9 and 10 o'clock, and before 11 o'clock the Wren had visited the box and broken the egg. I noticed in the report from the Connecticut Birdcraft Sanctuary in Brep-Lore that thirteen pairs of Wrens and only fwe pairs of Bluebirds nested there. It is my belief that the Wrens are very destructive to Bluebirds’ eggs at the second nesting —Mars, Axtuur F. Garpwenr, Troy, N.Y. A Confusion of Instincts Last summer a pair of Robins nested three times about the house and built a new nest each time. As soon as one brood of young Robins was safely down from the nest and hidden away in the grape- arbor, the mother Robin would begin to carry material for a new nest. One day, just as she started for the nest with her mouth full of string, one of the baby birds called for food. She ran across the lawn to him and stuffed the string into ile: iz i lp i get of it trailing from his yellow bill. This was the worm's opportunity, and that worm in two, picked up both pieces— _ in triumph with a morning meal for his — little ones.—Many T. Barrett, Portland, — - tt Wrens Drive Away English Sparrows 4 A tin can from an oil-stove was hung from a hook and reserved for Bluebirds. — No Bluebirds came but a pair of English — Sparrows inspected it carefully one entire — season before they decided it was safe, — then proceeded to occupy it for two years. One April day when a brood of Sparrows — 10X.—Spring came slowly ‘re winter. Traces of the wale ‘ing, the first group of migrant Sed oad that follow the snow-line . half e1 pose led along in such ‘number \at first that no definite date be set for their arrival. On March 23, se species had been reported several da mearlier. These birds were closely fol-' d by a flight of Fox Sparrows and ncos, and a few Pherbes, the latter bird ig on the day when flying insects - oe victors, not once but several times, one or the other Wren being always on guard until finally the little Wrens were left in peace, Several weeks later four babies were perched on a branch and fed generously within two feet of where I was hidden be- hind a curtain —Netrix Ranpatt, Can- lon, Pa. THE SEASON XIX. February 15 to April 15, 1920 The next group of migrants, which com- prises the Vesper, Field, and Swamp Spar- rows and the Pine Warbler—birds which do not appear in New England until spring is well established—was delayed by cold weather in the first half of April, when such a chilling wind blew from the nor- thern snowfields that the Robins discon- tinued their evening chorus. Notwith- standing the absence of this group as a whole, a few Vesper Sparrows and a Pine Warbler were noted on April 11. The Chipping Sparrow, a bird whose arrival brings assurance that all wintry weather is past, has not appeared, although over. due. Mrs. Edmund Bridge reports the pres- ence at West Medford of a bird of extreme rarity in MassachiSetts—two Bohemian Waxwings, which were associated with a flock of Cedarbirds for a fgw days in the latter part of February.-Winsor M. Tyter, M.D., Lexingion, Mess. New Yorx Rearon.--The last half of February saw an increase in Redpolls, now in considerable flocks, but they soon disappeared again. There seems also to have been a fight of Long-cared Owls at this time, noted at Amityville, Douglas- ton, Staten Island, Englewood, and the vicinity of Plainfield. February 25 a num- ber of Evening Grosbeaks were found in a patch of red cedar woods at Amityville, Long Island, feeding on cedar berries. With them were many Goldfinches, some Red Crossbills, and a few Purple Finches, 166 The Evening Grosbeak has been reported repeatedly from Douglaston, Long Island (G. C. Fisher), last seen April 9 and likely still around. The attraction here seems to be the fruit of the hackberry. More than in the New Jersey direction, tate February and the very first of March usually find an increase of scattered Robins on Long Island. We have been at times in doubt as to whether these birds are arrivals from the South or have been driven in from southern New England where, at that date, the Robin is generally present in consider- able flocks. This year these early Robins were less than usually noticeable on the Island, an indication that they are southern birds, as late winter birds from the North of all species were more than usually represented. The spring was late in putting in an appearance with its first migrants from the South. The entire absence, during the very end of winter, of Song Sparrows at Garden City, Long Island, made it pos- sible to determine when the first individuals returned, March 12. Fox Sparrow and Grackle were present here for the first time on March 14, the Grackles being about two weeks later than their usual arrival— the end of February. The first unquestioned increase in Meadowlarks came on the 21st and they became common on the 24th. The Flicker put in an appearance on the 28th, and Chipping Sparrows only on April 7 this year, although they had been reported from jhe New York Region a few days previous. Up the Hudson, vicinity of Rhinebeck and Poughkeepsie, data com- piled by M. S. Crosby shows the earliest arrivals to have been delayed: Fox Spar- row, March 14; Grackle and Song Spar- row, March 15; Robin, March 23. The next lot of birds were, however, as carly as one could expect them: Phaebe, March 23; Flicker and Cowbird, March 26; Chip- ping Sparrow and Tree Swallow, April 3; Barn Swallow, April 11; Louisiana Water- thrush, April 12; etc. Reports from New Jersey indicate re- tarded migration, though by April 1 spring arrivals were about ‘on time’; and a better showing than usual of the less-abundant Bird - Lore March 15. The bulk of the carly migra E re om to ut we ae | wintry conditions. Almost | mmediate ator the saiing of Ea Dee ies tht si sd Ml Phe 8) at Reading which had doubtless win- tered there. A Ruffed Grouse seen at New Lisbon, N. J., March 21, is interesting, as this bird at the present time is none toocommonin — rm rey. The same day a ; ' of Hed winged Blackbirds was si ; flock after flock, a of which ‘eat have numbered ng migrants were noted as fol- February 23; Fox Sparrow ‘ke Tataech 7; Vesper Sparrow, 9; Robin, March 21; Purple Mare h 13; Red: winged Blackbird, Killdeer, March 28; Savannah 2 th 30; Phoebe, March 27; il 11; Bonaparte’s Gull, .K. Porrer, Camden, rox Rec1on.—The long, cold 7 t slowly giving place to +4 region about Washington. g at least two weeks behind its pment at this time of the bwithstanc these conditions, ta February and March enue onary spring increase. This, i means the permanent residents on fiilerants, which are now ly two of the spring migrants / histone April 1, the Purple the Pine Warbler, have failed their appearance. On the other ‘apecies have arrived earlier th SUNEE Giacen, toes on (average date of spring appear- ae 26); and the Tree Swallow, don March 28 (average spring arrival, The fe Ring-billed Gull has been frequently ote don the river, usually in flocks in F , with the Herring Gulls, and ap- “he to be much more numerous than is dinarily the case. The Starling continues oroughly established, both summer and ter r, in the vicinity of Washington. about normal numbers, the scarcity of he Golden-crowned Kinglet has been table, a fact remarked by nearly all The Season | their usual numbers and in 167 Without doubt, the outstanding feature of ornithological interest during the past two months has been the astonishing num- bers of Ducks that have frequented the Potomac River. These birds seem to be present in even greater numbers than dur- ing the corresponding period of 1919, and is an encouraging sign to both ornitholo- gists and sportsmen of the beneficial effects of game-protection efforts during the past few years. The species most abundant have been the Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Black Duck, and Golden-eye. Several thousand Scaups and Black Ducks have frequented the river as far up as the city of Washington, feeding out in the broader reaches of the river but spending the night * nearer to the shore in the more sheltered portions, sometimes close to the city, off the lower end of Potomac Park. Other spe- cies noted more or less frequently are the Ring-necked Duck, Redhead, American Merganser, and Hooded Merganser. Three Pintails were seen by Francis Harper on February 20 on the Potomac River near Washington, between Alexander Island and Potomac Park; and a single Canvas- back was observed by Miss M. T. Cooke on March 28 near Millers, Va. Flocks of Canada Geese in migration have also been larger and more numerous than for several years past, at least so far as may be judged by reports from local observers. Further- more, the Whistling Swan has continued to winter in the Potomac River some twenty to forty miles below Washington, as has been the case for several years past.—Harry C. Onernorser, Biological Survey, Washington, D. C. Minxneapours (Minnesota) Recioxn.— As one correspondent aptly expressed it “The spring is coming with slow, re luctant steps” here as elsewhere after the unusually ‘snowbound winter’ that has prevailed throughout the whole northern United States the past season. Minnesota has experienced an exceptionally pro- tracted and hard winter, followed by a spring which, thus far, has been character- ized by brief spells of mild weather inter- rupted by constantly recurring severe ’ 168 snowstorms and freezing temperatures. The early arrivals among the birds, and especially the carly ground-nesting spe- cles, as, for example, the Horned Lark, must have had a hard struggle and met with many disasters. After a few bitter cold days, with tem- peratures far below zero, in the third week of February, there came a spell of milder weather and disappearing snows that seemed to promise an carly spring; but on March 3 occurred the terrible blizzard that swept the whole Middle West, accom- panied by the greatest single snowfall of the whole winter—about a level foot. Several subzero days followed, terminating on March 9 in a mild, springlike day with — a maximum of 46 degrees above, “the warmest day here since last November” (Weather Bureau). But on the 15th came another blizzard, much snow, and a hard freeze; a brief respite and then nine inches of snow on the night of the 18th. The first really warm days followed, with occasional noon temperatures of 60 degrees, a heavy, warm rain on the 23d which rotted the ice in lakes and streams (the ice went out of the Mississippi River above the falls on the 24th), and the month closed with an almost July-like day with temperature 72 degrees—a most unusual record. A few brief hours of this and then April came in like the proverbial lion with snow, high north winds, and freezing temperatures,— plus 13 degrees on the 2d,—and this sort of weather has continued, with only slight intermissions ever since. The smaller and medium-sized lakes hereabout were clear of ice on April 15, due chiefly to surface drainage and the warm rain on March 23, but the larger lakes were open only around the shores and in the smaller bays. Lake- ice formed during the past winter to the astonishing thickness of thirty-cight inches! It can readily be imagined what the effects of such a spring must have been on the carly migrant birds. The warm spells lured them onward, and then suddenly they were confronted with all the rigors and privations of midwinter, to avoid which they had retreated to the Southland vicinity of Minneapolis, and have, ‘eee largely taken from reports kindly con- tributed to the Museum by several local | observers. The first migrant scen walle, : on March 9, followed on the 16th by a flock of 20 which came up the | gorge battling against a fierce, bitter cold wind that was blowing at the time. Two Bluebirds arrived on the 1sth (Mrs. McIntire) and a ‘flock’ on the 19th (Chap- man), encountering heavy snow and freez- a ener Robins appeared on the ; Meadowlarks on the 20th (Miss gu, Red-winged Blackbirds and Song — Sparrows on the 21st; Golden-crowned a ee eS Kinglets (Thayer), a Red-tailed ‘Hawk, a and a Red-headed Woodpecker (Mrs, Mo- Intire) on the 22d; Fox Sparrows (Green) on the 23d, at which time Tree Sparrows — and Juncos were migrating in large num-— Pe bers, On the 2sth, Purple Finches were numerous and in full song, and Horned Larks, a Killdeer, a Flicker, Marsh Hawks, and a flock of 200 Bohemian Waxwings were seen in the vicinity of the city by . Mrs. W. E. Albee. Pharbes (Zeleny), a Migrant Shrike, a Kingfisher, anda Broad- winged Hawk (Mrs. Albee) and many Rusty Blackbirds (Mrs. McIntire) werere- ported on the 28th. The first Herring Gulls were seen in the Mississippi gorge on the | 2gth (McIntire); an early Sapsucker on the soth (Caroline Crosby) and the first — Loon on April 8 (Hussy). Martins were reported from the southern part of the state (Harry Boogan, Madelia, Watonwan | q County) on the exceptionally early date of March 31, and these so-called ‘scouting — birds’ were seen at Minneapolis about a week later. The first Hermit Thrushes appeared on April 14 (Commons), Mid-April arrived with all vegetation much less advanced than at the same time last year. The catkins on the hazel, the poplar, and the willow were developed only in favored places. The pasque flower, the hepatica, and the bloodroot had been _ q ee a eT isis a Sew da, ont the ichman’s breeches was but was but little evi- the delight of those having the ohemiar Wax wings, which have tof Mr. and Mrs. F. W. ¢ Minnetonka during the pril and exhibited a feeding th curious and interesting. ei to run in the many tres about the house, it oozed ticicles. The Waxwings "ag : on the trunks and iarger »piny peng the ends of the twigs. the bi rds fluttered in mid-air, hummingbird- fas and drank the rapidly forming ER pendant icicles! Thus the Waxwing and the Sap- = nd er favoring conditions, seem od of similar tastes, though they go their appetites in very § great thickness of the ice on the th p heavy blanket of snow during ulls arriving about this time such places in large flocks and h busy ever since devouring the putrefying and malodorous piles of | fish that were a nuisance and menace to The Season a *! z oe oe. the nearby settlers. At one such place, visited by the writer on April 14, Herring Gulls predominated, with only a few Ring- bills present, though elsewhere the latter species was reported in large numbers. German carp, two to two and a half feet long and weighing twelve to fifteen pounds, were too big and heavy for the Gulls to manage, the eyes, apparently, being the only vulnerable parts. But the sunfish, black bass, crappies, perch, bull-pouts, etc., were being disposed of rapidly. The great value of Gulls as scavengers is well exem- plified under such conditions.-Tuomas S. Ronerts, Zodlogicel Museum, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. Kansas City Recion.—Late winter notes from the Eton Bend of the Missouri River and the Courtney region, furnished by William Andrews, indicate that the usual early movement of Mallards,Pintails, Mergansers, Red-breasted Mergansers, and Canada and Snow Geese gave promise this year of exceeding in numbers the spring flights of several years past. This careful observer also noted a pair of Loons feeding about the edge of an ice-field near his home, and, on February 14, saw 39 Snow Geese and 17 Canada Geese crowded out of an eddy in the Missouri River by a rush of pack ice. A flock of over 200 Rusty Blackbirds was observed by Mr. Andrews in his neighborhood during this season, and an unusual northward movement of thou- sands of Juncos was noted during the last week of February. A few miles below this region another trustworthy observer states that a flock of about ts0 Blue Geese, accompanied by a lone Snow Goose, re- mained on an inaccessible bar in the Missouri River from February 22 to April 4, when their place was taken by thousands of Mallards and Scaup. A letter from Johnson Neff, Marionville, Mo., mentions a large list of winter birds seen, giving 54 species as the average number noted in a day afield. Mr. Neil's careful notes conclude with the cheerful statement that Ducks and Geese are more abundant than for several years. He states further that a Sandhill Crane was killed pear his town in late January, and deplores the fact that there are local hunters who are not in strict sympathy with the Federal Bird Law. Sidney Hyde writes that a movement of Bohemian Waxwings had been observed in the Topeka, Kans., region, where this un- usual species was under observation from late in January until March 25. He gives an carly arrival date for the Pectoral Sandpiper, March 17, and states that on April 7 a flock of 16 Cranes, probably Sand- hills, was seen and heard. An event of importance in the Kansas City region was the adding of the Skua to our local list. A lone individual of this wandering race was taken on the Missouri River, near Sibley, on April 5, by a boat- man who, fortunately, saved the head, wings, and feet. The writer knows of no previous local record for this bird authen- ticated by a specimen, though William Andrews says that he is sure he has met the species twice in his many years on the river. , On March 21, Meadowlarks and Chip- ping Sparrows were first noted on their breeding-stands in full song, and Purple Martins were present in numbers on that date a week ahead of their normal time of arrival. By April 2, many of the commoner species were carrying nesting material. Fruit trees, such as plum and peach, were in bloom, and lilac and other early shrubs were out far enough to show as green masses, when all hope of an carly and rapidly advancing spring was blasted by the arrival of a raging blizzard. Snowdrifts covered everything and a howling north wind, filled with snow, caused all bird- activities to come to a standstill. Had this unseasonable condition prevailed longer than twenty-four hours, great damage would have resulted to bird-life, but, for- tunately, the storm ended as suddenly as it began, and by noon of the sth Robins were pulling worms in every green patch rapidly appearing through the mantle of snow Pelicans were seen passing over on April 5, and several Harris's Sparrows and Purple Finches were noted in the southern eo ae "le aoe". aa ea ee —e At 7 1 F 2 é J 7 o ie ae el i, oy Co - a ge Ta me : " ; : ok ; . 