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FORTHE  PEOPLE 

FOR  EDVCATION 

FOR  SCIENCE 

LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  AMERICAN  MUSEUM 

OF 

NATURAL  HISTORY 

;,  ,..  y. 


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


EDITED    BY 

FRANK    M.    CHAPMAN 

CONTRIBUTING     EDITOR 

MABEL    OSGOOD    WRIGHT 


<BfUmi  <i^rgan  of  t\)t  ;9lubutJon  ^otittit^ 

Audubon  Department  Edited  By 

ALICE    HALL    WALTER 

AND 

T.    GILBERT    PEARSON 


VOLUME  XVI— 1974 


D.  APPLETON  &  COMPANY 

HARRISBURG,     PA.,    AND    NEW    YORK    CITY 


Copyright,  1914 
By  frank    M.   chapman 


INDEX    TO    ARTICLES    IN    VOLUME    XVI 
BY   AUTHORS 


Abbott,  Clinton  G.,  City  Nighthawks,  lo. 

Abel,  Angle,  The  Bluebird,  212. 

Allen,  Arthur  A.,  At  Home  with  a  Hell- 
Diver,  243;  Photographs  by,  264,  364,  420, 
450;  On  the  Trail  of  the  Evening  Gros- 
beak, 429. 

Allen,  Mary  Pierson,  Christmas  Census,  36. 

Anderson,  Hartley  K.,  see  Burleigh,  Thos.  D. 

Anderson,  S.  D.,  Christmas  Census,  44. 

Anthony,  H.  E.,  An  Unsuspicious  Family  of 
Great  Horned  Owls,  115. 

Arnold,  Clarence  M.,  Christmas  Census,  30. 

Austin,  Margaret,  see  Tramis,  Sarah. 

Bailey,  Guy  A.,  The  Electric  Current  in 
Bird  Photography,  85;  Photographs  by, 
104,  137,  269. 

Baker,  Myles  P.,  and  Henry  M.  Spelman, 
Jr.,  Christmas  Census,  28. 

Barker,  Lulu,  A  Colony  of  Baltimore  Orioles, 
66. 

Barns,  Burton,  see  Butler,  Mrs.  Jefferson. 

Barry,  Anna  Kingman,  Lidian  E.  Bridge  and 
Ruth  D.  Cole,  Christmas  Census,  28. 

Baxter,  Miss,  see  Coffin,  P.  B. 

Baynard,  O.  E.,  Photograph  by,  77;  Photo- 
graphing Birds'  Nests,  471. 

Beall,  Laura  F.,  Poem  by,  loi. 

Bean,  Prof.  A.  M.,  and  O.  J.  Murie,  Christ- 
mas Census,  49. 

Beck,  Herbert  H.,  and  Elmer  E.  Kautz, 
Christmas  Census,  37. 

Beckwith,  Constance,  see  Tramis,  Sarah. 

Beckwith,  Mabel,  see  Tramis,  Sarah. 

Beebe,  Ralph,  Evening  Grosbeaks  in  Michi- 
gan, SI. 

Bell,  W.  B.,  President,  Report  of,  527. 

Bennett,  F.  M.,  Christmas  Census,  50. 

Bennett,  Walter  W.,   Christmas  Census,  47. 

Bergtold,  W.  H.,  Christmas  Census,  48. 

Berlin,  Mrs.  C.  D.,  A  Bird-Study  Class  in 
North  Dakota,  135. 

Betts,  Norman  de  W.,  Christmas  Census,  46; 
A  Rat  in  a  Swallow's  Nest,  283. 

Bewley,  Anna,  Christmas  Census,  37. 

Blanchard,  George  G.,  Christmas  Census,  28. 

Bodmer,  Helen,  The  Value  of  Birds,  378. 

Bogardus,  Charlotte,  Christmas  Census,  32. 

Bourne,  Thomas  L.,  and  Heath  Van  Duzee, 
Christmas  Census,  32. 

Bowdish,  B.  S.,  Photographs  by,  53,  69,  70; 
Secretary's  Report,  525. 

Bowen,  Joseph  B.,  A  Study  of  a  Whip-poor- 
will  Family,  296. 

Boyle,  Howarth  S.,  Christmas  Census,  33. 

Bradford,  Mrs.  William  H.,  see  Ross,  Dr. 
and  Mrs.  Lucretius  H. 

Brainerd,  Barron,  Christmas  Census,  29. 

Brewster,  William,  The  Voice  of  the  Tina- 
mou,  119. 

Bridge,  Lidian  E.,  see  Barry,  Anna  King- 
man; see  Cobb,  Annie  W.,  Christmas 
Census,  30. 

Bridge,  Lidian  E.,  and  Edmund,  Christmas 
Census,  29. 

Brooks,  Allan,  colored  plates  by,  facing  380, 
facing  466. 

Brown,  Donald  E.,  see  Walker,  Alex. 

Brown,  Roy  M.,  Christmas  Census,  40. 


Bruen,  Frank,  see  Ford,  Royal. 

Burdsall,  E.  Morris,  see  Burdsall,  Richard  L. 

Burdsall,   Richard  L.,  see  Maples,  James  C. 

Burdsall,  Richard  L.,  Samuel  N.  Comly, 
James  C.  Maples,  Paul  Cecil  Spofford, 
Bolton  Cook  and  E.  Morris  Burdsall, 
Christmas  Census,  34. 

Burleigh,  Thomas  D.,  and  Hartley  K.  Ander- 
son, Christmas  Census,  38. 

Bushee,    Bertha,    Secretary,    Report  of,   511. 

Butler,  Mrs.  Jefferson,  Burton  Barns  and  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  F.  W.  Robinson,  Christmas 
Census,  46. 

Caduc,  Eugene  E.,  and  Horace  W.  Wright, 
Christmas  Census,  28. 

Calvert,  J.  F.,  see  Watson,  C.  G. 

Calvert,  S.  W.,  Christmas  Census,  48. 

Cameron,  J.  A.,  see  Watson,  C.  G. 

Carlson,  Arthur,  see  Ekblau,  George  E. 

Carroll,  John,  The  Bobolink,  212. 

Carson,  Charles  E.,  Christmas  Census,  45; 
A  Turkey  Buzzard's  Nest,  66. 

Carter,  John  D.,  Arthur  S.  Maris,  E.  Leslie 
Nicholson,  J.  Howard  Mickle,  Anna  A. 
Mickle,  William  B.  Evans,  and  George  H. 
Hallett,  Jr.,  Christmas  Census,  36. 

Case,  Clifford  M.,  Christmas  Census,  31. 

Case,  Winthrop,  Some  Wrens'  Nests,  189. 

Caskey,  R.  C,  Christmas  Census,  36. 

Chambers,  W.  M.  and  Stella,  Christmas 
Census,  42. 

Chapman,  Frank  M.,  Notes  on  the  Plumage 
of  North  American  Sparrows,  24,  107,  178, 
268,  352,  442.  Bird-Lore's  Fourteenth 
Christmas  Census,  26;  Notes  on  Winter 
Birds,  51.  Reviews  by,  54,  55,  56,  198, 
199,  284,  28s,  287,  36s,  366,  451.  Edi- 
torials by  58,  124,  201,  288,  368,  454;  A 
Cooperative  Study  of  Bird  Migration, 
123;  The  Roseate  Spoonbill,  214. 

Childs,  Helen  P.,  Secretary,  Report  of,  512. 

Christie,  Edward  H.,  Christmas  Census,  41. 

Clarke,  Belle,  Christmas  Census,  46. 

Cleaves,  Howard  H.,  see  Tucker,  C.  R.; 
Christmas  Census,  34. 

Coates,  Anna,  Christmas  Census,  37. 

Cobb,  Annie  W.,  Alice  O.  Jump  and  Lidian 
E.  Bridge,  Christmas  Census,  29. 

Coffin,  P.  B.  and  Mrs.,  Dr.  Garro  and  Miss 
Baxter,  Christmas  Census,  42. 

Cole,   Ruth  D.,   see  Barry,  Anna  Kingman. 

Colman,  B.  H.,  A  Syracuse  Feeding  Station, 
356. 

Comly,  Samuel  N.,  see  Burdsall,  Richard  L.; 
see  Maples,  James  C. 

Cook,  Bolton,  see  Burdsall,  Richard  L.;  see 
Maples,  James  C. 

Cook,  F.  W.,  Christmas  Census,  49. 

Cooke,  W.  W.,  The  Migration  of  North 
American  Sparrows,  19,  105,  176,  267,  351, 
438. 

Cottrell,  Herbert,  Christmas  Census,  36. 

Cottrell,  H.  George,  Observing  Birds  in 
Winter,  464. 

Cressy,  Antoinette  S.,  Christmas  Census,  31. 

Crosby,  Maunsell  S.,  see  Goodell,  Dr.  and 
Mrs.  J.  F.;  Occurrence  of  the  Acadian 
Chickadee  in  the  Hudson  Valley,  448. 


(iii) 


Index 


Culver,    Del 

Birds     aiK 

Julian  K. 
Custer,  C.  C,  A  Nature-Study  Class,  133 


K..    Christmas    Census,    37; 
Windows,     275;     sec     Potter, 


Dale,  M.,  see  Watson,  C.  G. 

Daniels,  Josephus,  Letter  from,  157. 

Davis,    Edwin    Russell,    Christmas    Census, 

2g. 
Dawson,  William  Leon  and  William  Oberlin, 

Christmas  Census,  49. 
Debes,  Paul  K.  and  V.  A.,  Christmas  Census, 

44. 
Desvernine,     Edwin,    and     George    E.     Hix, 

Christmas  Census,  ss- 
Dill,    Victoria   M.,   The   Chat   in    Minnesota, 

359- 
Dix,  W.  L.,  Christmas  Census,  37. 
I)il)lock,  Cecil,  Starlings  and  Cows,  187. 
Dodge,  Victor  K.,  Secretary,  Report  of,  518. 
Doolittle,     E.    A.,     Notes    from    Ohio,     112; 

European  Widgeon. 
Downhour,   Elizabeth,  Secretary,   Report  of, 

516;  in  Ohio,  197. 
Dunbar,  Lulu,  see  Tramis,  Sarah. 
Dwight,  Jonathan,  Jr.,  Reviews  by,  122,  igg, 

452. 

Edson,    Wm.   L.    G.,   Christmas  Census,   35; 

Notes  from  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  444. 
Edson,    Wm.    L.    G.,    Richard    E.    Horsey, 
Brewster's  Warbler  Seen  at  Highland  Park, 

Rochester,  N.  Y.,  283. 
Ehinger,  C.  E.,  Christmas  Census,  38- 
Ekblau,     George    E.,    Harris's    Sparrow    at 

Rantoul,  Illinois,  446. 
Ekblau,  George  E.  and  Eddie  L.,  and  Arthur 

Carlson,  Christmas  Census,  45. 
Ellis,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  V.,  Jr.,  Christmas 

Census,  48. 
Ells,  George  P.,  see  Smith,  Wilbur  F. 
Emmich,  Maurice  B.,  Notes  from  the  South, 

301. 
Erichsen,  W.  J.,  Christmas  Census,  41. 
Esterly,   Florence  L.  and  Ethell  A.,   Christ- 
mas Census,  47. 
Evans,  William  B.,  see  Carter,  John  D. 

Fair,  Wm.  W.,  Christmas  Census,  36. 
Ferguson,     Gertrude     B.,     Tlie     Starling     at 

Glens  Falls,  N.  Y.,  187. 
Ferneyhough,  J.  Bowie,    Summer    Residents 

Identified  near  the  University  of  Virginia, 

291. 
Finley,     William    L.,    Field    Agent,    Annual 

Report  of,  502. 
Fisher,  Elizabeth  Wilson,  Secretary,  Report 

of,  S30. 
Fisher,    G.   Clyde,   A  Course  in  Bird-Study, 

196. 
Fisher,   Mr.  and   Mrs.   G.   Clyde,  see  Wiley 

J.  C. 
Fitzwater,  Clarence,  Home  Bird-Study,  379. 
Fleischer,  Edward,  Prospect  Park  Notes,  276. 
Floyd,  Charles  B.,  Brookline  Bird  Club,  353. 
Flynn,  Thomas,  A  Walk  in  the  Woods,  136. 
Forbush,  Edward  Howe,  The  Sora  Rail,  303; 

Photographs  by,  386,  387,  388,  389,  390, 

391. 
Ford,   Royal   W.,  and   Frank   Bruen,   Christ- 
mas Census,  30 
Fordyce,    George   L.,   Volney    Rogers,    Willis 

H.  Warner,  Mrs.  Warner  and  C.  A.  Leedy, 

Christmas  Census,  44. 


Frazen,  J.  W.,  Secretary,  Report  of,  523. 

Freer,  Ruskin  S.  and  C.  A.,  Christmas  Cen- 
sus, 43. 

Freye,  Rev.  B.  H.,  and  Henry  P.  Severson, 
Christmas  Census, 47. 

Fuertes,  Louis  Agassiz,  Impressions  of  the 
Voices  of  Tropical  Birds,  i,  96,  161,  342, 
421.  Colored  plates  by,  facing  i,  facing 
68,  facing  85,  facing  138,  facing  i6i,  facing 
243,  facing  329,  facing  409. 

Fuller,  Wm.,  The  Starling  in  Maine,  446. 

Garro,  Dr.,  see  Coffin,  P.  B. 

Gee,  Gertrude,  see  Perry,  Edna  M. 

Gibson,      Hamilton,      Winter     Notes     from 

Massachusetts,  118. 
Gibson,     Hamilton,     Paul    Van     Dyke    and 

Tertius  van  Dyke,  Christmas  Census,  30. 
Gideon,  Ross  E.,  A  Story  About  a  Bluebird, 

67. 
Gingrich,  Wm.  F.,  Young  Turkey  Vultures, 

280. 
Goodell,   Dr.  and  Mrs.  J.  F.,  and   Maunsell 

S.  Crosby,  Christmas  Census,  34. 
Gormley,  Liguori,  and   Charles  Macnamara, 

Christmas  Census,  27. 
Gowanlock,   J.   Nelson.     The    Grackle   as  a 

Nest-robber,  187. 
Graves,   Frances  M.,   Christmas  Census,  31. 
Griscom,  Ludlow,  see  Lenssen,  Nicholas  F.; 

see  Hubbell,   George  W.,  Jr.;  see  Nichols, 

John  Treadwell. 
Griswold,    Geo.   T.,    Evening    Grosbeak   and 

Acadian    Chickadee    at    Hartford,    Conn., 

52;  Evening  Grosbeaks  and  Other  Winter 

Birds    at     Hartford,     Conn.,     113;     Notes 

from  Hartford,  Conn.,  449. 
Gross,    Dr.   and    Mrs.   Alfred   O.,    Christmas 

Census,  38. 
Guggenheimer,    Mrs.    J.    C,    Miss    Guggen- 

heimer,  and  Joseph  N.  Ulman,  Christmas 

Census,  39. 

Hagerty,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  T.  P.,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 

J.   H.   Sprague,   and   Dr.   and   Mrs.   G.  H. 

Luedtke,  Red  Bird  Days,  no. 
Hagerty,  Mrs.  Mary,  Christmas  Census,  47. 
Hallett,   George  H.,  Jr.,  see  Carter,  John  D. 
Hall,  James  F.,  see  Smith,  Wilbur  F. 
Hall,   Lewis  F.,  The  Nighthawk  in  Connec- 

cut,  173.^ 
Handley,  Charles  O.,  Christmas  Census,  40. 
Haney,  Gladys,  see  Turner,  Violet. 
Harper,    Francis,    An    Island    Home    of    the 

American  Merganser,  338;  Photograph  by, 

349- 
Hathaway,  Harry  S.,  Christmas  Census,  30. 
Haulenbeck,    R.    F.,    Instincts   of   a    Parrot, 

446;  Little  Blue  Heron  in  New  Jersey,  446. 
Heaney,  Anna  M.,  Letter  from,  159. 
Heath,  Harold,  Photographs  by,  74,  75. 
Hersey,    F.   Seymour,   and   Charles   L.   Phil- 
lips, Christmas  Census,  29. 
Hewlett,   Charles  A.,   Christmas  Census,  35. 
Hill,    F.    Blanche,    Sussex    County,    N.    J., 

Notes,  277. 
Hill,  J.  Irving,  Christmas  Census,  30. 
Hinds,  Mary  Gibbs,  Food  for  the  Birds,  355. 
Hitchcock,  Charles,  see  Ross,  Dr.  and  Mrs. 

Lucretius  H. 
Hitchcock,  Harry  D.,  Christmas  Census,  31. 
Hitchcock,  Margaret  S.,  A  Winter  Pensioner, 

358. 
Hix,  George  E.,  see  Desvernine,  Edwin. 


Index 


Honywill,  Albert  W.,  Jr.,  Christmas  Census, 

38. 
Horsey,   Richard  E.,   Christmas  Census,  35; 

see  Edson,   Wm.  L.   G.;   Photographs  by, 

444,  445- 
Horsfall,    Bruce,    Colored    plates   by,    facing 

138;  facing  214,  facing  303. 
Howe,  Freeland,  Jr.,   Christmas  Census,  27. 
Hubbell,     George     W.,     Jr.,     see     Lenssen, 

Nicholas  F. 
Hubbell,   George  W.,  Jr.,  and  Ludlow  Gris- 

com,  Christmas  Census,  33. 
Hughes,  H.  Y.,  Christmas  Census,  42. 
Hulsberg,  Edmund,  Christmas  Census,  45. 

Jackson,  Ralph  W.,  Christmas  Census,  39. 
Jackson,  Thomas  H.,  Christmas  Census,  38. 
Job,  Herbert  K.,  Photographs  by,  315;  The 

Pintail,  380. 
Jones,  Joseph  C,  Christmas  Census,  40. 
Jump,  Alice  O.,  see  Cobb,  Annie  W. 

Kautz,  Elmer  E.,  see  Beck,  Herbert  H. 
Keitly,   Edward   D.,    Christmas   Census,   30. 
Kenesson,   Fred  W.,   The  Hummer  and  His 

Shower-bath,  186. 
Kent,   Edward   G.,   Pileated   Woodpecker  in 

Northern  New  Jersey,  116. 
Kimes,  Edward  D.,  Christmas  Census,  43. 
Kimsey,  Rolla   Warren,  Why  the  Birds  Are 

Decreasing,  265. 
Kittredge,  Joseph,  Jr.,  Christmas  Census,  48. 
Kohler,  Louis  S.,  Christmas  Census,  35. 
Konwenhoven,  Mary,  Barn  Swallows,  463. 
Kuser,  John  Dryden,  Christmas  Census,  33. 
Kutchin,  Victor,  Secretary,  Report  of,  537. 
Kyle,    Marion    and   John,    Bird-Houses    and 

Lunch-Boxes,  ig2. 

La  Dow,  S.  v.,  see  Nichols,  John  Treadwell. 

LaDue,  H.  J.  and  L.  L.,  Christmas  Census, 
47- 

Lane,  James  W.,  Jr.,  Christmas  Census,  35. 

Larson,  Clara,  see  Turner,  Violet. 

Latham,  Roy,  Notes  on  the  Black-crowned 
Night  Heron  and  Other  Birds  at  Orient, 
L.  I.,  112;  Loss  of  the  Vesper  Sparrow  at 
Orient,  L.  I.,  449. 

Latham,  Roy  and  Frank  G.,  Christmas  Cen- 
sus, 34. 

Lawless,  Howard,  Christmas  Census,  43. 

Lear,  George,  Christmas  Census,  38. 

Leedy,  C.  A.,  see  Fordyce,  George  L. 

Lenssen,  Nicholas  F.,  George  W.  Hubbell,  Jr., 
and  Ludlow  Griscom,  Christmas  Census,  32. 

Levey,  Mrs.  William  M.  and  W.  Charles- 
worth,  Christmas  Census,  40. 

Lewis,  Harrison  F.,  Christmas  Census,  27; 
A  Problem  in  Food-Supply  and  Distribu- 
tion, 113. 

Lewis,  Merriam  G.,  Christmas  Census,  40. 

Lincoln,  T.,  An  EfiFort  to  Illustrate  the 
Advantages  and  Possibilities  of  Inducing 
Desirable  Birds  to  Remain  within  the 
Boundaries  of  the  State  During  the  Winter 
Months,  292. 

Link,  Henry  A.,   Christmas  Census,  42. 

Lippincott,  Joseph  W.,  Photograph  by,  175; 
An  Owl  Refugee  on  a  Battleship,  186; 
The  Early  Woodcock,  186. 

Lloyd,  J.  William,  The  Whisper  Song  of  the 
Catbird,  446. 

Logue,  Mrs.  I.  L.,  Christmas  Census,  48. 

Longstreet.  Rubert  J.,  Christmas  Census,  41. 


Lovell,  Laura  E.,  Christmas  Census,  43. 
Luedtke,    Dr.    and    Mrs.,    see   Hagerty,    Dr. 

and  Mrs. 
Lundwall,   Nelson,   Christmas  Census,  48. 
Lyon,  Wilfred,  see  Mackenzie,  Locke. 

Mackenzie,  Locke  L.,  and  Wilfred  Lyon, 
Christmas  Census,  44;  Evening  Grosbeak 
in  Chicago,  51. 

Macnamara,   Charles,  see  Gormley,  Liguori. 

Madison,   H.  L.,   Secretary,   Report  of,   532. 

Mallory,  William  B.,  Christmas  Census,  48. 

Manny,  Kathrine,  M.,  Notes  from  Seattle, 
Washington,   361. 

Maples,  James  C,  see  Burdsall,  Richard  L. 

Maples,  James  C,  Samuel  N.  Comley,  W. 
Bolton  Cook,  Richard  L.  Burdsall,  Paul 
C.  Spofiford,  Evening  Grosbeaks  Near 
Port  Chester,  N.  Y.,  188. 

Marble,  Richard  M.,  see  Wright,  Horace  W. 

Marckres,  Geo.  M.,  Pine  Grosbeak  at 
Sharon,  Conn.,  53. 

Maris,  Arthur  S.,  see  Carter,  John  D. 

Marrs,  Mrs.  Kingsmill,  Chairman  Execu- 
tive Committee,  Report  of,  512. 

Marshall,  Pendleton,  A  Chipping  Sparrow, 
302. 

Marsh,  Clara  E.,  Secretary,  Report  of,  537. 

Martin,  Helen,  see  Tramis,  Sarah. 

Mason,  M.  E.,  Christmas  Census,  37. 

May,  George  C,  Letter  from,  157. 

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

McCaffery,  Edward,  A  Walk  in  the  Woods, 
136. 

McConnell,  Harry  B.,  and  John  Worley, 
Christmas  Census,  43. 

iNIcConnell,  Thomas  L.,  Notes  on  How  to 
Start  a  Colony  of  Purple  Martins,  5; 
Christmas  Census,  37;  The  Diary  of  a 
New  Purple  Martin  Colony  for  the  Sea- 
son of  1913,  116. 

McCreary,  Otto,  Christmas  Census,  32. 

McKay,  Miss,  see  Roziskey,  Miss. 

McNeil,  Chas.  A.,  Bird-Notes  from  Sedalia, 
Mo.,  277. 

Meech,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  P.,  Christmas 
Census,  31. 

Mellott,  Samuel  W.,  see  Piatt,  Hon.  Ed- 
mund; The  Chickadee  of  Chevy  Chase, 
117;  Redpoll  in  the  District  of  Columbia, 
188. 

Mengel,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  Henry,  Christmas 
Census,  38. 

Metcalf,  E.  I.,  A  Nest  Census,  194. 

Mickle,  Anna  A.,  see  Carter,  John  D. 

Mickle,  J.  Howard,  see  Carter,  John  D. 

Miller,  Ansel  B.,  Christmas  Census,  38. 

Miller,  Eliza  F.,  Christmas  Census,  28;  The 
Song  of  the  Philadelphia  Vireo,  93;  A 
Robin  Accident,  361. 

Miller,  Leo.  E.,  Destruction  of  the  Rhea, 
Black-necked  Swan,  Herons,  and  Other 
Wild  Life  in  South  America,  259. 

Miller,  Milo  H.,  Wild  Fowl  at  Sandusky  Bay 
in  1756,  114. 

Miller,  W.  DeW.,  see  Wiegmann,  W.  H.; 
Christmas  Census,  36;  Reviews  by,  120, 
121,  122. 

Mills,  Herbert  R.,  Terns  Killed  by  Dogs  and 
Cannon,  316. 

Miner,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Leo  D.,  and  Raymond 
W.  Moore,  Christmas  Census,  39. 

Mitchell,  I.  N.,  The  Flocking  of  Purple 
Martins,  282. 


VI 


Index 


Moore,   Margaret,  The  Robin's  Nest,  301. 
Moore,    Raymond   W.,   see   Miner,    Mr.   and 

Mrs.  Leo  I). 
Morenz,  Herbert,  A  Walk  in  the  Woods,  136. 
Morgan,  Paul  M.,  Christmas  Census,  45. 
Morse,   H.   G.,   Christmas  Census,  43. 
MiinsterberR,  Hugo,  Letter  from,  263. 
Munger,  Edwin  H.,  Myron  T.  and  Paul  H., 

Christmas  Census,  31. 
Munro,  J.  A.,  and  Allan  Brooks,  Christmas 

Census,  48. 
Murie,  O.  J.,  see  Bean,  Prof.  A.  M. 
Murphy,    Robert    Cushman,    Notes    on    the 

Autumn  Migration  of  the  Parasitic  Jaeger, 

278. 
Myers,  Harriet  Williams,  Secretary,  Report 

of,  510. 

Newcomb,  Clara  B.,  see  Perkins,  Anne  E. 

Newkirk,  Garrett,  Poems  by  67,  213,  300, 
37S;  The  Morning  Bird  Chorus  in  Pasa- 
dena, 254. 

Nice,  L.  B.,  A  City  Kept  Awake  by  the 
Honking  of  Migrating  Geese,  iig. 

Nichols,  J.  T.,  see  Wiegmann,  W'.  H. 

Nichols,  John  Treadwell,  S.  V.  LaDow  and 
Ludlow  Griscom,  Christmas  Census,  35. 

Nicholson,  E.  Leslie,  see  Carter,  John  D. 

Norton,  Arthur  H.,  Field  Agent,  Annual 
Report  of,  48g;  Secretary's  Report,  518. 

Oldys,  Henry,  Lake  Mohonk  to  be  a  Bird 
Preserve,  362. 

O'Neal,  R.  F.,  Wasps  in  Bird-Boxes,  445. 

Ottemiller,  Free,  Christmas  Census,  39. 

Overton,  Frank,  Letter  from,  157;  Photo- 
graph of  a  Hummingbird  on  the  Wing,  360. 

Pacetti,  B.  J.,  Letter  from,  158. 

Packard,  Winthrop,  The  Annual  Bird-List 
of  the  Massachusetts  Audubon  Society, 
275;  Annual  Reports  of,  493,  520. 

Packard,  W.  H.,  and  James  H.  Sedgwick, 
Christmas  Census,  45. 

Palmer,  T.  S.,  Reviews  by,  122,  285,  366, 
453- 

Palmer,  William  M.,  Christmas  Census,  36. 

Palmer,  Winifred  Holway,  Our  Neighbor,  the 
Bald  Eagle,  281. 

Pangburn,  Clifford  H.  and  Dwight  B., 
Christmas  Census,  31. 

Parmele,  Mrs.  J.  O.,  A  Bird  Sanctuary  for 
The  Sign  of  the  Wren's  Nest,  170. 

Parrott,  Jane,  Secretary,  Report  of,  517. 

Pattee,  Bertha  Traer,  Secretary,  Report  of, 
515- 

Pearson,  T.  Gilbert,  The  Wood  Thrush,  68 
Editorials  by,  72,  142,  148,  218,  307,  384 
The  Whip-poor-will,  138;  Albert  Willcox 
Benefactor,  146.  The  Cruise  of  the  Avocet 
385;   The  Crow,  466;  Annual  Report,  481 

Pennington,  F.  A.,  Christmas  Census,  46. 

Pepper,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Wm.,  Christmas  Cen- 
sus, 37. 

Perkins,  Anne  E.,  and  Clara  B.  Newcomb, 
Christmas  Census,  32. 

Perkins,  Ernest  R.,  see  Plimpton,  George  L. 

Perkins,  E.  H.,  Some  Results  of  Bird-Lore's 
Christmas  Bird  Census,  13;  Christmas 
Census,  28. 

Perry,  Edna  M.,  and  Gertrude  Gee,  Christ- 
mas Census,  48. 

Phillips,  Charles,  Christmas  Census,  47. 

Phillips,  Charles  L.,  see  Hersey,  F.  Seymour. 


Pierce,   Nettie  Bellinger,    Christmas   Census, 

35- 
Pifer,     Harry     C,     Red-breasted     Grosbeak 

Singing  on  the  Nest,  281. 
Piper,  S.  E.,  see  Preble,  E.  A. 
Piatt,   Hon.   Edmund,   and   Samuel   W.   Mil- 

lott,  M.D.,  Christmas  Census,  39. 
Plimpton,  George  L.,  Ernest  R.  Perkins  and 

Edward  H.  Perkins,  Christmas  Census,  28. 
Popham,  Desmond,  Christmas  Census,  42. 
Potter,    Julian    K.,    and    Culver,    Delos    E., 

Christmas    Census,    35.      Snowy  Owl    at 

Chillicothe,  Missouri,  119. 
Potter,  L.  Henry,  Christmas  Census,  28. 
Powers,  Arthur  G.,  Christmas  Census,  30. 
Pratt,    Lester    E.,     Christmas    Census,     29; 

Acadian  Chickadee  at  Hartford,  Conn.,  52. 
Preble,  E.  A.,  S.  E.  Piper,  and  W.  L.  McAtee, 

Christmas  Census,  39. 
Preston,  Arthur  W.,   Christmas  Census,   27. 
Prudden,  Charley  B.,  The  Killdeer,  300. 
Prudden,   David,   What   Good  Winter  Birds 

Are,  65;  How  to  Study  Birds,  213. 
Purple,  Carl  E.,  Photograph  by,  323. 

Rattermann,  Katherine,  Secretary,  Report 
of,  527- 

Read,  A.  C,  Christmas  Census,  50. 

Reading,  Gertrude,  Secretary-Treasurer, 
Report  of,  521. 

Ridgway,  Robert,  Bird  Life  in  Southern 
Illinois,  I.  Bird  Haven,  409. 

Ringwalt,   A.  A.,  see  Stockbridge,   Chas.  A. 

Ripley,  L.  W.,  see  Sugden,  A.  W.;  A  Success- 
ful Campaign  Against  Crackles  and  Star- 
lings in  Hartford,  Connecticut,  362. 

Robinson,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  W.,  see  Butler, 
Mrs.  Jefferson. 

Robinson,  Mrs.  F.  W.,  Christmas  Census,  46. 

Robinson,  R.  T.,  A  Drinking-Place  for  the 
Birds,  193. 

Robinson,  William  L.,  Christmas  Census,  44. 

Robry,  Isabelle  i\lexander,  Prothonotary 
Warbler  in  Massachusetts,  447. 

Rogers,  C.  H.,  Bird-Lore's  Fourteenth  Christ- 
mas Census,  26;  Christmas  Census,  ss', 
see  Wiegmann,  W.  H.;  A  Cooperative 
Study  of  Bird  Migration,  180,  270, 
Review  by,  365. 

Rogers,  Volney,  see  Fordyce,  George  L.; 
Nesting-habits  of  the  Pied-billed  Grebe, 
357- 

Ross,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Lucretius  H.,  Charles 
Hitchcock  and  Mrs.  Wm.  H.  Bradford, 
Christmas  Census,  28. 

Rowe,  Howard  K.,  Christmas  Census,  30. 

Roziskey,  Misses,  Miss  McKay  and  W.  T. 
Shaw,  Christmas  Census,  49. 

Ryder,  R.,  The  Chickadee,  212. 

Sadler,  Nettie  M.,  see  Whitford,  Mary  E. 

Sanford,  James  M.,  Christmas  Census,  41. 

Saunders,  Aretas  A.,   Christmas  Census,  32. 

Sawyer,  E.  J.,  Poem  by,  257. 

Schafer,  J.  J.,  Christmas  Census,  45;  Harris's 
Sparrow  in  Northwestern  Illinois,  190; 
Additional  Observations  of  Harris's  Spar- 
row in  Illinois,  283. 

Schnaller,  Elizabeth,  A  Bird  Oasis,  158. 

Schreimann,  Dr.  Ferdinand,  Christmas  Cen- 
sus, 42. 

Sedgwick,  James  H.,  see  Packard,   W.  H. 

Severson,  Henry  P.,  see  Freye,  Rev.  B.  H.; 
A  Successful  Bird's  Bath,  igi. 


Index 


Shaw,  W.  T.,  see  Roziskey,  Miss. 
Sherwin,  H.  M.,  see  Turner,  Violet. 
Shove,  Ellen  M.,  Fall  River  Notes,  276. 
Simmons,    Finlay,    Christmas   Census,   41. 
Simonds,  Susie  L.,  Christmas  Census,  46. 
Simpson,    Mrs.    Mark   L.,    Harris's   Sparrow 

in  Wisconsin,  282. 
Skinner,  W.  L.,  Winter  Feeding,  g;  Birds  and 

Windows,  275. 
Sloan,    Mrs.    Emma    J.,    Christmas    Census, 

45- 
Smithey,   Mrs.  R.  B.,   Secretary,   Report  of, 

535. 

Smith,  E.  E.,  Christmas  Census,  43. 

Smith,  Evelyn,  Poem  by,  350. 

Smith,  Wilbur  F.,  Winter  Notes  from  Con- 
necticut, 118;  The  Nighthawk  in  Connec- 
ticut, 173;  Herring  Gulls  in  Connecticut, 
357- 

Smith,  Wilbur  F.,  James  F.  Hall  and  George 
P.  Ells,  Christmas  Census,  31. 

Spalding,  Katharine  Moody,  Secretary, 
Report  of,  511. 

Spelman,  Henry  M.,  Jr.,  see  Baker,  Myles  P. 

Sprague,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  H.,  see  Hagerty, 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  T.  P. 

Spofford,  Paul  Cecil,  see  Burdsall,  Richard 
L.;  see  Maples,  James  C. 

Spurrell,  John  A.,  Christmas  Census,  47. 

Stalker,  Alex.,  Christmas  Census,  47. 

Starr,   Minna  D.,  Secretary,  Report  of,  520 

Stevens,  T.  C,  Photograph  by,  279. 

Stockbridge,  Charles  A.,  and  A.  A.  Ringwalt, 
Christmas  Census,  42. 

Strode,  W.  S.,  Christmas  Census,  45. 

Stuart,  Katharine  H.,  Field  Agent,  Annual 
Report  of,  495. 

Sturgis,  S.  Warren,  Acadian  Chickadee  at 
Groton,    Mass.,   February,   1913,  448. 

Sugden,  A.  W.,  and  L.  W.  Ripley,  Christmas 
Census,  30. 

Swope,  Eugene,  Field  Agent,  Annual  Report 
of,  499. 

Thayer,  A.  H.,  Comparative  Abundance  of 
Birds,  (Letter,)  263. 

Thayer,  Mrs.  Stephen  E.,  Some  Ways  of  the 
Oregon  Towhee,  102. 

Thoma,  Hilda,  A  Nest  in  a  Nest,  211. 

Thomas,  C.  Aubrey,  Bird  Notes  from  Ken- 
nett  Square,  Pa.,  in. 

Thomson,  Harriet  W.,  The  Building  of  a 
Robin's  Nest,  360. 

Thurston,  Henry,  and  Fred  Zoeller,  Christ- 
mas Census,  32. 

Tooker,  John,   Gulls  Preparing  a  Meal,  357. 

Toussaint,  Mrs.  L.  H.,  The  Fare  of  a  Sand- 
hill Crane,  359. 

Towne,  Solon  R.,  Christmas  Census,  48; 
Trial  of  Von  Berlepsch  Nests,  194. 

Townsend,  Charles  H.,  Martins  and  Other 
Birds  at  Greens  Farms,  Connecticut,  355. 

Townsend,  Rev.  Manley  B.,  Turkey  Vul- 
tures in  Northwestern  Iowa,  279;  Coopera- 
tive Observations,  299;  Secretary's  Report, 
525- 

Tramis,  Sarah,  Mabel  Beckwith,  Constance 
Beckwith,  Lulu  Dunbar,  Helen  Martin 
and  Margaret  Austin,  Christmas  Census, 
46. 


Trotter,     William    Henry,     An    Abnormally 

Colored  Scarlet  Tanager,  359. 
Tucker,    C.    R.,    and    Howard    H.    Cleaves, 

Christmas  Census,  33. 
Tullsen,  H.,  Christmas  Census,  41. 
Turner,  Violet,  Clara  Larson,  Gladys  Haney 

and  H.  M.  Sherwin,  Christmas  Census,  46. 
Tyler,    Mr.    and    Mrs.    John    G.,    Christmas 

Census,  49. 

Ulman,  Joseph  N.,  see  Guggenheimer,  Mrs. 
J.  C;  Florida  Gallinule  at  Baltimore,  281. 

Van  Duzee,  Heath,  see  Bourne,  Thomas  L. 
van  Dyke,  Paul,  see  Gibson,  Hamilton, 
van  Dyke,  Tertius,  see  Gibson,  Hamilton. 
Vibert,  C.  W.,  Christmas  Census,  31. 
Victor,  K.  P.  and  E.  W.,  Christmas  Census, 

33;  Some  Prospect  Park  Notes,  194. 
Vinal,  William  Gould,  Suggestive  Lessons  in 

Bird-Study;  The  Woodpecker,  370. 
Visart,  E.  V.,  Letter  from,  158. 

Walker,  Alex.,  and  Donald  E.  Brown,  Christ- 
mas Census,  49. 

Walter,  Alice  Hall,  Editorials,  59,  62,  126, 
127,  202,  204,  289,  292,  293,  369,  375,  455, 

457- 
Warner,  Mrs.,  see  Fordyce,  George  L. 
Warner,  Willis  H.,  see  Fordyce,  George  L. 
Watson,  C.  G.,  J.  A.  Cameron,  M.  Dale,  and 

J.  F.  Calvert,  Christmas  Census,  27. 
Watson,  James  D.,  Christmas  Census,  44. 
Welty,  Emma  J.,  Secretary,  Report  of,  529. 
Wetmore,  Alex.,   Christmas  Census,  40. 
Wharples,  Nellie  J.,  Poem  by,  171. 
Wharton,  William  P.,  Some  Observations  on 

Bird  Protection  in  Germany,  329. 
Whitford,   Mary   E.,   and  Nettie   M.   Sadler, 

Christmas  Census,  35. 
Whitney,  J.  H.,   Mud  for  Nest-Builders,  447. 
Wiegmann,   W.  H.,   W.  DeW.   Miller,  J.  T. 

Nichols    and    C.    H.    Rogers,     Christmas 

Census,  34. 
Wiley,   J.   C,   and   Mr.   and   Mrs.    G.  Clyde 

Fisher,  Christmas  Census,  33. 
Wilson,  Burtis  H.,  Christmas  Census,  45. 
Wisman,  W.  H.,  Christmas  Census,  43. 
Witman,    Mabel  Foote,   A   Summer   V'isitor, 

188. 
Wolden,  B.  O.,  Christmas  Census,  47. 
Wood,    Clarence    B.,    Curious    Actions   of    a 

Robin,  igi. 
Wood,  Sheridan  F.  and  Kenneth  M.,  Chris- 
mas  Census,  44. 
Woodward,     Magnolia,     Christmas    Census, 

42;  Secretary's  Report,  532. 
Woolen,  William  Watson,  Florence  A.  Howe, 

An  Appreciation,  148. 
Worley,  John,  see  McConnell,  Harry  B. 
Wright,  Horace  W.,  and  Richard  M.  Marble, 

Christmas  Census,  28;  see  Caduc,  Eugene 

E. 

Young,  John  P.,  Fall  Migration  at  Cobourg, 

Ontario,  356. 
Young,  John  P.  and  Chas.  V.  P.,  Christmas 

Census,  38. 

Zoeller,  Fred,  see  Thurston,  Henry. 


Index 


INDEX   TO    CONTENTS 


Advisory  Council,  Bird-Lore's,  io8. 
Alabama,  41. 
Albino,  1 12. 

Allen's     'The     Red-winged     Blackbird,'     re- 
viewed, 284. 
American  Bird-House  Journal,  The,  noticed, 

57- 
American    Ornithologists'    Union,    The,    124, 

195- 
Andigena,  342;  figured,  34. 
Anhinga,  see  Turkey,  Water. 
Ani,  figured,  345. 
Ant-Shrikes,  166. 
Ant-Thrushes,  161. 

Applied  Ornithology,  Department  of,  486. 
Army-Worm,  400;  figured,  401. 
Audubon  Calendar,  The,  noticed,  57. 
Auk,  The,  reviewed,  122,  igg,  452. 
Aulacorhamphus,  342;  figured,  343. 

Barbels,  346. 

Barnard,  Judge  Job,   Photograph  of,  509. 

Bath,  Birds',  see  Birds'  Bath. 

Batten,  George,  Photograph  of,  522. 

Berlepsch,  Baron  Hans  von.  Bird  Protec- 
tion on  Estate  of,  329. 

Bighorn,  479;  figured,  478,  479,  480. 

Bird  Almanac,  noticed,  57. 

Bird  Census,  Bird-Lore's  Fourteenth,  26, 
Fifteenth.  437. 

Bird  Drinking  Place,  193. 

Bird  Enemies,  336,  414;  see  Cats. 

Bird  Houses,  5;  figured  6,  205,  206,  333,  394, 
410;  57,  192,  194,  395. 

Bird-Lists  of  Massachusetts  Audubon  So- 
ciety, 275. 

Bird  Lunch-boxes,  192,  444. 

Bird  Photography,  85. 

Bird  Protection  in  Germany,  329. 

Bird  Refuges,  329,  409. 

Bird-Study,  A  Course  in,  196. 

Bird's  Bath,  191. 

Birds,  Comparative  Abundance  of,  263,  265, 
288. 

Birds-of-paradise,  160. 

Bittern,  Least,  483. 

Blackbird,  Red-winged,  118,  183. 

Bluebird,  26,  67,  195,  213,  263,  277,  450. 

Bobolink,  figured,  91. 

Brachyspiza  capensis,  99. 

British  Columbia,  48. 

Brookline  Bird  Club,  353. 

Bryant's  'A  Determination  of  the  Economic 
Status  of  the  Western  Meadowlark 
(Slurnella  neglecta)  in  California,  reviewed, 
120. 

Bucco  ruficoUis,  figured,  346. 

Bunting,  Lark,  figured,  facing  243;  267,  269- 

Bunting,  Snow,  119. 

Buzzard,  Turkey,  see  Vulture,  Turkey. 

California,  49,  50,  254,  506. 

Calospiza,  100. 

Canvasback,  figured,  349. 

Capito  auratus,  346. 

Cardinal,  no,  275,  276,  327,  444;  Brazilian, 

194. 
Cassinia,  reviewed,  198. 
Catbird,  118,  400,  446. 
Catharus,  loi. 


Cats,  93,  160,  256,  265,  355,  391,  414. 

Chachalaca,  425. 

Chama;za  brevicauda,  164;  turdina,  figured, 
163,  164. 

Chat, Yellow-breasted,  359. 

Chickadee,  8;  figured,  9;  13,  88,  117,  212; 
figured,  450;  Acadian,  8,  26,  51,  52,  58, 
275,  444,  448;  figured,  448;  Carolina,  117. 

Chlorochrysa,  100. 

Chuck-will's-widow,  416. 

Colorado,  48,  507. 

Compra  pan,  162. 

Condor,    The,    reviewed,    56,    122,    285,    366, 

453- 

Connecticut  30,  31,  52,  53,  113,  118,  173,  211, 
355,  357.  362,  405,  449,  507. 

Cooke's  'Distribution  and  Migration  of 
North  American  Herons  and  Their  Allies,' 
reviewed,  198;  'Distribution  and  Migra- 
tion of  North  American  Rails  and  Their 
Allies,'  reviewed,  451. 

Cormorant,  figured,  505. 

Cotingas,  Voices  of,  100. 

Council,   Advisory,  see  Advisory  Council. 

Cowbird,  88,  118;  young  figured,  364. 

Crane,  Sandhill,  359. 

Creeper,  Brown,  13,  88,  276. 

Crossbill,  Red,  13,  26,  113,  377;  White- 
winged,  13. 

Crow,  American,  90;  figured,  92;  118,  466, 
468. 

Cuba,  50. 

Cuckoos,  Tropical  American,  345. 

Cuming's  'The  Bodley  Head  Natural  His- 
tory. Vol.  II,  British  Birds.  Passeres,' 
reviewed,  121. 

Cummins,  J.  P.,  Photograph  of,  524. 

Curassow,  424;  Crested,  figured,  427. 

Delamare's  'The  Reformation  of  Jimmy  and 
Some  Others,'  reviewed,  451. 

Diplopterus,  345. 

District  of  Columbia,  39,  188,  508. 

Dives  dives,  98. 

Dodge,  Victor  K.,  Photograph  of,  515. 

Dove,  Bourcier's  Forest,  figured,  424;  Ground, 
423;  Mourning,  figured,  262;  White- 
winged,  424. 

Drinking  Place  for  Birds,  see  Birds'  Drinking 
Place. 

Duck,  Black,  194;  Florida  Dusky,  483;  Mal- 
lard, 194;  Scaup,  figured,  143,  156,  157; 
Wood,  194,  483. 

Eagle,  Bald,  281. 

Eaton's  'Birds  of  New  York,'  reviewed,  365. 

Egret,  261. 

Eider,  American,  388,  482. 

Enemies  of  Birds,  see  Bird  Enemies. 

Eumomota,  349. 

Eupsychortyx,  4. 

Federal  Migratory-Bird  Law,   149,  322. 

Feeding  Birds,  355,  356. 

Finch,  California  Purple,  25;  105;  Cassia's 
Purple,  figured,  facing  85;  105,  107;  Guada- 
lupe House,  figured,  facing  85;  106;  House, 
figured,  facing  85;  106,  107,  256;  McGreg- 
or's House,  106;  Purple,  figured,  facing  i; 
8,  21,  24. 


Index 


IX 


Flicker,  go,  195,  277;  figured,  407;  Red- 
shafted,  256. 

Florida,  41,  359,  483,  501,  508. 

Flycatcher,  Derby,  figured,  98;  Vermilion, 
98. 

Formicarius  analis  connectus,  166;  rufi- 
pectus  carrikeri,  figured,  165;  166. 

Gain's    'The     Penguins,    of     the     Antarctic 

Regions.'  noticed,  57. 
Gallinule,  Florida,  281,  483. 
Georgia,  41,  170. 

Germany,  Bird  Protection  in,  329. 
Gnatcatcher,  Blue-gray,  275. 
Goldi's    "Die    Tier  welt    der  Schweiz  in  der 

Segenwart    und    in     der    Vergangenheit,' 

reviewed,  365. 
Goldfinch,  89. 
Goose,  Canada,  120;  nest  figured,  503;  Snow, 

188;  Wild,  115,  119. 
Crackle,  89,  90,  118,  362;  Bronzed,  187. 
Grallaria     hypoleuca,     163;     modesta,     162; 

ruficapilla,    161;   figured,    162;  rufula,    163. 
Grebe,     Holbcell's,     112;     Pied-billed,     243; 

figured  245,    246,    247,    248,  250,  251,    252, 

253;  nest  and  eggs  figured,  243,  244,  249; 

35  7;  Western,  503. 
Grinnell's  'An  Account  of  the  Mammals  and 

Birds     of     the     Lower     Colorado     River,' 

reviewed,  285. 
Grosbeak,     Black-headed,     255;    Blue,    418; 

Evening,  51,  52,    112,    113,    188,    276;   429; 

figured,     431,     432,     433,    434,    435,    436; 

Pine,   13,   26,  53,  114,  188,  119,  277;  Rose- 
breasted,  281. 
Ground-dove,  423. 
Ground-pigeons,  423;  figured,  424. 
Guan,  424. 

Guillemot,  Black,  388   482. 
Gull,     Great    Black-backed,     491;     Herring, 

figured  53;   357,  385;  young,  figured,  387; 

nest   and   eggs,    figured,  388;   figured,   389, 

391 ;  405,  4S6,  491.  Laughing,  401,  482,  491. 
Gulls,  Monument  to,  in  Salt  Lake  City,  148; 

figured,  150,  151. 
Gun,  Big,  figured,  145. 
Gurney's    'The     Gannet,     A    Bird     With    a 

History,'  reviewed,  55. 
Gymnostinops,  96. 

Hart,  M.  D.,  Photograph  of,  532. 
Hawthorn,  Berries  as  winter  food,  292. 
Heatherly's    'The    Peregrine    Falcon    at    the 

Eyrie,'  noticed,  57. 
Hell-Diver,  see  Grebe,  Pied-billed. 
Hen,  Heath,  401;  Prairie,  519. 
Henshaw's    'Report   of    Chief   of    Bureau   of 

Biological    Survey    for    the    Year    Ending 

June  30,  1913,'  reviewed,  54. 
Heron,  Black-crowned  Night,  112,  118,  355, 

390,  482,  483,  492;  Great  Blue,  figured,  390; 

Green,    112,    483;    Little    Blue,    446,    483; 

Louisiana,  482,  483;  Snowy,  483;  Ward's 

483;  Yellow-crowned  Night,  483. 
Howe,    Florence   A.,    An   Appreciation,    148. 
Hummingbird,    Ruby-throated,    186,    360. 

Ibis,   Glossy,  483;  figured,  484;  White,  483; 

Wood,  483. 
Icterus  mesomelas,  97. 
Idaho,  47,  48. 
Illinois,  44,  45,  51,   1S9,   190,   193,   280,   281, 

283,  446,  511. 
Indiana,  42,  300,  512. 


Ingersoll,  Ernest,  149. 
Iowa,  47,  279,  447,  513. 

Jacana,  figured,  425. 

Jaeger,  Parasitic,  278!  figured,  278. 

Junco,  Carolina,  443;  Montana,  416;  Ore- 
gon, 443;  Point  Pinos,  443;  Slate-colored, 
88;  figured,  facing  409 ;  438,  442 ;  Shufeldt's, 
443;  Thurber's,  443;  W^hite-winged,  fig- 
ured, facing  409;  438,  442. 

Kalmbach's,     'Birds     in     Relation     to     the 

Alfalfa  Weevil,'  reviewed,  451. 
Kentucky,  514. 
Killdeer,  134,  300. 
Kingbird,    300;    Gray,    472;    nest    and    eggs 

figured,  473. 
Kingfisher,  Belted,  figured,  420;  355. 
Kite,   Everglade,  nest  and  eggs  figured,  475; 

476;  Mississippi,  416;  Swallow-tailed,  nest 

and  egg  figured,  474;  475,  483. 

Leucolepis,  4. 

Limpkin,  4S3. 

Linnet,  see  Finch,  House. 

Lowe's  'Our  Common  Sea-Birds,'  noticed,  57. 

Macaws,  421;  figured,  422. 

Madison,   Harold  L.,   Photograph  of,   529. 

Maine,  27,  281,  385,  446,  489,  514. 

Manikins,  Voices  of,  100. 

Manitoba,  187. 

Martin,  Purple,  5,  57;  figured,  89;  116,  282, 

355-  447- 
Alaryland,  39,  117,  281,  516. 
Massachusetts,    28,    29,   30,    1 18,    191,    275, 

276,  353,  447,  448,  493,  5i6. 
McAtee's    'Bulletin    of    the    United    States 

Department  of  Agriculture  No.  58.    Five 

Important   Wild   Duck   Foods,'   reviewed, 

121. 
McLean,  George  Payne,  Photograph  of,  392. 
Meadowlark,  90;  figured,   104;   119;  figured, 

137;  266,  400;  Western,  120. 
Melanotis,  100. 

Merganser,  American,  338;  figured,  338,  339. 
Michigan,  45,  46,  51,  517. 
Migration,  A  Cooperative  Study  of,  180,  270. 
Mimocichla  bahamensis,  100;  plumbea,  loi. 
Minnesota,  47,  no,  194;  359,  519. 
Missouri,  42,  119,  265,  277,  445. 
Mocker,  Blue,  100. 
Mockingbird,  194,  255,  275,  278,  327. 
Mohonk,  Lake,  as  a  Bird  Preserve,  362. 
Monkey,   Howling,  427;  figured,  428. 
Montana,  48. 
Moth,    Brown-Tail,    Winter    nests,    figured, 

130. 
Motmot,  figured,  348;  349. 
Mullen's    'Life    of    Gilbert    White,'  noticed, 

57- 
Murre,  figured,  505,  506. 
Myadestes,  2. 

Nebraska,  48,  194. 

New  Hampshire,  28,  355,  521. 

New  Jersey,  35,  36,  37,   116,   187,  277,  358, 

446,  521. 
New  York,   10,  32,  33,  34,  35,  85,  112,   188, 

194,    243,    276,    283,    338,    356,    357,    360, 

362,  444,  448,  449. 
Nighthawk,  10;  figured,  10,  11,  12,  172;  173. 
Noddy,  200. 
North  Carolina,  40. 


Index 


North  Dakota,  135,  523. 

Norton,  Arthur  H.,  Photograph  of,  400. 

Nova  Scotia,  27,  113. 

Nuthatch,    8;    Red-breasted,    13,    113,    449; 

White-breasted,    13,   88,   89,    112;   figured, 

323. 

Odontophorus,  4. 

Ohio,  43,  44,  112,  133,  192,  197,  357,  499,  523. 

Oklahoma,  119. 

Ontario,  27,  356. 

Oregon,  49,  115,  360,  525. 

Oriole,  Arizona  Hooded,  255;  Baltimore,  66, 
171,  273;  Bullock's,  25s;  Hooded,  97; 
The,  reviewed,  366. 

Oropendola,  96;  figured,  97. 

Osprey,  112,  276,  482,  492. 

Ostinops,  96. 

Owl,  Barn,  112,  416;  Great  Horned,  115; 
figured  IIS,  116;  Long-eared,  416;  Saw- 
whet,   iii;  Short-eared,  119;  Snowy,   119. 

Packard,  Winthrop,  Photograph  of,  494. 

Parrakeets,  421;  figured,  422. 

Parrots,  421;  figured,  422;  446. 

Pelican,  Brown,  124;  White,  figured,  319,  504. 

Penguin,  259. 

Penguins    of    the    Antarctic    Regions,    The, 

noticed,  57. 
Pennsylvania,   5,  37,   38,   39,    m,    114,    xi6, 

186,  27s,  359,  526. 
Petrel,  Leach,  386;  figured,  390;  482,  491. 
Pewee,  Wood,  257;  figured,  269. 
Phainopepla,  figured,  398. 
Pharomacrus   antisianus,    figured,    347;   348. 
Pheasant,  119. 
Phoebe,  415,  184. 

Photography  of  birds,  see  Bird  photography. 
Piaya,  345. 

Picolaptes  lacrymiger,  figured,  168. 
Pigeon,  Passenger,  figured,  399. 
Pigeons,  423. 

Pintail,  380;  figured,  facing  380,  381. 
Planesticus    gigas,     100;    jamaicensis,     100; 

tristis,  100. 
Plover,    Black-bellied,    112;    Wilson's,    471; 

nest  figured,  471';  482. 
Pteroglossus,  342;  figured,  343. 
Puff-bird,  figured,  346. 
Puffin,  388,  482. 
Pyroderus,  100. 

Quail,  4;  Valley,  256. 
Querula,  100. 

Ramphastos,  342;  figured,  343. 

Rail,  Carolina,  see  Sora;  Clapper,  113;  King, 

483;  Wood,  426. 
Raven  390. 
Redpoll,  figured,  facing  i;  8,  13,  19,  24,  114, 

119,    188,    277;    Greater,    24;    Greenland, 

facing  i;  24;  Hoary,  21,  24;  Holboell's,  24. 
Redstart,  figured,  264. 
Refuges,  Bird,  see  Bird  Refuges. 
Reichenow's     'Die     Vogel     Handbuch     der 

Systematischen     Ornithologie,'     reviewed, 

121. 
Rhea,  259;  figured,  260;  368,  454. 
Rhode  Island,  30,  296,  528. 
Robin,  26,  89,    112,    182    191,    192,   292,   355, 

360,  361,  400,  401. 

Sage  and  Bishop's  'The  Birds  of  Connecti- 
cut,' reviewed,  55. 


Saltator,  99. 

Sandpiper,  Baird's,  112;  Pectoral,  261;  Soli- 
tary, 261. 

Saskatchewan,  48. 

Screamer,  Crested,  figured,  425. 

Seedeater,  Sharpe's,  figured,  facing  243; 
268. 

Selborne,  A  Guide  to,  noticed,  57. 

Shrike,  Northern,  26,  114,  118. 

Singing  of  birds,  293. 

Siskin,  Pine,  13,  26,  119. 

Skimmer,  Black,  figured,  315;  482. 

Snake,  Pilot  Black,  414. 

Solitaire,  Jamaican,  2;  figured,  3. 

Solitaires,  2. 

Sora,  303;  figured,  facing  303. 

South  America,  259. 

South  Carolina,  40. 

South  Dakota,  48. 

Sparrow,  Bachman's,  112,  176;  Botteri's, 
figured,  facing  161;  177,  179;  Cassin's, 
figured,  facing  161;  177,  179;  Chipping, 
89;  figured,  175;  188,  302;  figured,  364; 
English,  see  Sparrow,  House;  Field,  415; 
Fox,  89;  Harris's,  190,  282,  283,  446; 
House,  89;  figured,  90;  116,  187,  195,  266, 
277,  355;  Laguna,  178,  179;  Pine-Woods, 
figured,  facing  161;  176,  179;  Rock,  178, 
179;  Rufous-crowned,  figured,  facing  161; 
177,  179;  Rufous-winged,  figured,  facing 
161;  177,  179;  Scott's,  177,  179;  Song,  fig- 
ured, 89;  loi,  255;  Swamp,  89;  figured, 
90;  Texas,  figured,  facing  329;  351,  352; 
Vesper,  449;  Western  Chipping,  256; 
White-crowned,  89,  416;  White-throated, 
89;  figured,  90;  Worthen's,  figured,  329; 
351.  352. 

Spoonbill,  Roseate,  214,  483. 

Spurwing,  figured,  425. 

Starling,  27,  iii,  187,  362,  446. 

Stone,  Witmer,  Photograph  of,  527. 

Stuart,  Katharine  H.,  Photograph  of, 
497- 

Swallow,  Barn,  379,  463;  Rough-winged,  299 
Tree,  figured,  85;  113. 

Swan,  Black-necked,  259. 

Swarth's  'An  Account  of  the  Birds  and  Mam- 
mals of  the  San  Jacinto  Area  of  Southern 
California,'  reviewed,  54;  'A  Study  of  a 
Collection  of  Geese  of  the  Branta  canaden- 
sis Group  From  the  San  Joaquin  Valley, 
California,'  reviewed,  120;  'A  Distribu- 
tional List  of  the  Birds  of  Arizona,' 
reviewed,  285. 

Swift,  Chimney,  272. 

Tanager,  Scarlet,  89,  359;  Summer,  194. 

Tennessee,  42,  211,  528. 

Tern,  Arctic,  385,  482,  492;  Cabot's,  482; 
Common,  316;  nest,  eggs  and  young 
figured,  317;  385,  482,  492;  Forster's,  482, 
503.;  Least,  301,  482.;  Royal,  figured,  315; 
482;  Sooty,  200. 

Texas,  41,  186. 

Thamnophilus  multistriatus,  166;  figured, 
167. 

Thayer,  Abbott  Handerson,  Photograph  of, 
312. 

Thrasher,  Blue,  loi;  Brown,  355;  California, 

255- 
Thrush,  Bahaman,  figured,  100;  Hermit,  119, 

263,  350;  Wood,  68;  figured,  facing  68,  70; 

nest  figured,  69;  194. 
Tinamou,  i;  figured,  2;  119,  261. 


Index 


Tityra,  loo. 

Toucans,  342;  figured,  343. 

Towhee,  88,  400;  Brown,   256;  Green-tailed, 

figured,  facing  329;  351,  352;  Oregon,  102; 

figured,  102,  103;  361. 
Townsend,  Rev.  Manley  B.,  Photograph  of, 

520. 
Trogon  collaris,  figured,  347. 
Trogons,  figured,  347;  348. 
Tropical  Birds,  i,  96,  342. 
Turkey,  Florida,  476;  nest  and  eggs  figured, 

477;  Turnstone,  112;  Water,  483. 

Vermont  8,  2S,  93,  361. 

Vireo,  Bell's,  418;  Black-whiskered,  nest  and 

egg  figured,    473;    474;    Philadelphia,    93; 

Red-eyed,  93;  Warbling,  93. 
Virginia,  40,  291,  495,  531. 
Vulture,  Turkey,  66,279,  2S0;  nest  and  young, 

figured,  279,  280. 

Warbler,  Brewster's  283;  Cape  May,  275, 
276,  446;  Hooded,  275;  Kirtland's.  418; 
Myrtle,   118;  Prothonotary,   112,  447. 

Washington,  48,  49,  102,  361. 

Wasps  in  Bird-Boxes,  445. 

West  Virginia,  40,  533. 


Whip-poor-will,     138;     figured,     facing     138, 

296; 296. 
White-throat,  Andean,  figured,  99. 
Widgeon,  European,  197. 
Willcox,  Albert,  146;  photograph  of,  147. 
Willet,  4S2. 

Wilson  Bulletin,  The,  reviewed,  56,  287. 
Windows,  Birds  deceived  by,  275,  355,  361. 
Winter,  Effects  of,  62. 
Wisconsin,  46,  47,   191,  282,  283,  533. 
Woodcock,  186. 
Woodhewers,  161,  16S. 
Woodpartridge,  4. 
Wood-rail,  426. 
Woodpecker,   Downy,    13;   figured,   323,  358; 

37S;    Hairy,    figured,    88;    Pileated,    116; 

Red-headed,  90;  figured,  91;  195,  449. 
Woodward,   Miss   Magnolia,   Photograph  of, 

530. 
Wren,    211;    House,    189;    figured,    189,    190; 

213.  273,  355;  Winter,  89;  Wood,  4. 
Wright    and    Allen's    'Field    Note-Book    of 

Birds',  reviewed,  198. 

Yellow-legs,  Greater,  261;  Lesser,  261. 
Zimmer's    'Birds    of    the    Thomas    County 
[Nebraska]  Forest  Reserve,'  reviewed,  199. 


i 


1.  Redpoll,  Adult  Male  4.     Greenland  Redpoll,  Adult  Male 

2.  Redpoll,  Female  5.     Purple  Finch,  Adult  Male 

3.  Gkeenland  Redi'oll,  Female        6.     Purple  Finch,  Female 

(One-half  Natural  Size) 


A    BI-MONTHLY    MAGAZINE 

DEVOTED  TO   THE   STUDY   AND   PROTECTION   OF   BIRDS 

Official  Organ   of  The   Audubon   Societies 

Vol.  XVI  January— February,  1914  No.  1 


Impressions  of  the  Voices  of  Tropical  Birds 

By  LOUIS    AGASSIZ   FUERTES 
Illustrated  by  the  author 

SECOND  PAPER— TINAMOUS,   PARTRIDGES,  AND  SOLITAIRES 

IN  THE  tropics,  as  in  more  familiar  scenes,  the  birdsongs  of  the  fields  are 
frank,  pastoral,  and  prevalent.  With  us,  the  Meadowlark,  Field  Sparrow, 
Vesper,  and  Song  Sparrows  pipe  often  and  openly,  and,  from  May  to 
October,  their  notes  are  almost  constantly  in  the  air.  But  the  forest  birds  are 
more  reluctant  singers,  and  their  rare  notes  are  all  mystery,  romance,  and 
reclusive  shyness.  The  Field  Sparrow  will  sit  on  a  dock-stalk  and  sing,  looking 
you  in  the  eyes;  the  Veery  will  quietly  fade  away  when  your  presence  is 
discovered. 

So  it  is,  even  to  a  more  marked  degree,  in  the  tropics.  In  the  open  pastures 
and  on  the  bushy  slopes  of  the  Andes,  one  hears  the  shrill  piping  of  the  'Four- 
wing'  Cuckoo  (Diplopterus) ,  the  insistent  kekking  of  the  Spurwing  Plover, 
the  dry,  phoebe-like  fret  of  the  Spine- tails  (Synallaxis),  the  lisping  insect- 
songs  of  Grassquits,  and,  from  the  bordering  forest-edge,  the  leisurely  whist- 
ling of  Orioles. 

But,  enter  the  forest,  and  all  is  of  another  world.  For  a  long  time,  perhaps, 
as  you  make  your  way  through  the  heavy  hush  of  its  darkened  ways,  no  sound 
strikes  the  ear  but  the  drip  of  water  from  spongy  moss-clumps  on  broad  leaves. 
You  feel  yourself  to  be  the  only  animate  thing  in  your  universe.  All  at  once, 
perhaps  for  off  through  the  forest,  perhaps  close  behind  you,  you  hear  the 
strangely  moving  whinny  of  a  Tinamou.  I  think  no  sound  I  have  ever  heard 
has  more  deeply  reached  into  me  and  taken  hold.  Whether  it  is  the  intensity 
of  feeling  that  a  deep,  silent  forest  always  imposes ;  the  velvet  smoothness  of  the 
wailing  call;  the  dramatic  crescendo  and  diminuendo  that  exactly  parallels  its 
minor  cadence  up  and  down  a  small  scale;  something,  perhaps  the  combination 
of  all  these,  makes  one  feel  as  if  he  had  been  caught  with  his  soul  naked  in  his 
hands,  when,  in  the  midst  of  his  subdued  and  chastened  revery,  this  spirit- 
voice  takes  the  words  from  his  tongue  and  expresses  so  perfectly  all  the 
mystery,  romance,  and  tragedy   that   the  struggling,  parasite-ridden   forest 


Bird -Lore 


diffuses  through  its  damp  shade.  No  vocal  expression  could  more  wonderfully 
convey  this  intangible,  subduing,  pervasive  quality  of  silence;  a  paradox, 
perhaps,  but  not  out  of  place  with  this  bird  of  mystery. 

Only  less  appealing  are  those  other  chaste  singers  in  the  cloud-forest,  the 
Solitaires.  It  is,  indeed,  a  strange  sensation,  in  uncanny  harmony  with  the 
unexpected   familiarity  one   always  feels  in  a  tropic  forest,   when,   thinking 

\-  a  g  u  e  1  y  of  Thrush 
songs,  the  silver  note  of 
a  Solitaire  crystallizes 
the  thought.  There  are 
many  kinds,  and  they 
have  varied  song-types 
beyond  most  similarly 
unified  genera.  The 
most  typical  is  simply  a 
lovely  Hermit  Thrush 
song,  giving  that  effect 
of  a  private  hearing  so 
graciously  done  by  our 
own  Thrushes.  For 
some  elusive  reason,  it 
seems  as  if  these  birds 
always  sang  as  the  shy 
perquisite  of  the  favored 
few,  and  thus,  perhaps, 
it  is  that  their  songs 
never  become  common. 
Our  own  Townsend's 
Solitaire  has  a  very 
different  melody,  a 
blithe.  Grosbeak  warble, 
frequently  given  in  lark- 
like flight,  quite  unlike 
any  of  the  tropical  spe- 
cies I  have  heard.  These  are  all  of  the  chaste,  contemplative  type,  given 
from  a  perch  part  way  up  in  the  forest,  and  in  frequent  accompaniment  of 
splashing  water  in  mossy  and  fern  fringed  ravines.  Myadestes  ralloides,  of  the 
Andes,  sings  almost  exactly  like  a  Hermit  Thrush,  as  does  Myadestes  unicolor, 
of  Mexico,  while  Myadestes  soUtarius,  of  Jamaica,  singing  from  the  tree-ferns 
up  on  Blue  Mountain,  reminded  me  strongly  of  the  Varied  Thrush  heard  in 
the  dark,  cold  spruce-flats  of  the  Alaskan  coast; — what  a  transposition!  A 
vibrant,  steadily  crescendo  note,  as  true  as  a  violin,  fading  to  nothing.  Then 
another  in  a  new  key.    A  rich,  descending  broken   scale  foll6wed,  after  a 


TINAMOU    (Cryplurus) 


Impressions  of  the  Voices  of  Tropicall'Birds  3 

pause;  then  an  exceedingly  high  trill,  swelling  and  dying.  These  singers 
were  common  at  about  five  thousand  feet,  and  their  choral  chanting  was 
an  experience  to  be  long  remembered.  Myadestes  obscurus,  of  southern 
Mexico,  has  a  song  more  spontaneous  and  overflowing  than  the  other  tropical 
species;  I  thought  of  a  Bobolink  when  I  first  heard  it.  The  song  began  high  in 
the  scale,  and  very  loud;  then  through  the  rich  progression  of  its  bubbling 


JAMAICAN    SOLITAIRE   {Myadestes  solitarius) 


4  Bird -Lore 

cadences  it  gradually  fell  in  pitch  and  lost  volume  till  it  died  out,  as  with  loss 
of  breath.  This  is  the  "Jilguero"  of  the  natives,  while  unicolor  is  known  as 
"Clarin."  Distinguished  from  these  as  "jilguero  de  la  tierra"  are  the  wrens  of  the 
genus  Leucolehis,  which  have  a  way  of  singing  at  your  very  feet,  hidden  under 
the  ferns  and  low-growing  soft  plants  of  earth.  Theirs  too,  are  violin  tones,  and, 
though  the  songs  are  not  rare,  the  singer  is  seldom  seen,  however  patiently  you 
search  or  wait  for  him  in  the  mosquito-ridden  air  of  his  dripping  haunts.  It  has 
always  seemed  a  mystery  to  me  how  these  little  birds  of  the  cloud-forest  keep 
dry.  They  are,  indeed,  the  only  dry  thing  you  would  encounter  in  a  week's 
hunt,  for  overhead  all  is  oozing  water,  all  the  leaves  are  shiny-wet,  and  under 
foot  is  soaking,  rotting  vegetable  mold  or  deep  muddy  ooze,  that  frequently 
lets  you  in  over  your  boot-tops. 

In  the  same  forests  that  shelter  the  Tinamou  and  Solitaire  dwell  the 
evasive  and  ventriloquistic  Woodpartridges  (Odontophorus).  These  are  richly 
garbed  in  velvety,  rotten-wood  colors,  with  all  the  minute  moth-like  pattern 
of  "Whip-poor-wills.  But  wonderful  as  is  their  coat,  it  is  their  vocal  perfor- 
mance that  gives  them  real  distinction,  for  besides  the  familiar  Partridge 
clucking  and  pipping,  heard  only  at  close  range  and  therefore  seldom,  they 
possess  a  loud  rollicking  call  that  may  be  heard  a  mile  or  more  across  the 
forested  course  of  a  mountain  river. 

Once,  while  I  was  pussy-footing  along  a  little  water  trail  in  the  hope  of 
again  seeing  a  Golden-headed  Trogon,  I  was  congealed  for  the  moment  by  a 
loud,  explosive  alarm,  at  the  end  of  a  fallen  and  rottening  bole  that  lay  just 
before  me.  "Kivelry,  cavalry,  kivelry,  cavalry,  pt' ,  pt' ,  pt' ,  t'  t'  t'  t,  and  up 
popped  a  brown  velvet  bird,  called  once  more  and  dropped,  already  running, 
on  the  other  side  of  the  log.  The  call,  at  close  range,  had  a  rooster-like 
quality  not  noticeable  in  the  distance,  and  I  was  surprised  to  see  that  the 
whole  complicated  and  rapid  performance  was  the  work  of  one  bird. 

Perhaps  it  is  a  sort  of  statute  of  limitations  that  makes  us  constantly  com- 
pare new  birdsongs  with  familiar  ones  at  home ;— perhaps  it  is  the  paucity  of 
our  language  that  renders  description  almost  futile.  But  occasionally  a  resem- 
blance is  so  striking  that  no  alternative  suggests  itself.  Sweltering  in  the  heat 
and  glare  of  the  Andean  foothills,  veins  throbbing  with  the  exertion  of  the 
climbing  hunt,  exhaustion  screaming  for  a  let-up,  and  temper  getting  thin, 
something  turns  over  inside  one  when,  of  a  sudden,  comes  the  cheery,  old-home 
'Bob-white'  of  the  little  crested  Eupsychortyx  Quail.  Appearances  would  never 
suggest  the  close  relationship,  but  this  little  fellow,  three  thousand  miles  from 
home,  says  'Bob-white'  without  a  trace  of  accent,  striking  a  primitive  chord 
that  does  queer  things,  for  the  moment,  to  the  inner  you,  caught  unawares! 


Notes  on  How  to  Start  a  Colony  of  Purple  Martins 

By  THOS.  L.  McCONNELL.  McKeesport,  Pa. 
With  a  diagram  by  the  author 

UNDOUBTEDLY  a  great  many  interested  bird-lovers  would  start  colonies 
of  Purple  Martins  if  they  knew  what  to  do  and  how  to  get  about  it. 
An  interesting  elderly  physician  who  likes  to  talk  about  birds  told  me 
that,  if  he  could  only  get  a  pair  of  Purple  Martins,  he  would  put  up  a  bird-box 
right  away,  and  then  added  that  there  were  never  any  around.  Possibly  he 
needs  a  bird-house  catalogue,  with  full  instructions. 

The  Martin  has  a  strong  tendency  to  cling  to  its  old  home  and  associations, 
and,  imless  driven  out  by  the  English  Sparrow,  only  the  immature  (last  year's 
young)  birds  seek  new  quarters.  Generally  it  is  an  easy  task  to  start  a  new 
colony  where  there  are  colonies  in  the  immediate  neighborhood. 

They  prefer  the  old  weather-beaten  box  to  the  new  one,  smelling  of  new 
lumber  and  paint,  w^hen  other  things  are  the  same.  This  may  be  tested  by 
putting  up  one  bird-house  of  each  kind.  Invariably,  the  old  storm-beaten  box 
will  fill  up,  while  a  single  pair  may  select  the  new  one.  New  boxes,  even  if 
erected  near  other  Martin  colonies,  will  be  more  popular  after  the  first  season. 
Of  course,  there  are  exceptions  to  this  rule.  The  writer  has  found  it  expedient 
to  age  the  new  bird-house  by  smearing  the  inside  of  all  the  rooms  with  wet  mud 
or  clay,  which  seems  to  please  the  birds. 

When  one  prefers  to  paint  the  bird-house  for  a  new  Martin  colony,  select 
inconspicuous  colors,  such  as  a  pearl  or  stone  color,  and  paint  the  pole  black. 
Plain  white  without  trimmings  seems  to  harmonize  with  the  nature  of  these  birds. 
White,  unless  otherwise  specified,  is  the  standard  rule  for  painting  bird-houses 
for  Martins  by  one  of  the  leading  bird-house  companies.  After  a  colony  is  a 
year  or  so  old  and  well  established,  there  is  little  objection  to  painting  and, 
moreover,  it  is  ad\dsable  to  do  so  in  order  to  preserve  the  wood  and  beautify 
the  structure. 

An  eight-  or  ten-room  house  is  usually  large  enough  for  the  first  year's 
experiment.  The  rooms  should  be  about  8  x  8  x  lo  inches  high,  and  each  room 
should  be  separate  and  have  but  one  entrance.  The  entrances  or  holes  into  rooms 
are  commonly  of  three  types:  round,  about  2%  inches  diameter;  square  or  rect- 
angular, about  2}4  inches  x  2^4  inches;  or  a  combination  of  the  first  two, 
which  gives  a  pretty  opening  with  the  arch.  The  last  two  types  have  the 
advantage  of  allowing  greater  accessibility  for  cleaning  out  Sparrows'  nests. 
The  regular  entrance  will  give  sufficient  ventilation  for  each  room,  and  no  other 
holes  should  be  provided.  The  rooms  should  be  draught-proof,  and  be  covered 
with  a  water-tight  roof.  Separate  platforms  may  be  provided  in  front  of  each 
opening,  for  the  Martins  love  to  sit  aroimd  and  rest  or  sun  themselves. 

A  very  important  point  is  the  location  of  the  bird-house.  Choose  an  open 
space,  if  possible,  away  from  the  shade  of  trees  and  free  from  buildings. 

(S) 


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Notes  on  How  to  Start  a  Colony   of  Purple  Martins  7 

The  box  should  be  placed  on  a  high  pole,  at  least  sixteen  feet  above  the 
ground. 

The  box  should  be  ready  about  the  first  day  of  April  for  new  colonies,  but 
several  weeks  later  will  do  for  old  colonies.  Many  new  boxes  have  been  taken 
up  by  the  Martins  as  late  as  the  first  of  June,  and  non-breeding  birds  may  come 
during  June  and  July. 

A  hinged  pole,  which  allows  the  box  to  swing  down  to  the  ground,  is  a  great 
convenience,  and  has  many  obvious  advantages.  By  all  means  make  the  pole 
cat-proof  and,  still  better,  take  the  additional  precaution  of  exterminating 
locally  the  cat,  the  birds'  worst  enemy. 

The  Martins  require  assistance  in  their  continuous  struggle  with  the 
English  Sparrow,  if  you  do  not  want  to  see  this  beautiful  Swallow  driven  away. 

There  are  many  ways  to  aid  these  birds:  One  of  the  best  is  everlastingly  to 
rid  the  bird-houses  of  all  Sparrow  nests,  beginning  about  the  first  of  April, 
and  continuing  even  after  the  Martins  appear  to  be  in  full  possession.  Every 
once  in  a  while  a  pair  of  sly  Sparrows  will  slip  into  one  of  the  rooms  and  fill  it 
full  of  rubbish  while  the  Martins  are  away,  not  to  say  anything  about  how  they 
like  to  eat  the  eggs  of  the  Martins.  A  claw-hook  fastened  to  a  long  stick  makes 
an  ideal  cleaning  tool. 

Shooting  is  a  first-class  way  to  make  the  English  Sparrow  go,  and  this  is 
effective  only  when  both  male  and  female  are  killed.  When  only  one  is  killed 
the  other  one  brings  around  a  new  mate  the  next  day.  Where  a  city  or  town 
ordinance  prohibits  shooting,  the  fourth  of  July  is  a  glorious  day  to  make  up 
for  lost  time,  and  destroy  a  lot  of  pests.  It  is  not  necessary  to  shoot  every 
Sparrow,  as  a  few  judicious  shots  are  sufiicient  in  most  cases. 

Poisoning  is  a  very  good  method  to  thin  out  the  hosts  of  English  Sparrows, 
but  is  most  effective  as  a  winter  treatment.  For  more  information,  see  U.  S. 
Department  of  Af^riculture  Farmers'  Bulletin  383,  "How  to  Destroy  English 
Sparrows,"  which  is  sold  by  the  Superintendant  of  Documents,  Washington, 
D.  C,  for  five  cents  a  copy. 

A  new  enemy  of  the  Martin  is  the  Starling  {Sturnus  vulgaris),  a  recent 
importation  from  England,  which  has  gained  a  strong  foothold  in  many  of  the 
states  along  the  Atlantic  seaboard.  The  writer  has  yet  to  see  a  Starling  in 
western  Pennsylvania,  and  intends  to  treat  them  like  their  cousins,  the  English 
Sparrow. 

Many  persons  who  formerly  have  put  up  bird-houses  for  the  Martin  only 
to  see  them  crowded  with  Sparrows  have  given  up  in  despair.  They  should 
remember  that  to  start  and  to  hold  a  colony  of  Martins  is  a  pleasure  for  the 
bird-lover,  requiring  preseverance  and  patience  in  fighting  against  their  enemies. 
One  should  not  become  discouraged  with  a  failure  the  first  year.  Nothing 
that  comes  easily  is  worth  much. 


Winter  Feeding 

By  W.  L.  SKINNER,  ProctorsviHe,  Vt. 
With  photograph  by  the  author 

BIRD  study  has  in  recent  years  undergone  a  great  change.  Formerly 
the  outfit  of  a  bird  student  was  chiefly  a  shot-gun  and  a  scalpel ;  today 
it  is  the  camera,  feeding-table,  and  field-glass.  One  cannot  read  Audu- 
bon without  being  convinced  of  the  great  appreciation  and  love  he  had  for 
birds;  yet  his  love  for  science  was  even  greater,  and  we  regret  that  the  destruc- 
tion of  so  much  bird  life  should  have  seemed  necessary. 

Ninety-nine  out  of  every  hundred  of  us  interested  in  birds  do  not  want  a 
bird's  stomach  cut  open  to  find  out  just  what  he  has  been  eating,  nor  do  we 
care  what  the  formation  of  bone  and  muscle  may  be.  These  things  about  a 
bird  we  do  not  love,  but  we  do  love  beauty  of  form  and  color,  his  song,  socia- 
bility, and  intelligence.  As  birds  learn  to  trust  us  and  feel  secure  with  us,  the 
more  strongly  are  these  and  other  features  brought  out.  For  instance,  the 
peculiar  squirrel-like  habit  of  the  Nuthatch  and  Chickadee  in  hiding  bits  of 
food  in  winter-time  for  future  use,  searching  diligently  to  find  a  nook  or  cranny 
just  to  their  liking  and  many  other  odd  items  of  interest  which  may  be  learned 
only  when  we  become  intimate  with  a  bird. 

Suet  is  used  largely  as  a  winter  food,  and  is  good  so  far  as  it  goes;  but,  at 
best,  it  is  a  substitute  for  other  food. 

The  writer  lives  in  a  butternut  country,  and  for  a  number  of  years  has  used 
this  nut  in  feeding  birds.  It  is  a  rich,  nutritious,  oily,  and,  we  might  say, 
natural  food  for  winter  birds;  at  any  rate,  birds  will  leave  suet  at  any  time  for 
butternuts.  On  account  of  the  Chickadees'  habit  of  storing  food,  it  is  better 
to  crack  the  nut  on  the  side,  which  makes  a  lot  of  fine  crumbs;  otherwise 
large  quantities  will  be  carried  off  and  hidden. 

A  Purple  Finch  friend  of  mine  would  partake  of  hemp  seed,  but  he  was 
exceedingly  fond  of  butternut.  This  bird  appeared  with  the  Chickadees  one 
morning,  and  in  twenty-four  hours  had  become  so  tame  that  he  would  respond 
to  my  whistle  by  flying  into  my  hand  for  his  favorite  food.  At  times  a  Chickadee 
would  alight  in  the  same  hand.  This  the  Finch  would  resent  by  advancing  to- 
ward the  Chickadee  with  open  mouth,  scolding  and  using  bad  language  gener- 
ally. The  Chickadee  also,  with  open  mouth,  would  hang  on  as  long  as  he  dared, 
his  body  and  head  thrown  back;  and  the  two  birds,  thus  facing  each  other, 
presented  a  ludicrous  and  most  interesting  sight.  I  made  one  or  two  snaps 
with  the  camera  at  them  but,  owing  to  some  one  of  the  uncertainties  of  photog- 
raphy, the  result  was  not  satisfactory. 

Redpolls  would  not  eat  butternut,  but  four  or  five  of  them  would  crowd 
into  the  hand  after  millet  seed.  Finding  an  Acadian  Chickadee  one  day,  I 
I  advanced  slowly  toward  him,  and  held  out  part  of  my  lunch  (a  doughnut). 
He  showed  the  same  confidence  that  his  black-capped  relative  does,  and 

(8) 


Winter  Feeding  9 

fluttered  within  a  few  inches  of  the  outstretched  hand  several  times,  but  did 
not  quite  dare  accept  me  on  so  short  acquaintance.  Chickadees,  when  fed  at  a 
window,  get  into  the  habit  of  searching  other  windows  for  food  and,  if  one 
happens  to  be  open,  they  are  sure  to  fly  in,  and  will  injure  themselves  by  flying 
against  the  mndow-glass,  or  they  will  even  fly  into  neighbors'  houses.  One 
of  my  Chickadees  was  killed  during  my  absence  by  the  well-meaning  but 
awkward  efforts  of  a  young  relative.  To  release  a  bird,  pull  down  every  shade 
quickly,  throw  up  one  window,  and  lift  the  shade  up  as  far  as  the  window 
opening,  and  the  bird  will  make  his  way  out  without  injury.  Birds  should  not 
be  fed  at  windows  at  all,  but  entirely  out-of-doors. 


A    BIRD    IN    THE    HAND 

Another  Chickadee  lit  on  the  pipe  of  a  man  walking  on  the  railroad  nearly 
a  mile  away.  The  man  believing  that  he  was  about  to  have  his  eyes  pecked 
out  by  some  freak  bird,  made  several  passes  at  the  Chickadee  before  his  com- 
panion, who  knew  of  my  birds,  could  enlighten  him. 

The  writer  does  not  believe  in  the  use  of  the  feeding-house  having  glass 
sides.  If  a  feeding-table  is  protected  from  snow  and  rain,  that  is  sufficient. 
Finally,  the  question  of  making  pets  of  birds  should  be  looked  at  frcni  all 
angles,  and  the  interests  of  the  birds  served  in  each  case,  as  best  we  may. 

The  philosophy  of  California  John,  in  'The  Cabin,'  is  delightful.  On  being 
urged  to  tame  a  certain  wild  fawn  he  frequently  met,  he  observed:  "Oh,  he'd 
gentle  all  right,  but,  'Ma'am,  I  don't  believe  in  gentling  no  wild  critter  what- 
ever that  I  can't  take  care  of.   It  makes  it  easy  for  the  first  fellow  with  a  gun 


lO 


Bird  -  Lore 


or  claws  that  comes  along."  The  writer  has  known,  and  knows  of  a  number  of 
tame  deer,  and  in  every  case  they  met  with  a  violent  or  premature  death ;  and 
that,  too,  regardless  of  whether  they  had  their  liberty  or  were  kept  in  an  in- 
closure.  Is  this  not  the  end  of  every  wild  bird  or  animal?  Do  birds  that  we 
have  made  pets  of  end  their  career  sooner  than  their  wilder  brothers?  To  know 
a  bird  individually  gives  us  a  great  deal  of  pleasure,  but  are  there  not  various 
N'iew-points  to  be  considered? 


City  Nighthawks 

By  CLINTON   G.  ABBOTT 

Photographs  by  the  author 


T 


*HAT  "Charity  begins  at  home" 
is  admitted  by  all.  But  that 
wild-bird  photography  may  begin 
at  home — without  even  so  much  as 
going  outside  the  front  door — would 
doubtless  be  questioned  by  many.  Even 
stranger  would  such  a  proposition  ap- 
pear when  "home"  is  in  the  midst  of  a 
great  city.  Yet  the  proof  is  found  in 
the  accompanying  photographs,  which 
were  taken  upon  the  roof  of  a  house  in 
one  of  Brooklyn's  most  closely  built 
sections. 

The  bird  which  exhibits  this  strange 
affinity  for  the  city's  roar  and  inhos- 
pitable masonry  is  the  Nighthawk, 
normally  a  shy  and  retiring  inhabitant 
of  barren  fields  and  lonely  wastes. 
Whether  the  level  monotony  of  city 
roofs  reminds  it  of  the  plains,  whether 
its  insect  food  abounds  in  the  urban 
atmosphere,  I  cannot  say;  but  the  fact 
remains  that  annually  many  of  these 
birds  spend  the  summer  in  large  cities, 
where,  as  evening  approaches,  they  may 
be  seen  cavorting  above  the  chimney- 
tops  and  uttering  their  harsh  cries.  The 
female  lays  her  two  mottled  eggs,  without  the  slightest  pretense  of  nest-build- 
ing, on  a  bare,  flat  roof — always  selecting  for  this  purpose  a  roof  of  the  tar  and 
gravel  variety. 


Mosr    LnN\i;MKNT    COIGN 
OF    OBSERVATION" 


City   Nighthawks 


11 


'QUEER    LITTLE    GRAY    FUZZY    CHICKS" 


Many  an  evening    in    June    I 

have  searched  the  house-tops  of  the 

block  where  I  live  in  New  York  in 

an  attempt  to  find  a  Nighthawk's 

nest;  or  have  watched  until  dark, 

hoping  to  follow  one  of  the  birds 

to    its    home    roof,    but    I    have 

always  been   unsuccessful.     All    I 

have  seen  were  fascinating  exhibi- 
tions of  the  Nighthawk's  strange 

idiosyncrasies  of  flight — the  erratic 

flaps    and    pauses,    the    bat -like 

waverings,  and  the  rushing,  roaring 

descents  that  well  give  the  bird  its 

colloquial  name  of  'Bull-bat.'   And 

at  night  I  would  awake  to  hear, 

through    the    open    window,    the 

grating    '^beedz,"    "beedz,^'    carried 

from  the  starlit  sky,  as  though  taunting   me. 

I  was  therefore  delighted  when,  on  July  20,  1906,  a  telephone  call  at  my 

ofl&ce  informed  me  of  the  discovery  of  a  Nighthawk's  nest  on  a  roof  in  Brooklyn. 

With  rare  discrimination,  the  bird  had  selected  the  home  of  Dr.  Wm.  C. 

Braislin,  a  well-known  ornithologist  and  member  of  the  A.O.  U.!    Emerging 

from  his  front  door,  he 

had  seen  the  neatly 
chipped  half  of  a  Night- 
hawk's  egg  lying  upon 
the  doorstep,  which  told 
him  quite  plainly  that  a 
pair  of  twins  had  been 
born  in  the  sky-parlor 
—  with  the  resultant 
hurry  call  for  the  bird 
photographer. 

At  the  close  of  the 
business  day,  I  snatched 
my  camera  and  hast- 
ened to  Dr.  Braislin's 
home.  It  was  about  6 
P.M.,  as  we  mounted 
the  ladder  leading  to 
the  roof.  Silently  we 
"SHE  TRAILED  HER  WINGS  PITIFULLY"  raised   the  hatch   and 


12 


Bird  -  Lore 


peeped  out.  There  was  the  mother  Nighthawk  brooding  her  callow  young  amid 
the  incongruous  surroundings  of  chimneys,  cornices,  and  tin  roofs.  Cautiously 
creeping  up  on  my  knees  (by  reason  of  the  gravel  a  distinctly  uncomfortable 
procedure!),  and  slowly  pushing  in  front  of  me  my  old-fashioned  tripod  camera, 
I  took  two  pictures  at  varying  distances.  The  Nighthawk  sat  motionless  with 
eye  half  closed,  as  though  dozing.  But  it  is  evident  that  she  was  watching  me 
closely;  for,  as  soon  as  I  had  approached  within  about  ten  feet,  with  a  sudden 
start  she  flopped  to  one  side  and,  as  though  painfully  injured,  went  shuffling 
across  the  roof.  She  trailed  her  wings  pitifully  and  gave  every  other  evidence 
of  helplessness  in  her  efforts  to  induce  us  to  follow  after  her.  But,  when  she 
discovered  that  she  could  not  decoy  us  away  in  this  fashion,  she  abandoned 
her  tactics  and  took  up  her  position  on  the  most  convenient  coign  of  obser- 
vation— a  chimney.  Motionless,  she  watched  to  see  what  we  would  do  to  her 
babies.  We  noted  that  she  stood  lengthwise  on  the  chimney,  not  across  it, — 
a  habit  doubtless  inherited  from  generations  of  ancestors  who  have  found  this 
attitude  on  the  limbs  of  trees  inconspicuous  and  protective  for  the  diurnal  sleep. 
In  fact,  she  assumed  the  same  position  wherever  she  chanced  to  perch — whether 
on  parapet,  cornice,  or  coping — as,  in  my  attempts  to  stalk  her  with  my  camera, 
I  scared  her  from  one  point  to  another. 

We  then  turned  our  attention  to  the  two  queer  little  gray  fuzzy  chicks,  so 
unceremoniously  uncovered,  yet  apparently  quite  unperturbed.    They  made 


'AMID    THE    INCONGRUOUS   SURROUNDINGS    01    CHIMNEYS,   CORNICES 
AND    TIN    ROOFS" 


Some   Results  of  Bird-Lore's   Christmas  Bird   Censuses      13 

not  the  slightest  motion  beyond  that  caused  by  their  breathing,  and  squatted 
close  to  the  uncomfortable-looking  pebbles. 

However  we  may  criticise  the  Nighthawk  for  deserting  the  pure  air  of  the 
country  for  the  city's  grime  and  smoke,  we  must  admit,  at  least,  that  in  the 
tar-and-gravel  roof  she  has  selected  about  as  admirable  a  background  as  could 
be  found  for  the  concealment  of  herself  and  her  offspring.  The  downy  chicks, 
especially,  were  practically  invisible  from  a  short  distance,  and  they  added  to 
the  delusion  by  their  motionless  crouching.  They  permitted  unlimited  time 
exposure  from  every  angle,  till  the  sun  was  gone  altogether  and  we  were  obliged 
to  withdraw  from  the  roof. 


Some  Results  of  Bird-Lore's  Christmas  Bird  Censuses 

By  E.  H.  PERKINS 

THE  following  curves  and  diagrams  are  based  on  the  Christmas  Bird 
Censuses  published  in  Berd-Lore  from  1901  to  1911.  In  the  great 
accimiulation  of  data  in  these  reports  much  can  be  learned  on  the  winter 
distribution  of  a  given  species  over  a  series  of  years.  In  the  figures  given  in 
this  article,  I  have  plotted  the  rise  and  fall  in  numbers  of  ten  species  of  winter 
birds  over  an  area  including  New  England  and  New  York.  The  species  have 
been  selected  from  the  two  classes  into  which  our  winter  birds  fall.  From  the 
regular  residents  I  have  taken  the  Chickadee,  White-breasted  Nuthatch, 
Downy  Woodpecker,  and  Brown  Creeper.  The  irregular  winter  visitants  are 
represented  by  the  Red-breasted  Nuthatch,  Pine  Siskin,  Redpoll,  Pine  Gros- 
beaks, and  the  Red-  and  White-winged  Crossbills.  In  plotting  the  curves,  the 
years  are  taken  as  the  abscissas,  while  the  ordinates  are  found  by  dividing  the 
total  number  of  indixdduals  seen  each  year  by  the  number  of  reports  for  that 
year.  In  figure  II  the  scale  of  the  ordinance  is  twice  that  in  Figure  I,  otherwise 
the  curves  of  the  birds  in  Figure  II  would  be  too  flat  to  show  well.  The  curves 
start  with  1901,  as  I  was  unable  to  obtain  the  census  for  1900. 

There  seems  to  be  some  evidence  that  the  various  species  of  birds  rise  and 
fall  together  in  abundance.  This  is  best  seen  between  1905  and  1907.  The 
year  1906  was  one  of  abundance  for  almost  all  species.  This  year  was 
preceded  and  followed  by  years  of  general  scarcity.  About  1903  and  1904, 
and  again  in  1908,  there  seems  to  have  been  a  more  or  less  general  rise  in 
abundance. 

It  might  be  expected  that  the  curves  of  the  regular  winter  residents  would 
be  fairly  regular,  and  that  those  of  the  boreal  species  would  be  more  or  less 
jagged.  This  expectation  is,  in  every  case  but  one,  borne  out  by  the 
facts.  The  exception  is  the  Chickadee.  This  bird  is  an  abundant  permanent 
resident  over  the  area  under  consideration,  and  a  regular  curve  might  be 
expected.  The  fact  is  that  the  Chickadee  shows  one  of  the  most  irregular  of  all 


^f- 


'I- 


ffl 


I- 


b: 


h 


not       (lot      nci      It  OH      irof     mi     nor     iio\     jqc/t     fpo     /9// 


FIG.  I.     CURVES    OF    (I)    CHICKADEE,  (II)   PINE    GROSBEAK.  (Ill)  PINE    SISKIN, 

AND    (IV)    REDPOLL 

(14) 


h 


'h 


'V 


/il n ij 


il/l 


h 


y 


I  >itCOIit) 
0  0  f  0 


VI L 


I'ioi       mi     1993     im      iioi'    ifoi      no7     1901     noi     /f/0     iin 

FIG.  II.  CURVES  OF  (I)  RED-BREASTED  NUTHATCH,  (II)  WHITE-BREASTED 
NUTHATCH,  (III)  DOWNY  WOODPECKER,  (IV)  BROWN  CREEPER  (V)  WHITE- 
WINGED    CROSSBILL,  AND    (VI)    RED    CROSSBILL. 


i6 


Bird  -  Lore 


the  curves.  Starting  from  its  lowest  ebb  in  1901,  the  species  rose  in  abundance 
until  it  reached  its  maximum.  Since  then  there  have  been  two  more  waves  of 
abundance,  reaching  their  cumulations  in  1907  and  1910  respectively.  In 
neither  of  these  years,  however,  was  the  bird  so  abundant  as  in  1903.  It  should 
be  noted  that  no  birds  except  the  Redpoll  and  Pine  Siskin  have  ever  reached 
the  lowest  mark  of  the  Chickadee. 

In  sharp  contrast  to  the  curve  of  the  Chickadee  stand  the  curves  of  the 
other  common  winter  birds — the  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  Brown  Creeper, 
and  Downy  Woodpecker.   The  curves  of  these  birds  are  very  regular,  showing. 


Chickadee  ^12. 2) . 


Redpoll  (4.22) 


Pine  Siskin  (2.58) 


White-breasled  Nuthatch  (i.6) 


Downy  Woodpecker  (1.4). 


Pine   Grosbeak  (1.22). 


Brown  Creeper  (0.68). 


White-winged  Crossbill  (0.48) 


Red-breasted  Nuthatch  (0.25) 


Red  Crossbill  (0.14) 


L 


FIG.  III.  AVERAGE  ABUNDANCE 
WINTER  BIRDS  (1901-1911) 


: 


Some   Results   of  Bird-Lore's   Christmas   Bird   Censuses      17 


Chickadee  (80%). 


Downy  Woodpecker  (5Q%)-  •  ■      I 


White-breasted  Nuthatch  (51%) 


Brown  Creeper  (35%) 


Redpoll  (17%). 


Pine  Siskin  (12%). 


FIG.    IV.     PERCENTAGE    OF    REPORTS 
CONTAINING    SPECIES.     (1901-1911) 


Red-breasted  Nuthatch  (io<^). 


Pine  Grosbeak  (6%). 


Red  Crossbill  (4%) . 


White-winged  Crossbill  (4%) . 


as  a  rule,  only  slight  changes  from  year  to  year.    The  Creeper,  which  is  the 
most  migratory  of  the  three,  shows  the  smoothest  curve. 

The  curves  of  the  boreal  birds,  on  the  other  hand,  are  very  irregular.  The 
Red-breasted  Nuthatch  and  the  Crossbills  for  a  series  of  winters  appear  and 
are  absent  on  alternate  years.  The  Pine  Grosbeak,  as  a  rule,  seems  to  appear 
in  abundance  after  every  two  years  of  absence.  The  curves  of  the  Pine  Siskin 
and  Redpoll  are  remarkable  for  the  great  waves  of  1908  and  1909,  respectively. 
1908  was  one  of  the  'bird  winters.'  Southern  birds  were  common  north  of 
their  normal  winter  range,  while,  for  some  reason,  boreal  birds  came  south  in 
greater  numbers  than  usual.   This  was  the  year  of  the  Siskin  wave,  but  it  was 


i8  Bird  -  Lore 

also  the  first  year  since  1902  when  there  had  been  no  Redpolls.  The  next 
year  was  one  of  scarcity.  The  curves  show  that  all  the  birds  fell  off,  while  the 
Chickadees  reached  their  lowest  mark  for  eight  years.  Then  the  flocks  of  Red- 
polls came  in  numbers  that  barely  missed  the  highest  mark  of  the  Chickadee 
in  1903.  Why  the  Redpolls  came  in  1909,  instead  of  in  1908,  is  one  of  the  many 
mysteries  of  the  bird  migrations.  For  the  last  two  years,  the  Redpolls  although 
less  abundant  than  in  1909,  have  remained  far  above  their  usual  numbers. 

The  average  abundance  of  the  selected  species  for  the  last  ten  years  is 
shown  in  Figure  III.  The  figures  are  obtained  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
ordinates  of  the  curves.  The  total  number  of  individuals  seen  is  divided  by  the 
total  number  of  reports  for  the  ten  years.  The  diagram  shows  the  remarkable 
fact  that  Redpolls  and  Pine  Siskins  are,  on  the  average,  more  abundant  than 
such  common  regular  residents  as  the  White-breasted  Nuthatch  and  Downy 
Woodpecker.  This  is  due  to  the  great  waves  of  Redpolls  and  Siskins  mentioned 
above.  This  is  not  the  true  state  of  affairs  in  an  average  winter. 
Everyone  knows  that,  while  at  times  Redpolls  and  Siskins  may  be  more 
abundant  than  Nuthatches  and  Downy  Woodpeckers,  the  latter  are  to  be 
ranked  among  our  few  everyday  birds. 

Figure  IV  indicates  more  nearly  the  relative  abimdance  for  an  average 
winter.  The  diagram  shows  the  percentage  of  the  total  number  of  reports  that 
contain  the  species  under  consideration.  Here  the  regular  winter  residents 
stand  ahead  of  the  irregular  visitants,  like  the  Siskins,  Redpolls,  and  Crossbills. 


The  Migration  of  North  American  Sparrows 

TWENTY-SIXTH   PAPER 

Compiled  by  Prof.  W.  W.  Cooke,  Chiefly  from  Data  in  the  Biological  Survey 

With  drawings  by  Louis  Agassiz  Fuertes 
(See  Frontispiece) 

REDPOLL 

The  common  form  of  the  Redpoll  breeds  from  ocean  to  ocean  in  the  northern 
two-thirds  of  Canada,  and  comes  south  in  winter  into  the  northern  half  of  the 
United  States. 

SPRING    MIGRATION 


PLACE 


Number 

of  years' 

record 


Average  date  of 
the  last  one  seen 


Latest  date  of  the 
last  one  seen 


Beaufort,  S.  C 

Fort  Runyon,  Va 

Washington,  D.  C 

Philadelphia,  Pa.  (near) 

Norristown,  N.J 

Northern  New  Jersey 

Portland,  Conn 

Providence,  R.  I.    (near) 

Central  Massachusetts 

St.  Johnsbury,  Vt.  (near) 

Southern  Maine 

Phillips,  Me 

Quebec  City,  Canada 

Montreal,  Canada 

Scotch  Lake,  N.  B 

Pictou,  N.  S 

North  River,  Prince  Ed.  Island 

Brownsville,  Tenn 

St.  Louis,  Mo 

Canton,  111 

Northern  Ohio 

Northern  Michigan 

Ottawa,  Ont 

Southern  Ontario 

Central  Iowa 

Central  Wisconsin 

Baldwin,  Kans 

Long  Pine,  Nebr 

Southeastern  South  Dakota.  .  .  . 

Northern  North  Dakota 

Aweme,  Manitoba 

Osier,  Sask 

Edmonton,  Alberta 

Denver,  Colo 

Terry,  Mont 

Stony  Plain,  Alberta 

Banff,  Alberta 

Fort  Klamath,  Ore 

Okanagan,  B.  C 


4 

March  i8 

5 

March  i8 

lO 

April  8 

4 

March  19 

12 

April  I 

8 

April  17 

IS 

April  13 

3 

April  22 

3 

April  23 

April  29 


April  8 
April  12 
April  9 
April  21 
April  8 
April  13 

March  i{ 
April  4 
April  16 
April  19 


April  14 
May  4 
May  9 


February  23,  1901 
February  19,  1875 
February  12,  1899 
March  24,  1888 
March  28,  1888 
April  18,  1888 
May  II,  190C 
April  21,  1886 
April,  21,  1907 
April  29,  1887 
May  5,  191 1 
May  8,  1909 
April  28,  1894 
May  5,  1909 
May  3,  1910 
April  28,  1895 
May  2,  1891 
January  9,  1884 
February  7,  1883 
April  17,  1894 
April  15,  1891 
April  19,  1895 
May  14,  1909 
May  12,  1885 
April  25,  1885 
April  23,  1883 
March  13,  1875 
March  20,  1897 
April  9,  1904 
April  18,  1909 
May  2,  1902 
April  20,  1893 
May  8,  1903 
April  27,  1907 
April  17,  1896 
May  7,  1909 
May  12,  1909 
May  9,  1878 
May  2,  1907 


(19) 


20 


Bird  -  Lore 


FALL   MIGRATION 


PLACE 


Okanagan,  B.  C 

Eagle  Lake,  Calif 

Banff,  Alberta 

Columbia  Falls,  Mont 

Terry,  Mont 

Boulder,  Colo 

Aweme,  Manitoba 

Sioux  Falls,  S.  D 

Gresham,  Nebr 

Elk  River,  Minn 

Lanesboro,  Minn 

North  Freedom,  Wis 

National,  la 

Southern  Ontario 

Northern  Michigan 

Camden,  Ind 

Chicago,  111 

New  Haven,  Mo 

Hickman,  Ky 

Brownsville,  Tenn 

North  River,  Prince  Ed.  Island 

Pictou,  N.  S 

Scotch  Lake,  N.  B 

Montreal,  Que 

Phillips,  Me 

Southern  Maine 

Jefferson,  N.  H 

West  Barnet,  Vt 

Central  Massachusetts 

Northern  New  York 

Portland,  Conn 

Morristown,  N.  J 

State  College,  Pa 

Baltimore,  Md 


Number 
of  years' 
record 

Average  date  of 

Earliest  date  of 

fall  arrival 
October  25 

fall  arrival 

4 

October  16,  1889 

November  30,  1899 

September  22,  1909 

4 

October  24 

October  7,  1895 

3 

October  29 

October  23,  1903 
October  21,  19 11 

lO 

October  14 

September  14,  1901 

2 

November  i 

October  30,  1910 
November  16,  1896 

2 

November  i 

October  31,  1883 

2 

November  5 

October  31,  1887 
October  2,  1904 

2 

November  10 

November  8,  1908 

4 

October  27 

October  10,  1888 

3 

October  26 

October  14,  1894 
November  5,  1878 

4 

November  2 

October  14,  1906 
November  18,  1903 
December   10,   1886 
January,  9,  1884 
October  4,  1887 
October  13,  1894 

6 

October  19 

October  14,  1904 
October  23,  1910 

5 

October  21 

October  5,  191 1 

II 

November  6 

October  26,  1910 
October  24,  1910 
October  22,  1910 

6 

November  7 

October  29,  1889 

4 

November  18 

November  5,  1889 

4 

December  8 

November  27,  1889 

4 

December  19 

December  11,    1910 
December  12,   1908 
January  17, 1897 

The  dates  given  above  refer  to  the  movements  of  the  common  form  of  the 
Redpoll,  linaria,  but  there  is  also  another  form  of  this  bird  called  Holboell's 
Redpoll,  which  breeds  probably  in  northeastern  Asia  and  northwestern  North 
America,  and  in  migration  comes  southwestward  into  the  northern  United 
States.  It  is  rare,  but  has  been  taken  at  Koshkonong,  Wis.,  January  22,  1867; 
Meridian,  Wis.,  January  22-  April  3,  1896;  near  Iowa  City,  la.,  January  18- 
February  22,  1896;  Chicago,  111.,  November  2,  1878;  North  Bridgton,  Me., 
November  25,  1878;  Gorham,  Me.,  February  3,  1903;  Swampscot,  Mass., 
March  26,  1883;  Lexington,  Mass.,  March  10,  1890;  and  Ossining,  N.  Y., 
February  12-13,  1883.  Thus  these  New  England  birds  have  migrated  east 
about  two  degrees  for  each  degree  they  have  moved  toward  the  south. 

There  is  still  another  subspecies,  the  Greater  Redpoll,  rostrata,  which  breeds 
in  Greenland,  and  migrates  in  winter  southward  to  the  United  States  as  far 
west  as  the  Rocky  Mountains.  It  is  more  common  than  the  Holboell's,  but,  as 
compared  with  the  common  Redpoll,  it  is  a  rare  visitant.   It  was  taken  at  Erie, 


The  Migration   of   North   American   Sparrows  21 

Pa.,  March  31,  1893;  Princeton,  N.  J.,  February  6,  1872;  New  Haven,  Conn., 
December  17,  1878;  Providence,  R.  I.,  March  14,  1896;  Boston,  Mass.,  Decem- 
ber 26, 1906,  April  10,  1907,  and  November  i,  1910;  abundant  at  Revere  Beach 
and  Nantasket  Beach,  February  19-22,  1883;  Westbrook,  Me.,  January  26- 
February  27,  1896,  and  December  12,  1903;  Houghton,  Mich.,  November  20, 
1904;  near  Iowa  City,  la.,  January  18-25,  1896;  Meridian,  Wis.,  January  9, 
March  26,  1896,  and  MagnoHa,  Colo.,  December  9,  1895.  This  last  individual 
had  traveled  twice  as  many  degrees  to  the  west  as  to  the  south. 

HOARY    REDPOLL 

The  Hoary  Redpoll  breeds  in  the  high  Arctic  regions  of  North  America,  and 
comes  south  in  the  winter  as  far  as  the  northern  United  States.  The  beginning 
of  the  fall  migration  was  noted  September  19,  1903,  when  flocks  appeared  at 
Fort  Franklin,  Mackenzie.  Some  fall  or  early  winter  records  in  the  United 
States  are:  Cambridge,  Mass.,  November  15,  1880;  Swampscot,  Mass., 
November  16,  1878;  New^  Haven,  Conn.,  November  24,  1906;  Meridian,  Wis., 
December  13,  1895;  Sault  Ste  Marie,  Mich.,  December  7,  1899,  and  Fairbault, 
Minn.,  December  15,  1883.  It  was  noted  in  southern  Ontario  at  Guelph 
December  8  and  26,  1903,  and  was  fairly  common  at  Milton  the  winter  of 
1882-3. 

It  has  remained  at  Cambridge  Mass.,  in  the  spring  until  March  20,  1888; 
Hamilton,  Ont.,  April  6,  1885;  Meridian,  Wis.,  March  26,  1896;  Miles  City, 
Mont.,  March  12,  1900;  Winnipeg,  Monitoba,  April  3,  1900;  Indian  Head, 
Saskatchewan,  April  17,  1892,  and  Fort  Simpson,  Mackenzie,  April  30,  i860 
and  May  10,  1904. 

Another  subspecies  of  this  bird — the  Greenland  RedpoU^has  only  one 
record  in  the  United  States,  that  of  a  single  bird  taken  March  29,  1900.  at 
Sault  Ste.  Marie,  Mich. 

PURPLE   FINCH 

The  breeding  range  of  the  Purple  Finch  includes  southern  Canada  east  of 
Alberta,  and  the  neighboring  portions  of  the  United  States  south  to  Minnesota, 
Michigan,  Pennsylvania  (mountains),  and  Long  Island.  The  great  bulk  of  the 
individuals  winter  south  of  the  breeding  range,  but  a  small  percentage  remain 
at  this  season,  farther  north  in  the  southern  part  of  the  breeding  range,  and 
sometimes  even  to  the  middle  part.  There  is  therefore  a  broad  belt,  covering  at 
least  a  third  of  the  entire  range  of  the  species,  in  which  migration  dates  are 
unsatisfactory,  because  the  records  of  real  spring  migration  are  so  mixed  with 
notes  on  birds  that  have  wintered.  The  case  is  made  more  involved  by  the 
fact  that  the  Purple  Finch  is  normally  a  late  migrant,  so  that  there  are,  in 
reality,  two  sets  of  notes,  one  of  birds  that  have  wintered  unnoticed  in  the  deep 
woods  and  are  recorded  when  they  spread  to  the  open  country  during  the  first 


22  Bird  -  Lore 

warm  days  of  spring,  and  the  other  of  migrants  from  the  south  that  arrive  two 
to  six  weeks  later. 

Thus  at  Madison,  Wis.,  during  nine  years  of  observation,  the  average  date 
of  the  first  seen  for  five  of  these  years  is  April  21,  probably  a  fair  average  date 
of  arrival  for  this  district,  while,  during  the  other  four  years,  the  average  date 
is  March  27,  representing  birds  that  had  wintered  not  far  distant.  Even  at 
Ottawa,  Ontario,  which  is  well  toward  the  nothern  limit  of  the  breeding  range, 
the  dates  of  the  first  seen  during  twenty-two  years  are  for  three  years  in  Feb- 
ruary, ten  in  March,  six  in  April,  and  three  in  May.  The  above  facts  show  the 
reason  for  the  lack  of  a  regular  progression  in  the  dates  as  given  in  the  follow- 
ing tables. 

SPRING   MIGRATION 


PLACE 


Number 

of  years' 

record 


Average  date  of 
spring  arrival 


Renovo,  Pa 11 

Alfred,  N.  Y 23 

Ballston  Spa.,  N.  Y 13 

Center  Lisle,  N.  Y 22 

Ithaca,  N.  Y 8 

New  York  City,  N.  Y.    (near) 15 

Hartford,  Conn 14 

Jewett  City,  Conn 17 

Providence,  R.I 9 

Beverly,  Mass 13 

St.  Johnsbury,  Vt 13 

Hanover,  N.  H 6 

Plymouth,  Me 10 

Quebec  City,  Canada 9 

Scotch  Lake,  N.  B 7 

Pictou.  N.  S 4 

North  River,  Prince  Ed.  Island 

St.  John,  N.  F 

Chatham,  N.  B 9 

Chicago,  111 7 

Sedan,  Ind 4 

Petersburg,  Mich 4 

Houghton,  Mich 

Ottawa,  Ont 12 

Strathroy,  Ont 9 

Grinnell,  la 5 

La  Crosse,  Wis 5 

Lanesboro,  Minn 5 

Minneapolis,  Minn 8 

White  Earth,  Minn 2 

Aweme,  Manitoba 10 

Edmonton,  Alberta  (near) 7 

Osier,  Saskatchewan 

Fort  Chipewyan,  Alberta 


April  16 
April  I 
April  10 
April  5 
March  19 
April  15 
April  6 
April  9 
April  10 
April  2 
April  5 
April  8 
April  20 
April  2 
April  18 
April  14 


May  II 
March  24 
March  19 
April  9 

March  18 
April  14 
March  30 
March  30 
April  7 
March  28 
April  22 
April  23 
May  4 


Earliest  date  of 
spring  arrival 


March  11,  1897 
March  4,  1910 
March  18,  1903 
March  13,  1886 
March  14,  1906 
Rare,  winter 
February  6, 1888 
February  24,  1905 
January  i,  191 1 
March  12,  1905 
February  12, 1905 
March  7,  1886 
March  26,  1882 
March  6,  1907 
February  4,  1901 
February  20,  1887 
April  I,  1 89 1 
April,  18,  1883 
April  28,  1897 
January  9, 1896 
March  11,  1887 
March  17,  1889 
February  23,  1905 
February  20,  1909 
April  5,  1897 
March  28,  1889 
March  19,  1910 
January  i,  1893 
March  11,  1889 
April  19,  1882 
March  22,  1910 
April  19,  1910 
May  4,  1909 
May  17,  1901 


The  Migration   of  North  American   Sparrows 


23 


PLACE 


Talladega,  Ala 

Kirk  wood,  Ga 

Raleigh,  N.  C .  . 

Western  North  Carolina 

Lynchburg,  Va 

French  Creek,  \V.  Va. .  . 

Washington,  D.  C 

Beaver,  Pa 

Philadelphia,  Pa.  (near), 

Morristown,  N.  J 

New  Orleans,  La 

Bay  St.  Louis,  Miss 

Gainesville,  Tex 

Helena,  Ark 

Athens,  Tenn 

St.  Louis,  Mo 

Chicago,  111 

Oberlin,  O 

Keokuk,  la 

Emporia,  Kans 


Latest  date  of  the 
last  one  seen 


April  16,  1898 
April  7,  1903 
April  30,  1890 
May  23,  1885 
May  5,  1899 
May  8,  1893 
May  26,  1907 
May  15,  1908 
May  18,  1907 
May  24,  1907 
March  23,  1895 
March  13,  1902 
March  20,  1884 
April  23,  1899 
May  3,  1 904 
May  19,  1907 
May  19,  1907 
June  6,  1908 
May  7,  1893 
May  23,  1885 


FALL   MIGRATION 


PLACE 


Lanesboro,  Minn 

Hillsboro,  la 

Sioux  Falls,  S.  D 

Lawrence,  Kans 

San  Angelo,  Tex 

Chicago,  111 

Eubank,  Ky 

Oberlin,  O 

Delight,  Ark 

Morristown,  N.  J 

Philadelphia,  Pa.  (near) 

Beaver,  Pa 

Washington,  D.  C 

French  Creek,  W.  Va.. . 

Raleigh,  N.  C 

Aiken,  S.  C 

Chipley,  Fla 


Number 

of  years' 

record 


-Average  date  of 
fall  arrival 


October  13 

September 


August  30 
September  13 
October  14 

September  14 
October  19 

October  21 
September  25 
November  4 


Earliest  date  of 
fall  arrival 


October  6,  1891 
September,  8,  1896 
October  5,  1908 
October  21,  1905 
October  20,  1886 
August  16,  1896 
September  7,  1892 
September  7,  1901 
November  9,  191 1 
August  30,  1910 
September  18,  1890 
September  10,  1890 
September  7,  1908 
September  4,  1892 
October  28,  1890 
November  12,  1887 
November  21,  1902 


PLACE 


Aweme,  Manitoba 

Lanesboro,  Minn 

Ottawa,  Ont 

Chicago,  111 

North  River,  Prince  Ed.  Island 

Scotch  Lake,  N.  B 

Montreal,  Canada 

Hebron,  Me 

Hartford,  Conn 


Number 
of  years' 
record 


Average  date  of 
the  last  one  seen 


October  6 
October  25 
November  11 
October  31 

November  30 
October  21 
October  6 
October  13 


Latest  date  of  the 
last  one  seen 


October  22,  1899 
November  12,  1887 
November  24,  188. 
November  9,  1906 
October  6,  1888 
December  7,  1905 
November  8,  1908 
October  11,  1908 
October  29,  1887 


Notes  on  the  Plumage  of   North  American    Sparrows 

TWENTY-FIFTH    PAPER 
By  FRANK   M.   CHAPMAN 

(See   Frontispiece) 

Redpoll  {Acanthis  linaria  linaria,  Figs,  i  and  2).  In  juvenal  plumage  the 
young  male  Redpoll  resembles  the  adult  female  in  general  color,  but  the  crown 
is  without  red  and  is  streaked  like  the  nape;  the  throat  lacks  a  black  spot 
and  the  breast  is  streaked. 

At  the  post-juvenal  (first  fall)  molt,  in  which  the  wing-quills  and  tail-feathers 
are  retained,  the  bird  acquires  its  first  winter  plumage,  which  is  much  like  that 
of  the  female  (Fig.  2),  but  in  some  cases  the  breast  and  sides  of  the  neck  are 
tinged  with  rosy. 

As  Dwight  has  shown,  there  is  no  spring  molt,  and  the  difference  between 
winter  and  summer  plumage  is  due  to  the  effects  of  fading  and  wear  which  make 
the  crown-patch  seem  brighter,  the  body  plumage  more  sharply  streaked  and 
less  brownish. 

At  the  post-nuptial  (second  fall)  molt,  this  plumage,  as  usual,  is  completely 
lost,  and  the  rosy-breasted,  advdt  plumage  (Fig.  i)  acquired.  There  is  more  or 
less  individual  variation,  which  is  probably  also  in  part  due  to  age,  in  the  extent 
of  the  rosy  color  of  the  breast  and  rump,  but  this  color,  once  gained,  is  not  lost. 
As  in  the  immature  bird,  the  differences  between  winter  and  summer  plumage 
are  occasioned  by  fading  and  by  wear. 

Holboell's  Redpoll  {Acanthis  linaria  holboelli).  This  is  a  more  northern 
species,  which  rarely  reaches  the  United  States.  It  differs  from  A .  I.  linaria  in 
being  larger,  while  the  Greater  Redpoll  {Acanthis  linaria  rostrata)  of  Greenland 
which  visits  the  United  States  more  frequently,  is  of  approximately  the  same 
size  as  holbcelli,  but  is  darker.  These  differences,  however,  while  appreciable 
in  specimens,  are  too  slight  to  render  identification  in  life  certain. 

Hoary  Redpoll  {Acanthis  hornemanni  exilipes,  Figs.  3  and  4).  The 
plumage  changes  in  this  species  appear  to  be  the  same  as  those  which  take 
place  with  Acanthis  linaria,  from  which  it  may  be  known  by  its  unstreaked 
rump  and  other  characters. 

This  species  rarely  comes  so  far  south  as  the  United  States,  while  the  Green- 
land Redpoll  {Acanthis  hornemanni  hornemanni),  a  larger,  whiter  species,  has 
been  found  in  the  United  States  but  once. 

Purple  Finch  {Carpodacus  purpureus.  Figs.  5  and  6).  The  nesting  or 
juvenal  plumage  of  the  male  Purple  Finch,  both  in  color  and  pattern,  is  much 
like  its  succeeding  or  first  winter  plumage.  At  this  age  the  bird  resembles  the 
adult  breeding  female  (Fig.  6)  but,  like  winter  females,  from  which  it  cannot 
be  distinguished,  the  plumage  is  tinged  with  buff.  There  is  no  spring  molt,  and 
the  first  breeding  plumage  is  acquired  by  wear  and  fading,  when  the  bird 
resembles  the  female  in  summer  (Fig.  6). 

(24) 


A  Co-operative  Study  of  Bird   Migration 


25 


At  the  first  post-nuptial  (second  fall)  molt,  the  pink  plumage  of  the  adult 
(Fig.  5)  is  gained.  For  the  first  year  of  its  life,  therefore,  the  male  Purple 
Finch  resembles  the  female  in  color,  but,  having  once  assumed  the  pink  plumage 
of  maturity,  it  is  thereafter  retained,  and  the  only  further  change  in  color  is 
due  to  the  wearing  off  of  the  whitish  barbules  of  the  reddish  feathers,  which, 
as  Dr.  Dwight  has  shown  ('Sequence  of  Molts  and  Plumages',  Ann.  N.  Y.  Acad. 
Sci.,  1900,  173),  makes  the  adult  male  appear  to  be  brighter  in  summer  than 
at  other  times. 

The  California  Purple  Finch  (Carpodacus  purpureus  calif ornicus) ,  of 
the  Pacific  Coast  Region,  closely  resembles  the  eastern  bird,  but  the  male  is 
duller  and  darker,  the  female  more  olive-green  above.  As  is  well  known,  caged 
male  Purple  Finches  lose  their  pink  plumage  and  become  and  remain  saffron 
in  color,  a  phenomenon  which  is  generally  ascribed  to  the  effects  of  change  of 
food, 

A  Cooperative  Study  of  Bird  Migration 

Bird-Lore  asks  the  cooperation  of  its  readers  in  -recording  the  migrations  of 
certain  common  birds  in  the  belief  that  a  joint  study  of  their  movements  will  add  to 
the  interest  with  which  their  coming  is  awaited,  and  contribute  something  of 
value  to  our  knowledge  of  their  travels  in  particular,  and  bird  migration  in  general. 

By  restricting  the  plan  to  a  small  number  of  common  and  well-known  birds,  we 
largely  avoid  the  danger  of  misidentification,  focus  our  efforts  and  thereby  increase 
the  value  of  the  records  contributed. 

It  is  proposed  to  take  three  birds  which  arrive  during  the  earlier  part  of  the 
migration  season,  and  three  more  which  are  due  in  the  latter  part.  A  summary 
of  observations  on  the  first  group  will  be  published  in  Bird-Lore  for  June,  while 
those  relating  to  the  second  group,  the  names  of  which  will  be  announced  later, 
will  appear  in  Bird-Lore  for  August. 

The  first  three  birds  selected  are  the  Redwinged  Blackbird,  Robin,  and 
Phoebe.  A  blank  form  is  appended  showing  how  the  records  should  be  scheduled 
before  sending  them  to  Bird-Lore.  These  records  should  be  mailed  to  Mr.  Charles 
H.  Rogers,  care  of  Bird-Lore,  .American  Museum  of  Natural  History,  New  York 
City,  not  later  than  April  10. — F.  M.  C. 


Report  from. 


(Give  locality) 


Made  by. 


(Give 

name  and  address  of 

observer) 

^ 

Date 
first  seen 

No. 
seen 

Date 
next  seen 

No. 
seen 

Date  of 
becoming 
common 

Red-winged  blackbird 

Robin 

Phoebe 

Bird-Lore's  Fourteenth  Christmas  Census 


y\^ 


T 


HE  returns  for  the  Christmas  Census 
of  1913  have  exceeded  in  number 
those  for  any  previous  year;  and,  both 
as  a  means  of  saving  space  and  of  improving 
the  character  of  the  censuses,  it  has  been 
deemed  advisable  to  publish  only  the  lists 
which  seem  more  or  less  adequately  to 
represent  the  winter  bird-life  of  the  locality 
to  which  they  relate.  Many  lists  have  there- 
fore been  rejected  under  this  ruling,  while 
others  have  been  excluded,  either  because 
they  were  received  too  late  for  publication 
or  because,  in  one  way  or  another,  they  did 
not  conform  to  the  plan  of  the  Census  out- 
lined in  Bird-Lore  for  December.  It  has,  of 
course,  been  difficult  to  know  just  where  to 
kJMT    '     »'''Y  \        /'     V  draw  the  line,  and  doubtless  some  lists  have 

^^  WWj  I       # '    >  been  excluded  which  are  quite  as  worthy  of 

publication  as  some  which  have  been  re- 
tained, but,  in  the  absence  of  time  to  confer 
with  the  author,  the  editors  have  been 
obliged  to  use  their  own  discretion. 

We  have  again  to  thank  Mr.  Charles  H. 
Rogers  for  preparing  the  censuses  for  pub- 
lication, as  well  as  for  the  following  introductory  note. — F.  M.  C. 


PINE    GROSBEAK 

Photographed  by  S.  S.  S.  Stansell, 

Manly,  Alberta 


INTRODUCTORY    NOTE 


This  winter's  extensive  southward  movement  of  Acadian  Chickadees  is 
the  most  striking  bit  of  news  in  the  bird  world  as  revealed  by  the  Christmas 
Census.  This  species  breeds  as  far  south  as  nothernmost  or  mountainous  New 
England  and  New  York,  but  wanders  ordinarily  so  little  in  winter  that  it  very 
rarely  reaches  even  Massachusetts.  This  winter,  however,  it  has  appeared  as 
far  south  as  southern  Rhode  Island  and  Connecticut,  and  Rhinebeck,  New 
York. 

Pine  Grosbeaks,  Redpolls  and  the  Crossbills  have  come  down  in  small, 
numbers  through  New  England,  but  not  farther.  Pine  Siskins  came  earlier  in 
much  greater  numbers  and  considerably  farther  south.  Northern  Shrikes  are 
unusually  well  distributed,  although  more  than  one  is  rarely  seen  in  a  day. 
Robins,  Bluebirds  and  others  that  are  chiefly  summer  residents  in  the  north 
and  middle  East  are,  for  the  most  part,  scarce.  This  is  the  first  Christmas  when 

(26) 


Bird -Lore's   Fourteenth   Christmas   Census  27 

Starlings  have  been  really  prevalent  in  the  Philadelphia  and  Boston  regions,  and 
one  flock  has  reached  Bennington,  Vermont.  Santa  Barbara,  California,  with 
a  list  of  96  species,  takes  the  lead  as  in  pre\dous  years. 

This  year,  it  was  deemed  desirable  to  exclude  a  number  of  the  lists  submitted 
usually  because — considering  the  locality — the  time  spent  aiield,  or  the  number 
of  birds  seen,  showed  the  list  to  be  not  at  all  fairly  representative  of  the  Christ- 
mas time  bird-life  of  the  region. 

As  usual,  some  observers  paid  so  little  attention  to  the  request  as  to  arrange- 
ment that  their  lists  had  to  be  entirely  rewritten.  In  the  absence  of  a  specific 
date  it  is  assumed  that  the  census  was  made  on  Christmas  Day. — C.  H.  R. 

Yarmouth,  Nova  Scotia.— Dec.  23;  8  a.m.  to  5  p.m.  Clear;  overcast  in  late  p.m.; 
ground  bare;  wind  variable,  very  light;  temp,  at  sunrise,  19°.  Old-squaw,  i;  RufiFed 
Grouse,  2;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  3;  Northern  Raven,  4;  Crow, 
46;  Junco,  8;  Song  Sparrow,  4;  Myrtle  Warbler,  10;  Chickadee,  15;  Acadian  Chickadee, 
4;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  5.  Total,  12  species,  103  individuals. — Harrison  F.  Lewis 
and  E.  Chesley  Allen. 

Amprior,  Ont. — 9  a.m.  to  4  p.m.  Cloudy;  ten  inches  of  snow;  wind  east,  light;  temp. 
27°  to  31°.  American  Goldeneye,  i  (female);  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Downy  Wood- 
pecker, 2;  Blue  Jay,  i;  American  Crow,  i;  Evening  Grosbeaks,  heard;  Purple  Finch, 
i;  Redpoll,  6;  American  Goldfinch,  18;  Snow  Bunting,  20;  Brown  Creeper,  2;  Black- 
capped  Chickadee,  19.  Total,  12  species,  72  individuals. — Liguori  Gormley  and 
Charles  Macnamara. 

London,  Ont.  (vicinity  of). — Dec.  20;  2.30  to  5.30  p.m.  Sky  overcast,  light  rather 
bad;  ground  barely  covered  with  snow;  wind,  light,  southwest;  temp.  34°.  Herring  Gull, 
i;  Scaup,  sp.  (female),  i;  Ruffed  Grouse,  i;  Cooper's  Hawk,  i;  Kingfisher,  i;  Blue  Jay, 
i;  Crow,  19;  Redpoll,  3;  Junco,  20;  Brown  Creeper,  5;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  5; 
Chickadee,  28;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  4.  Total,  13  species,  90  individuals.  Other 
species  seen  recently:  Bronzed  Crackle,  Pine  Grosbeak,  American  Crossbill,  Snow 
Bunting  (1,000),  Cardinal  (pair).  Northern  Shrike,  Robin. — C.  G.  Watson,  J.  A. 
Cameron,  M.  Dale,  and  J.  F.  Calvert. 

Millbrook,  Ont. — Dec.  25;  9  a.m.  to  1.15  p.m.  Six  inches  of  snow  on  ground;  wind 
northeast;  temp.  32°.  Great  Blue  Heron,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker, 
i;  Blue  Jay,  3;  Chickadee,  6;  Robin,  5.  Total,  6  species,  17  individuals.  A  flock  of  Wild 
Geese  seen  flying  South  ten  days  ago,  many  northern  lakes  being  still  open. — Sam  Hunter. 

Port  Dover,  Ont. — Dec.  26;  10  a.m.  to  12.45  P-M.  Cloudy;  ground  covered  with 
three  or  four  inches  of  snow;  wind  north  to  northeast,  fresh;  temp.  23°.  Downy  Wood- 
pecker, i;  American  Crow,  7;  Bronzed  Grackle,  i;  Pine  Siskin,  flock  of  125;  Junco,  23; 
Song  Sparrow,  i  (heard);  Winter  Wren,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  2;  Chickadee,  11; 
Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  2.  Total,  10  species,  about  174  individuals. — Arthur  W. 
Preston. 

Norway,  Maine. — Dec.  25;  8  a.m.  to  12  m.  Overcast;  twelve  inches  of  snow;  wind 
east,  light;  temp.  32°.  Woodpecker,  i  (heard);  Blue  Jay,  10;  Evening  Grosbeak,  14 
(5  males,  9  females,  at  South  Paris;  this  flock  has  been  seen  several  times  about  the 
sumacs  just  preceding  the  25th);  Pine  Grosbeaks,  16;  Hoary  Redpoll,  2;  Redpoll,  100; 
Greater  Redpoll,  i;  Goldfinch,  i;  Tree  Sparrow,  6;  Northern  Shrike,  i;  Red-breasted 
Nuthatch,  3;  Chickadee,  20;  Acadian  Chickadee,  2.  (Have  seen  this  bird  only  once 
before  this  year,  and  then  only  one;  have  seen  these  two  several  times  this  fall  and  can 
always  distinguish  their  note  from  that  of  the  common  Chickadee.)  Total,  14  species, 
277  individuals. — Freeland  Howe,  Jr. 


28  Bird  -  Lore 

Tilton,  N.  H. — 9.30  a.m.  to  1.30  p.m.  Cloudy;  above  five  inches  of  snow  on  ground; 
wind,  none;  temp.  36°.  Goldeneye,  15;  Canadian  Ruffed  Grouse,  3;  Hairy  Woodpecker, 
2;  Downy  Woodpecker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  heard  several;  Redpoll,  6;  Tree  Sparrow,  13; 
White-breasted  Nuthatch  i  (heard);  Chickadee,  34;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  i.  Total, 
ID  species,  75  individuals.  Crows,  Brown  Creepers,  a  Song  Sparrow,  and  an  Acadian 
Chickadee  have  been  present  within  a  few  days. — George  L.  Plimpton,  Ernest  R. 
Perkins  and  Edward  H.  Perkins. 

Wilton,  N.  H. — Dec.  25;  8  a.m.  to  ii  a.m.  Cloudy;  ground  covered  with  two  inches 
of  snow;  no  wind;  temp.  38°.  Ruffed  Grouse,  2;  Blue  Jay,  3;  Tree  Sparrow,  15;  Northern 
Shrike,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  2;  Chickadee,  5;  Robin,  1.  Total,  7  species,  29 
individuals. — George  G.  Blanchard. 

Clarendon,  Vt. — Dec.  25;  7  a.m.  to  i  p.m.  Cloudy;  eight  inches  of  snow  on  ground; 
wind  north,  light;  temp.  35°.  Ruffed  Grouse,  4;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Downy  Wood- 
pecker, 2;  Blue  Jay,  1;  Pine  Grosbeak,  3;  Redpoll,  12;  Red-breasted  Nuthatch,  i; 
Chickadee,  i.  Total,  8  species,  30  individuals.  Redpolls,  Siskins  and  Pine  Grosbeaks 
were  very  numerous  up  to  the  middle  of  December. — L.  Henry  Potter. 

Bethel,  Vt. — Dec.  22;  9.15  a.m.  to  2.15  p.m.  Cloudy,  but  became  clear;  snow  in  thin 
patches;  wind  north,  light;  temp.  31°  to  5^°.  Duck,  sp.  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  i; 
Redpoll,  i;  Chickadee,  18;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  i.  Total,  5  species,  22  individuals. 
— Eliza  F.  Miller. 

Bennington,  Vt. — Dec.  26;  10  a.m.  to  12  m.  Cloudy,  with  light  flurries  of  snow; 
ground  covered  with  from  three  to  ten  inches  of  snow;  wind  northeast,  strong;  temp.  36°. 
Ruffed  Grouse,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  3;  Blue  Jay,  4;  Crow, 
3;  Starling,  30;  Pine  Grosbeak,  i;  American  Goldfinch,  i;  Tree  Sparrow,  19;  Northern 
Shrike,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  2;  Chickadee,  2.  Total,  12  species,  68  individuals.— 
The  Starling  made  its  first  appearance  in  Bennington,  Dec.  12,  1913,  when  a  flock  of 
about  30  arrived. — Dr.  and  Mrs.  Lucretius  H.  Ross,  Charles  Hitchcock  and  Mrs. 
Wm.  H.  Bradford, 

Boston,  Mass.  (Arnold  Arboretum,  Jamaica  Plain,  Jamaica  Pond,  Olmsted  and 
Riverway  Parks,  and  Charles  River  Basin. — Dec.  22;  8.45  a.m.  to  3.45  p.m.  Cloudy  a.m., 
clear  p.m.;  ground  bare,  wind  northeast,  light;  temp.  42°  to  47°.  Great  Black-backed 
Gull,  i;  Herring  Gull,  850;  Merganser,  59;  Mallard,  4;  Black  Duck,  413;  European 
Widgeon,  2  drakes;  Baldpate,  i;  Scaup  2;  Lesser  Scaup,  77;  Goldeneye,  4;  Bufflehead,  i; 
Ruddy  Duck,  2;  Coot,  8;  Ring-necked  Pheasant,  15;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Northern 
Flicker,  8;  Blue  Jay,  13;  Crow,  34;  Goldfinch,  12;  Pine  Siskin,  57;  White-throated 
Sparrow,  i;  Tree  Sparrow,  i;  Junco,  4;  Song  Sparrow,  i;  Northern  Shrike,  i;  Brown 
Creeper,  i;  Chickadee,  27;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  7;  Robin,  2.  Total,  29  species, 
1,609  individuals. — Horace  W.  Wright  and  Richard  M.  Marble. 

Boston  to  Gloucester,  Mass.  (by  boat). — Dec.  23;  i  to  3.45  p.m.   Cloudy;  sea  rough 
wind  southeast,  strong;  temp.  40°.    Brunnich's  Murre,  3;  Dovekie,  7;  Kittiwake,  80 
Iceland  Gull,  i;  Great  Black-backed  Gull,  4;  Herring  Gull,  1,000;  Bonaparte's  Gull,  2 
Red-breasted  Merganser,  8;  American  Goldeneye,  i.   Total,  9  species,  1,106  individuals. 
— Anna  Kingman  Barry,  Lidian  E.  Bridge  and  Ruth  D.  Cole. 

Cambridge,  Mass.  (Fresh  Pond  and  adjoining  grounds). — Dec.  25;  9.05  a.m.  to 
12.05  P-M.  Overcast;  ground  bare;  wind  northeast;  temp.  40°.  Black-backed  Gull,  3; 
Herring  Gull,  9;  American  Merganser,  54;  Black  Duck,  65;  Redhead,  2;  American 
Goldeneye,  4;  Ring-necked  Pheasant,  5;  Sparrow  Hawk,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  2; 
Flicker,  11;  Blue  Jay,  3;  Crow,  8;  Starling,  75;  Meadowlark,  9;  Purple  Finch,  4;  Gold- 
finch, 2;  Tree  Sparrow,  36;  Junco,  3;  Song  Sparrow,  5;  Swamp  Sparrow,  i;  Brown 
Creeper,  2;  Chickadee,  11.  Total,  21  species,  315  individuals. — Eugene  E.  Caduc  and 
Horace  W.  Wright. 

Cambridge,  Mass.   (Waverley,  Belmont,  Arlington  and  Fresh  Pond).— Dec.   23; 


Bird  -  Lore's  Fourteenth   Christmas   Census  29 

6.50  to  10.20  A.M.  Overcast;  ground  bare;  wind  southeast,  strong;  temp.  40°  to  30°. 
Point  of  Pines  to  Nahant,  Mass. — 11.40  a.m.  to  3.40  p.m.  Same  conditions.  Great  Black- 
backed  Gull,  50;  Herring  Gull,  2,000;  Red-breasted  Merganser,  10;  Black  Duck,  80; 
American  Goldeneye,  25;  Old-squaw,  5;  Ring-necked  Pheasant,  3;  Hairy  Wood- 
pecker, 2;  Downy  Woodpecker,  i;  Northern  Flicker,  10;  Horned  Lark,  30;  Blue  Jay, 
i;  Crow,  20;  Tree  Sparrow,  3;  Goldfinch,  2;  Northern  Shrike,  i;  Black-capped 
Chickadee,  2;  Acadian  Chickadee,  i;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  9.  Total,  19  species, 
2,255  individuals. — Myles  P.  Baker  and  Henry  M.  Spelmax,  Jr.  (Morning  trip 
taken  with  Howard  M.  Forbes.) 

Cohasset,  Mass.  (BlackRock  Station  to  Sandy  Cove). — Dec.  25;  10  a.m.  to  12.15 
P.M.  Cloudy;  ground  bare;  wind  northeast,  light;  temp.  40°.  Loon,  i;  Herring  Gull,  75; 
Old-squaw,  i;  American  Scoter,  7;  White-winged  Scoter,  5;  Brant,  30;  Ring-necked 
Pheasant,  i;  Flicker,  5;  Crow,  8;  Purple  Finch,  20;  Tree  Sparrow,  4;  Cedar  Wax- 
wing  8;  Myrtle  Warbler,  6;  Brown  Creeper,  i;  Chickadee,  25.  Total,  15  species,  197 
individuals. — Edmund  and  Lidian  E.  Bridge. 

Dighton,  Mass. — -Dec.  25;  8  a.m.  to  12  m.  Cloudy;  ground  bare;  wind  northeast. 
light;  temp.  40°.  Black  Duck,  2;  a  V  of  17  Canada  Geese  honking  due  south;  Wood- 
cock, i;  Ruffed  Grouse,  2;  Downy  Woodpecker,  i;  Flicker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  6;  Crow,  40; 
Goldfinch,  25;  W^hite-throated  Sparrow,  18;  Tree  Sparrow,  8;  Junco,  25;  Song  Sparrow, 
10;  Myrtle  Warbler,  30;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  i;  Chickadee,  30;  Golden-crowned 
Kinglet,  4.  Total,  17  species,  221  individuals.  The  Geese  were  observed  at  Bourne, 
Mass.,  Christmas  Eve,  by  C.  L.  P. — F.  Seymour  Hersey  and  Charles  L.  Phillips. 
(We  covered  nearly  the  same  ground,  keeping  well  together,  while  making  above  list.) 

East  Carver,  Mass. — Dec.  25;  7  to  10  a.m.  Cloudy;  ground  bare;  wind  northwest, 
medium;  temp.  45°.  Canada  Goose,  52;  Bob-white,  6;  Ruffed  Grouse,  2;  Screech  Owl, 
i;  Kingfisher,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  i;  Flicker,  2;  Blue  Jay,  15;  Crow,  23;  Purple 
Finch,  i;  American  Crossbill,  18;  American  Goldfinch,  12;  Tree  Sparrow,  5;  Junco,  12; 
Song  Sparrow,  i;  Fox  Sparrow,  i;  Myrtle  Warbler,  45;  Red-breasted  Nuthatch,  50; 
Chickadee,  15;  Brown  Creeper,  3;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  18;  Robin,  5.  Total,  22 
species,  289  individuals. — Lester  E.  Pratt. 

Ipswich,  Mass.  (Castle  Hill,  beach  and  dunes). — Dec.  27;  9.45  a.m.  to  2.30  p.m. 
Clear;  ground  lightly  covered  with  snow;  wind  northeast,  strong;  temp.  26°.  Horned 
Grebe,  i;  Loon,  i;  Dovekie,  ?;  Kittiwake,  5;  Black-backed  Gull,  4;  Herring  Gull,  30; 
Red-breasted  Merganser,  12;  Black  Duck,  1,000;  American  Golden-eye,  3;  Old-squaw,  2; 
Canada  Goose,  7;  Brant,  25;  Pheasant,  3;  Rough-legged  Hawk,  i;  Northern  Flicker,  3; 
Horned  Lark,  12;  American  Crow,  100;  Meadowlark,  i;  American  Crossbill,  i;  Redpoll, 
i;  Snow  Bunting,  80;  Lapland  Longspur,  i;  Ipswich  Sparrow,  3;  Tree  Sparrow,  24;  Junco, 
8;  Song  Sparrow,  i;  Northern  Shrike,  i;  Myrtle  Warbler,  24;  Chickadee,  18;  Acadian 
Chickadee,  3;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  2.  Total,  31  species,  1,369  individuals. — 
Annie  W.  Cobb,  Alice  O.  Jump  and  Lidian  E.  Bridge. 

Leominster,  Mass. — Dec.  25;  7.30  a.m.  to  4.30  p.m.  Cloudy;  ground  bare,  with 
patches  of  snow;  no  wind;  temp.  38°.  Herring  Gull,  2;  Pigeon  Hawk,  2;  Blue  Jay,  2; 
Crow,  150;  Redpoll,  25;  Goldfinch,  125;  Tree  Sparrow,  10;  Northern  Shrike,  i;  White- 
breasted  Nuthatch,  i;  Chickadee,  5.  Total,  10  species,  323  individuals. — Edwin  Rus- 
sell Davis. 

Pittsfield,  Mass. — Dec.  20;  10.25  a.m.  to  3.30  p.m.  Clear;  ground  partly  covered 
with  snow;  ponds  frozen  over;  wind  southwest,  very  light;  temp.  28°.  Black  Duck,  16; 
Downy  Woodpecker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  i;  Crow,  2;  Starling,  11;  White-winged  Crossbill,  i; 
Redpoll,  114;  Tree  Sparrow,  3;  Brown  Creeper,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  2;  Chick- 
adee, 14.  Total,  II  species,  166  individuals.  On  Dec.  6  before  the  ponds  froze  over  I 
noted  Holboell's  Grebe,  2;  Merganser,  10;  Black  Duck,  16;  Canvasback,  6;  Scaup,  24; 
Goldeneye,  5;  BuflBehead,  i. — Barron  Brainerd. 


30  Bird -Lore 

Randolph,  Mass. — Dec.  23;  9  a.m.  to  12.15  pm-  Cloudy;  ground  bare;  wind 
southeast,  light;  temp.  40°.  Canada  Goose  (?),  50;  Blue  Jay,  3;  Crow,  7;  Pine  Gros- 
beak, 8;  Tree  Sparrow,  8,  Northern  Shrike,  i;  Chickadee,  10.  Two  Myrtle  Warblers 
were  seen  later  in  the  day.    Total,  7  species,  87  individuals. — Howard  K.  Rowe. 

Sheffield,  Mass. — Dec.  26;  10.30  a.m.  to  12.30  p.m.  Two  inches  of  snow  on  the 
ground  and  snowing  steadily  all  morning;  wind  northeast  shifting  to  northwest;  temp. 
32°.  Ruffed  Grouse,  i;  American  Crow,  i;  Blue  Jay,  i;  Pine  Grosbeak,  25  (i  mature 
male);  Tree  Sparrow,  25;  Chickadee,  15.  Total,  6  species,  about  68  individuals. — Hamil- 
ton Gibson,  Paul  van  Dyke  and  Tertius  van  Dyke. 

West  Medford,  Mass.  (through  Middlesex  Fells  to  Melrose). — Dec.  21;  8.30  to 
11.45  A.M.  Clear;  ground  bare;  wind  light,  southwest;  temp.  45°.  Herring  Gull,  3; 
American  Merganser,  75;  Black  Duck  and  Red-legged  Black  Duck,  500;  Ring-necked 
Pheasant,  2;  Sparrow  Hawk,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  2;  Northern  Flicker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  8; 
Crow,  15;  American  Crossbill,  i;  Redpoll,  8;  Goldfinch,  2;  Tree  Sparrow,  i;  Song  Spar- 
row, 2;  Brown  Creeper,  2;  Red-breasted  Nuthatch,  i;  Chickadee,  14;  Golden-crowned 
Kinglet,  3.    Total,  17  species,  652  individuals. — Lidian  E.  Bridge. 

Glocester,  R.  I. — 8  a.m.  to  12  m.  Cloudy;  ground  bare;  wind  north,  light;  temp.  32°. 
Flicker,  1;  Blue  Jay,  1;  Crow,  2;  Tree  Sparrow,  i;  Chickadee,  4.  Total,  5  species,  9 
individuals. — J.  Irving  Hill. 

Providence,  R.  I. — Dec.  21;  11  a.m.  to  12.30  p.m.  Clear;  ground  bare;  temp.  46°. 
Hairy  Woodpecker,  1;  Flicker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  i;  White-throated  Sparrow,  i;  Junco,  i; 
Song  Sparrow,  4;  Winter  Wren,  i;  Brown  Creeper,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  2; 
Chickadee,  6.    Total,  10  species,  23  individuals. — Edward  D.  KeitlY. 

Warwick,  R.  I. — Dec.  25;  9.20  a.m.  to  1.30  p.m.  Cloudj^;  ground  bare;  wind  light, 
northeast;  temp.  40°.  Herring  Gull,  19;  Scaup,  356;  Flicker,  17;  Blue  Jay,  7;  American 
Crow,  27;  Starling,  200;  Meadowlark,  9;  Purple  Finch,  7;  Pine  Siskin,  31;  Tree  Sparrow, 
107;  Song  Sparrow,  i;  Myrtle  Warbler,  295;  Chickadee,  48;  Acadian  Chickadee,  i 
(second  record  for  Rhode  Island).  Total,  14  species,  1,125  individuals. — Harry  S. 
Hathaway. 

Woonsocket,  R.  I. — Dec.  25;  8.30  to  11  a.m.  Cloudy;  ground  bare;  wind  north  to 
east,  very  light;  temp.  30°  to  34°.  Blue  Jay,  15;  Crow,  16;  Tree  Sparrow,  2;  Goldfinch,  5; 
Chickadee,  7;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  1.  Total,  6  species,  46  individuals. — Clarence 
M.  Arnold. 

Bristol,  Conn. — Dec.  25;  8  a.m.  to  4.10  p.m.  Overcast;  hazy;  later  entirely  clouded; 
dark  day;  rain  at  5.30;  dead  calm;  ground  bare;  temp.  33°;  39°  at  return.  Birds  unusually 
quiet.  Black  Duck,  35;  Canada  Goose,  3;  Ruffed  Grouse,  5;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  1; 
Downy  Woodpecker,  3 ;  Blue  Jay,  45 ;  Crow, 9;  Starling,  33 ;  Tree  Sparrow,  18;  Junco,  2 ;  Song 
Sparrow,  i;  Northern  Shrike,  2;  Winter  Wren,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  2;  Chicka- 
dee, 5.    Total,  15  species,  165  individuals. — Royal  W.  Ford  and  Frank  Bruen. 

Glastonbury,  Conn.  (Connecticut  River  and  adjacent  meadow). — Dec.  25.  Cloudy; 
ground  bare;  temp.  35°  to  45°.  Herring  Gull,  11;  Mallard,  12;  Black  Duck,  400;  Ruffed 
Grouse,  2;  Red-tailed  Hawk,  1;  Red-shouldered  Hawk,  1;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  2;  Downy 
Woodpecker,  i;  Flicker,  2;  Blue  Jay,  11;  Crow,  1,000;  Starling,  200;  Goldfinch,  i;  Tree 
Sparrow,  20;  Song  Sparrow,  i;  Junco,  i;  Northern  Shrike,  i;  Brown  Creeper,  2;  White- 
breasted  Nuthatch,  4;  Chickadee,  12.  Total,  19  species,  1,686  individuals. — -A.  W. 
SuGDEN  and  L.  W.  Ripley. 

Hartford,  Conn. — Dec.  25;  7  to  ic  a.m.  Cloudy;  heavy  frost;  ground  bare;  no  wind; 
temp.  29°.  Herring  Gull,  10;  Goldeneye,  i;  Sparrow  Hawk,  2;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i; 
Downy  Woodpecker,  6;  Blue  Jay,  2;  Crow,  1,000;  Starling,  100;  Purple  Finch,  5;  Gold- 
finch, 25;  Tree  Sparrow,  250;  Junco,  8;  Song  Sparrow,  5;  Brown  Creeper,  5;  White- 
breasted  Nuthatch,  4;  Chickadee,  25;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  i.  Total,  17  species, 
1,450  individuals.    A  pair  of  Acadian  Chickadees  and  several  large  flocks  of  Pine  Siskins 


Bird -Lore's   Fourteenth   Christmas   Census  31 

had  been  seen  by  me  only  a  few  days  before  today,  but  search  for  these  two  species 
today  was  fruitless,  although  they  have  both  been  seen  frequently  for  the  past  month. 
— Arthur  G.  Powers. 

Hartford,  Conn. — Dec.  25;  10  a.u.  to  12  m.  Cloudy;  ground  bare;  no  wind;  temp. 
32°.  Downy  Woodpecker,  2;  Blue  Jay,  6;  Crow,  8;  Starling,  82;  Redpoll,  6;  Goldfinch, 
21;  Tree  Sparrow,  51;  Junco,  38;  Northern  Shrike,  2;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  3; 
Chickadee,  22.    Total,  11  species,  241  individuals. — Clifford  M.  C.\se. 

Hartford,   Conn.    (Keney  and  Elizabeth  Parks). — Dec.    25;  9.30  a.m.   to   2   p.xi 
Cloudy;  raw;  temp.  35°.     Ring-necked  Pheasant,   i   female;  Downy  Woodpecker,   2 
Blue  Jay,  12;  Crow,  4;  Meadowlark,  2;  Pine  Siskin,  150;  Junco,  50;  Brown  Creeper,  i 
White-breasted   Nuthatch,   8;    Black-capped    Chickadee,    10.     Total,    10   species,    240 
individuals. — H.\rry  D.  Hitchcock. 

West  Hartford,  Conn. — Dec.  25;  9.15  a.m.  to  12.15  p-M-  and  2  p.m.  to  4  p.m.  Very 
cloudy;  ground  bare;  wind  light,  southeast;  temp.  32°  to  36°.  Marsh  Hawk,  i  female 
Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  3;  Crow,  3,000;  Starling,  1,000 
Tree  Sparrow,  100;  Northern  Shrike,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  5;  Chickadee,  6 
Bluebird,  i.    Total,  11  species,  4,119  individuals. — P^dwix  H.,  Myron  T.  and  P.aul  H. 

MUNGER.  ^ 

New  Haven,  Conn.  (Edgewood  Park). — Dec.  25;  10  a.m.  to  i  p.m.  Sun  behind  thin 
clouds;  ground  bare;  wind  light,  east;  temp.  36°.  Barred  Owl,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i; 
Downy  Woodpecker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  3;  Crow,  7;  Starling,  7;  Tree  Sparrow,  82;  Junco,  25; 
Song  Sparrow,  8;  Brown  Creeper,  1;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  i;  Chickadee,  31;  Golden- 
crowned  Kinglet,  2.  Total,  13  species,  170  individuals. — Clifford  H.  and  Dwight  B. 
Pangburx. 

New  London,  Conn. — Dec.  27;  10.30  a.m.  to  12.30  p.m.  and  2  to  4.30  p.m.  Clear; 
ground  bare;  wind  northwest,  strong,  diminishing;  temp.  26°.  Herring  Gull,  67;  Screech 
Owl,  i;  Crow,  16;  Starling,  6;  Meadowlark,  16;  Purple  F"inch,  3;  Goldfinch,  i;  Tree 
Sparrow,  4;  Junco,  14;  Myrtle  Warbler,  16;  Chickadee,  5;  Bluebird,  3.  Total,  12  species, 
152  individuals. — Frances  M.  Graves. 

South  Windsor,  Conn. — Dec.  26;  9  a.m.  to  i  p.m.  Snow  and  sleet;  temp.  34°.  Her- 
ring Gull,  4;  .\merican  Merganser,  i;  Ring-necked  Pheasant,  i;  Red-shouldered  Hawk,  i; 
Hairy  Woodpecker,  3;  Downy  Woodpecker,  4;  Flicker,  i;  Horned  Lark,  25;  Blue  Jay, 
i;  Crow,  12;  Starling,  3;  Meadowlark,  2;  Tree  Sparrow,  75;  Junco,  5;  Song  Sparrow,  i; 
Brown  Creeper,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  4;  Chickadee,  10.  Total,  18  species,  204 
individuals. — C.  W.  Vibert. 

Stratford  Point,  Conn. — Dec.  28;  10  a.m.  to  3.30  p.m.  10  miles.  Fair;  no  snow; 
temp.  20°  at  8  a.m.  Horned  Grebe,  3;  Herring  Gull,  77;  Black  Duck,  7;  Lesser  Scaup, 
200;  Goldene^^e,  11;  Old-squaw,  6;  White-winged  Scoter,  90;  Marsh  Hawk,  2;  Goshawk 
(?),  i;  Red-shouldered  Hawk,  i;  Sparrow  Hawk,  2;  Short-eared  Owl,  3;  Red-headed 
Woodpecker,  i;  Horned  Lark,  50;  American  Crow,  172;  Starling,  222;  Cowbird,  i  (posi- 
tive); Meadowlark,  40;  Purple  Grackle,  i;  Red-winged  Blackbird,  36;  Tree  Sparrow, 
202;  Song  Sparrow,  30;  Fox  Sparrow,  i;  American  Pipit  or  Lapland  Longspur,  15; 
Chickadee,  7;  raft  of  ducks  in  Sound,  species  undetermined,  probably  Scaup,  1,000 
(estimate  low).  Total,  25  species,  2,198  individuals. — Wilbur  F.  Smith,  James  F. 
Hall  and  George  P.  Ells. 

Unionville,  Conn. — Dec.  24;  12  m.  to  6  p.m.  Clear;  ground  bare;  wind  west,  light; 
temp.  60°.  Black  Duck,  i;  Ruffed  Grouse,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  4;  Downy  Wood- 
pecker, 2;  Blue  Ja3%  2;  American  Crow,  9;  Redpoll,  6;  Goldfinch,  8;  Tree  Sparrow,  3; 
White-breasted  Nuthatch,  8;  Chickadee,  12.  Total,  11  species,  57  individuals. — 
Antoinette  S.  Cressy. 

West  Hartford,  Conn. — Dec.  25;  7.15  to  11.15  a.m.  Cloudy;  ground  bare; 
temp.  30°  to  43°.    Downy  Woodpecker,  4;  Starling,  47;  Crow,  447;  Blue  Jay,  4;  Tree 


32  Bird  -  Lore 

Sparrow,  15;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  2;  Chickadee,  21.  Total,  7  species,  540  indi- 
viduals.— Mr.  and  Mrs.  II.  P.  Meech. 

Amityville,  L.  I.  (Jones  Beach  and  Great  South  Bay). — Dec.  28;  7  a.m.  until  dark. 
Clear,  becoming  slightly  overcast  after  11  a.m.;  ground,  marshes  and  creeks  mostly 
frozen;  wind  light,  northwest;  temp.  21°  to  34°.  Holbcell's  Grebe,  3;  Horned  Grebe,  19; 
Loon,  27;  Red-throated  Loon,  1;  Great  Black-backed  Gull,  5;  Herring  Gull,  2,000; 
Red-breasted  Merganser,  46;  Black  Duck,  148;  Scaup,  21;  Goldeneye,  7;  Old-squaw, 
42;  American  Scoter,  21;  White-winged  Scoter,  500  (estimated);  Canada  Goose,  183; 
Brant,  636;  Wilson's  Snipe,  i;  Marsh  Hawk,  3;  Rough-legged  Hawk,  i;  Short-eared 
Owl,  3;  Horned  Lark,  68;  Crow,  50;  Starling,  10;  Meadowlark,  23;  Snow  Bunting  47; 
Ipswich  Sparrow,  g;  Savannah  Sparrow,  3;  White-throated  Sparrow,  4;  Tree  Sparrow, 
38;  Song  Sparrow,  20;  Swamp  Sparrow,  7;  Fox  Sparrow,  4;  Northern  Shrike,  i;  Myrtle 
Warbler,  176;  Winter  Wren,  i;  Short-billed  Marsh  Wren,  i  (a  genuine  surprise;  seemed 
stupefied  with  the  cold,  though  able  to  fly  well;  as  this  is  the  third  record  for  Long 
Island,  and  the  first  winter  record  for  New  York  State,  the  bird  was  collected);  Chicka- 
dee, 10.  Total,  36  species,  4,135  individuals.  Waterfowl  abundant  as  result  of  the  north- 
west gale  on  Dec.  26.  Brant  in  much  greater  numbers  yesterday.  Seen  yesterday, 
Kittiwake,  5;  Surf  Scoter,  i;  Long-eared  Owl,  i. — Nicholas  F.  Lenssen,  George  W. 
HuBBELL,  Jr.,  and  Ludlow  Griscom  (all  keeping  together). 

Collins,  N.  Y.  (hospital  grounds  and  Cattaraugus  Indian  Reservation). — Dec.  25; 
9  to  10  A.M.  and  12.30  to  i  and  3  to  3.50  p.m.  Overcast;  ground  bare,  unfrozen;  no  wind; 
temp.  35°.  Downy  Woodpecker,  3;  Prairie  Horned  Lark,  25;  Blue  Jay,  2;  Crow,  3; 
Tree  Sparrow,  15;  Brown  Creeper,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  4;  Chickadee,  24. 
Total,  8  species,  77  individuals. — Anne  E.  Perkins,  M.D.,  and  Clara  B.  Newcomb. 

Far  Rockaway,  L.  L,  N.  Y. — Dec.  26;  9  a.m.  to  2.30  p.m.  Cloudy,  with  occasional 
rain;  ground  bare;  wind  east,  brisk;  temp.  44°.  Horned  Grebe,  4;  Loon,  i;  Black-backed 
Gull,  4;  Herring  Gull,  550;  (outer  bar  shore  line  covered  with  many  thousands  of  Gulls, 
several  species  unidentified);  Scaup,  51;  Old-squaw,  34;  Canada  Goose,  15;  Brant,  6; 
Black-crowned  Night  Heron,  8;  Marsh  Hawk,  i;  Red-shouldered  Hawk,  i;  Barred  Owl, 
i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  6;  Crow,  25;  Starling,  350;  Meadowlark, 
18  (singing);  Tree  Sparrow,  28;  Junco,  11;  Song  Sparrow,  2;  Chickadee,  5;  Robin,  2. — 
Total,  22  species,  1,124  individuals. — Charlotte  Bogardus. 

Floral  Park,  L.  I.,  N.  Y. — Dec.  25;  9  to  12  a.m.  Cloudy;  wind  northeast,  brisk; 
temp.  40°  to  58°.  Herring  Gull,  10;  Sharp-shinned  Hawk,  2;  Cooper's  Hawk,  i;  Accipiter, 
sp.,  i;  Screech  Owl,  i;  Horned  Lark,  i;  Crow,  500;  Fish  Crow,  8;  Starling,  300;  Tree 
Sparrow,  10.  Total,  9  species,  864  individuals. — Henry  Thurston  and  Fred  Zoeller. 

Geneva,  N.  Y. — Dec.  21;  9  a.m.  to  4  p.m.  Cloudy;  ground  bare;  wind  west,  light; 
temp.  35°  to  40°.  Horned  Grebe,  13;  Loon,  i;  Herring  Gull,  5;  Ring-billed  Gull,  8; 
Black  Duck,  i;  Canvasback,  30;  Goldeneye,  55;  BufHehead,  17;  Old-squaw,  16;  Ring- 
necked  Pheasant,  3;  Short-eared  Owl,  i;  Screech  Owl,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  4;  Crow, 
100;  Tree  Sparrow,  10;  Song  Sparrow,  1;  Winter  Wren,  i;  Brown  Creeper,  3;  White- 
breasted  Nuthatch,  11;  Chickadee,  18;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  i.  Total,  21  species, 
300  individuals. — Otto  McCreary. 

Hamburg,  N.  Y. — Dec.  22;  1.30  to  4.30  p.m.  Cloudy;  ground  bare;  wind  southwest, 
light;  temp.  34°  Screech  Owl,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  i;  Crow,  4;  Northern  Shrike,  i; 
White-breasted  Nuthatch,  1;  Chickadee,  10.  Total,  6  species,  18  individuals.  Flushed 
3  Ruffed  Grouse  on  Dec.  20. — Thomas  L.  Bourne  and  Heath  Van  Duzee. 

New  York  City  (Pelham  Bay  Park  and  vicinity). — Dec.  24;  8.10  a.m.  to  1.40  i'.m. 
Clear;  ground  bare;  wind  light,  northwest;  lemp.  38°.  Herring  Gull,  450;  Scaup,  3; 
Goldeneye,  16;  Red-shouldered  Hawk,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  9;  Flicker,  2;  Crow,  75; 
Blue  Jay,  7;  Starling,  50;  Meadowlark,  6;  Goldfinch,  18;  Pine  Siskin,  90;  Tree^Sparrow, 
53;  Junco,  45;  Song  Sparrow,  6;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  3;  Chickadee,  47;  Bluebird,  i. 


Bird -Lore's   Fourteenth   Christmas   Census  33 

Total,  iS  species,  882  individuals.    On  Dec.  23,  3  Night  Herons  and  a  Kingfisher,  and 
on  Dec.  21,15  Bob-whites  were  seen  on  this  area. — Aretas  A.  Saunders. 

New  York  City  (western  half  of  Van  Cortlandt  Park). — Dec.  20;  8.30  a.m.  to  4.45 
P.M.  Partly  cloudy;  ground  bare;  no  wind;  heavy  frost  at  start;  temp.  54°  at  2  p.m. 
Bob-white,  covey  of  at  least  7;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  3;  Flicker,  i 
(male);  Blue  Jay,  3;  American  Crow,  13;  Starling,  105;  Red-winged  Blackbird,  5;  Pine 
Siskin,  flock  of  14;  Tree  Sparrow,  80;  Field  Sparrow,  6;  Junco,  flock  of  26;  Song  Sparrow 
6;  Swamp  Sparrow,  i;  Brown  Thrasher,  i  (same  spot  as  Nov.  30;  in  dense  cover;  lively 
but  will  not  fly);  Winter  Wren,  i;  Brown  Creeper,  2;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  5; 
Black-capped  Chickadee,  11.  Total,  19  species,  about  290  individuals. — Charles  H. 
Rogers. 

New  York  City  (Westchester  Ave.,  Watson's  Woods,  Bronx  Park  to  Van  Cort- 
landt Park), — Dec.  25;  11.30  a.m.  to  dark.  Overcast  and  threatening,  hail  after  4  p.m. 
Ground  free  from  frost;  wind  northeast,  fairly  strong;  temp.  45°  to  38°.  Herring  Gull, 
109;  Black-crowned  Night  Heron,  25;  Sparrow  Hawk,  i,  Barred  Owl,  i;  Downy  Wood- 
pecker, 2;  Crow,  14;  Starling,  71;  Goldfinch,  5;  White-throated  Sparrow,  17;  Tree  Spar- 
row, 10;  Field  Sparrow,  7;  Junco,  19;  Song  Sparrow,  6;  Swamp  Sparrow,  2;  Fox  Sparrow, 
41  (all  in  one  flock — a  phenomenal  number  so  late) ;  Towhee,  i  (female);  Brown  Creeper, 
5;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  3;  Chickadee,  22.  Total,  19  species,  361  individuals. — 
George  W.  Hubbell,  Jr.,  and  Ludlow  Griscom. 

New  York  City  (West  Farms  to  Clason  Point). — Dec.  27;  2.15  to  4.45  p.m.  Clear; 
ground  bare,  very  wet  in  places  from  recent  rain;  wind  northwest,  brisk;  temp.  31°. 
Herring  Gull,  1,000  or  more;  Bonaparte's  Gull,  50;  Red-breasted  Merganser,  i  (drake); 
Black  Duck,  20;  Scaup,  200;  a  flock  of  at  least  500  ducks  riding  upon  the  water,  too  far 
out  to  identify;  Red-tailed  Hawk,  4;  Red-shouldered  Hawk,  i;  Sparrow  Hawk,  i; 
Downy  Woodpecker,  i;  Flicker,  i;  Crow,  i;  Starling,  17;  White-throated  Sparrow,  10; 
Tree  Sparrow,  20;  Song  Sparrow,  2;  Fox  Sparrow,  30;  Winter  Wren,  i;  White-breasted 
Nuthatch,  3;  Chickadee,  2.  Total,  19  species,  about  2,000  individuals. — Edwin  Des- 
vernine  and  George  E.  Hix. 

New  York  City  (Central  Park). — Dec.  25;  9.30  to  10.30  a.m.  Cloudy;  ground  bare; 
light  wind;  temp.  28°.  Herring  Gull,  9;  Starling,  4;  Crackle  {Q.  quiscula  subsp.),  2; 
Rusty  Blackbird,  i;  White-throated  Sparrow,  3  (males);  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  i; 
Chickadee,  4.    Total,  8  species,  24  individuals. — John  Dryden  Kuser. 

New  York  City  (Central  Park). — Dec.  25;  7.15  a.m.  to  1.30  p.m.  Cloudy;  ground 
bare;  wind  northeast,  brisk;  temp,  about  40°.  Herring  Gull,  no;  Downy  Woodpecker, 
3;  Starling,  70;  Crackle,  (Q.  quiscula,  subsp.),  6;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  i;  Chicka- 
dee, 9;  Robin,  I.  Total,  7  species,  200  individuals. — J.  C.  Wiley  and  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
G.  Clyde  Fisher. 

New  York  City  (Prospect  Park,  Brooklyn). — Dec.  21;  8.30  to  10.30  a.m.  Clear; 
ground  bare;  wind  southwest,  light;  temp.  45°.  Herring  Gull,  2;  Black  Duck,  8;  Screech 
Owl,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  3;  Starling,  30;  Pine  Siskin,  3;  White-throated  Sparrow,  3; 
Junco,  2;  Song  Sparrow,  2;  Northern  Shrike,  i;  Carolina  Wren,  i;  White-breasted 
Nuthatch,  i;  Chickadee,  4.    Total,  13  species,  61  individuals. — K.  P.  and  E.  W.  Vietor. 

New  York  City  (Flushing,  L.  I.). — Dec.  27;  six  hours.  Clear  and  cold;  temp, 
about  30°.  Herring  Gull,  9;  Wilson's  Snipe,  i;  Red-tailed  Hawk,  3;  Rough-legged  Hawk, 
4;  Crow,  16;  Starling,  50;  Meadowlark,  15;  White-throated  Sparrow,  6;  Tree  Sparrow, 
13;  Junco,  12;  Song  Sparrow,  6;  Swamp  Sparrow,  10;  Towhee,  i;  Long-billed  Marsh 
Wren,  i;  Chickadee,  5.    Total,  15  species,  153  individuals. — Howarth  S.  Boyle. 

New  York  City  (Princes  Bay  to  New  Dorp,  Staten  Island). — Dec.  28;  8  a.m.  to  5  p.m. 
Hazy  to  cloudy,  clearing  in  late  p.m.;  ground  bare  and  frozen;  wind  light  northwest; 
temp.  20°  at  start,  rising  several  degrees  during  day.  Great  Black-backed  Gull,  1; 
Herring  Gull,  431;  Bonaparte's  Gull,  5;  Greater  Scaup,  i;  Goldeneye,  18;   Bufliehead,  2; 


,•^4  Bird  -  Lore 

()l(l-sciiui\v,  lo;  Marsli  Hawk,  3;  Sliarp-shinncd  Hawk,  1;  Red-shouldered  Hawk,  i; 
Sparrow  Hawk,  t;  Harn  Owl,  i;  Long-eared  Owl,  3;  Barred  Owl,  i;  Saw-whet  Owl,  2; 
Downy  Woodpecker,  2;  Blue  ]ny,  8;  Crow,  45;  Starling,  377;  Meadowlark,  7;  Ipswich 
Sparrow,  2;  Tree  Sparrow,  ,^4;  Junco,  27;  Song  Sparrow,  4;  Cardinal,  3;  Myrtle  Warbler, 
8;  White-breasted  NulhaUh,  3;  Tufted  Titmouse,  3;  Chickadee,  3;  Robin,  i.  Total, 
30  species,  1,008  individuals. — C.  R.  Tuckkr  and  Howard  H.  Cleaves. 

New  York  City  (Princes  Bay  to  Tottenville  to  Great  Kills,  Staten  Island). — Dec. 
21;  8.15  A.M.  lo  4.15  I'.M.  Slightly  hazy;  ground  bare;  wind  \'ery  light,  southwest;  temp. 
30°  at  start,  rising.  Herring  Cull,  46;  Greater  Scaup,  5;  Bufflehead,  2;  Red-shouldered 
Hawk,  i;  S])arrow  Hawk,  5;  Long-eared  Owl,  i;  Barred  Owl,  i;  Screech  Owl,  i;  King- 
fisher, i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  6;  Blue  Jay,  10;  Crow,  34;  Starling,  224;  Meadowlark, 
21;  Goldfinch,  2;  Pine  Siskin,  56;  Tree  Sparrow,  22;  Field  Sparrow,  7;  Junco,  5;  Song 
Sparrow,  13;  Cardinal,  2;  Carolina  Wren,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  i;  Tufted  Tit- 
mouse, 5;  Chickadee,  10;  Robin,  3.  Total,  26  species,  485  individuals. — Howard  H. 
Cleaves. 

Battery,  New  York  City,  to  and  at  the  Cholera  Bank  (about  10  miles  off  Long  Beach, 
L.  I.)  and  back. — Dec.  iq;  8.25  a.m.  to  4.25  p.m.  Clear;  light  southerly  wind;  temp.  45° 
at  Bank  at  1.30  p.m.  Loon,  sp.,  3;  Kittiwake,  40;  Black-backed  Gull,  4  (adults); 
Herring  Gull,  1,500;  Bonaparte's  Gull,  300;  Old-squaw,  5;  White-winged  Scoter,  flock 
of  23.  Total,  7  species,  about  1,875  individuals. — W.  H.  Wiegmann,  W.  De  W.  Miller, 
J.  T.  Nichols  and  C.  H.  Rogers. 

Orient,  L.  I.,  N.  Y. — Dec.  22;  all  day.  Clear;  ground  bare  and  free  from  frost  with 
e.xception  of  a  slight  white  frost  in  a.m.;  wind  calm;  temp.  29°  to  45°.  Horned  Grebe,  25; 
Loon,  30;  Black-backed  Gull,  i;  Herring  Gull,  250;  Cormorant  (P.  carbo  )i;  Red-breasted 
Merganser,  30;  Black  Duck,  8;  Greater  Scaup,  1,000;  Goldeneye,  60;  Bufflehead,  325; 
Old-squaw,  600;  White-winged  Scoter,  400;  Surf  Scoter,  550;  Canada  Goose,  17;  Bob- 
white,  8;  Pheasant,  2;  Marsh  Hawk,  i;  Rough-legged  Hawk,  i;  Screech  Owl,  3;  King- 
fisher, i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  4;  Flicker,  35;  Horned  Lark,  170;  Crow,  300;  Fish  Crow, 
4;  Red-winged  Blackbird,  i;  Meadowlark,  100;  Purple  Crackle,  2;  Red  Crossbill,  2; 
Goldfinch,  2;  Siskin,  25;  White-throated  Sparrow,  i;  Tree  Sparrow,  45;  Junco,  4;  Song 
Sparrow,  40;  Swamp  Sparrow,  3;  Northern  Shrike,  i;  Myrtle  Warbler,  300;  Catbird, 
i;  Winter  Wren,  2;  Chickadee,  40;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  10;  Hermit  Thrush,  i; 
Robin,  10.  Total,  44  species,  4,155  individuals.  Each  party  covering  different  ground. 
Roy  and  Frank  G.  Latham. 

Port  Chester,  N.  Y. — 9  a.m.  to  4.30  p.m.  Clear;  ground  bare;  wind  north,  high; 
temp.  20°.  Horned  Grebe,  2;  Loon,  i;  Herring  Gull,  150;  Red-breasted  Merganser,  2; 
American  Goldeneye,  r;  Old-squaw,  20;  White-winged  Scoter,  50;  Sharp-shinned 
Hawk,  i;  Red-shouldered  Hawk,  2;  Sparrow  Hawk,  i;  Long-eared  Owl,  i;  Hairy  Wood- 
pecker, i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  i;  Horned  Lark,  30;  Blue  Jay,  5;  Crow,  20;  Starling,  150; 
Meadowlark,  20;  Purple  Finch,  20;  Goldfinch,  20;  Snow  Bunting,  20;  White-throated 
Sparrow,  3;  Tree  Sparrow,  20;  Junco,  4;  Song  Sparrow,  20;  Brown  Creeper,  6; 
White-breasted  Nuthatch,  8;  Black-capped  Chickadee,  35;  Golden-crowned  King- 
let, 4;  Bluebird,  i.  Total,  30  species,  488  individuals. — Richard  L.  Burdsall,  Samuel 
N.  CoMLY,  James  C.  Maples,  Paul  Cecil  Spofford,  Bolton  Cook  and  E.  Morris 
Burdsall. 

Rhinebeck,  N.  Y. — 9  a.m.  to  i  p.m.;  2  to  3  p.m.;  area  covered,  1,200  acres.  Cloudy; 
ground  bare;  wind  south,  light;  temp.  33°.  Herring  Gull,  2;  English  Pheasant,  9;  Red- 
tailed  Hawk,  2;  Sparrow  Hawk,  i;  Barred  Owl,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  6;  Downy  Wood- 
pecker, 12;  Blue  Jay,  2;  Crow,  10;  Redpoll,  26;  White-throated  Sparrow,  i;  Tree  Spar- 
row, 17;  Junco,  15;  Song  Sparrow,  3;  Brown  Creeper,  2;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  12; 
Chickadee,  38;  Acadian  Chickadee,  2;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  3;  Bluebird,  9.  Total, 
20  species,  173  individuals. — Dr.  and  Mrs.  J.  F.  Goodell  and  Maunsell  S.  Crosby. 


Bird  -  Lore's   Fourteenth   Christmas   Census  35 

Rochester,  N.  Y.  (Highland  Park). — Dec.  25;  8  a.m.  to  12  m.  Cloudy,  threatening 
rain;  ground  bare;  no  wind;  temp.  32°  to  40°.  Herring  Gull,  i;  Screech  Owl,  i;  Downy 
Woodpecker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  i;  American  Crow,  4;  Cardinal,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch, 
2;  Chickadee,  12.    Total,  8  species,  23  individuals. — Richard  E.  Horsky. 

Rochester,  N.  Y.  (Highland  Park). — Dec.  29;  8  a.m.  to  5  p.m.  Light  snow  on  ground; 
wind  southwest;  temp.  22°  upwards.  Pheasant,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  i;  Blue  Jay, 
i;  Crow,  8;  Junco,  i;  Cardinal  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  i;  Chickadee,  12.  Total, 
8  species,  26  individuals. — Wm.  L.  G.  Edsox. 

Rochester,  N.  Y.  (Highland  Park  and  Mt.  Hope). — Dec.  25;  9.30  a.m.  to  12  m. 
Cloudy,  with  mist;  ground  bare;  wind  southwest,  slight;  temp.  35°.  Downy  Wood- 
pecker, i;  Flicker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  i;  Crow,  6;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  6;  Chickadee,  5. 
Total,  6  species,  20  individuals. — Nettie  Sellinger  Pierce. 

St.  James,  L.  L,  N.  Y. — Dec.  21;  12.30  a.m.  to  3.30  p.m.  Cloudy,  foggy,  sun  show- 
ing at  intervals;  ground  bare;  wind  very  light;  temp.  56°.  Horned  Grebe,  15;  Herring 
Gull,  125;  Greater  Scaup,  20;  American  Goldeneye,  i;  Old-squaw,  10;  White-winged 
Scoter,  85;  Sparrow  Hawk,  1;  Crow,  12;  Junco,  25.  Total,  9  species,  294  individuals. — 
James  W.  Lane,  Jr. 

Syracuse,  N.  Y. — 9.30  .a.m.  to  i  p.m.  and  3  to  4  p.m.  Cloudy;  ground  covered  with 
thin  coating  of  sleet;  no  wind;  temp.  38°.  Loon,  2;  Herring  Gull,  13;  Screech  Owl,  i; 
Downy  Woodpecker,  3;  Crow,  4;  Tree  Sparrow,  12;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  3; 
Chickadee,  9.  Total,  8  species,  47  individuals. — Mary  E.  Whitford  and  Nettie  M. 
Sadler. 

Woodmere,  N.  Y. — Dec.  27;  10.10  a.m.  to  i  p.m.  Seven-mile  walk,  covering  woods, 
fields  and  marshes.  Clear;  ground  bare;  wind  strong,  cold,  northwest;  temp.  273^°. 
Marsh  Hawk,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  2;  Crow,  24;  Starling,  3;  Meadow- 
lark,  i;  Tree  Sparrow,  4;  Junco,  7;  Song  Sparrow,  3;  Myrtle  Warbler,  5;  Black-capped 
Chickadee,  i;  Robin,  i.  Total,  12  species,  53  individuals.  Dec.  29,  Cedar  Waxwing  and 
American  Pipit. — Charles  A.  Hewlett. 

Camden,  N.  J. — Dec.  25;  10  a.m.  to  3.30  p.m.  Cloudy;  starting  to  rain  1.30  p.m. 
wind  northeast;  temp.  38°.  Herring  Gull,  5;  Black  Duck,  i;  Mourning  Dove,  15  (flock); 
Cooper's  Hawk,  i;  Red-tailed  Hawk,  8;  Sparrow  Hawk,  7;  Downy  Woodpecker,  2; 
Flicker,  4;  Crow,  81;  Starling,  18;  White-throated  Sparrow,  12;  Tree  Sparrow,  23; 
Field  Sparrow,  2;  Junco,  49;  Song  Sparrow,  16;  Swamp  Sparrow,  2;  Fo.k  Sparrow,  3; 
Towhee,  i;  Cardinal  7;  Carolina  Wren,  i;  Winter  Wren,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch, 
2;  Tufted  Titmouse,  2;  Chickadee,  10.  Total,  24  species,  273  individuals. — Julian  K. 
Potter  and  Delos  E.  Culver. 

Clinton,  Horse  Neck  and  Lower  Montville,  N.  J. — Dec.  25;  9  a.m.  to  3  p.m.  Cloudy; 
ground  bare;  wind  northeast,  light;  temp.  40°.  Red-shouldered  Hawk,  i;  Rough- 
legged  Hawk,  i;  Sparrow  Hawk,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  2;  Downy  Woodpecker,  10; 
Red-headed  Woodpecker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  8;  Crow,  88;  Starling,  58;  Goldfinch,  12;  Pine 
Siskin,  i;  White-throated  Sparrow,  i;  Tree  Sparrow;  96;  Junco,  31;  Song  Sparrow,  2; 
Northern  Shrike,  i;  Winter  Wren,  i;  Brown  Creeper,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  3; 
Chickadee,  8;  Bluebird,  9.    Total,  21  species,  336  individuals. — Louis  S.  Kohler. 

Englewood,  N.  J.  (Leonia,  Overpeck  Creek,  Teaneck,  Phelps  Estate,  Palisades, 
Interstate  Park  to  Alpine  and  Cresskill). — Dec.  21;  dawn  until  dark.  Fair;  becoming 
partly  overcast  after  11  .\.m.\  ground  bare,  free  from  frost  e.xcept  in  early  morning; 
wind  west,  very  light;  temp.  30°  to  45°.  Herring  Gull,  35;  Black  Duck,  i;  Marsh  Hawk, 
2;  Red-tailed  Hawk,  4;  Rough-legged  Hawk,  i;  Duck  Hawk,  i  (Palisades);  Barred  Owl, 
i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  3;  Downy' Woodpecker,  12;  Flicker,  2;  Blue  Jay,  11;  Crow,  21; 
Starling,  90;  Meadowlark,  15;  Goldfinch,  5;  European  Goldfinch,  8;  Pine  Siskin  (?),  2; 
White-throated  Sparrow,  14;  Tree  Sparrow,  70;  Field  Sparrow,  3;  Junco,  55;  Song 
Sparrow,   17;  Swamp  Sparrow,   5;   Cardinal,   2;   Carolina   Wren,   7;   Winter  Wren,   i; 


36  Bird  -  Lore 

White-hrc;isted  Nulliatch,  3;  Chickadee,  35;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  10;  Bluebird, 
4  (only  the  second  lime  \vc  ha\'e  seen  it  in  winter).  Total,  29  species,  430  individuals. — 
John  Trf.adwf.i.l  Nichols,  S.  V.  LaDow  and  Luni.ow  Griscom. 

Hackettstown,  N.  J. — Dec.  18;  g  to  11.40  a.m.  Partly  cloudy;  ground  bare;  temj), 
31".  Great  Blue  Heron  (?),t;  Downy  Woodpecker,  i;  Crow,  3;  Starling,  i;  Purple  Finch 
2;  Goldfinch,  2;  White-throated  Sjiarrow,  i;  Tree  Sparrow,  5;  Junco,  2;  Song  Spar- 
row, 3;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  2;  Chickadee,  3.  Total,  12  species,  26  individuals. 
— Mary  Pierson  Allen. 

Moorestown,  N.  J. — Dec.  25;  6.53  a.m.  to  3.50  p.m.  Some  of  the  party  not  in  field 
so  long.  Clear  to  cloudy;  rain  in  afternoon;  ground  bare;  wind  northeast,  light, 
becoming  fresh;  temp,  at  start,  35°.  Herring  Gull,  5;  Ruddy  (?)  Duck,  i;  Great  Blue 
Heron,  2;  Killdeer,  19;  Mourning  Dove,  17;  Turkey  Vulture,  2;  Marsh  Hawk,  2;  Sharp- 
shinned  Hawk,  i;  Cooper's  Hawk,  2;  Red-tailed  Hawk,  12;  Red-shouldered  Hawk, 
6;  Sparrow  Hawk,  5;  Barn  Owl  (recently  killed;  leg  broken  as  by  a  trap),  i;  Long-eared 
Owl,  i;  Belted  Kingfisher,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  5;  Downy  Woodpecker,  20;  Flicker, 
6;  Horned  Lark,  5;  Blue  Jay,  24;  Crow,  762;  Starling,  183;  Meadowlark,  116;  Purple 
Grackle,  i;  Goldfinch,  11;  White-throated  Sparrow,  41;  Tree  Sparrow,  230;  Chipping 
Sparrow,  i;  Junco,  674;  Song  Sparrow,  92;  Fox  Sparrow,  2;  Cardinal,  45;  Northern 
(?)  Shrike,  2;  Carolina  Wren,  3;  Winter  Wren,  11;  Brown  Creeper,  8;  White-breasted 
Nuthatch,  11;  Tufted  Titmouse,  9;  Chickadee,  64;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  4;  Robin, 
4;  Bluebird,  3.  Total,  42  species,  2,414  individuals.  Observers  worked  in  four  parties 
covering  for  the  most  part  different  ground.  One  Pine  Siskin  seen  on  Dec.  24. — John 
D.  Carter,  Arthur  S.  Maris,  E.  Leslie  Nicholson,  J.  Howard  Mickle,  Anna  A. 
MiCKLE,  William  B.  Evans  and  George  H.  Hallett,  Jr. 

Morristown,  N.  J. — Dec.  25;  9.30  a.m.  to  12.30  p.m.  Cloudy;  ground  bare;  wind 
east,  moderate;  temp.  39°.  Blue  Jay,  7;  Crow,  5;  Starling,  ic;  Goldfinch,  i;  Tree  Spar- 
row, 23;  Field  Sparrow,  i;  Song  Sparrow,  23;  Junco,  25;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  4; 
Tufted  Titmouse,  i;  Chickadee,  24.    Total,  11  species,  124  individuals. — R.  C.  Caskey. 

Mountain  View,  N.  J. — Dec.  21;  10  a.m.  to  3  p.m.  Fair;  ground  bare;  no  wind; 
temp.  45°.  Black  Duck,  4;  Sharp-shinned  Hawk,  i;  Red-shouldered  Hawk,  1;  Spar- 
row Hawk,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  10;  Blue  Jay,  25;  Crow,  25; 
Starling,  20;  Goldfinch,  3;  Tree  Sparrow,  100;  Junco,  100;  Song  Sparrow,  2;  Fox  Spar- 
row, 2;  Northern  Shrike,  i;  Brown  Creeper,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  25;  Tufted 
Titmouse,  25;  Chickadee,  10.    Total,  19  species,  357  individuals. — Herbert  Cottrell. 

Newfield,  N.  J. — Dec.  25;  10  a.m.  to  3.10  p.m.  Cloudy  in  forenoon,  rain  in  after- 
noon; wind  northeast,  brisk;  temp.  43°.  Bob-white,  6;  Blue  Jay,  3;  Crow,  3;  Meadow- 
lark,  3;  Tree  Sparrow,  40;  Song  Sparrow,  i;  Junco,  75;  Cardinal,  i;  Chickadee,  5. 
Total,  9  species,  137  individuals.  On  Dec.  24,  i  Goldfinch,  and  flock  of  several  hundred 
Red-winged  Blackbirds  were  seen. — Wm.  W.  Fair. 

Plainfield,  N.  J.  (to  Ash  Swamp), — Dec.  25;  7.10  a.m.  to  6  p.m.  Cloudy,  raining 
from  2.30  P.M.;  ground  bare  (has  not  been  snow-covered  this  season);  wind  east;  temp. 
41°.  Canada  Goose,  11  (flock,  flying  south);  Marsh  Hawk,  i;  Red-tailed  Hawk,  i; 
Hawk  {Buieo  sp.)  2;  Barred  Owl,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  7; 
Blue  Jay,  12;  Common  Crow,  160;  Fish  Crow,  3;  Starling,  about  660  (one  flock  of  fully 
600);  Meadowlark,  18  (flock,  at  roost);  Rusty  Blackbird,  14  (flock);  Pine  Siskin,  6 
(flock);  White- throated  Sparrow, 4  (flock);  Tree  Sparrow, 45;  Field  Sparrow,  2  (together); 
Junco,  25;  Song  Sparrow,  4;  Swamp  Sparrow,  2  (together);  Cardinal,  3;  Northern  Shrike, 
i;  Winter  Wren,  i;  Brown  Creeper,  3;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  6;  Tufted  Titmouse, 
8;  Black-capped  Chickadee,  23;  Hermit  Thrush,  2  (together).  Total,  27  species,  about 
1,025  individuals. — W.  DeW.  Miller. 

Trenton,  N.  J.  (and  vicinity). — Dec.  25;  9.30  a.m.  to  2  p.m.  Clear;  ground  bare; 
wind  light,  west;  temp.  40°.    Downy  Woodpecker,  3;  Junco,  50;   Song  Sparrow,  15; 


Bird -Lore's   Fourteenth    Christmas   Census  37 

Cardinal,  3;  Myrtle  Warbler,  6;  Brown  Creeper,  5;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  2;  Chicka- 
dee, 20;  Bluebird,  4.   Total,  g  species,  108  individuals. — William  M.  Palmer. 

Trenton,  N.  J.  (Pennsylvania  side  of  river  bank). — 10  a.m.  to  12.30  p.m.  Cloud)-; 
ground  bare;  wind  fresh,  northeast;  temp.  44^.  Sparrow  Hawk,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker, 
i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  3;  Crow,  g;  White-throated  Sparrow,  8;  Tree  Sparrow,  35; 
Junco,  g5;  Song  Sparrow,  20;  Cardinal,  g;  Carolina  Wren,  i;  Brown  Creeper,  4;  White- 
breasted  Nuthatch,  4;  Tufted  Titmouse,  i;  Chickadee,  iS.  Total,  14  species,  211  indi- 
viduals.— W.  L.  Dix. 

Cochranville,  Pa. — Dec.  28;  1.30  to  4  p.m.  Partly  cloudy;  ground  bare;  light 
northwest  wind;  temp.  31°.  Turkey  Vulture,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  i;  Crow,  20; 
\'esper  Sparrow,  i;  Tree  Sparrow,  11;  Junco,  15;  Chickadee,  3.  Total,  7  species,  52 
individuals.  Two  Cardinals  (a  pair)  and  a  Marsh  Hawk  were  seen  Dec.  24. — Anna 
Coaxes. 

Delaware  Co.,  Pa.  (Clifton  Heights  to  West  Chester  Pike  on  Darby  Creek  and 
return). — Dec.  24;  7  a.m.  to  2  p.m.;  distance  about  11  miles.  Clear  until  noon,  then 
becoming  overcast;  ground  bare;  very  light,  northwest  wind;  temp,  at  start,  37°,  at 
finish,  46°.  Cooper's  Hawk,  i;  Red-tailed  Hawk,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  3;  Downy 
Woodpecker,  i;  Flicker,  i;  Crow,  45;  Starling,  7;  Goldfinch,  3;  Savannah  Sparrow,  5; 
Tree  Sparrow,  4;  Field  Sparrow,  4;  Junco,  225;  Song  Sparrow,  13;  Cardinal,  5;  Carolina 
Wren,  2;  Winter  Wren,  i;  Brown  Creeper,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  7;  Tufted 
Titmouse,  4;  Chickadee,  11;  Bluebird,  3.  Total,  21  species,  about  347  individuals. — 
Delos  E.  Culver. 

Doylestown,  Bucks  Co.,  Pa. — Dec.  24;  7  a.m.  to  4  p.m.  Partly  cloudy;  ground 
bare;  east  wind;  temp.  40°.  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  6;  Blue  Jay,  2; 
Crow,  250;  Starling,  i;  Purple  Crackle,  flock  of  200  to  300;  Goldfinch,  3;  White-throated 
Sparrow,  2;  Tree  Sparrow,  i;  Junco,  15;  Song  Sparrow,  i;  Cardinal,  i;  Brown  Creeper, 
2;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  2;  Chickadee,  4;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  2.  Total,  16 
species,  543  individuals.  I  consider  this  record  unique,  as  the  observations  were  made 
entirely  from  the  windows  of  my  home  on  one  of  the  principal  streets  of  the  town. — 
— M.  E.  (Mrs.  Wm.  )Mason. 

Forest  Grove,  Pa. — g  a.m.  to  12  m.  Clear;  ground  bare;  wind  northwest;  temp. 
60°.  Great  Horned  Owl,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  i;  Crow,  several  hundred;  Starling, 
200;  Field  [Tree?]  Sparrow,  25;  Song  Sparrow,  3;  Cardinal,  i;  Cedar  Waxwing,  4; 
White-breasted  Nuthatch,  3;  Tufted  Titmouse,  i;  Chickadee,  10;  Robin,  i;  Bluebird, 
4.    Total,  13  species,  454  individuals. — Anna  Bewley. 

Lititz,  Pa.  (northern  Lancaster  Co.,  valley  of  Hammer  Creek). — 8.45  a.m.  to  4 
P.M.  Cloudy,  occasional  snow;  ground  covered;  high  northwest  wind;  temp.  34°.  Bob- 
white,  17  (2  coveys);  Turkey  Vulture,  6;  Red- tailed  Hawk,  i;  Sparrow  Hawk,  5;  Screech 
Owl,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  6;  Flicker,  i;  Horned  Lark,  70;  Blue  Jay,  7;  Crow,  1,500; 
Meadowlark,  3;  American  Goldfinch,  6;  Tree  Sparrow,  115;  Junco,  145;  Song  Sparrow, 
2;  Winter  Wren,  3;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  26;  Black-capped  Chickadee,  24.  Total, 
18  species,  about  i,g5o  individuals. — Herbert  H.  Beck  and  Elmer  E.  Kautz. 

McKeesport,  Pa. — Dec.  21;  g  a.m.  to  4  p.m.  Misty  rain,  a.m.,  and  cloudy,  p.m.; 
ground  bare;  no  wind;  temp.  37°.  Distance  walked,  estimated  14  miles.  Hairy  Wood- 
pecker, 2;  Downy  Woodpecker,  6;  Crow,  5;  Goldfinch,  4;  Tree  Sparrow,  40;  Junco,  12; 
Song  Sparrow,  12;  Cardinal,  21;  Carolina  Wren,  i;  Winter  Wren,  2;  Brown  Creeper,  2; 
White-breasted  Nuthatch,  g;  Tufted  Titmouse,  g;  Chickadee,  31.  Total,  14  species, 
156  individuals. — Thos.  L.  McConnell. 

Philadelphia,  Pa.  (Fairmount  Park). — Dec.  21;  g.45  a.m.  to  4  p.m.  Cloudy;  ground 
bare;  no  wind;  temp.  40°  to  45°.  Merganser,  5;  Red-tailed  (?)  Hawk,  i;  Sparrow  Hawk, 
3;  Downy  Woodpecker,  5;  Flicker,  i;  Crow,  20;  Starling,  2;  Goldfinch,  3;  White-throated 
Sparrow,  7;  Junco,  22;  Song  Sparrow,  13;  Fox  Sparrow,  3;  Towhee,  i;  Cardinal,  35; 


38  Bird  -  Lore 

Carolina  Wren,  i;  Winter  Wren,  2;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  i;  Chickadee,  30;  Robin, 
1.  Total,  19  species,  15^)  individuals.  Kach  bird  seen  l)v  both  observers. — Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Wm.  Pkpper. 

Pittsburgh,  Pa.  (Fern  Hollow,  Homewood  Cemetery). — Dec.  25;  10.45  a.m.  to  12 
M.  Cloudy,  showers;  wind  liKhl,  south  to  southwest;  tern]).  28°.  Downy  Woodpecker, 
2;  Cardinal,  5;  Carolina  Wren,  2;  Brown  Creeper,  2;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  4; 
Tufted  Titmouse,  2;  Chickadee,  5.  Total,  7  species,  24  individuals. — Albert  W. 
HONYWILL,  Jr. 

Pittsburgh,  Pa.  to  Harmarville,  Pa. — Dec.  21;  8.45  a.m.  to  5.05  p.m.  Foggy  and 
rainy  most  of  the  day;  sunshine  for  a  short  time  in  the  afternoon;  ground  bare;  no  wind; 
temp.  37°.  Hairy  Woodpecker,  4;  Downy  Woodpecker,  7;  Crow,  6;  Tree  Sparrow,  35; 
Song  Sparrow,  12;  Cardinal,  16;  Carolina  Wren,  3  (2  singing);  Winter  Wren,  2;  Brown 
Creeper,  11;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  5;  Tufted  Titmouse,  25;  Chickadee,  35.  Total, 
12  species,  151  individuals.  On  Dec.  14,  a  White-throated  Sparrow  and  a  small  flock  of 
Juncos  were  seen.  The  latter  birds  have  been  surprisingly  scarce  in  this  locality  this 
year.- — Thos.  D.  Burleigh  and  Hartley  K.  Anderson. 

Reading,  Pa. — Dec.  21;  9  a.m.  to  12  m.,  and  2  to  4  p.m.  Partly  cloudy;  ground  bare; 
light  wind;  temp.  40°.  Hawk,  sp.  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  4;  Crow,  5;  Meadowlark, 
2;  Tree  Sparrow,  50;  Junco,  7;  Cardinal  i;  Winter  Wren,  2;  White-breasted  Nuthatch, 
4;  Chickadee,  5;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  4;  Bluebird,  2.  Total,  12  species,  86  indi- 
viduals.— Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  Henry  Mengel. 

Reading,  Pa,  (River  road  along  the  Schuylkill). — Dec.  27;  6.30  to  10  a.m.  Fair; 
ground  bare;  snow  in  protected  places;  wind  north,  strong;  temp.  5°.  Distance  five 
miles.  Cooper's  Hawk,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  2  (females),  i  (male);  Yellow-bellied 
Sapsucker,  i  (female);  American  Crow,  800;  American  Goldfinch,  12;  Tree  Sparrow, 
65;  Junco,  34;  Song  Sparrow,  2.  Total,  8  species,  918  individuals. — Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Alfred  O.  Gross,  Bowdoin  College,  Brunswick,  Maine. 

Springs,  Pa. — Dec.  21;  8.15  a.m.  to  12  m.  Cloudy;  ground  bare;  no  wind;  temp.  34° 
to  45°.  Downy  Woodpecker,  i;  Pileated  Woodpecker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  3;  Crow,  i;  Tree 
Sparrow,  31;  Junco,  10;  Song  Sparrow,  i;  Cardinal,  2;  Winter  Wren,  3;  Brown  Creeper, 
i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  3;  Tufted  Titmouse,  i;  Chickadee,  4;  Golden-crowned 
Kinglet,  4.  Total,  14  species,  66  individuals. — Ansel  B.  Miller. 

West  Chester,  Pa. — 10.30  a.m.  to  1.30  p.m.  Cloudy;  ground  bare;  wind  east, 
moderate  to  brisk;  temp.  38°.  Red- tailed  Hawk,  2;  Red-shouldered  Hawk,  i;  Sparrow 
Hawk,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  6;  American  Crow,  35;  Pine  Siskin,  4;  Tree  Sparrow, 
17;  Junco,  116;  Song  Sparrow,  16;  Cardinal,  3;  Winter  Wren,  3;  White-breasted  Nut- 
hatch, i;  Chickadee,  3;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  3;  Robin,  i.  Total,  15  species,  212 
individuals. — C.  E.  Ehinger. 

West  Chester,  Pa. — Dec.  25;  10  a.m.  to  12  m.    Cloudy;  no  snow  on  ground;  streams 
clear  of  ice  and  ground  free  from  frost;  east  wind;  temp.  42°.    Downy  Woodpecker,  6 
American  Crow,  50;  Purple  Grackle,  i;  Starling,  19;  Meadowlark,  i;  Purple  Finch,  2 
Pine   Siskin,    7;   Junco,  200;  Tree   Sparrow,  20;  Song    Sparrow,    2;  Winter   Wren,  i 
White-breasted  Nuthatch,  5;  Chickadee,  22;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  2;  Brown  Creeper, 
4.    Total,  15  species,  about  340  individuals. — Thos.  H.  Jackson. 

White  Marsh  Valley,  near  Chestnut  Hill,  Pa. — Dec.  21;  11.40  a.m.  to  3.30  p.m. 
Partially  cloudy;  ground  bare;  wind  southwest,  light;  temp.  45°.  Downy  W'oodpecker, 
2;  Flicker,  i;  Crow,  30;  Starling,  9;  Junco,  61;  Song  Sparrow,  5;  Vesper  Sparrow,  i; 
Cardinal,  i;  Winter  Wren,  i;  Brown  Creeper,  1;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  4;  Chicka- 
dee, II.    Total,  12  species,  127  individuals. — George  Lear. 

Williamsport,  Pa. — Dec.  23;  9.30  a.m.  to  4  p.m.  Showers  all  day;  ground  bare; 
east  wind;  temp.  35°.  Distance  walked,  twelve  miles,  the  two  of  us  walking  together 
over  same  territory.   Bob-white,   2;   Sparrow  Hawk,   i;  Belted  Kingfisher,   i;  Downy 


Bird  -  Lore's   Fourteenth   Christmas   Census  39 

Woodpecker,  8;  Red-bellied  Woodpecker,  i;  American  Crow,  24;  Goldfinch,  i;  Tree 
Sparrow,  28;  Junco,  49;  Song  Sparrow,  2;  Brown  Creeper,  3;  White-breasted  Nut- 
hatch, 11;  Tufted  Titmouse,  6;  Chickadee,  32.  Total,  14  species,  169  individuals. — 
John  P.  Youxg  and  Chas.  V.  P.  Young. 

York,  Pa. — Dec.  26;  8.30  a.m.  to  4.30  p.m.  Cloudy;  ground  covered  with  two  inches 
of  slushy  snow;  wind  northwest,  strong;  temp.  35°.  Crow,  64;  Meadowlark,  10;  Tree 
Sparrow,  24;  Junco,  31;  Song  Sparrow,  2;  Cardinal  (male),  i;  Carolina  Wren,  2;  Winter 
Wren,  i.    Total,  8  species,  135  individuals. — Free  Ottemiller. 

Baltimore,  Md.  (Windsor  Hills,  valley  of  Gwynn's  Falls,  and  vicinity). — Dec.  25; 
10.15  -^-^J-  to  12.30  P.M.  Cloudy  until  11.45,  then  light  rain;  ground  bare;  wind  north- 
east; temp.  42°.  Red-shouldered  (?)  Hawk,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Downy  Wood- 
pecker, 2;  Red-headed  Woodpecker,  5;  Blue  Jay,  11;  American  Crow,  13;  Fish  Crow,  i; 
Purple  Finch,  3;  Goldfinch,  28;  White-throated  Sparrow,  5;  Tree  Sparrow,  3;  Field 
Sparrow,  2;  Junco,  39;  Song  Sparrow,  3;  Cardinal,  5;  Carolina  Wren,  4;  Brown  Creeper, 
i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  2;  Tufted  Titmouse,  3;  Chickadee,  12;  Bluebird,  12. 
Total,  21  species,  156  individuals. — Mrs.  J.  C.  Guggexheimer,  Miss  Guggenheimer 
and  Joseph  N.  Ulman. 

Cambridge,  Md. — 8.30  to  10.30  a.m.  Cloudy  at  start,  turning  to  rain;  wind  north- 
east, light;  temp.  36°.  Wild  duck,  flying  overhead,  supposed  species.  Lesser  Scaup,  4; 
Turkey  Vulture,  10;  Cooper's  Hawk,  i;  Red-shouldered  Hawk,  i;  Southern  Downy 
Woodpecker,  5;  Yellow-bellied  Sapsucker,  i;  Flicker,  i;  Crow,  5;  Red- winged  Black- 
bird, 29;  Field  Sparrow,  12;  Song  Sparrow,  2;  Junco,  flock  of  60;  Cardinal,  4;  Logger- 
head Shrike,  i;  Tufted  Titmouse,  9;  Carolina  Chickadee,  9;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet, 
21;  Mockingbird,  i.  A  Great  Blue  Heron  and  several  Killdeers  seen  on  Dec.  20. 
Total,  18  species,  176  individuals. — Ralph  W.  Jackson. 

Chevy  Chase,  Md. — Dec.  21;  11  a.m.  to  2  p.m.  Cloudy;  ground  bare;  wind  west, 
light;  temp.  40°.  Mourning  Dove,  21;  TurkeyVulture,  11;  Downy  Woodpecker,  4;  Blue 
Jay,  3;  Common  Crow,  25;  Meadowlark,  i;  Goldfinch,  25;  White-throated  Sparrow,  5; 
Tree  Sparrow,  66;  Junco,  69;  Song  Sparrow,  14;  Fox  Sparrow,  i;  Cardinal,  23;  Mock- 
ingbird, 4;  Carolina  Wren,  i;  Brown  Creeper,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  5;  Tufted 
Titmouse,  9;  Black-capped  [Carolina?]  Chickadee,  6;  Bluebird,  19.  Total,  20  species, 
313  individuals.  Also  saw  Yellow-bellied  Sapsucker  almost  daily  in  December  up  to 
the  19th. — Hon.  P:dmund  Platt,  M.  C.  and  Sam'l.  W.  Mellott,  M.D. 

Kensington,  Md. — Dec.  30;  9.20  to  11. 15  a.m.;  12  m.  to  2.25  p.m.  Clear  and  cloudy; 
ground  bare;  light  northwest  wind;  temp.  42°  to  50°;  distance  seven  miles.  Mourning 
Dove,  3;  Turkey  Vulture,  100;  Cooper's  Hawk,  i;  Red-shouldered  Hawk,  i;  Spar- 
row Hawk,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  2;  Blue  Jay,  10;  Crow,  120; 
Fish  Crow,  6;  Goldfinch,  20;  Pine  Siskin,  50;  W^hite-throated  Sparrow,  5;  Tree  Sparrow, 
15;  Field  Sparrow,  5;  Junco,  400;  Song  Sparrow,  10;  Cardinal,  15;  Migrant  Shrike,  i; 
Mockingbird,  i;  Carolina  Wren,  i;  Brown  Creeper,  4;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  2; 
Red-breasted  Nuthatch,  2;  Tufted  Titmouse,  3;  Carolina  Chickadee,  30;  Golden- 
crowned  Kinglet,  10;  Bluebird,  13.  Total,  28  species,  832  individuals. — Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Leo  D.  Miner,  and  Raymond  W.  Moore. 

Washington,  D.  C.  (actual  trip,  Roslyn  to  Wellington,  Va.). — Dec.  29;  8  a.m.  to  5 
p.m.  Cloudy  at  first,  sunny  but  hazy  later;  calm;  temp.  29°  to  48°.  Herring  Gull,  43; 
Lesser  Scaup,  18;  Killdeer,  208;  Bob-white,  12;  Turkey  Vulture,  20;  Marsh  Hawk,  3; 
Cooper's  Hawk,  2;  Red-shouldered  Hawk,  4;  Sparrow  Hawk,  3;  Barred  Owl,  i;  Belted 
Kingfisher,  i;  Hair>-  Woodpecker,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  7;  Flicker,  11;  Crow,  237; 
Fish  Crow,  7;  Meadowlark,  11;  Purple  Crackle,  i;  Purple  Finch,  i;  Goldfinch,  23; 
White-throated  Sparrow,  6;  Tree  Sparrow,  143;  Field  Sparrow,  27;  Junco,  64;  Song 
Sparrow,  29;  Swamp  Sparrow,  1;  Fox  Sparrow,  i;  Cardinal,  15;  Loggerhead  Shrike,  2; 
Maryland  Yellowthroat,  i;  Mockingbird,  4;  Carolina  Wren,  4;  Winter  Wren,  2;  Brown 


40  Bird  -  Lore 

Creeper,  i;  White-breaslcd  NuLhatch,  2;  Tufted  Titmouse,  11;  Carolina  Chickadee, 
13;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet.  Total,  38  species,  944  individuals. — E.  A.  Prebi,e,  S.  E. 
Piper  and  W.  L.  McAtkk. 

Four-Mile  Run,  Va.  (across  from  Washington,  D.  C). — Dec.  28;  g  a.m.  to  2  p.m. 
Overcast,  with  (nrasional  sunsliinc;  wind  light;  temp.  29°  to  38°.  Herring  Gull,  3; 
Lesser  Scaup,  25;  Killdcer,  100;  Turkey  Vulture,  3;  Red-shouldered  Hawk,  i;  Barred 
Owl,  3;  Downy  Woodpecker,  7;  Flicker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  i;  .\mcrican  Crow,  35;  Fish  Crow, 
6;  Purple  Finch,  i;  Goldfinch,  4;  Pine  Siskin,  1;  White-throated  Sparrow,  22;  Tree 
Sparrow,  80;  Junco,  125;  Song  Sparrow,  8;  Fo.x  Sparrow,  i;  Cardinal,  9;  Carolina 
Wren,  7;  Winter  Wren,  5;  Brown  Creeper,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  11;  Tufted 
Titmouse,  8;  Carolina  Chickadee,  8;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  2;  Bluebird,  5.  Total,  28 
species,  483  individuals. — Alex.  Wetmore. 

Lawrenceville,  Va. — Dec.  20;  8  a.m.  to  4  p.m.  Cloudy,  sprinkle  of  rain  during 
middle  of  day;  ground  bare;  no  wind;  temp.  29°  to  54°.  Killdeer,  6;  Bob-white,  15; 
Wild  Turkey,  3;  Mourning  Dove,  i;  Turkey  Vulture,  7;  Black  Vulture,  11;  Red-should- 
ered Hawk,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  2;  Downy  Woodpecker,  6;  Yellow-bellied,  Sapsucker, 
i;  Pileated  Woodpecker,  5;  Flicker,  2;  Phoebe,  3;  Crow,  26;  Meadowlark,  i;  Goldfinch, 
4;  White-throated  Sparrow,  19;  Field  Sparrow,  4;  Junco,  400  (conservative  estimate); 
Song  Sparrow,  10  (i  singing);  Swamp  Sparrow,  5;  Fox  Sparrow,  2;  Cardinal,  6;  Caro- 
lina Wren,  8  (i  singing);  Winter  Wren,  2;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  3;  Red-breasted 
Nuthatch,  2;  Tufted  Titmouse,  5;  Carolina  Chickadee,  14;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet, 
20;  Hermit  Thrush,  2.  Total,  31  species,  596  individuals.  Pine  Siskins  were  seen  Nov. 
27. — Merriam  G.  Lewis. 

Lewisburg,  W.  Va. — Dec.  27;  8  to  10.45  a.m.;  1.15  to  4.45  p.m.  Clear;  quarter  of  an 
inch  of  snow;  no  wind;  temp.  20°.  Bob-white,  i;  Mourning  Dove,  18;  Turkey  Vulture, 
3;  Red-tailed  Hawk,  2;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  2;  Downy  Woodpecker,  6;  Pileated  Wood- 
pecker, i;  Red-bellied  Woodpecker,  4;  Flicker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  2;  American  Crow,  27; 
Meadowlark,  67;  Purple  Finch,  i;  Tree  Sparrow,  155;  Junco,  103;  Song  Sparrow,  2; 
Cardinal,  4;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  14;  Tufted  Titmouse,  13.  Total,  20  species, 
428  individuals.  Dec.  26:  i  Saw-whet  Owl,  first  one  I  ever  saw  here. — Charles  O. 
Handley. 

Vicinity  of  Boone,  N.  C,  elevation  3,000  to  4,000  feet. — Dec.  24;  8.30  a.m.  to  12  m. 
Cloudy,  following  a  clear  frosty  night;  ground  bare;  wind  west,  light,  changing  to  east 
about  noon;  temp,  at  start,  42°.  Bob-white,  12;  Sharp-shinned  Hawk,  i;  Hairy  Wood- 
pecker, 4;  Downy  Woodpecker,  3;  Red-headed  Woodpecker,  3;  Flicker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  4; 
American  Crow,  5;  Meadowlark,  36;  Junco,  100;  Song  Sparrow,  2;  Fox  Sparrow,  2; 
Cardinal,  i;  Carolina  Wren,  7;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  20;  Tufted  Titmouse,  30; 
Chickadee,  9.    Total,  17  species,  230  individuals. — ^RoY  M.  Brown. 

Louisburg,  N.  C. — Dec.  25.  Cloudy,  misty,  rain;  ground  bare;  temp.  50°.  "Buz- 
zard," 2;  Sparrow  Hawk,  i;  Belted  Kingfisher,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Southern  Downy 
Woodpecker,  i;  Pileated  Woodpecker,  i;  Flicker,  2;  Phoebe,  i;  Crow,  25;  White-throated 
Sparrow,  25;  Field  Sparrow,  6;  Slate-colored  Junco,  20;  Song  Sparrow,  15;  Cardinal,  4; 
Mockingbird,  i;  Carolina  Wren,  3;  Winter  Wren,  5;  Brown-headed  Nuthatch,  i; 
Chickadee,  2;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  2;  Hermit  Thrush,  2;  Bluebird,  2.  Total,  22 
species,  123  individuals. — Joseph  C.  Jones. 

Aiken,  S.  C.  (Pine  Ridge  Camp  to  Aiken  in  a.m.  around  camp  in  p.m. — Dec.  24; 
8.15  to  9.15  a.m.  and  4  to  6  p.m.  Cloudy;  ground  bare;  wind  northeast;  temp.  52°. 
Turkey  Vulture,  i;  Screech  Owl,  i;  Red-headed  Woodpecker,  4;  Phoebe,  i;  Blue  Jay, 
11;  Crow,  i;  Purple  Finch,  2;  White-throated  Sparrow,  3;  Chipping  Sparrow,  2;  Field 
Sparrow,  25;  Junco,  50;  Song  Sparrow,  4;  Cardinal,  2;  Loggerhead  Shrike,  2;  Myrtle 
Warbler,  2;  Pine  Warbler,  3;  Mockingbird,  3;  Carolina  Wren,  i;  Brown-headed 
Nuthatch,  2;  Tufted  Titmouse,  2;  Carolina  Chickadee,  2;  Golden-crowned    Kinglet,   i. 


Bird -Lore's   Fourteenth   Christmas   Census  41 

Total,  22  species,  125  individuals. — Mrs.  William  IM.  Levey,  and  W.  Charles- 
worth  Levey. 

Atlanta,  Ga.  (Piedmont  Park,  Druid  Hills,  South  River  Valley  and  Lakewood).— 
Dec.  28;  6  A.M.  to  5  P.M.  Clear  at  start,  cloudy  and  rainy  later;  temp,  about  45°.  Pied- 
billed  Grebe,  3;  Wilson's  Snipe,  4;  Killdeer,  6;  Bob-white,  10;  Mourning  Dove,  40; 
Sharp-shinned  Hawk,  i;  Cooper's  Hawk,  2;  Red-tailed  Hawk,  2;  Red-shouldered  Hawk, 
i;  Sparrow  Hawk,  2;  Kingfisher,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  3;  Downy  Woodpecker,  4; 
Red-headed  Woodpecker,  3;  Red-bellied  Woodpecker,  i;  Flicker,  10;  Phcebe,  2;  Blue 
Jay,  60;  Crow,  20;  Red-winged  Blackbird,  20;  ]Meadowlark,  200;  Rusty  Blackbird,  3; 
Purple  Finch,  10;  Goldfinch,  100;  Vesper  Sparrow,  50;  Savannah  Sparrow,  10;  White- 
throated  Sparrow,  100;  Chipping  Sparrow,  10;  Field  Sparrow,  20;  Junco,  20;  Song 
Sparrow,  40;  Swamp  Sparrow,  20;  Fo.x  Sparrow,  6;  Towhee,  30;  Cardinal,  20;  Logger- 
head Shrike,  6;  Pine  Warbler,  6;  Palm  Warbler,  4;  American  Pipit,  4;  Mockingbird, 
10;  Brown  Thrasher,  i;  Carolina  Wren,  20;  Bewick's  Wren,  2;  Winter  Wren,  i;  Brown 
Creeper,  10;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  4;  Tufted  Titmouse,  10;  Carolina  Chickadee, 
20;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  6;  Ruby-crowned  Kinglet,  2;  Bluebird,  20.  Total,  51 
species,  960  individuals. — James  M.  Sanford. 

Savannah,  Ga. — Dec.  25;  10  a.m.  to  3  p.m.  Cloudy,  ground  bare;  wind  southwest, 
high;  temp.  60°.  Herring  Gull,  500;  Ring-billed  Gull,  50;  jSIallard,  2;  Great  Blue  Heron, 
i;  Killdeer,  14;  Bob-white,  6;  Ground  Dove,  i;  Turkey  Vulture,  24;  Black  Vulture,  4; 
Sharp-shinned  Hawk,  i;  Florida  Red-shouldered  Hawk,  i;  Southern  Downy  Wood- 
pecker, 50;  Yellow-bellied  Sapsucker,  15;  Southern  Flicker,  10;  Blue  Jay,  5;  Crow,  35; 
Fish  Crow,  50;  Field  Sparrow,  12;  Cardinal,  9;  Myrtle  Warbler,  29;  Yellow-throated 
Warbler,  8;  Mockingbird,  4;  Carolina  Wren,  2;  Robin,  16;  Bluebird,  16.  Total,  25  spe- 
cies, 865  individuals. — W.  J.  Erichsen. 

Coronado  Beach,  Fla. — Dec.  25;  3.30  to  5.00  p.m.  Cloudy  and  rain;  wind  heavy, 
southwest;  temp.  65°;  bar.  29.65.  Herring  Gull,  3;  Caspian  Tern,  8;  Brown  Pelican,  20; 
Lesser  Scaup,  12;  Wood  Ibis,  2;  Great  Blue  Heron,  9;  American  Egret,  2;  Louisiana 
Heron,  6;  Little  Blue  Heron,  5;  Semipalmated  Sandpiper,  75;  ^larsh  Hawk,  3;  King- 
fisher, 15;  Towhee,  2;  Cardinal,  3;  Seaside  Sparrow,  50;  Carolina  Wren,  i.  Total,  16 
species,  216  individuals.  The  heavy  wind  and  the  rain  together  contributed  to 
make  this  the  smallest  list  that  I  have  ever  prepared  for  the  Christmas  Census 
from  this  locality.  Usually,  from  35  to  50  species  may  be  found. — Rubert  J.  Long- 
street. 

Coden,  twenty-five  miles  south  of  Mobile,  Ala. — Dec.  25;  10  a.m.  to  4.30  p.m. 
Cloud}-;  wind  northeast.  Red-shouldered  Hawk,  i;  Sparrow  Hawk,  2;  Kingfisher,  i; 
Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Red-bellied  Woodpecker,  i;  Red-headed  Woodpecker,  3;  Flicker,  8; 
Phcebe,  5;  Blue  Jay,  7;  Crow,  10;  Meadowlark,  10;  Song  Sparrow,  i;  Towhee,  2;  Logger- 
head Shrike,  5;  Myrtle  Warbler,  75;  Palm  Warbler,  5;  Mockingbird,  5;  Carolina  Wren, 
i;  Winter  Wren,  i;  Robin,  100.  Total,  20  species,  245  indi\iduals. — Edward  H. 
Christie. 

Houston,  Tex. — Dec.  25;  10.45  ■^■^^-  to  12.30  m.  Clear;  ground  bare;  wind  north, 
strong;  temp.  40°.  Killdeer,  2;  Turkey  Vulture,  3;  Marsh  Hawk,  i;  Florida  Red- 
shouldered  Hawk,  2;  Sparrow  Hawk,  4;  Yellow-bellied  Sapsucker,  i;  Northern  Flicker, 
3;  Phoebe,  4;  Blue  Jay,  6;  Crow,  2;  Western  Meadowlark,  i;  Brewer's  Blackbird,  3; 
Goldfinch,  2;  LeConte's  Sparrow,  2;  Field  Sparrow,  2;  White-throated  Sparrow,  8; 
Song  Sparrow,  7;  Gray-tailed  Cardinal,  10;  Tree  Swallow,  118;  While-rumped  Shrike, 
5;  Myrtle  Warbler,  4;  Pine  Warbler,  42;  Pipit,  47;  Mockingbird,  <i;  Brown  Thrasher,  i; 
Carolina  Wren,  i;  House  Wren,  2;  Red-breasted  Nuthatch,  2;  Tufted  Titmouse,  5; 
Plumbeous  Chickadee,  3;  Ruby-crowned  Kinglet,  4;  Hermit  Thrush,  i;  Robin,  i; 
Bluebird,  3. — Total,  34  species,  308  individuals. — Finlay  Simmons. 

Taylor,  Tex. — Dec.  25;  8  a.m.  to  4  p.m.    Partly  cloudy  to  clear;  ground  bare;  wind, 


42  Bird  -  Lore 

twelve  to  twenty-lour  miles  an  hour;  average  temp.  41°.  Killdecr,  15;  Red-shouldered 
Hawk,  i;  Sparrow  Ilawk,  1;  Flicker,  1;  Crow,  2;  Meadowlark,  15;  Western  Meadow- 
lark,  100;  Junco,  2;  Song  Sparrow,  6;  Cardinal,  5;  Loggerhead  Shrike,  2;  Sprague's 
Pipit,  125;  House  Wren,  i;  Bewick's  Wren,  i;  Mockingbird,  3;  Plumbeous  Chickadee, 
4;  Texan  Tufted  Titmouse,  15;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  6;  Bluebird,  3.  Total,  19 
sjK'cics,  308  in(li\iduals. — H.  Tullsen. 

Chillicothe,  Mo. — Dec.  25;  8  a.m.  to  12  m.  and  1  to  2  p.m.  Temp.  32°.  Bob-white, 
7;  Prairie  Chicken,  13;  Sparrow  Hawk,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  2;  Downy  Woodpecker, 
5;  Red-headed  Woodpecker,  i;  Flicker,  4;  Horned  Lark,  12;  Blue  Jay,  7;  Crow,  15; 
(ioldfinch,  13;  Tree  Sparrow,  52;  Junco,  60;  Fox  Sparrow,  2;  Cardinal,  2;  Northern 
Shrike,  1;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  3;  Tufted  Titmouse,  i;  Chickadee,  11.  Total,  19 
species,  about  220  individuals. — Desmond  Popham. 

Concordia,  Lafayette  Co.,  Mo. — Dec.  25;  i  to  3  p.m.  Cloudy;  snow;  strong  north- 
west wind;  tcmj).  34°.  Red-tailed  Hawk,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  3;  Red-bellied  Wood- 
pecker, i;  Prairie  Horned  Lark,  12;  Blue  Jay,  9;  Red-winged  Blackbird,  i;  Goldfinch, 
5;  Tree  Sparrow,  78;  Junco,  104;  Cardinal,  12;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  3;  Tufted 
Titmouse,  4;  Black-capped  Chickadee,  2.  Total,  13  species,  235  individuals. — Dr. 
Ferdinand  Schreimann. 

Knoxville,  Tenn. — Dec.  26;  8  a.m.  to  2.30  p.m.  Cloudy;  ground  bare;  light  north- 
west wind;  temp.  32°.  Downy  Woodpecker,  2;  Blue  Jay,  5;  Crow,  2;  Junco,  2;  Song 
Sparrow,  2;  Fox  Sparrow,  i;  Towhee,  2;  Cardinal,  5;  Carolina  Wren,  5;  White-breasted 
(?)  Nuthatch,  8;  Tufted  Titmouse,  10;  Chickadee,  12.  Total,  12  species,  56  individuals. 
— Magnolia  Woodward. 

Tazewell,  Tenn. — Dec.  26;  9  a.m.  to  2.30  p.m.  Cloudy;  ground  slightly  covered 
with  snow;  wind  northwest,  brisk  at  times;  temp.  31°  at  start,  32°  on  return.  Killdeer, 
4;  Bob- white,  10;  Mourning  Dove,  6;  Red-shouldered  Hawk,  2;  Sparrow  Hawk,  i; 
Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Southern  Downy  Woodpecker,  3;  Northern  Flicker,  i;  Blue  Jay, 
3;  American  Crow,  12;  Meadowlark,  8;  Purple  Finch,  i;  American  Goldfinch,  17; 
Vesper  Sparrow,  6;  White-throated  Sparrow,  4;  Field  Sparrow,  8;  Slate-colored  Junco, 
51;  Song  Sparrow,  6;  Cardinal,  14;  Cedar  Waxwing,  28;  Myrtle  Warbler,  14;  Mocking- 
bird, 2;  Carolina  Wren,  6;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  3;  Tufted  Titmouse,  2;  Black- 
capped  Chickadee,  6;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  2;  American  Robin,  3;  Bluebird,  22. 
Total,  29  species,  273  individuals. — H.  Y.  Hughes. 

Fort  Wayne,  Ind. — Dec.  21;  8  a.m.  to  3.15  p.m.  Cloudy,  clearing  by  noon;  ground 
bare;  wind  north,  light;  temp.  26°.  Belted  Kingfisher,  2;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  2;  Downy 
Woodpecker,  8;  Flicker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  28;  American  Crow,  312;  Purple  Finch,  3;  Tree 
Sparrow,  59;  Junco,  10;  Song  Sparrow,  6;  Cardinal,  9;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  9; 
Tufted  Titmouse,  6;  Black-capped  Chickadee,  30.  Total,  14  species,  485  individuals. — 
Chas.  a.  Stockbridce  and  A.  A.  Ringwalt. 

Marco,  Greene  Co.,  Ind. — Dec.  25;  1.40  to  4  p.m.  Cloudy,  air  filled  with  damp  snow; 
strong  northeast  wind;  temp.  28°.  Red-shouldered  Hawk,  i;  Screech  Owl,  i;  Downy 
Woodpecker,  i;  Red-headed  Woodpecker,  3;  Flicker,  4;  Blue  Jay,  6;  Meadowlark,  3; 
Tree  Sparrow,  11;  Junco,  18;  Song  Sparrow,  i;  Cardinal,  19;  Carolina  W^ren,  3; 
Tufted  Titmouse,  11;  Chickadee,  22.  Total,  14  species,  104  individuals. — W.  M.  and 
Stella  Chambers. 

Richmond,  Ind. — Dec.  26;  10.30  a.m.  to  3.30  p.m.  Overcast;  ground  snow-covered; 
wind  west  by  north;  temp.  28°.  Sparrow  Hawk,  2;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  i; 
Crow,  350;  Lapland  Longspur,  100;  Tree  Sparrow,  12;  Junco,  6;  Song  Sparrow,  4; 
Cardinal,  6;  Chickadee,  5.  Total,  10  species,  487  individuals.— P.  B.  Coffin,  Mrs. 
Coffin,  Dr.  Garro  and  Miss  Baxter. 

"Waterloo,  Ind. — Dec.  25;  7.30  to  9.30  a.m.  Dark  and  gloomy,  threatening  snow; 
ground  covered  with  an  inch  of  snow  and  ice;  wind  northeast,  fairly  strong,  cold  and 


Bird -Lore's   Fourteenth   Christmas   Census  43 

damp;  temp.  30°  to  38°.  Hairy  Woodpecker,  4;  Downy  Woodpecker,  3;  Blue  Jay,  5; 
American  Crow,  10;  American  Goldfinch,  13;  Tree  Sparrow,  20;  Junco,  5;  Song  Sparrow, 
i;  Cardinal,  2;  Carolina  Wren,  2;  Brown  Creeper,  5;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  12; 
Tufted  Titmouse,  i;  Black-capped  Chickadee,  13;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  5.  Total,  15 
species,  102  individuals. — Henry  A.  Link. 

Cadiz,  Ohio. — Dec.  21;  8.15  a.m.  to  12.15  p.m.  Cloudy  with  a  light  rain  at  noon; 
ground  bare;  wind  moderate,  south;  temp.  36°;  distance  walked,  as  registered  by  a 
pedometer,  six  miles.  Red-tailed  Hawk,  i;  Sparrow  Hawk,  3;  Bob-white,  10;  Hairy 
Woodpecker,  5;  Downy  Woodpecker,  7;  Yellow-bellied  Sapsucker,  i;  Red-bellied 
Woodpecker,  4;  Flicker,  4;  Prairie  Horned  Lark,  4;  Blue  Jay,  i;  Crow,  6;  Goldfinch,  6 
Tree  Sparrow,  50;  Junco,  15;  Song  Sparrow,  10;  Cardinal,  7;  Carolina  Wren,  5  (sings) 
Brown  Creeper,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  10;  Tufted  Titmouse,  6;  Chickadee,  13 
Bluebird,  20.  Total,  22  species,  about  200  individuals. — Harry  B.  McConnell  and 
John  Worley. 

Campbellstown,  Ohio. — Dec.  26;  9  to  11  a.m.  and  12.30  to  2.30  p.m.  Two  inches  of 
snow;  brisk  northwest  wind;  temp.  24°.  Bob-white,  8;  Ring-necked  Pheasant,  i;  Mourn- 
ing Dove,  4;  Sharp-shinned  Hawk,  3;  Cooper's  Hawk,  i;  Sparrow  Hawk,  i;  Hairy 
Woodpecker,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  5;  Red-bellied  Woodpecker,  i;  Flicker,  i;  Horned 
Lark,  3;  Blue  Jay,  2;  .\merican  Crow,  200;  Tree  Sparrow,  107;  Junco,  3;  Song  Spar- 
row, 51;  Cardinal,  3;  Tufted  Titmouse,  27;  Chickadee,  12.  Total,  19  species,  434 
individuals. — W.  H.  Wisman. 

Canton,  Ohio. — Dec.  25;  7  a.m.  to  1.15  p.m.  Cloudy  and  threatening,  with  severe 
snow  storm  beginning  at  11.30  a.m.;  strong  northeast  wind;  temp.  32°.  Red-shouldered 
Hawk,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  3;  Tree  Sparrow,  57;  Song  Sparrow,  i; 
Cardinal,  4;  Brown  Creeper,  2;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  7;  Tufted  Titmouse,  3;  Black- 
capped  Chickadee,  9.    Total,  10  species,  88  individuals. — Edward  D.  Kimes. 

Cincinnati,  Ohio. — Dec.  28;  10  a.m.  to  12  m.  Cloudy;  light  covering  of  snow  on 
ground;  temp,  about  30°.  Downy  Woodpecker,  4;  Blue  Jay,  2;  Crow,  4;  Bronzed 
Grackle,  i;  American  Crossbill,  15;  Goldfinch,  2;  Junco,  75;  Song  Sparrow,  8;  Cardinal 
6;  Carolina  Wren,  2;  Brown  Creeper,  3;  Tufted  Titmouse,  2;  Carolina  Chickadee,  6. 
Total,  13  species,  130  individuals. — Howard  Lawless. 

Columbus,  Ohio. — Dec.  26;  8  a.m.  to  12  m.  Cloudy;  ground  covered  with  snow; 
wind  northwest;  temp.  28°.  Red-shouldered  Hawk,  3;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  2;  Southern 
Downy  Woodpecker,  8;  Flicker,  4;  Blue  Jay,  3;  American  Crow,  25;  American  Gold- 
finch, 2;  Tree  Sparrow,  50;  Junco,  25;  Carolina  Wren,  3;  Brown  Creeper,  2;  White- 
breasted  Nuthatch,  2;  Tufted  Titmouse,  50;  Black-capped  Chickadee,  2.  Total,  14 
species,  180  individuals. — Laura  E.  Lovell. 

East  Liberty,  Ohio. — Dec.  27;  10  a.m.  to  i  p.m.  Partly  cloudy,  but  sunny  most 
of  the  time;  three  inches  of  snow;  light  north  wind;  temp.  15°;  four  miles.  Sparrow  Hawk, 
i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  8;  Horned  Lark,  22;  Crow,  8;  Song  Sparrow,  2;  Cardinal  2; 
Brown  Creeper,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  6;  Tufted  Titmouse,  25.  Total,  9  species, 
75  individuals, — Ruskin  S.  and  C.  A.  Freer. 

Huron,  Ohio. — Dec.  28;  8.30  a.m.  to  12  m.  Clear,  then  cloudy;  one  inch  of  snow 
on  ground;  wind  southwest,  light;  temp.  24°  to  32°.  Herring  Gull,  7;  Sparrow  Hawk, 
i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  4;  Northern  Flicker,  2;  Blue  Jay,  14; 
Crow,  6;  Meadowlark,  13;  Lapland  Longspur,  2;  Tree  Sparrow,  80;  Song  Sparrow,  i; 
Cardinal,  8;  Brown  Creeper,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  3;  Tufted  Titmouse,  2; 
Chickadee,  3.    Total,  16  species,  148  individuals. — H.  G.  Morse. 

Laceyville,  Ohio  (tenmiles  west  of  Cadiz). — Dec.  21;  9  a.m.  to  12.20  p.m.,  and  1.30  to 
3.30  p.m.  Dark  and  cloudy,  with  misty  rain  by  spells;  ground  bare;  wind  moderate,  south; 
temp,  morning,  38°,  noon,  46°,  evening,  36°.  Sparrow  Hawk,  i;  Screech  Owl,  i;  Great 
Horned  Owl,  i;  Ruffed  Grouse,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  12;  Red- 


44  Bird  -  Lore 

bellied  Woodpecker,  6;  Flicker,  i;  Crow,  2;  Tree  Sparrow,  60;  Junco,  30;  Song  Sparrow, 
2;  Cardinal,  i;  Carolina  Wren,  6;  Brown  Creeper,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  15; 
Tufted  Titmouse,  20;  Chickadee,  25;  Bluebird,  i.  Total,  19  species,  19c  individuals. 
This  is  the  best  record  for  number  of  species  by  one  that  I  ever  made  on  a  winter  day. — 
E.  E.  Smith. 

Mt.  Vernon,  Ohio. — Dec.  28;  11  a.m.  to  2  p.m.  Partly  cloudy;  about  four  inches  of 
snow;  wind  moderate  northwest;  temp.  28°  to  3 2°.  Mourning  Dove,  7;  Cooper's  Hawk,  i; 
Sparrow  Hawk,  3;  Barred  Owl,  1;  Screech  Owl,  2;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  2;  Downy  Wood- 
pecker, 11;  Red-headed  Woodpecker,  17;  Red-bellied  Woodpecker,  2;  Flicker,  i; 
Blue  Jay,  17;  American  Crow,  5;  Meadowlark,  10;  American  Goldfinch,  2;  Tree  Spar- 
row, 2;  Junco,  9;  Song  Sparrow,  common;  Cardinal,  5;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  11; 
Tufted  Titmouse,  common;  Chickadee,  2;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  2;  Bluebird,  5. 
Total,  23  species. — William  L.  Robinson. 

Mt.  Vernon,  Ohio. — Dec.  26;  8  a.m.  to  5  p.m.  Cloudy;  four  inches  snow;  light  west 
wind;  temp.  28°.  Ruffed  Grouse,  i;  Hawk  (probably  Red-shouldered),  i;  Sparrow 
Hawk,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  3;  Downy  Woodpecker,  6;  Red-bellied  Woodpecker,  1; 
Blue  Jay,  8;  Crow(heard);  Goldfinch,  20;  Tree  Sparrow,  15;  Junco,  30;  Song  Sparrow,  3; 
Cardinal,  5;  Carolina  Wren,  i;  Brown  Creeper,  6;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  8;  Tufted 
Titmouse,  7;  Black-capped  Chickadee,  12.  Total,  18  species,  130  individuals. — Paul 
E.  Debes  and  V.  A.  Debes. 

Spencerville,  Ohio. — Dec.  25;  7  to  8.30  a.m.  and  10.30  a.m.  to  3  p.m.  Heavy  clouds; 
sleet  turning  to  snow;  ground  bare;  wind  northeast,  strong;  temp.  33°;  distance  walked, 
nine  miles.  Red-shouldered  Hawk,  3;  Downy  Woodpecker,  5;  Blue  Jay,  16;  Crow,  15; 
Junco,  18;  Song  Sparrow,  6;  Fox  Sparrow  (?),  i;  Cardinal,  10;  Brown  Creeper,  i;  White- 
breasted  Nuthatch,  5;  Tufted  Titmouse,  13;  Chickadee,  2.  Total,  12  species,  95  indi- 
viduals.— Sheridan  F.  Wood  and  Kenneth  M.  Wood. 

Youngstown,  Ohio. — Dec.  25;  7  a.m.  to  3  p.m.  Cloudy;  sleet  and  snow  afternoon; 
temp.  35°;  miles  walked,  about  twelve;  by  automobile,  twenty  miles.  Hooded  Merganser, 
2;  Black  Duck,  i;  Ruffed  Grouse,  2;  Marsh  Hawk,  2;  Sparrow  Hawk,  2;  Long-eared  Owl, 
i;  Short-eared  Owl,  i;  Screech  Owl,  i;  Great  Horned  Owl,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i; 
Downy  Woodpecker,  8;  Red-bellied  Woodpecker,  2;  Flicker,  2;  Blue  Jay,  6;  Crow,  11; 
Goldfinch,  11;  Tree  Sparrow,  37;  Junco,  i;  Song  Sparrow,  i;  Cardinal,  12;  Cedar  Wax- 
wing,  i;  Carolina  Wren,  i;  Winter  Wren,  i;  Brown  Creeper,  2;  White-breasted  Nut- 
hatch, 20;  Tufted  Titmouse,  10;  Black-capped  Chickadee,  53.  Total,  27  species,  193 
individuals. — George  L.  Fordyce,  Volney  Rogers,  Willis  H.  Warner,  Mrs. 
Warner  and  C.  A.  Leedy. 

Chicago,  III.  (Jackson  Park). — Dec.  25;  2  to  5  p.m.  Cloudy;  ground  with  thin  cover- 
ing of  snow;  wind  northerly,  heavy;  temp.  38°  to  40°.  Herring  Gull,  abundant;  Ring- 
billed  Gull,  5;  Bonaparte's  Gull,  7;  Common  Tern,  6;  Black  Duck,  i;  Kingfisher,  i; 
Downy  Woodpecker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  6;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  3;  Chickadee,  4;  Robin, 
I. — Total,  II  species,  35  individuals  (plus  Herring  Gulls). — L.  L.  Mackenzie  and  W  Lyon. 

Geneseo,  IlL — 7.30  to  11  a.m.  Cloudy;  three  inches  of  snow;  light  south  wind; 
temp.  24°.  Downy  Woodpecker,  5;  Red-headed  Woodpecker,  2;  Red-bellied  Wood- 
pecker, i;  Flicker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  13;  American  Crow,  3;  American  Crossbill,  14;  Tree 
Sparrow,  20;  Junco,  40;  Cardinal,  7;  Chickadee,  25;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  3; 
Golden-crowned  Kinglet.    Total,  13  species,  134  individuals. — S.  D.  Anderson. 

LaGrange,  III. — Dec.  22;  12.45  to  4.15  p.m.  Wet;  slight  fall  of  snow;  wind  north- 
west, light;  temp.  37°.  Screech  Owl,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  4;  Horned  Lark,  5;  Blue 
Jay,  10;  Crow,  10;  Red-winged  Blackbird,  3;  Purple  Finch,  i;  Goldfinch,  150;  Lapland 
Longspur,  300;  Tree  Sparrow,  120;  Junco,  10;  Song  Sparrow,  4;  Cardinal  2;  Brown 
Creeper,  9;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  5;  Chickadee,  25.  Total,  16  species,  65S  individ- 
uals.— James  D.  Watson. 


Bird -Lore's   Fourteenth   Christmas   Census  45 

LaGrange,  111.  (seven  miles  along  Salt  Creek). — Dec.  21;  8  a.m.  to  2.15  p.m.  Clear; 
ground  bare;  northwest  wind;  temp.  35°.  Hairy  Woodpecker,  10;  Downy  Woodpecker, 
15;  Red-headed  Woodpecker,  7;  Blue  Jay,  35;  Crow,  17;  Goldfinch,  2;  Tree  Sparrow, 
no;  Junco,  i;  Song  Sparrow,  3;  Cardinal,  16;  Brown  Creeper,  14;  White-breasted  Nut- 
hatch, 8;  Chickadee,  27.  Total,  13  species,  264  individuals.  Dec.  20:  Red- winged 
Blackbird,  2;  Purple  Finch,  i.  Dec.  25:  Red-shouldered  Hawk,  3;  Horned  Lark,  25; 
Lapland  Longspur,  300. — Edmund  Hulsberg. 

Lewistown,  111. — Dec.  18;  8  to  10  a.m.  Partly  clear;  ground  bare;  wind  northwest; 
temp,  at  start  38°,  on  return  42°;  five  miles,  mostly  open  woods.  Hairy  Woodpecker, 
i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  3;  Red-bellied  Woodpecker,  2;  Horned  Lark,  i;  Blue  Jay,  8; 
American  Crow,  4;  Purple  Finch,  3;  American  Goldfinch,  16;  Tree  Sparrow,  4;  Chip- 
ping Sparrow,  7;  Song  Sparrow,  3;  Cardinal,  6;  Brown  Creeper,  2;  White-breasted  Nut- 
hatch, 3;  Tufted  Titmouse,  7;  Black-capped  Chickadee,  12;  Bluebird,  3.  Total,  17  spe- 
cies, 79  individuals. — W.  S.  Strode,  M.D. 

Moline,  111. — Dec.  22;  9  to  11.30  a.m.  Clear;  ground  bare;  no  wind;  temp.  22°. 
Gull,  sp.,  i;  Duck,  sp.,  3;  Bob- white,  40;  Ring-necked  Pheasant,  2;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  2; 
Downy  Woodpecker,  4;  Blue  Jaj%  9;  Crow,  i;  Goldfinch,  i;  Tree  Sparrow,  100;  Junco, 
6;  Cardinal,  5;  Brown  Creeper,  8;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  6;  Chickadee,  22;  Robin,  i. 
Total,  16  species,  211  individuals. — Mrs.  Emma  J.  Sloan. 

Mt.  Carmel,  111. — Dec.  26;  8  a.m.  to  5  p.m.  Clear;  one  inch  snow;  wind  north,  heavy; 
temp.  32°  Bob-white,  18;  Hawk,  sp.,  1;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  2; 
Red-headed  Woodpecker,  9;  Red-bellied  Woodpecker,  10;  Flicker,  2;  Blue  Jay,  13; 
Crow,  i;  Meadowlark,  19;  Junco  (?),  40;  Song  Sparrow,  i;  Cardinal,  3;  Brown  Creeper, 
4;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  i;  Tufted  Titmouse,  7;  Chickadee,  14;  Bluebird,  i.  Total, 
18  species,  138  individuals. — Chas.  E.  Carson. 

Peoria,  111. — Dec.  26;  9  a.m.  to  12.30  p.m.  Cloudy;  ground  covered  with  snow; 
wind  north,  light;  temp.  24°.  Herring  Gull,  18;  Canada  Goose,  2;  Hawk,  sp.,  i;  Hairy 
Woodpecker,  3;  Downy  Woodpecker,  14;  Blue  Jay,  15;  American  Crow,  i;  Tree  Spar- 
row, 150;  Junco,  200;  Cardinal,  18;  Cedar  Waxwing,  7;  Brown  Creeper,  4;  White-breasted 
Nuthatch,  8;  Tufted  Titmouse,  7;  Black-capped  Chickadee,  25;  Robin,  3.  Total,  16 
species,  476  individuals. — W.  H.  Packard  and  James  H.  Sedgwick. 

Port  Byron,  111. — Dec.  21;  9.20  to  10.45  a.m.,  and  1.15  to  3.30  p.m.  Clear;  ground 
bare;  wind  west,  moderate;  temp.  21°  to  40°.  Bob-white,  2;  Rough-legged  Hawk  (dark 
phase),  i;  Screech  Owl,  2;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  2;  Red-headed 
Woodpecker,  25;  Blue  Jay,  12;  Crow,  4;  Tree  Sparrow,  15;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  3; 
Brown  Creeper,  3;  Chickadee,  4.    Total,  12  species,  74  individuals. — J.  J.  Schafer. 

Rantoul,  111. — 7  a.m.  to  5  p.m.  Cloudy,  snow  flurries;  ground  slightly  covered  with 
snow;  wind,  north  to  northeast,  medium;  temp.  30°.  Cooper's  Hawk,  3;  Red- 
tailed  Hawk,  i;  Marsh  Hawk,  i;  American  Rough-legged  Hawk,  2;  Hairy  Woodpecker, 
3;  Downy  Woodpecker,  7;  Yellow-bellied  Sapsucker,  i;  Red-bellied  Woodpecker,  3; 
Flicker,  2;  Horned  Lark,  20;  Prairie  Horned  Lark,  100;  Blue  Jay,  50;  Crow,  75;  Lapland 
Longspur,  1,500;  Chestnut-collared  Longspur,  100;  Vesper  Sparrow,  i;  Tree  Sparrow, 
25;  Cardinal,  3;  Brown  Creeper,  2;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  12;  Red-breasted  Nut- 
hatch, 5;  Tufted  Titmouse,  36;  Chickadee.  10.  Total,  23  species,  1,862  individuals. 
— George  E.  Ekblau,  Eddie  L.  Ekblau  and  Arthur  Carlson. 

Rock  Island,  111.  (Arsenal  Island). — Dec.  25;  10  a.m.  to  12.15  p.m.  Partly  cloudy; 
three  inches  of  snow;  Mississippi  River  free  from  ice;  wind  northeast,  light,  but  cold; 
temp.  30°.  Lesser  Scaup,  8;  Bob-white,  26;  Ring-necked  Pheasant,  4;  Hairy  Wood- 
pecker, i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  4;  Blue  Jay,  6;  Crow,  2;  Goldfinch,  1;  Song  Sparrow,  i; 
Brown  Creeper,  3;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  i;  Chickadee,  9;  Rocin,  i.  Total,  13 
species,  67  individuals. — Burtis  H.  Wilson. 

Battle  Creek,  Mich. — Dec.  28;  10.30  a.m.  to  1.55  p.m.    Cloudy;  two  inches  of  snow; 


46  Bird  -  Lore 

wind  southwest,  light;  temp.  29°.  Hairy  Woodpecker,  2;  Downy  Woodpecker,  i;  Red- 
headed Woodpecker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  14;  American  Crow,  8;  American  Goldfinch,  8;  Tree 
Sparrow,  20;  Brown  Creeper,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  2;  Tufted  Titmouse,  4; 
Chickadee,  2.  Total,  11  species,  63  individuals.  Saw  Towhee  in  wood  on  Dec.  26. 
Juncos  and  Redpolls  have  not  arrived. — Paul  M.  Morgan. 

Detroit,  Mich. — Dec.  21;  11  a.m.  to  3.15  p.m.    Clear;  ground  bare;  wind  northerly, 
brisk;  temp.  30°;  distance   covered,  about  four   miles  along  River  Rouge.    Bob-white, 
14;  Red-shouldered  Hawk,   2;  Blue  Jay,   7;   Crow,   i;   White-breasted  Nuthatch,  3; 
Chickadee,  9;  Robin,  2.    Total,  7  species,  38  individuals. — Mrs.  Jefferson  Butler, 
Mr.  Burton  Barns,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  W.  Robinson. 

Detroit,  Mich. — Dec.  22;  1.15  to  3.30  p.m.  Partly  cloudy;  ground  bare;  wind 
southwest,  light;  temp.  32°;  distance  covered,  about  three  miles  on  Belle  Isle.  Herring 
Gull,  7;  Downy  Woodpecker,  6;  Red-headed  Woodpecker,  3;  Brown  Creeper,  i;  White - 
breasted  Nuthatch,  11;  Chickadee,  i.  Total,  6  species,  29  individuals. — Mrs.  F.  W. 
Robinson. 

New  Buffalo,  Mich. — Dec.  26;  8  to  11.30  a.m.  and  i  to  3.30  p.m.  Cloudy;  ground 
lightly  covered  with  snow;  water  of  Lake  Michigan  and  Galien  River  open;  moderate 
northerly  wind,  diminishing;  temp.  29°  to  32°;  distance  covered,  twelve  miles.  Horned 
Grebe,  3;  Herring  Gull,  9;  Ring-billed  Gull,  37;  Lesser  Scaup,  11;  Goldeneye,  10; 
Bufflehead,  2;  Coot,  3;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  3;  Red-headed 
Woodpecker,  8;  Blue  Jay,  15;  Crow,  7;  Purple  Finch,  4;  Tree  Sparrow,  85;  Junco,  i; 
Towhee,  i;  Cardinal,  6;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  2;  Chickadee,  11.  Total,  19  species, 
219  individuals.  Many  unidentified  gulls  and  ducks  out  on  the  lake. — F.  A.  Pennington. 

Elkhorn,  Wis.  (Lauderdale  and  Delavan  Lakes  and  vicinity). — Dec.  21;  9  a.m.  to 
5  p.m.  Clear;  ground  bare;  wind  northwest,  light  at  time  of  starting,  changing  to  south- 
west; temp.  22°.  Canada  Goose,  125;  Wilson's  Snipe,  4;  Marsh  Hawk,  3;  Hairy  Wood- 
pecker, 3;  Downy  Woodpecker,  6;  Red-headed  Woodpecker,  5;  Prairie  Horned  Lark,  2; 
Blue  Jay,  6;  Crow,  100;  Purple  Crackle,  i;  Tree  Sparrow,  108;  Junco,  4;  White-breasted 
Nuthatch,  8;  Chickadee,  16.  Total,  14  species,  391  individuals. — Sarah  Tramis, 
Mabel  Beckwith,  Constance  Beckwith,  Lulu  Dunbar,  Helen  Martin  and 
Margaret  Austin.  (This  census  gives  the  combined  results  of  three  groups  of  census 
takers  working  in  different  parts  of  the  same  general  locality.  The  ground  covered  was 
within  a  radius  of  eight  or  ten  miles  of  Elkhorn.  A  large  number  of  Red-headed  Wood- 
peckers with  us  this  winter.    They  feed  at  our  lunch  counters.) 

Hartland,  Wis. — Dec.  23;  8.30  a.m.  to  4  p.m.  Cloudy;  ground  bare;  wind  north- 
east; temp.  30°.  Hairy  Woodpecker,  2;  Red-headed  Woodpecker,  5;  Blue  Jay,  10; 
Crow,  3;  Purple  Finch,  5;  Tree  Sparrow,  4;  Junco,  16;  Chickadee,  10.  Total,  8  species, 
55  individuals. — Susie  L.  Simonds. 

Madison,  Wis. — Dec.  22;  8  a.m.  to  12  m.  Cloudy;  ground  bare;  still;  temp,  about 
20°.  Red-headed  Woodpecker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  2;  Crow,  2;  Tree  Sparrow,  25;  Junco,  6; 
Brown  Thrasher,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  3;  Chickadee,  6.  Total,  6  species,  46 
individuals.    Dec.  26:  Red- winged  Blackbird,  2. — Belle  Clarke. 

Verona  to  Madison,  Wis. — Dec.  24;  7.45  a.m.  to  4.30  p.m.  Cloudy;  ground  bare; 
still;  temp.  30°.  Bob-white,  12;  Mourning  Dove,  10;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  i;  Downy 
Woodpecker,  7;  Red-headed  Woodpecker,  5;  Blue  Jay,  23;  Crow,  13;  Goldfinch,  60; 
Snow  Bunting,  5;  Tree  Sparrow,  40;  Junco,  13;  Song  Sparrow,  i;  Brown  Creeper,  i; 
White-breasted  Nuthatch,  4;  Black-capped  Chickadee,  18;  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  2. 
Total,  16  species,  215  individuals.  Additional  species  seen  Dec.  21:  Prairie  Chicken,  2; 
Marsh  Hawk,  4;  Rough-legged  Hawk,  4;  Prairie  Horned  Lark,  9. — Norman  deW.  Betts. 

Sparta,  Wis. — Dec.  25;  9  a.m.  to  3.30  p.m.  Clear;  ground  bare;  light  south  wind; 
temp.  17°.  Bob-white,  20;  Ruffed  Grouse,  3;  Downy  Woodpecker,  5;  Red-headed 
Woodpecker,  10;  Crow,  31;  Blue  Jay,  75;  Goldfinch,  38;  Junco,  22;  White-breasted 


Bird -Lore's   Fourteenth   Christmas   Census  47 

Nuthatch,  4;  Chickadee,  73,  Total,  12  species,  286  individuals. — Violet  Turner, 
Clara  Larson,  Gladys  Haney  and  H.  M.  Sherwin. 

Whitewater,  Wis. — Dec.  24;  8  a.m.  to  4  p.m.  Cloudy;  ground  bare;  light  north 
wind;  temp.  29°.  Pied-billed  Grebe,  2;  Mallard,  7;  Screech  Owl,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker, 
i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  i;  Red-headed  Woodpecker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  10;  Crow,  10;  Red- 
winged  Blackbird,  i;  Junco,  8;  Brown  Creeper,  i;  Chickadee,  5;  Golden-crowned 
Kinglet,  10.   Total,  13  species,  58  individuals. — Florence  L.  and  Ethell  A.  Esterly. 

Winneconne,  Wis. — Dec.  25;  9  a.m.  to  i  p.m.  Cloudy;  ground  bare;  sUght  north- 
east wind;  temp.  22°;  five  miles  covered — meadow,  marsh,  woods,  and  lake.  Herring 
Gull,  2;  Marsh  Hawk,  i;  Blue  Jay,  8;  American  Crow,  10;  Downy  Woodpecker,  6;  Red- 
headed Woodpecker,  i;  Brown  Creeper,  5;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  10;  Chickadee,  12. 
Total,  9  species,  55  individuals. — Rev.  B.  H.  Freye  and  Henry  P.  Severson. 

Fairmont,  Minn. — 3  to  5  p.m.  Clear;  ground  bare;  light  west  wind;  temp.  20°. 
Screech  Owl,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  6;  Downy  Woodpecker,  9;  Blue  Jay,  common; 
Crow,  common;  American  Crossbill,  i;  White- winged  Crossbill,  i;  Harris's  Sparrow,  2; 
Tree  Sparrow,  70;  Fox  Sparrow,  2;  Northern  Shrike,  i;  Brown  Creeper,  3,  White- 
breasted  Nuthatch,  7;  Black-capped  Chickadee,  11.  Total,  14  species,  114  individuals, 
plus  Crows  and  Jays. — Mrs.  Mary  Hagerty. 

Minnehaha  Falls,  Minneapolis,  Minn. — Dec.  25;  9.30  a.m.  to  12  m.  Cloudy, 
snowing  slightly;  ground  lightly  covered;  wind  northwest,  moderate;  temp.  11°.  Downy 
Woodpecker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  3;  Crow,  2;  Tree  Sparrow,  16;  Cedar  Waxwing,  2;  Brown 
Creeper,  i;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  2;  Chickadee,  5.  Total,  8  species,  32  individuals. 
— Charles  Phillips. 

St.  Peter,  Minn. — Dec.  28;  10  a.m.  to  2  p.m.  Hazy;  ground  bare;  wind  south,  light; 
temp.  20°  Hairy  Woodpecker,  2;  Downy  Woodpecker,  3;  Flicker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  8;  Crow, 
6;  Red-winged  Blackbird,  9;  Tree  Sparrow,  6;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  2.  Total,  8 
species,  37  individuals. — H.  J.  and  L.  L.  LaDue. 

High  Lake  Township,  Emmet  Co.,  Iowa. — Dec.  26;  10  a.m.  to  12  m.  Cloudy,  with 
snow  flurries,  followed  by  clear;  ground  bare;  wind  south;  temp.  15°.  Hairy  Woodpecker, 
i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  2;  FKcker,  i;  Blue  Jay,  24;  Crow,  10;  Rusty  Blackbird,  10; 
Tree  Sparrow,  120;  Nuthatch,  6;  Chickadee,  38.  Total,  9  species,  212  individuals. — 
B.  O.  Wolden. 

Sioux  City,  Iowa. — Dec.  28;  10.30  a.m.  to  1.30  p.m.  Clear;  ground  bare;  light  south- 
east wind;  temp,  about  15°.  Great  Horned  Owl  (chased  by  a  flock  of  30  Crows),  i; 
Hairy  Woodpecker,  2;  Downy  Woodpecker,  5;  Prairie  Horned  Lark,  2;  Blue  Jay,  3; 
Crow,  40;  Goldfinch,  2;  Tree  Sparrow,  30;  Junco,  2;  Winter  Wren,  i;  Brown  Creeper,  2; 
White-breasted  Nuthatch,  4;  Chickadee,  10.  Total,  13  species,  104  individuals. — 
Walter  W.  Bennett. 

Wall  Lake,  Iowa. — Dec.  25;  1.30  to  4.45  p.m.  Clear;  ground  bare;  light  north  wind; 
temp.  26°.  Prairie  Chicken,  17;  Screech  Owl,  i;  Downy  Woodpecker,  i,  seen  by  my 
sister;  Flicker,  i;  Tree  Sparrow,  25;  Brown  Creeper,  2;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  i. 
Total,  7  species,  48  individuals.  Seen  in  week  previous.  Western  Red-tailed  Hawk,  i ; 
Short-eared  Owl,  i;  Bronzed  Crackle,  i ;  Black-capped  Chickadee,  2. — John  A.  Spurrell. 

Meridian,  Idaho  (irrigated  farm  lands). — Dec.  23;  9.05  a.m.  to  2.45  p.m.  Foggy; 
twelve  inches  of  loose  snow;  no  wind;  freezing  all  daj-;  five  and  one-half  miles.  Duck, 
sp.,  30;  Bob-white,  2  (heard);  Chinese  Pheasant,  9;  Marsh  Hawk,  6;  Sharp-shinned 
Hawk,  i;  Long-eared  Owl,  4;  Short-eared  (?)  Owl,  i;  Red-shafted  Flicker,  i;  Horned 
Lark,  96;  American  Magpie,  61;  Tricolored  Blackbird,  30  (number  probably  includes 
San  Diego  Redwing  and  Brewer's  Blackbird);  Western  Meadowlark,  17;  House  Finch, 
21;  Intermediate  Sparrow,  34;  Coues's  Junco,  52;  Merrill's  Song  Sparrow,  in;  White- 
rumped  Shrike,  i;  Long-tailed  Chickadee,  2;  Ruby-crowned  Kinglet,  3.  Total,  19 
species,  482  individuals. — Alex,  Stalkei?. 


48  Bird  -  Lore 

Priest  River,  Idaho  (on  flat,  near  the  river,  mostly  timbered). — Dec.  i8.  Clnudy;  about 
six  inches  of  snow  on  the  ground;  calm;  temp.  38°.  Rocky  Mountain  Hairy  Woodpecker, 
i;  Northern  Pileated  Woodpecker,  i;  Black-headed  Jay,  2;  Rocky  Mountain  Jay,  3; 
Crossbill,  20;  Redpoll,  2;  Western  Winter  Wren,  2;  Chestnut-backed  Chickadee,  4. 
Total,  8  species,  35  individuals. — Joseph  Kitteedge,  Jr. 

Omaha,  Nebr. — i  to  4.30  p.m.  Clear;  ground  nearly  bare;  wind  southeast;  temp. 
40°  to  34°;  five  miles.  Pigeon  Hawk,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  3;  Downy  Woodpecker,  6; 
Prairie  Horned  Lark,  3;  Purple  Finch,  25;  Goldfinch,  3;  Tree  Sparrow,  30;  Junco,  28; 
Chickadee,  11.    Total,  9  species,  108  individuals. — Solon  R.  Towne. 

Lennox,  S.  D.,  to  Sioux  Falls,  to  Canton  by  train  and  thence  along  Sioux  River  on 
foot. — Dec.  22;  9  to  10  A.M.  and  11.30  a.m.  to  i  p.m.  Clear;  ground  bare;  wind,  south, 
light;  temp.  25°  to  38°.  Prairie  Chicken,  100;  Screech  Owl,  i;  Hairy  Woodpecker,  2; 
Downy  Woodpecker,  i;  Crow,  6;  White- winged  Crossbill  (?),  12;  Pine  Siskin,  27;  Tree 
Sparrow,  200;  Brown  Creeper,  2;  White-breasted  Nuthatch,  i;  Chickadee,  60.  Total, 
II  species,  410  individuals. — William  B.  Mallory. 

Aspen,  Colo.— Dec.  24.  Altitude,  7,500  feet.  Clear  and  calm;  eight  and  one-half 
inches  of  snow;  temp,  10°  at  10  p.m.  Downy  Woodpecker,  2;  Black-headed  Jay,  4; 
Rocky  Mountain  Jay,  2.    Total,  3  species,  8  individuals.^MRS.  I.  L.  Logue. 

Denver,  Colo. — 9  a.m.  to  4.30  p.m.  Partly  cloudy;  thirty  inches  of  snow;  south  wind, 
light;  temp.  5°  to  26°  above.  Prairie  Falcon,  i;  Red-shafted  Flicker,  18;  Long-crested 
Jay,  i;  Woodhouse's  Jay,  3;  House  Finch,  5;  Pink-sided  Junco,  i;  Gray-headed  Junco,  2; 
Northern  Shrike,  i;  Rocky  Mountain  Creeper,  i.  Total,  9  species,  ^^  individuals. — 
W.  H.  Bergtold. 

Bozeman,  Mont. — Dec.  24;  10  a.m.  to  3.30  p.m.  Clear;  still;  three  inches  of  snow; 
temp.  15°.  Magpie,  18;  Western  Tree  Sparrow,  17;  Mountain  Song  Sparrow,  5;  Bohe- 
mian Waxwing,  about  90;  Long-tailed  Chickadee,  15.  Total,  5  species,  145  individuals. 
— Nelson  Lundwall. 

Lashbum,  Saskatchewan  (latitude  53°). — Dec.  18;  8.40  a.m.  to  12.55  p-m.  and  1.35 
to  4.30  p.m.  Overcast;  one-half  inch  of  snow;  temp.  27°.  Prairie  Sharp-tailed  Grouse, 
40;  Ruffed  Grouse,  4;  Snowy  Owl,  3;  Prairie  Horned  Lark,  i;  Redpoll,  40;  Snow  Bunting, 
27;  Chickadee,  i.    Total,  7  species,  116  individuals. — S.  W^  Calvert. 

Okanagan  Landing,  B.  C.  (shore  of  Okanagan  Lake  and  pine  covered  foothills — 
18  miles). —  8  a.m.  to  3  p.m.  Clear;  ground  bare;  wind  northeast,  light;  temp.  22°  at 
8  a.m.  Holboell's  Grebe,  i;  Horned  Grebe,  7;  Herring  Gull,  8;  American  Merganser,  2; 
Greater  Scaup,  9;  American  Coot,  i;  Gray  Ruffed  Grouse,  3;  Northern  Pileated  Wood- 
pecker, i;  Red-shafted  Flicker,  3;  Magpie,  10;  Clarke's  Nutcracker,  4;  Pygmy  Owl 
(pinicola),  2;  Pine  Grosbeak,  3;  Pine  Siskin,  150;  Shufeldt's  Junco,  30;  Sooty  Song  Spar- 
row, 3;  Western  Winter  Wren,  i;  Rocky  Mountain  Nuthatch,  17;  Red-breasted  Nut- 
hatch, 12;  Pj'gmy  Nuthatch,  4;  Black-capped  Chickadee,  4;  Mountain  Chickadee,  32; 
Western  Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  i.  Total,  23  species,  310  individuals.  Observers  in 
company.  Also  observed  in  past  two  days:  California  Gull,  Canvasback,  Columbian 
Sharp-tailed  Grouse,  Crow,  Black-headed  Jay,  Western  Evening  Grosbeak,  Western 
Tree  Sparrow,  Slate-colored  Junco,  Northern  W^axwing,  Goshawk,  Saw-whet  Owl, 
and  Tree  Creeper. — J.  A.  Munro  and  Allan  Brooks. 

Grandview,  Wash. — Dec.  24;  10.30  a.m.  to  2.30  p.m.  Cloudy;  snowy;  temp.  32°. 
Ring-necked  Pheasant,  6;  Red-bellied  Hawk,  2;  Spotted  Owl,  1;  Red-shafted  Flicker, 
2;  Desert  Horned  Lark,  15;  American  Magpie,  6;  Cowbird,  10;  Red-winged  Blackbird, 
S;  Western  Meadowlark,  10;  Brewer's  Blackbird,  35;  Willow  Goldfinch,  20;  Gambel's 
Sparrow,  35;  Western  Tree  Sparrow,  3;  Slate-colored  Junco,  15;  Oregon  Junco,  40; 
Song  Sparrow,  12;  Northern  Shrike,  i;  Western  Robin,  i.  Total,  18  species,  213 
individuals. — Edna  M.  Perry  and  Gertrxtde  Gee. 

JfQrth  Yakima,  Wash. — Dec.  24;  8.30  a.m.  to  1.30  p. At.    One  inch  of  snow;  no  wind; 


Bird -Lore's   Fourteenth   Christmas   Census  49 

temp.  40°.  Baldpate,  i;  Mongolian  Pheasant,  50;  Bob-white,  loo;  Hungarian  Par- 
tridge, 2;  Wilson's  Snipe,  2;  Sharp-shinned  Hawk,  i;  Short-eared  Owl,  2;  Magpie,  3; 
Red-shafted  Flicker,  15;  Brewer's  Blackbird,  200;  Western  Meadowlark,  6;  White- 
rumped  Shrike,  2;  Western  Goldfinch,  12;  Redpoll,  2;  Pine  Siskin,  12;  Oregon  Junco, 
250;  Slate-colored  Junco,  3;  Merrill's  Song  Sparrow,  250;  Gambel's  Sparrow,  60; 
Black-capped  Chickadee,  5.  Total,  20  species,  978  individuals. — Mr.  and  Mrs.  John 
V.  Ellis,  Jr. 

Pullman,  Wash,  (elevation,  2,536  feet). — Dec.  25;  11  a.m.  to  2  p.m.  Snowing;  light 
east  wind;  six  inches  of  snow  on  ground;  temp.  27°.  Short-eared  Owl,  i;  Red-shafted 
Flicker,  3;  Western  Meadowlark,  7;  Crossbill,  i;  Gray-crowned  Leucosticte,  4;  Hep- 
burn's Leucosticte,  20;  Pale  Goldfinch,  3;  Merrill's  Song  Sparrow,  3.  Total,  8  species, 
42  individuals. — Misses  Roziskey  and  McKay,  and  W.  T.  Shaw. 

Seattle,  Wash,  (to  head  of  Lake  Washington,  returning  via  west  shore  of  lake,  to 
Pontiacj. — Dec.  21;  11.45  a.m.  to  5.30  p.m.  Partly  cloudy;  ground  bare;  wind  east  by 
south  to  southeast,  and  south,  moderate  breeze,  falling  about  4.30  p.m.;  temp.  44°. 
Western  Grebe,  i;  Hoelbell's  Grebe,  6;  Pied-billed  Grebe,  i;  Western  Gull,  3;  Shoveller, 
4;  Scaup,  8;  Ruddy  Duck,  i;  Coot,  306;  Bob-white,  21;  Harris's  Woodpecker,  i;  West- 
ern Meadowlark,  5;  Oregon  Junco,  5;  Rusty  Song  Sparrow,  6.  Total,  13  species,  368 
individuals. — F.  W.  Cook. 

Forest  Grove,  Ore.  (along  Gale's  Creek,  and  in  the  hills  to  800  feet). — Dec.  27; 
Cloudy  with  light  rain  in  the  morning;  wet  snow  covering  the  ground  in  the  timbered 
hills.  Mountain  Quail,  i;  Oregon  Ruffed  Grouse,  7;  Chinese  Pheasant,  4;  Harris's 
Woodpecker,  i;  Northern  Pileated  Woodpecker,  2;  Northwest  Flicker,  3;  Coast  (?) 
Jay,  3;  Western  Crow,  20;  Northwestern  Redwing,  50;  Oregon  Junco,  15;  Rusty  Song 
Sparrow,  i;  Oregon  Towhee,  i;  Western  Winter  Wren,  10;  CaHfornia  Creeper,  i;  Red- 
breasted  Nuthatch,  2;  Oregon  Chickadee,  4;  Chestnut-backed  Chickadee,  15;  Western 
Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  20;  Ruby-crowned  Kinglet,  5.  Total,  19  species,  about  165 
individuals. — Prof.  A.  M.  Bean  and  O.  J.  Murie. 

Mulino,  Ore. — Dec.  24;  8.30  a.m.  to  3  p.m.  Cold  and  rainy;  ground  bare;  wind 
north,  light  to  brisk.  Pied-billed  Grebe,  3;  Bob- white,  10;  Mountain  Quail,  21;  Oregon 
RufTed  Grouse,  2;  Ring-necked  Pheasant,  i;  Western  Redtail,  i;  Desert  Sparrow  Hawk, 
i;  Gairdner's  Woodpecker,  4;  Northern  Red-breasted  Sapsucker,  3;  Red-shafted  Flicker 
(including  Northwestern  Flicker),  53;  Coast  Jay,  2;  Oregon  Jay,  i;  Western  Meadow- 
lark, 6;  Shufeldt's  Junco,  (including  Oregon  Junco),  214;  Rusty  Song  Sparrow,  29; 
Oregon  Towhee,  11;  Seattle  Wren,  3;  Western  Winter  Wren,  39;  California  Creeper,  3; 
Oregon  Chickadee,  32;  Chestnut-backed  Chickadee,  17;  Bush  Tit,  25;  Western  Golden- 
crowned  Kinglet,  94;  Ruby-crowned  Kinglet,  2;  Varied  Thrush,  10.  Total,  25  species, 
587  individuals. — Alex.  Walker  and  Donald  E.  Brown. 

Fresno,  Gal.  (along  public  roads).— Dec.  25;  12  m.  to  1.30  p.m.  and  3.30  to  4.30  p.m. 
Cloudy,  light  showers;  temp.  60°.  Killdeer,  2;  Valley  Quail,  45;  Western  Mourning 
Dove,  11;  Western  Red-tailed  Hawk,  i;  Desert  Sparrow  Hawk,  i;  Barn  Owl,  i;  Bur- 
rowing Owl,  i;  Red-shafted  Flicker,  17;  Anna  Hummingbird,  i;  Say  Phoebe,  i; 
Black  Phoebe,  i;  California  Horned  Lark,  i;  Bicolored  Blackbird,  150;  Western  Meadow- 
lark, 25;  Brewer's  Blackbird,  100;  House  Finch,  300;  Western  Vesper  Sparrow,  12; 
Western  Savannah  Sparrow,  7;  Gambel's  Sparrow,  100;  Thurber's  Junco,  35;  Heer- 
mann's  Song  Sparrow,  i;  San  Diego  Towhee,  5;  California  Towhee,  2;  California  Shrike, 
12;  Audubon's  Warbler,  53;  Western  Mockingbird,  38;  Ruby-crowned  Kinglet,  1; 
Western  Gnatcatcher,  i;  Mountain  Bluebird,  20.  Total,  29  species,  948  individuals. — 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  G.  Tyler. 

Santa  Barbara,  Calif. — Dec.  27;  6.30  a.m.  to  5.30  p.m.  Hazy  to  heavily  overcast; 
temp.'44°  to  59°.  Mission  Canyon,  Estero,  Beale's,  Hope  Ranch,  La  Patera;  42  miles  by 
automobile,  but  all  save  5  species  recorded  within  3  miles  of  city  limits.    Numbers 


50  Bird  -  Lore 

necessarily  eslimaled.  Western  Grebe,  ii;  Horned  Grebe,  i;  American  Eared  Grebe,  6; 
Pied-billed  Grebe,  i;  California  Brown  Pelican,  lo;  Farallon  Cormorant,  300;  Brandt 
Cormorant,  100;  Great  Blue  Heron,  4;  Green-winged  Teal,  40;  Cinnamon  Teal,  5; 
Shoveller,  1,200;  Pintail,  700;  Canvasback,  200;  Lesser  Scaup,  100;  Bufflehead, 
3;  White-winged  Scoter,  200;  Surf  Scoter,  75;  Ruddy  Duck,  150;  Turkey  Vulture, 
3;  Prairie  Falcon,  i;  American  Sparrow  Hawk,  25;  Sharp-shinned  Hawk,  i;  Cooper's 
Hawk,  2;  Western  Red-tailed  Hawk,  4;  Red-bellied  Hawk,  2;  Valley  Quail,  10;  Coot, 
200;  Least  Sandpiper,  20;  Red-backed  Sandpiper,  5;  Sanderling,  150;  Black-bellied 
Plover,  30;  Killdeer,  75;  Snowy  Plover,  20;  Glaucous- winged  Gull,  10;  Western  Gull, 
300;  California  Gull,  40;  Ring-billed  Gull,  40;  Short-billed  Gull,  20;  Heermann  Gull, 
10;  Bonaparte  Gull,  500;  Royal  Tern,  4;  Belted  Kingfisher,  3;  Barn  Owl,  2;  Short- 
cared  Owl,  2;  California  Screech  Owl,  i;  Burrowing  Owl,  i;  Anna  Hummingbird,  6; 
White-throated  Swift,  60;  California  Woodpecker,  20;  Red-shafted  Flicker,  200;  Black 
Phoebe,  7;  Say  Phoebe,  12;  California  Horned  Lark,  30;  American  Pipit,  140;  Dwarf 
Hermit  Thrush,  10;  Western  Robin,  4;  Western  Bluebird,  6;  Pasadena  Thrasher,  i; 
Western  Mockingbird,  5;  Tule  Wren,  6;  Western  House  Wren,  2;  Pallid  Wren-tit,  20; 
Ashy  Kinglet,  150;  Western  Gnatcatcher,  2;  Tree  Swallow,  15;  California  Shrike, 
20;  Hutton  Vireo,  i;  Plain  Titmouse,  12;  California  Bush-Tit,  40;  California  Jay, 
20;  Dusky  Warbler,  2;  Audubon's  Warbler,  300;  Tule  Yellowthroat,  4;  Brewer's 
Blackbird,  400;  San  Diego  Redwing,  500;  Western  Meadowlark,  250;  Willow  Goldfinch, 
20;  Green-backed  Goldfinch,  200;  California  Purple  Finch,  2;  California  Linnet,  200; 
Western  Lark  Sparrow,  60;  Western  Savannah  Sparrow,  3;  Bryant  Marsh  Sparrow,  i; 
Belding  Marsh  Sparrow,  2;  Large-billed  Marsh  Sparrow,  10;  Sierra  Junco,  20;  Golden- 
crowned  Sparrow,  6;  Intermediate  Sparrow,  400;  Nuttall  Sparrow,  15;  San  Diego  Song 
Sparrow,  8;  Rocky  Mountain  (?)  Song  Sparrow,  20;  Lincoln  Sparrow,  2;  Valdez  Fox 
Sparrow,  3;  Spurred  Towhee,  7;  Anthony  Brown  Towhee,  20.  Total,  95  species, 
7,831  individuals. — William  Leon  Dawson  and  William  Oberlin  Dawson. 

Vallejo,  Cal.  (Mare  Island  Navy  Yard). — Dec.  25 ;  i  to  4.30  p.m.  Clear;  ground  bare; 
wind  southwest,  light;  temp.  58°.  Western  Gull,  88;  Desert  Sparrow  Hawk,  i;  Short- 
eared  Owl,  2;  Red-shafted  Flicker,  2;  California  Horned  Lark,  22;  California  Jay,  2; 
Western  Meadowlark,  25;  Brewer's  Blackbird,  2;  House  Finch,  2;  Bryant's  Marsh 
Sparrow,  3;  Intermediate  Sparrow,  5;  Oregon  Junco,  5;  California  Shrike,  i;  Audubon's 
Warbler,  i.    Total,  14  species,  161  individuals. — F.  M.  Bennett. 

Santa  Barbara,  Isle  of  Pines,  Cuba. — Dec.  4.  Cool;  wind  northeast,  strong.  Great 
Blue  Heron  (Ardea  herodias),  i;  Louisiana  Heron  {Hydranassa  tricolor),  i;  Cuban  Green 
Heron  {Bulorides  hrunnescens) ,  3;  Black-crowned  Night  Heron  (Nycticorax  nycticorax 
ntzvius),  i;  Least  Bittern  {Ixobrychus  exiiis),  i;  Cuban  Bob-white  {Colinus  cubanensis), 
12;  'El  bobo'  Figeon  {Columba  inornala) ,  5;  Cuban  Mourning  Dove  {Zenaidura  macroiira 
macroura),  24;  Cuban  Ground  Dove  {ChccmepcUa  passerina  aflavida),  150;  Southern 
Turkey  Vulture  {Cathartes  aura  aura),  20;  Cuban  Sparrow  Hawk  {Falco  sparveroides), 
10;  Cuban  Owl  (Gytnnasio  lawrencei?),  i;  Cuban  Pigmy  Owl  {Glaucidium  siju),  3; 
Cuban  Parrot  {Amazona  leticocephala),  25;  Ani  {Crotophaga  ani),  18;  Isle  of  Pines  Lizard 
Cuckoo  {Saurothera  merlini  decolor),  4;  Isle  of  Pines  Trogon  {Priotelus  temnurus  vescus), 
2;  Cuban  Tody  {Todiis  multicolor),  5;  Cuban  Kingbird  {Tyrannus  cubensis),  4;  Cuban 
Crested  Flycatcher  {Myiarchiis  sagra),  11;  Cuban  Pewee  {Blacicus  caribcBus),  15;  Cuban 
Meadowlark  {SturneUa  hippocrepis),  6;  Cuban  Oriole  {Icterus  hypomelas),  20;  Cuban 
Grackle  {Holopiiiscalus  gundlachi),  75;  Grasshopper  Sparrow  {Ammodramus  savannarum 
australis),  i;  Melodious  Grassquit  {Tiaris  canora),  i;  Yellow-faced  Grassquit  {Tiaris 
olivacea  olivacea),  2,0;  Mangrove  Warbler  {Dendroica  petechia  gundlachi),  2;  Yellow  Palm 
Warbler  {Dendroica  palmar um  hypochrysea),  95;  Florida  Yellowthroat  {Geothlypis 
trichas  ignota) ,  2,',  Red-legged  Thrush  {Mimocichla  nibripes  rubripes),  2.  Total,  31  spe- 
cies, 551  individuals. — A.  C.  Read. 


Notes  on  Winter  Birds 

THE  space  required  for  the  Bird  Census  prevents  the  publication  of  a 
number  of  'Notes  from  Field  and  Study,'  but  the  timeliness  of  some 
make  it  advisable  to  print  in  this  issue  of  Bird-Lore  certain  records 
of  the  occurrence  of  winter  birds.  Birds  are,  of  course,  far  more  likely  to  be 
observed  while  migrating  than  after  they  have  settled  for  the  winter.  Hence, 
doubtless,  the  apparent  scarcity  of  certain  northern  species  in  midwinter 
which  seemed  common  in  the  fall;  though  change  of  base  incident  to  migra- 
tion is  of  course  also  to  be  considered. 

For  example,  Mr.  Horace  W.  Wright,  of  Boston,  in  sending  his  census, 
writes;  "in  the  vicinity  of  Boston  we  have  had  many  Redpolls,  a  few  Cross- 
bills of  each  species,  a  Pine  Grosbeak  or  two,  and  not  less  than  50  Acadian 
Chickadees  have  been  observed,  but  none  of  these  enter  into  the  park  list." 

From  Leominster,  Mass.,  Mr.  Edwin  Russell  Davis  writes,  under  date  of 
December  26,  1913:  "The  Evening  Grosbeaks  have  been  with  us  for  the  last 
two  weeks,  some  five  or  six  individuals,  but  I  was  unable  to  find  them  yester- 
day." And  this  species,  is  also  recorded  from  Washington,  Conn.,  by  Wil- 
helmina  C.  Knowles,  who  writes  that  on  December  13  fifteen  were  seen 
"feeding  on  seeds  of  the  sugar  maple  on  the  grgund."  She  states  that  the 
birds  were  "extremely  tame." 

Below  we  publish  a  note  on  the  occurrence  of  Pine  Grosbeaks  at  Sharon, 
Connecticut,  on  November  17,  and  we  have  also  a  record  from  Mrs.  J.  C. 
Anderson,  of  the  appearance  of  four  birds  of  this  species  at  Great  Barrington, 
Mass.,  on  November  18,  and  Mrs.  Caroline  T.  Brooks  reports  eight  or  ten 
Pine  Grosbeaks  at  Goshen,  Conn.,  on  November  29.  Other  notes  on  winter 
birds  foUow.— F.  M.  C. 

Evening  Grosbeaks  in  Michigan  Here  the  Evening  Grosbeak  is  observed 

to  feed  upon  the  berries  of  sumach,  moun- 

On  November,   26,  191 2,  while  walking  tain  ash,  choke-cherry,  wild    red  cherry, 

about  among  a  grove  of  choke-cherries  I  seeds  of  maples  and  buds  of  forest  trees, 

heard  Evening  Grosbeaks.    I  soon  located  particularly      poplars. — Ralph      Beebe, 

the  flock,  which  consisted  of  about  fifty  Newberry,  Michigan. 
birds.  Most  of  them  were  feeding  upon  the 

fallen    cherries,  large  quantities   of   which  Evening  Grosbeak  in  Chicago 
lay  on  the  ground.     A  number  posed  for 

their    photograph.     A   flock   of    about    a  We  had  the  pleasure  to  see,  on  Nov.  9, 

dozen    Redpolls   accompanied   the    Gros-  1913,  in   Jackson   Park,    Chicago,  111.,    a 

beaks.    Presumably  they  had  learned  that  pair  of  Evening  Grosbeaks, 

the  Grosbeak  is  rather  a  slovenly  feeder,  We  were  w^atching  a  pair  of  Juncos  and 

scattering  generous  amounts  of  food  upon  listening  to  a  Blue  Jay  calling,  when  we 

the  ground.    This  food  is  partly  crushed  by  saw    a    large    dull-colored    bird    hopping 

the  heavy  bills  of  the  Grosbeaks  so  it  is  about   on   the   ground   eating   seeds   and 

well  prepared  for  the  more  delicate  Red-  berries.    When  we  approached  it,  it  flew 

polls.  up  and  perched  on  a  small  bush  where 

(51) 


52 


Bird  -  Lore 


we  had  a  beautiful  view  of  it.  We  could 
not  think  what  kind  of  a  bird  it  was  at 
first,  but  it  soon  uttered  a  soft  whistle 
something  like  that  of  a  Robin,  and  was 
immediately  answered  from  a  nearby 
bush.  We  soon  discovered  the  bird  thai 
answered  and  instantly  identified  it  as  a 
male  Evening  Grosbeak. 

It  was  very  brilliantly  colored,  the  yel- 
low almost  orange,  and  the  black  on  the 
wings  and  tail  shone  out  very  conspicu- 
ously. They  were  very  tame  and  did  not 
seem  to  fear  when  we  approached  within 
a  few  feet  of  them. 

On  November  22,  we  saw  in  the  same 
place  two  old  males  and  one  young  male. 
The  birds  were  all  tame  and  we  man- 
aged to  get  a  photograph  but  the  image 
on  the  plate  was  very  small  and  there  was 
no  detail. 

The  bird  is  a  very  rare  winter  visitor, 
and  we  know  of  several  other  people  who 
saw  these  same  birds. — Locke  Macken- 
zie and  Wilfred  Lyon,  Chicago,  III. 

Evening    Grosbeak    and  Acadian   Chick- 
adee at   Hartford,    Conn. 

The  undersigned,  who  has  been  a  close 
observer  of  birds  for  many  years  and  is  a 
member  of  The  Hartford  Bird  Stud}- 
Club,  wishes  to  report  a  most  excellent 
observation  on  January  i,  1914,  of  a 
flock  of  eleven  Evening  Grosbeaks.  These 
birds  were  seen,  with  a  fellow  bird  student, 
in  the  outskirts  of  one  of  our  city  parks. 
Much  of  this  park  is  primeval  forest  with 
the  usual  variations  brought  about  by 
the  landscape  gardener  in  parks  of  several 
hundred  acres  which  are  oftentimes,  as 
in  this  case,  extended  beyond  the  city 
limits.  All  the  birds  were  in  most  excel- 
lent plumage,  but  there  was  one  full- 
plumaged  male  whose  colors  exceeded  in 
brilliance  the  pictures  in  any  of  Chap- 
man's books  or  'Reed's  Handbook'  in 
that  the  yellow  was  more  nearly  that  of 
the  Goldfinch;  but  this  may  have  been 
partly  because  the  birds  were  sitting 
directly  in  the  sunlight, — it  being  at 
half  after  one  o'clock  that  the  observa- 
tion was  made.    We  watched  this  flock  as 


long  as  we  cared  to,  observing  every 
detail  of  plumage  of  both  species,  but  we 
did  not  identify  more  than  the  one  male. 
The  birds  showed  no  fear,  either  because 
I  hey  were  too  stupid  or  because  lack  of 
association  with  man  had  not  taught 
them  that  he  might  be  dangerous.  This 
flock  has  since  been  seen  by  several  other 
members  of  the  club  and  several  photo- 
graphs have  been  taken. 

On  November  25,1  saw  in  Wethersfield 
a  pair  of  Acadian  Chickadees,  and  two 
days  later,  or  on  Thanksgiving  Day,  I 
observed  for  forty  minutes  another  pair  in 
West  Hartford.  As  these  towns  are 
several  miles  apart  there  is  no  doubt  but 
that  there  were  two  pairs  of  these  birds. 
Each  pair  was  subsequently  seen  by  other 
members  of  the  club. 

Redpolls  are  at  present  reported  to  be 
quite  common  in  Windsor,  a  town  about 
six  miles  north  of  this  city. — Geo.  F. 
Griswold,  Hartford,  Conn. 

Acadian  Chickadee  at   Hartford,  Conn. 

A  rare  treat  has  been  furnished  to  some 
of  the  members  of  The  Hartford  Bird 
Study  Club  during  the  past  week  or  ten 
days  in  observing  at  exceedingly  close 
range  the  Acadian  Chickadee.  A  pair  of 
these  extremely  rare  visitants  have  been 
fed  at  the  hospitable  feeding-tray  of  Miss 
Katherine  C.  Robbins  in  Wethersfield 
(about  three  miles  from  Hartford)  almost 
daily  since  about  November  13,  1913.  Mr. 
Albert  Morgan,  Treasurer  of  our  Club, 
and  myself,  observed  these  interesting 
creatures  for  nearly  an  hour  during  the 
early  afternoon  of  November  22,  all  of  that 
time  within  a  distance  of  ten  to  twenty 
feet.  They  are  most  active  in  their  move- 
ments, and  it  was  difJ&cult  to  say  which 
species  was  more  sprightly,  the  Acadian 
Chickadee  or  the  Golden-crowned  King- 
lets, whose  company  they  seemed  to 
enjoy.  The  Chickadees  seemed  to  be 
particularly  fond  of  the  suet  placed  in  the 
tree  for  their  use,  and  they  would  feed  for 
a  time  on  the  suet  and  then  feed  on  small 
bits  of  something  gathered  from  the  boughs 
of  a  large  spruce  tree  nearby.     In  their 


Notes  on  Winter  Birds 


53 


nervous  and  rapid  change  of  positions, 
one  would  believe  them  to  have  a 
quantity  of  Warbler  blood  in  their  veins, 
although,  of  course,  they  were  not  the 
least  bit  timid,  for  Miss  Robbins  had 
fed  them  within  two  or  three  feet  from 
her  hand. 

These  birds  differ  from  our  native 
Chickadee,  in  that  they  possess  no  black 
cap,  and  the  Acadian's  under-parts  are  as 
red  as  those  of  the  Red-breasted  Nuthatch 
and  very  nearly  the  same  color.  The  black 
cap  is  superseded  by  one  of  a  buffy  brown, 
which  color  seems  to  follow  its  nape  and 
back  almost  to  the  rump  in  a  somewhat 
graduated  manner. 

The  call  has  a  similarity  to  that  of  our 
native  Chickadee,  but  is  uttered  much 
more  briskly  and  is  more  wheezy.  Often 
it  will  contain  two  higher  notes  followed 
by  one  low,  (chick-a-dee),  and  again  it  can 
be  heard  with  two  higher  notes  and  two 
low,  (chick-a-dee-dee),  but  always  more 
husky  and  brief  than  our  native  favorite. 
— Arthur  G.  Powers,  Hartford,  Conn. 


Pine   Grosbeak  at  Sharon,  Conn. 

You  may  be  pleased  to  note  in  next 
issue  of  Bird-Lore  the  phenomenallj^ 
early  arrival  in  this  latitude  of  the  Pine 
Grosbeak.  My  daughter  saw  a  flock  of 
fifteen  or  twenty  on  November  17,  1913, 
about  a  mile  from  my  store  and  although 
she  knows  the  birds  quite  well  I  feared 
she  might  be  mistaken,  as  in  the  three  or 
four  times  I  had  s.'en  them  in  Connecticut 
in  the  past  thirty  years,  it  was  never 
earlier  than  the  middle  of  December  with 
cold  weather  and  plenty  of  snow,  so  this 
noon  I  walked  with  her  to  the  little  grove 
of  pines,  maples  and  shrubbery,  and  was 
most  agreeably  surprised  to  count  ten  of 
my  old  friends,  the  Pine  Grosbeak.  I 
could  approach  within  six  feet  when 
they  were  in  the  bushes  and  within  eight 
feet  when  they  were  on  the  ground.  As 
usual,  one  was  in  the  red  plumage  to  about 
eight  or  nine  in  the  immature  and  famale 
plumage  of  slaty  gray  and  yellowish  on 
head  and  rump. — Geo.  M.  Marckres, 
Sharon,  Conn. 


HERRING    GULL    ON    WESTERN    ISLAND,   LAKE    CHAMPLAIN,   X.    Y. 
Photographed   by  B.  S.  Bowdish 


iloob  jBtetofi^  ant)   9^etoieto0 


Report  of  Chief  of  Bureau  of  Bio- 
logical Survey  for  the  Year  End- 
ing June  30,  1913.  By  Henry  W. 
Henshaw.  From  Annual  Reports  of 
the  Department  of  Agriculture  for  1913. 
14  pp. 

No  one  can  read  this  summary  of  the 
activities  of  the  Biological  Survey  for  the 
period  covered  by  this  report  without 
being  impressed  by  the  scope  and  impor- 
tance of  its  labors.  The  destruction  of 
prairie-dogs,  ground-squirrels,  and  seed- 
eating  rodents  in  the  National  forests,  the 
economic  status  of  the  mole,  fur-farming, 
control  of  crawfish  in  the  Mississippi, 
destruction  of  the  alfalfa  weevil  and  cot- 
ton-boll weevil  by  birds,  the  food  of  wild 
fowl,  and  work  in  Porto  Rico,  are  headings 
which  indicate  some  phases  of  the  eco- 
nomic investigations  of  the  Survey. 

Forty-one  species  of  birds  have  been 
found  feeding  on  the  alfalfa  weevil,  chief 
among  the  enemies  of  which  is  Brewer's 
Blackbird.  No  less  than  542  weevils  were 
taken  from  the  stomach  of  a  single  bird 
of  this  species.  The  boll-weevil  is  now 
known  to  be  preyed  on  by  50  species  of 
birds. 

An  index  has  been  made  to  the  131 
publications  relating  to  economic  ornithol- 
ogy which  have  been  published  by  the 
Survey,  in  which  401  species  of  native 
and  59  species  of  foreign  birds  have  been 
reported  on. 

Under  'Biological  Investigations'  refer- 
ence is  made  to  work  in  progress  in  Ala- 
bama, Arizona,  California,  Idaho,  and 
North  Dakota.  Migration  reports  have 
been  secured  from  about  200  volunteer 
observers,  and  acknowledgement  made 
of  the  service  the  reports  of  this  kind 
already  on  file  were  to  the  Survey  in 
formulating  the  regulations  of  the  migra- 
tory bird  bill. 

Each  year  shows  a  slight  increase  in 
the  number  of  birds  (chiefly  Canaries) 
imported  into  this  country.  In  1908 
325,285  were  imported,  last  year  the  num- 
ber reached  392,422. 


The  report  shows  that  seven  new  na- 
tional bird  reservations,  including  the 
Aleutian  Islands,  were  set  aside  during 
the  year  ending  June  30,  1913,  raising 
the  total  number  now  existing  to  sixty- 
three.  Comments  on  the  new  reservations 
and  reports  from  some  of  the  old  ones 
are  given. 

The  report  concludes  with  an  outline 
of  the  Survey's  increasingly  important 
work  for  game  protection. — F.  M.  C. 

An  Account  of  the  Birds  and  Mammals 
of  the  San  Jacinto  Area  of  South- 
ern California,  with  Remarks  upon 
the  Behavior  of  Geographic  Races  on 
the  Margins  of  Their  Habitats.  By  J. 
Grinnell  and  H.  S.  Swarth.  Univ. 
of  Cal.  Pub.  in  Zool.,  Vol.  10,  No.  10, 
pp.  197-406,  pis.  6-10,  3  text  figs. 
Oct.  31,  1913. 

This  is  an  important  contribution  to 
regional  and  philosophic  zoology.  The 
authors  are  thoroughly  equipped  to  handle 
their  problem  in  field  and  study  and  we 
are  becoming  increasingly  indebted  to 
them  for  the  growing  series  of  papers  for 
which  independently,  or  together,  they 
are  responsible. 

Following  details  of  when,  where,  and 
by  whom  the  observations  and  collections 
on  which  this  paper  is  based  were  made, 
are  descriptions  of  the  localities  worked, 
and  this  is  succeeded  by  a  discussion  of 
the  'Life  Areas  of  the  Region,'  in  which  it 
is  shown  that  the  ranges  of  species  are 
controlled  by  zonal,  faunal,  and  associa- 
tional  factors.  The  term  "Associations," 
as  here  defined,  is  said  to  be  "allied 
in  meaning  to  the  formations'  of 
some  botanists."  Associations  are 
classed  as  of  major  and  minor  rank. 
Chaparral,  for  example,  is  of  major 
rank,  chinquapin  chaparral  of  minor 
rank.  Thus  Stephens's  Fox  Sparrow  is 
said  to  belong  "to  the  Chinquapin  minor 
association,  of  the  Chaparral  major  asso- 
ciation of  the  San  Bernardino  Faunal 
division  of  the  Transition  zone,"  a  some- 
what   sonorous    formula    which    possibly 


(54) 


Book  News  and  Reviews 


55 


might  sound  less  formidable  after  one 
becomes  accustomed  to  it. 

One  hundred  and  sixty-nine  species  and 
sub-species  of  birds  are  recorded  from  the 
area  in  question,  and  pp.  224-319  are 
devoted  to  a  presentation  of  the  facts 
ascertained  in  regard  to  their  distribution 
and  habits. 

In  discussing  the  behavior  of  geographic 
races  on  the  margins  of  their  habitats 
(pp.  393-395),  the  authors  state  their 
belief  that  the  characters  on  which  geo- 
graphic races  are  based  are  stable  and  not, 
therefore,  somatic.  Their  paper  is  illus- 
trated with  a  colored  map  of  the  life 
zones  of  the  San  Jacinto  area  and  an 
exceedingly  interesting  profile,  along  the 
"divide  separating  desert  and  Pacific 
drainages,  in  southern  California,  from  the 
high  southern  Sierras  to  the  Mexican  line, 
showing  life-zones."  Like  others  of  the 
series  to  which  it  belongs,  in  manner  of 
arrangement  and  appearance  this  paper 
is  above  criticism. — F.  jNI.  C. 

The  Gannet,  A  Bird  With  a  History. 
By  J.  H.  GuRNEY.  Illustrated  with 
numerous  photographs,  maps  and  draw- 
ings, and  one  colored  plate  by  Joseph 
Wolf.  Witherby  &  Co.,  London,  1913, 
8vo.  11-567,  pp.,  upward  of  150  ills. 

That  a  volume  of  over  600  pages  could 
be  profitably  devoted  to  the  history  of 
but  one  kind  of  bird  would  probably  be 
doubted  by  most  readers  of  books,  and  to 
them  we  would  commend  Mr.  Gurney's 
work  as  a  monograph  which,  in  thoroughly 
covering  its  subject,  illustrates  also  the 
need  of  space  in  which  to  do  it.  The 
author  writes  of  the  names  and  distribu- 
tion of  the  Gannet,  of  the  localities  in 
which  it  breeds  or  has  bred,  and  a  census 
of  existing  colonies  permits  him  to  esti- 
mate the  number  of  Gannets  now  living 
as  101,000. 

He  treats  at  length  of  the  Gannet's 
nesting  and  general  habits,  of  the  develop- 
ment of  its  young,  of  its  food  and  the 
manner  in  which  it  is  secured,  of  its  flight, 
of  mortality  among  Gannets,  with  some 
discussion  of  the  age  which  this  bird 
attains,  and  there  are  also  chapters  on 
the   Gannet's  plumage,   osteology,   anat- 


omy, its  historic  and  prehistoric  remains 
and  its  allies. 

The  mere  enumeration  of  these  major 
headings  indicates  the  importance  of  this 
work,  while  the  exceptional  definiteness 
of  the  data  presented  makes  it  not  only  a 
noteworthy  contribution  to  the  literature 
of  ornithology,  but  to  the  study  of  animal 
life  in  relation  to  environment. — F.  M.  C. 

The  Birds  of  Connecticut.  By  John 
Hall  Sage  and  Louis  Bennett 
Bishop,  assisted  by  Walter  Park 
Bliss.  Bull.  20,  State  Geological  and 
Natural  History,  Hartford,  19 13.  8vo, 
370  pp. 

Written  by  men  who  have  long  been 
leading  authorities  on  the  bird-life  of 
Connecticut,  it  goes  without  saying  that 
this  volume  both  adequately  and  accu- 
rately presents  recorded  knowledge  and  it 
at  once  takes  it  place  among  the  stand- 
ard state  lists.  The  method  of  treatment 
adopted  involves  a  general  statement  of 
the  manner  of  occurrence  and  status  of 
the  species,  earliest,  latest,  and  unseason- 
able records,  and  the  situation  of  the  nest, 
number  of  eggs  and  nesting  dates  for  the 
breeding  species. 

The  total  number  of  species  and  sub- 
species recorded  is  334,  of  which  80  are 
listed  as  Residents,  78  as  Summer  Resi- 
dents, 38  as  Winter  Residents,  24  as 
Transient  Visitants  and  89  as  Accidental 
Visitants.  The  last-mentioned  figure 
shows  that  slightly  more  than  one-fourth 
of  the  birds  known  from  Connecticut  are 
of  only  casual  occurrence,  a  fact  of  no 
small  interest  in  the  study  of  distribu- 
tional problems.  In  this  connection  it 
may  be  suggested  that  in  the  light  of 
this  winter's  invasion  of  Acadian  Chicka- 
dees the  record  of  the  Hudsonian  Chicka- 
dee on  page  174  should  refer  to  littoralis. 

A  bibliography  occupies  pp.  202-257; 
and  Part  II  of  the  work  'Economic 
Ornithology,'  by  Bishop,  filling  pp.  261- 
360,  is  an  important  addition  to  the  Bulle- 
tin. 

The  authors  state  their  belief  that  the 
collecting  of  birds  and  eggs  for  scientific 
purposes  "can  never  appreciably  reduce 
their  numbers,  as  long  as  they  are  pro- 


56 


Bird -Lore 


tected  from  loo  much  slaughter  in  the 
name  of  sport,  and  their  eggs  and  young 
arc  guarded  from  cats,"  "which,"  they 
add,  "probably  do  as  much  damage  to  the 
young  of  our  small,  useful  birds  near  our 
towns  and  cities  as  all  other  agencies 
combined." — F.  M.  C. 

The  Ornithological  Magazines 

The  Condor. — The  autumn  number  of 
The  Condor,'  which  is  usually  published 
about  the  middle  of  September,  appears 
this  time  under  date  of  October  15  and 
contains  only  three  general  articles.  The 
first  paper  is  one  of  the  occasional  techni- 
cal studies  which  are  always  welcome 
contributions  to  our  knowledge  of  the 
systematic  relationships  and  distribution 
of  some  group.  This  paper,  by  H.  S. 
Swarth,  is  devoted  to  'A  Revision  of  the 
California  Forms  of  Plpilo  maculalus,' 
the  Spotted  Towhee.  Six  subspecies  are 
recognized  as  occurring  in  California,  three 
of  which  are  of  general  distribution.  One 
of  these,  the  Sacramento  Towhee  (P.  m. 
falciiielliis)  is  described  as  new,  based  on 
a  specimen  from  the  Marysville  Buttes 
in  Sutter  County,  and,  as  its  name  indi- 
cates, it  ranges  throughout  the  Sacra- 
mento and  San  Joaquin  valleys.  The  San 
Francisco  Towhee  {P.  m.  falcifer)  ranges 
along  the  coast  from  the  northern  border 
of  the  state  to  San  Luis  Obispo  County, 
while  the  Spurred  Towhee  {P.  m.  megal- 
onyx)  occupies  the  southern  coast  region. 
The  other  three  forms  are  very  limited 
in  distribution.  The  Oregon  Towhee  is 
represented  by  a  single  specimen  collected 
on  San  Clemente  Island;  the  Nevada 
Towhee  is  restricted  to  the  Warners 
Mountain  region  in  the  northeastern 
corner  of  the  state,  and  the  San  Clemente 
Towhee  is  found  only  on  San  Clemente  and 
Santa  Catalina  Islands. 

'An  Unusual  Nesting  Site  of  the  Mal- 
lard' on  Columbia  Slough,  Oregon,  is  des- 
cribed by  O.  J.  Murie.  The  nest,  built 
in  the  crotch  of  an  ash  tree,  9  feet  from 
the  ground,  contained  10  eggs.  Nine  of 
these  eggs  hatched  safely  and  the  young 
birds   evidently  found    their  way  to   the 


water  nearby  but  the  author  was  too  late 
to  observe  their  transfer  from  the  nest. 

Under  the  title  'Call-notes  and  Man- 
nerisms of  the  Wren-tit,'  Joseph  Grinnell 
recognizes  seven  distinct  kinds  of  notes 
and  comments  on  several  inaccuracies 
regarding  the  habits  ascribed  to  this  bird. 

Among  the  shorter  notes  are  several 
records  by  Allan  Brooks  including  those  of 
a  Water  Turkey  (Anhinga  anhinga)  seen 
on  the  California  side  of  the  Colorado 
River,  Feb.  9,  19 13;  an  eastern  Phoebe 
collected  at  Moss  Beach  March  7,  1913; 
and  a  Bryant's  Marsh  Sparrow  taken  at 
Carpinteria,  Calif.,  Dec.  23,  191 2,  the 
last  being  the  southernmost  occurrence  of 
this  bird  thus  far  recorded. 

In  a  timely  review  Grinnell  criticizes 
certain  inaccuracies  in  a  'Check-List  of 
the  Birds  of  the  Sequoia  National  Park,' 
mentioning  five  deviations  from  the  A.  O. 
U.  'Check-List'  and  ten  very  question- 
able records  in  a  list  of  184  species.  It  is 
true  that  these  should  not  have  occurred 
but  we  venture  to  say  that  examination 
of  a  carefully  annotated  copy  of  the  A. 
O.  U.  'Check-List'  would  show  a  sur- 
prisingly large  number  of  corrections  of 
various  kinds  even  in  this  standard  ref- 
erence book.  No  paper  is  free  from  mis- 
takes and  when  they  occur  they  should  be 
corrected.  Now  that  attention  has  been 
called  to  the  Sequoia  Park  bird-list,  we 
trust  that  the  next  edition  will  have  the 
errors  corrected  and  be  otherwise  im- 
proved. In  time  we  should  have  an  accu- 
rate and  well  annotated  list  of  the  birds 
of  each  of  the  National  Parks.  — T.  S.  P. 

The  Wilson  Bulletin  (No.  84,  Sept.  i, 
1913)  opens  with  an  important  contribu- 
tion to  our  knowledge  of  the  life-history 
of  the  Glossy  Ibis  by  Oscar  E.  Baynard 
who  records  no  less  than  twenty-six 
nests  of  this  rare  bird  from  Florida;  an 
even  more  extensive  study  of  the  nesting 
habits  of  a  single  species  is  presented  by 
Cordelia  J.  Standwood  who,  on  pp.  118- 
137,  writes  of  the  Olive-back  Thrush  in  its 
summer  home  in  Maine.  Her  paper,  like 
that  of  Baynard's,  is  illustrated  by  some 
excellent  photographs. 


Book   News  and   Reviews 


57 


G.  Eifrig  tells  of  'A  Vacation  in  Quebec' 
and  Allen  Cleghorn  of  'The  Winter  Birds 
of  Algonquin  Park,  Ontario,'  from  which 
he  has  recorded  35  species  at  that  season. 

Number  85  of  the  Bulletin  (Dec,  1913) 
opens  with  one  of  Miss  Althea  R.  Sher- 
man's careful,  exhaustive  studies  of  the 
life  of  the  nest  entitled  'Experiments  in 
Feeding  Hummingbirds  During  Seven 
Summers'  and  another  addition  to  the 
now  growing  number  of  intensive  studies 
of  the  home-life  of  birds  is  furnished  by 
Ira  N.  Gabrielson,  under  the  title  'Nest 
Life  of  the  Catbird.' 

In  'Bird  Notes  from  the  Southwest,' 
J.  L.  Sloanaker  records  with  enthusiasm 
and  hence  readable  observations  made 
near  Tucson,  Arizona;  T.  C.  Stephens 
gives  the  data  of  'An  Unusual  Flight  of 
Warblers  in  the  Missouri  Valley,'  and  the 
number  is  closed  with  editorials,  notes, 
and  reviews.  No  field  student  should  be 
without  the  Wilson  Bulletin. — F.  M.  C. 

Book  News 

'The  Audubon  Calendar'  of  the 
Massachusetts  Audubon  Society  for  19 14 
resembles  in  style  those  of  preceding 
years.  It  contains  life-size  colored  figures 
of  the  Wood  Pewee,  Tree  Swallow,  Cres- 
ted Flycatcher,  Orchard  Oriole,  Golden- 
winged  Warbler,  and  Chipping  Sparrow. 
The  accompanying  text  is  from  Hoffman's 
excellent  'Guide  to  the  Birds  of  New 
England  and  Eastern  New  York.' 

A  'Bird  Almanac,'  published  bj' 
the  Audubon  Society  of  Buffalo  met  with 
such  a  well-deserved  reception  that  the 
edition  was  quickly  disposed  of.  With  a 
calendar  it  combines  quotations  in  verse 
and  prose,  and  a  large  number  of  attrac- 
tive and  seasonably  suitable  photographs 
of  birds  from  nature.  The  success  of  the 
Buffalo  Society  in  this  venture  should 
stimulate  other  local  or  state  bird  clubs  to 
prepare  almanacs  or  calendars  adapted  to 
the  bird-life  of  their  region. 

The  first  number  of  the  second  volume 
(January,  1914)   of  'The  American   Bird- 


House  Journal,'  published  by  the  Jacobs 
Bird-House  Co.,  at  Waynesburg,  Pa.,  con- 
tains reports  of  experiences  in  establish- 
ing Martin  colonies,  and  much  other  news 
of  interest  to  those  who  would  have  bird 
tenants. 

Mr.  Edward  F.  Bigelow,  who  for 
fourteen  years  has  so  successfully  edited 
the  department  of  'Nature  and  Science' 
in  St.  Nicholas,  has  resigned  from  the 
staff  of  that  magazine,  and  hereafter  will 
devote  himself  more  exclusively  to  'The 
Guide  to  Nature,'  which  he  proposes 
greatly  to  improve  and  to  enlarge.  Mr. 
E.  J.  Sawyer,  the  well-known  bird  artist, 
will  take  charge  of  a  new  department 
under  the  heading  of  'Birds  in  the  Bush,' 
and  Mr.  Bigelow  himself  will  conduct  a 
section  to  be  known  as  'The  Fun  of 
Seeing  Things.' 

Geo.  Newnes  Ltd.,  8-1 1  Southamp- 
ton Street,  Strand,  London,  announces 
as  important  additions  to  their  'Country 
Life'  library  'Our  Common  Sea-Birds,' 
by  Percy  R.  Lowe,  and  'The  Peregrine 
Falcon  at  the  Eyrie,'  by  Francis  Heath- 
erly.  Both  are  fully  illustrated  with  photo- 
graphs from  nature. 

The  British  Ornithologists'  Bird  Club 
issues  as  its  190th  Bulletin  'A  Guide  to  Sel- 
borne  and  Synopsis  of  the  Life  of  Gilbert 
White,'  by  W.  H.  Mullens.  Wholly  aside 
from  its  distinction  as  the  scene  of  Gilbert 
White's  intimate  studies  of  nature,  its  own 
attractions  for  the  bird-lover  may  well 
make  it  a  Mecca  for  every  American  orni- 
thologist visiting  England,  and  we  there- 
fore cordiallj'  recommend  this  Bulletin, 
which  can  be  purchased  of  Witherby  &  Co., 
320  High  Holborn,  London,  for  two  shil- 
lings and  sixpence. 

The  Smithsonian  Institution  repub- 
lishes in  its  report  for  1912  (pp.  475-482) 
Gain's  'The  Penguins  of  the  Antarctic 
Regions.'  As  naturalist  of  the  Charcot 
Expedition,  Dr.  Gain  had  exceptional 
opportunity  for  the  study  of  these  remark- 
able birds. 


5^ 


Bird  -  Lore 


^irD  Sore 

A  Bi-Monthly  Magazine 

Devoted    to   the    Study  and   Protection    of    Birds 

OFFICIAL    OEGAN    OF    THE    AUDUBON    SOCIETIES 

Edited  by  FRANK  M.  CHAPMAN 

ContributingEditor.MABELOSGOOD  WRIGHT 

Published  by  D.  APPLETON  &  CO. 


Vol.  XVI    Published  February  4, 1913       No.  1 
SUBSCRIPTION  RATES 

Price  in  the  United  States.  Canada  and  Mexico,  tuenty  cents 
a  number,  one  dollar  a  year,  postage  paid. 

COPYRIGHTED.  1913,  BY  FRANK  M.  CHAPMAN 

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


The  southward  invasion  this  winter  of 
Acadian  Chickadees  has  brought  this 
species  to  the  notice  of  many  observers 
to  whom  it  was  before  a  stranger,  and 
various  notes  we  have  received  indicate 
that  the  comparatively  recent  change  in 
the  common  name  of  this  eastern  form  has 
created  more  or  less  confusion. 

In  1722  Forster  described  a  Chickadee 
from  Ft.  Severn,  Hudson  Bay,  as  Parus 
[now  Penthestes]  hudsonicus,  and,  until 
the  19 ID  edition  of  the  American  Orni- 
thologists' Union's  'Check-List'  appeared, 
this  bird,  commonly  known  as  the  'Hud- 
sonian  Chickadee,'  was  the  only  bird  of 
its  type  recognized  by  the  Union  from 
eastern  North  America.  In  1863,  however, 
Bryant  described  an  eastern  race  of  this 
Chickadee  as  Partis  hudsonicus  var. 
littoralis,  basing  his  description  on  a 
specimen  from  Yarmouth,  Nova  Scotia. 
Bryant's  proposed  race  was  ignored  for 
many  years,  but  it  proves  to  be  recog- 
nizable, and  the  name  littoralis  is  now 
applied  to  the  Chickadees  of  the  hud- 
sonicus type  inhabiting  northern  New 
England,  New  Brunswick,  Nova  Scotia, 
Quebec  and  Newfoundland,  while  the 
subspecific  name  hudsonicus  is  restricted 
to  those  from  farther  north  and  west.  It 
is  to  this  more  northern  race  that  the 
name  Hudsonian  Chickadee  now  properly 
belongs,  while  to  littoralis,  the  more 
southern  race,  the  name  Acadian  Chicka- 
dee has  been  given.  The  differences 
between   the   two    are   too   slight    to   be 


obvious  in  nature,  but  an  examination  of 
specimens  proves,  as  might  be  expected, 
that  the  birds  which  have  visited  southern 
New  England  this  winter  are  of  the 
littoralis  type,  and  hence  they  should  be 
known  as  Acadian  Chickadees. 

Mr.  W.  L.  Dawson's  bird  census  from 
Santa  Barbara,  published  on  another 
page,  came  at  the  last  moment  when  it 
was  possible  to  insert  it.  He  writes: 
"Just  as  I  am  closing  I  am  reminded  that 
I  have  followed  my  habitual  order  of  the 
California  Check-List  (Grinnell's)  instead 
of  the  A.  O.  U.,  as  I  had  intended."  He 
adds  that  he  had  not  time  to  revise  his 
list,  nor  have  we.  It  is  too  interest- 
ing to  omit,  and  it  is  published  therefore 
as  an  excellent  illustration  of  the  evil  of 
using  other  than  the  accepted  standard 
of  classification  for  faunal  lists  in  which 
convenience  of  reference  is  of  infinitely 
greater  importance  than  the  expression  of 
one's  opinion  as  to  whether  one  family  of 
birds  should  precede  or  succeed  another. 

Mr.  Fuertes'  articles  on  the  songs  of 
tropical  birds  seem  to  us  to  prove  what  we 
have  long  believed  to  be  true,  that  one 
can  best  convey  a  conception  of  the  char- 
acter of  certain  songs  by  describing  the 
effect  on  the  listener  rather  than  the  song 
itself. 

Purposes  of  exact  analytical  record  may 
possibly  be  served  by  musical  annotation, 
when  the  employment  of  this  method  is 
possible;  but  miles  of  notes  accurately 
placing  on  the  staff  the  trills  of  the  Tina- 
mou  would  not  begin  to  convey  the  impres- 
sion created  by  its  song  as  vividly  as 
Fuertes  does  in  a  paragraph. 

Leo  E.  Miller,  one  of  the  representa- 
tives of  the  American  Museum,  with 
Colonel  Roosevelt,  writes  us  from  Buenos 
Aires  that  he  saw  in  a  warehouse  there 
()o,ooo  kilos  of  Rhea  plumes  taken  from 
killed  birds.  The  figures  are  almost 
incredible.  That  a  single  firm  should  have 
60  tons  of  the  feathers  of  this  bird  at  one 
time  implies  destruction  on  a  scale  which 
surely  no  species  can  long  withstand. 


Cbe  ^luDubon  ^octette^ 


SCHOOL    DEPARTMENT 

Edited  by  ALICE   HALL  'WALTER 

Address  all  communications  relative  to  the  work  of  this  depart- 
ment to  the  editor,  at  S3  Arlington  Avenue,  Providence,  R.  L 


SIGNS    OF    THE    TIMES 


In  a  recent  bulletin  entitled  Animal  Communities  in  Temperate  America, 
as  Illustrated  in  the  Chicago  Region,"*  a  study  in  animal  ecology  of  practical 
interest  to  the  general  nature-lover  as  well  as  to  the  student,  man's  relation 
to  nature  and  his  conduct  toward  animals  are  frankly  discussed  and  criticized. 

The  writer  makes  a  strong  plea  for  "a.  consideration  of  wild  nature  as  it 
really  is,"  instead  of  a  sentimental  conception  of  the  relations  which  bind 
together  all  forms  of  life.  He  draws  a  vivid  picture  of  the  conditions  of  prime- 
val nature  w^here  the  struggle  for  existence  goes  on  uninterrupted  or  unhindered 
by  man,  and  of  what  he  styles  "a  man-made  nature  from  which  the  con- 
spicuous animals  and  their  deadly  struggles  have  been  eliminated." 

We  are  living  to-day  very  largely  in  this  man-made  nature,  a  nature  which 
is  constantly  changing  by  reason  of  man's  acti\dties  and  which  is  often  unduly 
influenced  for  better  or  worse  by  man's  legislation.  In  advocating  a  broad 
and  thoroughly  sane  study  of  past  and  present  natural  conditions,  the  author 
of  this  instructive  bulletin  warns  against  a  biased  or  narrow  field  of  vision. 
"With  some  people,"  he  says,  "birds  obscure  all  else  in  the  animal  world. 
.  .  .  Why  protect  birds?  Is  the  present  attempt  justified?  .  .  .  All  other 
things  being  equal  there  are  but  two  more  reasons  for  special  measures  for 
the  preservation  of  birds  than  for  the  preservation  of  reptiles,  amphibians 
or  insects.  First,  birds  are  subject  to  destruction  by  reckless  gunners.  Second, 
they  are  less  dependent  upon  natural  conditions  on  the  ground  and  are  better 
able  to  sur\dve  after  land  has  been  put  under  cultivation  than  some  other 
groups.  Many  other  animals  whose  diets  are  varied  have  been  exterminated 
or  will  be  so  by  agriculture,  leaving  the  birds  at  the  most  easy  point  for  pro- 
tective effort.  The  protection  of  birds  should  not  be  urged  at  the  expense  of 
the  extermination  of  other  animals  because  of  their  alleged  occasional  attacks 
upon  birds.  (Squirrels,  for  example.)  The  great  danger  of  acting  on  partial 
truth  regarding  animal  interdependences  makes  societies  for  the  protection 
of  birds  alone  scientifically  and  educationally  unjustified.  The  protection  of 
all  groups  should  be  urged,  in  particular  through  the  preservation  of  the  natural 

*Bulletin  No.  5,  Victor  E.  Shelford,  Ph.D.,  of  the  University  of  Chicago,  pub- 
lished by  the  Geographic  Society  of  Chicago. 

(59) 


6o  Bird  -  Lore 

features  upon  which  they  depend.  .  .  .  When  one  comes  to  love  an  animal 
or  a  group  of  animals,  he  is  in  no  position  to  draw  scientific  conclusions  regard- 
ing it.  For  this  reason  bird  enthusiasts  are  not  always  to  be  trusted.  (Intro- 
duction of  the  English  Sparrow  into  this  country,  for  example.)  Mistaken  and 
sentimental  ideas  cause  the  killing  of  many  useful  animals  and  the  protec- 
tion of  many  noxious  ones."  (Snakes,  skunks,  shrews  and  centipedes  are 
examples  of  useful  animals  which  are  ruthlessly  killed  wherever  found.) 

This  arraignment  of  a  sentimental  conception  of  nature  is  closed  by  the 
significant  caution  that  with  regard  to  the  actual  relations  of  the  living  world 
about  us,  "the  complexity  of  the  problem  demands  careful  study  and  con- 
servative action." 

This  is  not  the  place  to  amplify  the  statements  quoted  or  to  defend  the 
principle  of  bird-protection  and  the  methods  used  to  obtain  it.  It  is  the  place, 
however,  to  emphasize  the  need  of  a  clear,  unprejudiced  view  of  nature  in 
general  and  of  birds  in  particular,  and  to  put  forward  a  plea  for  a  "back  to 
nature"  attitude  in  teaching  or  presenting  publicly  the  facts  about  the  world 
in  which  we,  together  with  many  other  animals  and  living  things,  are  placed. 
By  a  "back  to  nature"  attitude  is  meant  studying  at  first-hand  not  only  birds 
but  all  that  goes  to  make  up  their  world  and  our  world,  the  simple  method  of 
natural  history  as  exemplified  by  Gilbert  White  and  John  James  Audubon. 
We  are  not  all  scientists  or  even  students,  but  we  may  all  become  careful  and 
broad-minded  observers,  who  see  more  than  birds  when  afield,  and  beyond 
the  present  when  considering  measures  of  conservation. 

The  reports  of  the  State  and  National  Audubon  Societies  for  1913  show 
that  the  time  has  come  when  nature-study  will  not  much  longer  be  kept  out 
of  public  or  private  schools  through  indifference  or  misapprehension  of  our 
motives.  Now  is  the  time  to  prove  the  intrinsic  value  of  this  study,  by  helping 
teachers  and  educators  to  grasp  it  in  a  broad,  sane  way,  not  as  a  pleasing  or 
entertaining  form  of  instruction,  although  this  it  surely  is,  but  as  the  basis 
of  natural  history,  and  later,  of  biology  and  other  sciences  along  specialized 
lines. 

Some  of  the  encouraging  signs  of  the  times  are;  first,  that  the  demand  for 
our  work  is  apparent  on  every  hand,  and  second,  that  criticisms  of  our  aims 
and  methods  come  from  quarters  of  scientific  research,  indirectly  interested 
in  helping  us  deal  with  the  subjects  of  birds  and  bird-protection  in  a  funda- 
mental way. 

II 

The  yearly  record  of  the  work  done  by  our  State  Societies  and  National 
Association  and  the  plans  for  future  efi'ort  therein  outlined,  offer  so  many 
suggestions  worthy  of  our  careful  attention  that  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  to 
mention  a  few  especially  encouraging  points;  and  first,  let  us  notice  that  the 
quotation  from  Mr.  Dutcher's  report  of  1909,  made  by  Mr.  Pearson,  to  the 


The  Audubon   Societies  6i 

effect  that  education  of  the  public  with  reference  to  the  value  of  birds  will 
result  logically  in  their  protection,  is  quite  in  line  with  the  best  ideals  of  con- 
servation as  opposed  to  the  sentimental  plea  for  protection,  condemned  by 
Professor  Shelford,  provided  that  this  education  is  put  on  a  sufficiently 
broad  basis,  which  we  think  is  the  aim  of  bird-protectionists  in  general. 

The  Junior  Audubon  work  is  fast  becoming  a  most  important  part  of  this 
great  educational  movement.  The  fact  that  it  is  being  extended  to  Alaska  so 
efficiently,  is  a  fine  exhibition  of  the  energy  and  power  controlling  it. 

The  Massachusetts  bill,  authorizing  the  appointment  of  paid  bird-war- 
dens by  city  councils  or  town  meetings,  is  a  significant  hint  of  what  we  may 
expect  of  an  aroused  public  sentiment  as  a  result  of  such  education.  Hitherto, 
game-wardens  have  been  appointed  with  little  attention  to  their  fitness  for  the 
ofl&ce.  California  and  Oregon  are  leading  the  way  to  the  selection  of  wardens 
who  shall  be  capable  "not  only  of  giving  police  service  but  who  are  fitted  to 
carry  on  research  and  educational  work" — in  other  words,  a  civil-service 
standard  is  now  demanded  in  wide-awake  communities  in  the  matter  of  the 
protection  and  conservation  of  wild  life.  Arizona  shows  how  a  game-warden 
may  be  an  equally  capable  President  of  the  State  Audubon  Society. 

When  bird-legislation  is  directed,  as  in  Oregon,  toward  the  restriction  of  the 
use  of  firearms  by  children  under  fourteen,  the  prevention  of  the  pollution  of 
streams,  the  seizure  and  sale  of  the  outfits  of  illegal  hunters,  and  against  the 
shooting  of  game  from  a  public  highway,  railroad  right  of  way,  ocean  beach 
or  the  shores  of  a  large  river,  the  criticism  of  sentimental  narrow-mindedness 
on  the  part  of  ornithological  enthusiasts  loses  ground. 

What  Mr.  Swope  says  about  cooperation  with  commissioners  of  education, 
editors  of  newspapers,  and  teachers  in  the  matter  of  making  this  educational 
work,  particularly,  the  Junior  Audubon  part  of  it,  better  understood,  should 
be  reread  with  care. 

The  transfer  of  Dr.  C.  F.  Hodge  from  the  field  of  specialized  biological 
investigation  to  the  enlarged  work  of  applied  civic  biology  in  connection  with 
the  former,  and  the  natural  history  campaign  in  New  Jersey  are  both  notable 
happenings,  the  outcome  of  which  is  to  be  watched  with  keen  interest. 

Space  forbids  more  than  the  mention  of  the  following  items,  each  one  of 
which  might  be  looked  up  with  profit.  The  results  of  supervision  of  nature- 
study  in  California  by  a  special  Director;  the  presentation  of  the  cat  problem 
in  a  leaflet  by  the  Connecticut  Audubon  Society;  spring-study  classes  in  the 
District  of  Columbia;  the  model  law  of  Kentucky,  enforcing  "the  wTitten  con- 
sent of  the  ow^ner"  clause  with  reference  to  shooting  upon  farms;  the  new  bird 
chart  with  explanatory  pamphlet,  issued  by  the  Massachusetts  Society,  and 
also,  the  efforts  of  the  Field  Secretary  in  that  state,  to  keep  in  touch  with  local 
work;  the  erection  of  bird-boxes  in  cemeteries  and  the  investigation  of  the  com- 
parative mortality  of  the  bird-population  in  sections  where  nesting-boxes  are 
placed,  the  distribution  of  food  for  birds  in  winter  by  rural  mail  carriers  and 


62  Bird  -  Lore 

also,  cooperation  with  the  Associated  Press,  in  Michigan;  bird-  and  nature- 
study  courses  in  summer  schools,  as  suggested  by  the  work  of  the  President  of 
the  Minnesota  Society;  New  Jersey's  permanent  exhibit  of  the  economic  value 
of  birds;  the  extension  work  of  the  North  Dakota  Agricultural  College  and  pre- 
miums offered  by  the  State  Audubon  Society  in  connection  with  membership; 
the  practical  use  of  fees  derived  from  hunting-licenses  in  North  Carolina; 
Pennsylvania's  exhibit  in  Philadelphia;  museum- work  as  enlarged  by  the 
Audubon  Society  of  Rhode  Island;  exhibits  and  visiting  schools  in  East 
Tennessee;  the  results  of  cooperation  in  West  Virginia,  and  finally,  the  effort  to 
furnish  teachers  with  suitable  nature-study  material  and  topics  for  class  use 
in  Wisconsin. 

Such  a  hasty  survey  of  the  manifold  means  now  in  operation  for  the  edu- 
cation of  the  public  along  fair  and  broad  lines  of  thought,  concerning  the  value, 
use  and  conservation  of  nature,  does  scant  justice  to  the  inspiring  effort  of  the 
bird-lovers  of  this  country.  The  signs  of  the  times  point  to  a  speedy  and 
permanent  uplift  in  the  attitude  of  our  people  toward  questions  affecting  wild 
life. 

By  acting  upon  the  suggestions  of  individual  workers  and  societies,  the 
results  of  our  work  as  a  whole  may  be  easily  doubled  and  tripled. — A.  H.  W. 


JUNIOR   AUDUBON   WORK 

For  Teachers  and  Pupils 
Exercise  XIII:  Correlated  Studies,  Botany  and  Reading 

THE    BIRD'S    LIFE    IN    WINTER 

Having  studied  briefly  the  way  in  which  birds  get  their  food,  we  may  very 
profitably  look  about  us  during  the  winter  months  and  see  what  it  means  for 
a  bird  to  live  in  cold  climates  from  fall  until  spring. 

And  first,  let  us  try  to  forget  our  own  surroundings,  and  look  out  upon 
the  world  as  the  bird  does.  It  would  certainly  seem  a  difficult  matter  to  any 
civilized  human  being  to  find  enough  to  eat  and  drink,  to  say  nothing  of  suit- 
able shelter  even  in  summer  or  autumn,  when  nature  is  most  lavish  in  display- 
ing attractive  food  of  many  kinds  and  hospitable  nooks  protected  from  sun 
and  storm,  but  in  winter,  one  cannot  imagine  a  more  desolate  fate,  in  northern 
latitudes  at  least,  than  to  be  cast  adrift  with  no  resource  except  one's  hands  and 
wits  to  sustain  life. 

The  bird's  problem  is  more  difi&cult,  since  it  must  brave  not  only  cold, 
stormy  weather,  a  variable  and  greatly  lessened  food-supply,  but  also  dangers 
and  enemies  which  man  does  not  need  to  fear.  Suppose  we  set  down  this 
problem  as  one  might  a  sum  in  arithmetic,  in  two  columns,  one  showing  the 


The  Auduben   Socieries  63 

advantages  and  the  other  the  disadvantages  which  a  bird  has,  and  add  up  the 
results  to  see  what  the  actual  chances  are  for  birds  to  live  in  winter. 

Advantages —  Disadvantages — 

Flight  Scanty  Food-supply 

Sight  Enemies 

Plumage  Colds 

Sense  of  Direction  Storms 

Other  Dangers 

Looking  at  the  disadvantages  first,  we  find  that  the  food-supply  of  birds 
is  decreased  in  many  ways.  Ponds,  small  streams  and  many  rivers  and  lakes 
are  generally  frozen  over,  which  means  that  most  water-  and  shore-birds  can- 
not find  suitable  feeding- areas  in  cold  latitudes.  A  few  species,  like  the  Her- 
ring Gull  and  others  of  its  kind,  have  discovered  an  artificial  source  of  food  in 
the  garbage-scows  about  the  harbors  of  our  large  cities  and  towns,  but  the 
majority  of  fish-eating,  water-loving  birds  must  migrate  south  in  order  to  live 
through  the  winter.  Some  of  the  diving  ducks  find  food  on  the  coast  or  in 
open  water  throughout  cold  weather,  but  when  we  consider  that  they  may 
go  down  as  far  as  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  to  secure  a  meal  of  small  crus- 
taceans, clams  or  other  tasty  morsels,  we  realize  that  existence  with  them 
calls  for  far  greater  energy'  and  sense  of  location  than  we  would  have  in  simi- 
lar conditions. 

It  is  not  cold  weather,  but  the  effect  of  cold  weather  which  makes  ice-bound 
surroundings  unfit  for  most  of  these  birds  in  winter,  since  lack  of  food  or 
inability  to  break  through  the  ice  in  search  of  food  are  both  results  of  frigid 
conditions. 

Land-birds  fare  little  better,  with  the  exception  of  seed-eating  and  carnivor- 
ous species  and  a  few  insect-hunters  like  the  Woodpeckers,  Nuthatches  and 
Chickadees,  for  the  ground  is  frozen  and  covered  with  snow  much  of  the  time 
in  winter,  cutting  off  the  supply  of  worms  and  sundry  other  small  creatures. 

There  are  no  winged  insects  flying  about  trees  and  shrubs  or  through  the 
air.  There  are  no  nectar-bearing  flowers  and  no  berries  or  fruits  except  an 
occasional  frozen  apple,  pear  or  the  like  while  the  supply  of  seeds  and  nuts  is 
scanty  as  compared  with  autumn  abundance,  indeed,  one  might  hunt  a  long 
time  without  discovering  sufficient  nourishment  of  any  kind  for  a  meal. 

There  are  pine-cones  in  certain  places,  to  be  sure,  but  only  the  Crossbills 
are  fitted  to  pry  them  open.  There  is  a  great  quantity  of  insects'  eggs  and 
larvae,  too,  well  hidden  away  in  crevices  or  under  the  bark  of  trees,  or  even 
rolled  up  in  occasional  dead  leaves  that  cling  and  flutter  in  the  high  winds 
of  January  and  February. 

There  are  some  small  animals  which  may  be  found  by  the  far-seeing 
Hawks  and  Owls,  field-mice  and  squirrels,  for  instance,  but  for  the  most  part, 
the  silence  of  the  outdoor  world  is  unmistakable — a  land  of  plenty  has  become 
a  land  of  want. 


64  Bird  -  Lore 

In  addition  to  scarcity  of  food,  birds  must  face  enemies,  although  these 
are  proljably  fewer  in  winter  than  in  summer,  with  the  exception  of  the  enemy 
man,  who  appears  in  the  form  of  the  trapper  or  hunter.  The  Shrikes  or 
Butcher-birds  are  conspicuous  in  cold  weather,  ready  to  strike  the  unwary 
Kinglet,  Redpoll,  or  Sparrow,  on  their  legitimate  search  for  mice  and  insects, 
while  cats  prowl  at  large,  springing  upon  feathered  prey  with  easy  stealth. 

Some  enemies  of  the  birds  are  hidden  away,  sleeping  through  the  cold 
months.  The  turtles,  for  example,  some  species  of  which  are  fond  of  the  eggs 
of  wild  or  domesticated  Ducks,  hibernate  in  winter,  and  many  snakes  lie 
in  torpor  too,  rolled  up  singly  or  several  together,  in  holes  in  the  ground. 

Sudden  drops  in  temperature  and  sleet-storms  that  cover  everything  with 
an  ice-mantle  are  very  hard  upon  bird-life,  as  the  chronicles  of  nearly  every 
winter  tell  us.  In  addition  to  these  dangers,  there  are  unsuspected  dangers 
lurking  in  the  form  of  electric  wires  and  lights,  high  netted  wire  fences  and 
polluted  streams,  but  these  cause  more  destruction  among  birds  at  other  sea- 
sons of  the  year  than  in  winter.    Can  you  think  for  what  reasons  this  is  so? 

The  one  great  advantage  which  birds  possess  over  all  other  living  things 
is  the  power  of  flight,  a  power  that  enables  them  to  seek  more  favorable  con- 
ditions when  the  winter  is  too  rigorous  and  food  over-scarce.  Flight  alone, 
however,  could  not  save  a  bird  from  death  by  starvation  although  it  might 
from  death  by  cold.  A  wonderful  sense  of  sight  and  a  more  mysterious  sense 
of  direction  guide  birds  in  their  search  for  food,  while  a  remarkable  covering 
of  feathers  protects  them  alike  from  cold,  moisture  or  heat. 

Look  at  the  bark  of  any  tree  and  listen  carefully  as  you  look,  with  your 
ear  against  the  tree  if  you  choose,  and  then  watch  a  Woodpecker,  Nuthatch 
or  Brown  Creeper  do  the  same.  Feel  of  the  bark,  running  a  finger  slowly 
along  its  rough  surface.  Which  sees  and  hears  and  feels  the  most,  you  or  the 
birds?  Try  to  follow  a  bird  on  its  daily  round  of  food-gathering  and  think 
whether  you  could  locate  a  second  time  all  the  places  which  it  visits  as  long  as 
a  food-suj)ply  lasts.  Notice  how  quickly  a  Chickadee  discovers  a  chunk  of  suet 
put  out  to  attract  it  and  with  what  regularity  it  finds  its  way  back  to  the  novel 
ration.  Try  the  same  clothes  on  during  the  coldest  day  in  winter  and  the 
warmest  day  in  summer  and  stand  out  in  a  drenching  rain  or  driving  snow, 
if  you  wish  to  prove  how  far  superior  a  bird's  plumage  is,  as  a  means  of 
protection,  to  our  customary  coverings. 

After  all,  it  is  very  little  that  we  know  about  life  in  the  open  in  winter, 
shut  up  as  we  are  in  heated  houses,  surrounded  with  artificial  light  when 
darkness  draws  down,  fed  upon  forced  food-supplies  from  hothouses  and 
distant  climes  when  our  gardens  are  frozen  and  unproductive,  and  protected 
in  numberless  ways  from  dangers  and  enemies  of  all  kinds. 

A  hole  in  a  tree  may  look  snug  and  tight  to  a  Woodpecker,  Owl  or  squirrel, 
but  not  to  you  or  to  me.  The  Ruffed  Grouse  keeps  from  freezing  under  a 
blanket  of  snow  and  Gulls  sit  upon  the  ice,  but  neither  of  these  places  would 


The  Audubon   Societies  65 

be  safe  or  comfortable  for  us,  for  our  blood  would  soon  cool  below  the  tempera- 
lure  of  the  atmosphere  and  then  we  would  be  in  danger  of  freezint^  to  death. 
Many  other  animals  besides  man  cannot  live  through  intense  cold,  and  these 
must  do  one  of  three  things,  go  away  (migrate),  go  to  sleep  in  a  protected  place 
(hibernate),  or  perish. 

Of  all  birds  which  stay  with  us  in  winter,  perhaps  the  seed-eaters  are  the 
most  attractive.  The  gay  Redpolls  come  down  from  the  north  in  flocks  to  hunt 
for  food;  also  the  Crossbills  and  occasionally  a  Siskin  or  the  rare  Evening  Gros- 
beak. In  New  Hampshire  the  Pine  Grosbeak  has  already  appeared,  while 
any  day  a  brilliant  male  Purple  Finch  in  company  with  several  dull  speckled 
mates  may  greet  you,  let  it  snow  or  blow  as  it  will. 

All  of  these  birds  sing,  as  do  the  Junco  and  Tree  Sparrows,  too,  long  before 
the  great  song-period  of  the  year,  the  mating-season  in  late  spring  and  early 
summer,  so  that  they  are  especially  welcome  to  us  as  February  and  March 
hold  winter  lingering  in  our  neighborhood. 

Make  friends  then  with  the  birds  in  winter,  when  they  most  need  your 
kindly  care,  and  repay  them  with  a  generous  hand  for  their  careful  surveil- 
lance of  trees  and  shrubs  infested  by  insect  pests.  Be  a  part  of  nature,  if  you  can, 
instead  of  a  careless  onlooker.  It  is  not  nearly  as  difficult  as  it  seems  to  become 
intimate  with  birds  and  animals  or  with  any  living  thing,  but  this  may  not 
be  learned  in  books  or  by  the  fireside.  The  real  nature-lover  follows  the  trail 
on  foot  and  through  all  kinds  of  weather. 

SUGGESTIONS 

Read  selections  from    "Sharp  Eyes,"  by  Hamilton  Gibson. 

"Wild  Life  near  Home,"  by  Dallas  Lore  Sharp. 

"Squirrels  and  Other  Fur-Bearers,"  by  John  Hurrou<,dis. 

"Walden"  (Chap.  XV.  Winter  x\nimals),  by  Henry  Thoreau. 
What  plants  have  seeds  left  on  them  in  winter?    W^hat  trees  bear  cones? 
Where  do  worms,  frogs  and  toads  pass  the  winter?    What  animals  sleep  in  winter? 
What  would  you  expect  to  find  under  stones  in  winter?    In  decayed   stumps  or  under 

masses  of  dead  leaves  ? 
Are  the  Bob-whites  as  hardy  as  the  Grouse? 
What  becomes  of  the  bees,  ants  and  spiders  in  cold  weather? 
Look  up  Hibcnialioii  in  the  p]ncyclop;edia  Brltannica. — A.  H.  W'. 


FROM   YOUNG   OBSERVERS 

What  Good  Winter  Birds  Are 

The  winter  birds  eat  thousands  of  seeds.  Some  of  the  winter  birds  are 
the  Downy  Woodpecker,  the  Nuthatch,  and  the  Junco.  The  Junco  eats  seeds. 
He  likes  the  best,  ragweed  seeds  and  silver-leaf  seeds. 

I  have  a  bird-table.  The  Nuthatch,  and  the  Downy  Woodpecker  visit 
it  every  day.    Once  a  Sparrow  came  to  eat.   Then  the  Nuthatch  came.    They 


66  Bird  -  Lore 

had  a  fight.  The  Nuthatch  came  down  the  limb,  and  flew  under  the  Sparrow, 
then  came  behind  the  Sparrow  and  drove  him  ofif.  Then  the  Nuthatch  ate  his 
dinner.  I  put  nuts,  crumbs,  and  ground  corn  on  my  table. — David  Prudden, 
(age  ii),  Logansville,  N.  J. 

[Will  our  young  observers  tell  us  what  seeds  the  Junco  likes  best  in  their  vicinities? 
Are  there  many  seeds  unfit  to  eat  ?  Each  owner  of  a  lunch-counter,  food-table  or  even 
of  a  tree  with  suet  attached  may  watch  the  actions  of  birds  toward  each  other  when 
feeding.  In  my  bacii  yard,  the  Blue  Jay,  Downy  Woodpecker,  White-breasted  Nut- 
hatch, English  Sparrow  and  Chickadee  claim  the  suet  put  out,  in  the  order  named. — 
A.  H.  W.] 

A  Turkey  Buzzard's  Nest 

Last  summer,  while  camping  in  the  woods  near  Kelly's  Ripple,  I  noticed  a 
large  number  of  Buzzards  in  a  swampy  woods  and  concluded  from  their 
actions  that  they  nested  nearby.  So  I  hunted  for  their  nest  several  days  and 
finally  did  stumble  upon  it  by  accident.  It  was  simply  a  depression  lined 
with  leaves,  under  the  overhanging  edge  of  an  old  Indian  mound,  and  con- 
tained two  creamy  white  eggs  lightly  blotched  with  brown.  I  found  this  nest 
on  May  the  fourth.  It  was  a  red-letter  day  for  me,  because  I  think  a  bird's 
nest  is  of  more  beauty  and  attraction  than  the  bird  itself,  and  it  is  the  only 
Buzzard's  nest  I  have  ever  found.  I  had  to  leave  shortly  afterwards  and  felt 
the  keenest  disappointment  that  I  was  not  allowed  to  watch  the  incubation 
and  growth  of  the  young  birds. — Chas.  E.  Carson  (age  15). 

[What  other  species  of  birds  nest  on  or  near  the  ground? — A.  H.  W.] 


A  Colony  of  Baltimore  Orioles 

I  live  at  Rudkin,  W.  Va.  We  have  a  Barker  Junior  Audubon  Club  in  our 
school  and  I  am  a  member.  We  have  studied  Bob-white  and  Cardinal,  and  are 
going  to  study  the  Baltimore  Oriole  at  our  next  meeting.  We  all  enjoy  our 
meetings  and  our  pictures  so  much.  This  fall  I  found  four  Baltimore  Oriole's 
hammock  nests  on  our  farm.  There  must  have  been  a  colony  of  them.  I  am 
going  to  watch  for  them  next  year  and  see  if  they  come  back  to  the  same 
place  again. 

We  are  going  to  make  bird-houses  in  January  and  February  in  order  to 
have  them  ready  for  the  first  Bluebird. 

I  like  to  feed  the  birds  now  while  it  is  so  cold  for  they  get  so  tame  they  will 
eat  with  the  chickens. — Lulu  Barker  (age  12). 

[Finding  nests  when  the  trees  are  bare  is  a  pleasant  and  instructive  diversion,  for 
one  can  see  plainly  then  just  how  the  nests  are  placed  and  how  well  they  were  built. 
What  other  nests  besides  the  Baltimore  Oriole's  may  be  found  in  winter? — A.  H.  W.] 


The  Audubon   Societies  67 

A  Story  About  a  Bluebird 

The  Bluebirds  like  a  warmer  climate,  therefore  there  are  not  many  Blue- 
birds here  in  cold  weather.  They  lay  four  eggs  in  a  nest.  It  takes  twenty-five 
days  for  their  eggs  to  hatch,  and  their  eggs  are  also  blue.  They  lay  their 
eggs  in  May  and  June.    They  build  their  nest  of  grass  and  hair. 

The  Bluebird  sings  sweet  songs,  which  are  pleasing  to  the  eye  and  charming 
to  the  ear.  The  Bluebird  eats  grasshoppers  and  crickets  and  green  grass  and 
corn  and  wheat.  The  Bluebirds  are  careful  not  to  betray  the  location  of  their 
home  and  do  not  sing  near  their  nest.  A  female  is  different  than  a  male.  The 
male  Bluebird's  feathers  are  dark.  The  female's  feathers  are  light  blue,  and 
a  female  does  not  go  very  far  from  her  nest. 