5 : OS ok : + : e L ~ =. f ‘ a { ‘ 3 7 ( en. hour, Se ona co ie 4 species has been met with here in several —- years. On this date 71 species were re- corded.—Hanny Haxnis, Kansas City, Me. Denver Recion.— The weir Manation = wondered how long it takes our returning birds to penetrate into the denser parts of Denver. Robins winter in the neighbor- hood of Denver, but‘are seen only infre- quently during that season within the well- built-up parts of the city. When the © — advance-guard returns in February, its members are at once pretty well distributed all over the city. It is quite otherwise with the Meadowlarks; some of themalsowinter near Denver; the species becomes common a in the outskirts shortly after March 15, but seldom gets into the neighborhood of than the Robin. The writer has wished all 4 winter that his fellow bird-lovers of the East could have had the extended com- _ pany of Bohemian Waxwings which was E a te my surprise several of the birds were seen q on the topmost twigs of a tree, whence they made excursions into the air after , SA Keavier mowstorm, with tures on April 10 and 11, drove ecies well into the heart of ‘ree Sparrow was caught in rap on the first day of the and liberated, It returned in the next day, was again s to me evidence arising in vicinity of Denver of the ets of the Federal Migratory ut s have been seen latterly er on an omall lakes in this neigh- | in many years past. On ™ cloudless day, the follow- were noticed in a small lake ith of Denver: Redheads, rs, and Green-winged a Nices ook having come der my notic pin a long time. On the aay, | “nest with four eggs of the eared Owl was found close to the In the same afternoon, a large in identifying the two song be compared. The "s Finch is quite unlike The date on s g 2 i 2 and snowy, a combination p cast doubt on birds showing of bad weather and storms. K. Robinson tells me that she ‘ ‘very _ flock of Evening Gros of our parks, the date being February 18; all had disappeared on the next day except six, and these left that afternoon. The writer did not have the pleasure of watching this flock of beautiful birds. One of my friends who has a ranch a few miles south of Denver, reports that a Bald Eagle has lingered about his place for several weeks, This bird is a rare visitor anywhere in Colorado. The Junco group is a very puzzling onc in field identification, and the writer highly recommends Spar- row-traps as offering a great help in their identification. On April 1, two species and a subspecies were found in the Sparrow- trap, that is to say, the Pink-sided, the Montana, and the Shufeldt's Juncos. They were all promptly banded and given their freedom. Certainly there is no way known to the writer which gives one such a satis- factory chance to study a live bird as does this, and the pleasure is enhanced by the knowledge that the delicate little creature is done no harm. The writer is greatly interested in the oft-seen pair of Clark's Crows which have been mentioned in previous reports. He is wondering when this pair will ‘pull out for the hills’ because the pair was seen in Denver as late as March 25. On this latter date the two birds were blacker than ever, even the white markings being very dim. Certainly a city’s smoke is ‘powerful soil- ful.’ It appears to the writer that there have been more Bluebirds about the region than usual, and it is most carnestly hoped that this is not merely an impression, but a happy fact.—W. H. Berorotp, Denver, Colo. Sax Francisco Recion,—Spring bird records began with the finding of the nest of an Allen Hummingbird on February 15. The nest, though incomplete, contained one egg, which with its mate hatched on March 15, and the two midgets flew off into the wide world on March 25—a chilly, rainy day. The House Wren won second place in the list of spring migrants, three being seen together on March 5. The two males were bursting with song, and I sup- pose must have settled the question as to which one was superfluous in that par- 172 ticular locality, for a week later the pair were evidently building. On March 6 the trill of the Lutescent Warbler was heard in the cafion, and on March 20 the brilliant plumage of the Pileolated Warbler be- trayed his presence in the willows along Strawberry Creek. The last five days in March were spent with the Water Ouzels in the Santa Cruz Mountains. A pair was found building in the same water-washed groove in a boulder in the middle of the river where, in the late summer last year, I had pried away its mossy nest. The male was a faith- ful guard, giving the alarm whenever I approached the water, so that I found it more profitable to watch the process . through field-glasses from the top of the bluff above. The cheery Wren-like song contained two clear whistling notes of Thrush quality. During the five days in the mountains, the return of the Warbling Vireo and Western Flycatcher was noted, and a flock of a dozen or more Violet-Green Swallows was seen several times gathering insects over the river. One sunny, warm day the Cliff Swallows also appeared and investi- gated the caves of a large barn where they had built their mud houses last year. But a colder day put them to rout and they were not seen again. Easter Sunday in the Bay region was a day which we call typical, no matter in what country we live. Nothing more beau- tiful has ever been described .by poet or depicted by painter, and all the lovers of the outdoors, whether animals or men, seemed to be making the most of it. Dur- ing the week that followed, migrating Gulls were heard several times as they formed their ranks for their long journey. The tiny Rufous Hummingbird stopped on his way to Alaska to sip the honey from California flowers. The permanent residents have been busy with courtship or nest-building, the most prominent singers on the hillside being the Thrasher, Purple Finch, Vigors Wren, Wrentit, Nuttall Sparrow, and Titmouse. On March 1 the Thrasher anticipated the dawn by two and a half hours, singing a Bird - Lore since anrty ln Apel the aogual aanE ate mediate Sparrows and Varied Thrushes. The latter had been present in the woods to the west of my house wut the winter, and their weird, composite whistle had often been the first sound to be heard in the early morning. The note suggests the first note in the song of the Dwarf Hermit Thrush, and the repetition in a different key is also suggestive of the same relationship. I wonder if possibly there is a strain following these whistled notes which is inaudible to the human ear. — The most unusual record reported for the region was that of Evening Grosbeaks which came to the garden of Mrs. A. C. Schlesinger in Oakland to feed on maple have been seen occasionally since then, _ coming every few days and remaining for an hour of two at 5 Coe eee ALLEN, Berkeley, Calif. ‘ Los Anonted Reaneaie pony . spring migrant, a Rufous Hummingbird, was recorded at Hollywood on January 9. ‘ This species occurs quite regularly in late January, but the record above seems un- usual. First record for the Allen Hummer was February 18. The first male Arizona Hooded Oriole appeared February 14, while the female was not seen until eight days later. The Bullock species, sometimes _ seen in late February, was not noted this spring until March 19. i Lutescent Warblers inaugurated the sea- 4 son for thelr family on PORE 25, avery aq rapidly. plumage, and in full song soon after March 15, their plumage and song making — them notably conspicuous as they fed upon the rose-infesting aphis and other tidbits that delight the avian palate. Other — Warblers, later arrivals, were the Black- throated Gray, Golden Pileolated, Cala~ veras, MacGillivrays, and the California Yellow. The Warbling Vireo appeared March 11. Grosbeak (not due in March) announced his 22; this date brought ween Swallows. In 1919 a very of Violet-green Swallows esti- a mate it bove one thousand were storm- — ‘ at Echo Park Lake over March 13, 1g, and rs, con sg their journey north- ward on itiiening of the 16th as the wei pe Tapeyowl Their departure, in a ‘vast spir Stas aBey rose to 0 great height, by an Audubon Society mem- year a storm occurred on the 16t airline ela mut not mn such numbers. Their spectac- ) the a7th, a clear day, they ease ot c arn and Cliff Swallows came early tt , their numbers rapidly increas- ing. March 15 brought the Western Wood (fia Wasters and Traill Flycatcher, 7 0 male Western Blue Grosbeaks. __ Phainopeplas, reported occasionally _ throughout the winter, became numerous _ about the middle of February. Lawrence _ Goldfinches, ‘not seen until the end of . ; January, have been reported frequently TA very ently record for the Texas Night- ee ES, of three birds observed in _ San Fernando Valley on February 16, while the: ‘appearance of the Russet-backed | Thrush on April 4 was almost equally : Attia Tiditecing migration seeme to be ee ee: Cee winter reakionts ond some uncommon winter visitants are still here, Audubon Warblers, abundant early a tho weer, are now rare. The Town- | send Warbler, apparently established as | an occasional winter resident, is now fairly _ common, though the heavy flight usually comes in late April or carly May. The _ Hermit Thrushes and Ruby-crowned King- Srtase are, for the most part, gone from the but one or two may be seen on a i walk in the hills or cafions. Gambel Sparrows and Golden-crowns are abundant and in full song. Juncos were seen April 1, as were large flocks of Western Robins and Cedar Waxwings. The Bluc-Fronted Jay was noted into April. On March 3 Red- , a % o's, eae eas ge atil a : The Season 173 breasted Nuthatches were still in Echo Park, where they wintered. On February 8, a very damp, gray day, eighteen Varied Thrushes were seen in Griffith Park, where they had wintered. March 8, another gray day, threatening rain, two were seen in a small cafion in the Oak Knoll district of Pasadena, where hundreds of Robins were gathered in the leafless sycamore trees, singing and bath- ing in the little stream. These Thrushes were still present in the Hollywood Hills, April 4. In the same trees with the Robins were about twelve Blue-fronted Jays and many California Woodpeckers, as well as two or three Flickers. In the more open region at the head of the cafion a Lewis Woodpecker first noted February 18, was still at home on the poles where he was seen by several parties during the intervening days. Cabanis Woodpecker, a common mountain bird, but exceedingly rare in the lowlands, was seen near Whittier March 11, the Red-naped Sapsucker March 17, and the Red-breasted Sapsucker in. Echo Park February 9. About seven Sierra Creepers that have been in Whittier all winter were reported still there March 25. Chickadees were still in the foothill regions the latter part of February. A large flock of Pine Siskins, observed March 3, had the yellow areas in the wings much enlarged and the color brightened to a brilliant greenish yellow. A small flock of Sier a Crossbills flew over, high above the treetops, as the observers studied the Siskins. Th's was the third time the Crossbills were seen and heard on the wing in Elysian Park, but they were never found in the trees there as they had been earlier in the season in other places. Mountain and Western Bluebirds were very abundant in the broad, open valleys and plains outside the city in February and March. March 15 ten Egrets were seen near San Pedro, and on the same day seventy-five Mountain Plover, a species formerly win- tering abundantly here but now sadly rare, were noted in a plowed field, closely follow- ing a horse-drawn harrow.——L. E. Wyman Les Angeles, Calif. Book Mews and K rie Bienes tx Town axp Vittace. By W. H. Hupsox. E. P. Dutton, New York. 1920. 12mo, 325 pages, 8 colored plates. Apverturrs Awonc Bieps, By W. H. Hvupsox. E. P. Dutton, New York. 1920. 319 pages, 27 line cuts from Bewick. “Birds in a Village,” Mr. Hudson's first book on British birds after removing from Argentina to England, was published in 1893. The larger part of it, revised or re- written, appears in this volume with the addition of six essays on ‘Birds in a Cornish Village.’ The colored plates, by E. J. Detmold, are decorative and pleasing, but do not appear to be portraits from life, though that of the Nightingale should please both artists and ornithologists. Mr. Hudson's observations are of actual refer- ence value, but the publishers fail to supply an index to make them available. The second volume mentioned above is made up of a collection of contributions to various English magazines. The author apologizes for its somewhat misleading title and offers as a substitute “The Adventures of a Soul, Sensitive or Not, among the Feathered Masterpieces of Creation,’ but why ‘feathered?’ one may ask. Both books ring with their author's inherent love of birds, a love to which, fortunately, he can give adequate expression. It is the genuine- ness of this love, rather than any attempt at fine writing and the airing of high-flown sentiment which gives charm to his work. ‘Adventures Among Birds,’ we are glad to say, has an excellent index.—F. M. C. The Ornithological Magazines Tux Avux.—In the April number of The Auk, Dwight presents some results of pains- taking study of plumage change in relation to age in Gulls, using the Bonaparte’s and Herring Gulls as examples. He finds “that the smaller Gulls attain full adult plumage at their first postnuptial or annual molt, which is at the beginning of their second year, medium-sized Gulls, at the beginning of their third; and large Gulls at the begin- ning of their fourth year.” This is the a me! normal condition; there fs Ble centage of laggards whose age is difficult to determine and which confuse interpre- tation of specimens. The various species of Gulls are thus divided into three groups having, respectively, a two-year, three- year, and four-year plumage-cycle. The Bonaparte’s, Laughing, and Kittiwake Gulls belong to the first group; the Ring- billed to the second group; the Herring, Western, Great Black-backed and Glau- cous to the third. Dr. Dwight’s paper is beautifully illustrated with half-tone re productions of the wing and tail patterns of different ages of Bonaparte’s and Her- ring Gulls. Wetmore describes Lake Burford, New Mexico, and presents a first installment of _ habit-studies from that locality. Detailed descriptions of mating-displays of Grebes and Ducks are given. “Though a fair number of breeding individuals of various Ducks inhabit Lake Burford in summer, it seems, from observation, that in addition 4 many drakes come there to molt and spend the summer after their duties of reproduc- tion are completed,” with the exception of the Ruddy Duck, “as the drake of that | species, like the male Canada Goose, usu- ally remains true to his spouse during in- q cubation and the rearing of the young.” — Perhaps from late development of suitable feed in the lake, the breeding season was “The occurrence of the — Lesser Scaup Duck at Lake Buriord was q delayed there. of especial interest as, though the birds — rete, they wien nel ec mated, they were not breeding.” _ ‘Extracts from Notes made while in Naval Service’ by W. T. Helmuth, einai 2 together many fragmentary observations, _ It is so comparatively seldom that an | ornithologist has opportunity to observe _ at sea, that notes there made are very use-— & (174) se -} 1919 being compared with in- 4 e field work from 1888-1902. Mr. ‘Wood Duck, Nighthawk, Bluebird, » Barn and Cliff Swallows, and itiisping Sparcew have decreased more 175 or less markedly, while certain Ducks and smaller land-birds have greatly increased. Mr. Hollister concludes that the gradual advance of civilization will result in the extreme abundance of those species which possess the greatest adaptability and the ultimate disappearance of the balance of the original avifauna, a conclusion amply endorsed by experience in Europe over a much greater extent of time. Two local lists and some General Notes conclude the issue. *The Birds of Wakulla County, Fla.,” by John Williams, is of particular interest as coming from the pen of an experienced ornithologist, dealing with a territory which the reviewer believes to be the richest in bird-life in eastern North America. In the March, 1920, number, John Wil- liams continues his ‘List of Birds of Wakulla County, Fla.’ He records the Willet as a summer resident, while the reviewer Wks recorded the Western Willet in winter, purely on the ground of geo- graphic probabilities. Neither of us seems to have taken specimens or at least to have compared them carefully—an excel- lent illustration of a case where sight records are of no scientific value, when two equally conscientious observers come to opposite conclusions on @ priori evidence. At present two races are definitely recorded from the same locality, neither having any definite claim to admission. The fact re- mains that northwest Florida is about half-way between the known breeding limits of the two races, and breeding birds from there should be carefully determined, as no matter which race they are referred to, the breeding range of that race will be altered in the next A. O. U. Check-List. Harry C. Oberholser contributes a brief synopsis of the genus Thryomanes, describ- ing as new T. bewichii ariborius from Agassiz, British Columbia. Anarticleonan early Bluebird migration in 1917, in Iowa, by Howard Clark Brown, another on the Raptores of Nelson County, Ky., by Ben J. Blincoe, an account of the Annual Meeting of the Club, and the Membership Roll complete the issue.—L. G. Bird-Lore A Bi - Monthly Magazine Devoted te the Study and Protection of Birds OFFICIAL CHGAN OF THE AUDUBON SOCIETING Kdited by FRANK M. CHAPMAN Contributing Editor, MABEL OSGOOD WRIGHT Published by D. APPLETON & CO, Vol. XXII Published June 1, 1920 No. 3 SUBSCRIPTION RATES Price in the Unined States, ene dollar sed Gy conte a year; outude the Comrd “ates, one defley sed seventy Ove com, postage pale. COPVRIGH TED, te, OY FEANE &. CHAPMAN Bird-Lore’s Motto: A Bird in the Bush Ie Worth Two in the Hand Is OUR more northern and castern states, the Robin and House Wren have estab- lished more intimate relations with man than any other of our native birds. Civi- lization has reduced the number of their enemies and increased their available supply of food, and, of recent years, man has become a friend rather than an enemy. Beyond question, the Wren population has been greatly increased by the erection of houses for their nests, while the Robin needs but slight encouragement to become semi-domesticated. It follows, then, that in this part of our country these two birds have made more human friends than other com- mon but less trustful species, and the pleasure of this association, on our side at least, is reflected in the numerous accounts Bixp-Loxe receives of the hab- its of these two birds. Several of them are published in this issue of Brrp-Lorg, which might, indeed, be called a Robin- Wren number. On Apait 25, an expedition led by J. O. La Gorce, associated with Louis Agassiz Fuertes and Norman McClintock, sailed from Miami for the Bahamas in search of Flamingoes. Fuertes’ object is to secure additional life studies of these birds on which to base certain murals he has in mind, while McClintock seeks new chan- nels for his well-known skill with the motion-picture camera and telephoto lens. It is to be hoped that a nesting colony of Flamingoes will be found. Bird - Lore Tue Anwoat Rerorr of Chase Club, of Washington, statement which we wish might be effectively to the attention of cia “te date omy ae eee nF Eg nt i i i é i g 5 i iz | i | Hl their home at Chevy Chase. By the exer- cise of both sense and sentiment the club J. T. Nichols; Treasurer, E.R. Sanborn, Di The Secretary's address is, care of the American Museum of Natural History. oe Che Audubon Societies ; 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. LEARNING BIRD SONGS ina New York City railroad station trying to assemble my | interrupted occasior ly by the ‘klaxon’ of a passing motor car or the stentorian | ofan act announcing a train. There are hundreds of voices, all ) — ie me, and they mingle in one great hubbub from which I can derive om nor interest. Still, voices are interesting to me, and I enjoy an a as those of friends, how much more abi and how much able would be my wait for the train. It brings to my mind my whe red scat anc cing sane This wenadabbab in the woods ay those days; the morning chorus of songsters was a disturbing noise; my 2 , brought me little pleasure. 4 Ae * atoll think over how, one by one, I learned the different calls of the wild | ha pp be the feeling that came to me when I first recognized the bell- | dike notes of the Wood Thrush rising above the clamor of the lesser folk. It is the feeling that still comes to me when I listen to the chorus of voices on a May morning and pick out one friend after another as he announces his | Presence, his “Good Morning,’ if you will, to all his brothers and to me. For | now my ears bring to me even as much pleasure as my eyes, and I am sorry | for those who do not hear. ___ Many persons have come to me with the query as to how they can learn “the songs of birds, or how I learned them, until I am forced to try to arrange | my thoughts and experiences into these few paragraphs, hoping that they may | stimulate others to enter a field that is as elusive as it is enjoyable, as intangible s it is profitable. The greatest difficulty in discussing the subject of bird-song is in the short- ia , comings of the English language, for words fail to convey the impressions (177) 178 Bird - Lore macio by the voces cf ble, jut n'Gur actuelle allan itself to their music. There are, however, a few principles which, if borne in mind, facilitate the learning of birds’ songs. In the first place, one must not expect to learn them all at once, for the learning of birds’ voices is even more time-consuming than learning the birds themselves. One must follow up every strange call that he hears and identify the musician, and perhaps repeat this several times for each bird before one can hope to recognize every bird that he hears. Most persons have difficulty in so memorizing a complex sound that they will recognize it when heard again. Or, after it has been heard many times and has become a familiar sound, many have difficulty in linking up the name of the bird with the song unless the sound can be associated with some visual impression that can be remembered and tied to the name of the bird. If the song of the bird brings to mind a certain picture or image, it is comparatively easy to associate the name of the bird with that picture. The pictures may be of very different types, according to the complexity or quality of the song. Some match up readily with spoken words or phrases, while others, and perhaps the majority, have a quality difficult to express in language and are best represented by symbols. Thus, the syllables phe-be admirably — fit the song of the Chickadee, the word pee-a-wee, that of the Wood Pewee, and the phrase poor-sam-peabody, peabody, peabody, that of the White-throated Sparrow. Other songs, however, like those of the Chipping Sparrow, Ruby- crowned Kinglet, and Veery are best represented by symbols. Some songs may be represented by both. In using symbols to represent bird-notes, the writer avoids the customary musical notation because, to his mind, the arbitrary notes of the man-made scale are adapted to a relatively few birds’ songs. The symbols which have _— proved most satisfactory to him are series of lines, dashes, dots, circles, etc., a placed in such relation to one another that their vertical position, as in musical notation, indicates their pitch, the length of the line or dash, the duration of the note, and the shape of the symbol, the quality. The last is the most diffi- cult to explain and is doubtless a personal matter of reminiscence or associa- tion. It has, however, proved useful to hundreds of his students, and is given for what it is worth. Thus, a very fine hissing note, like that of the Golden- ] crowned Kinglet or Cedar Waxwing, is represented by a thin line, a somewhat fuller whistle like that of the Chickadee or Pewee, by a broader line, anda still fuller mellow note, like that of a Junco, by small circles. A clear note is ; represented by a straight line or dash, a tremulous note by a wavy line, and a q warble, by a more or less coiled or spiral line. If a bird’s song is continuous, = the lines are all connected; if discontinuous, they are spaced according to the — phrases of the bird’s song. A glance at the accompanying table should indicate the writer’s meaning. Those unfamiliar with any of the songs listed can com- q pare the following table of phrases, which fit some of the songs nearly as well — as the symbols, and the curious shapes may take on some meaning. | ces Be ae ce i a’? oo iia ) — Societies for the Protect MIGRATORY BIRD TREATY ACT SAFE On April 19, 1920, the United States Supreme Court officially upheld the con- stitutionality of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Justice Holmes, in delivering the opinion of the Court, made use of the following significant language: “But for the treaty and the statute there soon might be no birds for any powers to deal with. We see nothing in the Consti- tution that Pane s the Government to sit by while a -supply is cut off and the protectors i our forests and our crops are destroyed. It is not sufficient to rely upon the States. The reliance is vain, and were it otherwise, the question is whether the United States is forbidden to act. We are of opinion that the treaty and statute must be upheld.” By this action the final step was taken in the long fight for Federal control of the migratory birds which was begun by George Shiras, 3d, when, in December, 1904, he introduced a bill in Congress for the purpose of transferring the authority for looking after the fortunes of migratory birds from the State to the Federal Government. (192) By He ae ee ee ae nc roe pee ek a hes ia embership in the National tueclaton ot Amtahon Sci fo tha Penton of WE constitutes eA PN MAN i|-do hereby sive and hequenth monet _ ciation of Audubon Societies brought strong. f a ‘a ' ea LMA it will be o nintiar af Maan En bent of the Audubon Society to learn that this original bill intended to cover only mi- gratory game-birds. Subsequent bills were of the same character. ‘The National Asso- pear 0 bear have the ils hanged | so that they would cover all n National Association's representative alc voiced dissatisfaction with the bill as it was written and urged that it be ¢ t ih be ected that AC it will be noted that it is group of bird-life that Justice 20 strongly in rendering hile decision.” | The following text of this i a Supreme Court decision is evi nade produced: m the District Court of the 5 a bill in equity brought by the es pod oe } of the round of the bill is that the statute is an ee he Governm ent to be sufficient, that the bill is a reason- per means to assert the alleged reign rights of a State. Kansas v. is U. S. 125, - Georgia +. C a . S. 230, 237. Ma , but ct to the conven prohibited the coy, coe id any of the \¢ uded in the terms of -~ ober 25, ye af ng 1812; rt unnecessary to to an t as we haste nell, ond raised the general one the To answer this question it is not enough to refer to the Tenth Amendment, reserv- made under the authority of the United States, with the Constitution and laws of statute under , Section 8, as a necessary and means to execute the powers of the Government. The language fore us is narrowed to an ing ground ayy which the present supposed It is said that a treaty cannot be valid if it infringes the Constitution, that there are limits, therefore, to the treaty-making power, and that one such limit is that what an act of Congress could not do unaided, in derogation of the powers reserved to the States, a treaty cannot do. An earlier act of Congress that attempted by itself and not in pursuance of a treaty to te the killing of —"— birds within States had been held in the District Court. United States ». Shauver, 214 Fed. Rep. 154. United States ». McCullagh, 221 Fed. Rep. 285. Those decisions were supported by arguments that migratory birds were ow by the States in their so n capacity for the benefit of their e, and that under cases like Geer ». Con- necticut, 161 U. S. 109, this control was one that Congress had no power to dis- place. The same argument is supposed to rag Bere with equal force. her the two cases cited were de- cided rightly or not they cannot be accepted as a test of the treaty power. Acts of Congress are the supreme law of the land only when made in pursuance of the Con- stitution, while treaties are declared to be so when made under the authority of the United States. It is to question whether the authority of the United States means more than the formal acts pre- scribed to make the convention. We do not mean to imply that there are no quali- 194 fications to the treaty-making power; but they must be ascertained in a different way. It is obvious that there may be mat- ters of the sharpest exigency for the national well-being that an act of Congress could not deal with, but that a treaty fol- lowed by such an act could, and it is not lightly to be assumed that, in matters re- ang Pamenarg action, ‘a power which must belong to and somewhere reside in every civilized government’ is not to be found. Andrews e. Andrews, 188 U.S. 14, 33. What was said in that case with re- gard to the powers of the States applies with equal force to the powers of the na- tion in cases where the States individually are incompetent to act. We are not yet discussing the particular case before us but only are considering the validity of the test . With regard to that we ma add that when we are dealing with w that also are a constituent act, like the Constitution of the United States, we must realize that they have called into life a being the development of which could not have been foreseen completely by the most gifted of its begetters. It was enough for them to realize or to hope that they created an organism; it has taken a century and has cost their successors much sweat and blood to prove that they created a nation. The case before us must be considered in the light of our whole ex- perience and not merely in that of what was said a hundred years ago. The treaty in A eat pom does not contravene any pro- hibitory words to be found in the Consti- tution. The only question is whether it is forbidden by some invisible radiation from the general terms of the Tenth Amendment. We must consider what this country has become in deciding what that amendment has reserved. The State as we have intimated founds its claim of exclusive authority upon an assertion of title to migratory , an assertion that is embodied in statute. No doubt it is true that as between a State and its inhabitants the State may u- late the killing and sale of such birds, but it does not follow that its authority is ex- clusive of paramount powers. To put the claim of the State upon title is to lean upon a slender reed. Wild birds are no in the possession of anyone; and jon is the inning of ownership. The whole foundation of the State's rights is the pres- ence within their jurisdiction of birds that yesterday had not arrived, tomorrow may in another State and in a week a thou- sand miles away. If we are to be accurate we cannot put the case of the State upon : i ee i $F ff Hf J : : : a: 7 as many of thom deal wih SRE f i i i 3 z : i i f 28 with sagund to the ae ind to the t ° to 4 State"in Chirac. Chirac 2 Wheaton, 275. bi Hore u nations} interest of yauy smeey the first magnitude is involved. It can be— protected only by pal action in con- — cert with that of another power. The sub- ject matter is only state and has no permanent habitat 4 But for the treaty statute there — on t be no birds for any powers to — of opinion that the treaty and statute must - a. Cary +». South Dakota, 250 | /. 