A  Bluebird  does  not  like  anybody  to  bother  its  nest.  You  can  tame  Blue- 
birds to  be  pets.  A  Bluebird  has  a  short  bill  and  a  fuzzy  tail,  and  takes  a  trip 
down  south  in  the  winter  time.   A  Bluebird  will  not  fight  over  her  young  ones. 

The  male  Bluebird  does  not  rely  only  on  the  charms  of  his  plumage  to  win 
him  a  mate  but  woos  her  also  with  voice.  Bluebirds  are  most  desirable 
citizens  from  every  point  of  view,  and  are  as  useful  as  they  are  beautiful. — 
Ross  E.  Gideon,  Tonganoxie,  Kans. 

[This  little  story  has  much  information  in  it  about  one  of  our  most  attractive  song- 
sters. Now  that  the  writer  of  it  has  learned  so  many  facts  about  the  Bluebird  from 
books,  it  will  give  him  added  pleasure  to  study  this  species  out-of-doors,  and  see  for  him- 
self Just  what  kinds  of  food  it  prefers,  where  its  nest  is  located,  when  the  young  are 
hatched,  whether  its  tail  is  really  fuzzy  or  not,  and  many  other  details.  Perhaps  he  can 
tell  us  later  on  whether  the  Bluebird  is  decreasing  in  numbers  in  Kansas. — ^A.  H.  W.) 

The  Bluebird 

By  GARRETT    NEWKIRK 

Fond  lover  of  home;  Clay-colored  his  breast, 

Tho'  far  he  may  roam  And  white  to  the  nest. 

Over  the  wide,  green  earth,  Cerulean  blue  to  the  sky; 

For  mating  and  loving  and  singing  he  He  seems  to  be  telling  of  peace  upon 

comes  earth, 

Back  to  the  land  of  his  birth.  And  glory  of  heaven  on  high. 

First  color  he  brings,  And  when  in  the  fall 

The  first  note  sings.  The  last  low  call 

When  skies  are  gloomy  and  gray;  Of  Bluebird  comes  to  the  ear. 

The  hour  of  his  choice  and  sound  of  A  feeling  of  sorrow  we  have  for  the 

his  voice,  morrow, — 

Make  a  memorial  day.  To  know  he  is  gone  for  the  year. 


THE   WOOD   THRUSH 

By  T.  GILBERT   PEARSON 


Cl^e  Rational  ^00octatton  ot  Sintmhon  ^otietk0 

EDUCATIONAL   LEAFLET    No.  72 


Throughout  the  southern  part  of  its  range  this  bird  is  widely  known  as 
the  Wood  Robin.  Altogether,  this  is  not  a  bad  name.  The  Wood  Thrush  is 
not  far  from  the  size  of  our  well-known  and  much-beloved  Redbreast,  and 
its  movements  when  walking  or  hopping  along  the  ground  are  strikingly  sim- 
ilar to  those  of  this  well-known  species.  A  near  approach  reveals  the  fact  that 
the  general  marking,  particularly  the  heavily  spotted  breast,  is  quite  distinct. 
At  close  range,  therefore,  there  is  little  possibility  of  even  the  most  amateur 
student  confusing  the  two  birds  in  the  adult  plumage.  The  wonderfully  melo- 
dious song  of  this  Thrush  is  highly  characteristic.  As  Dr.  Chapman  has  said, 
"It  is  a  message  of  hope  and  good  cheer  in  the  morning,  a  benediction  at  the 
close  of  day." 

In  'Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection,'  Mr.  E.  H.  Forbush  has  written: 
"The  song  of  the  Wood  Thrush  is  one  of  the  finest  specimens  of  bird  music 
that  America  can  produce.    Among  all  the  bird  songs  that  I  have  heard,  it  is 
second  only  in  quality  to  that  of  the  Hermit  Thrush.    It  is  not 
The  Song  projected  upon  the  still  air  with  the  effort  that  characterizes  the 

bold  and  vigorous  lay  of  the  Robin,  or  the  loud  and  intermittent 
carol  of  the  Thrasher.  Its  tones  are  solemn  and  serene.  They  seem  to  harmonize 
with  the  sounds  of  the  forest,  the  whispering  breeze,  the  purling  water,  or  the 
falling  of  rain-drops  in  the  summer  woods.  As  with  most  other  birds,  there  is  a 
great  difference  in  the  excellence  of  individual  performers,  and,  while  some  males 
of  the  species  can  produce  such  notes  as  few  birds  can  rival,  this  cannot  be  said 
of  all.  At  evening,  the  bird  usually  mounts  to  the  higher  branches  of  the  taller 
trees,  often  upon  the  edge  of  the  forest,  where  nothing  intervenes  to  confine 
or  subdue  his  'heavenly  music'  There,  sitting  quite  erect,  he  emits  his  wonder- 
ful notes  in  the  most  leisurely  fashion,  and  apparently  with  little  effort. 
A-olle,  he  sings,  and  rests;  then,  unhurried,  pours  forth  a  series  of  inter- 
mittent strains,  which  seem  to  express  in  music  the  sentiment  of  nature; 
powerful,  rich,  metallic,  with  the  vanishing  vibratory  tones  of  the  bell,  they 
seem  like  a  vocal  expression  of  the  mystery  of  the  universe,  clothed  in  a  melody 
so  pure  and  ethereal  that  the  soul,  still  bound  to  its  earthly  tenement,  can 
neither  imitate  nor  describe  it.  The  song  rises  and  falls,  swells  and  dies  away, 
until  dark  night  has  fallen.  The  alarm  note  of  the  bird  is  a  sharp  pit,  pit, 
several  times  repeated;  this  alarm  often  rises  to  a  long  roll.  A  soft  cluck,  also 
repeated,  is  sometimes  heard.  A  mellow,  rather  liquid  chirp  is  another  common 
note." 

(68)       . 


WOOD  THRUSH 
Order — Passeres  Family — Tukdid^ 

Genus — Hylocichla  Species — Mustelina 

National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies 


The  Wood   Thrush 


69 


The  Wood  Thrush  is  not  among  the  early  feathered  arrivals  in  spring.  In 
fact,  we  do  not  see  it  until  the  new  leaves  are  well  started,  and  warm  weather 

has  advanced  sufl&ciently  to  render  improbable  the  recurrence 
In  Spring  of  One  of  those  backward  blasts  of  winter  which  so  often  occur 

in  early  spring.  It  is  during  the  last  ten  days  of  April  that  we 
usually  lind  the  first  Wood  Thrush  in  the  latitude  of  New  York.  Within  a  few 
days  after  his  song  is  heard  ringing  through  the  woodlands,  practically  all  the 
Wood  Thrush  delegation  arrives.  Love-making  shortly  begins,  and  full  comple- 
ments of  eggs  may  be  looked  for  within  three  weeks. 


NEST  AND  EGGS  OF  WOOD  THRUSH  IN  CEDAR  TREE,  DEMAREST,  N.  J. 

Photographed   by    B.  S.  Bowdish 

The  building  of  a  nest  to  suit  the  taste  of  a  pair  of  Wood  Thrushes  involves 
no  small  amount  of  labor.    Although  the  birds  feed  on  the  ground,  and  spend 

much  of  their  time  running  or  hopping  about  in  the  grass  or 
The  Nest  among  the  fallen  leaves,  they  do  not  regard  this  as  a  good  place 

for  their  eggs  and  young.  Up  in  a  small  tree  from  six  to  ten  feet 
above  the  earth  they  choose  their  nesting-site.  In  the  fork  of  an  upright  limb, 
or  where  the  main  stem  of  a  sapling  divides,  is  looked  upon  as  a  choice  loca- 
tion. Here  large  dead  leaves,  and  sometimes  pieces  of  paper,  are  brought,  and 
these,  held  together  with  sticks  and  twigs,  form  the  bottom  and  sides  of  the 


70  Bird  -  Lore 

structure.  Mud  is  brought  to  make  the  inner  cup  secure  and  strong.  This 
feature  of  the  nest  follows  closely  the  architectural  plan  employed  by  the 
Robin.  The  similarity  ends  here,  however,  for  the  Wood  Thrush's  nest  is 
usually  lined  with  fine  rootlets,  while  the  Robin  seems  to  prefer  dried  grass  for 
this  purpose. 

The  eggs  are  usually  deposited  one  each  day,  until  the  full  complement 
has  been  reached.    Four  is  the  number  most  generally  laid,  although  the  bird 

may  sometimes  be  found  engaged  in  the  business  of  incubation 
Eggs  with  only  three,  and  again  five  may  be  seen.    The  color  is  a 

delightful  bluish  green,  and,  by  way  of  comparison,  it  may  be 
said  that  they  are  lighter  and  do  not  possess  such  a  deep  green  as  the  Cowbird. 
In  fact,  they  resemble  very  closely  those  of  the  Robin,  and  if  they  were  only 
slightly  darker  it  would  be  almost  impossible  to  distinguish  the  two. 


YOUNG    WOOD    THRUSH   JUST    AFTER    LEAVING    NEST 
Photographed  by   B.  S.  Bowdish 

In  reference  to  its  food,  the  Wood  Thrush  is  classified  as  an  insect-eating 
bird,  and  its  value  as  such  has  become  so  generally  recognized  that  it  is  now 

protected  by  local  laws  in  all  parts  of  the  United  States  where 
Its  Food  it  is  found.    As  an  additional  safeguard,  a  measure  known  as 

the  McLean  law,  which  was  enacted  by  Congress  in  the  year 
1913,  absolutely  prohibits  the  killing  of  these  birds  at  all  seasons  in  all  parts 
of  the  country.  In  this  way,  the  bird  now  dwells  beneath  the  combined  pro- 
tection of  the  Government  and  the  several  states.  As  most  of  this  bird's  life  is 
passed  on  the  ground  or  among  the  shrubbery,  we  would  naturally  expect  it 


The  Wood   Thrush  71 

to  eat  those  small  forms  of  life  found  in  such  situations;  and,  in  fact,  careful 
observation  has  found  such  to  be  true.  Practically  any  insect  which  it  comes 
upon  in  its  apparently  aimless  travels  about  the  groves  and  thickets  is  doomed 
to  speedy  destruction,  unless  escape  is  instantly  effected.  Beetles  which  in- 
habit the  ground  or  the  bark  of  trees  are  eaten,  as  well  as  grasshoppers,  snails, 
spiders,  and  the  larvae  of  many  moths  and  other  succulent  insects.  Now  and 
then  the  bird  steals  into  the  garden  to  take  a  gooseberry  or  blackberry,  but, 
if  the  earth  has  been  recently  spaded,  it  shows  a  decided  preference  for  any 
cutworm,  or  other  undergrowing  form  of  similar  character,  which  may  have 
been  exposed  to  the  light  of  day.  Wood  Thrushes  eat  wild  fruit  and  berries  to 
some  extent,  but  their  characteristic  shyness  evidently  prevents  them  from 
acquiring  that  intimacy  with  mankind  which  would  tend  to  make  them  feel 
as  much  at  home  in  the  cherry  tree  as  does  our  dear,  but  at  times  annoying, 
Robin. 

All  wild  creatures,  of  course,  have  their  enemies.    Snakes,  weasels,  hawks, 
and  owls  are  among  what  we  may  call  the  natural  enemies  of  small  birds. 

Against  these  destroyers  our  feathered  friends  have  for  long 
Enemies  centuries  been  able  to  hold  their  own  in  numbers.    Mankind, 

however,  has  brought  many  changes  in  the  wild-life  conditions 
of  the  country,  and,  while  we  have  destroyed  many  of  the  creatures  which 
formerly  thinned  the  Wood  Thrush  ranks,  we  have  introduced  others  whose 
destructive  effects  are  vastly  more  potent.  Here  is  the  tragic  trio  which  we 
have  let  loose  upon  American  wild  bird  life;  the  sling-shot  boy,  the  all-eating 
Italian,  and  the  ravenous  house  cat. 

Classification  and  Distribution 

The  Wood  Thrush  belongs  to  the  Order  Passeres,  Suborder  Oscines,  Family 
TurdidcB,  Subfamily  TurdincE.  Its  scientific  name  is  Hylocichla  mustelina.  It  breeds 
from  southern  South  Dakota  and  southern  New  Hampshire,  south  to  eastern  Texas 
and  northern  Florida,  and  winters  from  southern  Mexico  to  Nicaragua  and  Costa 
Rica,  occurring  casually  in  winter  as  far  north  as  New  Jersey. 


EXECUTIVE   DEPARTMENT 

Edited  by  T.  GILBERT  PEARSON.  Secretary 

Address  all  correspondence,  and  send  all  remittances  for  dues  and  contributions,   to 
the    National    Association    of    Audubon    Societies,    1974    Broadway,    New    York    City 

William  Dutcher,   President 
F.  A.  Lucas,  Acting  President  T.  Gilbert  Pearson,  Secretary 

Theodore  S.  Palmer,  First  Vice-President     Jonathan  Dwight,  Jr..  Treasurer 
Samuel  T.  Carter,  Jr.,  Attorney 

.Any  person,  club,  school  or  company  in  sympathy  with  the  objects  of  this  Association  may   become 
a  member,  and  all  are  welcome. 

Classes  of  Membership  in  the  National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies  for  the  Protection  of  Wild 
Birds  and  Animals: 

$5.00  annually  pays  for  a  Sustaining  Membership 
Sioo.oo  paid  at  one  time  constitutes  a  Life  Membership 
$1,000.00  constitutes  a  person  a  Patron 
$5,000.00  constitutes  a  person  a  Founder 
$25,000.00  constitutes  a  person  a  Benefactor 


Egret  Protection  for  1914 

Never  have  the  officers  of  this  Associa- 
tion appealed  to  the  members  and  friends 
of  the  movement  for  support  for  our  cam- 
paign against  the  aigrette  traffic  with 
more  confidence  than  we  do  at  this  time. 
This  feeling  is  based  on  the  knowledge 
that  the  past  year  witnessed  greater  results 
from  Audiihon  activities  than  has  any  like 
period  in  the  history  of  American  bird 
protection. 

The  Record  for  1913 

Just  glance  for  a  moment  at  what  was 
accomplished  by  the  Association  with  the 
$10,000  contributed  to  the  Egret  Protec- 
tion Fund  last  year: 

First.  The  passage  of  the  Pennsylvania 
.\nti-Plumage  Law,  which  put  an  end  to 
the  business  of  the  great  wholesale  feather 
dealers  whose  American  headcjuarters 
were  located  in  Philadelphia. 

Second.  The  passage  of  laws  preventing 
the  sale  of  aigrettes  also  in  the  states  of 
Michigan  and  Vermont. 

Third.  The  employment  of  field  agents 
to  locate  colonies  of  breeding  Egrets  in 
the  southern  states. 

Fourth.  The  employment  of  a  force 
of  eighteen  Wardens,  who  so  successfully 
guarded  the  8,000  Egrets  in  these  rook- 
eries that  throughout  the  nesting  season 
not  over  twelve  of  the  protected  birds  are 


believed  to  have  been  killed  by  plume- 
hunters. 

Fifth.  Secured  a  hearing  before  the 
Ways  and  Means  Committee  of  Con- 
gress, and  later,  with  the  cooperation  of 
the  New  York  Zoological  Society,  con- 
ducted a  campaign  of  publicity  and  per- 
sonal appeal,  which  finally  resulted  in 
the  passage  of  the  Federal  Plumage  Law. 
])rohibiting  the  importation  of  feathers  of 
wild  birds  to  America. 

Si.vlh.  Secured  evidence  which  led  to 
the  prosecution  of  five  plume-hunters  in 
Morida  and  several  milliners  in  northern 
cities. 

Seventh.  By  means  of  attractive  litera- 
ture, magazine,  and  newspaper  articles,  a 
more  systematic  and  wide-extended  propa- 
ganda of  public  education  on  the  cruelty 
of  wearing  feathers  was  conducted  than 
during  any  previous  year  in  our  history. 

With  this  showing  of  results  accom- 
plished during  the  past  twelve  months,  we 
come  before  the  public  with  the  utmost 
confidence,  believing  that  the  good  people 
of  the  country  will  be  even  more  ready 
than  heretofore  to  support  this  well- 
organized,  well-known,  and  productive 
humane  movement. 

Plans  for  the  Present  Season 

The  Association  must  have  at  least 
$10,000  at  the  earliest  possible  moment 


(72) 


The   Audubon   Societies 


73 


for  Egret  protection  work  the  coming 
year.  Here  are  some  of  the  things  which 
are  urgently  needed: 

First.  A  bill  has  already  been  intro- 
duced in  Congress  to  amend  the  national 
law  which  prohibits  the  importation  of 
feathers.  This,  and  doubtless  other  meas- 
ures of  similar  character,  must  be  met. 

Second.  It  is  important  to  secure  laws 
for  stopping  the  sale  of  feathers  in  many 
states  where  this  traffic  is  still  permitted. 

Third.  The  work  of  locating  and  guard- 
ing nesting  colonies  of  Egrets  has  proved 
so  remarkably  successful  that  we  feel  the 
utmost  justification  in  urging  the  con- 
tinuance and  increase  of  this  effort. 

Fourth.  The  illegal  sale  of  aigrettes  at 
Florida  winter  resorts  and  in  millinery 
stores  in  the  North  must  be  broken  up 
by  careful  detective  work. 

Fifth.  There  is  much  educational  work 
yet  to  be  done  by  appealing  to  the  press 
and  supplying  schools  and  farmers' 
institutes  with  literature  on  the  subject. 

Sixth.  To  hundreds  of  women's  clubs 
in  the  country  speakers  should  be  sent  to 
lecture  on  the  needless  cruelty  of  wearing 
bird  feathers  for  hat  trimmings. 

If  our  friends  could  but  visit  the  home 
office  of  the  National  Association,  and 
here  see  the  number  of  wonderful  oppor- 
tunities for  effective  work  which  come 
flooding  in,  they  would  certainly  be  pro- 
foundl}'  impressed  with  the  great  open- 
ings presented  for  useful  service.  Wc 
have  the  organization,  and  -we  have  the 
experienced  workers;  all  we  need  is  the 
necessary  funds.  The  work  is  conducted 
on  lines  of  the  most  careful  economy 
consistent  with  securing  good  results, 
and  every  dollar  contributed  to  the 
Association  is  made  to  reach  just  as  far 
as  possible. 

This  work  of  preserving  the  White 
Egrets  is  one  of  the  most  human  move- 
ments in  the  interests  of  wild  life  which 
has  ever  been  undertaken.  Will  you  not 
lend  it  the  aid  of  your  practical  support 
and  speak  to  your  friends  on  the  subject? 

As  we  go  to  press,  the  following  con- 
tributions for  the  Egret  Protection  Fund 
for  1914  have  been  received: 


Balance   unexpended    from    1913, 

as  per  Annual  Report S433   78 

Kuser,  Mr.  John  Drj'den.  ...  20  00 

Bliss,  Miss  Lucy  B 10  00 

Brown,  Mr.  T.  Hassall 10  00 

Fairbanks,  Miss  Maria  B..  .  .  2  00 

Hodgman,  Miss  E.  M 5  00 

Kempton,  Miss  May  M i   00 

Kimball,  Mrs.  D.  P 25  00 

Norfolk  Bird  Club 2726 

Phelps,  Mrs.  J.  W 10  00 

Tod,  Mr.  J.  Kennedy 10  00 

$554  04 
To  Amend  the  Plumage  Law 

Many  women  returning  from  abroad 
who  have  attempted  to  bring  in  aigrettes 
or  other  birds'  feathers  on  their  hats  have 
been  made  to  feel  keenly  the  strong  arm 
of  the  new  federal  law.  There  have  been 
many  outcries  of  resentment  from  those 
who  felt  it  an  outrage  that,  in  their  case, 
the  law  should  be  enforced.  Law  is  all 
right  for  other  people,  but  there  are  not 
many  of  us  who  will  praise  a  restrictive 
legislative  measure  when  its  enforcement 
interferes  with  our  own  pleasure  or 
convenience.  So  women  who  have  lost 
their  plumes  by  the  watchfulness  of  the 
Customs  officials  have  had  no  hesitancy 
in  voicing  their  indignation. 

And  now  they  have  found  a  champion 
in  the  person  of  Congressman  E.  Y. 
Webb,  of  Shelby,  North  Carolina.  He 
declares  that  the  ladies'  wrongs  shall  be 
righted.  To  bring  this  about  he  intro- 
duced a  bill  (H.R.  iioio)  in  Congress,  on 
December  ig,  1913,  to  amend  the  new 
plumage  measure.  The  change  which  he 
proposes  is  to  add  the  following  ])aragraph 
to  the  existing  law: 

"Provided  further,  That,  in  the  case  of 
residents  of  the  L^nited  States  returning 
from  abroad,  aigrettes,  quills,  heads, 
wings,  tails,  skins,  or  parts  of  skins,  of 
wild  birds  lawfully  in  the  United  States 
prior  to  October  fourth,  nineteen  hundred 
and  thirteen,  and  taken  by  such  residents 
out  of  the  United  States  to  foreign  coun- 
tries subsequent  to  that  date,  shall  be 
admitted  to  entry,  on  return,  upon  their 
identity  being  established  under  appro- 
priate rules  and  regulations  to  be  pre- 
scribed by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury." 


FORRESTER    ISLAND,  ALASKA,  GOVERNMENT    BIRD    RESERVATION 

Over  200,000  sea-birds  bred  here  in  1913.    Photographs  made  by  the  Association's  specia 

agent,  Mr.  Harold  Heath. 


LOOKING    SOUTH    OVER    FORRESTER    ISLAND 
Twenty-one  species  of  land  birds  were  here  identified 


(74) 


HIGHLAND    MEADOW-LAND,   FORRESTER    ISLAND 

Eagle's  bathing  place  on  roots  to  left 


^^^^.^^f^^: 


ON    THE    GROUND    IN   THE    WOODS,  FORRESTER    ISLAND 
Note  entrances  to  nesting  burrows  of  Leach's  Petrels  and  Cassin's  Auklets  under  stump  and  tree  roots 


(75) 


76 


Bird  -  Lore 


The  Silz  Case 

Probably  the  most  gigantic  attempt  to 
defraud  the  state  of  New  York  in  the 
matter  of  violating  the  game  laws  was  the 
one  for  which  the  Franco-American 
Poultry  Company  has  just  paid  the  State 
Conservation  Commission  the  sum  of 
$20,000  in  settlement,  rather  than  risk 
trial  and  a  heavier  punishment.  This  is 
the  largest  penalty  ever  paid  in  this 
country  for  breaking  a  game-i>rotccti\-e 
measure. 

The  Bayne  Law  in  New  York  State, 
which  makes  it  illegal  to  sell  American 
game-birds,  provides,  however,  that  any 
one  who  will  secure  a  breeder's  license  from 
the  State  Conservation  Commission  may 
raise  Mallard  and  Black  Ducks,  and  cer- 
tain other  game,  and  market  the  same. 
Late  in  191 2,  A.  Silz,  of  New  York  City, 
America's  largest  dealer  in  game,  secured 
such  a  permit  for  the  Franco-American 
Poultry  farm  at  Goshen,  New  York.  To 
this  farm  he  then  had  shipped  between 
3,000  and  4,000  wild  Ducks,  trapped  for 
him  along  the  coast  of  Virginia.  At 
(ioshen  they  were  promptly  killed,  and 
rcshipped  to  the  markets  of  New  York 
City,  presumably  as  Ducks  raised  and 
sold  under  the  Game  Breeders'  permit. 

Few  cases  of  game  law  violations  have 
contained  for  the  writer  so  many  exciting 
and  interesting  phases  as  did  this  one. 
For  several  months  Mr.  C.  E.  Brewster, 
game-law  expert  for  the  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture,  made  this 
ofl&ce  his  headquarters  while  in  the  city, 
ferreting  out  the  necessary  evidence  to 
bring  a  prosecution.  There  were  puzzling 
turns  and  bewildering  complications  in 
the  trail  of  guilt,  for  the  transactions  of 
the  Franco-American  Poultry  Company 
had  been  most  skilfully  covered. 

A  full  story  of  how  this  case  was  worked 
out  by  Mr.  Brewster  and  the  Hon.  George 
Van  Kennen,  Chairman  of  the  State 
Conservation  Commission,  would  fill  a 
volume  of  considerable  size.  Long  con- 
ferences were  held  in  the  offices  of  the 
National  Association,  in  which  wejwent 
over  with  the  utmost  detail  every  point 


as  the  case  developed.  The  Secretary 
also  accompanied  Mr.  Brewster  to  the 
Poultry  Company's  farm  at  Goshen, 
where  we  secured  much  damaging  infor- 
mation. 

Although  kind  letters  have  been  received 
from  both  Mr.  Brewster  and  Mr.  Van 
Kennen,  thanking  the  Association  for 
our  assistance,  in  a  perfectly  truthful 
statement  of  the  case  it  must  be  admitted 
that  these  energetic  and  resourceful 
officials  received  no  very  substantial  or 
necessary  aid  from  any  outside  source. 

England's  Plumage  Bill 

The  bill  now  pending  in  the  British 
Parliament  to  prohibit  the  importation 
of  the  plumage  of  wild  birds  into  the 
United  Kingdom,  the  full  text  of  which 
appeared  in  Bird-Lore  for  September- 
October,  1913,  is  being  fought  with  great 
desperation  and  fierceness.  The  millinery 
wholesalers  and  importers,  after  witness- 
ing the  crash  and  devastation  wrought 
among  their  fellows  of  the  feather-looting 
fraternity  in  America,  when  our  general 
plumage  law  went  into  effect,  are  strug- 
gling in  a  frenzied  manner  to  stem  the 
rising  tide  of  English  public  opinion. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  workers  of  the 
Royal  Society  for  the  Protection  of  Birds 
and  their  associates  are  equally  alive  to 
the  situation,  and  the  English  press  is  ring- 
ing with  their  presentations.  There  is  no 
one  in  England  better  qualified  to  speak 
on  this  subject,  or  who  has  been  more 
active  in  the  support  of  the  bill,  than  that 
resourceful,  energetic,  and  individual 
worker,  Mr.  James  Buckland. 

The  following  quotations  are  from  one 
of  his  recent  vivid  and  forceful  addresses 
on  the  subject:  "Owing  to  the  red  death 
billow  which  the  plumage  trade  was 
rolling  through  India,  in  utter  disregard 
of  the  Wild  Birds'  Protection  Act  of  1887, 
the  Government,  in  1902,  prohibited  the 
export  from  British  India  of  the  plumage 
of  all  wild  birds.  Replying  to  the  London 
Chamber  of  Commerce,  which  sought  on 
behalf  of  its  plumage  section  to  obtain  a 
repeal  of  this  law,  the  Bombay  Chamber 


The   Audubon    Societies 


77 


of  Commerce  pointed  out  that  the  pro- 
hibition was  meant  not  only  to  prevent 
beautiful  birds  being  exterminated,  but 
also  to  prevent  useful  birds  being  reduced 
in  numbers.  The  Chamber  also  explained 
that  it  was  a  recognized  fact  that  crops 
of  all  kinds  were  subjected  to  incalculable 
damage  by  insect  pests,  and  that  the  com- 
bating of  this  evil  had  become  one  of  the 
greatest  diflSculties  of  the  Indian  agri- 
culturist. The  principal  enemies  of  these 
pests  were  the  insectivorous  birds,  yet 
these  were  the  very  species  that  hitherto 
has  been  relentlessly  slaughtered  for  their 
plumage.  Furthermore,  the  Chamber 
continued:   As   the   birds   that   are   killed 


for  millinery  are  held  in  reverence,  their 
destruction,  for  any  purpose,  is  strongly 
resented  by  Hindus  throughout  the  coun- 
try, and,  with  the  present  political  unrest 
in  India,  it  would  be  extremely  unwise  in 
any  way  to  outrage  such  deep-rooted 
feelings. 

"As  an  object  lesson  on  the  respect 
which  the  feather-dealer  pays  to  the 
wishes  of  India — or  of  any  other  country, 
for  the  matter  of  that — that  she  may  be 
allowed  to  keep  her  own  birds  for  the 
benefit  of  her  agriculture  and  of  her  people, 
it  may  serve  a  useful  purpose  to  let  you 
know  that  the  plumage  of  all  that  is  held 
most  sacred  in  Hindu  mythology,  all  that 


EGRET    SHOT    BY    FLORIDA    PLUME-HUNTER    AND    BACK    "SCALPED" 

FOR   THE    PLUME 

Photographed  by  Audubon  Warden  O.  E.  Baynard 


78 


Bird  -  Lore 


is  most  prized  for  beauty  or  iitilily,  in 
I  lie  wild-bird  life  of  In<lia,  is,  to  this 
hour,  smuKslcd  out  of  that  country  and 
sold  in  the  London  feather  mart.    .    .    . 

"The  injury  done  to  domestic  animals 
and  to  man  by  biting  and  parasitic  insects 
is  great  beyond  the  imagination  of  those 
who  have  no  knowledge  of  tropical  climes. 
One  of  the  first  acts  of  Mr.  Wilson,  when 
he  became  President  of  the  United  States, 
was  to  issue  an  Executive  Order  pro- 
hibiting, under  heavy  penalties  for  infrac- 
tion, the  destruction  of  any  wild  bird  in 
the  Panama  Canal  Zone.  A  matter  of 
very  grave  concern  for  us  all  is  the  enor- 
mous number  of  fly-catching  and  parasite- 
eating  birds  that  are  being  killed  annually 
for  their  plumage  in  Central  Africa.  For 
instance,  in  warm  countries  Kingfishers 
feed  almost  entirely  on  insects,  and  it  is  a 
conservative  estimate  to  say  that  in 
these  regions  every  Kingfisher  eats  daily 
150  of  these  noxious  pests.  Wherefore  the 
sale  of  the  skins  of  216,660  Kingfishers  at 
the  last  six  London  feather  sales  is — if 
you  will  pardon  a  somewhat  free  use  of 
the  vernacular  of  the  man  in  the  street 
— asking  for  trouble. 

"From  every  part  of  the  world  comes 
the  same  story  of  wholesale  slaughter  of 
wild-bird  life.  Here  are  the  totals  of  just 
a  few  species  whose  plumage  has  been 
sold  during  the  past  twelve  months  at 
the  London  feather  sales:  216,603  King- 
fishers; 21,318  Crowned  Pigeons,  20,715 
quills  of  the  White  Crane;  17,711  Birds-of- 
Paradise;  5,794  pairs  of  Macaw  wings; 
4,112  Hummingbirds;  and  so  on,  through 
the  whole  list  of  brilliantly  plumaged 
birds.  I  ask  you  to  ponder  on  these 
figures  and — since  plumages  used  in  milli- 
nery are  of  greatest  value  when  taken  from 
the  slain  bird  during  the  breeding-season — 
to  reflect  what  this  annual  hecatomb 
darkly  yet  plainly  indicates.    .    .    . 

"The  (ierman  explorer,  Professor  Neu- 
hauss,  who  recently  returned  to  Berlin 
from  New  Guinea,  has  sent  the  following 
communication  to  the  Imperial  Secretary 
of  Slate  for  the  Colonies.    Inter  alia,  he 


says:  'The  official  figures  as  to  the  yearly 
shooting  of  the  Birds-of-Paradise  in  Ger- 
man New  Guinea  do  not  give  a  correct 
idea  of  the  actual  state  of  affairs,  as  at 
least  double  the  number  is  shot  every 
year.  Considering  the  sparsely  populated 
coast,  it  is  impossible  to  properly  super- 
vise the  export  of  skins.  There  are  nu- 
merous secret  paths  which  make  it  possible 
to  get  a  large  quantity  of  plumage  out  of 
the  country  unnoticed.  By  limitation  of 
the  shooting,  or  by  the  introduction  of  a 
close  time,  practically  nothing  is  done. 
The  prospect  of  profit  is  far  too  attrac- 
tive not  to  find  ways  and  means  for  the 
evasion  of  the  law.  I  frequently  hear  it 
remarked  that  the  extermination  of  the 
Birds-of-Paradise  on  the  coast  is  not  such  a 
serious  matter  after  all,  as  the  mainland 
is  of  such  vast  extent  that  there  is  ample 
room  in  the  interior  to  ensure  the  preserva- 
tion of  the  species.  It  is  a  remarkable  fact 
that  in  nearly  all  branches  of  the  animal 
and  vegetable  life  in  New  Guinea  a  strict 
localization  presents  itself  hardly  known 
elsewhere.  For  this  reason  the  various 
species  of  Birds-of-Paradise  are  found  in 
comparatively  circumscribed  areas,  so 
that  if  all  members  of  a  certain  species  are 
shot  in  their  restricted  habitat  that  species 
is  exterminated.  On  some  stretches  of  the 
coast  the  ranks  of  some  species  have  been 
so  wasted  that  the  hunters  have  great 
trouble  in  collecting  any  skins  at  all.  It 
is  impossible  to  insist  strictly  on  the 
observance  of  a  uniform  close  time,  for 
the  breeding  season  varies  very  much  in 
different  localities.  For  instance,  the 
.Augusta  Victoria  Bird-of-Paradise  moults 
from  December  to  April,  and  during  that 
lime  the  plumes  are  worthless.  But  in 
May  and  June — the  mating  time — the 
plumes  are  in  perfect  condition.  Every 
hunter  knows  this,  and  therefore,  in  these 
two  months,  the  most  important  for  propa- 
gation of  the  species,  tries  to  procure  as 
many  plumes  as  possible.  Even  if  the 
close  time  were  extended  from  December 
to  the  end  of  August,  when  the  young  are 
reared,  the  hunters  would  shoot  the  birds 
during  the  time  of  reproduction,  that 
being  the  only  time  when  the  feathers  are 


The  Audubon   Societies 


79 


of  value  to  trade.  Of  course,  they  would 
hide  their  boot\-  until  the  expiration  of 
the  close  lime. 

"Special  evils  exist  near  the  IJutch 
border.  During  my  somewhat  prolonged 
stay  in  this  neighborhood,  Malay  hunters, 
who  had  come  over  from  the  Dutch  ter- 
ritory, were  behaving  outrageously.  Not 
only  did  they  shoot  every  bird  they  saw — 
of  course  without  a  license — but  they  ter- 
rorized the  natives  into  doing  the  same. 
It  is  always  the  hunters  of  the  Birds-of- 
Paradise  who  give  occasion  for  punitive 
expeditions  against  the  natives.  In  forc- 
ing these  poor  fellows  to  bring  in  skins  of 
the  Birds-of-Paradise,  they  proceed 
against  them  in  the  most  brutal  way.  At 
length  their  victims  turn  upon  them  and 
kill  them.  Then  the  Government  sends 
out  an  expedition  for  execution  of  punish- 
ment, and  a  few  dozen  natives  are  shot 
down. 

"The  Professor  concludes  his  com- 
munication to  the  Imperial  minister  by 
remarking  that  if  these  miracles  of  Nature 
are  to  be  saved  from  extermination  a 
speedy  and  general  prohibition  against 
all  shooting  is  absolutely  necessary."    .    .. 

"When  these  atrocities  are  brought  to 
the  notice  of  the  feather-dealers,  they  say 
blandly  that  is  something  that  no  trade 
can  direct  or  control.  This  is  on  a  par 
with  the  shuffling  excuse  of  the  craven 
Macbeth,  when  he  cried  to  the  spirit  of 
Banquo,  'Thou  canst  not  say  I  did  iti 
Never  shake  thy  gory  locks  at  me.'  Not 
only  are  these  revolting  massacres  and 
sickening  cruelties  something  that  the 
trade  can  control,  but,  what  is  more,  the 
trade  is  directly  responsible  for  them. 
Let  the  dealers  refuse  to  profit  by  this 
bloody  business,  and  the  horrifying 
brutalities  that  have  scandalized  the  world 
will  come  to  an  end  in  an  instant. 

"The  immense  commercialized  slaugh- 
ter of  valuable  and  beautiful  birds  for 
the  feather  trade  that  has  been  going  on 
for  years  with  constantly  increasing 
barbarity,  as  the  wild  beast  temper  of 
the  killers  rises  more  and  more  to  the  top, 
serves  no  defensible  purpose.    All  the  uses 


of  ornament  and  millinery  can  be  served 
as  well  by  ostrich  plumes,  by  the  feathers 
of  poultry  and  of  birds  killed  for  food,  and 
by  other  means.  The  argument  that 
the  prohibition  of  the  importation  of 
feathers  will  throw  many  hands  out  of 
employment  is  fallacious;  on  the  contrary, 
there  will  be  an  increased  demand  for 
labor  for  the  making  of  ornaments  for 
hat-trimmings  as  substitutes  for  the 
excluded  feathers,  and  for  the  making  up 
of  the  feathers  that  are  not  excluded. 

"There  was  a  time — a  time  well  within 
living  memory — when  it  was  thought  no 
shame  for  Englishmen  to  regard  the 
Colonies  simply  as  a  means  to  an  end — 
as  something  to  be  exploited  for  private 
gain.  But  those  days,  happily,  are  past. 
The  Empire  now  is  one;  its  interests  are 
one;  and  no  one  part  has  any  legal  or 
moral  right  to  profit  by  the  theft  and 
illict  export  of  one  of  the  natural  resources 
of  another  part.  Instead  of  attempting 
to  justify  such  nefarious  practices  as 
these,  it  would  be  more  seemly  in  Eng- 
lish merchants — since  it  is  manifest  that 
it  is  not  within  the  power  of  our  dominions 
to  protect  themselves  and  secure  the  bene- 
fit and  protection  to  which  they  are  justly 
entitled — to  come  to  their  rescue  in  their 
distress. 

"With  what  is  taking  place  in  India  in 
my  mind,  I  will,  before  I  pass  on  to  other 
matters,  ask  the  trade  one  question. 
Does  the  material  prosperity  of  the  Em- 
pire depend  on  agricultural  pursuits,  or 
does  it  depend  on  the  profits  of  a  few 
feather  merchants? 

"The  only  other  serious  argument 
brought  against  the  Plumage  Bill  is  the 
contention  that  even  if  it  became  law  in 
this  country  no  other  European  power 
would  follow  England's  lead.  True,  none 
of  us  is  a  seer;  but  I  know,  as  well  as 
anyone,  what  is  going  on  on  the  Conti- 
nent, and  it  is  my  belief  that  if  Great 
Britain  passes  this  bill  it  will  be  a  writing, 
not  on  the  wall,  but  on  the  northern  sky. 
The  people  of  the  United  States  gave  their 
answer  yesterday;  Great  Britain  must 
put  the  question  tomorrow.  The  salva- 
tion of  the  birds  of  the  world  has  become 


8o 


Bird  -  Lore 


the  Englishman's  new  burden,  and  it  is  a 
burden  that  no  Englishman  can  any 
longer  ignore.  The  duty  of  the  hour  is  for 
Great  Britain  to  lead  the  way  in  Europe 
now  as  she  had  led  the  way  in  the  past  in 
every  great  moral  step  upward  toward 
God.  Let  her  do  this,  and  the  rest  is 
assured.  She  did  a  noble  deed  when 
she  freed  the  slave  from  his  chains.  She 
can  do  a  noble  deed  now  by  freeing  the 
bird  from  the  clutches  of  greed." 

New  Members 

From  October  20,  1913,  to  January  i, 
1914,  the  Association  enrolled  the  follow- 
ing new  members: 

Life  Members. 
"E.  S.  C." 

Coolidge,  J.  Randolph 
Draper,  Mrs.  Henry 
Fay,  Dudley  B. 
Fenno,  Mrs.  L.  Carteret 
Grew,  Mrs.  H.  S. 
Harrah,  Mrs.  Charles  J. 
Knight,  Miss  A.  C. 
Loring,  Mrs.  W.  Caleb 
Merrill,  Miss  F.  E. 
Thorn,  Mrs.  Augusta  C.  (In  mem 

oriam). 
Torrey,  Mrs.  Alice  W. 
Wood,  Mrs.  Antoinette  Eno 

Sustaining  Members. 
Alexander,  Wm.  H. 
Allen,  Dr.  J.  Wilford 
Arkwright,  P.  S. 
Arnold,  Miss  Mittie 
Arrowood,  Mrs.  Bertha  M. 
Audubon,  Miss  M.  E. 
Bachman,  Mrs.  Julia  R. 
Bailey,  Mrs.  A.  T. 
Bartlett,  Miss  Florence 
Beattie,  W.  E. 
Beer,  Mrs.  J. 
Bingham,  Miss  Madeline 
Bliss,  Mrs.  Mildred  B. 
Blitch,  N.  H. 
Block,  Dr.  E.  Bates 
Blood,  Mrs.  C.  O. 
Brabham,  Idis 
Breese,  Mrs.  Sydney  S. 
Brown,  J.  Epps 
Bryan,  Shepard 
Burdick,  Marcus  M. 
Burnham,  E.  F. 
Campbell,  John  Boyleston 
Campbell,  Mrs.  Thomas  B. 
Chan!er,  Miss  Alida 
Chapman,  Mrs.  James 


Sustaining  Members,  continued 
Cheney,  Jr.,  Frank 
Charleston  Fish  &  Oyster  Co. 
Chase,  Mrs.  W.  M. 
Cheever,  James  G. 
Civic  League  of  Mayesville 
Claflin,  Miss  Alice  H. 
Clarke,  Miss  Cora  H. 
Clarke,  Mrs.  Prescott,  O. 
Coker,  Major  J.  L. 
Colton,  Jr.,  Mrs.  Sabon  W. 
Cooley,  Miss  Rossa  B. 
Dana,  Mrs.  S.  F. 
Davis,  Hon.  C.  L. 
Davis,  Mrs.  Jeffrey. 
DeLoach,  Prof.  R.  J.  H. 
Department  of  Agriculture — 

Canada. 
DuBose,  B.  M. 
DuPont,  Eugene 
DuPont,  Eugene  E. 
DuPont,  Mrs.  Eugene  E. 
Dyar,  Miss  Dorothy 
Ellis,  Mrs.  L.  E. 
Emery,  Mrs.  Mary  M. 
Emmons,  Mrs.  A.  B. 
Erickson,  Mrs.  A.  W. 
Evans,  Mrs.  J.  G. 
Evins,  Samuel  Nesbit 
Feaster,  Miss  Florence  G. 
Flint,  Charles  R. 
Forbes,  Miss  Cora  J. 
Ford,  Frank  C. 
Fowler,  George  F. 
Gale,  Charles  H. 
Gammell,  Mrs.  R.  J. 
Gardner  Dr.  C.  H. 
Goddard,  Mrs.  R.  H.  I. 
Goodridge,  Dr.  F.  G. 
Haden,  C.  J. 
Hager,  Karl 
Halsted,  David  C. 
Hamlin,  Miss  Eva  S. 
Hanahan,  J.  Ross 
Hancock,  Harry  J. 
Hannum,  W.  E. 
Hardenbagh,  Miss  Adelaide  C. 
Harmon,  Judson 
Hart,  Judge  John  C. 
Helmer,  Mrs.  George  J. 
Hewitt,  Miss  Eleanor  G. 
Hidden,  Walter 
Hofer,  Miss  Elizabeth  J. 
Holter,  Mrs.  Sarah  Sage 
Homans,  Mrs.  John 
Hornaday,  Miss  Nina 
Huger,  Alfred 
Inslee,  Stephen  D. 
Jay,  Mrs.  August 
Jay,  Pierre 
Jelliffe,  W.  R. 
Jennings,  Miss  A.  B. 
Jones,  Mrs.  Edward  P. 
Kendrick,  Dr.  W.  F. 
Keppel,  David 


The  Audubon   Societies 


Sustaining  Members,  continued 
Ketchin,  H.  E. 
King,  Charles  S. 
Laidlaw,  James  L. 
Lefferts,  M.  C. 
Levor,  G. 

The  Macmurphy  Co. 
Main,  Frank  H. 
Manning,  Hon.  Richard  I. 
Marden,  Miss  Doris  F. 
Martin,  L.  C. 
Merriman,  Mrs.  Daniel 
Morris,  Mrs.  Wistar 
McAllister,  John 
McCreary,  Dr.  J.  P. 
McMaster,  K.  R. 
The  News  &  Courier 
Newton,  Dr.  E.  D. 
Olmsted,  Dr.  John  C. 
Paine,  2nd,  Mrs.  R.  T. 
Peacock,  Prof.  D.  C. 
Pellew,  Miss  Marian  J. 
Pendleton,  Miss  Ellen  F. 
Pennington,  Mrs.  A.  G. 
Petermann,  G.  H. 
Planten,  W.  Rutger  J. 
Powell,  Dr.  John  C. 
Powers,  Thomas  H. 
Prentiss,  William  A. 
Ramsay,  Major  William  G. 
Rea,  Dr.  Paul  M. 
Reynolds,  Walter  S. 
Rood,  Miss  Mary  W. 
Rotch,  Mrs.  William  J. 
John  Rugheimers  Sons 
Sanford,  Miss  Susan  S. 
Scarborough,  Robert  B. 
Seabury,  Miss  Caroline  O. 
Seabury,  Miss  Sarah  E. 
Semken,  E.  H. 
Simons,  E.  A. 
Smith,  Mrs.  L.  C. 
Smoak,  William  M. 
Spooner,  Miss  E.  O. 
Stebbins,  Miss  Annie  C. 
Stone,  Mrs.  F.  H. 
Talbot,  Miss  Mary 
Taylor,  P.  J. 
Tilden,  Mrs.  Charles  L. 
Tucker,  R.  P. 
Tyler,  Mrs.  D.  T.  A. 
Valentine,  Miss  Myra 
Villard,  H.  A. 
Wadsworth,  H.  C. 
Waite,  Frank  A. 
Wallace,  Jr.,  Mrs.  Thomas 
Wayland,  Mrs.  Francis 
Webster,  Mrs.  L.  Florence 
Webster,  G.  K. 
Welch,  S.  E. 
Welch  &  Eason 
White,  Mrs.  Hattie  D. 
Williams,  Miss  Belle 
Williams.  Mrs.  D.  W. 
Williams,  E.  A. 


Sustaining  Members,  continued 
Williams,  Miss  Susan 
Woodsome,  Mrs.  Clara  W. 
Worsham,  Hon.  E.  L. 
Young,  Horace  (i. 
Zobel,  Robert  P. 

New  Contributors 

Allen,  Miss  Annie  E. 
Anonymous 

Baker,  Miss  M.  Elizabeth 
Blackinton,  Mrs.  Roswell 
Bugbee,  Miss  &  Miss  Baker 
Carson,  Mrs.  J.  R. 
Chamberlin,  Miss  A.  H. 
Christensen,  Mrs.  A.  H. 
Civic  League  of  Beaufort 
Converse,  Costello  C. 
Crane,  Mrs.  H.  W. 
DeWoIf,  Holsey 
Ellis,  The  Misses 
Ferris,  Miss  Ida  J. 
"A  Friend" 
May,  Miss  Alice 
Newton,  Mrs.  Charles  P. 
Page,  Miss  Myrtis 
Shaw,  Mrs.  John  C. 
Treat,  Robert  B. 
Van  Bosherck,  Miss  Lizzie 
Wise,  Miss  Anna  Ellis 

Notes  from  the  Field 

Under  date  of  January  i,  19 14,  Mr. 
Paul  Kroegel,  the  Association's  Warden 
of  Pelican  Island  Reservation,  Indian 
River,  Florida,  reports — "We  have  now 
as  fine  a  batch  of  young  birds  as  I  can 
remember  for  this  time  of  year.  There 
are  about  1,600  young  at  present."  There 
are  two  striking  things  about  this  Pelican 
colony;  first,  it  is  the  only  permanent 
breeding  colony  of  Pelicans  on  the  Atlan- 
tic coast  in  the  United  States,  and  second, 
the  birds  do  not  lay  their  eggs  during  the 
spring  months  which  almost  any  other 
bird  regards  as  the  proper  time  for  domes- 
tic activity.  These  Indian  River  Pelicans 
deposit  their  eggs  usually  in  November  or 
December,  fully  five  months  before  the 
Pelicans  in  the  Gulf  colonies,  less  than 
two  hundred  miles  away,  deem  it  wise  to 
begin  nest-building. 

Upon  the  occasion  of  the  annual  meet- 
ing of  the  Virginia  State  Audubon  Society 
recently  held  in   Richmond,   Mr.   M.   D. 


82 


Bird -Lore 


Hart,  well  kiiDwn  in  business  circles  in 
that  city,  was  elected  President  to  suc- 
ceed Mrs.  W.  K.  Harris.  Mr.  Hart  has 
begun  a  most  active  campaign  of  publicity 
in  the  interests  of  a  bill  which  the  Society 
will  put  before  the  Virginia  Legislature 
this  year  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a 
state  game  commission  to  be  supported  by 
a  resident  hunters'  license  tax.  In  this 
work  he  not  only  has  the  cooperation  of  the 
Virginia  (iame  and  Game  Fish  Protective 
Association,  but  is  being  greatly  assisted 
by  the  Field  Agent  of  the  Association,  Miss 
Katharine  H.  Stuart.  There  is  probably 
no  woman  so  well  known  in  Virginia  today 
as  Miss  Stuart,  her  field-work  and  lec- 
tures during  the  past  four  years  having 
taken  her  into  every  nook  and  corner  of 
the  Old  Dominion  State. 

Dr.  Eugene  Swope,  Ohio  Field  Agent 
for  the  Association,  is  working  in  Florida 
this  winter.  The  Florida  State  Audubon 
Society  has  combined  with  the  National 
Association  in  financing  an  extensive 
lecture  tour  for  Dr.  Swope.  He  is  visit- 
ing practically  all  the  cities  and  towns  of 
importance  in  the  state.  In  his  addresses 
and  newspaper  work  he  is  laying  special 
stress  on  the  importance  of  teaching  the 
children  the  value  of  bird-study  by  means 
of  Junior  Audubon  classes.  He  is  also 
doing  much  to  cultivate  a  sentiment  to 
support  the  new  game  commission,  which, 
largely  by  the  efforts  of  the  Audubon 
workers,  was  established  at  the  session 
of  the  Florida  Legislature  last  spring. 

Mr.  Henry  Oldys,  Washington  City's 
well-known  bird-lecturer,  has  recently 
finished  a  course  of  lectures  throughout 
the  state  of  Illinois,  the  expense  having  been 
borne  jointly  by  the  state  Society  and  the 
National  Association.  So  well  was  Mr. 
Oldys  received,  and  so  much  good  resulted 
through  his  efforts,  that  upon  the  conclu- 
sion of  his  engagement,  arrangements 
were  immediately  made  by  Mr.  Ruthven 
Deane,  President  of  the  Illinois  Audubon 
Society,  to  have  him  return  shortly  and 
continue  the  good  work  so  auspiciously 
begun. 


There  is  undoubtedly  a  growing  ten- 
dency on  the  i)art  of  magistrates  and 
judges  to  impose  heavier  penalties  on 
l)co])le  who  wilfully  \iolate  tlic  bird- 
protection  laws.  This  is  but  another 
evidence  of  the  tremendous  force  of  public 
sentiment  once  it  is  aroused  in  the  inter- 
est of  any  good  cause.  Justice  James 
Bratt,  of  Bergen  County,  New  Jersey, 
is  one  of  those  who  belie\'e  in  imposing 
fines  of  sufficient  size  to  cause  the  illegal 
bird-killer  to  realize  that  it  is  no  small 
matter  to  shoot  birds  wantonly.  Recently 
two  men  were  brought  before  him  charged 
with  shooting  one  Snowbird  each  and  for 
hunting  without  a  license  as  required  by 
the  state.  For  the  first  offense  they  were 
fined  $ioo  each,  and  for  the  latter  $20  each. 
Having  to  pay  out  $240  for  one  afternoon's 
hunt  will  certainly  have  the  effect  of  caus- 
ing these  two  men  and  all  their  friends  to 
be  careful  how  they  break  the  bird-laws. 

On  December  9  there  was  reported  to 
the  New  Jersey  Audubon  Society  the 
killing  of  a  "Golden"  Eagle  by  a  man 
near  Daretown.  Another  man  was  said 
to  have  had  the  bird  mounted  and  taken 
home.  The  matter  was  promptly  reported 
to  the  Fish  and  Game  Warden  for  Salem 
County,  and  on  December  24,  the  war- 
den reported  that  he  had  prosecuted  both 
parties  and  that  fines  of  twenty  dollars 
and  costs  had  been  assessed  and  collected 
in  each  case.  The  practice  still  obtains 
in  far  too  many  cases  of  killing  on  sight 
any  large  bird  of  unusual  appearance. 
Those  who  honestly  desire  to  obtain 
specimens  for  study  may  legally  do  so  by 
following  the  procedure  for  obtaining 
permits  provided  for  in  the  law.  With  the 
spirit  that  would  deplete  the  rare  bird 
fauna  to  "ornament"  one's  home  there 
can  be  no  sympathy. 

It  is  much  pleasure  to  record  renewed 
activity  in  regard  to  local  Audubon  work 
on  the  part  of  two  New  England  states 
where  but  little  interest  has  been  shown 
for  the  past  year  or  two.  Largely  through 
the  efforts  of  Mr.  E.  H.  Forbush,  our 
New    lingland    Agent,    and   seconded   by 


The   Audubon   Societies 


83 


Mr.  Winthrop  Packard,  our  Agent  for 
Massachusetts,  the  New  Hampshire  Audu- 
bon Society  has  been  reorganized  and  gone 
actively  to  work.  New  reorganization 
was  perfected  in  November  with  Gen. 
Elbert  Wheeler,  of  Manchester,  Presi- 
dent, and  Rev.  Manley  B.  Townsend,  of 
Nashua,  Secretary.  The  Vermont  Audu- 
bon Society  was  revived  in  the  same  way, 
Dr.  Avery  E.  Lambert,  of  Middlebury 
College,  was  elected  President,  and  Mr. 
C.  J.  Lyford,  of  Middlebury,  was  chosen 
Secretary.  These  new  organizations  have 
our  most  hearty  goodwill  and  we  hope 
to  be  able  to  cooperate  with  them  in 
many  fields  of  activity  during  the  days  to 
come. 

Mr.  H.^rt,  President  of  the  Virginia 
.\udubon  Society  reports:  "I  wish  to 
report  how  the  Virginia  Audubon  Society 
last  year  was  instrumental  in  shortening 
the  hunting-season  on  Quail.  This  was 
accomplished  by  our  writing  to  the  Board 
of  Supervisors  in  each  county  in  the  state, 
calling  their  attention  to  the  reported 
scarcity  of  game  and  the  advisability  of 
some  action  on  their  part  which  would 
keep  the  hunters  out  of  the  fields.  The 
Supervisors  have  power  to  shorten  sea- 
sons for  killing  game  in  this  state.  We 
followed  this  up  in  January  by  an  inquiry, 
addressed  to  the  Clerk  of  each  county  in 
the  state,  as  to  what  had  been  done  by  the 
Supervisors,  and  found  that  twenty-two 
counties  had  shortened  the  season  after 
our  December  notice,  and  that  twenty- 
three  counties  had  closed  the  season  before 
our  warning.  The  late  Dr.  Robert  L. 
Blanton  and  I  went  over  these  inquiry 
cards  and  estimated  conservatively  the 
number  of  birds  (Quail)  saved  to  be  from 
20,000  to  25,000.  These  estimates  were 
arrived  at  by  taking  the  area  of  a  county 
in  square  miles  and  estimating  so  many 
birds  to  the  mile  and  then  taking  the  popu- 
lation of  the  county  and  estimating  that 
about  three  men  in  a  thousand  would  be 
hunting  each  day,  with  an  average  of 
about  si.x  birds  to  the  man,  then  multiply- 
ing the  number  of  birds  by  days  closed. 
We  believed  our  estimate  to  be  about  as 


accurate  as  such  estimates  usually  are. 
These  cards  were  turned  over  to  the 
Department  of  Agriculture,  in  Washing- 
ton, and  the  Society's  action  in  the  matter 
received  high  commendation  in  papers 
devoted  to  game  matters.  In  March  I 
went  to  Washington  on  two  occasions 
in  the  interest  of  the  McLean  Migra- 
tory Bill,  which  later  became  the  law  of 
the  United  States  of  America.  As  to 
whether  my  services  there  amounted  t<i 
anything  I  have  only  to  say  that  every 
X'irginia  member  of  Congress  in  l)()th 
houses  voted  for  the  bill." 

Mr.  William  Finley,  the  Association's 
Field  Agent  for  the  Pacific  Coast,  and  also 
State  Game  Warden  for  Oregon,  has  been 
very  active  of  late  in  enforcing  the  state 
law  against  the  wearing  of  the  forbidden 
"aigrette."  In  referring  to  some  of  his 
work  in  this  line  the  "Morning  Oregonian" 
for  December  17,  1913,  says:  "One  of  the 
most  beautiful  aigrette  plumes  that  any  of 
the  deputies  of  State  Game  Warden  Fin- 
ley  has  ever  secured  is  reposing  in  the 
offices  in  the  Yeon  building,  as  a  spoil  of 
a  raid  which  Finley  ordered  on  the  dress- 
ing-room of  Miss  Lillian  Herlein,  prima 
donna  at  the  Orpheum  Theater. 

"When  Miss  Herlein  stepped  from  the 
stage  Monday  afternoon,  Mrs.  J.  C.  Mur- 
ray, a  deputy  warden,  was  on  hand  to  seize 
the  plume.  Despite  the  agitated  protests 
of  the  temperamental  singer,  they  were 
shorn  from  her  head-dress. 

"Since  the  crusade  on  the  forbidden 
plume  began  about  six  months  ago,  Mr. 
Finley's  deputies  have  taken  in  some  won- 
derful plumes.  It  is  said  that  the  piece  for- 
merly owned  by  Miss  Herlein  was,  in  num- 
bers of  individual  feathers,  almost  equal 
to  the  fruits  of  the  entire  campaign.  It  had 
forty-six  dozen  distinct  plumes,  it  is  said, 
and  the  money  value  was  about  $41 2  at  the 
time  of  the  purchase,  according  to  report. 

"Her  first  appearance  was  at  Monday's 
matinee.  In  less  than  five  minutes  after 
she  took  the  stage  the  telephone  rang,  and 
the  voice  of  an  irate  woman,  who  was  re- 
cently relieved  of  a  plume,  informed  the 
Game  Warden  of  the  prize  bunch  of  feath- 


84 


Bird -Lore 


ers  on  display  in  the  theater.  Mrs.  Mur- 
ray was  dispatched  to  the  scene.  She  in- 
formed the  management  of  her  purpose 
and  went  behind  the  scenes  to  make  a 
closer  inspection  of  the  plumes.  She  said 
she  found  they  were  real,  and  informed  the 
singer  of  the  Oregon  law." 

Beginning  this  year,  the  Field  Colum- 
bia Museum  of  Chicago  is  to  put  into 
operation  a  systematic  plan  of  having  some 
of  its  collections  of  mounted  wild  birds 
used  in  the  public  schools,  somewhat  after 
the  manner  which  has  been  employed  for 
several  years  by  the  American  Museum  of 
Natural  History  in  New  York  City.  It  had 
long  been  felt  that  the  collections  were  not 
of  so  much  use  to  the  public  as  they  might 
be  made.  It  was  to  supply  such  facilities 
as  these  for  object  lessons  in  the  public 
schools  that  N.  W.  Harris,  a  Chicago  ban- 
ker, conceived  the  plan  of  extending  the 
Field  Museum  into  the  schoolroom,  and 
in  December,  1911,  donated  $250,000  to 
carry  out  the  work.  Long  a  friend  of  the 
Field  Museum,  he  had  with  others  realized 
that  the  museum  was  not  in  some  ways 
reaching  the  people  as  it  should.  He  had 
studied  museum  reports  and  saw  that  out 
of  a  public  school  membership  of  280,000 
the  total  number  that  had  visited  the  mu- 
seum during  the  year  had  been  about 
22,000,  and  that  of  the  latter  number  the 
vast  majority  had  poorly  comprehended 
what  they  saw;  for  teachers  had  reported 
that  school-day  visits  to  the  museum  were 
generally  regarded  by  the  pupils  as  holi- 
days, valuable  because  they  afforded  a 
variety  from  school  routine. 

Mr.  Harris  believed  that  the  museum 
contained  splendid  opportunities  to  aid  in 
the  education  of  the  young,  if  a  different 
method  of  seeking  to  reach  them  with  the 


riches  were  adopted.  Accordingly  he  of- 
fered to  cooperate  with  the  Field  Museum 
in  extending  the  institution  into  the  class- 
rooms of  certain  grades  of  the  public  school 
through  the  means  of  little  traveling  mu- 
seums, or  cabinets,  placed  in  the  class- 
rooms of  certain  grades  at  certain  intervals 
accompanied  by  brief  lectures  descriptive 
of  the  cabinets,  and  elaborating  the  labels 
attached  to  the  specimens.  The  result  was 
the  foundation  of  $250,000  which  Mr.  Har- 
ris decided  upon,  after  he  had  advised 
with  leading  teachers  and  sociologists. 

Mr.  Bowdish 

Mr.  B.  S.  Bowdish,  who  since  November 
1905,  has  been  chief  clerk  in  the  home 
office  of  the  Association,  left  our  employ  on 
January  17,  to  devote  his  entire  time,  in 
future,  to  the  position  of  Secretary-Treas- 
urer of  the  New  Jersey  State  Audubon 
Society.  It  will  be  recalled  that  it  was 
largely  through  the  efforts  of  Mr.  Bowdish 
that  the  New  Jersey  Audubon  Society  was 
reorganized  and  incorporated  in  1910.  On 
December  29  of  that  year,  the  board  of 
directors  met,  and  he  was  elected  secretary. 
From  that  moment  the  New  Jersey  work 
began  to  expand,  and  since  then  the  So- 
ciety has  in  every  way  been  a  wide-awake 
and  going  institution.  In  addition  to  his 
duties  with  the  National  Association,  Mr. 
Bowdish  has  been  able  to  bring  the  New 
Jersey  work  up  to  such  a  stage  that  the 
demand  for  his  entire  time  to  look  after  its 
welfare  has  become  imperative.  For  the 
present,  his  office  will  be  at  Demarest.  Mr. 
Bowdish  takes  with  him  the  good-will  of 
the  directors  and  office  force,  and  we  proph- 
esy for  him  the  great  success  which  his 
conscientious  devotion  to  the  work  so 
warmly  merits. 


1.  Cassin's  Purple  Finch,  Adult  Male  4.     Guadalupe  House  Finch,  Female 

2.  Cassin's  Purple  Finch,  Female  5.     House  Finch,  Adult  Male 

3.  Guadalupe  House  Finch,  Adult  Male         6.     House  Finch,  Female 

(One-half  Natural  Size) 


A  BI-MONTHLY   MAGAZINE 

DEVOTED  TO   THE   STUDY   AND   PROTECTION   OF    BIRDS 

Official  Organ   or  The:   Audubon   Societies 


Vol.  XVI 


March  — April,  1914 


No.  2 


The  Electric  Current  in  Bird  Photography^ 


TREE    SWALLOW 


By  GUY  A.  BAILEY,  Geneseo,  N.  Y. 
With  photographs  by  the  author 


A' 


iNYONE  who  has  attempted  bird  photog- 
raphy,- and  used  the  uncertain  thread  or 
the  bulb  with  its  cumbersome  tubing  for 
releasing  the  shutter,  must  have  wished  for  an 
^^  electric  shutter. 

M^^  So  far  as  I  can  find  out,   there  is  no  such 

^K^M  shutter  on  the  market.    It  would  seem  to  be  a 

^^^fr  simple  contrivance  if  there  were  a  large  demand 

^K^R^  for  the  product. 

^^^^H^  In   the  absence  of  such   a   shutter,   I   have 

#^r  ^^  substituted  an  ordinary  electric  bell,  made  over 

to  serve  the  purpose.  The  only  parts  used  are 
the  electro-magnets,  armature,  and  frame.  The 
hammer  is  removed  and  the  shaft  bent  at  right 
angle  to  the  armature.  The  wiring  is  changed  so 
that  the  interrupter  is  cut  out.  Two  pieces  of 
sheet-zinc,  two  inches  by  three-fourths  of  an 
inch,  are  bent  to  form  a  right  angle  and  soldered 
together  at  the  base,  leaving  a  three-sixteenth- 
inch  space  between  the  upright  portions.  A  hole 
is  bored  in  the  outer  zinc,  to  admit  the  end  of  the 
bent  shaft  which  normally  rests  against  the 
second  zinc.  A  piece  of  number  eighteen  copper  wire,  four  inches  long,  is 
bent  to  form  a  loop.  One  end  is  fastened  to  strong  thread  that  leads  to  the 
release,  and  the  other  end  is  fastened  to  rubber  bands  that  are  secured  below. 
This  apparatus  should  be  fastened  to  a  board,  and  the  whole  thing  nailed  to 

*During  the  past  several  years  Bird-Lore  has  published  a  number  of  unusual  bird 
photographs  by  Mr.  Guy  A.  Bailey.  In  this  article  Mr.  Bailey  describes  some  of  his 
unique  methods  in  bird  photography  and  gives  additional  examples  of  his  work. — Ed. 


CAMERA    SHOWING    Al  lACHMENT   OF    ELECTRICAL    RELEASE 


A  CAMERA  BOX  PLACED  ON  TOP  OF  AN  OAK;  A  PHOTOGRAPHIC  TRAP  FOR  HAWKS 
AND    OTHER    HIGH    PERCHING    BIRDS    OF    THE    OPEN 

(86) 


THE  OBSERVATION  ROOM,  SHOWING    TELESCOPES  TRAINED  ON  FEEDING-STATIONS 

OR    PERCHING -PLACES,    AND    PUSH-BUTTONS    CONNECTED 

WITH    ELECTRIC    RELEASE    ON    CAMERA^ 


A  VIEW  OF  FEEDING-STATIONS  AND  CAMERA-STAXI)>  AT  THE  HEAD  OF  THE  RAVINE 


(87) 


Bird  -  Lore 


a  support  for  the  camera.  The  magnets  should  come  directly  under  the  shut- 
ter, so  that  the  pull  will  come  straight  down.  The  wire  loop  is  hung  over  the 
shaft  and  the  rubbers  drawn  down  tight  and  fastened.  The  thread  should 
just  reach  from  the  wire  to  the  release  on  the  shutter.  When  the  current  is 
passed,  the  shaft  will  be  drawn  from  the  loop  and  the  rubber  bands  will  pull 

the  wire  down,  instantly  releas- 
ing the  shutter. 

With  this  apparatus  a  bird 
may  be  snapped  in  any  position 
it  assumes.  It  acts  instantly, 
and  a  speed  of  one  fiftieth  of  a 
second  will  be  fast  enough  for 
any  that  moves  only  at  the 
stroke  of  the  armature.  In 
some  cases  a  slower  speed  may 
be  used.  With  a  lens  working 
at  f./4.5,   it  is  possible  to  get 

^    «^    "^T^J.flfi'-'-^l  /    -  'j/i^?^      ^^^^    negatives     in     cloudy 
hjBif  '•7  ^^  r^^^jjfi  «^^^  weather   and   without   motion, 

PjP'    tr*  1  l^^i'k^^lfc  oITt  r  ^y   setting   the   shutter    for   a 

slow-instantaneous  exposure.  It 
will  require  some  time  to  find 
just  the  speed  that  is  slightly 
faster  than  the  reaction  period 
of  the  bird. 

At  the  present  time,  I  have 
seven  of  these  electrical  releases, 
with  all  the  necessary  push- 
buttons in  one  window.  Four 
of  them  are  about  one  hundred 
feet  from  the  window  near  feed- 
ing-stations. One  is  set  near  a 
tree  into  which  a  hole  was 
bored  and  suet  placed  for  Wood- 
peckers, Nuthatches,  Chickadees,  and  Brown  Creepers.  These  birds  have 
been  photographed  many  times,  but  the  station  is  still  kept  up  for  them  as 
well  as  for  some  uncommon  bird  that  may  come.  There  is  a  chance  that  the 
Red-breasted  Nuthatch,  Arctic  Three-toed  Woodpecker,  or  some  other  desir- 
able stranger,  may  be  the  next  visitor. 

The  second  camera  is  placed  near  a  horizontal  limb  bored  out  and  nailed 
to  a  post.  This  limb  is  filled  with  various  seeds  such  as  hemp,  millet,  rape, 
and  canary.  Seed-eating  birds  will  be  attracted  to  this  place.  Among  those 
that  come  to  this  particular  station  are  Juncos,  Song  Sparrows,  Towhees,  Cow- 


hairy   WOODPECKER 


The   Electric   Current  in   Bird   Photography 


89 


birds,  White-throated  Sparrows, 
White-crowned  Sparrows,  Chip- 
ping Sparrows,  Swamp  Spar- 
rows and,  most  abundantly  of 
all,  English  Sparrows.  Ninety 
per  cent  of  the  seed  put  out 
are  eaten  by  these  pests.  Still, 
I  give  them  credit  for  leading 
the  way.  It  is  their  noisy  feed- 
ing that  attracts  any  other  bird 
within  hearing.  I  do  not  find 
that  they  really  keep  the  others 
away;  for  most  of  the  others 
mentioned  will  eat  with  them 
The  Song  Sparrow  is  more 
belligerent  than  the  English 
Sparrow.  I  have  seen  a  Song 
Sparrow  drive  away  three  Eng- 
lish Sparrows,  attacking  them 
savagely.  It  is  the  usual  thing 
for  the  English  Sparrow  to  give 
way  to  the  Song  Sparrow. 

A  third  feeding-station  is  a 
horizontal  limb  like  the  second,  but  mounted  on  gas-pipe,  which  is  provided 
with  a  large  funnel,  to  keep  down  the  squirrels.  The  food  used  is  crumbs  of 
fried  cakes,  sunflower  seeds,  and  other  foods  that  the  squirrels  eat.  The 
numerous  gray  squirrels  are  given  plenty  to  eat,  but  we  prefer  that  it  come 
from  some  other  place  than  here.    Robins,  Crackles,  Scarlet  Tanagers,  and 

other  birds,  are  fond  of  the  doughnut 
crumbs;  Coldfinches  and  Nuthatches 
eat  the  sunflower  seeds. 

A  fourth  feeding-place  is  near  a 
stump  in  a  ravine.  The  stick  is  bored 
out  and  a  hole  about  two  and  a  half 
inches  deep  by  three  inches  long  made. 
The  sides  are  lined  with  copper,  and  the 
bottom  covered  with  plaster  of  paris. 
In  this  are  placed  meal  worms.  The 
smooth  sides  prevent  them  from  crawl- 
ing out,  and  the  white  bottom  makes 
them  conspicuous  to  the  birds.  This  is 
intended  for  Winter  Wrens,  Fox  Spar- 
soNG  SPARROW  rows,  and  Thrushes.    It  is  always  in  the 


PURPLE    MARTIN 


90 


Bird  -  Lore 


shade.  To  make  it  possil)le  to  use  a  quick  exposure,  light  is  thrown  from  a 
large  mirror,  controlled  from  the  window  where  the  push-buttons  are  located. 
The  fifth  feeding-station  is  in  the  middle  of  a  pasture-lot  about  five  hundred 
feet  from  the  window.  It  is  surrounded  with  a  fence,  to  keep  the  cattle  from 
disturbing  the  camera.    The  food  used  is  seeds,  crumbs,  and  meal  worms. 


WHITE-THROATED    SPARROW 
HOUSE    SPARROW 


SWAMP    SPARROW 


Meadowlarks,  Sparrows,  Crows,  and  Flickers  have  used  this  station  so  far. 
Other  birds  of  the  fields  are  expected  in  due  time. 

A  sixth  station  is  located  about  eight  hundred  feet  away.  A  limb  is  driven 
into  the  ground.  A  hole  is  bored  in  the  top  and  two  other  holes  are  bored 
in  the  side  of  the  limb.  The  stick  is  three  inches  in  diameter  and  extends 
about  sixteen  inches  above  the  ground.  English  walnut  meats  are  put  in  the 
hole  in  the  top.  Red-headed  Woodpeckers  are  constant  visitors  when  this 
food  is  used.  Doughnuts  and  seeds  are  placed  in  the  holes  in  the  sides.  Crows, 
Meadowlarks,  Crackles,  the  various  Sparrows,  have  already  visited  this  sta- 
tion. It  was  set  up  for  the  purpose  of  attracting  Pheasants,  Quail,  and  those 
birds  that  keep  away  from  the  buildings.  Of  course,  the  other  more  familiar 
birds  were  to  be  expected. 

The  seventh  circuit  does  not  run  to  a  feeding-station.  The  apparatus  is 
placed  in  the  top  of  an  oak  tree  sixty  feet  from  the  ground.  Three  ladders 
permanently  mounted  in  the  tree  make  the  ascent  easy  and  rapid.  The 
camera  is  focused  on  the  end  of  the  tallest  limb  in  the  tree,  all  others  limbs 
near  having  been  cut  out.   This  tree  has  for  j/ears  been  the  lookout  for  a  great 


The   Electric   Current  in    Bird   Photography 


91 


variety  of  birds.  Shrikes,  Sparrow  Hawks,  Cowbirds,  Bluebirds,  Crackles, 
Grosbeaks,  and  many  others,  have  perched  in  this  tree,  but  thus  far  have 
been  out  of  reach  of  a  camera.  This  place  has  just  been  arranged,  and  no 
pictures  have  yet  been  taken. 

The  tree  itself  is  not  visible  from  the  window  and,  to  overcome  this  diffi- 
culty, a  large  fine  mirror  has  been  set  up  in  the  pasture  lot.  The  mirror  is 
set  at  the  proper  angle  and,  by  focusing  a  telescope  on  the  mirror,  the  top  of 
the  oak  is  watched.  I  should  add  that  all  the  stations  are  covered  with  tele- 
scopes permanently  mounted  and  focused  on  them.  These  telescopes  are  just 
over  the  push-buttons  in  the  window.  Even  those  that  are  one  hundred  feet 
away  have  telescopes,  for  at  that  distance  it  is  necessary  positively  to 
identify  the  birds,  and  to  be  sure  of  their  exact  position  before  touching 
the  button. 


FEMALE    BOBOLINK 


RED-HEADED    WOODPECKER 
Taken  with  a  $12  camera 


92  Bird -Lore 

Seven  years  ago,  I  started  a  permanent  feeding-station,  using  only  suet 
for  food  and  a  string  to  release  the  shutter.  From  year  to  year  the  number  has 
increased  and  the  kinds  of  foods  varied.  I  find  it  best  to  use  certain  foods 
regularly  in  the  same  station.  There  is  more  chance  of  getting  the  birds  you 
want  if  you  increase  the  number  of  feeding-places. 

One  might  imagine  that  after  two  or  three  years  few  new  subjects  would 
ofifer  themselves.  On  the  contrary,  each  year  of  the  seven  has  brought  some 
new  species.  Earlier  in  the  work  there  were  more.  In  these  seven  years. 
Scarlet  Tanagers  came  but  one  year;  Towhees,  one  year;  Swamp  Sparrows, 
one  year;  Cowbirds,  two  years;  Fox  Sparrows,  one  year.  Of  course,  there  are 
many  that  come  regularly  each  year,  and  that  gives  a  chance  to  improve 


'"■^^ 


A    CROW    FEEDING    ON    A    DOUGHNUT    AT    FEEDING-STATON   NO.  6 

the  pictures  that  were  made  previously.  Then,  there  is  that  long  list  of 
migrants  that  may  stop  if  you  can  get  the  right  food,  bath,  or  perch.  These 
are  the  ones  that  keep  you  always  hoping. 

These  feeding-stations,  with  the  telescopes,  give  you  an  opportunity  to 
study  the  birds  when  they  are  absolutely  undisturbed  by  your  presence.  The 
boxes  with  the  cameras  become  part  of  the  landscape,  and  birds  are  not  at 
all  disturbed  by  them.  Even  the  click  of  the  release  becomes,  after  a  time, 
a  familiar  sound. 

The  four  feeding-stations  nearest  the  window  have  a  favorable  location 
by  nature.  Below  them  is  a  wooded  ravine  that  opens  out  into  a  pasture  lot. 
Birds  moving  from  the  lowlands  for  shelter  would  come  to  the  stations.  The 
English  Sparrows  are  the  decoys  that  lead  them  on.  Above  these  stations 
there  is  a  spring  that  is  open  the  year  round,  and  this  draws  many  birds. 


The   Song  of  the  Philadelphia  Vireo  93 

This  ravine  is  located  in  the  village  of  Geneseo,  N.  Y.,  near  the  Normal 
School  building.  There  are  residences  close  at  hand.  House  cats  roam  through 
this  ravine  early  in  the  morning  and  late  in  the  afternoon.  They,  of  course, 
catch  many  of  the  birds,  and  frighten  others  away.  Some  of  them  hide  in  the 
camera-boxes,  and  pounce  on  the  birds  from  this  vantage-point. 

It  is  most  unfortunate  that  we  have  no  legislation  against  roaming  cats. 
They  are  roaming,  mostly  because  they  are  improperly  cared  for  or  insuffi- 
ciently fed  at  home.  It  is  common  for  people  to  own  cats  and  let  them  "hunt 
for  a  living.''   It  means  often  that  they  feed  on  birds. 

It  is  entirely  legal  now  to  keep  a  cat  that  lives  on  song-birds.  A  large 
number  of  people  are  not  keeping  cats  because  they  do  feed  on  birds.  If  public 
sentiment  continues  to  increase,  the  cats  will  be  less  numerous  and  the  birds 
will  have  a  better  chance.  Anyone  who  tries  to  feed  the  birds  will  find  that 
the  cats  are  a  nuisance,  and  will  be  willing  to  aid  in  securing  legislation  to 
protect  the  birds  from  this  their  worst  enemy. 


The  Song  of  the  Philadelphia  Vireo 

By  MRS.    ELIZA   F.   MILLER,  Bethel,  Vermont 

THAT  is  a  Red-eyed  Vireo  singing,  isn't  it?"  said  a  visiting  friend? 
as  we  walked  down  the  street  near  my  home. 

I  don't  know,"  was  my  reply,  "I  begin  to  suspect  that  Vireo." 

This  was  on  June  16,  191 2.  The  bird  had  been  singing  all  day  for  weeks, 
and  I  too  had  thought  it  a  Red-eye.  But  the  voice  w^as  unusually  sweet  and 
there  was  a  difference  in  the  song  that  was  quite  pronounced,  when  once 
noticed.  I  listened  intently  many  days,  and  at  last  decided  to  try  to  write 
it  down.  At  the  piano,  it  seemed  to  correspond  with  G  G  C  E,  rest,  G  C  E, 
rest,  F  B ;  the  G  highest,  the  other  two  notes  the  next  lower  ones  in  the  scale. 

Of  course,  the  bird's  pitch  was  "way  beyond  the  keyboard."  Over  and 
over,  he  sang  these  three  phrases. 

One  might  think,  perhaps,  that  this  is  not  very  unlike  the  Red-eye's  song; 
but  the  highest  tones  were  emphasized  and  dwelt  upon,  instead  of  slighted, 
as  is  the  way  of  the  Red-eye,  and  there  was  the  briefest  of  pauses  between  the 
high  G  and  the  C,  ever>'  time.  Sometimes,  in  an  absent-minded  way,  he 
uttered  the  high  G,  or  tweet,  alone.  Sometimes  he  was  particularly 
emphatic  on  the  second  G  of  the  first  phrase. 

Later,  he  often  sang  so  much  like  a  Warbling  Vireo  that  I  should  have 
believed  it  to  be  one,  only  that  he  tacked  his  own  peculiar  song  to  the  end; 
or  else  he  sang  his  own,  and  finished  with  the  Warbling  Vireo  song,  and  all 
in  the  same  sweet  tone.  On  comparing  the  song  of  the  real  Warbling  Vireo 
with  that  of  the  new  Vireo,  a  slight  difference,  difficult  to  describe,  could 
be  detected. 


94  Bird  -  Lofe 

Durin}2;  these  weeks  of  listening,  I  was  trying  hard,  at  every  opportunity, 
to  see  the  singer,  but  he  kept  in  tall  tree-tops  usually.  However,  I  had  a  few 
good  looks,  when  he  was  perhai)s  twenty  feet  above  me.  He  certainl}-  might 
readily  be  confused  with  the  Warbling  Vireo  as  to  appearance,  "as  Reed's 
Bird  Guide  states.  He  had  a  very  short,  notched  tail,  no  wing-bars,  light  line 
over  eye;  and  the  underparts  usually  looked  white,  but  sometimes  showed  a 
faint  lemon  tinge.  He  had  a  way  of  standing  still  and  giving  his  mind  entirely 
to  his  music;  but  he  was  very  quick  in  his  gleaning,  and  sang  as  he  gleaned. 
He  was  not  heard  after  the  middle  of  July.   This  is  all  that  I  learned  that  year. 

I  wrote  to  Mr.  Harry  Piper  about  this  bird,  and  he  directed  me  to  Mr. 
William  Brewster,  of  Cambridge,  Mass.  I  described  my  bird  to  Mr.  Brew- 
ster, and  received  this  from  him: 

"Your  description  of  the  song  fits  very  well  that  of  the  Philadelphia 
Vireo,  which  is  closely  like  that  of  the  Red-eye,  but  yet  slightly  different, 
being  slower  of  delivery  and  less  smoothly  flowing,  and  having  an  occasional 
note  or  phrase  more  or  less  unlike  any  that  the  Red-eye  uses.  The  simple 
'tweet,  very  high  and  sweet,'  is  one  of  these  notes,  and  you  render  it  admi- 
rably. Another  is  a  clear-ringing  note,  not  unlike  one  that  the  Solitary  Vireo 
gives.  Some  Philadelphia  Vireos  that  I  have  studied  could  be  quickly  and 
certainly  distinguished  by  one  or  another  of  these  peculiarities  of  song. 
Others  sang  exactly  like  Red-eyes,  so  far  as  I  could  discern. 

"In  good  lights,  they  usually  look  very  yellow  beneath;  but  this  is  not 
always  the  case,  and  I  have  seen  some  that  looked  no  yellower  than  Red-eyes, 
while  exceptionally  small  birds  of  the  latter  kind  occasionally  appear  no 
larger  than  Philadelphias.  In  other  words,  it  is  not  always  possible  to  make 
quite  sure  of  a  bird  either  by  hearing  or  seeing  him,  unless  he  is  very  near 
and  closely  scrutinized.  I  am  not  sufi&ciently  familiar  with  the  fauna  of  your 
region  to  be  able  to  judge  if  it  is  likely  to  include  the  Philadelphia  Vireo  as 
a  summer  resident,  but  everything  you  say  inclines  me  to  think  that  the  bird 
you  saw  probably  belonged  to  that  species." 

Much  pleased  with  this  encouragement  to  believe  that  what  I  had  already 
hoped  was  true,  I  was  eagerly  listening  again  when  spring  came.  On  May 
II,  1913,  the  first  Red-eye  announced  himself,  and,  soon  after,  a  Vireo,  with 
the  peculiarly  sweet  voice  of  my  last  year's  bird,  began  to  be  heard  on  our 
street,  not  far  from  his  old  stand,  but  nearer  to  us.  His  emphasis  and  spacing 
were  not  like  the  bird's  of  last  year,  but  rather  more  like  a  Red-eye's,  except 
that  every  third  phrase  was  different  from  anything  that  the  Red-eye  sings, 
— weecher,  weecher,'' — very  rapid,  downward  inflection,  second  word  higher 
than  the  first.  Later  in  the  season,  this  distinctive  phrase  came  in  only  as 
fifth  or  sixth.    But  always  there  was  the  remarkable  sweetness  of  tone. 

I  had  some  very  fair  looks  at  the  bird,  and  he  was  like  the  one  of  191 2, 
in  every  point. 

On  May  25,  I  was  out  at  5.30  a.m.,  looking  for  this  Vireo,  and  saw  him 


The  Song  of  the  Philadelphia  Vireo  95 

high  in  his  chosen  maple.  I  followed  him  around  his  small  circle  of  trees,  and 
saw  that,  as  he  sang,  another  small  bird  attacked  him  several  times.  At  last 
he  flew  to  a  lower  tree,  where  he  was  attacked  again.  The  two  birds  fought 
and  flew,  falling  into  tall  grass  not  far  from  me.  They  stayed  so  long  that  I 
stepped  to  see,  when  up  they  came,  still  fighting,  and  tried  to  alight  in  a  low 
tree  near  me,  but  fell  again,  this  time  upon  bare  ground  not  three  feet  from 
where  I  stood.  They  did  not  heed  me  in  the  least.  One  at  once  stood  very 
erect,  and  as  still  as  though  frozen.  The  other  took  a  threatening  attitute 
before  it,  with  outstretched  head  and  neck,  and  open  beak,  showing  the  scar- 
let interior  of  the  mouth,  and  in  a  moment  began  to  sway  the  head  and  body 
to  right  and  left  rigidly,  still  with  open  beak.  I  watched  breathlessly.  The 
first  bird  kept  its  upright  posture,  thus  allo^vang  me  to  observe  the  decided 
yellow  of  the  breast,  which  was  just  what  was  needed  to  complete  my  satis- 
faction that  this  was  a  pair  of  Philadelphia  Vireos,  in  a  lovers'  quarrel.  The 
underparts  of  the  other  bird  were  hidden,  but  I  knew  it  was  the  white-breasted 
singer  of  the  song  that  was  nearly  like  that  of  the  Red-eye. 

The  birds  were  exactly  alike  above.  The  line  over  each  eye  was  slightly 
yellow,  and  there  was  no  black  crown  border,  as  in  the  Red-eye.  The  birds, 
always  noticeably  smaller  than  a  Red-eye,  looked  more  delicate  than  ever 
now,  as  their  feathers  were  held  close  to  the  body. 

After  a  long  moment,  the  one  that  threatened  flew  away,  and  sang  as  soon 
as  he  touched  the  branch.  The  yellow-breasted  one  went  in  another  direc- 
tion, and  silently. 

The  song  was  heard  until  near  the  end  of  June,  almost  constantly,  though 
at  the  last  less  frequently;  and  the  rests  between  phrases  were  longer,  and 
sometimes  only  two  phrases  were  repeated,  one  of  them  often  having  a  liquid 
quality.  I  think  that  I  heard  it  a  few  times  in  August,  but  am  not  positive, 
as  I  did  not  see  the  bird,  which  seemed  to  be  at  quite  a  distance. 

On  August  20,  on  our  blackberry  bushes,  eating  the  firuit,  were  two  tiny 
birds  in  close  company,  that  at  first  I  took  for  Warblers,  but  could  not  recog- 
nize them.  It  suddenly  came  to  me  that  they  must  be  Philadelphia  Vireos, 
perhaps  the  young  ones.  They  were  softly  yellow  all  below,  a  pretty  greenish 
above,  had  a  yellow  line  over  each  eye,  and  very  short,  notched  tails.  They 
really  resembled  the  picture  in  the  Revised  Edition  of  Reed's  Bird  Guide 
more  than  either  of  the  two  seen  on  the  ground,  on  May  25.  Those  first 
ones  must  have  had  the  two  extremes  of  color  of  the  underparts. 

I  have  given  these  particulars  so  minutely  because  I  have  rarely  seen  the 
Philadelphia  Vireo  named  in  Vermont  bird-lists,  and  think  that  possibly  some 
one  may  benefit  by  my  experience.  Mr.  Brewster,  in  a  second  letter  says: 
"Perhaps  you  will  later  find  that  this  species  is  more  commonly  represented 
than  you  are  now  aware." 


Impressions  of  the  Voices  of  Tropical  Birds 

By  LOUIS   AGASSIZ   FUERTES 
Illustrated  by  the  author 

THIRD   PAPER-ORIOLES,  FLYCATCHERS.  FINCHES,  AND   THRUSHES 

A  COMPARATIVE  study  of  the  notes  and  songs  of  the  birds  of  the 
tropics  and  their  familiar  northern  representatives  is  certainly  not 
less  interesting  than  the  study  of  their  physical  resemblances  and 
differences.  And  here  it  may  be  suggested  that  resemblances,  which  are  of 
greatest  value  as  showing  relationships,  are  even  more  elusive  and  hard  to 
follow  out  than  are  more  physical  characters.  Differences  are  of  negative 
importance;  resemblances  alone  count  in  tracing  racial  affinities. 

In  this  respect  the  great  family  of  tropical  Orioles  hangs  together  as  a 
unit,  and  ties  closely  to  its  more  familiar  northern  offshoots.  From  the  tiny 
Mexican  Orchard  Oriole  to  the  crow-sized  Oropendolas,  there  is  some  subtle 
quirk  of  tone  that  makes  them  all  recognizable  to  anyone  having  a  single 
good  acquaintance  in  the  family. 

I  think  no  birds  in  tropical  America  have  given  me  more  pure  fun  with 
their  vocal  performances  than  the  big  Yellowtails,  or  Oropendolas;  Gymnos- 
tinops  in  southern  Mexico,  and  the  various  species  of  Ostinops  in  Colombia.  I 
cannot  now  remember  any  striking  differences  in  their  songs  or  calls,  except 
that  Gymnostinops  combines  more  gymnastics  with  his  effort  than  mere 
Ostinops.  But  everywhere  in  tropical  America  the  loud  rasps,  chucks,  and 
gurglings  of  these  great  Orioles  are  as  characteristic  as  the  steady  flashing  of 
black  and  gold  in  the  burning  sky,  as  they  wing  over  head  from  bank  to  bank 
of  the  great  rivers. 

They  are  all  highly  polygamous,  and  I  have  frequently  seen  them  demon- 
strate a  most  watchful  and  efficient  warden-service  in  favor  of  the  old  males. 
After  one  shot,  you  may  stalk  and  stalk  the  big  black  Sultan,  "quisking" 
from  the  bare  dead  spike  above  the  forest  roof,  only  to  be  defeated,  time  after 
time,  by  the  party  of  six  or  eight  silent  and  watchful  females  perching  around 
him  at  lower  points.  Silent,  that  is,  until  you  get  within  about  twice  gunshot 
of  their  lord,  when  they  suddenly  squawk  and  yell,  and  the  old  boss  "yips" 
loudly  and,  with  batting  wings,  leaves  for  foreign  parts. 

The  calls  of  the  male,  given  from  a  high  perch  with  a  commanding  view, 
may  be  variously  described:  a  loud,  vigorous  "quisk," — an  equally  carrying 
but  very  liquid  "churg,"  ending  inside  an  empty  cask, — a  series  of  dry,  ascend- 
ing clicks  or  twig-snaps,  probably  done  with  the  enormously  strong  and  hol- 
lowed bill.  But  his  true  song,  to  call  it  so,  defies  description  or  imitation  with- 
out all  the  "traps"  of  the  triangle-man  in  the  orchestra.  Imagine  a  perform- 
ance lasting  only  about  two  seconds,  commenced  by  breaking  off  a  handful  of 
willow  sticks,  then  running  into  a  rising  series  of  "choog-choog-choogs,"  to 
end  in  a  loud,  explosive  "keow,"  easily  audible  at  a  quarter  of  a  mile.    This 

(96) 


Impressions  of  the  Voices  of  Tropical   Birds 


97 


is  only  the  vocal  part  of  the  performance,  and  it  is  accompanied  by  a  contortion 
of  which  the  Cowbird's  spring  effort  gives  a  mild  idea.  The  bird  first  looks 
down,  ruifies  the  nape  feathers  and  elevates  the  tail,  and  then,  clattering  the 
bill  and  emitting  the  other  sounds  that  he  alone  is  capable  of,  falls  forward, 
clapping  his  wings  lustily  over  his  back,  until  he  is  under  his  perch,  with  his 
bill  pointing  directly  up.    Now  he  delivers  his  last  explosive  yell,  wings  and 


MEXICAN    OROPENDOLA— SIXGIXG.    (Gymnoslinops  Montezuma) 

glorious  tail  all  outspread  to  their  utmost,  and  by  means  of  his  first  foothold, 
not  relinquished  in  his  effort,  and  with  wings  folded,  he  draws  himself  back 
to  his  first  position,  where  he  sits  ruified  for  a  minute  or  two.  Then,  depressing 
his  feathers,  he  repeats  his  acrobatic  song.  The  males  are  a  full  half  larger  than 
the  females,  and  have  enormously  developed  legs  and  feet,  apparently  for  this 
performance,  recalling  a  Raven's  foot;  while  the  females  have  the  usual  slen- 
der, Grackle-like  feet  of  the  family.  One  need  never  be  bored  when  there  is  a 
colony  of  these  striking  and  virile  birds  in  the  vicinity. 

Some  of  the  typical  Orioles  and  Troupials  have  exceedingly  brilliant,  if 
monotonous,  songs,  and  they  are  kept  as  pets  in  nearly  every  house  in  the 
towns  or  along  the  trails  in  Colombia.  Icterus  mesomelas  nearly  drove  us 
insane  with  his  piercing  song  in  the  hotel  in  Cali.,  repeating  it  incessantly 
from  his  cage  at  our  door.  ''"^^T^^  k  ^    T     r 


Ail  Orioles  are  great  singers  of  little  tunes,  usually  going  just  enough  off  key 
to  get  on  your  nerves,  and  this  is  only  one  of  hundreds  of  such  little  phrases. 
The  Hooded  Oriole  group  have  a  deliciously  naive  way  of  singing  little  "ear- 
less" tunes,  like  a  small  boy  on  his  reluctant  way  to  school,  whistling  himself 
along  the  road.  This  is  the  most  companionable  bird  song  I  know,  and  has 
frequently  been  real  company  to  me,  when  hunting  alone  along  the  banks  of 
tropical  rivers  and  in  the  foothills. 


98 


Bird  -  Lore 


It  would  be  impossible  here  to  take  up  more  than  a  few  of  the  striking 
types  of  this  large  family  of  brilliant  singers,  but  it  would  certainly  be  doing 
the  whole  group  an  injustice  not  to  mention  the  wonderful  silver  and  golden 
songs  of  one  of  the  black  offshoots  of  the  family,  Dives  dives  of  Yucatan.  This 
glossy  beauty  was  very  common  at  Chichen-Itza,  and  was  a  source  of  constant 
marvel  from  the  variety,  richness,  and  volume  of  its  notes.  I  cannot  describe 
them,  nor  even  remember  them  concretely,  but  I  was  at  once  reminded  of  the 
Pastor  Bird  I  had  once  heard  in  the  Philadelphia  Zoo.  It  had  all  the  deep- 
throated  richness  of  the  best  Oriole  songs,  combined  with  a  sweetness  more 
Thrush-like  and  of  infinite  variation.  Among  all  the  varied  and  rich  songs 
about  the  place — Wrens,  Orioles  and  Thrushes — on  my  first  morning  afield 
in  the  continental  tropics.  Dives  made  the  one  deep  and  lasting  impression 
above  all  others,  in  the  classic  and  thrilling  surroundings  of  the  ruined 
Maya  city. 

While  Orioles  are  always  within  hearing,  I  think  that  doubtless  the  most 
pervasive  and  ever-present  sounds  in  the  tropics  come  from  the  even  larger 
family  of  Flycatchers.  From  the  blue,  lonesome,  plaintive  little  "phew"  of 
Myiarchus  I.  platyrhynchus  and  the  equally  despondent  sighs  of  some  of  the 
Elainias,  to  the  executive  "yips"  of  the  Big-billed  and  Derby  Flycatchers, 

these  characteristic  sounds  are  ever 


in  the  ear.  So  far  as  I  know,  only 
one  Flycatcher  can  really  be  pro- 
claimed as  a  singer,  with  a  real  song 
different  from  his  ordinary  calls  and 
scolds.  This  one  exception  is  no  less 
distinguished  by  his  coat  from  the 
rest  of  the  rather  somber-colored 
family.  The  gorgeous  little  Ver- 
milion Flycatcher  has  a  simple  but 
very  sweet  song;  lispy  and  thin,  but 
delivered  with  great  devotion.  Dart- 
ing like  a  flame  up  into  the  flood  of 
sunlight,  he  reaches  a  point  about  a 
hundred  feet  from  earth,  and  then, 
with  scarlet  crest  spread  out  like  a 
hussar's  hood  and  head  thrown  back, 
he  floats  lightly  down  on  trembling  wings,  lisping  in  ecstasy  his  poor,  sweet 
little  song,  Cirivi'  cirivi'  cirivi' .  It  is  hardly  noticeable,  even  among  the  little 
Finch  twitters  along  the  roadside,  but  for  a  Flycatcher  it  is  remarkable;  and 
surely  no  gifted  Thrush  or  Lark  ever  went  to  his  matins  more  devoutly.  It 
is  a  strange  contrast  to  the  usual  Flycatcher  utterances,  which  are  loud, 
raspy,  egotistic,  and  highly  commandeering.  Our  Kingbird  is  a  fair  example 
of  the  family,  with  the  Greatcrest  as  a  good  amplifier  of  the  impression.    It 


DERBY    FLYCATCHER 
(Pitangus  sutphuralus  derbianus) 


Impressions  of  the  Voices  of  Tropical   Birds 


99 


is  the  forest  Flycatchers,  like  the  Wood  Pewee  and  some  of  the  Elainias, 
that  have  the  lost- soul,  hollow-hearted  plaints;  the  sun-lo\dng  kinds  are 
very  kings  of  earth  in  their  noisy  self-confidence. 

The  Finches  and  Sparrows  in  general  do  not  add  much  to  the  tropical 
melange  of  bird-music.  They  are  frequently  birds  of  great  beauty,  and  all 
have  some  blithe  little  song,  "finchy,"  and  characteristic  of  each  species.  How- 
ever, to  a  Sparrow  falls  the  distinction  of  being  the  most  widely  distributed 
singer  we  encountered  in  South  America.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  anywhere  in  the 
Andes  above  two  thousand  feet,  from  the  Pacific  to  the  Orinoco  slope,  the 
little  Andean  White-throat,  Brachyspiza,  will  cheer  the  traveler  with  his 
brief  and  pleasant  piping.  "It  is  sweet  cheer,  here,"  gives  the  phrase  and 
accent.  It  is  more  like  an  ab- 
breviated Fox  Sparrow  song 
than  anything  I  can  recall.  I 
shall  always  feel  a  personal 
debt  to  its  cheery  optimism, 
as  it  sang  daily  in  the  court 
of  the  hotel  in  Bogota,  in  the 
clammy  chill  of  the  damp  days, 
nine  thousand  feet  above  sea, 
while  I  was  fighting  through 
the  fever  contracted  in  the  low- 
lands. He  gave  my  scrambled 
and  fevered  brains  the  one 
tangible  hold  I  had  with  the 
wonderful  world  outside,  and  it 
recalled  nearly  all  of  our  asso- 
ciations in  South  America. 

Some  of  the  roadside  Finches 
and  Grassquits  have  curious  and  explosive  little  buzzy  sounds.  Volatinia,  a 
raven-black  mite  living  along  the  hedge-rows,  has  an  amusing  song-habit. 
Sitting  on  the  top  of  a  grass  or  weedstalk,  he  suddenly  rises  in  bee-like  flight 
about  a  yard  into  the  air:  at  the  apex  of  his  little  spring  he  turns  a  rapid 
somersault,  with  a  volatile  "Bzt,"  and  drops  back  to  his  perch.  The  whole 
effort  takes  perhaps  a  second! 

Most  of  the  Tanagers,  which  grade  insensibly  into  the  Finches,  are  not 
much  when  it  comes  to  singing.  However,  the  larger  Saltators  have  clear, 
whistled  songs  that  are  highly  charactertisic.  They  are  leisurely  soprano  songs, 
usually  heard  from  thickets  of  soft  growth  on  the  mountain-sides.  One  song 
heard  in  the  Eastern  Andes  that  I  ascribed  to  S.  atripennis,  though  I  could 
never  quite  satisfactorily  prove  the  singer,  was  as  loud,  pure,  and  wide-ranged 
a  song  as  I  have  heard.  Though  quite  complicated,  it  was  always  identically 
the  same  in  form  and  range.   Two  long  descending  slurs,  one  ascending,  a  long 


ANDEAN   WHITE-THROAT 

(Crachyspiza  capensis) 


Bird  -  Lore 


descending  trill,  then  a  descending  run  in  couplets  (like  a  Canon  Wren),  a 
rising  slur,  and  a  final  short  trill  on  a  high  note.  In  many  songs,  heard  in 
several  localities,  this  scheme  was  closely  followed.  The  mountain  forests  of 
the  tropics  furnish  an  endless  and  enchanting  field  for  this  kind  of  study, 
which  our  hasty  survey  and  limited  time  unavoidably  rendered  all  too  super- 
ficial and  fragmentary. 

We  found,  as  a  rule,  that  the  gemlike  Tanagers  of  Calospiza,  Chlorochrysa, 
etc.,  were  nearly  devoid  of  song.  Their  drifting  flocks,  sifting  along  through 
the  tree-ferns  and  higher  levels  of  the  forest,  were  much  like  a  flock  of  migra- 
ting Warblers,  always  made  up  of  several  species,  and  their  little  lisping  sounds 
were  further  reminders  of  our  north- 
ern tree-gleaners.  ' 

The  Cotingas,  as  a  rule,  were 
silent,  though  some  of  the  more  Fly- 
catcher-like, such  as  Tytyra,  have 
loud,  buzzy  calls,  and  the  big  ones, 
like  Pyroderus  and  Querula,  have 
deep,  pervasive  vocal  sounds  hard  to 
describe,  but  fairly  easy  to  imitate. 
The  tiny  and  gorgeous  Manikins  all 
make  loud,  staccato  "pips,"  out  of 
all  proportion  to  their  diminutive  size. 

The  Thrushes,  however,  are  quite 
as  satisfactory  singers  in  the  tropics 
as  they  are  in  New  England.  The 
Robin  group,  Planesticus,  is  large 
and  varied  from  Mexico  south,  and 
we  had  many  chances  to  study  and 
compare  them  in  song  and  actions. 
P.  gigas,  of  the  Andes  of  Colom- 
bia, considerably  bigger  than  a  Blue 
Jay,  and  solid  dusky  but  for  his  corn-colored  bill,  feet,  and  eyelids,  had 
a  disappointingly  weak  and  squealy  song.  Members  of  the  tristis  group, 
however,  are  to  me  the  finest  singers  of  the  whole  genus,  trilling,  piping  and 
warbling  with  the  greatest  abandon  and  purity  of  tone.  They  are  shy  singers, 
and  rarely  to  be  heard  except  after  long  silence  in  one  spot.  P.  jamaicensis, 
heard  with  a  divine  accompaniment  of  Solitaires,  lost  nothing  of  its  beauty  by 
the  comparison.  The  related  genus  Melanotis,  the  "blue  mockers,"  are  accom- 
plished and  brilliant  singers,  with  much  of  the  well-known  quality  of  all 
Mockingbirds.  But  they  rank  very  high,  as  do  the  members  of  the  interesting 
Antillean  group,  Mimocichla.  I  shall  never  forget  a  concert  I  once  heard  on 
New  Province,  in  the  Bahamas.  We  were  out  in  the  "coppet,"  or  woods,  col- 
lecting, in  the  afternoon.   About  four  o'clock  a  drenching  thunderstorm  broke, 


BAHAMAN    THRUSH 
(Mimocichla  bakamensis) 


Impressions   of  the   Voices   of  Tropical   Birds  loi 

and  for  an  hour  we  were  subjected  to  as  thorough  a  wetting  as  could  be  desired, 
and  most  of  our  efiforts  went  toward  keeping  our  specimens  from  getting 
soaked.  After  a  time,  however,  it  stopped  almost  as  suddenly  as  it  had 
begun,  and  through  the  breaking  sky  the  level  rays  of  a  declining  jsun  red- 
dened the  straight  columns  of  the  pines  and  glistened  from  the  wet  and 
shining  foliage  of  the  broad-leaved  trees.  Suddenly,  and  so  Robin-like  that 
I  was  for  a  moment  quite  moved,  there  commenced  a  chorus  of  delicious  and 
brilliant  singing  that  I  have  no  similar  recollection  of.  It  was  from  the 
"Blue  Thrasher,"  Mimocichla  plumbea,  and  for  a  few  breathless  moments 
we  were  carried  into  an  enchanted  realm  that  it  is  still  a  joy  to  remember. 
The  music  was  no  less  scintillating  than  its  clean  and  glistening  setting. 

It  is  perhaps  too  bad,  and  a  sign  of  limitation  that  we  should  hesitate  to 
admit,  that  the  songs  that  please  us  most  are  apt  to  be  those  that  perfect  or 
glorify  songs  we  already  know  at  home.  It  may  even  not  be  true;  but  I  think, 
nevertheless,  that  no  birdsongs  have  ever  given  me  a  more  welcome  turn  of 
heart  than  some  of  these  tropical  Thrushes,  which  carry  farther  the  lovely 
qualities  of  intonation  so  richly  present  in  our  Hermit  Thrush's  song.  The 
group  known  as  Catharus,  true  Thrushes,  haunt  the  moist,  ferny  mountain 
forests,  and  from  the  quiet  fragrance  of  these  silent  places  come  the  exquisite 
silvery  bell-tones  of  their  songs.  They  sing  from  the  ground  or  very  near  it, 
and  never  have  I  heard  them  lift  their  voices  high.  But  their  tone  is  more 
pure,  their  delivery  more  perfect,  and  their  chaste  cadences  more  prismatic 
and  rich,  than  those  of  any  other  Thrush  I  know,  and  I  should  find  it  hard 
to  pick  the  slightest  rift  within  the  lute.  It  is  upon  these  tender,  ineflfably 
sweet  flutings  that  I  base  my  concept  of  a  perfect  bird-song. 

THE  SONG  SPARROW 

Before  the  purple  crocus  dares  to  fhng 
The  snow  aside,  and  bare  its  golden  heart, 
Before  the  boldest  bee  has  found  a  mart, 

Or  flecked  with  pollen  rich  his  veined  wing, 

There  comes  a  \^dstfvil  voice,  thrilled  through  with  spring. 
And  joy,  and  hope,  and  quaint  unconscious  art, 
As  though  an  angel,  doubtful  of  his  part, 

Should  lift  beseeching  eyes,  and  pray,  and  sing. 

The  frost's  white  fret-work  Hngers  on  the  pane. 
And  hunger  makes  the  startled  rabbit  bold; 
But  not  scant  fare,  nor  winter's  latest  sting, 

Can  silence  this  brown  minstrel's  dauntless  strain. 
Supreme  in  faith,  as  in  his  voice  of  gold, 
The  truest-hearted  lover  of  the  spring.    — Laura  F.  Beai-l. 


Some  Ways  of  the  Oregon  Towhee 

By  MRS.  STEPHEN  E.  THAYER,  Everett,  Wash. 
With  photographs  by  the  author 

THE  Oregon  Towhee  is  a  permanent  resident  of  western  Washington. 
It  frequents  the  half-cleared  country  about  the  farms,  and  the  suburbs 
of  the  cities,  where  a  morning's  walk  at  any  season  of  the  year  is  sure 
to  be  rewarded  by  the  sight  of  two  or  three  of  these  handsome  birds.  Their 
plumage  of  black,  cinnamon-red,  and  white,  renders  them  conspicuous  objects 
in  the  landscape,  even  on  the  dullest  days.  They  are  to  be  seen  about  the 
fences  and  brush-piles,  or  passing  in  low,  graceful  flight  from  cover  to  cover, 
or  feeding  on  the  ground  in  protected  places,  usually  singly,  though  sometimes 
in   pairs,   and  rarely   in   companies   of   three.    When   feeding,    the   Towhee 


MALE   OREGON   TOWHEE   FEEDING   YOUNG 
Note  the  comparative  inconspicuousness  of  the  young  bird 

scratches  so  energetically  that  the  debris  is  scattered  in  every  direction,  and 
he  is  so  intent  upon  his  work  that,  with  care,  one  may  approach  near  enough 
to  see  with  a  glass  the  uncanny  red  eye.  At  the  slightest  alarm,  he  slips  into 
a  thicket,  and  remains  so  completely  hidden  that  only  the  tremble  of  a  branch 
betrays  his  presence.  Only  during  the  mating  season  is  a  favorable  opportunity 
afforded  to  observe  him  at  leisure  in  the  open.  Then  he  perches  on  the  top- 
most twig  of  a  shrub  or  low  tree,  and  sings  untiringly.  At  its  best,  the  song  is  a 
clear  trill,  introduced  by  a  rather  prolonged  low  note,  To-whee-e-e,  with 
much  emphasis  on  the  trill.    Often  the  first  note  is  omitted,  when  the  trill 

(102) 


Some  Ways  of  the  Oregon  Towhee 


103 


begins  with  an  explosive  effect,  Ch-e-e-e,  and  is  much  less  musical.  When 
disturbed,  the  singer  dives  head  foremost  into  the  brush,  and  protests  in  an 
angry  Hey!  or  G'way!  This  note  is  capable  of  much  modulation,  being 
at  times  quite  gay  and  cheerful,  at  others  harsh  and  querulous. 

Unlike  most  members  of  the  sparrow  family,  the  Towhee  is  unsocial  in 
his  habits.   He  lurks  in  the  dusky  shadows  of  the  undergrowth,  showing  little 


MALE    OREGON   TOWHEE 

interest  in  others  of  his  kind,  excepting  at  nesting-time.  Even  at  that  time, 
the  male  apparently  tolerates  rather  than  enjoys  the  presence  of  the  female. 
We  have  watched  them  for  a  number  of  years  at  our  lunch-counter  and,  so 
far  as  we  have  seen,  he  never  allows  her  to  feed  with  him,  excepting  when  both 
are  busy  carrying  grain  to  their  young.  At  that  time,  he  is  probably  too  much 
occupied  with  his  share  of  the  domestic  duties  to  pay  much  attention  to  her. 
Though  naturally  shy  and  suspicious,  the  Towhees  seem  to  appreciate 
the  advantages  to  be  derived  from  the  neighborhood  of  man.  They  soon 
learn  to  feed  about  the  outbuildings  and  chicken-yards.  Our  lunch-counter, 
which  is  within  a  few  feet  of  the  dwelling,  is  freely  patronized  by  them.  The 
dwelling,  however,  is  most  favorably  situated  on  the  edge  of  the  city,  with 
plenty  of  shrubbery  for  cover,  and  no  near  neighbors.  If  food  is  not  in  evidence 
on  their  arrival  in  the  early  morning,  they  remain  in  the  neighborhood,  call- 
ing their  insistent  H-e-y!  until  they  are  fed.  We  so  won  the  confidence  of 
one  pair  that  we  could  call  them  to  us  at  almost  any  time.  In  response  to  our 
"Come  on!  come  on!,"  we  would  hear  their  eager  H-e-y!  at  first  far  away, 
then  nearer  and  nearer,  until  they  appeared,  more  than  ready  for  their  food. 


I04 


Bird  -  Lore 


At  the  lunch-counter,  the  female  is  composed,  even  dignified  in  manner, 
feeding  quietly  until  satisfied.  The  male,  on  the  other  hand,  is  nervous  and 
self-conscious,  as  if  quite  aware  that  his  more  brilliant  plumage  increases  his 
dangers.  He  fidgets  under  cover  of  the  brush-pile  provided  for  his  benefit, 
until  his  hunger  gets  the  better  of  his  caution.  Then  he  slips  out,  snatches,  a 
hurried  morsel  or  two,  seizes  a  big  kernel  and  retires  with  it  to  the  friendly 
shelter,  where  he  devours  it  at  his  leisure,  and  gathers  courage  for  another 
sally.  On  very  dark  days  he  is  able  to  feed  more  comfortably.  The  young 
birds  are  brought  to  the  lunch-counter  and  fed  there  until  they  are  able  to 
help  themselves.  Often,  in  August,  the  young  of  two  broods  appear  together. 
Those  of  the  first  brood  are  easily  distinguished,  as  by  this  time  they  have 
begun  to  change  their  streaked  brown  plumage  for  that  of  the  mature  birds. 
The  change  shows  first  on  the  lower  parts,  where  a  few  black,  white,  or  red 
feathers  mingle  haphazard  with  the  brown,  giving  the  bird  a  peculiar  mottled 
appearance,  quite  disreputable  for  a  Towhee.  At  these  family  gatherings  the 
female  feeds  the  young  of  either  brood  indiscriminately,  but  the  male  not  only 
refuses  to  feed  those  of  the  older  brood,  but  will  not  allow  them  to  feed  while 
he  is  present.  If  they  venture  to  approach,  he  promptly  gives  chase,  and  the 
young  birds  retire  to  a  safe  distance,  to  await  the  departure  of  their 
unfriendly  parent. 


v^ 


MEADOWLARK 
An  admirable  study  in  pattern  of  coloration  showing  how  the  margins  of  the  feathers  tend  to 
make  continuous  white  lines 
Photographed  by  Guy  A.  Bailey 


The  Migration  of  North  American  Sparrows 

TWENTY-SEVENTH   PAPER 

Compiled   by  Prof.   V/.  ^V.  Cooke,  Chiefly  from  Data  in  the  Biological  Survey 

With  drawings  by  Louis  Agassiz  Fuertes 

(See  Frontispiece) 

CALIFORNIA    PURPLE    FINCH 

This  bird  is  the  western  representative  of  the  Purple  Finch,  treated  in  the 
last  issue  of  Bird-Lore.  The  eastern  form,  (purpureus)  extends  west  to  the 
Plains;  while  the  subspecies,  known  as  the  California  Purple  Finch  (Cali- 
fornicus)  is  confined,  for  the  most  part,  to  the  Pacific  slope,  and  is  separated 
in  the  United  States  from  the  range  of  the  eastern  bird  by  the  whole  chain 
of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  in  which  neither  form  occurs.  In  Canada,  however, 
the  range  of  the  eastern  forms  bends  westward  and  extends  at  least  to  Stuart 
Lake,  B.  C,  thus  intergrading  in  central  British  Columbia  with  the  California 
Purple  Finch,  which  is  a  common  bird  of  southern  British  Columbia. 

The  latter  form  breeds  over  much  of  California,  and  moves  south,  in  the 
fall,  to  the  extreme  southern  part  of  the  state.  The  first  arrival  was  seen  at 
Mount  Whitney,  October  lo,  1875;  Dunlap,  October  26,  1890;  Santa  Barbara, 
October  29,  1910;  Pasadena,  October  27,  1896;  Los  Angeles,  October  31, 
1908;  and  Santa  Catalina  Mills,  Ariz.,  November  11,  1885. 

The  birds  remained  at  this  last  place  until  February  9,  1886,  and  were 
seen  at  Fort  Verde,  Ariz.,  until  March  25,  1886;  at  Los  Angeles,  Calif.,  to 
March  25,  1908,  and  at  Pasadena  to  April  29,  1896. 

A  few  winter  so  far  north  that  they  were  noted  at  Fort  Vancouver,  Wash., 
January  18,  1854;  and  at  Chilliwack,  B.  C,  January  28,  1889.  As  with  the 
eastern  form,  the  presence  of  these  scattering  winter  birds  makes  it  impossible 
to  tell  when  spring  migration  really  begins.  Some  dates  of  the  first  seen  are: 
Fort  Klamath,  Ore.,  March  i,  1887;  Portland,  Ore.,  March  10,  1897,  and 
February  27,  1900;  Beaverton,  Ore.,  March  6,  1884,  and  February  20,  1885; 
Sumas,  B.  C,  March  7,  1905,  and  Burrard  Inlet,  B.  C,  April  4,  1885. 

CASSIN'S    PURPLE    FINCH 

Breeding  south  to  southern  California,  central  Utah,  and  southern  Col- 
orado, the  Cassin's  Purple  Finch  has  few  migration  records  south  of  the  regu- 
lar breeding  range,  while  a  few  birds  wintering  north  to  Colorado  and  north- 
ern California  interfere  with  the  determination  of  the  dates  of  spring  migra- 
tion. The  first  appeared  at  Willis,  N.  M.,  August  26,  1883;  Mogollon  Moun- 
tains, Ariz.,  October  6,  1884;  and  Fort  Whipple,  Ariz.,  October  21,  1864.  The 
last  was  noted  at  Albuquerque,  N.  M.,  November  15,  1853;  and  near  Zuni, 
N.  H.,  November  20,  1873. 

The  fiist  spring  migrant  was  seen  at  Tucson,  Ariz.,  February  19,  1886; 

(105) 


io6 


Bird  -  Lore 


Camp  Burgwyn,  N.  M.,  March  14,  1859;  Denver,  Colo.,  February  26,  1885; 
Rathdrum,  Idaho,  March  24,  1906,  and  March  7,  1908;  Columbia  Falls,  Mont., 
April  4,  1894,  and  x\pril  5,  1897 ;  Carson  City,  Nev.,  March  21,  1868,  and  March 
27,  1900;  Fort  Klamath,  Ore.,  April  i,  1887;  Anthony,  Ore.,  April  i,  1906; 
Pullman,  Wash.,  March  31,  1910;  Cheney,  Wash.,  April  8,  1905;  Okanagan 
Landing,  B.  C,  March  8,  1906,  and  March  13,  1910. 

Migrants  have  been  seen  at  Camp  Burgwyn,  N.  M.,  as  late  as  May  24, 
1858;  Fort  Lyon,  Colo.,  May  28,  1886;  Fort  Whipple,  Ariz.,  May  12,  1865; 
Fort  Verde,  Ariz.,  May  10,  1888;  Huachuca  Mountains,  Ariz.,  May  11,  1903; 
and  Los  Angeles,  Calif.,  April  26,  1901. 

HOUSE   FINCH 

The  House  Finch,  or  'Linnet,'  as  it  is  best  known  in  California,  is  a  non- 
migratory  species  of  the  western  United  States,  ranging  north  to  Oregon, 
Idaho,  and  Wyoming,  and  south  to  Mexico;  it  is  abundant  east  to  the 
eastern  foothills  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  less  common  to  western  Kansas 
and  middle  Texas.  It  has  been  separated  into  several  subspecies,  and  the 
above  is  the  range  of  the  most  common  form  frontalis.  The  San  Lucas  House 
Finch,  ruberrimus,  occupies  the  southern  half  of  Lower  California,  while  the 
San  Clemente  House  Finch,  dementis,  occupies  the  islands  off  the  coasts  of 
southern  California  and  northern  Lower  California. 

Two  other  species  of  House  Finch  occur  in  Lower  California.  The  Guada- 
lupe House  Finch  lives  on  the  island  from  which  it  derives  its  name,  and 
McGregor's  House  Finch  occurs  on  San  Benito  Island.  All  these  species  and 
subspecies  of  the  House  Finch  are  non-migratory. 


Notes  on  the  Plumage  of   North  American   Sparrows 

TW^ENTY-SIXTH   PAPER 
By  FRANK  M.   CHAPMAN 

(See  Frontispiece 

Cassin's  Purple  Finch  {Carpodacus  cassini,  Figs,  i  and  2).  This  western 
species  resembles  the  Purple  Finch,  but  is  somewhat  larger  and  has  the  bill 
slightly  longer  and  more  regularly  conical — that  is,  less  bulbous  at  the  base. 
In  color,  the  male  is  paler  than  the  male  of  the  Purple  Finch,  particularly  on 
the  underparts,  the  back  is  more  broadly  and  heavily  streaked,  and  the  red 
of  the  crown  appears  as  a  more  or  less  well  defined  cap.  Between  the  females 
of  the  two  species  the  differences  in  plumage  are  less  apparent,  but  in  Cassin's 
the  streaks  on  the  underparts  are  darker  and  much  more  distinct. 

The  plumage  changes  of  Cassin's  Finch  appear  to  be  the  same  as  those  of 
the  Purple  Finch.  That  is,  the  juvenal  or  nestling  plumage  resembles  in  pat- 
tern and  color  the  succeeding  or  first  winter  plumage,  in  which  the  male 
cannot  be  surely  distinguished  from  the  female. 

This  plumage  is  worn  during  the  first  breeding  season,  at  the  end  of  which 
it  is  lost  by  post-nuptial  molt,  and  the  pink  plumage  of  maturity  is  acquired. 

There  is  no  spring  molt,  and  the  differences  in  the  appearance  of  summer 
and  winter  birds  are  due  to  wear  which  makes  females  and  young  males  look 
more  sharply  streaked,  while  adult  males,  as  was  explained  under  the  Purple 
Finch  in  Bird-Lore  for  February,  seem  brighter. 

House  Finch  {Carpodacus  mexicanus  frontalis,  Figs.  5  and  6).  The  House 
Finch,  or  'Linnet,'  is  one  of  the  commonest  birds  of  the  western  United  States, 
and  lives  even  in  large  cities,  where,  in  places,  it  is  as  familiai.-  as  the  House 
Sparrow.  Its  differences  from  the  Purple  Finch  are  clearly  shown  by  Mr. 
Fuertes'  plates,  and  need  not  be  dwelt  on  here.  The  plumage  changes  appear 
to  be  the  same  as  those  of  the  Purple  Finch,  but  the  differences  between 
summer  and  winter  plumage  are  more  pronounced  than  in  that  species,  the  red 
areas  in  the  adult  male  being  much  deeper  and  brighter  in  summer  than  in 
winter. 

This  member  of  the  genus  Carpodacus  is  responsive  to  the  influences  of  its 
environment,  and  hence  shows  more  or  less  geographic  variation  which  has 
resulted  in  the  recognition  of  several  geographic  races  or  subspecies.  Three  of 
these  are  confined  to  Mexico,  and  five  are  found  within  the  limits  covered  by 
the  'Check-List'  of  the  American  Ornithologists'  Union.  They  are  (i)  the 
House  Finch  of  the  western  United  States,  mentioned  above,  and  figured  in 
the  frontispiece;  (2)  the  San  Lucas  House  Finch  {Carpodacus  mexicanus  ruber- 
rimus),  of  Lower  California;  (3)  the  San  Clemente  House  Finch  {Carpodacus 
mexicanus  dementis),  of  certain  islands  off  the  coast  of  California  from  Santa 
Barbara  southward;  (4)  Guadalupe  House  {Carpodacus  amplus.  Figs,  2  and  3), 
of  Guadalupe  Island;  and  (5)  McGregor's  House  Finch,  of  San  Benito  Island. 

(107) 


Bird-Lore's  Advisory  Council 

WITH  some  slight  alterations,  we  reprint  below  the  names  and 
addresses  of  the  ornithologists  forming  Bird-Lore's  'Advi- 
ory  Council,'  which  were  first  published  in  Bird-Lore  for 
February,  1900. 

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

The  success  of  the  plan  during  the  fourteen  years  that  it  has  been  in  opera- 
tion fully  equals  our  expectations;  and  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  experience. 

It  is  requested  that  all  letters  of  inquiry  to  members  of  the  Council  be 
accompanied  by  a  stamped  and  addressed  envelope  for  use  in  replying. 

NAMES    AND    ADDRESSES    OF    MEMBERS    OF   THE  ADVISORY   COUNCIL 

UNITED  STATES  AND  TERRITORIES 

Alaska. — Dr.  C.  Hart  Merriam,  Biological  Survey,  Dept.  of  Agr.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

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

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

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

Colorado. — Dr.  W.  H.  Bergtold,  1460  Clayton  Ave.,  Denver,  Colo. 

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

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

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

Florida. — Frank  M.  Chapman,  American  Museum  Natural  History,  New  York  City. 

Florida,  Western. — R.  W.  Williams,  Jr.,  Talahassee,  Fla. 

Georgia. — Dr.  Eugene  Murphy,  Augusta,  Ga. 

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

Illinois,  Southern. — Robert  Ridgway,  U.  S.  National  Museum,  Washington,  D.  C. 

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

Indian  Territory. — Prof.  W.  W.  Cooke,  Biological  Survey,  Washington,  D.  C. 

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

Kansas. — University  of  Kansas,  Lawrence,  Kan. 

Louisiana. — Prof.  George  E.  Beyer,  Tulane  University,  New  Orleans,  La. 

Maine. — A.  H.  Norton,  Society  of  Natural  History,  Portland,  Me. 

Massachusetts. — William  Brewster,  Cambridge,  Mass. 

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

Minnesota. — Dr.  T.  S.  Roberts,  1603  Fourth  Avenue  South,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 

Mississippi. — Andrew  Allison,  EUisville,  Miss. 

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

Montana.^ — Prof.  J.  M.  Elrod,  University  of  Montana,  Missoula,  Mont. 

(108) 


Bird-Lore's  Advisory  Council  109 

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

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

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

New  Jersey,  Northern- — Frank  M.  Chapman,  Am.  Mus.   Nat.  History,  N.  Y.  City. 

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

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

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

New  York,  Northern. — Egbert  Bagg,  191  Genesee  Street,  Utica,  N.  Y. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rhode  Island. — H.  S.  Hathaway,  Box  1466,  Providence,  R.  I. 

South  CAROLiNA.^Dr.  P.  M.  Rea,  Charleston  Museum,  Charleston,  S.  C. 

Texas. — H.  P.  Attwater,  Houston,  Tex. 

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

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

Virginia. — Dr.  W.  C.  Rives.  1723  I  Street,  Washington,  D.  C. 

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

West  Virginia. — Dr.  W.  C.  Rives,  1723  I  Street,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Wisconsin. — H.  L.  Ward,  Public  Museum,  Milwaukee,  Wis. 

CANADA 

Alberta. — G.  F.  Dippie,  Calgary,  Mta.. 

British  Columbia,  Western. — Francis  Kermode,  Provincial  Museum,  Victoria,  B.  C. 

British  Columbia,  Eastern. — Allan  Brooks,  Okanagan  Landing,  B.  C. 

Manitoba. — Ernest  Thompson  Seton,  Greenwich,  Conn. 

Nova  Scotia. — Harry  Piers,  Provincial  Museum,  Halifax,  N.  S. 

Ontario,  Eastern. — James  H.  Fleming,  267  Rusholme  Road,  Toronto,  Ont. 

Ontario,  Western. — W.  E.  Saunders,  London,  Ont. 

Quebec. — E.  D.  Wintle,  189  St.  James  Street,  Montreal,  Canada. 

MEXICO 
E.  W.  Nelson,  Biological  Survey,  Department  of  Agriculture,  Washington,  D.  C. 

WEST  INDIES 
C.  B.  Cory,  Field  Museum,  Chicago,  111. 

GREAT  BRITAIN 

Clinton  G.  Abbott,  153  West  73d  St.,  New  York  City,  N.  Y. 


^ote0  from  JTtelfi  anti  ^tufip 


Red  Bird  Days 

For  some  three  years,  six  congenial 
friends — all  lovers  of  God's  great  big  out- 
of-doors — have  spent  some  hours  each 
week  in  field  and  wood,  at  delightful 
study  and  observation  of  bird-life  in  and 
about  our  beautiful  little  city  of  Fair- 
mont, located  near  the  Iowa  line,  in  south- 
central  Minnesota.  Our  lakes  are  nu- 
erous,  and  many  of  them  are  lined  with 
native  groves  of  oak,  elm,  basswood, 
hackberry,  ash,  poplar,  black  walnut, 
and  a  few  red  cedar  trees.  The  under- 
brush consists,  for  the  most  part,  of  wild 
gooseberry,  hazel,  sumac,  elderberry, 
thorn-apple,  and  a  few  wild  currant  bushes 
and  plum  trees.  With  water,  woods,  and 
prairie  so  closely  associated,  and  all  so 
generously  distributed  throughout  the 
county,  birds  of  all  the  three  groups, 
water,  woods,  and  prairie,  find  condi- 
tions favorable  for  domestic  activities. 
This  brings  "to  our  very  door"  all  the 
species  naturally  found  in  this  latitude, 
and  also  occasionally  a  stranger  from  dis- 
tant parts,  far  removed  from  home  and 
kin. 

While  the  male  members  of  the  sextette 
were  out  for  a  Christmas  Census,  a  few 
days  after  December  25,  one  of  them.  Dr. 
T.  P.  Hagerty,  observed  a  flutter  of  red 
in  some  willows  ten  rods  ahead  of  us. 
The  doctor  became  excited  at  the  sight 
of  the  unusual  bird  and  gave  vent  to  a 
series  of  wild  yells.  His  companions, 
somewhat  shocked  at  the  doctor's  antics, 
remarked  that  "seeing  red"  was  common 
experience  with  some  folk,  but  for  a  man 
of  his  habits  was  rather  strange.  They 
spoke  to  him  soothingly  and  cautioned 
him  against  the  dangers  of  apoplexy 
from  such  uncontrolled  excitement. 

All  three  advanced  a  few  steps  when, 
suddenly,  another  series  of  yells  broke 
upon  the  stillness  of  the  quiet  afternoon. 
This  time  it  was  Dr.  Luedtke,  who  "saw 
red"  with  the  above  consequences.  Mr. 
Sprague,  who  was  on  the  other  side  of 

(i 


the  hedge,  saw  the  form  of  the  disappear- 
ing bird,  but  could  not  see  the  color,  so 
his  mental  poise  remained  unchallenged. 
All  sorts  of  derogatory  accusations  and 
charges  were  hurled  at  the  two  doctors. 
The  very  next  week  the  three  visited  the 
same  spot,  and  this  time  John  Sprague 
also  "saw  red,"  and  yelled  as  the  others 
had  done.  The  word  "yell"  may  not  be 
the  best  or  most  elegant  English,  but  it  is 
the  only  word  that  expresses  what 
actually  took  place. 

On  our  way  home  from  our  "Census" 
walk,  we  deliberated  at  length  as  to  what 
the  bird  we  saw  might  be,  and  finally 
concluded  to  report  him  as  an  American 
Crossbill;  although  we  were  not  satisfied 
with  that  classification,  for  he  seemed  too 
large  and  altogether  too  brilliant  and  too 
wild.  The  next  week,  about  the  middle 
of  January,  19 14,  Dr.  Hagerty  and  John 
Sprague  saw  our  new  friend  again,  and 
this  time  discovered  a  distinct  crest  on 
his  head.  He  was  too  far  away  to  note 
other  markings  distinctly.  The  two 
declared  it  to  be  a  Cardinal.  The  boys 
were  somewhat  piqued  because  the  rest 
of  the  "family"  did  not  accept  their 
diagnosis  as  final  and  without  question, 
but  they  hid  their  feelings,  expecting  that 
time  would  vindicate  their  position.  A 
few  days  later,  Dr.  Luedtke  received  a 
telephone  call  from  Mrs.  John  Lowe,  who 
lives  in  the  bit  of  wood  where  the  red 
bird  had  been  seen.  She  too  had  "seen 
red,"  and  the  echo  of  the  characteristic 
yells  were  still  sufiiciently  strong  to  be 
detected  by  the  doctor's  listening  ears, 
so  that  he  knew  what  had  happened.  In 
a  rather  excited  tone  Mrs.  Lowe  told  of 
seeing  "the  most  wonderful  bird"  right 
near  her  house,  from  one  of  the  upstairs' 
windows.  It  was  fiery  red  all  over,  and 
had  a  crest  and  a  black  throat,  and  she 
wished  to  know  what  it  was.  That  prac- 
tically settled  the  identity,  but,  being  of  a 
conservative  nature,  we  some  of  us  post- 
poned positive  opinion  until  the  bird 
was  actually  observed  by  our  own  eyes. 


10) 


Notes   from   Field   and   Study 


The  next  time,  Mrs.  Luedtke  accom- 
panied the  trio  of  male  members  to  the 
red  bird's  haunts.  It  was  a  beautiful 
afternoon  during  the  latter  part  of  Janu- 
ary. The  ground  was  covered  with  four 
inches  of  new,  white  snow.  The  air  was 
still,  fresh  and  warm,  with  the  sun  shi- 
ning most  of  the  time.  We  were  separated 
some  sixty  rods  at  the  extreme,  strain- 
ing every  nerve  to  locate  the  object  of 
our  tramp.  At  last!  The  very  thing  we 
hoped  and  wished  for  happened.  A  series 
of  yells  from  Mrs.  Luedtke  told  more 
graphically  than  word,  pen,  or  picture, 
to  the  three  of  us  with  experience  (although 
we  were  many  rods  away),  that  the  red 
bird  had  been  sighted.  We  are  not  sure 
whether  it  was  the  presence  of  the  lady 
or  the  increased  confidence  in  us  because 
of  former  visits,  but  this  day  the  red 
bird  let  us  all  come  to  within  four  rods 
of  him.  With  our  glasses  all  focused  upon 
him  simultaneously,  we  looked  and 
looked  to  our  heart's  content,  at  the  bril- 
liant plumage,  the  strong  pink  bill,  the 
fiery,  tall  crest,  and  the  black  throat  and 
black  circle  about  the  bill.  The  aristo- 
cratic Cardinal!  A  few  times  he  deigned 
to  talk  to  us  in  sweet,  low  monosyl- 
lables. Of  course,  we  did  not  expect 
him  to  sing  at  this  season,  but  hope  to 
hear  him  next  May.  We  have  looked  for 
his  mate,  but  so  far  have  seen  nothing 
of  her. 

Mrs.  Hagerty  and  Mrs.  Sprague  have 
been  with  us  a  number  of  times,  but  each 
time  we  were  unable  to  find  the  red  bird. 
They  enjoy  talking  to  us  about  hallucina- 
tions and  delusions  and  all  sorts  of  mental 
disturbances, — even  "brain  storms."  We 
listen  serenely,  and  patiently  await  their 
turn  at  vocal  demonstrations. 

Just  how  or  why  the  Cardinal  came  to 
southern  Minnesota  to  spend  the  winter  is 
a  mystery  to  us.  Why  he  should  locate 
where  he  did,  after  once  here,  is  not  so 
hard  to  explain.  A  field  of  unhusked 
sweet  corn,  adjoining  the  heaviest  wooded 
strip  of  land  on  the  east  shore  of  Hall  and 
Budd  Lakes,  is  reason  enough.  In  the 
woods  are  many  planted  cedars  and  ever- 
greens of  various  kinds.    This  makes  as 


good  a  shelter  as  can  well  be  provided  by 
nature  in  this  climate. 

Our  January  was  a  very  mild  one,  but 
last  week  one  night  the  mercury  went  to 
1 8  degrees  below  zero,  and  we  were  greatly 
concerned  about  our  Cardinal.  Much  to 
our  joy,  we  found  him  last  Sunday  after- 
noon, February  7,  in  one  of  the  densest 
cedars,  very  much  alive  and  seemingly 
very  contented. — Dr.  and  Mrs.  T.  P. 
H.^GERTY,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  H.  Sprague, 
and  Dr.  and  Mrs.  G.  H.  Luedtke, 
February  11,  1914,  Fairmont,  Minne- 
sota. 

Bird  Notes  from  Kennett  Square,  Pa. 

Having  been  a  regular  subscriber  to 
Bird-Lore  since  1907,  and  having  enjoyed 
reading  the  contributions  from  various 
subscribers,  I  think  it  is  my  duty  to  con- 
tribute a  few  notes  and  observations 
from  this  section  of  Chester  County,  Pa. 

(i)  The  first  Starlings  observed  in  the 
vicinity  of  Kennett  Square,  in  south- 
eastern Chester  County,  were  observed 
by  me  on  the  afternoon  of  March  8,  1913. 
Two  of  them  were  on  the  steeple  of  a 
church,  and  were  identified  and  closely 
observed  through  bird-glasses,  ^though 
they  were  about  seventy-five  feet  from 
the  ground,  their  notes  could  be  heard 
plainly,  and  consisted  of  various  short 
medleys  resembling  the  song  of  the  Yel- 
low-breasted Chat.  While  the  birds  were 
under  my  observation,  I  heard  one  utter 
a  short  collection  of  notes  which  sounded 
exactly  like  the  notes  of  a  Guinea-hen. 
Another  song  sounded  like  that  of  a  Red- 
winged  Blackbird,  and,  from  what  I 
could  hear  of  its  various  songs,  I  concluded 
that  the  Starling  is  a  mimic,  like  the 
Mockingbird  and  Chat.  The  Starlings 
are  now  regular  inhabitants  of  the  steeple, 
although  I  have  not  seen  them  elsewhere. 

(2)  On  December  11,  1913,  I  was  given 
an  Acadian  or  Saw-whet  Owl,  which  had 
been  taken  from  a  cat  that  had  killed  it 
that  day.  As  this  Owl  is  a  rather  rare 
visitor  to  this  section,  this  note  may  be 
interesting  to  any  reader  of  Bird-Lore 
who  lives  in  this  part  of  Chester  County. 


112 


Bird  -  Lore 


(3)  For  several  years  a  partially  albino 
Robin  has  nested  near  the  public  school 
in  this  town.  The  wings  and  head  of  this 
bird  are  gray,  sprinkled  with  white,  and 
the  tail  is  black,  or  dark  gray.  The  breast 
and  back  and  other  parts  are  pure  white. 
As  it  nests  in  the  same  tree  every  year,  it 
furnishes  some  proof  that  birds  return 
to  the  same  place  to  nest  every  year.  I 
have  observed  this  bird  and  its  nest  closely, 
and  find  that  not  one  of  the  young  inherits 
the  albinistic  character  of  its  parent. 
I  think  the  bird  is  a  female. 

(4)  On  January  11  of  the  present  year 
I  was  watching  a  White-breasted  Nut- 
hatch eating  suet  which  I  had  placed  on  a 
maple  tree  in  our  yard.  He  seemed  to  be 
enjoying  himself,  when  suddenly  two 
Sparrows  flew  to  the  suet  and  began  to 
eat.  The  Nuthatch  immediately  left  the 
suet  and  flew  to  the  ground,  where  it 
hopped  around  for  nearly  five  minutes 
and  kept  picking  at  seeds  in  the  grass. 
While  on  the  ground  it  hopped  like  a 
Sparrow.  As  a  Nuthatch  alighting  on 
the  ground  was  a  new  occurrence  to  me, 
I  observed  its  actions  closely.  Is  this 
habit  of  ground-feeding  a  rare  habit,  or 
just  something  which  I  have  overlooked? 
— C.  Aubrey  Thomas,  Kenneit  Square, 
Chester  County,  Pennsylvania. 

Notes  from  Ohio 

The  following  records  on  the  rarer 
birds  noted  during  the  year  of  1913,  may 
be  of  interest  to  Ohio  readers: 

1.  HolbcBll's  Grebe.   Jan.  30  and  May  11. 

2.  Baird's  Sandpiper.  April  25,  July 
27,  until  late  Sept.  in  small  numbers. 

3.  Black-bellied  Plover.  Two,  Aug.  24 
on  tract  of  Lake  Erie. 

4.  Turnstone.  One,  Sept.  14.  Beach  of 
Lake  Erie.    Allowed  a  close  approach. 

5.  Barn  Owl.  A  specimen  was  found 
dead  in  the  woods  this  winter.  It  has 
been  mounted  by  a  local  collector. 

6.  Evening  Grosbeak.  A  single  bird  the 
morning  of  Jan.  6,  1914. 

7.  Bachman's  Sparrow.  Sept.  22.  First 
observed  in  Sept.,  1909,  and  have  seen 
them  in  same  locality  each  year  since. 


8.  Prolhonotary  Warbler.    One,  May  4. 

9.  Sycamore  Warbler.    One,  May  18. 

— E.  A.  DooLiTTLE,  Painesville,  Lake 
County,  Ohio. 

Notes  on  the  Black-crowned  Night 

Heron  and  Other  Birds  at 

Orient,  L.   L 

On  Gid's  Island,  a  low,  isolated  patch 
of  mixed  woods,  entirely  surrounded  by 
broad  salt  marshes  and  protected  from 
common  trespassing  by  wide,  muddy 
drains,  a  new  Black-crowned  Night 
Heron  heronry  has  become  established. 

There  are  no  records  of  these  Herons 
ever  nesting  at  Orient  prior  to  191 2, 
although  they  are  common  non-breeding 
summer  residents  about  our  marshes  and 
shores,  where  they  come  daily  and  nightly 
to  feed  from  the  great  rookery  at 
Gardiner's  Island,  ten  miles  distant. 

This  station  at  Orient  was  visited  in 
191 1,  and  no  nesting  was  in  evidence.  In 
1912  it  was  not  examined.  June  1913,  I 
again  visited  the  locality,  and  discovered 
a  colony  of  nine  pairs. 

In  addition  to  the  nine  occupied  nests 
there  were  three  nests  not  in  use  that 
season  that  had  been  constructed  the 
previous  year. 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  heronry  was 
originally  started  in  191 2  with  at  least 
three  nests,  and  increased  the  second 
season  to  nine. 

Cedar  trees  appeared  to  be  a  favorite 
building-site,  as  these  were  selected  for 
each  nest. 

The  young  at  that  time  (June  22)  were 
ranging  from  just  hatched  to  nearly  full- 
grown,  and  were  fed  on  algae,  identified 
as  Agardhiella  gracilaria  and  similar 
forms,  which  abound  in  the  shallow  water 
near  at  hand. 

In  addition  to  the  Night  Heron's, 
the  small  collection  of  trees  contained  in 
breeding  species  four  pairs  of  Green 
Herons,  five  pairs  of  Ospreys,  one  each 
of  Catbird,  Red-eyed  Vireo,  Yellow  Warb- 
ler, Kingbird,  Spotted  Sandpiper,  and 
Chickadee.  The  encircling  salt  meadows 
were   inhabited   by   hundreds   of   Sharp- 


Notes   from  Field  and  Study 


113 


tailed  Sparrows  and  numerous  Meadow- 
larks.  In  piles  along  the  channel,  at  the 
edge  of  the  bay,  Tree  Swallows  were 
nesting  in  company  with  Flickers  and 
Starlings.  Here  the  Fish  Hawks  erected 
their  nests  right  on  the  fishing-grounds, 
where  their  offspring  lie  on  the  floor  of 
their  home  staring  at  the  blackfish, 
cunners,  and  snappers,  swimming  in  the 
clear  water  below. 

In  the  vicinity  of  the  interesting  Island 
a  pair  of  Clapper  Rails  were  nesting. 
Although  common  in  the  western  sec- 
tions of  Long  Island,  they  are  extremely 
rare  toward  the  eastern  end,  and  this  is 
the  first  record  of  their  breeding  near 
Orient. — Roy  Latham,  Orient,  L.  I. 

A  Problem  in  Food-Supply  and 
Distribution 

During  the  winter  of  191 2-13,  the 
spruces  of  Nova  Scotia  bore  an  abundant 
crop  of  cones,  well  filled  with  seed.  As  a 
consequence.  Red-breasted  Nuthatches 
were  very  common  throughout  the  pro- 
vince during  the  winter,  an  unusual  con- 
dition. Crossbills  were  likewise  abundant, 
occurring  often  in  large  flocks,  some  of 
which  must  have  contained  as  many  as  five 
or  six  hundred  individuals.  This  winter, 
I  have  but  once  seen  Red-breasted  Nut- 
hatches, a  pair  being  observed  on  Jan- 
uary 24,  and  Crossbills  are  also  com- 
paratively very  scarce.  This  condition 
prevails  throughout  Nova  Scotia,  and, 
when  we  examine  the  conifers,  we  find,  as 
we  should  expect,  that  the  crop  of  seed 
is  very  light.  So  far  all  is  plain  enough.  I 
had  supposed  that  the  majority  of  the 
above  species,  depending  largely  on  the 
seeds  of  coniferous  trees  for  food,  had 
migrated  southward  during  the  autumn, 
and  were  now  in  the  New  England  and 
Middle  Atlantic  states.  On  looking  over 
the  results  of  the  last  Christmas  bird 
census,  as  published  in  Bird-Lore  for 
February  of  this  year,  I  find,  however, 
that  this  supposition  is  apparently  only 
very  partially  correct.  In  North  America 
east  of  the  Alleghanies,  Crossbills  and 
Red-breasted    Nuthatches    are     reported 


practically  from  the  State  of  Massachu- 
setts alone,  and  from  the  rest  of  the  coun- 
try the  reports  of  them  are  very  few  and 
far  between.  Presumably  the  conifers  of 
Massachusetts  bore  a  good  crop  of  seed 
this  winter.  But  are  the  great  majority  of 
the  Crossbills  and  Red-breasted  Nut- 
hatches of  eastern  North  America  crowded 
within  the  confines  of  Massachusetts? 
If  so,  we  should  expect  to  find  them  in 
large  numbers  in  the  reports  from  that 
state.  To  a  slight  extent  this  is  so,  for 
Mr.  Lester  E.  Pratt  reports  from  East 
Carver,  Mass.,  fifty  Red-breasted  Nut- 
hatches, an  unusual  number  to  be  observed 
in  three  hours.  But  this  species  is  men- 
tioned in  only  one  other  report  from  the 
state,  and  the  numbers  of  Crossbills 
reported  are  not  at  all  phenomenal. 
Where,  then,  are  the  great  majority  of 
these  three  species?  They  are  not  here, 
in  their  breeding-range;  they  are  not  in 
their  customary  winter  range  to  the  south- 
ward. It  would  seem  that  either  they 
have  perished  from  some  cause,  probably 
lack  of  food,  or  else  they  have  migrated, 
in  search  of  food,  to  some  region  from 
which  no  reports  were  received.  The 
only  considerable  territory  in  North 
America  north  of  Mexico  to  come  under 
this  head  is  that  covered  by  the  great 
forests  of  northern  Canada,  and  it  is  to  be 
regretted  that  no  census  was  sent  from 
this  extensive  area.  It  would  be  most 
interesting  to  know  that  these  species, 
or  a  large  part  of  them,  had  migrated 
northward  at  the  approach  of  winter 
because  they  found  thus  a  more  favorable 
food-supply.    However,  that  is  theory. 

I  hope  that  some  readers  of  Bird-Lore 
may  be  able  to  throw  light  on  this  ques- 
tion.— Harrison  F.  Lewis,  Antigonish, 
N.  S. 

Evening  Grosbeaks  and  Other  Winter 
Birds  at  Hartford,   Conn. 

On  Saturday  afternoon,  February  21, 
following  our  customary  habit  on  a  half- 
holiday,  and  nothwithstanding  the  nearly 
three  feet  of  snow  on  the  level,  we  decided 
to  see  what  could  be  found  in  the  way  of 


114 


Bird  -  Lore 


bird  life.  Providing  ourselves  with  a 
liberal  supply  of  several  kinds  of  bird- 
food,  we  went  to  what  is  called  Reservoir 
Park,  although  not  a  park  at  all,  but 
simply  the  watershed  for  the  city  reser- 
voirs therein  located.  Wading  through 
the  snow  well  above  our  knees  at  every 
step,  and  avoiding  drifts  that  were  six 
or  eight  feet  deep,  we  had  not  gone  more 
than  an  eighth  of  a  mile  from  the  car- 
line  before  we  heard  what  can  best  be 
described  as  the  sound  produced  at  a  dis- 
tance by  striking  a  telegraph  wire  several 
rapid  blows  with  another  piece  of  wire, — 
a  sort  of  rapid  and  metallic  chit,  chit, 
After  listening,  to  get  the  direction,  we 
soon  discovered  in  a  clump  of  white  birches 
a  flock  of  fourteen  Redpolls.  Practically 
every  bird  showed  the  bright  poll  and  an 
an  abundance  of  the  red  wash  on  the 
breast.  They  all  seemed  to  be  in  unusually 
fine  plumage;  but,  as  the  day  was  perfectly 
clear  and  all  underfoot  an  unbroken 
expanse  of  white,  their  colors  were  per- 
haps given  a  more  conspicuous  bril- 
liance than  usual.  Later  in  the  day  we 
saw  another  flock  somewhat  larger  than 
the  first;  but  as  it  was  nearly  at  the  close 
of  day,  the  observation  was  not  so  pleas- 
ing as  the  first  one. 

We  then  half-waded  and  half-crawled 
through  the  deep  snow  among  some  small 
white-pine  growth,  and  were  well  repaid 
for  our  efforts  by  soon  finding  a  flock  of 
sixteen  excellent  specimens  of  the  Pine 
Grosbeak  family.  The  birds  were  feed- 
ing on  the  seeds  of  the  pines  and  sumachs, 
not  more  than  ten  feet  from  the  ground, 
and  were  very  fearless;  so  we  had  an  excel- 
lent opportunity  to  see  them  at  our 
leisure.  There  were  several  males  in  the 
full  rosy  plumage  of  this  beautiful  bird 
of  the  North,  and  occasionally  one  of  the 
birds  would  give  voice  to  a  little  ripple  of 
a  song,  just  as  though  he  were  trying  to 
tell  the  rest  of  the  crowd  something  in 
an  undertone. 

On  Monday,  February  23  (Washing- 
ington's  Birthday),  we  again  took  to  the 
woods  and  fields  to  try  our  luck.  After 
considerable  search  in  one  of  the  large 
outlying  parks,  and  finding  several  of  the 


more  common  species  of  birds,  we  were 
fortunate  enough  to  happen  upon  a  flock 
of  eight  Evening  Grosbeaks.  This  spe- 
cies was  first  reported  by  me  on  the  first 
day  of  January,  and  the  birds  have  been 
seen  in  varying  numbers  by  many  of  the 
members  of  our  club  up  to  about  a  month 
ago,  when  they  disappeared.  However, 
on  Lincoln's  Day,  with  the  thermometer 
at  eight  above  zero,  I  discovered  eleven 
nearly  a  mile  from  where  they  were  seen 
today.  They  are  evidently  of  the  same 
flock  seen  New  Year's  Day,  having  one 
very  brilliant  male,  although  all  of  the 
birds  today  were  very  much  brighter- 
plumaged  than  when  first  reported  several 
weeks  ago. 

We  then  took  a  car  about  five  miles, 
to  get  in  the  same  trip,  if  possible,  the 
Pine  Grosbeak  seen  on  the  previous  Satur- 
day, and  were  successful  in  finding  the 
flock  of  sixteen,  together  with  a  flock  of 
some  fifteen  Redpolls.  We  have  thir- 
teen species  for  the  day,  which  averaged 
about  fifteen  degrees  above  zero,  with 
snow,  as  above  stated.  Has  anyone  else 
seen  the  Redpolls  and  the  Pine  and  Even- 
ing Grosbeaks  in  the  same  trip  in  central 
or  southern  Connecticut? 

I  have  also  seen  within  the  past  month 
at  least  a  half-dozen  Northern  Shrike. 
They  are  reported  as  being  more  than 
usually  abundant  in  this  section  this 
winter. — Geo.  T.  Griswold,  24  Imlay 
Street,  Hartford,  Conn. 

Wild  Fowl  at  Sandusky  Bay    in  1756 

In  the  November-December,  1913, 
issue  of  Bird-Lore,  there  is  a  very  inter- 
esting article  by  E.  L.  Moseley  entitled 
'Gull  Pensioners.'  It  describes  the 
feeding  of  thousands  of  Herring  Gulls  by 
the  foreman  of  the  fish  companies  at 
Sandusky  during  the  unusually  severe 
winter  of  191 2,  and  is  illustrated  with 
photographs  taken  by  Ernest  Niebergall, 
of  that  city. 

At  the  time  when  Professor  Moseley's 
article  appeared,  I  was  making  a  study 
of  the  itinerary  of  Col.  James  Smith,  who 
visited  Sandusky  Bay  during  the  autumn 


Notes   from   Field  and   Study 


"5 


of  1756,  while  a  captive  among  the 
Indians,  and  was  surprised  to  learn  that 
Sandusky  Bay,  or  lake,  as  it  was  then 
called,  was  a  great  resort  for  Geese, 
Swans,  Ducks,  and  Gulls,  even  in  those 
early  times.  In  an  account  of  his  travels 
published  by  Smith  after  his  escape  from 
captivity,  he  speaks  of  the  abundance  of 
aquatic  birds  at  "Sunyendeand,"  an 
Indian  town  near  the  "little  lake" — • 
Sandusky  Bay. 

He  says,  "Sunj^endeand  is  a  remarkable 
place  for  fish,  in  the  spring,  and  for  fowl, 
both  in  the  fall  and  spring.  At  this  sea- 
son, the  Indian  hunters  all  turned  out 
to  fowling,  and  in  this  could  scarce  miss 
of  success."  He  says  that  the  wild- 
fowl here  feed  upon  a  kind  of  wild  rice 
that  grows  spontaneously  in  the  shallow 
water,  or  wet  places  along  the  sides  or  in 
the  corners  of  the  lakes;  and  that  the 
Geese,  Ducks,  Swans,  etc.,  being  grain-fed, 
were  remarkably  fat,  especially  the 
Green-necked  Ducks. 

Smith  also  speaks  of  the  migration  of 
Wild  Geese.  He  says  that  "the  Indians 
imagined  the  Geese  as  holding  a  great 
council  concerning  the  weather,  in  order 
to  conclude  upon  a  day,  that  they  might 
all,  at  or  near  one  time,  leave  the  northern 
lakes,  and  wing  their  way  to  the  southern 
bays.  The  Indians  believed  that  at  the 
appointed  time  messengers  were  sent  off 
to  let  the  different  flocks  know  the  result 
of  this  council  that  they  might  all  be 
ready  to  move  at  the  appointed  time." 
Smith  observes  that,  as  there  is  a  great 
commotion  among  the  Geese  at  this  time, 
it  would  appear  by  their  actions  that  such 
a  Council  had  been  held.  "Certain  it  is," 
says  he,  "that  they  are  led  by  instinct  to 
act  in  concert,  and  to  move  off  regularly 
after  their  leaders." — Milo  H.  Miller, 
Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

An  Unsuspicious  Family  of  Great 
Horned  Owls 

On  September  17,  191 2,  a  family  of 
Great  Horned  Owls  was  found  near  Iron- 
side, Malheur  Co.,  Oregon,  which  was 
tame    enough    to    allow    splendid    oppor- 


tunities for  photography  had  I  been  able 
to  avail  myself  of  them.  Under  the  cir- 
cumstances, however,  only  three  expo- 
sures were  made.  * 
I  had  driven  several  miles  up  Willow 
Creek  to  get  data  on  a  large  beaver-dam, 
and,  while  skirting  the  edges  of  the  pond, 


I  flushed  a  Great  Horned  Owl  from  a 
thicket  of  alders.  He  flew  but  a  short 
distance  to  a  nearby  alder  and  lit  upon  an 
upper  limb.  It  was  about  one  o'clock 
P.M.  and  the  sunlight  was  rather  strong. 
He  sat  blinking  in  the  sunshine  and  seemed 
to  pay  but  little  attention  to  me  beneath. 
I  had  my  camera  with  me,  and  approached 


ii6 


Bird  -  Lore 


to  the  foot  of  the  tree,  where  I  made  two 
exposures;  then,  desiring  to  try  for  an 
exposure  on  the  wing,  I  focused  and  drew 
the  slide  of  the  Graflex.  At  first  my 
attempts  to  put  the  bird  to  flight,  with- 
out laying  down  the  camera  and  deliber- 
ately throwing  at  it,  were  unsuccessful. 
At  a  particularly  loud  demonstration  on 
my  part,  he  would  look  disapprovingly 
down  upon  me,  but  showed  little  inclina- 
tion to  leave  the  tree.  Finally,  after  con- 
siderable shouting,  he  took  to  wing,  and  a 
snap  was  taken  at  him  as  he  wheeled  out 
over  my  head.    He  lit  about  seventy-five 


feet  distant  in  a  similar  location,  but  he 
was  not  dislodged  from  this  position  until 
proceedings  were  resorted  to  which  left  no 
opportunity  for  photography. 

Two  others  were  found  in  the  same 
grove.  The  first  of  these  was  lost  around 
a  clump  of  trees,  but  the  second  was  seen 
before  he  was  flushed,  and  sat  so  close 
that  I  anticipated  a  very  near  approach. 
Light  conditions  necessitated  coming  up 
from  a  brushy  side,  and  just  before  I 
could  get  an  exposure,  at  a  distance  of 
approximately  ten  feet,  the  bird  took 
alarm  and  disappeared  on  noiseless  wing. 
As  my  time  was  very  limited,  I  could  not 
avail  myself  further  of  this  rather  unusual 
tameness    on    the    part    of    Bubo.      Still 


another  Owl  was  seen  later  in  the  after- 
noon, lower  down  the  creek,  and  he,  too, 
was  so  tame  that  I  came  up  to  within 
about  fifteen  feet;  but,  in  the  desire  to 
obtain  better  light  for  my  last  plate,  I 
overdid  it  and  frightened  the  bird. — H. 
E.  Anthony,  American  Museum  of 
Natural  History,  New  York  City. 

Pileated  Woodpecker  in  Northern 
New  Jersey 

While  at  Newfoundland,  N.  J.,  on 
October  i8,  1913,  I  saw  a  Pileated  Wood- 
pecker, which  was  of  much  interest  to  me, 
as  I  had  never  before  seen  one  in  this 
vicinity. 

As  I  can  find  no  mention  of  this 
species  having  been  seen  in  this  section  of 
the  country  for  some  years,  I  thought 
its  occurrence  might  be  of  interest  gen- 
erally. 

Three  years  ago,  while  in  Maine  dur- 
ing October,  I  saw  quite  a  number  of 
individuals  of  this  species,  and  had  a  good 
chance  to  observe  them. 

The  one  noted  at  Newfoundland,  N.  J., 
was  evidently  a  male,  and  was  for  some 
time  busily  engaged  on  a  dead  chestnut 
tree,  and  I  had  a  good  view  of  him  for 
several  minutes. — Edward  G.  Kent, 
5  Prospect  St.,  East  Orange,  N.  J. 

The  Diary  of  a  New  Purple  Martin 
Colony  for  the  Season  of  1913 

April    5.   Martin-box   put   up   about    5 

P.M. 

April  6.  English  Sparrows  inspect  and 
familiarize  themselves  with  bird-house. 

April  7.  One  pair*  of  Sparrows  take 
possession  and  begin  to  build  nest. 

April  II.  Box  lowered  to  ground  on 
hinged  pole  and  nest  with  one  egg  re- 
moved. 

April  13.  Sparrows  rebuilding  nest  in 
same  room  of  bird-house. 

April   14.  Nest  and  one  egg  removed. 

April  15.  The  pair  of  Sparrows  decide 

*A  second  pair  of  Sparrows  may  have  been  re- 
sponsible for  some  of  the  nests  and  eggs.  In  some 
instances,  the  entries  in  the  diary  were  made  a  day 
or  two  after  the  occurrence  in  question,  or  two  en- 
tries were  made  at  the  same  time. 


Notes   from   Field   and   Study 


117 


to  build  their  next  nest  in  another  room 
of  bird-house. 

April  16.  Nest  removed  (no  eggs).*t. 

April  19.  A  new  nest  and  one  egg 
removed  from  another  room.  The  work 
of  the  same  pair  of  persistent  Sparrows. 

April  23.    Nest  and  two  eggs  removed. 

April  25.  Nest  removed  from  attic 
room  of  bird-house. t 

May  2.  Nest  and  three  eggs  removed. 

May  6.    Nest  and  one  egg  removed. 

May  9.  Same  old  story  (another  nest 
and  egg). 

May  12.  The  original  pair  of  Sparrows 
fight  and  drive  off  a  second  pair  that 
attempt  to  build  in  box. 

May  13.  Nest  and  egg  removed. 

May  14.  Egg  found  in  box  in  a  mere 
shell  of  a  nest.  (Bird  evidently  hadn't 
time  to  build  much  of  a  nest.) 

May  16.  Nest  removed.*! 

May  20.  Large  nest  and  two  eggs 
removed. 

May  22.  Nest  removed.*! 

May  23.  Nest  and  one  egg  removed.  • 

May  25.  Nest  removed.*! 

May  27.  Flock  of  six  to  eight  Purple 
Martins  visit  box  in  p.m.  (This  news 
reported  by  next-door  neighbor.) 

May  28.  One  pair  of  immature  Martins 
stay  around  box  all  day.  At  7.25  a.m., 
before  leaving  for  work,  the  writer  saw 
his  first  Martin  on  bird-house. 

May  29.  Bird-house  lowered  in  the 
absence  of  pair  of  Martins  (about  5.30 
P.M.)  and  Sparrow's  nest  removed. 

First  week  of  June. — The  pair  of  Mar- 
tins commence  to  build  nest.  Both  birds 
assisting  in  carrying  nesting  materials, 
sticks,  grass,  leaves,  etc.  (The  box  cannot 
be  lowered  any  more,  but  fortunately  the 
Sparrows  seem  to  have  yielded  to  the 
Martins.) 

June  20.  An  energetic  immature  Mar- 
tin (making  three  regular  occupants  of 
box)  commences  to  build  a  nest  (its  mate 
not  seen).     Sex  of  bird  probably  female. 

June    23.   Colony    now    numbers    two 

*tVVhen  the  bird-house  was  lowered,  very  often 
the  eggs  would  roll  from  the  nests  and  out  of_the 
entrance.  Thus_sqme_of  the  eggs  may  have  been 
lost  in  the  grass  and  weeds,  although  most  of  them 
were  found  and  recorded. 


pairs.  (The  odd  bird  having  brought 
home  a  mate.)  Transients,  solitary 
Martins,  appear  from  time  to  time,  but 
seldom  spend  more  than  one  or  two 
nights  in  box.  Every  day  since  May  27, 
visiting  Martins  to  the  number  of  two  to 
twelve  come  daily  to  box.  and  fierce 
encounters  occur  between  the  regular 
occupants  and  visitors. 

July  29.  Both  pairs  of  Martins  desert 
their  nests,  but  visit  box  on  July  30  and 
31,  and  about  Aug.  i.  Martins  leave 
bird-house  for  the  last  time. 

Several  days  later  the  bird-house  was 
lowered,  and  one  nest  (of  pair  to  build 
first)  was  found  empty,  while  the  other 
contained  two  eggs,  which  were  addled. 
No  young  birds  had  been  seen,  although, 
from  their  actions,  the  first  pair  were 
feeding  young  birds  for  a  couple  of  days 
about  the  time  young  should  have  been 
hatched.  Possibly  the  young  were  killed 
by  the  pair  of  English  Sparrows,  which 
persisted  in  annoying  the  Martins  in 
many  ways. 

This  is  typical  of  the  early  experience 
of  persons  starting  colonies  of  House 
Martins,  and  shows  how  our  jolly  Swal- 
lows suffer  from  depredations  of  the 
English  Sparrow.  The  colony,  next  year, 
will  swell  in  numbers  from  one  or  two 
pairs  (the  original  pairs)  the  first  week  of 
April,  until  the  bird-house  is  well  filled 
and,  less  trouble  will  be  experienced  from 
the  Sparrow  pests. 

Everyone  should  put  up  bird-houses 
for  the  Purple  Martins,  and  they  will 
come,  provided  the  Sparrows  are  kept 
out. — Thomas  L.  McConnell,  McKees- 
port,  Pa. 

The  Chickadee  of  Chevy  Chase 

In  the  January-February,  1914,  num- 
ber of  Bird-Lore  (page  39),  the  species 
of  Chickadee  observed  in  Chevy  Chase 
is  questioned.  On  that  day  (Dec.  21)  we 
saw  only  the  Northern  Chickadee  {Pen- 
thestes  atricapillus).  This  species  has  been 
very  common  in  Chevy  Chase  since  early 
in  December^much  more  common  in 
fact  than  Parus  carolinensis,  and  I  have 


ii8 


Bird  -  Lore 


had      both      feeding      together      in      my 
garden. 

In  winter  I  always  keep  a  variety  of 
bird-food  on  my  window-sills,  as  well  as 
on  food-shelters,  and  whenever  the  snow 
covers  up  the  supply  of  food  in  the  fields 
the  birds  come  into  the  yard  by  the  score. 
Last  Sunday  was  no  exception  to  the  rule, 
and  my  place  was  alive  with  birds,  includ- 
ing White-throated  Sparrows,  Purple 
Finches,  Juncos,  Cardinals,  Mocking- 
birds, Blue  Jays,  etc.,  and,  as  I  was  stand- 
ing at  a  window,  there  were  feeding  at 
the  same  time  on  the  window-sill  a  Caro- 
lina Chickadee,  a  Black-capped  (northern) 
Chickadee,  and  a  Tufted  Titmouse.  The 
Black-capped  Chickadee  is  readily  dis- 
tinguishable from  its  southern  cousin  by 
its  larger  size  and  its  white-edged  wing- 
feathers;  yet,  as  we  are  near  the  line 
separating  the  territory  of  these  two 
species,  one  has  to  use  caution  in  this 
section  not  to  report  the  Black-capped  as 
the  Carolina  Chickadee. — S.  W.  Mellott, 
Chevy  Chase,  Md. 

Winter  Notes  from  Massachusetts 

Since  November  7,  I  have  observed 
almost  daily,  in  locations  scattered  pretty 
generally  over  Southern  Berkshire,  large 
flocks  of  Pine  Grosbeaks.  They  are  among 
the  more  common  of  our  birds  at  this 
date  (December  6),  and  have  been  for  the 
last  two  weeks.  Not  since  January,  1907, 
have  I  seen  them  in  anything  like  such 
numbers.  Last  winter,  and  the  winter 
before,  there  were  none  in  this  particular 
neighborhood.  Now  it  is  no  infrequent 
thing  to  come  upon  four  or  five  flocks 
within  as  many  miles,  each  flock  number- 
ing upward  of  fifteen  individuals.  But 
in  their  daily  appearance  they  are  irregu- 
lar. Several  days  may  elapse  with  no 
record,  and  then  for  several  more  they  are 
feeding  in  the  birches  within  a  few  yards 
of  the  house.  The  proportion  of  mature 
males  seems  to  be  less  than  one  in  ten. 
Wherever  one  finds  them,  they  are  much 
less  tame  than  in  1907,  flying  off  when 
approached  more  closely  than  twenty 
or   thirty  feet,  going   first  into   the  tree- 


tops,  and  then  away  into  the  deeper 
woods  in  a  straggling  flock.  In  1907,  I 
succeeded  in  touching  several  while 
feeding,  and  caught  one  in  the  air  as  it 
flew  directly  into  me.  It  would  seem  that 
this  year's  birds  are  better  acquainted 
with  men;  their  wildness,  coupled  with 
the  early  date  of  their  arrival,  seems  to 
suggest  that  the  individual  birds  we  have 
here  now  are  the  vanguard,  living  in 
summer  on  the  border  of  civilization. 
This  fancy  of  my  own  creation  is  strength- 
ened by  the  report  of  a  friend  observing 
in  eastern  Maine,  who  says  thay  are  com- 
mon there  and  very  tame. 

I  have  also  recorded  several  Shrikes, 
frequently  observing  them  on  the  out- 
skirts of  a  flock  of  Grosbeaks.  I  watched 
one  for  many  minutes,  and  during  that 
time  his  bearing  was  entirely  amicable. 
A  little  later  I  returned  to  see  three  Blue 
Jays  drive  him  off.  The  Grosbeaks,  mean- 
while, had  disappeared  into  the  woods. — 
Hamilton  Gibson,  Sheffield,  Mass. 

Winter  Notes  from  Connecticut 

There  has  been  a  scarcity  of  northern 
birds,  but  many  most  interesting  records. 

December  8,  Robert  McCool  shot  a 
Snow  Goose  at  Cedar  Point,  near  West- 
port,  and  it  has  been  mounted. 

December  28,  there  was  a  flock  of 
thirty-six  Red-winged  Blackbirds,  one 
Crackle,  and  one  Cowbird,  at  Stratford 
Point. 

Through  January,  Myrtle  Warblers 
were  numerous  in  suitable  places,  and  on 
February  19  I  saw  a  Shrike  chasing  one 
through  the  trees,  the  Warbler  trying 
hard  to  escape,  and  uttering  its  alarm 
note  constantly. 

The  same  day,  I  found  a  Catbird  in  a 
tangle  of  cedar,  briar,  and  bayberry 
bushes.  It  seemed  all  right,  but  stupid, 
and  with  feathers  much  fluffed,  and  it 
must  have  succumbed  in  the  severe  cold 
soon  after. 

February  21,  in  a  swamp  where  the 
Night  Herons  nest,  I  found  where  the 
Crows  had  feasted  upon  two  Night 
Herons,  every  particle  of  flesh  having  been 


Notes   from   Field   and   Study 


119 


cleaned  from  the  bones,  and  they  must 
have  been  eaten  within  three  days,  since 
the  last  snow. 

Mr.  Miller,  of  the  American  Museum, 
pronounced  one  as  a  two-year-old  bird, 
and  the  other  is  clearly  a  younger  bird. 
Sage  and  Bishop,  in  their  'Birds  of  Con- 
necticut,' give  the  latest  date  for  the 
Night  Heron  as  November  17,  though 
they  occasionally  winter  near  here.  Three 
Pine  Grosbeaks  were  noted  in  January, 
a  few  Siskins,  and  a  few  Snow  Buntings. 

February  27,  Mr.  James  Hall  found  a 
Hermit  Thrush  among  sumacs  in  a  swamp, 
the  bird  being  in  fine  condition. 

March  4,  I  found  the  first  flock  of  Red- 
polls, about  fifty  in  number,  and  con- 
taining some  fine  males. 

Ice  and  the  cold  have  been  hard  on 
birds,  many  Ducks  have  died,  a  Pheasant 
a  Meadowlark,  and  a  Short-eared  Owl, 
all  terribly  emaciated,  were  found  dead, 
and  their  fate  told  that  of  many  others, 
no  doubt,  though  more  people  have  been 
feeding  birds  about  here  this  winter  than 
ever  before. — Wilbur  F.  Smith. 

A  City  Kept  Awake  by  the  Honking 
of  Migrating  Geese 

Shortly  after  midnight,  October  6,  I 
was  awakened  from  sleep  by  the  honk- 
honking  of  migrating  geese.  I  arose  at 
once  and  looked  out  to  see  the  birds.  The 
air  was  filled  with  heavy  mist,  and  the 
sky  was  hidden  by  black  clouds,  so  that 
the  birds  could  not  be  seen  in  the  darkness. 
The  honking  was  very  loud  at  first,  and 
then  it  could  hardly  be  heard.  Soon  it 
would  seem  as  if  the  Geese  were  flying 
past  my  window  again.  It  was  evident 
that  the  Geese  were  flying  back  and  forth 
over  the  city.  The  honking  continued 
until  daybreak. 

The  next  day,  many  citizens  in  Norman 
remarked  about  the  flock  of  Geese  which 
seemed  to  be  flying  back  and  forth  over 
the  city  during  the  latter  part  of  the  night. 

These  Geese  were  doubtless  migrating 
southward,  under  a  clear  sky,  during  the 
early  part  of  the  night.  Then  the  sudden 
extreme  darkness  which  came  on  between 


10.30  p.  M.  and  midnight  must  have 
bewildered  them  so  that  they  lost  their 
way.  In  their  wanderings,  they  came 
into  the  zone  illuminated  by  the  electric 
lights  of  the  city,  and  flew  back  and 
forth  over  the  lights  until  daybreak. — 
L.  B.  Nice,  Univeristy  of  Oklahoma, 
Norman,  Okla.,  Nov.  12,  1913. 

Snowy  Owl  at  Chillicothe,  Missouri 

About  ten  o'clock  on  the  morning  of 
February  14,  while  passing  through  a 
grove  of  small  oak  trees,  I  saw  a  large 
white  object  among  the  leaves  of  one 
of  the  trees.  After  observing  it  for  a 
few  more  minutes.  I  was  able  to  identify 
it  as  a  Snowy  Owl.  A  few  days  before, 
we  had  a  snowstorm  followed  by  some 
very  cold  weather,  during  which  the  Owl 
had  probably  came  southward.  The 
next  day  I  heard  another  person  speak 
of  seeing  a  large  white  Owl,  which  I  sup- 
pose was  the  same  individual. — Desmoxd 
PoPHAM,  Chillicothe,  Mo. 