116. ; a a Mr. Polk not President ‘to propose reaties with the Republics { Central and South Am- tion of birds that in the i hes the honor to lay be- | President, with a view of its trans- p to the Senate, if the President ap- ‘Fesponse to that resolution: “In view of the fact that the Secretary Agriculture is the official upon whose ativ the Department of State pro- Government of Great Britain for sclusion of the convention for the of migratory birds between the States and Canada, proclaimed Dec. 8, 1916, the resolution in question was referred to him for advices as to the re- sponse which he considered should be made thereto. “The Acting Pe of State is in re- ceipt of a letter from the Secretary of Agriculture, dated March 8, 1920, in which the following expression of opinion is given as to the subject matter of the resolu- tion: “‘In view of existing conditions, the time does not seem opportune to under- take the negotiation of a treaty for the pro- tection of migratory birds with the repub- lic of Mexico, and in the case of most of the republics of Central and South Am- erica such treaties are unnecessary at pres- ent. In the case of Brazil and Argentina such treaties may be of advantage, but befpre conventions are made with these republics the Department desires more definite information than is now available regarding both the birds and local condi- tions. Preliminary plans have been made for securing such data from Argentina and elsewhere, but, obviously, some delay must ensue before such information can be secured. “‘In the meantime, it appears that the matter of taking up the negotiations of treaties for the protection of migratory birds with any of the countries south of the United States should be held in abey- ance until the Department can secure the necessary information to determine with some degree of certainty the desirability and benefits to be derived therefrom. When such information is available, I shall be pleased to submit a memorandum with recommendations covering the subject.’ ” The latest move in the effort for bird treaties with other countries is reported in a letter recently received at this office from E. W. Nelson, Chief of the United States Biological Survey. Mr. Nelson says: “Tt will interest you to know that the Secretary of Agriculture this morning approved my recommenda- tion to send Dr. Alexander Wetmore to Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and south- 196 Bird-Lore ern Brazil this spring for the purpose of securing needed information concerning : the conditions relating to our migratory 7 ou an ex birds which winter in that region. It is a ; roughly trained or question just what effect the development unque ly of these countries, particularly agricul- tural, may have on the future of a num- The large consignment of confiscated plumage of wild birds recently delivered to this Association by the United States Treasury Department has created much interest among those who desire to see bird-protective laws enforced. This plum- — age, while being smuggled into the United States in violation of the Feather Proviso cago, * oa in the Tariff Act, was seized by the United Muscom, Vassar College, States Custom Officials. Kent Scientific Menon. iran As the material was given to the Asso- ciation by the Government for educational and exhibition purposes, we have already placed a number of exhibits in various museums and institutions throughout the country. These exhibits consist of Birds- of-Paradise and plumes of the Bird-of- Paradise, made up into various creations for hat adornment; plumes of the Goura, and aigrettes of the White Heron also were included in the collection. The re- sponsible head of each institution that has received these feathers has agreed to be responsible for seeing that they will not be used for personal purposes; that reasonable care is taken to protect them from the attacks of insects; and that they will be displayed with a card calling attention to the law in the matter, and stating from what source they were received. ey The Association, therefore, is able to Gainesville, Fila. : report that it has in the past two months Feng Po weeny a rin; placed these collections on exhibition at Mass. MT is ge the following museums: Lake Forest Lake Forest, Louisiana State Southwest Museum, Los Angeles, Calif. La. Museum of Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. State Museum, Atlanta, Ga. State Museum, Augusta, Maine. — of Hamline University, St. Paul, Minn. Museum of Coe College, Cedar Rapids, lowa. See time they fed about me nner, but finally one morning a i bolder than the others, fluttered he branch of a tree immediately 1, seized the nut from my out- it he did this, two other % came to my hand from the ground and snatched a nut in the same manner. I soon found that instead of hold- ing out one nutmeat it was best to hold a handful, as the hungry birds were cating constantly. The most pronounced rule of etiquette among Chickadces seems to for- bid two or more eating together. As many as ten birds have come to my hand, one after another in almost the same number of seconds, each taking the largest nut- meat in sight and flying away with it. Occasionally two or three would alight on my hand at the same moment, when they would snap at each other and depart in- stantly without taking the coveted morsel. From the moment they began to cat from my hand they lost all fear of me. Now when I go into the woods they usually see me first and come to me, squeaking and calling delightedly. Sometimes when I enter their habitat I do not see or hear a single bird, but when I call they come flying from many directions—they know my voice. They flock about me with the greatest confidence. They cat out of my hand, whether it is outstretched or not, and if there is no food in my palm they will run up and down my arm pecking into every fold of my coat-sleeve for the nuts that they believe are hidden away. They alight on my hat, on my muff, on my shoulder, and run all over me as though they were playing a game of some sort. If I close my hand, leaving my thumb up- stretched, a bird will be sure to perch on the tip and stand there looking haughty and arrogant. If I try to put a nut on the crown of my hat, a smart bird will get it before I can drop it on the hat, and when I pull a peanut bag from my pocket, one of them will dive into it in his haste to get a big nut. They all seem to know where the nuts come from. “Sometimes one will alight on my muff dnd sit in the deep fur as though to warm mn the brim ‘ al fa hy mm i P : ming. Ah! here in : ' wear a bird \\ ‘ ng these littl > e are bold and af : my ha Te ; ; ent they touct Bird - Lore “There is one Chickadee that I call my ar boarder.’ He is always the first to come, the last to leave, and he never misses a meal. He comes squeaking and ymmplaining, clings to my finger-tips, and manages to get the largest nut-meat in sight before departing, squeaking and complaining as he goes He makes repeated trips, cating all he can hold, then stores ‘ gt a ¢ , : stance there ) t ome bare p y ; nine | ’ er e Nuthatcl | : Pr Be t ve “f " « ’ ; ‘ k e fram ) a ' eat The " : Kacied : not het will ' rent fer ' : . : : woods THE $ away in convenient nooks fora ick between meals my Downies will never come to hand, but will take food from the ground near my feet that I have to be on the okout for fear of stepping on them. The When the motion-picture Chickadees are the friendliest phot ywrapher and the place my bird and with me to the Nuthatches erator came friends on record, Downies left hurriedly and no amount of xing would bring them near. The Chickadees paid absolutely no attention to the men. Their attitude seemed to be, id and additional species may gg the Audubon Society “oy ing to compel users of squirrel to place it in squirrel holes instead 199 There is no magic pathway to their favor. All you have to do is to convince them that you area safe person to asso- ciate with and generous enough to invite them to dianer and they will do the rest. Try it.—(Mars.) Erta Ss. Witson, Detroit, Mich. In connection with his visit to Meriden, Mr. Townsend, then Secretary of the New Hampshire Audubon Society, delivered an illustrated lecture before the Club on the subject, ‘Special Adaptations of Birds.’ Earlier in August Constance McKay's “The Forest Princess’ was performed at the outdoor theatre in the Sanctuary. The village people and the summer residents coéperated in this performance, and the audience was drawn from the summer colonies in all the surrounding towns. “Altogether the work of our Club is attracting each year a more widespread interest, a fact that is shown by the associate membership list which in- cludes people from every section of the country.” of sowing it broadcast? With the extinc- tion of bird life, insect pests will multiply and quickly become a greater problem to farmers than the squirrels are. Some years ago the mongoose was introduced into the Island of Jamaica to exterminate the rats which were ravaging the sugar-cane. The mongoose killed off the rats, and then killed off the birds, and conditions are more ditastrous than they were originally. To- day it is almost impossible to raise poultry in Jamaica, while ticks, formerly preyed upon by birds, have become exceedingly abundant. Destruction of our birds would bring a swift and painful punish- ment to our agriculturists and arboricul- turists.” Since Oct. 20, 1910, which was ott be- ginning of the present fiscal year of the Association, several new organizations to promote interest in the protection and study of wild birds have become affiliated with the National organization This is one of the many evidences of a renewal of interest in bird-study and bird-protection. During the period of the World War many well-established Audubon Societies and Bird Clubs ceased for a time their activities, and a majority of the newly formed ones languished and died. From she r= AUDUBON’S BIRD ( In some of the newspapers recently there appeared an item that should be of interest to all students of the life of John James Audubon. This states that Audubon’s col- lection of North American birds, which had been lost sight of for more than thirty —be years, was recently discovered in Appleton Cabinet at Amberst College, Massa- chusetts. In the collection there are said | to be specimens of birds from which it is believed Audubon painted the illustra- tions in his great volume, ‘Birds of North NEW LIFE MEMBERS _ Abbot, Marion S. Bacon, Miss E. S. Barnes, J. Sanford Chase, Mrs. Alice P. Coe, L. A. Collins, Mrs. Louis D. i Collord, Clara Hard, Mrs. Anson W. Haskell, Mrs. W. A. Haynes, Miss M. S. Hewitt, Mrs. Lucy ohnstone, Miss Justine ohnstone, Miss Mary w. ones, Mrs. A. H. , A. Raymond Reber, J. Howard Reed, Mrs. George K. Reefy, Miss Eva L. Ret “3 ob Richardson, Susan L.. Shreve, Mrs. Benjamin O. FEMALI _INK ay -. ——- Bird-Tore A BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE STUDY AND PROTECTION OF BIRDS Orriciat Onaan of THe Avoveon Socictice JuLY—AUGUST, 1920 No. 4 i : E _ Photographing the Scarlet Tanager By C. W. LEISTER, Ithaca, N, Y. Bar VERY year, with the coming of spring, one always has a few favorites FY _ among the hosts of feathered travelers that are migrating northward. ‘ ~ One of my favorites is the Scarlet Tanager, and I know of no prettier _ sight than that offered by a male, busily engaged in pursuing flying insects. With sudden darts into the open, he shows his scarlet and black colors so _ vividly that the impression is never forgotten. “Tanagers are not common during the summer at Ithaca, usually only one Rcstwo pairs being located in a season. The year 1919, however, proved to be steiner year for them. Early in the season we noticed more than the usual! _ number of Tanagers. As time went on, it seemed that more of them were going to nest in the locality than had ever done so before. Often we could _ hear several males singing at the same time. ‘The nesting season soon came, and on our walks we were always on the _ lookout for a pair that had started their nest. For a long time our efforts ' were unrewarded. Other nests were found but the Scarlet Tanager’s "remained undiscovered. The males seemed very plentiful but if we tried them in sight very long, we usually lost them along one of the The females were not often seen and none was noticed carrying material. peasy, we had experienced unfortunate endings to not a few of the nests that we were intending to photograph, and so we began to fear that this period of bad luck would be extended to include the Scarlet Tanager. | ‘This almost proved to be the case. 4 Several mornings a male was heard singing from a small wooded slope, and | we decided there must be a nest nearby. So early one morning I went to 7. watch him. He was singing along merrily in a treetop when he was suddenly 1) joined by his inconspicuous mate, and, with a few low call-notes, he flew with ys her to a lower branch. I hoped that she would lead me to the nest, and luck 4 Bird - Lore was with me. for alter a few moments she flew a short distance down the slope into a small but high elm. There on a horizontal limb, about thirty-five feet from the ground, was the much-desired nest. She immediately began incuUunud I thought that our troubles were now over, for the nest was so situated that it would be fairly easy to photograph, and I could almost see the pictures hat I was going to have. However, things were not destined to turn out that Wa Several days later, on going to the slope, equipped for picture-taking, neither of the old birds was seen, and we feared that something had happened to them. The ascent to the nest was made, and then, to our dismay, we found that it was empty. Some marauding red squirrel or thieving Grackle, had, in all probability, made off with the eggs. At any rate they were gone and our photog- raphy hopes with them. There was nothing left to do but pack up and go home, There then followed a period that was at first promising and then discouraging, until, one day, much to our sur- prise, we discovered FPEMALI CARLET TANAGER AT NEST another nest in a hem- wenty-five feet from the ground and only a little over a hundred urds from the house. A ladder was soon placed against the tree and the climb ip to the nest made. It contained three of the beautiful, pale bluish green, wotted egg They were still fresh, and so it is possible that the nest was the same pair of birds that were so unfortunate in their first attempt. We decided not to place our box camera in the tree until the eggs should have et ated for four or five days more. After the expiration of that time, fg he nest, we found that the worst had happened. There on the ground lay the three eggs, smashed by their fall from the nest above. Several Photographing the Scarlet Tanager 205 chievous House Wren was the culprit this time. I now practically gave up hope of getting any pictures of them this year. But better times were to come, and about a week had passed when I was told of another Tanager’s nest, only twelve feet from the ground and out in the open, over a path, where the light and other conditions were excellent for photography. We did not have time to visit the nest for a few days, and before having done so, heard that the eggs had hatched and that the young were already several days old. A few days later found us at the nest, with a tall stepladder, tripod, and camera. The ladder was soon erected and, almost before it was in place, we were greatly and agreeably surprised to see the female return and feed her young, paying no atten- tion to thé ladder or to us. Heavy teams were mov- ing under the nest all day long, and this had caused her to lose almost all fear of anything coming near her nest. While the camera was be- ing focused on the young, she again returned and =e evidenced absolutely no MALE SCARLET TANAGER AND YOUNG fear of either camera or man only three feet away We were more than delighted! Such a remarkable bird after the disappointing experiences we had had with others of her kind! The camera clicked each time she returned to the nest. Several times a picture was taken, the slide replaced, and a second exposure made before she left the nest for more food, all without any great show of concern on her part. She was such a wonderfully good subject that more than a dozen pictures were soon taken. The day was Warm, and the Young set med to require no brood ne. tor the general routine at the nest was as follow first. ahe fed the clamoring young then she observed them quietly for a moment, and, finally, before going in Search of more food, she thoroughly inspected and cleaned the nest. During the time she was at the nest. we. of course, refrained from making any sudden Bird - Lore vy, all her actions were : wough she were trig : Bes Caw thie tat f} ; ' ' ca » concern was shown tor the tate ol her ouispring She ed yme wires running overhead and occasionally gave her ir to that of the male but much lower in tone ’ \ } i time ¢ : t the cf again and found that ( c we 1d time to VISIL LHe NESt AGAIN ANG Tot 1 Lat Photographing the Scarlet Tanager 207 the young were almost ready to leave. So we arranged them on a convenient branch and set up our-cameras so as to get the old birds feeding them. The female readily fed them in this new location and the male also came with his insect offering. Our only trouble was in keeping the young on the branch One insisted upon climbing on the back of another, with the result that both usually fell off