The  Voice  of  the  Tinamou 

Having  heard  Tinamous  calling  at 
nightfall  in  tropical  forests  on  the  Island 
of  Trinidad,  I  cannot  help  doubting  if 
anyone  not  an  artist  as  well  as  an  ornitholi- 
gist,  and  no  less  gifted  with  pen  than 
brush,  could  possibly  have  characterized 
their  utterances  in  terms  at  once  so  true 
and  picturesque  as  those  employed  by 
Mr.  Fuertes,  in  a  paragraph  published  in 
the  last  number  of  Bird-Lore.  Dealing 
subjectively  with  a  matter  of  uncommon 
diflSculty,  this  remarkable  passage  is 
essentially  a  word  picture,  sketched  with 
such  rare  and  effective  combination  of 
literary  skill,  artistic  fervor,  refined  appre- 
ciation of  the  spiritual  in  nature  and 
careful  avoidance  of  all  overstatement, 
that  it  expresses  precisely  what  every 
reverent-minded  naturalist  must  feel 
when  listening  to  the  soul-stirring  voice 
of  the  Tinamou,  however  incapable  he 
may  be  then  or  afterward  of  rendering 
his  impressions  into  similarly  worthy 
language. — William  Brewster,  Cam- 
bridge. Mass. 


iloofe  ^etos:  anH   9^etotetD6 


A  Determination  of  the  Economic 
Status  of  the  Western  Meadowlark 
(Sturnella  neglecta)  in  Cali- 
fornia. By  Harold  Child  Bryant. 
University  of  California  Publications 
in  Zoology,  Vol.  ii,  No.  14,  pp.  377- 
510,  pis.  21-24,  5  text  figs.  Feb.  27, 
1914. 

This  paper  of  126  pages,  devoted  to 
a  study  of  the  food  of  the  Western 
Meadowlark,  at  once  takes  its  place 
among  the  most  important  contribu- 
tions to  the  subject  of  economic  orni- 
thology that  have  yet  appeared.  It  is 
based  on  the  examination  of  nearly  two 
thousand  stomachs  of  this  species  from 
all  parts  of  California,  collected  in  every 
month  of  the  year. 

Of  the  total  amount  of  food  taken 
throughout  the  year,  sixty-three  per  cent 
was  found  to  be  animal,  and  thiry-seven 
per  cent  vegetable.  Beetles  and  Orthop- 
tera  (crickets  and  grasshoppers)  each 
constitute  one-lifth  of  the  total  quantity. 
In  summer  and  fall,  Orthoptera  form  a 
large  percentage  of  the  food — eighty- 
five  per  cent  of  the  whole  amount  in 
August.  Cutworms  and  caterpillars  also 
constitute  an  important  item.  The  only 
non-insect  animal  diet  comprises  a  few 
sow-bugs,  snails,  earthworms,  and  milli- 
pedes. Of  the  vegetable  food,  grain  con- 
constitutes  seventy-five  per  cent,  or  nearly 
thirty-one  per  cent  of  the  total;  but  nearly 
one-half  of  the  entire  amount  of  grain  is 
consumed  in  November,  December,  and 
January,  when  little  insect  food  is  avail- 
able. 

As  the  author  states:  "Few  people  have 
any  realization  of  the  great  quantities 
of  insects  consumed  by  birds,"  and  he 
computes  that  in  the  great  valleys — the 
Sacramento  and  San  Joaquin — alone,  the 
young  Meadowlarks  in  the  nest  require 
343/^  tons  of  insect  food  each  day! 

Of  the  charges  brought  against  this 
species,  only  one  of  any  importance  is 
sustained.  Its  depredations  in  fields  of 
young  grain  are  sometimes  serious,  due 
to  its  habit   of  boring   down   beside   the 

(i 


sprout  and  pulling  off  the  kernel.  The 
author  believes,  however,  that  this 
damage  is  more  than  balanced  by  the 
good  done  by  the  destruction  of  harmful 
insects,  and  does  not  warrant  wholesale 
killing  of  the  Meadowlark.  He  advises 
certain  preventive  measures  and  frighten- 
ing the  birds  from  the  fields  during  the 
short  period  necessary. 

Ten  reasons  are  given  why  the  Meadow- 
lark should  be  a  protected  non-game  bird, 
among  the  number  being  its  esthetic 
value,  and  the  author  concludes  that  it 
"has  been  shown  to  be  distinctly  bene- 
ficial to  agricultural  interests  as  a  whole, 
and  thus  to  all  the  people  of  the  state." 

In  the  introductory  matter,  Mr.  Bryant 
discusses  the  History  of  Methods  in 
Economic  Ornithology, and  a  comparison  of 
the  various  methods.  Supplementary  sec- 
tions include  miscellaneous  data  secured  in- 
cidentally, to  the  examination  of  the  large 
series  of  birds,  as  parasitism,  malforma- 
tion, albinism,  molt,  etc.,  and  several 
pages  are  devoted  to  the  important 
question  of  whether  protective  adapta- 
tions of  insects  protect  them  from  the 
attacks  of  birds,  and  of  availability  as  a 
factor  in  the  kind  and  quantity  of  food. 

A  bibliography  and  four  plates  illus- 
trating food  and  feeding  habits  conclude 
the  paper.— W.  DeW.  M. 

A  Study  of  a  Collection  of  Geese  of 
THE  Branta  canadensis  Group 
From  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  Cali- 
fornia. By  Harry  S.  Swarth.  Uni- 
versity of  California  Publications  in 
Zoology,  Vol.  12,  No.  i,  pp.  1-24,  pis. 
1-2,  8  text.  figs.    Nov.  20,  1913. 

As  one  of  the  earliest  tokens  of  return- 
ing spring-time,  the  Wild  Geese  are  of 
interest  to  everyone;  while  the  ornitholo- 
gist finds  in  their  variations  in  size,  form 
and  color,  scarcely  paralleled  among  birds, 
fruitful  material  for  study  in  evolution. 

Mr.  Swarth,  in  an  endeavor  to  deter- 
mine the  exact  status  of  the  Canada  Geese 
of  California,  examined  numbers  of  each 

20) 


Book  News  and  Reviews 


'121 


of  the  currently  recognized  subspecies. 
He  concludes  that  all  four  are  well  founded, 
but  intergrade  so  completely  that  they 
cannot  be  separated  as  species,  notwith- 
standing the  differences  in  size  and  other 
respects  between  the  little  Cackling  Goose 
of  Alaska  and  the  big  Canada  Goose  of 
the  United  States,  which  are  so  striking 
that  no  one  seeing  only  the  extremes 
would  question  their  specific  distinctness. 

The  form  breeding  in  California  is 
found  to  be  identical  with  the  Common 
Canada  Goose  of  the  eastern  states.  The 
least  known  of  the  four  races,  the  White- 
cheeked  Goose,  is  a  large,  dark  non- 
migratory  form,  occupying  the  humid 
northwest  coast  region.  It  does  not 
breed  in  northern  California,  as  has  been 
supposed;  nor  even  reach  the  state  in 
winter,  so  far  as  can  be  determined. 

Diagrams  graphically  illustrate  the 
variations  in  size  and  proportions;  and 
the  diversity  in  the  pattern  of  the  head 
and  neck  is  shown  by  two  plates  of  figures 
representing  twenty  individuals. — W. 
DeW.  M. 

Bulletin  of  the  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture  No. 
58.  Five  Important  Wild  Duck  Foods. 
By  W.  L.  McAtee. 

Owing  to  the  interest  manifested  in  a 
previous  circular  of  the  Department  of 
Agriculture,  giving  information  on  cer- 
tain plants  of  importance  as  food  for 
Wild  Ducks,  namely  the  wild  rice,  wild 
celery,  and  pondweeds,  the  department 
authorized  Mr.  McAtee  to  continue  his 
investigation  of  this  subject. 

The  present  paper  summarizes  the 
results  of  Mr.  McAtee's  work.  Five 
additional  plants  of  great  value  as  food 
for  wild-fowl  were  found  to  be  the  delta 
duck  potato  and  the  wapato  (species  of 
Sagittaria,  or  arrowhead),  the  nut  grass 
or  chufa  {Cy penis  esculentus),  the  wild 
millet  {Echinochloa  crus-galli),  and  the 
banana  water-lily  {Nymphcea  mexicana). 
While  at  present  most  of  these  plants  are 
of  only  local  importance,  the  author 
believes  that  their  field  of  usefulness  can 
be  greatly  extended. 


Maps  illustrate  the  distribution  of 
each  species,  and  the  plants  with  their 
tubers  or  bulbs — the  principal  edible  por- 
tion in  most  species — are  figured. — W. 
DeW.  M. 

The  Bodley  Head  Natural  History. 
By  E.  D.  Cuming.  With  illustrations 
by  J.  A.  Shepherd.  Vol.  II,  British 
Birds.  Passeres.  lamo.  122  pages; 
numerous  illustrations.  New  York. 
John  Lane  Company.  Price  75  cents, 
net;  postage,  6  cents. 

The  second  volume  of  this  attractive 
little  work  contains  accounts  of  the 
British  Warblers,  the  Dipper,  the  Nut- 
hatch, and  the  Creepers.  Mr.  Shepherd's 
quaint  illustrations  in  color,  one  or  more 
on  every  page,  "do  not  aim  so  much  at 
scientific  accuracy  as  at  giving  a  general 
impression  of  the  character,  habits,  and 
appearance  of  the  animal  depicted.  It  is 
believed  that  in  this  respect  they  will  be 
found  certainly  more  artistic,  and  proba- 
bly more  suggestive  than  elaborate  plates 
or  even  photographs." — W.  DeW.  M. 

Die  Vogel.  Handbuch  der  Systema- 
TiscHEN  Ornithologie.  By  Anton 
Reichenow.  Zwei  Bande.  I.  Band. 
Large  8vo.  529  pages;  numerous  illus- 
trations.    Ferdinand    Enke,    Stuttgart, 

This  is  a  handbook  of  ornithology  for 
the  student,  and  a  work  of  reference  for 
the  general  reader.  Though  written  in 
the  German  language,  it  treats  of  the 
birds  of  the  world,  and  hence  demands 
our  notice.  Volume  I  consists  of  529 
pages,  the  first  67  of  which  relate  to  the 
subject  in  general,  as  internal  and  ex- 
ternal structure,  geographical  distribution, 
and  classification. 

The  systematic  portion  includes  all  the 
"lower  groups"  down  to  and  including  the 
Owls  and  Parrots.  Determination  of  the 
genera,  and  in  many  cases  the  species,  is 
facilitated  by  "Keys;"  every  genus  being 
diagnosed  and  at  least  a  representative 
series  of  the  species  treated.  Descrip- 
tions of  habits,  nests,  and  eggs  are  limited 
to  brief  summaries  under  the  headings  of 
the  orders  and  families. — W.  DeW.  M. 


122 


Bird  -  Lore 


We  have  received  from  the  Comstock 
Publishing  Company,  of  Ithaca,  New 
York,  a  copy  of  their  new  Bird  Note 
Book,  designed  by  Anna  Botsford  Com- 
stock, and  illustrated  with  outline  figures, 
by  Fuertes,  of  thirty  common  birds. 

This  notebook  is  planned  to  combine 
schoolroom  work  with  field  observation. 
Sixty  pages  for  notes,  two  for  each  species, 
are  so  arranged  that  the  proper  descrip- 
tive term  may  be  underlined  and  the 
blank  spaces  filled  in  by  the  observer.  The 
outline  figures  are  intended  for  careful 
coloring  in  the  schoolroom  or  at  home. — 
W.  DeW.  M. 

The  Ornithological  Magazines 

The  Auk. — The  January  issue  is  a 
bulky  number,  and  filled  with  numerous 
half-tone  plates  including  one  of  a  new 
Petrel  {Mstrelata  chionophara),  which  is 
described  by  Mr.  R.  C.  Murphy.  The 
first  instalment  of  an  elaborate  article  by 
Dr.  R.  M.  Strong  'On  the  Habits  and 
Behavior  of  the  Herring  Gull,  Lams 
argentatus,  Pont.,'  is  well  illustrated.  The 
systematic  grouping  of  facts  follows  the 
lines  of  modern  research  work  and  the 
original  observations  are  a  well  marshaled 
host,  setting  a  standard  for  future  workers 
in  kindred  topics. 

'In  Memoriam:  Philip  Lutley  Sclater,' 
by  Dr.  D.  G.  Elliot,  marks  the  passing  of  a 
great  ornithologist  of  the  old  school. 
During  a  long  and  active  life,  Sclater  con- 
tributed no  less  than  1,500  scientific 
papers,  most  of  them  on  birds,  in  which 
his  interest  never  flagged. 

Dr.  C.  W.  Townsend  enters  'A  Plea  for 
the  Conservation  of  the  Eider'  on  the 
coast  of  Newfoundland  and  Labrador, 
where  persecution  by  Indians,  Esquimaux, 
and  fisherman  threatens  the  duck  with 
extinction.  Mr.  W.  M.  Tyler  writes 
minutely  'Notes  on  the  Nest  Life  of  the 
Brown  Creeper  in  Massachusetts.'  He 
thinks  that  "the  species  will  be  found 
breeding  here  as  long  as  the  [gypsy] 
moths  continue  to  kill  the  trees."  Mr. 
J.  D.  Figgins,  writing  on  'The  Fallacy 
of     the    Tendency    toward     Ultraminute 


Distinctions,'  shows  that  considerable 
changes  both  in  size  and  color  have 
occurred  in  Gambel's  Quail  introduced 
into  parts  of  Colorado  some  twenty-five 
years  ago. 

Of  local  lists,  we  find  'Notes  on  the 
Ornithology  of  Clay  and  Palo  Alto  Coun- 
ties, Iowa,'  by  Mr.  A.  D.  Tinker,  and 
'Additions  to  ...  .  Birds  of  ...  . 
Cass  and  Crow  Wing  Counties,  Minn.,' 
by  A.  W.  Honeywill,  Jr.  Some  nomen- 
clatural  questions  are  brought  up  afresh 
by  Mr.  G.  M.  Mathews  under  title  of 
'Some  Binary  Generic  Names,'  and  an 
account  of  the  thirty-first  meeting  of  the 
A.  O.  U.  is  given  by  our  Secretary,  Mr. 
J.  H.  Sage.  Notes  and  Reviews  are 
numerous  and  valuable,  and  an  obituary 
of  Alfred  Russel  Wallace  adds  another 
prominent  name  to  the  long  list  of  deceased 
members. — J.  D.,  Jr. 

The  Condor. — Two  recent  numbers  of 
'The  Condor'  still  await  notice  in  these 
columns.  The  number  for  November, 
concluding  Vol.  XV,  contains  nine  general 
articles  on  a  variety  of  topics.  Joseph 
Mailliard  contributes  a  brief  obituary 
notice  of  H.  B.  Kaeding,  one  of  the  active 
members  of  the  Cooper  Ornithological 
Club.  Herbert  Massey,  a  member  of  the 
British  Ornithologists'  Union,  supple- 
ments Dr.  Shufeldt's  recent  paper  on  the 
eggs  of  North  American  Limicolse  with 
an  account  of  the  eggs  of  European  spe- 
cies which  are  accidental  in  America. 
Ray  adds  'Some  Further  Notes  on  Sierran 
Field-Work,'  with  a  list  of  49  species  of 
birds  observed,  in  June,  1910,  in  Eldorado 
County.  Mailliard  describes  three  'Cu- 
rious Nesting-places  of  the  xAilen  Hum- 
mingbird' at  San  Geronimo — one  on  a 
pulley  and  another  on  a  rope  under  a 
wagon-shed,  and  the  third  on  a  wire  hook 
in  a  carriage-house.  Wright  notes  briefly 
12  species  of  'Birds  of  San  Martin  Island, 
Lower  California.'  Dawson  contributes 
three  brief  but  interesting  articles,  one  on 
'Identification  by  Camera,'  showing  the 
differences  between  certain  shore  birds, 
and  two  critiques  of  Ridgway's  'Color 
Standards,'  under  the  titles,  'A  Mnemonic 


Book   N«ws  and   Reviews 


123 


Device  for  Color- Workers'  and  'A  Prac- 
tical System  of  Color  Designation.' 

The  most  extended  paper  is  a  'Prelim- 
inary Report,'  by  T.  C.  Clarke,  on  an 
extraordinarj'^  disease  which  has  occurred 
among  the  Ducks  near  Tulare  Lake,  Calif., 
each  year  since  1909.  The  chief  species 
affected  were  the  Shoveller,  Pintail,  Cin- 
namon Teal,  and  Greenwing  Teal.  The 
dead  birds  found  in  1913  included  i,753 
Ducks,  and  about  300  other  miscellaneous 
birds.  It  is  hoped  that  this  investigation 
will  be  continued  until  the  cause  of  the 
disease,  still  obscure,  is  fully  determined. 

The  January  'Condor'  opens  with  an 
interesting  article,  by  Dawson,  on  'Direct 
Approach  as  a  Method  in  Bird  Photog- 
raphy,' illustrated  by  some  remarkable 
pictures  of  Ibises,  Phalaropes,  Sander- 
lings,  and  Dowitchers,  taken  at  short 
range.    In  a  characteristic  review  entitled 


'The  People's  Bread,'  the  same  author 
points  out  the  numerous  shortcomings 
in  the  recent  'Western  Bird  Guide,'  by 
Reed,  Harvey  and  Brasher.  Van  Rossem 
contributes  some  'Notes  on  the  Derby 
Flycatcher'  in  Salvador,  in  191 2;  and 
Rust,  a  detailed,  illustrated  account  of 
the  'Nesting  of  the  Sharp-shinned  Hawk' 
near  Coeur  d'  Alene,  Idaho,  in  1913. 

A  'Second  List  of  the  Birds  of  the 
Berkeley  Campus,'  by  Joseph  Grinnell, 
shows  some  interesting  results  of  inten- 
sive bird  study  of  a  limited  area.  The 
campus  of  the  University  of  California 
includes  530  acres.  The  first  list  of  its 
birds  published  three  years  ago  contained 
76  species,  while  the  present  list  enumerates 
97  species,  and  the  author  estimates  that 
a  mean  population  of  approximately  8,000 
individual  birds  is  maintained  throughout 
the  year  within  this  area. — T.  S.  P. 


A  Cooperative  Study  of  Bird  Migration 

Bird-Lore  asks  the  cooperation  of  its  readers  in  recording  the  migrations  of 
certain  common  birds  in  the  belief  that  a  joint  study  of  their  movements  will  add  to 
the  interest  with  which  their  coming  is  awaited,  and  contribute  something  of  value  to 
our  knowledge  of  their  travels  in  particular,  and  bird  migration  in  general. 

It  is  proposed  to  take  three  birds  which  arrive  during  the  earlier  part  of  the  migra- 
tion season,  and  three  more  which  are  due  in  the  latter  part.  A  summary  of  observa- 
tions on  the  first  group  will  be  published  in  Bird-Lore  for  June,  while  those  relating  to 
the  second  group  will  appear  in  Bird-Lore  for  August. 

The  first  three  birds  selected  were  the  Red-winged  Blackbird,  Robin,  and  Phoebe; 
the  second  group  of  three  includes  the  Chimney  Swift,  House  Wren,  and  Baltimore 
Oriole.  A  blank  form  is  appended  showing  how  the  records  should  be  scheduled  before 
sending  them  to  Bird-Lore.  These  blanks  should  be  mailed  to  Mr.  Charles  H.  Rogers, 
care  of  Bird-Lore,  American  Museum  of  Natural  History,  New  York  City,  not  later 
than  June  i. — F.  i\L  C. 


Report  from. 


(Give  locality) 


Made  by. 


(Give  name  and  address  of  observer) 


Date 
first  seen 


Chimney  Swift . . 
House  Wren  .... 
Baltimore  Oriole 


No. 
seen 


Date  No. 

next  seen        seen 


Date  of 
becoming 


124 


Bird  -  Lore 


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

OrriCIAL    OKGAN    OP    THE    AUDUBON    SOCIETIES 

Edited  by  FRANK  M.  CHAPMAN 

Contributing  Editor.MABELOSGOOD  WRIGHT 

Published  by  D.  APPLETON  &  CO. 

Vol.  XVI        Published  April  1,  1914  No.  2 

SUBSCRIPTION  RATES 
Price  in  the  United  States,  Canada  and  Mexico,  twenty  cents 
a  number,  one  dollar  a  year,  postage  paid. 

COPYKIGHTED.  1913,  BY  PRANK   M.  CHAPMAN 

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


For  the  first  time  in  its  history  of 
thirty-one  years,  the  American  Ornitholo- 
gists' Union  will  hold  its  annual  congress 
in  the  spring.  Heretofore  these  always 
memorable  gatherings  have  usually 
occurred  in  November,  but  the  present 
year  it  is  proposed  to  convene  on  April 
7-9,  in  Washington,  D.  C.  This  combina- 
tion of  date  and  place  gives  promise  of  an 
exceptionally  enjoyable  meeting.  The 
beauties  of  'spring  at  the  Capital'  have 
long  been  sung,  and  visiting  ornitholo- 
gists may  be  assured  an  opportunity  to 
experience  them  under  both  sympathetic 
and  skilful  guidance. 

The  hotel  headquarters  of  the  Union 
will  be  the  Ebbitt  House.  The  daily 
public  sessions  for  the  presentation  and 
discussion  of  scientific  papers  will  be  held 
in  the  National  Museum. 

Anyone  interested  in  the  study  of  birds 
is  eligible  for  election  to  Associate  Mem- 
bership in  the  Union;  and  everyone  who 
realizes  how  much  the  causes  of  bird- 
study  and  bird-protection  owe  to  this 
organization  should  welcome  an  oppor- 
tunity to  become  affiliated  with  it.  The 
annual  dues  of  Associate  Members  are 
$3,  and  all  members  receive  'The  Auk,' 
the  600-page  journal  of  the  Union,  with- 
out charge.  Candidates  for  Associate 
Membership  should  apply  to  Dr.  J. 
Dwight,  Jr.,  Treas.,  134  West  71st, 
Street,  New  York  City,  or,  from  April 
6  to  9,  care  of  the  National  Museum, 
Washington,  D.  C. 


The  creation  of  reservations  and 
appointment  of  wardens  may  protect 
birds  from  their  human  enemies,  but  even 
government  control  and  the  services  of 
so  faithful  a  guardian  as  Paul  Kroegel 
have  been  insufficient  to  protect  the 
Pelicans  of  Pelican  Island  from  disaster 
which  befell  their  offspring  during  the 
nesting-season  just  past. 

In  the  last  issue  of  Bird-Lore,  Warden 
Kroegel  wrote,  under  date  of  January  i, 
1914:  "We  have  now  as  fine  a  batch  of 
young  birds  as  I  can  remember  for  this 
time  of  year;"  but  when,  with  Ernest 
Seton,  we  visited  the  island  on  February 
15,  we  beheld  the  most  distressing  scene 
of  which  one  could  well  conceive.  The 
ground  was  as  thickly  strewn  with  the 
bodies  of  dead  young  Pelicans  as  though 
batteries  of  guns  had  been  discharged  at 
close  range  into  massed  flocks  of  them.  A 
few  dozen  young  were  still  alive,  some  of 
which  could  fly,  while  others  vainly  tried 
to  do  so.  At  the  southwest  and  northern 
ends  of  the  island  possibly  a  thousand 
old  birds  were  resting  or  bathing,  and  one 
nest  held  three  eggs,  on  which  one  of  a 
pair  of  adults  sat  while  the  other  stood 
nearby.  This  was  the  only  occupied 
nest  on  the  island. 

We  have  visited  Pelican  Island  on  many 
occasions,  and  have  before  seen  the  heavy 
fatality  which  may  follow  unfavorable 
weather  conditions,  but  never  before 
have  we  found  anything  approaching  the 
catastrophe  which  has  befallen  the  colony 
this  year. 

Its  cause  is  by  no  means  clear,  but 
there  are  certain  facts  which  are  beyond 
dispute.  Thus  the  cause  of  the  young 
birds'  death  seems  beyond  question  to 
have  been  starvation,  but  why  they  should 
have  starved  is  another  question.  Death 
had  occured  since  February  i,  just  as 
the  birds  were  about  to  fly.  Some  birds 
indeed,  had  escaped  the  fate  of  their  less- 
advanced  or  weaker  comrades  by  acquir- 
ing the  power  of  flight,  and  with  it  ability 
to  feed  themselves,  and  some  of  these 
were  seen  about  the  island,  as  well  as 
some  distance  from  it;  but  it  was  obvious, 
even   without  an   exact  census,   that  the 


Editorial 


125 


greater  part  of  the  1,600  birds  recorded 
by  Mr.  Kroegel,  after  surviving  the  period 
of  early  Pelican  life  had  died  at  an  age 
when,  with  a  week  or  so  more  of  food  and 
growth,  they  too  would  have  been  able 
to  care  for  themselves. 

That  starvation  was  the  cause  of  death 
was  evinced  by  the  emaciated  condition 
of  all  the  bodies  of  the  birds  examined, 
and  even  more  convincingly  and  patheti- 
cally by  the  actions  of  some  of  the  sur- 
viving young  which  were  awaiting  their 
fate.  With  open  bills  they  came  directly 
to  us,  touching  our  clothing  and  voicing 
their  wants  eloquently,  but  in  tones 
which  bore  but  faint  resemblance  to  the 
vigorous  food-call  of  the  hungry  but  well- 
nourished  young  Pelican. 

These  birds  had  obviously  been  deserted 
by  their  parents,  and  it  is  not  unreasonable 
to  suppose  that  the  birds  whose  bodies 
dotted  the  Island  thickly  about  us  had 
starved  to  death,  because  of  similar 
desertion. 

If  this  be  true,  one  naturally  seeks  the 
reason  for  this  desertion.  In  February, 
1908,  on  our  last  visit  to  Pelican  Island, 
large  numbers  of  young  were  found  that 
had  died  during  an  exceptionally  cold 
spell,  which  had  evidently  prevented  the 
parents  from  fishing.  These  young,  how- 
ever, were  all  in  the  downy  stage,  and 
hence  we  may  believe  were  less  hardy 
than  birds  which  had  almost  acquired 
the  power  of  flight.  Furthermore,  we 
had  been  in  eastern  Florida  the  present 
year  since  February  2,  and  can  affirm 
from  personal  experience  that  there  had 
been  no  storm  or  cold  wave  of  sufficient 
severity  to  prevent  the  parent  birds  from 
fishing.  Is  it  possible,  then,  that  for  a 
period  of  several  days  the  old  birds  had 
had  such  poor  fisherman's  luck  that  they 
could  not  find  sufficient  food  for  their 
young?  While  this  supposition  might  be 
true  of  a  few  pairs  of  birds,  in  view  of  the 
wide  area  of  sea  and  river  covered  by 
the  parents  of  all  the  dead  young  it  is 
difficult  to  believe  that  it  could  be  true 
of  them  all. 

Personally,  therefore,  we  believe  that 
starvation  followed  desertion,  and  deser- 


tion was  due  to  a  failure,  or  gi\  ing  out, 
of  the  feeding  instinct,  which  had  run  its 
course.  Possibly  the  weather  may  to 
some  extent  have  induced  the  old  birds  to 
abandon  their  young;  but  we  are  con- 
vinced that,  if  exactly  the  same  weather  and 
fishing  conditions  had  prevailed  earlier  in 
the  season,  the  feeding  instinct  would  have 
then  been  sufficiently  strong  to  have 
induced  the  birds  to  overcome  them  and 
to  secure  food  enough  to  support  their 
families. 

Pelicans  begin  to  gather  on  their  chosen 
island  generally  in  November,  and  the 
nesting  season  is  well  under  way  in  Decem- 
ber, but  on  the  west  coast  of  Florida, 
Brown  Pelicans  do  not  begin  to  nest  until 
x\pril. 

This  past  season  (1913-14)  the  birds 
returned  to  the  island  in  October,  the 
earliest  date.  Warden  Kroegel  states,  on 
which  he  has  recorded  their  arrival.  The 
nesting-season  was  correspondingly  early, 
and  hence  abnormal,  a  fact  which  should 
be  taken  into  account  when  one  tries  to 
explain  the  failure  of  the  parent  birds 
properly  to  care  for  their  offspring. 

But,  whatever  conclusions  we  may 
reach  in  regard  to  the  factors  which 
brought  disaster  to  the  nesting-season  of 
1913-14,  it  is  clear  beyond  dispute  that, 
under  the  circumstances  now  existing  on 
Pelican  Island,  the  Pelicans  are  more  in 
need  of  protection  than  at  any  previous 
time  in  their  history.  It  is  not  the  plume- 
hunter  who  is  so  much  now  to  be  feared 
as  the  thoughtless  tourist  whose  landing 
drives  young  from  their  ground-nests  and 
creates  a  confusion  which  may  result  in 
many  deaths.  Fortunately,  Warden 
Kroegel's  watchfulness  prevents  mishaps 
of  this  kind.  His  guardianship  of  the 
island  is  now  so  generally  known  that, 
in  most  instances,  application  for  a  per- 
mit to  visit  it  under  his  guidance  is  made 
in  due  form.  But,  if  a  strange  boat  is 
detected  in  suspicious  proximity  to  the 
Pelicans'  home,  the  National  Associa- 
tion's patrol  boat  'Audubon'  is  soon  under 
way,  and  the  trespassers  are  made  aware 
of  the  effectivenss  of  the  warning  notices 
posted  about  the  island. 


Cl)e  Audubon  ^oeietfe« 

SCHOOL    DEPARTMENT 

Edited  by  ALICE   HALL  WALTER 

Address  all  communications  relative  to  the  work  of  this  depart- 
ment to  the  editor,  at  53   Arlington   Avenue,  Providence,  R.  I. 

BIRD   AND   ARBOR    DAY 

Perhaps  the  greatest  value  of  festival  days  and  anniversaries  of  all  kinds 
lies  in  their  significance,  and  especially  in  the  appeal  which  they  make  to  those 
who  observe  them.  The  appointment  of  a  new  anniversary  is  a  matter  of  far 
more  import  than  it  might  at  first  seem  to  be.  Authority  alone,  even  of  presi- 
dents, governors,  or  other  officials  of  the  people,  cannot  make  a  festival,  or 
even  a  fitting  anniversary,  out  of  a  particular  day.  Upon  those  who  take  part 
in  the  observance  of  the  day  falls  the  responsibility  of  its  success 
and  continuance. 

In  the  long-forgotten  past,  when  man  approached  Nature  with  a  child- 
like fear  and  imagination,  it  was  not  difficult  to  people  the  universe  with 
deities  whom  he  must  propitiate,  and  in  whose  festivals  he  must  share. 
Throughout  later  ages,  it  has  seemed  consistent  with  man's  maturer  judgment 
to  pay  some  annual  tribute  to  heroes  and  patriots,  to  celebrate  events  of  national 
importance,  or  to  commemorate  experiences  which  have  had  lasting  influence 
in  shaping  human  environment  and  in  molding  character.  The  days  set  apart 
by  different  peoples  for  such  formal  acknowledgment  of  man's  indebtedness  to 
great  lives,  great  events,  and  great  ideals,  ought  to  be  true  festivals  and  signal 
anniversaries,  rather  than  mere  holidays,  given  up  to  feasting  and  ordinary 
pleasures. 

Arbor  Day  is  a  very  recent  anniversary,  while  Bird  and  Arbor  Day  combined 
is  as  yet  observed  in  comparatively  few  states.  This  day  has  been  set  aside 
in  the  hope  that  man  may  be  brought  closer  to  nature  in  a  practical,  suggestive 
and  inspiring  way.  Whether  the  day  fulfills  its  mission,  it  is  the  privilege  of 
this  generation  to  determine. 

Possibly  not  one  of  our  school  anniversaries  carries  with  it  such  fresh- 
ness and  buoyancy  as  this  festival  of  the  trees  and  birds.  This  is  because 
spring  is  the  expression  of  each  New  Year  in  its  youth,  not  only  budding  trees 
and  returning  birds,  but  also  freshly  coated  animals,  flooded  streams  and 
lengthening  days  of  luxurious  sunshine,  remind  us  that  the  transcendent  mira- 
cle of  Nature  is  taking  place.  To  appreciate  this  miracle,  we  must  share  in 
the  general  transformation  of  our  surroundings. 

Who  that  has  ever  stepped  on  the  yielding  ice  among  the  hummocks  of  a 
marshy  pasture,  or  picked  a  treacherous  way  along  the  gullies  and  sink-holes 

(126) 


The   Audubon   Societies  127 

of  a  retreating  brook-channel  at  freshet-time,  can  forget  the  feeling  of  the  earth, 
of  the  air,  and  the  scent  of  spring  which  everywhere  abounds?  No  other  days 
are  like  these  days  of  budding  leaves  and  drying  soil.  It  is  a  glorious  time,  not 
only  to  be  outdoors,  but  to  be  outside  self.  It  is  a  revelation  of  a  new  kind  of 
kinship  to  plant  a  tree  and  to  welcome  the  return  of  the  birds — a  kinship 
with  Nature. 

But  the  real  spirit  of  spring  must  go  with  the  planting  and  the  welcome; 
otherwise  the  observance  of  Bird  and  Arbor  Day  will  become  a  tiresome 
repetition  of  a  once  novel  idea. 

Viewed  in  this  light,  it  becomes  a  large  but  pleasant  task  to  instruct  our 
boys  and  girls  how  to  meet  spring  with  open  hands  and  hearts.  What  work 
more  attractive  or  more  full  of  joy  could  Audubon  Societies  take  part  in 
than  this  one  of  interpreting  the  true  meaning  of  Bird  and  Arbor  Day! 

Busy  teachers  and  restless  pupils  would  both  appreciate  the  cooperation  of 
bird-students  and  nature-lovers  in  this  spring-festival  season.  Will  you  not 
all  make  some  definite  attempt  to  obser\'e  Bird  and  Arbor  Day  more  in  the 
spirit  of  spring?  Will  you  not  make  an  attempt  to  observe  it  together  in  the 
school-grounds  and  public  parks  of  our  land,  or  better  yet,  in  the  woods 
and  fields  of  the  open?  Will  you  not  strive  to  attach  more  significance  to  the 
great  idea  which  was  the  reason  for  the  appointment  of  this  day,  the  preserva- 
tion and  conservation  of  Nature? — A.  H.  W. 


JUNIOR   AUDUBON   WORK 

For  Teachers  and  Pupils 

Exercise  XIV:  Correlated  Studies,  Reading,  Elementary  Agriculture, 

and  Geography 

"Look  at  this  beautiful  world,  and  read  the  truth 
In  her  fair  page;  see  every  season  brings 
New  change  to  her  of  everlasting  youth — 
Still  the  green  soil  with  joyous  living  things 
Swarms — the  wide  air  is  full  of  joyous  wings." — Bryant. 

As  the  wild  winds  of  March  tear  the  tree-tops  and  rush  the  melting  snows 
of  February  down  the  hillsides  into  swollen  brooks  and  channels,  we  feel  the 
hope  of  springtime  rising  high  in  our  breasts.  There  may  be  more  storms 
ahead,  but  they  cannot  last  long,  for  the  great  sun  stays  with  us  more  and 
more  each  day,  and  neither  snow  nor  wintry  storms  can  brave  the  heat  of 
its  life-giving  power. 

Jack  Frost  must  stop  playing  with  the  temperature  now,  dropping  it  to 
the  nipping  point  for  the  last  time.  The  ice  will  break  up  in  the  rivers,  rush- 
ing headlong  down  stream,  and  it  will  soon  melt,  too,  from  our  streets  and 
crackling  ponds. 


128  Bird -Lore 

But  this  is  not  life,  only  a  preparation  for  life.  It  is  perhaps  not  joyous 
to  many,  only  the  sign  of  coming  joyousness.  Still  there  is  far  more  life  in  late 
February  and  March  than  one  uninitiated  in  the  truths  of  Nature  might 
suspect;  while  April  brings  myriads  of  creatures  we  ought  to  know  by  sight 
or  sound,  or  some  kindred  sense.  The  early  bluebird,  the  skunk-cabbage  and 
honey-bee  are  a  few  of  the  forms  of  life  that  greet  the  observant  eye.  If  a 
wave  of  sunlight  breaks  the  chill  of  the  air,  an  occasional  "mourning  cloak" 
butterfly  may  appear.  In  grassland,  woodland,  and  plowed  fields,  hordes 
of  insects  are  about  to  hatch  from  winter  eggs,  crawl  forth  from  hibernating 
refuges  or  to  emerge  from  snugly  hidden  pupse,  which  have  survived  the 
coldest  weather,  housed  in  the  earth,  under  roots  or  in  sheltered  nooks. 

To  check  this  winged  army  of  destruction,  other  winged  hosts  are  advan- 
cing from  the  distant  Southland,  our  migratory  birds,  whose  coming  brings  the 
joyous  certainty  of  spring.  How  wonderful  it  is  that  just  as  leaves  and  buds 
are  swelling  and  unfolding,  and  insects  in  countless  numbers  are  finding  their 
way  to  the  open,  the  birds  should  arrive  in  a  feathered  multitude  to  swell  the 
ranks  of  living  things.  There  is  a  reason  for  this,  a  law  of  nature,  if  we  could 
understand  it,  that  governs  the  migratory  movements  of  birds. 

There  is  a  special  work  for  birds  to  do  in  nature,  and,  with  almost  clock- 
like regularity,  they  journey  north  exactly  at  the  time  when  this  work  is 
ready  to  be  done.  (Cmp.  Bird-Lore  Vol.  XIII,  No.  3,  p.  160.)  Perhaps  you 
have  never  thought  of  birds  as  workers.  Watch  them,  and  see  how  much  they 
do  in  a  day,  or  even  in  an  hour.  Their  chief  work  is  to  get  food  for  themselves 
and  their  nestlings,  and,  in  doing  this,  they  eat  not  only  seeds  and  small  ani- 
mals, but  also  thousands  and  thousands  of  insects,  which  would  otherwise 
spread  over  the  earth,  devouring  vegetation  with  frightful  rapidity. 

If  man  had  never  tried  to  change  the  ways  of  Nature  by  cutting  off  for- 
ests, draining  and  plowing  up  large  tracts  of  land  to  plant  to  special  crops, 
if  he  had  never  brought  into  our  country  seeds  and  trees  and  insects  and  ani- 
mals from  across  the  ocean,  it  might  be  easier  to  study  the  natural  habits  of 
birds,  and  to  judge  exactly  what  the  results  of  these  habits  are.  We  have 
already  learned  that  birds  are  fitted  with  tools  which  enable  them  to  crack 
seeds  of  nearly  all  kinds,  to  dig  beneath  the  bark  of  trees,  to  probe  in  the 
earth,  to  scoop  through  the  air  and  water,  in  short,  to  hunt  for  food  in  an 
almost  endless  variety  of  ways  and  places.  Since  they  are,  on  the  whole,  quick 
to  discover  new  kinds  of  food  as  well  as  new  kinds  of  nesting-sites,  we  call 
them  easily  adaptable  to  the  changing  conditions  of  wild  and  cultivated  Nature. 

An  illustration  of  the  adaptability  of  birds  to  a  new  food-supply  which  is 
now  found  in  the  north-eastern  United  States  is  shown  in  connection  with 
the  gipsy  and  brown-tail  moths,  introduced  insects  whose  yearly  devastations 
cost  us  many  thousands  of  dollars. 

The  Downy  Woodpecker,  Kingbird,  Ring-necked  Pheasant  (introduced 
into  our  country  from  the  Old  World),  Phoebe,  Least  Fly-catcher,  Scarlet 


The  Audubon  Societies  129 

Tanager,  Red-eyed  Vireo,  Black  and  White  Warbler,  and  other  species, 
attack  these  pests  and  devour  them.  Forbush  says:  "As  time  goes  on,  it  is 
probable  that  birds  will  become  more  and  more  efficient  enemies  of  the  gipsy- 
moth  and  the  brown-tail  moth,  as  they  learn  better  how  to  manage  them.  .  .  . 
As  the  gipsy-moth  spends  more  than  half  of  the  year  in  the  egg,  this  is  its  most 
^allnerable  point.  If  Jays,  Creepers,  Nuthatches,  Woodpeckers,  and  other 
birds,  could  learn  to  eat  these  eggs,  as  European  birds  are  said  to  do,  they  would 
then  have  an  increased  food-supply  the  year  round.  Naturally,  they  would 
increase  in  numbers,  and  thus  an  effective  natural  check  to  the  gipsy-moth 
in  America  would  be  established,  provided  these  birds  were  protected. 

"The  brown- tail  moth  is  more  exposed  to  the  attacks  of  birds  than  is  the 
gipsy-moth,  since  the  larvae  hibernate  in  their  nests  in  curled-up  leaves  that 
remain  on  the  tree  all  winter  (see  illustration).  Already  some  birds  are  learn- 
ing to  open  these  winter  nests  and  to  extract  the  larvse  from  them.  If  the  birds 
once  learn  this  lesson  thoroughly,  the  power  of  this  pest  will  be  greatly 
lessened." 

The  Red-winged  Blackbird  and  Blue  Jay  seem  to  have  found  out  this  new 
food-supply,  while  a  number  of  other  species  eat  the  hairy  caterpillars  which 
have  crawled  out  of  their  winter  nests,  and  also  of  the  moths  upon  their  emer- 
gence from  the  pupal  stage. 

The  variety  and  number  of  insects  are  so  great  that,  if  birds  had  no  other 
kind  of  food-supply,  there  would  doubtless  be  more  than  enough  for  all  of 
them,  provided  there  were  less  cold  weather  and  more  warm  weather. 

In  the  remarkable  economy  of  Nature,  however,  every  form  of  life  has 
its  place,  its  season,  and  its  work.  To  study  the  intricate  relations  which 
result  from  this  order  is  a  life-long  task.  Perhaps  this  is  one  chief  reason 
why  nature-study  is  so  absorbing,  because  there  is  so  much  to  learn  that  is 
entirely  new.  Surely,  in  no  other  study  can  teachers  and  pupils  be  discoverers 
and  observers  together  to  better  advantage. 

But,  to  go  back  to  the  food  of  birds,  numberless  as  the  insects  are,  birds 
find  other  kinds  of  food  awaiting  them  when  they  journey  northward.  Let  us 
turn  for  a  moment  to  the  lists  of  trees,  plants  and  animals  which  we  studied 
in  connection  with  the  distribution  and  migration  of  birds,  taking  the  Robin 
as  our  guide.  (See  Bird-Lore,  Vol.  XIV,  No.  i,  p.  57;  No.  5.  pp.  303-306; 
No.  6,  pp.  364-368;  Vol.  XV.,  No.  I,  pp.  53-57-) 

How  delightful  a  trip  it  would  be  to  fly  with  the  Robin,  from  one  place  to 
another,  from  one  tree  to  another,  somewhat  slowly  at  first,  then  more  and 
more  rapidly  as  spring  hurried  by  us,  seeking  the  distant  North? 

Through  tropics  and  semi-tropics,  great  plains  and  deserts,  pine-barren 
country,  by  mountains  and  valleys,  we  should  go;  each  day  almost,  finding 
new  feeding-areas  and  nesting-places.  If  we  could  count  the  different  trees 
which  a  Robin  visits  on  its  migration-trip,  and  the  different  things  which  it 
finds  to  eat,  what  a  long  list  it  would  make! 


By  permission  of  the  Rhode  Island  Department  of  Agriculture 
WINTER    NESTS   (Uibernacula)  OF   THE    LARVAE    OF   THE    BROWN-TAIL    MOTH 

These  nests  should  be  cut  off  in  March  and  burned 


(i3<^) 


The   Audubon   Societies 


131 


Now  that  we  are  watching  for  the  Robin,  Red -winged  Blackbird,  and 
Phoebe,  suppose  we  learn  a  few  facts  about  their  food,  putting  our  informa- 
tion down  as  follows: 


Food  of  the  Robin,  Red-winged  Blackbird  and  Phoebe,  Three  of  Our 

Beneficial  Birds 

(See,  Some  Common  Birds  in  their  Relation  to  Agriculture,  by  F.  E.  L.  Beal, 
Farmers'  Bulletin,  No.  54,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  and  also.  The  Relation  between 
Birds  and  Insects,  Yearbook  of  the  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture  for  1908.) 


Robin 

Red-winged   Blackbird 

Phoebe 

January 

Wild  fruit. 

Weed-seed. 

In  winter  home. 

February 

Wild  fruit. 

Weed-seed. 

In  winter  home. 

March 

Wild  fruit,  beetles  and 
worms. 

Weed-seed  and  insects. 

In  winter  home. 

April 

Wild-fruit,  worms  and 
insects. 

Weed-seed  and  insects. 

In  winter  home. 

May 

Wild  fruit,  worms  and 

Mostlj'  insects,   a    little 

Insects  such  as 

insects. 

grain,  a  few  snails  and 

Mav  beetles 

crustaceans. 

Click  beetles 

June.  . 

\\'ild  fruit,  worms  and 

Weevils,  25  per  cent  less 

Weevils 

insects. 

grain. 

Grasshoppers 

July 

Wild  fruit,  worms  and 

Mostly   insects,   a    very 

Wasps.  Wild  fruit 

insects. 

little  fruit,  more  grain. 

Flies 

August 

Wild  fruit,  grasshoppers 

Weed-seed  30  per  cent. 

Bugs.     Wildfruil 

30  per  cent. 

Considerable  grain  in 
certain    localities,    in- 
sects. 

Spiders 

September 

Wild  fruit,  beetles. 

Weed-seed   and   insects, 
grain  and  rice  notably 
in  the  West  and  South. 

October 

Wild  fruit,  beetles. 

Weed-seed    and   insects, 
grain  and  rice  notably 
in  the  West  and  South. 

Noyember 

Wild  fruit,  a  few  insects. 

Weed-seed. 

In  winter  home. 

December 

Wild  fruit. 

Weed-seed. 

In  winter  home. 

Summary 

Animal  matter,  chiefly  in- 

Vegetable matter  about 

Insects  and  spiders 

sects,  42  per  cent,  large- 

74 per  cent. 

93  per  cent. 

ly  injurious  species. 

Small    fruits  and    berries 

Animal    matter,   mainly 

Wild    fruit     7    per 

about    58   per  cent,   of 

insects,   26    per    cent. 

cent. 

which    47    per    cent    is 

Nearly    seven-eighths 

wild  fruit,  and  a  little 

of    the    food    of    this 

over    4  per  cent   culti- 

species    is    weed-seed 

^'ated  fruit. 

and  injurious  insects. 

In  habit  of  nesting,  manner  of  feeding,  song,  plumage,  and  distribution 
quite  different,  these  three  species  will  furnish  us  ample  work  for  study  and 
observation  during  the  year.  It  will  be  very  much  worth  while  to  find  out 
all  that  we  can  about  them  without  in  any  way  disturbing  them.  They  have 
come,  and  are  still  coming,  thousands  of  miles,  to  spend  the  summer  with  us. 
The  Robin  may  even  linger  through  late  fall,  or,  if  the  winter  be  mild,  the 


132  Bird  -  Lore 

entire  year.  When  we  stop  to  think  how  many  places  they  have  passed  through 
which  we  have  never  visited,  how  many  things  they  have  seen,  heard,  touched 
and  tasted  which  we  know  nothing  about,  and  how  many  things  they  do 
which  we  cannot  do,  we  shall  feel  a  great  wonder  about  the  beautiful  world, 
of  which  the  poets  never  tire  of  singing  to  us, — the  world  of  life  and  joy. 

As  we  start  out  to  greet  the  birds  and  trees  and  flowers,  the  animals,  and 
everything  which  nature  has  to  show  us,  let  us  not  forget  the  wise  instruc- 
tion of  Dr.  William  Turner,  an  old  English  physician,  chaplain,  and  natural- 
ist who,  in  the  dedication  of  his  history  of  the  principal  birds  noticed  by 
Pliny  and  Aristotle,  published  in  1544,  wrote:  "No  one  demands  sight  in  the 
feet,  hearing  in  the  legs,  smell  (or  taste)  in  the  hands,  or  smell  in  the  arms; 
but  all  these  things  are  necessary  in  the  head.  Inasmuch,  therefore,  as  so  many 
senses  are  requisite  in  the  head,  which  is  set  over  one  body  alone,  how 
many  senses  and  what  a  wealth  of  wisdom  and  learning  are  demanded  from 
that  head   .    .    .?" 

So  let  us  keep  our  ears  open  as  well  as  our  eyes,  our  noses  ready  to  catch 
the  faintest  odor,  our  tongues  quick  to  taste,  and  our  hands  to  feel,  while  the 
head  directs  all,  including  the  heels,  to  paraphrase  an  old  adage. — A.  H.  W. 

"He  filled   their  listening   ears  with   wondrous  things." 


SUGGESTIONS 

1.  Address  Forest  Service,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  asking  for  Circular  96, 
leaflet  on  Arbor  Day,  prepared  by  Gifford  Pinchot. 

2.  Plant  trees  and  shrubs,  and  plant  them  right,  as  a  forester  would,  first  learning 
which  kinds  of  trees  and  shrubs  are  most  needed  in  and  best  suited  to  your  locality. 

3.  Are  there  any  maple  keys  about  your  neighborhood,  and,  if  so,  what  are  they 
doing  now? 

4.  Did  you  ever  see  a  mud- wasp  make  a  vase  of  clay? 

5.  Where  do  the  bees  go  for  food  at  this  season? 

6.  Look  at  the  ragweed,  to  see  what  birds  find  its  seeds  to  their  liking  as  it  matures. 

7.  Can  you  hunt  for  a  fairy  shrimp?    Where?    Why  is  it  called  fairy? 

8.  How  many  frogs  and  toads  do  you  know  by  sound  and  by  sight? 

9.  How  does  a  squirrel  strip  a  pine-cone  to  get  at  the  seeds? 

10.  Can  you  name  all  the  trees  and  shrubs  about  your  home  and  school? 

11.  Learn  the  meaning  of  egg,  larva,  pupa,  and  imago,  as  applied  to  insects. 

12.  How  many  kinds  of  insects  do  you  know? 

References:  Nature's  Craftsmen,  by  H.  C.  McCook;  Nature-Study  and  Life,  by 
C.  F.  Hodge;  Our  Native  Trees,  by  H.  L.  Keeler;  The  Birds'  Calendar,  by  H.  E.  Park- 
hurst;  The  Migratory  Movements  of  Birds  in  Relation  to  the  Weather,  by  W.  W. 
Cooke  (See  Yearbook  of  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture  for  1910);  The  Legend  of  the  Blue 
Flower,  by  F.  H.  Burnett;  Bird  and  Arbor  Day  Program,  Bird-Lore,  Vol.  XIII,  No.  2; 
Handbook  of  Nature-Study,  by  A.  B.  Comstock. 


The   Audubon   Societies  133 

FROM  ADULT  AND  YOUNG  OBSERVERS 

A    NATURE-STUDY    CLASS 

Early  in  the  spring  of  191 2,  the  writer  was  given  a  class  of  twelve  twelve- 
year-old  boys  in  Sunday  School.  Some  of  them  had  not  been  attending  regu- 
larly, and  an  inquiry  resulted  in  finding  that  some  of  them  preferred  walking 
in  the  woods  and  digging  out  chipmunks  on  Sunday  to  attending  Sunday 
School.  In  order  to  form  a  bond  of  common  interest  with  these  boys,  I  prom- 
ised to  take  a  stroll  with  them  on  each  Sunday  afternoon,  and  help  them  to 
study  birds,  flowers,  and  trees  in  a  systematic  and  orderly  way.  One  of  the 
boys  had  a  stub-tailed  dog  by  the  name  of  Spot.  This  Scotch  terrier  went 
with  us  the  first  time,  but  after  that  he  was  tabooed,  because  he  would  now  and 
then  scare  up  a  rabbit,  and  our  orderly  walk  was  likely  to  degenerate  into  a 
rout.  By  making  the  dog  stay  at  home  and  making  the  boys  promise  not  to 
throw  stones,  we  succeeded  in  keeping  probably  as  orderly  a  crowd  as  other 
Sunday-afternoon  strollers  were. 

The  boys  kept  lists  of  the  birds  we  saw  on  each  trip.  The  number  seen  on 
each  trip  that  we  were  able  to  identify  was  from  twenty  to  twenty-five,  the 
total  number  of  kinds  running  somewhere  between  eighty  and  ninety.  The 
following  are  some  of  the  more  interesting  observations  made. 

Among  the  earlier  visitants,  we  noted  a  pair  of  Black-capped  Chickadees, 
and  a  Tufted  Titmouse  and  his  mate.  Although  these  birds  generally  nest 
farther  north,  the  above  mentioned  individuals  stayed  with  us  all  summer. 
The  Tufted  Titmouse  supposedly  nested  in  a  hollow  somewhere  in  a  large 
elm.  At  any  rate,  every  morning  during  April  and  May,  from  3.45  to  4  a.m., 
just  at  daybreak,  the  male  bird  might  be  heard  in  the  top  of  the  elm  singing 
his  "Peeler,  peeler,  peeler;"  but  at  any  other  time  of  day  he  was  entirely 
silent.  The  Chickadees  gave  their  characteristic  notes  only  when  they  first 
appeared  in  the  spring.  During  the  summer  they  were  entirely  silent,  but 
very  much  in  evidence,  from  time  to  time  as  they  carefully  searched  our 
apple  trees  for  insects.  The  last  seen  of  the  Chickadees,  they  had  a  large 
family  of  young  in  tow. 

During  the  migrating  season  in  the  spring  a  number  of  Warblers  were 
seen,  but  the  only  ones  that  would  remain  quiet  long  enough  to  be  identified 
were  the  Black-throated  Green  Warblef  and  the  Maryland  Yellow-throat, 
or  "Witchety"  bird.    This  latter  bird  has  been  of  very  common  occurrence. 

Almost  every  time  we  went  past  a  certain  pasture,  we  saw  a  rusty-looking 
male  Cowbird  and  his  three  wives  walking  along  before  the  cattle. 

We  found  two  Cowbird's  eggs  in  two  different  nests  of  Chipping  Sparrows, 
and  removed  them.  One  of  the  eggs  we  put  in  a  Robin's  nest.  Before 
going  back  on  her  nest,  the  female  Robin  held  her  head  on  one  side  and  in- 
spected   the    nest;    then    she    deliberately  pulled  out  the  strange  egg  and 


134  Bird  -  Lore 

dumped  il  over  the  edge  of  the  nest  in  just  the  same  manner  that  a  sitting 
hen  will  pull  eggs  around  with  her  beak.  The  other  Cowbird's  egg  was  put  into 
a  Kingbird's  nest,  the  nest  being  so  deep  that  I  thought  it  would  be  impos- 
sible for  the  birds  to  get  the  egg  out  over  the  edge.  Both  birds  set  up  an 
uproar  when  they  saw  the  strange  egg  in  the  nest,  but  they  did  not  seem  to 
know  what  to  do.  Next  day,  however,  the  broken  remains  of  the  Cowbird's 
egg  were  found  beneath  the  tree,  and  an  inspection  of  the  nest  seemed  to 
indicate  that  the  birds  had  made  a  hole  in  the  side  of  the  nest  large  enough  to 
shove  out  the  offending  egg,  and  then  afterward  repaired  the  hole. 

One  day  we  saw  a  Sparrow  building  a  nest  in  a  wild  rose-bush  along  the 
road.  A  female  Cowbird  was  slyly  looking  on  from  some  bushes  near  by. 
Next  day  the  nest  was  completed,  and  contained  a  Cowbird's  egg  and  a  Spar- 
row's egg.  A  third  chapter  to  this  story  was  added  three  weeks  later,  when 
we  came  by  and  found  two  Sparrows  feeding  a  large  young  Blackbird  that 
was  just  learning  to  fly. 

On  one  stroll,  we  found  two  old  Killdeers  with  two  half-grown  young. 
The  young  were  very  swift  of  foot,  and  were  run  down  after  quite  a  chase. 
One  of  them  ran  into  a  creek  and,  to  our  surprise  was  perfectly  at  home  in 
the  water.  It  floated  like  a  cork  and,  after  it  had  paddled  its  way  across,  we 
took  up  the  chase  on  the  other  side.  The  two  young  were  finally  coaxed  to 
sit  still  on  the  hand,  for  inspection,  while  the  old  birds  came  within  fifty  feet 
of  us  and  pretended  to  be  badly  wounded,  standing  on  their  heads  in  a  curious 
manner  and  spreading  out  their  wings.  On  our  releasing  the  little  ones,  they 
all  made  for  a  swamp. 

On  Decoration  Day  my  twelve  boys  and  one  older  boy  started  at  4  a.m., 
in  a  spring  wagon,  for  a  day's  outing  at  Greenville  Falls,  which  is  a 
fine  resort  for  fishing,  boating,  swimming,  and  bird-study.  On  the  way,  we 
stopped  to  listen  to  a  solo  from  a  Black  bird  with  a  white  back,  which  sat  on 
a  telegraph  wire  at  the  roadside,  pouring  forth  a  melody  that  resembled  a 
chime  of  bells.  The  bird  was  identified  immediately  as  a  Bobolink.  The  boys 
noticed  a  plainer-looking  bird  along  the  fence,  with  yellowish  stripes,  and  I 
told  them  that  if  it  flew  away  with  the  soloist  it  must  be  its  mate.  The  pre- 
diction proved  correct.  The  Bobolink  is  rather  rare  in  this  locality.  On  this 
trip  we  found  a  Phoebe's  nest  by  a  bridge,  and  also  several  Orchard  Oriole's 
nests,  made  entirely  out  of  green  grass.  The  black  cape  of  these  Orioles 
seemed  to  extend  far  down  their  neck  and  there  was  more  chestnut  than  yel- 
low in  their  plumage.  They  gave  a  note  that  sounded  like  "Keeler,  Cooler, 
Cooler,"  which  seemed  to  distinguish  them  from  the  Baltimore  Oriole.  We 
observed  some  grayish-looking  Swallows  entering  a  small  opening  in  the  side 
of  a  limestone  cliff.  The  hole  was  so  small  and  so  dark  that  we  could  not  see 
anything  inside.    What  kind  of  Swallows  were  they? 

We  also  tried  to  stalk  a  bird  that  said  "pe-er-e-er-e-er-r-r-rl,"  all  in  one 
tone  of  voice  ending  in  a  rolling  trill,  sometimes  with  the  ascending  accent  on 


The  Audubon   Societies  135 

the  end.  This  bird  has  been  a  mystery  to  us  all  summer.  Although  we  have 
heard  it  very  often  on  the  hot  summer  days,  we  have  never  been  able  to  get 
close  enough  to  identify  it. 

We  found  several  pairs  of  Dickcissels  that  chirped  their  song  from  tall  weeds 
in  the  hay  fields.    They  said:  'V////>  chip  chip  chip  chip.''    (do  mi  sol  mi  mi.) 

We  also  thought  that  we  identified  the  Savannah  Sparrow  that  sat  on  a 
weed  in  similar  fashion,  singing  "tsup,  tsup,"  ending  in  an  explosive  sort  of 
whistle  or  trill  which  it  is  impossible  to  indicate  on  paper. 

The  doings  of  the  boys'  club  would  fill  a  large  volume,  but,  as  indicative 
of  the  spirit  of  sympathy  with  wild  creatures,  let  me  relate  just  one  more  cir- 
cumstance. 

Having  found  some  young  Redbirds  (Cardinals)  just  learning  to  fly,  I 
asked  the  boys  if  they  would  like  to  take  them  home  and  try  to  raise  them. 
They  said  yes,  they  would  like  to,  but  did  not  want  "to  disappoint  the  old 
birds." — C.  C.  Custer,  Piqua,  Ohio. 

[This  communication  answers  in  a  very  practical  way  the  inquiry  of  a  teacher  who 
wishes  to  know  how  to  conduct  outdoor  excursions  of  young  pupils  in  bird-  and  nature- 
study.  The  fact  that  the  excursions  described  were  made  on  Sunday  afternoons  has 
nothing  to  do  with  the  value  of  the  method  employed.  The  class  of  twelve  boys  evi- 
dently saw  things  and  got  a  great  deal  out  of  the  trips  besides  needed  exercise. 

It  would  be  useless,  probably,  to  caution  such  classes  against  chasing  birds,  since  it 
takes  a  well-seasoned  observer  to  maintain  perfect  patience  and  self-control  in  moments 
of  ornithological  excitement. 

However,  it  is  well  to  remember  that  the  quiet  observer,  who  is  willing  to  devote 
plenty  of  time  to  each  observation,  usually  gets  more,  in  the  end,  than  the  hasty,  thought- 
less person.  Some  day  this  class  will  find  out  to  its  satisfaction  the  Bank  or  Rough- 
winged  Swallow,  whichever  species  it  happens  to  be,  and  the  bird  whose  song  did  not 
disclose  its  identity.  The  apparent  failures  of  a  bird-walk  are  likely  to  be  as  valuable 
as  the  successes. — A.  H.  W.l 


A    BIRD-STUDY    CLASS    IN    NORTH    DAKOTA 

About  three  dozen  of  our  native  birds  are  known  to  nest  in  the  vicinity 
of  our  town  and  on  the  shores  of  the  two  small  lakes  near  by.  Robins,  Meadow- 
larks,  Song  Sparrows,  and  Chestnut-collared  Longspurs  are  some  of  the  sweet 
singers  we  hear  almost  daily  during  the  summer  months.  One  of  the  very 
interesting  species  is  the  Bobolink,  discovered  near  one  of  the  lakes  on  an  early 
morning  in  June.  There  were  two  males  that  sang,  apparently  not  heeding 
us,  and  keeping  only  a  few  yards  distant.  That  successfully  hidden  some- 
where near  were  the  nests  and  mother  birds,  we  did  not  doubt.  The  gay  sum- 
mer dress  and  delightful  song  of  the  male  Bobolink  gave  great  pleasure  to  the 
Junior  Audubon  members,  who  made  a  majority  of  the  party.  Yellow-headed 
and  Red-winged  Blackbirds,  Mourning  Doves,  Sandpipers,  and  Plovers  were 
also  seen  on  the  same  excursion.  The  Baltimore  Oriole,  Brown  Thrasher, 
Wren,  Yellow  Warbler,  and  Maryland  Yellow-throat  are  some  of  the  inter- 


136  Bird  -  Lore 

esting  residents  of  the  other  lake,  during  the  nesting  season.  Barn  Swallows 
are  rare,  and  the  scarcity  of  native  Sparrows  was  noted  this  year.  A  Wood 
Duck  made  her  nest  in  the  cavity  of  a  large  tree  in  front  of  a  summer  cottage. 
Every  day,  for  some  time,  she  flew  to  and  from  the  nest,  but,  as  more  people 
came  to  occupy  the  cottage,  she  finally  left  the  nest.  Just  how  many  eggs  she 
laid  is  not  known.  Crows  are  becoming  numerous  here. — Mrs.  C.  D.  Berlin, 
Wimbledon  North  Dakota. 

[The  work  of  this  bird-study  class  is  exactly  the  right  kind,  and  teachers  elsewhere 
would  do  well  to  look  up  one  or  two  accessible  places  frequented  by  birds,  where  they 
could  go  with  their  pupils  in  small  parties,  without  too  great  fatigue  or  expenditure  of 
time.  Learn  what  your  particular  part  of  Nature  has  to  tell  you,  is  an  excellent  rule  to 
follow.  What  someone  else  does  in  a  different  locality  can  never  be  precisely  duplicated.' 
Therefore,  discover  your  own  resources,  and  adopt  the  methods  which  can  be  most 
practically  used  with  your  own  jjupils.  We  shall  be  glad  to  hear  more  from  North  Dakota. 
— .\.  H.  W.l 

A   WALK   IN    THE    WOODS 

I  was  hunting  in  the  woods  one  day.  I  saw  an  old  tree  in  the  woods  with  a 
hole  in  it.  I  was  going  to  climb  up  the  tree.  As  I  got  up  a  little  way  it  fell 
over  with  me.  It  was  rotten.  When  I  looked  in  the  hole  I  saw  three  baby 
owls.  They  all  tumbled  out  on  the  ground.  Then  I  was  sorry.  But  I  did  not 
know  it  was  going  to  fall  over  with  me.  I  set  the  stump  up  where  the  hole  was. 
I  put  the  little  owls  back  into  the  hole.  I  fixed  the  stump  up  so  that  the  wind 
would  not  blow  it  down.  How  queer  they  looked!  I  hope  they  grew  up  to  be 
nice  big  owls. Herbert  Morenz  (age  11),  Sea  Side  Ave.,  Eltingville. 

Once  I  was  walking  in  the  woods  with  a  friend  of  mine.  I  saw  a  squirrel. 
I  went  up  the  tree  after  it.  When  I  got  up  to  the  top  of  the  tree,  a  mother 
squirrel  ran  out.  I  put  my  hand  down  into  the  hole  of  the  tree.  Five  or  six  little 
flying  squirrels  came  out.  They  flew  to  one  tree,  and  when  I  got  up  that  tree 
they  flew  to  another  tree.  In  this  way  they  were  in  seven  or  eight  trees.  Two 
came  to  the  ground,  and  we  caught  them.  The  rest  got  away.  I  took  the  two 
home  and  put  them  into  a  cage.  I  fed  them  all  of  the  nuts  that  I  bought  at 
the  store,  but  they  would  not  eat  for  me.  I  left  the  door  open  a  little  bit.  One 
morning  I  found  they  had  gone. — Edward  McCafpery  (age  16),  137  Giffords 
Lane,  Great  Kills,  N.  Y. 

One  day  I  went  for  a  walk  into  the  wood.  When  I  had  gone  a  little  way  I 
saw  a  nest  of  baby  rabbits.  The  mother  ran  as  fast  as  a  bullet.  That  was  the 
way  I  found  the  nest.  I  also  found  a  lot  of  turtle's  eggs.  I  also  found  a  quail's 
nest.  It  had  six  eggs.  That  winter  I  saw  the  quails.  They  were  looking  for 
food.  My  mother  sent  me  over  with  chicken  corn  for  them.  They  did  not  fly 
away  when  I  threw  them  the  corn.    They  ate  it  in  a  delicious  way.    A  man 


The  Audubon   Societies 


137 


said,  "The  Quails  call  my  name."    That  summer  I  heard  them  call  it,  "Bob, 
Bob,  White."   His  name  was  Robert  White. — Thomas  Flynn  (age  12). 

[This  exercise  in  composition,  based  on  original  observations,  suggests  another 
method  of  making  use  of  the  time  allowed  for  bird-  and  nature-study  in  our  schools. 
There  is  a  very  definite  pleasure  to  be  derived  from  describing  what  one  has  seen,  heard, 
or  done  himself,  and  the  spirit  of  this  kind  of  pleasure  is  shown  in  these  compositions. 

The  boy  who  "fixed  the  stump  up  so  that  the  wind  would  not  blow  it  down,"  the 
boy  who  "left  the  door  open  a  little  bit,"  when  his  caged  squirrels  would  not  eat,  and  the 
boy  who  carried  "chicken-corn"  to  the  hungry  quail,  are  all  boys  who  can  be  trusted  to 
make  friends  with  Nature.  An  experienced  teacher,  as  I  may  have  already  told  you, 
once  said  that  we  should  not  need  to  preach  about  kindness  to  animals  to  boys  and  girls 
if  we  would  teach  them  to  know  outdoor  life. 

No  Bird  and  Arbor  Day  message  could  be  finer  than  the  poet's  call  to  the  world  of 
"joyous  living  things." — A.  H.  W.] 

"Welcome  back  to  your  North-land, 
Birds,  to  our  hearts  so  dearl 
Sorrowful  were  the  summer 
Without  your  songs  of  cheer. 
We  long  for  you  when  absent, 
We'll  cherish  you  while  here." 
From  the  Return  of  the  Birds,  by  M.  C.  Bolles,  Grass  Range,  Montana. 


SPRING'S    HERALD 
(Photograph  of  Meadowlark  by  Guy  A.  Bailey) 


THE   WHIP-POOR-WILL 

Bv   T.  GILBERT    PEARSON 


%^t  Rational  Si&&omtion  ot  Audubon  ^ocittit& 

EDUCATIONAL   LEAFLET    No.  73 


While  walking  along  a  country  road  one  evening  after  the  sun  had  set, 
and  darkness  had  all  but  fallen,  I  suddenly  discovered  some  object  on  the 
ground  a  few  yards  ahead.  At  almost  the  same  moment  it  rose,  and,  on  slow- 
moving  wings,  flew  over  the  fence  and  disappeared  in  the' gloom  of  the  woods. 
The  flight  was  so  silent,  and  the  wings  were  so  broad,  it  was  difficult  to  believe 
that  it  was  not  a  great  moth  that  had  just  departed  from  view.  I  knew,  how- 
ever, that  I  had  disturbed  a  Whip-poor-will  in  the  midst  of  its  twilight  dust- 
bath.  Evidently  it  had  been  trying  for  several  minutes  to  find  just  the  right 
spot,  for  there  in  the  soft  earth  were  three  slight  but  distinct  hollows,  such  as 
only  a  dusting  bird  would  make. 

Soon  afterward  I  heard  it  calling,  or  perhaps  it  was  its  mate,  whip-poor-will, 
whip-poor-will;  the  shouts  came  ringing  through  the  darkness,  six,  eight,  or 

perhaps  twenty  times  repeated.  Then,  after  a  pause,  the  plain- 
The  Song  tive  but  Stirring  notes  would  again  come  up  from  the  old  apple 

orchard,  and  fill  all  the  space  round  about  the  farm-house. 
The  still  summer  night  seemed  to  belong  to  this  strange  bird  of  the  shadows, 
for  its  rhythmical  cry  took  possession  of  the  silences,  and  filled  the  listener  with 
contented  exhilaration.  All  attempts  to  approach  it  that  night  were  futile, 
for  its  big,  bright  eyes  evidently  penetrated  the  shadows  with  ease,  and, 
long  before  we  could  even  make  out  its  form,  it  would  fly  to  another  perch 
several  rods  away.  Only  when  it  announced  its  presence  by  calling  did  we 
know  its  new  position.  Two  or  three  times,  however,  we  came  near  enough 
to  hear  the  low  note,  something  like  chuck,  which  immediately  precedes  the 
first  loud  whip  of  its  song. 

Ernest  IngersoU,  in  his  book  "Wit  of  the  Wild,"  says  that  a  Whip  poor- 
will,  while  singing,  "will  often  make  a  beginning  and  then  seem  to  stop  and 

try  it  over  again,  like  a  person  practising  a  new  tune;  but 
ops    inging    |.j^ggg  interruptions  really  mean  so  many  leaps  into  the  air, 

with  perhaps  frantic  dodges  and  a  somersault  or  two,  for  the 
snatching  and  devouring  of  some  lusty  insect  that  objects  to  the  process."  We 
listened  for  this,  but  all  the  calls  we  heard  were  complete  throughout  each 
performance.  It  was  fully  two  hours  after  the  sun  had  set  before  the  last  note 
of  this  mysterious  night-flyer  was  heard.  Just  before  dawn  it  called  again 
several  times,  and  the  farmer's  wife  said  she  feared  it  was  sitting  on  the  stone 
door-step.  She  was  somewhat  disturbed  about  this,  and  intimated  that  if 
it  were  there  the  action  would  bring  sorrow  to  the  household.    It  seems  odd 

(138) 


u    > 


■  t     B 


I       I 


O    U 


s  z 


The  Whip -poor- will  139 

that  people  should  be  superstitious  about  anything  so  harmless  as  a  bird,  but 
in  rural  communities  one  often  finds  people  who  believe  much  ill  luck  may 
happen  to  them  if  a  Whip-poor-will  sings  too  close  to  the  house.  If  they  were 
better  acquainted  with  this  gentle  feathered  creature,  they  would  surely  know 
that  nothing  evil  could  come  from  it. 

Many  more  people  have  heard  this  bird  call  than  have  ever  seen  it;  for, 
like  the  owl,  its  day  begins  only  when  the  sun  goes  down,  and  before  the  sun 
comes  up  again  it  has  settled  to  sleep  on  the  dead  leaves  that  cover  the  ground 
in  the  thicker  parts  of  the  woods.  It  appears  never  to  give  its  call  during  the 
daytime.  While  hunting  for  wild  flowers,  you  will  sometimes  come  upon  its 
hiding-place.  It  must  sleep  with  one  ear  open,  for  the  bird  seems  always  to 
hear  you  before  you  see  it,  and,  on  silent  wings  it  will  rise  and  fly  quickly  out 
of  sight  among  the  bushes. 

If  such  an  experience  should  happen  to  one  in  the  month  of  May  or  June, 
it  is  quite  worth  while  to  search  the  leaves  very  carefully,  for  you  may  have 
stumbled  upon  its  nest,  which,  in  reality,  is  no  nest  at  all,  but 
The  Nest  is  simply  a  place  on  the  leaves  which  the  mother-bird  has  chosen 

to  be  the  temporary  home  of  her  little  ones.  The  mildly 
spotted,  cream-colored  eggs  so  closely  resemble  the  faded,  washed-out,  last 
season's  leaves  on  which  they  are  lying  that  it  takes  a  sharp  eye,  indeed,  to 
find  them.  So  one  should  proceed  slowly,  lest  an  unfortunate  step  might 
crush  the  two  little  oblong  beauties.  Usually  one  is  not  quite  certain  of  the 
exact  spot  from  which  the  bird  flew.  On  such  occasions  I  sometimes  place 
my  hat  or  handkerchief  on  the  ground  near  the  place,  and,  like  a  dog  hunting 
for  a  lost  trail,  begin  to  walk  around  the  spot,  increasing  the  circle  constantly 
as  I  go.  By  this  means,  sooner  or  later,  one  will  be  pretty  sure  to  find  the 
eggs  if  they  are  there. 

If,  when  the  bird  flies,  it  soon  comes  to  the  earth  again,  and  appears  to  be 

suffering  from  sudden  injury,  you  may  be  sure  that  it  has  a  secret  that  it  is 

trying  to  keep  from  you,  and,  by  feigning  a   broken  wing,  it 

eigning  hopes   you  will  follow  in  an  attempt   to  capture  it.    If  you 

approach  the  bird,  it  will  fly  before  you  a  few  yards  at  a  time 

until,  having  led  you  away  a  safe  distance  from  the  nest,  it  will  suddenly 

recover,  and,  rising  strong  on  the  wing,  you  will  see  it  no  more.    Doubtless 

the  eggs  are  often  saved  from  destruction  in  this  way;  for  a  hunting  dog,  fox, 

or  'coon,  will  seek  to  catch  the  bird,  and  entirely  overlook  the  presence  of 

eggs  or  young. 

If  the  eggs  have  hatched,  you  will  need  to  look  even  closer  if  you  are  to 
be  rewarded.  The  two  little  Whip-poor-wills,  with  their  soft,  downy  coats, 
will  lie  motionless  on  the  leaves,  without  even  so  much  as  an  eyelid  moving 
to  betray  their  presence.  Their  coloring,  too,  blends  so  wonderfully  with 
their  surroundings  that  I  sometimes  wonder  if  any  enemy  is  ever  able  to 
find  them. 


I40  Bird  -  Lore 

In  many  of  the  southern  states  lives  the  Chuck-wiU's-widow,  which  also 
bears  the  name  given  to  its  call.  It  is  larger  than  the  Whip-poor-will,  but,  like 
it,  is  nocturnal  in  its  habits.  So  closely  do  the  two  birds  resemble  each  other, 
both  in  physical  structure  and  in  habits,  that  naturalists  tell  us  they  are  near 
relatives,  and,  in  fact,  they  classify  them  as  belonging  to  the  same  family. 
Many  of  the  people  who  live  in  the  forests  where  these  birds  are  found  do  not 
know  much  about  the  scientific  study  of  birds,  and  usually  believe  that  these 
two  night-prowlers  are  one  and  the  same  birds.  They  will  tell  you  that  the 
Chuck-wiU's-widow  is  the  male  Whip-poor-will. 

Down  in  the  lake  country  of  central  Florida,  as  a  boy,  I  used  to  listen  to 
the  Chuck-wiU's-widow  calling  on  summer  nights.  When  the  winter  months 
came,  however,  the  cries  that  came  up  from  the  deep  woods  of  an  evening  were 
different;  for  at  that  season  these  birds  were  all  gone,  and  their  places  taken 
by  Whip-poor-wills,  which  had  arrived  from  the  more  northern  states  to  pass 
the  winter  where  snows  never  fall,  and  frost  seldom  comes. 

Another  closely  related  bird  is  often  confused  in  the  public  mind  with  the 

Whip-poor-will.    This  is  the  Nighthawk,  or  "Bull-bat."  Very  many  persons 

think  there  is  no  difference  in  these  birds,  but  there  is  a  marked 

s     ig      aw     fiiffereiice    both  in  appearance  and  habits.    The  Nighthawk's 

Cousin  ^  ^  111 

wings  are  much  longer,  and,  when  folded,  reach  well  beyond 
the  end  of  the  tail,  while  the  Whip-poor-wiU's  wings  do  not  extend  even  so 
far  as  the  end  of  the  tail.  The  Nighthawk  flies  about  in  the  early  evening,  long 
before  sunset,  and  may  sometimes  be  seen,  even  at  noontime,  hawking  about 
for  insects.  It  often  feeds  hundreds  of  feet  in  the  air,  and  may  remain  on  the 
wing  for  an  hour  or  more  at  a  time.  On  the  other  hand,  its  cousin  of  the  shadows 
only  comes  out  of  its  seclusion  so  late  in  the  evening  that  it  is  difficult  to  see  it, 
and  it  captures  its  food  by  short  flights  near  the  ground. 

The  Whip-poor-will,  and  the  other  two  birds  I  have  mentioned,  belong  to 
the  family  of  birds  called  Goatsuckers.  They  have  very  weak  feet  and  legs, 
and  so  move  very  slowly  and  feebly  when  on  the  ground.  They  sit  lengthwise 
on  a  limb,  fence-rail,  or  other  object  on  which  they  chance  to  perch,  and  very 
rarely  use  the  crosswise  position  so  commonly  adopted  by  the  perching  birds. 
The  mouth  in  this  group  is  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  bird-world  because  of  its 
enormous  size.  All  around  the  upper  lip  is  arranged  a  series  of  long,  stiff, 
curving  hairs,  which  form  a  sort  of  broad  scoop-net  in  which  the  bird  entangles 
and  seizes  its  insect-prey,  for  it  always  feeds  while  on  the  wing,  and  the  agile 
gnats  and  moths  might  often  be  able  to  dodge  or  slip  out  of  the  very  small 
beak  possessed  by  these  birds  were  it  not  for  the  wide  fringe  of  bristles. 

Few  birds  are  more  valuable  to  the  farmer  than  is  the  Whip- 
Its  Food  poor-will.    It  never  does  him  any  harm  in  any  way,  for  it  does 

not  eat  his  cherries  and  strawberries,  nor  does  it  pull  up  his 
newly  planted  corn,  nor  eat  his  millet  seed.  It  does  not  fill  up  the  drainage- 
pipes  of  his  house  with  sticks  and  leaves,  does  not  eat  his  chicken-feed,  nor  catch 


The  Whip-poor-will  141 

his  young  poultry.  What  it  does  do  for  him  is  to  eat  the  insects  that  lay  the 
eggs  that  hatch  into  caterpillars  and  destroy  the  leaves  of  shade  and  fruit 
trees.  May-beetles  and  leaf-eating  beetles  are  destroyed  by  it  also.  In  truth, 
fortunate,  indeed,  is  the  grower  of  grain,  or  the  raiser  of  fruit  who,  during  the 
spring  and  summer  nights,  has  one  or  more  pairs  of  these  birds  about  his  place, 
for  all  during  the  hours  when  the  farmer  sleeps  the  Whip-poor-will  is  busy 
ridding  his  place  of  these  harmful  insects. 

Mr.  Ingersoll  says:  "They  never  regularly  sweep  through  the  upper  air,  as 
does  the  Nighthawk,  but  seek  their  food  near  the  ground  by  leaping  after  it  in 
short,  erratic  flights.  They  have  a  way  of  balancing  themselves  near  a  tree- 
trunk  or  barn- wall,  picking  ants  and  other  small  provender  off  the  bark;  and 
even  hunt  for  worms  and  beetles  on  the  ground,  turning  over  the  leaves  to  root 
them  out.  It  is  not  until  their  first  hunger  has  been  assuaged  that  one  hears 
that  long  steady  chanting  for  which  the  bird  is  distinguished,  and  which,  as 
a  sustained  effort,  is  perhaps  unequaled  elsewhere." 

In  the  early  autumn,  the  Whip-poor-wills  simply  disappear  without  warn- 
ing. As  they  reappear  far  to  the  south,  we  know,  of  course,  that  they  have 
migrated,  but  when  did  they  go  and  how?  Did  they  journey  over  the  hun- 
dreds of  miles  of  intervening  space  by  short  flights,  or  did  they  mount  high 
in  air  as  do  many  small  birds,  and  fly  swiftly  for  long  hours  at  a  time?  Did 
they  go  singly  or  in  flocks?  These  and  other  questions  about  this  mysterious 
bird  of  the  night  remain  to  be  answered  fully.  Perhaps  some  younger  reader 
of  this  paper  will  grow  up  to  be  the  naturalist  who  will  explain  these  things 
more  fully  to  the  less  observant  students  of  birds. 

No  one  should  ever  kill  one  of  these  useful  birds.  Its  great  value  to  man- 
kind has  become  generally  recognized  in  recent  years,  and  the  laws  of  all  the 
states  where  the  bird  is  found  provide  that  any  one  who  kills  a  Whip-poor- 
will  shall  be  fined  or  imprisoned. 

CLASSIFICATION    AND    DISTRIBUTION 

The  Whip-poor-will  belongs  to  the  Order  Macrochircs  and  the  Family  Capy'imid- 
gid(B,  and  its  scientific  name  is  Antrostomiis  vocijerus  vocifcrus.  It  ranges  through 
eastern  North  America,  breeding  from  the  St.  Lawrence  Valley  and  Nova  Scotia  south 
to  northern  Georgia  and  Louisiana,  as  far  west  as  the  border  of  the  Plains;  it  winters 
from  the  South  Atlantic  and  Gulf  Coast  to  British  Honduras.  The  only  other  sub- 
species is  macromystax,  of  Mexico  and  the  adjacent  border  of  the  United  States. 

Note. — Additional  copies  of  this  and  other  educational  leaflets  may  be  obtained  for  2  cents  each 
from  the  National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies,  1074  Broadway,  New  York  City. 


Cbe  ^uDubon  ^ocietiec 


EXECUTIVE   DEPARTMENT 

Edited  by  T.  GILBERT  PEARSON.  Secretary 

Address  all  correspondence,  and  send  all  remittances  for  dues  and  contributions,   to 
the    National    Association    of    Audubon    Societies,    1974    Broadway,    New    York    City 

William  Dutcher,  President 
Frederick  A.  Lucas,  Acting  President  T.  Gilbert  Pearson,  Secretary 

Theodore  S.  Palmer,  First  Vice-President     Jonathan  Dwight,  Jr.    Treasurer 
Samuel  T.  Carter,  Jr.,  Attorney 

Any  person,  club,  school  or  company  in  sympathy  with  the  objects  of  this  Association  may   become 
.  member,  and  all  are  welcome. 

Classes  of  Membership  in  the  National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies  for  the  Protection  of  Wild 
Jirds  and  Animals: 

$5.00  annually  pays  for  a  Sustaining  Membership 
$100.00  paid  at  one  time  constitutes  a  Life  Membership 
$1,000.00  constitutes  a  person  a  Patron 
$5,000.00  constitutes  a  person  a  Founder 
$25,000.00  constitutes  a  person  a  Benefactor 

MR.  DUTCHER    HONORED 

Mr.  William  Dutcher,  President  of  the 
National  Association  of  Audubon  Socie- 
ties, was  recently  awarded  the  gold  medal 
of  the  Camp-Fire  Club  of  America.  The 
presentation  was  made  at  his  home  in 
Plainfield,  New  Jersey,  on  January  21, 
1914,  with  a  simple  but  most  impressive 
ceremony.  On  the  medal  was  engraved, 
"To  William  Dutcher,  Founder  of  the 
National  Association  of  Audubon  Socie- 
ties, for  his  work  in  preserving  American 
birds."  The  Committee  of  the  Camp-Fire 
Club,  which  journeyed  to  Plainfield  to 
perform  this  pleasant  duty,  consisted  of 
Mr.  William  E.  Coflin,  President;  Mr. 
Edmund  Seymour,  Treasurer;  and  Dr. 
William  T.  Hornaday.  By  invitation,  the 
Secretary  of  the  Association  also  accom- 
panied them.  Mr.  Seymour  read  to  Mr. 
Dutcher  and  to  the  friends  assembled 
warm  letters  of  appreciation  from  Mr. 
Ernest  Seton,  Mr.  Rex  Beach,  and  Mr. 
Irving  Bacheller.  In  giving  Mr.  Dutcher 
the  medal.  Dr.  Hornaday,  speaking  for 
the  Camp-Fire  Club,  thus  concluded  his 
address:  "With  this  token,  the  Club  sends 
congratulations  to  you  for  the  great  work 
you  have  done  and  the  place  you  have 
won  in  the  hearts  of  your  countrymen, 
and  its  prayers  for  your  complete  restora- 
tion to  health."  Mr.  Samuel  T.  Carter, 
WILLL\M  Jr.,  replied   with  an  address  of   thanks    in 

behalf  of  Mr.  Dutcher.— T.  G.  P. 

(142) 


MEDAL 


AWARDED    TO    MR. 
DUTCHER 


The   Audubon   Societies 


143 


FEEDING    THE    BIRDS 


On  February  16,  two  days  after  the  great 
storms  of  February-March,  19 14,  began, 
telegrams  authorizing  the  expenditure  of 
funds  were  sent  from  the  office  of  the 
National  Association  to  Audubon  workers 
throughout  the  snow-bound  states,  ask- 
ing them  to  call  on  the  public  to  feed  the 
birds.  Agents  were  authorized  to  expend 
sums  varying  from  $10  to  $100,  to  start 
the  work.  Responses  were  immediate, 
as  the  following  brief  statements  show: 

Connecticut. — Appeals  for  personal 
service  and  financial  aid  were  printed  in 
newspapers  throughout  the  state,  and 
were  followed  vigorously  by  subsequent 
articles  in  some  papers,  especially  those 
of  Bridgeport,  thanks  to  the  energy  of 
Miss  Spalding  and  her  fellow-members  of 
the  local  Audubon  Society.  Large  quan- 
tities of  bird-food  were  purchased  and  dis- 
pensed by  the  Society  and  by  private 
means.  Many  mail-carriers  in  the  Rural 
Free  Delivery  service  cheerfully  carried 
bags  of  buckwheat,  and  scattered  it 
along  the  routes  with  special  reference  to 
the  Quail.  Another  striking  evidence  of 
public  spirit  was  evinced  by  a  water- 
company,  which  provided  hundreds  of 
pounds  of  grain,  suet,  and  ground  bone, 
and  had  its  workmen  distribute  it  intelli- 
gently throughout  the  large  wooded  area 
surrounding  its  reservoirs. 

Illinois. — The  newspapers  spread   far 


and  near  the  State  Society's  appeal  for 
help  for  the  birds,  and  its  president  sent 
out  2,000  instructive  post-cards. 

Indiana. — Under  the  impulse  of  the 
secretary  of  the  State  Society,  Elizabeth 
Uownhour,  patrols  of  Boy  Scouts  at  Fort 
Wayne,  the  students  at  Teachers'  College. 
Indianapolis,  and  many  other  helpers, 
were  soon  busy,  proving  that  the  people 
of  Indiana  generally  were  wide  awake  to 
their  duties  and  privileges. 

Maine. — The  State  Society's  appeal  to 
the  press,  with  instructions,  was  widely 
published. 

Massachusetts. — The  press  and  peo- 
ple responded  generously  to  the  call  for 
work,  the  Boy  Scouts,  Camp  Fire  Girls, 
and  other  clubs  of  young  people  exerting 
themselves  everywhere,  as  the  records 
show. 

New  Hampshire  and  Vermont. — 
Similar  methods  and  kindly  energy 
brought  excellent  results. 

New  York. — A  widespread  and  urgent 
appeal  was  voiced  by  the  press,  and  a 
vast  amount  of  rescue-work  was  done, 
especially  in  reference  to  Ducks  and 
upland  game-birds. 

Vermont. — The  press  repeated  the 
warnings  sent  them,  with  good  efTect. 

Virginia  and  West  Virginia. — Great 
publicity  was  obtained  and  much  bene- 
ficial work  promptly  accomplished. 


■ 


;    --  V 


•4s 


4      * 
1,  -«  -. 


THOUSANDS    OF    SCAUP    DUCKS    WINTERING    IN    SAFETY    AT    DAYTONA,    FLORIDA 


144 


Bird -Lore 


TWO   INTERESTING   CASES 


Mr.  C.  E.  Brewster,  Game  Law  Expert 
of  the  United  States  Department  of 
Agriculture,  who  has  been  doing  such 
si)lendid  work  for  a  number  of  years  in 
enforcing  the  federal  regulations  in  refer- 
ence to  the  interstate  shipment  of  game, 
is  continually  making  interesting  dis- 
coveries. Two  of  these  are  referred  to  in 
the  following  communication  recently 
received  from  him.  The  big  gun  to  which 
he  refers  is  a  type  of  the  enormous  weapons 
which  have  long  been  used  by  the  pot- 
hunters in  certain  regions  along  our 
Atlantic  coast.  The  value  of  one  of  these 
guns  to  the  market  hunter  lies  in  the  fact 
that  it  can  throw  shot  to  a  far  greater 
distance  than  an  ordinary  fowling-piece 
and,  further,  the  quantity  of  pellets 
which  it  hurls  at  a  single  discharge  is 
capable  of  producing  enormous  execution 
on  a  flock  of  feeding  wild-fowl.  The 
"duck  scaffold"  is  an  ocular  demonstra- 
tion of  the  length  to  which  bird-butchers 
will  go  in  order  to  defeat  the  law,  as  long 
as  there  is  an  open  market  for  wild  game- 
birds.    Mr.  Brewster  writes: 

"In  December,  1913,  two  oHQcers  of 
Washington,  D.  C,  saw  a  man  start  out 
from  the  Virginia  shore  in  a  skiff.  They 
intercepted  him,  and  found  in  his  boat  a 
gun  8  feet  6  inches  long,  of  an  inch  and 
five-eighths  caliber,  weighing  over  100 
lbs.,  loaded  and  placed  ready  for  firing. 
He  had  with  him,  too,  a  double-barrel 
ten-gauge  gun,  also  loaded.  They  drew 
the  load  out  of  the  big  gun,  and  found  it 
consisted  of  a  half-pound  of  flashing  pow- 
der and  a  pound  of  small  buck-shot.  It 
would  appear  that  the  man  was  going 
duck-hunting  with  this  destructive  wea- 
pon. Since  that  time,  the  Biological  Sur- 
vey has  been  conducting  a  general  inves- 
tigation, and  we  now  have  the  record  of 
eleven  big  guns  owned  on  the  Potomac 
River,  some  of  them  more  than  10  feet 
in  length.  If  Virginia  and  Maryland,  fol- 
lowing the  example  of  other  states,  enact 
laws  making  it  unlawful  to  have  these 
guns  in  possession,  we  shall  have  no  trou- 
ble in  finding  them." 


"yVnother  matter  that  may  interest 
you  is  in  connection  with  the  duck-trap- 
pers of  Virginia.  After  we  had  made 
successful  prosecutions  in  the  federal 
courts,  two  years  ago,  against  these  Vir- 
ginia parties,  for  shipping  trapped  ducks, 
they  hit  on  the  plan  of  tying  up  a  bunch 
of  dead  ducks,  after  they  had  taken 
them  from  the  traps  and  killed  them,  and 
shooting  a  load  of  fine  shot  into  them  at 
close  range.  They  would  then  claim,  in 
case  the  shipments  were  intercepted,  that 
the  ducks  were  legally  killed.  (You  will 
remember  that  the  Virginia  law  provides 
that  ducks  legally  killed  may  be  shipped 
out  of  the  state.) 

Late  in  191 2  we  intercepted  a  shipment, 
going  from  Virginia  to  Maryland.  We 
took  a  number  of  pairs  and  had  them 
picked,  and,  of  course,  discovered  the 
shot  marks;  but  the  ducks  had  previously 
been  killed  by  piercing  the  head  with  a 
sharp  instrument.  Eichelberger  and 
Bradford,  the  shippers,  were  convicted 
and  heavily  fined,  this  being  their  second 
conviction.  Immediately  the  trappers 
arranged  to  take  the  birds  from  their 
traps,  tie  them  up  in  bunches,  and  fire 
shot  into  them  while  alive. 

Last  month,  with  two  men  in  our 
employ,  I  made  a  trip  along  the  eastern 
shore  of  Virginia.  Off  Quinby  we  found 
the  apparatus  or  scaffolding  used  for 
tying  up  these  birds  to  shoot.  I  am  in- 
closing you  a  photograph  of  it.  You  will 
readily  see  that  it  has  been  used  some." 

Christmas  Trees  for  Birds 

There  comes  from  the  Audubon  Society 
in  Buffalo  a  novel  suggestion,  to  be  noted 
for  use  by  bird-lovers  next  winter.  This 
is,  that  after  the  children's  Christmas  trees 
have  served  their  pretty  purpose  they  be 
not  thrown  away  or  burned,  but  planted 
in  some  suitable  place  near  the  house, 
and  loaded  with  food  for  the  winter  birds. 
This  plan  offers  many  advantages  over 
merely  scattering  the  food,  or  placing  it 
on    some    shelf    accessible    to    cats,  etc. 


I 


CHARLES  E.  BREWSTER    AND    CAPTURED 
'BIG    GUN" 


SCAFFOLD    FOR    EXECUTING   LIVE 
DUCKS    IN    VIRGINIA 


(145) 


146 


Bird  -  Lore 


ALBERT   WILLCOX,  BENEFACTOR 


Albert  Willcox,  whose  magniticent 
bequest  to  this  Association  first  placed  it 
on  a  permanent  financial  basis,  was,  in 
many  ways,  a  most  interesting  man.  He 
was  born  in  New  York  City,  on  February 
15,  1847,  but  spent  most  of  his  childhood 
and  youth  on  his  father's  farm  on  Staten 
Island.  At  the  age  of  lO  he  went  to  work 
for  a  drygoods  firm  in  New  York  City. 
His  father  had  a  small  insurance  business, 
and  the  two  joined  later  in  it  under  the 
firm-name  of  A.  W.  Willco.x  &  Company, 
and  embarked  in  fire  and  marine  insur- 
ance brokerage.  On  the  death  of  his 
father,  several  years  later,  he  became 
associated  with  a  younger  cousin,  Wil- 
liam G.  Willco.x,  under  the  firm-name  of 
Albert  Willcox  &  Company;  a  partner- 
ship which  terminated  only  upon  the  death 
of  the  senior  member,  twenty  years  later. 

Albert  Willcox  accumulated  a  consider- 
able fortune,  which  he  used  liberally  dur- 
ing his  lifetime  and  distributed  generously 
at  his  death.  He  was  a  large,  strong  man, 
and  succeeded  in  life  by  his  indomitable 
perseverance. 

He  first  became  interested  in  the  Audu- 
bon movement  by  seeing  some  notice  of 
its  work  in  a  newspaper.  He  at  once  went 
to  see  Mr.  Dutcher,  then  Chairman  of  the 
National  Committee  of  Audubon  Socie- 
ties, and  after  inquiring  thoroughly  into 
the  work  of  the  Committee,  and  especially 
as  to  just  how  the  funds  were  expended, 
he  offered  to  assist  financially. 

I  well  remember  when  I  first  met  him, 
in  the  autumn  of  1904.  Mr.  Willcox  had 
contributed  money  to  the  National  Com- 
mittee the  year  before,  and  had  recently 
stated  to  Mr.  Dutcher  that  if  some  young 
man  should  become  connected  with  the 
movement  as  financial  agent,  he  would 
personally  pay  the  necessary  salary  and 
expenses.  I  was  living  in  North  Carolina 
at  the  time,  and,  summoned  by  a  tele- 
gram from  Mr.  Dutcher,  came  to  New 
York  and  had  an  interview  with  Mr. 
Willcox.  He  impressed  me  as  a  very 
frank,  straight-forward  business  man,  on 
whose  mind    two    things   bore   heavily, — 


one  the  need  of  educating  the  Negro  in 
the  Southern  States,  and  the  other  a 
desire  to  see  better  means  adopted  for 
preserving  the  wild-hird  and  animal  life 
of  the  country. 

At  the  termination  of  our  interview, 
we  went  to  Mr.  Dutcher's  office,  and  Mr. 
Willcox  agreed  to  provide  the  Associa- 
tion with  $3,000  annually,  in  order  that 
I  might  give  half  of  my  time  to  advan- 
cing its  work.  This  he  continued  to  do 
until  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred 
on  August  13,  1906,  in  his  fifty-ninth  year. 

He  had  always  been  intelligently  inter- 
ested in  the  achievements  of  the  National 
Association,  which  had  in  the  meantime 
become  incorporated,  but  never  attempted 
to  take  any  actis'C  part  in  the  details  of 
the  work.  By  his  will,  the  Association 
was  made  the  beneficiary  to  the  extent  of 
$331,072.  The  Board  of  Directors  at 
once  made  of  this  the  beginning  of  a 
permanent  endowment-fund  for  the  .\sso- 
ciation,  and  provided  that  only  the  inter- 
est from  the  same  should  ever  be  used 
for  current  expenses.  Thus  Mr.  Willcox 
enabled  the  directors  to  place  on  a  per- 
manent basis,  for  all  time  to  come,  the 
work  of  the  National  Association  of 
Audubon  Societies. 

Mr.  Willcox  was  a  man  of  great  modesty, 
and  while  he  lived  he  would  never  permit 
his  name  to  be  published  in  connection 
with  his  contributions.  Whenever  he  was 
approached  on  the  subject,  he  would 
always  declare  most  emphatically  that 
he  did  not  want  personal  advertisement, 
but  that  with  all  his  heart  he  did  desire 
to  see  the  wild  life  of  the  country  pre- 
served. He  was  interested  not  only  in 
bird-protection  but  in  the  preservation 
of  other  wild  animals  as  well,  and  it  was 
in  response  to  his  suggestion  that  the 
scope  of  the  Audubon  work  was  broadened 
to  include  wild  animals  as  well  as  birds. 
Mr.  Willcox  had  the  utmost  faith  in  the 
growth  of  the  Audubon  movement;  and 
he  desired  that  his  gifts  be  used  chiefly 
for  securing  additional  support  for  the 
Association's  working-fund. — T.  G.  P. 


MR.    ALBERT   WILLCOX 
Benefactor  of  the  National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies 


(147) 


148 


Bird  -  Lore 


FLORENCE    A.  HOWE:  AN    APPRECIATION 


When,  seventeen  years  ago,  the  Indiana 
Audubon  Society  was  founded,  it  began 
to  promote  the  organization  of  local 
societies  in  various  towns  in  the  state. 

A  few  of  the  friends  of  the  birds  in 
Indianapolis  organized  such  a  society, 
and  made  me  its  president.  It  was  my 
thought  that,  if  we  could  extend  our 
work  into  the  schools,  we  could  educate 
the  children  to  know  and  value  birds;  and 
also  that  it  would  be  well  to  interest  the 
newspapers  of  the  city,  so  that  the  atten- 
tion of  the  public  might  be  attracted  to 
whatever  was  accomplished.  The  scheme 
worked  well.  The  superintendent  of 
schools  was  much  interested  in  local 
ornithology,  entered  into  the  spirit  of 
what  we  sought  to  do,  and  facilitated  our 
efforts.  Very  soon,  one  or  another  of  us 
was  constantly  called  upon  to  visit  the 
schools  and  talk  to  classes  about  birds. 
The  newspapers  very  heartily  responded 
to  our  request  to  give  publicity  to  what 
was  being  done,  and  these  notices  attracted 
the  attention  of  Miss  Florence  A.  Howe, 
a  lady  who  had  been  a  school-teacher,  and 
a  lover  of  the  birds.  One  day  Miss  Howe 
introduced  herself  to  me,  and  said  that 
she  had  read  accounts  of  our  work,  and 
would  like  to  be  one  of  us.  Of  course,  I 
welcomed  her  to  our  fold;  and  because 
of  her  experience  as  a  teacher,  and  intense 
interest  in  the  cause  of  bird-protection, 
she  became  and  continued  a  most  effec- 
tive worker  in  the  schools  of  Indianapolis 
and  its  vicinity. 

Miss  Howe  soon  became  a  member  of 
the  State  Society,  was  elected  its  secre- 
tary, and  for  several  years  was  the  lead- 
ing spirit  in  the  work  of  that  organiza- 
tion. Her  work  was  so  effective  as  to 
attract  the  attention  of  the  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture,  and  soon  to 
make  her  well  known  throughout  the 
entire  country.  She  was  one  of  the  most 
energetic  and  industrious  women  that  I 
have  ever  known — energy  and  industry 
that  were  not  expended  for  a  selfish  pur- 
pose, but  rather  for  the  comfort  of  her 
family  and  friends,  and  for  the  advance- 


ment of  the  cause  of  bird-protection.  One 
would  expect  such  a  person  to  be  of  a 
sunny  and  cheerful  disposition,  and  she 
exceptionally  illustrated  these  qualities. 
Her  presence  made  happy  everyone  with 
whom  she  came  in  contact.  It  was  evi- 
dent before  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
State  Society,  in  1912,  that  her  health 
was  failing,  and,  at  her  request,  she  was 
relieved  from  the  duties  of  the  office 
which  she  had  so  well  and  conspicuously 
filled.  She  was,  however,  continued  as 
a  member  of  the  executive  committee,  and 
regularly  attended  its  meetings  until 
within  a  few  days  of  her  death,  which 
occurred,  very  suddenly,  on  July  g,  1913, 
bringing  to  a  close  a  life  full  of  disinter- 
estedness and  Christian  character. — 
William  Watson  W^oollen. 

A  Thank-offering  to  Gulls 

A  monument  absolutely  unique  in 
character  and  purpose  was  unveiled  in 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah,  on  October  i,  1913 — 
a  monument  to  the  Gulls  that  saved  the 
first  settlers  from  famine.  No  wonder 
that  it  is  inscribed  as  "Erected  in  Grateful 
Remembrance  of  the  Mercy  of  God  to  the 
Mormon  Pioneers." 

The  incident  so  strikingly  commem- 
orated happened  in  the  summer  of 
1848,  when  flocks  of  Gulls  came  to  the 
settlers'  fields  from  the  lake,  and  made 
successful  war  on  the  hoards  of  "crickets" 
(grasshoppers)  that  were  destroying  the 
crops.  Mrs.  E.  B.  Wells,  said  at  the 
unveiling: 

"It  is  a  poetic  coincidence  that  our 
idea  of  national  freedom  from  oppression, 
and  our  idea  of  state  deliverance  from 
starvation,  should  be  presented  by  birds. 
The  eagle,  majestic  monarch  of  the  air, 
is  represented  on  shield,  and  coin,  and 
tablet  of  bronze,  all  over  the  broad  land. 
The  gentle  Gull,  humble  habitant  of  the 
shores  of  our  great  salt  sea,  has  found 
shrine  heretofore  only  in  the  grateful 
memories  of  this  valley's  pioneers  and  de- 
scendants.    My  heart  swells  with  thanks- 


The  Audubon   Societies 


149 


giving  that  we  are  now  to  preser\e  in 
sculptui^al  art  the  miraculous  incident  we 
all  know  so  well;  and  I  now  have  the 
honor  to  unveil  this  beautiful  monument 
to  the  eye  and  admiration  of  grateful 
thousands  now  living,  and  of  untold 
thousands  yet  to  come." 

President  Smith,  of  the  jNIormon 
Church,  said,  among  other  things: 

"I  am  only  relating  what  I  saw.  When- 
ever the  Gulls  had  been  iilled  to  capacity, 
they  would  fly  to  the  banks  of  the  creek 
and  there  disgorge  the  dead  pests,  which 
lay  along  the  stream  in  piles,  manv  of 
which  were  as  large  as  my  fist.  These 
piles  literally  co\'ered  the  banks  of  the 
creek.  After  the  crickets  had  been  so 
nearly  destroj-ed  that  they  began  to 
shelter  themselves  wherever  they  could 
from  the  attacks  of  the  Gulls,  the  birds 
became  so  tame  that  they  followed  under 
our  wagons  as  we  drove  along,  into  our 
yards,  and  under  every  shelter  where 
the  crickets  sought  protection  from  them. 
With  the  help  of  the  Lord,  we  were  able 
to  reap,  that   fall,  a  fairly  good  harvest." 

The  monument  is  the  work  of  Mahonri 
M.  Young,  a  grandson  of  the  Mormon 
pioneer,  Brigham  Young,  and  is  said  to 
have  cost  $40,000.  It  consists  of  a  granite 
column  more  than  fifteen  feet  high. 
Upon  the  top  of  this  there  rests  a  great 
ball,  upon  which  two  Gulls  of  gilded 
bronze  seem  to  be  just  alighting.  The 
square  pedestal  bears  four  historical 
bronze  plaques  in  high  relief;  and  is  sur- 
rounded by  a  fountain  forty  feet  in  diame- 
ter, in  which  water-lilies  grow  and  gold- 
fish swim,  and  where  song-birds  may 
quench  their  thirst. 

Think  for  a  moment  of  the  dift'erence 
between  the  sentiment  held  by  the  Mor- 
mons for  the  Gull  and  that  entertained 
by  the  Louisiana  Legislature  years  ago, 
when  they  passed  a  law  taking  all  legal 
protection  away  from  this  family  of  birds, 
on  the  ground  that  they  ate  fish!  What  if 
they  do  eat  fish?  Surely  the  good  Creator 
made  enough  fish  for  us  and  the  birds  too. 
And  fish  is  not  all  they  eat,  as  any  Utah 
man  will  gratefully  testify.  It  is  a  per- 
fectly   truthful    statement    that    America 


holds  no  native  bird  which  does  not  have 
its  part  to  play  in  the  great  economy  of 
nature;  and  the  world  would  be  the  worse 
were  any  one  of  them  to  disappear. 

Ernest  Ingersoll 

^Ir.  Ernest  Ingersoll,  well  known  as  a 
writer  on  natural  histor}^,  has  become 
connected  for  a  time  with  the  home-office 
of  the  National  Association  in  the  capac- 
ity of  assistant  to  the  Secretary.  The  office 
has  become  a  regular  clearing-house  for 
questions  and  information  relating  to 
natural  history,  and  the  correspondence 
increasingly  required  in  this  direction  has 
already  outgrown  the  limited  time  the 
Secretary  is  able  to  devote  to  this  subject. 
IMr.  Ingersoll  will  assist  him  in  this  and 
other  phases  of  the  work.  It  is  hoped  that 
some  of  his  time  may  also  be  de\oted  to 
giving  public  lectures  in  response  to  the 
almost  incessant  calls  for  such  service. 

Among  the  more  popular  of  Mr.  Inger- 
soll's  books  relating  to  outdoor  life  are, 
"Wild  Neighbors,"  "Wild  Life  of  Orchard 
and  Field,"  "Nature's  Calendar,"  "The 
Wit  of  the  Wild,"  and  "Animal  Competi- 
tors," the  last  named,  an  account  of  North 
American  mammals  in  their  economic 
relations  to  agriculture  and  fur-growing. 
In  his  "Life  of  Mammals,"  the  public 
has  a  standard  work  on  the  four-footed 
animals  of  the  world.  Mr.  Ingersoll  had 
charge  of  the  zoological  department  in 
both  the  New  International  and  Nel- 
son's encyclopedias;  was  for  several  years 
on  the  editorial  staff  of  the  Standard 
Dictionary;  and  is  now  editor  of  the 
Farmers'  Practical  Library.  His  writings 
have  also  appeared  in  many  of  the  popu- 
lar magazines  published  in  this  country. 

Enforcing  the  New  Federal  Law 

The  following  is  from  a  news-letter 
recently  given  out  by  the  United  States 
Biological  Survey,  bearing  the  signature 
of  T.  S.  Palmer,  Assistant  Chief. 

"During  the  past  four  months,  work 
under  the  migratory-bird  law  has  been 
pushed  as  rapidly  as  the  limited  means  at 


THE    MONUMENT  TO    SEA-GULLS    AT    SALT    LAKE    CITY 


(150) 


BRONZE    PLAQUES    OF    THE    PEDESTAL    OF    THE    GULL    MONUMENT 

Top  at  left;  north  plate,  containing  dedication;  right,  east  plate,  pioneers'  arrival.     Below  left; 

south  plate,  despair,  hope,  and  arrival  of  the  gulls;  right,  west  plate,  the  harvest. 


dsi) 


152 


Bird  -  Lore 


the  disposal  of  the  Biological  Survey 
would  permit.  Unexpected  obstacles  have 
delayed  the  organization  of  the  field- 
force  in  some  of  the  states,  and  in  a  few- 
cases  it  has  been  impracticable  to  act  on 
the  recommendation  for  the  appointments 
of  deputies  to  cooperate  in  this  work, 
which  were  made  some  time  ago  by  cer- 
tain commissions.  The  department  now 
has  a  force  of  129  wardens  in  the  field, 
organized  under  the  direction  of  eight 
district  inspectors  and  two  special  agents. 
These  wardens  are  distributed  in  twenty- 
seven  states,  chiefly  in  the  Middle  States, 
the  Mississippi  Valley,  the  Great  Basin, 
and  on  the  Pacific  Coast.  In  the  East,  the 
department  is  actively  cooperating  with 
local  authorities,  to  prevent  undue  de- 
struction of  wild-fowl  by  the  practice 
of  night-shooting  and  trapping.  Several 
arrests  and  convictions  have  been  secured 
for  shooting  at  night  on  the  upper  Chesa- 
peake. 

"More  than  125  convictions  have  been 
thus  far  reported,  although  returns  have 
been  received  from  comparatively  few  of 
the  states.  Every  case  thus  far  prosecu- 
ted in  the  Federal  courts  has  resulted  in 
conviction  and  the  imposition  of  a  fine. 
The  first  case  in  a  Federal  court  was 
reported  from  California,  where  a  notori- 
ous market-hunter  was  arrested  under  a 
Federal  warrant  for  shooting  after  sunset, 
was  taken  to  San  Francisco,  and  convicted 
and  fined.  As  most  of  the  oflfenses  under 
the  Federal  regulations  involve  a  viola- 
tion of  state  law,  a  majority  of  the  cases 
have  been  prosecuted  in  the  state  courts, 
where  some  heavy  penalties  have  been 
imposed.  The  largest  number  of  convic- 
tions have  been  reported  from  New  York, 
New  Jersey,  and  Oregon.  The  heaviest 
fines  reported  in  the  state  courts  have 
been:  In  New  York,  $50  for  possession  of 
a  Meadowlark;  in  Oregon,  $25  with  con- 
fiscation of  gun  and  boat,  for  shooting 
after  dark;  and,  in  New  Jersey,  eight 
fines  of  $100  or  more,  including  one  of 
$200  and  one  of  $300,  for  killing  insec- 
tivorous birds.  Several  cases  involving 
the  killing  of  birds  protected  for  five 
years  under  the  Federal  regulations  have 


been  prosecuted.  Killing  a  Swan  on  the 
Chesapeake  cost  the  offender  $100;  kill- 
ing a  Killdeer  Plover  in  New  Jersey 
resulted  in  a  sentence  to  jail  for  nine 
days." 

New  Members 

From  January  ist  to  March  ist,  1914, 
the  Association  enrolled  the  following 
new  members: 

Life  Members. 

Arnold,  Benjamin  Walworth 
Beech,  Mrs.  Herbert 
Bennett,  Mrs.  Edward  B. 
Borden,  Miss  Emma  L. 
Case,  Miss  Louise  W. 
Dows,  Tracy 

"E.  D.  T."  (In  memoriam) 
Forbes,  Mrs.  William  H. 
Gladding,  Mrs.  John  Russell 
Hentz,  Leonard  L. 
Kittredge,  Miss  Sarah  N. 
Mallery,  Mrs.  Jane  M. 
Mason,  George  Grant 
Mershon,  Hon.  W.  B. 
McClymonds,  Mrs.  .\.  R. 
Newman,  Mrs.  R.  A. 
Peabody,  George  A. 
Perkins,  Miss  Ellen  G. 
Pierrepont,  Mrs.  R.  Stuyvesant 
R,enw\ck,  Mrs.  Ilka  H. 
RoBtrts,  Miss  Frances  A. 
Russell,  Mrs.  Gordon  W. 
-Schley,  Grant  B. 
Tingley,  S.  H. 
Wallace,  Mrs.  x\gusta  H. 
Wyman,  Mrs.  Alfred  E. 

Sustaining  Members. 
Adler,  Max  A. 
Andrews,  Miss  Kate  R. 
Barfield,  Josiah 
Barker,  Miss  Emeline  L. 
Barton,  Mrs.  Warner  J. 
Beckwith,  Jr.,  Mr.  Truman 
Bird  Society  of  the  Misses  Shipley 

School 
Bloomingdale,  Miss  Laura  A. 
Bolter,  Miss  Alice  E. 
Bonnett,  Charles  P. 
Bradley,  George  J. 
Brakelej^  Joseph 
Brewster,  Mrs.  Horace  C. 
Briggs,  I'rank  H. 
Brill,  Dr.  A.  A. 
Brookline  (Mass.)  Bird  Club 
Brown,  J.  Adams 
Buchanan,  R.  P. 
Burgess,  John  A. 
Burrall,  Mrs.  Mary  E. 
Burritt,  Mrs.  C.  P. 
Chautauqua  Bird  and  Tree  Club 


The  Audubon   Societies 


153 


Sustaming  Members,  conlhincd. 

Civic  League  of  Florence,  S.  C. 

Clarke,  Miss  Elizabeth 

Colon,  George  Edward 

Comstock,  Airs.  Richard  B. 

Cooke,  Mrs.  H.  P. 

Cooper,  Miss  Theresa  B. 

Cowd,  Mrs.  Henry 

Dana,  Mrs.  E.  S. 

Davol,  Charles  J. 

Dittmann,  Mrs.  A.  J. 

Doepke,  Mrs.  W.  F. 

Drewry,  L.  D. 

Eaton,  Mrs.  D.  Cady 

Edwards,  Miss  Helen  C. 

Ellison,  Secretary 

Ellison,  J.  Huyler 

Ferguson,  Mrs.  Walton 

Florence,  S.  C,  Council  of 

Fo.x,  Mrs.  Joseph  M. 

Fray,  John  S. 

Gardner,  Mrs.  George  Warren 

Gates,  Mrs.  John 

Gilbert,  Miss  Nellie 

Gilbert  School,  The 

Gill,  Mrs.  K.  F. 

Gilman,  Miss  Caroline  T. 

Goehring,  J.  M. 

Godfrey,  Mrs.  W.  H.  K. 

Greene,  Arthur  D. 

Griswold,  Miss  Florence 

Hanna,  Jr.,  Mrs.  H.  M. 

Harris,  George  W. 

Harrison,  Harry  W. 
Hatch,  Mrs.  H.  R. 
Hauck,  Louis  J. 
Heyn,  Otto  P. 
Hopekirk,  Mrs.  Helen 
Hoyt,  N.  Landon 
Hubbell,  Miss  Helena 
Hutzler,  George  H. 
Jacobus,  John  S. 
Johnson,  Rev.  Alfred  E. 
Johnson.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  H. 
Jones,  Miss  Amelia  H. 
Leigh,  Mrs.  R.  Walter 
Lewis,  A.  N. 
Lindsay,  Mrs.  J.  W. 
Lloyd,  N.  Ashley 
Lord,  Mrs.  A.  M. 
Mathewson,  E.  P. 
Maurer,  Mrs.  Oscar 
Merrill,  L.  K. 
Mildrum,  Henry  G. 
Miller,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  C.  T. 
Mitchell,  Mrs.  William 
Morgenthau,  Mrs.  M.  L. 
McCampbell,  Theron 
McNiel,  Miss  Ruth  E. 
Neilson,  Miss  Emma  C. 
Nelson,  Miss  Helen  D. 
Newcomb,  Jr.,  C.  A. 
New  Smyrna  Board  of  Trade 
Newton,  Mrs.  Francis 
O'Brien,  David 


SKstaining  Members,  continued. 

Onondaga  County  .\udubon  Society 

Pagenstecher,  Miss  Friede 

Paris,  Mrs.  F.  U. 

Pearl,  Mrs.  Frank  H. 

Pell,  James  D. 

Pfeiffer,  Curt  G. 

Piek,  Mrs.  W.  F. 

Porter,  Mrs.  Clarence 

Potter,  Alonzo 

Potts,  Mrs.  William  M. 

Preston,  Mrs.  Walter  Lane 

Putnam,  Miss  Elizabeth 

Quincy,  C.  F. 

Rand,  Mrs.  Charles  E. 

Rebasz,  Mrs.  Wm.  Mortimer 

Research  Club  of  Florence,  S.  C. 

Rice,  Miss  E.  Josephine 

Riglander,  Mrs.  Moses  M. 

Roberts,  Mrs.  Coolidge  S. 

Rodewald.  F.  L. 

Ruperti,  Justus 

Salisbury,  Mrs.  E.  MacCurdy 

Scribner,  Mrs.  Arthur 

Seward,  Miss  A.  D. 
Siedenburg,  Jr.,  Mrs.  R., 
Skeel,  Mrs.  Frank  D. 
Strong,  E.  W. 
Swann,  Mrs.  A.  D. 
Swinnerton,  Mrs.  J.  A. 
Tanenbaum,  Moses 
Thayer,  Miss  Ruth 
Thompson,  Raymond  B. 
Tompkins,  Miss  Elizabeth  M. 
Townsend,  Jr.,  J.  B., 
Troubetzkoy,  Prince  Pierre 
Trussell,  Arthur  J. 
Tucker,  Miss  Abbie 
Tyler,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  S. 
Van  Name,  Ralph  G. 
Wallis,  Mrs.  Hamilton 
Weil,  Charles  S. 
White,  C.  H. 
White,  Roger  S. 
Wiard,  Mrs.  F.  Louise 
Wilco.x,  Mrs.  Ella  Wheeler 
Wilco.x,  Mrs.  Frank  L. 
Williams,  Miss  Elizabeth  G. 
Wilson.  Mrs.  Henry  B. 

New  Contributors 

Adams,  Charles  Ouincy 
Ault,  L.  A. 

Brandegee,  Miss  Florence  S. 
Brandegee,  Miss  Katharine 
Brookes,  Mrs.  Frank 
Collins,  Mrs.  Atwood 
Coxe,  Mrs.  Brinton 
Dawes,  Miss  Emily  M. 
DeForest,  Henry  W. 
Dennis,  Arthur  W. 
Dickinson,  Charles 
Edwards,  Miss  Elizabeth  S. 


154 


Bird  -  Lore 


Edwards,  Henry  A. 
Emerson,  Mrs.  G.  D. 
"F.O" 

Greer,  Austin  M, 
Griffin,  Mrs.  Solomon  B. 
Hall,  Mrs.  John  H. 
Harris,  Miss  Frances  K. 
Haskell,  Miss  Helen  P. 
Hopkins,  James 
Hussey,  Wm.  H. 
James,  Miss  Ellen  F. 
Jamison,  Charles  A. 
Jenks,  Mrs.  Wm.  H 
Lawrence,  John  B. 
Mitchell,  James  T. 
McMurray,  Miss  B.  E. 
O'Connor,  Mrs.  Ruth  Davis 
Paine,  2nd,  Mrs.  R.  Treat 
Patterson,  T.  H.  Hoag 
Perkins,  Mrs.  George  W. 
Priest,  Miss  Electa  M. 
Richardson,  Mrs.  Geo.  F. 
Rogers,  Mrs.  Hubert  E. 
Russell,  James  Townsend,  Jr. 
Schlaet,  Mrs.  Annette  Vail 
Shaw,  Mrs.  G.  H. 
Sherman,  A.  L. 
Stanley,  Mrs.  Mary  R. 
Van  Brunt,  Mrs.  Charles 
VVakeman,  Miss  Frances 
Wallace,  Miss  Harriet  E. 
White,  Marcus 
Wilbour,  Mrs.  Charlotte  B. 
Winthrop,  Grenville  L. 

Contributors  to  the  Egret  Protection 
Fund 

Below  is  given  a  list  of  the  contributors 
to  the  Egret  Protection  Fund  for  1914 
received  before  March  i : 

Previously  acknowledged. .          $554  04 

Abbott,  Holker i  00 

Abbott,  Mrs.  T.  J 3  00 

Adams,  Miss  Emily  Belle i  00 

Adams,  William  C i  00 

Allen,  Miss  Mary  P 15  00 

Althouse,  H.  W 5  00 

Ames,  Mrs.  J.  B 5  00 

Anonymous S  00 

AsLen,  Mrs.  Thomas  B 5  00 

Babson,  Mrs.  Caroline  W i  00 

Barclay,  Miss  Emily 2  00 

Barnes,  R.  Magoon 10  00 

Barri,  Mrs.  John  A 5  00 

Barry,  Miss  Anna  K 2  00 

Bartol,  E.  F.  W 10  00 

Bartol,  Mrs.  J.  W 25  00 

Ba.\ter,  Miss  Lucy  W 5  00 

Beebe,  C.  K 2  00 

Beebe,  Mrs.  Wm.  H.  H 2  00 

Beck  with,  Mrs.  L.  F 5  00 

Amount  carried  forward $664  04 


Amount  brought  forward $664  04 

Benjamin,  Mrs.  John 5  00 

Bergfels,  Mrs.  Henry    i  00 

Bernheimer,  Mrs.  J.  S 10  00 

Bignell,  Mrs.  Efhe i   00 

Birch,  Hugh  T 10  00 

"Bird  Lover" 5  00 

Blackwelder,  Eliot i  00 

Boggs,  Miss  M.  A 5  00 

Bole,  Ben  P 10  00 

Bonham,  Miss  Elizabeth  S..  . .  5  00 

Bonham,  Mrs.  Horace 10  00 

Bowdoin,  Miss  Edith  G 10  00 

Bowdoin,  Mrs.  George  S 20  00 

Boynton,  Mrs.  C.  H i  co 

Braman,  Mrs.  D wight 12  00 

Brent,  Mrs.  Duncan  K 2  00 

Brooker,  Mrs.  Charles  F 5  00 

Brooks,  Mrs.  Shepherd 20  00 

Brown,  Mrs.  C.  S 10  00 

Brown,  D.J 2  00 

Brown,  T.  Hassall 10  00 

Burgess,  E.  Phillips 3  00 

Burnham,  William 10  00 

Burpee,  W.  Atlee 5  00 

Burt,  Miss  Edith  B 2  00 

Busk,  Fred  T 5  00 

Butler,  Miss  Virginia 10  00 

Button,  Conyers 25  00 

Caesar,  H.  A .' .  .  i   00 

Cameron,  E.  S i   00 

Carse,  Miss  Harriet 2  00 

"L.    C.   L." ID    GO 

Chapman,  Miss  M 10  00 

Chapman,  Mrs.  John  W 2  00 

Clarke,  Mrs.  E.  A.  S 5  00 

Clarke,  Mrs.  L 2  00 

Clerk,  A.  G i  00 

Cleveland,  Mrs.  Clement i   00 

Cobb,  Miss  Annie  W 2  00 

Colby,  Howard  A 5  00 

Collord,  George  W 5  00 

Colton,  Miss  Caroline  West...  2  00 

Conner,  Miss  M.  A 5  00 

Cristy,  Mrs.  H.  W i  00 

Crocker,  Rev.  W.  T 2  00 

Crosby,  Maunsell  S 5  00 

Cummings,  Mrs.  H.  K i   00 

Curie.  Charles 10  00 

Curtis,  Miss  Mildred 10  00 

Cutter,  Dr.  George  W 2  00 

Cutter,  Ralph  Ladd 10  00 

Davis,  Miss  Lucy  B 3  00 

Davis,  Wm.  T 10  00 

Day,  Miss  Carrie  E 2  00 

Day,  Stephen  S 5  00 

Delalield,  Mrs.  John  Ross.  ...  2  00 

Dennie,  Miss  M.  H 2  00 

Dodd,  Miss  Jean  Margaret.  .  .  2  00 

Doering,  O.  C 10  00 

Doughty,  Mrs.  Alia 10  00 

Douglas,  Mrs.  James 15  00 

Duer,  Mrs.  Denning 10  00 

Amount  carried  forward $1,045  04 


The  Audubon   Societies 


155 


Amount  brought  forward.  .  .  .$1,045   04 

Dwight,  Mrs.  M.  E 2  00 

Early,  Charles  H 2  00 

,    Eastman,  George 50  00 

Edwards,  Wm.  S 5  00 

Ellis,  Wm.  D 10  00 

Ellsworth,  Mrs.  J.  Lewis    ....  i  00 

Essick,  Wm.  S 2  50 

Ettorre,  Mrs.  F.  F 2  00 

Evans,  Wm.  B 4  00 

Fergusson,  Alex  C 2  00 

Ferry,  Miss  Mary  B 5  00 

Folsom,  Miss  M.  G 10  00 

Foot,  James  D 2  00 

Franklin,  Mrs.  M.  L 10  00 

French,  Daniel  C 2  00 

Friedman,  Mrs.  Max 2  00 

Friers,  Miss  Emilie i  00 

Frothingham,  John  W 35  00 

Fuguet,  Stephen 5  00 

Gannett,  Aliss  C    K.         .  i   00 
Gannett,     Rev.    W.     C.     and 

Friend 2  00 

Gannette,  IMiss  ]\Iary  T i   00 

Garst,  Julius 2  00 

Gibbs,  H.  E.  A 30  00 

Gladding,  John  R 1 5  00 

Godeffroy,  Mrs.  E.  H 10  00 

Goodwin,  George  R 5  00 

Greene,  Miss  Caroline  S i  00 

Gwalther,  Mrs.  H.  L 4  00 

Hager,  George  W 2  00 

Hallett,  Wm.  R 10  00 

Hallowell,  Miss  Charlotte 2  00 

Halsey,  Mrs.  Edmund  D 8  00 

Harkness,  David  W 5  00 

"C.  R.  H." 5  00 

"M.  G.  H." 5  00 

Hathaway,  Harry  S 2  00 

Hay,  Mrs.  John 25  00 

Haynes,  IMiss  Louise  deF 10  00 

Hazen,  Miss  Emily  H 3  00 

Hearst,  Mrs.  P.  A 50  00 

Henderson,  Alexander 2  00 

Herpers,  Henry 2  00 

Heydt,  Herman  A i  00 

Higbee,  Harry  G i  00 

Higginson,  Mrs.  J.  J 10  00 

Holt,  Mrs.  R.  S 30  00 

Hooker,  Miss  Sarah  H 2  00 

Hopkins,  Miss  Agusta  D 3  00 

Horr,  Miss  Elizabeth 5  00 

Howe,  Mrs.  J.  S 15  00 

Howe,  Dr.  James  S 5  00 

Hoyt,  Miss  G.  L 5  00 

Hunter,  Mrs.  W.  H 2  00 

Hutchinson,  Mrs.  Charles  L...  10  00 

Ireland,  Miss  Catharine  1 10  00 

Jackson,  Miss  Marion  C 25  00 

Jackson,  Jr.,  P.  N 6  00 

Jenkins,  Miss  L 5  00 

Jennings,  Dr.  Geo.  H 3  00 

Johnson,  Mrs.  Eldridge  R 10  00 

Amount  carried  forward $i,547   54 


Amount  brought  forward.  .  .  .$1,547   54 

Jones,  Boyd  B i   00 

Jopson,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  John  H.  i  00 

Jordon,  A.  H.  B 20  00 

Joslin,  Miss  Ada  L 2  00 

Jube,  Albert  B 3  00 

Keim,  Thomas  D i   00 

Kennedy,  Mrs.  John  S 5  00 

Kerr,  Mrs.  T.  B i   00 

King,  Miss  Ellen 25  00 

Kuser,  Mrs.  A.  R 10  00 

Kuser,  Anthonj'  R 10  00 

Lagowitz,  ^liss  ]\Iarriet  L i   00 

Laughlin,  Mrs.  H.  M 2  00 

Lawrence,  Roswell  B 4  00 

Lewis,  Mrs.  August 10  00 

Lewis,  J.  B 2  00 

Lippitt,  Mrs.  C 5  00 

Livingston,  Miss  A.  P 15  00 

Loring,  Mrs.  Charles  G 3  00 

Lov'ering,  Mrs.  Helen  E i  00 

Luttgen,  Walter 5  00 

Mann,  J.  R i   00 

Marlor,  Henry  S 5  00 

Marsh,  J.  A 5  00 

Marsh,  Spencer  S i  00 

Mason,  G.  A 5  00 

Mason,  Mrs.  Geo.  G 10  00 

Mason,  Jr.,  H.  L 5  00 

Mellns,  J.  T 2  00 

Merritt,  Mrs.  James  H i   00 

Miller,  Hon.  Charles  R 10  00 

Minot,  William 2  00 

Montell,  Mr.  and  Mrs.   F.  M.  2  00 

Morgan,  Jr.,  Mrs.  J.  P 5  00 

Morgenthau,  Mrs.  M.  L i   00 

Moore,  Henry  D 100  oc 

Morgan,  Miss  C.  L 5  00 

Morrill,  Miss  A.  W 5  00 

Mosle,  Mrs.  A.  Henry 5  00 

Mott,  Miss  Marian 5  00 

Murray,  Jr.,  J.  Irwin i  00 

McConnell,  Mrs.  Annie  B 5  00 

Nesmith,  Miss  Mary 5  00 

Nice,  Mrs.  Margaret  M 3  00 

Oliver,  Dr.  Henry  K 10  00 

Osborne,  Arthur  A 5  00 

Osterholt,  E 5  00 

Patton,  Mrs.  Margaret  S 10  00 

Peck,  Dr.  Elizabeth  L i  00 

Pegram,  Mrs.  Edward  S 5  00 

Pepper,  Mrs.  William 5  00 

Petty,  E.  R 2  00 

Phelps,  Francis  Von  R 10  00 

Phinney,  C.  G 3  00 

Porter,  Miss  Elizabeth  B i   00 

Porter,  Miss  Juliet 5  00 

Pott,  ISIiss  Emma i   00 

Procter,  William 5  00 

Proctor,  Wm.  Ross 25  00 

Pusey,  Mrs.  Howard 2  00 

Putnam,  Mrs.  A.  S 3  00 

Raht,  Charles 5  00 

Amount  carried  forward $i,q66  54 


15^ 


Bird -Lore 


Amounl  l;)rought  forward.  .  .  ..'if;t,Q6()  54 

Kiiymond,  Charles  II '5  00 

Reed,  Mrs.  Win.  Howell 10  00 

Rhoads,  S.  N 1  00 

Richmond,  Miss  KdiUi  11 1  00 

Rickctson,  Walton 2  00 

Robins,  Miss  N.  P.  H 2  00 

Robbins,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  E..  20  00 

Robinson,  William  A i  00 

Ross,  Dr.  Lucretius  H 2  co 

Sabine,  Dr.  George  K 2  00 

Sampson,  Miss  Lucy  S i  00 

Saul,  Charles  R 5  00 

Saunders,  Charles  G i  00 

Savage,  A.  L ^ S  00 

Sawtelle,  Mrs.  E.  M 2  00 

Sawyer,  Mrs.  C.  R 2  00 

Schweppe,  Mrs.  H.  M i  00 

Scofield,  Miss  Helen 20  00 

Scofield,  Miss  Marion 10  00 

Sellers,  Howard i  o  00 

Severance,  Mrs.  P.  C 3  00 

Shepard,  Sidney  C 10  00 

Simpkins,  Miss  M.  W 10  00 

Sleght,  Mrs.  B.  H.  B 5  00 

Small,  Miss  A.  M 2  00 

Smith,  Mrs.  Cornelius.  B 6  00 

Smith,  Marshall  E i  00 

Spachman,  Miss  family  S i  00 

Spalter,  Mrs.  F.  B i  00 

"Sphin.x" S  00 

Spong,  Mrs.  J.  J.  R 35  00 

Sprague,  Dr.  P'rancis  P 25  00 

Spring,  Miss  Anna  R 5  00 

Squires,  Mrs.  Grace  B 3  00 

Stanton,  Mrs.  T.  G 2  00 

Stevens,  F.  E 2  00 

Stevenson,  Mrs.  Robert  H..  .  .  10  00 

Stimson,  Wm.  B 2  00 

Amoimt  carried  forward $2,207  54 


Amount  brought  forward.  .  .  .$2,207   54 

Struthcrs,  Miss  Mary  S 10  00 

Tapley,  Miss  Alice  P 20  00 

Thayer,  Mrs.  Ezra  R 100  .00 

'I'liomas,  Miss  Emily  Hinds...  10  00 

Thorndike,  Mrs.  Alice  Amory  i   00 

Thorne,  W.  V.  S 10  00 

Timmerman,  Miss  Edith  E.  .  .  i   50 

Topliff,  Miss  Anna  E 5  00 

Tower,  Miss  Ellen  M 5  00 

Troescher,  A.  F 10  00 

Troup,  Charles  A.  S 3  00 

Tuckerman,  Frederick 2  00 

Ulmann,  Mrs.  Carl  J 5  00 

Underwood,  Mrs.  C.  J 2  00 

V'aillant,  Miss  Maria  J 3  00 

Van  Wagenen,  Mrs.  G.  A 2  00 

Vermilye,  Mrs.  W.  G 2  00 

\'on  Zedlitz,  Mrs.  Anna 2  00 

Walker,  Miss  Mary  A 2  00 

W'arner,  Mrs.  Edward  P 3  00 

W'ashburn,  Miss  Annie  M 3  00 

Webster,  F.  G 10  00 

Westover,  M.  F 2  00 

W'heeler,  Frank  P i  00 

W^ieeler,  Wilfrid 3  00 

White,  Horace 10  00 

Wilkins,  Miss  Laura i  00 

Willard,  Miss  Helen 10  00 

W'illcox,  Prof.  M.  A 10  00 

Williams,  Mrs.  C.  Duane 75   00 

Williams,  Geo.  F 5  00 

Williams,  Mrs.  Sidney  M 4  00 

Wilson,  Orme  Jr 5  00 

Witherbee,  Miss  Elizabeth  W.  2  00 

Woodward,  Dr.  S.  B 5  00 

Wright,  Miss  Mary  A 2  00 

Zimmerman,  Dr.  M.  W 5  00 


52,559  04 


WILD    DUCKS    SWAk.Ml.Xt,    IN    GRE.\T    SOUTH    BAY,  FEBRUARY,  igi4. 
rimtuyraph  by  Dr.  Frank  Overton 


The  Audubon   Societies 


15: 


LETTERS    FROM    CORRESPONDENTS 


Naval  Cooperation 

"I  am  in  receipt  of  your  letter  of 
inquiry.  Aigrettes  were  undoubtedly,  in 
some  instances,  brought  in  by  officers 
and  men  of  the  navy  from  Central-Ameri- 
can countries,  where  the  birds  are  ruth- 
lessly killed,  and  their  plumes  sold  locally 
or  exported;  but  this  was  before  there  was 
any  law  forbidding  their  importation. 
Since  their  importation  is  now  forbidden, 


'The  Irish  Society  for  the  Protection  of 
Birds,  at  their  annual  general  meeting, 
held  on  the  23d  of  January,  1914,  in 
Dublin,  desire  to  place  on  record  their 
appreciation  of  the  good  work  done  by 
the  Audubon  societies  in  the  cause  of 
bird-protection,  by  bringing  about  the 
passing  of  the  new  tariff  law,  which  pro- 
hibits the  importation  into  the  United 
States  of  America  of  the  feathers  of  wild 
birds.    By  their  action  the  Audubon  socie- 


LONG   ISLAND    DUCKS,   LOSING    FEAR   OF   MAN   IN   QUEST   OF    FOOD,    DURING 

THE    BLIZZARD    OF    FEBRUARY,  1914 

Photographed  by  Dr.  Frank  Overton 


and  commanding  officers  of  ships  are 
required  to  submit  lists  of  all  articles, 
acquired  by  purchase  or  otherwise,  which 
are  to  be  landed,  and  the  Treasury  Depart- 
ment requires  its  officials  to  act  upon  said 
lists,  it  does  not  appear  necessary  to  issue 
any  further  orders  on  the  subject.  I  am 
in  thorough  accord  with  the  spirit  of  the 
Audubon  Societies,  and  I  do  not  wish  to 
condone  in  any  manner  violations  of  any 
customs  regulation  by  persons  in  the 
naval  service;  and  did  not  the  whole  mat- 
ter appear  to  be  now  adequately  covered 
by  Navy  and  Treasury  Department  regu- 
lations, I  should  take  steps  to  have  fur- 
ther orders  issued."  JosEPHUs  Daniels, 
Washington,  D.  C.     Secretary  of  the  Navy. 

A  Compliment  from  Ireland 

"I  have  been  directed  by  the  Committee 
of  this  Society  to  forward  to  30U  the  fol- 
lowing resolution: 


ties   have   struck   a   heavy   blow   against 
a  most  cruel  and  iniquitous  trade.' " 

George  C.  May. 
Dublin,  Ireland.        Honorable  Secretary. 

Tamed  by  Hunger 

"The  cold  weather  which  suddenly 
developed  on  February  9,  1914,  froze  the 
Great  South  Bay,  Long  Island,  from 
shore  to  shore,  leaving  only  small  patches 
of  open  water  at  the  mouths  of  the  creeks. 
Owing  to  the  unseasonably  mild  weather 
which  had  prevailed  during  December  and 
January,  large  numbers  of  ducks  were 
caught  unawares,  and  were  compelled 
to  seek  the  open  places  near  shore.  On 
Sunday  morning,  February  15,  a  flock  of 
about  5,000  Broadbills  were  swimming 
in  the  open  water  at  the  mouth  of 
Patchogue  Creek,  and  when  frightened 
away  they  would  immediately  return. 
Every  inlet  on  the  south  shore  also  con- 


158 


Bird  -  Lore 


tained  vast  numbers  of  birds,  and  a  great 
deal  of  illegal  shooting  took  place,  espe- 
cially in  the  inlets  away  from  habitations. 
The  Ducks  that  were  shot  were  too  poor 
to  eat,  and  there  was  absolutely  no 
excuse  for  their  killing.  A  good  game- 
warden  could  have  done  an  immense 
work  in  preserving  the  flocks.  The  Ducks 
are  so  tame  that  they  swim  unconcerned 
near  the  vessels,  and  beside  a  large  lum- 
ber-yard and  planing-mill  in  the  creek 
near  the  railroad-crossing.  The  accom- 
panying photographs  (on  pages  156  and 
157)  will  give  a  little  idea  of  their  num- 
bers, and  also  how  tame  they  have  be- 
come." 

Frank  Overton,  M.D. 
Patchogue,  L.  I. 

A  Victory  in  Arkansas 

"I  feel  that  one  of  the  greatest  victories 
gained  was  when  I  succeeded  in  convinc- 
ing the  attorney  general  of  Arkansas  that 
the  local  law  for  Mississippi  County, 
which  permitted  the  exportation  of 
Ducks  for  market,  was  unconstitutional, 
and  secured,  as  you  know,  his  opinion  to 
that  effect.  This  will  put  a  stop  to  the 
shipping  of  millions  of  Ducks  for  market- 
jHirposes,  and  absolutely  put  the  market- 
hunter  out  of  business  in  Arkansas.  I 
am  very  proud  of  the  success  I  have  had 
in  knocking  out  the  local  game-laws;  and 
now,  since  I  have  succeeded  in  stopping 
the  shipping  of  game,  I  feel  that  I  am  very 
well  paid  for  all  my  work  for  the  past 
eight  years." 

E.  V.   ViSART. 

Little  Rock,  Ark. 

Law-breaking  Tourists 

"On  January  19,  1914,  the  yacht 
Flaneur,  of  New  York,  with  Mr.  John 
Noething,  of  New  York  City,  passed  by 
here  and  ran  aground  within  a  few  hundred 
yards  of  that  big  warning  notice  on  the 
Mosquito  Inlet  Bird  Reservation.  In  a 
few  minutes  I  saw  him  get  into  a  small 
boat  and  drift  down  to  a  large  bunch  of 
Pelicans  that  were  resting  on  a  sand-bar. 
I  saw  the  liirds  fly  but  heard  no  report 


from  a  gun,  and  concluded  that  they  were 
photographing  them,  as  many  persons 
do;  but  they  had  a  high-power  small- 
caliber  rifle.  Some  men  fishing  near  saw 
them  shoot  and  pick  the  birds  up  and 
carry  them  across  the  river  and  hide  them 
in  the  brush,  and  so  informed  me,  and 
told  me  where  to  find  them.  I  at  once 
went  down,  found  one  bird,  and  took  it 
over  and  confronted  Noething  with  it.  He 
promptly  denied  any  knowledge  until  I 
told  him  it  was  useless,  and  so  placed  him 
under  arrest,  and  am  taking  him  to 
Daytona,  where  I  can  put  a  marshal 
aboard  the  boat  to  take  care  of  him  until 
I  can  get  action.  It  was  a  purely  wanton 
and  illegal  act  on  the  part  of  Noething." 
B.  J.  Pacetti, 
Inspector  of  Government  Reservations. 
Ponce  Park,  Florida. 

[At  a  cost  of  $75;  the  National  Associa- 
tion assisted  in  prosecuting  this  man 
Noething,  who  later,  in  the  Federal  Court 
at  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  was  fined  $110  and 
costs.— T.  G.  P.] 

A  Bird  Oasis 

"Last  summer,  during  the  extreme 
heat  and  drought  (it  was  unusually  severe, 
for  we  had  no  rain  for  more  than  two 
months,  and  for  several  days  the  ther- 
mometer registered  118  degrees  in  the 
shade),  I  used  to  watch  the  birds  gather- 
ing daily  in  our  yard  for  shelter  from  the 
terrible  heat.  As  the  city  water-supply 
was  very  low,  residents  were  not  allowed 
to  use  water  on  their  lawns  at  any  time 
for  a  period  of  four  or  five  weeks;  conse- 
quently our  town  presented  a  parched  and 
desert-like  appearance,  except  for  a  few 
lawns,  like  ours,  which  had  a  constant 
supply  of  water  from  individual  water- 
plants.  This  yard,  with  its  dense  shade 
and  green  grass,  was  a  veritable  oasis,  to 
which  the  birds  flocked  by  the  hundreds, 
to  bathe  in  the  spray  from  the  lawn- 
sprinkler,  and  to  drink  from  the  vessels 
I  had  provided  for  their  use.  Realizing 
their  needs,  I  placed  several  basins  and  a 
large  tin  pail,  which  I  kept  filled  to  the 
brim,   where   they  might  have  access  to 


The   Audubon   Societies 


159 


Ihem,  and  was  repaid  for  my  trouble  by 
the  very  excellent  opportunity  it  gave 
me  to  study  their  peculiarities.  There 
were  many  human  attributes  manifested 
by  that  feathered  tribe,  in  those  few  days, 
over  their  privileges  and  fancied  rights. 
The  English  Sparrows  seemed  to  hold  a 
monopol)^  over  the  water-pail,  and  it  was 
a  pleasing  and  not  uncommon  sight  to 
find  an  unbroken  circle  of  trim  little  tails 
fringing  its  rim.  For  two  days,  a  solitary 
Nighthawk  selfishly  appropriated  one  of 
the  basins  for  his  exclusive  use,  and  the 
Robins  and  Blackbirds  were  almost  con- 
stantly disporting  themselves  in  the  spray 
circling  from  the  sprinkler.  The  Wood- 
pecker always  kept  on  the  outskirts.  I 
never  once  saw  him  join  the  rest  of  the 
company.  The  Brown  Thrashers  and 
Mockingbirds,  too,  were  rather  timid  and 
never  asserted  themselves  aggressively. 
Unlike  the  Woodpecker,  however,  they 
mixed  quite  freely  with  the  rest  of  my 


guests.  I  was  struck,  too,  by  the  number 
of  strangers  which  came  to  this  party — • 
birds  I  had  never  seen  before;  and  so  I 
kept  a  lookout  for  the  little  black-and- 
white  singer  previously  mentioned  to 
you,  but  he  never  appeared.  One  day  I 
made  a  note  of  the  different  varieties 
perched  within  a  radius  of  seventy-five 
feet,  and,  as  nearly  as  I  can  remember, 
there  were  fifteen  distinct  varieties. 
Among  them  were  Robins,  Thrushes, 
Orioles,  Goldfinches,  Sparrows,  Catbirds, 
Kingbirds,  Mockingbirds,  and  Blackbirds, 
also  a  Woodpecker  and  the  Nighthawk." 
Elizabeth  Schnaller. 
Hayo,  Kansas. 

Lively  Juniors 

"When  I  read  to  the  class  your  letter, 
received  previous  to  organization,  I  was 
somewhat  surprised  at  the  hearty  response 
and   enthusiasm   manifested.     A   meeting 


THE    BRUSH    HILL    (MASS.)    BIRD-CLUB    EXHIBIT 
Natural  bird-food,  and  apparatus  for  attracting  birds.   Arranged  by  Dr.  Harris  Kennedy. 


i6o 


Bird-Lore 


was  called,  ofticers  for  a  Junior  Audubon 
Society  were  elected,  and  the  require- 
ments of  the  society  more  definitely 
explained.  To  strengthen  the  enthusiasm, 
I  gave  the  jiresident  full  control  of  the 
meeting.  He  proceeded  to  business  by 
ajjpointing  two  members  to  prepare 
papers  on  some  bird  of  their  choice,  to  be 
read  at  the  ne.xt  meeting.  An  additional 
fee  of  25  cents  was  assessed  upon  each 
member,  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing 
books  about  birds.  Some  of  the  boys  have 
agreed  to  build  a  bird-house  to  be  placed 
on  the  school-grounds." 

Anna  M.  Heaney. 
Wallkill,  N.  Y. 

NOTES  OF    RECENT    LEGISLATION 
Shall  Cats  Be  Licensed? 

The  bird-lovers  and  agricultural  econo 
mists  in  both  Massachusetts  and  New 
Jersey  have  renewed  this  year  their 
efforts  to  get  state  laws  licensing  cats,  in 
order  to  reduce  the  number  of  strays, 
which  are  virtually  wild  animals  of  prey, 
and  cause  the  death  of  innumerable  birds 
whose  services  would  be  of  benefit  to  the 
community.  In  Massachusetts,  the  pro- 
posal, which  was  defeated  in  committee 
on  March  13,  was  that  a  single  male  cat 
should  be  permitted  unlicensed  to  each 
family;  but  that  all  others  should  be  safe 
from  capture  and  death  only  on  payment 
of  a  license  ($1  for  a  male,  and  $2  for  a 
female),  indicated  by  wearing  a  collar 
and  tag. 

In  New  Jersey,  a  bill,  originating  with 
the  game  commission,  has  passed  the 
Assembly,  and  is  now  pending  in  the 
Senate. 

In  both  these  cases,  members  of  the 
State  Audubon  Societies,  and  of  several 
organizations  interested  in  game-protec- 
tion, as  well  as  many  private  supporters, 
have  appeared  to  urge  the  passage  of  the 
measures;  and  this  Association  has 
added  its  influence.  The  opposition  comes 
mainly  from  conservative  farmers,  and 
from  women  defending  their  pets;  but 
the  arguments  of  both  were  sentimental 
rather  than  substantial. 


No  Escape  by  Parcel  Post 

That  the  facilities  of  the  parcel  post 
cannot  be  used  by  malefactors  as  a  means 
of  breaking  the  law  against  the  importa- 
tion of  prohibited  millinery  feathers  has 
been  established  by  rulings  of  the  post- 
oftice  authorities,  .\mong  the  first  results 
of  this  wise  decree  were  the  seizure,  in 
the  Chicago  post-otilice,  of  two  packages 
of  foreign  feathers,  mailed,  one  from 
China,  and  one  from  Japan,  to  ladies  in 
Massachusetts,    and   in    Ohio. 

Progress  in  Great  Britain 

A  cable  message  from  London  informs  us 
that  the  bill  prohibiting  the  importation 
into  Great  Britain  of  the  plumage  of 
wild  birds,  or  "bits  of  birds,"  passed  its 
second  reading  in  the  House  of  Commons 
on  March  9,  and  was  forwarded  by  the 
overwhelming    majority    of    297    to     15. 

A  Check  in  Virginia 

The  bill  to  establish  a  state  warden 
force,  to  be  supported  by  the  license- 
fees  of  resident  hunters,  which  has  been  so 
strongly  urged  in  Virginia  by  the  State 
Audubon  Society,  encouraged  by  this 
Association  and  other  kindred  influences, 
failed  on  March  13,  by  four  voles,  to  pass 
the  Assembly,  after  having  passed  the 
Senate,  because,  as  President  Hart  says, 
some  members  could  not  obtain  objec- 
tionable amendments. 

Relief  for  Birds-of-paradise 

The  German  government,  through  Dr. 
Wilhelm  Solf,  Minister  for  the  colonies, 
has  forbidden  any  hunting  of  Birds-of- 
paradise  in  German  New  Guinea  during 
the  next  eighteen  months,  the  order 
issuing  on  March  11.  In  announcing  this 
decision  in  the  Imperial  Parliament,  Dr. 
Solf  said  he  had  originally  intended  to 
make  the  prohibition  permanent,  but 
had  changed  his  view  after  receiving  a 
report  from  an  expedition  in  the  interior 
of  New  Guinea,  which  said  there  were  im- 
mense numbers  of  birds  there,  and  that 
no  danger  existed  of  their  extinction. 


A//'  -''W"i  ^uf'f^!, 


1.  Cassin's  Sparrow  3.     Botteri's  Sparrow 

2.  Pine-Woods  Sparrow  4.     Rufous-winged  Sparrow 

5.     Rufous-crowned  Sparrow 
(One-half  Natural  Size) 


A   BI-MONTHLY  MAGAZINE 

DEVOTED  TO   THE   STUDY  AND   PROTECTION   OF   BIRDS 

Official  Organ   of  The  Audubon   Societies 

Vol.  XVI  May-June,  1914  No.  3 


Impressions  of  the  Voices  of  Tropical  Birds 

By  LOUIS   AGASSIZ   FUERTES 

Illustrated  by  the  author 

FOURTH   PAPER— ANT-THRUSHES    AND   THEIR   ALLIES,  AND   WOODHEWERS 

TO  NORTHERN  perceptions  and  training,  the  ghostly,  long-legged 
forest  ground-runners,  generally  known  as  Ant-thrushes,  make  an 
immediate  and  lasting  appeal.  The  many  species  of  Grallaria,  For- 
micarius  and  Chamaza,  finding  their  most  congenial  surroundings  among 
the  tree-ferns  and  moss-filled  undergrowth  of  the  wooded  slopes,  at  once 
impress  the  student  with  their  presence,  but  leave  him,  after  however  long 
an  acquaintance,  with  little  more  knowledge  of  their  lives  and  doings  than  he 
had  on  first  hearing  their  invitation  to  the  game  of  hide-and-seek  they  so 
skilfully  and  persistently  play. 

They  are  all  strictly  terrestrial  and,  on  the  rare  occasions  when  they  fly, 
they  keep  so  close  to  the  ground  that  their  dangling  feet  almost  touch.  Indeed, 
I  suspect  that  they  fly  only  upon  some  special  stimulus,  ordinarily  going  about 
on  foot. 

The  commonest  and  most  generally  distributed  species  in  Colombia  is 
Grallaria  ruficapilla.  It  is  about  as  big  as  a  Robin,  but  is  almost  round,  stubby- 
tailed,  big-eyed,  and  comically  long-legged.  But  while  it  was  really  a  common 
bird,  and  its  whistled  compra  pan  was  almost  constantly  in  our  ears  in  all 
three  ranges  of  the  Andes,  not  over  six  or  seven  were  taken.  Certainly  nine 
out  of  every  ten  efforts  to  see  the  author  ended  blindly,  even  though  they 
respond  immediately  to  a  whistled  imitation  of  their  notes.  But  so  silent 
is  their  approach,  and  so  densely  are  their  ground  haunts  veiled  by  ferns, 
large  fallen  leaves,  earth-plants  and  other  visual  obstructions,  that  they 
may  call  almost  from  between  your  feet  with  impunity,  while  with  pounding 
heart  and  eager  eyes  you  fail  to  penetrate  the  veil  of  intervening  leafage. 
I  have  usually  found  that,  while  all  these  ground-running  birds  answer  eagerly 
to  a  call,  they  are  very  easily  satisfied  on  seeing  its  author,  and  usually  the 
response,  now  almost  under  foot,  suddenly  fails,  and  the  little  feathered 
mouse  that  gave  it  swiftly  and  silently  trots  away  after  one  quick  look  at  the 


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Bird  -  Lore 


huge  impostor.  I  think  we  all  had  certainly  scores  of  these  little  ground- 
ghosts  within  fifteen  to  twenty  feet,  and  not  one-tenth  of  them  gave  us  so 
much  as  a  fleeting  glance  at  them. 

Grallaria's  note  can  always  be  closely  imitated  by  a  whistle.  The  call 
of  the  common  Compra  pan,  whose  name  is  the  Spanish  literation  of  his 
call,  has  a  very  'quaily'  quality  when  heard  near  at  hand.  Three  drawled 
notes — A,  F,  G,  the  first  and  second  three  tones  apart,  and  the  last  between. 
We  came  to  recognize  this  as  an  exact  marker  of  the  lower  line  of  the  second 
life-zone,  beginning  at  about  4,500  feet.  This  species  goes  up  almost  to  the 
upper  limit  of  trees,  and  adheres  closely  to  the  cloud  forest.    I  never  heard 


COMPRA    PAN    (GraUaria   ruficapilla) 


Impressions   of  the   Voices  of  Tropical   Birds 


163 


THE    NOON-WHISTLE    {Chamaza   turdina) 

any  variation  in  the  song  except,  when  the  bird  is  near  the  limit  of  its  curiosity, 
the  last  note  sometimes  drops  off  in  a  throaty  slur,  instead  of  rising  a  tone: 
A,  F,  E. 

On  the  west  slope  of  the  Eastern  Andes  we  found  another  species,  G. 
hypoleuca,  whose  song,  though  readily  recognizable  as  a  Grallaria  was  radi- 
cally different  in  form.  One  longish  note  on  B;  a  rest;  then  about  five  ascend- 
ing notes  a  scant  semitone  apart,  and  four  to  the  second.  This  bore  a  strik- 
ing resemblance  to  the  first  half  of  Chamceza  brevicauda's  song  heard  on 
the  eastern  slope  of  the  Eastern  Andes  at  Buena  Vista,  and  is  almost  identical 
with  that  of  Grallaria  rufula  from  the  highest  timbered  ridges  of  this  chain, 
except  that  here  the  pause  is  omitted  and  the  song  is  higher,  beginning  on  E. 

Little  Grallaria  modesta  from  the  eastern  foot  of  the  Andes  at  Villavicencio, 


i64  Bird  -  Lore 

has  a  most  characteristic  little  song,  all  on  E.  It  has  seven  sharply  staccato 
notes,  forming  a  perfect  crescendo  to  the  fourth,  then  diminishing  to  piano 
again  at  the  end.  The  middle  note  is  strongly  accented.  This  little  hermit 
lives  in  the  sweltering  weed-thickets  along  the  sun-baked  beds  of  the  low- 
land streams.  I  shall  never  forget  an  hour  in  a  burr-thicket  with  nettle 
accompaniment,  at  a  temperature  of  perhaps  115°,  trying  to  find  the  elusive 
author  of  that  queer  little  song.  At  least  five  times  I  had  him  within  close 
range,  but  never  could  I  see  more  than  a  ghost  of  a  movement,  or  the  sudden 
wiggle  of  a  fern  rubbed  against  in  his  approach.  Nearly  discouraged,  with 
hair,  eyebrows  and  clothes  matted  thick  with  little  burrs,  almost  exhausted 
with  the  heat,  I  at  last  hit  upon  a  very  effective  scheme.  Deliberately 
clearing  out  a  space  of  ten  or  fifteen  feet,  and  a  tapering  lane  through  which 
I  could  watch  the  opening,  by  gently  approaching  the  sound  I  drove  it  to 
a  point  well  beyond  my  clearing,  and  retreated  to  my  station.  Waiting 
here  a  few  minutes  in  silence,  I  repeated  the  call,  in  full  loudness,  until  I 
got  a  response.  Then,  as  the  bird  approached,  I  did  the  call  more  softly, 
to  appear  farther  away  and  allay  his  wariness.  My  unfair  subterfuge  worked, 
and  little  long-legged  piper  entered  my  trap  unsuspecting,  and  I  was  able  to 
identify  it.  We  had  not  encountered  this  species  before,  and  never  saw  it 
again  after  leaving  the  torrid  lowlands  about  Villa vicencio.  I  was  never  able 
to  identify  the  song  of  the  big  slaty-blue  breasted  G.  ruficeps,  in  the  upper- 
most forest  zone  above  Bogota.  These  were  all  the  species  of  the  genus  that 
I,  personally,  encountered. 

On  the  wooded  slopes  above  Villa  vicencio  we  found  another  bird  conspicuous 
in  song,  but  spirit-like  in  actions.  We  at  first  thought  it  was  a  Grallaria,  but 
it  proved  to  be  a  closely  allied  bird,  Chamceza  brevicauda,  very  similar,  but 
with  shorter  legs  and  more  delicate  bill.  It  had  a  curious  song  of  about  seven 
gradually  ascending  'toots,'  followed  by  four  or  five  queer  little  falling 
yelps:  oot,  odt,  hot,  oot,  oot,  oot  oat — elp,  elp\  elf,  ulp',  ulp\  It  was  com- 
mon, and,  because  the  forest  was  much  opener  and  almost  like  our  woods, 
it  was  much  easier  to  find  and  see.  But,  even  so,  many  more  were  heard  than 
we  were  ever  able  to  discern,  and  we  never  got  over  a  feeling  of  victory  when 
we  succeeded  in  seeing  the  singer.  The  color  gradation  was  so  perfectly  ad- 
justed to  the  lighting  in  the  woods  that  only  a  motion  was  visible,  and  that 
scarcely. 

In  the  dark,  fog-steeped  forest  along  the  culm  of  the  Central  Andes,  a 
closely  related  species,  darker  in  color,  gave  me  one  of  the  great  song-sen- 
sations of  my  life.  I  heard  a  sharp,  loud,  wip-wip-wip  and  ascribed  it  to  one 
of  the  Wood-quail.  I  hunted  it  unsuccessfully,  until  I  was  discouraged  and 
exhausted.  Also,  I  became  dully  aware  of  a  distant  and  long  protracted  whistle, 
which  I  vaguely  attributed  to  a  steam-whistle  in  some  neighboring  village. 
So  does  our  common  sense  become  dulled  when  we  are  confronted  by  un- 
familiar surroundings!    On  my  tired  way  back  to  camp,  I  realized  that  there 


Impressions   of  the  Voices   of  Tropical   Birds 


165 


were  neither  mills,  steam  nor  villages  in  these  mountains,  which  are  un- 
broken virgin  forest  for  a  hundred  miles  or  more  either  way.  Perhaps  I  had 
heard  a  cicada.  I  could  scarcely  credit  a  bird  with  such  a  prolonged  sound 
as  this. 

The  next  day  I  went  back  to  solve  the  thing.    When,  after  two  hours 
of  steep  ascent,  I  had  reached  the  8,000-foot  level,  I  heard  again  my  mysterious 


.::n^ 


ANT-THRUSH    {Formicarius    rufipectus    carrikeri) 

whistle.  Listening  carefully,  and  imitating  it  as  well  as  I  could,  I  was  able  to 
discern  that  the  sound  became  definitely  more  loud  and  distinct.  No  insect, 
this.  Soon  I  could  analyze  it  quite  closely,  and  found  it  to  be  a  very  gradually 
rising  crescendo,  beginning  about  on  C,  and  a  full  though  slightly  throbbing 
or  tremolo  whistle.  I  was  astonished  at  its  duration,  for  I  could  detect  no  time 
at  which  a  breath  could  be  taken.  Timing  three  successive  songs,  I  found 
them  to  endure  forty-seven,  fifty-seven,  and  fifty- three  seconds!    This  was 


1 66  Bird -Lore 

more  than  twice  the  length  of  any  continuous  song  I  have  ever  heard,  the 
Winter  Wren  being  second  with  twenty-eight  seconds.  But  in  this  broken 
song  there  are  surely  many  opportunities  to  catch  the  thimbleful  of  breath 
a  Wren  can  hold,  while  the  Chamaza  song  was  one  long,  unbroken,  and  con- 
stantly increasing  sound. 

Eventually,  my  singer  came  so  near  that  I  was  afraid  of  scaring  it  away 
by  the  imperfection  of  my  imitation,  which  required  a  full  breath  out,  an 
in-breath  to  full  lung-capacity,  and  then  the  last  bit  of  breath  I  could  expel 
to  accomplish  even  a  forty-second  song!  So  I  sat  silent,  tense  and  eager, 
hoping  almost  against  hope  that  the  mystery-bird  would  reveal  himself. 
Suddenly,  almost  at  my  heels,  a  song  began.  Very  soft  and  throaty  at  first, 
gradually  rising  and  filling,  the  steady  throbbing  crescendo  proceeded  until 
I  was  so  thrilled  that  I  was  afraid  I  couldn't  stand  it  any  longer.  I  dared 
not  move,  as  I  was  in  plain  sight,  on  the  edge  of  a  scar  in  the  earth  from  a 
recently  uprooted  tree.  Finally,  though,  the  tension  was  relaxed;  the  song 
ceased.  Where  would  it  be  next  time?  In  front  of  me?  Or  would  the  singer 
see  me  and  depart  for  good,  still  a  mystery?  Even  as  I  was  thinking  these 
things,  a  ghostly-silent  little  shadow  sped  dangling  past  me  and  came  to  a 
halt  about  thirty  feet  away,  half  lost  in  the  dark  fog,  on  the  far  side  of  the 
raw  little  clearing.  In  awful  anxiety  lest  he  become  swallowed  up  in  the  mist 
and  lost  to  me,  and  with  a  great  effort  not  to  lose  the  dim  impression  of  the 
faintly-seen  bird,  I  moved  slightly  for  a  better  view.  My  long  watch  was 
futile,  for  my  spirit  bird  disappeared.  I  sat  awhile  and  mourned,  with  a  great 
deal  of  invective  in  my  heart.  But  soon  realizing  that  this  was  futile,  I  decided 
to  practise  the  song  I  had  learned.  Imagine  my  surprise,  after  the  first 
attempt,  to  hear,  close  by,  the  loud  wip-wip  of  yesterday,  and  to  see  it 
followed  almost  immediately  by  another  ghost-bird,  which  had  the  grace  to 
alight  or  stop  running  (I  couldn't  be  positive  which)  within  range  and  in  sight. 
This  proved  to  be  C.  turdina.  Although  we  often  heard  the  curious  pro- 
tracted song  later,  when  we  went  to  the  top  of  the  range,  we  never  again 
caught  sight  of  this  little-known  bird,  and  this  specimen  remains  unique  in 
the  whole  South  American  collection. 

The  several  species  of  true  Ant-thrush,  Formicarius,  all  have  characteristic 
notes,  combined  with  the  same  skulking,  rail-like  habits  of  the  foregoing. 
The  recently  described  Colombian  form  of  F.  rufipectus  has  two  sharp  whistles, 
the  last  a  semitone  above  the  first.  This,  in  our  experience,  was  never  varied. 
F.  analis  connectens,  from  the  lower  forest  zone  of  the  eastern  foot  above 
Villavicencio,  had  a  song  the  exact  reverse  of  that  of  Grallaria  hypoleuca; 
a  loud  note  on  G,  followed,  after  a  rest,  by  a  close  descending  scale  of  three  or 
four  semitones.  Formicarius,  like  Grallaria,  has  a  sort  of  clucking  quality 
when  heard  near  at  hand. 

Few  brush-birds  have  more  distinctive  notes  than  the  Ant-shrikes  or 
Thamnophilus  and   their   relatives.     The   commonest  one  we  encountered, 


Impressions   of  the   Voices  of  Tropical   Birds  167 

T.  multistriatus,  has  the  characteristic  dry,  woody,  descending  scale  common 
to  many  species.  It  strongly  suggests  in  quality  the  spring  'rucking'  of  a 
Nuthatch.  It  might  be  written  ruk,  ruk,  nik,  uk,  uk,  k,  k,  k  beginmng 
lazily,  and  gathering  speed  as  it  descends.    All  these  birds  put  much  effort 


y^^^ 


ANT-SHRIKE    {Thavmophilus    multistriatus) 

into  their  calls,  and  sing  with  head  up  and  tail  down.  The  latter  moves 
noticeably  at  each  note  and,  as  with  the  Trogons,  we  came  to  look  for  the 
vibrating  tail  when  hunting  them. 

The  many  species  have  different  notes,  but  most  are  readily  recognizable 


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Bird-Lore 


as  Thamnophilus  when  any  one  of  them  becomes  thoroughly  familiar.  Until 
one  has  had  real  experience  with  tropical  birds,  it  is  hard  to  work  up  much 
of  an  interest  in  the  great  mass  of  dull-colored  brown  and  gray  birds  that 

form  such  a  large  pro- 
portion of  the  whole. 
In  a  case  of  South  Am- 
erican birds,  the  eye 
alights  on  the  brilliant 
Tanagers,  Callistes, 
Trogons,  Cotingas,  and 
Hummingbirds,  and  ig- 
nores all  the  myriad  Fly- 
catchers, Ant-thrushes, 
Furnarian  birds,  and 
other  dullish  and  nega- 
tive-colored things. 
But,  in  the  field,  the 
sense  of  sound  enters 
and  combines  with  the 
very  interesting  habits 
of  the  more  obscure 
species.  I  can  hardly 
subscribe  to  the  popu- 
lar idea  that  tropical 
Ijirds  are  as  a  rule 
bright-colored  and 
devoid  of  song  after 
listening  with  an  ap- 
preciative ear  to  the 
morning  chorus  in  a 
Mexican  or  South 
American  forest. 

One  of  the  most 
extensive  and  typical 
families  is  that  of  the 
Dendrocolaptidai,  or 
Woodhewers.  They 
are>  in  actions,  over- 
grown Brown  Creep- 
ers. There  are  many 
genera  and  almost  endless  species.  As  a  family  it  is  nearly  as  exten- 
sive and  varied  as  the  family  of  Finches,  though  all  have  a  single 
general  type  of  coloring  that  is  hardly  departed  from.    The  great,  Flicker- 


WOODHEWER    {Picolaptes  lacrymiger) 


Impressions   of  the  Voices   of   Tropical   Birds  169 

sized  Dendrocolapies,  the  tiny  Xenops,  and  all  between,  are  mainly  wood- 
brown  varying  from  rusty  to  olive,  and  streaked  or  not,  but  never  boldly 
marked.  They  are  also  fairly  unanimous  in  their  songs,  though  of  course 
there  is  considerable  variation.  Most  that  I  have  heard  have  a  harsh,  raspy 
note  of  alarm  or  displeasure,  and  many  species  sing  a  loud,  ringing  song  that 
strongly  recalls  our  Canon  Wren;  tee,  twee,  tui,  tui,  tool,  tool,  a  descending 
series  of  whistles,  which,  pure  and  piercing  in  the  lesser  species,  becomes 
coarse  and  'Woodpeckery'  in  the  larger.  There  are  really  no  fine  singers 
in  this  group,  although  several  make  pleasant  sounds  in  the  spicy-scented 
slashings,  and  all  are  interesting.  They  are  rather  silent  birds,  as  a  rule,  and, 
as  the  family  contains  many  rare  and  curious  types,  which  are  elusive  and 
tricky,  they  are  a  never-ending  source  of  interest  and  curiosity. 

The  Woodpeckers  may  be  dismissed  in  a  sentence.  Their  calls  and  notes 
are  all  perfectly  typical  of  the  group  as  we  know  it  in  this  country,  and  I 
recall  no  species  that  deviate  noticeably  from  the  well-known  types  of  cries 
and  calls  by  which  we  recognize  our  own  species. 


THE    UNCLE    REMUS    BIRD    SANCTUARY.     HOME    OF    THE    LATE    JOEL 

CHANDLER  HARRIS 

The  mail-box  at  the  left  was  used  by  the  Wrens  for  a  nest,  and  gave  the  place  the  name  of 

"The  Wrens'  Nest" 


A  Bird  Sanctuary  for  The  Sign  of  the  Wren's  Nest 

By  MRS.  J.  O.  PARMELE,  Atlanta,  Ga. 

THE  Sign  of  The  Wren's  Nest"  is  a  phrase  always  used  when  people 
speak  of  the  home  of  the  late  Joel  Chandler  Harris,  situated  on  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  streets  in  Atlanta,  Georgia. 
The  local  chapter  of  the  Burroughs'  Nature  Club  and  the  Uncle  Remus 
Association  have  made  The  Wren's  Nest  a  bird  sanctuary.  It  is  proposed  by 
the  committee  to  make  at  once  an  effort  to  get  rid  of  the  English  Sparrows  by 
the  use  of  a  Dodson  sparrow-trap,  and  they  have  put  in  place  two  bird-baths 
and  one  or  more  feeding-stations.  Bird-houses  will  later  be  placed  in  the  trees, 
and  plants  and  trees  useful  to  attract  birds  and  produce  fruit  will  be  set  out, 
particularly  those  that  bear  berries  in  the  late  fall  that  will  serve  as  food  for 
the  birds  during  the  winter. 

The  Uncle  Remus  Bird  Sanctuary  is  the  first  bird  sanctuary  in  Georgia, 
though  there  are  many  in  other  states.  Years  ago  a  little  family  of  Wrens, 
worried  and  persecuted   by  the  bulldozing  Sparrows  of   the  neighborhood, 

(170) 


A  Bird  Sanctuary  for  The  Sign  of  the  Wren's  Nest         171 

sought  refuge  at  The  Wren's  Nest.  First,  the  fugitives  built  a  nest  at  the  gate, 
in  the  letter-box,  which  thereafter  was  scrupulously  respected  by  the  postman, 
and  even  by  the  children  of  the  vicinity.  Thus  encouraged,  they  made  them- 
selves at  home  in  many  quiet  nooks  and  corners  in  the  vines,  and,  receiving 
watchful  care  and  protection  from  the  inmates  in  the  cottage,  they  organized 
a  little  republic  of  their  own;  and  in  their  picturesque  domain  they  have  ever 
seemed  to  regard  themselves  as  the  rightful  owners  and  rulers  of  the  entire 
tract.  Birds,  next  to  children  and  flowxrs,  were  the  special  objects  of  'Uncle 
Remus's'  attention. 

The  Park  Board  of  Atlanta  is  caring  for  the  trees  at  The  Wren's  Nest  and 
the  grounds  are  kept  in  perfect  order.  The  Memorial  Association  is  planning 
a  series  of  scenes  for  moving  pictures  that  will  show  The  Wren's  Nest  and 
places  of  interest  about  the  place.  Everybody  loves  the  home  where  "Brer 
Rabbit"  lived,  and  the  tourist  always  wishes  to  go  to  Snap-Bean  Farm,  that 
he  may  enjoy  the  scenes  where  Uncle  Remus  talked  to  the  Little  Boy,  and  the 
old  "Bar"  and  "Sis  Cow,"  and  all  the  other  fanciful  people  and  animals  that 
lived  in  the  imagination  of  the  author. 