and we were kept busy replacing them. The female readily fed a young bird held in one’s hand, and later when we tried holding all of the young out at arm’s length, she fed them there. A handful of Scarlet Tanagers! The male, however, could not be induced to feed them in what he doubtless considered to be such a dangerous proximity. At times he approached within a foot of the extended hand but lost his courage at the last moment. Both behaved splendidly and we took a good many pictures of them. Our time was limited, and so we placed the young back in the nest, and with a feeling of mingled joy and wonder that such perfectly wild birds could be so confiding, started homeward. PEMALFI CARLET TANAGER AND YVOUN( a. | A Gnatcatcher’s Troubles By R. D. BOOK, M.D., Corning, Obie Tie little Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers were building their oat | it grew larger and larger. Both were doing the work but I judg the female was the busier. As she arrived with each new Ae material, she would settle down into the nest and turn about to se and fly away for more. In a few days it was finished and bolle tows to be extraordinarily proud of their work. Thay bang wens oe of other birds, and took, for such little beings, on amass ee in their possession. ; The next day I visited the spot again. There was no nest—nothing few torn fragments hanging desolate from the crotch of the: roung oak where had been but a day before a most beautiful little bird cre ns the grove I could hear the tiny little voices of the Gnatcatchers, however, and | I thought to search them out and try to console them in some way for the out- rage that had been committed by boys who are uncontrolled by parents, — teachers, and a set of officials who labor under the mistaken idea that young — ae ay aoe eee slang, and puerile piffie. | The little birds inated ib cobacdaians , however. ‘Visi whee 20. busy that they scarcely deigned to notice m Or else they were acquainted | with me and knew they would not be harmed. ‘T stood near them a long time - and watched them building another home. Already it was well under way. It, too, was built next to the trunk of a small oak sapling, in a crotch where a | small limb joined the trunk, about eight feet from the ground and two hundred — feet from the former location. The nest was not at all inconspicuous and was easier to reach than the first one. 7 This time both birds were equally busy. The male sung Miehuuniey BASE song and hurried back and forth with material, each time getting down into the nest, depositing his small leaf or bit of fiber, reaching over the sides of the nest and meticulously tucking it in with his needle-like bill. If one bird reached the tree before the other was quite through he would wait on a limb while the other completed his work hurriedly and flew Sone Sil nical material. There was no jealousy or impatience on the part of the female such as is often seen. They worked in complete harmony and were apparently. as happy as birds can be—seemingly having forgotten their misfortune in ne new task that confronted them. , The nest was half built when a Wood Pewee, flitting about as is his won! in search of small winged insects, innocently alighted on a branch of the you oak about five feet from the nest. He was merely taking a rest, but the Gr catcher flew at him furiously. There was no argument, no quarrel, no dec (208) A Gnateatcher’s Troubles wees ir, no warning. The little bird seemed to take it for granted that thi dem game exact does It was their property; 7 a home upon it, and any bird that had the audacity to ne ar was unacquainted with the commonest woods manners. Back _ the little thing flew, buffeting the Pewee in the roughest manner. ft bed bill seemed to catch the Pewee on the head or back or side. ‘St sia bird obstinately retained his perch, seeming to say, “I am not ying you an y harm. This tree is as much mine as yours, and I am not going _ “Squeak, squeak,” the little Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher would say, here, get away from my property.” s the little bird would cut a figure eight. He would strike the ne side, pass over him, then quickly whirl and catch him on the “aoe he could regain his equilibrium. Several times the Pewee fifrem the limb, but he would instantly return to precisely the t bird tried new tactics. He alighted on the end of the limb pe sat and hopped along it silently, approaching nearer and ewee’s head was slightly turned away, either through sullenness ee enecnncieey Seno onilt daa at bine This time $ caught him square amidship. There was no hesitation on the part of the P RT nce stanger or wy to regain his equilibrium. He was knocked f the limb as abruptly as if hit by a rock. No doubt the little bill pierced S si t This time he did not resume his former perch. He flew to the ig tree and the Gnatcatcher immediately resumed his work of BREE Gnatcatcher’s nest is rightly said to be among the most beautiful architecture. While this bird's home was low and for that reason con- is, it was of precisely the same color as the tree on which it was built. ‘ ed in part the reason. A large portion of the material of which it wa sb s obtained from other oak trees in the neighborhood. Bits of leaf, ra s of the bark, lichen, bits of wood fiber, all were from oak trees. lence tl ir successful camouflage. At a casual glance their nest looked like ‘ap excres scer pe on the tree—the exterior rough and the color shaded exactly like the exterior of an oak. | The next day after the second nest was completed I visited the spot and ‘found that boys had been there with their slingshots. The nest was knocked i : owl site and hanging in shreds on a twig below. Securing this I tried to riain its precise component parts. It seemed impossible. There were tle thousands of separate pieces, many of them quite minute. The e nest of the Field Sparrow will often contain over two hundred straws (Or weed-stalks. In this nest there are many very small fibers, some of them lant fibers, intricately woven and entwined about innumerable scales of oak and apparently many reddish oak buds! But the whole texture of the nest 210 Bird - Lore a ue le it of ely woven compact, yt incre sf al re Several days afterward I located the chird mest wile coustsiiamnnnnnnNe up the hill. This time there was very little squeaking song. They meant — business and they had learned a lesson. They were building high in a tree, far out on a limb, at least thirty-five or forty feet above ground, — trees still seemed to furnish a large part of the material. The nest was visible from practically one spot only, The beech in full leaf hides it completely in all other directions, and it took considerable effort to find the proper viewpoint. There is very little chance that the nest will ever be Caecsien Si aie and the birds are quite safe. In a few days this nest was completed. 1 watched i seven ansanaiaiiay through a field glass, but there was no sign of a Gnatcatcher in the neighbor- hood or on the nest. I had begun to wonder if something might have happened to the birds when suddenly a tiny bill was thrust above the rim of the nest and, though I could not see it, I have no doubt that an inquisitive little eye was — taking in the situation and a diminutive brain was wondering whether some new calamity was about to follow. Then the little bill withdrew and there — was nothing more to be seen but the waving beech leaves closely overhanging the nest, screening it from inquisitive eyes, shading from the summer sun and . gently fanning to rest a very unfortunate and tired little bird. A friendly Titmouse that followed me for something to eat inadvertently perched in a tree quite near the beech. Instantly an angry little male Gnat-— catcher appeared upon the scene and dashed furiously at the intruder. The © Titmouse lost no time in withdrawing, assuming a humble and apologetic — manner, and the dauntless though sorely tried Gnatcatcher again vanished. — Though hidden from view and hushed in song he was evidently guarding with an ever-watchful eye his beloved mate. : ” ee net ee inthe wooded hil of southern Indiana On the date mentioned, n my front porch, when I observed a Tufted Titmouse fly up ' 700 ds below the house and alight on the ground close to the porch. it bird 's subsequent actions I judged that it was a female. There was nething about her manner, an eagerness and alertness, that spoke of urgent j to be performed. Time was pressing hard, I guessed, because her e sad rullled and her beak was opened, as if in distress. ‘thought I, was the cause of such ardent industry? Just at this bird flew upon the floor of the porch, not more than two feet from What, indeed, would inspire such reckless and daring behavior! ‘Titmouse surveyed my feet—they did not stir. She examined my it was motionless. A moment more and I checked my breathing—the es atch cts de Te It remained here i t and then flew to the back of my chair. I could not see her in ty but a moment later I could feel her! She was now perched upon ‘ Bia whey of ry hair in her beak, she gave several sharp jerks. her ng vainly to detach some hair in one place, she would try in another sted in her attempts, she withdrew to the back of my chair. rt reat sherenewed her efforts, but with no better success The tools d seemed wholly inadequate for tonsorial purposes, and as I was Oe ait bass I concluded that any further exertions might as ged. Accordingly I made a very slight move, but sufficient arned, however, that the bird’s investigations in my neighborhood t partially completed. In her momentary fright she had flown to a ‘by y, but in a minute she was again on the porch, this time on a table lich stood by the kitchen door. Here she discovered an old shoe-brush, an : Ty cecmed to monet the exigency of her demands. She gave several | bugs at pr breh, but not a bristle would yield. or stood open, and in the kitchen near the door was my kitchen The table cailibet her eye. That was enough for this Titmouse. From dige of a molasses can she quickly surveyed an array of culinary articles h cc d the table. It revealed nothing of an architectural nature and ording! ke transferred her explorations to the opposite side of the room. e she examined the kitchen range, but it held nothing she desired. With pe that such a bold guest might accept the aid and assistance of her host, (att) 212 Bird - Lore I walked slowly into the kitchen. My motives, however, were misconstrued, and after her frantic efforts to escape through the screened window, she found her way to the open door and flew away. That was the last I saw of her. The above incident has additional interest because of two other observations, which I will describe briefly. In April, 1918, I was living with a neighbor, whose home was about a mile from mine. One day I was watching a collie dog asleep on the grass when suddenly a Tufted Titmouse flew down beside the dog and began picking at his hair. The Titmouse had made but a few jerks when the dog became aroused and moved slightly. This movement frightened the bird and it flew away. Quite as unusual was an observation made April 16, 1919. A neighbor was helping me saw into logs a large sugar tree which had been cut by coon hunters the previous winter. The neighbor's dog had treed a fox squirrel in a nearby oak. The squirrel was intensely occupied in watching the movements of the dog. A minute or so later a small boy who was with us, and who had been watching the squirrel, exclaimed, “Look at that little bird on the squirrel’s back!’ I looked up and saw the boy was right. A Titmouse was perched on the squirrel’s back, making every effort to secure some of the animal's hair. The squirrel was motionless and the bird tugged away with great ardor. I watched it for perhaps half a minute, when it few away, accompanied by its mate, which had been watching the procedure from a limb nearby. Such is the courage and daring of the Tufted Titmouse. NIGHTHAWK Photographed by Dr. A. H. Cordier, Kansas City, Mo ae STARLING AND THE BOBOLINK by Harry C. Oberholser, Chiefly from Data in the Biological Survey The Migration of North American Birds EUROPEAN STARLING coc there ened Since that time the species has spread dining territory in southern New England and the Middle Atlantic ow breeds north to southeastern Maine, southern Vermont, and « York; west to central Pennsylvania, eastern West Virginia, Virginia; and south to southeastern Virginia. It has wandered, e winter, also to Ohio, and south to Alabama and Georgia. It probably continue to spread into suitable areas in the eastern United States. The he ds in the following table indicate, as far as known, its appearance in yu Semeur the castern United States. ee ay ..... December, ror e.g tt: -sseeeess December 12, 1913 | Pea idk es cos tate as acent SR, Bote . Cepeey ; eA —_ 1908 ae a gen gn Be, of ; arch 9, 1908 1910 SU eT “ee ree na December 3, 1900 SE ee ay “A anuary 2, 1918 het oe S haate aire ay 12, 1907 eS in), oon 5c Het ok v nine bees val 1907 N. Y. (So birds introduced) bee March 6, 1890 i iy MER da cote duct -« nels oa 6's é 1892 a dss. a) + ae ee March 15, 1898 eT j “et February 11, 1900 | #5 Mee December, 1905 March 20,1907 December 5, tort December, 1907 February 29, 1916 February 15, 1910 October 24, 19013 February 9, 1013 — 4, 1912 nah, Ga... November ro, tory ct # of Coose and Tallapoosa Rivers, Alabama. January 4, 1920 a LS RE NS Nm BOBOLINK 1 Ontario, central Ricketchewen, central pnt and centers British ; west to southwestern British Columbia, eastern Oregon, and north- (214) 214 Bird - Lore western Nevada; south to northern Moved, migtinen Tha Ha ado, Seetie Minire coin! Tiel ee ee or western Maryland, central Pennsylvania, and central New Jersey; an to the Atlantic Coast region from New Jersey to Nova Scotia. It m through the West Indies, and less frequently through eastern | Central America to South America, where it winters from Brazil to and Argentina. It in slo of conse cocqurente tee the Bermuda and Galapagos Islands. SPRING MIGRATION Number | Average date LOCALITY of years | pte abe rah Polme Sela, Fie, + April 19 vannah, Ga...... 4 Charleston, S. C... 7 a Waverly, W. Va. Stee a » W. Va... 4 | May3 Ww Cc 27 «|| Ma Md... 6 TL A rere = Shy ) ant + oe hiladelphia, o ay4 Nerseee J A ns Re BE Oy 2a 13 . ay? PRs Whe Weikk tae pes coves 4 =May6é Alfred, N. Y..... 30 May 6 Holland Patent, N. Y................ 17 May 4 = a 2 ; Prererr \ ' M4 a2 = ww ER % fi: * . fg - a. a . - od : . = i -_* 7 é f cc , ‘ “wi y ; 3 sy r 4 ‘ : \ S. < = ee -*s - at Reape he” An oe ae oi 4 A PA ie -. 5 Ae _— yy Lee « = ee oe Ea a a ie wo aif ae le: Ce \ bm at , oe ae - ae ae ' et” ee PrOWMIGMOR Tha Bios iy sewed ees nen 12 May to May Prenheld, Macbisg ss occ tivenceess m May 11 May Boston, Mass. 27. = May8 Bennington, Vt 13 | May7 ril 5 Hanover, N. H 1x | May to 2, eS Plymouth, Maine 19@06—0té«CMlasyy 22 May 4, y4 nn, Quebec 14 «6| May17 May7,1913 ee ae 2 une 4 une 2,1 s Scotch Lake, N. B oes tiny 20 {ey a Cha N.B 20 May 26 oa a Pictou, Nova Scotia 9 May 19 16, a New 3 April 19 41894 Helena, Ark. 2 April 25 20,1904 Athens, Tenn 7 | April 27 i Vesbeines, Bayon cs Sick okgias backs ; _ Mayr April 28, 7 *. Louie, ae ey 1 eae i hicago, Ill... 4 ay 2 10t8....-@ Richmond, Ind 34 | Mayr pee pak le ‘a Ft. Wayne, ind. 13 Apel 4, 191 Ma Obeaiin, Giles i cies ccs teas 23 — - os ae Detroit, Mich.. . . 24 #=May2 | April 20,1896 London, tario. . 1s | Mayr : 25, ye. Ottawa, Ontente. 600i. cs a6 ult ts dsssb 31 May 16 1904 Wall Lake, Iowa. . ye ete 13 May6 ae “a Madison, Wis... .. s yethes Rt 22 | Mays 25,1934 ~~ Elk River, Minn. wet 9 § Mayo 339% #=€=6 Onaga, Kans...... Se ¥3 15 | May to Mays5,19088 = Badger, Nobe.... 5636 2k. 4 May6 May1,199000 Forestburg, S. D. Ghia 3 | Mayu Mave, a Argusville, N. D. ety MER to May 12 May 22,1895 Aweme, Man. Rae AS am 17 | May May 35,1902 Qu’ Appelie, Sask. Pacves toa 5 May 21 May 12, 1913 © The Migration of North American Birds hy Cie 215 | Nember | 4 date srllest date tye | Spine arrival | “spetne : +0 = 3 aa Gad aan cohen « . May 26 | May 24,1 MEDD Asha csccaccess 2 May 22 / May 17, 1883 A to's ¢ he abo'd 4 May 18 | May 15, 1913 ee» 3 June 2 May 30, 1910 of years’ | iSstone observed | last one observe ; tates Sird tax ve «bo 6 | May 18 _ May 26, 1908 Eeceesions «eee 12 : May 17 j May 28, 1910 eee. o's 2 pein 3 | Mayts _ May 19, 1910 ee ee 18 May 15 | May 27, 1887 Spt ee Se te Sic _ May 16, 1905 IS ee 17 May 21 _ June 6, 1909 SY dane sd gcse ede’ 7 May 27 _ June 17, 1910 Ds ata a we ee | ay 29, tors a RUbbbe woe edudes 6 May 16 25, 1909 haan tees ; May 109 | May 25, 1909 ia Sateals< May 23 | June 1, 1913 ee rae 7 May 20 May as, 1894 : : FALL MIGRATION Nu : Earliest of | ot yen ait ya — bg | fall ucrival : ; j : oe : 7 ae --.