There  is  a  guest-book  at  the  Sign  of  the  Wren's  Nest  that  shows  enrolled  the 
names  of  distinguished  men  and  women  of  world-wide  interest.  Fifty-three 
states  and  governments  are  represented,  but  the  tourist  does  notlinger  over  the 
guest-book  to  see  the  distinguished  names  it  bears.  He  wishes  to  see  the  birds, 
the  rabbits,  the  trees,  the  flowers,  and  the  vines,  where  "Brer  Possum"  was 
caught  napping. 

It  is  the  earnest  desire  of  all  Atlantians  that  some  day  there  may  be  a  child's 
hospital  at  The  Wren's  Nest,  that  will  be  the  greatest  memorial  that  can  be 
erected  to  the  memory  of  Joel  Chandler  Harris. 


THE    BALTIMORE    ORIOLE 

Is  it  a  firebrand,  tossed  in  the  air. 

Which  the  soft  breeze  fans  to  a  flame? 
Glowing  and  brilliant  beyond  compare. 
As  it  darts  and  flashes,  now  here,  now,  there,  . 

Pray,  can  you  give  it  a  name? 

Or  is  it  a  petal  from  some  gorgeous  flower. 

Wind-blown  from  the  tropics  this  way? 
Or  a  meteor  shooting  through  orchard  and  bower, 
Till  the  blossoms  come  falling,  a  glorious  shower, 

Like  the  ghost  of  a  snowstorm  in  May? 

— Nellie  J.  Wharples. 


The  Nighthawk  in  Connecticut 
I 

By  LEWIS  F.  HALL,  Bridgeport,  Conn. 

I  HAVE  read  of  Nighthawks  laying  their  eggs  on  the  gravel  roofs  of  build- 
ings in  the  heart  of  cities,  but  never  before  this  summer  has  it  been  my 

good  fortune  to  see  them  nesting,  or  to  obtain  a  good  photograph  of  the 
female  on  the  eggs. 

On  June  14,  19 13, 1  learned  that  a  Nighthawk  had  laid  two  eggs  on  the  tar- 
and-gravel  roof  of  the  Southern  New  England  Telephone  Go's,  building  at  184 
Fairfield  Ave.,  Bridgeport,  Conn.  This  is  a  three-story  building  in  the  heart 
of  the  business  section.  Being  anxious  to  photograph  the  bird,  I  at  once  paid 
a  visit  to  the  Telephone  Office  and  obtained  permission  to  go  up  on  the  roof. 
This  I  did  by  means  of  the  fire-escape,  and  there,  beside  two  bricks  which  were 
lying  on  the  roof,  sat  the  female  Nighthawk,  her  color  matching  perfectly 
that  of  the  tar  and  gravel. 

After  flushing  the  bird  and  finding  only  one  egg,  I  learned  that  the  other 
had  been  broken  by  the  bird  in  removing  it  with  her  wing  from  under  a  peach- 
basket  which  had  been  placed  on  edge  over  the  eggs  by  employees  of  the 
Telephone  Co.,  in  an  endeavor  to  capture  the  bird. 

I  then  set  up  my  camera  eighteen  inches  from  the  egg  and,  after  photo- 
graphing it,  I  concealed  myself  behind  a  skylight  and  waited  for  the  return 
of  the  bird.  She  soon  flew  from  a  neighboring  building,  alighted  on  the  roof 
about  twenty  feet  from  the  egg  and,  after  spending  about  fifteen  minutes  care- 
fully scrutinizing  the  camera,  which  was  covered  with  black  cloth,  returned 
to  the  nest. 

I  then  crept  out  on  my  hands  and  knees  and  succeeded  in  pressing  the 
bulb,  which  was  only  about  one  foot  in  back  of  the  camera.  I  repeated  this 
operation  several  times,  taking,  in  all,  two  pictures  of  the  egg  and  four  of  the 
bird.  The  last  three  photographs  of  the  bird  were  all  taken  within  fifteen 
minutes'  time,  the  bird,  which  had  then  become  used  to  the  camera,  returning 
to  the  nest  each  time  almost  immediately  after  I  had  hidden  behind  the 
skylight.  During  the  time  the  last  three  photos  were  taken,  the  bird  did  not 
once  leave  the  roof,  but  merely  flew  upon  the  coping  about  twenty  feet  from 
the  egg,  wh  e  I  changed  the  plates  in  preparation  for  the  next  picture. 

II 

By  WILBUR  I.  SMITH,  South  Norwalk,  Conn. 

ONE  of  my  earliest  memories  is  of  my  grandfather  taking  me  out  into 
one  of  his  meadows  and  showing  me  a  Nighthawk  sitting  on  her 
eggs,  laid  on  a  bare  rock. 
The  bird  allowed  us  to  approach  quite  near,  when  grandfather  told  me  to 
^'pick  her  up,"  but  the  bird  went  fluttering  off  with  all  the  manifestations  of 

(173) 


174  Bird  -  Lore 

distress  and  broken  wings,  I  eagerly  following,  until  safe  away  from  her  nest 
the  Nighthawk  gracefully  rose  in  air  and  sailed  away,  to  come  back  and  alight 
on  the  bar  way.  I  was  puzzled  at  the  bird's  distress  and  quick  recovery,  and 
would  have  followed  it  further,  but  grandfather  led  me  away,  for  he  was 
fond  of  the  birds,  and  had  wished  to  show  me  what  curious  birds  they  were. 

A  pair  of  Nighthawks  had  nested  on  that  rock  for  many  years,  and  was 
fairly  common  in  that  section,  but  I  have  not  known  of  a  pair  nesting  there- 
abouts in  many  years.  In  the  fall  we  sometimes  see  large  flocks  of  Nighthawks 
migrating  in  a  westerly  direction,  and  their  numbers  give  us  faith  to  believe 
that  somewhere  they  are  holding  their  own. 

At  five-thirty  in  the  afternoon  of  September  6,  1913,  while  approaching  my 
home  station  on  a  train,  I  noticed  a  flight  of  Nighthawks  over  the  upper  harbor, 
and  at  home,  two  miles  further,  their  numbers  seemed  undiminished,  and  more 
were  coming  out  of  the  east. 

The  birds  were  feeding,  most  of  them  flying  low,  and  cutting  all  kinds  of 
figures  in  the  air,  as  they  rose  and  dropped,  zig-zagged  and  crossed  each 
other  in  their  search  for  food. 

My  companion  of  the  day  had  left  me,  to  go  to  his  cottage  at  Fairfield 
Beach,  eleven  miles  east  of  my  home,  and  he  found  that  large  numbers  of  the 
Nighthawks  were  feeding  over  the  broad  meadows,  and  that  certain  of  the 
beach  population  were  shooting  them. 

He  secured  three  of  the  dead  birds,  while  more  drifted  off  with  the  tide,  and 
evidence  that  resulted  in  convicting  two  men  of  the  shooting,  but  not  without 
some  difficulty,  as  one  of  them  was  assistant  city  clerk  in  one  of  our  large  cities. 

Making  a  note  of  this  Nighthawk  incursion,  I  find  that  on  the  evening  of 
September  6,  1905,  there  was  a  similar  migration  of  Nighthawks  when  their 
numbers  seemed  inexhaustible. 

This  time,  the  birds  were  flying  high  in  open  formation,  in  slow  and  heavy 
flight,  as  though  tired,  and  came  out  of  the  east  and  disappeared  into  the  west. 

It  is  an  interesting  coincidence  that  both  of  these  flights  should  have 
occurred  on  the  same  day  of  the  month  and  the  same  time  of  the  day,  and  that 
both  were  following  the  shore  of  Long  Island  Sound. 


r^- 


A    SUMMER   VISITOR    (CHIPPING    SPARROW) 
Photographed  by  Joseph  W.  Lippincott,  Bethayres,  Pa. 


(175) 


The  Migration  of  North  American  Sparrows 

rVVENTY-EIGHTH  PAPER 
Compiled  by  Prof.   W.  "W.  Cooke,  Chiefly  from  Data  in  the  Biological  Survey 

With  drawings  by  Louis  Agassiz  Fuertes 
(See  Frontispiece) 


BACHMAN'S    SPARROW 

Though  technically  considered  a  subspecies,  Bachman's  Sparrow  {Peuccta 
(tstivaUs  bachmani)  has  a  wider  distribution  and  is  better  known  than  the  type 
species,  the  Pine- woods  Sparrow  (Peucaa  cBstivalis  astivalis).  The  latter  is 
only  slightly  migratory,  breeding  in  a  restricted  area  from  southern  Georgia 
to  central  Florida,  and  wintering  from  the  southern  part  of  the  breeding-grounds 
to  southern  Florida.  It  is  probable  that  the  short  migration  journey  is  per- 
formed in  late  February  and  early  March,  and  by  the  end  of  this  latter  month 
the  species  is  settled  in  its  summer  home. 

Bachman's  Sparrow  is  an  example  of  a  bird  that  is  apparently  extending 
its  range.  Within  recent  years  it  has  become  common  locally  in  southern 
Virginia,  and  has  increased  around  Washington,  D.  C,  until  it  is  now  known 
in  four  localities.  It  has  invaded  Ohio,  even  to  the  northern  part  of  the  state, 
and  also  western  Pennsylvania.  The  more  northern  breeding  individuals  are 
strictly  migratory,  while  from  eastern  Texas  to  northwestern  Florida  the  birds 
are  present  throughout  the  year. 

SPRING    MIGRATION 


PLACE 


Number 
of  years' 
record 


Average  date  of 
spring  arrival 


E&rliest  date  of 
spring  arrival 


Greensboro,  Ala 

St.  Mary's,  Ga 

Savannah,  Ga 

Atlanta,  Ga.  (near) 

Charleston,  S.  C 

Raleigh,  N.  C 

Weaverville,  N.  C 

Lynchburg,  Va 

Washington,  D.  C 

Rockwood,  Tenn.  (near) 

Eubank,  Ky 

Ink,  Mo 

Mt.  Carmel,  111 

Bicknell,  Ind 

Bloomington,  Ind 

Cincinnati,  O 

Cedar  Point,  O 

Beaver,  Pa 


March  14 
March  13 
March  14 
April  16 
April  13 

April  27 
April  7 
April  6 


March  25 
April  II 
April  34 


Ffbruary  21,  1890 
February  17,  1902 
March  5,  1909 
March  la,  1906 
February  25,  1885 
March  19,  1887 
March  38,  1890 
April  7,  1 901 
April  26,  1914 
April  3,  1884 
March  20,  1889 
March  19,  1905 
April  3,  1910 
March  19,  1908 
April  6,  1884 
April  33,  1903 
May  14,  1909 
April  39,  1910 


The  birds  that  winter  as  far  south  as  central  Florida  leave,  on  the  average, 
March  13;  latest  March  26,  1887.  Migrants  appeared  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  Sep- 
tember II,  1902;  Savannah,  Ga.,  September  16,  1906;  Raleigh,  N.  C.,  Sep- 

(176) 


The  MigradoM   of  North  American   Sparrows  177 

tember  20,  1901;  and  in  northern  Florida,  on  the  average,  October  7,  the 
earliest,  September  27. 

The  last  one  noted  at  Eubank,  Ky.,  was  on  September  26,  1889;  Monteer, 
Mo.,  September  27,  1909;  near  Mt.  Carmel,  111.,  October  28,  1882;  New  Har- 
mony, Ind.,  September  24,  1902;  Weaverville,  N.  C,  November  i,  1890. 

BOTTERI'S    SPARROW 

This  is  a  Mexican  species,  scarcely,  if  at  all,  migratory.  It  has  a  wide 
range  in  Mexico,  but  barely  reaches  the  United  States  in  the  Rio  Grande 
Valley  of  extreme  southern  Texas.  It  has  also  been  recorded  from  a  few 
localities  in  southern  Arizona,  north  to  the  Santa  Catalina  Mountains. 

CASSIN'S    SPARROW 

Wintering  in  Mexico,  Cassin's  Sparrow  migrates  early  in  the  season  into 
the  contiguous  parts  of  the  United  States.  It  was  noted  at  Brownsville,  Texas, 
as  early  as  February  i,  19 10;  while  the  average  date  of  arrival  at  San  Antonio 
is  March  23,  the  earliest,  February  18,  1897.  Migrants  enter  southern  Arizona 
soon  after  the  middle  of  March,  and  the  species  breeds  north  to  southeastern 
Nevada,  southern  Colorado,  and  southwestern  Kansas.  It  was  still  common  at 
Carlsbad,  N.  M.,  September  12,  1901,  and  remained  at  Laredo,  Texas,  until 
November  12,  1885. 

RUFOUS-WINGED    SPARROW 

Southeastern  Arizona,  north  to  the  Santa  Catalina  Mountains,  is  the  only 
part  of  the  United  States  where  the  Rufous-winged  Sparrow  occurs.  The 
main  part  of  the  range  is  in  northern  Mexico;  but  the  few  individuals  that 
occur  in  Arizona  remain  there  the  entire  year,  and  the  nesting  season  is  so 
extended  that  fresh  eggs  have  been  noted  from  the  middle  of  May  to  the 
second  week  in  September. 

RUFOUS-CROWNED    SPARROW 

This  Sparrow  has  been  separated  into  four  forms,  or  subspecies.  The 
earliest-known  form,  now  called  the  Rufous-crowned  Sparrow  {Aimophila 
ruficeps  ruficeps),  occurs  in  California  west  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  and  north  to 
Marin  and  Placer  Counties;  it  ranges  south  to  the  San  Pedro  Martir  Mountains 
of  Lower  California.  While  not  strictly  a  non-migratory  species,  yet  some 
individuals  remain  through  the  winter  at  the  extreme  northern  limit  of  the 
summer  home,  and  prevent  the  obtaining  of  any  exact  data  on  the  movements 
of  the  migrant  birds.  Apparently  most  of  the  short  migratory  flight  occurs 
in  March. 

Scott's  Sparrow  (Aimophila  r.  scotti)  ranges  from  northern  Mexico  north  to 
southern  Arizona,  northern  New  Mexico,  and  southwestern  Texas.    It  is  not 


1 78  Bird -Lore 

probable  that  the  individuals  breeding  in  northern  New  Mexico  remain  at 
their  summer  home  through  the  winter,  but  the  species  is  found  at  this  season 
in  the  southern  part  of  that  state. 

The  Rock  Sparrow  (Aimophila  r.  eremoeca)  breeds  principally  in  Texas  east 
of  the  Pecos  River,  while  a  few  birds  range  north  to  the  Wichita  Mountains, 
Oklahoma.  Though  the  species  is  partially  migratory,  and  is  found  in  winter 
south  to  Puebla,  several  hundred  miles  south  of  the  breeding-range,  yet  some 
birds  also  remain  at  this  season  in  northern  Texas  nearly  to  the  northern  limit 
of  the  summer  home. 

The  fourthjform,  the  Laguna  Sparrow  {A.  r.  sororia),  is  a  non-migratory 
sub-species  inhabiting  the  mountains  of  southern  Lower  California. 


Notes  on  the  Plumage  of   North  American   Sparrows 

T-WENTY-SEVENTH   PAPER 
By  FRANK  M.  CHAPMAN 

(See  Frontispiece) 

Both  range  and  habit  tend  to  prevent  the  Sparrows  figured  in  this  issue  of 
Bird-Lore  from  being  widely  known.  Confined  for  the  greater  part  to  our 
southern  border  states,  they  do  not,  as  a  rule,  enter  the  region  where  bird 
students  most  abound,  while  their  retiring  habits  and  generally  elusive  ways 
make  them  far  from  conspicuous,  even  in  localities  where  they  are  common.  I 
have  no  personal  knowledge  of  the  more  western  species,  but,  if  any  of  them 
sing  as  sweetly  as  does  our  Pine-woods  Sparrow  (and  its  northern  race,  Bach- 
man's  Sparrow),  it  is  indeed  a  pity  that  their  voices  should  so  rarely  fall  on 
appreciative  ears. 

As  the  frontispiece  shows,  even  those  birds  of  this  group  which  are  ranked 
as  species  bear  a  close  general  resemblance  to  one  another.  The  'Check-List' 
of  the  American  Ornithologists'  Union  places  them  in  two  genera,  Peuccea  and 
Aimophila,  but  Mr.  Ridgway,  in  his  great  work  on  the  'Birds  of  North  and 
Middle  America,'  includes  them  all  in  Aimophila,  proof  that  the  exact  degree 
of  their  relationships  is  largely  a  matter  of  opinion. 

The  molts  of  these  birds  have  not,  so  far  as  I  am  aware,  been  minutely 
studied,  nor  have  we  at  this  time  sufficient  material  to  go  thoroughly  into  this 
subject.  It  may  be  said,  however,  that  in  all  the  species  the  sexes  are  alike, 
and  there  are  no  marked  seasonal  changes  in  color. 

The  nestling  always  has  the  underparts  more  or  less  distinctly  streaked. 
These  streaks  are  lost  at  the  post-juvenal  molt,  and  in  our  eastern  species 
(and  doubtless  also  others)  the  young  birds  pass  into  a  plumage  (first  winter) 
which  cannot  be  distinguished  from  that  of  the  adult  of  the  same  season.  The 
differences  between  winter  and  summer  plumage  are  largely  due  to  wear. 

To  this  brief  outline  may  be  added  a  list  of  the  species  and  races,  with  the 


Notes  on  the  Plumage  of  North   American   Sparrows      179 

characters  by  which  they  may  be  distinguished.  Their  ranges  are  given  by 
Professor  Cooke  in  the  preceding  article. 

Pine-woods  Sparrow  (Peuccea  cBsHvalis  (Bstivalis,  Fig.  2). — All  three  species 
of  PeuccBa  agree  in  having  the  bend  of  the  wing  yellow,  a  mark  which  is  wanting 
in  our  species  of  Aimophila.  In  addition  to  this  feature,  the  heavily  washed 
chest,  in  connection  with  the  absence  of  maxillary  streaks,  distinguishes  this 
species.  Its  northern  form,  Bachman's  Sparrow  {Peuccea  a.  bachmani),  has 
much  less  black  on  the  upperparts,  which  are  sometimes  only  bay  and  gray. 

Cassin's  Sparrow  (Peucaa  cassini,  Fig.  i). — The  spotted  or  barred  appear- 
ance of  the  back  is  the  diagnostic  character  of  Cassin's  Sparrow.  Instead  of 
being  centrally  streaked,  the  feathers  of  the  back  have  a  narrow  black  bar 
near  the  end.  The  general  color  of  the  plumage  is  decidedly  paler  than  that  of 
the  other  birds  ha\dng  the  bend  of  the  wing  yellow  {Peuccea). 

Botteri's  Sparrow  {Peuccea  botteri,  Fig.  3). — This  species  most  nearly  resem- 
bles the  Pine-woods  Sparrow,  but  is  larger,  pale  above,  and  the  breast  is  less 
heavily  washed. 

Rufous-winged  Sparrow  {Aimophila car palis,  Fig.  4). — The  chestnut- rufous 
lesser  wing-coverts,  and  the  similarly  colored,  gray  striped  crown  will  serve 
to  identify  this  species,  which  bears  a  singularly  close  resemblance  to  a  Western 
Chipping  Sparrow  in  winter  plmnage. 

Rufous-crowned  Sparrow  {A  imophila  ruficeps  ruficeps,  Fig.  5) . — This  species 
may  be  known  by  its  rufous  cap,  well-marked  maxillary  streaks,  and  absence 
of  black  markings  (less  than  Fig.  5  shows)  in  the  back,  together  with  the  lack 
of  yellow  on  the  bend  of  the  wing.  This  is  the  California  form.  In  southern 
Lower  California  it  is  represented  by  the  Laguna  Sparrow  (A.  r.  sororia),  a 
nearly  related  race,  somewhat  brighter  above  and  with  a  slightly  larger  bill. 
In  Arizona  there  is  a  third  form,  Scott's  Sparrow  {A.  r.  scotti),  which  has  the 
underparts  decidedly  paler,  the  back  with  grayer  margins;  and  in  Texas  a 
fourth  form,  the  Rock  Sparrow  {A.  r.  eremmca)  has  the  crown  darker,  more 
chestnut  than  in  Scott's  Sparrow,  and  the  back  still  grayer.  These  races,  how- 
ever, can  be  satisfactorily  identified  only  on  comparison  of  specimens,  but 
since,  during  the  nesting  season,  one  is  unlikely  to  find  any  two  of  them  at 
the  same  place,  the  locality  at  which  a  bird  is  found  will,  at  this  season,  go  a 
long  way  toward  determining  to  which  particular  race  it  belongs. 


A  Cooperative  Study  of  Bird  Migration 

IN  RESPONSE  to  the  request  published  in  the  January-February  Bird- 
Lore,  fifty-seven  reports  of  the  arrival,  etc.,  of  the  Red-winged  Black- 
bird, Robin  and  Phoebe  have  been  received.  We  wish  to  thank  our 
readers  for  these  reports,  and  especially — in  almost  every  case — for  copying 
so  carefully  the  form  we  printed. 

The  arrival  of  these  early  migrants  is  much  more  irregular  than  that  of 
those  species  due  in  May.  It  is  more  dependent  on  the  weather  conditions, 
and  this  year  all  sections  of  the  country  report  an  exceptionally  late  mi- 
gration, owing  to  the  frequent  and  heavy  snow-storms  and  unusually  cold 
weather  in  the  early  spring.  The  dates  given  in  the  following  columns,  there- 
fore, are  far  from  normal.  The  January  and  February  dates  must  refer,  in 
most  cases,  to  wintering  birds,  not  to  newcomers. 

The  Robin  was  at  most  stations  the  earliest  species  to  appear  and  to  become 
common.  After  passing  New  York  City,  those  that  continued  along  the  coast 
went  much  faster  than  those  that  followed  up  the  big  river  valleys.  Robins 
reached  northern  New  Hampshire  and  northern  Nova  Scotia  at  about  the 
same  time,  though  the  former  is  three  hundred,  and  the  latter  seven  hundred 
miles  from  New  York.  That  makes  the  advance  of  the  species  along  the  coast 
about  forty-seven,  and  up  the  Connecticut  Valley  only  twenty  miles  a  day. 
The  evidence  indicates  that  they  entered  Nova  Scotia  from  the  mainland, 
appearing  first  in  the  central  portion  adjoining  New  Brunswick,  and  spreading 
thence  southward  and  northward.  Several  widely  scattered  stations  report 
Robins  as  more  than  usually  abundant  after  they  did  come,  one  Chicago 
observer  going  so  far  as  to  say,  "Never  saw  so  many  Robins  in  the  spring  as 
this  year — at  least  ten  to  every  one  seen  in  previous  springs."  The  Mississippi 
Valley  dates  average  several  days  ahead  of  those  of  the  same  latitude  along 
the  Atlantic  coast. 

The  Red-winged  Blackbird  dates  seem  more  irregular  as  a  series  than 
the  Robin  dates.  This  is  perhaps  due  to  the  Blackbird's  being  more  gregarious 
and  less  scattered  than  the  Robin;  if  the  observer  misses  the  two  or  three 
flocks  of  Red-wings  in  his  locality,  he  misses  the  species.  Many  more  are 
usually  seen  on  the  first  day  than  is  the  case  with  the  Robin. 

The  Phoebe,  needing  as  it  does  plenty  of  gnats  or  other  flying  insects,  is 
naturally  the  last  of  these  three  species  to  be  noted.  In  many  places  where 
it  is  a  regular  summer  resident  it  is  never  really  common,  just  a  pair  or  two 
nesting  here  and  there. — Charles  H.  Rogers. 

Postscript. — Nine  reports  were  received  too  late  for  tabulation.  The  last 
reached  us  on  May  4,  long  after  the  copy  had  gone  to  press.  The  Red-winged 
Blackbird  was  recorded  as  not  yet  common  at  Reaboro,  Ont.,  Apr,  18  (E.  W. 
Calvert),  nor  at  Detroit,  Mich.,  Apr.  26  (Mrs.  F.  W.  Robinson).— C.  H.  R. 

(180) 


A  Cooperative  Study  of  Bird  Migration  i8i 

Reports  were  received  from  the  following  localities  and  persons: 

Atlantic  Coast  District. 

Kennett  Square,  Chester  Co.,  southeastern  Pa. — C.  Aubrey  Thomas. 

West  Chester,  Chester  Co.,  southeastern  Pa. — Isaac  G.  Roberts. 

York,  York  Co.,  southeastern  Pa. — David  W.  Sunper. 

Englewood,  Bergen  Co.,  northeastern  N.  J. — John  Treadwell  Nichols. 

Central  Park,  New  York  City,  southeastern  N.  Y. — John  Treadwell  Nichols. 

Bay  Ridge,  New  York  City,  southeastern  N.  Y. — Mrs.  F.  V.  Abbott. 

Port  Chester,  Westchester  Co.,  southeastern  N.  Y. — Samuel  N.  Comly,  Paul  C. 
Spoflford,  James  C.  Maples. 

New  Haven,  New  Haven  Co.,  central  southern  Conn. — Aretas  A.  Saunders. 

Block  Island,  in  the  Ocean  off  R.  I. — Elizabeth  Dickens. 

Waterbury,  New  Haven  Co.,  western  central  Conn. — Mrs.  A.  A.  Crank,  R.  E. 
Piatt,  Mrs.  Nelson  A.  Pomeroy. 

Bournedale,  Barnstable  Co.,  southeastern  Mass. — Anna  M.  Starbuck,  N.  B.  Hart- 
ford, Ethel  L.  Walker. 

Grafton,  Worcester  Co.,  eastern  central  Mass. — T.  P.  Staples. 

River  Hebert,  Cumberland  Co.,  western  central  N.  S. — J.  H.  Fitch. 

Bass  River,  Colchester  Co.,  central  N.  S. — William  A.  Doane. 

Truro,  Colchester  Co.,  central  N.  S. — L.  A.  DeWolfe. 

Wolfville,  Kings  Co.,  central  N.  S.— H.  G.  Perry. 

Milton,  Queens  Co.,  southern  N.  S. — R.  H.  Wetmore. 

Yarmouth,  Yarmouth  Co.,  southern  N.  S. — E.  Chesley  Allen. 

Antigonish,  Antigonish  Co..  eastern  N.  S. — Harrison  F.  Lewis. 

Hudson  and  Connecticut  Valleys. 

Rhinebeck,  Dutchess  Co.,  southeastern  N.  Y. — Maunsell  S.  Crosby. 
Williamstown,  Berkshire  Co.,  northwestern  Mass. — Wm.  J.  Cartwright. 
Bennington,  Bennington  Co.,  southwestern  Vt. — Lucretius  H.  Ross. 
Saratoga  Springs,  Saratoga  Co.,  central  eastern  N.  Y. — Mrs.  H.  M.  Herrick. 
St.  Albans,  four  miles  north  of,  Franklin  Co.,  northwestern  Vt. — Lelia  E.  Honsinger. 
Lancaster,  Cods  Co.,  northwestern  N.  H. — Thomas  W.  Wallace. 

Ohio  Valley. 

Urbana,  Champaign  Co.,  central  eastern  111. — Frank  Smith  and  collaborators. 
Stafford  Twp.,  Greene  Co.,  southeastern  Ind. — Mrs.  Stella  Chambers. 
Lexington,  Fayette  Co.,  northern  central  Ky. — Victor  K.  Dodge. 
Columbus,  Franklin  Co.,  central  Ohio. — Laura  E.  Lovell. 
Huron,  Erie  Co.,  central  northern  Ohio. — H.  G.  Morse. 

Pittsburgh,  within  lo  miles  of,  Allegheny  Co.,  central  western  Pa. — Thos.  D.  Bur- 
leigh. 
Youngstown,  Mahoning  Co.,  northeastern  Ohio. — Volney  Rogers. 
Meadville,  Crawford  Co.,  northwestern  Pa. — F.  Cecil  First. 
Little  Valley,  Cattaraugus  Co.,  southwestern  N.  Y. — Mary  M.  Bedient. 
Geneva,  Ontario  Co.,  southwestern  N.  Y. — Otto  McCreary. 
Lyons,  Wayne  Co.,  southwestern  N.  Y. — S.  B.  Gavitt. 
Kingston,  Frontenac  Co.,  southeastern  Ont. — E.  Beaupre. 

Mississippi  Valley. 

Lafayette  Co.,  central  eastern  Mo. — Dr.  Ferdinand  Schreimann. 

Wichita,  Sedgwick  Co.,  central  southern  Kan.,  Audubon  Society  of  Fairmount  College 


l82 


Bird  -  Lore 


Mississippi  Valley,  continued. 

Chillicothe,  Livingston  Co.,  central  northern  Mo. — Desmond  Popham. 

Zuma  Twp.,  Rock  Island  Co.,  northwestern  111. — J.  J.  Schafer. 

LaGrange,  Cook  Co.,  northeastern  111. — Edmund  Hulsberg,  James  Watson. 

Chicago,  Cook  Co.,  northeastern  111. — C.  L.  Cheney,  Wilfred  Lyon. 

Rockford,  Winnebago  Co.,  central  northern  111. — Norman  E.  Nelson. 

Lauderdale  Lakes,  Walworth  Co.,  southeastern  Wis. — Lula  Dunbar. 

Viroqua,  Vernon  Co.,  southwestern  Wis. — R.  Spellum. 

Milwaukee,  Milwaukee  Co.,  southeastern  Wis. — Mrs.  Mark  L.  Simpson. 

Madison,  Dane  Co.,  central  southern  Wis. — A.  W.  Schorger,  N.  de  W.  Betts. 

Sheridan,  Waupaca  Co.,  central  Wis. — Katherine  Johnson. 

Newberry,  Luce  Co.,  northeastern  Mich. — Ralph  Beebe. 

Lennox,  Lincoln  Co.,  southeastern  S.  D. — W.  B.  Mallory. 

Fargo,  Cass  Co.,  southeastern  N.  D. — Miss  N.  S.  Evans,  Edna  M.  Stevens,  O. 

Stevens. 
Palisades,  Mesa  Co.,  central  western  Colo. — -J.  L.  Sloanaker. 
Seattle,  King  Co.,  central  western  Wash. — F.  W.  Cook. 


ROBIN 


Atlantic  Coast  District. 

Kennett  Square,  Pa 

West  Chester,  Pa 

York,  Pa 

New  York  City  and  vicinity 

New  Haven,  Conn 

Block  Island,  R.  I 

Waterbury,  Conn 

Bournedale,  Mass 

Grafton,  Mass 

River  Hebert,  N.  S 

Bass  River,  N.  S 

Truro,  N.  S 

Wolfville,  N.  S 

Milton,  N.  S 

Yarmouth,  N.  S 

Antigonish,  N.  S 


First  seen 


Number 


Hudson  and  Connecticut  Valleys 

Rhinebeck,  N.  Y 

Williamstown,  Mass 

Bennington,  Vt 

Saratoga  Springs,  N.  Y 

St.  Albans,  Vt 

Lancaster,  N.  H 


Ohio  Valley. 

Urbana,  111 

Stafford  Twp.,   Greene  Co., 

Ind 

Lexington,  Ky 

Columbus,  Ohio 

Youngstown,  Ohio 

Huron,  Ohio 

Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  and  vicinity 
Southwestern  New  York.. . . 
Kingston,  Ont 


March  12 
March  15 
March  16 
March  15 
March  15 
March  21 
March  15 
Jan.  18 
March  24 
March  7 
March  28 
March  23 
March  29 
March  26 
April  I 
March  26 


March  16 
March  26 
March  26 
March  27 
March  27 
March  28 

March    3 

Feb.  10 
Feb.  20 
Feb.  7 
March  14 
March    8 
Feb.  14 
March  16 
March  28 


I 
3 
4 

ID 

35 


15 


Next  seen 


15 
5 


March  14 
March  16 
March  17 
March  16 
March  17 
March  28 
March  21 
Feb.  27 
March  26 
March  15 
March  31 
April  7 
April  2 
March  29 
April  5 
March  28 


March  17 
March  27 
March  27 
March  29 
March  29 
March  29 

March    6 

March  6 
March  7 
March  10 
March  15 
March  9 
March  15 
March  17 
March  30 


Number 


24 


several 
many 
5 


hundreds 
10 


common 
13 


Becomes 
common 


March  15 
March  17 
March  21 
March  25 
March  27 
March  29 
March  28 
March  31 
March  28 
April  I 
April  7 
April  8 
April  s 
April  s 
April  s 
April  9 

March  28 
March  27 
March  27 
April  5 

April  10 

March  14 

March  13 
March  12 
March  14 
March  15 
March  14 
March  16 
March  17 
March  30 


A  Cooperative  Study  of  Bird  Migration 

Robin,  continued 


183 


First  seen         Number    1     Next  seen         Number 


Mississippi  Valley. 

Lafayette  Co.,  Mo Feb.  20 

Wichita,  Kan March     2 

Livingston  Co.,  Mo March    3 

Zuma    Twp.,    Rock    Island| 

Co.,  Ill March  11 

Chicago,  111.,  and  vicinity. .  .  |  March  11 

Rockford,  111 March     7 

Lauderdale  Lakes,  Wis March  14 

Viroqua,  Wis March  12 

Milwaukee,  Wis March  15 

Madison,  Wis March  14 

Sheridan,  Wis March  14 

Newberry,  Mich I  April  i 

Lennox,  S.  D I  March  15 

Fargo,  N.  D \  April  i 


15 


Feb.  22 
March    4 
March    5 

March  14 
March  14 
March  14 
March  15 
March  13 
March  16 
March  15 
March  25 
April  2 
IMarch  16 
April  4 


20 

20 


25 
4 


Becomes 
common 


March  8 
March  4 
March  15 

March  15 
March  15 
March  16 
March  17 
March  15 
March  21 
March  25 
April  7 

March  25 


RED-WINGED  BLACKBIRD 


Atlantic  Coast  District. 

Kennett  Square,  Pa 

West  Chester,  Pa 

York,  Pa 

New  York  City  and  vicinity 
'     New  Haven,  Conn 

Block  Island,  R.  I 

Waterbury,  Conn 

Bournedale,  Mass 

Grafton,  Mass 

Nova  Scotia 


First  seen     I     Number    1     Next  seen 


March  15 
IMarch  17 
March  21 
March  17 
March  21 
March  21 
April  I 
March  29 
March  27 
None  seen 


Hudson  and  Connecticut  Valleys 

Rhinebeck,  N.  Y March  25 

Williamstown,  Mass March  31 

Bennington,  Vt April  4 

Saratoga  Springs,  N.  Y April  5 

St.  Albans,  Vt ;  April  10 

Lancaster,  N.  H None  seen 


Ohio  Valley. 

Urbana,  111 

Stafford  Twp.,   Greene  Co., 

Ind 

Lexington,  Ky 

Columbus,  Ohio 

Youngstown,  Ohio 

Huron,  Ohio 

Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  and  vicinity 
Southwestern  New  York. . . . 
Kingston,  Ont 


March  14 

March  14 
Feb.  24 
March  20 
March  16 
Feb.  22 
March  26 
March  18 
March  28 


2 
12 


by  April 


several 


March  22 
March  27 
March  22 
March  18 
March  25 
March  24 
April  2 
March  30 
April  I 
10. 


March  27 
April  4 
April  5 
April  10 


by  April    13. 


50 


5 
I 

35 


March  15 

March  15 
March  25 
March  25 
March  17 
March  6 
March  28 
March  22 


Number 


42 
I 

2 
2 
7 


several 

S 


25 


Becomes 
common 


March  27 
April  4 
March  27 
March  28 
IMarch  27 
March  25 

April  3 
April  2 


March  28 
April  9 


March  14 

March  19 
March  30 

March  18 
March  15 
April  4 
March  26 
March  28 


x84 


Bird  -  Lor« 

Red-winged  Blackbird,  continued 


First  seen 

Number 

Next  seen 

Number 

Becomes 
common 

Mississippi  Valley* 

Lafayette  Co.,  Mo 

Feb.  25 
March    8 
March  19 

March  14 
March  14 
March  24 
March    2 
April  13 
March  31 
March  10 
March  29 
Accidental 
March  15 
April  5 

8 
7 
3 

12 
2 

3 

8 

200 

6 

3 

flock 

here. 

12 

I 

March     i 
March    9 
March  21 

March  15 
March  15 
March  26 
March    8 
April  14 
April  8 
March  15 
March  31 

March  17 

35 

March  10 

Wichita,  Kan 

8             March  n; 

Chillicothe,  Mo 

12 

SO 
no 

4 

8 
4a 

3 

80 

flock 

IS 

March  25 

Zuma    Twp.,    Rock    Island 
Co.,  Ill 

March  15 

Chicago,  111.,  and  vicinity.. . 
Rockford,  111 

March  15 
March  28 

Lauderdale  Lakes,  Wis 

Viroqua,  Wis 

March     2 
April  13 
April  13 
March  22 
April  5 

March  20 

Milwaukee,  Wis 

Madison,  Wis 

Sheridan,  Wis 

Newberry,  Mich 

Lennox,  S.  D 

Fargo,  N.  D 

^The  records  from  the  Great  Plains  are  of  another  subspecies,  the  Thick-billed  Red-wing. 


PH(EBE 


Atlantic  Coast  District. 

Kennett  Square,  Pa 

West  Chester,  Pa 

York,  Pa 

New  York  City  and  vicinity. 

New  Haven,  Conn 

Block  Island,  R.  I 

Waterbury,  Conn 

Bournedale,  Mass 

Grafton,  Mass 

Nova  Scotia 

Hudson  and  Connecticut  Valleys 

Rhinebeck,  N.  Y 

Williamstown,  Mass 

Bennington,  Vt 

Saratoga  Springs,  N.  Y 

St.  Albans,  Vt 

Lancaster,  N.  H 

Ohio  Valley. 

Urbana,  111 

Stafford  Twp.,   Greene  Co., 

Ind 

Lexington,  Ky 

Columbus,  Ohio 

Youngstown,  Ohio 

Huron,  Ohio 

Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  and  vicinity 
Southwestern  New  York. . . . 
Kingston,  Ont 


First  seen 


March  16 
March  16 
March  27 
March  17 
March  27 
Occurs  onl 
March  27 
March  6 
March  27 
None  seen 


March  28 
None  seen 
April  5 
April  5 
None  seen 
April  II 


March  15 

March  15 
March  11 
March  25 
March  17 
March  22 
March  15 
April  I 
March  22 


Number 


Next  seen 


y  in 


March  22 
March  25 
April  7 
March  22 
March  31 
migr  ation. 

March  29 
March  9 
March  26 
10. 


by  April 


by  April 

3 

I 

by  April 


March  29 
10. 

April  6 
April  13 
10. 
April  12 


March  24 

March  28 
March  29 
March  26 
March  22 
March  25 
March  28 
April  4 
April  28 


Number 


Becomes 
common 


March  27 
April  2 
April  9 
March  30 

April  10 
April  7 
March  31 


April  8 
April  13 

April  3 


April  3 
March  29 
March  27 

April  7 


A  CoSperative  Study  of  Bird  Migration 

Phcebe,  continued 


185 


Mississippi  Valley. 

Lafayette  Co.,  Mo 

Wichita,  Kan 

Chillicothe,  Mo 

Zuma    Twp.,    Rock    Island 

Co.,  lU 

Chicago,  111.,  and  vicinity.. . 

Rockford,  111 

Lauderdale  Lakes,  Wis 

Viroqua,  Wis 

Milwaukee,  Wis 

Madison,  Wis 

Sheridan,  Wis 

Newberry,  Mich 

Lennox,  S.  D 

Fargo,  N.  D 


First  seen         Number        Next  seen         Number 


March  15 
March  29 
March  27 

March  29 
March  29 
March  28 
March  26 
March  28 
April  3 
March  29 
March  26 
Rare. 
None  seen 
None  seen 


by  April 
by  April 


March  17 
April  5 
March  28 

April  7 
March  30 
April  3 
March  29 
April  4 
April  s 
April  s 
March  30 

10. 
10. 


Becomes 
common 


March  25 
March  30 


April  4 
April  s 

April  10 
April  14 

April  8 


Palisades,  Colo. 

San  Diego  Red-wing,  winter  resident  in  small  numbers. 

Western  Robin,  first  (one)  seen  Feb.  22;  becomes  common  March  25. 

Say's  Phoebe,  first  (one)  seen  March  25. 

Seattle,  Wash. 

Northwestern  Red-wing,  first  (7)  seen  April  5. 

Western  Robin,  wintered  in  some  numbers,  becomes  common  March  29. 


:^.- 


jBtote«  from  JTtelD  anD  ^tuDp 


An  Owl  Refugee  on  a  Battleship 

When  the  U.  S.  S.  New  Jersey  was 
hurrying  down  to  Mexico,  last  October, 
to  aid  American  refugees,  the  first  pas- 
senger it  received  was  an  Owl.  This  hap- 
pened while  the  ship  was  off  northern 
Florida,  about  sixty  miles  from  the  coast. 
A  fresh  breeze  was  blowing  from  the  land, 
causing  a  steady  roll,  which  must  have 
made  it  difiBcult  for  him  to  alight  on  the 
yard-arm  of  the  mainmast,  particularly 
as  he  came  about  two  a.m.,  when  it  was 
very  dark  and  the  ship's  lights  were 
confusing. 

There  he  gravely  sat  while  the  masts 
swept  backward  and  forward  and  the 
wind  whistled  around  the  wires.  The 
interest  of  the  sailors  did  not  affect  him 
in  the  least,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  it 
kept  the  officers  busy  restraining  some 
of  those  who  climbed  aloft  from  trying  to 
catch  him.  The  reports  of  the  men  on  his 
size,  color,  etc.,  varied  greatly,  although 
all  agreed  that  he  had  a  white  breast, 
with  no  bars  or  stripes  of  any  kind,  and 
that  he  was  rather  small,  smaller  than  a 
chicken,  anyway.  The  man  who  finally 
climbed  up  after  him  in  the  afternoon  of 
that  day  said  that  the  top  of  his  head  was 
smooth  and  round — but  others  were  sure 
it  had  horns.  Mr.  Owl  started  from  the 
ship  with  the  wind,  as  though  bound  for 
Africa,  poor  fellow. — J.  W.  Lippincott, 
Bethayres,  Pa. 

The  Hummer  and  His  Shower-bath 

The  day  was  hot — too  hot  to  remain 
indoors;  so,  taking  our  chairs  and  moving 
to  the  shady  side  of  the  house,  we  hoped 
by  putting  to  use  the  lawn-sprinkler  to 
cool  the  air  and  the  surroundings. 

As  we  were  thus  comfortably  seated, 
whom  should  we  see  but  our  tiny  friend, 
the  Ruby-throat,  who  also  wanted  the 
enjoyment  of  the  water.  Alighting  on  a 
scarlet  sage  in  blossom,  where  he  could  be 

( 


sprinkled,  he  would  hang  back-down- 
ward by  his  feet,  sometimes  losing  his 
hold  and  falling  to  the  ground,  but  always 
succeeding  in  regaining  his  perch. 

After  watching  this  performance,  I  at 
last  approached  him,  expecting  to  see 
him  fly  or,  at  least,  attempt  to  do  so;  but 
no,  acting  almost  as  if  tipsy,  he  seemed  not 
to  notice  me.  Picking  the  little  fellow  up 
gently,  I  carried  him  in  my  open  hand  out 
of  range  of  the  water,  to  show  the  others. 
He  seemed  to  be  injured.  I  was  thinking 
that  possibly  he  was  hurt  by  his  falls. 
When,  unawares,  with  a  whirr  he  was  off; 
but,  alighting  in  a  nearby  pine,  he  com- 
menced the  pruning  of  his  feathers. 

About  an  hour  later  he  was  again  seen 
at  his  shower,  repeating  the  same  per- 
formance.— Fred  W.  Kenesson,  Remlig, 
Jasper  Co.,  Texas. 

The  Early  Woodcock 

In  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania  there 
comes  a  time,  each  March,  when  the 
ground  suddenly  gives  up  the  hard  ice  it 
has  been  holding  and  allows  the  earth- 
worm once  more  to  come  to  the  surface. 
Right  after  this  comes  the  mole,  and  then 
the  Woodcock — every  time. 

I  watch  a  certain  patch  of  meadow  in 
south  Jersey  which  lies  behind  a  mill  and 
a  great  hedge  in  such  a  way  as  to  catch  all 
the  sun  and  none  of  the  cold  wind.  Here 
the  Woodcock  come  first  each  year,  and 
here  five  appeared  on  March  15,  in  the 
midst  of  a  beautiful  warm  spell.  That  was 
very  fine  for  the  birds,  and  boring  was 
easy,  but  five  days  later  it  blew  up  cold, 
with  four  inches  of  soft  snow,  and  a  biting 
gale  to  pierce  the  snuggest  corners  all 
through  the  following  night. 

I  wondered  what  had  happened  to  the 
Woodcock  and,  finding  no  tracks  near  the 
mill  in  the  early  morning,  wandered  over 
the  pine  barrens  and  the  swamps  nearby, 
until  I  finally  found  where  one  had  lit 
in   an  opening  of   the   woods   the  [night 

186) 


Notes   from   Field   and   Study 


187 


before  and  walked  to  windward  through 
the  snow,  until  he  came  to  a  shelter- 
ing bunch  of  leaves  beside  which  he 
could  snuggle  among  the  snowflakes  and 
avoid  the  wind.  He  had  fairly  plowed 
his  way  those  ten  yards,  often  throwing 
out  a  wing  to  steady  his  short  steps  as  he 
wound  in  and  out  among  some  sweet- 
fern  twigs.  The  resting-place  was  abso- 
lutely hidden  from  above,  and  left  very 
snug  by  the  bird's  slipping  in  without 
disturbing  the  snow  more  than  to  stamp 
it  down  underneath. 

In  the  early  morning  hours  he  had 
walked  sedately  out,  turned  once  more 
into  the  wind  and  threaded  his  way 
farther  into  the  pines,  twice  making  a 
wing  mark  where  he  stumbled  on  hidden 
twigs,  and  leaving  a  furrow  in  the  snow 
much  like  that  of  a  weasel  when  walking. 
In  a  tangle  of  small  bushes  he  had  taken 
wing  so  hastily  as  to  leave  a  downy 
feather  on  a  twig. 

Later  in  the  day,  a  small  patch  of  grass 
showed  through  the  snow  behind  the  mill, 
and  three  Woodcock  appeared,  as  if  by 
magic,  to  bore  for  the  succulent  worms. 
Yes,  the  early  Woodcock  knows  how  to 
provide  for  himself. — Joseph  W.  Lip- 
PINCOTT,  Bethayres,  Pa. 

The  Starling  at  Glens  Falls,   N.  Y. 

It  may  be  of  interest  to  record  that  the 
Starling  has  arrived  in  Glens  Falls.  A 
small  flock  was  found  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  railway  station  during  the  recent 
February  blizzard.  One  of  the  birds  was 
so  exhausted  that  it  fell  down  in  the  snow, 
was  captured,  and  is  now  contentedly 
wintering  in  the  D.  &.  H.  freight  station 
here. — Gertrude  B.  Ferguson,  Secy,  of 
the  Glens  Falls  Bird  Club. 

Starlings  and  Cows 

In  answer  to  a  request  in  Bird-Lore 
for  information  regarding  the  Starlings' 
custom  of  flying  around  cows  after  the 
manner  of  Cowbirds,  I  should  like  to  give 
my  experience.  This  is  not  a  new  habit.  I 
have  seen  Starlings  alight  on  the  backs  of 


cows  and  sheep,  to  procure  insects,  in  the 
Pevensey  Marshes,  Sussex,  England. 

To  quote  Wood's  Popular  Natural 
History:  "These  birds  have  a  habit  of 
following  cows,  sheep,  and  horses,  flut- 
tering about  them  as  they  move,  for  the 
purpose  of  preying  upon  the  insects  which 
are  put  to  flight  by  their  feet.  The  Star- 
lings also  perch  upon  the  backs  of  the 
cattle,  and  rid  them  of  the  parasitic 
insects  that  infest  them." — Cecil  Dip- 
lock,  Plainfield,  Ni  J. 

The  Grackle  as  a  Nest-robber 

Being  very  much  interested  in  the 
study  of  our  native  birds,  I  thought  I 
would  send  you  a  short  note  on  what 
seemed  to  me  the  unusual  habits  of  a 
Bronzed  Grackle. 

In  the  latter  part  of  June  and  for  at 
least  the  first  half  of  July,  191 1,  this 
Bronzed  Grackle  regularly,  every  four  or 
five  days,  visited  the  houses  on  the  west 
side  of  our  street,  always  beginning  at 
the  south  and  finishing  up  at  the  north 
end  of  the  block.  He  would  alight  on  the 
veranda  roof,  enter  the  nests  of  the  Eng- 
lish Sparrows  built  in  the  corners,  and, 
after  eating  the  eggs  and  young,  he  would 
emerge,  stand  for  a  moment  or  two, 
ignoring  the  throng  of  distracted  Spar- 
rows, and  fly  to  the  next  house,  where  the 
scene  would  be  repeated.  We  would 
alwaj'^s  know  when  he  was  out  visiting  by 
the  shrieking  of  the  Sparrows.  On  no 
occasion  did  the  latter  attempt  to  attack 
him,  though  a  flock  of  about  a  score  fol- 
lowed him  from  house  to  house.  They 
would  perch  around  on  the  wires,  and 
make  as  much  noise  as  possible  while  he 
was  lunching. 

About  the  middle  of  July  I  had  to  leave 
the  city,  and  on  my  return  in  early  Sep- 
tember the  Grackle  had  disappeared.  I 
have  never  seen  him  since,  nor  do  I  know 
if  he  robbed  nests  on  any  other  streets. 
Why  he  visited  only  the  west  side  of  the 
street  is  a  mystery,  for  Sparrows'  nests 
were  abundant  on  both  sides. 

He  was  certainly  the  coolest,  most 
methodical,  and    heartless    nest-robber   I 


1 88 


Bird  -  Lore 


have  ever  seen  or  heard  of. — J.  Nelson 
GowANLOCK,  Winnipeg,  Man. 

Evening  Grosbeaks  Near  Port  Chester, 
N.  Y. 

There  was  a  flock  of  eight  Evening 
Grosbeaks  about  this  vicinity  the  last 
two  weeks  in  February  and  the  first  week 
in  March  of  this  year.  They  could  be 
seen  nearly  every  morning  up  in  the  box- 
elder  trees  by  the  house,  eating  the  seeds. 
They  were  very  tame,  allowing  us  at 
times  to  get  within  fifteen  feet  of  them, 
and  in  this  way  we  have  made  their 
identification  positive. 

We  have  seen  these  birds  near  here  on 
two  other  occasions,  namely,  January  8, 
9,  iQii,  and  November  29,  1913. — James 
C.  Maples,  Samuel  N.  Comly,  W. 
Bolton  Cook,  Richard  L.  Buedsall, 
Paul  C.  Spofford,  Port  Chester,  N.  Y. 

Redpoll  in  the  District  of  Columbia 

In  the  January-February  number  of 
Bird-Lore,  the  latest  date  of  the  Redpoll 
seen  in  the  District  of  Columbia  is  given 
as  February  12,  1899. 

On  March  9,  1914,  I,  together  with 
Raymond  W.  Moore,  of  Kensington,  Md., 
saw  a  Redpoll  (Linaria)  feeding  on  the 
seeds  of  a  clump  of  alders  on  Chevy  Chase 
Drive,  D.  C;  and  on  the  following  Wed- 
nesday morning,  March  11,  we  together 
with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Leo  D.  Miner,  of 
Washington,  saw  four  Redpolls  on  the 
same  clump  of  alders,  and  observed  them 
for  ten  minutes  or  more  through  our 
field  glasses  at  a  distance  of  fifteen  to 
twenty  feet.  It  was  snowing  hard  at  the 
time. 

Prof.  Wells  W.  Cooke,  reports  that  this 
is  the  third  record  in  sixty  years  for  the 
Redpoll  in  D.  C. — Sam'l  W.  Mellott, 
M.D.,  Chevy  Chase,  Md. 

A  Summer  Visitor 

It  was  in  the  summer  of  1906,  in  a  small 
village  in  northern  Pennsylvania,  that  I 
first    became    really    acquainted    with    a 


Chipping  Sparrow.  I  had  always  noticed 
how  dapper  and  bright  the  little  fellows 
looked,  but  never  knew  what  friendly 
little  birds  they  were  until  this  one  came 
to  us. 

One  morning,  as  we  were  sitting  on  the 
porch  of  our  summer  home,  a  dainty  little 
song  broke  forth  near  us.  We  listened 
breathlessly  for  a  moment,  and  again  the 
happy  song  sounded,  and  a  dear  little 
Chipping  Sparrow  lit  on  the  railing  of  the 
porch  and  cocked  his  head  on  one  side, 
as  much  as  to  say,  "Well,  how  do  you  do, 
folks?"  We  happened  to  have  some 
freshly  baked  caraway-seedj  cakes  in  our 
hands,  just  feasting  on  their  crisp  good- 
ies, and  purely  to  tempt  him  we  scat- 
tered a  few  crumbs  on  the  porch  floor. 
Judge  of  our  surprise  when  the  little  fel- 
low, with  an  excited  little  'chip,'  hopped 
down  and  began  greedily  to  eat  them. 
After  satisfying  his  hunger,  he  flew  upon 
the  railing  and  sang  a  polite  little  "thank 
you,"  and  then  flew  away. 

The  next  day  and  the  next  he  came  for 
crumbs.  By  that  time  we  had  begun  to 
keep  crumbs  on  the  window-sill  for  him, 
but  the  Sparrows  found  that  out,  and 
quarreled  and  fought  over  them  until  we 
had  to  stop  leaving  them  there  for  the 
little  guest.  Each  day  he  would  come, 
light  on  the  ridge  of  the  roof  of  the  house 
next  door  and  call.  If  we  answered, 
down  he  would  come,  eager  for  crumbs. 
We  talked  to  him  as  we  would  to  a  child, 
and  when  crumbs  were  not  on  the  porch 
we  would  tell  him  to  wait  a  minute  while 
we  went  in  to  get  them.  Whether  he 
understood  or  not  I  do  not  know,  but  at 
least  he  stayed  and  hopped  to  meet  us, 
eating  the  crumbs  from  our  hands. 

Mornings,  my  father  would  go  down 
stairs  early,  whistle  a  clear,  sharp  call, 
and  down  the  little  fellow  would  come, 
light  on  the  arm  of  father's  chair,  and 
while  father  whistled  the  tiny  bird  would 
throw  back  his  head  and  sing  with  all 
his  might. 

I  used  to  sit  on  the  floor,  crumbs  in 
my  lap,  and  the  little  fellow  would  hop 
up  into  my  lap  and  eat.  He  was  very, 
very     partial     to     cooky    crumbs,     and 


Notes   from  Field  and  Study 


189 


when  we  gave  him  bread  would  leave  in 
disgust. 

One  day  a  heavy  thunder-storm  came 
up  just  as  he  called  to  us  from  the  neigh- 
boring roof,  and  then,  in  answer  to  our 
whistle,  he  came  straight  to  the  chairs 
where  mother  and  I  were  sitting,  hopped 
onto  one  of  the  rounds  of  the  chair  under 
her,  and  sat  huddled  up  there  during  the 
entire  storm,  as  if  frightened.  After  it 
was  over,  out  he  came  and  sang  to  us  his 
own  inimitable  song. 

Every  night  he  came  at  dusk  to  sing  good- 
night. How  we  grew  to  watch 
for  him  and  love  him!  One 
day  he  brought  two  tiny  baby 
chipping  birds  to  the  porch. 
It  was  slow,  hard  work  for 
him  to  coax  the  little  midgets 
onto  the  porch  floor,  but 
finally  the  two  flufiFy, 
speckled  little  things  were  in 
the  midst  of  a  pile  of  crumbs 
and  seeing  that  they  were  all 
safe  and  busy,  off  he  flew. 
He  brought  them  every  day 
for  a  week  or  more,  and  then 
one  day  he  didn't  come. 
How  we  watched  and  waited 
for  him  for  nearly  two  weeks! 
We  were  so  lonesome  with- 
out him,  and  so  afraid  he 
had  been  caught.  Each  eve- 
ning we  would  call  him,  but 
no  little  "cheep"  would  re- 
ward us. 

One  evening,  just  at 
dusk,  when  we  had  given 
up  ever  seeing  him  again,  we  were 
all  startled  by  a  familiar  little  call. 
Jumping  up,  we  ran  to  the  porch  railing 
and  called,  and  from  out  of  an  old  pear 
tree  in  the  end  of  the  yard  came  the 
dear  little  fellow  straight  for  the  porch. 
He  lit  on  the  railing,  threw  back  his  head, 
and  oh,  how  he  did  sing!  For  at  least 
fifteen  minutes  he  stayed,  holding  us 
entranced  by  his  song,  and  then,  with  a 
goodnight  'cheep,'  he  was  gone,  and  for 
the  rest  of  the  summer  we  waited  and 
watched  for  him  in  vain. — Mabel  Foote 
WiTMAN,  Washington,  D.  C. 


Some  Wrens'  Nests 

The  accompanying  photographs  of 
House  Wrens  were  taken  early  in  July, 
19 13.  I  had  heard  that  there  were  a  couple 
of  pairs  of  Wrens  nesting  near  a  certain 
residence,  so,  taking  my  camera,  I  came 
there  one  sunny  afternoon.  The  first 
nest  was  in  a  birdhouse,  high  up  under 
the  eaves  of  the  house,  and  inaccessible. 

The  owners  of  the  place  had  a  tennis- 
court  at  one  side,  and  there  were  back- 
stops   of    chicken-wire,    upheld    by    iron 


HOUSE    WREN 

pipes,  which  were  fastened  together  at 
their  upper  ends  with  horizontal  pipes 
connected  to  the  others  with  the  regular 
connections.  In  one  of  the  end  pipes  the 
second  pair  of  Wrens  had  made  their 
nest.  The  entrance  was  from  one  side, 
through  the  iron  connection,  and  the  bird, 
after  entering,  dropped  down  in  the  verti- 
cal pipe  about  ten  inches  to  its  nest. 

Now  came  the  photographing  of  the 
bird.  I  borrowed  a  step-ladder  from  the 
owner  of  the  residence  and  set  it  up  near 
the  entrance  to  the  nest.  Upon  the  steps 
of  this  I  placed  and  fastened  the  legs  of 


igo 


Bird  -  Lore 


my  camera  tripod.  Then  I  focused  my 
camera,  from  the  tripod,  using  the  single 
lens,  on  the  hole,  about  three  feet  away, 
and  fastened  a  thread  to  the  shutter.  I 
waited,  holding  the  end  of  the  thread,  at 
a  distance  of  about  twenty  feet.  The 
female  Wren  (I  imagine  it  was  she,  since 
only  one  bird  appeared)  went  right  in 
with  food  to  feed  her  young,  not  minding 
the  click  of  the  shutter  in  the  least.  Then 
I  moved  the  ladder  and  camera  nearer, 
and  with  the  double  lens  got  still  better 
pictures,  releasing  the  shutter  with  the 
bulb.  In  one  of  these  the  bird  was  so 
tame  that  I  had  my  hand,  holding  the 
bulb,  within  a  foot  of  it,  with  no  attempt 


HOUSE    WREN 

at  concealment  either.  Thus  I  took  seven 
pictures  of  which  two  were  spoiled  by  the 
Wren  moving  and  blurring  the  image.  I 
was  unable  to  see  the  young,  since  they 
were  down  inside  the  pipe. 

Earlier  in  the  season,  I  found  another 
Wren's  nest  in  an  exactly  similar  location 
to  that  just  described.  I  attempted  to 
photograph  the  Wren,  but  my  plates  did 
not  turn  out  satisfactorily. 

Another  interesting   nest   came   to   my 


attention,  this  time  in  a  more  unusual 
place.  This  pair  had  built  their  nest  in 
a  home-made,  wooden  mail-box  on  the 
front  porch  of  another  house.  The  Wren 
entered  through  the  slot,  which  was 
about  three-quarters  of  an  inch  wide.  The 
lady  of  the  house  was  so  afraid  that  I 
would  frighten  the  birds  so  that  they 
would  desert  their  nest  that  she  refused 
me  permission  to  photograph  it. — Win- 
THROP  Case,  Hubbard  Woods,  III. 

Harris's  Sparrow  in  Northwestern 
Illinois 

On  March    15,   1Q14,   I  visited  a  large 
hedge-fence  near  where  we  live,   to    look 
for  new  bird  arrivals  from 
the  South. 

Starting  at  the  west 
end,  and  walking  east 
along  the  south  side,  I 
did  not  see  anything  but 
a  few  Tree  Sparrows  and 
two  Bluebirds.  When 
near  the  east  end,  which 
is  in  a  slough,  a  flock  of 
about  a  dozen  Bob-whites 
was  flushed,  and,  after 
watching  them  disappear. 
I  again  looked  at  the 
fence  and  saw  a  large 
Sparrow  sitting  on  a  limb 
about  ten  yards  from 
where  I  was  standing. 
It  had  its  breast  toward 
me  and  sat  very  quiet, 
giving  me  an  excellent 
opportunity  to  observe  it 
with  my  field-glass. 

I  noticed  that  the 
bill  was  pinkish,  the 
crown,  throat,  lores,  and  breast,  glossy 
black;  the  belly  white,  and  the  sides 
streaked  with  black.  I  observed  it  sev- 
eral minutes,  and  then  walked  east  of 
where  it  was  sitting,  to  get  a  side  view, 
when  it  flew  toward  the  other  end  of  the 
fence.  I  immediately  followed  it,  to  try 
to  get  a  back  or  side  view,  but  did  not 
get  near  enough  until  it  reached  the  west 
end,  where  there  were  a  Goldfinch  and 
some    Tree    Sparrows    sitting.      There    I 


Notes   from   Field   and   Study 


191 


again  observed  it  from  a  distance  of  about 
twenty  yards,  and  could  see  that  it  had 
white  wing-bars.  After  observing  it  sev- 
eral minutes,  I  tried  to  get  closer,  when 
it  again  flew  toward  the  east  end  of  the 
fence.  I  did  not  follow,  but  hurried  home 
to  consult  Chapman's  'Birds  of  Eastern 
North  America.'  On  looking  over  the  list 
of  Sparrows  which  are  not  common  here. 
I  found  that  the  description  of  Harris's 
Sparrow  exactly  suited  the  one  which  I 
had  observed.  This  is  the  largest  and  most 
beautiful  Sparrow  I  have  ever  seen,  and 
is  easily  identified,  on  account  of  its  large 
size  and  very  different  markings  from 
any  other  Sparrow. — J.  J.  Schafer,  Port 
Byron,  III. 

Curious  Actions  of  a  Robin 

Can  any  reader  of  Bird-Lore  explain 
the  actions  of  a  Robin  as  described  below? 

I  live  at  West  Newton,  and  my  house 
has  a  covered  porch,  underneath  which 
projects  a  bay-window  with  three  sashes. 
Adjoining  is  a  glass-enclosed  breakfast- 
room  on  one  side,  and  on  the  other  a  sash 
recessed  about  six  feet  from  the  floor  of 
the  porch. 

Upon  coming  down  to  breakfast,  April 
8,  we  found  a  Robin  flying  repeatedly  at 
the  three  windows  in  the  bay,  trying  to 
get  in,  striking  the  glass  with  its  bill, 
wings  and  feet.  This  it  kept  up  all  day 
long,  and  until  darkness  settled  down. 
We  tried  to  drive  it  away,  fearing  that  it 
would  hurt  itself.  When  it  appeared  to  be 
somewhat  exhausted  from  its  labors  it 
would  fly  to  the  recessed  window,  which 
afforded  room  for  it  to  alight  on,  and 
would  then  gaze  into  the  room.  Con- 
stantly throughout  the  day  it  issued  its 
call. 

The  next  morning  it  appeared  promptly, 
and  I  pulled  the  shades  down  thinking 
that  it  might  discourage  its  efforts;  but 
when  I  left  it  was  still  flying  toward  the 
sash  and  then  back  to  the  porch-rail. 

In  flying  against  the  sash,  with  the 
exception  of  the  recessed  window,  there 
was  no  opportunity  to  alight;  so  that, 
after  striking  the  glass  with  its  bill,  wings 


and  feet,  it  would  return  to  the  porch- 
rail.  These  efforts  occurred  about  every 
ten  seconds,  and  would  last  about  one- 
half  to  three  quarters  of  an  hour. 

When  under  observation,  the  Robin 
would  drop  to  the  lawn,  running  about  a 
bit  and  returning  to  its  futile  efforts  to 
get  into  the  house.  Nothing  that  we 
could  do  would  discourage  it. 

This  Robin  was  under  observation  by 
us  for  three  days  but  it  did  not  appear  to 
us  to  be  seeking  self-destruction.  It  was 
apparently  careful  in  striking  the  window 
not  to  injure  itself.  But  for  fear  that  it 
would  exhaust  itself,  other  means  failing, 
we  tied  cross  lines  in  front  of  the  window, 
with  many  fluttering  streamers.  The 
Robin  did  not  appear  to  mind  these  par- 
ticularly, though  naturally  it  acted  as 
though  it  could  not  quite  make  out  why 
they  were  there,  but  the  flutterings  did 
not  entirely  discourage  it  in  its  efforts. 
The  fourth  day  it  acted  more  rationally, 
and  since  then  apparently  has  been 
normal. 

.\fter  erecting  the  streamers  in  front  of 
the  three  windows  which  attracted  its 
first  efforts,  it  shifted  its  attentions  to 
adjoining  windows,  but  in  a  lesser  degree. 

Another  reason  which  makes  me  feel 
that  it  was  not  trying  self-destruction  is 
that  it  would  land  on  the  sill  of  an  adjoin- 
ing window  and  call  for  minutes  at  a  time. 
— Clarenxe  B.  Wood,  Boston,  Mass. 

A  Successful  Bird's  Bath 

Possibly  a  description  of  a  birds'  bath 
I  have  found  to  be  successful  may  be  of 
interest  to  Bird-Lore  readers. 

The  stones  which  form  the  support  are 
laid  up  without  mortar,  so  as  to  leave 
openings  between  them.  These  are  filled 
with  soil  and  ferns  planted  in  them,  and 
in  one  large  opening  we  planted  an 
umbrella  plant,  which  grows  very  fast, 
as  the  drip  from  the  tank  keeps  it  well 
watered.  The  stone  support  is  about  two 
feet  high  by  three  feet  long  and  eighteen 
inches  wide.  The  open  bathing-tank  on 
top  of  the  stones  is  ten  inches  wide,  three 
feet   long,    and   one   and   one-half   inches 


192 


Bird  -  Lore 


deep,  made  of  galvanized  iron.  Back  of 
the  stones  we  drove  a  cedar  post,  leaving 
the  post  about  six  or  eight  inches  above 
the  bathing-tank.  On  this  post  we  have 
a  galvanized  tank  which  holds  three  pails 
of  water.  This  tank  has  an  opening  on 
one  side  near  the  bottom,  so  that  the 
water  drips  from  it  into  the  bathing-tank 
below;  this  drip  can  be  regulated  to  run 
fast  or  slow,  according  to  the  weather,  as 


•^^ 


A    SUCCESSFUL    BIRD'S    BATH 

on  hot  days  the  birds  use  the  tank  more, 
and  the  drip  can  be  arranged  so  that  the 
lower  tank  is  kept  full.  We  usually  fill 
the  tank  in  the  morning  and  put  in  an 
extra  pail  at  noon,  so  the  water  is  kept 
fresh  all  day.  This  is  all  the  attention 
necessary.  We  have  a  cover  on  the  larger 
tank,  as  the  water  keeps  cooler. 

The  birds  certainly  like  the  arrange- 
ment, as  it  is  used  all  day  long.  Very 
often    there    will    be  four  or  five  birds 


bathing  at  once,  and  others  waiting  their 
turn. 

The  tank  is  in  a  shady  corner  of  the 
lawn  about  thirty  feet  from  the  house. 
The  shrubbery  near  the  tank  is  a  mixture 
of  wild  roses,  elderberry,  wild  crab,  cherry, 
and  hawthorn  trees.  On  the  other  side 
of  the  tank  is  a  large  bed  of  perennial 
phlox. 

It  is  altogether  the  most  interesting 
part  of  our  yard,  and  we  feel 
very  well  paid  for  the  work 
and  small  expense  we  have 
been  to  in  building  it. — 
Henry  P.  Severson,  Winne- 
conne,  Wise. 

Bird-Houses  and  Lunch- 
Boxes 

In  housing  and  feeding  our 
little    feathered    friends,    we 
have     had    considerable    an- 
noyance    from     other     birds 
which  we  do  not   care  to  pro- 
vide for.     Our  Bluebird  boxes 
have  had  no  lack  of  renters, 
and  several  broods  have  been 
reared  successfully  in  the  last 
three  or  four  years.    We  place 
them  on  posts  of  our  garden 
fence,  about  eight  or  ten  feet 
high,  for  we  have  discovered 
tha    the  English  Sparrow  does 
not   claim   nests   that   are   so 
low,  and  we  manage  to  pro- 
tect  from    prowling    cats   by 
covering  the  hollow   limb    of 
the  tree  which  forms  the  house 
with  tin  sheeting   for  two  or 
three  feet  above  the  top  of  the 
fence-post,  and  weaving  together  a  num- 
ber of  slender  osage  branches  around  the 
base  of  the  house.    The  cats  do  not  ven- 
ture to  climb  over  this   thorny  barrier, 
and,  if  they  should,  the  tin  sheeting  pre- 
vents nearer  approach  to  the  little  home. 
For    lunch-boxes    we    take    the    small, 
square    boxes    which    gardeners    use    for 
berries,  line  them  with  thin  cloth  to  pre- 
vent the  food  from  falling  out,  tie  stout 
cords  to  the  four  corners  and  unite  them 


Notes   from  Field   and   Study 


193 


about  six  inches  above 
the  box;  then  make  a 
roof  of  heavy  card- 
board long  enough  to 
extend  about  four 
inches  over  the  two  ends 
of  the  box,  with  little 
slits  cut  into  the  edges 
so  that  the  cords 
entering  will  hold  the 
roof  on  in  spite  of  the 
wind  and  weather, 
and  swing  the  box 
from  the  limb  of  a 
tree. 

The  roof  should  not 
be  more  than  three 
inches  above  the  box 
at  the  'ridge,'  and 
should  fit  closely 
down  to  the  sides  of 
the  box. 

Sparrows  are  very 
wary  birds  and  few  of 
them  will  venture  to 

enter  a  box  with  such  a  covering,  the  Jays 
can  not  get  in,  but  the  Chickadees  and 
the  Nuthatches  fearlessly  help  themselves 
to  the  cracked  nuts  and  the  seeds  within. 
— Marion  and  John  Kyle,  Xenia,  Ohio. 

A  Drinking-Place  for  the  Birds 

Do  you  ever  stop  to  think  that  in  the 
summer  time,  when  it  is  very  hot  and  the 
water  in  the  nearby  creek  has  dried  up, 
it  is  very  hard  for  the  birds  to  find  water 
enough  to  drink?  They  need  it  not  only 
to  drink,  but  would  like  to  bathe  in  some 
nice  cool  water.    It  is  very  interesting  to 


THE    DRINKING   POOL 

watch  the  birds  when  they  come  to  drink. 
One  should  learn  to  know  and  protect 
them.  If  they  find  feed  and  water  in  some 
place  today,  they  will  be  back  to  the 
same  place  tomorrow  for  more. 

Some  people  put  a  pan  of  water  and  a 
few  crumbs  out,  and  find  that  many  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  birds  come  every  day. 
The  writer  has  made  a  very  enticing  place 
for   the  birds   to   drink   and  bathe.     The 


CC_ 


y^P-OTionAu     viCLw 


194 


Bird  -  Lore 


water  comes  from  the  drip  of  the  ice-box. 
Where  this  is  convenient,  it  eliminates  all 
trouble  with  the  ice-box  overflow. 

Any  boy  could  get  a  few  feet  of  old 
pipe  and  a  few  elbows  from  a  plumber 
for  almost  nothing.  This  he  can  run  from 
the  drip  underneath  the  ice-bo.x  and  out  a 
distance  from  the  house,  not  less  than  ten 
feet.  The  size  of  the  pipe  should  be  about 
one-half  inch  in  diameter,  although  this 
is  immaterial.  It  should  be  laid  under  the 
surface  of  the  ground  to  the  drinking- 
place,  or  grotto,  as  it  should  be  called. 

The  photograph  shows  the  kind  of 
grotto  built  by  the  writer.  It  is  con- 
structed of  concrete  and  stone.  The  base 
is  of  concrete,  with  a  basin  left  so  that 
the  water  is  from  one-half  to  about  two 
inches  in  depth.  This  difference  in  the 
depth  of  the  water  is  mainly  to  accom- 
modate both  large  and  small  birds.  The 
rocks  that  are  piled  up  and  around  are 
securely  cemented  together.  By  looking 
closely,  you  may  see  the  pipe  that  carries 
the  water  from  the  ice-box.  There  is  also 
a  pipe  that  drains  the  water  off  when  it 
gets  to  the  right  height. 

A  very  good  plan  is  to  plant  flowers 
around  the  grotto,  such  as  ferns,  hepati- 
cas,  violets,  and  nasturtium.  This  relieves 
the  bareness  of  it,  and  it  takes  but  little 
time  and  money  to  make  this  a  very 
attractive  drinking-place  for  the  birds. — 
R.  T.  Robinson,  Normal,  Illinois. 

Some  Prospect  Park  Notes 

In  the  summer  of  191 2,  all  the  Ducks 
in  Prospect  Park  Lake  were  sold.  A  male 
Black  Duck  had  mated  with  a  female 
Mallard,  and  they  raised  a  brood  of  seven. 
These  seven  were  not  caught,  and 
remained  in  the  lake  until  November  20. 
About  March  26,  1913,  three  of  these 
Ducks  returned  to  the  lake.  We  are  sure 
these  three  belonged  to  the  seven  that 
left  in  November,  1912,  because  of 
their  markings.  A  pair  mated  and  raised 
a  brood  of  thirteen.  About  August  8, 
seven  of  the  Ducks  disappeared.  The 
general  coloration  of  the  nine  remaining 
is    that   of    Black    Ducks.     One   has    the 


speculum  and  recurved  tail-feathers  of 
the  male  Mallard,  some  have  the  Mallard 
speculum,  and  some  the  speculum  of  the 
Black  Duck;  all  have  reddish  orange  feet, 
four  have  light  greenish  yellow  bills,  two 
have  orange  bills  mottled  with  greenish 
black,  and  three  have  the  bill  of  the 
Black  Duck.  All  have  the  under  side  of 
the  wings  white.  These  Ducks  have 
become  very  tame. 

From  December  25,  191 2  to  January  i, 
1913,  a  female  Wood  Duck  was  in  the 
open  water  of  the  lake;  another  was  seen 
July  20. 

A  Brazilian  Cardinal  {Paroaria  cuciil- 
lata)  was  in  the  park  from  May  9  to  13. 

On  May  13  a  male  Summer  Tanager 
was  seen  in  the  park,  and  on  September 
24  a  Mockingbird. 

After  an  absence  of  three  years,  a  pair 
of  Wood  Thrushes  nested  in  the  park; 
besides  these,  an  unmated  male  stayed 
with  us  all  summer. — Kate  P.  and  E.  W. 
ViETOR,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

A  Nest  Census 

On  January  15,  1914, 1  took  a  walk  from 
the  old  Round  Tower  at  Fort  Snelling, 
Minn.,  past  the  soldiers'  barracks  and  offi- 
cers' quarters,  a  little  over  a  quarter  of  a 
mile.  In  the  big  elms  lining  the  walks  I 
counted  thirty-one  birds'  nests.  Orioles 
predominated,  some  Robins'  nests,  and 
others  that  I  did  not  know.  These 
thirty-one  nests  meant  thirty-one  pairs,  or 
sixty-two  birds.  With  three  young  to  a 
nest — a  low  average — there  were  93,  or 
155  birds  total,  in  that  quarter  of  a  mile. 
— E.  I.  Metcalf,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 

Trial  of  Von  Berlepsch  Nests 

Mr.  Fred  Adams,  of  Omaha,  has  a  fine 
home  near  a  natural  grove.  That  these 
trees  might  be  the  better  preserved  from 
insect  attacks,  he  secured  from  the  manu- 
facturer twenty-five  of  the  von  Berlepsch 
boxes.  While  the  boxes  are  especially 
fitted  to  European  species,  he  is  gratified 
at  his  experience  here. 

He  presented  one  to  the  writer.    It  was 


Notes   from   Field  and   Study 


195 


attached  to  a  black  walnut  at  the  edge  of 
of  a  grove  of  these  trees,  and  placed 
among  the  limbs  some  ten  feet  above 
ground.  We  very  much  hoped  that  a 
pair  of  Bluebirds,  which  soon  examined 
it,  remaining  several  days,  would  settle 
down  to  family  life. 

The  English  Sparrows  were  very 
impudent,  coming  by  the  score,  and  no 
doubt  were  the  chief  cause  of  the  sud- 
den departure  of  the  Bluebirds. 

There  followed  a  pair  of  Red-headed 
Woodpeckers,  after  enlarging  the  mouth 
of  the  nest  a  bit;  a  home  and  family  duly 
followed.  At  Mr.  Adams'  place  all  the 
boxes  were  occupied — one  by  a  Chickadee, 
one  by  a  Wren  that  reared  two  families, 
at  least.  Redheads  and  Flickers  took  the 
rest.  No  Bluebirds  came.  Other  varie- 
ties of  birds  in  the  neighborhood  seemed 
more  familiar  because  of  the  presence 
of  these  nests  and  occupants,  such  as 
Cardinals,  Goldfinches,  Grosbeaks,  and 
Thrushes.  None  of  these,  however,  took 
any  type  of  the  von  Berlepsch  boxes. — S. 
R.  TowNE,  Omaha,  Neb. 

Thirty-second    Annual    Congress    of   the 
American  Ornithologists'   Union 

The  Thirty-second  Annual  Congress  of 
the  American  Ornithologists'  Union  was 
held  in  Washington,  D.  C,  April  6-8, 
1914. 

At  the  Business  Meeting  of  Fellows, 
held  at  the  Ebbitt  House  on  the  evening 
of  the  6th,  the  following  officers  were 
elected:  President,  Dr.  A.  K.  Fisher; 
Vice-Presidents,  Henry  W.  Henshaw  and 
Dr.  Witmer  Stone;  Secretary,  John  H. 
Sage;  Treasurer,  Dr.  Jonathan  D wight, 
Jr.;  Councillors,  Ruthven  Deane,  Wil- 
liam Dutcher,  Joseph  Grinnell,  F.  A. 
Lucas,  Wilfred  H.  Osgood,  Dr.  Charles 
W.   Richmond,   Dr.   Thomas   S.   Roberts. 

There  being  no  vacancies  in  the  list  of 
Fellows,  no  election  for  fellowship  was 
held.  The  following  were  elected  Members: 
Egbert  Bagg,  Utica,  N.  Y.;  Dr.  Thomas 
Barbour,  Cambridge,  Mass.;  Robert 
Thomas  Moore,  Haddonfield,  N.  J.; 
Robert     Cushman     Murphy,     Brooklyn, 


N.    Y.;    John    Treadwell    Nichols,    New 
York  City. 

Twenty-five  Associates  were  elected,  the 
small  number  being  due  to  the  short  time 
which  has  elapsed  since  the  annual  meet- 
ing of  1913. 

The  public  sessions  of  the  Congress, 
which  were  held  at  the  United  States 
National  Museum,  were  attended  by 
nearly  one  hundred  members  of  the 
Union,  twenty-six  of  these  being  Fellows. 

The  Congress  of  November,  1913  hav- 
ing afforded  opportunity  for  reports  on 
recent  ornithological  studies,  the  pro- 
gram was,  in  consequence,  comparatively 
limited.  It  contained,  however,  several 
papers  of  much  interest,  and  some  which 
developed  considerable  discussion.  Par- 
ticularly was  this  true  of  a  paper  on  the 
comparative  numbers  of  our  insectivorous 
birds. 

While  the  difficulty  of  making  anything 
like  exact  comparison  of  present  with 
past  conditions  was  recognized,  the 
speakers  on  this  subject  were  agreed  that 
insectivorous  birds  were  far  more  com- 
mon now  than  they  could  possibly  have 
been  at  the  time  of  the  settlement  of 
this  country;  a  fact  which  is  made  evi- 
dent by  comparing  the  small  numbers  of 
birds  found  in  remaining  areas  of  primeval 
forests  with  those  which  exist  in  farming 
regions,  where  the  diversity  of  conditions 
furnished  by  meadow,  orchard,  wood-lot, 
crops  of  various  kinds,  etc.,  afford  homes 
and  food  for  a  great  variety  of  birds. 

The  speakers  also  agreed  that  in  their 
respective  experiences,  extending  over 
from  twenty  to  thirty  years,  no  appre- 
ciable change  in  the  numbers  of  insec- 
tivorous birds,  as  a  whole,  had  been 
observed.  Local  conditions,  some  of 
which  were  apparent,  others  obscure,  had 
occasioned  the  decrease  of  some  species, 
while  others  had  increased;  and  the  loss 
on  one  hand  was  about  balanced  by  the 
gain  on  the  other. 

The  members  of  the  Union  and  their 
friends  were  entertained  daily  at  luncheon 
by  the  Washington  members.  The  Annua 
Subscription  Dinner,  which  was  largely 
attended,  was  held  on  the  evening  of  the  7th. 


196 


Bird  -  Lore 


The  next  Congress  of  the  Union  will  be 
held  in  San  Francisco  in  May,  1915.  This 
promises  to  be  an  event  of  exceptional 
interest.  Information  in  regard  to  details 
of  transportation  may  be  obtained  in  due 
time  through  the  Secretary  of  the  Union, 
Mr.  J.  H.  Sage,  Portland,  Conn.  We  are 
sure  that  no  member  of  the  A.  O.  U.  party 
which  crossed  the  continent,  to  meet  in 
San  Francisco  in  May,  1903,  will  wil- 
lingly forego  an  opportunity  to  duplicate 
that  memorable  experience. 

PROGRAM 

Some  Letters  from  Robert  Kennicott.  By 
Ernest  Thompson  Seton,  Greenwich, 
Conn.  (10  min.) 

On  the  Zonary  Stomach  in  the  Euphonias. 
By  Alexander  Wetmore,  Washington, 
D.  C.    (10  min.) 

Winter  Birds  at  Ithaca,  N.  Y.  By  Louis 
Agassiz  Fuertes,  Ithaca,  N.  Y.   (15  min.) 

Visits  of  Pine  and  Evening  Grosbeaks.  By 
Mrs.  E.  O.  Marshall,  New  Salem,  Mass. 
(10  min.) 

A  Note  on  the  Herring  Gull.  By  John 
Treadwell  Nichols,  New  York  City. 
(15  min.) 

Side  Light  on  the  Saw-whet  Owl.  By 
Ernest  Thompson  Seton,  Greenwich, 
Conn.    (15  min.) 

Anatomical  Notes  on  Trochalopteron  and 
Sicalis.  By  Prof.  Hubert  Lyman 
Clark,  Cambridge,  Mass.    (10  min.) 

The  Intimidation  Display  of  the  White- 
breasted  Nuthatch.  Illustrated  by  lan- 
tern-slides. By  Dr.  Arthur  A.  Allen, 
Ithaca,  N.  Y.    (10  min.) 

Notes  on  the  Distribution  of  Breeding 
Egrets  in  the  United  States.  Illustrated 
by  lantern-slides.  By  T.  Gilbert  Pear- 
son, New  York  City.    (20  min.) 

Winter  Feeding  of  Birds.  Illustrated  by 
lantern-slides.  By  B.  S.  Bowdish,  Dem- 
arest,  N.  J.    (30  min.) 

Ten  Minutes  With  Lower  California 
Birds.  Illustrated  by  lantern-slides.  By 
Dr.  Paul  Bartsch,  Washington,  D.  C. 
(25  min.) 

The  Curious  Tail  Molt  of  Rhinoplax. 
With  exhibition  of  specimens.  By  Alex 
Wetmore.    (15  min.) 


Are  Our  Insectivorous  Birds  Decreasing? 
Subject  introduced  by  Dr.  Frank  M. 
Chapman,  to  be  discussed  by  William 
Brewster,  Prof.  Wells  W.  Cooke,  Wal- 
dron  DeWitt  Miller,  Dr.  Witmer  Stone, 
and  others. 

Migration  in  the  Mackenzie  Valley.  Illus- 
trated by  lantern-slides.  By  Prof.  Wells 
W.  Cooke,  Washington,  D.  C.    (30  min.) 

A  Trip  to  Pelican  Island,  Florida.  Illus- 
trated by  lantern-slides.  By  Ernest 
Thompson  Seton,  Greenwich,  Conn. 
(20  min.) 

With  the  Terns  on  Bird  Key,  Tortugas. 
Illustrated  by  lantern-slides.  By  Dr. 
Paul  Bartsch,  Washington,  D.  C. 
(15  min.) 

Ten  Minutes  with  the  Birds  of  the  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia.  Illustrated  by  lan- 
tern-slides. By  Dr.  Paul  Bartsch, 
Washington,  D.  C.    (10  min.). 

Random  Notes  on  Bird  Preservation. 
Illustrated  by  lantern-slides.  By  Ed- 
ward H.  Forbush,  Westboro,  Mass.  (25 
min.) 

Results  of  the  Federal  Bird  Migration 
Regulations.  By  Dr.  T.  S.  Palmer, 
Washington,  D.  C.    (30  min.) 

The  American  Museum's  Expeditions  in 
South  America.  By  Dr.  Frank  M. 
Chapman,   New   York   City.    (30  min.) 

A  Course  in  Bird-Study 

A  course  in  bird-study  has  been  given 
regularly  every  summer  for  the  last  eight 
years  at  the  Biological  Laboratory  of  the 
Brooklyn  Institute  of  Arts  and  Sciences. 
The  Laboratory,  which  is  located  at  Cold 
Spring  Harbor,  Long  Island,  New  York, 
is  thirty  miles  east  of  New  York  City,  on 
an  arm  of  Long  Island  Sound.  In  the 
immediate  vicinity  are  four  fresh-water 
lakes,  sphagnum  bogs,  pine  barrens, 
forest-clad  hills,  scrubby  pastures,  and 
salt  marshes,  as  well  as  the  shore  of  the 
Harbor.  This  variety  of  habitat  is  con- 
ducive to  a  varied  list  of  birds.  The  Green 
Heron,  Black-crowned  Night  Heron,  and 
Spotted  Sandpiper,  as  well  as  a  great 
many  species  of  land  birds  nest  in  the 
vicinity. 


Notes  from  Field  and  Study 


197 


The  course,  which  consists  of  some 
twenty  lectures  and  of  daily  excursions 
for  field-study,  is  in  charge  of  Mrs.  Alice 
Hall  Walter,  co-author  of  'Wild  Birds  in 
City  Parks,'  and  editor  of  the  Audubon 
School  Department  of  Bird-Lore.  The 
course  will  be  given  again  this  coming 
summer,  beginning  July  i,  and  continu- 
ing to  August  12.  Mrs.  Walter  will  be 
assisted  by  Dr.  C.  E.  Ehinger,  of  the 
State  Normal  School  of  West  Chester,  Pa. 

Several  of  the  lectures  wiU  be  given  by 
Professor  H.  E.  Walter,  of  Brown  Uni- 
versity. 

A  summary  of  the  lectures  is  as  follows: 
Classification,  with  particular  reference 
to  North  American  birds;  ancestry; 
anatomy,  based  upon  the  evolution  of  the 
skeleton  and  the  adaptation  of  structure 
to  environment;  plumage  and  molts, 
showing  the  development  of  the  different 
kinds  of  feathers  and  their  uses;  songs; 
nesting-habits;  food-habits,  with  especial 
reference  to  economic  ornithology;  pro- 
tection; theories  and  facts  of  migration; 
distribution  (i)  in  general,  (2)  within 
limited  areas;  general  and  particular 
methods  of  study  adapted  to  wide  or 
restricted  areas,  together  with  practical 
suggestions  for  bird-study  in  schools. 
A  collection  of  books,  pamphlets,  etc., 
dealing  with  birds  and  bird-study  will 
be  exhibited,  discussed,  and  placed  at  the 
^disposal  of  students  taking  this  course; 
also,  a  collection  of  nests. 

Excursions  for  the  summer  of  1914  are 
as  follows,  subject  to  conditions  of  weather 
and  the  regular  schedule  of  work:  Gardi- 
ner's Island,  Lake  Ronkonkoma;  Oak 
Beach  or  Fire  Island;  the  Brooklyn 
Museum;  American  Museum  of  Natural 
History,  or  Bronx  Park,  as  the  class 
may  choose. 

During  the  six  weeks,  a  beginner  can  get 
an  introduction  into  ornithology,  and 
can  become  more  or  less  familiar  with 
some  sixty  species  of  nesting-birds.  In 
addition  to  learning  to  identify  by  eye 
and  ear  the  birds  in  the  field,  much  work 
is  done  toward  obtaining  accurate  and 
complete  data,  first-hand,  concerning  the 
habits  and  behavior  of  the  birds  of  the 


vicinity.  A  nesting-chart  is  made  each 
season,  together  with  a  list  of  species 
identified.  Last  summer,  more  than  three 
hundred  and  fifty  nests,  either  in  use  or 
abandoned,  were  located  and  identified. 
Special  observations  have  to  do  with 
decline  of  song,  changes  in  feeding-habit, 
and  occurrence,  early  fall  migration 
movements,  late  nesting  records,  and  the 
post-nuptial  molt. 

In  addition  to  the  field-work  outlined 
above,  particular  attention  is  paid  to  the 
identification  of  trees  and  all  forms  of 
vegetation  which  furnish  nesting-sites, 
nesting-materials,   or  food  for  the  birds. 

The  course  is  especially  valuable  for 
teachers  of  nature-study,  and  each  sum- 
mer a  number  of  teachers  avail  themselves 
of  the  unusual  opportunity  to  add  to 
their  efficiency  in  this  very  enjoyable 
way. — G.  Clyde  Fisher,  American 
Museum  of  Natural  History,  New  York 
City. 

European  Widgeon  in  Ohio 

On  April  5,  1914,  with  Mr.  Ed.  Hadeler, 
I  discovered  four  Ducks  upon  the  river, 
and  succeeded  in  reaching  the  thin  fringe 
of  willows  at  the  water's  edge,  where  we 
could  watch  them  with  our  glasses  at 
close  range. 

Two  were  female  Baldpates,  the  third 
an  adult  male  Baldpate,  while  the  fourth, 
being  a  red-headed  'Baldpate'  with  black- 
ish chin  and  throat,  staggered  us  for 
awhile;  but  upon  consulting  a  pocket- 
guide,  and  later  other  works,  we  were 
assured  that  we  had  seen  a  European 
Widgeon  in  adult  male  plumage.  I  am 
glad  to  say  we  made  the  most  of  this 
opportunity  until  the  Ducks  were  startled 
by  a  boy  appearing  across  the  river. 

This  particular  specimen  had  as  white 
a  'pate'  as  the  Baldpate,  the  rest  of  the 
head  and  neck  being  so  distinctly  reddish 
brown  as  to  attract  notice  at  once.  This 
changed  to  blackish  on  chin  and  throat. 
The  back,  sides  and  flanks  were  so  finely 
lined  with  black  upon  white  as  to  appear 
a  French  gray;  the  breast  was  a  light 
cinnamon,  belly  white,  the  tail  black. — E. 
A.  DooLiTTLE,  Painesville,  Lake  Co.,  Ohio. 


iloob  jBtetofi^  anti  3^etofetD0 


Distribution  and  Migration  of  North 
American  Herons  and  Their  Allies. 
By  Wells  W.  Cooke.  Bulletin  No. 
45,  Biological  Survey.  70  pp.,  21  maps 
in  text.  1913. 

Through  an  oversight  this  important 
publication  has  not  before  been  noticed 
in  Bird-Lore.  It  treats  of  the  Ibises, 
Jabiru,  Flamingo  and  Roseate  Spoonbill, 
as  well  as  the  Herons,  and  includes  all  the 
species  of  these  groups  found  from  Panama 
northward.  When  any  of  these  birds  are 
found  south  of  Panama  their  South 
American  as  well  as  North  American 
range  is  given. 

The  ranges  of  all  the  species  regularly 
occurring  in  the  limits  prescribed  are 
given  in  great  detail,  and  are  graphically 
illustrated  by  a  series  of  most  instructive 
maps.  The  localities  from  which  a  species 
is  recorded  are  entered  on  the  map  of  its 
distribution,  and  the  symbols  employed 
readily  enable  one  to  determine  whether 
the  bird  occurs  at  the  point  marked,  as  a 
breeder,  in  summer,  in  winter,  etc. 

Comparatively  few  of  the  species 
treated  are  strictly  migratory,  those  which 
breed  from  southern  Florida  and  south- 
eastern Texas  and  southward  being  found 
as  species,  throughout  the  year.  There 
is,  however,  more  or  less  wandering,  and, 
with  some  species,  a  curious  northward 
movement  after  the  breeding  season. 

Professor  Cooke  calls  due  attention  to 
this  post-breeding  'migration'  and  adds: 
"A  still  more  remarkable  migration  habit 
is  that  of  the  Snowy  Egret.  Numbers  of 
these  birds  migrate  in  the  spring  far  north 
of  the  breeding  range,  and  remain  through- 
out the  summer  in  these  northern  dis- 
tricts as  non-breeders." 

This  Bulletin  takes  its  place  with  similar 
ones  prepared  by  Professor  Cooke  for 
the  Biological  Survey,  on  the  shore-birds. 
Ducks  and  Geese,  Warblers,  etc.,  and  is  a 
mine  of  information  for  anyone  who  would 
know  where  and  when  the  birds  it  deals 
with  may  be  found.  Let  us  hope  that 
others  will  soon  appear. — F.  M.  C. 

(I 


Field  Note-Book  of  Birds.  By.  A.  H. 
Wright  and  A.  A.  Allen.  Department 
of  Zoology,  Cornell  University.  Includ- 
ing Outlines  for  the  Recording  of 
Observations,  and  Sheets  for  Preserv- 
ing a  Check-List  of  Birds  Seen.  For 
Sale  by  the  Cornell  Co-operation. 
Ithaca,  N.  Y.  Price  50  cents,  postage 
4  cents. 

This  field  book  is  intended  primarily  to 
receive  one's  observations  on  the  color, 
form,  actions  and  notes  of  strange  birds 
as  a  means  to  their  identification.  Each 
page  of  the  body  of  the  book  is  headed  by 
an  outline  representing  a  generalized 
figure  of  a  passerine  bird.  Woodpecker, 
Gull,  wading-bird,  shore-bird.  Duck  or 
Hawk.  A  model  sheet  explains  how  these 
outlines  are  to  be  filled  in,  and  also  how 
the  remainder  of  the  page  may  be  utilized 
in  recording  data  on  habits,  distribution, 
nest,  etc.  Tables  giving  'The  Average 
Date  of  Spring  Arrivals  of  Birds  at 
Ithaca'  and  'Earliest  Nesting  Dates  for 
Ithaca,'  and  ruled  pages  for  a  check-list 
roll-call  are  added.  The  whole  makes  an 
attractive  and  practical  booklet  well 
designed  to  aid  the  field  student  both  in 
observing  and  recording.^F.  M.  C. 

Cassinia:  Proceedings,  Delaware  Val- 
ley Ornithological  Club,  XVII, 
1913.  [Issued  March,  1914.]  pp.  1-68; 
I  plate. 

'Cassinia'  for  1913  opens  with  one  of 
Witmer  Stone's  always  acceptable  con- 
tributions to  the  literature  of  biographical 
ornithology,  if  this  term  may  be  used  in 
contradistinction  to  ornithological  biog- 
raphy! He  writes  of  Alexander  Wilson, 
and  reminds  us  of  the  remarkable  fact 
that  his  "entire  ornithological  career,  from 
the  day  he  announced  his  intention  of 
making  a  collection  of  'all  our  finest 
birds,'  to  his  premature  demise  [at  the 
age  of  forty-seven],  covered  but  ten 
years!"  Mr.  Stone  speaks  especially  of  a 
statue  of  Wilson  by  Alexander  Calder, 
now  in  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences  of 
Philadelphia,    and    makes   the   admirable 

98) 


Book  News  and  Reviews 


199 


suggestion  that  a  life-size  cast  in  bronze 
be  made  of  this  statue  and  placed  in  the 
new  Parkway  which  will  pass  in  front  of 
the  Academy.  A  half-tone  plate  of  the 
statue  illustrates  Mr.  Stone's  article. 

Henry  W.  Flower's  paper  on  'Some 
Local  Fish-eating  Birds'  contains  much 
interesting  information  concerning  the 
food  habits  of  25  species  of  birds. 

In  'The  Ovenbird's  Call-Song,'  Robert 
Thomas  Moore  presents  an  addition  to 
his  studies  of  the  songs  of  American  birds. 
Annotated  records  of  eleven  songs  or  types 
of  songs  are  presented;  but,  accurate  as 
they  doubtless  are,  we  feel  that  this 
method  of  rendering  bird-notes  can  never 
make  so  strong  an  appeal  to  one's  imag- 
ination as  does  such  an  apt  bit  of  syllabi- 
fication as  Mr.  Burroughs'  (whose  name 
is  consistently  misspelled  "Borroughs") 
'Teacher,  Teacher,  teacher,  TEACHER, 
TEACHER!^  This  statement,  however, 
is  in  no  wise  intended  to  detract  from  the 
value  of  Mr.  Moore's  important  studies. 

Samuel  N.  Rhoads'  discovery  of  'The 
Snow  Hill  Bird-Roost'  near  his  own 
home  shows  that  the  most  observant 
student  never  gets  to  the  end  of  the  pos- 
sibilities of  even  a  locally  restricted  area. 

'A  Census  of  the  Turkey  Vulture  in 
Delaware,'  by  Charles  J.  Pennock,  a 
'Report  on  the  Spring  Migration  of  1913,' 
compiled  by  Witmer  Stone,  an  'Abstract  of 
the  Proceedings  of  the  Delaware  Valley 
Ornithological  Club,  1913',  'Club  Notes' 
and  Bibliography  for  1913,  conclude  the 
number. 

We  note  that  the  reports  of  attendance 
at  the  regular  meetings  of  the  Club  read, 
"Thirty-five  members  and  two  visitors 
present;"  "one  visitor  and  twenty-one 
members  present,"  etc.,  whereas  one 
member  and  twenty-one  visitors  present 
is  a  condition  which  sometimes  prevails 
in  allied  organizations! — F.  M.  C. 

Birds  of  the  Thomas  County  [Ne- 
braska] Forest  Reserve.  By  John  T. 
ZiMMER,  Proceedings  Nebraska  Ornitho- 
logical Union,  V,  1913,  pp.  51-104. 

If  the  efforts  of  the  United  States  Forest 
Reserve  are  successful,  the  region  in  which 


these  studies  are  made  will,  in  due  time, 
be  changed  from  one  of  treeless,  grass- 
covered  prairies  and  sand-dunes  to  an 
area  of  pine  forests.  It  is  a  matter  of 
much  importance,  therefore,  to  make  a 
study  of  the  avifauna  there  under  existing 
conditions  for  comparison  with  those 
which  will  prevail  when  the  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  pines  planted  have  become 
large  enough  to  furnish  food,  shelter  and 
nesting-places  for  birds. 

In  view  of  the  facts  that  the  open  nature 
of  the  country  makes  it  possible  to  dis- 
cover, with  comparative  ease,  the  birds 
inhabiting  it  and,  furthermore,  that  many 
of  the  observations  herein  recorded  were 
obtained  during  the  nesting  season,  Mr. 
Zimmer's  paper,  which  lists  142  species, 
appears  to  supply  just  the  kind  of  basis 
which  will  be  useful  in  determining  how 
the  character  of  the  bird-life  may  be 
affected  by  the  radical  change  which  will 
occur  in  the  locality  it  covers. — F.  M.  C. 

The  Ornithological  Magazines 

The  Auk. — The  April  number  opens 
with  an  article  entitled  'Among  the 
Birds  of  the  Sudan,'  by  Mr.  J.  C.  Phillips, 
who  gives  us  a  glimpse  of  bird-life  along 
the  Blue  Nile,  and  illustrates  his  paper 
with  a  color-plate  of-  a  new  Night-jar 
{CaprimulgHS  eleanorce).  Mr.  Phillips  also 
has  notes  elsewhere  on  the  effect  of  cold 
storage  on  the  molt.  Mr.  E.  S.  Cameron 
writes  pleasantly  of  'The  Ferruginous 
Rough-leg  {Archibuleo  ferrugineiis)  in 
Montana,'  and  gives  us  also  some  fine 
pictures  of  birds  and  scenery.  His  anec- 
dote of  how  a  bird  of  this  species  picked 
up  a  cat  by  mistake  for  a  rabbit  is  an 
excellent  illustration  of  the  present-day 
phrase  'reaction  to  stimuli.'  An  impor- 
tant contribution  to  economic  ornithology 
is  by  Mr.  H.  C.  Bryant  on  'Birds  as 
Destroyers  of  Grasshoppers  in  California;' 
wherein  tables  of  figures  and  percentages 
are  well  worth  the  careful  consideration 
of  those  interested. 

Dr.  R.  M.  Strong's  paper,  'On  the 
Habits  and  Behavior  of  the  Herring  Gull,' 
etc.,  is  concluded.    It  might  be  called  an 


200 


Bird  -  Lore 


intensive  study,  which  brings  out  many 
points  of  interest.  There  is  a  world  of 
significance  in  the  following  quotation: 
"just  how  much  this  behavior  is  tied  up 
with  instinctive  activity  is  of  course 
beyond  knowledge."  This,  however  is  no 
reason  for  discouragement  in  the  making 
of  minute  observations.  Mr.  A.  A. 
Saunders  seems  to  have  succeeded  well 
in  'An  Ecological  Study  of  the  Breeding 
Birds  of  an  Area  near  Chateau,  Montana.' 
An  exact  census  is  hardly  ever  possible, 
but  repeated  counts  are  better  than  the 
repeated  guesses  of  many  local  lists.  It  is 
pleasant,  however,  to  find  so  excellent 
a  list  as  that  by  Messrs.  L.  S.  Golson  and 
E.  G.  Holt,  on  'Birds  of  Autauga  and 
Montgomery  Counties,  Alabama.'  The 
putting  of  three  pictures  on  one  plate  has 
not  given  a  happy  result  in  this  case. 

Mr.  V.  Burtch  certainly  got  a  remark- 
able 'ghost'  photograph  of  Holbcell's 
Grebe,  which  he  explains  under  the  cap- 
tion, 'Does  a  Grebe  Spread  its  Wings  Just 
before  Diving.'  Mr.  H.  W.  Wright 
describes  an  unprecedented  incursion  of 
Acadian  Chickadees  into  eastern  Massa- 
chusetts in  the  fall  of  1913,  some  seventy 
having  been  seen  at  many  different  places. 

The  General  Notes  are  filled  with 
unusual  records  too  numerous  to  mention, 
and  the  department  of  Recent  Literature, 
especially  the  reviews  of  items  in  the 
ornithological  journals,  is  fully  up  to  its 
high  standard.  The  annual  lists  of  mem- 
bers of  the  A.  O.  U.  conclude  the  issue. — 
J.  D.,  Jr. 

Book  News 

The  first  fourteen  volumes  of  Bird- 
Lore  recently  sold  for  forty  dollars, 
unbound,  a  sum  nearly  three  times  as 
large  as  that  for  which  they  were  pub- 
lished. 

The  Annual  Report  of  the  Director  of 
the  Department  of  Marine  Zoology  of 
the  Carnegie  Institution  of  Washington, 
for  1913,  contains  a  list  of  57  species  of 
'Birds  Observed  on  the  Florida  Keys, 
April  25  to  May  9,  1913,'  by  Paul  Bartsch, 


a  note  on  the  'Homing  Instinct  in  the 
Noddy  and  the  Sooty  Tern,  which  Nest 
upon  Bird  Key,  Tortugas,'  by  John  B. 
Watson  and  K.  S.  Lashley,  and  another 
upon  'Nesting  Instincts  of  Noddy  and 
Sooty  Terns,'  by  K.  S.  Lashley. 

In  continuing  his  important  experi- 
ments on  the  homing  instinct  of  Noddies 
and  Sooty  Terns  of  Bird  Key,  Dr.  Wat- 
son, among  other  tests,  had  six  of  the 
former  and  four  of  the  latter  released 
near  the  middle  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico, 
515  miles  from  the  Key.  Of  the  ten, 
eight  returned  (three  Noddies  and  five 
Sooties),  the  first  one  arriving  three 
days  and  twenty-two  hours  after  it  was 
set  free. 

'Birds  in  the  Bush,'  the  new  depart- 
ment of  'The  Guide  to  Nature,'  con- 
ducted by  Mr.  E.  J.  Sawyer,  is  abun- 
dantly illustrated  by  its  editor  with  draw- 
ings of  birds,  which  shows  them  much  as 
they  appear  in  Nature.  The  plan  is  an 
admirable  one,  and  so  well  executed 
that  these  drawings,  aside  from  their 
attractiveness,  should  prove  a  help  in 
identifying  the  birds  they  represent. 

The  Department  of  Game  and  Fish  of 
the  State  of  Alabama  issues  an  admirable 
Bird  Day  Book,  the  seventh  of  its  series. 
It  is  prepared  by  John  H.  Wallace,  Jr., 
the  Game  and  Fish  Commissioner,  con- 
tains 88  pages  and  a  number  of  illustra- 
tions, both  colored  and  uncolored,  forming 
a  most  attractive  and  useful  publication. 

If  the  manuals  they  issue  may  be 
considered  an  index,  Alabama  and  Wis- 
consin may,  we  believe,  claim  to  be  far 
in  the  lead  of  other  states  in  the  atten- 
tion they  give  to  Bird  Day. 

The  Fifteenth  Annual  Report  of  the 
Michigan  Academy  of  Science  contains  a 
paper  (pp.  178-188)  by  N.  A.  Wood,  on 
'The  Breeding  Birds  of  the  Charity 
Islands  with  Additional  Notes  on  the 
Migrants.'  From  these  Saginaw  Bay 
islets  170  species  of  birds  have  now  been 
recorded  of  which  thirty-seven  are  known 
to  breed. 


Editorial 


20I 


iStrti'itort 

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

OFFICIAL    ORGAN    OF    THl    AUDUBON    SOCIETIES 

Edited  by  FRANK  M.  CHAPMAN 

ContributingEditor.MABELOSGOOD  WRIGHT 

Published  by  D.  APPLETON  &  CO. 

Vol.  XVI         Published  June  1,  1914  No.  3 

SUBSCRIPTION  RATES 

Price   in  the  United  States,  Canada  and  Mexico,  twenty  cents 
a  number,  one  dollar  a  year,  postage  paid. 

COPYRIGHTBD,  1914,  BY  FRANK  M.  CHAPMAN 

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


Never  before  has  the  interest  in  birds 
in  this  country  been  so  widespread  as  it 
is  today.  Laws,  both  Federal  and  State 
are,  as  a  whole,  the  best  we  have  ever 
had,  and  they  are  more  effectively 
enforced  than  at  any  previous  time. 

The  educational  work  of  the  National 
Association  of  Audubon  Societies,  as  its 
report  shows,  has  been  so  successful  that 
the  Association  has  with  difficulty  met 
the  demands  made  upon  it. 

Many  plans  are  on  foot  for  the  estab- 
lishment, in  various  parts  of  the  country, 
for  bird-refuges  or  sanctuaries,  and  for 
the  systematic  placing  of  nesting-houses 
and  feeding-stations  in  parks  and  ceme- 
teries. Owners  of  country  places,  small 
and  large,  are  endeavoring  in  various 
ways  to  attract  birds  about  their  homes. 

All  that  has  been  done  in  this  direc- 
tion we  feel  is  only  a  beginning.  We  look 
forward  to  the  day  when  birds  will  be 
considered  as  essential  a  part  of  country 
life  as  flowers  are  now;  when  the  com- 
moner species,  at  any  rate,  will  be  as 
generally  known  as  are  daisies  and 
dandelions. 

Then  will  man  begin  to  realize  on  one 
of  Nature's  endowments,  of  which  until 
recent  years  only  the  elect  have  availed 
themselves.  Then  will  the  potential 
value  of  birds  to  man  become  in  greater 
measure  actual. 

That  this  day  will  come  we  have  not 
the  slightest  doubt.  The  change  in  our 
attitude   toward   birds,  and   our  gradual 


awakening  to  the  beauties  of  bird-life 
has  been  a  perfectly  normal  response  to  a 
variety  of  causes  all  of  which  can  be 
traced  primarily  to  the  influence  of  the 
American  Ornithologists'  Union,  and  to 
the  Audubon  movement  which  originated 
in  the  Union. 

At  present,  in  our  opinion,  the  greatest 
single  factor  hastening  this  ornithological 
millenium  is  the  formation  of  Junior 
classes  by  the  National  Association.  The 
enrollment  in  a  single  season  of  nearly 
100,000  children  in  definite  courses  of 
bird-study,  and  supplying  them  with  the 
leaflets  and  colored  plates  of  the  Asso- 
ciation is  an  accomplishment  of  untold 
importance.  Nor  does  this  figure  convey 
a  real  idea  of  the  far-reaching  effects  of 
the  Association's  labors.  Next  year  it 
has  been  promised  support  to  continue 
to  develop  this  most  productive  field. 
At  the  present  rate  of  increase,  with 
adequate  means,  not  many  years  will  pass 
before  one  million  children  will  have  had 
some  instruction  concerning  our  com- 
mon birds,  and  will  have  learned  where 
they  can  get  further  information  if  they 
want  it. 

It  is  not  to  be  expected  that  they  all 
will  want  it.  We  can  make  bird-lovers 
far  easier  than  we  can  make  bird-students. 
Nor  should  we  expect  everyone  who  shows 
appreciation  of  the  charm  of  the  living 
bird  to  become  an  ornithologist.  We 
have  all  heard  of  the  person  who  hated 
botany  and  loved  flowers;  but  that 
surely  is  no  reason  for  discouraging  a  love 
of  flowers. 

So  let  us  continue  our  work  in  making 
bird-lovers,  with  a  hope  that  now  and 
then  we  may  rouse  the  latent  spark 
which  fires  the  ambition  of  the  true 
ornithologist. 

It  is  greatly  to  be  hoped  that  Con- 
gress will  make  a  large  enough  appro- 
priation to  insure  the  enforcement  of  the 
law  designed  to  protect  migratory  birds. 
Although  this  law  did  not  go  into  effect 
until  October,  1913,  the  results  of  the 
protection  it  has  afforded  wild  fowl 
are  apparent  in  many  places. 


Cl)e  Audubon  ^octet{e0 

SCHOOL    DEPARTMENT 

Edited  by  ALICE   HALL  'WALTER 

Address  all  communications  relative  to  the  work  of  this  depart- 
ment to  the   Editor,  at   53  Arlington  Avenue,  Providence,  R.  I. 

HOW    TO    REACH    TEACHERS    AND    PUPILS 

A  considerable  number  of  our  State  Audubon  Societies  have  worked  out 
this  problem  in  various  practical  ways ;  but  since,  from  time  to  time,  evidences 
come  to  this  Department  that  the  teachers  and  pupils  of  public  schools  are  not 
in  touch  with  the  Audubon  Societies  of  their  particular  states,  it  may  not  be 
out  of  place  to  suggest  ways  of  promoting  a  closer  relationship  between  them, 
at  the  risk  of  repeating  what  has  previously  been  said  on  this  subject. 

To  the  novice,  it  might  seem  quite  an  easy  task  for  any  Audubon  Society  to 
reach  all  of  the  public  as  well  as  private  schools  of  a  single  state,  without  undue 
expenditure  of  time  or  expense.  It  might  also  seem  easy  to  such  a  person  for 
every  teacher  of  elementary  grades  to  include  some  form  of  bird-  or  nature- 
study  in  the  curriculum  without  great  efifort  or  thought.  The  experienced 
observer,  however,  knows  that  such  points  of  view  are  oversanguine,  and,  at 
the  present  time,  have  their  counterpart  not  in  practice  but  in  imagination. 
True,  this  ideal  is  exactly  the  one  we  all  hope  to  see  come  to  pass,  but  fitting 
the  realities  of  any  situation  to  an  ideal,  it  goes  without  saying,  "comes  hard." 

The  difficulties  of  this  particular  situation  are  several.  First:  Not  all 
Boards  of  Education  favor  the  introduction  of  bird-  and  nature-study  into  our 
public  schools  or  the  assistance  of  any  outside  society,  however  worthy  or 
well  directed  its  work  may  be. 

Second:  Teachers  are  not  equally  well  fitted,  either  by  training,  environ- 
ment or  by  special  aptitude,  to  take  up  nature-study  successfully. 

Third:  The  resources  of  the  different  State  Audubon  Societies  are  not 
uniform,  and  seldom  are  adequate  to  the  demand  made  upon  them. 

The  one  really  favorable  and  universally  acknowledged  condition  in  support 
of  bird-  and  nature-study  is  that  the  children  are  eager  for  it,  and  a  further 
argument  might  be  added  by  stating  a  truth  not  always  taken  into  consider- 
ation, namely,  that  some  pupils  are  reached  through  this  study  who  cannot 
be  aroused  to  interest  themselves  in  any  other  kind  of  prescribed  work. 

Admitting  the  difficulties  which  must  be  met  at  the  start,  is  it  not  however, 
more  than  worth  while  to  bring  teachers  and  pupils  everywhere  into  touch 
with  a  study  so  attractive,  valuable,  and  full  of  possibilities  as  nature-study 
has  been  proven  to  be? 

Audubon  Societies  that  are  going  into  this  matter  most  efficiently  are 
sending  a  paid  worker  or  supervisor  of  nature-study  throughout  their  states 

(202) 


The  Audubon    Societies  203 

to  visit  schools  and  personally  assist  teachers.  After  a  canvass  of  this  kind, 
public  sentiment  usually  comes  to  the  support  of  the  work  by  favoring  the 
introduction  of  nature-study  into  the  schools  as  a  part  of  the  regular  curriculum. 

Societies  which  cannot  yet  afford  this  extensive  kind  of  work  need  not 
wait  for  fortune  to  come  their  way,  for  the  possibilities  of  working  by  post 
are  great. 

A  yearly  circular  to  teachers,  containing  information  about  the  following 
points,  ought  not  only  to  arouse  much  interest,  but  also  to  awaken  confidence 
in  the  sincerity  of  the  Audubon  Society,  and  enthusiasm  as  to  the  possibilities 
of  bird-  and  nature-study: 

1.  Traveling-libraries  and  traveling-pictures. 

2.  Instructions  as  to  forming  Junior  Audubon  Societies. 

3.  Demonstration  material  for  loan  purposes. 

4.  List  of  nature-books  available  in  libraries  of  the  state. 

5.  List  of  books  and  material  available  in  museums  of  the  state. 

6.  Lectures  and  lecturers,  also  meetings  desirable  to  attend. 

7.  Exhibitions,  fairs,  conventions,  or  other  general  and  public  methods  of 
illustrating  nature-study  from  the  point  of  view  of  horticulture,  agricul- 
ture, etc. 

8.  List  of  excursions  for  short  or  long  field-trips,  with  a  definite  schedule 
covering  all  details  of  the  itinerary. 

9.  List  of  magazines,  books  and  other  publications,  with  addresses  of 
publishers  and  cost  stated. 

10.  List  of  national  and  international  legislation  of  importance,  and  also 
of  notable  gatherings  in  the  interest  of  bird-  and  nature-study,  with  short 
descriptions  of  the  same. 

11.  Statement  in  brief  of  state  game-laws  and  definite  objects  to  work  for, 
to  improve  these  laws. 

12.  Invitation  to  report  work  done  in  nature-study  to  a  central  committee, 
with  the  double  object  of  keeping  in  touch  with  the  needs  and  accomplishment 
of  each  school,  and  of  forming  a  bureau  of  exchange,  which  shall  bring  different 
schools  in  different  parts  of  the  state  into  friendly,  competitive  relations. 

Other  suggestions  might  be  made,  but  the  above  are  sufficient  to  test  the 
aliveness  of  any  Audubon  Society.  Such  an  annual  bulletin  might  be  well 
combined  with  a  Bird  and  Arbor  Day  program,  and  should  be  sent  to  every 
school  in  the  state  and  to  as  many  teachers  as  possible.  The  very  fact  that  the 
Audubon  Society  of  any  state  has  sufficient  interest  in  teachers  and  pupils  to 
prepare  a  comprehensive  and  entirely  useful  bulletin  of  up-to-date  information 
each  year  would  go  a  great  way  in  furthering  the  cause  of  the  birds  and  that 
of  nature-study. 

In  order  to  make  this  Department  of  assistance  in  this  matter,  an  invita- 
tion is  herewith  given  to  all  Audubon  Societies  and  to  all  teachers  to  send  in 
suggestions  which  may  be  printed  for  the  benefit  of  others. — A.  H.  W. 


204 


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[Note. — The  following  letter,  which  was  received  after  the  above  suggestions  were 
written,  is  indicative  of  the  interest  that  is  felt  by  many  educators  in  bird-  and  nature- 
study— A.  H.  W.] 

CONSERVATION    OF    OUR    BIRDS 

Dear  Teachers:  In  our  crowded  curriculum  of  school  subjects,  I  feel  that  we  do  not 
give  enough  attention  to  the  study  of  our  native  birds.  Considerable  space  is  devoted 
to  the  subject  of  birds  in  our  Common  School  Manual,  viz..  paragraphs  376  and  415 
to  423  inclusive.  A  suggestion  is  made  that  birds  should  be  studied  all  the  year  round, 
but  I  very  seldom  find  any  effective  work  done  along  that  line. 

Permit  me  to  suggest  that  we  devote  special  attention  to  birds  this  spring,  teaching 
the  value  of  birds,  both  from  an  esthetic  standpoint  and  for  their  economic  value. 

Children  should  be  taught  to  love  birds  for  their  beauty  and  song,  and  should  be 
led  to  see  the  value  of  birds  to  farm  life.  The  loss  to  the  American  farmer  through 
weeds  and  insects  runs  into  millions  of  dollars  annually,  and  the  most  effective  check 
on  these  is  our  birds. 

Instill  in  the  minds  of  our  children  a  desire  to  protect,  rather  than  destroy,  the  birds 
and  their  homes.  Learn  the  names  and  habits  of  as  many  birds  as  possible.  Now  is  a 
good  time  to  get  acquainted  with  our  migratory  birds,  as  they  return  from  their  win- 
ter quarters. 

I  would  suggest  that  every  school  in  the  county  have  a  Bird  Day  program  this 
spring.  For  material,  refer  to  the  Bird  Day  annuals  and  library  books  on  birds  found 
in  your  school  library,  and  write  for  information  on  birds  and  bird-study,  from  the  fol- 
lowing sources:  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,  Washington,  D.  C,  and 
our  College  of  Agriculture;  National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies;  State  Audubon 
Society,  Madison,  Wis.;  Fish  and  Game  Warden  Department,  Madison,  Wis.;  The 
Farm  Journal  Liberty  Bell  Bird  Club,  Washington  Square,  Philadelphia,  Pa.;  American 
Humane  Education  Society,  45  Milk  St.,  Boston,  Mass.;  State  Normal  Schools,  and 
other  Colleges;  Federal  Inspector  of  Migratory  Birds,  Portage,  Wis. 

To  perpetuate  the  work  on  bird-study,  perhaps  it  might  be  well  to  organize  an 
Audubon  Society  in  your  school.    Please  send  us  a  copy  of  your  Bird  Day  program. 

Yours  for  kindness  to  birds, 

H.  A.  AuNE,  County  Superintendent. 
Baldwin,  St.  Croix  Co.,  Wis.,  March  31,  1914- 


JUNIOR   AUDUBON   WORK 
For  Teachers  and  Pupils 

Exercise  XV:    Correlated  Studies,  Manual  Training,  Arithmetic, 
English  and  Reading 

THE    LAW    OF    LIFE 

James  Russell  Lowell  voices  so  truly  and  so  sincerely  the  feelings  of  the 
nature-lover  that  I  am  going  to  ask  you  to  commence  this  exercise  for  May  and 
June  by  re-reading  the  familiar  prelude  to  "The  Vision  of  Sir  Launfal."  Read 
it  for  the  melody  in  it,  the  joyousness  and  deep-welling  hope.  One  who  loves 
Nature  as  an  interpreter,  as  a  teacher,  or,  best  of  all,  as  a  child,  cannot  help 


The  Audubon   Societies 


205 


feeling  that  "the  high  tide  of  the  year"  is  coining  now,  "flooding  back  with  a 
ripply  cheer"  everything  which  has  for  months  been  bare  and  chill  and  dead. 
By  means  of  the  keen  senses  and  delicate  imagination  of  the  poet,  we  may 
come  nearer  to  the  heart  of  Nature,  and  may  better  understand  why  she  has 
been  called  ''Mother  Nature."  And  let  this  thought  of  the  motherhood  of 
Nature  be  very  clear  in  our  minds  as  we  go  out  into  the  fields  among  butter- 
cups and  cowslips  and  daisies,  with  life  murmuring  and  glistening  everywhere — 
"whether  we  look  or  whether  we  listen." 


A  GROUP  OF  BIRD-HOUSES  MADE  BY  BOYS  OF  THE  SIXTH,  SEVENTH  AND 
EIGHTH  GRADES  OF  THE  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS  OF  NORWALK,  OHIO,  AT  THE  SUGGES- 
TION OF  THE  FEDERATION  OF  WOMEN'S  CLUBS. 

We  have  seen  many  times  before,  perhaps,  grass  and  trees  and  sky;  but  it 
is  a  beautiful  thought  and  a  wonderful  one  that  "there's  never  a  leaf  or  a 
blade  too  mean  to  be  some  happy  creature's  palace,"  and  that  over  all  "the 
warm  ear  of  Heaven  is  softly  laid!" 

It  is  our  pleasant  task  to  find  these  palaces  and  their  inmates,  and  to  learn 
how  Nature  is  the  mother  of  all  forms  of  life. 

In  preceding  exercises,  much  has  been  said  about  the  necessity  of  food,  not 
only  for  birds  but,  also  for  all  other  living  creatures.  We  have  tried  to  dis- 
cover some  of  the  ways  in  which  birds  get  food,  as  well  as  some  of  the  places 
where  they  find  it.  But,  if  food-getting  alone  were  the  chief  end  of  life,  there 
would  soon  be  no  life  at  all  upon  the  earth;  because  in  a  short  span  of  years, 
pionths,  or  even  days,  any  single  creature  must  live  out  its  allotted  time  and 


2o6 


Bird  -  Lore 


die.  Some  other  law  must  go  with  the  law  of  food-getting  and  this,  we  find  is 
the  law  of  reproduction, — that  is  producing  again  creatures  to  take  the  place 
of  those  which  die.  This  law  is  without  doubt  the  most  wonderful  law  we  know 
of,  and  since  reproduction  is  a  long,  cumbersome  word,  we  may  call  it  simply, 
the  law  of  life. 

Man  has  endeavored  by  his  inventive  skill,  to  duplicate  some  of  the  laws  of 
Nature,  as,  for  example,  by  means  of  the  camera  to  reproduce  a  likeness  of  an 


MANUAL    TRAINING    WORK 
A  few  of  the  1-13  Wren  houses  made  by  the  boys  in  manual  training  classes.    All  of  these  houses  were 
put  up  and  over  half  have  occupants. — H.  P.  Brown,  Instructor,  Berwyn,  111.    1913. 

object;  but  this  is  very  far  removed  from  the  real  law  of  life.  A  photograph, 
although  a  perfect  and  exact  reproduction  of  its  kind,  has  no  power  to  make 
either  another  photograph  or  another  object  similar  to  the  one  of  which  it  is  a 
copy.  In  Nature,  the  law  of  life  demands  that  each  living  creature  be  endowed 
with  power  to  give  life  to  another  creature  like  itself. 


The  Audubon   Societies  207 

You  may  pick  up  a  seed  carelessly,  and  toss  it  away  without  thought  of 
what  is  packed  so  compactly  and  securely  in  its  close-fitting  coats;  and  yet 
that  tiny  seed  contains  something  more  wonderful  and  more  lasting  than  an 
iron-clad  warship,  for  it  has  the  power  to  live  and  to  grow  and  to  leave  other 
seeds  possessed  of  life-giving  power  when  it  shall  have  gone  through  its  own 
brief  life-history.  So,  when  you  look  at  giant  locomotives,  at  whirling  spindles 
and  looms,  at  ocean  steamships,  at  air-ships,  or  any  of  the  creatures  of  man's 
mechanism,  remember  that,  powerful  and  remarkable  as  they  are,  they  lack 
this  one  greatest  endowment — the  germ  of  life. 

In  May  and  June,  the  earth  is  full  to  overflowing  with  life.  Everywhere  we 
can  find  Nature,  the  great  Earth-mother,  offering  not  only  food,  but  homes  for 
shelter  and  cradles  for  offspring  to  the  myriad  creatures  which  abound  through- 
out fields,  streams,  forests,  and  mountains. 

We  have  already  learned  about  some  of  the  shelters  and  cradles  of  birds 
(see  Bird-Lore,  Vol.  XV,  No.  4,  p.  253),  but  without  particular  reference  to  the 
law  of  life.  Now  we  are  to  learn  that  only  by  means  of  this  law  can  there  be 
any  birds  here  or  anywhere.  People  are  slowly  coming  to  understand  that,  in 
spite  of  the  great  number  of  birds  we  seem  to  have,  it  takes  only  a  short  time 
to  destroy  them  completely,  to  lose  them  forever  from  this  earth  of  ours, 
through  careless  destruction  during  the  mating-  and  nesting-season. 

The  greatest  lesson  we  may  learn  in  this  exercise  is  that  of  the  value  of  life. 
I  cannot  tell  you  what  life  is, — no  one  knows  that, — but  it  is  possible  to  learn 
something  of  the  value  of  life,  and  the  wonder  of  life  and  the  joy  of  living. 

These  are  the  things  to  keep  in  mind  as  you  go  in  search  of  flowers  and  birds 
and  insects,  and  when  once  you  begin  to  realize  how  every  single  living  organ- 
ism has  a  part  all  its  own  to  perform,  how  it  is  necessary  for  it  to  do  this  work 
in  Nature,  then  you  will  not  need  to  be  cautioned  by  your  parents  and  teachers, 
or  compelled  by  laws,  to  protect  living  creatures,  instead  of  destroying 
them. 

In  order  that  you  may  gain  some  idea  of  the  enormous  amount  of  life  which 
is  around  you  and  of  which  you  are  scarcely  aware,  I  am  going  to  ask  you  to 
work  out  a  few  sums  in  arithmetic  about  the  food  of  nestling  and  adult  birds, 
since  this  is  the  season  of  nesting  with  most  of  our  migratory  and  permanent 
birds.  The  table  below  is  compiled  from  figures  which  patient  observers  have 
tabulated,  and  represent  many  hours  of  careful  watching  and  waiting,  as  you 
will  believe,  should  you  once  try  to  discover  the  amount  eaten  by  a  single 
brood  of  young  birds. 

Sums  Taken  from  a  Table  of  the  Capacity  of  Nestling  Birds 

1.  If  a  single  nestling  Robin  eats  60  earthworms  in  i  day,  how  many  worms  would 
6  nestlings  eat  in  10  days? 

2.  A  brood  of  Long-billed  Marsh  Wrens  have  been  known  to  eat  30  locusts  in  i 
hour.    How  many  would  they  eat  in  a  week,  if  they  were  fed  from  6  a.m.  to  6  p.m.? 


208 


Bird  -  Lore 


3.  A  brood  of  House  Wrens  eat  about  1,000  insects  in  i  day.    How  many  would  be 
eaten  in  i  hour,  reckoning  the  feeding  period  from  5  a.m.  to  6.30  p.m.? 

4.  The  Purple  Martin  has  been  observed  to  feed  its  young  100  to  300  times  a  day. 
Reckoning  from  4.30  a.m.  to  7  p.m.,  how  often  would  the  young  birds  be  fed? 

Sums  Taken  from  a  Table  of  the  Eating  Capacity  of  Adult  Birds 

1.  If  6  Robins  eat  265  Rocky  Mountain  locusts  at  a  single  feeding,  how  many  can  i 
Robin  eat? 

2.  I  Nighthawk  has  been  known  to  eat  500  mosquitos  at  a  feeding.    If  it  fed  only 
three  times  a  day,  how  many  mosquitos  would  it  eat  in  a  week? 

3.  Two  Scarlet  Tanagers  have  been  observed  to  eat  35  small  gipsy  moth  caterpillars 
a  minute,  for  18  minutes.    How  many  did  they  eat? 

4.  One  Bobwhite  ate  1,700  weed  seeds  at  a  feeding,  while  another  ate  5,000  pigeon- 
grass  seeds.    How  many  feedings  would  it  take  to  destroy  50,000  of  these  weed  seeds? 


A  section  of  the  Junior  Audubon  class,  taken  just  previous  to  locating  bird-boxes 
in  April.  During  the  summer  we  took  many  morning  tramps  and  made  the  acquaint- 
ance of  a  number  of  our  bird  friends. — Mrs.  Cora  D.  Berlin,  Wimbledon,  North  Dakota. 

See  "A  Bird-Study  Class  in  North  Dakota,"  Bird-Lore,  Vol.  XVI,  No.  2,  p.  135. 

Large  as  these  figures  seem,  they  show  but  a  fraction  of  the  ceaseless  activ- 
ity of  life  around  us.  There  are  not  figures  enough  to  denote  the  countless  num- 
bers of  insects  which  are  devouring  equally  countless  numbers  of  plants  and 
other  forms  of  vegetable  life.  Looking  at  the  clear,  still  air  above  us,  or  the 
ceaselessly  moving  ocean  which  is  ever  beyond  us,  we  cannot  even  imagine  the 
life  which  is  contained  in  them.  There  is  no  part  of  nature-study  more  delight- 
ful than  simply  finding  out  living  things.   The  kinds  of  life,  the  amazing  variety 


The  Audubon   Societies 


209 


of  these  kinds,  their  habits  and  history.  No  fairy-tale  can  equal  this  story 
of  Nature. 

It  has  been  the  joy  of  very  many  people  to  go  out  and  study  nature  each 
spring,  particularly  when  life  is  at  its  height.  Bird-lovers  keep  lists  of  the 
different  kinds  of  birds  which  they  see,  and  welcome  each  new  arrival  as  a 
returning  friend.  Plant-lovers  hunt  for  the  first  violet,  and  the  pure  white 
bloodroot,  lingering  long  in  favored  nooks  and  dells  to  discover  shy  blossoms. 
Insect-lovers  need  do  no  more  than  search  here  and  there,  wherever  they 
may  happen  to  be,  to  find  all  kinds  of  treasures.  The  impossibility  of  ever 
becoming  acquainted  with  all  the  different  kinds  of  insects  only  adds  to  the 
charm  of  the  study. 

The  following  list  of  birds  seen  by  a  boy  fifteen  years  old,  during  a  single 
year,  in  the  neighborhood  of  his  home,  shows  the  variety  of  feathered  life 
which  may  be  found  in  a  very  limited  area,  provided  the  observer  is  a  real 
nature-lover  who  knows  the  haunts  of  wild  creatures  and  how  and  where  to 
look. 


[Note. — The  following  list  was  seen  during  191 2  by  Charles  O.  Handley,  at  Lewis- 
burg,  W.  Va.,  in  a  country  2,100  feet  above  sea-level.  This  boy  kept  a  lunch-counter 
for  birds  in  winter,  and  put  up  nesting-boxes  for  them  at  the  proper  time.] 


Lesser  Scaup  Duck 
Least  Bittern 
Sandhill  Crane 
Wilson  Snipe 
Greater  Yellow-Legs 
Lesser  Yellow-Legs 
Solitary  Sandpiper 
Bartramian  Sandpiper 
Spotted  Sandpiper 
Killdeer 
Bob-white 
RuiTed  Grouse 
Mourning  Dove 
Turkey  Vulture 
Marsh  Hawk 
Sharp-shinned  Hawk 
Cooper's  Hawk 
Red-tailed  Hawk 
Bald  Eagle 
Sparrow  Hawk 
American  Osprey 
Screech  Owl 
Great  Horned  Owl 
Yellow-billed  Cuckoo 
Black-billed  Cuckoo 
Belted  Kingfisher 
Hairy  Woodpecker 
Downy  Woodpecker 


Yellow-bellied  Sapsuckcr 
Pileated  Woodpecker 
Red-headed  Woodpecker 
Flicker 
Nighthawk 
Chimney  Swift 
Ruby-throated    Humming- 
bird 
Kingbird 

Crested  Flycatcher 
Phoebe 
Wood  Pewee 
Red-bellied  Woodpecker 
Least  Flycatcher 
Prairie  Horned  Lark 
Blue  Jay 
Crow 
Bobolink 
Cowbird 

Red-winged  Blackbird 
Meadowlark 
Orchard  Oriole 
Baltimore  Oriole 
Rusty  Blackbird 
Purple  Gracklc 
Goldfinch 
English  Sparrow 
Vesper  Sparrow 


Savannah  Sparrow 
Grasshopper  Sparrow 
White-crowned  Sparrow 
White-throated  Sparrow 
Tree  Sparrow 
Chipping  Sparrow 
Field  Sparrow 
Slate-colored  Junco 
Song  Sparrow 
Swamp  Sparrow 
Fox  Sparrow 
Towhee 
Cardinal 

Rose-breasted  Grosbeak 
Indigo  Bunting 
Scarlet  Tanager 
Purple  Martin 
Cliff  Swallow 
Barn  Swallow 
Cedar  Waxwing 
Red-ej^ed  Vireo 
Yellow-throated  Vireo 
Blue-headed  Vireo 
Black  and  White  Warbler 
Worm-eating  Warbler 
Golden-winged  Warbler 
Nashville  Warbler 
Tennessee  Warbler 


2IO 


Bird  -  Lore 


Parula  Warbler 

Cape  May  Warbler 

Yellow  Warbler 

Black-throated  Blue  War- 
bler 

Myrtle  Warbler 

Bay-breasted  Warbler 

Blackburnian  Warbler 

Black-poll  Warbler 

Palm  Warbler 

Oven-bird 

Water-Thrush 

Black-throated  Green  War- 
bler 


Maryland  Yellow-throat 

Yellow-breasted  Chat 

Hooded  Warbler 

Wilson  Warbler 

Canadian  Warbler 

Redstart 

Mockingbird 

Catbird 

Brown  Thrasher 

Carolina  Wren 

House  Wren 

Winter  Wren 

Brown  Creeper 

White-breasted  Nuthatch 


Red-breasted  Nuthatch 

Tufted  Titmouse 

Black-capped  Chickadee 

Golden-crowned  Kinglet 

Ruby-crowned  Kinglet 

Blue-gray  Gnatcatcher 

Wood  Thrush 

Olive-backed  Thrush 

Hermit  Thrush 

Robin 

Bluebird 

Whip-poor-will  and  Chest- 
nut-sided Warblers  heard 
but  not  seen. 


This  list  represents  the  kind  of  bird-work  which  hundreds  of  people  are 
doing,  for  their  own  pleasure  and  profit.  It  is  a  good  kind  of  work  to  do,  but 
may  be  bettered  in  one  way,  namely,  by  working  in  connection  with  others. 

For  example,  if  the  bird-lovers  in  each  town,  city  or  village  would  put  their 
lists  together  and  combine  them  with  the  lists  of  other  observers  all  over  their 
state,  these  state-lists  could  be  put  into  the  hands  of  an  expert,  who  would  be 
able  to  gather  considerable  valuable  data  from  them,  which  he,  in  turn,  might 
send  to  the  head  of  the  Bird-migration  Bureau,  Prof.  Wells  W.  Cooke,  at 
Washington,  D.  C. 

Our  schools  would  do  best  to  get  information  about  the  birds  which  are 
now  given  each  month  in  Bird-Lore;  for  definite  data  about  a  few  well-known 
species  is  worth  far  more  than  indefinite  data  about  many  doubtful  species. 
By  learning  how  to  get  together  a  few  facts  each  year  about  any  single  species 
of  bird,  plant,  insect,  or  other  organism,  one  may  become  trained  to  look  for 
the  essential  and  important  facts  of  life,  instead  of  groping  around,  in  a  maze, 
without  any  clue  to  the  meaning  of  what  is  seen  and  heard. 

In  bird-study,  as  in  everything  else,  a  few  things  well  done  count  for 
more  than  many  things  half  done. 

To  sum  up  this  exercise  in  a  few  lines:  There  are  two  great  laws  which  con- 
trol every  organism,  namely,  food-getting  (nutrition),  and  life-giving  (^repro- 
duction); the  variety  of  living  forms  is  everywhere  apparent;  the  value  of  life 
may  be  learned,  but  what  life  is  no  one  yet  knows;  in  studying  life,  have  a 
method,  whatever  the  forms  studied,  and  finally  whenever  possible  cooperate 
with  others,  at  least  in  bird-study. 


SUGGESTIONS 

1.  Why  do  poets  use  adjectives  so  much  more  truly  than  the  averasce  person?    Is  it 
because  they  see  things  more  correctly?    Notice  the  adjectives  in  selection  from  Lowell. 

2.  How  many  kinds  of  flowers,  birds,  insects,  trees,  fishes  and  other  living  forms  do 
you  know?    Make  a  list  of  them. 

3.  In  how  many  different  ways  are  nests  made  by  birds? 


The  AuduboD   Socieries  211 

4.  What  creatures  besides  birds  make  nests? 

5.  How  early  do  you  hear  birds  in  the  morning?    How  late  in  the  evening? 

6.  Which  birds  sing  first  in  the  morning  and  last  at  night? 

7.  Do  birds  ever  sing  during  the  night? 

8.  Are  soft-bodied  or  hard-bodied  insects  fed  to  nestling  birds?    Why? 

9.  Do  nestling  birds  get  any  water  to  drink? 

10.  How  are  the  nests  of  birds  protected  from  heat,  rain  and  wind? 

11.  How  does  the  nest  of  the  English  Sparrow  compare  with  that  of  other  birds? 

12.  Do  birds  of  a  kind  always  build  the  same  kind  of  nest? 

13.  How  would  you  go  to  work  to  construct  a  Robin's  nest?  a  Chipping  Sparrow's? 
a  Woodpecker's?    a  Chimney  Swift's? 

14.  Where  and  how  would  you  place  a  nest  to  make  it  secure? 

References:  Nestlings  of  Forest  and  Marsh,  by  Irene  G.  Wheelock;  The  Home 
Life  of  Wild  Birds,  by  W.  H.  Herrick;  Food  of  the  Bob  white,  by  Margaret  M.  Nice; 
Journal  of  Economic  Entomology,  Vol.  3,  No.  3,  1910;  The  Food  of  Nestling  Birds,  by 
Sylvester  D.  Judd,  Yearbook  of  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  1900;  Birds'  Nests  and  Eggs, 
by  F.  M.  Chapman,  Guide  Leaflet  No.  14,  Supplement  to  American  Museum  Journal, 
Vol.  IV,  No.  2;  The  Nature-Study  Review;  Field  and  School  Bird  Note-Book,  No.  i 
by  Anna  B.  Comstock. — A.  H.  W. 


FROM   ADULT   AND    YOUNG   OBSERVERS 

A    NEST    IN    A    NEST 

A  large  hornets'  nest,  measuring  about  four  feet  in  length  and  two  feet 
across  its  greatest  width,  hung  as  a  much-admired  trophy  on  the  front  porch  of 
a  country  home  in  Middle  Tennessee.  A  pair  of  Wrens  chose  it  as  the  place  for 
their  home,  and  were  soon  busy  making  it  to  their  liking. 

They  chose  an  opening  in  the  upper  side  of  the  huge  hornets'  nest,  and 
there  fashioned  their  own  snug  little  nest. 

The  four  little  boys  living  in  the  country  home  enjoyed  to  the  utmost 
watching  the  busy  little  birds. 

The  nest  hung  within  three  feet  of  the  front  door  of  the  dwelling,  but  the 
frequent  passing  in  and  out  of  the  door  did  not  seem  to  disturb  the  birds  in  the 
least.    Soon  seven  eggs  were  in  the  nest. 

How  impatient  the  four  boys  became,  waiting  for  the  baby  birds  to  break 
the  shell!  At  last  the  day  came  when  the  cry  of  seven  little  hungry  Wrens 
was  heard. 

Then  the  old  birds  were  very  busy  feeding  the  little  Wrens  until  they  were 
strong  enough  to  fly  away  from  their  "nest  in  a  nest." — Hilda  Thoma,  Tul- 
lahoma,  Tenn. 

[An  unusual  observation,  showing  the  adaptability  of  birds  in  the  selection  of  nesting- 
sites.  Since  Wrens  raise  two  and  three  broods  in  a  season,  it  would  be  interesting  to 
know  whether  the  hornet's  nest  sheltered  more  than  one  brood. — A.  H.  W.l 


212  Bird  -  Lore 

THE    BLUEBIRD 

I  saw  a  Bluebird  near  the  sandheap  in  the  apple  tree.  He  had  his  nest  in 
our  apple  tree.  He  had  a  blue  back.  He  had  a  blue  side.  He  eats  seeds.  We 
throw  crumbs  of  bread  out  to  the  birds.  I  always  watch  for  the  birds.  I  watch 
for  the  Bluebirds  in  the  spring.  The  Bluebird  has  a  red-brown  breast. — 
Angie  Abel  (Grade  11,  age  8). 

[The  habit  of  watching  for  the  birds  in  the  spring  and  for  the  blossoming  of  plants 
and  hatching  of  insects  is  a  fine  habit  to  form.  "Study  Nature,  not  books,"  was  the 
favorite  advice  of  one  great  teacher  of  Nature. — A.  H.  W.j 

THE    BOBOLINK 

I  am  a  member  of  the  Junior  Branch  of  the  Audubon  Society  of  Connecti- 
cut.   I  live  in  Redding. 

The  Orchard  Oriole  is  commonly  called  the  Bobolink  throughout  the  coun- 
tries it  inhabits.  Its  plumage  varies  with  age  and  sex.  It  is  often  confounded 
with  other  species.  Its  nest  is  a  wonderful  structure,  woven  strongly  of  grasses 
into  a  purse-like  shape,  and  it  looks  as  though  it  was  spun  on  a  loom. 

This  bird  is  the  true  friend  of  the  farmer,  for  it  destroys  the  destructive 
bugs  which  infest  the  fruit  trees. 

Since  I  have  joined  the  bird  club  I  have  tried  to  find  out  the  habits  of  birds, 
and  have  fed  them  until  they  have  become  tame  and  come  every  morning  for 
food. — John  Carroll,  (aged  12).  Redding,  Conn. 

THE    CHICKADEE 

I  am  a  member  of  the  Junior  Audubon  Society  of  the  Connecticut  branch. 
I  have  chosen  the  Chickadee  to  WTite  about. 

The  Chickadee's  song  is  heard  in  the  woodland  fields.  The  Chickadee  starts 
with  a  human  voice  and  calls  its  own  name,  "Chickadee,"  Chick-a-dee-dee-dee- 
dee,  then  starts  all  over  again. 

The  Chickadee  is  fond  of  meat  scraps  that  some  kind  boy  or  girl  has  tied 
to  a  limb  of  a  tree  where  they  have  seen  the  Chickadee  perch. 

One  day  in  February,  when  the  ground  was  covered  with  snow,  I  took  some 
scraps  of  meat  and  tied  them  to  a  cherry  tree.  One  day  afterward  I  saw  a 
Chickadee  on  the  under  side  of  the  meat.  It  got  a  good  mouthful  and  flew 
away.  It  became  so  tame  that  it  flew  in  the  woodhouse  door  and  flew  against 
the  window,  but  I  caught  it  and  set  it  free.  I  joined  the  Bird  Society  when  I 
was  twelve  years  of  age. — R.  Ryder  (aged  12),  Redding,  Conn. 

[These  two  entertaining  letters  show  the  value  of  our  Junior  Audubon  organization. 
It  might  be  well  to  notice  that  the  Orchard  Oriole  and  Bobolink  are  two  quite  differ- 
ent species.  Although  both  are  fine  songsters,  and  the  male  and  female  of  each  are 
unlike  in  coloration,  the  nesting-  and  feeding-  habits  and  flight  of  the  two  are  entirely 
distinct.— A.  H.  W.l 


The  Audubon   Societies  213 

HOW    TO    STUDY    BIRDS 

When  you  see  a  bird,  watch  what  he  is  doing,  and  his  particular  markings. 
Get  as  close  as  you  can,  to  be  sure  how  large  he  is;  notice  what  he  is  eating. 

I  have  a  bird-house.  It  has  five  rooms.  When  you  make  a  bird-house,  you 
must  have  plenty  of  air  in  it  for  the  mother  bird.  When  you  want  a  House 
Wren  to  build,  he  must  have  a  little  hole  to  fit  him  about  an  inch  high.  He 
can  drive  the  Sparrow  and  the  Bluebird  away.  He  is  a  saucy  little  fellow. 
He  is  quick  and  sly.  One  year  we  put  a  box  in  a  tree.  The  Bluebird  built  his 
nest  in  it  first.  The  eggs  were  about  to  hatch.  Then  the  Wren  came  and  took 
possession  of  the  house.  Then  the  Bluebird  went  away.  The  Wren  went 
and  brought  his  wife.  They  threw  the  eggs  and  hay  out  of  the  box.  They 
put  in  new.  Then  more  eggs  were  laid.  The  young  hatched.  They  were 
fed  spider's  eggs.  When  they  were  quite  large  they  came  up  to  the  hole  to 
get  their  meals.  We  put  another  box  up.  The  father  bird  built  another 
nest  in  it.  Then  the  mother  bird  laid  eight  white  eggs.  The  family  of  birds 
came  out  and  went  off  to  the  woods,  then  came  back.  In  a  few  weeks  the  birds 
hatched.  I  could  not  go  to  school  without  seeing  birds. — D.wid  Prudden 
(Grade  V,  age  12). 

[The  closing  sentence  of  this  letter  has  a  message  for  everyone.  When  one  is  wide- 
awake to  the  outside  world,  the  trees  and  shrubs  and  roadsides  are  alive  with  birds  and 
life  of  all  kinds,  and  going  to  school  becomes  a  journey  of  discoverj'  instead  of  a 
tiresome  compulsory  walk. — A.  H.  W.] 


THE   FLYCATCHER    CLASS 

The  Flycatcher  bird  is  a  lively  bird,  On  seeing  one,  he's  off  like  a  flash, 
And  a  way  of  his  own  hath  he,  For  a  capture  quick,  and  then, 

To  perch  perchance  on  a  weed  or  a  post  With  easy,  dancing  flight,  returns 
Or  the  outer  branch  of  a  tree.  To  his  chosen  perch  again. 

There,  turning  his  head  from  side  to  side,       Oh,  the  Flycatcher  birds  are  lively  birds, 
He  looks  with  an  eager  eye,  And  sportsmen  every  one, 

Above,  below,  and  all  around,  They  always  take  their  game  on  the  wing, 

For  insects  as  they  fly.  Without  the  noise  of  a  gun. 

—  By  permission  of  Dr.  Garrett  Newkirk. 


THE   ROSEATE   SPOONBILL 

By  FRANK  M.  CHAPMAN 


^t)e  il^ational  SLfi^ocimion  of  Audubon  &ocutU0 

EDUCATIONAL   LEAFLET    No.  74 


In  1858,  when  Dr.  Henry  Bryant  visited  Pelican  Island,  on  Indian  River, 
he  found  not  only  Brown  Pelicans,  but  also  Roseate  Spoonbills  nesting  there. 
But  even  at  that  early  date  these  beautiful  and  interesting  birds  were  prey 
for  the  plumer,  some  of  whom.  Dr.  Bryant  writes,  were  killing  as  many  as 
60  Spoonbills  a  day,  and  sending  their  wings  to  St.  Augustine  to  be  sold  as 
fans! 

From  that  time  almost  to  this,  'Pink  Curlews,'  as  the  Floridan  calls  them, 
have  been  a  mark  for  every  man  with  a  gun.  Only  a  remnant  was  left  when 
the  National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies  protested  against  the  further 
wanton  destruction  of  bird-life,  and  through  its  wardens  and  by  the  estab- 
lishment of  reservations,  attempted  to  do  for  Florida  what  the  state  had  not 
enough  foresight  to  do  for  itself. 

In  consequence,  the  Spoonbill  and  other  birds,  have  been  saved,  to  delight 
future  generations  of  nature  lovers.  Warden  Kroegel,  of  Pelican  Island,  tells 
me  that,  in  June,  19 13,  he  saw  a  flock  of  60  on  the  Mosquito  Inlet  Reser- 
vation, and  the  day  I  pen  these  lines  word  comes  from  President  Blackman 
of  the  Florida  Audubon  Society,  that  he  had  seen  50  Spoonbills  on  Bird  Island, 
on  the  Gulf  coast.  So  let  us  hope  that  what  I  have  to  write  here  relates  not 
to  a  species  approaching  extinction,  but  to  one  which,  under  proper  guardian- 
ship, is  increasing  and  will  continue  to  increase. 

The  Roseate  Spoonbill  belongs  to  one  of  those  families  of  birds  which,  like 
Ibises,  Parrots,  Trogons,  and  many  others,  are  distributed  throughout  the 
warmer  parts  of  the  earth.  Thus  there  are  European,  African,  Asian,  and 
Australian  Spoonbills,  none  pink  like  ours,  but  all  with  the  singularly  shaped 
bill  which  gives  them  their  common  name.  There  are  only  six  members  in 
this  small  family;  and  how  they  should  have  become  so  widely  separated  is 
a  question  no  one  has  answered  satisfactorily.  It  is,  however,  known  that, 
at  one  time  in  the  earth's  history,  what  are  now  Arctic  regions  were  very 
much  warmer,  and  it  is  not  improbable  that  at  this  period  Spoonbills  may  have 
lived  on  the  border  of  the  Arctic  Sea.  When  the  climate  changed  and  the  ice 
of  the  Glacial  Periods  formed.  Spoonbills,  with  other  birds,  were  forced 
southward,  and  hence,  although  we  find  them  today  at  far  distant  parts  of 
the  globe,  they  at  one  time  may  have  lived  much  nearer  together. 

Of  the  six  known  species  America  received  but  one,  the  Roseate  Spoonbill, 
whose  peculiar  scientific  title  of  Ajaia  ajaja  is  based  on  the  name  given  it 
by  certain  South  American  Indians.    When  naturalists  first  knew  this  bird 

(214) 


ROSEATE  SPOONBILL 
Order — Herodionea  Family — Plataleidae 

Genus — Ajaia  Species — Ajaja 


The   Roseate  Spoonbill  215 

it  was  found  throughout  tropical  America  north  to  our  Gulf  States  from 
Texas  to  Florida.  In  the  United  States,  it  is  now  confined  largely  to  south 
Florida,  where,  as  I  have  already  said,  it  was  fast  approaching  extinction 
when  the  Audubon  Societies  came  to  its  rescue. 

Although  I  first  went  to  Florida  in  1887,  it  was  not  until  1908  that  I  saw 
Spoonbills  there.  Doubtless  always  more  common  on  the  coast  than  in  the 
interior,  the  few  survivors  were  to  be  found  only  in  the  most  remote  part  of 
the  great  mangrove  swamps  south  of  the  Everglades.  On  the  evening  of 
March  29,  1908,  after  traveling  all  day  through  mud  and  mangroves,  we 
reached  Cuthbert  Rookery,  near  the  extreme  southern  part  of  the  peninsula, 
and  found,  to  our  intense  satisfaction,  that  among  the  thousands  of  Herons 
nesting  on  it  there  were  about  40  Spoonbills. 

The  beautiful  peach-bloom-like  pink  of  the  Spoonbills  was  noticeable  at 
a  great  distance.  In  manner  of  flight  they  resemble  Ibises  rather  than  Herons, 
the  neck  being  fully  extended.  The  flock  formation  is  also  like  that  at  times 
assumed  by  the  Ibis,  each  bird  flying  behind,  but  a  little  to  one  side,  of  the 
bird  before  it,  a  number,  therefore,  making  a  diagonal  file.  Spoonbills,  how- 
ever, so  far  as  I  have  observed,  maintain  a  steady  flapping  of  the  wings, 
uninterrupted  by  short  sails,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Ibis. 

The  Spoonbill's  peculiarly  shaped  bill  is  adapted  to  an  equally  peculiar 
method  of  procuring  food.  I  have  never  seen  one  of  these  birds  in  nature 
feeding  nearby,  but  Audubon  tells  us  that  they  "wade  up  to  the  tibia,  and 
immerse  their  bills  in  the  water  or  soft  mud,  sometimes  with  the  head  and 

even  whole  neck  beneath  the  surface They  move  their  partially 

opened  mandibles  laterally  to  and  fro  with  considerable  degree  of  elegance, 
munching  the  fry,  insects  or  small  fish  which  they  secure,  before  swallowing 
them." 

Audubon  says  nothing  of  the  voice  of  the  Spoonbill.  At  Cuthbert  Rookery 
I  heard  no  notes  I  could  identify  as  theirs,  but  two  years  later,  in  Mexico, 
I  heard  them  utter  a  low,  croaking  call  at  their  nests. 

Fear  in  animals  is  so  often  born  of  pursuit  by  man  that  it  is  often  difiicult 
to  say  whether  birds  which  have  been  much  hunted  are  shy  instinctively  or 
intelligently.  Wild  Ducks,  we  know,  are  as  wary  as  birds  can  well  be  where 
they  are  shot,  but  surprisingly  tame  where  they  are  protected  and  fed. 

I  have  seen  White  Egrets  roost  nightly  near  a  hacienda  in  Cuba  where 
they  had  learned  they  were  safe,  but  those  in  Cuthbert  Rookery  were  startled 
into  sudden  flight  by  the  report  of  a  gun  fired  at  a  distance  of  a  mile  and 
a  half. 

If,  therefore.  Spoonbills  could  be  made  to  realize  that  man  was  their 
friend  rather  than  their  enemy,  they,  too,  might  learn  to  trust  him.  But, 
unfortunately,  their  experience  with  the  human  race  has  developed  anything 
but  love  of  it. 

Although  the  Spoonbills  in  Cuthbert  Rookery  had  nests  with  eggs,  they 


2i6  Bird  -  Lore 

deserted  them  as  soon  as  we  entered  the  rookery.  An  umbrella  blind  was 
placed  in  one  of  the  larger  mangrove  bushes,  but  after  hours  of  waiting,  no 
Spoonbills  were  seen.  At  sunset  the  birds  of  various  species  began  to  return 
to  the  rookery  for  the  night.  Flock  after  flock  of  White  Ibises,  with  bright 
red  feet  and  faces,  came  to  roost  in  favorite  trees.  With  much  talking  Louis- 
iana Herons  greeted  birds  that  had  evidently  been  absent  during  the  day. 
Turkey  Vultures  silently  sailed  in  to  perch  in  rows  on  the  branches  of  a  dead 
tree,  and,  suddenly,  six  Spoonbills,  with  a  resonant  woof-woof-woof  of  beating 
wings,  lit  in  my  foreground.  One  of  them  was  within  fifteen  feet  of  me.  As 
it  grew  darker  the  birds  became  more  numerous,  pouring  into  the  rookery 
from  every  side,  and  as  they  settled  for  the  night  and  disputed  the  possession 
of  some  perch  with  their  neighbors,  there  arose  a  veritable  babel  of  voices. 

Their  keen  sight  dimmed  by  the  gloom,  the  birds  were  now  less  shy.  A 
Louisiana  Heron  sought  what  was  doubtless  his  regularly  frequented  perch 
within  reach  of  my  foot,  others  took  adjoining  limbs,  and,  as  the  crowning 
event  of  the  afternoon,  a  Spoonbill  and  two  Snowy  Egrets  roosted  in  the 
same  tree  with  me. 

There  were  about  a  dozen  Spoonbills'  nests  in  this  rookery,  four  or  five 
of  which  held  fresh  eggs.  In  one  there  were  four,  in  the  others,  three  eggs. 
The  nests  were  in  the  mangroves  often  near  one  another,  and  at  an  average 
height  of  ten  to  twelve  feet.  They  were  made  of  larger  sticks  than  those 
used  by  the  American  Egrets  which  were  nesting  near  them.  As  a  rule  the 
sticks  were  rather  loosely  put  together  and  the  nests  were  far  from  care- 
fully made. 

Spoonbills'  eggs,  like  their  habits  and  structure,  indicate  that  they  are 
more  nearly  related  to  the  Ibises  than  to  the  Herons.  Instead  of  being  blue 
like  those  of  Herons,  they  are  white  or  pale  greenish  blue,  more  or  less  heavily 
blotched  with  brown  at  the  larger  end,  and  with  spots  or  specks  scattered 
over  the  remaining  surface.  Thus,  they  resemble  the  eggs  of  the  White  Ibis. 
They  measure  about  two  and  a  half  inches  in  length  and  one  and  three-quarters 
in  breadth. 

The  eggs  we  found  in  Cuthbert  Rookery  on  March  29  were  freshly  laid, 
but  we  had  reason  to  believe  that  the  birds  had  been  robbed  and  that  this 
was  a  second  laying.  Audubon  says  that  the  eggs  are  laid  about  the  middle 
of  April,  but  there  are  specimens  in  the  United  States  National  Museum 
which  were  secured  on  Marquesas  Key,  Florida,  January  11,  1883.  Un- 
questionably, therefore,  the  birds  begin  to  nest  as  early  as  January.  Later 
dates  may  be,  as  with  the  Cuthbert  Rookery  birds,  second  layings,  or  due 
to  the  variation  in  nesting-time  which  sometimes  occurs  among  birds  breeding 
in  warmer  climates,  where  the  necessity  for  regularity  is  not  so  urgent  as  it 
is  further  north  where  the  warm  season  is  shorter. 

On  April  17,  1910,  I  found  a  colony  of  about  200  pairs  of  Roseate  Spoon- 
bills on  Pajaro  Island,  in  Tamiahua  Lagoon,  on  the  Gulf  Coast  of  Mexico, 


The   Roseate  Spoonbill  217 

south  of  Tampico.  Most  of  the  nests  contained  well-grown  young  at  least  a 
month  old,  and  probably  older.  Allowing  a  month  for  hatching,  and  it  is 
evident  that  these  birds  begin  to  lay  about  the  middle  of  February. 

Shortly  after  birth,  Spoonbills  are  covered  with  a  snowy  white  down, 
through  which  one  can  see  enough  of  their  pink  skin  to  give  them  a  pinkish 
appearance.  The  feathers,  however,  are  not  colored.  While  they  are  in  the 
nest,  this  plumage,  'natal  down'  as  it  is  called,  is  followed  by  what  is  known 
as  the  'Juvenal  plumage'  in  which  they  leave  the  nest. 

In  general  appearance  they  now  strongly  resemble  their  parents;  but 
the  head  and  throat  are  thinly  covered  with  white  feathers,  and  the  rusty 
marks  at  the  sides  of  the  breast  and  end  of  the  tail  of  the  adult  are  replaced 
by  pink. 

In  the  Mexican  colony,  four  was  the  usual  number  of  young.  They  were 
well-behaved  youngsters  and,  in  the  absence  of  their  parents,  rested  peace- 
fully in  their  homes,  or  occasionally  ventured  on  thrilling  excursions  of  a 
few  feet  to  the  adjoining  limbs. 

But,  when  their  parents  returned,  they  were  all  attention  and  on  the 
alert  for  food.  At  such  times  they  usually  stood  in  a  row  on  the  edge  of  the 
nest  facing  the  old  birds,  and  in  a  most  comical  manner  swung  the  head  and 
neck  up  and  down.  I  have  seen  balanced  mechanical  toys  which  would  make 
almost  exactly  the  same  motion.  The  toys,  however,  were  silent,  while  the 
little  Spoonbills  all  joined  in  a  chorus  of  tremulous,  trilling  whistles,  which 
grew  louder  and  more  rapid  as  the  parent  approached. 

What  their  parents  brought  them  I  could  not  see,  nor,  for  that  matter, 
could  they.  But,  with  a  confidence  born  of  experience,  the  bird  that  had  the 
first  opportunity  pushed  its  bill  and  head  far  down  its  parent's  bill  to  get 
whatever  was  there.  This  singular  operation  sometimes  lasted  as  long  as 
ten  seconds,  and  it  was  terminated  only  by  the  parent  which,  much  against 
the  will  of  its  offspring,  disengaged  itself;  then,  after  a  short  rest,  a  second 
youngster  was  fed,  and  thus  in  due  time  the  whole  family  was  satisfied. 

The  young  now  sank  contentedly  back  in  the  nest,  and  the  old  ones  stood 
quietly  by,  or  went  back  to  the  shores  and  marshes  for  further  supplies. 


EXECUTIVE   DEPARTMENT 

Edited  by  T.  GILBERT  PEARSON,  Secretary 

Address  all  correspondence,  and  send  all  remittances  for  dues  and  contributions,  to 
the    National   Association   of   Audubon    Societies,    1974    Broadway,    New    York    City. 

William  Dutcher,  President 
Frederick  A.  Lucas,  Acting  President  T.  Gilbert  Pearson,  Secretary 

Theodore  S.  Palmer,  First  Vice-President      Jonathan  Dwight,  Jr.,  Treasurer 
Samuel  T.  Carter,  Jr.,  Attorney 

Any  person,  club,  school  or  company  in  sympathy  with  the  objects  of  this  Association  may  become 
a  member,  and  all  are  welcome. 

Classes  of  Membership  in  the  National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies  for  the  Protection  of  Wild 
Birds  and  Animals: 

$5.00  annually  pays  for  a  Sustaining  Membership 
$100.00  paid  at  one  time  constitutes  a  Life  Membership 
$1,000.00  constitutes  a  person  a  Patron 
$5,000.00  constitutes  a  person  a  Founder 
$25,000.00  constitutes  a  person  a  Benefactor 


GLORIOUS    RESULTS    FROM    THE   JUNIOR    CAMPAIGN 


A  Junior  Architect,  of  Plain- 
field,  New  Jersey 


lEYOND  doubt, 
nothing  is  so 
great  a  problem, 
or  one  wliose 
solution  is  so  im- 
portant to  the 
future  prosperity 
and  peace  of  the 
country,  as  the 
rescue  of  the 
children  of  the 
land  from  evil 
influences,  and 
the  diversion  of 
their  r es 1 1  ess 
activity  and  curiosity  into  safe  and  bene- 
ficent channels.  To  do  this  their  interest 
must  be  excited  in  something  which  will 
appeal  to  their  minds  as  amusing,  and  at 
the  same  time  really  worth  while. 

The  pursuit  of  the  study  of  natural 
history  offers  just  these  attractions,  and 
to  a  large  extent  appeals  to  girls  as  well  as 
to  boys.  No  better  place  to  begin  this 
study  exists  than  in  watching  the  activities 
of  birds,  which  invite  the  interest  of  all 
children  by  their  pretty  ways,  sweet 
voices,  and  domestic  habits.  In  respect 
to  no  other  class  of  animals  is  sentiment 
so  mingled  with  science  as  here;  and,  when 
one  needs  to  cultivate  in  a  young  mind  a 
sense   of   the   duty   of   consideration    for 

(2 


animals,  the  bird  offers  the  best  possible 
point  of  beginning. 

These  thoughts  would  rise  first  to  the 
mind  of  the  moralist  and  social  economist 
as  he  looked  at  the  astounding  success 
of  the  Junior  Audubon  movement  dis- 
played by  the  statistics  published  in  these 
pages,^and  mayhap  that  is  really  the 
important  thing  that  has  been  accom- 
plished. It  may  be  that  these  tens  of 
thousands  of  children,  poring  over  their 
leaflets,  memorizing  the  various  birds 
pictured  while  happily  reproducing  their 
portraits  with  their  crayons,  and  exer- 
cising their  ingenuity  in  pleasant  rivalry 
as  they  contrive  their  bird-lodges  and  set 
them  in  cautiously  chosen  places,  are 
acquiring,  quite  unknowingly,  powers 
and  qualities  that  will  be  of  far  greater 
value  to  them  in  the  future  than  will  their 
store  of  ornithology. 

But  for  us  in  the  National  Association 
such  training  is  a  by-product,  very  wel- 
come, but  not  the  main  subject  for  con- 
gratulation. Our  wonder  and  joy  are 
excited  by  the  fact  that  all  over  our  broad 
land  groups  of  children  have  had  their 
point  of  view  completely  changed  in 
respect  to  the  world  of  life.  A  bird,  or  a 
squirrel,  or  a  butterfly,  is  no  longer  to 
their  eyes  merely  a  thing  which  arouses 
the  barbaric  instinct  of  capture,  but  a 

18) 


The  Audubon   Societies 


219 


being  with  distinct  and  interesting  char- 
acteristics, qualities,  and  relations  to  us 
and  the  rest  of  the  world — an  object 
from  which  something  may  be  learned, 
and  which  must  not  be  wantonly  sacri- 
ficed. With  the  growth  of  interest,  there 
naturally  arises  a  sense  of  care;  and  bird- 
lov^ers  are  inevitably  bird-protectors. 

That  this  is  the  real  significance  of 
'bird-study'  in  the  schools,  is  plain  from 
the  letters  printed  elsewhere  in  this  num- 
ber. None  of  these  letters  was  written 
for  publication,  but  each  gives  the  simple 
annals  of  a  little  club  here  and  there,  many 
of  whose 
bright  faces 
smile     at 


pared  material  at  half,  or  less  than  half, 
the  actual  cost  of  printing  and  handling. 
By  the  end  of  the  school-year,  in  191 1, 
533  Junior  Classes  had  been  formed, 
with  a  total  paid  membership  of  10,595. 
Mrs.  Sage  has  continued  to  contribute 
each  year  a  sum  equal  to  her  first  gift, 
and  the  work  has  gone  steadily  forward. 
In  191 2,  10,004  children  were  enrolled; 
in  1913,  12,815;  and  within  the  present 
year,  up  to  May  i,  the  number  of  Junior 
members  who  have  received  systematic 
instruction  in  bird-study  Is  17,947. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  National 
Association  in  October,   191 1,  one  of  the 
members  who  was  present  and  heard  of 
this    work    became    impressed    with    the 
desirability  of  ex- 
tending    similar 
benefits      to      the 
children      of      the 
Northern      and 
Western    States. 


from  ^these  pages, 
and  each  shows  that 
the  work  that  little 
club  is  doing  is  a 
very  important  if 
not  a  conspicuous  element  in  the  educa- 
tion of  every  member. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  bird-study  is  every 
day  coming  to  be  a  more  pronounced 
factor  in  the  instruction  given  to  children 
in  the  public  and  private  schools  of  this 
country. 

The  plan  of  supplying  pupils  with  two 
Educational  Leaflets,  colored  plates,  and 
outline  drawings  of  birds,  and  an  Audu- 
bon button,  all  for  ten  cents,  was  first 
offered  to  children  in  the  Southern  States 
in  the  autumn  of  1910,  when  Mrs.  Russell 
Sage  gave  the  Association  $5,000  for 
educational  work  in  bird-study  in  that 
region.  Mrs.  Sage  was  particularly  inter- 
ested in  the  protection  of  the  Robin;  and 
the  Association  felt  that  in  no  better  way 
could  a  part  of  the  fund  be  expended  than 
in  instructing  the  children  of  the  South 
on  the  beauty  of  bird-study  and  the  value 
of  bird-protection.  Hence,  it  was  arranged 
to  give   the  children  this   carefully  pre- 


BIRD-HOUSE 


He     therefort  -  -.^ 

proceeded     t  i  -* 

arrange    for  a  ^"^^  -^ 

fund  of  $5,000, 

to  pay  the  expense  of  the  proposed  experi- 
ment. The  office-force  of  the  Association 
was  at  once  increased,  and  the  plan  pre- 
sented to  northern  and  western  teachers. 
The  results  were  even  better  than  in  the 
South,  for,  when  the  schools  closed  in  June, 
191 2,  it  was  found  that  19,365  Juniors  had 
been  enrolled.  For  the  work  the  next 
year  this  good  patron  of  the  children 
increased  his  gift  to  $7,000,  and  40,342 
Juniors  were  added  to  the  ranks.  During 
the  past  year  this  same  interested  friend 
has  provided  $12,000  for  this  work,  and 
the  total  number  of  Juniors  enrolled  this 
year,  up  to  May  i,  is  79,823. 

Statistics  of  Junior  Classes  and  their 
members,  from  June  15,  1913,  to  May  i, 
1914,  arranged  by  states.  North  and 
South,  follows  on  page  221. 


The  Audubon   Societies 


221 


Southern  States  (Mrs.  Russell 
Sage  Fund) 

Summary  ending  May  i,  1914.  1913- 

States                   Classes  Members  Members 

Alabama 29  461  203 

Arkansas 8  113  99 

District    of    Co- 
lumbia        5  91 

Florida 162  3,426  2,202 

Georgia 66  1,151  763 

Kentucky 66  1,414  1,081 

Louisiana 24  424  124 

Maryland 113  2,270  344 

Mississippi 37  646  269 

North  Carolina..   54  889  607 

Panama i  31  92 

South  Carolina..   33  431  168 

Tennessee 77  1,501  2,027 

Texas 46  872  646 

Virginia 155  2,252  1,647 

West  Virginia. .  .    97  1,975  1,338 

Totals 973  17,947  11,610 

Northern  States  (Children's 
Educational  Fund) 

Summary  ending  May  i,  1914.  1913- 

States                  Classes  Members  Members 

Arizona i  16 

California 45  915  136 

Canada 154  2,586  249 

Colorado 25  418  245 

Connecticut....    83  1,666  606 

Idaho 10  160  28 

Delaware 6  64 


Carried  forw'd.  324 


5,825 


1,264 


States                  Classes  Members      Members 

Brought  forw'd  324  5,825  1,264 

Illinois 358  6,274  2,524 

Indiana no  i,934  2,649 

Iowa 155  2,755  905 

Kansas 26  406  143 

Maine 51  834  225 

Massachusetts.  268  6,508  2,668 

Michigan 499  8,852  2,881 

Minnesota 194  3,434  1,856 

Missouri 74  1,290  782 

Montana 46  689  20 

Nebraska 30  346  237 

Nevada 27  435  132 

New  Hampshire  32  544  518 

New  Jersey. ..  .406  8,566  7,695 

New  Mexico...    21  361  136 

New  York 721  12,901  957 

North  Dakota..   24  514  277 

Ohio 291  5,923  4,634 

Oklahoma 38  573 

Oregon 41  717  77 

Pennsylvania.  .302  5,774  1,666 

Rhode  Island. .    36  595  1,73° 

South  Dakota..    59  813  91 

Utah 6  129  20 

Vermont 33  636  158 

Washington....  56  835  207 

Wisconsin loi  1,019  2,172 

Wyoming 19  341  91 

Totals 4,348  79-823  36,715 

The  grand  totals  for  the  whole  coun- 
try are:  5,311  classes,  with  97,770  members 
on  ]May  i,  1914,  as  compared  with  48,325 

members  enrolled   up  to   May   i,   1913 — 
one  year  ago. 