-- 6 | August 27 | August 20, 1908 Dee ths pine ae « foal s August rs : cd 27, 1913 eri eta es tiadiasl. O~ | Julp-so | July 14, 19% Dee db Ate ds see cesees| 85 | Avgust 0B | August 15,1 Be a, ouke o's +) 2+ | August18 —§ July 23, 1904 smn 6) 6 GUE ae al ; s August 27 August 23, 1906 Diet ne ca vwae ts 6 4 September 5 August 27, 1905 Minuehseb esas 5 August 24 _ August 20, 1914 Number verage Latest date of of years’ ht'cec observed | last ons sbenrved eM Sates. ¢ 6 October 9 | October 16, 1912 4 October 12 | October 21, roto Pee ; October 16 October 17, tore eat os ‘2 September 21 October 7, t ‘2 October 4 November 14, 1885 poe Ales s September 21 a. Le ee 4 September 20 ©6September 25, t 701 s September 15 September 25, 1908 ; September 12 September 19, 1015 19 September 14 September 37, tors ; September 24, 1904 Number LocaLiTY | Siseegt | Armes tet ; eS Pee ee | 7 September 16 OO Re ra ee 4 September 5 Fiymouth, Maine... vee eS 8 Le carne Montreal, Quebec... scesctcass cect 9 September — (ae ae PE rt “ September 6 OU, NOVE SCOUR. .. 6. cee e mune : Asbens, Tene... 6625s ie ere 3 September 25 DR, .itveccv cau entouephenel 9 September 22 Ss Bicknell, Yad. : «isco dvncs oe avant tebe ; September 25 rt 37,3015 Youngstown, Obio.................- September 25 tober 14, 1916 Wauteen, Oblo: 55 steer \+dpres neds 10 September 25 ober 8, 1897 Dateee DO rh es. oe us ceed 5 September 29 ; pag EO ae a's ae cP aw ae u September - Ts o's Fawkes Waele Mes ea September MO IR ils « io0's sox vdaseet ss 3 September 9 7 ed gig iskchebane ash au ues 3 Hee s adger, . 4 ugust Forest ett cvosks cate chides 3 September 10 IEE TE he 55a dive ps Seviv ess) 9 September 14 Catan PROM Fp exigent four vs Okanagan Landing, B. C. Notes on the Plumage of North American Binds a FIFTY-SEVENTH PAPER Pa A Oe eee ee a Starling (Sturnus oulgaris, Figs. 1, 2). When hee Stange he nest it wears a lusterless, smoky brown or grayish brown plumage re: in color that of a female Cowbird. This is worn for several weeks, during the first part of which time the bird remains under the care of its parents and is succeeded, through complete molt, by the first winter plumage which is e: sen- tially similar to that of its parents (Fig. 2). During the molt the new sl black, brown, or white-tipped feathers blotch the brownish juvenal j +) giving the bird a mottled appearance. There is no apcing molt Aaa from winter to breeding plumage is accomplished 7 6: S>eaaaaay wearing off of the brownish or white tips to the feathers. These largely, « wholly, disappear from the crown, throat, and breast, but tencel allsiaanannanann on the back and belly. ee ee TT yellow and becomes a conspicuous field character. The sexes are p rfucally alike in color. ti: oe Bobolink (Dolichonyx orysivorus, Figs. 3, 4). ‘The vesting ot Aaa age of both the male and female Bobolink resembles in color the one w succeeds it; that is, the first-winter plumage. Tu eed by oa “Notes on the Plumage of North American Birds 217 tail and most of the wing-feathers, and is like that of the breeding female ; _4) but is everywhere richer, more buffy yellow in tone. This is the ‘Reed- dl’ plumage. It is worn until the following spring when, late in February ear ‘xbras March, before leaving its winter home in northern Argentina and soul a Brazil, the bird undergoes a complete molt, including the wings am a iis creates no change in the general appearance of the female, but the male undergoes a striking transformation. So far as feathers are con- ne ee ted we know in early summer, but the body-feathers are all y fringed with yellowish, those of the nape with brownish, and those rump, and upper tail-coverts with dusky grayish, that it is It to believe the bird can pass into the shining black, buff, and white ng plumage (Fig. 3) without losing or gaining a single feather. But dur- he northward migration in Marchand Apc, the yellow, brown, and gray lly wear away, the plumage of the nape, rump, upper tail-coverts, jlars apparently fades, the bill turns from brownish to blue-black, = poyrap te the bird reaches its nesting-ground few traces of what one might call its traveling cloak remain. The post-nuptial or ‘fall’ molt begins the latter part of July, immediately er the nesting season. Like the prenuptial or spring molt it is complete, t ind the bird now acquires the Reedbird plumage and can be distinguished Senn (he year Chiefly by the presence of « few black feathers on the _ chin and breast. In this plumage male and female, young and old, look essen- "tially alike as they journey through the rice-fields, cross the Caribbean, and | travel over more than half the length of South America to their winter home. A Town of Five Thrushes The town of Stowe, Vt., is especially for- tunate birdwise,—or, more exactly, thrush- wise, The good fortune is one not generally appreciated by the town’s permanent resi- dents, perhaps, but the bird-loving visitor in June and July may revel in five breed- ing species of Hylocichla,—‘‘five brown, wood-haunting Thrushes,” as Hoffman describes them. During the last ten days of June, 1919, my husband and I lived at the upper end of a Stowe valley leading to the castern slopes of Mt. Mansfield, which lies upon Stowe's western border and has an eleva- tion of 4,600 feet. We arrived at 8 o'clock one evening. All along the wooded ridge north of our house Hermit Thrushes were singing, and we found, during our stay, Hermit Thrushes most numerous ‘of the five species noted. South of the house, on the farther edge of a grassy meadow, the valley's stream meandered between low, wooded bluffs. Here the Veery sang morning and evening. Veeries were common in favorable locations throughout the lower parts of this region. In a narrow, wooded valicy leading into ours from the southwest, we found a pair of Wood Thrushes, the female (?) sitting on her nest; so we could not doubt these birds were quite at home in this northern locality. Twice again we found Wood Thrushes; in one case, in deciduous woods at considerable elevation, what seemed to be a rollicking family party of parents and grown children. On the first favorable day we set forth in the early morning for the mountain top, planning to extend the expedition over two days and a night, as there is a small hotel at the summit. The mountain is wooded to its top, and an casy-graded carriage road makes the climb a simple matter for those who do not care to attempt the steeper trails. As we ascended the mountain, the Olive- his species we heard, but he lacked the romantic mountain-top environment. A shower drove us indoors immediately on our arrival at the summit, but when, toward evening, the rain had ceased, we climbed to a rocky viewpoint and looked — out upon the tangled mat of dwarf balsam _ forest which covers the extreme upper — slopes and the long, flattened top of the mountain. Here and there the expanse of balsams was punctuated with Bicknell’s Thrushes, each perched on or near the tip — of a balsam spire. With all of Vermont and much of its neighboring states spread beneath their gaze, and nothing but the — sky above, they lifted their heads and — voices and sang their little, haunting song of three to six notes, all the notes, except one, being long and slurred. They put so much of music and time into each note, that the song, even in its three- note form, was still wonderful, and one never heard enough. Indeed, one half — (218) wnell’s of having adopted the oder practice of deliberately ‘if not impossible, to trans- rds which shall be universally actory the song of any bird. To us, ver ihe eet Bicknell’s do c, Oh, sweet, dear Vere de othe birds rare or interesting ¢ to our stay near Mansfield, he Veery, the Wood Thrush, fe Olive-back, and Bicknell's re “ia aa 's—were the crowning of ow wr visit to much-favored Stowe.— G. Warrrte, i SR 28, 1918, when g 4 pond five miles east of St. Johns- is" two large birds on the _ ar the road. One of them was a se Heron, the other an American r eoetl an Egret in Waterbury, ., on July 31 and August 2, I was ally interested. We watched him for Se tines and, when he flew, the b re er ede thetic We saw also a large flock of id Ducks and also Sandpipers We learned in St. ed no shooting, and were told that on r nearby pond there had been two te Heron” —all summer, these doubt- i Egrets.—Etry Fixto Kettoce, Conn. Te ening of April 15, 1910, a Vir- Rinia Rail was found caught in a steel trap set for muskrats in a marsh used annually sa nesting-site by this Rail, On the d near the bird was an egg that it ad niet On the preceding day appa- Notes from Field and Study 219 rently no Rails were in the marsh. They evidently had migrated in on the night of the :2th—a night of warm, heavy rain— for several were observed there on the morning of the 13th. The earliest date of the species’ eggs recorded in the nest in the vicinity of Orient is May 28, and their common laying period is the first half of June. It is extremely interesting that this bird should drop an egg on this carly date and, apparently, on the first night of its arrival on Long Island. The egg was in dimensions, texture, and markings per- fectly normal. Has this species a longer breeding season locally than is commonly recorded? Does it occasionally deposit two clutches of eggs a season? The specimen in question may have been prepared to nest farther south.—Roy Lataam, Orient, Long Island. Duck Hawks in New York City I believe that an account appeared in Birv-Lore, several years ago, of a Duck Hawk which frequented one of the tall buildings in lower New York City, and that a photograph was obtained of the bird. But no printed mention seems to have been made of the Hawks, one or more of which roosted regularly under the caves of the Hotel Biltmore during a part, at least, of the autumn of 1919, and which, to the best of my belief, were Duck Hawks. I went to New York on September 15 of that year and remained there for eighteen days, staying in one of the skyscraper hotels which overlook the Biltmore. Every afternoon, except two or three, when I was prevented from watching, I saw a Hawk go to roost close up under the caves of the Biltmore, on the east or south side of the south wing, generally very near the south- east corner of it. Occasionally two birds went to roost. They sometimes appeared early in the afternoon, when the weather was fine, and played about the building for several hours before retiring. Once three birds came, and made a wonderful display as they chased cach other about, darting, plunging, and soaring in the un obstructed space above the Grand Central Terminal. I could not make out whether or not all of them passed the night under the hotel caves. There is a dove cote on a sort of terrace at the Biltmore, in which live a few Pigeons. It was interesting to observe that these birds were entirely unmolested by the Hawks and that they seemed to have no fear of them. Apparently, then, the Hawks came to the hotel only after their food for the day had been obtained.—NatHan Currorp Brown, Portland, Maine. Some Observations on the Osprey The nest of the Osprey is as interesting as the bird itself. Made of sticks, straw, seaweed, an occasional piece of cloth, large, untidy, it is perched on the topmost fork of a tall dead tree, sometimes on the cross- piece at the top of a telephone or telegraph pole. The tree is not dead when selected for a nest, but the droppings of the birds, as well as the decomposed fish often thrown out, in time kill it. The same nest is used year after year, being renovated from time to time by throwing out worn parts and replacing them by new ones, When the birds arrive carly in April, the female chooses a nest and the courting begins. If there are no nests available a new one is constructed, male and female alike shar- ing the labor. In 1919, I had the opportunity for casual observance of two pairs of these birds. One nest was at the back of the house and one at the side. There was much difference in the individuality of the two pairs. Those at the back of the house paired earlier, raised their brood of two birds earlier, and left the nest earlier. This pair were very much annoyed by a Crow which took every opportunity to drive the female from the nest and attempt to get the eggs. The female of the nest at the back of the house, probably made nervous by the persistent attacks of the Crow, was very excitable. When anyone approached she set up a frightened, raucous cry and some- times was so worried that she even left her nest and eggs at the mercy of the Crow. Then there was a contest between instinct Bird - Lore and fear. Sometimes instinct » stronger, and, crying harshly, she to the nest. Sometimes, still crying harshly, she circled round and round near the nest but did not return until assured that all danger was past. These paroxysms of fear were the more pronounced when her mate was off on his fishing expeditions. When he was there to protect her, she sometimes only emitted her frightened cry and did not leave her nest at all, At other times she seemed to lose confidence in his pro- tection and flew away, SDanREmNg mest and eggs. = The pair at the side of the house were not disturbed by Crows and seemed less nervous than the other pair, This female was very coy and coquettish and it took her some time to decide upon a mate, She was courted by two persistent lovers. One would alight on her nest only to be beaten off. Then the other, taking heart, would try his luck and receive the same treatment. When she finally chose a mate, I am not sure that it was either of these. After she q settled down to her domestic duties, she was a faithful spouse, but a rather shrewish one. She insisted on her mate sharing the monotony of incubation, apparently much — to his disgust. When she wanted to leave — the nest, she became restless and sentsharp, complaining cries to the male engaged in watching over her. Whether willfully or — not, he failed to respond. At last, com- — pletely exasperated, she flew off the nest — to her mate, and deliberately tried to brush him off his perch. He still refused to under- — stand, but her repeated cries and indigni- — ties at last had the desired effect. He flew — toward the nest, circled about it and fin- — ally settled down on it. The female was — distrustful. She flew away a short distance — and returned to see whether he was still — there, repeating this performance several — times before she was satisfied that it was — safe to take the recreation she coveted. In - a few days she had trained her mate tosuch — instant obedience that, when she wanted to leave the nest, she uttered a few sharp — cries, and before she flew off the nest he — was there to take her place. ; As these observations are merely casual, om whether it isthe urual thing Tatdthaah dees. cei henched, the male t tease. He would come home ine , and after the female and re sulicenty excited and clamor wr the food, he would fly away ; wing a lamenting family behind. s @ flew to a nearby tree and 4; sometimes he flew out of ting this tantalizing perform- al times before giving the food + family. He never ate the imself but always deposited it red pa eel d yore while he . ¢ reserve food which, of course, . so savory. The male in the other rv er teased. Coming home with a he dutifully gave it to his ¥ a the influence of the female na de one male a tease and one a meck, odin ac nest consisted of but their wings and make efforts to use ’ ying a flights were simple ones, panies very near to the nest to they r apparently much ex- , y this time they were as large parent birds, but were still fed and he nest p on the topmost fork of ee faces right into the sun and has no ect rain or storm. During the " of the day or when the weather was the female stood between her ng and the sun protecting them by her spreys are distrustful of each other. nger bird attacks a weaker one in air and steals his food. When a female m her nest and a male is flying near, becomes alarmed lest he come and take fish from her nest. They seem to have onest or fraternal instincts although I ¢ seen them unite to attack a common foe. — K. Mrtoy, Atlantic High- ids, N. J. Notes from Field and Study 221 Saw-whet Ow! at Branchport, N. Y. This species is so rarely ‘discovered’ here that its every appearance is worthy of special notice. On June 20, 1919, in the subdued shade of a jungle of hemlocks, I found this little Owl perched on a lowly branch. He permitted me to approach within several feet, flying but a short dis- tance when I extended my hand. My attention was attracted to him by the scolding of Canadian and Black-throated Green Warblers, both females. On the following day I had the pleasure of introducing this little earless Owl to Mrs. Stone, and on the third day, June 22, Mr. Burtch and I found him perched in the same hemlock jungle. An examination of many pellets revealed only bones and fur of woods mice; no bird feathers were found.