REACTION    IN    CALIFORNIA 


A  concerted  and  strenuous  effort  is 
being  made  by  the  market-hunters  and 
game-dealers  of  California  to  invoke  the 
initiative  at  the  election  next  November, 
for  the  purpose  of  changing  the  existing 
game-law  so  as  to  permit  marketing  of 
game  under  "restrictions"  which  look 
beautiful  on  paper  but  will  stand  little 
in  the  way  of  the  greed  of  gunners  and 
dealers.  They  are  using  every  means 
ingenuity  suggests  to  gain  votes  for  the 
change,  shouting  the  old  argument  that 
the  game  belongs  to  the  people,  and  that 
preservation,  and  the  restrictions  of  the 
present  excellent  law,  are  made  wholly  in 
favor  of  rich  men  and  "swell  sportsmen." 
The  fallacy  in  the  logic  of  this  argument 
is  completely  ignored;  as  is  the  lesson 
of     experience,     everywhere,     that     "the 


people"  will  not  take  care  of  the  game  that 
is  alleged  to  be  theirs,  but  will  let  it  be 
wasted  by  the  few  whose  interest  it  is  to 
destroy  it  as  fast  as  possible,  regardless 
of  what  may  come  after  their  time. 

Against  this  onslaught  upon  law  and 
order  in  game-protective  matters  the 
California  Fish,  Game,  and  Forest  Pro- 
tective League  is  making  a  sturdy  fight. 
It  has  something  worth  fighting  for. 
"The  sale  of  game  in  this  State  during 
the  Exposition  year,"  it  is  declared  by 
Harry  Harper,  the  spokesman  of  the 
League,  "will  put  five  thousand  market- 
hunters  in  the  field,  and  will  .  .  .  place 
a  bounty  upon  virtually  every  living  game- 
object  that  swims,  walks  or  flies." 

The  National  Association  trusts  local 
resistance  will  succeed. 


The  Audubon   Societies 


223 


THE  JUNIOR  COMPETITION 
A\VARD  OF  PRIZES  TO  SUCCESSFUL  CLUBS 


Early  in  the  spring,  the  Secretary  of 
the  National  Association  sent  out  to  all 
teachers  and  leaders  of  Junior  Audubon 
Classes  the  circular  letter  quoted  below: 

"Will  you  not  send  us  a  brief,  concise 
letter  of  just  what  you  have  been  able  to 
do,  and  what  you  think  of  this  plan  of 
work?  The  result  of  your  efforts  will  be 
interesting  to  other  people,  and  will 
probably  encourage  our  friends  to  con- 
tinue to  make  contributions  for  this 
special  work  in  future.  Can  you  send 
me  a  photograph  of  your  class?  You 
might  arrange  the  children  to  show  them 
tying  suet  and  crumbs  to  limbs,  or  scat- 
tering seed  on  the  ground  for  the  birds. 
If  any  of  the  children  are  making  bird- 
boxes,  let  them  hold  these  up  on  the  pic- 
ture. 

"For  the  teacher  sending  in  the  most 
interesting  photograph  of  her  class,  and 
a  brief  account  of  the  work  done,  we  will 
give  a  prize  of  $10.  The  two  next  best 
will  each  receive  Chapman's  'Handbook 
of  Birds  of  Eastern  North  America,' 
and  to  each  of  the  seven  next  best,  we 
will  give  a  copy  of  'Reed's  Guide'." 

The  result  of  this  appeal  was  the 
receipt  of  a  large  quantity  of  photographs 
and  many  letters  detailing  methods  and 
accomplishments,  from  which  a  selection 
of  winners  has  been  made,  as  follows: 

List  of  Prize-Winners 

First  Prize. — Albany  Junior  Audubon 
Class,  Albany,  Indiana.  Miss  Edna 
Stafford,  Teacher. 

Second  Prize. — Sutton  Junior  Audubon 
Class,  Sutton,  West  Virginia.  Miss  Ida 
S.  Gieven,  Teacher. 

Third  Prize. — Stevenson  School  Junior 
Audubon  Class,  New  York  City.  Miss 
Ida  Ullrich,  Teacher. 

Fourth  Prize. — Wm.  McGuffey  Audubon 
Class,  Oxford,  Ohio.  Miss  Anna  E. 
Wilson,  Teacher. 

Fifth  Prize. — Ashland  Junior  Audubon 
Class,  Ashland,  Ohio.  Ralph  D.  Rich- 
ards, Teacher. 

Sixth  Prize. — Albuquerque  Junior  Audu- 
bon Class,  Albuquerque,  New  Mexico. 
Miss  E.  Mrytle  Plant,  Teacher. 


Seventh  Prize. — Mississippi  Agricultural 
Model  School  Junior  Audubon  Class. 
Miss  Ada  Joyce  Foster,  Teacher. 

Eighth  Prize. —  Fourth -Grade  Junior 
Audubon  Class,  Manchester-by-the- 
Sea,  Massachusetts.  Miss  Eliza  G. 
Goldsmith,  Teacher. 

Ninth  Prize. — Second-Grade  Junior  Audu- 
bon Class,  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa.  Miss 
Marie  Kugler,  Teacher. 
Tenth  Prize. — Fifth-Grade  Junior  Audu- 
bon Class,  Chagrin  Falls,  Ohio. 
The  photographs  awarded  the  first  and 
the  second  prizes,  and  some  of  the  others 
in  the  list,  will  be  found  reproduced  in  the 
present  number.  The  others  have  been 
reserved  for  future  publication.  Of  the 
essays  sent  in,  several  will  be  found 
printed  in  this  number,  in  whole  or  in 
part,  and  will  furnish  many  helpful  sug- 
gestions to  other  workers  in  this  broad 
and  fertile  field,  whose  cultivation  is  not 
yet  fully  understood.  The  letters  show 
that  thousands  of  bright  little  minds  are 
busy  in  bird-study;  but  they  show  also 
that  bright  minds  among  the  teachers  are 
earnestly  solving  the  problems  that  rise 
in  conducting  these  eager  Juniors. 

The  National  Association  of  Audubon 
Societies  offers  its  sincere  thanks  and 
compliments  to  all  who  have  so  promptly 
responded  to  its  circular  of  invitation. 


LOOKING      UP      A      SUBJECT,   AT      SOUTH 
WINDHAM,  MAINE 


224 


Bird  -  Lore 


THE    "AUDUBON    CORNER"    OF    A    RALEIGH    SCHOOL-ROOM 


LETTERS  FROM  JUNIOR  CLASSES 


From  the  Prize-Winning  Club 

The  first  prize  for  a  class  photograph 
was  awarded  to  the  Junior  Class  of 
Albany,  Indiana,  and  is  reproduced  on 
page  220.  The  leader  of  this  fine  class  is 
Miss  Edna  Stafford,  who  sketches  its 
origin  and  progress  in  the  pleasant  para- 
graphs quoted  below: 

"One  day  last  summer  a  twelve-year- 
old  boy  was  out  on  our  street  with  an 
air-gun,  thoughtlessly  shooting  at  every 
bird  he  could  see.  Recently  the  same  boy 
came  to  me  with  a  bird  which  had  been 
hurt,  and  in  the  most  sympathetic  tones 
said:  'Who  do  you  suppose  could  have 
been  so  cruel  as  to  hurt  this  dear  little 
bird?    What  can  we  do  for  it?' 

"Our  study  of  birds  in  the  Junior 
Audubon  Society  brought  about  this 
change  in  the  boy.  It  has  greatly  inter- 
ested the  boys  and  girls,  especially  in 
respect  to  the  protection  of  the  birds. 
The  boys  are  out  very  early  each  morning, 
watching  and  following  the  birds. 

"We    spend    one    hour    each    week    in 


studying  birds.  Each  one  in  the  class  is 
making  a  bird  note-book.  Our  first  lesson 
was  a  study  on  the  life  of  John  James 
Audubon.  We  next  made  a  list  of  the 
birds  that  remained  with  us  during  the 
winter,  noting  their  food  and  what  we 
could  do  to  help  them.  We  then  studied 
the  usefulness  of  birds,  and  made  a  study 
of  the  ways  by  which  we  might  attract 
the  most  useful  to  our  homes.  Of  course, 
the  building  of  bird-boxes  came  next. 
We  were  getting  ready  to  receive  our 
summer  guests.  It  was  requested  that 
our  bird-boxes  should  be  in  our  picture,  so 
I  spoke  of  it  to  the  class;  but  to  my  sur- 
prise the  boys  refused,  although  they 
had  been  so  proud  of  them.  But  listen  to 
their  reasons.  The  boxes  had  already 
been  put  up,  and  some  said,  'Oh  we  can- 
not take  our  boxes  down,  for  the  birds 
have  begun  to  build  in  them,'  while  others 
said,  'I  am  sure  the  birds  have  our  boxes 
placed,  and  it  would  never  do  to  take 
them   down.' 

"But  they  were  willing  to  build  more. 

"So  in  our  picture  you  see  them  at 
work:  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  they 
are  enjoying  it." 


The  Audubon   Societies 


22: 


The  second  prize  picture  (page  222)  is 
that  of  the  Junior  Audubon  Class  at 
Sutton,  West  Virginia,  Miss  Ida  S. 
Gieven,  teacher.  The  picture  gives  a 
good  illustration  of  the  pride  taken  in 
these  clubs  everywhere  by  their  youth- 
ful  members. 

Suggestions  from  the  South 

Next  comes  an  interesting  letter  from 
the  South,  showing  how  teachers  in 
Raleigh,  North  Carolina,  foster  the 
movement  in  their  schools;  the  writer  is 
Miss  Mary  W.  Quinn,  of  Thompson 
School,  who  has  charge  of  the  fifth-grade 
Juniors  depicted  on  this  page. 

"The  Junior  Audubon  Society  of 
Thompson  School  was  organized  in  the 
fifth  grade  in  January,  1914.  Since  that 
time  we  have  had  meetings  fortnightly, 
studying  the  literature  supplied  by  the 
National  Association.  At  each  meeting 
a  story  or  poem  about  birds  was  used. 

"In  our  spring  drawing-lessons,  and  in 
our    language-work,    we    have    used    the 


Audubon  leaflets  and  colored  plates. 
The  children  found  this  very  interesting, 
and  never  failed  to  write  good  stories. 
It  seemed  to  put  new  life  and  interest 
into  our  work.  We  have  had  a  most 
interesting  visit  to  the  State  Museum  to 
study  the  birds  there,  as  to  form,  color, 
etc.;  and  on  pleasant  days  we  have  made 
some  delightful  trips  into  the  woods.  One 
boy  has  mounted  some  birds  given  him 
at  the  museum,  and  we  have  added  these 
to  the  Audubon  corner  of  our  school- 
room. Our  collection  includes  birds'  nests 
of  last  3'ear,  cocoons,  bird-maps  and  pic- 
tures. The  boys  at  present  are  building 
houses  for  the  Purple  Martin. 

"During  the  recent  cold  weather,  each 
member  fed  and  cared  for  the  birds  near 
his  home.  Quite  a  number  are  keeping 
bird-diaries.  We  sing  bird-songs  at  our 
opening  exercises.  Some  very  interest- 
ing maps  showing  the  range  of  certain 
species  of  birds  in  the  United  States  have 
been  made. 

"Our  Audubon  Society  has  been  one  of 
the  most  helpful  aids  to  school-work  I 
have  ever  had.  Some  boys  who  were 
reckless  and  cruel  to  birds  have  become 
friends  and  champions  of  them.  As 
future    citizens,    they    will    realize    how 


FIFTH -GR.\DE    JUNIOR    .\UDUBON    SOCIETY,   RALEIGH,   NORTH    CAROLINA 


m&j^ 


ia^ 


CLUB-WORK    AT    ST.  JOSEPH    SCHOOL,  ESCANABA,  MICHIGAN 


A    CLASS    AT    MURTUN    PARK    SCHOOL,   CICERO,   ILLINOIS 
(227) 


228 


Bird  -  Lore 


valuable  birds  are  to  man,  and  will  pro- 
tect and  spare  them." 

Rather  more  formal  than  most,  the 
Junior  Class  at  the  Practice  School  of 
the  Agricultural  College  of  Mississippi 
may  offer  some  suggestions  to  other  clubs. 
It  is  under  the  supervision  of  Miss  Ada 
Joyce  Foster. 

"This  society,"  Miss  Foster  writes, 
"grew  out  of  the  daily  studies  in  nature- 
work,  and  the  children  have  become  very 


and  in  other  good  ways.  The  society, 
as  a  whole,  obligates  itself  to  devote  at 
least  one  day  in  each  month  to  the  study 
of  bird-life,  and  discussions  of  their  own 
observations.  Instead  of  this,  they  have 
given  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  each  day  in 
the  week,  except  Wednesday,  on  which 
day  we  have  an  hour's  lecture  with  the 
picture-slides. 

"Through  the  study  of  birds,  they  have 
learned  much  of  insect-life;  grouping 
insects,  as  they  do  the  birds,  into  'the 
good'   and   'the  bad.'    Prof.   R.   N.   Lob- 


much  interested.  They  have  learned  to 
recognize  our  native  birds  at  sight;  to 
give  the  names,  habits,  and  place  and 
method  of  nesting  of  those  that  frequent 
the  campus  and  the  surrounding  wood- 
land. They  have,  from  observation, 
learned  much  of  the  kinds  of  food  each 
bird  lives  upon,  and  can  tell  the  haunts 
of  each,  and  the  loss  per  capita  in  dollars 
and  cents  through  failure  to  protect  and 
encourage  birds.  Each  member  of  this 
society  pledged  himself  to  do  something 
to  encourage  bird-life  on  the  campus, 
and  upon  their  home  premises.  They 
have  made  good  this  pledge  by  feeding 
the  birds  through  the  winter  months, 
putting  up  bird-houses  near  their  homes. 


dell,  of  Rosedale,  Miss.,  the  director  of 
the  Department  of  Entomology  at  the 
Mississippi  Agricultural  College,  offered 
to  give  the  children  of  this  school  one 
hour,  each  week,  of  illustrated  lecture. 
He  is  one  of  the  few  men  who  can  present 
to  children  dry  facts  in  a  fascinating  way, 
awakening  not  only  interest  but  enthu- 
siasm in  the  smallest  tots.  Consequently 
Wednesday  is  a  day  watched  for  in 
impatience." 

Hints  Helpful  to  Teachers 

The    next    picture    and    letter    disclose 
what    the    Sisters    of    Notre    Dame,    at 


The  Audubon   Societies 


229 


Escanaba,   Michigan,   have   accomplished 
among  their  little  people. 

"Although  our  Junior  Audubon  classes 
have  been  so  recently  organized,  we  have 
nevertheless  accomplished  some  work. 
We  are  sending  you  two  pictures  of  our 
classes,  in  which  several  pupils  are 
represented  with  bird-boxes  of  their  own 
construction  (see  page  227),  others  have 
the  Audubon  bird-pictures,  and  still 
others,    bird-pictures    painted    by    them- 


these  ways  we  advanced  in  bird-lore 
without  omitting  anything  from  the  cur- 
riculum. The  younger  pupils  were  encour- 
aged to  tell  in  class  of  birds  they  had 
seen,  and  some  even  ventured  to  tell 
of  birds  they  had  shot.  Then  came 
the  teachers'  opportunity  for  emphasizing 
the  need  of  kindness  and  protection  for 
the  birds,  and  for  encouraging  pupils  to 
scatter  crumbs  for  them  in  the  cold  win- 
ter days.  Many  of  the  pupils  have  bird- 
boxes  alread}^  placed  in  trees  and  on  poles 


EIGHTH    PRIZE.— FOURTH-GRADE    CLASS,  MANCHESTER-BY-THE-SEA,  MASSACHUSETTS 


selves.  We  have  utilized  the  Educational 
Leaflets  in  the  following  ways:  First  of  all, 
since  all  our  pupils  are  interested  in  water- 
coloring,  we  encourage  them  to  paint  the 
outline-copies,  besides  painting  other  birds 
from  the  charts  shown  in  the  pictures. 
All  pupils,  whether  members  of  the  clubs 
or  not,  have  written  compositions  on 
birds;  those  who  could,  wrote  something 
of  their  own  experience.  The  ninth- 
grade  pupils  were  permitted  to  study  the 
bird-lessons,  and  to  deliver  them  as  oral 
reports  during  the  English  period.  They 
also  used  the  same  material  to  distinguish 
enumerative  from  suggestive  descrip- 
tion, and  for  practice  in  condensing.    In 


near    their   homes,    and    thus    could    not 
bring  them  for  the  picture." 

Very  helpful  to  teachers  who  find  some 
embarrassment  in  learning  the  method 
of  conducting  their  classes  is  the  account, 
by  Miss  Rebecca  L.  Harding,  of  how  the 
meetings  of  a  Junior  Class  in  Springfield, 
Massachusetts,  are  sustained  in  interest. 
This  class  was  organized  in  Grade  VII  of 
the  Central  Street  School,  and  is  wide- 
awake, as  the  photograph  on  page  228 
attests. 

"Games,    such    as    'Bird-Catcher,'    and 


230 


Bird  -  Lore 


■|^Mi|^P^^iflHKr^H 

^^^^^^^^^^HHlEilnEi'  ^  ^^^v^KMJB'^a^ii^^l 

^^^^^^^^^Hjj^Hj^Kf. '^^J^l^l 

^^^^^^^^^HK^^^^^^S^H^H 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^PV^^^^r^'  ^^^KB^^^^^^^^^^^^^b  '  **          -'l^^^^^.    i!i^''''^^flil^E^|^^Bl^^^^^^^^^^^| 

^^^^■H^^^^^^H^^^H||i|^'^^^l 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^r%-f  ;                   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^I^^^^^^P^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^I 

^^^^^^Hk..-.  .^  ....^  .^.^HHHHHHI 

THE    THIRD-GRADE    JUNIOR    AUDUBON    CLASS    AT    RUSTON,  LOUISIANA 


'International  Birds,'  are  frequently 
played  for  a  few  minutes,  that  interest 
may  not  lag.  The  latter  is  a  game  similar 
to  'Authors,'  naming  the  birds  by  using 
the  final  letters  of  each  bird  named  for  the 
initial  letter  of  the  next  to  be  named. 
Poems  about  birds  are  committed  to 
memory;  and  many  of  the  members  have 
written  letters  representing  themselves 
as  birds  who  have  completed  their  migra- 


tion, and  are  sending  messages  from  their 
summer  homes  to  the  friends  who  still 
remain  at  the  winter  resort. 

"The  accompanying  picture  shows  some 
of  the  work  of  the  past  winter.  Two  boys 
are  tying  suet  to  the  tree,  a  third  lad  is 
providing  a  home  for  some  feathered 
songster,  and  others  are  scattering  crumbs, 
or  have  built  houses  which  they  hope  will 
soon    be    rented    at    a    reasonable    price. 


A     LOURING- CLASS    BECOMES    A    JUNIOR    AUDUBON    SOCIETY 


The  Audubon   Societies 


231 


The  boy  with  a  bird-house  in  the  center 
of  the  front  row  is  a  prize-winner;  the  two 
at  his  right  discovered  and  carefully 
guarded  an  Oven-bird's  nest  containing 
four  eggs,  enthusiastically  conducted  their 
teacher  to  the  sacred  spot  and,  later, 
chose  to  escort  the  president  of  our  city 
bird-club  to  see  their  favorite  resort  and 
introduce  him  to  their  adopted  family, 
rather  than  to  attend  an  anticipated 
party  at  which  ice-cream  and  cake  were 
to  be  served." 

The  picture  reproduced  on  page  229  is 
also  a  product  of  New  England  enterprise. 


"This  class,  which  was  organized  last 
February,  and  has  a  membership  of  18, 
meets  twice  a  month.  When  the  roll  is 
called  each  member  answers  with  the 
name  of  a  bird  he  knows  in  plumage  and 
song.  The  president  has  requested  every 
member  to  make  a  written  report  of  some 
bird  observed,  to  be  handed  in  by  May 
and  giving  an  account  of  the  nest,  care 
of  young,  food  and  plumage.  Out  of  the 
material  we  have  received  from  the 
Department  of  Agriculture,  the  birds 
in  our  locality  have  been  selected  first 
from  the  ten;  but  we  intend  to  study 
others   known   to   some   of   the   children. 


YOUNG    BIRD-LOVERS    AT    FISHER.   AMONG    THE    LOUISIANA    PINES 


representing  Miss  Eliza  G.  Goldsmith's 
class,  in  Grade  IV,  of  the  George  A.  Priest 
School  of  Manchester-by-the-Sea.  It  is 
evident  that  these  pupils  are  about  to  spend 
a  few  of  the  most  delightful  moments  of 
the  school-week. 

Experiences  in  the  Gulf  States 

Next  we  spring  a  thousand  miles  down 
the  coast,  and  get  a  report  from  the  High 
School  at  Ruston,  Louisiana,  where  the 
third-grade  group  pictured  have  formed  a 
wide-awake  society  under  the  leadership 
of  Miss  Blanche  Heard,  who  speaks  of  her 
charge  as  f oUows : 


Each  member  selects  a  certain  point  or 
paragraph  from  the  pamphlet,  and  adds 
to  it  any  experience  of  his  or  her  own 
that  he  or  she  thinks  most  interesting. 
Several  pieces  of  poetry  have  been  learned, 
one  about  the  Meadowlark,  and  another 
'The  Bird's  Nest.'  The  field-trips  are 
more  interesting  to  this  class,  although 
they  do  show  a  great  deal  of  enthusiasm 
in  the  reading  and  memorizing  of  the 
poetry  about  the  birds.  But  to  see  the 
birds  and  hear  the  song  is,  to  them,  so 
real.  We  have  in  view  many  more  field- 
trips.  Several  of  the  boys  are  making 
bird-boxes,  but  only  two  have  completed 
theirs.  The  picture  exhibits  what  an 
eight -year -old  boy  and  a  nine-year-old 
boy  can  do  with  rough  materials  and  few 
tools.  It  is  good  for  the  boys  as  well  as 
for  the  birds." 


2^2 


Bird -Lore 


A    FOURTH-GRADE    CLASS    AT    MORRISTOWN,   N.  J. 


The  picture  just  below  the  one  taken 
at  Ruston  represents  a  cooking-class  in 
the  Madison  School  at  Richmond,  Vir- 
ginia, which  has  joined  with  the  Junior 
Audubon  Class  in  scattering  bird-food 
on  the  roof  of  their  school-building. 
Probably  the  birds  will  come  to  the  feast 
after  the  pretty  cooks  and  waitresses 
have  departed.    The  ladj'  in  the  first  line 


is  the  reporting  teacher,  Miss  Helen  M. 
Hall. 

The  happy  group  depicted  on  this  page 
represents  the  flourishing  society  in  the 
fourth-grade  room  of  the  Speedwell 
Avenue  School  at  Morristown,  New  Jersey. 
It  is  under  the  care  of  Miss  C.  E.  Beach. 

The  next  illustration  carries  one  in 
thought    from    colonial     New    Jersey    to 


The  Audubon   Societies 


233 


modern  Florida,  and  shows  the  club  at 
Palm  Beach,  in  respect  to  which  Mrs. 
Flora  Grice  Havill,  its  organizer,  writes 
an  entertaining  story: 

"This  Audubon  Class  was  the  result  of 
the  interest  aroused  by  a  lecture  by  Dr. 
Eugene  Swope;  and,  after  listening  to 
him,  it  was  easy  to  arouse  enthusiasm  in 
the  pupils.  I  began  by  reading  to  them  a 
delightful  little  book,  'Dickey  Downy,' 
by   Virginia   Sharpe   Patterson,   an   auto- 


program  of  poems  and  sketches.  We  use 
our  leaflets  for  either  a  reading-  or  a 
language-lesson,  or  both;  and  so  enthusi- 
astic have  the  children  become  that  they 
want  to  study  birds  only — nothing  else 
seems  to  possess  enough  of  life  and  charm. 
They  have  brought  in  several  deserted 
nests,  and  some  of  the  boys  are  making 
bird-houses.  The  oflicers  of  the  society 
have  ofi^ered  a  prize  to  the  class  for  the 
best  essay,  of  not  less  than  one  hundred 
and  fifty  words,  on  the  Robin.  They 
have  chosen  for  judges  the  supervisor  of 


THE    DICKEY    DOWNY    AUDUBOX    SOCIETY    AT    PALM    BEACH,  FLORIDA 


biography  of  a  bird.  As  I  finished  the 
last  chapter,  my  oldest,  roughest,  and  most 
trying  boy  laid  on  my  desk  a  good  like- 
ness of  the  Meadowlark  that  he  had  cut 
from  a  paper  and  nicely  colored;  on  the 
underside  were  these  words:  'I  will  never 
kill  another  bird.'  Then  every  child 
wanted  to  bring  some  story,  or  a  clipping 
from  a  newspaper  or  magazine,  pertain- 
ing to  birds  or  animals;  and  some  of  the 
boys  consulted  the  sheriff  as  to  the  laws 
for  their  protection.  I  then  organized 
an  Audubon  Society  of  twenty-six  mem- 
bers out  of  my  Fifth  Grade  of  thirty-two 
pupils,  and  we  named  it  Dickey  Downy 
Society. 

"We  have  a  meeting  once  in  two  weeks, 
at  which  the  officers  are  learning  to  con- 
duct a   business   meeting   and   a   literary 


the  primary  department  and  the  English 
teacher  in  the  high  school;  and  the  con- 
test promises  to  be  a  very  interesting  one." 

Methods  in  Ohio  and  New  Jersey 

Ashland,  Ohio,  has  an  important 
Junior  Class,  composed,  as  its  leader, 
Ralph  D.  Richards  tells  us,  of  freshmen 
and  junior  high-school  students,  who  have 
shown  much  interest  in  birds,  and  call 
themselves  "The  Bluebirds."  All  are 
working  for  new  members,  and  the  class 
has  grown  from  thirteen  members  to 
twenty.  Its  officers  are  energetic  in 
getting     new     members,     arranging     for 


The  Audubon   Societies 


235 


meetings,  and  planning  for  bird-study 
and  bird-protection.  Only  workers  can  be 
in  this  class,  and  the  members  themselves 
made  a  rule  that  three  unexcused  absences 
from  meetings  cause  one  to  lose  his  or 
her  membership. 

"During  the  past  winter  we  studied 
habits  and  characteristics  of  birds,  so 
that  as  the  spring  came  we  might  appre- 
ciate and  help  them.  Our  meetings  are 
held  once  a  week  after  school  at  the  school- 
house,  and  once  a  month  in  the  evening 
at  the  home  of  a  member.     Miss  Eddy, 


three  distinct  Junior  Audubon  classes 
have  been  organized  in  School  No.  ii  in 
that  city;  and  they  now  have  a  combined 
membership  of  more  than  one  hundred 
pupils. 

"Meetings  are  held  regularly,  in  which 
bird-charts  are  kept,  recording  the  time 
and  place  of  birds  first  seen.  Family 
characteristics  are  studied;  also  the  habits, 
nests,  food,  etc.,  of  individual  birds,  with 
particular  stress  on  their  usefulness.  Ways 
and  means  of  attracting  bird-neighbors 
are    discussed.      Many    bird-houses    have 


BOYS    OF    JUNIOR    AUDUBON    CLASS,  No.  732,  AT   FLINT,  MICHIGAN 


another  high-school  teacher,  is  a  member, 
and  helps  with  the  work.  We  all  plan  to 
take  early-morning  walks  together  soon, 
and  all  look  forward  with  much  pleasure 
to  them.  Some  of  the  most  enjoyable 
events  of  my  life  have  been  with  young 
people  out  in  the  field,  watching  bird- 
life  and  listening  to  bird-music." 

The  Class  in  Flint,  Michigan,  is  so 
large  that  it  required  two  pictures  to 
carry  all  the  portraits;  the  one  printed 
shows  that  the  Flint  boys  and  girls,  led 
by  G.  E.  Sherman,  are  ingenious  archi- 
tects "in  the  small,"  as  artists  say. 

Passaic,  New  Jersey,  is  evidently  an 
Audubonian  stronghold,  for  we  learn  that 


been  built,  with  quite  as  much  diversity 
as  to  size  and  architecture  as  may  be 
seen  in  human  habitations.  Mr.  Kip,  of 
Passaic,  has  given  the  boys  and  girls 
permission  to  use  a  ten-acre  wood-lot 
for  their  bird-houses.  The  principal  of 
the  school  purposes  to  have  each  of  the 
twelve  school-rooms  put  up  a  bird-house 
in  the  trees  on  the  school-grounds.  The 
American  Museum  of  Natural  History, 
in  New  York  City,  has  loaned  the  school 
specimens  of  birds  to  be  found  in  the 
neighborhood.  Altogether,  much  interest 
has  been  manifested;  and  field-trips  will 
be  undertaken  when  the  weather 
permits." 

This  school   enjoys   special   advantages 
of  situation  for  bird-study. 


READY  FOR  SPRING  WORK  AT  CHARLOTTETOWN,  PRINCE  EDWARD  ISLAND,  CANADA 


AN    ENERGETIC    SOCIETY    IN    PASSAIC,  NEW   JERSEY 
(236) 


EXAMINING    AN    ORIOLE'S 
NEST 


THIS    LAD    HAS    RISEN    TO    AN 
EXCELLENT  OPPORTUNITY 


A    NEW    JERSEY    BIRD-LOVER 


(237) 


238 


Bird  -  Lore 


COLORING    LEAFLETS    AT    KENOSHA,  WISCONSIN 


Facts  from  Western  Societies 

One  of  the  most  extensive  reports  that 
have  accompanied  the  pictures  sent  in 
competition  for  the  offered  prizes  is  that 
from  Kenosha,  Wisconsin,  by  Miss  Lulu 
C.  Lampe,  who  has  worked  hard  for  the 
success  she  rejoices  in.  Her  picture  (page 
238)  shows  the  Junior  Audubon  Class 
of  the  Frank  School  (Grade  IV)  coloring 
leaflets.  Miss  Lampe  describes  how  she 
utilizes  the  Audubon  enthusiasm  in  school- 
work: 

"The  work  in  the  study  of  birds  was  so 
arranged  to  correlate  with  language,  read- 
ing, drawing,  and  geography.  The  nature- 
study  period  was  used  in  studying  the 
bird,  the  drawing  period  for  coloring  the 
outlines  in  the  leaflets;  the  language  time 
for  writing  a  composition  about  the 
bird;  and  the  colored  plates  were  used  for 
the  decoration  of  booklet-covers.  All  the 
places  spoken  of  in  the  leaflets  were 
located  on  the  map  during  the  geography 
class.  Even  the  music  can  be  taken  into 
consideration,  as  I  have  a  list  of  selected 
songs  for  each  bird  studied.  In  June  of 
last  year  we  took  a  half-holiday,  and  went 
to  the  woods  for  a  picnic,  and  also  for  the 
study  of  birds.    Each  child  took  a  heap- 


ing box  of  lunch,  and  the  teacher  treated 
all  to  ice-cream.  The  children's  parents 
have  taken  a  great  interest  in  our  club- 
work.  Many  have  joined  our  club,  and 
desire  to  attend  our  meetings,  and  our 
annual  picnic.  One  of  the  mothers  told 
me  that  formerly  she  was  bothered  by 
children  killing  the  birds  near  her  house, 
but  that  now  members  of  our  bird-club 
did  the  watching  and  punished  wrong- 
doers." 

Another  wide-awake  western  city,  Cedar 
Rapids,  Iowa,  is  represented  by  the 
unabashed  group  depicted  on  page  239, 
which  is  the  Audubon  Class  of  second- 
grade  pupils  in  the  Johnson  School. 
Their  teacher  is  Miss  Marie  Kugler,  who 
writes: 

"Last  year  we  organized  a  Junior 
society  and  enjoyed  the  work  very  much. 
When  we  found  that  we  could  get  another 
set  of  leaflets  and  birds  to  color,  my  pupils 
were  delighted.  Each  of  the  forty-seven 
pupils  in  my  room  is  a  member,  and  all 
take  an  active  interest  in  birds,  and  in 
nature-lore  in  general.  During  the  win- 
ter many  of  the  pupils  put  food  in  the 
trees  about  their  homes,  and  at  Christ- 
mas we  placed  grain  and  suet  in  a  tree  on 
the  school-grounds.  Some  have  reported 
placing  drinking-cups  about  the  yards  of 


The  Audubon   Societies 


239 


their  houses,  as  well  as  several  bird-houses. 
We  have  taken  bird-walks,  and  shall  visit 
the  natural-history  department  of  Coe 
College." 

The  three  illustrations  on  page  240  are 
notable.  The  first  is  especially  interest- 
ing because  it  represents,  as  its  teacher, 
Miss  Julia  V.  Goodloe,  writes,  children 
from  the  mining  districts  near  Birming- 
ham, Alabama,  most  of  whom  are  of 
foreign  parentage.  It  is  of  great  impor- 
tance to  reach  this  class  of  our  population 
and  get  them  to  understand  and  appre- 
ciate the  American  view  of  bird-saving, 
and  the  reasons  for  it. 

The  pleasing  Class-picture  from  Knights- 
town,  Indiana,  is  sent  by  its  conductor, 
Miss  I'lora  Strait;  that  from  South  Wind- 
ham, Maine,  (page  223)  represents  the 
class  on  Forest  Home  Farm,  led  by  C.  A. 
Nash;  and  the  Hummingbird  lesson  is 
being  given  by  ISIiss  Florence  C.  Sammon 
at  Castana,  Iowa.    This  lady  writes: 

"My  bird-class  consists  of  thirty  first- 
grade  and  second-grade  pupils.  Although 
the  children  are  small,  I  am  sure  you 
would  smile  with  pleasure  at  the  bird- 
lore     they    know.      I     purchased     thirty 


copies  of  your  bird-pictures,  about  thirty 
different  birds.  These  I  mounted,  and 
hung  about  the  room.  Every  child  knows 
every  bird-picture  I  have;  and  many  are 
recognizing  these  birds  when  they  see 
them  out-of-doors,  or  hear  them  about 
town.  We  also  keep  notebooks  and  fasten 
a  leaflet  in  each  one.  Thus  we  can  read 
it  at  any  time.  All  together  we  write  a 
story  of  the  bird  studied,  some  pupils 
offering  sentences,  and  others  correcting 
them  until  we  have  a  good,  readable 
story." 

Virginia's  Public  Bird  Day 

It  was  characteristically  accommoda- 
ting in  the  always  genial  Audubon  to  be 
born  at  so  proper  a  time  of  the  year  as 
early  May;  and  it  is  equally  graceful  in 
Governor  H.  C.  Stuart,  of  Virginia,  to 
proclaim  the  observance  of  May  4, 
Audubon's  birthday,  as  the  time  when  the 
State's  new  Bird  Day  should  be  cele- 
brated. The  establishment  of  this  annual 
festival  of  the  birds  is  a  notable  event  for 
Virginia,  and  one  that  rewards  a  vast 
amount  of  patient,  persistent,  and  skil- 
ful exertion  upon  the  part  of  the  Audu- 
bon workers  and  bird-lovers  of  that  State; 


NINTH    PRIZE.— A   JOLLY    CROWD    OF   JUNIORS    AT    CEDAR    RAPIDS,  IOWA 


THE    JL'MOR    SOCIETY    AT    WYLAM,  A    SUBURB    OF    BIRMINGHAM,  ALABAMA 


MAKING    HOMES    FOR    BIRDS    IN    VIRGINIA 


AN   ACTIVE   LITTLE    CLASS   AT    KNIGHTSTOWN.  INDIANA 
(240) 


The  Audubon   Socieries 


241 


A    LESSON    ON    THE    HUMMINGBIRD 

and  it  must  be  particularly  gratifying 
to  Mrs.  R.  B.  Smithey,  Secretary  of  the 
Virginia  State  Society,  and  to  Miss 
Katherine  B.  Stuart,  who  have  struggled 
valiantly  to  win  this  boon. 

The  proclamation,  a  photographic  copy 
of  which  is  reproduced  herewith,  is  an 
admirable  document;  and  workers  in 
other  States  may  well  turn  to  it  as  a  model 
in  assisting  their  governors  to  frame 
similar  proclamations.  Other  States  need, 
and  would  profit  by,  an  annual  Bird  Day 
quite  as  much  as  will  Virginia. 

The  Federal  Law  Operates 

It  was  reported  early  in  April,  by  Edward 
Rayner,  deputy  United  States  Game 
Warden  at  Hoboken,  N.  J.,  that  Sooty 
Terns  were  on  sale  in  New  York  City  by  a 
dealer  named  S.  Ferster,  in  violation  of 
the  Federal  law.  Dr.  Palmer,  of  the  Bio- 
logical Survey,  who  has  charge  of  the 
enforcement  of  this  law,  at  once  set  the 
wheels  of  retribution  in  motion,  and  a 
State  Protector  of  Fish  and  Game  very 
soon  had  seized  41  pairs  of  Gulls'  wings 
and  31  pairs  of  Terns'  wings.  The  offend- 
ing merchant  paid  $50  for  his  attempt  to 
trade  in  defiance  of  law. 

A  Girls'   Club  in  Vermont 

An  interesting  history  is  related  by  Miss 
Eliza  F.  Miller  of  the  Society  at  Bethel, 
Vermont,    which    seems    to    have    arisen 


spontaneously     and     to     have     unusual 
strength. 

"About  three  years  ago,  at  Bethel, 
Vermont,  three  little  girls  discovered  that 
I  was  making  a  study  of  caterpillars  and 
cocoons.  They  often  ran  into  my  kitchen 
to  see  what  changes  had  taken  place,  and 
soon  began  to  hunt  specimens  for  me, 
and  for  themselves.  Their  wonder  was 
great  when  the  caterpillar  changed  to 
chrysalis  or  cocoon,  and  still  greater 
when  the  beautiful  winged  insect  appeared. 
These,  if  they  were  perfect,  were  allowed 
to  float  away  and  be  happy.  In  the  winter 
of  1911-12,  notable  for  its  abundance  of 
birds,  the  little  folks  saw  many  Chicka- 
dees, Redpolls,  and  others,  at  my  piazza, 
and  delighted  to  coax  the  Chickadees  to 
their  hands.  Some  of  them  fed  the  birds 
at  their  homes. 

"Sometimes     I     gave     them     reading- 


ri  H  out-  r.tpijly  atlvunclng  civillt 

.md  uiih  the  growing  apprtMrlatiou  of 

the  importance  of  conserving  Nature** 

Cifls.  Lomcs  each  year  ftreater  realtza- 

tfonof  the  necewity  for  tile  protection 

iif  Ijirds.    The  farmer  recoilnlies  them 

more  anj  more  ai-hls  friends,  and  all 

tile  people  lalue  them  for  the  heauty 

isic  they  brinft  ro  the  world. 

Thit  llii-se  Ihinfs  l.c  .l..iibly  Imprc-ssi-d.  especially 

l>uii  the  v...iiii,  1  ll.r.liy  reclaim  .inj  desl5n;i(e 

MONDAY.  MAY  4,  1")14 


The   hirlh.lL.y 

,t  John  J.t 

nes     Su.ll.h. 

...    \nie 

id's 

tre.n 

natural!"!  . 

BIRD 

DAY 

For    tlie   Com 

nonise.illh 

ol     \irSl.iia 

1    esi»et 

ially 

urfte    (iiitt    in 

tht    p.il.li, 

sch.x.ls    of 

Vlrninia 

the 

teachers  read 

his  ptucl.i 

dd  their 

ossn 

words  to  its  in 

tenr.     I  so 

'.i.sl    Tll.l!    tl 

cv  call  a 

tten- 

tton  Id  the  «r. 

tules  ..n  tl 

e  pr.iie,  t|..i 

„t  hlrds 

.   the 

li.«   aUaiiiM   II 

e  killinfl  .. 

rol'itis   .11 

n>    timt 

■   'he 

laws    protwli 

fi     ..lihle     1 

irds    .luri.ii. 

llK-    m 

>lin« 

season,  tli.- li^^ 

s  lor  tilt.'  |H 

nisttnient  .1 

vv.inton 

slay- 

lot;  ol  bird  iif 

.1.1.1  ol   d.-s 

.,.li,>l...n  ..1 

tests.  St 

that 

the  children. 

the    l.iiurt 

i.tiiens.    111 

•  iht- 

rcspon«il..m> 

th.it   h  up.) 

1  them. 

In  wiii.ew  « 

litre..!,  i  h 

ve  hei,....t. 

.(till. 

and   cau.ssd    the   li-»sel   se 

ai    o(    the    i: 

mnii.t.,. 

e.ilth 

to  he  afltied. 

in   Kiihniu 

nd.  this  ih 

SLith    d 

ly  ol 

.\prll.   in   the 

y,ar  .j(   ...ir 

Lord  .)iie  t 

housand 

nine 

himdred  and 

foorteen.  a 

ad  ol  (he  <.A 

tnmonss 

ealth 

tile  one  hundf-ed  and  tlvi 

ty-elghtb. 

■^X^         ^ 

.-^ 

>i 

^^ 

242 


Bird -Lore 


matter,  and  in  March,  1913,  they  formed 
a  Nature  and  Culture  Club.  This  ran  a 
rather  irregular  course,  but  they  held 
their  meetings,  and  they  earned  their 
first  book.  Reed's  'Bird  Guide.'  In 
November,  1913,  these  girls  learned  of  the 
offer  by  the  National  Association  of 
leaflets  and  buttons  to  any  class  of  ten 
children,  and  at  once  began  a  canvass  for 
a  class.  On  November  15,  twelve  girls 
met  in  my  kitchen  for  organization,  and 
since  then  interest  has  steadily  increased. 
Meetings  are  held  twice  a  month  in  the 
homes  of  the  members,  invitations  com- 
ing weeks  ahead.  The  club  is  their  own, 
they  take  pride  in  it;  the  mothers  are 
cordial  toward  it,  and  new  members  join 
it  at  nearly  every  meeting. 

"They  have  studied  four  leaflets,  have 
colored  their  outlines,  are  able  to  answer 
questions  about  these  birds,  and  are  wide- 
awake for  the  spring  arrivals.  They 
bring  clippings  and  sketches  for  the  roll- 
call,  and  always  repeat  the  Lord's  prayer 
and  a  psalm,  led  by  their  young  president. 
Many  are  keeping  their  leaflets  for  bind- 
ing. Boxes  and  tomato  cans  are  going  up 
fast,    for    bird-houses.     The    leaflets    are 


always  eagerly  received  and  carefully 
studied,  as  the  answers  of  even  the  little 
ones  show.  The  mothers  must  be  learning 
through  helping  their  children.  This 
plan  of  work  will  do  wonders  for  the  rising 
generation. 

"For  years,  teachers  in  Bethel  schools 
have  given  the  children  some  instruction 
in  nature-studies,  though  it  is  not  in  the 
course.  This  year  Miss  Ellen  Preston  is 
helping  her  boys  to  make  bird-houses, 
some  of  which  are  bought  by  the  girls 
in  the  class.  The  boys  in  the  front  row 
of  the  illustration  are  hers.  They  do 
not  belong  to  the  Audubon  Class,  but  are 
interested  in  their  house-building,  and  are 
anxious  for  tenants." 


Lists  of  Members,  Etc. 

We  greatly  regret  that  we  have  not 
space  this  month  to  print  the  customary 
lists  of  New  Members  and  of  Contributors 
to  the  Association.  They  will  be  given  in 
the  next  issue  of  Bird-Lore;  and  will  be 
found  to  be  of  encouraging  length. 


EAGER    YOUNG   BIRD-LOVERS    AT    BETHEL,  VERMONT 


1.  Sharpe's  Seedeater,  Adult  Male  3.    Lark  Bunting,  Im.  Male 

2.  Sharpe's  Seedeater,  Female  4.    Lark  Bunting-  Female 

5.    Lark  Bunting,  Adult  Male 
(One-half  natural  sizei 


A  BI-MONTHLY  MAGAZINE 

DEVOTED   TO   THE  STUDY  AND  PROTECTION  OF   BIRDS 

Official  Organ  of  The  Audubon  Societies 


Vol.  XVI 


July— August,  1914 


No.  4 


At  Home  with  a  Hell-Diver 
Some  Observations  on  the  Nesting  of  the  Pied-billed  Grebe 

By  ARTHUR  A.   ALLEN,  Ithaca,   N.   Y. 
With  photographs  by  the  author 

FEW  birds  are  more  widely  distributed  than  the  Pied-billed  Grebe. 
Occurring  from  the  region  of  the  Great  Slave  Lake  to  Chile  and  Argen- 
tina, it  differs  from  most  birds  in  breeding  throughout  its  range.  It 
is,  indeed,  rather  local 
in  its  distribution,  and 
in  some  places  almost 
absent;  but  the  pond, 
lake,  or  stream  that 
has  not  had  its  'Hell- 
diver,'  at  least  during 
the  period  of  migration, 
is  very  exceptional.  It 
is  common,  it  is  well 
known,  if  familiarity 
with  its  name  implies 
knowledge  of  it,  and 
yet  it  has  been  one  of 
the  least  studied  of 
our  familiar  birds.  Ob- 
servations on  its  nest- 
ing habits  have  been 
extremely  desultory ; 
careful  studies  have  as 
yet  not  been  made. 

Nor    is    this    with- 
out reason.    Few  birds 

offer    greater    difficul-  ^jjg  ^^^j  ^^  ^^^  hell-diver,  a  floating 

ties   to   the  ornitholo-  mass  of  debris 


244 


Bird  -  Lore 


gist  who  would  become  familiar  with  their  lives.  During  their  migration 
they  are  conspicuous  enough,  floating  about  on  the  surface  of  the  water, 
sinking  from  sight  when  intently  watched,  or  diving  with  a  saucy  flip  of  the 
feet  at  the  discharge  of  a  gun.  But  as  soon  as  the  breeding  season  has  begun, 
no  bird  is  more  wary  or  difficult  to  observe.  Occasionally  their  peculiar  soft 
love-notes  float  out  from  the  reeds  to  indicate  their  presence,  or  a  few  widen- 
ing circles  on  the  surface  of  the  pond  mark  the  spot  from  which  the  watchful 
bird  has  espied  us,  but  it  is  rarely  indeed  that  we  can  sit  and  watch  them  as  we 
would  other  birds.  I  have  known  of  three  pairs  nesting  about  a  small  and 
much-frequented  pond,  with  scarcely  a  person  suspecting  their  presence;  even 

though  one  nest, 
sheltered  by  only  a  few 
rushes,  was  almost  con- 
spicuous from  the  path 
not  fifty  feet  away. 
No  one  for  a  moment 
assumed  that  the  float- 
ing pile  of  debris, 
anchored  near  the  outer 
edge  of  the  rushes,  and 
freed  from  all  attempts 
at  architecture,  was  the 
nest  of  a  bird,  much 
less  that  of  the  Hell- 
diver  which  had  been 
heard  calling,  off  and 
on  during  the  spring, 
and  occasionally  seen 
floating  on  the  open 
surface  of  the  pond. 
It  resembled  more  the 
platform  of  a  water- 
rat  or  a' pile  of  drift  stranded  by  the  subsidence  of  the  spring  floods.  The 
eggs,  moreover,  were  never  left  exposed  to  the  hostile  search  of  Crows  or 
water  snakes,  but  were  always  carefully  covered  with  material  from  the  nest 
when  not  actually  concealed  by  the  inconspicuous  body  of  the  Grebe. 
Little  wonder,  then,  that  the  nest  was  overlooked. 

I  was  first  directed  to  the  spot  by  a  friend  who  said  that  'Coots'  were 
nesting  there.  I  was  not  a  little  surprised,  therefore,  when,  after  wading  for  a 
short  distance  along  the  edge  of  the  pond,  my  attention  was  attracted  by  a 
splash  in  the  water  ahead,  accompanied  by  a  startled  note  like  the  syllable 
"keck,"  and  a  few  seconds  later  a  Grebe  bobbed  into  sight.  Instead  of  immedi- 
ately sinking  again,  as  one  learns  to  expect  of  a  Grebe,  it  rose  up  on  its  legs 


THE    SAME    WITH   THE    COVERING    OF    THE 
EGGS    REMOVED 


At  Home  with   a   Hell -Diver  245 

and  began  beating  upon  the  water  with  its  wings.  Such  behavior  bespoke 
something  very  unusual  happening  in  the  nearby  nest.  I  looked  just  in  time 
to  see  the  last  of  the  striped  young  scramble  from  it  and  disappear  beneath 
the  water.  Then  ensued  a  series  of  maneuvers  on  the  part  of  the  bird  which 
were  evidently  intended  to  distract  my  attention.  The  customary  silence, 
ease,  and  grace  of  diving  were  entirely  abandoned.  Each  appearance  above 
the  water  was  announced  by  a  shake  of  the  body,  followed  by  a  beating  of  the 
wings  on  the  surface,  and  a  flip  of  the  feet  as  it  again  dove,  which  sometimes 
sprayed  water  for  more  than  a  yard.  This  performance  took  place  within 
ten  or  fifteen  feet  of  me,  and  sometimes  the  bird  swam  in  even  closer.   At  such 


i 
i 

4 

f 

\ 

\ 

THE    HELL-DIVER 

times  it  rested  rather  high  on  the  water,  holding  its  fail,  if  we  may  speak  of 
it  as  'such,  erect,  and  nervously  flashing  the  light  areas  on  the  flanks,  as  do 
the  Gallinules. 

Meanwhile  the  young  birds  had  made  their  way  toward  the  center  of  the 
pond.  The  largest  could  not  have  been  more  than  a  few  days  old,  and  yet, 
when  I  tried  to  catch  them,  they  showed  all  the  ingenuity  of  the  old  birds, 
diving,  doubling,  swimming  with  just  the  bill  showing,  or  lying  concealed  in  a 
bunch  of  water-weeds,  with  only  the  nostrils  above  the  surface.  Had  the 
water  been  less  clear,  I  probably  should  have  been  unable  to  catch  any  of 
them;  but,  as  it  was,  I  could  follow  them  as  they  escaped  in  various  directions. 
They  were  even  conspicuous  when  attempting  to  hide.  I  was  reminded  of  the 
old  story  of  the  Ostrich  which  buried  its  head  in  the  sand  to  escape  detection; 
for,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  only  the  bill  was  exposed  above  the  water,  the 


246 


Bird  -  Lore 


entire  body  was  nearly  as  conspicuous  as  though  floating  on  the  surface.  In 
diving,  as  in  floating,  the  wings  of  the  young  projected  nearly  at  right  angles 
from  their  bodies,  even  more  so  than  in  other  precocial  birds. 


FLASHING    ITS    WHITE    FLANK    FEATHERS 

The  largest  of  the  young  had  already  reached  the  open  water  beyond  my 
depth,  and  when  I  returned  to  the  shore  the  old  Grebe  swam  toward  it,  chang- 
ing her  alarm  note  of  'keck,'  'keck,'  to  a  softer  'cup,'  'cup,'  as  though 
calling  to  it.  Swimming  beyond  it,  she  turned  her  tail  toward  it  and  slightly 
raised  her  wings.  This  was  the  signal  for  the  young  one  to  crawl  upon  her  back, 
which  it  repeatedly  attempted  to  do  until  its  mother,  disgusted  with  such 
clumsiness,  clapped  her  wing  on  its  neck  and  started  off  at  a  great  rate  for  the 
other  end  of  the  pond.  When  far  enough  away  she  checked  her  speed  and  gave 
it  another  chance.  Then  with  her  wobbly  passenger  she  continued  to  the 
end  of  the  pond,  where  she  was  joined  by  her  mate.  Here  they  sported  about 
for  some  time,  the  young  bird  plunging  from  the  the  back  of  one  and  swim- 


At   Home  with   a   Hell -Diver 


247 


ming  across  to  the  other,  all  seemingly  forgetful  of  the  rest  of  the  family. 
Finally  they  disappeared  into  the  rushes,  and  I  continued  my  course  around 
the  pond. 

From  the  alders  at  the  far  end  a  strange  call  floated  out;  'wup-pup-pup- 
caow-caow-caow-cao-o-o-o-o-ow'  the  note  sounded  to  me,  and  was  sometimes 
answered  by  its  mate  calling  'cuck-cuck-cuck-oo-oo-00-,'  and  I  knew  that 
another  pair  of  Grebes  had  chosen  this  secluded  pond  for  their  home.  Careful 
search  revealed  only  a  deserted  or  incompleted  nest,  and  I  continued  until  I 
came  to  a  weedy  stretch.  Examining  it  with  binoculars,  before  entering,  as  it 
was  quite  open,  I  espied  another  of  these  elusive  water-witches  upon  its  nest. 
Unfortunately  it  saw  me  at  the  same  time  and  rose,  quickly  and  deftly  pulling 
fragments  from  the  rim  and  piling  them  over  the  eggs.    It  was  the  work  of 


ASSISTING    THE    YOUNG    FROM    THE    SHELL 


248 


Bird  -  Lore 


but  a  moment,  then  the  Grebe  plunged  from  the  nest  and  disappeared  beneath 
the  water,  not  to  be  seen  again  that  day.  Hoping  to  study  the  home-life  of 
this  bird,  I  cut  a  few  branches  and  built  a  partial  shelter  about  twenty  feet 
away;  but  disappointment  awaited  me,  for  when  I  came  back  at  two  in  the 
afternoon  and  again  at  five,  the  Grebe  had  not  returned. 


CARRYING    OFF    THE    EGG-SHELL 

Two  days  later  found  me  again  at  the  pond,  bent  upon  studying  the  old 
birds  with  their  young  and  making  another  trial  upon  the  incubating  bird.  I 
arrived  about  seven  a.m.,  but  a  careful  survey  of  the  whole  surface  failed  to 
reveal  any  of  the  Grebes.  Neither  was  the  second  bird  upon  the  nest,  though 
the  warmth  of  the  eggs  attested  her  recent  departure.  Securing  a  boat,  ^I 
drifted  about  the  pond,  searching  the  edge  of  the  rushes,  and  soon  was  rewarded 
by  a  movement  a  hundred  yards  or  so  below  the  first  nest.   The  old  bird  came 


At  Home  with   a   Hell -Diver 


249 


into  sight,  diving  and  splashing  as  before  to  distract  my  attention,  and  I 
barely  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  young  before  they  disappeared.  I  realized  that 
it  would  be  futile  to  try  to  observe  them  so  long  as  they  had  the  whole  pond 
for  a  hiding-place,  and  I  therefore  resolved  to  catch  them  and  limit  their 
range.  The  next  task  was  to  tie  threads  to  their  legs  and  to  fasten  them  near 
the  edge  of  the  rushes  where  they  could  be  watched  conveniently  after  the  old 
birds  should  have  found  them. 

After  about  two  hours  I  returned,  but  there  was  no  sign  of  either  of  the  old 
birds  until  five  o'clock,  after  the  whole  day  had  been  spent  in  fruitless  waiting. 
Then  one  of  them  approached,  calling   'cup'-'cup,'  as  it  had  done  before, 


INDULGING   IN    A   PRODIGIOUS    YAWN 

and  the  young  answered  with  low,  lisping  peeps.  Turning  her  tail  to  them, 
she  lifted  her  wings  and  waited  their  climbing  on  her  back,  encouraging  them 
to  follow  by  moving  slowly  away.  This  they  did,  but  usually  reached  the  limit 
of  their  threads  before  they  were  able  to  crawl  up  completely.  I  was  inter- 
ested to  see  whether,  after  repeated  trials  and  failures  on  the  part  of  the  old 
bird,  she  would  fathom  the  difficulty;  but  it  proved  entirely  beyond  the  scope 
of  her  past  experience.  I  secured  a  number  of  photographs  of  the  old  bird  with 
the  young  at  her  side  but  as  soon  as  they  were  safely  ensconced  upon  her 
back,  they  snuggled  down  beneath  her  wings,  hardly  ruffling  her  feathers, 
and  never  deigned  to  raise  their  heads.  The  light  soon  became  too  poor  for 
photographing  so  I  freed  the  young  and  awaited  the  result.  The  old  bird 
backed  up  to  them,  as  she  had  done  scores  of  times  before,  raised  her  wings  in 
the  approved  fashion  and  started  slowly  off.   The  young  were  soon  safely  upon 


iSo  Bird  -  Lore 

her  back,  and  this  time  continued  with  her.  I  looked  for  some  expression  of 
surprise  or  satisfaction,  but  not  one  of  them  blinked  an  eye.  As  though  this 
were  the  first  time  she  had  invited  them  to  ride,  she  swam  unconcernedly 
toward  the  middle  of  the  pond,  where  I  left  them  in  the  gathering  dusk. 


CALLING    TO    ITS    YOUNG 

Eight  days  passed  before  another  trip  to  the  pond  was  possible.  Neither 
the  old  nor  the  young  of  the  first  nest  were  seen  on  this  visit,  but  the  eggs 
in  the  second  nest  were  hatching.  The  Grebe  was  incubating  when  I  arrived 
at  eight  in  the  morning,  but  as  I  approached  she  covered  the  eggs  and  departed. 
Her  further  actions,  however,  entirely  changed;  for,  instead  of  disappearing 
as  formerly,  she  came  up  again  a  few  yards  away,  and  began  beating  upon  the 
water  with  her  wings  even  more  frantically  than  had  the  first  bird.  She  con- 
tinued diving  and  splashing  until  the  camera  was  ready,  when  she  inconsider- 
ately desisted. 

Only  one  of  the  eggs  had  hatched,  and  the  young  had  been  covered  with  as 
much  care  as  the  eggs.    The  eggshell  was  gone.    Concealing  the  camera  near 


At   Home  with   a   Hell -Diver 


251 


the  nest,  I  pulled  my  boat  into  some  bushes  about  fifty  feet  away,  from  which 
an  unobstructed  view  could  be  obtained.  It  was  evident  that  the  instinct  to 
protect  the  nest  had  been  greatly  augumented  by  the  hatching  of  the  first  egg, 
but  whether  this  would  extend  to  the  instinct  to  incubate  was  yet  to  be  learned. 
The  Grebe  soon  came  back  to  the  vicinity,  but  was  evidently  alarmed.  Most 
of  the  time  it  swam  back  and  forth  behind  the  nest,  flashing  its  white  flank 
feathers;  occasionally  it  peered  into  the  nest,  but,  even  after  hours  of  waiting, 
when  its  nervousness  had  entirely  disappeared,  it  showed  no  disposition  to 
ascend  the  nest.  It  certainly  appeared  as  though  incubation  were  unnecessary 
with  this  bird.  After  about  three  hours,  when  hope  had  almost  vanished, 
something  seemed  to  arouse  its  interest,  and  suddenly,  without  the  slightest 


THE    OLD    BIRD    SWAM    UP    TO    MEET    IT 

hesitation,  it  sprang  upon  the  nest  and  began  prodding  into  it  with  its  bill. 
At  first  I  was  at  a  loss  to  understand  such  strange  actions,  but,  upon  a  closer 
view,  saw  that  another  egg  had  hatched,  and  the  old  bird  had  been  assisting 
the  young  from  the  shell.  A  white  substance  which  I  had  seen  in  the  bfll  of 
the  Grebe  as  she  was  departing  must  have  been  a  fragment  of  eggshell,  as 


252 


Bird  -  Lore 


half  of  it  had  disappeared.  Hardly  was  I  back  in  the  blind  before  the  bird 
returned,  and,  again  without  warning,  sprang  lightly  and  gracefully  upon  the 
nest — this  time  to  seize  the  remaining  fragment  of  shell,  lest  by  its  conspicu- 
ousness  it  should  add  to  the  manifold  dangers  of  her  newly  hatched  young. 

She  carried  it  but  a 
short  distance  away, 
however,  and  dropped 
it  into  the  water. 

The  first  -  hatched 
young,  having  now  be 
come  quite  lively,  had 
struggled  free  from 
the  weeds  with  which 
it  had  been  covered; 
but  the  newly-hatched 
bird  was  still  very 
weak,  and  most  of  the 
time  lay  on  the  bot- 
tom of  the  nest  with 
its  neck  outstretched. 
Occasionally  as  though 
not  yet  recovered  from 
its  previous  cramped 
existence,  or  as  though 
bored  with  the  stern 
horizon  of  the  life  be- 
fore it,  it  raised  its 
head  and  indulged  in  a  prodigious  yawn — a  yawn  such  as  Ursus  might  give 
when  aroused  from  his  winter's  sleep.  A  more  scientific  diagnosis  might 
have  explained  these  yawns  as  physical  rather  than  emotional;  but,  to  my 
eye  untrained  in  Podicipian  infirmities,  they  expressed  only  weariness  and 
acute  ennui. 

I  next  uncovered  the  eggs  and  young,  thinking  that  the  old  bird  might 
see  fit  to  get  upon  the  nest  and  cover  them.  I  was  disappointed,  however,  for, 
as  she  approached,  she  changed  her  alarm  {keck)  note  to  the  call-note  {cup), 
and  the  first-hatched  was  strong  enough  and  obedient  enough  to  scramble 
from  the  nest.  The  old  bird  swam  up  to  meet  it,  backed  up,  lifting  her  wings, 
and  a  moment  later  started  off  with  her  youngster  upon  her  back,  leaving  me 
to  spend  the  rest  of  the  day  awaiting  her  return,  communing  with  muskrats 
and  dragon-flies  and  the  omnipresent  mosquitos. 

Sixteen  days  passed  before  my  next  visit  to  the  pond,  when,  of  course,  all 
the  eggs  had  hatched  and  the  young  had  left  the  vicinity.  One  hundred  yards 
down  the  pond  and  quite  in  the  open  at  the  outer  edge  of  the  rushes,  I  flushed 


CLIMBING    ABOARD 


At   Home  with   a  Hell -Diver 


253 


the  old  bird  and  several  young  from  a  new  nest  that  had  evidently  been  con- 
structed as  a  sort  of  roosting-  or  resting-place.  The  down  of  the  young  is  evi- 
dently not  as  impervious  to  water  as  are  the  feathers  of  the  adults,  and  it  is 
necessary-  for  them  to  emerge  from  the  water  occasionally  to  dry  off.  Whether 
the  original  nest  would  have  been  used  for  this  purpose  if  it  had  not  been  dis- 
turbed, cannot  be  said;  but  I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  these  'roost-nests' 
are  frequently  constructed,  as  several  more  were  found  in  other  parts  of  the 
pond,  probably  built  by  other  Grebes.  In  construction  they  were  similar  to 
the  regular  nests,  except  that  the  hoUow,  never  having  been  filled  with  debris 
was  always  better  formed.  The  young  at  this  time,  although  but  sixteen  days 
old,  showed  remarkable  growth;  but  I  was  forced  to  cease  my  observations 
at  this  point. 


THE    FIRST    RIDE 


The  Morning  Bird  Chorus  in  Pasadena 

By  GARRETT    NEWKIRK 

THE  full  chorus  begins  here,  as  it  does  everyvv'here  else,  with  the  dawn — 
that  is,  when  there  is  just  enough  light  in  the  sky  to  show  that  day 
will  come  in  a  few  minutes,  and  yet  quite  dark  all  around  and  beneath. 
Some  bird,  awake  and  more  watchful  than  the  others,  or  advantaged  by  his 
position  on  the  sunward  side  of  a  tree,  gives  forth  the  first  note. 

If  you  are  awake  and  listening,  you  may  hear  it.  At  the  time  of  this  writing, 
May  15,  it  will  be  by  the  clock,  "western  time,"  about  4.15.  Most  people 
never  hear  the  bird  chorus  because  they  are  asleep  at  that  time.  If  they  were 
awake,  they  would  hardly  note  the  first  bird- voice;  they  would  not  be  listen- 
ing for  it. 

In  this  world  we  usually  see  what  we  are  looking  for,  and  hear  what  we 
listen  for.  We  have  in  mind,  as  a  rule,  whatever  we  seek  and  find.  Even  if  we 
are  startled,  surprised  by  something,  the  mind  has  in  some  way  been  prepared 
by  training  for  its  recognition. 

It  seems  as  if  the  first  bird  wakens  a  number  of  others;  they  add  their 
voices  instantly  to  his,  and  in  a  few  moments  all  the  birds  are  awake.  Every 
one  adds  his  note  of  joy.  The  effect  is  more  than  a  song  or  chorus,  it  is  a  cheer. 
It  might  remind  one  of  a  political  mass-meeting,  when  some  leader  stands 
upon  the  platform,  waves  his  cane,  and  calls  out  "Hip,  hip,  hipl"  and  all  join 
in,  each  at  the  top  of  his  voice,  "Hurrahl"  and  again,  "three  times  three," 
"Hurrahl" 

So  the  birds  are  cheering  the  coming  of  the  day,  not  with  a  hoarse  and 
strident  "hurrah,"  but  each  with  his  joyful  song. 

The  full  chorus  will  continue,  however,  but  a  few  minutes.  As  the  light 
increases,  sentiment  gives  way,  as  it  does  in  human  life,  to  practical  necessity. 
One  by  one,  the  songsters  are  impelled  by  their  all-night  fast  to  seek  their 
breakfast  where  it  may  be  found,  and  they  know.  Some  know  that  breakfast 
is  not  ready  yet  for  them,  and  keep  on  singing.  Some  sing  at  intervals  between 
the  courses  of  their  meal;  but  the  real  "chorus"  is  soon  over;  just  as  the  enthus- 
iastic democrats  or  republicans  may  continue  cheering  on  their  way  home 
or  at  their  front  gates,  so  do  the  birds. 

This  bird  chorus  might  be  likened  to  a  pyramid  of  music  with  the  base  at 
dawn  and  the  apex  at  six  o'clock,  when  they  are  all  too  busy  to  think  of  sing- 
ing very  much. 

When  the  chorus  is  in  full,  only  the  trained  ear  could  distinguish  each  of 
the  many  voices  engaged,  or  a  majority  of  them.  Some  of  course  are  loud  and 
evident;  others  must  be  listened  for  particularly.  I  am  sure  that  I  cannot 
segregate  the  half  of  them,  for  every  voice,  from  the  least  to  the  greatest, 

joins  in. 

Each  one  as  if  a  dozen  songs  were  chorused   in  his  own, 
And  all  the  world  were  listening  to  him,  and   him   alone. 

(254) 


The   Morning  Bird   Chorus   in   Pasadena  255 

In  my  own  immediate  neighborhood,  in  Pasadena,  surrounded  by  consider- 
able open  space  with  trees,  the  leader  of  the  chorus  in  May  is  certainly  the 
Black-headed  Grosbeak.  He  gives  the  first,  or  one  of  the  first  notes,  and  his 
voice  may  be  heard  almost  continuously  above  all,  and  the  sweetest,  too, 
unless  it  be  the  Western  Meadowlark,  who  surpasses  his  brother  of  the  East, 
in  the  compass  and  clearness  of  his  songs. 

But  the  Grosbeak  sings  on  all  day,  and  up  to  the  very  dark.  He  seems 
loath  to  cease  for  the  evening  shades.  He  is  like  some  happy  housewife  sing- 
ing at  her  work,  singing  to  her  babes,  singing  to  herself,  and  to  all  whose  ears 
are  attuned  to  hear  the  voice  of  gladness  anywhere. 

I  may  be  mistaken,  but  it  seems  to  me  that  our  Mockingbird  takes  second 
place  in  the  chorus.  He  is,  of  course,  our  star  performer,  and  knows  it  so  well 
that  he  likes  to  be  a  soloist.  He  is  apparently  a  very  self-conscious  sort  of  bird, 
an  actor  posing  for  efi"ect  and  special  recognition.  I  know  that  no  mere  man  is 
capable  of  judging  really  the  'soul  of  a  bird;'  but  Mr.  Burroughs  has  a  similar 
impression  as  to  the  Mocker,  even  to  the  extent  of  aversion  that  I  do  not  have. 
He  thinks  the  Mocker  is  just  a  cold-blooded  artist,  with  no  real  feeling  in  his 
performance.  Well,  the  Mockingbird  would  not  be  willing  to  be  left  out  of 
anything  going  on  in  public,  so  he  joins  now  and  then  our  morning  chorus. 
But  I  have  the  feeling  that  he  isn't  exactly  pleased  to  be  outclassed  by  the 
Grosbeak,  and  overborne  by  the  volume  of  sound  proceeding  from  the  throats 
of  all  those  inferior  birds. 

The  Arizona  Hooded  Oriole  (who  builds  usually  here  on  the  under  side  of 
a  broad  palm  leaf)  may  be  heard  occasionally  in  the  chorus  by  a  trained  ear, 
but  he  does  not  specialize  in  music.  His  glorious  beauty  and  charming  manner 
fully  compensate.  Bullock's  Oriole  has  a  voice  of  emphasis,  easily  distin- 
guished, and  he  likes  to  exercise  it  in  the  morning  air.  It  is  not  specially  musi- 
cal, and  seems  to  have  a  challenge  in  it,  "Touch  me  if  you  dare!  I'll  keep  my 
place  if  you'll  keep  yours."  Bullock's  is  the  western  representative — close 
brother  or  cousin — of  the  eastern  Baltimore. 

Easily  distinguished  in  the  chorus  will  be  the  voice  of  our  Song  Sparrows. 
We  have  a  number  of  varieties,  or  sub-species.  (Some  who  have  been  winter- 
visitants  are  not  here  now,  but  a  number  of  others  remain.)  Their  mingling 
strain  is  delightfully  sweet,  and  ever  remindful  of  the  old  voice  we  used  to  hear 
back  east.  Equal  to  it?  Not  quite,  I  think;  but  we  are  happy  to  possess  the 
song  of  second  quality,  as  we  cannot  have  the  first.    It  is  delightful,  anyway. 

Early  in  the  season — February  or  March — the  California  Thrasher,  bird 
of  the  foothills,  is  quite  sure  to  come  singly  or  in  pairs  for  a  vacation  in  town. 

A  plain,  brown  bird  and  slender,  with  delicate,  curving  bill, 
No  great  pretense  of  feather  but  a  voice  to  make  you   thrill. 

Only  once  or  twice  I  have  heard  of  a  pair  nesting  near  a  house.  A  chief 
attraction  for  the  Thrasher  is  the  rich  ground  of  our  gardens  and  orchards, 


256  Bird  -  Lore 

where  worms  are  plentiful  near  the  surface;  and  he  is  a  wonderful  scratcher. 
I  have  seen  him  cultivating  the  flower-beds,  even,  and  he  is  very  fond  of  my 
bread  bits.  His  song  is  delightful  and  unique.  It  reminds  me  at  times  of  the 
Catbird's,  though  much  louder,  and  of  certain  notes  of  the  Mocker. 

Along  the  arroyo  often,  elsewhere  occasionally,  one  might  distinguish  in 
the  chorus,  and  hear  at  intervals  all  day,  the  delicate,  clear  strain  of  the 
Phainopepla,  that  beautiful  creature,  iridescent  bluish  black  with  pointed 
crest,  wing-bars  of  gauzy  white ;  worth  going  far  to  see. 

But  the  singers  never  absent  from  our  chorus,  enthusiastic,  continuous, 
are  the  Linnets,  or  crimson-throated  House  Finches,  happy  and  unpopular. 
We  could  ill  afford  to  spare  them  from  our  chorus,  or  their  cherry  singing  all 
day  long,  injurious  though  they  sometimes  are  to  bud  and  fruit. 

If  our  friends,  their  enemies,  would  take  the  trouble  to  cut  in  two  some  of 
the  millions  of  'cull'  oranges  that  are  otherwise  worthless,  and  scatter  their 
halves  daily  on  the  ground,  the  Linnets  would  find  in  them  much  of  the  fruit 
acid  they  crave.   They  are  not  vicious,  just  dear  and  joyous. 

Then,  we  have  in  our  chorus,  too,  the  "Warbler's  minor  music,"  faintly 
heard,  and  the  small  notes  of  minor  Sparrows.  Little  Chippie,  near  my  win- 
dow this  morning,  was  'chipping  in'  with  the  regularity  almost  of  a  clock-tick, 
and  something  like  it.  He  was  doing  his  best,  but,  contrasted  with  the  bell- 
like tones  of  the  Grosbeak,  the  effect  was  amusing. 

And  then  we  have  the  sweet  little  notes,  that  touch  your  heart  whenever 
you  hear  them,  of  our  dear  little  Willow  Goldfinches.  Occasionally  will  sound 
the  strident  note  of  our  Flicker,  nearby  or  a  block  away,  just  to  let  you  know 
he's  here,  and  has  a  nest  in  some  old  tree  or  telephone  pole  half  a  mile  off.  He's 
a  glorious  bird,  with  rich  old-gold,  instead  of  the  lighter  yellow  of  his  east- 
ern cousin. 

In  a  lull  of  the  chorus  growing  less,  you  may  hear,  if  you  listen  closely, 
a  little  squeak  in  the  bushes,  of  the  Brown  Towhee,  our  very  exclusive,  usually 
silent  citizen.  But  he  can  sing,  if  he  will,  a  solo  or  duet.  I  have  heard 
it  just  once. 

Along  the  arroyo,  where  some  people  are  protecting  coveys  of  Valley  Quail^ 
their  entrancing  notes  are  heard,  not  only  in  the  chorus  but  at  other  times^ 
notably  at  the  sunset  hour. 

And  nearly  all  these  birds  of  the  chorus  I  may  see  each  morning  later  in 
my  back  yard,  beneath  the  spreading  branches  of  a  great  pepper  tree.  There 
I  have  scattered  the  night  before,  a  plentiful  supply  of  bread  and  other  cereal 
scraps,  to  be  in  early  readiness.  There,  too,  is  the  dripping  hydrant  and  basin 
for  their  use.  No  meat  scraps  are  thrown  out  till  later;  those  might  attract 
the  cats.  They,  however,  seldom  appear  on  my  premises,  having  been  dis- 
couraged in  divers  ways.* 

*£very  center  of  population,  and  important  premise  should  have  plots  of  ground  known 

as  "catacombs." 


The  Morning  Bird   Chorus   in   Pasadena 


257 


Is  the  morning  bird  chorus  worth  waking  for?  I  think  so.  If  I  could  not 
awake  otherwise,  at  the  "first  peep  o'  day,"  I'd  set  an  alarm  clock  to  call  me 
at  least  once. 

If  enthusiasm,  hope  and  joy  are  contagious,  surely  one  could  not  afford 
to  miss  entirely  the  inspiring  chorus  of  the  birds,  when  they  are 

Calling  on  the  world  asleep  to  waken,  and  behold 
The  king  in  glory  coming  forth  along  his  path  of  gold. 


§?- 


THE    PEWEE'S    NOTE 

Tbe  voice  of  your  sadness 

So  sweet  is,  Pewee, 
With  voice  for  your  gladness 

A  songster  youd  he. 

— E.  J.  Sawyer. 


Destruction  of  the  Rhea,  Black-Necked   Swan,  Herons^ 
and  Other  Wild  Life  in  South  America 

By  LEO  E.  MILLER 

NO  ONE  will  question  that  the  federal  law  prohibiting  the  importatioQ 
of  the  plumage  of  wild  birds,  has  achieved  results  of  far-reaching 
importance.  Perhaps  in  no  other  country  has  its  effect  been  sa 
immediately  felt  as  in  South  America. 

In  the  early  part  of  November,  19 13,  as  a  member  of  Colonel  Roose- 
velt's South  American  Expedition,  I  had  occasion  to  spend  a  week  in  Buenos 
Aires.  Following  my  usual  custom,  I  visited  the  various  natural  history 
stores,  curio  shops,  and  exporting  houses,  for  in  this  manner  I  have  occasion- 
ally succeeded  in  adding  a  rare  specimen  of  real  scientific  value  to  the 
collections. 

Newly  made  acquaintances  interested  themselves  in  my  behalf,  had  fur- 
nished letters  of  introduction  to  Mr.  Hahn,  the  Guatemalan  Minister,  who  had 
at  some  previous  time  been  a  controlling  figure  in  the  natural-products  export 
business.  From  Mr.  Hahn  were  secured  the  letters  that  opened  to  us  the 
inmost  recesses  of  the  warehouse  of  M.  EUi,  probably  the  largest  concern  of 
its  kind  in  South  America.  Mr.  Elli  personally  conducted  us  through  his 
establishment. 

At  first  the  bales  and  heaps  of  mammal  skins  held  my  attention.  Promi- 
nent among  them  were  many  thousands  of  skins  of  the  otter,  although  this 
animal  is  fast  disappearing  from  its  old  haunts.  Our  guide  explained  that  the 
firm  furnished  the  traps,  and  that  a  good  man,  upon  discovering  a  lake  or  stream 
inhabited  by  otters,  could  catch  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  colony  with  great 
case,  visiting  the  traps  several  times  each  day  to  remove  the  captives.  I 
think  the  government  of  Argentine  was  contemplating  the  adoption  of  some 
protective  measure,  at  the  time  of  our  visit,  to  prevent  these  animals  from 
being  entirely  exterminated. 

Probably  next  in  order  of  abundance  were  the  skins  of  deer,  those  of  the 
great,  beautiful  marsh  deer  predominating.  The  smaller  mammals  such  as 
rabbits,  skunks,  opossums,  coypu  rats,  and  various  small  rodents,  were  well 
represented  by  thousands  of  pelts.  One  great  bale  that  excited  my  curiosity 
was  found  to  contain  the  breasts  of  Penguins, — many  hundreds  of  them. 

My  attention  was  next  directed  to  the  ceiling.  We  were  in  a  great,  long, 
barn-like  room,  the  'ceiling'  of  which  was  supported  by  strong  rafters  that 
ran,  close  together,  the  length  of  the  room.  On  nails  and  hooks  driven  into 
both  sides  of  these  rafters,  hung  immense  bunches  of  entire  skins  of  the  Black- 
necked  Swan.  There  were  many,  many  thousands  of  them,  and,  as  we  looked 
in  speechless  amazement,  our  host  explained  that  at  certain  seasons  of  the 
year  these  birds  congregated  on  the  rivers  of  Lower  Argentine  in  great  numbers, 
and  that  a  good  gunner  could  usually  kill  several  at  one  shot.    I  ventured  ta 

(259) 


26o 


Bird  -  Lore 


inquire  for  what  purpose  these  skins  were  used;  and  was  told,  though  not  in 
these  same  words,  that  the  only  excuse  or  reason  for  this  wholesale  slaughter 
of  the  beautiful  and  graceful  creatures  was  to  supply  the  women  of  the  civi- 
lized world  with  powder-puffs.      I  wonder  how  many  women  have  realized 


RHEAS    IN    THE    ZOOLOGICAL    GARDEN    AT    BUENOS    AIRES 
Photographed  by  L.   E.   Miller 

this  gruesome  fact,  when  insisting  on  "genuine  swan's  down"  when  purchas- 
ing the  fluffy  daubers!  But  the  greatest  surprise  of  all  was  still  awaiting  us. 
I  was  called  into  the  office  and  given  the  opportunity  to  listen  to  some 
rather  heated  arguments  against  the  laws  that  had  recently  been  enacted  in 
my  country,  prohibiting  the  importation  of  wild  birds'  plumage.  And  by 
degrees  it  dawned  upon  me  that  the  concern  had  a  large  sum  of  money  invested 
in  a  stock  of  these  goods,  upon  which  it  suddenly  found  it  impossible  to  realize. 
As  proof,  I  was  shown  into  a  lower  storeroom  almost  completely  filled  with 
enormous  burlap-covered  bales  that  were  stacked  from  floor  to  ceiling.  These 
were  filled  with  Rhea  feathers,  and  I  was  repeatedly  assured  that  they  had  all 
been  taken  from  wild  killed  birds;  and  that  practically  the  only  market  that 
existed  for  these  feathers  was  the  United  States  of  America,  where  they  were 
manufactured  into  dusters.  No  other  country  imported  sufficient  quantities 
to  render  their  collection  profitable.  As  I  vainly  tried  to  estimate  the  quan- 
tity that  was  housed  within  those  four  walls,  I  was  relieved  of  all  difficulty 
by  being  told  that  there  were  exactly  sixty  thousand  kilos — approximately 


Destruction   of  Wild   Life  in   South   America 


261 


sixty  tons.  Next  day  I  purchased  a  copy  of  the  bulletin  giving  the  statistics 
of  Argentine  imports  and  exports.  I  found  that  34,206  kilos,  over  thirty-four 
tons  of  Rhea  feathers  had  been  exported  during  the  first  six  months  of  the 
fiscal  year.  Later,  while  strolling  through  the  zoological  gardens  of  Buenos 
Aires,  I  came  upon  two  splendid  specimens  of  the  Rhea  insolently  blocking 
my  path,  and  I  wanted  to  congratulate  these  fortunate  individuals  upon 
having  escaped  the  general  massacre. 

The  markets  of  Buenos  TVires,  at  this  season,  were  abundantly  supplied 
with  Solitary  and  Pectoral  Sandpipers,  and  Greater  and  Lesser  Yellow-legs. 
Tinamon  of  two  species  (N.  maculosa  and  Colopersus  elegansis)  were  offered 
by  the  barrel  and  basketful.  In  Asuncion,  Paraguay,  small  birds,  including 
Tanagers  and  Ovenbirds  were  occasionally  on  sale,  plucked,  though  in  small 
nmnbers. 

Several  months  later  I  was  spending  a  short  time  among  the  Portuguese 
planters  on  the  Lower  Madeira  and  Solimoens,  where  are  found  the  impene- 
trable swamps  interspersed  with  shallow  lagoons.  It  was  the  beginning  of  the 
nesting  season,  and  Herons  were  donning  their  fatal  nuptial  garments.  An 
agent  had  \asited  the  locality  a  short  time  before,  offering  to  buy  all  aigrettes 
collected  at  three  contos  of  reis  (about  $1,000)  per  kilo  (about  2  lbs.).    Judg- 


PORTUGUESE   PLANTERS'   HUT   ON   THE   SOLIMOENS  WHERE    LARGE 

NUMBERS    OF    EGRETS    ARE    KILLED 

Photographed  by  L  .  E.   Miller 


ing  by  the  numbers  of  the  birds  as  I  had  seen  them,  and  they  were 
not  extremely  abundant  here,  I  was  calculating  how  many  shots  would  be 
required  to  secure  enough  birds  to  produce  two  pounds  of  aigrettes,  and  if  the 
high  price  of  ammunition  in  Brazil  would  make  it  a  profitable  occupation  for 
the  natives.    The  birds  seemed  fairly  safe.    My  swarthy  Portuguese  friend 


362 


Bird  -  Lore 


for  a  time  ventured  no  information  beyond  answering  my  questions.  Then 
decided  to  admit  me  into  his  confidence;  and  the  single  word  "veneno"  spoke 
volumes. 

About  the  time  the  Heron's  plumage  is  at  its  best,  the  annual  floods  have 
begun  to  recede,  leaving  shallow  lakes  and  marshes  teeming  with  myriads  of 
imprisoned  fish.  And  as  the  drying-up  process  continues,  the  stranded  fish 
die  in  heaps.  I  saw  tons  of  them — dying,  dead  and  decaying — in  the  pan- 
tanales  on  the  Taquary.  It  was  the  season  of  harvest  for  the  Jabiru,  Heron, 
Vulture  and  opossum,  and  they  were  enjoying  their  periodical  feast  to  the  full. 

It  is  the  custom  of  the  plume-hunter,  I  was  told,  to  collect  quantities  of 
these  fish,  poison  them,  and  then  scatter  them  broadcast  over  the  Heron's 
feeding-grounds.  Occasionally,  poisoned  shrimp  are  used,  if  the  inundations 
extend  beyond  the  usual  time.  This  method  is  of  course  cheaper  than  shooting: 
the  birds  are  not  frightened  away,  and  the  results  of  such  relentless  persecu- 
tion must  be  obvious.  A  whole  colony  may  be  exterminated  in  its  feeding- 
grounds,  even  if  the  rookery  is  impregnable. 

I  do  not  know  to  what  extend  this  process  of  extermination  is  carried  on. 
I  have  never  seen  it  in  operation,  and  had  never  heard  of  it  elsewhere.  But 
such,  my  informant  assured  me,  are  the  methods  employed  on  the  Madeira 
and  Solimoens. 


MOURNING    DOVE 
Photographed  by  Guya  Bailer,  Geneseo,  N,  Y. 


Comparative  Abundance  of  Birds 
A  Letter  from  Abbott  H.  Thayer 

Editor  of  Bird-Lore: 

I  send  you  herewith  a  letter  from  Professor  Munsterberg. 

Having  long  believed  that  our  common  birds  are  not  widely  diminishing, 
except  in  certain  special  cases  where  circumstances  of  civilization  have  ceased 
to  sustain  them  at  an  artificial  abundance  (as  in  the  case  of  Swifts  and  Barn 
Swallows),  I  asked  Prof.  Hugo  Munsterberg,  the  Harvard  Professor  of 
Psychology,  to  corroborate  my  belief  that  circular  question-lists  sent  about  to 
gather  the  public  opinion  on  this  subject  are  dangerous  and  misleading, 
because  of  the  very  psychological  reason  that  he  gives  in  the  accompany- 
ing letter. 

His  answer  sent  you  herewith  should  influence  all  the  local  Audubon  Socie- 
ties who  publish  such  dismal  annovmcements.  These  Societies  will  swiftly 
diminish  their  own  credit  by  such  an  unscientific  position. 

Let  me  here  say  that  I  go  annually  over  my  boyhood  stamping-ground 
around  Keene,  N.  H.,  a  small  city  of  ten  thousand  inhabitants,  now  about  twice 
the  size  it  was  fifty  years  ago  when  I  knew  every  foot  of  its  surroundings. 
Every  meadow  has  still  its  Meadowlarks  and,  close  by  the  town,  one  of  the 
principal  meadows  has  still  its  Upland  Plovers;  although  I  do  not,  of  course, 
class  this  species  with  the  rest.  Bobolinks  are  everywhere  that  they  ever 
were;  hundreds  of  them,  young  and  old,  crowd  the  fences,  the  grass,  and  the 
tops  of  the  neighboring  groves,  when  the  year's  generation  is  accomplished. 
Every  wet  place  has  its  Redwings;  the  elms  their  Orioles  and  Crackles;  the 
river  its  Spotted  Sandpipers  and  Wood  Ducks.  Bluebirds  are  just  now  scarce 
hereabouts,  but  I  saw  three  or  four  pairs  last  week  in  Keene,  and,  to  my  great 
joy,  Nighthawks  seem  to  be  picking  up.  There,  again,  they  build  on  the  tops 
of  the  stores  about  the  center  of  the  town.  It  is  true,  I  saw  only  one  individual 
there,  the  other  day,  but  it  was  the  first  for  several  years;  we  have  seen  four 
in  all,  hereabouts,  this  year.  In  this  region  Hermit  Thrushes  still  seem  less 
numerous  than  up  to  191 2,  and  in  Dublin  I  have  seen  no  Bluebirds  this  sea- 
son; but,  taking  the  whole  region  together,  its  bird  fauna  is,  in  my  belief, 
unabated.  Its  Robins,  Bobolinks,  Catbirds,  Kingbirds,  Flickers,  Orioles, 
Warblers,  Swallows,  Flycatchers,  its  three  kinds  of  Vireo,  its  Meadowlarks, 
Spotted  Sandpipers,  and  many  other  species,  are  all  at  their  posts,  and  this, 
in  my  belief,  is  all  there  ever  were.  Of  course,  all  species  fluctuate,  and  the 
Hermits  and  Bluebirds  will  doubtless  abound  again. — A.  H.  Thayer,  Monad- 
nock,  N.  H.,  May  31,  1914. 

Professor  Miinsterberg's  Letter 

Cambridge,  Massachusetts,  May  28,  1914- 
My  dear  Sir:   You  raise  the  interesting  question  of  whether  the  testimony 
of  those  who  claim  that  many  species  of  bird  are  today  less  common  than 

(263) 


264 


Bird  -  Lore 


formerly  is  reliable.  I  should  say  that  such  testimony  underlies  all  the  well- 
known  illusions  which  are  today  familiar  to  the  psychologist  through  recent 
experimental  studies  concerning  the  value  of  evidence  on  the  witness  stand. 
The  illusions  of  perception,  of  memory,  of  suggestion,  of  attention,  play  an 
important  role  there. 

In  this  particular  case,  it  may  be  taken  as  probable  that,  looking  backward^ 
the  imagination  exaggerates  the  pleasure  received  from  such  birds  in  the  past 
in  comparison  with  the  present  experience.  If  the  feelings  were  different,  if 
it  were  the  question  of  dangerous  birds,  or  of  birds  disliked  for  any  other  rea- 
son, the  suggestive  illusion  would  probably  be  the  opposite.  The  observers 
would  have  the  impression  that  there  are  more  birds  today  than  formerly, 
because  displeasures  of  the  past  are  easily  underestimated  as  compared  with 
present  displeasures.    I  should  not  trust  such  impressionistic  records  at  all. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 

Me.  a.  H.  Thayer.  Hugo  Munsterberg. 

Monadnock,  N.  H. 


FEMALE   REDSTART,   NEST   AND    YOUNG 
Photographed  by  Arthur  A.  Allen,  Ithaca,  N.  Y. 


Why  the  Birds  Are  Decreasing 

By   ROLLA    'WARREN    KIMSEY,  Lathrop,  Mo. 

BIRDS  are  a  great  deal  like  people.  There  is  probably  no  bird,  regard- 
less of  what  its  reputation  for  good  may  be,  but  that  does  some  harm. 
Most  of  our  best-known  insect-destroyers  are  also  great  lovers  of  fruit ; 
devouring  large  quantities  of  cherries,  strawberries  and  grapes.  I  think, 
however,  that,  all  things  considered,  the  good  done  by  the  feathered  folk  is 
sufficient  to  credit  them,  as  a  class,  as  the  friend  of  man.  Then,  if  it  is  a  fact 
that  the  birds  are  decreasing,  it  is  time  for  something  practical  to  be  done  for 
their  protection. 

The  first  thing  I  desire  to  set  forth  is  that  the  breeding-places  are  being 
destroyed.  I  have  in  mind  a  certain  territory  where  hawthorn,  red  thorn, 
wild  plum  and  crab  trees,  wild  rose-bushes  and  other  small,  thick  bushes 
grew  in  profusion  along  the  streams,  fence-corners  and  roadside.  These  fur- 
nished an  ideal  nesting-place,  and  also  protection,  for  the  Catbird,  Brown 
Thrasher  and  Mockingbird.  Then  there  were  miles  of  hedge-fence,  so  closely 
matted  that  it  was  almost  impossible  for  one  to  locate  or  reach  a  nest  within 
the  thorns.  In  these  places  I  have  found  dozens  of  nests  in  the  course  of  an 
afternoon  stroll.  Now  this  land  has  been  steadily  advancing  in  value,  and  as 
a  result,  the  brush  and  thickets  have  been  cleared  away,  the  hedge-fences 
uprooted,  and  along  the  roadside  appears  the  neat  wire  fence.  The  birds  that 
once  found  shelter  and  protection  for  their  nest  and  young  have  been  forced 
to  build  more  in  the  open,  or  to  leave  the  neighborhood  for  more  desirable 
nesting-places.  So,  with  less  protection,  a  greater  number  of  their  young 
are  being  destroyed  each  year.  I  go  over  the  same  ground,  and  consider  myself 
fortunate  if  I  find  three  or  four  nests  where  in  previous  years  I  have  found 
many,  with  little  eflfort. 

Around  almost  every  farmhouse  there  are  from  six  to  fifteen  half-fed  cats. 
In  the  villages  and  cities  there  are  hundreds  of  them,  homeless,  and  li\dng  as 
it  were  by  their  wits.  The  birds,  that  love  the  friendship  and  companionship 
of  man,  build  their  nests  in  the  great  trees  around  the  house,  and  in  the  old 
neglected  orchard,  which  knows  nothing  about  a  pruning-hook  or  saw.  In 
one  of  these  old  trees  I  have  seen  the  nest  of  a  Woodpecker  in  a  decayed  stub ; 
up  in  a  substantial  fork,  the  nest  of  a  Robin;  and  on  a  low,  flat  limb,  a  Dove 
over  her  eggs.  But  now  the  old  orchard  has  given  way  to  closely  trimmed, 
business-like  trees,  in  which  a  nest  would  have  no  more  protection  than  out 
on  the  highway.  I  have  stood  in  some  yards  and  counted  ten  and  twelve 
nests,  without  moving.  Now  it  is  about  the  yard  and  orchard  that  the  cat 
gets  in  its  most  deadly  work.  It  is  impossible  for  young  birds  to  stay  in  the 
trees  when  learning  to  fly;  in  fact,  one  will  find  them  on  the  ground  nearly  as 
often  as  in  the  trees.  And  how  often  have  I  been  reading  in  the  shade,  on  some 
summer  day,  to  be  aroused  by  the  cry  of  a  fledgling  Oriole  or  Robin,  as  it  strug- 

(26s) 


266 


Bird  -  Lore 


gled  in  the  jaws  of  a  wretched  cat.  This  is  going  on  constantly,  for  there  is  no 
food  for  which  a  cat  will  seek  more  diligently  than  young  birds,  in  nesting-time. 

In  the  territory  of  which  I  speak,  there  are  only  two  birds  that  seem  to 
hold  their  own:  the  Meadowlark  and  the  English  Sparrow.  I  need  not  go  into 
detail  about  the  latter,  but  shall  give  a  reason  as  to  why  the  Larks  have,  to  all 
appearances,  held  their  own,  and  seem  to  be  as  numerous  as  ever.  Their 
breeding-places  have  been  increased.  I  mean  that  the  timothy  and  clover 
fields  furnish  ideal  nesting-places  for  them ;  for,  as  soon  as  the  young  leave  the 
nest,  they  are  well  protected  by  the  long  grass  from  Hawks  and  any  Var- 
mints' that  would  prey  upon  them.  If  one  ever  attempted  to  catch  a  young 
Lark  in  the  tall  grass  he  will  readily  understand  my  position,  when  I  refer  to 
the  hay-fields  as  protection.  Then  the  rapidity  with  which  Quails  will  multi- 
ply, when  given  a  closed  season,  bears  out  the  position  that  any  bird  that 
builds  in  the  grass  is  well  protected. 

What  is  the  remedy?  It  must  come  through  the  states,  and  from  the 
counties  within  the  states.  Every  county  should  have  a  bird  park,  where 
rose-bushes,  buck  bushes,  plum  thickets,  thorn  trees,  and  all  kinds  of  wild 
trees,  can  grow  in  rank  profusion.  The  park  will  become  a  sort  of  a  recruiting 
point,  as  the  birds  will  soon  learn  to  nest  there;  and,  if  the  farmers  are 
instructed  to  encourage  the  growth  of  thick  shrubs  along  their  fence-rows, 
the  birds  will  scatter  out  over  the  country. 

Cats  in  town  should  be  taxed  and  required  to  wear  a  small  collar.  This 
would  cull  out  a  large  number  of  the  prowlers.  Then  our  farmers  need  some 
advice  along  the  cat  line. 

Finally,  there  are  only  two  questions  before  us:  Do  we  need  the  birds? 
Are  they  decreasing?  If  an  affirmative  answer  is  given  to  the  above  questions, 
I  shall  add,  no  expense  should  be  withheld  for  their  protection. 


The  Migration  of  North  American  Sparrows 

TWENTY-NINTH  PAPER 

Compiled  by  Prof.  W.  W.  Cooke,  Chiefly  from  Data  in  the  Biological  Survey 

With  drawings  by  Louis  Agassiz  Fuertes 

(See  Frontispiece) 

LARK    BUNTING 

Wintering  in  northern  Mexico,  and  less  commonly  in  southern  Texas 
and  southern  Arizona,  the  Lark  Bunting  begins  its  northward  journey  in  early 
March,  but  migrates  so  slowly  that  it  is  the  first  of  June  before  it  reaches 
the  northern  limit  of  its  breeding  range.  Its  principal  home  is  on  the  treeless 
prairies  just  east  of  the  foothills  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  whence  it  spreads 
west  in  migration  to  southern  California  and  has  wandered  east  to  Mount 
Pleasant,  S.  C,  April  19,  1895;  Montauk  Point,  N.  Y.,  September  4,  1888; 
and  Lynn,  Mass.,  December  5,  1877. 


SPRING   MIGRATION 


PLACE 


Southern  Arizona 

Pilot  Knob,  Calif 

Southern  New  Mexico.  .  . 
Pahrump  Valley,  Nev. .  .  , 
Springfield,  Colo.  (near). 

Beloit,  Colo,  (near) 

Yuma,  Colo 

Denver,  Colo.  (near).  .  .  . 

Cheyenne,  Wyo 

Badger,  Nebr 

Valentine,  Nebr.  (near).. 

Rapid  City,  S.  D 

Harrison,  S.  D.  (near) .  . . 

Lanesboro,  Minn 

Terry,  Mont 

Aweme,  Manitoba  (near) 

Indian  Head,  Sask 

Dinsmore,  Sask 

Flagstaff,  Alberta 


Number 
of  years' 
record 


.\verage  date  of 
spring  arrival 


March  i 
April  6 


^ 

April  29 

5 

May  2 

s 

May  8 

4 

May  14 

4 

May  10 

4 

May  7 

6 

May  9 

S 

May  10 

9 

May  13 

8 

May  15 

7 

May  22 

.S 

May  26 

3 

May  31 

Earliest  date  of 
spring  arrival 


February  13,  1910 
April  6,  1890 
April  3,  1892 
April  29,  1890 
April  27,  1908 
April  28,  1894 
May  4,  1906 
April  28,  1889 
May  7,  1888 
May  4,  1900 
April  22,  1894 
May  6,  1906 
May  10,  1 89 1 
May  II,  1884 
May  10,  1893 
May  15,  1908 
May  15,  1908 
May  22,  1909 
May  24,  1909 


The  last  were  noted  at  San  Antonio,  Tex.,  on  the  average  May  6,  and  the 
latest  May  13,  1899;  the  last  in  the  Huachucas,  Ariz.,  May  16,  1902;  and  at 
Poway,  Calif.,  May  25,  1886. 

The  southward  movement  in  the  fall  begins  so  early  that  by  July  27,  1881, 
the  first  appeared  at  Brownsville,  Tex.,  several  hundred  miles  south  of  the 
breeding  range.  The  average  date  of  the  first  seen  in  southern  New  Mexico 
is  August  2,  earliest  July  31,  1901,  and  in  southern  Arizona,  average  August  7, 
earliest  August  5,  1909.  An  unusually  early  individual  was  noted  July  20,  1905, 
at  Santa  Barbara,  Calif. 

(267) 


268  Bird -Lore 

The  last  one  noted  at  Badger,  Nebr.,  was  on  September  28,  1899;  Rapid 
City,  S.  D.,  average  October  i,  latest  October  2,  191 1;  Yuma,  Colo,  (near), 
average  September  13,  latest  September  21,  1891,  and  Carrizozo,  N.  M., 
October  28,  1902. 

SHARPE'S    SEEDEATER 

The  principal  home  of  Sharpe's  Seedeater  is  in  northeastern  Mexico,  but 
some  individuals  migrate  north  in  summer  to  the  lower  Rio  Grande  Valley 
of  Texas,  and  at  this  season  the  species  is  fairly  common  locally  in  Cameron 
and  Hidalgo  Counties.  It  arrives  on  the  average  near  Brownsville,  March  18, 
earliest  February  21,  1880,  and  may  occasionally  winter,  as  one  was  taken 
January  30.  1S80  at  Brownsville. 


Notes  on  the  Plumage  of  North  American  Sparrows 

TWENTY-EIGHTH   PAPER 
By  FRANK  M.    CHAPMAN 

(See  Frontispiece) 

Sharpe's  Seedeater  {Sporophila  morelletisharpei,  Figs,  i,  2). — The  plumages 
of  this  little  Seedeater  are  still  a  puzzle  to  ornithologists.  In  southern  Mexico 
and  southward,  the  adult  male  has  a  jet-black  back  and  broad  black  breast- 
band,  but  in  northeastern  Mexico  and  the  lower  Rio  Grande  Valley  in  Texas, 
no  specimen  of  this  kind  has  been  taken,  and  our  plate  (Fig.  i)  shows  as  mature 
a  male  as  is  known  from  this  region.  It  is  because  of  this  difference  in  the 
plumage  that  a  northern  race  of  the  bird  has  been  described;  but  whether 
in  this  northern  bird  the  back  and  breast  never  become  black,  or  whether  as 
yet  a  fully  adult  male  has  not  been  found,  is  an  open  question.  In  my  opinion, 
the  first-named  condition  is  correct;  in  other  words,  Sharpe's  Seedeater  never 
has  the  back  and  breast-band  wholly  black.  Consequently,  in  its  fully  adult 
plumage  it  resembles  the  southern  race  of  this  species  {i.e.  Morellet's  Seed- 
eater) in  immature  plumage. 

The  case  is  unusual  and  doubtless  requires  further  investigation.  In  the 
meantime,  I  have  not  the  material  for  a  satisfactory  study  of  this  Seedeater's 
plumage  changes.  The  case  is  complicated  by  the  impossibility  of  determining 
whether  winter  specimens  from  southern  Mexico  are  residents  or  migrants 
from  the  North. 

Lark  Bunting  {Calamospiza  melanocorys,  Figs.  3-5). — It  is  difficult  to 
explain  under  any  theory  of  protective  coloration,  the  relation  between  the 
plumage  and  the  haunts  of  the  male  Lark  Bunting.  Conspicuous  in  color, 
and  action,  it  inhabits  the  open  plains  where  cover  is  scant  and  where  one 
might  well  imagine  it  was  exposed  to  such  enemies  as  it  may  possess.  The 
female,  however,  is  in  a  high  degree  protectively  colored;  and,  indeed,  it  is 


Notes  on   the   Plumage  of   North  American   Sparrows       269 

only  during  the  mating-  and  nesting-season  that  the  male  wears  his  striking 
black-and-white  costume. 

The  nestling  male  is  buffy  white,  faintly  streaked  below;  above  the  feathers 
are  blackish  margined  with  buffy,  producing  a  somewhat  scaled  appearance. 
At  the  postjuvenal  molt  the  tail  and  wing-quills  are  retained,  the  rest  of  the 
plumage  molted.  The  new  plumage  (first  winter)  resembles  that  of  the  female 
but  the  wings  and  tail  are  blacker  and  there  is  more  black  on  the  underparts, 
particularly  on  the  throat. 

The  breeding  or  nuptial  plumage  is  gained  by  a  spring  or  prenuptial  molt, 
in  which,  as  in  the  postjuvenal  or  first  fall  molt,  the  tail  and  wing-quills  are 
retained.  The  body  plumage,  wing-coverts  and  tertials  are  shed  and  replaced 
by  the  black-  and-white  breeding-dress.  Birds  in  their  first  nuptial  plumage 
may  now  be  distinguished  from  fully  mature  birds  by  their  browner  wings  and 
tail  and,  often,  less  intensely  black  body  feathers. 

At  the  postnuptial  or  fall  molt,  which,  as  usual,  is  complete,  the  bird 
assumes  a  costume  somewhat  like  that  of  the  first  winter ;  but  the  tail  and  wing- 
quills  are  now  fully  black  and  there  is  more  black  on  the  underparts. 


WOOD    PEWEE 
Photographed  by  Guy  A.   Bailey,  Geneseo,  N.  Y. 


A  Cooperative  Study  of  Bird  Migration 

^LTHOUGH  we  received  seventy-one  reports  on  the  migration  of  the 
/\  first  group  of  birds — Robin,  Red-winged  Blackbird  and  Phoebe — 
(including  five  that  were  held  and  sent  with  the  second  group),  only 
forty-four  reports  on  the  Chimney  Swift,  House  Wren  and  Baltimore  Oriole 
have  come  in.  Therefore  we  cannot  make  such  comparisons  nor  come  to  such 
conclusions  as  might  have  been  possible  from  a  larger  number  of  returns.  It 
would  have  been  interesting,  for  instance,  to  see  whether  the  Swifts  reached 
Nova  Scotia  from  the  mainland,  as  the  Robins  apparently  did,  or  entered 
the  south  end  directly,  from  over  the  water. 

The  migration  of  the  present  three  species  called  forth  few  comments  as 
to  its  being  unusual  in  any  way.  Pittsburgh  reported  all  three  as  being  uncom- 
monly early,  Milwaukee  that  the  Oriole  was  four  days  ahead  of  its  record, 
and  New  Haven  that  the  Swift  and  Wren  were  late.  For  all  three  species  the 
Mississippi  Valley  dates  average  several  days  earlier  than  those  of  the 
Atlantic  coast. 

The  Chimney  Swift  averaged  the  earliest  species  to  appear  and  to  become 
common,  though  at  some  stations,  particularly  in  the  north,  it  was  the  latest. 
The  first  individuals  took  just  a  month  from  southeastern  Pennsylvania  to  the 
far  end  of  Nova  Scotia.  As  with  the  Robins,  after  passing  New  York  City, 
those  that  continued  along  the  coast  went  much  faster  than  those  that  followed 
up  the  big  river  valleys.  Swifts  reached  northern  Vermont  but  three  or  four 
days  before  others  reached  northern  Nova  Scotia,  though  the  former  is  three 
hundred,  and  the  latter  seven  hundred  miles  from  New  York.  That  makes 
the  advance  of  the  species  along  the  coast  about  thirty-two,  and  up  the  Hud- 
son and  Champlain  Valleys  less  than  seventeen  miles  a  day.  This  rate  is  much 
slower  than  the  Robin's,  which  was  forty-seven  and  twenty  miles,  respectively. 

Although  the  House  Wren  breeds  north  to  New  Brunswick  and  Quebec, 
it  is  apparently  too  rare  north  of  southern  New  England  to  be  counted  on 
regularly.  In  the  Middle  West,  however,  it  is  common  much  farther  north — 
as  far  as  these  records  extend.  In  Norway,  Maine,  "In  191 1  several  bird- 
houses  in  town  had  one  lone  House  Wren,  who  made  a  nest  and  sang  and 
waited  for  a  week  or  two,  but  no  mates  arrived  and  they  disappeared.  We 
never  saw  them  before  or  since."  It  is  remarkable  that  this  species  was  noted 
at  Viroqua,  Wis.,  twenty  days  earlier  than  at  any  other  station  in  that  state, 
and  thirteen  days  earlier  than  at  any  other  station  from  Missouri  northward, 
— in  fact,  it  became  common  there  six  days  before  it  was  first  seen  elsewhere 
in  Wisconsin. 

The  Baltimore  Oriole  seemed  to  become  common  at  substantially  the  same 
date  along  a  line  from  the  lower  Delaware  Valley  to  southwestern  Maine 
(except  at  Bernardsville,  which  is  in  the  hilly  interior  of  northern  New  Jersey), 
and  to  reach,  several  days  later,  points  farthest  to  either  side  of  that  line, — ■ 
Orient,  Bournedale,  Clarendon  and  St.  Albans. — Charles  H.  Rogers. 

(270) 


A  Cooperative  Study  of  Bird  Migration  271 

Reports  were  received  from  the  following  localities  and  persons: 

Atlantic  Coast  District. 

Benvyn,  Chester  Co.,  southeastern  Pa. — Frank  L.  Burns. 

Andover,  Sussex  Co.,  northwestern  N.  J.— Mrs.  W.  K.  Harrington. 

Bernardsville,  Somerset  Co.,  central  northern  N.  J.— John  Dryden  Kuser. 

Port  Chester,  Westchester  Co.,  southeastern  N.   Y.— James  C.   Maples,  Samuel 

N.  Comly,  Paul  C.  Spofford,  Bolton  Cook. 
New  Haven,  New  Haven  Co.,  central  southern  Conn. — Aretas  A.  Saunders. 
Orient,  eastern  Long  Island,  N.  Y. — Roy  Latham. 
Waterbury,  New  Haven   Co.,   western  central   Conn.— R.  E.  Piatt,  Mrs.   Nelson 

A.  Pomeroy. 
South  Auburn,  northeastern  R.  I. — Harry  S.  Hathaway. 
Providence,  northeastern  R.  I. — Roland  Hammond,  Lucy  H.  Upton. 
Cambridge  and  vicinity,  Middlesex  Co.,  eastern  Mass. — Myles  Peirce  Baker, 
Bournedale,  Barnstable  Co.,  southeastern  Mass. — Ethel  L.  Walker. 
Norway,  Oxford  Co.,  southwestern  Maine. — Corabelle  Cummings. 
Milton,  Queens  Co.,  southern  N.  S. — R.  H.  Wetmore. 
Antigonish,  Antigonish  Co.,  eastern  N.  S.— Harrison  F.  Lewis. 

Hudson  and  Champlain  Valleys. 

Hyde  Park,  Dutchess  Co.,  southeastern  N.  Y.— Harry  T.  Briggs. 
Rhinebeck,  Dutchess  Co.,  southeastern  N.  Y.— Maunsell  S.  Crosby. 
Clarendon,  Rutland,  Co.,  central  western  Vt.— L.  Henry  Potter. 
St.  Albans,  four  miles  north  of,  Franklin  Co.,  northwestern  Vt.— Lelia  E.  Hon- 
singer. 

Ohio  Valley. 

Urbana,  Champaign  Co.,  central  eastern  111. — Frank  Smith  and  collaborators. 

Marco,  Greene  Co.,  southeastern  Ind. — Mrs.  Stella  Chambers. 

Huron,  Erie  Co.,  central  northern  Ohio. — H.  G.  Morse. 

Detroit,  Wayne  Co.,  southwestern  Mich. — Mrs.  F.  W.  Robinson. 

Pittsburgh,   within   lo   miles  of,   Allegheny   Co..   central   western   Pa.— Thos.    D. 

Burleigh. 
Collins,  Erie  Co.,  southwestern  N.  Y. — Dr.  Anne  E.  Perkins. 
Geneva,  Ontario  Co.,  southwestern  N.  Y. — Otto  McCreary. 
Aurora,  Cayuga  Co.,  southwestern  N.  Y. — Matilda  Jacobs. 
Highland   Park,    Rochester,    Monroe    Co.,    southwestern    N.    Y. — William    L.    G. 

Edson. 
Reaboro,  Victoria  Co.,  central  southern  Ont. — E.  W.  Calvert. 

Mississippi  Valley. 

Concordia,  Lafayette  Co.,  central  western  Mo.— Dr.  Ferdinand  Schreimann. 

Washington  Park,  Springfield,  Sangamon  Co.,  central  111.— Frances  S.  Davidson. 

Iowa  City,  Johnson  Co.,  central  eastern  Iowa. — R.  W.  Wales. 

Zuma  Twp.,  Rock  Island  Co.,  northwestern  111.— J.  J.  Schafer. 

Rockford,  Winnebago  Co.,  central  northern  Ill.^Norman  E.  Nelson. 

Atlantic,  Cass  Co.,  southwestern  Iowa. —  Thos.  H.  Whitney. 

Lauderdale  Lakes,  Walworth  Co.,  southeastern  Wis. — Lula  Dunbar. 

Viroqua,  Vernon  Co.,  southwestern  Wis. — Raymond  Spellum. 

Milwaukee,  Milwaukee  Co.,  southeastern  Wis. — Mrs.  Mark  L.  Simpson. 


272 


Bird  -  Lore 


Mississippi  Valley,  continued. 

Madison,  Dane  Co.,  central  southern  Wis. — A.  W.  Schorger. 
Reedsburg,  Sauk  Co.,  central  southern  Wis. — Ethel  A.  Nott. 
Newberry,  Luce  Co.,  northeastern  Mich. — Ralph  Beebe. 
Lennox,  Lincoln  Co.,  southeastern  S.  D. — W.  B.  Mallory. 
Fargo,  Cass  Co.,  southeastern  N.  D. — O.  A.  Stevens. 


CHIMNEY  SWIFT 


Atlantic  Coast  District. 

Berwyn,  Pa 

Andover,  N.  J 

Bernardsville,  N.  J 

Port  Chester,  N.  Y 

New  Haven,  Conn.,  and  vie. 

Orient,  L.  I.,  N.  Y 

Waterbury,  Conn 

Providence,  R.  I.,  and  vie... 
Cambridge,  Mass.,  and  vie. 

Bournedale,  Mass 

Kittery  Point,  Me 

Norway,  Me 

Milton,  N.  S 

Antigonish,  N.  S 

Hudson  and  Champlain  Valleys 

Hvde  Park,  N.  Y 

Rhinebeck,  N.  Y 

Clarendon,  Vt 

St.  Albans,  Vt 

Ohio  Valley, 

Urbana,  111 

Marco,  Ind 

Huron,  Ohio 

Detroit,  Mich 

Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  and  vie 

Southwestern  New  York. . . . 
Reaboro,  Ont 

Mississippi  Valley. 

Concordia,  Mo 

Wash.  Park.,  Springfield,  111. 

Iowa  City,  Iowa 

Zuma  Twp.,  Rock  I.  Co. ,111. 

Roekford,  111 

Atlantic,  Iowa 

Lauderdale  Lakes,  Wis 

Viroqua,  Wis 

Milwaukee,  Wis 

Madison,  Wis 

Reedsburg,  Wis 

Newberry,  Mich 

Lincoln  Co.,  S.  D 

Fargo,  N.  D 


First  seen 


April  2  2 
April  26 
May  4 
April  27 
May    I* 
May  IS 
May    s 
May    3 
May    4 
May  II 
An  early 
May    7 
May  18 
May  22 


April  23 
May  2 
May  8 
May  19 


April  21 
April  18 
April  18 
May  3 
April  25 
April  30 
May    4 


April  18 
May  24 
April  17 
April  29 
April  18 
April  23 
May  3 
April  27 
May  5 
April  27 
April  14 
May  18 
No  record 
May  IS 


Number 


4 

2 
2 

ndividual 

25 
common 


3 
3 
3 
7-8 
6 


Next  seen 


April  27 
April  28 
May  s 
April  30 
May  4 
May  17 
May  7 
May    6 

May  IS 
April  21 
May    8 

May  23 


April  24 
May  3 
May  10 
May  20 


April  28 
April  22 
April  19 

April  26 
May  I 
May  s 


April  19 
May  26 
April  23 
April  30 
April  26 
April  26 
May  4 
May  I 
May  6 
April  28 
May  13 
May  19 

May  16 


Number 


Becomes 
common 


4-5 


3 
by  M.  P. 
countless 


5 

3 

16 

7 

14 

6 

4 


April  28 

April  28 

May  4 

May    3 

May    8 

n  ot  common 

May    Q 

May    9 

May    6 

May  17 

Baker. 

May    7 

May  18 

May  2S 


April  26 
May  8 
May  17 
May  21 


May  4 
April  25 
April  26 
rare  here 
April  26 
May  10 
May  10 


April  24 

(?) 
April  29 

May  2 

April  27 

May  I 

May  3 

May  I 

May  6 

April  28 

May  15 

May  20 

May  20 


*By  Dr.  L.  B.  Bishop. 


A  Cooperative  Study  of  Bird  Migration 

HOUSE  WREN 


273 


First  seen         Number         Next  seen 


Atlantic  Coast  District. 

Berwyn,  Pa 

Andover,  N.  J 

Bernardsville,  N.  J 

Port  Chester,  N.  Y 

New  Haven,  Conn.,  and  vie. 

Orient,  L.  I.,  N.  Y 

Waterbury,  Conn 

Providence,  R.  I.,  and  vie... 
Cambridge,  Mass.,  and  vie.. 

Bournedale,  Mass 

Norway,  Me 

Nova  Scotia 


April  22  I 

April  2Q  I 

May  7  I          3 

April  24  I 

May  4  I 

May  4  I 

May  4  I 

May  16  i          2 

May  16  I 

not  seen 

Seen  only  in  191 i 

Accidental 


April  23 
April  30 
May  8 
April  25 
May  5 
very  rare  a 
May  7 

May  17 


Hudson  and  Champlain  Valleys 

Hyde  Park,  N.  Y May  4  i  May  6 

Rhinebeck,  N.  Y May  2  3        '    May  3 

Clarendon,  Vt None  seen 

St.  Albans,  Vt ;  None;  som  e  seasons  one  or  two 


Ohio  Valley.  I 

Urbana,  111 I  April  18 

Marco,  Ind '  April  21 

Have  seen  House  Wrens  here  but  th  ree  times. 

Huron,  Ohio April  20 

Detroit,  Mich April  26 

Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  and  vicinity  April  21 

Southwestern  New  York. . .  .  April  28 

Reaboro,  Ont 1  May  3 

Mississippi  Valley. 

Concordia,  Mo April  23 

Wash.  Park,  Springfield,  111.  April  22 

Iowa  City,  Iowa April  ig 

Zuma  Twp.,  Rock  I.  Co. ,111.  April  25 

Rockford,  111 April  26 

.Atlantic,  Iowa April  26 

Lauderdale  Lakes,  Wis 1  May  i 

Breeds  regularly  but  neve  r  common 

Viroqua,  Wis April     6 

Milwaukee,  Wis |  April  27 

Madison,  Wis April  27 

Reedsburg,  Wis j  April  26 

Newberry,  Mich 1  May  15 

Lincoln  Co.,  S.  D May    4  50 

Fargo,  N.  D May  17 


April  23 
April  22 

April  23 
April  27 
April  22 
April  30 
May  10 


April  26 
April  23 
April  20 
April  26 
April  27 
April  27 
May  13 

April  8 
April  29 
April  28 
May  I 
May  16 
May  5 
May  18 


Number 


Becomes 
common 


nd  irregul 


50 


April  28 
May  I 
May  8 
May  I 
May  7 
ar  trans. 
May  9 
rare 
May  17 


May  8 
May  4 


April  26 


April  26 
May  2 
April  23 
May    6 
May  24 


April  29 
April  28 
April  23 
April  26 
April  29 
May  I 


April  20 
May  2 
May  7 
May  4 
May  18 
May  4 
May  20 


BALTIMORE  ORIOLE 


Atlantic  Coast  District 

Berwyn,  Pa 

Andover,  N.  J 

Bernardsville,  N.  J. 
Port  Chester,  N.  Y 


First  seen         Number         Next  seen     1     Number 


May  6 
May  2 
May  4 
April  27 


May  7 
May  3 
May  7 
April  2I 


Becomes 
common 


May  9 
May  5 
May  13 
May    8 


274 


Bird  -  Lore 


Baltimore  Oriole,  continued 


Atlantic  Coast  District,  continued. 
New  Haven,  Conn.,  and  vie. 

Orient,  L.  I.,  N.  Y 

Waterbury,  Conn 

Providence,  R.  I.,  and  vie. 
Cambridge,  Mass.,  and  vie... 

Bournedale,  Mass 

Norway,  Me 

Nova  Scotia 


Hudson  and  Champlain  Vallevs 

Hyde  Park,  N.  Y '.  . 

Rhinebeck,  N.  Y 

Clarendon,  Vt 

St.  Albans,  Vt 


Ohio  Valley. 
Urbana,  111. 
Marco,  Ind. 


Huron,  Ohio 

Detroit,  Mich 

Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  and  vicinity 
Southwestern  New  York. . .  . 
Reaboro,  Ont 


Mississippi  Valley. 

Concordia,  Mo 

Wash.  Park,  Springfield,  III. 

Iowa  City,  Iowa 

Zuma  Twp.,  Rock  I.  Co.,  111. 

Rockford,  111 

Atlantic,  Iowa 

Lauderdale  Lakes,  Wis 

Viroqua,  Wis 

Milwaukee,  Wis 

Madison,  Wis 

Reedsburg,  Wis 

Newberry,  Mich 

Lincoln  Co.,  S.  D 

Fargo,  N.  D 


First  seen         Number         Next  seen 


May 

5 

May 

4 

May 

8 

May 

7 

May 

8 

May 

II 

May 

5 

Accidei 

ital 

4 

May 

May 

4 

May 

i.S 

May 

12 

April 

2,^ 

April 

25 

April 

20 

May 

I 

April 

-7 

April 

,SO 

May 

6 

April 

22 

April 

24 

May 

S 

April 

27 

May 

s 

(?) 

April 

27 

May 

4 

May 

2 

May 

I 

May 

.S 

May 

21 

May 

.s 

May 

16 

1 

3 
3-4 


May  6 
May  II 
May  10 
May  8 
May  9 
May  13 
May    7 


May    s 

May  6 
May  17 
May  13 


April  25 
May  6 

May  I 

May  2 
April  28 
May  I 
May  7 


April  28 
April  26 
May  4 
April  28 
May  4 

April  28 


May 
May 
May 
May 

May 
May 


Number 


4 

4 

I 

a  pair 


common 


Becomes 
common 


several 


May  8 
May  14 
May  10 
May  10 
May  10 
May  16 
May  10 


May  6 
May  ID 
May  18 
May  18 


May  5 
Only    two 
pairs  breed 
May  3 
May  2 
April  30 
May  10 
May  21 


May  2 
April  27 
May  5 
May  3 
May  6 
May  10 
May  I 
May  4 
May  5 
May  6 
May  10 
rare 
May  15 
May  17 


^otes  from  JFtelti  anti  ^ttit)|> 


The  Annual  Bird-List  of  the  Massachu- 
setts Audubon  Society 

Many  members  of  the  Massachusetts 
Audubon  Society  made  a  careful  study  of 
Massachusetts  birds  during  the  year  1913 
and  reported  upon  the  check-lists.  The 
observer  seeing  and  recording  the  largest 
number  of  species  was  Miss  Annie  W. 
Cobb,  30  Massachusetts  Avenue,  Arling- 
ton, who  reports  197.  Nearest  her,  on  the 
list,  is  Anna  Kingman  Barry,  5  Bowdoin 
Avenue,  Dorchester,  with  169.  Royal  E. 
Robbins,  61  Monmouth  Street,  Brookline, 
follows  with  127;  Mrs.  George  W.  Kaan, 
162  Aspinwall  Avenue,  Brookline,  in; 
Helen  W,  Kaan  of  the  same  address,  92, 
and  Eleanor  E.  Barry,  91  Hillside  Avenue, 
Melrose,  87.  Edwin  H.  Merrill,  33  Walnut 
Street,  Winchendon,  reports  32,  but  it  is 
interesting  to  note  that  these  were  all 
seen  within  the  limits  of  Winchendon. 
Quite  a  number  of  birds  not  common  in 
Massachusetts  are  reported  by  these 
observers.  A  Hooded  Warbler — a  male 
in  full  breeding  plumage — was  seen  for  a 
number  of  days  on  Boston  Common  in 
October  by  several  observers.  Acadian 
Chickadees  were  noted  by  several,  and 
also  Cape  May  W^arblers.  The  Blue-gray 
Gnatcatcher  and  the  Mockingbird  were 
also  seen.  The  blanks  for  these  lists  are 
supplied  free  by  the  Massachusetts 
Audubon  Society. — Winthrop  Packard, 
Secretary-Treasurer. 

Birds  and  'Windows 
I 

In  the  May-June  Bird-Lore  is  an 
account  of  the  curious  actions  of  a  Robin 
flying  repeatedly  against  windows.  Nearly 
all  questions  relating  to  natural  history 
have  an  answer — it  is  merely  a  question  of 
searching  out  the  right  one. 

The  same  thing  occurred  here  in  the 
early  nesting-season,  and  I  am  satisfied 
as  to  the  solution  of  the  problem. 


On  numerous  occasions  I  have  seen 
Tree  Sparrows,  Chickadees,  etc.,  which 
feed  in  the  yard  in  wintertime,  fly  against 
the  windows  with  such  force  as  to  stun 
themselves.  One  bird  I  picked  up  dead 
beneath  a  plate-glass  window. 

This  is  liable  to  occur  if  birds  become 
suddenly  alarmed  for  in  the  window  there 
is  reflected  more  or  less  clearly,  according 
to  the  quality  of  the  glass,  sky,  trees, 
fields,  etc.,  which  to  the  bird  seems  an 
avenue  of  escape.  Now  the  Robins  in 
question  were  not  trying  to  break  into 
the  house  or  escape  to  Elysian  fields,  but 
fighting  their  own  reflections  which  they 
supposed  to  be  determined  rivals.  The 
window  here  was  fixed  so  that  it  ceased  to 
act  as  a  reflector  and  the  battle  ceased. 
I  remember  a  pet  Mockingbird  that  used 
to  race  back  and  forth  on  the  mantlepiece 
and  scold  at  his  reflection  in  a  mirror  for 
half  an  hour  at  a  time. — W.  L.  Skinner, 
ProctorsviUe,  Vt. 

II 

In  reply  to  Mr.  Clarence  B.  Wood's 
query  in  the  May-June  issue  of  Bird- 
Lore,  I  would  say  that  a  very  short  time 
ago  I  saw  a  male  Cardinal  act  almost 
exactly  as  did  his  Robin. 

In  a  trumpet  vine  on  the  side  of  my 
home,  over  three  stories  high,  was  located 
a  Cardinal's  nest  (rather  an  unusual  site 
for  a  Cardinal).  The  female  had  been 
incubating  for  some  time  when  the  nest 
was  discovered,  and  the  male  was  ob- 
served in  and  about  the  vine  at  all  hours. 
One  evening  in  the  last  week  of  May  while 
at  work  in  the  garden,  my  attention  was 
attracted  by  many  excited  hissing  chirps, 
followed  by  some  object  continually 
striking  the  glass  of  a  small  garret  window 
some  three  or  four  feet  from,  and  slightly 
below,  the  nest. 

Upon  examination  it  proved  to  be  the 
male  Cardinal  who  for  some  seemingly 
unknown  cause  was  flying  continually 
with  considerable  force  against  the  glass 


(275) 


276 


Bird -Lore 


panes.  Some  of  his  attacks  were  repeated 
with  such  force  that  many  times  he  fell 
panting  and  almost  exhausted  to  the 
narrow  sill  of  the  window,  only  to  hop 
back  into  the  vine  and  renew  his  attacks. 
The  eggs  must  have  hatched.  The  parent 
bird  was  now  exceedingly  watchful  to 
guard  the  young  from  any  lurking  dangers, 
and  had  seen  reflected  in  the  panes  of 
glass,  as  a  result  of  the  dark  background 
within,  his  own  image.  Mistaking  it  for  a 
foraging  male  of  his  own  species,  he  had 
decided  to  drive  it  from  the  vicinity  of 
the  nest.  After  falling  to  the  sill,  as  the 
result  of  an  attack,  the  bird  would  hop  to 
the  vine  directly  in  front  of  the  window, 
and,  seeing  his  image  again  reflected  in 
the  glass,  would  renew  the  attack. 

Satisfied  now  that  this  was  the  cause  of 
the  curious  actions  of  the  bird,  I  decided 
to  confirm  my  theory.  Going  directly  to 
the  garret  I  opened  the  window,  knowing 
that  if  the  above  suppositions  were  the 
case  that  this  would  be  the  quickest  way 
to  end  the  trouble;  while  if  the  bird  really 
wanted  to  get  inside  for  some  reason  or 
other  it  would  have  all  the  chance  in  the 
world  to  do  so.  Before  leaving  the  spot 
I  reached  up  and  felt  in  the  nest  and,  just 
as  I  had  supposed,  the  young  were 
hatched.  It  might  be  here  stated  that 
while  at  the  window  arranging  things,  the 
male  bird  was  nowhere  to  be  seen. 

Returning  to  the  garden,  I  awaited 
results,  and  after  a  short  while  the  male 
bird  returned  and,  flying  to  the  top  of  the 
vine  began  to  descend  by  dropping  down 
a  few  inches  at  a  time,  until  he  was  again 
directly  in  front  of  the  window.  Here  he 
stopped  and  peered  in,  seeming  not  a  little 
surprised  at  there  being  no  adversary 
there  to  meet  him.  After  sitting  in  this 
position  for  a  moment  or  two,  all  the 
while  nervously  twitching  his  tail  and 
uttering  low,  discontented  chirps,  he  flew 
'  directly  to  the  sill  where  after  an  instant's 
pause  and  investigation,  he  flew  back  into 
the  vine,  then  to  some  nearby  shrubbery, 
and  the  incident  was  ended. 

Could  not  Mr.  Wood's  Robin  have  had 
a  nest  in  the  vicinity  and,  as  in  the  case 
of  the  Cardinal,  desired  to  keep  away  all 


straggling   intruders   of   its   own   kind? — 
Delos  E.  Culver,  Addingham,  Pa. 

Fall  River  Notes 

As  you  are  getting  in  observations  on 
earliest  arrivals  of  birds,  I  think  the  follow- 
ing item  which  appeared  in  our  Fall  River 
paper  may  be  of  interest. 

As  you  undoubtedly  know  there  is 
quite  a  colony  of  Fish  Hawks  on  the 
shores  and  inlets  of  Narragansett  Bay, 
near  Swansea  and  Touisset.  An  observer 
in  that  neighborhood,  who  has  observed 
them  for  many  years,  sent  word  to  the 
paper  that  year  after  year  they  had  ar- 
rived there  on  the  morning  of  March  24. 
This  year  he  sent  word  that  they  arrived 
March  24,  at  8.40  p.m.,  twenty  minutes 
late;  their  usual  time  being  8.20! 

I  should  also  like  to  add  that  the  Evening 
Grosbeaks  have  visited  us  again  this  year, 
but  instead  of  fourteen  there  were  only 
two,  neither  of  them  in  perfect  color. 
They  have  been  here  to  our  knowledge 
only  three  times  and  making  very  short 
visits — a  half  hour  or  so.  The  fruit  of  the 
box  elder  tree,  of  which  they  were  so  fond 
before,  was  all  on  the  ground,  and  they 
paid  no  attention  to  it.  They  were  here 
in  March.  A  friend  saw  a  pair  in  February, 
about  a  half  mile  from  our  home. — Ellen 
M.  Shove,  Fall  River,  Mass. 

Prospect  Park  Notes 

I  wish  to  report  the  presence  of  a  male 
Cardinal  in  Prospect  Park,  Brooklyn.  As 
far  as  I  can  learn  this  the  first  record  since 
1902.  According  to  Braislin's  'Birds  of 
Long  Island,'  the  Cardinal  was  formerly 
common  in  this  section  and  bred  in 
Prospect  Park  in  1884.  It  is  now  very  rare 
here.  The  bird  was  seen  by  me  on  May  2, 
1914,  on  the  large  peninsula  near  the 
lake.  A  few  days  later  it  was  observed  by 
Miss  Kumpf  of  the  Brooklyn  Bird  Club. 

There  was  a  rather  unusual  migratory 
wave  on  May  2,  which  brought  many 
Warblers  before  their  usual  time.  A  male 
Cape  May  on  that  date  seems  to  be  an 
early  record.  At  the  same  time  five  Brown 


Notes   from   Field   and   Study 


277 


Creepers  were  observed,  a  rather  large 
number  for  so  late  in  the  season. — 
Edward  Fleischer,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Bird-Notes  from  Sedalia,  Mo. 

Birds  seem  unusually  plentiful  in  Sedalia 
this  spring.  In  a  drive  fourteen  or  fifteen 
blocks  from  the  business  streets  of  a  citj- 
of  twenty-five  thousand  one  may  see 
Bluebirds,  Robins,  Mourning  Doves, 
Brown  Thrashers,  Bronzed  Crackles, 
Meadowlarks,  Baltimore  Orioles,  Red- 
headed Woodpeckers,  perhaps  a  House 
Wren,  and  Flickers. 

There  are  many  trees  along  the  resi- 
dence streets  that  furnish  nesting-places 
for  all  these,  except  the  Meadowlarks  that 
nest  in  the  outlying  vacant  prairie  lots. 
In  the  back  yards,  where  cats  are  not  too 
plentiful,  and  where  the  copse  is  suffi- 
ciently thick  and  secluded,  the  Brown 
Thrasher  has  his  nest. 

In  my  own  yard  are  several  soft  maples; 
in  one  of  these  having  a  stump  at  the  top, 
a  flicker  has  made  his  nesting-place  and 
has  worked  persistently  for  nearly  two 
weeks  now  to  fashion  a  house  for  the  brood 
to  come.  The  female  seemed  to  do  all 
the  work,  commencing  early  in  the  morn- 
ing and  working  until  the  warm  hours  of 
noon.  In  the  afternoon  she  was  again  at 
work  making  the  chips  fly  until  about  six 
o'clock.  From  appearances  the  hole  is 
about  finished.  The  male  occasionally 
visits  the  scene  of  activity  but  takes  no 
part. 

About  three  feet  from  the  Flicker  hole 
a  pair  of  English  Sparrows  have  piled  up 
one  of  the  conglomerations  they  use  as 
nests. 

These  near  neighbors  seem  to  agree 
fairly  well  and  get  along  with  some  hard 
language  and  quite  a  bit  of  scolding. 

About  forty  feet  from  the  Flicker  tree 
is  another  maple;  on  this  I  put  up  a  piece 
of  fence-post  with  a  hole  made  in  it  with 
auger  and  chisel,  thinking  I  could  perhaps 
have  a  family  of  Bluebirds.  I  was  re- 
warded by  a  pair  selecting  it  for  a  nesting- 
place  in  spite  of  the  numerous  English 
Sparrows.      The     Bluebirds    are    valiant 


fighters  and  seem  always  in  eye-shot 
ready  to  give  battle  to  any  intruder.  The 
Sparrows  do  not  seem  to  care  for  that 
particular  nesting-place,  and  I  can  not 
determine  whether  it  be  a  case  of  sour 
grapes  or  whether  the  hole  is  not  suffi- 
ciently large  for  their  liking. 

In  the  same  tree  with  the  Bluebirds, 
but  higher  up  is  another  Sparrow's  nest; 
a  kind  of  an  apartment  house. 

I  had  hoped  for  a  Robin's  nest  but  so 
far  none  have  built  on  my  grounds.  A 
couple  of  House  Wrens  stayed  a  few  days 
and  a  box  furnished  for  them  was  scorned. 

Many  interesting  moments  that  I  can 
spare  are  spent  watching  the  little  home- 
makers  in  a  busy  city. — Chas.  A.  McNeil. 
M.  D.,  Sedalia,  Mo. 

Sussex  County,  N.  J.,  Notes 

We  notice,  in  your  introductory  notes 
to  the  Christmas  census,  the  statement 
that  Pine  Grosbeaks,  Redpolls,  and  Cross- 
bills have  not  come  farther  south  than 
New  England. 

We  sent  no  Christmas  list,  but  it  may 
interest  you  to  know  that  a  flock  of  twenty- 
five  Pine  Grosbeaks  came  to  us  on 
January  9.  Only  one  male  in  full  red 
coloring  was  among  them.  The  others 
were  females  and  young  males.  The  flock 
visited  our  maple  trees  almost  daily  until 
about  the  middle  of  February,  when  the 
extreme  cold  and  the  big  storms  seemed 
to  break  up  the  flock  into  smaller  groups. 
We  saw  them  in  various  places  throughout 
the  town  until  March  20,  when  the  last 
one  disappeared. 

A  flock  of  about  a  dozen  Redpolls  fed 
on  a  row  of  tamarack  trees  in  our  drive- 
way from  February  22  till  March  i. 
During  a  heavy  snowstorm  one  venture- 
some fellow  appeared  at  the  window 
where  some  Chickadees  were  feeding. 

On  March  i,  ten  American  Crossbills, 
came  to  a  small  spruce  tree  about  twenty- 
five  feet  from  our  house,  and  industriously 
and  systematically  exhausted  the  seeds 
from  a  small  crop  of  cones  in  the  top  of 
the  tree. 

What  we  consider  our  most  wonderful 


278 


Bird  -  Lore 


observation  for  Ihc  year  was  a  Mocking- 
bird which  perched  on  a  vine  just  beneath 
our  window  for  some  little  time,  giving  us 
opportunity  to  make  a  positive  identifi- 
cation. This  was  on  December  14,  19 13. 
On  March  3,  during  the  big  storm,  it 
appeared  again,  but  we  have  not  seen  it 
since.  We  believe  this  is  the  first  record 
of  a  Mockingbird  for  Sussex  County,  al- 
though the  members  of  our  nature-study 
club  have  kept  an  accurate  list  for  a 
number  of  years. — F.  Blanche  Hill, 
Aiidovrr,  Sussex  Co.,  N.  J. 


PARASITIC    JAEGER 

Notes  on  the  Autumn  Migration  of  the 
Parasitic  Jaeger 

During  an  Atlantic  cruise  in  the  New 
Bedford  whaling  brig  Daisy  I  made  the 
following  notes  concerning  Jaegers  {Stcr- 
corarius  parasiticus),  on  their  autumn  mi- 
gration. 

September  23,  191 2,  latitude  12°  46'  N., 
longitude  25°  05'  W.  (about  100  miles 
south  of  the  Cape  Verde  Islands).  Two 
Jaegers  seen,  of  which  one  was  collected. 


The  specimen  is  a  male  of  the  dark  phase, 
and  in  fresh  plumage. 

September  27,  191 2,  latitude  10°  46'  N., 
longitude  24°  38'  W.  Calm,  with  heavy 
ground-swell.  One  Jaeger  seen  and  col- 
lected, a  uniformly  dark  female,  fully 
adult,  with  slightly  worn  central  rec- 
trices. 

October  3,  191 2,  latitude  6°  46'  N., 
longitude  24°  35'  W.  Two  Jaegers  of  the 
dark  phase  seen  together. 

October  20,  1912,  latitude  10°  21'  S., 
longitude  34°  04'  W.  (off  the  coast  of  south- 
ern Pernambuco).  Three  Jaegers  were 
noted.  A  pair  of  them  tagged  after  the 
Daisy  from  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning 
until  four  in  the  afternoon.  One  was  of 
the  dark  phase,  the  other  white-breasted. 
Both  had  short  central  rectrices,  differing 
in  this  respect  from  the  birds  noted  north 
of  the  equator  a  month  earlier.  The  two 
would  fly  up  our  wake  with  slow  wing- 
beats,  hover  for  a  moment  over  the  stern 
of  the  brig,  then  glide  slowly  to  the  wind- 
ward side  and  settle  on  the  water,  where 
they  would  tuck  their  long  wings  into 
the  resting  position  and  float  high  and 
gracefully.  When  the  ship  had  left  them  a 
few  hundred  yards  astern,  they  would  rise 
and  overtake  us,  and  again  drop  down. 
This  was  repeated  monotonously  for 
seven  hours.  The  white-breasted  bird, 
whose  photograph  is  here  reproduced, 
was  bolder  than  its  mate,  and  regularly 
flew  nearer  to  the  ship.  Occasionally  the 
two  were  seen  to  pick  up  food,  including 
scraps  of  pork  fat  which  I  threw  over- 
board. They  did  not  seem  to  molest  the 
Petrels  {Oceanites  oceanicus)  which  fol- 
lowed us  in  numbers. 

October  26,  1912,  latitude  21°  40'  S., 
longitude  34°  12'  W.  Two  Jaegers  seen 
separately.  One  which  accompanied  us 
for  a  short  while  appeared  to  chase  some 
of  the  Oceanites  (Petrels),  although  I 
could  not  be  certain  that  it  was  trying  to 
rob  them. 

October  28,  191 2,  latitude  2t,°  S.,  longi- 
tude 35°  45'  W.  (on  the  verge  of  the  south 
temperate  zone).  One  Jaeger  seen. — 
Robert  Cushman  Murphy,  Brooklyn 
Institute  of  Arts  and  Sciences. 


Notes   from   Field  and   Study 


279 


Turkey  Vultures  in  Northwestern  Iowa 

A  few  years  ago,  when  a  resident  of 
Sioux  City,  Iowa,  I  had  an  interesting 
experience  with  Turkey  Vultures.  One 
day,  with  a  companion,  I  was  roaming 
through  a  ravine  on  the  outskirts  of  the 
city,  when,  from  the  top  of  an  enormous 
elm,  a  large  bird  rose  and  flew  upward  to 
a  great  height,  where  it 
continued  circling  and 
soaring,  on  motionless 
pinions,  an  aviator  of 
marvelous  skill. 

It  was  plainly  not  an 
Eagle.  But  what  could 
it  be?  Not  until  I  got 
my  binoculars  focused 
upon  it,  and  could  dis- 
tinguish the  naked,  red 
head,  did  I  recognize  it 
as  a  Turkey  Vulture,  or 
'Buzzard.'  The  persist- 
ency with  which  the 
bird  hung  about  caused 
me  to  suspect  a  nest.  I 
resolved  to  investigate. 
But  how  should  I  get 
into  the  tree?  The  huge 
elm  must  have  been 
fully  fifteen  feet  in  cir- 
cumference. Up  beyond 
the  lower  limbs  a  few 
decayed  cleats,  utterly 
unsafe,  showed  where 
someone  had  once  made 
the  ascent.  I  solved  the 
difficulty  by  procuring 
a  stout  rope  at  the 
nearest  farmhouse. 
After  a  number  of  un- 
successful throws,  I 
succeeded  in  getting  the 
rope  over  the  lowest  limb.  Then  up 
I  went,  hand  over  hand.  The  operation 
was  repeated  until  the  limbs  were  reached 
that  were  near  enough  for  climbing.  At 
the  very  top  there  was  the  hollow,  dead 
shell  of  the  main  trunk;  and,  in  this,  upon 
the  bare,  decayed  wood,  two  eggs  as  large 
as  Turkey  eggs.  They  were  of  a  dirty 
white  color,  heavily  blotched  with  brown. 


amber  and  lilac,  especially  about  the 
larger  end.  One  was  larger  than  the  other. 
This  was  on  May  15. 

Two  weeks  later,  in  company  with  Prof. 
T.  C.  Stephens,  of  Morningside  College, 
and  Dr.  Guy  C.  Rich,  both  ornithologists 
of  note  in  that  section,  I  again  visited  the 
nest  and  Professor  Stephens  photographed 
the   nesting-site  and   the   eggs.     Twentv- 


SITE 


OF    A   TURKEY    VULTURE'S    NEST 
Photographed  by  T.   C.   Stephens 

three  days  later  I  again  visited  the  locality 
and  climbed  to  the  nest.  This  time  the 
parent  bird  did  not  fly.  I  suspected  the 
cause.  Not  until  I  actually  put  my  hand 
upon  her  did  she  leave  her  post.  In  place 
of  the  eggs,  there  were  two  snow-white 
little  fellows,  fat  as  butter-balls,  covered 
with  fuzzy  down.  They  smelled  atro- 
ciously,   however,    for    the    parent    bird 


28o 


Bird  -  Lore 


feeds  the  young  on  regurgitated  carrion. 
A  dead  cow,  nearby,  just  ripe  to  the 
Vulture  taste,  indicated  an  inexhaustible 
food-supply. 


YOUNG    TURKEY    VULTURE    IN    NEST-LOG 


It  is  rare  to  find  a  Vulture  nesting  so  far 
north,  and  no  ornithologist  in  that  section 
had  ever  before  observed  such  an  occur- 
ence. I  have  noted  these  birds  soaring 
above  the  forests  in  northern  Minnesota, 
but  it  may  be  that  they  did  not  nest 
there,  though  the  inference  would  be  that 
they  did.  Can  anyone  supply  information 
in  regard  to  this  point? 


It  is  such  adventures  as  this,  unexpect- 
edly coming  into  one's  life,  that  give  to 
the  study  of  ornithology  in  the  field  its 
peculiar    charm,    and    e.xplain    why    the 

study     of     birds,     once 

entered  upon,  becomes  an 

ever-increasing     delight. 

— Rev.     Manley    B. 

TowNSEND,   Nashua,  N. 

II .  (Photograph  by  Prof. 

T.    C.    Stephens,     Sioux 

City,  Iowa). 

Young  Turkey  Vultures 

I  am  sending  you  two 
.  pictures  of  young  Turkey 
\"ultures  which  I  pho- 
tographed under  rather 
novel  circumstances. 
After  taking  them  on  the 
fallen  tree,  they  took 
fright  and  ran  into  the 
hollow  log,  which  was 
Determining  the  location 
focused  my  camera  at  ten 
feet  and  placed  it  in  the  hollow  log.  I 
then  ignited  a  flashlight  behind  and  slightly 
above  the  camera.  Thinking  the  unusual 
way  in  which  this  picture  was  taken,  as 
well  as  the  resulting  view  of  the  birds, 
might  interest  you  I  am  sending  them, 
hoping  you  may  find  them  available  for 


their     nest, 
of  the  nest  I 


0       ■'■     .* 

■^^ 

.4 
V 

TWO    YOUNG   TURKEY    VULTURES 


Notes   from  Field  and  Study 


281 


reproduction  in  your  magazine. — Wm.  F. 
Gingrich,  Chicago,  III. 

Florida  Gallinule  at  Baltimore 

On  the  morning  of  June  9,  1914,  one  of 
my  neighbors  who  knows  my  interest  in 
birds,  told  me  that  a  very  peculiar  bird 
had  flown  into  his  place  of  business  in  the 
central  portion  of  Baltimore  City  two 
nights  before  and  that  he  still  had  the 
bird  in  the  yard  back  of  his  place.  He 
described  it  as  having  a  head  like  that  of  a 
pigeon  and  being  black  in  color.  Knowing 
how  inaccurate  are  the  observations  of 
those  not  particularly  interested  in  birds, 
I  expected  to  find  a  Crow  or  something 
equally  commonplace. 

I  went  with  him  to  his  store  and  in  the 
brick-paved  yard  saw  what  I  knew  at  once 
to  be  a  wading  bird,  because  of  its  long 
legs  and  wide  spreading  feet.  Beyond  this, 
however,  I  had  to  admit  myself  stumped. 
I  took  a  memorandum  of  the  bird's 
characteristics,  and  the  long  green  legs, 
with  a  bright  red  band  around  the  tibiae, 
made  it  very  easy  to  identify  the  Florida 
Gallinule.  I  observe  in  Chapman's  'Hand- 
book' that  this  bird  is  reported  from  the 
District  of  Columbia  as  a  migrant  only. 
Its  appearance  in  June  would  seem  to 
indicate  that  it  is  breeding  in  the  marshes 
near  Baltimore.  In  this  connection  I  may 
say  that  the  nearest  marshy  ground  to  the 
place  where  this  Gallinule  was  taken  is 
distant  about  two  miles.  There  have  been 
no  very  high  winds  for  the  past  week  or 
so,  and  it  is  certainly  surprising  that  the 
bird  should  have  flown  into  a  window  in 
the  city. 

It  has  frequently  been  remarked  that 
all  wild  animal  stories  have  a  sad  ending 
and  this  one  is  no  exception.  I  suggested 
to  my  friend  that  he  have  the  bird  taken 
to  the  outskirts  of  the  city  and  liberated 
near  the  water-front,  or  else  that  he  send 
it  to  the  Zoo  in  Druid  Hill  Park.  He 
thought  both  of  these  were  good  sugges- 
tions and  therefore  adopted  neither.  The 
next  day  he  told  me  that  the  bird  had 
died,  doubtless  of  starvation. — Joseph 
N.  Ulman,  Baltimore,  Md. 


Red-breasted  Grosbeak  Singing   on  the 
Nest 

In  many  nature-study  books  I  have 
noted  a  discussion  as  to  whether  the 
adult  bird  ever  sings  while  sitting  on  the 
nest.  In  191 2  I  located  a  Rose-breasted 
Grosbeak's  nest  a  few  feet  up  in  a  tree  on 
a  boulevard.  I  watched  it  closely  and 
saw  the  male  incubating.  While  watching 
him  he  voiced  a  few  of  those  indescribable 
notes  of  his  exquisite  song.  It  was  not 
long  until  he  discovered  me  and  hopped 
off  the  nest.  — Harry  C.Pifer,  Lovington, 
III. 

Our  Neighbor,  the  Bald  Eagle 

One  of  my  earliest  recollections  is  of 
the  sight  of  a  Bald  Eagle  scaling  from  the 
hills  behind  my  home  to  the  sea  before  it. 
My  aunt,  who  at  the  age  of  ninety-four 
has  a  better  momory  than  many  young 
people,  says  that  they  were  here  in  her 
childhood  just  as  now,  and  of  course  it  is 
impossible  to  tell  for  how  many  years 
these  birds  (or  their  ancestors)  have  nested 
in  these  wooded  hills. 

Some  years  ago  the  nest,  a  huge  plat- 
form of  rough  sticks  and  twigs,  was  located 
in  an  old  pine  which  has  since  blown  down. 
Another  was  constructed,  also  in  an  old 
pine,  which  I  think  still  does  duty  as  a 
home. 

We  usually  see  but  one  bird  at  a  time, 
never  more  than  two,  except  once,  when 
two  old  birds  and  two  young  were  seen 
going  down  to  the  sea  together.  The  young 
with  dark  head  and  tail,  are  sometimes 
seen  alone  and  are  commonly  called 
"Black  Eagles." 

At  one  time,  some  years  ago,  one  of  the 
Eagles  disappeared  and  for  several  years 
the  bereaved  one  led  a  solitary  life  in  the 
pine  tree.  Then  I  think  that  it,  too,  must 
have  met  with  some  mishap,  as  later  a 
pair  appeared  and  are  still  living  here. 

It  seems  strange  that  there  are  not 
more  nesting  here,  where  they  have  been 
undisturbed  for  so  many  years,  but  doubt- 
less this  is  due  to  their  solitary  habits. 

Sometimes  we  see  them,  a  mere  speck 
on  the  sky,  and  sometimes  they  hang  low 


282 


Bird -Lore 


so  that  they  may  be  plainly  seen,  tipping 
slightly  as  the  wind  varies,  with  the 
extreme  tips  of  the  wings  fanning  gently, 
but  otherwise  apparently  motionless. 

When  the  magnificent  birds  fail  to 
appear  for  a  week  or  two  we  miss  them 
and  feel  that  a  very  important  feature 
is  lacking  in  our  view.  Their  graceful 
flight,  like  that  of  our  Sea  Gulls,  adds  a 
charm  to  the  landscape  impossible  to 
describe. — Winifred  Holway  Palmer, 
Machias,  Maine. 


disappeared  to  the  northwest.  They  were 
reported  to  gather  in  a  similar  way  in  the 
morning,  though  the  writer  did  not  have 
the  pleasure  of  seeing  them  at  that  time. 
The  accompanying  photograph  was  taken 
September  4th,  at  6  p.m.  A  careful  esti- 
mate indicated  that  there  were  13,440 
Martins  on  the  wires  alone.  Examination 
made  it  clear  that  there  were  no  other 
Swallows  in  the  company — all  were 
Purple  Martins. — I.  N.  Mitchell,  Mil- 
waukee, Wis. 


The  Flocking  of  Purple  Martins 

On  September  2d,  3rd,  and  4th,  and  to 
a  less  extent  until  the  15th,  large  numbers 
of  Martins  gathered  on  the  telephone 
wires  on  Park  Place  between  Farwell  and 
Frederick  Avenues,  Milwaukee.  They 
kept  on  the  wing  till  about  5:30  and  then 
began  to  settle  on  the  wires.  Occasionally 
the  whole  company  would  leave  the  wires, 
almost  together,  then  settle  down  again. 
They  seemed  to  wish  to  get  close  together, 
and  many  gathered  on  the  house-tops  and 
trees  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  middle  of 
the  flock  At  about  6.30  they  left  as  with 
one  accord.  The  only  night  that  the  writer 
caught  them  in  the  act  of  leaving  they 


Harris's  Sparrow  in  'Wisconsin 

In  the  May-June  number  of  "Bird- 
Lore,  I  was  much  interested  to  read  the 
report  of  Harris's  Sparrow  from  Illinois, 
since  this  rare  visitant  was  also  seen  in 
Milwaukee  this  year. 

On  May  12,  while  watching  a  flock 
of  fifteen  or  twenty  White-throated  Spar- 
rows, the  attention  of  Mr.  Simpson  and 
myself  was  attracted  by  a  'black-faced,' 
unfamiliar  Sparrow,  that  seemed  so  much 
larger  than  any  of  his  companions,  as 
well  as  most  unusual  in  appearance. 

We  followed  and  watched  the  bird  for 
a  long  time,  getting  within  ten  feet  of 
him,  as  he  fed  busily  on  the  ground.    We 


St- 


ABOUT    13,000    PURPLE    MARTINS    IN    MILWAUKEE 


Notes  from  Field  and  Study 


283 


noted  every  detail  of  its  unusual,  really 
striking  markings.  On  reaching  home,  we 
readily  identified  our  new  bird  by  the  ex- 
cellent plate  in  the  series  of  'Migration  of 
North  American  Sparrows'  in  Bird-Lore, 
as  well  as  from  the  description  in  Chap- 
man's 'Birds  of  Eastern  North  America.' 

The  bird  was  seen  the  following  day  by 
Mrs.  John  Hill,  in  about  the  same  section 
of  Lake  Park,  again  with  a  flock  of  White- 
throated  Sparrows. 

Harris's  Sparrow  seems  to  me  to  be,  in 
shape,  in  size  and  in  the  manner  of  holding 
up  its  head,  more  like  the  White-crowned 
Sparrow  than  any  other  member  of  the 
Sparrow  family. — Mrs.  Mark  L.  Simpson, 
1340  Grand  Ave.,  Milwaukee,  Wis. 

Additional  Observations  of  Harris's  Spar- 
row in  II  inois 

Since  writing  my  report  of  the  first 
observation  of  Harris's  Sparrow  here, 
and  which  was  published  in  the  last 
number  of  Bird-Lore,  I  have  observed 
the  same  species  at  the  hedge-fence  where 
the  first  one  was  seen,  on  the  following 
named  dates: 

April  26,  one  was  seen  on  a  willow  tree 
in  the  slough  at  the  east  end  of  the  fence. 

May  3,  two  were  seen  at  the  east  end  of 
the  fence. 

May  5,  one  was  seen  at  the  west  end  of 
the  fence,  and  May  7,  the  last  one  was 
seen  at  the  same  place. 

The  first  and  last  ones  observed  had  the 
most  brilliant  plumage,  and  were  evidently 
adult  birds.  In  the  slough  near  the  hedge 
there  is  always  water  during  the  spring, 
and  this  is  probably  the  reason  they  came 
there. — J.  J.  Schafer,  Port  Byron,  III. 

A  Rat  in  a  Swallow's  Nest 

In  deepening  the  channel  in  the  stream 
that  connects  Lakes  Monona  and  Wau- 
besa,  near  Madison,  Wisconsin,  the  dredges 
have  formed  many  sandbanks  from  one  to 
ten  feet  in  height.  Many  Bank  Swallows 
and  a  few  Rough-wings  have  been  quick 
to  take  advantage  of  the  opportunity,  and 
several  colonies  have  located  their  burrows 
along  the  water-course,  some  within  a  few 


feet  of  the  water.  W^hile  canoeing  between 
the  lakes  with  Mr.  A.  W.  Schorger,  on 
May  29,  we  stopped  to  examine  some  of 
the  burrows.  The  first  hole  inspected 
proved  to  be  straight  enough  to  allow  a 
ray  of  reflected  light  to  reach  the  end, 
which  was  about  two  or  two  and  a  half 
feet  from  the  entrance.  Instead  of  the 
expected  Swallow  or  eggs,  we  discovered 
a  rat  curled  up  very  comfortably  for  an 
afternoon  siesta — very  probably  an  after- 
dinner  nap!  He  managed  to  escape  from 
the  first  attempt  on  his  life  and  swam 
under  water  for  about  twenty  feet.  He 
was  finally  overtaken  and  consigned  to  a 
watery  grave.  From  the  rat's  point  of 
view,  it  was  an  ideal  summer  resort;  a 
good  meal  (presumably)  and  a  comfortable 
room  available  every  few  feet  along  the 
water-front.  —  Norman  DeW.  Betts, 
Madison,  Wis. 

Brewster's   Warbler   Seen   at    Highland 
Park,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 

On  May  2,  1914,  a  Warbler  was  observed 
in  Warner's  Woods  about  9.30  a.m.;  again 
between  11.20  and  12  m. 

The  bird  was  closely  studied,  and  the 
following  notes  taken:  a  Warbler  about 
five  inches  long;  had  a  large,  almost 
square  patch  of  bright  yellow  on  the  wing 
near  the  shoulder,  a  black  line  through 
the  eye,  and  a  black  bill.  The  tail  grayish 
slate,  grading  to  grayish  yellow-green  on 
the  back  and  slightly  darker  on  the  head. 
Underparts  light  gray  tinged  with  yellow. 
The  bird  was  approached  within  twenty 
feet  in  open  woods  and  shrubs  with  the 
bright  sun  of  a  clear  day  shining  over  our 
shoulders  on  the  bird.  Mr.  Edson  carries 
a  Bausch  &  Lomb  Zeiss  prism  stereo  six 
power  glass  and  Mr.  Horsey  a  good  field- 
glass.  We  are,  therefore,  very  positive  of 
the  above  points. 

Brewster's  Warbler  is  the  nearest  bird 
described  in  'Warblers  of  North  America' 
by  Chapman,  and  it  is  said  to  show  yellow 
on  the  underparts  intergrading  with  the 
Blue- winged  Warbler. — Wm.  L.  G.  Edson, 
Richard  E.  Horsey,  12  Fairview  Ave., 
Rochester,  N.  V. 


2^oofe  ji^etDg  mh  Ctebietosi 


The  Red-winged  Blackbird.  A  Study 
in  the  Ecology  of  a  Cat-tail  Marsh.  By 
Arthur  A.  Allen,  Zoological  Labora- 
tory, Cornell  University.  Abstract 
Proc.  Linn.  See.  N.  Y.  [care  of  Am. 
Mus.  Nat.  Hist.]  Nos.  24,  25,  1914,  pp. 
43-128;  pis.  20;  figs.  2. 

In  this  admirable  monograph  Dr.  Allen 
has  not  only  given  us  much  new  informa- 
tion concerning  the  habits  of  the  Red- 
winged  Blackbird,  but  also  a  demonstra- 
tion of  methods  in  the  study  of  birds 
in  nature  which  forms  an  object  lesson 
we  cannot  too  strongly  commend  to  the 
field  student. 

Bird-Lore  has  long  advocated  spe- 
cialization as  a  means  of  extending  the 
boundaries  of  the  known  and  of  deepening 
one's  interests.  Here  then,  is  a  model 
which,  we  gladly  confess,  represents  a 
distinct  advance  over  anything  we  had 
in  mind. 

Ornithologists  have  been  too  prone  to 
flock  by  themse'ves.  Their  studies  have 
been  apt  to  consider  the  bird  apart  from 
its  environment — as  that  term  implies 
not  alone  climatic  and  physiographic 
factors,  but  all  the  other  forms  of  life 
with  which  directly  or  indirectly  it  may 
come  in  contact.  While  such  studies 
may  be  above  criticism  by  ornithologists, 
they  are  far  from  filling  the  demands  of 
the  ecologist.  That  is,  of  one  who  studies 
the  relationships  of  organisms  to  one 
another  and  to  their  surroundings. 

Dr.  Allen's  paper  is  a  contribution  to 
this  newer,  broader  type  of  ornithology. 
It  opens  with  a  study  of  environment. 
The  "plant  associations"  with  their  char- 
acteristic animals  are  outlined,  and  the 
changes  due  to  seasonal  or  other  causes 
mentioned. 

This  generalized  survey  of  a  particular 
area  lays  the  foundation  for  the  more 
specialized  study  of  any  of  the  forms  of 
life  which  inhabit  it,  whether  plant,  fish, 
reptile,  bird,  or  mammal.  From  its  fauna 
Dr.  Allen  selects  as  his  subject  the  Red- 
winged    Blackbird,   and    Part   II    of    his 

(2 


paper  (pp.  74-128)  is  devoted  to  an  eco- 
logical study  of  this  bird  as  it  was 
observed  in  and  near  Renwick  Marsh  at 
the  head  of  Cayuga  Lake,  New  York. 

Beginning  with  the  Redwing's  migra- 
tion, some  conception  of  the  intensiveness 
of  Dr.  Allen's  studies  may  be  gained  by 
the  following  table.  Doubtless  few  birds 
have  been  more  generally  recorded  in 
migration  than  this  conspicuous  species, 
but  where  else  will  we  find  such  detailed, 
intimate  information  in  regard  to  its 
movements? 

I.  Vagrants.    Feb.  25,  March  4. 

II.  Migrant  adult  males.  March  13- 
April  21. 

III.  Resident  adult  males.  March  25- 
April  10. 

IV.  Migrant  females  and  immature 
males.    March  29-April  24. 

V.  Resident  adult  females.  April  10- 
May  I. 

VI.  Resident  immature  males.  May 
6-June  I  (1910). 

VII.  Resident  immature  females.  May 
lo-June  II  (1910). 

With  these  dates  is  presented  much 
correlative  matter  in  regard  to  the  develop- 
ment of  vegetation,  changes  in  food-sup- 
ply, variations  in  actions,  sexual  growth, 
etc.,  all  of  which  is  designed  to  show  the 
relation  of  cause  and  effect.  Consequently, 
we  have  a  contribution  not  alone  to 
ornithology  but  to  general  biology — or 
better,  to  bionomics. 

'Mating  and  Song,'  'Nesting,'  'The 
Young,'  'Fall  Migration,'  'Enemies,'  'Molt 
and  Plumage,'  'Food  and  Food-supply,' 
'Correlations  Between  Changes  of  Food 
and  Changes  in  Structure  of  Stomach,' 
'Correlations  in  the  Changes  Occurring  in 
the  Reproductive  Organs,'  are  the  further 
headings  under  which  Dr.  Allen  presents 
the  results  of  his  studies  of  the  Redwing. 
Each  contains  something  more  or  less 
original  in  matter  and  in  method;  and 
each  contributes  to  what,  in  our  opinion, 
is    the   best,    most   significant   biography 

84) 


Book   News  and   Reviews 


285 


which  has  thus  far  been  prepared  of  any 
American  bird. 

Bird-Lore's  readers  do  not  have  to  be 
assured  of  Dr.  Allen's  success  as  a  bird 
photographer,  and  the  thirty-odd  photo- 
graphs illustrating  this  article  bear  witness 
both  to  his  skill  with  a  camera  and  good 
judgment  in  the  selection  of  subjects. — 
F.  M.  C. 

An  Account  of  the  Mammals  and 
Birds  of  the  Lower  Colorado 
River,  with  Especial  Reference  to 
THE  Distributional  Problems  Pre- 
sented. By  Joseph  Grinnell,  Univ. 
of  Calif.  Pub.  in  Zool.  Vol.  12,  No.  4, 
pp.  51-294;  pis.  13;  figs.  9. 

The  observations  and  specimens  on 
which  this  paper  is  based  were  gathered 
by  its  author,  Frank  Stephens,  Joseph 
Dixon,  and  L.  Hollister  Jones.  Working 
with  funds  provided  by  Miss  Annie  M. 
Alexander,  founder  of  the  California 
Museum  of  Vertibrate  Zoology,  they 
began  operations  at  the  Needles  on  the 
Colorado  River,  on  February  15,  and 
reached  Yuma  May  3,  and  concluded 
their  work  a  few  miles  farther  south  on 
May  15,  1910.  Transportation  was  pro- 
vided by  a  scow  and  a  skiff,  while  the 
current  supplied  the  motive  power. 
Twenty-nine  camps  were  made,  some  on 
the  Arizona,  some  on  the  California  side 
of  the  river.  These  served  as  bases  from 
which  the  immediately  surrounding  coun- 
try was  explored. 

Collections  were  made  of  birds,  mam- 
mals, reptiles,  amphibians,  a  few  fishes, 
and  the  more  conspicuous  plants.  No  less 
important  than  the  specimens  themselves, 
and  greatly  increasing  their  value,  are 
the  observations  made  on  the  country 
traversed  by  the  trained  naturalists  com- 
posing the  party. 

The  results,  as  contained  in  this  report 
on  the  birds  and  mammals  secured,  is 
therefore  not  merely  a  systematic  treatise, 
but  an  important  contribution  to  our 
knowledge  of  the  manner  of  occurrence 
and  habits  of  the  species  concerned,  and 
particularly,  as  the  title  of  the  paper 
states,  to  the  distributional  problems 
presented. 


It  is  this  portion  of  the  paper  which 
makes  it  of  value  to  the  student  of 
faunistics,  whatever  be  the  group  of 
animals  to  which  he  devotes  himself.  We 
cannot  at  this  time  give  to  this  paper  the 
attention  it  deserves,'"but  wemay  at  least 
present  Mr.  Grintiell's 

Classification  of  Barriers  to  Species  as   Regards 

Birds  and^Mammals 
Barriers 

A.  Tangible  (mechanical). 

(a)  Land  to  aquatic  species. 

(b)  Bodies  or  streams  of  water  to  ter- 
restrial species. 

B.  Intangible  (non-mechanical). 

(a)  Zonal  (by  temperature). 

(b)  Faunal  (by  atmospheric  humidity). 

(c)  Associational. 

(i)   By  food-supply. 

(2)  By  breeding-places. 

(3)  By  temporary  refuges. 

(Each  of  these  three  with  regard  to  the 
inherent  structural  characters  of  each 
species  concerned). — F.  M.  C. 

A  Distributional  List  of  the  Birds 
OF  Arizona  By  Harry  S.  Swarth. 
Pacific  Coast  Avifauna,  No.  10;  Cooper 
Orn.  Club,  Hollywood,  Calif.  May  25, 
1914.    133  pp.,  map.    Price  $1.50. 

To  its  noteworthy  series  of  special 
publications  on  western  birds  the  Cooper 
Club  now  adds  this  authoritative  list  of 
Arizona  birds.  It  includes  362  species  and 
subspecies   which  are  classed  as  follows: 

Resident 152 

Summer  Visitant 72 

Winter  Visitant 57 

Transient 30 

Of  Casual  Occurrence 51 

In  addition  to  the  main  annotated  list 
(pp.  9-81),  nominal  lists  of  species  are 
given  under  these  seasonal  headings,  and 
there  are  also  similar  lists  under  faunal 
headings.  A  colored  faunal  map  and  a 
bibliography  add  to  the  valiJ-  ->(  this 
paper. — F.  M.  C. 

The  Ornithological  Magazines 

The  Condor. — The  March  'Condor' 
is   an   unusually   large   number    with   its 


286 


Bird  -  Lore 


fifty-four  pages  and  seventeen  illustra- 
tions. It  contains  five  main  articles, 
eighteen  short  notes,  and  five  pages  of 
editorials,  reviews,  and  minutes  of  Cooper 
Club  meetings. 

The  opening  article  of  B.  Dixon  on  a 
'History  of  a  Pair  of  Pacific  Horned  Owls' 
is  well  illustrated,  and  is  based  on  a  series 
of  observations  in  the  Escondido  Valley, 
San  Diego  County,  extending  over  a 
period  of  thirteen  years.  During  this  time 
the  Owls  nested  three  times  in  old  Hawk's 
nests  in  trees,  twice  in  a  Hawk's  or 
Raven's  nest  in  a  cliff,  and  at  other  times 
made  their  home  on  a  rocky  ledge.  Five 
sets  of  three  eggs  were  laid,  but  all  the 
others  contained  but  two  eggs  each.  The 
dates  of  laying  (completed  sets)  varied 
from  Jan.  29,  1911,  to  Feb.  14,  1907. 

Another  Owl  article  appears  under  the 
title  of  'An  Asionine  Ruse,'  in  which 
Dawson  recounts  briefly  an  experience  in 
Washington  with  a  Long-eared  Owl  that 
went  through  all  the  motions  and  cries 
attendant  on  capturing  a  Flicker  or  a 
mouse,  apparently  merely  to  decoy  the 
intruder  away  from  her  nest. 

In  a  short  but  very  interesting  article 
on  'Destruction  of  Birds  in  California  by 
Fumigation  of  Trees,'  A.  B.  Howell 
reports  finding  ninety-two  dead  birds, 
representing  nine  species,  under  two  hun- 
dred trees,  the  morning  after  his  orange 
grove  at  Covina  had  been  fumigated.  He 
suggests  that  a  law  imposing  a  fine  of 
five  cents  for  each  bird  killed  might  make 
fumigators  more  careful. 

Among  'Some  Discoveries  in  the  Forest 
at  Fyffe,'  in  El  Dorado  County,  made 
during  a  ten  days'  stay  in  May,  1913,  Ray 
describes  and  gives  some  very  clear  photo- 
graphs of  a  nest  of  the  rare  Hermit  Warbler 
and  a  family  of  young  Saw-whet  Owls,  the 
latter  constituting  the  first  definite  breed- 
ing record  for  this  Owl  in  California. 

A  contribution  on  the  'Birds  of  Sitka 
and  Vicinity,  Southeastern  Alaska.'  by 
George  Willets,  contains  careful  notes  on 
152  species  observed  during  the  summers 
of  191 2  and  1913  on  Kruzof,  St.  Lazaria, 
Biorka,  and  other  islands  in  or  near 
Sitka  Sound. 


In  a  review  of  Grinnell's  report  on  the 
'Birds  of  the  San  Jacinto  Area,'  Dawson 
takes  exception  to  the  substitution  of  the 
term  'summer  visitant'  for  'summer  resi- 
dent.' "Am  I,"  he  asks,  "only  a  'winter 
visitant'  at  Santa  Barbara,  because  I 
spend  four  months  at  home  and  eight,  or 
thereabouts,  afield.  The  state  holds 
otherwise,   and   so   does   common   sense." 

The  May  number  of  'The  Condor'  con- 
tains an  unusually  varied  and  interesting 
series  of  eight  papers.  The  opening 
article  is  the  presidential  address  of  Harold 
C.  Bryant  on  'The  Cooper  Club  Member 
and  Scientific  Work'  delivered  before  the 
Northern  Division  of  the  Club  on  March 
19.  After  briefly  sketching  the  history  of 
the  Cooper  Club,  he  divides  the  general 
work  of  the  organization  into  eight 
groups:  Collecting  specimens;  prepara- 
tion of  local  lists,  recording  field  observa- 
tions, description  of  new  species,  photog- 
raphy, distribution,  economic  investiga- 
tions and  conservation  of  wild  life,  and 
adds  the  comment,  "If  there  is  anything 
in  our  work  that  we  have  possibly  over- 
done, it  is  the  plain  faunal  list." 

Jewett's  'Bird  Notes  from  Netarts 
Bay,  Oregon,'  including  observations  on 
fifty-seven  species  of  water-birds  and 
shore-birds,  made  in  1912  and  1913,  and 
Saunders'  'Birds  of  Teton  and  Northern 
Lewis  and  Clark  Counties,  Montana' 
(182  species),  are  the  only  local  lists  in 
this  number.  Allan  Brooks  contributes 
two  papers,  one  on  'The  Races  of  Branla 
canadensis'  and  the  other  entitled  'A 
Sadly  Neglected  Matter.'  In  the  latter, 
he  calls  attention  to  the  importance  of 
noting  the  color  of  the  bill,  feet,  and  iris 
on  the  labels  of  all  bird  skins,  and  men- 
tions several  cases  in  which  failure  to 
record  these  facts  has  given  rise  to  error 
in  descriptions,  or  failure  to  differentiate 
properly  forms  which  are  closely  related. 

Thayer's  account  of  the  'Nesting  of  the 
Kittlitz  Murrelet'  high  up  on  the  slopes 
of  Pavloff  Volcano,  on  the  Alaskan 
Peninsula,  is  one  of  the  most  important 
facts  recorded  for  some  time.  The  eggs 
of  this  species,  previously  unknown,  were 
discovered    by    Captain    F.     E.     Klein- 


Book  News  and  Reviews 


287 


Schmidt,  who  secured  three  specimens 
(one  broken)  in  May  and  June,  1913,  and 
incidentally  substantiated  the  Eskimo 
reports  that  the  birds  nested  in  the  moun- 
tains. Possibly  the  closely  related  Mar- 
bled Murrelet  may  have  similar  habits, 
which  will  explain  in  part  the  failure  thus 
far  to  discover  its  nesting-place. 

Fayre  Kenagy  describes  the  'Change  in 
Fauna'  on  the  Minidoka  Project  in  South 
Central  Idaho,  and  gives  a  table  showing 
the  fluctuation  in  numbers,  during  the 
last  seven  years,  of  nineteen  species  of 
birds,  due  to  irrigation. 

Under  the  caption  'Resident  versus 
Visitant,'  Dawson  takes  issue  with  the 
recent  attempt  to  restrict  the  term  'resi- 
dent' to  species  which  remain  in  a  locality 
throughout  the  year,  declaring  that  "it 
is  grossly  inappropriate  to  call  any  breed- 
ing bird  a  'visitant'  in  its  breeding-home." 
Grinnell,  in  an  editorial  note,  is  equally 
positive  that  "Birds  are  either  resident 
or  migratory;  if  they  migrate  they  can  7iot 
be  resident;  hence  such  an  incongruity  as 
winter  resident  is  impossible!" 

In  referring  to  the  Annual  Directory, 
which  closes  the  number,  it  is  interesting 
to  remember  that  the  Cooper  Club  was 
organized  twenty-one  years  ago.  Begin- 
ning with  a  membership  of  four,  in  June 
1893,  it  has  steadily  increased  until  it  now 
has  six  honorary  and  four  hundred  and 
thirty-three  active  members. — T.  S.  P. 

Wilson  Bulletin. — -The  March  num- 
ber of  this  Quarterly  (Vol.  XXVI,  No.  i) 
opens  with  an  illustrated  study  of  the 
Woodcock,  by  Gerard  Alan  Abbott;  R. 
W.  Shufeldt  writes  a  somewhat  rambling 
dissertation  on  Owls,  accompanying  it 
with  two  photographs  and  a  reproduction 
of  a  painting  of  Snowy  Owls  by  Gerhard 
Heilmann.  Ira  N.  Gabrielson  gives  some 
interesting  'Pied-billed  Grebe  Notes,'  in 
which  he  records  seeing,  on  August  19, 
1913,  a  flock  containing  about  two  hun- 
dred of  these  Grebes,  which  is  twice  as 
large  a  flock  as  the  reviewer  has  noted. 
Ernest  W.  Vickers  writes  a  graphic 
description  of  the  roll  or  drumming  of 
the    Pileated    Woodpecker,    and    Lynds 


Jones  discusses  the  bird-life  of  northern 
Ohio  during  the  winter  of  1913-14. 
Professor  Jones  also  contributes  'A  Brief 
History  of  the  Wilson  Ornithological 
Club,'  which  was  organized  on  December 
3,  1888.  Elsewhere  in  this  number  of  the 
Bulletin  appear  the  minutes  of  the  meet- 
ing of  the  Club  held  in  Chicago  on  Feb- 
ruary 5  and  6,  1914.  Heretofore  the  work 
of  the  Club  and  communication  between 
its  members  has  been  conducted  by  cor- 
respondence. Henceforth  it  is  proposed 
to  hold  regular  meetings,  and  the  evident 
success  of  the  meeting  seems  fully  to 
warrant  the  adoption  of  this  plan. 

Further  articles  in  this  number  are  by 
Geo.  L.  Fordyce,  who  writes  on  'Changes 
in  the  Avifauna  of  Youngstown,  Ohio,' 
incident  to  the  building  of  reservoirs, 
which  have  added  some  60  species  to 
those  observed  by  him  in  the  preceding 
ten  years,  and  a  detailed  review  of  Reiche- 
now's  'Handbuch  der  Systematischen 
Ornithilogie,'  by  W.  F.  Henninger.  There 
are  also  editorials,  field-notes,  and  reviews. 
— F.  M.  C. 

Book  News 

The  National  Geographic  Magazine 
for  May,  1914,  makes  a  notable  contribu- 
tion to  popular  ornithology  in  an  article  by 
Henry  W.  Henshaw  on  'Birds  of  Town  and 
Country,'  with  64  illustrations  in  color  by 
Louis  Agassiz  Fuertes.  This  article,  with 
a  similar  one  by  Mr.  Henshaw  in  the  issue 
of  the  same  magazine  for  June,  1913,  with 
50  colored  illustrations  by  Fuertes,  a 
paper  by  F.  H.  Kennard  on  'Encouraging 
Birds  around  the  Home'  and  a  study  of 
certain  phases  of  bird  migration  by  Wells 
W.  Cooke,  has  been  bound  in  one  volume. 
Copies  may  be  obtained  from  the  National 
Geographic  Society,  Washington,  D.  C, 
at  one  dollar  each. 

The  fourth  part  of  Mr.  Fuertes'  'Im- 
pressions of  the  Voices  of  Tropical  Birds' 
will  appear  in  the  next  issue  of  Bird-Lore. 
This  magazine  has  published  few  articles 
which  have  been  more  warmly  commended 
than  these  graphic  descriptions  by  Mr. 
Fuertes. 


288 


Bird  -  Lore 


2^irti=lLore 

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

OFFICIAL   ORGAN    OF    THE   AUDUBON   SOCIETIES 

Edited  by  FRANK  M.  CHAPMAN 

Contributine  Editor.  MABEL  OSGOOD  WRIGHT 

Published  by  D.  APPLETON  &  CO. 

Vol.  XVI      Published  August  1,  1914  No.  4 

SUBSCRIPTION  RATES 

Price  in  the  United  States.  Canada  and  Mexico,  twenty  cents 
a  number,  one  dollar  a  year,  postage  paid. 


COPYRIGHTED,   1914,  BY  FRANK  M.  CHAPMAN 


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


On  a  preceding  page  of  this  issue  of 
Bird-Lore,  Abbott  H.  Thayer  discusses 
the  question  of  the  comparative  number 
of  our  birds.  This  subject  was  brought 
before  the  last  meeting  of  the  American 
Ornithologists'  Union,  and  it  is  interesting 
to  observe  that  Mr.  Thayer  independently 
reaches  the  conclusions  which  were  ex- 
pressed by  the  members  of  the  Union  who 
took  part  in  the  discussion. 

The  lack  of  proper  evidence  and  the 
worthlessness  of  opinions  based  on  memory 
alone  were  admitted.  Professor  Munster- 
berg's  letter  to  Mr.  Thayer  gives  a  psy- 
chologist's reasons  why  such  testimony 
lacks  value.  To  them  may  be  added 
several  which  are  more  physiological. 
Three  or  four  decades  is  apt  to  make  a 
decided,  if  unacknowledged,  difference  in 
one's  power  to  see  and  to  hear  birds,  as 
well  as  to  dull  the  keenness  with  which 
one  searches  for  them.  When  neighbors 
tell  us  that  Robins,  or  Orioles,  or  'Chippies' 
are  not  so  common  as  they  were  thirty 
years  ago,  we  know  that  it  is  human-life 
rather  than  bird-life  which  is  failing. 

One,  however,  should  avoid  generalizing 
on  observations  covering  only  one  locality. 
Following  Mr.  Thayer's  statement  that, 
on  the  whole,  birds  are  as  numerous  about 
Keene,  H.  N.,  as  they  have  been  at  any 
time  in  his  experience,  covering  fifty 
years,  we  have  the  claim  of  Mr.  Rolla 
Warren  Kimsey  that  at  Lathrop,  Mo., 
birds  are  decreasing;  and  he  gives  evi- 
dently   valid    reasons    for    this    decrease. 


But,  on  a  succeeding  page  (p.  277)  of  this 
number,  another  Missouri  correspondent 
writes  that  birds  "seem  unusually  plentiful 
in  Sedalia  this  spring."  From  Saginaw, 
Michigan,  Mr.  W.  B.  Mershon  reports 
that  he  has  never  seen  more  Baltimore 
Orioles  than  are  present  there  this  year, 
but  that  there  are  fewer  Bluebirds  than 
usual. 

With  this  variety  of  statement  about 
existing  conditions,  how  can  we  hope  to 
know  exactly  the  conditions  which  existed 
say,  thirty  or  forty  years  ago,  in  order 
that  we  may  compare  them  with  those  of 
today.  Few  men  are  qualified  by  personal 
experience  to  make  such  comparison,  but, 
so  far  as  we  are  aware,  those  in  a  position 
to  speak  with  authority  detect,  all  in  all, 
no  marked  change  in  the  numbers  of  our 
song  and  insectivorous  birds. 

Mr.  Joseph  Grinnell,  Director  of  the 
Museum  of  Vertebrate  Zoology  of  the 
University  of  California,  writes  us  that, 
in  view  of  the  proposal  to  legalize  the 
marketing  of  all  game  in  California,  Dr. 
Walter  P.  Taylor  has  been  detailed  from 
the  Museum's  staff  to  conduct  the  cam- 
paign against  this  undesirable  legislation. 
Mr.  Grinnell  so  clearly  expresses  the  duty 
to  the  state  of  professional  zoologists  in 
crises  of  this  kind  that  we  take  the  liberty 
of  quoting  from  his  letter: 

"In  thus  announcing  our  participation 
in  active  conservation,  which  of  course 
means  putting  aside,  for  the  time  being, 
such  other  interests  as  field  and  museum 
research,  I  would  urge  that  it  is  the  duty 
of  zoologists  to  make  their  special  knowl- 
edge available  for  the  common  good  when- 
ever the  opportunity  offers.  By  reason  of 
our  work  in  field  and  museum  we  have 
been  privileged  to  acquaint  ourselves  inti- 
mately with  the  animal  life  of  the  state. 
This  knowledge  is  now  of  economic  impor- 
tance. In  the  present  instance,  there  is  the 
threatened  danger  that  many  of  our  game- 
birds  and  mammals  will  be  nearly  or  quite 
exterminated  through  the  excessive  hunt- 
ing which  free  marketing  will  undoubtedly 
bring.  This  impending  calamity  is  worth 
fighting  against." 


^\)t  Bububon  Societies; 

SCHOOL    DEPARTMENT 

Edited  by  ALICE  HALL  WALTER 

Address  all  communications  relative  to  the  work  of  this  depart- 
ment to  the  editor,  at   S3  Arlington  Avenue,  Providence,  R.  I. 

PROGRAM  -  MAKING 

Not  only  Audubon  Societies,  but  Bird  Clubs  and  various  organizations 
interested  in  the  study  and  conservation  of  birds,  are  considering  the  annual 
problem  of  what  to  do  next  which  will  best  stimulate  their  members  and 
appeal  to  the  public.  The  very  fact  that  this  problem  must  be  considered 
from  such  a  point  of  view  is,  at  once,  a  confession  and  a  concession ;  inasmuch 
as  the  general  average  of  members,  on  the  one  hand,  not  only  need  but  demand 
an  attractive  program  mapped  out  to  whet  their  interest,  while,  on  the  other, 
cooperation  with  the  public  is  an  essential  of  growth,  without  which  any 
isolated,  individual  group  of  bird-lovers  must  eventually  dwindle  and 
disintegrate. 

Schedules  of  work  should  be  recognized  as  a  vital  part  of  any  organization, 
and  the  effort  put  into  their  making  valued  at  its  true  worth.  Unfortunately, 
too  many  people  are  willing  to  shift  the  burden  of  program-making  on  to  the 
shoulders  of  a  few  efficient,  self-sacrificing  workers,  without  taking  the  trouble 
to  discuss  conditions  or  to  make  helpful  suggestions.  An  undue  amount  of 
responsibility  is  consequently  thrust  upon  the  program-maker. 

The  measure  of  success  to  which  any  society  attains  may  be  readily  esti- 
mated by  the  kind  of  program  it  carries  out.  With  this  fact  in  mind,  a  yearly 
program  of  work  becomes  a  test  of  strength  and  activity  on  the  part  of  mem- 
bers, as  well  as  an  index  of  growth. 

The  question  each  member  should  ask  himself  is.  Am  I  doing  my  part  of 
the  work? 

A  program  ought  not  to  be  a  formidable  affair,  overambitious,  complicated, 
and  involving  an  undue  amount  of  work  from  those  who  carry  it  out.  Like  a 
house,  or  a  library,  or  a  musevmi,  it  should  fit  those  who  are  to  use  it,  other- 
wise it  will  fall  far   short  of  the  mark. 

For  this  very  reason,  it  is  impossible  to  offer  a  set  schedule  which  shall 
meet  the  requirements  of  all  Audubon  Societies  and  Bird  Clubs.  Suggestions 
may  help  to  some  extent,  but  the  wisest  course  is  to  investigate  thoroughly 
the  needs  and  possibilities  of  your  own  particular  community.  The  difficult 
part  of  arranging  a  program  is  not  in  the  formulation  of  a  printed  schedule, 
but  rather  in  establishing  a  direct  relation  between  that  schedule  and  the  pub- 
lic for  which  it  was  made. 

(289) 


290  Bird  -  Lore 

Suppose  your  Society  covers  a  locality  which  is  becoming  overrun  with 
Starlings.  It  is  of  great  importance  for  everyone  to  know  about  the  habits 
and  distribution  of  this  species,  in  order  to  gather  reliable  data  upon  which 
to  base  laws  regarding  this  intruder  from  the  Old  World. 

Or,  suppose  you  are  confronted  with  the  gypsy  and  browntail  moth  pest, 
or  the  chestnut-disease  fungus,  your  duty  is  plainly  to  investigate  conditions 
and  to  inform  people  of  the  community  how  to  control  these  menaces  to  veg- 
etation. The  adaptability  of  birds  is  a  matter  for  careful  study  with  regard 
to  such  pests,  and  in  this  connection,  the  feeding-habits  of  tree-loving  species 
might  well  be  studied  with  minute  care. 

Other  problems  which  belong  to  local  societies  as  well  as  to  state  or  federal 
commissions,  to  solve,  are  changes  in  bird-population,  decade  by  decade,  or 
year  by  year,  correlated  with  changes  in  habitat  and  distribution;  oppor- 
tunities and  need  of  bird-protection ;  propagation  of  wild  birds  under  domestica- 
tion; nature-study  in  the  schools  and  home,  and  a  systematic  survey  of  the 
arrival  and  departure  of  migratory  species. 

Each  of  these  topics  may  be  subdivided  in  different  ways,  and  other  topics 
may  be  added  to  those  given  above,  but  any  one  of  them,  if  thoroughly  taken 
up,  would  furnish  work  for  many  observers.  Perhaps  the  criticism  might  be 
fairly  made  that  the  schedules  of  work  undertaken  by  most  Audubon  Socie- 
ties are  too  fragmentary  or,  in  frequent  instances,  too  desultory.  Why  not 
commence  this  year  and  take  one  objective  point  of  attack,  a  single  problem, 
and  devote  more  time  and  thought  to  that? 

The  following  communications  from  quite  different  sources  show  the  value 
of  doing  one  thing  well.  The  first  gives  the  result  of  observations  during  mid- 
summer in  a  limited  area  by  a  class  sufficiently  large  to  be  compared  with  the 
average  local  Audubon  Society,  or  Bird  Club.  The  second  deals  with  the 
problem  of  providing  a  suitable  food-supply  for  birds  which  ordinarily  migrate 
farther  south. 

BIRD-STUDY  AT  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  VIRGINIA 
SUMMER  SCHOOL 

During  the  sessions  of  the  University  of  Virginia  Summer  School,  for  several  years 
a  group  of  teachers  numbering  from  fifty  to  seventy-five  has  given  a  good  deal  of  time 
to  careful  and  accurate  bird-study.  This  work  has  been  entirely  voluntary,  for  the 
University  does  not  allow  credit  for  bird-study  in  the  nature-study  course. 

These  early  morning  walks  at  five  or  at  five-thirty  o'clock,  while  testing  the 
earnestness  of  the  bird-lover,  did  not  interrupt  the  regular  work  of  the  school, 
beginning  at  8:30  a.m.,  but  encouraged  the  formation  of  friendships,  and  the 
exchange  of  information  regarding  birds,  between  teachers  from  all  sections  of  the 
United  States. 

Real  bird-study  at  the  University  of  Virginia  Summer  School  was  started  by  Dr. 
K.  C.  Davis,  of  the  Peabody  College  for  Teachers  (Nashville),  who  conducted  it  most 
successfully  from  igio  to  1912.  Other  work  kept  Doctor  Davis  in  New  Jersey  for  the 


The  Audubon   Societies 


291 


session  of   19 13,  and  the  bird-study  class  fell  to  the  writer,  who  had  enjoyed   many 
bird-walks  with  Doctor  Davis. 

A  large  class  cannot  do  very  close  work  in  identifying  shy  birds,  but  our  identifi- 
cation was  successful,  as  will  be  seen  from  a  list  of  summer  residents  made  between 
June  25  and  August  5.  These  bird-walks  covered  territory  within  two  miles  of  the 
University,  with  the  exception  of  two  week-end  trips  to  Humpback  Mountain  in  the 
Blue  Ridge,  where  the  additional  species  noted  in  the  list  were  found. 

Summer  Residents  Identified  near  the  University  of  Virginia 


A.O.U. 

A.O.U. 

190 — American  Bittern 

529— ( 

191 — Least  Bittern 

540—^ 

200 — Little  Blue  Heron  (immature) 

546-( 

201 — Green  Heron 

547-1 

263 — Spotted  Sandpiper 

560— ( 

273 — Killdeer 

563-1 

289 — Bob-white 

567^— 

300 — Ruffed  Grouse  (on  Humpback) 

581-5 

310a — ^Wild  Turkey  (on  Humpback) 

587-^ 

316 — Mourning  Dove 

593— < 

325 — Turkey  Vulture 

598-] 

360 — Sparrow  Hawk 

608—5 

373 — Screech  Owl 

610— J 

387 — Yellow-billed  Cuckoo 

611—] 

388— Black-billed  Cuckoo 

614 — ' 

390 — Belted  Kingfisher 

616—] 

3936 — Hairy  Woodpecker 

619— ( 

394c — Downy  Woodpecker 

622 — ] 

406 — Red-headed  Woodpecker 

624—] 

412a — Flicker 

627—^ 

41 7 — Whip-poor-will 

628—^ 

420 — Nighthawk 

631-^ 

423 — Chimney  Swift 

636—] 

428 — Ruby-throated  Hummingbird 

638—5 

444 — Kingbird 

639-^ 

452 — Crested  Flycatcher 

641—] 

456 — Phoebe 

652—' 

461 — Wood  Pewee 

654—] 

463 — Yellow  -  bellied     Flycatcher     (on 

Humpback) 

671—] 

465 — Acadian  Flycatcher 

674— ( 

467 — Least  Flycatcher  (on  Humpback) 

676—] 

477— Blue  Jay 

677-J 

488— Crow 

681—: 

495 — Cowbird  (on  Humpback) 

683—^ 

498 — Red-winged  Blackbird 

684—] 

501 — Meadowlark 

686— ( 

506 — Orchard  Oriole 

687—: 

507 — Baltimore  Oriole 

703—; 

511 — Purple  Grackle 

704—1 

House  (English)  Sparrow 

70s—: 

Goldfinch 
Vesper  Sparrow 
Grasshopper  Sparrow 
Henslow's  Sparrow 
Chipping  Sparrow 
Field  Sparrow 

Carolina  Junco  (on  Humpback) 
Song  Sparrow 
Towhee 
Cardinal 
Indigo  Bunting 
Scarlet  Tanager 
Summer  Tanager 
Purple  Martin 
Tree  Swallow 
Bank  Swallow 
Cedar  Waxwing 
Loggerhead  Shrike 
Red-eyed  Vireo 
Warbling  Vireo 
Yellow-throated  Vireo 
White-eyed  Vireo 
Black  and  White  Warbler 
Swainson's  Warbler 
Worm-eating  Warbler 
Blue-winged  Warbler 
Yellow  Warbler 
Black-throated    Blue    Warbler    (on 

Humpback) 
Pine  Warbler 
Oven-bird 

Louisiana  Water-Thrush 
Kentucky  Warbler 
Maryland  Yellow-throat 
Yellow-breasted  Chat 
Hooded  Warbler 

Canadian  Warbler  (on  Humpback) 
Redstart 
Mockingbird 
Catbird 
Brown  Thrasher 


292  Bird  -  Lore 

Summer  Residents  Identified  near  the  University  of  Virginia,  continued 

A.O.U.  A.O.U. 

718 — Carolina  Wren  75 1 — Blue-gray  Gnatcatcher 

721 — House  Wren  755 — Wood  Thrush 

724 — Short-billed  Marsh  Wren  756 — Veery  (on  Humpback) 

727 — White-breasted  Nuthatch  761 — Robin 

731 — Tufted  Titmouse  766 — Bluebird 

736 — Carolina  Chickadee 

— J.  Bowie  Ferneyhough,  Richmond,  Va.    (P.  O.  Box  1458). 


An  Effort  to  Illustrate  the  Advantages  and  Possibilities  of  Inducing 

Desirable  Birds  to  Remain  within  the  Boundaries  of 

the  State  During  the  Winter  Months 

There  seems  no  reason  to  doubt  that  the  fall  migration  of  several  species  is 
due  primarily  to  the  absence  of  an  adequate  food-supply,  and  that  heavy  snows  and 
low  extremes  of  temperature,  while  of  some  importance,  are  not  vital  factors  in  causing 
this  phenomenon.  Proof  of  this  is  afforded  when  we  find  large  flocks  of  Robins  here 
during  some  of  our  severest  winters,  detained  by  the  various  wild  fruits,  chief  of  which 
is  the  hawthorn  or  thornapple  (Crataegus). 

This  beautiful  shrub  grows  commonly  throughout  the  foothill  and  adjacent  plain 
region  from  5,000  to  8,000  feet,  bearing  fruit  liked  by  many  birds,  such  as  Robins, 
Jays,  and  numerous  Finches.  As  it  yields  readily  to  cultivation  and  is  in  itself  a  beau- 
tiful?ornamental  shrub,  its  introduction  and  propagation  in  city  parks  and  residence 
districts  is  much  to  be  desired. 

To  illustrate  its  value  to  the  avian  world,  a  group  containing  a  small  clump  of  the 
bushes  has  recently  been  finished,  and  is  now  on  exhibition  in  the  Bird  Hall,  showing 
Robins,  Solitaires,  Jays,  Juncos,  Towhees,  Song,  Tree,  and  Gambel's  Sparrows,  feeding 
on  the  seeds  and  berry  pulp. 

Near  by  an  insect-killed  pine  has  been  placed,  with  Rocky  Mountain  and  Pygmy 
Nuthatches,  Rocky  Mountain  Creepers,  and  Long-tailed  Chickadees,  searching  out 
each  crevice  for  eggs  and  larvae,  while  a  large  Rocky  Mountain  Hairy  Woodpecker  is 
sounding  for  borers. 

This  group  is  the  first  of  a  series  of  four,  now  planned,  each  exhibiting  a  season  with 
the  characteristic  birds  at  their  work  as  man's  most  important  ally. — T.  Lincoln, 
Acting  Curator  of  Ornithology,  Colorado  Museum  of  Natural  History,  Denver,  Col. 

Both  of  these  communications  offer  practical  suggestions,  which  have  been 
tested  in  at  least  one  locaUty  with  success.  By  comparing  the  summer  list  of 
birds  identified  at  the  University  of  Virginia  by  a  class  of  seventy-five  with  the 
list  of  a  year  obtained  by  a  single  boy,  with  hardly  any  assistance,  in  West 
Virginia  (see  Bird-Lore,  May- June,  1914),  some  idea  may  be  had  of  the  great 
value  of  the  "limited  area"  study  as  opposed  to  hit-or-miss  observations  in 
various  localities. 

These  lists  are  in  themselves  of  considerable  interest,  since  they  contain 
the  record  of  Carolinian,  AUeghenian,  and  Canadian  faunal  differences  within 
specific  areas.  Compare  them  with  lists  which  you  may  make  in  other  places, 
and  note  the  differences  of  distribution. 


The  Audubon   Societies  293 

The  suggestion  of  discovering  a  suitable  winter  food-supply  for  desirable 
species  is  one  that  many  societies  might  follow  up  with  good  results.  Such  an 
investigation  would  naturally  lead  to  experiments  with  a  variety  of  trees  and 
shrubs,  and,  incidentally,  add  much  to  a  general  knowledge  of  arboriculture. 

Other  methods  of  work  will  be  welcomed  and  discussed  in  this  department. 
—A.  H.  W. 

JUNIOR   AUDUBON   WORK 
For  Teachers  and  Pupils 

Exercise  XVI :  Correlated  Studies,  Reading,  Observation  and  Recreation 

THE   PERIOD  OF  SONG 

Touch  your  lips  with  gladness,  and  go  singing  on  your  way, 

Smiles  will  strangely  lighten  every  duty; 

Just  a  little  word  of  cheer  may  span  a  sky  of  gray 

With  hope's  own  heaven-tinted  bow  of  beauty. 

Wear  a  pleasant  face  wherein  shall  shine  a  joyful  heart, 

As  shines  the  sun,  the  happy  fields  adorning; 

To  every  care-beclouded  life  some  ray  of  light  impart. 

And  touch  your  lips  with  gladness  every  morning. — Nixon  Waterman 

Vacation-time  has  come  again,  books  and  lessons  are  laid  aside,  examina- 
tions and  rank  forgotten.  Why  have  an  exercise  for  the  Junior  Audubon 
members  in  midsummer,  even  in  the  School  Department  of  Bird-Lore?  Why, 
indeed,  except  to  add  to  the  interest  of  the  long,  hot  days  when  body  and  mind 
relax  and  sag,  and  precious  time  is  wasted  for  lack  of  energy  to  fix  upon  any- 
thing which  seems  worth  while? 

The  following  exercise  is  correlated  with  some  things  which  you  may  never 
have  thought  of  as  studies,  namely,  observation  and  recreation.  It  is  rather  a 
curious  fact  that  most  people  have  to  be  taught  to  observe  and  to  play,  unless 
they  have  grown  up  under  very  favorable  conditions  for  cultivating  these  gifts. 

It  is  well  to  read  as  much  as  one  can,  for  the  right  kind  of  books  and  papers 
and  magazines  contain  a  vast  amount  of  observation  presented  in  attractive 
form.  It  is  better,  however,  to  be  able  to  observe  for  one's  self,  to  cultivate  the 
habit  of  observing,  and  of  mentally  crystallizing  into  memory  what  has  been 
observed. 

Add  to  the  habit  of  reading  and  observation  the  gift  of  knowing  how  to 
play,  and  the  combination  is  still  better.  One  philosopher — and,  by  the  way,  a 
philosopher  who  practises  what  he  teaches — has  called  attention  to  the 
advantage  of  learning  to  play  as  one  works.  The  reason  that  work  of  any  kind 
is  likely  to  become  first  a  tiresome  task  and  then  dull  drudgery  is  because  no 
element  of  recreation  enters  into  it.  The  spirit  which  makes  one  feel  like  play- 
ing also  makes  one  contented  and  cheerful.    The  haymaker  who  starts  to  his 


294  Bird -Lore 

work  singing  "Happy  as  the  day  is  long,"  is  a  man  who  finds  something  in 
that  work  besides  a  hard  task,  and  who  gets  something  out  of  it  besides  fatigue 
and  discouragement.   He  works  and  plays  at  the  same  time. 

This  same  beautiful  lesson  is  taught  us  by  the  birds.  With  them,  song  is 
an  expression  of  health  and  energy,  and  of  a  natural  instinct  linked  with  the 
great  law  of  life  which  we  touched  upon  in  the  last  exercise.  The  period  of 
song  is  at  its  best  when  mates  are  chosen  and  nesting  is  begun,  but  song  is 
also  an  accompaniment  to  food-getting,  with  many  species.  Watch  the  Vireos 
feeding  and  singing,  throughout  the  long,  sultry  summer,  or  listen  for  the 
Nighthawk  sweeping  the  twilight-gloom,  calling  its  strange,  rasping  note. 

Hear  the  frequent  repetitions  of  the  Maryland  Yellowthroat's  song,  as  the 
busy  singer  slips  about  shrubbery  by  roadside  or  brook;  the  bubbling  phrases 
of  the  Bobolink,  as  it  rises  for  a  moment  from  the  grassy  meadows,  or  the 
faint  tzee  of  the  secretive  Savannah  Sparrow  from  the  mow-fields.  If  you 
are  so  fortunate  as  to  be  in  the  North  at  this  season,  you  cannot  fail  to  hear  the 
silvery  pipe  of  the  White-throated  Sparrow,  now  here,  now  there,  all  the  day, 
or  a  strain  from  the  harp  of  the  Hermit  Thrush  in  the  evergreen  woodland; 
although  these  occasional  snatches  are  but  a  suggestion  of  the  wonderful 
matin  and  vesper  choruses  of  these  famous  singers. 

The  'flycatcher  clan'  sing  often  as  they  feed,  some  more  than  others,  and 
notably  the  indefatigable  Chebec,  while  the  dancing,  flashing  Goldfinch  wings 
its  way  on  a  path  of  song.  From  every  side  comes  some  sound  of  cheer,  some 
reminder  of  the  jubilance  of  life.  Train  not  only  your  eyes  but  your  ears  to 
observe,  for  strange  to  say,  we  hear  ordinarily  only  a  fraction  of  the  songs  of 
birds,  insects,  frogs,  leaves,  winds,  and  ocean,  while  we  see  oh!  so  little  of  the 
shifting  symphonies  of  color  and  form  on  Nature's  canvas.  We  live  in  a  world 
of  sound,  of  vibrant  life,  and  we  should  be  attuned  to  it. 

The  period  of  song  with  birds  is  different  with  different  species,  but  we 
may  distinguish  some  points  of  resemblance  which  hold  good  for  all  with 
regard  to  the  exercise  of  the  gift  of  song.  But,  first,  we  should  notice  that  all 
birds  cannot  sing  equally  well.  The  song-mechanism  of  a  bird  is  in  the  lower 
part  of  the  throat  or  larynx  and  is  called  the  syrinx.  This  mechanism  is  com- 
plicated and  difficult  to  explain,  but  it  consists  in  part  of  a  membrane  held 
tautly  in  place  and  delicately  adjusted  by  various  sets  of  muscles. 

In  certain  birds  the  song-mechanism  is  very  simple,  almost  rudimentary, 
and  such  an  instrument  can  produce  only  hoarse  or  raucous  call-notes,  capable 
of  hardly,  if  any,  modulation.  The  Ostrich,  Emu  and  Cassowary  are  exam- 
ples of  species  that  lack  much  of  the  mechanism  of  song.  All  water  and  shore- 
birds,  gallinaceous  birds.  Doves  and  Pigeons,  birds  of  prey,  the  Woodpeckers, 
Cuckoos,  Kingfishers  and  Whip-poor-wills,  Swifts,  and  Hummingbirds  have 
poorly  developed  singing  instruments,  and  so  we  find  that  of  our  birds,  true 
song  belongs  only  to  the  perching  species,  and  even  among  these  there  is  a  great 
diversity  in  the  development  of  the  syrinx. 


The   Audubon   Societies  295 

All  birds  have  call-notes,  which  are  varied  more  or  less  to  express  sociabil- 
ity, fear,  the  mating  instinct,  solicitude  for  offspring  and  natural  exuberance. 
Usually  both  male  and  female  birds  possess  call-notes  in  equal  variety  and 
intensity,  but  this  is  not  true  of  song.  In  a  few  species  the  female  sings  some, 
for  example  the  Purple  Finch,  but  in  the  majority  of  perchers,  the  males 
alone  possess  the  full  power  of  song.  The  reason  for  this  is  not  hard  to  discover, 
when  we  study  the  part  which  song  plays  in  the  daily  life  of  birds.  The  female 
birds,  as  mothers,  must  stay  quietly  hidden  on  the  nest,  to  incubate  their 
eggs  and  shelter  their  nestlings,  while  the  males  are  much  freer  to  leave  the 
nesting-site  and  keep  watch  for  dangers  and  enemies;  so  to  them  is  given  the 
joyful  task  of  singing.  Just  how  much  the  beautiful  songs  which  they  sing 
mean  to  their  mates,  we  do  not  know,  but  we  may  be  sure  that  song  is  a  wise 
provision  of  Nature,  and  that  it  is  an  indispensable  part  of  the  bird's  life. 

It  is  a  delightful  accomplishment  to  be  familiar  with  bird-songs,  and  a 
difficult  one,  too.  It  is  perhaps  quite  as  delightful,  but  far  more  difficult,  to 
acquire  familiarity  with  the  call-notes  of  even  the  most  common  species,  so 
great  is  their  variety  and  similarity. 

No  part  of  bird-study  can  give  you  more  pleasure  at  this  season  than  the 
study  of  song.  Those  who  have  'an  ear  for  music'  will  gain  a  hold  on  bird- 
music  much  more  readily  than  those  who  are  duller  of  hearing,  but  no  one 
need  despair  who  has  patience  and  enthusiasm.  You  can  hear  birds  far  oftener 
than  you  can  see  them  at  this  time  of  the  year. 

And  as  you  awaken  to  the  strains  of  the  morning-chorus  of  the  feathered 
choirs  about  you,  remember  this  little  midsummer  sermonette  on  song,  and 

"Touch  your  lips  with  gladness,  and  go  singing  on  your  way." 

SUGGESTIONS 

1.  How  many  phrases  do  the  different  species  of  Vireos  sing  per  minute?   Time  the 
Red-eyed,  Yellow-throated,  and  White-eyed  Vireos. 

2.  What  kind  of  call-note  does  the  Robin  give  in  times  of  excessive  heat? 

3.  What  birds  have  been  named  from  their  call-notes  and  songs? 

4.  What  are  the  best  singers  among  birds  that  you  know? 

5.  Can  you  tell  the  call-notes  of  nestling  birds  from  those  of  their 'parents? 

6.  What  birds  sing  at  night?    How  late  have  you  heard  birds  sing? 

7.  Are  the  evening  and  morning  songs  of  birds  different. 

8.  Study  one  common  species  and  see  how  many  different  kinds  of  songs  and  call- 
notes  it  gives.    Take  the  Robin,  for  example. 

9.  Do  individuals  of  the  same  species  of  birds  sing  differently?      Study  the  Song 
Sparrow,  for  example. 

10.  Do  individuals  of  the  same  species  sing  in  different  keys  in  different  localities? 
Study  the  Baltimore  Oriole,  for  example. 

11.  Can  you  recognize  any  single  bird  by  some  peculiarity  in  its  song? 

12.  What  birds  are  mimics  in  song?    What  birds  lure  their  prey  by  means  of  mim- 
icry? 

13.  What  other  creatures  besides  birds  have  the  gift  of  song?— A.  H.  W. 


296 


Bird  -  Lore 


FROM  ADULT  AND  YOUNG  OBSERVERS 

A  STUDY  OF  A  WHIP-POOR-WILL  FAMILY 

This  Whip-poor-will  was  discovered  May  25  by  my  father  and  mother.  They  were 
walking  in  the  woods  on  a  side  hill,  and  went  to  the  crest  to  obtain  the  view.  It  was  a 
bare  granite  ledge,  that  at  one  time  had  been  worked,  and  large  blocks  of  stone  lay 
strewn  about.  As  they  stepped  back  into  the  woods,  which  at  that  place  consisted  of  a 
young  growth  of  walnut  and  chestnut,  with  more  or  less  underbrush  and  huckleberry 
bushes,  a  large  brown  bird  flew  from  the  ground  at  their  feet  and  alighted  on  a  fallen 
tree  close  by.  Instead  of  resting  crosswise  on  the  [limb,  [the|[bird^sat  lengthwise,  so 
father  thought  it  must  be  a  Whip-poor-will,  as  they  are  quite  numerous  in  this  locality 


•^^.■.>.idrr,\^yiii«» 

WHIP-POOR-WILL    ON    NEST 
"Her  brown,  blotched   plumage  so  closely  matched  the  leaves  that   1  did   not  see   her" 

after  sundown.  On  looking  for  the  spot  from  which  it  flew,  they  saw  two  conspicuous 
eggs,  pale  blue  mottled  with  small  dark  brown  spots.  There  was  no  visible  nest,  the 
eggs  resting  on  the  dead  leaves,  which  were  pressed  down  smoothly  by  the  bird's  body. 
The  next  morning  I  went  with  father  and  set  up  my  camera  about  four  feet  from  the 
nest.  My  kodak  has  a  plate  attachment,  and  with  the  help  of  the  ground  glass  I  care- 
fully focused  on  the  eggs.  After  taking  a  time  exposure,  for  they  were  in  the  shade,  I 
attached  a  long  rubber  tube,  with  a  bulb,  to  the  camera,  and  dropped  the  end  over  a 
stone  wall  about  thirty  feet  away.  Covering  the  camera  with  a  black  cloth  and  partly 
hiding  it  with  leafy  twigs,  I  sat  down  behind  the  wall  to  wait  for  the  old  bird  to  come 
back  to  her  nest.  I  had  taken  a  book  with  me,  thinking  the  bird  would  be  afraid  of  the 
camera  and  might  not  return  very  soon.  In  about  half  an  hour  I  looked  through  the 
chinks  of  the  wall,  but  could  not  see  anything  of  the  bird.  After  waiting  another  hour, 
I  started  for  home  to  get  some  lunch.  Passing  by  the  camera,  I  saw  that  the  eggs  had 
disappeared.  Going  closer,  to  look  more  carefully,  I  was  startled  by  the  bird  suddenly 
flying  up  from  the  ground  at  my  feet.  She  had  been  sitting  over  the  eggs,  and  her  brown, 
blotched  plumage  so  closely  matched  the  leaves  that  I  did  not  see  her.    Then  I  thought 


The  Audubon   Societies 


297 


to  myself  that,  if  she  would  keep  as  quiet  as  that  again,  I  could  take  a  time  exposure, 
because  a  snap-shot  would  not  be  very  good  in  so  shady  a  place.  Setting  the  camera 
for  a  time  picture,  I  went  home  for  lunch. 

When  I  returned,  I  approached  the  nest  very  cautiously  and  came  within  fifteen 
feet  of  the  exact  spot  where  I  knew  she  would  be  crouched  on  the  leaves,  before  I  could 
make  out  whether  she  was  there  or  not.  When  the  camera  snapped,  she  did  not  move, 
but  remained  quiet,  with  her  eyes  half  closed.  I  had  a  field-glass  and  examined  her 
through  it.  The  glass  made  her  stand  out  more  distinctly  from  the  leaves,  but  even 
then,  if  it  had  not  been  for  her  bright  black  eyes,  I  could  scarcely  have  known  that  I 
was  looking  at  a  live  bird,  so  closely  did  her  dark  brown  feathers,  mottled  with  gray  and 
black,  resemble  patches  of  lichens,  moss,  and  dead  leaves.    Even  her  short  curved  bill 


WHIP-POOR-WILL'S    NEST    AND    EGGS 


was  half  hidden  by  a  thin  tuft  of  feathers.  She  squatted  low  on  the  ground,  with  her 
large  head  drawn  close  to  the  body,  looking  like  a  half-decayed  stump.  It  seemed  a 
pity  to  disturb  her,  but  I  wanted  more  pictures,  so  it  had  to  be  done.  When  she  flew  as 
I  approached,  she  seemed  merely  to  spread  her  broad  wings  and  rise  without  an  effort. 
With  a  few  slow,  silent  wing-strokes  she  sailed  off  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet  and  dropped 
to  the  leaves,  instantly  becoming  invisible  although  in  plain  sight.  As  long  as  she 
remained  quiet  I  could  not  pick  her  out  except  with  the  aid  of  the  glass,  but  every  few 
minutes  she  would  give  a  low,  hollow,  subdued,  cluck,  and  move  one  step  nearer.  Fit- 
ting a  fresh  plate  in  the  camera,  I  retired  behind  one  of  the  rocks  on  the  ledge  not  more 
than  twenty  feet  away,  holding  the  bulb  in  my  hand.  In  less  than  ten  minutes  I  saw  her 
silently  drop  out  of  the  air  on  to  the  eggs.  Letting  her  remain  quiet  for  half  an  hour 
I  secured  another  picture.  After  taking  three  views  of  the  old  bird  in  this  way,  I  went 
home  and  left  her  in  peace. 

A  week  later  I  visited  her  again,  but  the  eggs  had  not  hatched.    On  the  following 
weekly  visit,  when  she  flew,  there  was  nothing  in  sight  but  a  few  broken  bits  of  egg- 


298 


Bird  -  Lore 


shells.  Very  carefully  I  made  my  way  to  the  spot  which  the  old  bird  had  just  left,  and 
minutely  examined  the  leaves  for  the  young,  but  without  success.  The  mother  was  a 
short  distance  away  with  half-spread  wings.  She  slowly  moved  about,  uttering  soft 
'chucks'  and  taking  a  single  step  at  each  sound.  As  she  seemed  so  worried,  I  thought 
her  babies  must  be  in  the  neighborhood,  so  I  went  to  the  ledge  and  sat  down  behind  a 


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VOUNG    WHIP-POOR-WILLS 


Stone,  to  see  if  she  would  call  them.  In  a  few  minutes  she  alighted  on  the  former  nesting- 
place  and  uttered  a  few  gentle,  almost  inaudible  'coos,'  like  a  Dove,  only  very  much 
softer.  Then,  only  two  feet  away  from  the  old  bird,  I  saw  two  fluffy  yellow-gray  chicks 
come  hopping  and  running  over  the  leaves  to  their  mother.  They  nestled  down  out  of 
sight  under  their  mother's  breast,  and  the  old  bird  closed  her  eyes  in  contented  sleep. 
Some  time  later  I  stood  up,  and  at  the  first  movement  the  mother  slightly  opened  her 
eyes.  As  I  approached,  she  did  not  move  until  I  could  almost  touch  her,  and  when 
she  did  fly  she  gave  a  warning  'chuck,'  and  both  birdlets  ran  a  few  steps  and  squatted 
on  the  leaves.  If  I  had  not  seen  them  as  they  ran  and  stopped,  I  should  never  have  been 
able  to  find  them,  for  they  looked  exactly  like  the  dried  leaves  on  which  they  sat.  Both 
were  covered  with  yellow  down,  tipped  with  gray  or  white,  and  their  immense  mouths 
were  hidden  in  downy  feathers,  only  the  tips  of  their  bills  protruding  from  the  soft 
sheath.  One  of  them  kept  his  eyes  fast  -closed,  while  the  other  watched  me  between  his 
half-opened  lids.  Moving  one  nearer  the  other,  I  placed  it  so  as  to  get  a  side  view  (the 
other  had  its  back  to  the  camera)  and  took  their  pictures. 

The  next  week,  as  it  was  dark  and  threatening  rain,  I  did  not  take  my  camera  with 
me  when  I  visited  the  Whip-poor-wills.  The  mother  bird  was  not  in  her  old  place,  so  I 
walked  around  in  the  neighborhood  and  soon  started  her  up,  but  again  I  could  not  find 
the  young  birds.  Going  back  among  the  rocks,  I  waited  until  she  had  called  them 
together.  When  I  came  near,  the  mother  flew  and  her  babies  squatted  on  the  leaves. 
They  had  grown  to  twice  their  former  size  and  were  well  feathered,  being  almost  ready 
to  fly  away.  The  plumage  was  light  gray,  with  dark  brown  spots  on  the  back  and  along 
each  wing,  giving  them  the  appearance  of  moss-covered  stones.  While  admiring  the 
delicate  blending  of  their  somber  colors,  it  seemed  to  me  that  I  could  just  see  traces  of 


The   Audubon   Societies  299 

the  beginnings  of  fear  in  their  sparkling  black  eyes.  This  I  knew  was  a  sign  of  approach- 
ing maturity  and  I  left  them  with  but  a  faint  hope  of  ever  seeing  them  again.  On  the 
next  visit  they  were  nowhere  to  be  found,  and  I  knew  that  they  no  longer  belonged  to 
me,  but  to  the  wide,  wide  world. 

I  forgot  to  say  that  I  saw  the  Whip-poor-will's  mate  only  once.  It  flew  from  a  tree 
where  it  was  roosting,  as  soon  as  I  came  in  sight,  and  disappeared  over  the  crest  of  the 
hill. — Joseph  B.  Bowen,  Grants  Mills,  R.  I. 

[Aside  from  the  general  interest  of  this  description,  the  writer's  method  of  observa- 
tion is  worthy  of  notice.  Those  who  care  to  look  up  the  topics  of  protective  coloration 
and  the  development  of  fear  in  birds  and  other  animals  will  be  repaid  for  the  time  spent 
in  such  study. — A.  W.  H.] 

COOPERATIVE  OBSERVATIONS 

In  the  March-April  number  of  Bird-Lore  there  is  a  communication  from 
C.  C.  Custer,  Piqua,  Ohio,  in  which  he  tells  of  observing  "some  grayish-look- 
ing Swallows  entering  a  small  opening  in  the  side  of  a  limestone  cliff."  The 
hole  proved  too  small  and  dark  to  be  explored.  ]Mr.  Custer  asks:  "What  kind 
of  Swallows  were  they?" 

Undoubtedly  these  were  Rough-wiiiged  Swallows.  The  writer  lived  in  the 
Middle  West  four  years  and  had  frequent  opportunities  to  observe  this  species 
at  close  range,  in  Iowa,  South  Dakota,  and  JMinnesota.  Mr.  Custer  well 
describes  it  as  a  "grayish-looking"  bird.  It  is  almost  the  counterpart  of  the 
common  Bank  Swallow,  except  that,  instead  of  the  white  underparts,  with  a 
dark  band  across  the  breast,  the  throat  and  breast  are  a  uniform  soft  gray, 
shading  into  white  on  the  belly.  The  Bank  Swallows  nest  in  tunnels  in  banks, 
while  the  Rough- winged  Swallows  nest  more  commonly  in  crevices  of  masonry 
or  holes  in  ledges,  though  often  in  banks,  in  company  with  the  Bank  Swallows. 
Moreover,  the  latter  nest  in  colonies,  while  the  former  prefer  a  more  solitary 
life,  seldom  more  than  one  pair  nesting  together.  If  one  sees  what  looks  like 
a  Bank  Swallow  entering  a  crevice  in  a  ledge  or  masonry,  he  may  be  reasonably 
sure  he  has  seen  a  Rough-winged  Swallow. 

The  WTiter  once  watched,  for  some  fifteen  minutes,  one  of  these  birds  in 
Cherokee,  Iowa,  as  it  perched  on  a  dry  twig  close  at  hand,  and  had  a  splendid 
opportunity  to  observe  the  roughness  on  the  wings  caused  by  the  fluting  of 
the  ends  of  the  outer  primary  feathers.  Hence  the  name,  'Rough-winged' 
Swallow.   One  must  be  very  close  to  the  bird  to  note  this,  however. 

I  have  never  seen  the  Rough-winged  Swallow  in  New  England,  though  it 
is  said  to  be  found  in  southwestern  Connecticut,  and  a  pair  has  been  reported 
as  breeding  for  many  years  in  a  limestone  quarry  at  North  Adams,  Mass. — 
Manley  B,  Townsend,  Nashua,  N.  H. 

[For  the  occurrence  of  the  Rough-winged  Swallow  in  Connecticut,  consult  Sage  and 
Bishop's  'Birds  of  Connecticut'. — A.  H.  W.] 


300  Bird  -  Lore 

THE  KILLDEER 

One  year  a  Killdeer  lived  in  our  pasture.  When  we  were  driving  our  cows 
down  to  get  a  drink  one  day,  we  were  walking  along  and  all  at  once  a  bird 
flew  up  and  my  brother  started  to  chase  it,  because  it  went  fluttering  along  as 
if  it  was  hurt.  I  said:  "Go  and  look  for  the  nest.  It  isn't  hurt."  Then  he  went 
back  to  look  for  it  and  found  four  eggs  lying  in  a  little  cow  track,  with  their 
pointed  ends  pointing  down.  Their  color  is  a  delicate  creamy  white  tint  and 
they  are  thickly  spotted  or  lined  with  chocolate-brown.  Like  the  eggs  of  all 
Plovers,  their  size  is  out  of  all  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  bird.  As  soon  as 
the  little  ones  are  hatched,  they  leave  the  nest.  When  you  go  to  look  for  them, 
the  old  one  will  start  up  and  act  as  if  it  cannot  fly,  and  the  young  will  run  and 
hide.  The  young  are  brown  on  the  back,  and  have  a  white  breast  with  a  black 
streak  under  the  neck.  They  have  long  legs  something  like  an  Ostrich's  legs. 
The  Killdeer  builds  in  the  swamps  the  most.  Its  call  is  kildee,  kildee,  dee,  dee, 
dee. — Charley  B.  Prudden  (age  14,  seventh  grade),  Bashing  Ridge,  Indiana. 

[The  Killdeer,  like  the  Whip-poor-will,  builds  little  or  no  nest,  and  yet  it  succeeds 
in  making  itself  quite  inconspicuous  while  incubating  its  eggs  and  brooding  its  young. 
With  the  Bartramian  Sandpiper  ('Upland  Plover')  and  certain  others  of  its  kind,  this 
beautiful  species  has  become  scarce  in  sections  of  its  range,  by  reason  of  changing  con- 
ditions and  inadequate  protection.  Let  us  study  the  habits  of  ground-nesting  species 
more  closely,  in  order  to  better  conserve  them. — A.  H.  W.j 

THE    KING    BIRD 

Knight  defender  of  every  nest, 

Foe  of  every  shade-tree  killer; 
Hunter  of  many  a  common  pest, 

Gad-fly,  moth,  and  caterpillar. 

Policeman  over  the  fields  of  green, 

Chasing  every  crow  from  the  farm; 
Watchman  keen  when  a  hawk  is  seen, 

Giving  the  poultry  wild  alarm. 

Beautiful  bird  is  he  in  flight, 

Sporting  a  fan  of  brilliant  feather; 
Black  with  a  border  of  perfect  white, 

Useful  in  every  kind  of  weather. 

Bird  King  indeed  of  the  catcher  clan. 

And  Queen  of  the  clan  his  mate, 
Proud  as  a  prince  of  Hindostan, 

Or  Alexander  the  Great. 

— By  permission  of  Dr.  Garrett  Newkirk. 


The  Audubon  Societies  301 


NOTES  FROM  THE  SOUTH 

On  Sunday,  July  13,  1913,  I  was  fishing  in  Lake  Centennial,  part  of  the 
Mississippi  River.  When  the  fish  stopped  biting,  I  persuaded  my  uncle  to 
row  me  over  to  De  Soto  island,  which  extends  along  the  whole  water  front  of 
Vicksburg. 

This  island  is  a  bird  paradise.  We  got  off  on  a  large  raft,  and  back  in  the 
Willows  we  could  see  Purple  Crackles,  Red-winged  Blackbirds,  Swainson's 
Warblers,  and  could  hear  Prothonotary  and  Parula  Warblers.  On  the  mud- 
flats and  in  shallow  ponds.  White  Ibises,  Reddish  Egrets,  Creen  Herons,  and 
Little  Blue  Herons  without  number  were  walking  about  in  search  of  frogs  and 
fishes. 

I  would  have  walked  inland,  but  as  the  high  water  had  just  gone  down,  the 
ground  was  too  soft.  I  also  saw  a  few  Black-necked  Stilts,  Willets  and  Kill- 
deer.  Over  the  water,  at  least  fifty  pairs  of  Least  Terns  were  seen  flying  about. 

Coing  back,  I  had  my  back  to  the  island,  but  my  uncle,  who  was  rowing, 
was  facing  it.  Suddenly,  he  told  me  to  look  around,  and  there  was  a  Least 
Tern,  flying  straight  after  the  boat.  When  about  six  feet  away,  it  turned, 
flying  so  close  by  the  boat  that  I  could  see  that  a  fish  it  carried  was  a  roach 
minnow. — Maurice  B.  Emmich  (aged  12),  Vicksburg,  Miss. 

[Another  example  of  the  treasures  in  store  for  the  bird-lover  in  a  'limited  area' 
excursion.  It  may  be  possible  that  the  Crackles  seen  were  Boat-tailed  rather  than 
Purple  Crackles,  and  the  Willets  some  other  species  of  the  large  family  of  shore-birds, 
but  this  does  not  make  the  observations  of  less  value  or  interest.  It  takes  sharp  eyes 
and  long  field-experience  to  know  birds,  and  this  boy's  enthusiasm  promises  well  for 
an  intimate  acquaintance  with  nature. — A.  H.  W.] 

The  Robin's  Nest 

About  two  weeks  ago,  I  saw  a  Robin  building  a  nest  made  of  mud  and 
dead  grasses.  It  made  its  nest  near  my  house  in  a  sugar  maple  tree.  It  sat 
there  for  two  or  three  weeks  on  the  bluish  green  eggs,  until  the  baby  Robins 
came  out  of  the  little  eggs.  They  looked  like  the  mother  and  father  birds, 
with  brown  spots  on  their  breasts.  When  they  are  learning  to  fly,  the  father 
bird  flies  under  them;  so,  when  they  fall,  they  fall,  not  on  the  ground,  but 
on  the  father's  back. — Margaret  Moore  (aged  8,  Third  grade),  St.  Clair, 
Mich. 

[This  brief  letter  contains  personal  observations  in  every  sentence  and  is  especially 
commendable  for  the  variety  of  these  observations.  The  material  from  which  the  nest 
was  made,  the  location,  approximate  time  of  incubation,  plumage  of  the  nestling  young, 
and  initial  flight  of  the  nestlings  are  mentioned.  What  near  relatives  of  the  Robin 
always  have  spotted  breasts?  How  does  a  nesthng  Bluebird  look?  Is  the  statement 
about  the  flight  of  the  young  strictly  correct? — A.  H.  W.] 


302 


Bird  -  Lore 


A    CHIPPING    SPARROW 

Last  summer  in  New  Hampshire,  while  I  was  playing,  I  climbed  a  tree  and 
heard  a  noise.  I  had  often  climbed  the  tree  before  and  knew  that  there  was  a 
Chipping  Sparrow's  nest,  but  never  heard  so  queer  a  noise  before.  When  I 
got  up  a  little  higher  and  got  a  good  view  of  the  nest,  I  saw  a  young  Chipping 
Sparrow  hanging  by  one  leg.  He  had  evidently  fallen  out  of  the  nest  and  got 
his  leg  caught  in  one  of  the  pieces  of  string  the  nest  was  made  out  of.  Another 
boy  and  I  got  a  long  stick.  Some  people  under  the  tree  held  a  rug,  and  we  got 
the  young  bird  safely  on  the  ground.  All  this  time  the  mother  and  father  were 
wild.  I  do  not  know  if  the  young  bird  lived  or  not,  but  I  hope  so. — Pendle- 
ton Marshall  (aged  ii).  New  York  City. 

[It  might  interest  this  correspondent  and  other  readers  to  make  a  catalogue  of 
accidents  with  which  birds  have  been  known  to  meet.  The  writer  saw  a  nestling  Phoebe, 
a  few  summers  ago,  that  had  been  strangled  by  swallowing  one  end  of  a  hair,  which 
had  evidently  been  wound  around  the  food  given  it.  The  hair  was  so  long  that  the 
free  end  may  have  caught  on  some  object  outside  the  nest,  thus  resisting  every  effort 
of  the  young  bird  to  swallow  the  food  attached  in  this  accidental  way.— A.  H.  W.] 

CORRECTION 

In  the  preceding  issue,  page  213,  read  clan  for  class. 


SORA 
Order — Paludicote  Family 


Genus — Porzana 


RallidaE 
Species — Carolina 


THE   SORA   RAIL 

By  EDWARD   HOWE   FORBUSH 


Cfie  jl^ational  association  of  Studubon  Societies 

EDUCATIONAL   LEAFLET  No.  75 


In  the  marsh  the  wilderness  makes  its  last  stand.  Civilization  sweeps  away 
the  forest,  dams  and  diverts  the  streams,  cultivates  prairie,  hill,  and  meadow, 
traverses  the  pond  in  boats,  and  destroys  the  native  birds  and  mammals, 
but  the  marsh  remains  unconquered  to  the  last.  Along  the  Atlantic  seaboard, 
where  agriculture  and  civilization  have  held  sway  for  hundreds  of  years, 
stretches  of  marshland  yet  extend  even  within  the  corporate  limits  of  large 
cities;  and  many  of  the  shy  creatures  that  inhabited  them  when  Columbus 
discovered  America  still  maintain  their  homes  among  the  reeds.  Here  the 
great  snapping-turtle  drags  its  slow  length  along,  here  the  Bittern  may  be 
heard  "driving  its  stake,"  and  here  the  Rail  peers  from  its  age-old  fastness — 
the  cover  of  reeds,  flags,  and  sedges.  Man  dislikes  the  quaking  bog  and  the 
miry  ooze,  and  so  it  remains  a  refuge  for  the  light-footed  and  defenseless  ones 
that  can  run  over  its  shuddering  expanse  or  crawl  in  its  mud  and  water. 

Rushes,  sedges,  and  wa\dng  cat-tails,  and  lush  w^ater-plants  in  wild  pro- 
fusion, form  a  curtain  screening  the  private  life  of  the  Rails  from  human  view. 
We  hear  sounds  from  behind  this  screen,  and  now  and  then  a 
^    ,,     ,  "Mud-hen"  peeps  out;  and  so  we  have  come  to  associate  them 

the  Marsh  f     f  ^ 

with  the  steaming  summer  morass,  the  pond-weeds,  pickerel- 
weed,  and  the  lily-pads  over  which,  light  of  weight  and  splay-footed,  they  can 
run  at  will.  Some  of  their  notes  are  such  as  might  be  expected  to  come  from 
a  frog-breeding  morass;  others  are  as  sweet  and  wild  as  those  of  the  Whip- 
poor-will  or  the  Solitary  Vireo.    Rails  have  some  notes  that  resemble  and 

harmonize  with  the  frog-chorus,  such  as  krek,  krek,  kuk,  kuk, 
Its  Notes  kuk,  and  others  more  subdued  and  varied.    I  may  venture  to 

assert  that  no  man  yet  has  fully  identified  all  the  notes  of  all 
the  species  of  American  Rails,  and  probably  no  one  man  ever  will.  I  have 
heard  many  notes  in  the  marshes  that  I  could  not  identify.  In  1889,  William 
Brewster  devoted  most  of  his  time  for  two  weeks  to  an  attempt  to  see  a  sup- 
posed Rail  that  was  heard  calling  in  the  Cambridge  marshes.  He  never  saw 
it,  and  the  voice  is  still  a  mystery,  although  it  has  been  heard  many  times 
since  and  in  other  places.  This  bird  may  have  been  a  Yellow  Rail,  but  I  have 
twice  heard  a  wonderful  solo  from  the  marshes,  partly  original,  and  partly 

in  seeming  imitation  of  other  birds,  which,  from  its  quality,  I 
Sings  like  a  .  ;  >  n  ^  ? 

Pj.Qg  can   attribute   only  to   the  Sora.     TJiis  "song"  was  kept  up 

intermittently  for  several  hours,  and  showed  great  versatility; 

some  of  the  notes  were  frog-like,  but  most  of  them  were  like  those  of  a  bird. 

(303) 


304  Bird  -  Lore 

A  common  call,  or  song,  has  been  rendered  ker  wee;  and  the  Sora  has  a 
high  'whinny;'  also  notes  like  peeping  chickens. 

The  Rail  is  a  bird  of  mystery.  I  always  feel  like  putting  an  interrogation 
point  after  the  name.  About  the  habits  of  no  other  common  birds  do  we 
know  so  little.  The  Sora  Rail  is  one  of  the  most  abundant  and  widely  spread 
birds  of  North  America.  It  has  been  slaughtered  and  sold  in  the  markets  by 
the  hundreds  of  thousands  for  more  than  a  century.  It  breeds  commonly, 
even  abundantly,  over  a  great  part  of  the  United  States  and  Canada;  yet 
most  of  its  habits,  and  perhaps  many  of  its  notes,  are  still  largely  its  own 
secret.  While  floating  in  a  light  canoe  down  the  sluggish  current  of  some  marsh- 
bordered  river  in  September,  you  may  watch  the  Sora  silently  stealing  along 
the  muddy  margin,  poking  things  with  its  short  yellow  bill,  and  gently  jetting 
its  tail;  or,  in  tramping  along  the  edge  of  the  marsh,  you  may  see  one  flutter 
up,  just  above  the  grass  and  reeds,  and  fly  awkwardly  with  dangling  legs 
across  some  slimy  pool,  to  drop  clumsily  out  of  sight  again,  as  in  the  accom- 
panying picture.  This  is  about  all  the  observant  traveler  ever  sees  of  the 
bird.  Rails  are  timid,  skulking  fowls,  and  pass  the  greater  part 
of  their  lives  wading  under  cover  of  water-plants  or  squeezing 
between  the  grass-stems.  They  have  done  this  so  much  that 
their  little  bodies  have  become  compressed  from  side  to  side,  and  they  can 
voluntarily  shrink  in  width  so  as  to  push  their  way  between  stems  apparently 
only  half  an  inch  apart.  Hence  the  phrase  'thin  as  a  rail.'  Rails  make  for 
themselves  dark  and  winding  passages  among  the  reeds,  grasses,  and  rushes, 
along  which  they  may  run  swiftly  to  escape  four-footed  enemies,  and  at  the 
same  time  remain  concealed  from  winged  foes.  They  come  out  into  the  open 
when  they  believe  that  the  coast  is  clear,  with  no  enemy  in  sight,  or  at  night, 
when  Hawks  are  absent.  The  Black  Rail  has  kept  its  secrets  so  well  that, 
although  a  century  has  elapsed  since  Americans  began  to  study  ornithology, 
Arthur  T.  Wayne,  in  1904,  was  the  first  person  to  see  the  mother-bird  on  her 
nest;  this  was  in  South  Carolina.  Perhaps  some  investigator  of  the  future  may 
build  a  watch-tower  in  a  marsh  and  study  the  habits  of  the  marsh- folk  with 
spy-glasses;  but,  until  something  of  this  sort  is  undertaken,  we  are  likely 
to  know  little  of  Rails'  habits.  The  curiosity  of  these  birds,  however,  may 
become  of  advantage  to  the  observer,  as  they  have  been  known  to  approach 
a  hunter  lying  in  wait  for  ducks,  and  peck  his  clothing,  boots,  or  gun-barrel. 
A  quiet  man  is  to  them  a  wonder,  for  they  are  accustomed  to  associate  much 
noise  and  movement  with  aU  humankind. 

The  Sora  nests  about  the  borders  of  prairie  sloughs,  in  the  soft  dense 

grasses,  or  sometimes  on  a  tussock.    In  the  marshes  of  the  East,  the  nest  is 

often  placed  in  a  bunch  of  coarse  grass,  or  among  the  cattail- 

_  ,      ^  flags  or  other  rushes.   It  is  sometimes  a  bulky,  arched  structure. 

Bulrushes  °  -  .  .   ,         , 

made  of  weeds,  grasses,  rushes,  etc.,  sometimes  a  slight  plat- 
form or  a  mere  shallow  basket.    It  is  often  set  in  tall  cattails  several  inches 


The  Sora   Rail  30S 

clear  of  the  water,  with  a  pathway  of  trampled  blades  leading  to  it,  while  nest 
and  all  are  screened  by  the  overarching  flags;  and  occasionally  one  is  found  in 
a  tussock  on  the  bank  of  a  brook.  The  eggs  vary  from  six  to  fifteen  in  number, 
are  buffy  white,  but  deeper  in  shade  than  those  of  the  Virginia  Rail,  and  are 
heavily  spotted  with  brown  and  purple. 

Nelson  says  that  the  parents  desert  their  nests  and  break  their  eggs  when 
floods  submerge  their  homes.   The  young  Rails  just  from  the  egg  are  fascina- 
ting and  supremely  comical  mites.  Little  balls  of  down,  black  as 
omica  j^^^  ^^^j^  j^^g  ^  bright  red  protuberance  at  the  base  of  the  bill, 

and  an  air  of  pert  defiance — is  a  very  clown!  So  says  Dawson 
who  came  upon  a  brood  just  hatching.  All  took  to  their  heels  except  two 
luckless  wights  not  yet  out  of  the  egg.  At  his  approach,  one  more  egg  flew 
open,  and  a  little  black  rascal  rolled  out,  shook  its  natal  coat,  tumbled  off  the 
nest,  and  started  to  swim  off  to  safety. 

The  young  of  this  bird  have  often  been  mistaken  for  those  of  the  little 
Black  Rail.  They  are  certainly  both  small  and  sable.  When  they  once  leave 
the  nest,  they  are  constantly  in  danger.  Most  of  the  larger  animals  and  birds 
of  the  marshes,  from  the  Sandhill  Crane  down  to  the  mink,  devour  the  eggs 
and  young  of  Rails  wherever  they  find  them.  In  the  water,  snakes,  frogs,  fish, 
and  turtles  lie  constantly  in  wait  to  swallow  them.  They  soon  become  experts 
in  climbing  and  hiding.  They  can  clamber  up  and  down  the  water-plants,  or 
run  through  them  over  the  water  by  clinging  to  the  upright  stems.  They 
swim  more  like  a  chicken  than  like  a  duck,  nodding  their  little  heads  comically 
as  they  advance.  Necessity  soon  teaches  them  to  drop  into  the  water  and 
dive  like  a  stone  to  safety. 

As  the  autumn  nights  grow  cooler,  migration  begins.  The  ancients  believed 
that  the  Rails  passed  the  winter  in  the  mud  at  the  bottom  of  ponds,  changing 
into  frogs.    Their  frog-like  notes  and  the  chug  with  which  they 
Migration  sometimes  dive  favored  this  delusion;  also  the  sudden  disap- 

pearance of  all  the  Soras  on  a  frosty  night  seemed  suspicious. 
Some  still  moonlit  night,  after  a  north  wind,  the  Rails  disappeared;  on  the 
next  morning,  ice  covered  the  marshes;  so  the  explanation  that  they  had 
dived  to  escape  the  ice  gained  credence.  Now  we  know  that  they  fly  southward 
after  dark.  They  often  dash  themselves  against  lighthouses,  poles,  wires, 
and  buildings,  and  one  has  even  been  known  to  impale  itself  on  a  barbed-wire 
fence.  The  little  wings  which  erstwhile  would  hardly  raise  the  birds  above 
the  grass-tops  now  carry  them  high  and  far.  Some  cross  the  seas  to  distant 
Bermuda,  and  they  occasionally  alight  on  vessels  hundreds  of  miles  at  sea. 
They  have  been  taken  on  the  western  mountains  even  as  high  as  12,500  feet, 

in  the  sage-brush  of  the  desert,  and  on  the  cliffs  of  Panama. 
Its  Food  The  food  of  Rails  never  has  been  carefully  studied.    We 

know  that  they  are  fond  of  many  kinds  of  insects  and  worms, 
and  that  they  eat  snails  and  other  kinds  of  aquatic  life;  also  the  seeds 


3o6  Bird  -  Lore 

and  other  parts  of  water-plants.  The  Sora,  like  many  other  swamp-birds 
and  water-fowls,  feeds  largely  in  autumn  on  the  seeds  of  wild  rice.  This 
makes  them  so  fat  that  they  become  a  dainty  morsel  for  the  epicure,  and 
are  pursued  without  mercy  by  market-hunters  and  "sportsmen"  of  all  colors, 
ages,  and  classes.  In  the  fresh-water  meadows,  they  are  sometimes  driven 
from  cover  by  dogs,  and  many  are  shot  in  this  manner. 

Shooting  them  in  their  slow  fluttering  flight  in  the  daytime  is  about  as 
difficult  as  hitting  a  tin  can  floating  down  a  brook,  and  a  good  marksman 
rarely  misses  one.  The  greatest  slaughter  is  perpetrated  on  the  tide-water 
marshes  of  the  Middle  Atlantic  States,  where  gunners  shoot  almost  anything 
that  flies,  from  Eagles  to  Blackbirds,  Bobolinks,  and  Swallows,  There,  when 
the  tide  rises  high  enough  to  allow  small  boats  to  float  over  the  marshes,  boats 
are  poled  into  every  refuge  of  the  poor  birds,  and  as  they  seek  safety  in  flight 
they  are  shot  down  without  mercy.  Hundreds  of  thousands  are  thus  killed 
by  daylight  when  the  tide  is  high.  The  negroes  of  the  South  pursue  a  similar 
sport  at  night,  blinding  the  birds  with  torches,  and  striking  them  down  with 
sticks.  This  wholesale  killing  has  greatly  decreased  the  Sora  Rail  in  New 
England,  but  the  species  is  very  prolific,  and  is  still  numerous  in  many  marshes 
in  the  West  and  Northwest. 

The  draining  of  lakes  and  marshes  for  farming  purposes,  which  breaks  up 
their  breeding-grounds,  will  inevitably  reduce  their  numbers  still  more,  year 
by  year,  so  that  stringent  protection  will  be  necessary  to  maintain  the  species. 

Classification  and  Distribution 

The  Sora  belongs  to  the  Order  Paludicolce,  or  marsh  birds,  Suborder  Raili,  Family 
Rallida,  and  Subfamily  Rallina,  which  includes  the  Rails  and  Crakes.  It  ranges  over 
most  of  North  America,  breeds  from  central  British  Columbia,  and  the  valleys  of  the 
North  Saskatchewan  and  St.  Lawrence  rivers,  south  to  southern  California,  Utah, 
Colorado,  Kansas,  Illinois,  and  New  Jersey;  and  it  winters  from  northern  California, 
Illinois,  and  South  Carolina,  to  Venezuela  and  Peru. 


EXECUTIVE   DEPARTMENT 

Edited  by  T.  GILBERT  PEARSON,  Secretary 

Address  all  correspondence,  and  send  all  remittances  for  dues  and  contributions,  to 
the    National    Association   of   Audubon    Societies,    1974    Broadway,    New    York    City. 

William  Butcher,  President 
Frederic  A.  Lucas,  Acting  President  T.  Gilbert  Pearson,  Secretary 

Theodore  S.  Palmer,  First  Vice-President      Jonathan  Dvvight,  Jr.,  Treasurer 
Samuel  T.  Carter,  Jr.,  Attorney 

Any  person,  club,  school  or  company  in  sympathy  with  the  objects  of  this  Association  may  become 
a  member,  and  all  are  welcome. 

Classes  of  Membership  in  the  National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies  for  the  Protection  of  Wild 
Birds  and  Animals: 

$5.00  annually  pays  for  a  Sustaining  Membership 
$100.00  paid  at  one  time  constitutes  a  Life  Membership 
$1,000.00  constitutes  a  person  a  Patron 
$5,000.00  constitutes  a  person  a  Founder 
$25,000.00  constitutes  a  person  a  Benefactor 


$20,000    FOR   BIRD-STUDY 


The  growth  of  the  Junior  Audubon 
Class  movement  in  the  schools  through- 
out the  northern  states  and  Canada  has 
encouraged  the  patron  of  this  work  to 
increase  still  further  the  extent  of  his  sup- 
port. Note  how  this  phase  of  the  Audubon 
movement  has  developed,  as  the  result 
of  the  growing  support  this  great  friend 
of  the  birds  and  the  children  has  provided 
in  the  northern  and  western  states  and 
Canada!  During  the  school-year  ending 
June  15,  191 2,  19,365  children  joined  the 
classes.  In  1913  the  number  was  40,342; 
while  the  year  which  closed  on  June  10, 
1914,  saw  95,918  pupils  in  this  territory 
wearing  Audubon  buttons  and  obtaining 
instruction  in  bird-study  and  bird-pro- 
tection. 

As  every  member  receives  in  return  for 
a  ten-cent  fee  ten  expensive  colored  bird- 
pictures,  each  with  its  accompanying 
leaflet,  an  outline  drawing,  and  an  Audu- 
bon button,  and  as  the  teacher  forming 
the  group  receives  much  valuable  printed 
information  and  instruction,  it  will 
readily  be  seen  that  the  ten-cent  fees  by 
no  means  cover  the  cost  of  the  material; 
not  to  mention  the  clerical  work,  office- 
rent,  postage  and  expressage  bills,  which 
must  be  paid.  To  meet  the  deficit,  there- 
fore, our  good  patron,  who  still  insists  on 
withholding  his  name  from  public  men- 


tion, contributed  in  191 2,  $5,000;  in  1913, 
$7,000;  for  the  school-year  just  past,  the 
magnificent  sum  of  $14,000;  and  now,  for 
1915,  he  has  subscribed  $20,000! 

Final  Reports 

The  Junior  Class  enrollment  in  the 
southern  states  has  also  been  larger  during 
the  past  year  than  ever  before.  This  is  a 
splendid  indication  of  increasing  appre- 
ciation of  this  work,  which  Mrs.  Russell 
Sage  enabled  us  to  establish  and  continue 
up  to  the  present  time. 

Although  Junior  clubs  are  formed  in 
small  numbers  during  all  the  summer 
months,  the  greater  amount  of  the  activity 
comes  to  an  end  with  the  conclusion  of 
the  school  year.  This  naturally  follows 
from  the  fact  that  the  greater  number  of 
clubs  consist  of  pupils  in  schools,  who  are 
naturally  grouped  in  their  work,  and  are 
easily  organized.  Yet  many  classes  exist 
outside  of  schools,  and  are  likely  to  con- 
tinue   active    throughout    the    summer. 

On  the  next  following  page  is  given  a 
full  report  by  states  of  the  number  of 
Junior  Classes  formed,  and  number  of 
Junior  members  enrolled,  in  the  various 
states  of  the  Union.  For  the  South,  the 
accounts  closed  on  June  i;  and  for  the 
northern  states  and  Canada,  on  June  10. 


(307) 


3o8 


Bird  -  Lore 


Southern   States 

States  Classes 

Alabama 30 

Arkansas 9 

District  of  Columbia 6 

Florida 177 

Georgia 69 

Kentucky 89 

Louisiana 30 

Maryland 119 

Mississippi 38 

North  Carolina 57 

Panama  (Canal  Zone) i 

South  Carolina 37 

Tennessee 91 

Texas 47 

Virginia 160 

West  Virginia 97 

Totals 1,057 

Northern  States 

States  Classes 

Arizona i 

California 55 

Canada 221 

Colorado 26 

Connecticut 137 

Delaware 6 

Idaho 10 

Illinois 439 


Mem- 
bers 

471 
123 
129 

3.701 
1,222 

1,465 
503 

2,401 
660 
962 

31 

SCO 

1,716 

910 

2,336 

1,991 

19,121 


Mem- 
bers 
16 

1,119 

3,655 
447 

2,451 

64 

180 

8,065 


Northern  States,  continued 

Mem- 
States                              Classes  berg 

Indiana 128  2,200 

Iowa 169  3,220 

Kansas 31  498 

Maine 58  947 

Massachusetts 359  8,463 

Michigan 576  10,414 

Minnesota 243  4,509 

Missouri 80  1,427 

Montana 50  770 

Nebraska 34  422 

Nevada 28  471 

New  Hampshire 34  597 

New  Jersey 436  9,273 

New  Mexico 22  376 

New  York 779  14,174 

North  Dakota 28  604 

Ohio 386  7,934 

Oklahoma 41  608 

Oregon 42  780 

Pennsylvania 354  6,790 

Rhode  Island 63  1,096 

South  Dakota 65  901 

Utah 7  142 

Vermont 35  674 

Washington 67  982 

Wisconsin 115  1,253 

Wyoming 20  396 

Totals 5,14s  95,918 


COOPERATIVE   WORK   IN   OREGON 


The  Oregon  Fish  and  Game  Commission 
has  been  carrying  on  an  active  educational 
campaign  during  the  past  few  months 
under  the  direction  of  our  Western  Field 
Agent,  William  L.  Finley.  Prof.  Charles  F. 
Hodge,  formerly  of  Worcester,  Mass.,  has 
been  employed  jointly  by  the  University 
of  Oregon  and  the  Commission  to  devote 
his  entire  time  to  lecturing  among  the 
schools  of  the  state.  Professor  Hodge  has 
not  only  been  giving  stereopticon  lectures 
upon  the  economic  value  of  song-birds 
and  insect-eating  birds,  but  also  has  been 
lecturing  in  the  schools  upon  the  protec- 
tion and  propagation  of  game.  The  idea 
has  been  to  encourage  children  in  the 
country  toward  rearing  quail,  grouse,  and 
other  game-birds,  to  stock  the  fields  and 
supply  the  demand  for  propagating  pur- 
poses. 

In  order  to  create  greater  interest  from 
an  educational  point  of  view,  moving- 
picture  films  have  been  exhibited,  illus- 


trating the  State  Game  Farm,  fish-hatch- 
eries, angling,  and  other  features  of  out- 
door life.  An  excellent  educational  film 
has  been  secured  of  school-children  making 
and  putting  up  bird-houses.  Others  will 
be  taken  illustrating  wild  birds  and  other 
animals  in  various  parts  of  the  state, 
especially  on  some  of  the  larger  wild-bird 
refuges. 

As  a  result  of  educational  work  in  the 
schools,  boys  in  some  of  the  country  school 
districts,  who  were  formerly  accustomed 
to  kill  birds  at  every  opportunity,  have 
now  become  their  greatest  protectors,  by 
supplying  food  in  the  winter  when  the 
snow  is  on  the  ground,  and  by  furnishing 
bird-homes  in  the  spring. 

From  the  office  of  the  National  Audubon 
Association  in  New  York,  780  Oregon 
school-children  have  also  been  enrolled  in 
Junior  Audubon  classes,  and  by  this  means 
provided  with  careful  instruction  in  study 
and  bird-protection. 


The  Audubon  Societies 


309 


SOME    MEMBERS    OF    THE    COUCH    SCHOOL   JUNIOR    CLASS    IN    PORTLAND,    OREGON 

The  right  kind  of   bird-boxes 


Plans  are  now  being  carried  out  to  make 
a  thorough  biological  survey  of  the  state 
in  conjunction  with  the  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture,  the  University 
of  Oregon,  and  other  state  institutions. 
One  of  the  objects  of  this  work  is  to  collect 
and  publish  educational  leaflets  and  other 
material  on  the  natural  history  of  the 
state.  Mr.  Bruce  Horsfall,  of  Princeton, 
New  Jersey,  who  is  well  known  for  his 
drawings  of  birds,  has  been  employed  to 
make  sketches  and  illustrations  for  this 
work  in  addition  to  photographic  repro- 
ductions, and  has  taken  up  his  residence 
in  Oregon. 

Enthusiasm  on  Long  Island 

An  Audubon  Society  has  been  organized 
at  Forest  Hills  Gardens,  a  suburb  of  New 
York  City,  on  Long  Island,  with  a  large 
and  enthusiastic  membership.  The  presi- 
dent is  E.  A.  Quarles,  and  the  secretary  is 
Miss  Mary  E.  Knevels;  and  the  Junior 
work,  to  which  particular  attention  is  to 
be  given,  is  in  charge  of  Mrs.  Patience  B. 
Cole    and    a    committee.      The    society 


immediately  affiliated  itself  with  the 
National  Association,  and  further  showed 
its  wisdom  by  seeking  the  guidance  of 
competent  ornithologists  and  field-agents 
in  planning  its  local  work.  President 
Quarles  has  sketched  for  us  progress 
made  thus  far: 

Our  first  activity  was  to  place  fifty 
Berlepsch  nest-boxes  about  the  place. 
This  was  done  under  the  direction  of  Mrs. 
I.  A.  Washburne.  We  then  planted  Rus- 
sian sunflower  and  other  seeds  that  furn- 
ish good  bird-food,  on  vacant  plots  here 
and  there.  Special  committees  on  the 
European  Sparrow,  and  on  cats,  are  hard 
at  work  in  an  endeavor  to  diminish  the 
menace  that  comes  from  these  enemies  of 
bird-life.  Two  lectures  have  been  given, 
one  in  the  afternoon  for  the  children,  and 
one  in  the  evening  for  adults.  They  were 
enthusiastically  received  by  all  present. 

We  expect  to  place  the  Audubon  course 
in  our  public  school  when  it  is  opened 
next  fall,  and  we  are  much  indebted  to 
Mr.  Pearson  and  the  National  Associa- 
tion for  their  help  in  getting  organized. 
It  is  hoped  that  this  is  only  a  beginning  of 
bird-organization  on  Long  Island,  and 
that  not  many  years  may  pass  before  we 
have  a  Long  Island  league  of  Audubon 
Societies. 


LAUREL   JUNIOR    AUDL'BOX    CLASS,  WALLSBURG,   WEST 
MISS    S.  ELMA    SCOTT,  TEACHER 


SECOXD-GRADE    JUNIOR    AUDUBON    CLASS,  FORSYTH,   GEORGIA, 
MRS.  T.  C.  PORCH,  TEACHER 

(311) 


ABBOTT   HANDERSON   THAYER 


(312) 


The   Audubon   Societies 


313 


HONOR  TO  ABBOTT  H.  THAYER 

It  is  not  generally  known  that  the  sys-  New  York 2 

tern  of  protecting  by  wardens  such  of  our  ir-^^-  J.^'^^^y ^ 

,.,       ^ .        ,.,.  ..  ,  Virginia 8 

birds  as  breed  in  colonies  was  originated  North  Carolina  4 

by  the  artist,  Abbott  H.  Thayer.  Florida 4 

In  speaking  of  Mr.  Thayer's  efforts  in  Texas i 

this  matter,  Mr.  Dutcher  wrote  in  The  Auk  Michigan i 

(1901,    page    76) :    "The  thought    of  this 

special  [warden]  protection  was  his  alone,  Mr.  Thayer's  efforts  ceased  only  in 
and  his  unflagging  and  unaided  energy  and  1905,  when  the  National  Association  was 
tact  secured  the  sinews  of  war,  a  fund  of  incorporated,  and  its  officers  were  able  to 
over  $1,400,  with  which  wardens  were  raise  funds  in  other  directions,  and  thus 
paid;  without  this  fund,  nothing  could  relieve  him  of  what  was  a  loving,  though 
have  been  accomplished.  Where  he  burdensome,  service.  Mr.  Thayer's  in- 
should  have  received  encouragement  (i.  c,  terest  in  this  phase  of  bird-protection  has 
among  the  ornithologists)  he  met  with  always  been  intense.  I  recall  that  one 
discouragement,  for  he  was  told  that  it  year,  when  it  appeared  that  the  amount 
was  impossible  to  raise  any  funds  for  the  of  money  subscribed  was  not  sufficient  to 
work.  By  his  personal  courage  and  faith  meet  the  needs  of  the  Committee,  Mr. 
he  accomplished  what  others  said  could  Thayer,  although  in  no  sense  a  wealthy 
not  be  done."  man,  promptly  sent  his  personal  check  for 
The  moment,  however,  that  Mr.  Thayer  $1,000,  upon  receipt  of  a  letter  from  Mr. 
brought  his  plans  to  Mr.  Dutcher,  he  Dutcher  telling  him  of  the  financial  situ- 
found  he  had  come  to  the  right  man.    Mr.  ation. 

Dutcher  kindled  at  once,  saying:  "If  you  To  Dr.  George  Bird  Grinnell   will   ever 

will  raise  the  money,  I  will  see  to  getting  belong  the   credit  of  having  created   the 

the  wardens,"  and  he  soon  began  doing  his  term  "Audubon  Society'"  and  for  starting 

full  share  of  the  money-raising,  also.     A  the    first   Audubon    movement,    in    1886; 

good  deal  of  it  came  through  advertising  while  the  name  of  William  Dutcher  will 

in  the  newspapers.  be  held  in  memory  by  the  bird-lovers  of 

This  was  the  beginning  of  the  warden  this  country  as  the  man  who  later  founded 

system  to  protect  colonies  of  water-birds,  the    National    Association    of    Audubon 

which   has  had   so   many  interesting   de-  Societies,  gave  it  form  and  purpose,  shaped 

velopments.    For  five  years  Mr.  Dutcher  its  policies,  and  directed  it  into  many  of  the 

and  Mr.  Thayer  continued  to  gather  sub-  lines  of  activity  still  pursued.    The  extent 

scriptions  annually  for  this  purpose,  and  of   a   man's   usefulness   to   a   cause   often 

the  funds  increased  in  amount  each  year.  depends  upon  his  ability  to  instill  enthusi- 

In  the  spring  and  summer  of    1904    the  asm  into   the   minds  of  others,   and,   by 

Protection    Committee    was    enabled    by  drawing  additional  workers  into  the  field, 

means  of  the  "Thayer  Fund,"  to  employ  multiply  the  activity  of  his  own  hands, 

thirty-four  wardens,  that  were  distributed  Such  a  leader  was  William  Dutcher,  and 

as  follows:  one   of   his   earliest   and   most   useful   co- 

jj^jg^ij^g  jQ  workers  was  Abbott  H.  Thayer,  naturalist 

Massachusetts i  and  artist. 


Bird  -  Lore 


From  Life 


WHY    WARDEN    WORK    IS    NECESS.wm 
The  Remote  Cause  The  Immediate  Cause 

AUDUBON    WARDEN   WORK 


From  the  time  when  Abbott  H.  Thayer, 
back  in  1901,  first  directed  public  atten- 
tion to  the  value  of  guarding  and  pro- 
tecting breeding  colonies  of  water-birds, 
the  Audubon  Society's  effort  in  this  line 
has  increased  annually.  At  the  present 
time,  our  wardens  guard  almost  every 
colony  of  importance  on  the  islands  and 
beaches  of  the  Atlantic  and  Gulf  coasts  of 
the  United  States.  Many  nesting  colonies 
in  the  interior  of  the  country  likewise 
receive  this  protection. 

During  the  summer  of  1913,  about 
2,000,000  water-birds,  embracing  many 
species,  are  believed  to  have  been  gathered 
in  the  rookeries,  made  safe  from  human 
intrusion  by  the  National  Association's 
agents.  The  most  hazardous  positions  in 
connection   with   this   work   are  held  by 


those  wardens  who  in  the  Southern  States 
stand  guard  over  the  colonies  of  White 
Egrets. 

Thanks  to  the  very  liberal  support 
which  the  members  and  friends  of  the 
Association  have  provided  during  the 
past  few  years,  we  have  been  able  to  seek 
out  these  colonies,  which  are  usually 
hidden  deep  in  the  cypress  swamps,  and 
safeguard  them  during  the  season  when 
the  birds  bear  plumes.  Some  killing,  of 
course,  still  goes  on,  especially  at  the 
feeding-grounds,  miles  away  from  the 
rookeries,  but  the  great  slaughter  in  the 
United  States  has  been  checked.  Already 
the  birds  are  showing  a  marked  increase 
in  several  important  regions  of  the  South. 
We  may  yet  be  able  to  bring  these  birds 
back  in  great  numbers. 


ROYAL   TERNS    NESTING    ON    BATTLEDORE    ISLAND,  LOUISIANA 

Protected  by  Warden  Sprinkle  in  the  Audubon  patrol-boat  Royal  Tern 

Photographed  by  Herbert  K.   Job 


BLACK    SKIMMERS    PROTECTED    ON    GRAND    COCHERE    ISLAND,  LOUISIANA 
Photographed  by  Herbert  K.  Job 

(31S) 


3i6 


Bird  -  Lore 


TERNS    KILLED    BY    DOGS   AND  CANNON 

Illustrated  from   photographs  by   Herbert   R.  Mills,  M.D. 


Haddock  Rock  is  a  small  island,  about 
an  acre  in  area,  lying  in  ihe  outer  portion 
of  Casco  Bay,  about  seventeen  miles 
northeast  of  Portland,  Maine.  It  is  com- 
posed of  rock,  and  is  cleft  and  broken  at 
the  base,  but  rising  about  thirty  feet  into 
a  fairly  level  table-land.  There  is  no  vege- 
tation on  this  storm-swept  eminence  except 
the  slippery  rock-weed  clinging  to  the 
tide-washed  base,  and  a  stunted  growth  of 
sea-plantain  (Plant ago  decipiens)  occupy- 
ing the  scanty  soil  in  the  crevices  above 
the  breakers.    Until  the  summer  of  1913, 


the  residents  of  Casco  Bay  took  his  dogs 
over  to  Mark  Island  and  turned  them 
loose.  At  this  time  many  hundred  young 
birds  were  on  the  nesting-grounds,  unable 
to  fly,  and  the  dogs  devoured  them  to  the 
last  bird. 

The  following  season  (1912)  the  much- 
depleted  colony  returned  to  the  same 
breeding-grounds,  but  only  to  have  the 
same  pack  of  dogs  destroy  their  eggs  and 
young;  and,  reduced  to  two  hundred  pairs 
of  birds,  the  colony  returned  to  Casco 
Bay,  in  1913,  to  try  their  luck  on  Haddock 


HADDOCK    ROCK,  CASCO    BAY,  MAINE 


birds  were  not  known  to  breed  on  this 
little  island,  but  during  the  past  season 
two  hundred  pairs  of  the  common  Tern 
attempted  to  raise  their  young  on  Haddock 
Rock.  This  was  an  overflow  colony  from 
one  of  the  islands  protected  by  wardens 
employed  by  the  National  Association. 

Casco  Bay  is  dotted  with  islands,  and 
many  of  them  were  formerly  occupied  by 
sea-birds,  but  the  encroachments  of 
civilization  had  gradually  crowded  the 
wild  birds  back  until  the  only  breeding 
colony  left  was  a  few  hundred  Terns  on 
Mark  Island,  not  far  from  Haddock  Rock. 
For  several  seasons  the  birds  held  their 
own  on  Mark  Island,  and  it  seemed  as  if 
they  had  at  last  found  a  safe  refuge,  since 
this  island  is  unoccupied  government  land; 
but,  during  the  summer  of  1911,  one  of 


Rock,    there    to    meet    another    tragedy, 
which  I  will  now  relate: — 

On  July  30,  1913,  I  landed  with  much 
difficulty  on  the  treacherous  base  of 
Haddock  Rock.  Climbing  to  the  level 
summit-plateau  I  found  hidden  in  the 
crevices  five  young  Terns  about  seven 
inches  long,  feathered  out  on  the  back  and 
wings,  although  they  still  had  down  on 
the  head  and  underparts.  Among  the 
sea-plantain  I  found  twenty-five  nests 
built  upon  thin  soil  with  a  few  stems  of 
dried  vegetable  fiber,  and  containing  sets 
of  one  and  two  eggs  each  (one  with  four). 
I  was  at  once  impressed  with  the  dull 
appearance  of  the  eggs  and,  upon  examin- 
ation, found  them  to  be  very  light  in 
weight.  I  then  opened  every  egg  in  the 
rookery  (with  the  exception  of  the  set  of 


The   Audubon   Societies 


317 


four)  and  found  about  half  of  them  to 
contain  the  dried  bones  of  embryonic 
birds,  which  I  calculated  must  have  been 
killed  six  weeks  before.    The  rest  of  the 


times,  and  their  state  of  preservation 
showed  this  to  be  six  weeks  and  one  week 
previous  to  July  30.  I  then  recalled  that 
the    Naval  Station    at  Diamond    Island, 


NEST   AND    EGGS    OF    COMMOX   TERN    OX    HADDOCK    ROCK 


eggs  contained  embryos,  which  were  still 
in  an  only  slightly  decomposed  condition, 
and  appeared  as  though  they  had  been 
dead  about  a  week.  Many  of  the  eggs  were 
just  ready  to  hatch  at  the  time  they  were 
killed — in  fact,  some  of  them  were  pipped. 
The  set  of  four  which  I  did  not  open 
appeared  so  bright,  and  the  nest  was  in 


twelve  miles  nearer  Portland,  had  engaged 
in  target-practice  on  July  23,  and  I  later 
learned  that  target-practice  was  held  at 
this  station  during  the  first  week  in  June. 
The  correspondence  of  these  dates  with 
the  time  the  eggs  were  killed  on  Haddock 
Rock  is  itself  significant;  and,  when  I 
recall  the  fact  that  the  atmospheric  shock 


YOUNG    COMMON   TERN    HIDING    ON    HADDOCK    ROCK,  JULY  30,  1913 


so  good  repair,  that  I  was  encouraged  to 
believe  that  they  had  been  recently  laid. 
The  point  I  wish  to  emphasize  is  that 
all  the  eggs  showed  conclusive  evidence 
that  they  were  killed  at  only  two  different 


from  this  cannonading  jarred  the  windows 
of  the  houses  on  Baily  Island,  near 
Haddock  Rock,  I  am  satisfied  that  it  was 
this  aerial  vibration  from  the  cannonading 
on  Diamond  Island  that  killed  the  eggs  on 


3i8 


Bird  -  Lore 


Haddock  Rock.  Moreover,  I  was  told  by 
fishermen  on  Baily  Island  that  they  were 
unable  to  raise  chickens  on  their  island  if 
cannonading  occurred  during  the  incu- 
bating period.  In  both  these  cases,  the 
islands  affected  were  almost  directly  in 
front  of  the  guns,  where  the  shock  is 
greatest. 

Since  target-practice  is  held  only  at 
comparatively  long  intervals,  the  time 
could  easily  be  arranged  so  as  not  to 
conflict  with  the  incubation-period  of  the 
Terns,  which  require  only  about  six  weeks 
from  the  time  the  first  egg  is  laid  until  the 
last  one  is  hatched.  Arthur  H.  Norton, 
the  field-agent  for  Maine  of  the  National 


Association  of  Audubon  Societies,  informs 
me  that  the  Common  Tern  deposits  its 
eggs  from  June  15  to  30,  a  few  a  little 
earlier,  perhaps,  and  many  later.  Accord- 
ing to  this,  the  last  eggs  would  undoubt- 
edly be  hatched  by  the  end  of  July.  If, 
therefore,  the  District  Commander  would 
set  the  time  for  target-practice  in  accord- 
ance with  the  above  dates,  there  would 
be  no  further  trouble  from  this  source. 
Such  action  would  practically  complete 
the  effectiveness  of  the  work  of  the 
National  Association's  string  of  eighteen 
wardens  guarding  the  seaboard  colonies 
on  the  coast  of  Maine. — Herbert  R. 
Mills,  M.D.,  Tampa,  Florida. 


A   WOMAN    GAME-^VARDEN 


No  one  is  surprised  in  these  days  at  a 
woman's  attempting  any  sort  of  a  task  in 
a  field  heretofore  regarded  as  belonging 
exclusively  to  man,  nor  is  there  doubt  of 
her  ability  to  succeed — simply  a  momen- 
tary surprise  at  the  novelty  of  some  of  her 
undertakings.  This  pleased  wonder  yields 
to  admiration  as  one  reads  of  the  very 
valuable  service  Mrs.  L.  H.  Bath  is  doing 
as  a  protector  of  wildfowl,  and  as  a  terror 
to  lawbreakers,  at  Klamath  Lake.  This 
great  body  of  fresh  water  and  marsh,  on 
the  boundary  between  California  and 
Oregon,  is  one  of  the  most  extensive  and 
populous  feeding-places  and  breeding- 
resorts  for  wildfowl  in  the  whole  country, 
and  it  is  especially  important  to  bird-life 
in  that  region,  where  a  great  part  of  the 
surrounding  area  is  arid.  The  traditions 
of  the  abundance  of  bird-life  thronging 
there  half  a  century  ago  are  almost  in- 
credible; but  latterly  reckless  slaughter  by 
market-gunners,  and  by  careless  farmers 
and  sportsmen,  had  so  depleted  these 
numbers  that,  in  1908,  it  was  necessary 
to  include  the  lake  in  a  federal  game 
preserve  in  order  to  save  the  remnant  of 
the  wild  life.  The  regions  of  the  lake  where 
water-birds  chiefly  breed  have  since  been 
patrolled  by  a  warden  in  the  National 
Association's  patrol-boat  Grebe.  This 
made    little    difference,  however,   to   the 


market-gunners  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Klamath  Falls,  who  often  came  as  before, 
or  to  some  local  men  and  boys  who  had 
been  accustomed  to  kill  Ducks  and  rob 
nests,  regardless  of  law  or  gospel.  Such 
local  guardianship  as  was  attempted  was 
often  defied,  therefore,  until  Mrs.  Bath  be- 
came game-warden  in  the  autumn  of  191 2. 

Soon  she  made  everyone,  neighbor  or 
stranger,  understand  that  illegal  shooting 
must  stop.  She  went  at  the  work,  woman- 
fashion,  to  explain  its  need  and  work  up  a 
favorable  sentiment.  She  made  her  rounds 
of  lake-shore  and  stream,  and  sometimes 
had  to  interfere  with  shooters,  but  her 
firmness  and  persuasiveness  and  grit 
carried  her  through  without  making  an 
arrest.  That  real  trouble  would  follow 
otherwise  was  plainly  felt,  however;  and 
now,  as  an  eye-witness  writes,  "Birds  are 
as  safe  in  Mrs.  Bath's  district  as  they  are 
in  her  back  yard." 

One  of  her  channels  of  influence  has 
been  through  the  children,  whose  regular 
amusement  it  has  been  to  throw  stones  at 
the  birds,  which,  to  their  uninstructed 
minds,  were  swimming  there  as  heaven- 
sent targets.  Mrs.  Bath  uprooted  that 
error  and  planted  a  better  idea  in  their 
thoughts,  so  that  soon  the  children  were 
feeding  the  birds  instead  of  stoning  them, 
and  were  watching  against  trespassers. 


The  Audubon   Societies 


319 


Mrs.  Bath  has  also  exhibited  what 
influence  may  be  gained  over  wild  water- 
fowl by  a  quiet  and  habitual  kindness  that 
displaces  their  suspicious  fears.  She  has 
tamed  Grebes,  Gulls,  and  certain  wild 
Ducks,  so  that  they  recognize  her  and  do 
not  flee  upon  her  approach.  Coots  hasten 
to  flock  about  her  when  she  calls,  and  she 
has  taught  some  of  them — wild  birds — to 
take  food  from  her  fingers.  She  has  so 
impressed    the    people    of    the    town    of 


held  them  up  for  the  inspection  of  the 
Pelicans,  and  they  at  once  became  very 
much  interested.  By  careful  coaxing,  they 
came  a  little  nearer  each  day.  Finally  I 
coaxed  them  to  eat  from  my  hands,  and 
after  days  of  patient  working  with  them 
I  was  delighted  to  have  one  of  them  fly 
on  the  dock  and  stand  and  look  at  me. 
Fortunately,  I  had  a  fish  in  my  hands, 
and  I  held  it  so  the  Pelican  could  see  it. 
He  seemed  determined   to  get  that   fish. 


MRS.    BATH    AND    HER    FRIENDLY    PELICANS 


Klamath  Falls  with  the  propriety  of  safety 
for  wildfowl  in  the  close  season  that  last 
year  more  than  fifty  wild  Ducks  were 
hatched  on  the  river-banks  within  the 
limits  of  the  city.  This  friendly  public 
influence  was  strongly  tested  when  six 
White  Pelicans  came  to  town,  and  seemed 
inclined  to  settle  there.  Mrs.  Bath  relates 
what  followed: 

"I  immediately  cautioned  everyone  to 
be  extremely  careful  not  to  frighten  them 
in  any  way.  They  seemed  to  be  full- 
grown,  and,  as  near  as  I  could  tell,  were 
probably  early  spring  birds  and  parents, 
as  it  was  about  the  first  of  August  when 
they  came.     I  got  some  live  chubs  and 


and  followed  after  me  the  distance  of  a 
block.  I  finally  gave  him  the  fish,  and 
stood  perfectly  still,  and  so  gave  him 
plenty  of  time  to  walk  to  the  edge  of  the 
dock  and  get  back  into  the  water.  I  knew 
then  that  he  would  come  back. 

"He  came  every  day  about  the  same 
time,  and  I  always  was  there  with  a"^fish 
for  him.  After  ten  days  of  patient  working 
with  him,  I  was  rewarded  by  having  the 
rest  of  the  band  come  on  the  dock,  and 
now  they  follow  me  anywhere." 

We  extend  to  Mrs.  Bath  hearty  compli- 
ments and  congratulations  upon  the  pluck 
and  the  success  with  which  she  has  man- 
aged her  diflScult  role. 


The   Audubon   Societies 


321 


Indiana's  Good  Example 

The  perennial  vigor  of  the  Indiana 
State  Audubon  Society  was  shown  in  its 
May  meeting,  this  year,  at  Evansville. 
This  society  profits  by  the  policy  of  hold- 
ing its  annual  meetings  in  difTerent  cities, 
thus  stimulating  interest  throughout  the 
state.  Evansville  was  a  fortunate  choice, 
since  Audubon  himself  lived  and  studied 
in  that  neighborhood  for  several  years 
previous  to  1824. 

The  visiting  state  society  was  publicly 
welcomed  in  Evans\-ille  at  the  e\'ening 
meeting  on  April  30,  and  the  retiring 
president,  William  Watson  Woollen,  made 
a  historical  address.  This  was  followed 
by  an  illustrated  lecture  on  local  birds  by 
Amos  W.  Butler;  and  this  and  the  other 
meetings  were  enlivened  by  music.  On 
the  morning  of  May  i,  "bird-talks"  were 
given  in  every  school,  public  or  private, 
in  the  city,  and  much  enthusiasm  was 
aroused  among  the  children. 

This  is  a  feature  of  the  program  which 
might  well  be  imitated  elsewhere. 

The  afternoon  of  this  pleasant  day  was 
devoted  to  an  .excursion  to  Henderson, 
where  the  house  in  which  Audubon  lived, 
and  the  foundation  of  the  mill  that  em- 
barrassed him  during  many  troublous 
years,  may  still  be  seen. 

The  presence  of  Miss  Harriet  Audubon, 
granddaughter  of  the  ornithologist,  among 
the  guests,  added  peculiar  interest  to  this 
excursion.  In  the  evening,  addresses  were 
given  by  Dr.  D.  W.  Dennis,  of  Earlham 
College,  and  by  Prof.  Stanley  Coulter,  of 
Purdue  University,  the  latter  discussing 
methods  of  bird-work  in  the  schools.  All 
of  the  sessions  were  largely  attended. 
Professor  Coulter  was  elected  president  of 
the  state  society,  and  Miss  Elizabeth 
Downhour  reelected  secretary.  The  Evans- 
ville society  has  as  president  George  S. 
ClifTord,  and  as  secretary,  Miss  Lida  Ed- 
wards. Dr.  Eugene  Swope,  the  National 
Association's  field-agent  for  Ohio,  attended 
the  meetings,  and  sent  to  the  home  office 
the  photograph  of  some  of  the  prominent 
members  present,  which  is  reproduced  in 
this  issue. 


Bobolinks  May  Be  Slaughtered 

It  is  with  profound  regret  we  learn  that 
those  responsible  for  making  the  regula- 
tions under  the  McLean  Migratory-Bird 
Law  have  been  forced  by  pressure  from 
the  killers  of  song-birds  to  open  wide  the 
door  permitting  the  killing  of  Bobolinks 
in  certain  states  where  they  were  protected 
last  year. 

It  will  be  recalled  that,  under  present 
state  laws.  Bobolinks  could  still  be  killed 
in  several  eastern  and  southern  states. 
Under  the  Federal  regulations,  which 
went  into  operation  last  year,  the  slaugh- 
ter was  made  illegal  in  much  of  this  ter- 
ritory. 

Gunners  in  certain  parts  of  Delaware, 
eastern  Pennsylvania,  and  New  Jersey, 
who  represented  oily  seven  counties,  have 
had  all  this  upset,  and  on  September  i, 
1Q14,  the  old  system  of  butchering  Bobo- 
links will  go  on  as  before,  if  President 
Wilson  signs  this  new  order.  Below  is  a 
"news-letter"  recently  sent  to  the  daily 
papers  by  the  government  officials  who 
have  authorized  this  backward  step,  as  we 
strongly  feel  it  to  be: 

Washington,  D.  C.  —  Notices  have  been 
issued  by  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agri- 
culture calling  attention  to  a  proposed 
amendment  in  the  federal  regulations  for 
the  protection  of  migratory,  insectivorous 
birds.  Under  the  new  rule,  reed-  or  rice- 
birds  can  be  shot  in  September  and 
October  in  the  states  of  New  Jersey, 
Pennsylvania,  Delaware  and  Maryland, 
the  District  of  Columbia,  Virginia  and 
South  Carolina.  The  law  requires  three 
months'  notice  of  this  change.  If  it  is 
decided  to  adopt  it,  the  rule  will  be 
officially  promulgated  at  the  end  of  that 
time,  and  will  go  into  effect  on  September 
I,  1914. 

The  effect  of  this  change  will  be  to 
extend  to  sportsmen  in  New  Jersey, 
Pennsylvania,  and  Delaware  the  privilege 
of  shooting  the  birds  during  a  period  of 
two  months.  This  they  may  now  do  in 
Maryland,  the  District  of  Columbia,  Vir- 
ginia, and  South  Carolina.  As  the  sea- 
son is  so  short,  it  is  not  believed  that  the 
birds  will  suffer  appreciably  in  numbers. 
In  the  late  summer  and  early  fall  they 
migrate  to  the  far  south,  where  they  are 
known  as  reed-  or  rice-birds.  They  are 
regarded  in  the  states  where  they  can 
now  be  shot  as  offering  good  sport. 


322 


Bird  -  Lore 


THE    FEDERAL   MIGRATORY- BIRD    LAW   IN   THE    COURTS 


Two  prosecutions  for  violation  of  the 
McLean  Migratory-Bird  Law,  which 
have  come  into  the  federal  courts  of  late, 
have  attracted  much  attention  because  of 
their  bearing  on  the  much-mooted  ques- 
tion, whether  the  law  is  constitutional. 
In  one  of  these  cases,  the  presiding  judge 
declared  in  favor  of  the  law,  while  the 
other  held  the  act  to  be  unconstitutional, 
and,  therefore,  not  binding  on  the  people. 
The  facts  of  these  cases  briefly  are  as 
follows: 

On  April  i8,  1914,  Alfred  M.  Shaw,  a 
banker  and  prominent  resident  of  Del- 
mont,  South  Dakota,  was  arraigned  before 
Judge  J.  D.  Elliott  in  the  federal  court, 
and  pleaded  guilty  to  an  indictment 
charging  him  with  violation  of  the  United 
States  laws  regarding  the  shooting  of 
migratory  game-birds.  He  was  fined  $100. 
The  fine  is  the  first  obtained  for  violations 
of  the  law  in  that  state.  A  lawyer  ques- 
tioned the  constitutionality  of  the  law, 
but  the  court  held  that  there  was  little 
doubt  of  its  validity. 

The  other  case  occurred  in  Arkansas. 
On  May  28,  1914,  Judge  Jacob  Trieber, 
in  the  United  States  District  Court  for 
the  Jonesboro  Division  of  the  Eastern 
District  of  Arkansas,  rendered  an  opinion 
adverse  to  the  law.  The  case  is  recorded 
as  United  States  vs.  Harvey  C.  Shauver. 
Shauver  killed  birds  in  violation  of  the 
McLean  law,  and  was  indicted  for  the 
offense.  The  Government  was  represented 
by  W.  H.  Martin,  United  States  District 
Attorney,  and  by  Col.  Joseph  H.  Acklen, 
of  Tennessee,  a  member  of  the  Advisory 
Board  of  Directors  of  the  National  Asso- 
ciation. 

The  defendant  demurred  to  the  indict- 
ment, and  this  was  sustained  by  the 
Judge.  His  decision  was  written  at  con- 
siderable length,  in  which  he  cited  many 
previous  court-decisions.  In  summing  up, 
he  states,  in  part: 

The  claim  that  the  migratory  birds  are 
the  -property  of  the  United  States  must 
be  held  untenable.  It  is  also  argued  that 
Congress    has    frequently    exercised    the 


power  to  regulate  matters  which  could 
only  have  been  done  under  the  general 
police  power,  and  the  validity  of  these 
acts,  when  attacked,  as  beyond  the  power 
of  Congress,  has  been  upheld.  Counsel 
refers  to  the  lottery  acts,  the  anti-trust 
acts,  the  national  railway  legislation,  the 
safety-appliance  act,  the  quarantine  laws, 
the  pure  food  and  drug  act,  the  act  regu- 
lating mailable  articles,  and  other  acts 
of  similar  nature.  But  every  one  of  these 
acts  was  upheld  under  some  provision  of 
the  constitution,  either  that  of  the  Post- 
ofl&ce  Department,  the  commerce  clause, 
the  taxing  power,  or  some  other  grant. 
Whenever  Congress  or  the  head  of  a 
department  went  beyond  that  power,  as 
by  including  intrastate  carriage  with 
interstate,  the  acts  were  declared  uncon- 
stitutional. 

It  may  be,  as  contended  on  behalf  of 
the  Government,  that  only  by  national 
legislation  can  migratory  wild  game  and 
fish  be  preserved  to  the  people,  but  that 
is  not  a  matter  for  the  court.  It  is  for  the 
people,  who  alone  can  amend  the  consti- 
tution, to  grant  Congress  the  power  to 
enact  such  legislation  as  they  deem 
necessary.  All  the  courts  are  authorized 
to  do,  when  the  constitutionality  of  legis- 
lative acts  is  questioned,  is  to  determine 
whether  Congress,  under  the  constitu- 
tion as  it  is,  possesses  the  power  to  enact 
the  legislation  in  controversy;  their 
power  does  not  extend  to  the  matter  of 
expediency.  If  Congress  has  not  the 
power,  the  duty  of  the  court  is  to  declare 
the  act  void.  The  court  is  unable  to  find 
any  provision  in  the  constitution  authoriz- 
ing Congress,  either  expressly  or  by 
necessary  implication,  to  protect  or  regu- 
late the  shooting  of  migratory  wild  game 
when  in  a  state,  and  is,  therefore,  forced 
to  the  conclusion  that  the  act  is  uncon- 
stitutional. The  demurrer  to  the  indict- 
ment will  be  sustained. 

About  three  weeks  after  rendering  the 
above  opinion,  Judge  Trieber,  yielding  to 
the  plea  of  counsel,  agreed  to  re-open  the 
case,  so  there  is  a  possibility  that  in  the 
end  he  may  be  led  to  reverse  his  own 
former  decision. 

Now  what  will  be  the  practical  effect  of 
these  two  decisions?  In  the  North  Dakota 
case,  a  precedent  has  been  established, 
which  all  bird-protectionists  will  applaud, 
and  which  will  have  a  tendency  to 
strengthen  the  law.  In  the  other  case, 
it   will   mean   that   probably   no   further 


The  Audubon  Societies 


323 


efforts  will  be  made  to  enforce  the  federal 
migratory-bird  law  in  the  Eastern  District 
of  Arkansas  until  Judge  Trieber's  decision 
has  been  reversed  by  a  higher  court.  It  will 
take  a  year,  or  perhaps  two  years,  to  carry 
a  case  up  through  the  courts  and  get  a 
final  decision  from  the  United  States 
Supreme  Court.  In  the  meantime,  how- 
ever, the  bird-protection  treaty  now 
pending  between  this  country  and  Canada 
may  be  signed.  According  to  the  reported 
opinions  of  Elihu  Root  and  other  con- 
stitutional lawyers  this  would  then  take 
the  subject  entirely  out  of  the  courts,  and 
the  treaty  agreements  would  prevail.  It 
is  clear,  therefore,  that  the  very  important 
task  of  impressing  the  United  States 
Senators  with  the  wish  of  the  American 
people  that  the  treaty  be  ratified  now 
devolves  upon  bird-lovers. 

Legal  Struggles  in  Maryland 

In  reference  to  recent  wild-life  legis- 
lation in  Maryland,  W.  Scott  Way, 
reports: 

The  new  general  law  appears  to  have 
repealed  all  local  laws  conflicting  with  it, 
in  which  case  the  state  will  have  a  uni- 
form season  for  the  more  important  spe- 
cies. Another  measure,  repealing  and 
reenacting  the  non-game-bird  law,  shows 
some  improvements  over  the  old  act,  but 
is  not  as  it  should  be.  I  see  no  reason  why 
the  Legislature  could  not  have  been 
induced  to  pass  the  Model  Audubon  Law, 
while  it  was  about  its  tinkering,  but  the 
state  game-warden,  with  whom  I  took  the 
matter  up  early  in  the  legislative  session, 
persuaded  me  that  there  was  no  hope  for 
success  along  that  line;  and,  as  there 
seemed  to  be  a  general  indifference  on  the 
part  of  everybody  concerned,  save  Miss 
Starr  and  myself,  I  let  the  matter  drop. 

I  regret  that  the  effort  to  put  through 
a  hunting-license  law  failed  because  of 
strong  opposition  from  many  counties. 
The  politicians  seem  to  be  afraid  of  it, 
but,  at  the  next  session,  with  the  right 
kind  of  force  behind  it,  I  believe  it  can  be 
put  through.  My  observation  has  been 
that  at  the  past  three  sessions  of  the 
Maryland  Legislature  failure  has  been 
mainly  due,  in  the  matter  of  up-to-date 
game  and  bird  laws,  to  the  lack  of  the 
right  sort  of  man  at  Annapolis.  An  effort 
was  made  to  remove  protection  from  the 
Turkey  Buzzard,  but  by  active  work,  in 


which  I  was  aided  much  by  Dr.  Henry 
Oldys,  I  succeeded  in  having  this  measure 
confined  to  the  town  of  Easton,  where 
the  proposition  originated.  This  will, 
therefore,  do  little  harm. 


Mutually  Satisfactory 

The  accompanying  capital  photograph 
illustrates  admirably  the  Audubonian 
way  of  "killing  two  birds  with  one  stone," 


TWO    DELIGHTFUL    GUESTS 
Photographed  by  Carl  E.   Purple 

— a  shot  from  a  camera.  The  parallel, 
indeed,  is  double.  The  photographer  fed 
two  birds  at  once,  and  took  their  pictures 
for  his  pay,  using  but  a  single  plate.  This 
was  as  economical  as  the  result  is  pretty. 
Both  parties  to  this  amiable  arrangement 
were  perfectly  satisfied.  The  photographer 
gets  his  credit;  the  Woodpecker  is  living 
on  the  fat  of  the  land;  and  the  Nuthatch 
may  be  said  to  be  in  clover.  The  lesson 
of  the  picture  is  as  obvious  as  is  its  beauty. 


324 


Bird  -  Lore 


NEW    MEMBERS   AND   CONTRIBUTORS 


KnroUed  from  Miirch  i  lo  July  i,  1914. 

Life  Members: 

Andrews,  Mrs.  E.  B. 
Austen,  Mrs.  Isabel  Valle 
Barbey,  Henry  G. 
Brown,  Miss  Annie  H. 
Camden,  Mrs.  J.  N. 
Goodwin,  Walter  L.,  Jr. 
Harral,  Mrs.  Edward  W. 
Jamison,  Miss  Margaret  A. 
Loyd,  Miss  Sarah  A.  C. 
Rogers,  Dudley  P. 
Stone,  Miss  Ellen  J. 
Wade,  Mrs.  J.  H. 
Woodman,  Miss  Mary 

Sustaining  Members: 
A  Friend 
Aichel,  Oskar  G. 
Angstman,  Mrs.  Charlotte  S. 
Archer,  George  A. 
Audubon  Society,  Sewickley 
Back  Bay  Audubon  Society 
Bacon,  Miss  Helen  R. 
Balch,  Joseph 
Baldwin,  Mrs.  S.  T. 
Barr,  Miss  Caroline  F. 
Beck,  Charles  W. 
Biddle,  Mrs.  George 
Billerica  Girls'  Club 
Blanchard,  John  A. 
Bliss,  E.  J. 
Borne,  Mrs.  John  E. 
Bradford,  Miss  Daisy  Smith 
Bradley,  E.  R. 
Brandegee,  Mrs.  Edward  D. 
Braun,  John  F. 
Brewer,  Miss  Rosamond 
Brockway,  Mrs.  Charles  T. 
Bull,  M. 

Campbell,  Miss  Clara  D. 
Carpenter,  Ralph  G. 
Chandler,  William  E. 
Chapman,  B.  G. 
Chase,  A.  C. 
Chipman,  Miss  Grace  E. 
Cousens,  John  A. 
Crawford,  William 
Dana,  Mrs.  Harold  W. 
Davidson,  Miss  Clara 
Diman,  Miss  Louise 
Dutton,  Harry 
Edgerton,  Dr.  J.  Ines 
Eisemann,  Alex. 
Eliot,  Charles  W. 
Enggass,  Mrs.  Barbara 
Fahy,  Mrs.  John 
Farrell,  Mrs.  C.  P. 
Fa.xon,  Henry  M. 
Fearon,  Mrs.  Charles 
Fenenden,  R.  G. 
Fitchburg  Out-of-Doors  Club 


Fitzroy,  Mrs.  H.  A. 
Fordyce,  George  L. 
Ford,  Mrs.  John  B. 
Forest     Hills     Gardens     Audubon 

Society 
Fowle,  Seth  A. 
Fuller,  C.  W. 
Gallogly,  E.  E. 
Gifford,  Mrs.  James  M. 
Gilchrist,  Miss  Annie  T. 
Ginn,  Frank  H. 
Grant,  Henry  T. 
Grasselli,  Miss  Josephine 
Grat,  Russell, 
Gridley,  Mrs.  Mary  T. 
Guild,  E.  L. 
Gunn,  Elisha 

Harbeck,  Mrs.  Emma  Grey 
Hartford  Bird  Study  Club 
Hartline,  D.  S. 
Hedge,  Henry  R. 
Hibbard,  Thomas 
Hill,  Donald  M. 
Hill,  Mrs.  Lysander 
Hoppin,  Charles  A. 
Horner,  Charles  S. 
Hovey,  Burton  M. 
Howes,  F.  L. 

Hubbard,  Herman  M.,  Jr. 
Miss  Mary  C.  Hubbard 
Hunter,  Arthur  M.,  Jr. 
Hurlburt,  Miss  Annie  M. 
Jaques,  H.  P. 
Jenkins,  Mrs.  A.  C. 
Jenness,  Charles  G. 
Juran,  Mrs.  K.  M. 
Keith,  Mrs.  D.  M. 
King,  Miss  Mabel  D. 
Kingsbury,  Miss  Alice  E. 
Livermore,  Robert 
Low,  Miss  Nathalie,  F. 
Lyman,  Joseph 
McCord,  Miss  Belle 
McQuesten,  Mrs.  G.  E. 
Magner,  Thomas 
May,  George  H. 
Melbourne  Women's  Club 
Merrill,  Mrs.  Payson 
Mills,  Rev.  John  N. 
Morley,  Mrs.  W.  G. 
Murphy,  Miss  Anne  D. 
North,  Mrs.  R.  H. 
Osborn,  Mrs.  William  C. 
Ossberg,  Miss  Olga  W. 
Oswald,  Edward 
Paine,  Cyrus  F. 
Parker,  Mrs.  Horace  J. 
Payne,  Mrs.  Frederick  W. 
Peabody,  George  Foster 
Pease,  Miss  Harriet  R. 
Penhallow,  Charles  T. 
Perihelwin  Club 
Perkins,  G.  Howard,  Jr. 


The  Audubon   Societies 


325 


New  Members  and  Contributors,  continued 


Poor,  George  H. 

Pratt,  Bela  L. 

Prentiss,  F.  F. 

Putnam,  Wm.  Lowell 

Randolph,  Mrs.  E. 

Rice,  William  North 

Richardson,  Mrs.  C.  F. 

Robinson,  Edward  P. 

Rogan,  Mrs.  M.  K. 

Rosenbaum,  S.  G. 

Rosentwist,  B.  G.  A. 

Russell,  B.  F.  W. 

Rust,  David  W. 

Sackett,  Mrs.  F.  M. 

Sackett,  Mrs.  F.  M.,  Jr. 

Saltonstall,  Philip  L. 

Schaefer,  Miss  Ella  A. 

Schwarzenbach,  R.  J.  F. 

Scott,  Albert  L. 

Scudder,  C.  R. 

Scudder,  Heyward 

Severance,  J.  L. 

Shaw,  Miss  Eleanor 

Shaw,  Henry  S.,  Jr. 

Shaw,  S.  P.,  Jr. 

Sheridan,  J.  J. 

Sibley,  Mrs.  Rufus  A. 

Simpson,  G.  Fred. 

Sisler,  L.  E. 

Smith,  Frank  .\. 

Smith,  Mrs.  Fred.  W. 

Smith,  George  A. 

Spafford,  Joseph  H. 

Spalding,  Philip  L. 

Storm,  George  L.,  Jr. 

Sturgis,  J.  H. 

Swenson,  John 

Tillinghast,  Miss  H. 

Tooke,  Mrs.  C.  \V. 

Townsend,  Henry  H. 

Travelli,  Mrs.  C.  R. 

Tucker,  Mrs.  Stanley 

Turner,  Miss  Elsie  II. 

Turner,  Miss  Mary  E. 

Van  Dusen,  Eugene  F. 

Van  Gerbig,  Mrs.  B. 

Vanlentwerp,  F.  J.  (Our  Lady  of  the 

Rosary  Church) 
Villard,  Vincent  S. 
Wade,  F.  C. 

Wadham.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.,  Jr. 
Wakeman,  Stephen  H. 
Walker,  Grant 
Walker,  Dr.  John  B. 
Walker,  Mrs.  Thaddeus 
Walker,  William  H. 
Waterman,  Miss  Mary  E. 
Watson,  Mrs.  W.  W. 
West,  Albert  S. 
White,  Miss  Hannah  A. 
White,  Miss  Henrietta 
White,  Miss  K.  L. 
Whitehouse,  Mrs.  C.  A. 
Whittaker,  Miss  M. 


Winn,  Herbert  J. 
Winship,  C.  F. 
Winship,  C.  N. 
Wood,  Mrs.  Anna  L. 
Wood,  Miss  Sarah  L. 
Woods,  Edward  F. 
Woods,  Joseph  W. 
Wright,  Mrs.  M.  A. 
Wright,  Mrs.  Wm.  L. 
Zapp,  George  C. 
Zell,  George  L. 
Zimmerman,  ]Mrs.  J.  E. 

New   Contributors 

A  Game  Protector 

Anonymous. 

Anthony,  D.  M. 

Baldwin,  S.  P. 

Brackett,  Dr.  C.  A. 

Carruthers,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  T.  H. 

Case,  IVIrs.  F.  C. 

Chapin,  Miss  Maud  H. 

Cross,  Miss  Grace  L.  R. 

Crusselle,  W.  F. 

Danziger,  Max. 

Davis,  David  D. 

Drummond,  James  J. 

Dutton,  B.  F. 

Fitch,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W. 

Goldman,  Mrs.  Louis  J. 

Harrington,  George  W. 

Holman,  Miss  C.  B. 

Kellogg,  Stephen  W. 

Lord,  Sliss  Elinor  L. 

Lowell,  ^liss  Georgina 

Robertson,  W.  N. 

Sawj'er,  Mrs.  C.  A. 

Smith,  J.  S. 

Taber,  Miss  M. 

Wander,  Edward 

W^illiam,  Master 

Yates,  Dr.  S.  Anna 

Contributors  to  the  Egret  Protection 
Fund 

Previousl}'  acknowledged.  .§2,559  04 

A  Friend 100  00 

Agar,  Mrs.  John  G 5  00 

Albright,  Mr.  J.  J 5  00 

Allen    County   Audubon   So- 

cietj' 2  00 

.Allen,  Miss  Gertrude 15  00 

Allen,    Miss    Mary    P.    and 

friends 15  00 

A  Sympathizer 5   00 

Auchincloss,  ]\Irs.  H.  D 5  00 

Ayres,  Miss  Mary  A 2  00 

Baldwin,  Mrs.  John  D i   co 

Baldwin,  William  H 2  00 

Barron,  George  D 2  00 

Carriedjorward $2,718  04 


326 


Bird  -  Lore 


Brought  forward $2,718  04 

Berlin,  Mrs.  D.  B i  00 

Best,  Mrs.  Clermont 5  00 

Biddle,  E.  C.  and  C.  B 1000 

Birdlovers' Club  of  Brooklyn.  5  00 

Brewer,  Edward  M 10  00 

Bridge,  Edmund S  00 

Bridge,  Mrs.  Lidian  E 10  00 

Burden,  James  A 5  00 

Byington,  Mrs.  Louisa  J 2  00 

Casey,  Edward  P 10  00 

Chambers,  Miss  Katherine...  10  00 

Chittenden,  Mrs.  S.  B 2  00 

Christian,  Miss  Elizabeth.. . .  3  00 

Christian,  Mrs.  M.  H 2  00 

Christian,  Miss  Susan 6  00 

Church,  C.  T 5  00 

Cimmins,  Mrs.  Thomas 5  00 

Clinch,  Judge  E.  S 10  00 

Colon,  George  E 4  00 

Coney,  Miss  Kate  E 2  00 

Convers,  Miss  C.  B 2  00 

Coolidge,  Prof.  A.  Cary 5  00 

Crittenden,  Miss  Viola  E...  .  i  00 

Cummings,  Miss  B.J 2  00 

Cummins,  Miss  Anne  M 5  00 

Cummins,  Miss  E.  1 5  00 

Cushing,  Miss  M.  W i   00 

Dana,  Mrs.  E.  S 4  00 

Davidson,  Mrs.  F.  S 5  00 

Davidson,  Gaylord 5  00 

,  Davis,  E.  F 5  00 

Davis,  Dr.  Gwilym 5  00 

Dawes,  Miss  E.  B 10  00 

De  Beaufort,  W.  H 5  00 

De  la  Rive,  Miss  Rachel 4  00 

Detroit  Bird  Prot.  Club 5  00 

Dickerman,  W.  B 25  00 

Dryden,  Mrs.  Cynthia  P 25  00 

Dudley,  Miss  Fannie  G 10  00 

DuPont,  F.  A 10  00 

Emerson,  Elliot  S 3  00 

Emmons,  Mrs.  R.  W.,  2nd...  5  00 

Enders,  John  0 5  00 

Faulkner,  Miss  Fannie  M.. . .  10  00 

E.  B.  F 5  00 

Foote,  Mrs.  F.  W 2  00 

Freeman,  Miss  H.  E 10  00 

Freeman,  Dr.  W.  J i   00 

Gilman,  Miss  Clarabel 4  00 

Goehring,  J.  M 5  00 

Gray,  Miss  Isa  E 10  00 

Greer.  Miss  Almira 5  00 

Hage,  Daniel  S i   00 

Hager,  George  W 2  00 

Hale,  Thomas,  Jr i   00 

Hering,  W.  E 5  00 

Hills,  Mrs.  J.  M 3  00 

Hodenpyl,  Anton  G 25  00 

Holbrook,  Mrs.  Edward 5  00 

Holt,  Mrs.  Frank 2  00 

Horton,  Miss  F.  E 2  00 

Carried  forward $3,080  04 


Brought  forward $3,080  04 

Hungerford,  R.  S 10  00 

Hupfel,  J.  C.  S 5  00 

Hurd,  Elizabeth 5  00 

James,  Mrs.  Walter  B 10  00 

Jennings,  Miss  A.  B 5  00 

Jewett,  George  L 5  00 

Jones,  Mrs.  Cadwalader S  00 

Junior  Audubon  Society i   00 

Keep,  Mrs.  Albert 3  00 

Kleinschmidt,  Miss  H i  00 

Kuser,  John  Dryden 5  00 

Lang,  Henry 5  00 

Lasell,  Miss  Louisa  W i   00 

Livermore,  A.  E i  00 

Mann,  Miss  J.  Ardelle 3  00 

Manning,  Leonard  J 3  00 

Mansfield,  Helen 6  00 

Massachusetts,  S.  P.  C.  A....  5  00 

Mellen,  George  M i   00 

Merriman,  Mrs.  Daniel 10  08 

Metzger,  William  T 2  00 

Mitchell,  Mrs.  E 2   50 

Mitchell,  James  T 5  00 

Moore,  Mrs.  E.  C i   00 

Moore,  Henry  D 100  00 

Moore,  Robert  T 50  00 

Motley,  James  M 10  00 

McPheeters,  Miss  C 23  00 

O'Connor,  Thomas  H 15   00 

Olmsted,  F.  L.,  Jr i   00 

Osborn,  Carl  H 4  00 

Parsons,  Miss  K.  L 3  00 

Peoples,  W.  T 2  00 

Peters,  Mrs.  E.  McC 3  00 

Puffer,  L.  W i   00 

Putnam,  George  P 3  00 

Putnam,  Dr.  James  J 3  00 

Randolph,  Coleman 15  00 

Reynolds,  Miss  Mabel  D 2  00 

Richard,  Miss  Elvine 15  00 

Robbins,  Royal 20  00 

Shannon,  W.  Purdy 7  00 

Sibley,  Hiram 25  00 

Small,  Miss  Cora 2  00 

Smith,  Adelbert  J 4  00 

Smith,  Mrs.  Mary  P.  W 2  00 

Snyder,  Warren 5  00 

Somers,  L.  H 3  00 

Steiner,  G.  A 10  00 

Stern,  Benjamin 10  00 

Stick,  H.  Louis 8  00 

Thaw,  J.  C 10  00 

Thomson,  William  H i   00 

Towne,  Mrs.  William  E i   00 

Tucker,  William  F 5  00 

Van  Name,  Willard 15  00 

Von  Arnin,  Miss  A 3  00 

Wadsworth,  Clarence  S 10  00 

White,  Mrs.  A.  Ludlow 5  00 

Winslow,  Miss  M.  L.  C 6  00 

Woman's  Study  Club 3  00 

Grand.total $3,585  62 


The  Audubon   Societies 


327 


REPORTS    FROM    WORKERS   IN    THE   FIELD 


Progress  in  Florida 

One  of  our  most  active  workers  in 
Florida  is  Dr.  Herbert  R.  Mills,  of  Tampa. 
He  is  constantly  on  the  alert,  and  is  always 
doing  useful  and  interesting  things  for 
the  birds,  as  is  indicated  by  the  follow- 
ing communication: 

"l  have  been  noting  the  results  of  the 
Junior  Audubon  work  here  in  Tampa,  and 
I  am  greatly  impressed  with  the  immense 


that  might  not  be  reached  in  any  other 
way.  For  example,  I  was  on  one  of  the 
Favorite  Line  excursions  a  few  weeks 
ago,  and  I  overheard  a  lady  remark  to  a 
friend:  'Since  Margaret  joined  the  Audu- 
bon Society,  she  simply  can  not  wear  her 
aigrettes  any  more.'  These  things  are  so 
encouraging  that  I  have  decided  to 
devote  a  large  share  of  my  spare  time  next 
fall  to  organizing  Junior  Audubon  Classes 
in  Tampa. 


THE    CARDINAL    DETAINED    AS    EVIDENCE 


value  of  this  work.  I  organized  a  few 
classes  here  this  winter,  with  a  total 
membership  of  over  three  hundred,  and 
every  day  I  see  some  example  of  the  good 
results  obtained.  Recently  I  saw  a  couple 
of  boys  fighting,  and  later  learned  that 
one  was  a  sixth-grade  Junior  Audubon 
boy  who  was  beating  a  fellow  for  killing  a 
Warbler  of  some  kind.  And  not  only  is 
our  game-warden  service  being  thus 
increased  by  this  work,  but  our  campaign 
of  education  is  being  carried  into  homes 


"Some  time  ago,  I  sent  you  an  account 
of  the  arrest  of  the  Italian,  Frank  Alfino, 
for  selling  Cardinals  and  Mockingbirds. 
I  am  enclosing  you  a  print  of  the  Cardinal 
which  I  bought  from  this  man  for  evidence. 
This  picture  was  taken  just  before  the 
bird  was  given  its  liberty  under  the  orange 
tree  from  which  the  cage  is  suspended.  I 
later  learned  that  the  bird  found  a  mate 
soon  after  gaining  his  liberty,  and  is  now 
raising  a  brood  of  little  ones.  This  Cardinal 
has  no  toes  on  his  right  foot." 


328 


Bird  -  Lore 


Good  Sentiment  in  Rhode  Island 

The  Association's  field-agent  for  Massa- 
chusetts, Winthrop  Packard,  has  been 
able  to  do  much  work  outside  his  state 
of  late.  A  practical  report  of  his  efforts 
in  behalf  of  helpful  legislation  in  Rhode 
Island  is  here  given: 

"The  Rhode  Island  law,  making  the 
state  law  agree  with  the  federal  law  on 
migratory  birds  in  the  matter  of  seasons 
for  shooting,  passed  without  an  amend- 
ment. There  was  some  opposition  at  the 
last  moment,  but  it  was  all  swept  aside. 
The  law  forbidding  the  shooting  of  Ducks 
from  motor-boats,  which  the  Newport 
Gun  and  Game  Protective  Association 
originated,  was  passed,  and  the  bill  mak- 
ing Warwick  Neck  a  bird-reservation  for 
five  years,  also  went  through.  There 
seems  to  have  been,  this  year,  a  great 
change  in  sentiment  in  favor  of  bird-pro- 
tection in  Rhode  Island.  Much  of  the 
good  work  has  been  done  by  Dr.  Horace 
L.  Beck." 

Views  of  Teachers 

A  group  of  Ohio  teachers  who  have 
tested  bird-study,  as  promoted  by  the 
Junior  Audubon  classes,  have  favored  us 
with  the  result  of  their  experience.  All 
approve  of  it,  and  speak  of  the  real  enjoy- 
ment taken  in  it  by  themselves  as  well  as 
by  the  pupils.  "It  is  surprising,"  Miss 
Wolff,  of  Norwood,  exclaims,"  how  much 
the  children  find  out  for  themselves.  In  a 
great  many  instances  I  learned  from  them 
fully  as  much  as  they  learned  from  me." 

"I  found  bird-study  fascinating  both 
for  myself  and  the  children,"  a  Sharon- 
ville  teacher,  Miss  Doepka,  writes.  "The 
mental  training  received  was  greater 
than  from  any  other  study,  especially  in 
developing  their  powers  of  observation. 
The  information  received  was  useful,  as 
it  showed  them  that  birds  are  of  great 
benefit  and  all  should  join  in  protecting 
them.  As  the  information  your  leaflets 
give  is  not  abstract,  but  such  as  children 
can  observe  for  themselves,  it  is  retained 
as  well,  if  not  better  than  any  other." 

This  last  point  is  emphasized  by  a  prin- 
cipal, who  says  that  his  experience  shows 
that  children  retain  useful  information 
.onger  than  other.    "An  excellent  test  of 


the  retention  of  this  information,"  Miss 
Aler,  of  Mt.  Vernon,  thinks,  "may  be 
shown  by  unexpectedly  asking  children 
to  write  ten  minute'  compositions  on 
'The  Robin'  or  the  'Baltimore  Oreole' 
without  having  an  opportunity  to  look 
up  anything  in  connection  with  the  topic, 
and  then  reading  the  splendid  composi- 
tions turned  in."  The  value  of  the  study 
in  training  the  children  in  English  com- 
position is  remarked  upon  by  many  teach- 
ers, who  find  good  models  and  great  help 
in  the  leaflets.  The  keeping  of  notes  of 
observations  is  recommended  from  experi- 
ence by  several  correspondents.  One  of 
these.  Miss  Cameron,  of  Salem,  says: 

"I  am  glad  to  express  myself  as  more 
than  satisfied  with  results  of  bird- 
study  in  the  school.  It  was  taken  up  in 
connection  with  the  English  lesson  once 
a  week,  and  in  no  period  of  the  week's  pro- 
gram was  the  interest  of  the  pupils  more 
deeply  centered.  I  was  a  student  with 
the  children  when  it  came  to  this  lesson, 
and  I  know  that  all  were  in  love  with  the 
study.  It  has  been  the  means  of  creating 
a  very  desirable  spirit  in  the  school.  The 
children  are  more  attentive,  more  thought- 
ful of  the  feelings  of  others,  more  kind- 
hearted  to  all  living  creatures,  and  are 
eager  to  do  something  that  will  count  for 
happiness  or  betterment  in  the  bird-world, 
and  hence,  in  our  own." 

The  two  succeeding  letters  come  from 
teachers  more  advanced  than  are  most  of 
them  in  a  knowledge  of  zoology. 

"I  have  always  been  interested  in 
birds,"  writes  Ruth  Buckingham,  of  Love- 
land,  and  have  a  picture-collection  of  over 
fifty  different  species  found  in  this  part  of 
Ohio.  I  keep  this  collection  where  the 
children  can  have  access  to  it,  so  that 
when  they  have  a  few  spare  moments 
they  may  get  a  bird  and  try  to  draw  it 
with  the  colored  crayons  I  give  them  for 
that  purpose.  I  do  not  try  to  stuff  the 
children  with  information.  I  try  to  get 
them  to  find  out  things  for  themselves." 

This  last  one  is  from  a  principal,  W.  N. 
Thayer,  of  Norwood:  "I  have  been  giving 
incidental  instruction  in  bird-study  in 
connection  with  our  work  in  biological 
nature-study,  for  some  years  past,  and 
I  have  found  the  Audubon  leaflets  and 
pictures  valuable  supplements." 


1.  Worthen's  Sparrow  3.    Green-tailed  Towhee.  Im. 

2.  Texas  Sparrow  4.    Green-tailed  Towhee,  Adult 

(One-half  natural  size) 


2^irlr=1tore 

A  BI-MONTHLY  MAGAZINE 

DEVOTED   TO   THE  STUDY  AND  PROTECTION  OF   BIRDS 

Official  Organ  of  The  Audubon  Societies 


Vol.  XVI  September— October,  1914  No.  5 


Some  Observations  on  Bird  Protection  in  Germany 

By   WILLIAM   P.  WHARTON 

With  photographs  by  the  Author 

IN  August,  1913,  the  writer  had  the  good  fortune  to  make  a  brief  visit  to 
the  estate  of  Baron  Hans  von  Berlepsch,  at  Seebach,  district  of  Langen- 
salza,  Germany,  and  to  observe  something  of  the  methods  for  attracting 
and  protecting  wild  birds  employed  with  such  wonderful  success  there.  For  a 
full  description  of  these  methods,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  book  entitled 
'Methods  of  Attracting  and  Protecting  Wild  Birds,'  which,  in  its  English  trans- 
lation, is  for  sale  by  the  National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies. 

Those  familiar  with  that  book  are  aware  that  the  Baron's  success  rests 
upon  three  cornerstones:  (i)  Large  numbers  of  suitable  nesting-sites  both  for 
birds  nesting  in  cavities  and  for  those  nesting  in  trees  or  shrubs;  (2)  an  abun- 
dant food- and  water-supply;  (3)  protection  from  their  enemies.  To  supply  the 
first,  Baron  von  Berlepsch  devised  the  nesting-box  made  by  hollowing  out 
sections  of  tree  limbs  or  trunks  in  as  nearly  as  possible  exact  imitation  of  the 
cavities  excavated  by  Woodpeckers;  boxes  of  this  kind  are  now  being  manu- 
factured by  two  or  three  different  persons  in  the  United  States.  The  Baron 
also  devised,  after  much  study  and  experimentation,  a  method  of  pruning 
undergrowth  and  special  plantations  of  shrubbery  in  such  a  manner  as  to  pro- 
duce 'whorls'  of  side  branches  at  a  given  point,  which,  by  subsequent  pruning, 
form  a  natural  platform  or  crotch  particularly  suited  for  birds'  nests  to  be 
placed  in.  Food  in  the  form  of  suet  and  various  seeds  is  provided,  in  winter,  at 
various  points  on  the  estate,  and  is  often  placed  in  the  shelter  of  the  Hessian 
food-house,  very  similar  to  the  Audubon  food-house  now  being  sold  in  this 
country.  In  summer,  besides  the  natural  supply  of  insects,  which  must  be 
large  in  the  dense  undergrowth  and  about  the  pond  and  brook,  groups  of  shrubs 
and  trees,  planted  for  that  purpose,  supply  a  rotation  of  berries  and  seeds 
especially  liked  by  birds.  Owing  to  the  presence  of  the  pond,  and  the  brook 
running  through  the  estate,  artificial  bird-baths  are  not  much  required.  Pro- 
tection from  enemies  requires  constant  vigilance  in  destroying  the  predatory 
quadrupeds,  such  as  weasels,  squirrels,  polecats  and  house  cats,  and  such  pred- 


THE  CASTLE  FROM  THE  PARK;  ESTATE  OF  BARON  VON  BERLEPSCH 

The  trees  and  shrubs  on  each  side  of  the  vista  are  filled  with  birds'  nests 

(330) 


Some  Observations  on   Bird   Protection    in   Germany       331 

atory  birds  as  have  been  found  to  prey  especially  on  their  own  kind.  The 
methods  used  in  carrying  out  the  purposes  above  stated  are  given  in  some  detail 
in  the  book. 

In  visiting  Seebach,  the  WTiter  had  in  mind,  by  seeing  for  himself  the  results 
of  this  remarkable  experiment,  to  supplement  and  make  more  practical  such 
knowledge  as  he  had  already  acquired  from  reading  the  book.    Unfortunately, 


VIEW    OF    THE    HOME    PARK    FROM    THE    TOP    OF    THE    CASTLE. 
OF    BARON    VON    BERLEPSCH 


ESTATE 


there  was  not  sufficient  time  to  make  any  careful  study,  and  the  weather  was 
such  as  to  render  the  taking  of  satisfactory  photographs  difl&cult  or  impossible. 
Notes  were  made  more  especially  on  practices,  or  modifications  of  practices, 
which  have  either  been  developed  since  the  book  was  written,  or  weie  not 
fully  described  therein. 

The  nesting-boxes  are  probably  the  most  conspicuous  and  interesting  devices 
to  the  average  visitor,  especially  to  the  American  who  has  already  become 
familiar  with  them  in  his  own  country.  These  are  scattered  everywhere  through 
the  home  park  and  adjacent  woods,  and  also  in  the  forest,  which  is  situated  at 


332 


Bird  -  Lore 


a  distance  of  some  six  miles  from  the  castle.  They  are,  as  a  rule,  of  the  regula- 
tion sizes  and  shapes  as  described  in  the  book,  being  imitations  of  the  cavities 
excavated  l)y  Woodpeckers,  and  about  90  per  cent  are  said  to  be  occupied  each 

year.  A  modifica- 
tion, however,  has 
been  made  in  the 
covers  to  these  boxes, 
which  should  be  of 
special  interest  to 
New  Englanders  liv- 
ing within  the  region 
infested  by  the  gipsy 
moths.  In  order  to 
make  the  interior 
easily  accessible, 
both  for  cleaning  it 
out  and  for  purposes 
of  observation,  the 
regular  wooden 
cover,  held  in  place 
with  lag  screws,  has 
been  discarded,  and 
one  of  cement  is  now 
used.  This  has  a 
projection  or  flange 
below,  which  fits 
loosely  into  the  top 
of  the  box,  and  pre- 
vents the  cover  slid- 
ing off;  the  weight 
of  the  cement  is 
sufficient  to  prevent 
its  being  blown  off. 
The  nesting-holes  in  the  walls  of  the  castle  are  made  wholly  of  cement,  being  in 
the  form  of  blocks,  which  fit  into  spaces  from  which  the  stone  blocks  have 
been  removed.  These  cement  block  boxes  are  in  two 
parts,  one  being  three-fourths  and  the  other  one-fourth 
of  the  whole.  The  larger  contains  the  whole  of  the 
lower  portion  of  the  cavity  and  the  rear  half  of  the 
upper  portion,  and  is  set  permanently  into  the  gap  in 
the  wall.  The  other  quarter  contains  the  front  half  of 
the  upper  portion  of  the  nesting  cavity  together  with 
the  entrance  hole,  and  may   be   easily  removed   by 


ONE  OF  THE  CEMEXT-BLOCK  NEST-BOXES  IN  THE 
WALLS  OF  THE  CASTLE;  HERR  FRIEDERICH  SCHWABE,  IN 
CHARGE  OF  THE  SCHOOL  OF  BIRD  PROTECTION,  STAND- 
ING   NEAR    IT. 


0 

r 

V 

1 
1 

^4 

FRONT 
VIEW 

SI 
VI 

DE 
EW 

Some  Observations  on   Bird   Protection   in   Germany       333 


inserting  the  finger  in  the  latter,  and  the  contents  of  the  interior  be  thus 
exposed  to  \-iew.  In  the  upper  stories  of  the  castle,  where  the  walls  consist 
of  a  single  thickness  only  of  wood,  entrance-holes  of  the  proper  size  have  been 
bored  in  the  walls,  and  the  ordinar>^  type  of  nest-box  hung  on  a  nail  inside, 
after  the  upper  front  of  the  box  has  been  sawed  off 
diagonally,  thus: 


FRONT    MEW 


SIDE    VIEW 


SIDE   VIEW  IX 
POSITION   ON 
WALL  OF   CASTLE 


A  narrow  iron  band,  with  a  notch  in  the  middle  of  the  lower  edge  to  receive 
a  nail,  is  fastened  horizontally  across  the  upper  part  of  the  saw-cut,  and  the  box 
is  then  hung  on  the  nail  driven  into  the  side  of  the  castle  just  above  the  entrance- 
hole.  These  boxes  are  said  to  be  more  favored  by  birds  than  those  conspicuously 
placed  on  the  outside  of  the  castle  wall,  and  have  the  great  advantage  that  they 
are  easy  to  inspect  and  clean  out.  Baron  von  Berlepsch  plans  to  insert  a  pane 
of  glass  in  the  rear  of  some  of  these  boxes  opposite  the  nest,  surround  them  with 
a  dark  closet,  and  study  by  this  means  the  feeding  of  the  young.  These  boxes 
in  the  walls  of  the  castle  are  used  almost  entirely  by  Starlings. 

In  the  Hainich  forest,  where  the  birds,  attracted  by  Baron  ^'on  Berlepsch's 
methods,  saved  his  trees  from  defoliation  by  caterpillars  in  1905,  when  the 
surrounding  forests  were  stripped,  there  are  several  thousand  nest-boxes. 
These  are  chiefly  in  the  deciduous  woods,  which  are  composed  largely  of  beech 
and  oak.  Here  they  are  hung  not  less  than  thirty  paces  apart,  and  approxi- 
mately 90  per  cent  are  said  to  be  occupied  annually.  In  the  dense  spruce  woods 
it  has  been  found  impracticable  to  place  boxes,  except  on  the  edges  of  small 
clearings  or  partial  openings.  In  such  places,  an  experiment  has  been  tried  of 
placing  four  different  kinds  of  boxes  close  together,  in  order  to  ascertain  which 
kind  is  preferred  by  the  smaller  Tits.  A  box  of  ear thern ware  has  been  found  to 
be  useless.  The  other  three  boxes  are  of  the  usual  pattern,  and  two  of  them  of 
stock  sizes — A  and  B.  The  third  is  a  B  box  with  an  A  entrance-hole — that  is, 
a  good-sized  box  with  a  small  hole, — and  for  this  the  Tits  have  sho\^^l  a  decided 
preference.  Evidently  they  like  roomy  quarters  better  than  cramped  ones, 
provided  the  entrance  is  small  enough  to  keep  out  larger  birds.  In  an  old  apple 
orchard  here  behind  the  forester's  house,  two  and  sometimes  three  boxes  of 


334 


Bird  -  Lore 


different  sizes  hang  on  the  same  tree,  and  two  are  often  occupied  at  the  same 
time,  according  to  Herr  Schwabe,  the  head  of  the  von  Berlepsch  School  of  Bird 
Protection. 

Because  of  their  novelty  as  well  as  their  remarkable  success,  the  shelterwood 
plantations,  with  the  special  pruning  of  stock  bushes  for  nests,  was  of  particular 
interest  to  the  writer.  The  form  of  these  plantations,  and  the  species  of  plants 
used  in  them,  are  carefully  described  in  the  book  already  referred  to ;  but  sub- 
sequent experiments  have  somewhat  extended  the  list  there  given  of  plants 
suitable  for  pruning.  Baron  von  Berlepsch  still  prefers  Cratcegus  oxyacantha  to 
any  other  thorns  for  this  purpose,  but  he  finds  that  the  common  privet  {Ligus- 
trum  vulgare)  is  of  value  as  a  stock  bush  in  poor  soil  under  considerable  shade, 


THE    ANCESTRAL    CASTLE    FROM    THE    PARK;    ESTATE    OF    BARON    \i(\     liERLEPSCH 

One  or  more  pairs  of  Moorhens  nest  about  the  pond  and  many  other  birds  in  the  trees  and  shrubbery, 

and  cavities  made  in  the  walls  of  the  castle. 

and  that  horse-chestnut  {Msculus  hippocastanum)  also  does  well  under  larger 
trees.  The  yew  {Taxus  baccata)  is  also  used  in  similar  situations.  As  a  general 
rule,  however,  the  thorn  {Cratcegus  oxyacantha)  is  used  for  this  purpose.  After 
the  shelterwood  is  planted,  it  is  allowed  to  stand  three  or  four,  or  even  five 
years,  and  is  then  cut  down,  as  described  in  the  book.  The  effect  of  this  is  to 
make  the  thorns  send  up  straight  shoots  from  the  ground.  After  two  or  three 
years,  strong  shoots  here  and  there  in  the  plantation  are  cut  off  just  above 
several  dormant  eyes,  which,  so  far  as  the  writer  could  understand,  are  to  be 
found  in  greatest  abundance  at  the  point  where  the  growth  of  about  two  years 
previous  began.  The  effect  of  this  pruning  is  to  force  out  a  whorl  of  new  shoots, 
starting  in  a  generally  horizontal  direction.  The  following  year,  these  shoots 
are  cut  back  to  within  perhaps  a  couple  of  inches  of  the  parent  stem,  and  each 


Some  Observations  on   Bird   Protection   in   Germany       335 

year  thereafter  the  new  shoots  are  again  cut  back  to  within  an  inch  or  less  of 
their  starting  points.  The  effect  of  this  pruning  is  to  form  a  very  secure  founda- 
tion, or  support,  on  which  to  place  a  nest,  surrounded  during  the  spring  and 
summer  by  a  dense  screen  of  foliage  from  the  new  shoots.  That  the  provison 
thus  made  for  them  is  appreciated  by  the  birds  was  evidenced  by  the  very  great 
number  of  nests  of  the  year  which  were  found  in  these  w^horls.  In  a  double-row 
thorn  hedge  along  the  edge  of  a  wood,  w^hich  has  been  pruned  in  this  fashion, 
the  WTiter  counted  thirty-one  nests  in  a  distance  which  could  not  have  much 
exceeded  300  feet, — an  average  of  one  nest  to  every  ten  feet.  The  lateness  of 
the  hour  unfortunately  prevented  further  exploration  of  this  hedge,  which 


A   GENERAL  VIEW   OF   ONE  OE  THE   SPECIAL  'SHELTERWOOD'  BIRD-NESTING  PLAN- 
TATIONS   OF    SHRUBBERY    ON    THE    BORDER    OF    A    WOOD 


extended  for  perhaps  twice  the  distance  beyond,  and  was  said  to  be  fully  as 
thickly  populated  throughout. 

With  one  exception,  all  these  shelterwoods  are  connected  by  lines  or  blocks 
of  trees  or  shrubs.  The  line  of  poplars  bordering  the  brook,  and  the  method 
of  pruning  these  trees,  are  described  in  the  book;  suffice  it  to  say  here  that  at 
least  one  nest  was  to  be  found  in  almost  every  tree,  and  in  some  there  were 
two.  On  the  opposite  side  of  this  brook  is  a  row  of  lindens  {Tilia  parvifolia), 
and  these  trees  had  been  pruned  by  cutting  the  branches  one  foot  or  more 
from  the  trunk,  in  order  to  make  whorls  for  nests.  Baron  von  Berlepsch 
stated  that  any  of  the  lindens  are  adapted  to  this  purpose,  as  well  as  Ulnius 
campestris,  and  that  they  are  particularly  suitable  for  planting  in  rows  to 
connect  shelterwood  plantations,  and  along  brooks,  roads,  etc.  Another  tree 
suitable  for  making  connections  between    the  plantations    is   the    Norway 


33^ 


Bird  -  Lore 


spruce  (Picea  excelsa),  which  is  there  planted  in  three  rows  one  yard  apart, 
the  middle  row  being  removed  after  about  six  years.   This  removal  leaves  a 

small  opening,  which  is  soon 
arched  over,  and  forms  a 
covered  passageway  for  birds, 
and  an  excellent  winter  feed- 
ing-place. The  remaining  trees 
should  be  topped  regularly,  to 
maintain  this  densely  covered 
archway.  Mountain  ash  trees 
are  planted  along  the  row  with 
the  spruces,  to  provide  food 
with  their  berries.  The  excep- 
tional shelterwood,  uncon- 
nected with  others,  stands  in 
the  midst  of  cultivated  fields. 
This  is  largely  an  experiment, 
and  is  as  yet  too  young  to  show 
results.  Most  of  the  others  are 
either  under  partial  or  entire 
shade,  or  else  along  the  edges 
between  woods  and  fields,  such 
as  that  shown  in  the  picture. 
It  should  be  noted  that  all 
nests  are  thrown  down  each 
autumn  from  the  whorls,  as 
well  as  from  the  boxes. 

The  matters  of  feeding  and 
of  control  of  enemies  were  given 
less  attention  by  the  writer 
than  they  deserved,  chiefly. be- 
cause of  lack  of  time.  The 
winter  feeding  arrangements 
at  Seebach  have  already  been 
briefly  referred  to,  and  are  fully 
set  forth  in  the  book  describ- 
ing Baron  von  Berlepsch's 
methods.  Control  of  natural 
enemies  is  effected  largely  by 
trapping,  and  to  some  extent  by  shooting.  An  ingenious  trap  baited  with  live 
English  Sparrows  is  used  successfully  for  Sparrow  Hawks, — said  to  be  similar 
in  size  and  habits  to  our  Sharp-shinned  Hawks, — which  are  considered  the 
only  distinctly  harmful  birds  of   this   family.    The  larger  Hawks   are  not 


THREE    NESTING-BOXES    IN    POSITION    ON 
THE     EDGE     OF     A     SPRUCE     STAND     IN     THE 
WOODS    OF    BARON    VON    BERLEPSCH. 
These  are  for  experiments  with  the  smaller  Tits,  as  described 
herein. 


Some  Observations  on   Bird   Protection   in   Germany       337 

troubled,  and  are  commonly  seen  about  the  grain-fields.  Some  of  the  shelter- 
wood  plantations  in  the  home  parks  are  protected  by  a  wire  box- trap,  with 
long  extending  wings  of  wire  mesh  approximately  at  right  angles  to  each  other, 
and  only  a  few  feet  high.  Any  prowling  creature  coming  upon  one  of  these 
wings  follows  it  up  to  the  central  trap,  and,  upon  entering,  closes  the  door 
and  is  held  fast  until  the  arrival  of  the  bird-keeper,  who  disposes  of  his 
captive  as  may  be  thought  best  for  the  interests  of  the  birds.  Great  vigilance 
in  this  work  of  ^•ermin  control  is  necessary. 


A  VIEW  OF  POPLARS  WHOSE  BRANCHES  ARE  CUT  BACK  TO  THE  TRUNK 
EVERY  FIVE  OR  SIX  YEARS  TO  FORM  NESTING-SITES.  ONE  OR  TWO  NESTS  OF 
THE    YEAR    WERE    TO    BE    FOUND    IN    PRACTICALLY   EVERY   TREE. 

In  conclusion,  it  may  be  of  interest  to  refer  briefly  to  the  imitation  of  Baron 
von  Berlepsch's  methods  in  the  forests  of  Hess  and  Baden.  The  writer  visited 
those  in  the  vicinity  of  Frankfurt,  Darmstadt,  Heidelberg,  Baden-Baden,  and 
Forbach,  and,  in  all  except  the  last,  found  that  active  measures  were  being 
taken  to  protect  and  increase  birds  because  of  their  economic  value  in  the 
forest.  The  von  Berlepsch  nesting-boxes  and  feeding-stations  and  baths  were 
in  evidence,  especially.  It  is  noteworthy  that  in  the  most  intensively  culti- 
vated forests  80  per  cent  to  90  per  cent  of  these  boxes  were  occupied;  whereas, 
in  the  forest  at  Baden-Baden,  where  there  are  a  good  many  old  and  unsound 
trees,  which  doubtless  offer  natural  nesting  cavities,  not  more  than  25  per  cent 
or  30  per  cent  were  said  to  be  occupied.  At  Heidelberg,  the  Von  Berlepsch 
pruning  idea  is  carried  out  on  single  or  small  groups  of  shrubs,  the  object 
being  the  protection  of  these  young  plantations  from  insect  pests. 


An  Island  Home  of  the  American  Merganser 

By   FRANCIS   HARPER.  Ithaca,  N.  Y. 
With   photographs  by  the  Author 

IN  THE  widest  waters  of  Lake  Champlain,  between  two  and  three  miles  off 
Willsboro  Point,  on  the  New  York  side,  lies  a  cluster  of  islets,  which  are 
known  as  the  Four  Brothers.  On  the  east,  beyond  the  Vermont  shore, 
looms  the  huge  mass  of  Camel's  Hump,  and  the  high  summits  of  the  Adiron- 
dacks  mark  an  irregular  western  horizon.  All  of  the  islets  are  tree-grown,  and 
several  bear  also  a  thick  cover  of  grass.  Their  shores  are  strewn  with  large  and 
small  fragments  of  shale  from  the  precipitous  banks,  which,  in  places,  rise  to  a 
height  of  thirty  or  forty  feet.  The  comparative  security  afforded  by  an  island 
home  attracts  to  the  Four  Brothers,  in  the  breeding  season,  several  species  of 
water-  or  shore-loving  birds;  and  they  also  receive  protection  from  a  warden, 
whom  the  owner  of  the  islands  employs  during  the  summer  months  to  guard 
the  birds  and  their  nests  from  human  disturbers  and  thieving  Crows. 

In  early  July,  1910,  when  Mr.  Clinton  G.  Abbott  and  I  spent  several  days 
at  this  delightful  spot,  the  scores  of  Herring  Gulls  had  nearly  finished  their 
nesting;  and  both  old  and  young  Spotted  Sandpipers  fairly  swarmed  over  the 
rocky  shores  and  on  the  higher,  grassy  portions  of  the  islands.  But  a  far  more 
elusive  and  more  imperfectly  known  species  very  soon  engaged  our  attention. 
The  zealous  guardian  of  the  birds,  William  E.  Ward,  told  us  of  an  unknown 
sort  of  'Duck'  that  was  nesting  within  a  stone's-throw  of  his  cabin  on  House 


AMERICAN   MERGANSER   ON  NEST,  HOUSE   ISLAND.  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN,  N.  Y. 

JULY  10,  1910 

(338) 


An   Island   Home  of  the  American   Merganser 


339 


Island  (the  westernmost  of  the  group) ;  and  we  followed  him  with  eager  interest 
toward  a  cluster  of  arborvitae  growing  at  the  edge  of  the  ten-  or  twelve-foot 
bank.    There,  in  a  little  nook,  which  was  overhung  by  the  low-spreading 
branches  of  arborvitae 
and     surrounded     by 
projecting    roots,    we 
rejoiced  to  see  a  female 
Merganser  on  her  nest. 

So  accustomed  had 
the  bird  become  to  the 
warden's  daily  visits 
that  she  now  remained 
for  a  time  and  very 
quietly  met  our  admir- 
ing gaze.  The  sharp 
line  across  her  neck, 
setting  off  the  rich 
brown  of  the  head  from 
the  ashy  gray  of  the 
rest  of  the  body,  at 
once  determined  the 
species  as  Merganser 
americanus.  From 
where  we  stood,  we 
could  even  note  the 
position  of  the  nostrils 
well  forward  on  her 
bill — another  specific 
character,  which,  how- 
ever, one  very  seldom 
has  an  opportunity  to 
observe  in  the  field.  Some  long  feathers  stuck  out  from  the  back  of  her  head 
to  form  a  sparse  yet  fairly  conspicuous  crest. 

When  presently  the  Merganser  departed  from  her  nest,  she  disclosed  five 
eggs,  which  were  resting  on  a  mass  of  down  in  the  midst  of  a  loose  collection 
of  sticks  and  leaves.  At  less  than  a  yard's  distance,  the  bank  dropped  abruptly 
down  to  the  beach,  which  was  a  couple  of  rods  in  width  at  that  point.  This 
nesting-site  on  the  fairly  open  ground  differs  considerably  from  those  described 
in  most  of  the  published  accounts,  and  it  very  likely  represents  a  modification 
brought  about  by  the  security  of  its  environment  on  an  isolated  group  of  islets. 
The  complement  of  five  eggs  was  smaller,  of  course,  than  the  typical  number. 
Another  Merganser's  nest,  which  the  warden  showed  us  on  Middle  Island,  was 
situated  far  under  a  stump  cast  up  on  the  rock-strewn  beach,  and  contained 
nine  or  ten  eggs. 


FEMALE   AMERICAN    MERGANSER    FLYING   FROM    NEST 


340 


Bird -Lore 


Late  in  the  followinpj  afternoon,  I  began  to  approach  cautiously  toward  the 
nest  on  House  Ishmd,  going  inch  l)y  inch  with  increasingly  deliberate  move- 
ments. In  this  manner  I  was  enabled  to  set  up  a  tripod  only  fifteen  feet  from 
the  nest,  focus  the  camera  on  the  sitting  bird,  and  secure  a  20-second  exposure. 
Now  and  then  a  pugnacious  Gull,  whose  young  were  probably  somewhere  near, 
created  a  diversion  by  swooping  past  my  head  with  a  hair-raising  swish  of 
stiffly  set  wings,  and  uttering  its  angry  cry,  a-ka-ka-kak;  but  the  Merganser 
appeared  little  concerned.    It  was  not  until  I  had  moved  still  closer,  and  was 


AMERICAN  MERGANSER'S  NEST  AND  EGGS,  HOUSE  ISLAND,  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN,  N.  Y. 

JULY    10,   iQio 

about  to  make  another  exposure,  that  the  bird  decided  to  seek  safer  quarters. 
She  scurried  swiftly  to  the  edge  of  the  bank  and  launched  into  the  air,  dropping 
down  close  to  the  water  at  first,  but  not  settling  on  its  surface  until  a  consider- 
able distance  otifshore. 

The  warden  told  us  of  a  somewhat  different  manner  in  which  he  had  seen 
the  bird  take  her  departure  from  the  nest.  She  would  start,  he  said,  in  a  rather 
steeply  inclined  course  from  the  top  of  the  bank,  strike  the  water  just  beyond 
the  shore-line,  and  rise  up  at  once  (doubtless  with  a  vigorous  use  of  feet  as  well 
as  of  wings)  to  fiy  ofif  farther  over  the  lake.    This  interesting  performance  on 


An   Island  Home  of  the   American  Merganser  341 

the  Merganser's  part  may  be  the  more  readily  comprehended  by  one  who  has 
observed  how  a  Cofmorant,  when  it  takes  wing  from  a  harbor  stake  in  calm 
weather,  is  obliged  to  'wet  its  tail,'  as  the  fishermen  say,  before  it  can  get  fairly 
under  way. 

Several  times  we  tried  the  experiment  of  leaving  the  camera  set  closeto 
the  nest,  with  a  covering  of  green  branches,  and  with  a  long  thread  attached  to 
the  shutter.  Upon  one  such  occasion,  I  was  drifting  in  a  rowboat  out  on  the  lake, 
in  order  to  observe  the  bird's  return.  Presently  I  saw  her  come  flying  in  straight 
toward  the  bank,  and  rise  to  a  level  with  its  top ;  but,  at  the  last  instant  before 
alighting,  she  stopped  in  mid-air  and  hovered  for  a  moment  or  two  almost  in 
the  manner  of  a  Kingfisher.  As  if  not  satisfied  with  the  appearances  about  the 
nest,  she  turned  and  came  to  rest  offshore.  It  was  not  long,  however,  before 
she  winged  her  way  in  again,  and  this  time  alighted  on  the  bank  beside  the 
nest.  I  felt  safe  in  concluding  that  she  had  no  land-trail  leading  to  her  home 
under  the  arborvitae. 

We  were  dismayed,  one  morning,  to  discover  that  both  bird  and  eggs  had 
disappeared  from  sight;  but  a  little  closer  investigation  of  the  apparently 
empty  nest  revealed  that  she  had  merely  arranged  a  neat  covering  of  down  over 
the  eggs,  before  setting  out  for  a  fishing-trip  on  the  lake.  One  would  hardly 
expect  an  instinct  for  concealing  the  eggs  in  such  a  way  to  have  been  developed 
in  a  species  that  typically  nests  in  holes;  in  the  present  case,  however,  the  device 
both  served  what  was  probably  its  original  purpose  in  pre\-enting  the  eggs 
from  becoming  chilled  during  the  bird's  absence,  and  also  kept  them  safe  from 
the  greedy  eyes  of  Crows  and  Gulls. 

The  male  not  only  failed  to  share  in  the  incubation,  but  did  not  even  come 
into  sight  during  our  stay;  and,  as  appeared  later,  he  probably  manifested  no 
interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  young. 

I  am  much  indebted  to  the  warden  for  the  use  of  the  careful  notes  which  he 
made  on  this  Merganser  at  various  times  during  a  period  of  more  than  seven 
weeks.  The  following  extracts  (which  have  been  freely  paraphrased)  make  evi- 
dent the  very  long  period  of  incubation,  and  also  touch  upon  one  or  two  points 
of  interest  in  regard  to  the  development  of  the  young  and  the  mother's  care  of 
them.  "On  June  16,  a  nest  with  five  eggs  was  discovered  on  House  Island.  Tour 
of  the  five  eggs  had  hatched  by  July  14.  No  further  observations  were  made  on 
the  Merganser  until  July  18,  when  she  was  seen  with  the  four  young  on  the 
south  shore  of  House  Island.  The  mother  was  very  timid,  and  swam  rapidly 
out  into  the  lake,  diving  often,  while  the  young  seemed  to  run  over  the  water. 
They  were  noticed  on  several  different  dates  thereafter,  being  finally  seen  on 
August  5  near  High  Island;  the  young  then  dove  with  the  mother." 


Impressions  of  the  Voices  of  Tropical  Birds 

By  LOUIS   AGASSIZ   FUERTES 

Illustrated  by  the  Author 

FIFTH  PAPER.— TOUCANS,  CUCKOOS,  TROGONS.  MOTMOTS,  AND   THEIR  ALLIES 

THE  principal  sensation  one  gets  in  the  tropical  forest  is  the  mystery  of 
the  unknown  voices.  Many  of  these  remain  forever  mysteries  unless 
one  stays  long  and  seeks  diligently.  I  am  very  sure  that  many  sounds  I 
now  tentatively  attribute  to  certain  birds  really  belong  to  others,  though  several 
are  among  the  striking  sounds. 

The  Toucans  are  all  noisy  birds,  and  for  the  most  part  they  are  all  very 
boldly  marked  with  strongly  contrasting  colors,  all  but  the  small  green  members 
of  the  genus  Aulacorhamphus  being  brightly  dashed  with  black,  yellow,  red, 
white  or  blue,  with  bills  as  bizarre  as  they  are  huge.  Andigena  is  commonly 
called  the  "Siete-color" — seven  color — from  his  Joseph's  coat  of  black,  blue, 
red,  yellow,  chestnut,  green,  and  white.  Pteroglossus,  as  an  entire  group,  is 
garbed  in  the  most  strikingly  contrasting  patterns  of  black,  yellow,  red,  and 
green,  with  bills  of  enormous  relative  size  and  painted  like  a  barber's  pole. 
Rhamphastos,  containing  the  biggest  of  all  Toucans,  with  beaks  like  elongated 
lobster-claws,  of  all  imaginable  and  many  unimaginable  designs  in  black  and 
yellow,  white,  red,  blue,  green,  or  orange,  are  themselves  principally  black, 
trimmed  with  a  yellow  or  white  throat  and  breast,  and  lesser  patches  of 
red  and  white  or  yellow  at  the  base  of  the  tail.  One  would  naturally  suppose 
that  with  these  flashy  colors  and  their  noisy  habits  and  large  size.  Toucans 
would  be  among  the  easiest  of  birds  to  find;  but  this  is  far  from  the  case.  I 
think  we  all  found  them  to  be  as  hard  to  locate,  after  their  calls  had  given  us 
their  general  whereabouts,  as  any  of  the  birds  we  encountered.  The  little 
green  snarlers  of  the  genus  Aulacorhamphus,  whose  harsh  voice  seemed  to  me  to 
sound  like  the  slow  tearing  of  a  yard  of  oil-cloth,  were  in  many  places  quite 
common;  but  only  those  whose  movements  disclosed  them  ever  fell  into  our 
hands,  for  it  was  about  hopeless  to  discover  them  when  they  were  sitting  quiet 
among  the  leafage.  The  blue-breasted  group,  Andigena,  we  encountered  only 
once  or  twice.  The  only  one  I  saw  I  got  from  the  steep  trail  in  the  Central 
Andes,  and  it  was  to  the  rattling  accompaniment  of  horns  of  some  fifty  pack- 
oxen  we  were  passing  on  the  narrow  road.  The  excitement  the  shot  caused 
among  the  startled  beasts  gave  me  other  things  to  think  of,  at  the  moment, 
and  I  do  not  now  remember  whether  my  "siete-color"  had  a  voice  or  not.  When 
I  finally  retrieved  him,  he  was  some  forty  yards  or  more  down  the  steep  and 
tangled  mountain-side.  In  this  connection,  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  offer 
one  suggestion  in  explanation  of  the  great  difficulty  of  locating  these  large  and 
apparently  gaudily  colored  birds  in  the  tropical  woods,  and  in  retrieving  them 
when  shot. 

To  our  northern  eyes,  used  only  to  green  leaves  seldom  larger  than  our  hand, 

(342) 


^ 


(f  ^,lc^;«|f'^'rO 


/;  .^  C«^  'i/^UA;^ 


TOUCANS 
Sketched  from  Nature 

(343) 


344  Bird  -  Lore 

the  extravagant  wealth  of  size,  form  and  color  in  tropical  vegetation  offers 
quite  as  much  wonderment  and  occupation  as  do  the  birds  themselves;  and 
here  we  have  a  diversion  of  the  attention,  however  unconscious  it  may  be,  that 
certainly  has  its  effect.  Added  to  this,  there  are  actual  variations  in  the  accus- 
tomed color  of  the  foliage  that  repeat  with  greatest  suggestiveness  any  red, 
yellow,  blue,  green,  orange,  or  other  color,  that  may  be  present  on  a  bird. 
No  Toucan's  throat  is  yellower  than  the  light  shining  through  a  thin  leaf,  and 
when  leaf-forms  are  further  complicated  like  those  of  the  Dendrophilum 
creepers,  by  having  great  holes  that  let  through  patches  of  the  dark  back- 
ground or  the  blue  sky,  no  black-patched  Toucan  in  the  foreground  looks  more 
velvety  than  do  these  leaf-interstices.  As  for  the  bizarre  bills,  they  only  serve 
to  make  it  harder;  for  they  bear  no  resemblance  to  bill  or  bird,  and  simply 
merge  their  brilliancy  with  that  of  the  whole  picture  they  sit  in.  I  don't  know 
how  many  times  I  have  searched  and  searched  and  scrutinized,  to  find  the 
author  of  some  raucous  carping,  only  to  see  one  of  the  large  Toucans  burst 
away  from  a  perch  in  plain  sight,  where  he  had  been  all  the  time.  This  has 
happened  to  me  so  frequently  that  I  am  sure  other  students  must  have  had  the 
same  experience.  Perched  on  a  dead  stub  above  the  sky  line.  Toucans,  like 
everything  else,  are  conspicuous  in  the  extreme;  sitting  quietly  within  the 
shade  of  the  forest  cover,  however  varied  their  patchwork  coat,  they  melt 
tantalizingly  into  their  setting. 

The  big,  black  Toucans  of  Rhamphastos  are  generatly  called  by  the  natives 
Dios  te  de  or  Dios  te  ve — meaning  God  will  give  to  you,  or  God  sees  you.  This 
is  not  a  confession  of  faith  on  the  part  of  the  simple  native,  but  a  free  and  lilting 
transcription  of  the  bird's  call.  It  gives  the  rhythm  and  general  shape  of  the 
sound  fairly  well.  I  could  analyze  it  a  little  more  closely  by  calling  it  a  loud, 
hoarse  whistle,  with  the  words  Tios-to-to  or  Tios,  to,  to,  to.  It  has  something  of 
the  queer  quality  of  a  Yellow-billed  Cuckoo's  song,  only,  of  course,  it  is  much 
larger  and  louder.  R.  tocard  is  the  ''Dios  te  de;''  but  the  name  fairly  well  fits, 
and  is  generally  applied,  to  the  whole  group  of  heavy-billed  Toucans. 