—CLarence F. Stone, Branchport, N.Y. Kentucky Notes During the last days of April, 1919, in a vacant lot near my house, a Mockingbird sang an interesting medicy. In the midst of its song it would give in succession the notes of four members of the Flycatcher family, invariably following the same order —~Wood Pewee, Phacbe, Great-crested and Least Flycatchers. This occurred many times a day for almost a week. On Sept. 11, 1919, I found a Dove sit- ting on a deserted Robin's nest, as if brood- ing. She remained there two or three days and then disappeared. Whether there were any young hatched or not I could not find out, as the nest was on a small limb of a Carolina poplar, about twenty feet from the ground. Though White-crowned and White throated Sparrows are rather plentiful here in winter and abundant in migrations, they vary widely in their distribution. Wher- ever there is underbrush I find White- throats, but in only three or four places in four or five square miles do I ever see White-crowns. One of these places is a pasture where there are a few scrubby cedars and a hedge of bois d’arc; another is a small honey locust thicket near a tumbled-down stable. Other places just as promising are occupied by White- throats but never by White-crowns. On Jan. 19, 1920, I saw what I took to be three Purple Finches in the top of a pine tree. I would have passed them by had they not begun to call. On closer ob- servation I found them to be Red Cross- bills, the first record, so far as I can learn, of their appearance here. I observed them closely and heard another small flock late in the afternoon of the same day. Judging from the 1919 Christmas Bird Census, the Crossbills have come much farther south this winter than usual. Why does not the Red-headed Wood- pecker winter here? It is a common winter resident in many parts of the state and was reported from ten places north of here in the 1919 Christmas Bird Census. We have plenty of mast here and everything is as favorable for Red-heads as can be found in the sections where they winter.— Goxpow Wiison, Bowling Green, Ky. Blue Grosbeak at Newtown, Pa. I thought that Brap-Loge readers might be interested to know that I observed a Blue Grosbeak in this vicinity on Sunday, May 9, There could be no mistake in the identity of the bird for it was watched for fully fifteen minutes and corresponded exactly to the illustration and description in Reed's ‘Bird Guide.’ This is the second time that I have seen this rare bird in our vicinity, the other time being in 1918.— Russert Ricnarpson, Ja., Philadel phia, Pa. Blue Grosbeak at Rock Island, Ills. May 11, 1920, a pair of beautiful Blue Grosbeaks came to an elm tree outside of our school window. An immense flock of Goldfinches just filled the top of the tree and on my arrival, at 8 o'clock, I went upstairs with my field-glasses to see if any other Finches were among them. Not ten feet from the window, two male Grosbeaks were cating industriously but quietly, occasionally darting out to capture an in- at the base of the bill The wings were a e dull gray-brown with a lighter cross-bar and a tan spot at the shoulder, The tail — was also brown, medium length, with the tips of the feathers rounded. The bill was light and shaped like the Rose-breasted Grosbeak’s, only very much smaller. Three females came later in the day, and they — were a yellowish tan with darker cross- bars on wings and no blue that I could see. _ I watched them three days. The second — day there were just the two males; the — . third, only one, appearing very restless and finally flying off. I had read of Blue Gros- beaks and have studied all of the birds in — our locality, but have never found a record — of these Grosbeaks hore — hail-stones. j ‘the. Se wave of migrating Warblers wade ‘the city parks and boulevards on ‘May 4, on which date the first Nighthawks ~ Apa As late as the beginning of the BRS May the deeper woots vere olen On the oth a male aot we d high dive to earth, prob- ee x the edge of a golf se wry the city limits. Not until have been seen. Mi- Th and Harris's Sparrows in SEE were acil present on May x6, ict 1 is exceptionally late for this region. : | Warblers were still numer- ‘on the 22d, though by no means as i int as at this time last year when nal os pg were a plague. Blue Gr last seem to have established ts in this neighborhood, as two i aiccdend a third pais coon. record for this region has y been established by Clark Salyer, Mo., who took a specimen d Towhee on March 12. This ids a mew species to the state list, under se head of accidental visitant. A box of cimens received from this enthusiastic ent contained also such locally rare } as Woodcock, Smith's Longspur, ewer's Blackbird, and Bewick's Wren. It is regretted that lack of space prevents cs " detailed enumeration of interesting jm accumulated here this spring.— : 18, Kansas City, Me. The Season 231 Denver Reoton.—The week preceding April t7 was mild, and the 16th a clear, warm, delightful day, giving promise of bringing north many birds. Many had already returned from the south, seed- eaters, as well as insectivorous kinds, a good many Say’s Phetbes and Lark Bunt- ings being in evidence up to the 17th, when a severe snowstorm broke over a goodly part of Colorado, and western Kansas and Nebraska. Evidently a heavy wave of migrating Robins was in action when this blizzard «truck the state, for im- mediately after it ceased, thousands and thousands of Robins appeared in the city and its environs and lingered thereabouts until April 27, when the bulk left and our usual summer quota only remained. Simi- lar haltings of migrations have been noted in this region a good many timies by the writer in the past quarter of a century. It was quite evident that Robins and birds with similar food habits did not fare badly after the storm, since an accommodating wind drifted the snow and left extensive areas uncovered in which these birds were able to find food. But the Flycatchers and Swallows must have been pressed hard for a living. This storm also seemed to con- centrate in this region many Sparrow Hawks, Killdeers, and Bluebill Ducks, fifteen of the last having been seen in one of our park lakes on April 22. It may have been the cause also, of a visit to the city by a Ring-billed Gull on April 24; this is the first time the writer has seen this Gull within the limits of Denver. There is no doubt in his mind but that this storm and its subsequent weather consequences held Juncos here two weeks or more beyond their usual time of departure. Thus Shufeldt’s was seen on April 27, the Pink- sided on May 1, and the Gray-headed on May 15, all dates very late for these Juncos. The Pine Siskin usually comes back to us early in March, but this year ite first appearance is recorded as being of May 6; the Warblers seem not to have been dis- turbed by our unseasonable April weather. Perhaps the snowstorm and blizzard did not extend south far enough to slow their 232 northward travel, and by the time the advance guard reached this region, the local cold conditions had ceased. Audu- bon's Warbler came about on time, to wit, April 27, when three were seen, and it was noted daily thereafter until May 6, when a single Myrtle Warbler was also noticed. An Orange-crowned Warbler was seen on April 29, a MacGillivray Warbler on sev- eral days between May 1 and 17, and a Pileolated Warbler on May 14. Evidently the weather and food conditions were pro- pitious for these small insect-feeding spe- cies for the Yellow-throat and the Ruby- crowned Kingiet were seen about the same time (May 15 and 16). The writer has the impression that a good many unusual birds penetrated into the heart of the city during the migration just past, as, for example, the Yellow-throat. This season has demon- strated once more how much regular and systematic search and observation have to do with the length of the list of migrants seen by any particular observer. It is a number of years since the writer has been able to get out as regularly cach day as he has this year, and more migrants, have been noted within Denver and its im- mediate neighborhood than for several years past. The Evening Grosbeaks remained here- abouts at least until May 27, when several were studied in Washington Park. The Nighthawk came about on time (May 28), but in noticeably smaller numbers, and it how seems more scarce about Denver than for several years. KRed-headed Wood- peckers arrived in this region during the third week of May, which is a normal arrival date; this species ordinarily in- filtrates the area quite slowly, yet this year it seemed to have arrived all over at the same time. The writer saw more White-crowned Sparrows here this spring than ever before; there were casily ten White-crowns to one Gambel's Sparrow, while ordinarily this ratio is reversed. These Sparrows were at least a week late in arriving in Denver. Poorwills were first noted here on May 9 and 11, five having been seen on the latter date in one of our parks. It is of interest Bird - Lore to call aisaatian vo the tank aa spends its summers in the mountains, evi- dently enjoying a cool climate, while its congener, the Nighthawk, is more com- mon on the plains, or warmer areas in the ‘hills.’ The two seem to arrive hereabouts according to these predilections, the Poor- will earlier in cool weather, and the Night- hawk later when the weather is much warmer. ; : There have been no Lazuli Buntings in the area this spring, according to the writer's notes.—W. ee Cole. Sawn Francisco Recion.—Except for the continued presence of a few Golden- crowned Sparrows that had not yet com- pleted the spring moult, the readjustment of bird-life in the San Francisco region was practically complete by May 1. There are often Western Tanagers and belated Cedar Waxwings waiting for a taste of the cherry crop, but the other species of land-birds are entbusiastically preparing for the com- ing families, if they are not already busily providing for their needs. Varied Robins, though reported in the last issue as missing, were seen again on April 16, this reappearance being due per- haps to the arrival of migrants passing through from the south. Sierra Crossbills remained in Golden Gate Park until April 20 at least, and on the same date Red- breasted Nuthatches and Myrtle Warblers were stil] present and Violet Green Swal- lows were passing through. | In the Berkeley hills, Hermit Thrushes were seen until April 26, and on the next day a Russet-backed Thrush was heard for the first time. Fox Sparrows were gone on the 24th, having remained somewhat later than the Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Audu- bon Warblers, and Juncos. The summer visitants in the meantime had been coming in in about their usual order. Black-headed Grosbeaks were for the first time on April 16; the Y . Warbler, April 20, Tolmie Warbler, A) ; 23; and the Lazuli Bunting, April 26. The Bullock Oriole was seen in Alameda on — April 27, the Olive-sided Flycatcher and ts were augmented this year ‘month, the largest aggrega- seen on April 16. Western mon April 238. : 5 spent among the migrant y Farm Island, when three rs (Least, Western, and ere seen; also four Plovers s, Western Willets, and Long- ed owitcher On April 20 several of the Coot were found in Golden e Park, and one family with three n autumn leaf plumage, were on North Lake. On Stow ommon Loon gave a fine exhi- he middle of May, observations co i to the Redwood region ern slope of the Santa Cruz . The spring had been colder » according to report, but in many of the characteristic # ¢ region had families of young Te th wine. Point Pinos Juncos, joes, oh Chickadees, and Tawny lo with plumage modified to were a1 : these early nesters. The usual ire ye \ - 98 ght 1: 7 $ ~ -s A SICK GREAT BLUE HERON Photographed by John B. May, Jr That noon it was on a point near our landing, and I took several pictures of it with my Brownie camera. We had seen Herons every few days all summer. Two years ago we found © about twenty nests near my father’s camp, Winnetaska, on Squam Lake, a few miles from Winnepesaukee. I have tried to photograph Chickadees and Song Sparrows in the winter” and it is lots of fun.—Joun B. May, Jr. (age 11 years), Cohasset, Mass. his is an unusually successful picture for a Brownie camera and one that any boy could be proud of.—A. A. A.] HOW BIRDS’ TASTES DIFFER For two or three weeks we have had a suet holder in one of our buckthorn” trees, and many birds have come there for their dinner. When I come home from The Audubon Societies 240 school every noon there is at least one Chickadee eating the suet. One day there were two Chickadees and two Downy Woodpeckers eating. Later two Cedar Waxwings settled in the tree but ate the buckthorn berries and not the suet These birds soon flew away and came back with three other Cedar Waxwings After a minute or two, six others came to eat the berries. The tree swayed with the weight of a dozen Cedar Waxwings! I have never seen any Sparrows eating the suct-——Heten Waitt (Age 12 years), Beverly, Mass [Here is another argument for feeding the birds. It not onl) helps the birds through times of stress and gives one a great deal of pleasure, but it also makes on« more observant of the habits of birds.—A. A. A.] THE RETURN OF THE GROSBEAK On May 25, 1010, a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak flew in through the open door of a gilass-enclosed porch. There he beat vainly against the panes until quite ex- hausted, and, when found, was picked up and soon re- suscitated. Before he was thoroughly recovered he rested quietly in a boy's hand and was photographed. He was also banded (No. 40510 He was then let go. He took to himself a mate, and they built their nest and raised their young not far away, coming daily for food on the shelf which was near the porch A neighbor Very much wished he had come oftener to the shelf so he might have lost fewer of his gooseberries. I, too, would gladly have seen him oftener especially after he began to bring his wife and children. They were with us all summer On May I, 1920, the Grosbeaks returned to us from the South. and. on May 2. again one was found in the same porch. When caught, unstunned, ir 16 and behold it was handed No 40510, and we held again in our hancs the 4 GROSBEAK FRIENT 250 Bird - Lore same bird who had been held and photographed a year befor Ronexrts, Jn., Lake Forest, ils. a : FTs ea quod exazmple of the lnhebeeting vesshie beleg- otic The bands have proven not only that birds come back to the same place to nest — each year, but likewise that some, at least, spend each winter in the sameplacer— B.A.) | FRIENDLY PIGEONS he We three girls, Helen, Julia, and Frances Holt, live in the city of Portland, Maine. But we have a big lawn with lots of trees and bushes and a large garden. We see many birds. We have a Canary and about forty Pigeons. About two years ago a very handsome male Pigeon, with his mate, appeared. They seemed to be asking for food, because they timidly came on our porch and peeked in the window at us. We all went down to our uncle and we each — took home a handful of oats. (He uses oats for his horses and pigeons.) When we got home we put the oats on our lawn and hid to see what would happen. — Very soon the male came slowly down and looked at the food. It was about five minutes before he timidly took one grain of oats. Then he stopped being afraid of it and ate greedily until it was all gone. We used our three handfuls of oats all up, so we asked father to get us some more. He bought us a big bag of oats. The next day we noticed the pair of Pigeons taking sticks to our gutter right over the pipe that took the water down to the ground. We could see the female on her nest from our attic window. All went well for a few days until a storm came. The gutter was full of water that couldn’t go down the pipe because the nest stopped it up. The poor Pigeon would have been drowned if she had stayed there, so very regretfully she left her three precious eggs. Gradually the sticks went down the pipe and the eggs followed. About two or three days later she built another nest. This time it was on a neighbor's house next door. There she raised her family in safety. One even- ing we had some peanuts and we took them outdoors to eat. We left them on a bench while we went indoors a minute, and when we came back they were all gone. Who did it? The Pigeons! We went in and got some more and he nearly ate them out of our hands. In about a week we had trained Pidgeony (the male) and Ridgeony (the female) to eat out of our hands when we placed them on the grass. In about a month they would fly up on our hands when we held them out level with our necks with peanuts on them. The Pigeons in- creased to thirty and then to forty. We named almost all of them. They stayed with us two years and are still here. | The next spring a Chipping Sparrow built on a low little spruce tree. We visited it too often so the birds moved their nest into a barberry bush on the border of our garden. One night we were called over to see an egg on the sidewalk near the front of our house. We examined it and found it to be ‘The Audubon Societies 251 ro’ s egg. It was warm so we put it in the Chipping Sparrow's w 9 or three days it hatched! Hie peels peerage orton baby. ve — a Yellow Warbler's nest. Larks _ Fox Sparrows, English oe Bluebirds, Blackbirds, _Grackles, Chipping Sparrows, Cowbirds, Robins, Indigo be Sparroe, Wid Docs, Herring Gulls, Common Terns, Cedar ipeckers, Downy Woodpeckers, Tree Swallows, Sandpeeps, Barn s, Sharp-shinned Hawks, Flickers, Phoebes, Ospreys, Sparrow inged Blackbirds—Heten Brown Hour (age, 10 years), ae : response to kindness which these Pigeons showed is the same as that frequently ‘many of our native birds. The pleasure which they brought to these girls m augmented had they been real wild birds, but it shows that it is not fe in the country or to have uncommon birds about one to truly enjoy nd friendship.—A. A. A.} i gee A NEST CENSUS ongyy Brep-Lore might like to print the number and kinds of ests that I have found this year within half a square mile. They are 26 Tree Swallows; 13 Robins; 1o Chipping Sparrows; 3 Song Sparrow thas rence. 8 Bluebirds; 1 Catbird; 1 Oriole; 1 Flicker; 1 House Win, hoe 1 Red-eyed Vireo; 1 Kingbird; 1 Grackle; 1 Mead- wiark; 1 Red-winged Blackbird; 2 Crows; 4 Chimney Swifts; 3 Barn Swal- OWS; 19 Clif Swallows and two 29-compartment bird houses full of Purple ) ! Sincerely yours, Ratpn Carpenter, Jr., Wolfeboro, N. H. The Audubon Societies | bs “+ £ Ma EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT Edited by T. GILBERT PEARSON, Sccretary a a estore Sisesesn & Satake pee Pt Vic Presidend a Gee. tal ee company in sympathy with the objects of this Association may become embership in the National Association of Audubon Societies for the Protection of Wild a member of fad alla Birds WILLIAM DUTCHER, 1846-1920 (FETT a LN William Dutcher, the President of the National Association of Audubon Socie- ties, died July 1, 1920, at his home in Chevy Chase, Md. On Oct. 19, 1910, while at his home in Plainfield, N. J., he was stricken with paralysis which totally de- prived him of the power of speech and the ability to write anything but his own name. For nearly ten years he lived in this most unfortunate condition. During the most of this time his mind was bright and he always took the greatest interest in read- ing or hearing of the developments of the National Association's activities. His name will always be revered and his mem- ory cherished for the great work he did in the interests of American bird-protection during his active career in this cause, which extended over a period of fifteen years (1896-1910). In 1896-97 he was Chairman of the Committee on Bird Protection of the American Ornithologist’s Union. In the year 1900, Abbott H. Thayer, the por- trait painter, approached various mem- bers of this Committee, suggesting that a fund be raised for employing guards to protect sea-bird colonies along the Atlan- (252) —— q i weath to the National (lacorporated), of the of New York, tic coast. Mr. Thayer writes that William — Dutcher alone had faith in the plan and offered to learn the location of these bird colonies and engage wardens to guard them if money could be provided for the pur- pose. Mr. Thayer thereupon raised a fund of $1,400, and the protection of sea-— bird colonies was that year begun under Mr. Dutcher’s direction. When Novem- ber came he was again made Chairman of the Union's Committee on Bird Protection, | which position he occupied for some years. Audubon Societies were at that time in operation in many parts of the country, and in the fall of 1900 the National Com- mittee of Audubon Societies was inaugu- rated. On April 4, 1902, when the Com- mittee was formed in permanent shape, Mr. Dutcher was made Chairman. That fall the third conference was held in Washington, D.C. The delegates pres- ent pledged a fund of $600 to defray the expense of a stenographer for the Chair- man's use. Mr. Dutcher found this sum inadequate for his ambitious undertakings, even with the aid of the Thayer collec- tions. He and others, therefore, appealed to the public for support, and the income for the year 904 nly n and that year not only to clear the Com- being one of its thirty founders. he = one igre Durin g the six years of his activity in m lay so near to his heart than fiaee petvlleged to achieve in a a the time that could be spared from as a general agent of the Pru- ient : al Life Insurance Company was given war} Ys 1919, through these columns, lay-June issue of the same appeared an account of our ts to secure, at the last session of the ka Legislature, the repeal of this law. articles attracted the attention of % who in turn have voiced their op- m to the idea of Alaska secking to these noble birds. The Asso- ies put in motion certain move- s which we have reason to believe Will, before long, result in the repeal of “thi fay In the meantime the slaughter ta Fish and Game Club, brings up to © the available information regarding het oe The Audubon Societies 253 joyfully and without remuneration to the cause of bird-protection. He was the leader in many campaigns for bird-protec- tive laws, conducted wide educational propaganda, and continued his great in- terest in the guarding of water-bird colo- nies and the establishment of Government bird reservations. His correspondence grew heavy and much of his writing was done at home in the evening after most men's work was over. He was at all times most kindly and lovable in his associations with others and by his zeal and unusual per- sonality he drew many workers into the field of bird-protection. Mr. Dutcher was born in Stelton, N. J., in 1846, and was buried in Hillside Ceme- tery, Plainfield, N. J., July 6, 1920. His death occurred just as Brep-Lore is going to press, which prevents the presentation of a more adequate account of his character and achievements. This it is planned to present later. z ‘DEAD EAGLES OF ALASKA NOW NUMBER 8,356! My dear Pesreves Complying with the request as stated in your iter of A 13, it is advised that the Territo records show that since last reporting to you as of date De- cember 6, 1918, bounty has been paid upon 3,256 Eagles or a total i 8,356 since the passage of the act and its taking effect. A vast difference is noted in the number of this bird showing in southeastern and western Alaska and it is a safe prediction that if the —_ ter continues for a few years longer ¢ species will become practically atime! in this country. number upon which bounty has been paid does not cover all which have been de- stroyed, for it is agreed between hunters that many a bird which has been shot is not recovered. Various estimates have been made as to the proportion of those brought in for bounty to those destroyed ranging from 25 to so per cent. It is believed that out of every four shot, three are reported for bounty, the other is either lost in the woes or is seriously wounded and subsequently dies. It will be a pleasure to respond to any of your inqui from time to time, so do not hesitate to command, Very sincerely, C. D. Gaurtetn,Seerelary 254 Bird-Lore June 1, 1920, brought to an end the Sates tenth year of the Association’s efforts in Alabama the organization of children into bird- Arizona... . . study clubs. Never before has there been Arkansas such a response from teachers and pupils. California... During the past year 8,398 Junior Audu- Colorado bon Clubs were formed, with a total paid ences membership of 280,963 children. The District of Columbia. . membership exceeded that of last year by Florida *. 101,169, and the enrollment would have Georgia been greater had the Association been fijinois .. _ financially able to respond to all the re- Indiana quests for bird-study material that were lowa made. As it costs about twice as much to Rentecky supply the children as their fees amounted =| guisiana to, it can readily be seen that our work of Meine organization ultimately came to an end aryland... . when our Junior fund of $27,500 became eee ie exhausted. This occurred during the ginnesota.. . month of May. From that time on it be- sr. ay : came necessary to return the fees forwarded ie by teachers who were anxious to enroll their Montana... . - classes in the Audubon cause. Up to Nevada... . . June 1 these fees to the number of 14,950 New Hampshire .. . had been sent back to disappointed chil New .- dren, and this condition must continue New until the new supply of literature for the North coming year is ready for distribution in North Dakota the autumn. Ohio As for several years past, the Association Oklahoma. this year received $20,000 for this work . soanpipiala nS,” from an unnamed benefactor, and seventy Rhodelsland... . other friends contributed to make up the South Carolina . . . remainder that was used. Their names, ne ae org with amounts, will be published later,in you” connection with the annual report of the Utah Association. Vermont The increased cost of all matters in con- nection with printing will meke it im- Womngue ** -* possible to extend the privilege of Junior Wisconsin. . . Members to the extent of the past year Wyoming unless contributions for this work should Canada increase. The following statement shows the distribution of the Junior Clubs and Totals the Junior membership for the school year of 1919-20. Le gE LC RS Sm TTY aE ey, RN : The Audubon Societies eo * A ra) EXPLORING FOR NEW BIRD COLONIES By T. GILBERT PEARSON Illustrated with Photographs by the Author Our success of recent years in guarding colonies of Egrets and other rare birds in the southern states, coupled with the alarming decrease of these birds in regions where we have not employed wardens, warrants the Association in making more extended efforts in behalf of these perse- cuted species. The desirability of locating other colonies of birds and making a sur- vey of the general situation in some of the new or little-known regions, led the Sec- retary the past year to undertake explora- tions in some of the southern states. On May 4, 1920, in company with H. H. } Brimley, an inspection was made of the ; *Crane Neck’ Heron colony on Orton Pond, ' Brunswick County, North Carolina. We had visited this interesting place in the intervals ever since first discovering the § | colony one June day twenty-two years © ago, and it was painful to note that the pas- _ sage of the years has played sad havoc with " the Herons of this region. Representatives | of all the birds formerly frequenting this 4 ——a- ORTON NESTS AND FOUR NESTS OF LOOKING UPWARD IN THE HERON ROOKERY special group of cypress trees were present, but four of the species, viz., the Little Blue Heron, Louisiana Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, and Snowy Egret had collec- tively shrunk from at least 2,000 to not more than 150 individuals. The two re maining species, however, appear to have held their own in numbers. In fact, thought them more numerous than they were ten years ago. large birds were in tall cypresses and so located that we were unable to devise any means of accurately their numbers. However, passed in counting nests and secking to avoid duplications, we at length estimated the colony to contain about seventy-five occupied nests of the Egret (egretia), and one hundred nests of the Great Blue Heron. Since my first visit in 1898, two other flourishing colonies of Herons in the neigh- borhood, both of which contained Egrets, have ceased to exist. The Crane Neck, with one exception, is today the colony we The nests of these determining after much time IN SIGHT ARP BLUE HERON TWO EGRET THE GREAT Bird - Lore H. BRIMLEY LOOKING INTO A WOOD DUCK’S NESI ENTRANCE IS SEEN INSIDE IRCLE PEEP HOLE IS VISIBLE JUST UNDER MR. BRIMLEY’S ARM the breeding groups ol A flourishing colony of breeding Ospreys | ha knowledge in the xcupy Orton Pond A survey of about ' : State four-hiths of the pond vielded forty-two Orton Pond nests, all but six of which were ung ue stion Prothonotary ibly occupied At this date eggs were War rs are pienti just being deposited and im only a few kW Widows cases did the actions of the birds indicate nes, and that incubation had begun. The nests are feet of ipied for a great number of years and Mocking is, Brown Thrash become huge affairs four feet or more in Carolina Wrens thicknes They appear to be built en- hile : : of dead pine limbs from which the ; ne es have llen, but to which the bark Whit WW Ducks till adheres The long gray moss (Tb eir neal were landsta of the region appears to be the ' e nest.d vered only other material used, and the nestsareé later il ined with it At times long ftrag- i heer ided ents of moss become entangled in the SAMPLES OF THE FORTY-TWO OSPREY NESTS ON ORTON POND, NORTH CAROLINA 2¢5 t ‘ft rar | stream t behinae when the the cst An interesting fi ; sbout these Fish Hawk ne : : t exception they have ce r the water A cur t ft Hc havior | these " the fact that al ter ; the pond abound in never to attempt to catch | ther : ( ippcar to seek their prey iter { the ocean. twelve or : ‘ tant Ort Pond j n Orton Plantation, a tl : ad r sgnificently ' rveq ft lar : Sprunt of the ne urby Wilr wwtor Mr oprunt, who ha ng - . ember { the National Asso ion, extended t welcome and a pitality which no words of mine could acl ately ce il From North Carolina my duties led me Charleston, 5S. ( where, in Miss Laura M ton Museum, an expedition company Bragg. of the Charles was made up the Cooper River to the Coming Tee Plan tation in an effort to locate a colony of Egrets said to be nesting in the rice-re [> ri ree Egrets were seen \KLE} HE LOUISIANA PLANTATION MISS Bird - HOME Lore : but our search for their breeding-place was without av ail West which place Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, to I next journeyed, is a realm Here it Audubon for a time studied birds of interest to the ornithologist. was that and made many of his famous drawings The \udubon's day, and quiet and refinement country must be much as it was in reigns from deep galleries as they did a hundred years ago Of the natural beauties of the region Rich magnolias covered fragrant the holly, the the tall yellow poplars, the hilly Audubon wrote with blossoms, beech ground, and even the red clay, all excited my admiration.’ In the heart of the Audubon country I was graciously received in the home of Butler, For many days he and his Edward another member of the Association brother Robert spared no exertion to make my visit enjoyable and to assist me in ex- ploring the country far and wide, In their company I was privileged to visit Oakley, the old plantation house that stands just as it did when in 1821 Audubon lived there and taught painting to “my beautiful Miss WHERE AUDI PIERRIE TAUGHT PAINT- BON The Audubon Societies WE EXPLORED ‘THE BURN Pierric,”’ whose fresh young face has been preserved in a painting that still hangs on the wall of this historic home At Bayou Sara I was met by R. H Stirling, who was assigned by the State Conservation Commission to be my guide while in the state. On May 14, near the town of Jackson, we visited a Heron col ony which contained probably forty pairs of Snowy Egrets, in addition to many Little Blues, Louisiana, and Black-crowned Night Herons. A warden was at once em ployed to guard this colony. Traveling by automobile northward into Wilkinson County, Mississippi, a swamp known locally as ‘The Burn’ was investi gated in diminutive pirogues. This proved to be the home of many water-birds, in Guding perhaps 200 pairs of Little Blue Herons, 8 pairs of Yellow-crowned Night Herons, 12 pairs of Snowy Egrets, and at least 75 pairs of Water Turkeys. Many nests were examined. Egrets have nearly all been killed in this section, but 10 or 12 pairs of Snowies were observed, and a local man was engaged to guard the colony If it can be protected a few years it become one of the most important breed ing-places of water-birds in that section of the country Down in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, I Was greatly disappointed to find that the Roseate Spoonbills discovered a few years Sg0 in Black Bayou were no longer to be IN LIGHT PIROGUES found. A scientific expedition, with col this colony last that the lecting visited with the permits year result surviving A small which ine luded perhaps Spoonbills had not again returned colony of Herons, half a dozen Snowy Egrets, constituted the total water-bird life found here on May 18 Farther south in the same Parish, however a splendid surprise awaited us. Here, on what is locally known as ‘Bird Island’ on Cameron Farm, there is located a colony ounted forty Snowy v Spoonbills of Herons in which I « | grets and five of the large } egrets to my delight, | found breeding and Sv were in sight at one time. sailing trees At this and the around in the air over the time no young were visible, nests examined contained acts of egies varying from three to five in number The warden whom I employed to guard th place has since reported that the number ol p> nbills if rca cd to the neigh te r he