The  only  other  group  we  encountered  was  Pteroglossus,  the  Aracari  Tou- 
cans. These  are  small  Toucans,  all  joints  and  angles,  much  given  to  going 
around  in  noisy  troops,  like  Jays,  Skilful  and  jerky  acrobats,  they  are  the 
very  extreme  of  bow-legged  angularity.  Curious  as  Jays,  they  jerk  and  perk 
their  way  up  into  the  branches  of  some  dead  tree,  their  great  clumsy  beaks 
and  thin  pointed  tails  complementing  each  other  at  odd  angles.  Toucans  are 
all  great  tail-jerkers,  and  the  Aracaris  the  most  switchy  of  all.  Their  harsh 
mobbing-cries  recall  some  similar  sounds  made  by  Jays,  but  are  even  louder 
and  much  more  prolonged.  Both  are  a  great  nuisance  to  the  hunter,  as  they 
follow  endlessly,  their  curious  prying  screeches  and  squawks  effectually  chas- 
ing out  all  the  birds  requiring  more  finesse  in  their  approach.  I  should  call  their 
most  characteristic  noise  a  rattling,  throaty  squawk.  In  any  case,  it  will  not 
take  a  green  hunter  long  to  identify  these  birds,  as  they  are  restless  and  their 


Impressions  of   the   Voices  of  Tropical   Birds 


345 


motion  will  soon  catch  the  eye.  I  strongly  suspect  all  the  Toucans  of  the  habit 
and  ability  to  slip  noiselessly  and  rapidly  away,  in  case  their  curiosity  is  satis- 
fied or  their  fear  aroused.  They  are  capable  of  making  long  leaps  from  branch 
to  branch  with  their  wings  closed,  like  Jays  and  Cuckoos,  only  more  so.  What 
with  their  looks,  their  noises,  and  their  actions,  no  group  of  birds  has  more 
amusing  and  interesting  new  sensations  to  offer  than  the  Toucans. 

The  family  of  Cuckoos  has  some  very  interesting  developments  in  the 
American  Tropics.  The  little  Four-wing — Diplopterus — heard  in  the  sunny 
river-bottoms  and  lower  brushy  slopes — such  places  as  a  Brown  Thrasher 


ANI 

would  affect — has  perhaps  the  most  insistent  voice  in  his  habitat.  The  com- 
monest is  an  ascending  couplet  of  notes  a  semitone  apart:  £,  F.  This  is  a  sharp, 
piercing  whistle,  that  gets  to  be  as  much  a  part  of  the  shimmering  landscape 
as  a  Hyla's  notes  do  of  a  northern  meadow-bog  in  March.  Indeed,  the  Four- 
wing's  fuller  song,  which  is  a  long,  piercing  note,  followed  after  a  short  pause 
by  an  ascending  series  of  shorter  notes,  awoke  a  strangely  familiar  chord,  which 
I  afterward  attached  to  the  very  similar  pond-toad  call  at  home.  The  name 
Four-wing  arises  from  the  curious  over-development  of  the  false-wing,  or 
thumb  plumes,  which  in  this  queer  little  bird  form  a  sharply  defined  and 
separately  distensible  fan  of  black,  which  the  bird  displays  with  a  curious 
ducking  motion. 

The  larger  brown  Cuckoos  of  the  genus  Piaya,  which  the  natives  rather 
aptly  call  'squirrel  birds,'  from  their  color  and  the  slippery  way  they  glide 


346 


Bird  -  Lore 


..'.^ip 


through  the  branches,  I  have  never  heard  call  but  once,  though  they  are  fairly 
common  throughout  most  of  tropical  America.  This  one  sat  in  a  bare  cecropia 
tree,  and  did  a  loud,  rough  kek,  kek,  kek,  repeated  twenty  times  or  more,  and 
I  at  first  took  it  for  a  big  Woodpecker. 

It  is  the  little  black,  witch-like  Ani,  that  is  really  the  common  Cuckoo  of  the 
open  savannas,  and  abounds  over  the  cattle-ranges  and  around  the  villages. 

There  are  a  great 
many  common  native 
names  for  these  con- 
spicuous little  black 
whiners,  the  common- 
est being  Garrapatero, 
or  tick-eater.  This  is 
almost  universal, 
though  in  Cuba  and 
Porto  Rico  it  bears, 
from  its  obsequious 
manner  and  its  great 
thin  curved  beak,  the 
apt  title  of  Judio — or 
Jew.  They  are  almost 
always  in  molt,  and 
look  shoddy  and  worn, 
and  their  peevishly 
whined  "ooo-eek"  gets 
to  be  a  mildly  annoy- 
ing accompaniment  to 
the  day's  work. 

The  Barbets  and 
Puff-birds  {Capita  and 
Bucco)  fall  naturally 
into  this  group,  though 
they  did  not  give  us  much  to  work  on  as  to  their  notes.  Bucco  was  usually 
found  perching  quietly  on  some  twig  halfway  up  in  the  trees  along  the  road- 
side or  pasture  edges.  All  I  remember  of  him  is  that  he  had  a  buzzing  sort 
of  scold,  and  could  bite  a  piece  out  of  my  finger  when  caught  in  the  hand. 

The  little  spotted  Barbet,  however  (C.  auratus),  at  Buena  Vista,  on  the 
eastern  foot  of  the  Andes,  had  a  curious  little  toot  that  was  the  despair  of  all 
of  us  till  Mr.  Chapman  associated  it  with  Capito.  Hoot-oot  .  .  .  Hoot-oot  in 
perfect  time — Hoot-oot  (blank)  Hoot-oot  (blank),  almost  indefinitely.  It  was 
a  pervasive  sound,  about  as  loud  as  and  very  like  the  indi\ddual  toots  of  a 
Screech  Owl,  and  was  given  to  the  invariable  accompaniment  of  the  twitching 
tail,  and  with  the  neck  humped  up  and  the  bill  directed  downward. 


J'Ul'l'-BlRD   {Bucco  ruficallis) 


/(,"/.'  yuit^i't 


TROGONS  (Trogon  collaris  and  Pkaromacrus  aniisianus) 


(347) 


348 


Bird  -  Lore 


Every  student  in  the  tropics  hopes  he  may  soon  meet  with  Trogons,  at 
once  the  most  beautiful  and  the  most  mysterious  of  all  the  varied  tropical  birds. 
Nothing  could  exceed  the  richness  of  their  contrasting  blood-red  underparts, 

white  and  black  tails, 
and  resplendent 
emera  Id  -  green  heads 
and  backs.  The  large 
Pharomacrus  Trogons, 
of  which  the  famed 
Quetzal  is  a  type, 
with  their  delicate  yet 
richly  gorgeous  and 
pendulous  mantle  of 
feathers,  are,  for 
sheer  beauty,  among 
Nature's  truly  great 
triumphs,  and  cannot 
fail  to  force  deep  ap- 
preciation from  the 
most  calloused  or 
mercenary  collector. 
P.  antisianus  has  a 
loud,  rolling  call,  which 
I  put  in  my  notes  as 
Whee  00,  corre  o,  done 
in  a  round,  velvety 
whistle.  When,  after 
quite  a  long  time  spent 
in  imitating  the  un- 
known note,  in  the 
soggy  tree-fern  forest 
at  the  ridge  of  the 
coast  Andes,  this 
magnificent  ruby  and 
emerald  creature  came 
swinging  toward  me  in 
deeply  undulating  waves  and  perched  alertly  in  full  sight  not  far  away,  I  found 
it  hard  to  breathe,  so  great  was  my  excitement  and  joy.  We  never  found  it  a 
common  bird  and  only  three  were  seen  in  all  our  travel  in  Columbia. 

A  close  congener  of  antisianus,  the  Golden-headed  Trogon,  fails  in  elegance 
before  this  distinguished  beauty,  though  a  marvel,  nevertheless.  Its  notes  are 
more  commonplace,  too,  being  merely  booming  hoots,  not  very  loud  but  quite 
pervasive.  The  little  banded  Trogons,  with  pink  breasts,  as  well  as  the  yellow- 


^^  #*^''^- 


MOTMOT 


Impressions   of  the   Voices   of  Tropical   Birds  349 

breasted  ones,  have  very  characteristic  calls,  so  like  each  other  that  I  never 
learned  to  distinguish  the  various  species.  They  all  sit  quietly  on  some  slender 
perch  or  vine-stem,  and  do  their  rolling  call  ruk,  ruk,  uk,  uk,  uk,  k,  k,  k,  k,  all 
on  the  same  note.  Here  again  the  tail  seems  to  be  indispensable  to  the  per- 
formance, and  jerks  sharply  forward  under  the  perch  with  each  syllable. 
More  than  once  this  motion  became  the  index  to  the  authorship  of  the  strangely 
pervasive  and  ventriloquistic  sound. 

One  other  group  of  birds  has  this  quiet  fashion  of  softly  hooting  from  some 
low  perch  in  the  thicker  and  more  watered  parts  of  the  forest.  The  curious 
racket-tailed  Motmots  have  what  I  call  the  most  velvety  of  all  bird  notes.  It 
is  usually  a  single  short  oot,  pitched  about  five  tones  below  where  one  can  whistle. 
This  note  is  very  gentle,  though  fairly  loud,  and  I  think  that  some  persons  who 
do  not  hear  low  vibrations  ver>'  well  would  often  fail  to  notice  it  at  a  short 
distance.  Most  of  the  natives  have  sound-names  for  Motmots,  and  the  Maya 
Indians  of  Yucatan  call  the  brilliant  little  Eumomota  "Toh,"  and,  as  an  appre- 
ciation of  the  interest,  he  has  come  to  nest  and  roost  familiarly  in  the  age-long 
deserted  ruins  of  their  former  glory. 

Indeed,  these  mysterious,  gentle,  shy,  little  birds  came  to  me,  at  least,  to  be 
the  living  symbol  of  this  great  lost  magnificence;  for  the  present-day  Mayas 
know  naught  of  the  art  and  history  of  their  great  forefathers,  whose  temples 
and  beautiful  buildings  are  now  in  utter  oblivion  and  disuse,  except  as  the 
shelters  and  dwellings  of  little  "Toh,"  the  Motmot,  and  his  soft  hoot  is  the 
only  sound  that  ever  issues  from  their  carved  portals. 


CANVASBACKS,  CAYUGA   LAKE,  N.  Y.,  FEB.  i6,  igia 
Photographed  by  Francis  Harper 


The  Hermit  Thrush 

Here,  on  the  river,  a  shining  reach, 
My  love'd  canoe  and  the  sunset  glow; 
Gray  rocks  inverted  in  the  tide, 
Two  silver  birches  that  lean  below. 

Sudden,  as  twilight  gathers  round. 
And  the  ripples  stir  as  I  drift  along, 
Close  to  the  bank,  where  the  branches  bend, 
The  Hermit  Thrush  bursts  into  song. 

Joyous  and  clear  on  the  quiet  air 
Peals  forth  that  wonderful  silver  strain, 
Like  the  sunset  bells  from  the  ivied  tower 
Of  some  gray  convent  in  far-off  Spain. 


In  the  streets  I  left  an  hour  ago, 
News  of  battle  across  the  foam — 
Strife  and  carnage  in  lands  afar — 
Grief  and  mourning  with  us  at  home; 

War's  red  hand  over  land  and  sea, 
Ruin  that  smites  the  field  and  hearth; 
Thunder  of  guns  on  the  Northern  main, — 
Tramp  of  armies  that  fill  the  earth. 

Yet  here  on  the  river,  a  shining  reach, 

Golden  ripples  that  stir  and  cease. 

And  clear  and  sweet  through  the  gathering  gloom 

The  silver  voice  that  sings  of  Peace! 

— Evelyn  Smith. 


(350) 


The  Migration  of  North  American  Sparrows 

THIRTIETH  PAPER 

Compiled  by  Prof.  W.  W.  Cooke,  Chiefly  from  Data  in  the  Biological  Survey 

With  drawings  by  Louis  Agassiz  Fuertes 

(See  Frontispiece) 

WORTHEN'S    SPARROW 

Little  is  known  of  the  distribution  of  Worthen's  Sparrow.  So  far,  it  has  been 
taken  at  only  three  places:  Silver  City,  N.  M.,  June  i6,  1884;  Chalchicomula, 
Puebla,  April  28,  1893,  and  Miquihana,  Tamaulipas,  June  8,  9,  1898. 

TEXAS    SPARROW 

The  lower  part  of  the  Rio  Grande  Valley  is  the  home  of  the  Texas  Sparrow, 
and  it  ranges  here  northwest  to  Fort  Clark,  and  along  the  Gulf  Coast  to  Cor- 
pus Christi,  and  San  Patricio  County.  It  is  non-migratory.  It  also  occurs  in 
northeastern  Mexico,  in  the  States  of  San  Luis  Potosi,  Nuevo  Leon,  and 
Tamaulipas. 

GREEN-TAILED   TOWHEE 

From  its  winter  home  in  northern  Mexico  and  along  the  border  of  the 
United  States,  the  Green-tailed  Towhee  moves  slowly  northward,  occupying 
more  than  tw^o  months — late  February  to  early  May — in  passing  across  the 
less  than  a  thousand  miles  from  the  northern  limit  of  the  winter  home  to  the 
northern  boundary'  of  the  breeding  range.  Some  dates  of  spring  arrival  are: 
San  Antonio,  Tex.,  February  25,  1885;  Carlisle,  N.  M.,  March  21,  1890; 
Camp  Grant,  Ariz.,  March  6,  1867;  Santa  Catalina  Mountains,  Ariz.,  March 
18,  1902;  near  Fort  Lewis,  Colo.,  average  April  29,  earliest  April  27,  1906; 
Fort  Lyon,  Colo.,  April  30,  1885;  Beulah,  Colo.,  average  May  6,  earliest. 
May  4,  1904;  Yimia,  Colo.,  May  3,  1906;  Cheyenne,  Wyo.,  May  10,  1889; 
Pasadena,  Calif.,  April  4,  1896;  Murphy's,  Calif.,  April  17,  1877;  Carson  City, 
April  25,  1868;  Fort  Crook,  Calif.,  May  i,  1859;  Fort  Klamath,  Ore.,  May 
17,  1887. 

The  last  one  seen  in  the  fall  at  Fort  Lyon,  Colo.,  was  on  September  26, 1885 ; 
Yvuna,  Colo.,  average  September  26,  latest  September  30,  1908;  Beulah,  Colo., 
average  September  22,  latest  October  23,  1907;  Piney  Divide,  Colo.,  October 
8,  1906. 


(3SI) 


Notes  on  the  Plumage  of  North  American  Sparrows 

TWENTY-NINTH   PAPER 
By  FRANK  M.    CHAPMAN 

(See  Frontispiece) 

Worthen's  Sparrow  (Spizella  wortheni,  Fig.  i). — Few  of  our  birds  have 
a  briefer  history  than  this  Sparrow.  Discovered  in  1884,  near  Silver  City, 
New  Mexico,  it  is  still  known  from  very  few  specimens  taken  chiefly  in  Mexico. 
Doubtless  Worthen's  Sparrow  is  a  representative  of  the  Field  Sparrow,  the 
western  form  of  which  it  resembles  but,  as  Ridgway  remarks,  its  tail  is  shorter, 
the  wing-bands  less  distinct,  the  sides  of  the  head  are  gray,  and  there  is  no 
brown  postocular  streak.  There  are  no  specimens  of  this  bird  in  the  Ameri- 
can Museum,  and  I  can  say  nothing  about  its  changes  of  plumage. 

Texas  Sparrow  (Arremenops  rufivirgata,  Fig.  2). — Few  birds  show  less 
change  of  plumage  than  does  this  bush-haunting  Sparrow.  The  male  resembles 
the  female;  there  is  practically  no  difference  between  the  winter  and  the  sum- 
mer dress,  and  after  the  post-juvenal  molt  the  bird  of  the  year  cannot  be  dis- 
tinguished from  its  parents. 

The  Juvenal,  or  nestling  plumage,  however,  is  strongly  streaked  with  fuscous 
both  above  and  below.  At  the  post-juvenal  molt  apparently  only  the  wing- 
quills  and  tail-feathers  of  this  plumage  are  retained,  and  the  bird  passes  into 
its  first  winter  plumage,  which,  as  just  remarked,  resembles  that  of  the  adult. 

There  appears  to  be  no  spring  molt,  and  summer  birds  differ  from  winter 
ones  only  in  being  more  worn. 

Green-tailed  Towhee  {Oreospiza  chlorura,  Figs.  3  and  4). — In  this  so- 
called  Towhee,  the  adult  male  and  female  are  alike  in  color,  and  there  is 
essentially  no  difference  between  their  summer  and  winter  plumages.  The 
young  male,  also,  after  the  post-juvenal  molt,  resembles  its  parents;  but  the 
young  female  (Fig.  3)  in  corresponding  (first  winter)  plumage  has  the  chestnut 
crown-cap  largely  concealed  by  the  grayish  tips  of  the  feathers,  and  the  back 
is  grayer  than  in  the  adult. 

The  Juvenal  or  nestling  plumage  is  streaked  with  dusky  blackish  both 
above  and  below.  At  the  post-juvenal  molt,  only  the  wing-quills,  primary 
coverts  and  tail-feathers  of  this  plumage  are  retained,  when  the  young  male,  as 
said  above,  acquires  a  plumage  resembling  that  of  the  adults,  while  in  the  young 
female  the  crown-cap  is  absent. 

The  prenuptial  or  spring  molt  appears  to  be  confined  to  the  throat  and 
anterior  parts  of  the  head.  Probably  the  immature  female  acquires  fresh 
chestnut  feathers  in  the  crown,  and  with  the  wearing  away  of  the  grayish  tips 
of  the  winter  plumage  her  crown-cap  becomes  like  that  of  the  adult.  Aside 
from  this,  the  summer  plumage  differs  from  winter  plumage  only  through  the 
effects  of  wear  and  fading,  the  upper  parts  being  grayer,  the  flanks  paler. 

(35?) 


^otes  from  Jftelti  anti  ^tutip 


Brookline  Bird  Club 

The  Brookline,  Massachusetts,  Bird 
Club  was  organized  in  June,  1913,  at  a 
meeting  of  a  handful  of  people  held  in  the 
Public  Library.  It  was  found,  upon  in- 
quiry, that  there  were  many  residents  of 
the  town,  both  adults  and  minors,  who 
were  interested  in  the  study  and  preserva- 
tion of  birds,  and  others  who  only  needed 
an  incentive  to  become  thoroughly  fasci- 
nated by  the  subject. 

It  was  further  discovered  that,  while 
nature-study  is  taught  in  the  elementary 
grades  of  the  public  schools,  the  study  of 
birds  is  almost  optional  with  the  teachers, 
and  it  remains  with  them  whether  or  not 
their  efforts  are  more  than  superficial. 
Instructors  who  are  not  interested  in  a 
subject  do  not  interest  their  pupils. 
Brookline  has  grown  with  such  rapidity 
during  the  last  ten  years  that  it  is  no 
longer  a  small  town  of  fine  residences  and 
large  estates.  The  ornithologist,  aside 
from  the  fine  park  system,  must  now  go 
further  into  the  country  to  find  the  rarer 
birds,  and  few  people  know  where  to  go. 
It  was  thus  necessary,  not  only  to  arouse 
and  enthuse,  but  to  lead  them  to  the 
proper  parts  of  the  surrounding  country, 
where  the  opportunities  for  becoming 
acquainted  with  many  species  are  excep- 
tionally good.  The  forestry  department 
of  the  town,  than  which  there  is  none  more 
efficient  in  the  state,  has  done  fine  work 
under  Supt.  Daniel  Lacey  in  exterminating 
many  varieties  of  insect  pests.  This  de- 
partment also  feeds  the  birds  in  winter, 
has  put  up  some  four  hundred  nesting- 
boxes  in  different  parts  of  the  town,  and, 
after  studying  the  subject  carefully,  has 
came  to  the  very  logical  conclusion  that  the 
birds  must  be  protected  and  encouraged 
to  live  in  the  town  if  the  fight  against  the 
insects  is  to  be  successful. 

The    cooperation    of    this    department 
with  the  Bird  Club  has  become  of  much 


mutual  benefit.  At  the  organization  meet- 
ing, a  tentative  plan  was  agreed  upon, 
and  the  drawing  up  of  a  constitution  was 
intrusted  to  a  small  committee.  A  second 
meeting  was  held,  the  constitution  adopted, 
ofiicers  elected,  and  the  club  launched. 
Permission  was  granted  by  the  trustees  of 
the  Public  Library  for  the  use  of  a  large 
room  by  the  new  association,  bulletin 
space  was  given,  books  on  ornithology 
were  bought  and  set  aside  for  special  use, 
and  the  privilege  of  having  mail  sent  there 
was  agreed  upon.  Publicity  was  given 
freely  in  both  of  the  local  papers  and  the 
Boston  press,  so  that  many  applications 
for  membership  came  from  unexpected 
quarters.  At  the  close  of  the  first  year, 
500  names  are  on  the  membership  book. 
The  ofiicers  are  five  in  number,  president, 
vice-president,  secretary,  corresponding 
secretarj^,  and  treasurer.  There  are  seven- 
teen directors,  including  the  ofiicers.  The 
Club  has  four  classes  of  membership:  Life, 
Sustaining,  Senior,  and  Junior.  Life  mem- 
bership is  obtained  by  the  payment  of  ten 
dollars,  and  this  exempts  the  payer  from 
further  dues.  Sustaining  membership 
requires  a  subscription  of  five  dollars,  and 
the  subscriber  is  not  called  upon  for  the 
yearly  fee.  Senior  members  must  be  over 
fourteen  years  of  age,  and  contribute  50 
cents  per  year.  Those  under  14  years  of 
age  are  juniors  and  are  charged  25  cents 
per  annum. 

The  membership  dues  were  placed  as 
low  as  possible,  in  order  that  no  one  should 
find  the  amount  burdensome,  and  that 
all  should  receive  as  much  as  could  be 
given  for  the  lowest  fee. 

Walks  for  senior  members  were  arranged 
Saturday  afternoons,  and  bulletins  giving 
the  date,  place,  leader,  carfare,  and 
and  general  information,  were  mailed  to 
each  member.  These  walks  were  so  success- 
ful that,  another  year,  two  separate 
walks  will^be*scheduled  each  Saturday, 
to  accommodate  the  large  numbers  that 


(353) 


354 


Bird -Lore 


enjoy  them.  In  the  morning  of  the  days 
on  which  the  senior  walks  are  held  the 
junior  walks  are  listed.  Mr.  Horace 
Taylor,  who  conducts  the  junior  depart- 
ment, gives  the  children  a  short  illustrated 
talk  about  the  birds  that  are  expected  to 
be  seen  on  the  walk.  This  talk  is  given 
on  the  afternoon  before  the  walk  is  taken. 
The  children  keep  notebooks  and  their 
lists  of  birds,  make  colored  pictures  and 
nesting-boxes,  and  compete  in  many  ways 
for  small  prizes.  Where  the  distance  re- 
quires the  use  of  the  electric  cars,  a  special 
car  is  hired.  The  children  average  from 
fifty  to  seventy-five  in  number  on  these 
little  excursions. 

One  of  the  most  encouraging  features 
of  the  work  is  the  interest  and  enthusiasm 
of  the  Junior  department.  The  meetings 
of  the  Club  are  held  once  a  month  in  the 
club-room  at  the  Library,  and  consist  of 
a  short  business  meeting,  preceding  an 
informal  talk  or  lecture  on  some  phase  of 
bird-study.  Mr.  Edward  Howe  Forbush, 
Mr.  Winthrop  Packard,  and  Mr.  Ernest 
Harold  Baynes  are  among  those  who  have 
addressed  the  organization  during  this 
last  year. 

The  activity  of  the  club  was  marked 
with  such  success  from  the  start  that  the 
directors  decided  to  undertake  an  educa- 
tional movement  oh  a  larger  scale.  Acting 
in  cooperation  with  the  Forestry  Depart- 
ment of  the  town  upon  an  idea  originating 
with  the  Milton  (Mass.)  Bird  Club,  an 
exhibition  was  planned  of  everything 
pertaining  to  the  study,  conservation,  and 
attracting  of  wild  birds.  This  exhibition 
was  held  in  the  Public  Library. 

Through  the  large  room  ran  an  arbor- 
way,  constructed  of  the  limbs  of  trees  with 
the  bark  on.  To  the  arbor  were  attached 
all  kinds  of  nesting-,  feeding-,  and  shelter- 
boxes,  and  wire  racks  for  holding  grain 
and  suet.  On  long  tables  on  the  right  of 
the  room  were  baths  of  varied  construction 
and  size,  and  large  feeding-boxes.  Hang- 
ing on  the  wall  were  samples  of  the  bird- 
work  done  by  the  children  in  the  schools. 
On  the  left  of  the  arborway  were  stuffed 
specimens  of  native  birds.  Some  were 
borrowed  from  the  Fish  and  Game  Com- 


mission, and  others  were  loaned  from 
private  collections  of  the  president,  Mr. 
Edward  W.  Baker.  A  number  of  his 
specimens  were  mounted  on  the  nesting- 
boxes  and  limbs  of  the  trees  through  the 
arbor,  which  was  particularly  pleasing 
and  well  represented  real  bird-life.  An- 
other table  held  a  complete  exhibit  of 
seeds  and  berries  that  our  local  winter 
birds  feed  upon.  These  were  placed  in 
glass  jars,  giving  the  name  of  each,  where 
they  could  be  purchased,  and  the  price. 
At  the  rear  was  a  display  of  the  Forestry 
Department,  showing  the  work  of  de- 
structive insects,  particularly  the  leopard 
moth  and  elm-tree  beetle,  and  illustrating 
most  vividly  the  necessity  of  attracting 
the  birds  to  destroy  them.  Cases  were 
set  up  containing  specimens  of  the  birds 
that  eat  the  gypsy  and  brown-tail  moths; 
others  showed  the- moths  in  various 
stages  of  growth.  Pictures  of  all  kinds 
including  a  number  of  originals  of  Louis 
Agassiz  Fuertes,  books,  pamphlets,  eggs, 
nests,  photographs,  charts,  and  in  fact 
everything  bearing  on  the  subject  could 
be  found  in  the  room.  The  exhibition  was 
open  for  one  month  from  2  to  q  o'clock 
r.  M.,  and  3,800  visitors  signed  the  regis- 
tration book;  many  others,  particularly 
children,  attended.  In  the  morning,  the 
room  was  open  to  classes  of  school  children 
with  their  teachers. 

At  the  close,  the  exhibition  was  loaned 
to  the  Lynn  and  Nahant  Bird  Clubs,  and 
when  it  is  returned  will  be  made  into  a 
permanent  exhibit.  Each  day,  a  member 
of  the  Forestry  Department  and  two  mem- 
bers of  the  Bird  Club  were  in  attendance, 
to  answer  questions  and  explain.  By  a 
recent  act  of  the  state  legislature,  each 
town  or  city  is  entitled  to  a  bird  warden. 
At  the  last  annual  town  meeting.  Superin- 
tendent Lacey,  of  the  Forestry  Depart- 
ment, was  appointed  warden  for  the  town 
of  Brookline.  The  Bird  Club  has  its  own 
bird  warden.  We  look  forward  to  a  more 
successful  and  busier  year.  Walks,  lec- 
tures, and  another  exhibit  are  all  planned 
already,  and  we  intend  to  keep  Brookline 
foremost  in  the  list  of  those  towns  and 
cities  that  are  working  for  the  interest  of 


Notes   from   Field   and   Study 


355 


the  birds. — Charles     B.    Floyd,    Vice- 
president,  Brookline,  Mass. 

Martins  and  Other  Birds  at  Greens 
Farms,  Connecticut 

We  banished  the  cat  and  the  English 
Sparrows,  and  had  more  birds  nesting 
about  the  home  grounds  than  we  had  last 
year. 

Wrens  occupied  four  of  the  five  boxes 
put  up,  and  their  music  encircled  the 
house.  There  were  three  nests  of  Robins, 
one  on  the  lintel  of  the  front  door,  close 
against  the  glass  transom.  The  Kingbird 
nested  for  the  third  season  in  the  same 
pear  tree,  and  the  Brown  Thrasher  in  the 
syringa  in  the  garden.  When  I  looked  into 
the  Thrashers'  nest  after  the  eggs  hatched, 
the  mother  bird  dived  ofif  a  tree  branch 
overhead  and  struck  me  fairly  in  the  back 
of  the  neck.  The  young  Thrashers  spent  a 
good  deal  of  time  on  the  lawn  close  to  the 
house,  and  there  was  no  cat  to  alarm 
them. 

One  of  the  old  Robins  got  the  habit  of 
pecking  early  and  late  at  its  reflection 
in  the  glass  of  the  cellar  window,  which  is 
on  a  level  with  the  lawn.  We  finally  tilted 
the  window  to  stop  the  continual  pecking. 

Many  Night  Herons  passed  morning  and 
evening  between  their  roost  in  the  woods 
across  the  road  to  the  salt  marsh  opposite. 
Their  flight-calls  were  usually  answered 
in  chorus  by  our  Canada  Geese. 

One  morning,  two  Kingfishers  came  fly- 
ing up  the  road  with  such  noisy  cries  that 
I  rushed  to  the  window.  One  of  them 
darted  around  the  house  and  fell  exhausted 
on  the  lawn,  while  the  pursuing  bird 
passed  over  the  house  and  disappeared. 
The  fugitive  remained  on  the  lawn  while 
I  finished  dressing,  and  did  not  leave  until 
I  tried  to  get  close  enough  to  see  whether 
it  was  a  male  or  a  female.  I  suspect  that 
it  was  a  male,  being  chased  by  another 
male. 

Barn  Swallows  occupied  the  barn,  and 
Chimney  Swifts  the  chimney.  Keeping 
one  of  the  barn  doors  propped  open  all 
day  encourages  the  Swallows.  The  Blue- 
birds used  only  one  of  the  two  boxes  put 


up;  the  first  pair  was  discouraged  by 
Sparrows. 

Best  of  all,  we  had  half-a-dozen  pairs 
of  Martins.  Last  year,  they  left  without 
nesting,  as  the  Sparrows  held  the  Martin 
house  against  all  comers.  By  diligent  use 
of  the  long-barreled,  dust-shot  pistol,  in 
April,  I  banished  the  Sparrows  for  the  sum- 
mer and  the  pleasant  gurglings  of  the 
Martins  paid  many  times  for  the  trouble 
of  fighting  the  Sparrows. 

In  this  region,  the  holes  of  Martin 
houses  must  be  large  enough  to  let  Mart- 
ins in  and  keep  Starlings  out;  but  the 
Martins  will  not  enter  a  one-and-seven- 
eighths-inch  hole  unless  there  is  a  half- 
inch  hole  just  above  it,  to  let  in  light. 
The  Martin's  body  in  the  small  entrance 
makes  the  compartment  dark,  and  the 
bird  seems  afraid  to  enter.  After  the  half- 
inch  windows  were  bored,  they  entered 
freely.  I  expected  the  Kingbirds  close  by 
to  make  trouble  for  the  Martins,  but  was 
happily  disappointed. 

Next  spring,  we  will  have  another  and 
larger  Martin  house,  and  keep  the  dust- 
shot  pistol  handy  for  Sparrow  invaders. 
It  makes  little  noise,  does  not  seem  to 
frighten  Wrens,  Bluebirds,  or  Swallows, 
and  the  Martins  pay  no  attention  to  it. 
The  shotgun  makes  too  much  noise  and 
alarms  all  birds.  I  know  of  nothing  that 
will  banish  Sparrows  as  effectively  as 
the  shot-pistol. 

Get  rid  of  the  home-cat!  One  bottle  of 
Pasteur  Rat  Virus  every  four  months  will 
clear  out  rats  and  mice  better  than  a  dozen 
cats.  We  have  demonstrated  that  to  the 
satisfaction  of  the  neighbors,  which  is 
more  than  was  expected. — Charles  H. 
TowNSEND,  Greens  Farms,  Conn. 

Food  for  the  Birds 

Here  is  an  example  of  what  can  be 
accomplished  by  throwing  out  food  to 
the  birds. 

In  the  storm  of  April  i6,  1914,  when  it 
snowed  in  central  New  Hampshire  to  the 
depth  of  four  inches,  we  swept  a  spot  of 
ground  about  twelve  feet  square,  every 
little  while,  and  strewed  cracked  corn,  or 


356 


Bird  -  Lore 


what  is  known  at  the  store  as  chicken- 
feed.  This  had  been  a  feeding-station  for 
some  time,  but  heretofore  only  Jays,  a  few 
Song  Sparrows,  or  a  Junco  or  two,  had 
patronized  it. 

On  the  day  of  the  storm,  the  average 
number  of  birds  seen  at  a  time  was  40. 
As  night  approached,  we  counted  125 
feeding  together.  Of  the  species,  the  Junco 
predominated  and  in  order  according  to 
numbers:  Song-Sparrow  12,  Blue-Jay  5, 
Tree  Sparrow  3,  Fox  Sparrow  3,  Vesper 
Sparrow  2,  Pine  Siskins  2.  On  the  sur- 
rounding trees  and  bushes,  attracted  by 
the  other  birds,  we  saw  Robins,  a  flock  of 
Crackles,  Red-polls,  and  one  Phoebe,  mak- 
ing eleven  species  in  all. — Mary  Gibes 
Hinds.  Grafton,  N.  H. 

A  Syracuse  Feeding-Station 

My  home  is  only  iifteen  minutes'  walk 
from  the  center  of  a  busy  city.  There  are 
three  lines  of  cars  passing  the  house,  but 
we  have  large  yards  at  the  rear.  Last 
winter,  I  fastened  pieces  of  suet  to  one  of 
the  trees  and  the  grape-arbor  in  the  yard. 
I  called  them  my  bird  restaurants — At 
The  Sign  of  the  Suet.  I  had  five  patrons — 
not  counting  English  Sparrows — two 
pairs  of  Downies,  and  at  least  one  Nut- 
hatch. This  year,  I  have  greatly  increased 
the  scope  of  the  restaurant  privilege,  and 
have  crocheted  six  bags  with  large  meshes, 
in  which  the  suet  can  be  much  better  pro- 
tected from  the  elements.  The  bags  deco- 
rate the  various  trees  in  the  yard  and  the 
grape-arbor.  This  morning,  January  14, 
I  counted  ten  patrons — the  same  two 
pairs  of  Downies,  undoubtedly,  which 
came  last  year,  also  the  Nuthatch.  In 
addition  to  these  are  a  Hairy  Woodpecker 
and  four  Chickadees.  I  had  read  in  Bird- 
Lore  how  Chickadees  might  be  induced 
to  eat  out  of  one's  hand;  but  I  confess  I 
was  somewhat  skeptical.  However,  I 
thought  I  should  try.  For  several  days  I 
was  unsuccessful,  but  one  morning  a 
Chickadee  actually  flew  on  my  hand  and 
pecked  at  some  suet.  I  held  my  breath 
from  sheer  delight.  Every  day  since  then  I 
go  out,  and  two  of  the  four  Chickadees 


come  with  perfect  fearlessness.  This  morn- 
ing, all  four  of  them  were  much  in  evidence. 
They  fairly  fought  each  other  to  get  the 
suet  from  my  hand.  As  fast  as  one  flew 
away,  another  would  come.  They  even 
perched  on  the  top  of  my  head,  shoulder, 
and  arm,  to  wait  their  chance.  I  have  tried 
walnut  meats  ground  up  fine,  also  peanuts 
in  small  pieces.  The  walnuts  they  toss  to 
the  ground  in  scorn;  the  peanuts  meet  with 
more  favor,  but  they  prefer  the  suet  to 
either.  They  will  take  a  few  dainty  nibbles 
then  brace  themselves  with  their  claws 
and  detach  a  much  larger  piece  from  the 
suet  chunk.  This  they  fly  away  with,  and 
wedge  in  between  some  twig  and  branch, 
or  even  in  the  wire-fencing — for  future 
need,  I  suppose. 

One  morning  when  I  went  out,  I  saw  a 
Downy  feeding  from  one  bag,  a  Nuthatch 
from  another,  a  Chickadee  from  a  third, 
and,  I  regret  to  say,  an  English  Sparrow 
from  a  fourth  bag.  The  Sparrows  are  the 
most  numerous  patrons.  During  the  year 
just  passed,  I  have  seen  forty  different 
varieties  of  birds  in  my  own  yard. — B.  H. 
CoLMAN,  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

Fall  Migration  at  Cobourg,  Ontario 

While  in  Cobourg,  Ontario,  on  Septem- 
ber 4,  1913,  it  was  noticed  that  many 
birds  were  migrating.  An  incomplete  list 
of  all  the  birds  seen  showed  the  following 
species: 

Pied-billed  Grebe,  Herring  Gull,  Yellow- 
legs,  Spotted  Sandpiper,  Kildeer,  Mourn- 
ing Dove,  Sharp-shinned  Hawk,  Sparrow 
Hawk,  Kingfisher,  Downy  Woodpecker, 
Flicker,  Hummingbird,  Kingbird,  Crested 
Flycatcher,  Phoebe,  Least  Flycatcher, 
Blue  Jay,  Crow,  Goldfinch,  Vesper  Spar- 
row, Savannah  Sparrow,  White-throated 
Sparrow,  Field  Sparrow,  Slate-colored 
Junco,  Song  Sparrow,  Rose-breasted  Gros- 
beak, Scarlet  Tanager,  Barn  Swallow,  Red- 
eyed  Vireo,  Black-and-white  Warbler, 
Nashville  Warbler,  Northern  Parula  Warb- 
ler, Black-throated  Blue  Warbler,  Myrtle 
Warbler,  Magnolia  Warbler,  Bay-breasted 
Warbler,  Black-throated  Green  Warbler, 
Ovenbird,  Water-Thrush,  Redstart,  Cat- 


Notes   from   Field   and  Study 


357 


bird,  Brown  Thrasher,  Winter  Wren, 
Long-billed  Marsh  Wren,  White-breasted 
Nuthatch,  Red-breasted  Nuthatch,  Chick- 
adee, Rubj^-crown  Kinglet,  Wood  Thrush, 
Olive-black  Thrush  and  Bluebird. 

The  large  numbers  of  Flycatchers  and 
Warblers  were  particularly  noticeable. 

On  the  night  of  September  5,  the  migra- 
ting birds  left;  for,  on  the  sixth,  it  was  hard 
to  find  a  Warbler  or  Flycatcher,  and  very 
few  birds  of  any  kind  were  in  sight. 

Cobourg  is  on  the  north  shore  of  Lake 
Ontario,  and  the  question  presents  itself 
whether  the  migrating  birds  regularly 
bank  up  on  the  lake  shore,  and  leave  at 
one  time,  thus  sending  a  cloud  of  birds 
over  into  the  states. — John  P.  Young, 
Yottngstown,  Ohio. 

Nesting-habits  of   the  Pied-billed  Grebe 

I  may  be  able  to  add  a  few  further  facts 
to  those  given  by  Arthur  A.  Allen,  in  the 
July-August  number  of  Bird-Lore,  on 
the  nesting-habits  of  the  Pied-billed  Grebe. 
Finding  a  pair  of  these  birds  in  a  lily-pond 
in  Mill  Creek  Park  at  Youngstown,  Ohio, 
in  June,  I  procured  a  boat  and  with  a 
friend  searched  for  a  nest,  with  success. 
It  was  found  anchored  to  and  concealed 
by  cat-tails  near  the  center  of  the  pond, 
which  covered  about  three  acres.  The  nest 
was  composed  principally  of  leaves  and 
stems  of  dead  cat-tails,  and  contained  six 
eggs.  The  mother  bird  was  not  on  the  nest 
and  the  eggs  were  covered;  the  platform 
upon  which  they  rested  was  floating  upon 
the  water  and  very  moist.  Later,  reliable 
observers  reported  to  me  that  they  saw  the 
male  birds  feeding  the  female  while  on  the 
nest.  I  walked  to  the  pond  usually  every 
day  during  incubation.  The  male  at  first 
would  come  to  meet  me,  and  wovdd  stop 
from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  from  me,  if  I 
stood  at  the  shore.  (I  observed  that  he 
would  not  do  this  with  strangers.)  Then, 
if  I  walked  along  the  shore,  he  swam  along 
near  the  shore,  keeping  between  me  and 
the  nest.  If  I  turned  to  leave  the  pond,  he 
usually  indulged  in  gyrations  with  his 
wings,  cutting  circles  on  the  surface  of  the 
water,  and  diving. 


One  day,  I  found  the  female  dead  on  the 
edge  of  the  pond,  and  the  male  still  on 
guard.  I  saw  him  there  for  two  days,  when 
he  disappeared.  About  two  weeks  after 
the  disappearance  of  the  male,  I  heard  a 
faint  call  in  the  cat-tails,  like  a  (irebe,  and 
upon  investigation  found  the  male  still  on 
the  pond,  and  that  he  was  accompanied 
by  six  little  Pied-billed  Grebes,  apparently 
just  off  the  nest. 

The  valiant  little  fellow  remained  with 
his  charge  in  the  lily-pond,  to  the  delight 
of  many  visitors,  until  the  fall- migration 
period,  when  all  disappeared. — Volney 
Rogers. 

Gulls  Preparing  a  Meal 

Where  I  am  staying  among  the  islands 
in  the  Great  South  Bay,  watching  the  birds 
is  a  pastime  that  never  tires,  and  occasion- 
ally develops  something  new.  Last  Feb- 
ruary and  March,  when  for  weeks  the 
ice-covered  waters  caused  much  suffering 
among  the  water-fowl,  especially  those 
kinds  which  are  not  divers,  and  were 
thereby  debarred  from  deep-water  feed- 
ing, various  expedients  were  restored  to 
in  acquiring  a  meal. 

It  was  amusing  to  watch  the  Herring 
Gulls  obtain  the  flesh  of  mussels  that  lived 
along  the  bank.  They  would  take  one  and 
fly  up  about  a  hundred  feet  or  more  in  the 
air,  and  then  let  it  drop  down  upon  the  ice. 
Sudden  contact  with  the  hard  surface 
after  such  a  fall  would  crack  the  shell 
apart,  and  their  feast  was  ready. 

Sometimes  dozens  of  them  might  be 
observed  rising  up,  holding  themselves 
suspended  a  moment  at  a  certain  eleva- 
tion, dropping  their  mussels,  then  swoop- 
ing down  after  them.  As  it  often  took 
several  ascents  to  accomplish  their  pur- 
pose, their  evolutions  of  rising  and  falling 
made  a  beautiful  and  animated  sight. — 
John  Tooker,  Babylon,  Long  Island,  N.  Y . 

Herring   Gulls   in  Connecticut 

In  'The  Birds  of  Connecticut,'  by  Messrs 
Bishop  and  Sage,  the  Herring  Gull  {Lams 
argentatus)  is  called  "an  abundant  winter 


358 


Bird  -  Lore 


visitor,"  with  the  earliest  record  from  New 
Haven,  August  14,  1883,  and  the  latest 
from  New  Haven,  May  24,  1900.  The 
authors  of  the  book  say:  "That  the  list  is 
unsatisfactory  and  incomplete  in  many 
ways  the  authors  realize  all  too  well,  and 
they  hope  that  it  will  be  a  stimulus  to 
others  to  fill  up  the  gaps  by  conscientious 
collecting." 

I  wish  to  fill  in  one  of  the  "gaps," 
not  by  "collecting,"  but  by  careful  obser- 
vation, backed  by  many  witnesses,  and  a 
photograph  taken  in  mid-July. 

My  work  takes  me  up  and  down  the 
sound  along  some  fifty  miles  of  shore  and, 
throughout  June,  1914,  I  saw  Gulls  in 
varying  numbers  between  Norwalk  and 
Greenwich.  The  largest  number  stayed 
about  Goose  Island  bar,  in  the  Norwalk 
Islands;  and  Smith's  Ledge,  near  Stam- 
ford, was  also  a  favorite  place.  On  an 
average,  two-thirds  of  the  birds  seen  were 
in  immature  plumage;  the  rest  fine  adults, 
and  not  one  showed  signs  of  injury. 

Throughout  July,  the  Gulls  were  to  be 
found  at  low  water  on  the  bars  and  reefs, 
and  a  man  living  so  as  to  overlook  Goose 
Island  bar  tells  me  that  "There  was  seldom 
a  day  when  there  were  not  between  forty 
and  one  hundred  Gulls  seen." 

July  18  and  19,  1914,  I  counted  sixty- 
four  Gulls  at  one  time,  and  the  next  day 
there  were  twenty-eight  in  the  same  place. 
They  were  also  seen  in  varying  numbers 
on  the  22d,  23d,  and  28th;  and,  on  the 
31st,  I  counted  forty  on  Goose  Island 
bar. 

Knight,  in  'The  Birds  of  Maine,'  says 
that  "westward  of  their  breeding  range  it 
[the  Herring  Gull]  occurs  as  a  non-breed- 
ing summer  coast  bird  to  beyond  our 
border." 

It  is  evident,  then,  that  the  Herring 
Gull  is  a  summer  bird  at  this  end  of  the 
state,  and  has  occured  this  summer  in 
larger  numbers  than  formerly,  and  seems 
akin  to  the  "non-breeding"  birds  of  Maine, 
for,  as  the  author  of  that  work  says: 
"Breeding  birds  have  other  things  to  do 
than  to  sit  on  a  sand-bar  and  sleep  and 
preen  their  feathers." — Wilbur  F.  Smith, 
South  Norwalk,  Conn. 


A  Winter  Pensioner 

The  Downy  Woodpecker  in  the  picture 
has  been  a  winter  pensioner;  I  fully  be- 
lieve the  same  one  for  about  ten  years. 
This  last  winter,  a  dead  chestnut  tree,  with 
limbs  cut  within  two  or  three  feet  from 
the  trunk,  was  placed  on  the  ground,  and 
suet  fastened  to  the  limbs  in  several 
places.  This  spring,  on  account  of  repairs 
to  the  porch,  it  was  greatly  in  the  way,  and, 
being  the  last  of  March,  and  the  weather 
mild,  it  was  decided  to  take  it  up.  After 
this  was  done,  it  was  cut  in  two  about  five 
feet  from  the  top,  the  bottom  to  be  uti- 


; 

m 

'  1 

I 

■^ 

1 

DOWNY    WOODPECKKR    AT    SUET 

lized  as  a  post;  but  when  Mrs.  Downy 
came  and  found  the  tree  which  she  and 
her  mate  had  fed  in  every  day  all  winter 
had  gone,  her  anxiety  was  very  pro- 
nounced. She  viewed  the  wreck,  as  it  lay 
on  the  ground,  from  every  available  perch, 
with  loud  exclamations,  and  directed  them 
particularly  at  my  brother  who  was  work- 
ing on  the  piazza  roof,  coming  not  more 
than  ten  feet  away  on  the  eaves  of  the 
house  just  above  his  head.  Finally,  the 
top  section,  which  had  a  piece  of  suet 
fastened  where  they  had  pecked  out  the 
inside,  making  what  remained  look  like 
a  nest  or  basket,  was  placed  on  the  hitch- 
ing post,  as  in  the  picture,  and  Mrs.  Downy 


Notes   from    Field   and   Study 


359 


came  down  and  was  quite  satisfied.  She 
even  took  no  exceptions  whatever  at  hav- 
ing a  black  camera  only  three  feet  from 
her  head,  not  even  turning  when  the 
shutter  clicked.  The  strong  confidence 
shown,  I  dare  say,  is  born  of  long 
acquaintance,  and  is  most  gratifying  to  us. 
— Margaret  S.  Hitchcock,  New  Ver- 
non, N.  J. 

The  Fare  of  a  Sandhill  Crane 

While  'Jack,'  my  Sandhill  Crane,  and 
I  were  out  in  the  grove  this  morning,  he 
ate  148  grasshoppers,  2  moths,  i  roach, 
I  'swift'  (a  species  of  lizard),  2  grubs 
thicker  than  a  lead-pencil,  about  two  and 
one-half  inches  long,  and  n  spiders. 

After  we  returned  to  the  house,  he 
added  17  'grapenut'  pellets,  the  size  of 
common  marbles.  Breakfast  was  finished 
about  9  o'clock.  Between  that  time  and 
three  o'clock,  he  had  'scratch-feed,'  cracked 
corn,  Kafir  corn,  and  wheat.  At  three 
o'clock  he  had  a  good-sized  piece  of  porter- 
house steak  cut  into  small  pieces,  and 
would  have  eaten  more  insects,  but  the 
rain  drove  us  home. — Mrs.  L.  H.  Tous- 
SAiNT,  Rio,  St.  Lucie  Co.,  Florida. 

An  Abnormally  Colored  Scarlet  Tanager 

In  all  bird-lovers,  the  sight  of  a  Scarlet 
Tanager  makes  the  pulse  quicken!  So, 
when  one  day  in  late  May  I  discovered  a 
female  Tanager  building  her  nest  in  a 
hickory  tree  within  a  few  yards  of  my 
house,  I  considered  myself  peculiarly 
blessed  by  nature,  and  was  prepared  to 
take  full  advantag(    of  the  good  fortune. 

Lack  of  leisure  •  1,  first  curtailed  obser- 
vation, and  a  weeV  passed  before  T  saw  the 
male;  although  I  frequently  heard  a  Tana- 
ger song  and  the  typical  chip-churr  call  of 
the  species.  My  surprise,  therefore,  was 
intense  to  see  the  female  returning  one 
morning  accompanied  to  the  nest  by  a 
bird  in  brilliant  orange  plumage  of  a  Balti- 
more Oriole.  Careful  watching  soon  con- 
vinced me  that  he  was  entirely  at  home, 
and  undoubtedly  the  father  of  the  estab- 
lishment.   I  fear,  a  few  years  ago,  I  would 


ruthlessly  have  slain  the  two  birds,  ex- 
cusing my  conscience  on  the  weak  plea  of 
adding  something  to  science.  It  was  soon 
quite  evident  that  my  Tanager  was  un- 
doubtedly a  true  Tanager,  masquerading 
in  strange  plumage.  A  close  and  very  care- 
ful investigation  showed  him  to  have  the 
typical  black  wings  and  tail  of  all  male 
Scarlet  Tanagers,  while  his  body  and  head 
were  brilliant  orange,  paling  to  yellow  on 
the  belly,  very  similar  but  slightly  darker 
than  the  coloring  of  the  Baltimore  Oriole. 
At  present  writing,  mother  Tanager  is 
faithfully  incubating,  while  the  head  of 
the  house  continues  to  delight  both  our 
eyes  and  ears.^WiLLiAM  Henry  Trotter, 
Chestnut  Hill,  Pa. 

The  Chat  in  Minnesota 

For  a  number  of  years  I  have  searched 
the  woods  diligently  during  the  migration 
of  the  Warblers  for  a  sight  of  the  Chat. 
Finally  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  I 
lived  too  far  north. 

On  the  evening  of  October  2,  191 2,  just 
at  dusk,  my  attention  was  called  to  a  loud 
chuck.  What  attracted  me  at  once  was 
the  loud  and  forceful  call — a  call  that  I 
knew  I  had  never  heard  before.  It  came 
from  a  large  syringa  bush  not  more  than 
four  feet  from  our  back  porch.  The  bird 
seemed  to  be  in  great  distress  and  was 
flying  back  and  forth  in  the  bush,  so  that 
at  first  I  could  not  get  a  good  view;  but 
knew  it  was  larger  than  any  Warbler  I 
had  ever  seen. 

Finally  it  flew  out  into  view,  and  I  had 
no  difficulty  in  recognizing  it  at  once  as 
the  Chat.  I  could  hardly  make  it  seem 
true.  Several  days  after,  a  small  boy 
brought  me  a  paper  bag  containing  a 
dead  bird.  To  my  surprise  it  was  a  Chat. 
It  had  been  killed,  but  he  claimed  to 
have  found  it  in  an  alley  near  a  large  tree. 
I  sent  it  to  a  taxidermist  to  be  mounted. 
He  has  lived  near  La  Crosse,  Wisconsin, 
for  thirty  years,  and  he  wrote  me  that 
during  that  time  he  had  never  seen  a 
Chat.  In  "The  Warblers  of  North  Amer- 
ica" no  record  is  given  of  the  Chats'  migra- 
tion   in    Minnesota,    excepting    that    few 


36o 


Bird  -  Lore 


are  left  after  September  i,  north  of  the 
39th  parallel.  We  are  near  the  44th. — 
Victoria  M.  Dill,  Wabasha,  Minn. 

Photograph  of  a  Hummingbird  on 
the   Wing 

On  June  5,  1914,  I  photographed  a 
Hummingbird  on  her  nest  with  a  Grafiex 
camera,  by  standing  on  a  step-ladder. 
The  incubation  period  was  about  at  an 
end,  and  the  mother  bird  persistently  re- 
turned to  the  nest.  The  photograph  of  the 
bird  sitting  still  was  readily  obtained.  I 
then  arranged  a  mirror  to  reflect  an  excess 
of  direct  sunlight  upon  the  nest,  set  the 
shutter  at  its  fastest  speed,  and  snapped 
the  bird  about  twenty  times  as  she  flitted 
to  and  fro  behind  the  nest.  I  tried  to  photo- 
graph her  while  she  was  at  a  distance  from 
the  nest,  but,  by  the  time  the  shutter  would 
snap,  she  would  be  behind  the  nest.  If  I 
had  tried  to  snap  her  while  she  was  behind 
the  nest,  I  should  probably  have  obtained 
a  photograph  of  her  a  foot  or  so  away  from 
the  nest.  I  obtained  five  pictures,  show- 
ing the  wings  clearly  and  distinctly. 

The  bird  on  the  wing  appears  to  be 
alighting  on  the  nest,  for  the  camera  was 
pointed  upward  at  an  angle  of  about  30 


degrees.    She  is  really  behind  the  nest,  and 
flying  upward  with  great  speed. 

The    photograph    was    taken    with    an 
eight-inch    Zeiss    protar   lens,    at   its   full 


RUBY-THROATED    HUMMINGBIRD    ON 

NEST 


HUMMINGBIRD    APPROACHING    NEST 

opening,  in  about  one  fifteen-hundredth 
of  a  second. — Frank  Overtow,  Patch- 
ogiie,  N.  V. 

The  Building  of  a  Robin's  Nest 

I  read  with  much  interest  the  article  in 
the  September-October,  1913,  issue  of 
Bird-Lore  on  "The  Building  of  a  Robin's 
Nest"  and  bethought  me  of  my  own  obser- 
vations at  Port  Sanilac  Michigan,  April 
28,  1907. 

To  quote  from  my  notes,  "I  have  just 
been  watching  a  lady  Robin  building  her 
nest  over  the  front  door.  I  stood  on  a  step- 
ladder  next  to  the  door,  on  the  inside  of 
the  house,  with  my  face  at  the  frosted- 
pattern  glass  not  ten  inches  from  the  bird. 
Last  year's  foundation  was  in  place,  but 
she  has  replastered  it  and  is  now  carrying 
soft,  dead,  lawn  grass.  She  alights  on  the 
edge  of  the  nest  with  a  mouthful,  drops  it 
in,  hops  on  top  of  it,  and  sq.uats  down 
with  the  ends  sticking  up  all  around  her. 
At  once  she  lowers  her  tail  over  the  nest's 
edge  for  a  support,  braces  her  wings 
against  the  inside  of  the  nest,  and  throws 
her  weight  onto  her  breast.  Then  she 
begins  a  perfect  tattoo  with  her  feet 
against  the  sides  and  the  bottom.  After 
ten  to  fourteen  kicks,  she  rests  a  moment, 
turns  a  little,  tucks  down  a  few  grasses 
with  her  bill,  and  repeats  the  performance. 


Notes   from   Field   and   Study 


361 


She  keeps  this  up  until  all  the  grass  ends 
are  tucked  in.  This  operation  shapes  the 
nest  and  presses  the  grass  into  the  soft 
mud,  which  I  was  not  fortunate  enough  to 
see  her  do.  At  no  time  was  she  conscious 
of  being  watched. 

I  am  writing  these  notes  at  my  desk  in 
the  library,  about  seventy  feet  away  from 
the  nest,  and  can  hear  the  patter  of  her 
feet  every  time  she  kicks. 

Later!  She  worked  an  hour  after  I 
discovered  her,  about  noon,  and  then 
began  feeding.  T  did  not  have  a  chance  to 
observe  her  again. — Miss  Harriet  W. 
Thomson,  Women's  Gymnasium,  Uni- 
versity of  Oregon,  Eugene,  Oregon. 

A  Robin  Accident 

The  story  of  the  accident  to  the  Chip- 
ping Sparrow,  told  by  Pendleton  Marshall 
in  the  July-August  Bird-Lore,  reminds 
me  of  a  similar  accident  to  a  Robin. 

On  May  6,  1914,  a  girl  came  running  to 
me,  saying  that  she  wanted  a  ladder,  as  a 
Robin  was  hung  in  one  of  their  maples. 
We  took  a  long  ladder  and  went  to  the 
tree,  where  we  found  several  women  and 
children  watching  the  Robin  as  it  fluttered 
head  downward,  hung  by  a  long  string 
that  was  twisted  about  the  branch  and  the 
bird's  leg  and  wing.  A  boy  speedily  climbed 
up  and  brought  it  down.  We  found  the 
leg  broken  off  half  way  of  its  length,  just 
holding  by  the  skin,  which  was  stripped 
from  the  bone. 

We  thought  it  useless  to  try  to  mend  the 
leg,  so  we  cut  the  string  of  skin.  We  put 
the  bird  in  a  cage,  but  after  resting  some 
hours,  it  fought  desperately  to  get  out, 
and  it  would  not  eat,  so  we  released  it.  It 
flew  strongly  across  the  yard  to  the  fence. 
For  some  time  the  Robin  was  seen  to  have 
difficulty  in  perching,  especially  if  there 
was  a  wind;  but  it  learned  to  balance,  and 
was  able  to  find  food.  It  seemed  not  long 
before  it  wholly  recovered  from  the  shock, 
and  was  as  well  as  any  bird.  The  neighbor- 
children  saw  it  in  different  places,  and  it 
was  often  in  our  yard,  hopping  about  on 
its  one  foot,  or  using  the  bath.  Sometimes 
it  scratched  its  head   with   the  stump  of 


the  leg,  but  seemed  not  to  use  it  other- 
wise. 

I  do  not  recall  seeing  this  bird  since 
July  30,  when  it  was  bathing  in  our  bird- 
bath,  with  an  English  Sparrow.  We  think, 
but  are  not  sure,  that  it  had  a  nest  of 
young  in  July. — Eliza  F.  Miller,  Bethel, 
Vermont. 

Notes  from  Seattle,  Washington 

In  the  May-June  number  of  Bird- 
Lore,  in  "Notes  from  Field  and  Study," 
I  was  greatly  interested  in  the  "Curious 
Actions  of  a  Robin."  Our  country  home 
is  on  Lake  Washington,  and  last  year  we 
had  a  Robin  experience  identical  with  that 
related  by  Mr.  Wood.  We  had  re-papered 
the  house,  painted  and  cleaned  windows, 
after  the  months  spent  in  the  city.  It  was 
in  April  that  the  Robin,  for  four  or  five 
days,  seemed  bent  on  self-destruction  at 
a  corner  bay  window  on  a  covered  porch. 
We  tried  leaving  windows  and  doors  open, 
but  to  no  effect.  The  only  solution  to  this 
puzzling  problem  was  the  fact  that  the 
wall-paper  was  of  a  robin's-egg  blue!  I 
decided  it  must  be  a  case  of  color  attrac- 
tion, but  a  few  days  later  my  decision  was 
weakened  by  a  neighbor  having  a  like 
experience,  who  was  finally  obliged  to 
barricade  the  windows.  It  would  be  inter- 
esting to  know  the  meaning  of  such  queer 
actions. 

I  should  also  like  to  say,  in  reference  to 
the  picture  of  a  "Summer  Visitor,"  in 
May-June  Bird-Lore,  that  for  four  years 
we  had  an  Oregon  Towhee  as  one  of  our 
family,  each  year  bringing  his  brood  to 
be  fed,  but  never  allowing  his  families  to 
take  the  privileges  of  house  and  porch, 
that  he  seemed  to  feel  belonged  to  himself 
alone.  He  knew  my  call,  as  I  knew  his, 
and  would  come  to  me  in  the  house  or  in 
the  woods,  regardless  of  how  many  people 
were  about  us,  feeding  from  my  hand,  or 
perching  on  my  shoulder,  and  taking 
bread  from  my  teeth. 

Last  year  he  seemed  to  have  an  infection 
of  the  eye,  and  this  year  did  not  come 
to  us. — Kathrine  M.  Manny,  Seattle, 
Wash. 


362 


Bird  -  Lore 


Lake  Mohonk  to  be  a  Bird  Preserve 

Lake  Mohonk  lies  a  few  miles  west  of 
the  Hudson  River,  a  little  north  of  the 
latitude  of  Poughkeepsie.  It  is  twelve 
hundred  feet  above  sea-level,  and  is  held 
up,  like  a  giant  dewdrop,  by  one  of  the 
peaks  of  the  Shawangunk  range  of  moun- 
tains, almost  at  its  very  crest.  Here, 
standing  on  one  of  the  crags  which  rise 
precipitously  from  the  shore-line  of  the 
lake,  one  may  look  across  the  Wallkill 
Valley  to  old  Storm  King,  at  whose  foot 
nestles  the  quiet  little  town  of  Cornwall- 
on-the-Hudson,  and,  farther  to  the  north- 
ward, the  Berkshires  in  Connecticut  and 
Massachusetts.  To  the  westward  the 
gaze  travels  over  the  Rondout  Valley,  and 
rests,  at  the  horizon,  on  Slide  Mountain, 
Plateau  Mountain,  and  other  well-known 
peaks  of  the  Catskills. 

It  was  here,  immediately  at  the  western 
edge  of  the  lake,  that  the  late  Mr.  Albert 
K.  Smiley  built,  in  1869,  the  Lake  Mohonk 
Mountain  House,  which  has  since  become 
so  famous  a  resort,  and  which  is  noted 
particularly  as  the  scene  of  several  impor- 
ant  yearly  conferences,  notably  the 
gathering  in  the  interest  of  international 
arbitration,  which,  every  May,  holds  a 
three-day  session  at  this  delightful  spot. 
More  than  fifty  miles  of  driveway  have 
been  constructed  to  bring  all  the  most 
interesting  points  of  the  estate  within 
easy  access,  rustic  covered  seats  have 
been  placed  wherever  attractive  views  are 
to  be  found,  and  a  garden  of  twenty-five 
acres  stretches  eastward  to  a  wall  of  pre- 
cipitous rock  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the 
hotel.  Immediately  surrounding  the  hotel, 
besides  the  garden,  are  an  athletic  field, 
open  groves,  tennis-courts,  cottages,  sta- 
bles, and  the  other  usual  appurtenances  of 
a  summer  hotel. 

Bird  life  is  about  normal  at  Mohonk. 
In  the  garden  are  numerous  Robins,  Gold- 
finches, Chipping  and  Song  Sparrows,  and 
Hummingbirds;  in  the  open  groves  nearby 
are  Wood  Thrushes  and  Towhees;  along 
the  craggy  shores  of  the  lake  are  Phoebes, 
Blue-headed  Vireos,  and  an  occasional 
Winter    Wren;    Nuthatches,    Chickadees, 


Scarlet  Tanagers,  Wood  Pewees,  Red- 
eyed  Vireos,  Woodpeckers,  and  Warblers 
of  various  kinds  may  be  seen  or  heard  in 
the  woods;  and  Juncos,  Indigo  Buntings, 
and  Hermit  Thrushes  nest  along  the  sides 
of  the  cliffs.  In  the  valley  below  Bobo- 
links, Meadowlarks,  and  Barn  Swallows 
may  be  observed,  and  even  Yellow- 
breasted  Chats.  There  are  many  other 
species  of  birds  inhabiting  Lake  Mohonk 
and  its  immediate  environs,  but  these  are 
the  most  conspicuous. 

But  it  can  support  many  more.  With 
its  expanse  of  water,  its  rocky  cliffs,  its 
wooded  streams,  its  variety  of  woods,  its 
large  garden,  and  its  numerous  build- 
ings, and  with  its  facilities  for  protection, 
Mohonk  could  be  made  a  veritable  bird 
paradise.  With  this  end  in  view,  measures 
have  been  undertaken  to  attract  birds  to 
the  place.  Permission  has  been  secured 
of  the  present  proprietor,  Mr.  Daniel 
Smiley,  brother  of  Mr.  Albert  K.  Smiley, 
to  conduct  such  an  enterprise,  funds  have 
been  supplied  by  interested  bird-lovers, 
and  the  work  has  been  begun.  Fifty  nest- 
ing-boxes of  the  Berlepsch  pattern  have 
already  been  placed  in  suitable  localities, 
and  a  hundred  more  have  been  ordered. 

This  is  the  modest  beginning  of  what, 
it  is  hoped,  may  be  the  establishment  of 
an  unusually  fine  bird  preserve.  As  the 
estate  embraces  the  whole  mountain  and 
extends  for  several  miles  in  every  direc- 
tion from  the  hotel,  it  can  be  readily 
understood  that  the  possibilities  it  offers 
are  very  great.  I  may  add  that,  as  full 
charge  of  the  work  is  in  my  hands,  I  will 
gladly  welcome  any  suggestions  that  may 
tend  toward  making  the  Lake  Mohonk 
bird  preserve  a  notable  example  of  what 
can  be  accomplished  in  the  way  of  in- 
creasing birds  on  large  estates. — Henry 
Oldys,  Washington,  D.  C. 

A  Successful  Campaign  Against  Grackles 
and  Starlings  in  Hartford,  Connecticut 

For  more  than  twenty-five  years,  the 
residents  of  a  certain  section  of  Washing- 
ton Street  in  Hartford  have  suffered  great 
annoyance  by  reason  of  a  large  flock  of 


Notes    from   Field   and   Study 


363 


Grackles,  which  have  been  accustomed  to 
gather  during  the  summer  in  large  trees 
on  the  lawns  and  bordering  the  highway. 

Washington  Street  is  perhaps  the  finest 
residential  street  in  the  city,  running 
along  the  top  of  a  ridge  well  above  the 
Connecticut  River.  It  is  bordered  by  solid 
rows  of  beautiful  elms  and  maples,  inter- 
spersed here  and  there  with  trees  of  other 
varieties,  notably  horse-chestnuts.  These 
trees  form  an  arch  extending  in  many 
places  entirely  across  the  wide  street.  The 
elms  probably  average  eighty  feet  in  height, 
the  maples  somewhat  less,  and  the  horse- 
chestnuts  from  fifty  to  sixty  feet.  In 
these  trees,  particularly  the  horse-chest- 
nuts and  maples,  in  the  block  between 
Ward  and  Park  Streets,  a  distance  of  six 
hundred  feet,  the  birds  have  gathered  for 
the  night,  coming  in  small  flocks  from  all 
directions,  but  principally  from  the  mead- 
ows bordering  the  river,  a  mile  or  two 
away. 

Within  the  last  three  or  four  years,  the 
flock  has  been  greatly  augmented  by  the 
addition  of  large  numbers  of  Starlings. 
This  year,  the  Starlings  seem  to  be  in  the 
majority.  The  birds,  numbering  probably 
several  thousand,  began  to  come  in  just 
before  dark,  and  by  seven  o'clock  all  had 
arrived,  and  from  this  time  until  about  six 
in  the  morning  constituted  a  first-class 
nuisance,  whistling  and  chattering  until 
about  8  P.M.,  and  beginning  about  4  a.m., 
making  a  tremenduous  racket  so  that  it 
was  difi&cult  to  sleep.  Not  less  annoying 
was  the  filthy  condition  of  the  walks  and 
lawns,  and  the  damage  to  the  clothing  of 
those  passing  along  the  street  was  not 
inconsiderable. 

On  several  occasions  during  the  last 
ten  or  fifteen  years,  attempts  have  been 
made  to  get  rid  of  them.  'Scarecrows' 
have  been  erected  in  the  trees.  Rockets 
were  used  at  one  time  and  small  roman 
candles  at  another  time.  Once,  the  experi- 
ment was  tried  of  fastening  a  pulley  high 
up  in  a  tree  and  drawing  up  a  pail  con- 
taining a  pack  of  fire  crackers  which  were 
set  off  with  a  fuse.  None  of  these  plans 
was  successful. 

The   annoyance   became   so   great   this 


year  that  early  in  August  one  of  the  resi- 
dents brought  the  matter  to  the  attention 
of  the  City  Board  of  Health.  This  board, 
having  some  doubt  as  to  its  jurisdiction 
in  the  matter,  suggested  that  application 
be  made  to  the  police  department  for  per- 
mission to  shoot  the  birds,  there  being  a 
city  ordinance  against  the  use  of  fire- 
arms within  the  city  limits.  The  trouble 
with  this  suggestion  was,  that  anyone 
attempting  to  carry  it  out  would  encounter 
the  Connecticut  statute  prohibiting  the 
killing  of  any  wild  bird  other  than  a 
game-bird. 

At  this  juncture,  the  Board  of  Health 
applied  to  the  President  of  the  Hartford 
Bird  Study  Club  for  advice,  receiving  the 
suggestion  that  an  attempt  be  made  to  dis- 
perse the  birds  by  the  use  of  roman  can- 
dles. In  the  meantime,  the  person  making 
the  complaint  had  applied  directly  to  the 
mayor  of  the  city  for  relief.  The  mayor 
thought  that  the  matter  might  come  under 
the  duties  of  the  Park  Department  and 
so  turned  it  over  to  the  Superintendent  of 
Parks,  whose  name  very  appropriately  is 
Parker.  Mr.  Parker  thought  it  would 
more  properly  be  a  subject  for  the  con- 
sideration of  the  Street  Department,  and, 
after  consultation  with  them,  the  decision 
was  finally  reached  to  turn  the  job  over 
to  the  City  Forester. 

In  the  meantime,  the  Bird  Study  Club 
had  offered  to  make  an  effort  to  drive  the 
birds  away.  Their  offer  was  very  gladly 
accepted  and  a  plan  suggested  by  them 
was  carried  out.  Twelve  men  provided 
with  roman  candles  were  stationed  at 
intervals  along  the  street,  six  on  each  side. 
At  a  pre-arranged  signal,  each  man  was  to 
light  a  candle  and  discharge  it  into  the 
adjacent  trees.  The  first  night,  an  experi- 
ment showed  that  candles  of  a  very  much 
higher  power  must  be  used.  A  supply  of 
such  candles  was  telegraphed  for  and  the 
following  evening  the  plan  outlined  above 
was  carried  out.  The  candles  used  were 
ten-ball,  weighing  56  lbs.  to  the  gross. 
The  first  volley,  fired  just  as  the  birds 
were  well  quieted  down,  drove  the  entire 
flock  out  immediately.  They  soon  began 
to    return    in    detachments    and    within 


364 


Bird  -  Lore 


15  minutes  most  of  them  were  back  at 
the  old  stand.  A  second  volley  was  then 
poured  into  them  resulting  in  a  very  notice- 
able diminution  of  the  returning  birds. 
This  second  volley  was  fired  just  before 
the  street  lights  were  turned  on,  at  7.45. 

The  next  evening  the  same  tactics  were 
used  and  in  addition  to  the  firing  of  the 
big  candles  from  the  ground,  the  Forester 
placed  three  of  his  climbers  high  up  in  the 
worst  trees  where  they  used  some  of  the 
weaker  candles.  This  second  night  the 
birds  w^ere  scattered  over  an  area  more 
than  twice  that  originally  occupied.  The 
first  volley  was  fired  a  little  earlier,  about 
7.15.  while  the  birds  were  still  fluttering 
about  from  tree  to  tree.  The  second  volley 
was  fired  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  later. 

An  investigation  the  next  morning 
showed  that  the  birds  had  been  still  more 
widely  scattered,  covering  about  1,500 
feet  on  Washington  Street  and  300  feet  on 
Ward  Street.  The  third  and  last  evening, 
15  men  were  used,  placed  about  100  feet 


apart  in  the  middle  of  the  street.  The  first 
volley  cleared  out  the  whole  flock  and 
only  a  few  scattering  birds  returned,  so 
that  only  a  few  candles  were  needed  in  the 
second  volley. 

As  a  net  final  result,  about  eight  dozen 
candles  were  used  at  a  total  expense  of 
about  fio  and,  at  the  end  of  a  week,  only 
a  couple  of  dozen  birds  are  to  be  found 
where  there  were  thousands.  Some  idea 
of  the  number  of  the  birds,  and  the 
annoyance  caused,  may  be  gathered  from 
the  fact  that  people  living  near  one  of  the 
worst  spots  on  the  street  were  unable  to 
keep  their  windows  open  on  account  of 
the  filthy  condition  of  the  lawn  and  trees. 
On  another  lawn,  the  grass  for  several 
years,  soon  after  the  coming  of  the  birds, 
looked  as  if  a  fire  had  passed  over  it.  One 
resident  says  that  for  the  first  time  in 
years  he  had  been  saved  the  trouble  of 
hiring  a  man  to  wash  off  the  walks  in  the 
morning. — Lewis  W.  Ripley,  Hartford, 
Conn. 


A  'Call-note' 


The  'Call-note'  Paid 


CHIPPING    SPARROW    AND    COWBIRD 
Photographed  by  Arthur  A.  Allen 


2^oofe  ji^etMJ^  anb  lltetiietos; 


Birds  of  New  York.  By  Elon  Howard 
Eaton.  New  York  State  Museum, 
Memoir  12,  Part  II.  Introductory 
Chapters:  Birds  of  Prey  to  Thrushes. 
Albany,  University  of  the  State  of  New 
York,  1914.  4to  text,  pages  1-543; 
plates.  43-106. 

With  the  appearance  of  the  second  and 
concluding  volume  of  Mr.  Eaton's  mono- 
graph, the  state  of  New  York  may  justly 
claim  to  have  produced  the  best  and  most 
elaborate  memoir  of  its  kind  which  has 
thus  far  been  published.  In  a  word,  this 
volume  is  a  worthy  successor  of  the  one 
which  preceded  it  (see  a  review  in  Bird- 
Lore,  1910,  p.  118).  Higher  praise  than 
that  cannot  be  asked. 

The  biographical  section  begins  with 
the  Birds  of  Prey,  on  page  61,  and,  fol- 
lowing the  order  of  the  American  Ornithol- 
ogists' Union's  'Check-List,'  ends  with 
the  Thrushes,  on  page  541.  The  method 
of  treatments  conforms  with  that  of 
Volume  I  and  includes  some  synonyms,  the 
derivations  of  the  scientific  name,  descrip- 
tions of  plumage,  and  detailed  considera- 
tion of  'Distribution'  and  'Haunts  and 
Habits.'  This  authoritative  matter  is 
prefaced  by  a  thoughtful  and  suggestive 
section  on  'Bird  Ecology,'  which  has  a 
practical  bearing  on  current  questions  of 
bird  conservation.  The  causes  governing 
the  comparative  numbers  of  birds  under 
natural  conditions,  and  the  factors  which 
tend  toward  their  increase  or  decrease, 
are  here  presented  at  some  length.  The 
opinions  advanced  are  the  mature  views 
of  a  trained  biologist,  as  well  as  experi- 
enced bird  student,  and  this  introduction 
of  some  50  pages  forms  an  original  and 
valuable  contribution  to  a  subject  which, 
as  our  population  grows,  will  become 
increasingly  important. 

The  64  plates,  figuring  all  the  species 
of  regular  occurrence  in  the  groups  treated, 
are  wholly  admirable  bird  portraits  by 
an  artist  whose  sympathy  with  his  sub- 
ject is  equaled  only  by  his  rare  ability  to 


give  form  to  his  impressions.  It  is  most 
gratifying  to  know  that  the  originals  of 
the  106  plates  which  form  Mr.  Fuertes' 
share  of  this  great  work  have  been  pur- 
chased by  Mrs.  Russell  Sage,  and  pre- 
sented by  her  to  the  State  of  New  York. — 
F.  M.  C. 

Die  Tierwelt  der  Schweiz  in  der 
Gegenwart  und  in  der  Vergan- 
GENHEiT.  Von  Dr.  Emil  August 
Goldi,  Professor  der  Zoologie  an  der 
Universitat  Bern.  Band  I:  Wirbeltiere. 
Mit  2  Karten  und  5  farbigen  Tafeln. 
Bern-Verlag  von  A.  Francke-1914. 
Pages,  654-XVI. 

This  first  volume  of  'The  Animal  World 
of  Switzerland'  deals  with  the  Verte- 
brates. The  first  part  (171  pp.)  treats 
of  the  fossil  fauna,  and  has  long  tables 
showing  the  different  periods  of  the  earth's 
history  and  the  forms  of  life  occurring  in 
each,  with  especial  reference  to  Switzer- 
land. In  the  second  part,  the  Swiss  mam- 
mals, birds,  reptiles,  batrachians  and 
fishes  are  taken  up  in  turn,  with  a  final 
chapter  on  the  hunting  and  fishing. 

There  are  a  few  rather  statistical  pages 
on  the  number  and  composition  of  the 
Swiss  avifauna,  which  consists  of  about 
360  forms  (out  of  the  660  known  from 
Europe),  of  which  75  are  permanent 
residents,  107  summer  residents,  70 
transients,  36  winter  visitors,  18  summer 
visitors,  and  55  irregular.  A  tabular  list 
(following,  unfortunately,  the  archaic 
Raptores-Natatores  classification)  shows 
at  a  glance  to  which  of  these  groups  any 
species  belongs,  and  gives  the  German 
names,  British  Museum  Catalogue  and 
Sharpe's  'Handlist'  names,  and  synonomy 
in  the  works  of  Fatio  and  Studer.  Nearly 
a  hundred  pages  are  then  devoted  to  a 
cursorial  treatment  of  the  Swiss  birds, 
still  following  this  classiiication.  The  bird 
chapter  ends  with  a  twenty-page  article  on 
the  migration  in  Switzerland,  with  a  map 
showing  the  major  and  minor  routes. 


(365) 


366 


Bird  -  Lore 


The  book  is  intended  for  the  general 
reader  in  natural  history,  not  for  the 
amateur  who  wishes  to  identify  and  learn 
about  the  birds  he  sees  on  a  trip  to  Switz- 
erland.—C.  H.  R. 

The  Ornithological  Magazines 

The  Condor. — The  July  number  of 
'The  Condor'  is  essentially  an  oological 
number,  as  two  of  the  three  main  articles 
are  devoted  to  the  subject  of  eggs.  In 
one,  Dr.  T.  W.  Richards,  U.  S.  N.,  pre- 
sents 'A  Plea  for  Comparative  Oology,' 
and  in  the  other,  Dr.  R.  W.  Shufeldt, 
U.  S.  A.,  writes  'On  the  Oology  of  the 
North  American  Pygopodes.'  Dr.  Rich- 
ards calls  attention  to  the  tendency  to 
form  'faunal'  rather  than  'group'  collec- 
tions of  eggs,  and  shows  that  more  valua- 
ble information  can  be  acquired  from  a 
study  of  the  eggs  of  a  certain  group  of 
birds  than  from  the  eggs  of  those  which 
breed  in  a  certain  area.  But  the  main 
weakness  of  oology  is  touched  on  only 
incidentally,  namely,  that,  although  it 
is  the  means  by  which  many  students 
become  interested  in  birds,  its  chief  result 
seems  to  be  acquisition  rather  than  serious 
study.  Oologists  are  apt  to  be  more  con- 
cerned with  making  collections  than  with 
carefully  studying  their  specimens.  Most 
collectors  of  eggs,  at  least  in  this  country, 
have  unfortunately  published  little,  and 
aside  from  notes  on  color,  size,  and  num- 
ber of  eggs  in  a  set,  the  larger  private  col- 
lections have  thus  far  yielded  only  a 
meager  contribution  to  our  knowledge  of 
the  life  histories  of  birds.  Dr.  Shufeldt 
describes  the  eggs  of  the  North  American 
Grebes  and  Loons  from  specimens  in  the 
U.  S.  National  Museum  and  the  E.  J. 
Court  collections.  Excellent  figures  are 
given  of  selected  eggs  of  the  Western, 
Holbcell,  Mexican,  Eared,  and  Pied-billed 
Grebes,  and  of  the  Common,  Black- 
throated,  and  Red-throated  Loons. 

In  a  brief  but  interesting  illustrated 
article,  Willett  gives  an  acount  of  the 
'Peculiar  Death  of  a  California  Bush-Tit' 
which  became  entangled  in  the  wool  used 
in  the  construction  of  its  nest.    This  nest 


was    found    March    28.    19 14,    near    Live 
Oak,  Sutter  Co.,  Calif. 

Among  the  shorter  articles,  A.  B.  Howell 
makes  'A  Plea  for  More  Lasting  Field 
Notes,'  and  urges  that  provision  should  be 
made  by  field  collectors  to  turn  over  their 
notes  (after  they  are  through  with  them) 
to  some  central  agency,  such  as  the  Cooper 
Ornithological  Club,  where  they  will  be 
preserved  and  utilized.  If  this  suggestion 
could  be  carried  out,  the  club  would  soon 
have  a  unique  collection  of  manuscripts, 
and  would  be  able  to  preserve  much 
valuable  material,  now  lost.  How  much 
could  be  added  to  our  knowledge  of  cer- 
tain phases  of  bird-life  in  the  last  century 
if  the  notebooks  of  some  of  the  older 
ornithologists  were  now  available!  How 
much  light  could  be  thrown  on  Pacific- 
coast  ornithology  if  the  field-notes  of 
Bryant,  Cooper,  Gambel,  Grayson,  Suck- 
ley,  and  others,  were  preserved  and 
accessible.  But  who  knows  whether  any 
of  these  notes  are  still  extant  or  where 
they  are?— T.  S.  P. 

The  Oriole. — The  first  number  of  the 
second  volume  of  'The  Oriole'  (June,  1914) 
organ  of  the  Somerset  Hills  Bird  Club 
(Bernardsville,  N.  J.),  opens  with  an 
article,  by  William  S.  Post,  on  the  oppor- 
tunities for  bird  students  afforded  by  the 
region  about  Bernardsville.  They  are 
obviously  so  promising  that  we  hope  the 
members  of  the  Somerset  Hills  Bird  Club 
will  take  advantage  of  them.  Meredith 
H.  Pyne,  however,  in  'The  Destruction 
of  Bird  Life  in  Bernardsville,'  tells  us  that 
"savage  cats,"  "tree-climbing  children," 
and  the  encroachments  of  civilization, 
have  left  "very  few"  of  the  birds  which 
ten  years  ago  abounded  there. 

Evidently  not  sharing  Burroughs' 
estimate  of  alliteration,  Lilian  Gillette 
Cook  writes  of  meeting  some  of  the  com- 
mon European  birds  in  their  haunts,  under 
the  title  'A  Few  Friendly  Foreigners  in 
Feathers.' 

The  Editor,  John  Dryden  Kuser,  pre- 
sents a  series  of  thoughtful  replies  to  the 
question  'Why  Study  Birds?'  and  in  a 
second  article,  William  S.  Post  makes  an 


Book  News  and  Reviews 


367 


important  contribution  to  our  knowledge 
of  the  nesting  habits  of  the  Merganser 
(Merganser  americaitiis).  On  June  18, 
1910,  and  on  June  12,  1913,  on  the 
Tobique  River,  N.  B.,  Mr.  Post  saw  most 
of  the  individuals  of  broods  of  eleven  and 
seven,  respectively,  downy  Mergansers 
jump  from  their  nest  in  the  limb  of  a 
live  elm,  about  forty  feet  from  the  ground. 
The  tree  stood  some  fifteen  feet  from  the 
bank  of  the  river.  Several  of  the  young 
were  seen  to  fall  on  the  ground,  and  Mr. 
Post  believes  that  none  fell  into  the  water. 
On  landing,  they  immediately  went  to 
the  water,  where  their  mother  was  wait- 
ing for  them. 

Under  the  title  'Intensive  Field  Obser- 
vation,' C.  William  Beebe  gives  an  out- 
line for  the  study  of  birds  in  nature,  based 
largely  on  one  prepared  for  Bird-Lore  by 
Ernest  Thompson  Seton  some  ten  years 
ago  (Vol.  VI,  1904,  p.  182). 

Beecher  S.  Bowdish,  Secretary  of  the 
New  Jersey  Audubon  Society,  writes  of 
the  work  of  that  society  which,  it  appears, 
now  has  a  membership  of  more  than 
twenty  thousand.  In  an  editorial  on  bird 
destruction,  the  Editor  would  grant  the 
scientist  permission  to  collect  specimens 
and  the  sporstman  permission  to  kill  game 
birds,  provided  such  collecting  or  killing 
did  not  result  in  decreasing  the  numbers 
of  the  species  concerned.  In  this  country, 
at  any  rate,  the  taking  of  specimens  for 
scientific  purposes  is  now  so  controlled  by 
law  that  the  result  of  scientific  collecting 
is  wholly  negligible.  Indeed,  in  our 
opinion,  it  has  never  been  otherwise.  It  is 
now  very  difficult  for  a  student  to  secure 
a  permit  to  collect  even  a  limited  number 
of  specimens  for  scientific  purposes.  Some 
states  refuse  entirely  to  honor  applica- 
tions for  permits  to  collect  specimens,  but 
will  give  to  the  same  applicant  a  license 
to  shoot  birds  for  sport. 

Other  states  limit  the  number  of  scien- 
tific permits  to  six  or  eight,  and  in  a  single 
year  issue  over  one  hundred  thousand 
permits  to  kill  for  pleasure!  Evidently 
there  is  room  in  the  treatment  of  this 
subject  for  a  little  of  the  reasonableness 
the  Editor  of  'The  Oriole'  advocates. 


The  August  number  of  'The  Oriole,' 
forming  the  second  and  concluding  issue 
of  Volume  II,  opens  with  a  short  article 
on  the  nesting  of  the  Blue- winged  Warbler 
at  Little  Falls,  N.  J.,  by  Louis  S.  Kohler; 
who  also  describes  the  experiences  of  an 
ornithologist  on  'a  June  Day  at  Green- 
wood Lake';  Lee  S.  Crandall  writes  of 
'Some  Costa  Rican  Orioles;'  T.  Gilbert 
Pearson  tells  of  the  successful  efforts  of 
the  National  Association  of  Audubon 
Societies  in  protecting  plume-bearing 
Herons;  George  D.  Cross  gives  'Some 
Hints  for  Better  Game  Protection;'  Helen 
Bull,  Sally  Sage,  and  Cornelia  Sage  con- 
tribute brief  notes  on  'The  Orioles,'  'The 
Swallows,'  and  'The  Cowbird'  respectively, 
while  the  Editor  discusses  terms  which 
will  definitely  describe  the  manner  of 
occurrence  and  relative  abundance  of  a 
given  species  in  a  certain  area. 

Book  News 

The  Universit}'  of  Iowa  issues  a  booklet 
of  ten  plates  illustrating  its  cyclorama  of 
Laysan  Island  bird-life,  doubtless  the 
most  elaborate  museum  exhibition  of  its 
kind  in  the  world.  The  cyclorama  was 
composed  and  executed  by  Prof.  Homer 
R.  Dill,  of  the  University  of  Iowa,  and  the 
background,  which  is  138  feet  long  and  12 
feet  high,  was  painted  from  studies  made 
in  Laysan  by  Charles  A.  Corwin,  dis- 
tinguished for  his  success  in  painting  back- 
grounds for  the  bird  and  mammal  groups 
of  the  Field  Museum. 

'Our  Feather  Monitors,'  a  booklet 
of  poems  by  J.  H.  A.  B.  Williams,  of  Glen- 
mont,  Ohio,  is  published  with  the  object 
of  'stimulating  an  interest  in  bird-life,'  an 
end  it  seems  well-designed  to  accomplish. 

The  Royal  Society  for  the  Protection  of 
Birds  issues  in  attractive  leaflet  form  an 
account  of  its  Bird  Reserve  'Brean  Dawn,' 
which  describes  a  locality  apparently  well 
designed  to  promote  the  ends  in  view. 
This  publication,  which  is  sold  by  the  So- 
ciety of  23  Queen  Anne's  Gate,  London,  S. 
W.,  for  two  cents,  suggests  the  desirability 
of  issuing  similar  pamphlets  in  connection 
with  Bird  Reserves  in  this  country. 


368 


Bird  -  Lore 


2^irbHore 

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

OFFICIAL    ORGAN    OF    THE    AUDUBON    SOCIETIES 

Edited  by  FRANK  M.  CHAPMAN 

ContributingEditor.MABELOSGOOD  ■WRIGHT 

Published  by  D.  APPLETON  &  CO. 

Vol.  XVI     Published  October  1. 1914  No.  5 

SUBSCRIPTION  RATES 

Price  in  the  United  States,  Canada  and  Mexico,  twenty  cents 
a  number,  one  dollar  a  year,  postage  paid. 

COPYRIGHTED,  1914,  BY  FRANK  M.  CHAPMAN 

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


When  we  published,  in  the  last  issue  of 
Bird-Lore,  Mr.  Leo  E.  Miller's  surpris- 
ing figures  concerning  the  destruction  of 
the  Rhea  in  temperate  South  America, 
we  were  under  the  impression  that,  owing 
to  the  closing  of  the  American  market  to 
the  feathers  of  wild  birds,  this  interesting 
species  would  be  spared  the  annihilation, 
with  which,  in  the  light  of  Mr.  Miller's 
figures,  it  appeared  to  be  threatened. 

It  will  be  recalled  that  Mr.  Miller  saw 
bales  containing  sixty  tons  of  feathers 
taken  from  killed  Rheas  stored  in  the 
wareroom  of  but  one  firm  in  Buenos 
Aires,  while  an  official  trade  bulletin 
showed  that  during  the  first  six  months  of 
the  year  1913,  34,206  kilos  (about  34  tons) 
of  Rhea  plumes  were  exported  from 
Buenos  Aires  alone.  Doubtless  additional 
shipments  were  made  from  other  southern 
South  American  ports. 

It  seems  that  these  feathers  are  sold 
almost  wholly  in  the  United  States,  where 
they  are  manufactured  into  feather 
dusters!  The  sixty  tons  of  which  Mr. 
Miller  writes  had  accumulated  in  the 
hands  of  but  one  importer  because  of 
the  prohibition  at  that  time  (November, 
1913)  of  the  importation  of  Rhea  feathers, 
as  well  as  the  feathers  of  other  wild  birds 
into  the  United  States.  Knowing  this,  we 
felt  there  was  especial  cause  for  congratu- 
lation that  a  law  of  the  United  States 
should  extend  its  protection  to  this  bird 
of  a  foreign  land. 

Now,  however,  we  learn  that  on  Jan- 


uary 13,  1914,  the  Treasury  Depart- 
ment of  the  United  States,  acting  on  what 
it  believed  to  be  adequate  authority, 
declared  the  Rhea  to  be  an  Ostrich,  and 
since  the  Federal  law  permits  the  importa- 
tion into  this  country  of  'Ostrich'  plumes 
those  of  the  Rhea,  under  the  guise  of  being 
Ostrich  plumes,  are  also  admitted. 

The  correctness  of  the  decision  of  the 
Treasury  Department  evidently  depends 
upon  whether  a  Rhea,  even  in  the  broad- 
est sense,  can  be  properly  called  an  Ostrich. 
That  it  has  been  popularly  so  called  is 
true;  but  it  is  equally  true  that  from  the 
standpoint  of  actual  relationships,  it  is  not 
an  Ostrich.  Newton  believed  that  the  fun- 
damental structural  differences  between 
the  Ostrich  and  Rhea  were  important 
enough  to  warrant  their  being  classed  in 
separate  orders.  No  one  has  ever  ventured 
to  placed  them  in  the  same  family. 

Obviously  then,  they  cannot  rightly 
share  the  same  common  name.  To  call 
a  Rhea  an  Ostrich  because  it  is  a  large, 
long-legged,  flightless  bird  does  not,  of 
course,  make  it  an  Ostrich,  any  more  than 
calling  a  Goatsucker  a  Nighthawk  makes  it 
a  Hawk,  or  calling  an  Ovenbird  a  Golden- 
crowned  Thrush  makes  it  a  Thrush. 

Popular  zoological  nomenclature  abounds 
in  misnomers  based  on  superficial 
resemblances,  but  we  cannot  believe 
that  the  government  will  accept  these 
'nicknames,'  rather  than  those  based  on 
actual  relationships,  in  determining  a 
bird's  legal  status. 

The  growing  interest  in  this  country  in 
the  establishment  of  priv^ate  bird-reserves 
is  one  of  the  most  gratifying  results  of 
the  long-continued  effort  to  arouse  in  the 
public  an  appreciation  of  the  beauty  and 
value  of  bird-life.  The  surprising  success 
of  Baron  von  Berlepsch  in  increasing  the 
bird  population  of  his  estate  at  Seebach, 
Germany,  has  supplied  an  object  lesson 
in  wild-bird  propagation  which  has  rightly 
led  others  to  adopt  the  methods  which  he 
has  developed.  We  publish,  therefore, 
with  much  satisfaction  the  article  by  Mr. 
William  P.  Wharton,  based  on  his  own 
observations  at  Seebach. 


SCHOOL    DEPARTMENT 

Edited  by  ALICE   HALL  WALTER 

Address  all  communications  relative  to  the  work  of  this  depart- 
ment  to   the  editor,  at  53  Arlington  Avenue,  Providence,  R.  I. 

THE    VALUE   OF    A    DEFINITE    PURPOSE 

It  is  a  truism  to  state  that  a  definite  purpose  has  value,  but  since  very 
many  people  overlook  or  misconstrue  value,  it  may  serve  a  good  end  to  once 
more  emphasize  this  point  in  connection  with  the  work  of  our  State  Audubon 
Societies. 

That  the  Audubon  Society  as  a  whole  has  always  had  a  definite  purpose, 
no  one  can  gainsay.  This  purpose  was,  and  still  is,  the  protection  of  our  native 
birds,  and,  in  this  day  and  generation,  we  are  reaping  the  benefits  of  the  cumu- 
lative efforts  of  the  pioneers  in  what  is  now  understood  to  be  a  movement  in 
the  interests  of  conservation. 

As  the  work  of  the  Society  has  become  more  far-reaching,  its  purpose  has 
become  broader  until,  today,  the  word  protection  does  not  adequately  express 
all  that  is  meant  by  the  organization. 

Along  with  the  idea  of  protection  has  grown  up  the  conception  of  the  value 
of  protection,  and  in  order  to  bring  this  value  before  the  public  in  definite  form, 
a  particular  kind  of  education  has  been,  and  still  is,  necessary. 

The  importance  of  having  a  definite  purpose  in  strengthening  measures  for 
the  protection  of  our  birds  has  been  shown  over  and  over  again  in  legislation. 
What  we  seem  to  lack  most  now,  is  making  clear  and  definite  to  the  public  our 
purpose  in  education  along  the  line  of  nature-study.  As  soon  as  a  definite 
value  is  attached  to  nature-study,  its  success  will  be  assured.  The  general 
uncertainty  still  surrounding  this  delightful  study  in  the  minds  of  many  people, 
educators  among  the  rest,  lays  a  special  task  upon  the  Audubon  Society.  The 
National  Association  is  taking  up  this  task  nobly  in  its  Junior  Audubon  work, 
but  state  societies  are  not  keeping  pace  in  this  great  educational    movement. 

Again  the  plea  is  made,  not  only  for  a  definite  program  of  work  but,  also, 
for  some  definite  piece  of  work  aside  from  the  program,  which  shall  be  of  value 
to  the  entire  community. 

Perhaps  the  example  of  the  Audubon  Society  of  Rhode  Island  may  help 
other  states  to  see  their  way  clear  to  more  practical  undertakings. 

This  society,  on  a  venture,  has  raised  a  fund  something  short  of  five  hun- 
dred dollars,  with  which  it  is  training  a  field-worker  at  the  Roger  Williams 
Park  Museum,  for  a  position  which,  though  not  as  yet  recognized  as  a  legitimate 
part  of  the  grade-school,  is  felt  as  a  latent  demand  in  many  places. 

(369) 


37° 


Bird  -  Lore 


This  field-worker  will  go  out  to  schools,  lecturing,  suggesting  methods,  carry- 
ing material  for  nature-study,  and  in  general,  opening  up  avenues  of  approach 
to  outdoor  life  and  outdoor  observation.  The  fact  that  so  many  teachers  are 
in  need  of  a  special  adviser  is  one  strong  argument  in  favor  of  keeping  such  a 
worker  in  the  field.  One  trained  worker  with  a  definite  purpose  can  work  more 
effectively  than  twenty  untrained  teachers  with  no  particular  purpose,  or  a 
hazy  one. 

If  each  State  Audubon  Society  would  raise  funds  to  keep  one  or  more 
trained  workers  in  the  field,  nature-study  would  soon  come  to  its  own.  Strive 
to  get  at  definite  values  in  plans  for  the  year's  work  and  values  which  shall 
be  general  rather  than  restricted  in  scope.  Convince  your  community  and  your 
school-board  that  nature-study  is  an  essential;  that  to  omit  it  from  the 
curriculum  is  a  backward  step;  that,  to  teach  it  properly,  teachers  must  first 
be  taught  themselves.  How  teachers  shall  be  taught  and  where  they  shall  be 
taught  is  another  question.  Suggestions  from  teachers  and  field-workers  or 
from  educators  will  be  welcome. — A.  H.  W. 

SUGGESTIVE    LESSONS    IN    BIRD-STUDY: 
THE    WOODPECKER 

WILLIAM  GOULD  VINAL,  Instructor  in  Nature-Study,  The  Rhode  Island  Normal  School 

The  following  lessons  are  suggestive  for  an  introduction  to  bird-study  in  the  grades. 
The  Flicker  is  taken  as  a  type,  since  it  is  a  permanent  resident,  at  least  as  far  north  as 
Massachusetts,  and  may  become  an  acquaintance  before  the  arrival  of  other  species. 


Fig.  I.     WORK    OF    WOOD-BORING    GRUBS    AND    OF    THEIR    WOODPECKER    ENEMIES 


The   Audubon    Societies 


371 


Moreover,  the  Flicker  is  a  good  bird  to  know.  This  woodland  drummer  is  venturing 
into  cities  where  it  is  adapting  itself  to  civilization.  One  has  taken  up  its  abode  in  a 
telephone  pole,  within  sight  of  my  home,  and  its  reveille  on  tin  roofs  may  be  heard 
nearly  every  morning.  It  seems  as  pleased  with  this  new  invention  as  a  boy  with  a  new 
drum.  An  old  barn  at  home  has  been  a 
Flicker  hotel  for  years.  These  facts  may 
be  an  indication  of  how  other  birds  might 
fall  into  civilized  habits  if  we  should 
meet  them  half  way.  If  we  can  develop 
an  appreciative  interest  in  these  things 
in  our  boys  and  girls,  we  will  have  taken 
a  long  step  toward  gaining  this  end. 

Lesson  I.  Field  Observations. — The 
teacher  should  become  acquainted  with 
a  Flicker  rendezvous,  or  retreat,  as  the 
species  is  usually  solitary,  and  take  the 
class  to  visit  the  place.  The  pupils  must 
approach  on  the  alert,  "all  eyes  and 
ears,''  for   any  secrets  which   the   birds 

may    divulge.     Suddenly   one    flies    up 

from   the   ground.     What    color   did   it 

show    when    it    flew?      (White    rump.) 

What    was   the   path   of   its   flight?    (A 

wavy,  up-and-down  motion.    When  the 

wings  went  down  the  bird  went  up,  and 

vice    versa.)       Someone   should    make    a 

drawing   on    the   ground,    to    show    the 

manner  of  flight.    If  the  pupils  do  not 

observe  these  points,  they  must  sharpen 

their  eyes  for  another  trial.  What  was  the 

Flicker  probably  doing  on  the  ground? 

(Feeding.)     All  birds    do    not    eat    the 

same   food.    If  we   would  like   to   know 

what  the   Flicker   was   eating   when   we 

disturbed  its   feast,  let  us   walk   to  the 

place  where  it  was  feeding  and  investi- 
gate.   What  do  we  find   that  might  be 

eaten  by  the  Flicker?    (Weed  seeds,  bay- 
berries,  black  alder,  poison  sumac,  and 

poison  ivy  berries.    An  ant's  hill  might  be  present,  as  this  is  a  favorite  morsel  of  the 

Flicker.)    The  Flicker  eats  all  of  these  things   that  we   have  found.    We  might  think 

that  it  is  a  good  thing  for  the  Flicker  to  eat  the  seeds  of  these  poisonous  plants,  but 

it  has  been  found  that  after  the  waxy  substance  on  the  outside  of  the  berry  has  been 

digested  the  seed  is  thrown  out  from  the  mouth.    These  seeds  will  germinate  and,  since 

the  scattering  of  poisonous  plants  is  not  desirable,  this  cannot  be  placed  on  the  credit 

side  of  our  account  with  Mr.  Flicker. 

Who  saw  where  our  friend  went?    (To  an  old  apple  tree  across  the  field.)    Let  us  visit 

the  home  of  the  Flicker  family.    On  our  way  we  may  hear  the  Flicker  call  to  its  mates. 

If  we  do,  let  us  try  to  tell  what  it  says.    After  interpretations  by  the  class,  tell  them  how 

other  listeners  have  read  the  call. 

"If-if-if-if-if-if-if,"   Burroughs;   "Up,   up,   up,   up,   up,   up,   up,"   Thoreau;   "Wick, 

wick,  wick,  wick,"  Mrs.  Wright;  "Wake-up,  wake-up,  wake-up,  wake-up,"  Dr.  Charles 


Fig.  2.  MATERI.^L  EXCHANGED  WITH 
DISTANT  SCHOOLS.  THIS  SHOWS  THE 
WORK  OF  THE  CALIFORNIA  WOODPECKER 
IN    STORING    ACORNS. 


372 


Bird  -  Lore 


Conrad  Abbott;  "Kee-yer,  kee-yer,  kee-yer,  kee-yer,"  Chapman;  "Yarup!  yarup! 
yarup-up-up-up-up!"  Dallas  Lore  Sharp.  Does  anyone  think  that  this  Woodpecker  sings? 
In  which  does  it  excel,  instrumental  or  vocal  music?  What  kind  of  a  musician  might  we 
call  it?  (Drummer.)  Investigate  and  describe  its  drum.  (A  hollow  dead  limb.)  Some- 
times it  telegraphs  a  wireless  message  to  its  mate;  at  other  times  it  is  a  sort  of  an  anvil 
solo,  and  quite  frequently  a  duller  beat  in  the  search  for  food.  Try  to  learn  these  sounds 
in  the  Flicker's  signal  code.  As  we  get  nearer,  let  us  make  an  effort  to  see  some  of  the 
Flicker's  colors.  (Black  crescent  on  breast,  golden  shaft  of  quill  feathers,  and  spotted 
underparts.)  In  what  position  is  the  bird  resting  on  the  tree?  (Perched  on  a  limb  or 
clinging  to  the  trunk.)  Remember  this  is  a  Woodpecker,  and  most  of  its  kind  cling  to 
trees  instead  of  perching.    The  class  should  observe  the  position  of  the  tail  (outer  end 

braced  against  the  trunk)  and, 
if  possible,  note  character  of 
tail-feathers.  (Sharp,  pointed 
ends).  Of  what  use  is  such  a 
tail?  (Acts  as  a  prop.)  Since 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Flicker  have  not 
set  up  housekeeping,  we  may 
look  in  at  the  door.  In  what 
kind  of  limb  are  they  build- 
ing? (Dead  limb.  Knock  on 
the  limb  with  a  stone.)  Why? 
(Because  it  is  easier  to  dig  out 
the  decaying  particles  of  wood.) 
Fathom  the  hole,  to  find  how 
far  it  extends.  (One  to  three 
feet.)  What  is  the  advantage  of 
so  deep  a  hole?  (To  escape 
enemies  and  better  protect 
inmates  from  the  weather.)  Let 
the  class  look  for  places  on  the 
tree  where  a  Woodpecker  has 
been  drilling.  What  was  it  after? 
(Grubs.)  We  may  call  the 
Flicker  a  tree  surgeon.  Why? 
(The  tree  is  the  landlord  and 
Dr.  Flicker  pays  rent  to  his 
Treeship  by  removing  undesir- 
able insect  visitors.  These  insect 
lodgers  do  not  pay  rent  and  are 
injurious  to  the  health  of  the  tree.)  We  have  found  that  Dr.  Flicker  sometimes  eats 
things  which  reflect  upon  his  good  character,  and  at  other  times  he  eats  things  which 
make  him  very  useful. 

Lesson  II.  Indoor  Observation. — Use  stuffed  specimens  and  pictures.  The  class 
should  collect  illustrative  material  such  as  that  shown  in  Figure  i.  The  teacher  may 
exchange  material  with  distant  schools.  The  portion  of  a  tree,  for  instance,  illustrated 
in  Figure  2  came  from  the  Pacific  Coast.  It  shows  the  work  of  the  California  Wood- 
pecker, a  red-headed  Woodpecker  on  the  western  edge  of  our  continent,  which  drills 
holes  and  stores  acorns  in  them  for  future  use. 

Review  the  field-trip,  asking  about  the  Flicker's  flight,  colors,  home,  call  and  food. 
The  class  is  now  ready  to  make  close  observations,  and  to  study  some  of  the  detailed 
structures  which  fit  the  Woodpecker  for  its  life,  which  has  been  observed  in  the  field. 


Fig.  3.  WORK  OF  SAPSUCKER  AND  OF  DOWNY 
WOODPECKER.  AS  FAR  AS  POSSIBLE  MATERIAL 
SHOULD    BE    COLLECTED    BY    PUPILS. 


The   Audubon   Societies 


373 


Lead  the  class  to  discover  the  difference  between  the  male  and  the  female.  Mr. 
Flicker  has  a  moustache.  Madame  Flicker,  of  course,  has  not.  If  all  of  the  colors  of 
the  plumage  were  not  seen  on  the  trip,  they  should  be  noted  now. 

Compare  the  arrangement  of  the  toes  with  that  of  the  Robin.  The  Flicker  has  two 
toes  in  front  and  two  behind,  the  Robin  has  three  in  front  and  one  behind.  Who  remem- 
bers something  the  Woodpecker  was  doing  that  it  could  not  have  done  as  well  if  its 
toes  had  been  arranged  like  the  Robin's?  (Clinging  to  the  side  of  the  tree.)  What  was 
the  position  of  its  tail  when  it  was  clinging  to  the  trunk?  (It  was  bent  under  against  the 
tree.)  Look  closely  at  the  tail  and  tell  how  it  differs  from  the  Robin's  tail.  (It  has  sharp- 
pointed,  stiff  feathers.)  What  use  does  the  Flicker  make  of  such  a  tail?  (Helps  hold 
itself  on  the  trunk.)  We  call  this  kind  of  tail  a  prop.  Tell  the  different  ways  in  which  the 
Woodpecker  is  fitted  to  cling  to  tree  trunks.  (The  toes  are  arranged  like  ice-tongs  for 
nipping,  and  the  bird  braces  itself  with  its  tail.)  Why  does  the  Flicker  want  to  cling  to 
the  side  of  the  tree?    (To  excavate  for  grubs,  or  to  build  a  home.)    What  tool  does  the 


Fig. 


FEMALE  FLICKER,  REDHEADED    AND    HAIRY  WOODPECKERS    MALE  FLICKER 


Flicker  use  for  this  work?  (The  bill.)  In  what  way  is  its  bill  a  good  instrument  for  this 
work?    (Sharp-pointed,  stout  and  hard.) 

The  teacher  may  now  tell  the  class  the  following  story,  using  material  such  as  is 
shown  in  Fig.  i  to  illustrate  the  point.  Yesterday,  we  found  places  in  the  apple  tree 
where  Dr.  Woodpecker  had  performed  a  surgical  operation.  (Open  the  sticks,  which 
have  been  split.)  Inside  of  this  tree  were  'worm  tracks'  such  as  are  seen  here.  Worms 
did  not  make  these  borings,  but  young  beetles  called  grubs.  They  correspond  to  the 
<:aterpillar  stage  of  the  butterfly.  Dr.  Woodpecker  came  along  and  saw  where  Mr. 
Grub  had  broken  entrance  and  decided  that  here  was  a  good  meal.  Now  he  did  not 
start  to  get  baby  beetle  by  boring  in  at  the  place  where  the  grub  entered,  as  perhaps  you 
and  I  would  do.  He  held  his  head  close  to  the  trunk  and  listened.  The  hard,  dry  wood 
is  a  good  telephone,  and  he  heard  the  grub  clicking  away  as  he  was  digging  his  tunnel. 
Dr.  Woodpecker,  after  his  diagnosis,  determined  the  nearest  way  to  the  worm  and 
began  to  drill.  How  could  he  get  the  worm  out  after  drilling  the  hole?  He  has  just  the 
right  kind  of  an  instrument  for  such  work,  his  tongue.  He  thrust  his  tongue  through  the 
white  grub,  drew  him  out  and  ate  him.  His  tongue  is  covered  with  a  sticky  substance 
which  enables  him  to  catch  ants.  Three  thousand  ants  have  been  found  in  the  stomach 
of  one  Flicker. 

The  Flicker  is  a  carpenter,  as  well  as  a  doctor.   I  am  going  to  tell  you  how  he  builds 


374  Bird -Lore 

his  home.  First  he  outlines  his  doorway  like  this.  (Make  a  circle  with  dots.)  He  gets 
it  just  the  right  size.  It  is  not  so  large  that  cats  can  come  in,  and  not  so  small  that  he 
cannot  get  in  himself.  Could  we  draw  a  doorway  just  the  right  size  for  our  house?  He 
then  uses  his  bill  as  a  pick  and  begins  to  chip  away  the  wood,  to  make  a  hole.  He  enjoys 
the  work  in  the  same  way  that  we  do  when  we  build  a  house.    Fig.  3. 

Lesson  III.  Comparisons. — Use  stuffed  specimens,  pictures  of  other  kinds  of  Wood- 
peckers, and  e.xchange  material.  Have  the  class  discover  points  in  which  all  Wood- 
peckers are  alike.  How  may  we  distinguish  them?  The  Downy  and  the  Hairy  Wood- 
peckers may  often  be  attracted  near  schoolhouses  and  homes  by  hanging  pieces  of  beef 
fat  in  the  trees.    Fig.  4. 

SUGGESTIONS    FOR    CORRELATIONS 

Lesson  IV.  Language. — Let  the  class  suppose  that  they  are  Flickers,  and  tell  about 
themselves.  Ask  each  pupil  to  write  a  story  on  what  one  Woodpecker  did  as  he  watched 
it  for  fifteen  minutes.  In  schools  where  children  dramatize,  it  might  be  profitable  and 
interesting  to  write  a  drama  with  the  Flicker,  an  apple  tree,  and  a  fat  baby  beetle 
as  characters. 

The  Flicker  affords  an  unusual  opportunity  for  word  study.  Mr.  Colburn  gave  36 
common  names  of  this  species  in  the  Audubon  Magazine  for  June,  1887.  The  Country 
Life  in  America,  July,  1913,  says  that  there  are  126  names.  These  names  are  nicknames, 
each  of  which  gives  a  hint  of  some  characteristic  of  the  bird.  Have  the  class  determine 
which  indicates  the  color,  song,  flight,  and  habits  of  the  bird:  Yellow-hammer,  Pique- 
bois  Jaune,  Yellow-shafted  Woodpecker,  Yellow-winged  Woodpecker,  Crescent-bird, 
Clape,  Cave-due,  Fiddler,  Hittock,  Hick-wall,  Piute  or  Perrit,  Wake-up,  Yaffle,  Yarrup, 
Yucker,  Tapping-bird,  High-hold,  High-holder,  and  the  High-hole. 

The  Woodpeckers  have  not  attained  the  literary  rank  of  the  Bluebird,  the  Oriole, 
and  some  others.    Walt  Whitman  speaks  of  "The  High-hole  flashing  his  golden  wings." 

Lesson  V.  Drawing. — Fill  in  outline  drawings  with  colored  pencils  or  water-colors. 
These  outlines  may  be  made  on  a  hectograph.  It  is  worth  while  to  make  diflferent  view^,  as 
a  front  view  of  the  Flicker  to  show  polka-dots  and  locket;  side  view,  to  show  the  mous- 
tache of  Father  Flicker  or  its  absence  in  Madame  Flicker,  and  the  golden  wing  shafts; 
back  view  in  flight,  to  show  the  white  field  mark,  barred  color  scheme  on  the  back,  and 
the  red  patch  on  the  back  of  the  head.  Simple  drawings,  to  illustrate  the  story  of  the 
Flicker's  activities,  bring  out  skill  and  interest.  Such  a  series  of  sketches  might  include 
the  bird  flying  up  from  the  ground;  position  on  the  trunk;  head  bent  back  for  hammering; 
outline  of  a  doorway;  the  completed  mansion;  the  eggs  in  the  nest;  bringing  food;  the 
babies,  with  mouths  wide-opened  to  receive  the  food,  and  the  young  on  a  limb  receiving 
a  lesson  in  flying.  The  food  for  the  young,  it  should  be  explained,  is  invisible  as  it  is 
partly  digested  in  the  alimentary  canal.  The  process  of  feeding  is  peculiar  since  the 
food  is  literally  pumped  into  the  mouth  of  the  young. 

Lesson  VI.  Manual  Training. — The  construction  of  a  home  for  the  Flicker.  Hollow 
out  a  small  block  of  wood  leaving  the  bark  on  the  outside.  The  opening  from  the  out- 
side should  have  a  diameter  of  two  and  a  half  inches.  Modeling  the  home  and  eggs  in 
clay  is  fascinating  work  for  the  younger  grades.  The  Flicker  does  not  build  a  nest.  The 
eggs  rest  upon  small  chips,  which  probably  fall  to  the  bottom  of  the  hole  during  the 
construction  of  the  house. 

Lesson  VII.  Music. — There  are  not  many  opportunities  to  correlate  the  study  of 
the  Flicker  with  music.  The  cry  is  rather  difficult  to  imitate.  The  drumming  is  worthy 
of  imitation  in  the  elementary  grades.  Try  to  differentiate  between  the  Flicker's  drum- 
ming as  a  pastime  and  its  picking  for  food.  The  noisiness  of  the  Flicker  may  be  con- 
trasted with  the  music  of  some  of  our  more  accomplished  feathered  singers. 


The  Audubon   Societies  375 

[The  "suggestive  lessons"  given  above  show  admirably  the  possibilities  of  bird- 
study  in  the  ordinary  grade  school,  and  are  the  result  of  a  trained  instructor's  fruitful 
experience.  The  average  teacher  possesses  very  little  field  experience,  and  it  is  this  lack 
which  a  visiting  nature-study  instructor  might  help  to  supply  in  the  way  of  outlining 
methods  of  observation  and  presentation.  Too  much  has  been  expected  of  teachers,  and, 
until  they  receive  adequate  assistance,  nature-study  will  not  make  the  progress  that  it 
should.  Audubon  Societies  in  every  state  might  well  embrace  the  opportunity  to  take 
the  initial  step  in  defining  the  most  desirable  methods  for  teaching  bird-study  as  a  part 
of  nature-study. — A.  H.  W.] 

THE    DOWNY    WOODPECKER 

By   GARRETT    NEWKIRK 

The  Downy  is  a  drummer-boy,  his  drum  a  hollow  limb; 

If  people  listen  or  do  not,  it's  all  the  same  to  him. 
He  plays  a  Chinese  melody,  and  plays  it  with  a  will, 

Without  another  drumstick  but  just  his  little  bill; 
And  he  isn't  playing  all  for  fun,  nor  just  to  have  a  lark. 

He's  after  every  kind  of  bug  or  worm  within  the  bark; 
Or,  if  there  is  a  coddling-moth,  he'll  get  him  without  fail. 

While  holding  firmly  to  the  tree  with  all  his  toes,  and  tail. 
He  is  fond  of  every  insect,  and  every  insect  egg; 

He  works  for  everything  he  gets,  and  never  has  to  beg. 
From  weather  either  cold  or  hot  he  never  runs  away; 

So,  when  you  find  him  present,  you  may  hope  that  he  will  stay. 


JUNIOR   AUDUBON   WORK 
For  Teachers  and  Pupils 

Exercise  XVII :  Correlated  with  Elementary  Agriculture, 
Botany  and  Entomology 

THE    BIRDS    IN    HARVEST-TIME 

Among  all  northern  peoples  of  whatever  race,  harvest-time  is  a  welcome 
season,  if  sun  and  shower  have  done  their  work  and  untimely  frosts  have  not 
occurred.  The  more  civilized  races  attach  great  significance  to  the  garnering 
of  grain  and  crops,  and  no  festival  days  are  more  genuinely  observed  than 
those  that  are  set  aside  in  gratitude  for  ample  supplies  against  the  long-con- 
tinued need  of  winter  and  spring  and  early  summer,  in  the  sluggish  latitudes 
of  the  north  temperate  zone. 

Throughout  the  tropics,  there  is  a  more  general  distribution  of  the  harvest- 
season,  for  lack  of  frost  or  sudden  extremes  of  temperature,  together  with  a 
periodical  rainy  season,  combine  to  produce  favorable  conditions  for  wild  and 
cultivated  fruits  and  crops  during  most  months  of  the  year. 

This  one  fact  of  even  temperature  and  fairly  uniform  moisture  explains  the 
surprising  negligence  of  tropical  races  in  the  matter  of  cultivating  and  storing 


376  Bird -Lore 

food-supplies.  In  the  North,  man  must  make  some  kind  of  provision  for  sub- 
sistence during  the  cold  season,  or  face  starvation.  When  we  hear  of  wide- 
spread failure  of  crops,  and  consequent  famines  among  peoples  who  place  their 
main  dependence  on  a  single  crop,  as,  for  example,  the  failure  of  the  potato- 
crop  in  Ireland,  we  get  a  new  conception  of  what  disappointment  and  misery 
the  harvest-time  may  bring  in  certain  parts  of  the  world. 

When,  on  the  contrary,  we  read  that  millions  of  bushels  of  corn  and  wheat 
are  safely  harvested  on  our  vast  western  farms,  then  we  know  that  business 
will  be  more  secure,  as  well  as  that  numberless  homes  will  have  peace  and 
plenty  for  the  ensuing  year. 

There  is  much  yet  to  be  learned  about  growing  crops  and  fruit  successfully 
in  different  climates,  so  much,  indeed,  that  all  progressive  governments  employ 
men  to  study  the  soil,  conditions  of  moisture,  temperature,  frost,  and  all 
else  that  has  to  do  with  successful  agriculture  in  the  interests  of  the  people  at 
large.  Our  own  government  publishes  many  bulletins  each  year  about  crop- 
culture,  for  the  benefit  of  all  who  till  the  land. 

One  investigator  is  actually  comparing  the  climates  of  different  localities, 
in  order  to  see  how  certain  crops  or  fruits  may  be  grown  at  any  point  on  the 
earth's  surface  where  suitable  conditions  prevail. 

Birds  need  information  about  the  location  of  food-supplies  and  their  time 
of  maturing,  as  much  as  man  does;  but  how  differently  the  bird  must  work  out 
for  itself  its  problem  of  subsistence!  In  the  first  place,  a  bird  has  the  power  of 
liight,  which  enables  it  to  visit  many  different  localities  during  the  course  of 
the  year,  and  consequently,  to  avail  itself  of  food-supplies  in  great  variety.  It 
is  not  surprising  to  learn  that  nearly  every  species  of  bird  has  a  varied  diet,  and 
is  capable  of  adapting  itself  to  a  changing  food-supply  readily. 

Probably  water-birds  are  more  restricted  than  land-birds  in  diet,  for  what 
reason  you  can  easily  guess.  How  quickly  water-birds  may  adapt  themselves 
to  new  food-supplies  has  been  demonstrated  in  zoological  parks,  where  many 
different  species  are  often  successfully  kept  under  artificial  conditions.  The 
Bob-white  is  an  unusually  good  example  of  a  species  which  varies  its  diet 
widely.  It  is  not  only  insectivorous,  but  also  strongly  vegetarian  in  its  feeding- 
habit.  Experiments  show  that  it  will  eat  at  least  149  different  kinds  of  insects,  as 
well  as  129  different  kinds  of  vegetable  food.  Comparatively  very  few  species 
are  strictly  insectivorous  or  strictly  vegetarian.  Perhaps  we  should  discover, 
if  we  studied  the  birds  about  us  closely  enough,  that  the  most  inveterate 
vegetarians  now  and  then  try  a  toothsome  insect,  or  that  most  of  the  so-called 
insect-eaters  do  not  occasionally  disdain  a  berry. 

It  is  well  at  this  season  to  scrutinize  our  home  neighborhoods  very 
closely,  in  order  to  discover  what  sort  of  harvest  awaits  the  birds.  Many 
a  weed  passes  our  eyes  unnoticed  that  offers  a  feast  to  seed-eating  birds.  It  is 
not  unusual  to  see  a  flock  of  Sparrows  or  Juncos  apparently  searching  for  food 
where  nothing  but  a  few  sparse  stocks  or  thin  fringe  of  roadside  weeds  appear. 


The   Audubon   Societies  377 

Quickly  and  thoroughly  the  tiny  feathered  gleaners  take  the  unnoticed  harvest, 
at  the  same  time,  ridding  the  land  perhaps  of  some  dreaded  pest.  The  reason 
we  so  seldom  notice  the  birds  in  the  harvest-season  is  because  they  are  scat- 
tered here  and  there  in  small  groups,  usually  most  of  them  ha\ang  donned  the 
inconspicuous  post-nuptial  plumage  before  the  journey  south. 

Some  of  the  permanent  residents  have  a  wide  range  of  diet,  as  one  may  dis- 
cover by  following  the  movements  of  the  Blue  Jay.  Not  infrequently  at  this 
time  of  year,  the  Crow,  in  small  or  large  numbers,  may  be  seen  hunting  grass- 
hoppers in  pastures  or  mow-fields,  a  fact  which  every  farmer  should  take  into 
account.  The  vigilant  Chickadee  keeps  an  eye  on  its  favorite  insect  prey,  and 
locates  the  eggs  of  the  numerous  family  of  plant-lice,  particularly  of  those 
which  oviposit  on  apple,  birch  and  willow  trees.  The  eggs  of  the  fall  canker- 
worm,  too,  and  cocoons  of  tiny  moths,  are  greedily  sought  and  much  relished 
by  this  useful  bird. 

WhUe  the  woodchuck  is  taking  its  last  nap  in  the  open,  and  the  muskrat  is 
beginning  its  preparations  for  winter,  migratory  birds  are  passing  south  daily, 
some  in  scattered  groups,  others  in  large  flocks.  Shrill  crickets  and  rasping 
katydids  or  piping  tree-frogs  keep  up  an  uninterrupted  evening  chorus,  other- 
wise one  might  more  frequently  hear  the  calls  of  the  flying  travelers,  especially 
on  clear  nights.  Now  is  the  time  when  bears  are  fattening  for  their  winter 
sleep,  and  squirrels  and  raccoons — the  one  by  day,  the  other  by  night — are 
visiting  cornfields  in  search  of  the  cultivated  delicacy  they  so  much  prize. 

It  is  a  season  of  change  and  provisioning  against  the  needs  of  winter.  We 
recall  the  stores  of  nuts,  the  snugly-lined  holes  and  lodges,  the  curiously-formed 
hibernacula,  and  the  long,  leisurely  flights  of  the  various  mammals,  insects  and 
birds  of  which  we  have  read  in  books ;  and  who  does  not  wish  to  see  these  things 
for  himself  instead  of  looking  at  them  on  a  pictured  page! 

No  better  fall  study  can  be  made  than  exploring  the  harvest-fields  of  the 
birds;  for,  with  their  discovery,  will  come  a  knowledge  of  many  plants,  insects, 
mammals  and  invertebrate  creatures  along  the  shores,  the  river-valleys,  in 
meadows,  fields  and  forest,  throughout  the  country,  and  even  within  the  limits 
of  large  city  parks. 

SUGGESTIONS 

1.  Where  do  toads  go  during  September? 

2.  What  animals  are  mating?  Which  are  living  unmated?  Do  the  young  follow  the 
mother  or  the  father  after  the  family  separates? 

3.  What  snakes  are  born  now?   Do  any  snakes  lay  eggs,  and  if  so,  when? 

4.  Observe  ants.    What  kind  of  winter  home  do  they  make? 

5.  Do  fishes  change  their  habitat  in  the  fall? 

6.  What  kind  of  food  is  the  deer  likely  to  find  now,  and  where? 

7.  Study  the  habits  of  wasps,  bees  and  hornets. 

8.  What  is  the  difference  between  a  chrysalid,  a  pupa,  and  a  cocoon? 

9.  What  are  Cecropia  moths  doing?    Locusts  and  grasshoppers? 

10.  How  many  generations  do  plant-lice  have  during  a  year? 


37^  Lore  -  Bird 

11.  What  becomes  of  the  butterflies? 

12.  Study  goldenrods  and   asters.    What   insects  do  you  find  on  them?    Do  birds 
visit  them? 

13.  Count  the  number  of  times  a  cricket  sings  per  minute. 

14.  Does  a  change  in  weather  affect  the  singing  of  crickets,  and,  if  so,  how? 

15.  Make  a  collection  of  weed-seeds,  studying  the  distribution  of  weeds  and  the 
birds  which  feed  upon  them. 

REFERENCES 

Weed:  Life  Histories  of  American  Insects. 

Cragin:  Our  Insect  Friends  and  Foes. 

Comstock:  Insect  Life. 

Comstock:  Handbook  of  Nature-Study. 

Ingersoll:  Nature's  Calendar. 

Gibson:  Sharp  Eyes. 

Sharp:  Wild  Life  near  Home. — A.  H.  W. 


FROM   YOUNG   OBSERVERS 

THE    VALUE    OF    BIRDS 

For  the  last  two  or  three  years  I  have  been  making  a  study  of  birds,  and  I 
am  very  much  interested  in  them.  We  have  an  Audubon  Society  which  meets 
every  two  weeks.   There  are  thirty-six  members. 

The  Mockingbird  is  one  of  the  best  singers  of  the  United  States.  The 
Nightingale  of  Europe  and  the  Mockingbird  of  the  United  States  are  valued  the 
same  for  singing.  The  Mockingbird  is  one  of  the  first  to  sing  in  the  spring.  In 
the  states  that  border  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  the  Mockingbird  sings  all  the 
winter,  and  sometimes  up  to  the  northern  border  of  the  Southern  States.  He 
sings  on  a  bright,  clear  February  morning,  when  ice  is  on  the  trees. 

The  Cardinals  are  beautiful  song-birds.  They  have  for  a  long  time  been 
cage-birds.  They  have  beautiful  plumage  and  a  beautiful  song;  that  is  why  so 
many  people  have  them  for  cage-birds.  They  are  sometimes  called  the  'Vir- 
ginia Nightingales.' 

The  Carolina  Wren  calls,  'Tea-kettle,  tea-kettle,  tea-kettle,  sweet-william, 
sweet-william,  sweet-william,  come-to-me,  come-to-me,  come-to-me.'  It  has 
such  a  sweet  tone! 

The  Robins  are  the  most  helpful  birds.  They  kill  a  large  number  of  insects 
in  one  day.  They  save  the  farmers'  dollars  by  eating  the  insects  that  kill  their 
crops.  The  people  of  Virginia  passed  a  law  that  the  Robins  should  not  be  killed. 
They  go  down  South  to  stay  through  the  winter  where  it  is  warm.  The  people 
down  there  go  out  at  night  with  torches  and  kill  them  when  they  cannot  get 
away.  Down  South  the  Robins  eat  some  kind  of  berries  most  of  the  time.  The 
berries  make  them  drunk  and  they  cannot  fly. 

The  Bob- white  or  Partridge,  which  it  is  sometimes  called,  helps  the  farmers 


The   Audubon   Societies  379 

by  eating  the  worms  oflF  of  the  crops.  The  Bob-whites  get  in  a  circle,  with  their 
heads  on  the  outside.   When  they  see  anyone  coming,  they  fly  away. 

The  Flickers  and  Woodpeckers  save  a  lot  of  trees  by  picking  the  worms  out 
of  them.  The  people  down  South  do  not  like  the  Woodpeckers  because  they 
pick  holes  through  the  oranges. — ^Helen  Bodmer  (age  lo  years),  Aldie  Graded 
School,  Virginia. 

[Compare  the  observation  that  the  Mockingbird  down  South  "Sings  on  a  bright,  clear 
morning  when  ice  is  on  the  trees,"  with  the  fairly  frequent  records  of  its  appearance  in 
the  North  during  cold  weather.  If  a  favorite  food-supply  should  tempt  this  species 
farther  north,  it  would  probably  adapt  itself  to  the  colder  climate  quickly. 

The  Cardinal  formerly  was  found  regularly  on  Long  Island,  and  is  at  present  a 
familiar  resident  of  Central  Park,  New  York  City.  The  practice  of  caging  this  beauti- 
ful songster  used  to  be  quite  common,  even  among  kind  and  intelligent  people.  In 
Indiana,  for  example,  the  writer  remembers  meeting  a  good  Christian  woman  who 
counted  it  no  wrong  to  go  out  in  the  woods  with  a  cage  and  capture  Cardinals,  a  prac- 
tice from  which  she  derived  some  small  gain.  The  familiar  Robin  offers  many  points  of 
interest  for  study,  among  which  are  its  feeding-habits  during  the  year  as  it  travels 
North  and  South.  Will  the  observer  describe  the  berries  on  which  Robins  get  "drunk?" 
—A.  H.  W.] 

HOME    BIRD-STUDY 

I  am  a  boy  twelve  years  old  in  the  fifth  grade,  and  I  am  very  much  interested 
in  bird-study  and  belong  to  the  Junior  Audubon  class.  I  am  looking  at  the 
different  kinds  of  birds  every  day.  I  have  put  up  one  bird-house,  and  my 
brother  has  put  up  two.  I  have  seen  just  one  Robin  go  into  my  bird-house,  and 
that  was  on  a  rainy  day.  A  mother  and  father  bird  make  a  nest  in  our  thorn 
tree  every  year.  I  watch  them  build  their  nest  every  time,  and  there  are  two 
Barn  Swallows  that  make  their  nest  in  our  barn.  They  renew  their  nest  a  little 
every  year.  It  is  made  like  a  little  brick  house,  and  sometimes  they  both  go 
out  together  and  sometimes  the  father  bird  will  stay  on  the  nest  and  let  the 
mother  go  out.  There  is  a  Woodpecker's  nest  in  our  apple  tree.  I  was  looking 
at  it  this  morning.  It  looked  like  a  new  nest.  I  think  I  have  told  you  enough 
about  birds.  I  have  joined  the  Boy  Scouts  and  we  have  a  meeting  every  week. 
— Clarence  Fitzwater,  Branchport,  N.  Y. 

[It  is  a  daily  pleasure  to  feel  acquainted  with  the  bird  neighbors  in  one's  own  grounds, 
as  this  observer  shows  in  his  description  of  nesting  birds.  Barn  Swallows  are  particu- 
larly attractive  to  watch  during  the  nesting-season,  and,  although  not  as  neat  builders 
as  some  species,  no  nest  is  more  snug  and  secure  than  that  of  these  Swallows.  A  second 
brood  is  reared  sometimes  in  the  same  nest  as  the  first,  after  a  few  repairs  in  the  way  of  a 
layer  of  mud  and  fresh  lining  have  been  added. — A.  H.  W.] 


THE     PINTAIL 

By  HERBERT    K.   JOB 


%^t  /(National  SLfiQocieition  of  SLuhnhon  ^otittitfi 

EDUCATIONAL  LEAFLET  No.  76 


Along  the  wild  shores  of  Lake  Winnipegosis,  in  northern  Manitoba,  in  a 
region  known  as  the  Waterhen  River  Country,  extends  a  wide  belt  of  bog  and 
meadow,  back  of  which  lies  the  unbroken,  primeval,  poplar  forest.  This  forest 
abounds  in  moose  and  deer,  and  there  covies  of  Ruffed  Grouse  whir  up 
before  one  into  the  low  trees  with  surprising  frequency,  and  gaze  curiously 
at  their  first  sight  of  man.  The  interminable  strip  of  marsh  by  the  lake  har- 
bors throngs  of  waterfowl  of  many  sorts.  Much  of  it  is  overgrown  with  a 
bewildering  maze  of  reed,  rush,  and  cane,  dissected  by  narrow,  winding,  water- 
ways, here  and  there  uniting  in  open  ponds.  This  is  the  home  of  such  birds 
as  the  various  Grebes,  the  Loon,  Black  Tern,  Bittern,  and  the  Canvasback, 
Redhead,  and  Ruddy  Ducks.  Other  parts  are  more  open  and  meadow-like. 
In  one  part  this  meadow  is  alkaline,  and  a  series  of  shallow,  brackish  ponds 
and  pools  with  muddy  margins  extends  for  many  miles.  Although  the  clouds 
of  mosquitos  bred  in  these  pools  are  dreadful,  compensations  are  present. 
Along  these  shores,  late  in  May,  feed  tribes  of  migratory  shore-birds  in  elegant 
nuptial  plumage — Sandpipers,  Plovers,  the  Lesser  Yellowlegs,  some  Marbled 
Godwits,  an  occasional  Hudsonian  Godwit,  an  American  Avocet,  or  a  pretty 
party  of  Northern  Phalaropes,  swimming  like  tiny  geese. 

Out  in  the  middle  of  the  pools  flocks  of  ducks  disport  themselves — all 
breeding  in  the  vicinity.  They  are  not  very  wild,  and  I  can  readily  approach 
them  behind  tall  grass  or  bushes,  and,  with  my  field-glass,  see  each  one  as 
clearly  as  though  it  were  actually  in  hand.  They  are  of  the  kind  which  pre- 
fers the  shallow,  open  pools  of  the  prairie  sloughs.  The  males  are  in  gaudy 
spring  livery,  and  all  swim  in  mated  pairs,  each  of  which  has  its  nest  hidden 
not  far  away  in  the  old  grass  of  the  past  season.  Some  are  still  laying  eggs, 
and  the  partial  sets  are  cleverly  covered  with  a  blanket  of  down  plucked  by 
the  female  from  the  under  surface  of  her  body.  Others  have  covered  their 
brooded  eggs,  and  are  out  for  a  restful  swim  and  luncheon  with  the  lordly 
head  of  the  house,  who  is  too  aristocratic  to  take  his  turn  on  the  eggs,  and  will 
soon  forsake  his  spouse  to  moult  off  his  finery  in  remote  recesses  of  the  tangled 
bog.  Conspicuous  by  large  size  among  this  company  are  some  Mallards,  con- 
trasting sharply  with  the  small  Blue- winged  and  Green- winged  Teals.  That 
gaudy  drake  of  moderate  size,  and  his  plain  spouse,  both  with  enormous  bills, 
are  Spoonbills  or  Shovelers.  A  few  Gadwalls  and  American  Widgeons  also 
are  to  be  seen.   Yonder  white-backed  Lesser  Scaups  seemingly  should  be  with 

(380) 


PINTAIL 


Order — Anseres 
Genus — Dafila 


Family — Anati  dm 
Species — Acuta 


National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies 


The   Pintail 


381 


their  deep-diving  relatives,  the  Canvasbacks,  but  they  nest  in  the  grass  at  the 
edge  of  these  shallow  sloughs. 

But  what  are  those  slender,  elegant  ducks,  long  of  neck,  agile  of  movement, 
the  male  an  exquisite  gray  and  white,  with  a  long  spike  of  tail  held  up  care- 
fully out  of  the  water?  At  last  I  have  found  the  Pintail ;  and  it  is  well  worth 
a  journey  of  over  two  thousand  miles  to  visit  it  in  its  summer  home.  It  is  a 
duck  of  distinction,  clad  with  grace  and  beauty,  with  sprightliness  of  disposition, 
and  a  rakishness  of  form  which  together  prove  it  of  distinguished  lineage.  It 
is  the  greyhound  of  the  anatine  world,  rather  than  the  mastiff  or  collie.    One 


PINTAILS    FLYIXG    NEAR    MARSH    ISLAND    REFUGE,  LOUISIAXA 
Photographed   by   H.   K.   Job,   New    Year's    Morning,    igi-i 

might  even  venture  to  term  it  the  "sportiest"  of  the  ducks — active,  alert, 
possessed  of  real  "style;"  and,  although  moderate  in  weight,  of  sufficiently 
good  food-quality.  Though  fairly  shy  and  watchful,  it  is  not  hard  to  surprise 
it  in  the  small  reedy  pools  which  it  often  frequents.  The  flock  is  likely  to  bunch 
when  alarmed,  and  travels  with  ranks  compact. 

In  one  of  these  small  alkaline  ponds,  on  a  small  grassy  island,  where  grew 
also  a  few  low  bushes  and  clumps  of  weeds,  I  found  a  nest,  probably  of  one 
of  those  pairs  I  had  watched  through  my  glass.  It  was  the  fifth  of  June,  a 
cold,  stormy  day.  I  had  waded  to  the  island,  sinking  to  the  tops  of  long  boots, 
and  had  begun  to  beat  about,  hoping  to  start  some  duck  from  her  nest.  Sud- 
denly there  was  a  flutter  and  a  spring,  and  a  grayish  duck  with  sharp  tail- 
feathers  shot  into  the  air,  and  hurtled  off,  on  her  own  wings  and  on  those 


382  Bird  -  Lore 

of  the  keen  northeast  wind.  What  other  duck  of  these  marshes  than  the  Green- 
winged  Teal  or  the  Pintail  could  quite  hit  that  pace!  She  had  protected  her 
eight  eggs  from  the  rain  till  the  last  possible  instant,  and  then  made  up  well 
for  lost  time. 

The  nest  was  typical,  a  rather  frail  affair,  about  the  size  of  the  crown  of 
a  hat,  situated  in  a  slight  hollow  amid  not  very  tall  grass  and  weeds,  quite 
near  some  low  bushes — a  mere  little  rim  of  dry  grass,  lined  with  a  moderate 
amount  of  grayish  down.  The  eggs  were  rather  small  and  narrow  for  the  appar- 
ent size  of  the  bird,  and  were  light  buff,  with  a  decided  greenish  or  olive  hue. 
This  greenish  tinge  distinguishes  them  from  the  white  and  creamy  eggs  of  the 
Gadwall  or  Widgeon,  and  from  the  brown  eggs  of  the  Scaup,  all  of  similar 
size;  while  their  size  differentiates  them  from  the  eggs  of  the  other  ducks  of 
that  region.  Hence  an  experienced  person  may  pretty  surely  identify  a  Pin- 
tail's eggs  even  without  seeing  the  owner. 

The  number  of  eggs  in  a  set  is  likely  to  be  fewer  than  in  the  case  of  the  other 
ducks  mentioned,  nor  is  the  maximum  as  large  as  with  some.  I  have  found 
probably  about  thirty  nests  of  the  Pintail.  In  records  of  twenty-one  of  these 
which  were  accessible,  two  had  five  incubated  eggs,  three  had  six,  six  had 
seven  and  eight,  three  had  nine,  and  only  one  had  ten.  Its  other  neighbors  very 
seldom  have  less  than  eight,  nine  to  eleven  being  common.  Of  large  sets,  I 
have  found  a  Golden-eye  with  sixteen,  a  Ruddy  Duck,  Redhead,  and  Canvas- 
back  each  with  fifteen,  and  a  Redhead  with  the  surprising  number  of  twenty- 
two,  every  one  fertile. 

No  duck  is  less  particular  about  nesting  near  water  than  this  species. 
Though  we  may  see  the  pair  swimming  in  the  sloughs  during  the  nesting-season, 
the  nest  may  be  almost  anywhere — perhaps  on  a  dry  island  or  elevation  in 
a  marsh,  but,  as  likely  as  not,  far  back  on  the  sun-parched  prairie,  where  I 
have  found  nests  a  mile  from  the  nearest  water. 

The  Pintail  and  the  Mallard  are  the  earliest  of  the  ducks  to  lay  eggs.  The 
ice  does  not  disappear  from  those  big  lakes  of  the  far  Northwest  till  about 
the  middle  of  May,  but  by  the  25th  of  June  I  have  caught  young  PintaUs 
two  months  or  more  old,  showing  that  the  eggs  were  laid  as  early  as  the  first 
week  in  April,  when  the  country  was  still  in  the  grip  of  winter.  Most  sets, 
however,  seem  to  be  laid  early  in  May,  though  some  are  not  forthcoming 
till  late  in  the  month,  very  possibly  after  an  early  set  had  been  frozen  or  flooded. 

The  downy  young  are  very  different  in  appearance  from  the  young  of  other 
river-ducks.  Instead  of  being  yellow  and  brown,  they  are  brownish  black, 
m.ottled  with  whitish  above,  and  with  grayish  white  on  the  underparts. 

These  earliest  broods  are  able  to  fly  by  the  middle  of  July,  whereas  the 
late-breeding  Scaups  and  Scoters  do  not  mature  their  young  before  the  first 
week  of  October.  By  early  August  there  are  considerable  flocks  in  the  prairie 
sloughs  of  young  Pintails  and  Mallards.  Having  had  as  yet  no  experience  of 
man  they  are  then  quite  tame,  and  it  is  great  fun  to  creep  close  up  to  them 


The   Pintail  383 

with  the  reflecting  camera  as  they  feed  in  the  small  ponds  in  the  marsh.  Away 
they  go  with  a  thunder  of  wings  when  one  steps  out  from  the  rushes  on  the 
edge,  and  one  may  get  splendid  "shots"  just  as  they  spring  into  the  air.  Even 
thus  early  they  are  well  practised  in  the  long  standing  jump. 

Maturing  so  soon,  they  begin  to  migrate  rather  early,  so  that  flocks  appear 
south  of  their  breeding-range  in  the  northern  states  early  in  September.  Yet 
they  are  hardy,  for  some  winter  as  far  north  as  Long  Island  Sound,  and  in 
various  localities  they  linger  until  ice  forms.  They  winter  on  our  southern 
coasts,  and  down  through  Mexico  to  Panama.  Early  March  sees  them  mov- 
ing back  through  the  United  States  again,  and  by  the  last  of  the  month 
some  are  on  their  more  southerly  breeding-grounds.  They  breed  mostly  in 
the  interior  and  western  districts,  especially  in  the  prairie  states,  northward 
from  Iowa  and  Nebraska,  commonly  in  North  Dakota,  and  north  to  the  Arctic 
coast.    Cosmopolitans,  they  are  well  known  in  Europe  also. 

Though  not  given  much  to  quacking,  like  the  Mallard  and  Black  Duck, 
they  utter  now  and  then  a  subdued  quack,  but  more  often  express  themselves 
in  a  soft  chattering  or  low  whistle.  For  the  most  part  I  have  heard  little  sound 
from  them,  but  they  are  said  at  times  to  be  noisy. 

Like  most  ducks  in  fresh  water,  the  Pintail  devours  all  sorts  of  insects  and 
small  aquatic  creatures,  snapping  eagerly  at  flies  and  mosquitos  on  the  wing. 
It  is  fond  of  succulent  water-plants,  such  as  wild  cherry,  eating  both  roots 
and  seeds,  and  even  of  nuts,  where  these  grow  not  far  from  the  water.  Ponds 
are  preferred  to  streams,  and  in  winter  grain-fields,  meadows,  and  even  the 
prairies,  have  attractions. 

In  the  West,  where  there  are  prairies  and  marshes,  this  is  one  of  the  most 
abundant  ducks,  but  in  the  East  it  is  rather  scarce.  There,  fearful  of  ever- 
present  persecution,  the  few  that  do  come  to  us  slip  so  furtively  at  night  into 
ponds  and  meadows  that  few  besides  the  keenest  of  gunners  detect  their  pre- 
sence. How  difiicult  seems  the  harried  fowl  in  the  hunting-season  from  the 
beautiful  "greyhound  of  the  air"  on  its  breeding-grounds,  so  gentle  when  it 
has  less  to  fear.  Would  that  the  new  era  of  Federal  protection  might  make 
more  abundant  everywhere  this  beautiful,  graceful  wildfowl! 


Cije  Huijubon  Societies; 

EXECUTIVE   DEPARTMENT 

Edited  by  T.  GILBERT  PEARSON,  Secretary 

Address  all  correspondence,  and  send  all  remittances  for  dues  and  contributions,  to 
the    National    Association   of    Audubon    Societies,    1974    Broadway,    New    York    City. 

William  Dutcher,  President 
Frederic  A.  Lucas,  Acting  President  T.  Gilbert  Pearson,  Secretary 

Theodore  S.  Palmer,  First  Vice-President      Jonathan  Dwight,  Jr.,  Treasurer 
Samuel  T.  Carter,  Jr.,  Attorney 

Any  person,  club,  school  or  company  in  sympathy  with  the  objects  of  this  Association  may  become 
a  member,  and  all  are  welcome. 

Classes  of  Membership  in  the  National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies  for  the  Protection  of  Wild 
Birds  and  Animals: 

S5.00  annually  pays  for  a  Sustaining  Membership 
Sioo.oo  paid  at  one  time  constitutes  a  Life  Membership 
Si,ooo.oo  constitutes  a  person  a  Patron 
$5,000.00  constitutes  a  person  a  Founder 
$25,000.00  constitutes  a  person  a  Benefactor 

A    DEPARTMENT    OF    APPLIED    ORNITHOLOGY 


A  Department  of  Applied  Ornithology, 
created  by  the  National  Association  of 
Audubon  Societies  in  response  to  a  new 
trend  of  interest,  as  revealed  in  a  notable 
public  demand,  is  the  latest  up-to-the- 
minute  fact  in  wild-bird  conservation. 

The  public,  having  been  educated  to 
appreciate  bird-protection,  and  aroused 
to  great  interest  in  wild  life,  not  only 
frowns  upon  the  slaughter  of  birds,  but 
is  becoming  eager  to  do  something 
definite  and  practical  to  increase  them. 
This  is  especially  true  of  those  who  own 
estates,  where  the  owner  may  see  and 
enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  effort  to  attract 
and  preserve  birds. 

More  and  more  people  are  feeding  wild 
birds,  and  providing  them  with  nest- 
boxes  and  nest-building  materials.  Many 
tracts  of  land  are  being  employed  as 
preserves  and  refuges.  Park  commission- 
ers, clubs,  and  real-estate  companies  are 
seeking  expert  advice  to  increase  wild 
bird-life,  as  a  means  of  enhancing  the 
attractiveness  of  public  parks  or  of  private 
propyerty.  Many  persons  are  finding  in 
the  breeding  of  game-birds  and  water- 
fowl on  their  estates  an  absorbing  recrea- 
tion. Surprising  numbers  of  wealthy  men 
have  gone  into  this.  '  Farmers  and  others 
are  attracting  birds  to  protect  their  har- 
vests, and  are  beginning  to  breed  edible 
species  for  profit.     Positions  are  opening 


for  trained  men  as  game-breeders,  skilled 
wardens,  or  managers  of  estates  where 
birds  are  to  be  bred. 

So  many  requests  for  help  and  informa- 
tion along  these  lines  have  come  to  the 
National  Association  of  Audubon  Socie- 
ties that  the  Directors  have  felt  for  some 
time  that  it  would  be  wise  to  establish  a 
Department  of  Applied  Ornithology. 
Herbert  K.  Job,  lately  State  Ornitholo- 
gist of  Connecticut,  has  been  appointed 
Economic  Ornithologist  in  Charge.  He 
has  been  experimenting  and  studying 
along  these  practical  lines  for  many  years. 

Mr.  Job  will  be  in  position  to  give  per- 
sonal assistance  to  commissioners  of  city 
parks,  to  owners  of  estates,  and  to  any 
others  needing  instruction  in  the  best 
methods  of  increasing  wild  bird-life  by 
artificial  means.  It  is  the  purpose  of  the 
Association  to  use  his  services  in  such  a 
way  as  to  be  of  the  greatest  good  to  the 
cause,  and  it  expects  to  accomplish  this 
end  by  means  of  lectures,  bulletins,  cor- 
respondence, and  personal  visits. 

Special  funds  have  been  subscribed  by 
members  and  friends  of  the  Association, 
to  open  and  develop  this  important  and 
tremendously  useful  field  of  effort.  Mem- 
bers and  others  who  may  be  interested 
in  taking  advantage  of  this  new  line  of 
the  Association's  work  are  invited  to 
correspond  with  the  home  ofl&ce. 


(384) 


The   Audubon   Societies 


385 


THE   CRUISE    OF   THE   AVOCET 

Illustrated  from  Photographs  by  Edward   H.  Forbush 


^LL  along  the  coast  of 
Maine  are  numerous 
rocky  islands,  which 
afford  ideal  summer 
homes  for  various 
kinds  of  seabirds  that 
swarm  over  the 
waters  of  our  North 
Atlantic.  In  fact,  this 
interesting  region 
is  the  greatest  nursery  of  sea-fowl  on  our 
entire  coast.  On  the  thirty-five  rookery- 
islands  known  to  have  been  occupied  the 
past  summer,  more  sea-birds  gathered  to 
rear  their  young  than  were  to  be  found 
in  the  entire  stretch  of  coast  between 
Maine  and  the  extremity  of  Florida. 

On  July  12,  the  writer,  in  company 
with  Mr.  Edward  H.  Forbush,  boarded 
at  Bar  Harbor  the  commodious  yacht 
Avocet,  owned  and  commanded  by  our 
matchless  host,  Mr.  William  P.  Wharton. 
For  eight  daj's  we  cruised,  visiting  in 
turn  one  after  another  of  the  sea-bird 
colonies,  inspecting  the  work  of  the  Asso- 
ciation's fifteen  wardens,  and  making 
notes  on  the  bird-life  that  was  found.  For 
thirteen  years  most  of  these  islands  have 
been  guarded  in  summer,  and  the  increase 
of  the  sea-bird  population  has  been 
enormous. 

Hosts  of  Herring  Gulls 

Without  doubt,  the  most  numerous 
water-bird  of  the  region  is  the  Herring 
Gull — that  splendid,  long- winged  flyer  so 
common  about  our  eastern  harbors  dur- 
ing the  winter  and  early  spring  months. 
Thirteen  islands  are  now  used  by  them  as 
breeding-places.  On  the  island  of  No- 
Man's-Land  not  less  than  30,000  are 
believed  to  assemble  in  summer.  The 
large,  handsome  eggs  are  laid  in  nests  on 
the  ground,  sometimes  among  vegetation 
and  often  on  the  bare  rocks.  On  a  few  of 
the  islands  individual  Gulls  construct 
bulky  nests  in  the  evergreen  trees. 

After     hatching,     the     young     quickly 


leave  the  nest  and  run  about  among  the 
bushes  and  rocks  at  will.  When  ap- 
proached, they  show  a  wonderful  ability 
to  hide,  and  we  often  found  them  wedged 
in  under  boulders,  or  squatting  flat  among 
the  thick  growths  of  raspberry  bushes. 
We  found  it  difficult  to  induce  them  to 
stand  still  to  have  their  photographs 
taken.  It  took  the  three  of  us  about 
twenty  minutes  to  get  the  picture  of  the 
two  downy  young  shown  standing  on  a 
rock  in  one  of  the  accompanying  illustra- 
tions. We  discovered,  however,  that  by 
placing  a  young  Gull  on  its  back  and  hold- 
ing it  there  for  a  minute  or  two  it  would 
become  very  docile,  and  would  submit 
without  further  resistance  to  the  ordeal  of 
having  its  picture  taken. 

The  young  suffer  much  from  the  attacks 
of  old  Gulls.  Many  dozens  were  found 
which  had  been  killed  by  picking  on  the 
head;  in  fact,  on  more  than  one  occasion 
we  witnessed  a  heartless  attack  of  this 
kind. 

It  was  rather  difficult  to  approach 
close  enough  to  the  adult  birds  to  get 
good  photographs.  Mr.  Forbush,  how- 
ever, erected  an  umbrella-blind  in  the 
colony  on  Great  Duck  Island,  and  by 
means  of  fish-head  bait  secured  several 
photographs  of  hungry  Gulls  at  the  very 
satisfactory  distance  of  six  feet. 

Terns  and  Their  Troubles 

Arctic  and  Common  Terns  abound  in 
these  waters.  There  are  not  less  than 
twenty  islands  where  they  breed,  and  small 
colonies  of  a  few  pairs  each  are  scattered 
about  on  many  isolated  ledges  of  rock. 
They  appear  to  nest  later  than  the  gulls, 
for  we  found  numbers  of  eggs  unhatched, 
although  some  young  were  sufficiently 
advanced  to  fly  with  ease.  Like  the  Gulls, 
they  often  lay  their  eggs  on  the  bare 
rocks,  with  no  suggestion  of  nesting 
material.  From  these  insecure  positions 
the  eggs  are  often  rolled  away  by  the  wind. 
On    Eastern   Egg    Rock   several   hundred 


386 


Bird  -  Lore 


THE    YACHT    AVOCET 


abandoned  eggs  were  found.  They  had 
been  washed  off  the  rocks  by  a  recent 
storm.  This  is  an  illustration  of  the 
natural  vicissitudes  to  which  these  birds 
are  subject,  and  which  make  human  pro- 
tection so  necessary  under  present  con- 
ditions. The  lobstermen  of  the  region  do 
not,  as  a  rule,  distinguish  between  the 
two  species  of  Terns,  but  call  both 
"Mettrix." 


Elusive  Petrels 


No  casual  observer  walking  over  one 
of  these  colony  islands  would  dream  that 
any  specimen  of  the  "Mother  Gary's 
Chicken"  was  near;  but  under  the  edges 
of  logs,  stumps,  and  boulders,  openings 
to  underground  passages  may  be  dis- 
covered. Run  your  hand  into  one  of 
these,  and   you   are  pretty  sure  to  find  a 


MR.  FORBUSH   ERECTING   A   BLIND    ON    GREAT   DUCK  ISLAND. 
JOSEPH    M.  GREY    ON    THE    LEFT 


AUDUBON  WARDEN 


YOUNG    GULLb,   PHOTOGRAPHED    UNDER    VARIOUS    CONDITIONS 


(387) 


388 


Bird  -  Lore 


NEST    AND    EGGS    OF    HERRING    GULL 


Leach's  Petrel.  If  this  be  in  the  midst  of 
a  Tern  colony,  toss  the  bird  in  the  air, 
and  immediately  every  one  of  the  hun- 
dreds of  Screaming  Terns  that  are  flying 
about  overhead  will  cease  their  cries  and 
fly  like  mad  toward  the  open  sea.  They 
act  as  though  they  had  seen  a  ghost. 
Petrels  begin  to  lay  their  eggs  here  about 
July  15,  and  the  warden  on  Great  Duck 
Island  says  they  continue  to  breed  until 
so  late  in  the  autumn  that  often  the  old 
and  young  are  frozen  in  their  nests. 

One  night  we  lay  for  a  time  on  a  bed  of 
evergreen  boughs  among  the  rocks  of 
Little  Duck  Island.  By  half-past  eight 
o'clock  the  cries  of  the  last  belated  home- 
coming Gulls  had  ceased.  For  a  time  all 
was  quiet.  Then  suddenly,  in  the  still 
night  air,  peculiar  un-bird-like  sounds 
began  to  come  out  of  the  darkness  all 
about  us.  The  great  army  of  Petrels, 
which   had  been   feeding  at  sea  all  day, 


had  begun  to  arrive,  and  from  the  mouths 
of  their  nesting-burrows  they  were  calling 
to  their  mates,  which  since  early  morning 
had  been  guarding  the  subterranean  nests. 

Other  Birds 

Most  of  the  sea-bird  islands  are  inhab- 
ited by  small  colonies  of  Black  Guille- 
mots, and  as  they  fly  up  before  the  boat, 
or  wheel  past  you  as  you  clamber  along 
the  rocky  shore,  their  red  feet  and  white 
wing-patches  give  them  a  most  charac- 
teristic and  interesting  appearance.  Their 
eggs  and  young  are  well  hidden  under  the 
immense  windrows  of  gigantic  boulders 
against  which  the  waves  continually  beat. 

Pufiiins  are  found  nesting  on  Machias 
Seal  Island  in  the  mouth  of  the  Bay  of 
Fundy,  but  ordinarily  they  do  not  breed 
south  of  that  point  at  this  time.  Proba- 
bly fifty  or  sixty  pairs  of   Eiders   hatch 


HERRING    GULLS    PHOTOGRAPHED    AT    A   DISTANCE    OF    SIX    FEET 


(3^9) 


39° 


Bird  -  Lore 


LEACH'S    PETREL    AT   THE    MOUTH    OF    A    NESTING-BURROW 


their  eggs  every  summer  on  the  guarded 
islands  of  the  Maine  coast. 

Ravens  are  not  uncommon  on  these 
islands,  and  we  found  them  on  at  least 
two  occasions.  Apparently  their  nests 
are  usually  built  in  evergreen  trees.  Just 
what  damage  they  do  in  the  bird-com- 
munities is  not  known  with  certainty,  but 
we  strongly  suspected  that  the  remains  of 
a  dozen  young  Night  Herons  found  in  one 
colony  bore  mute  testimony  to  the  powers 
of  this  magnificent  representative  of  the 
family  Corvida.  It  is  well  known  that 
elsewhere  Ravens  are  a  pest  to  breeding- 
colonies  of  Sea-birds. — T.  G.  P. 


TENTH    ANNUAL     MEETING 

Notice  to  Members 

The  Tenth  Annual  Meeting  of  the 
National  Association  of  Audubon  Socie- 
ties will  convene  at  ten  o'clock,  a.  m.,  on 
Tuesday,  October  27,  1914,  at  the  Ameri- 
can Museum  of  Natural  History,  West 
Sfeve^ty-seventh  Street  and  Central  Park 
West,  New  York  City. 
■ ;-  A  prograrn  of  more  than  usual  interest 
i^  being  prepared,  and  it  is  hoped  that 
th^efinay  be  a  large  attendance  of  mem- 
bers^'and  •jtheir  friends. — T.  Gilbert 
PEARSoNj'^.ecr^O^y. 


^^h;J#^'^''   '^  ^^i 


YOUNG    GREAT    BLUE    HERONS    AXU     lliiaR    \hbi,  ON    BRADBURY    ISLAND 


The  Audubon  Societies 


391 


A    CAT    WITH    A    ROBIN 


A    TRAP    FOR    CATS 


WHAT  ABOUT   THE  CAT? 


Wilbur  Smith,  of  South  Norwalk, 
Connecticut,  has  sent  the  accompanying 
photograph  of  a  cat,  with  remarks: 

"My  neighbor's  cat  came  into  our  yard 
and  pounced  upon  a  Robin.  The  delighted 
neighbor  said,  'She  is  a  fine  hunter,'  while 
another  remarked,  'It  is  the  cat's  nature.' 
Most  of  the  winter  birds  in  one  neighbor- 
hood in  which  I  am  acquainted  were 
killed  and  eaten  because  the  suet  was 
placed  where  the  cats  could  catch  the  birds 
while  feeding. 

"I  saw  seven-  cats  tied  in  a  dooryard 
to  keep  them  from  catching  birds;  but 
some  young    Robins  came  out  of  a  nest 


and  the  tied  cats  caught  three  of  them 
Surely,  any  observant  person  can  see  that 
the  cat  is  a  great  menace  to  our  wild  birds. 
When  shall  we  grapple  with  the  cat  evil?" 

At  Hempstead,  on  Long  Island,  New 
York,  lives  G.  W.  Pewksbury,  who  is  a 
lover  of  birds  and  an  enemy  to  stray  cats. 

He  has  sent  a  photograph  of  the  trap 
he  uses  in  capturing  cats,  which  is  built 
after  the  manner  of  the  old-fashioned 
"rabbit  gun."  This  trap  is  nine  inches 
square  and  twenty-nine  inches  long. 

"I  bait  it  with  fishheads,"  writes  Mr. 
Pewksbury,  "and  with  it  I  have  made  a 
record  of   fourteen   cats   in   one   month." 


HERRING  GULLS  FEEDING  IX  TURNCOAT  HARBOR  MAINE 


GEORGE    PAYNE    McLEAN 
United   States  Senator  from   Connecticut 


(392) 


The   Audubon   Societies 


393 


SENATOR  GEORGE  P.  McLEAN 


The  one  big  outstanding  figure  for  bird- 
protection  in  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States  is  George  Payne  McLean,  Senator 
from  Connecticut.  There  are,  of  course, 
many  men  in  Congress  who  may  be  depen- 
ded on  to  always  stand  for  the  conserva- 
tion of  wild-life,  but  Senator  McLean  is 
the  one  ever  on  the  alert,  who  rounds  up  the 
friends  of  the  birds  when  times  of  stress 
arise.  If  they  are  slow  in  mobolizing,  he 
is  the  redoubtable  Belgian  who  throws 
himself  into  the  path  of  the  invaders  of 
the  rights  of  the  birds,  and  holds  them  in 
check  until  the  forces  of  the  country  can 
come  to  his  assistance.  He  has  done  this 
sort  of  thing  over  and  over  again.  This  is 
the  gentleman  who  is  the  father  of  the 
Federal  Migratory-Bird  Law,  which  is  so 
often  referred  to  affectionately  as  the 
"McLean  Law."  It  was  his  speech,  de- 
livered on  the  floor  of  the  Senate  last  year, 
in  favor  of  the  Plumage  Law,  that  carried 
the  day,  and  won  for  America  the  distinc- 
tion of  being  the  leading  nation  on  earth 
in  the  matter  of  bird-protective  legislation. 
He  is  known  as  "the  bird  man"  of 
Congress. 

Here  is  an  instance  that  will  serve  to 
show   his   influence    with   his   colleagues: 

Last  spring,  the  Finance  Committee  of 
the  Senate  decided  to  starve  the  Federal 
Migratory-Bird  Law  to  death  by  cutting 
off  all  financial  support  for  its  enforcement. 
This  action  was  taken  after  the  House  had 
passed  the  Agricultural  Bill,  in  which  an 
appropriation  of  $50,000  had  been  pro- 
vided for  the  enforcement  of  this  measure. 
The  committee  was  determined  that  no 
money  should  be  made  available  for  this 
purpose.  Many  of  us  had  made  appeals, 
but  all  in  vain.  Senator  McLean  went 
before  the  committee,  stated  the  case  forc- 
ibly, and  asked  them  to  reconsider  and  vote 
an  appropriation  of  $10,000.  He  felt  sure 
that  if  they  would  do  this  he  could  get  the 
original  amount  put  back  when  the  com- 
mittee made  its  final  report  and  the  matter 
came  up  on  the  floor  of  the  Senate.  Mr. 
McLean,  remember,  is  a  pronounced  Re- 


publican, and  the  control  of  the  commit  tec 
was  in  the  hands  of  dyed-in-the-wool 
Democrats.  What  happened?  Just  what 
those  who  know  Senator  McLean  and  his 
influence  expected  would  happen.  The 
committee  ga\-e  him  the  $10,000,  and  later 
the  Senate  made  the  appropriation 
$50,000. 

The  Audubon  Association  and  other 
organizations  may  labor  with  all  their 
might  for  federal  legislation,  and  do  much 
good  in  stirring  up  the  country  to  demand 
protection  for  the  birds;  but  Senator  Mc- 
Lean, more  than  all  others  combined,  must 
be  given  the  credit  for  actually  steering  our 
two  most  important  federal  laws  through 
the  machinery  of  Congress. 

Few  persons  not  members  of  Congress, 
or  among  those  who  know  him  intimately, 
are  aware  of  his  great  work  for  the  birds. 
He  is  modest  to  a  most  unusual  degree. 
Perhaps  that  is  one  reason  why  his  col- 
leagues esteem  so  highly  his  opinion;  they 
know  he  is  not  trying  to  make  political 
capital  of  his  achievements.  After  he  has 
won  a  great  battle  for  the  birds  in  Wash- 
ington, he  does  not  boast  of  his  accomplish- 
ments, but  straightway  gives  the  credit 
for  his  work  to  others.  Here  is  a  typical 
example:  After  the  Government  appro- 
priation above  referred  to  was  secured,  he 
sat  down  and  wrote  the  Secretary  of  the 
National  Association  as  follows: 

"Too  much  praise  cannot  be  given  to 
your  Association  for  its  assistance  in  the 
fight  for  the  appropriation.  We  carried 
the  Senate  by  more  than  two-thirds  on 
both  votes.  This  could  not  have  been  done 
but  for  the  intelligent  and  timely  appeals 
to  senators  emanating  from  the  Audubon 
Societies  and  friends  of  the  birds  through- 
out the  country." 

Everybody  loves  a  generous  man,  and 
Senator  McLean  is  generous,  as  well  as 
strong,  influential,  and  powerful.  He  first 
entered  the  Senate  in  1911,  and,  for  the 
good  of  the  birds  and  the  benefit  of  man- 
kind, let  us  pray  that  he  may  remain  there 
for  very  many  years  to  come. 


394 


Bird  -  Lore 


LANDLORDS    OFFERING    BIRD-HOUSES    FOR    RENT 


MAKING    PORTLAND   A    BIRD   CITY 


Mr.  William  Finley,  the  National  Asso- 
ciation's Field  Agent  for  the  Pacific  Coast, 
has  been  greatly  interested  in  fostering 
the  work  of  the  Audubon  movement  in 
the  schools  of  the  far  West.  In  a  recent 
report  to  the  home  office  he  said: 

"During  the  past  season,  the  children 
of    the    Portland,    Oregon,    schools    have 


built  eight  thousand  .  bird-houses,  and 
placed  them  in  various  parks  and  about 
different  sections  of  the  city.  The  greater 
number  of  the  houses  have  been  built  by 
the  pupils  of  the  manual-training  depart- 
ment of  the  different  schools.  The  work 
has  been  encouraged  by  the  Board  of  Edu- 
cation,   and    is    under     the    direction    of 


PORTLAND    SCHOOL-BOYS    MAKING    BIRD-HOUSES 


The   Audubon   Societies 


395 


L.  R.  Alderman,  City  Superintendent  of 
Schools. 

"Reports  from  the  children  show  that  a 
large  number  of  the  bird-houses  have  been 
rented  to  native  songsters,  the  greater 
part  to  Violet-green  Swallows,  then  Park- 
man  Wrens,  Bluebirds,  and  Chickadees. 
Of  course,  many  of  the  houses,  especially 
about  the  more  thickly  settled  part  of  the 
city,  were  seized  and  held  by  English 
Sparrows.  Some  of  the  boys  outwitted 
the  Englishers  by  making  the  doorways 
too  small  for  a  Sparrow,  but  large  enough 
for  a  Wren  or  a  Swallow.  Others  have  been 
very  successful  by  placing  about  their 
homes  one  or  two  houses  for  the  English 
Sparrows,  within  ten  or  fifteen  feet  of  the 
ground,  and  then  putting  attractive  homes 
for  the  Swallows  and  Bluebirds  higher  up, 
or  near  the  third  story. 

"The  remark  is  often  made  by  parents 
and   teachers   that   the   attitude   of   boys 


toward  birds  and  animals  has  greatly  im- 
proved throughout  Oregon  during  the 
past  few  years.  The  making  of  bird-homes 
and  renting  them,  and  the  feeding  of  the 
hungry  birds  in  winter,  have  created  a 
comradship  much  needed  between  wild 
birds  and  children.  The  value  of  the  Junior 
Audubon  Society  work  cannot  well  be 
overestimated." 

Recently  a  teacher  in  one  of  the  Port- 
land schools  said: 

"The  interest  of  my  pupils  in  their  wild- 
bird  friends  is  shown  remarkably  in  their 
school-room  work.  They  are  more  wide 
awake  and  sympathetic.  The  experiences 
with  the  birds  which  they  relate  form  the 
most  interesting  lessons  of  the  day.  Play 
is  closely  related  to  work.  Three  of  the 
boys  who  were  the  most  difficult  to  manage 
are  now  the  easiest  to  handle,  since  they 
have  begun  to  build  and  rent  their  bird- 
houses." 


THE    FIRST    BIRD    FIELD-DAY 


What  is  believed  to  be  the  first  Bird 
Field-Day  ever  held  anywhere  was  enjoyed 
at  Worcester,  Massachusetts,  in  Green 
Hill  Park,  July  22,  1914,  under  the  com- 
bined auspices  of  the  State  Grange,  the 
State  Board  of  Agriculture,  and  the  State 
Audubon  Society;  and  this  department 
of  Bird-Lore  has  been  furnished  with 
an  admirable  report  of  the  proceedings 
by  one  of  our  members,  Mrs.  O.  E.  Mar- 
shall, to  whom  we  return  our  thanks  and 
compliments. 

"The  idea  of  such  a  field-day,"  Mrs. 
Marshall  writes,  "first  occurred  to  Mrs. 
George  S.  Ladd,  of  Sturbridge,  Lecturer 
of  the  State  Grange.  She  proposed  it  to 
our  State  Grange  committee  on  bird- 
protection,  and  was  referred  to  Edward 
H.  Forbush,  to  whose  efforts,  and  to  the 
enlistment  of  Winthrop  Packard,  Secre- 
tary of  the  State  Audubon  Society,  and 
Wilfred  Wheeler,  Secretary  of  the  Board 
of  Agriculture,  we  owe  a  splendid  success, 
and  the  presence  of  a  thousand  people  at 
the  park.  The  occasion  was  advertised 
by  the  State  Grange  Master  as  one  of  his 


field-days;  by  the  Board  of  Agriculture 
in  a  beautiful  colored  poster  send  to  all 
post-offices;  and  by  Mr.  Packard,  who 
sent  post-cards  to  members  of  the  Audu- 
bon Society.  Mrs.  Ladd  also  did  fine 
advertising  in  the  Worcester  papers, 
giving  pictures  of  the  speakers  to  the  press. 
"The  morning  was  passed  in  looking 
over  the  Audubon  exhibit  of  bird-boxes, 
including  a  set  recently  invented  and 
manufactured  by  Mr.  Forbush,  and  called 
the  "Pindale;"  in  examining  the  Reed 
collection  of  stuffed  birds  at  the  museum 
on  the  grounds;  and  in  a  bird-game, 
which  consisted  in  identifying  birds  bj' 
their  pictures,  of  which  seventy-one  were 
displayed.  Eighteen  prizes  were  given, 
consisting  of  bird-boxes,  the  book  "Land 
Birds,"  packs  of  bird  post-cards,  suet-bags 
and  the  Reed  bird-game,  C.  K.  Reed 
having  contributed  twenty-five  of  these 
games  for  the-  purpose.  Fifty-two  persons 
took  part,  and  it  is  interesting  to  note 
that  three  persons  made  sixty-eight  cor- 
rect indentifications  out  of  the  possible 
seventy-one. 


30 


Bird  -  Lore 


"Mr.  Raymontl  J.  Gregory,  of  Prince- 
ton, chairman  of  the  State  Grange's  com- 
mittee on  protection  of  wild  birds,  pre- 
sided at  the  afternoon  meeting,  and  the 
speakers  were  E.  E.  Chapman,  of  Ludlow, 
the  State  Grange  Master;  Wilfred  Whee- 
ler, who  promised  the  cooperation  of  the 
State  Board  of  Agriculture  in  future  work; 
Winthrop  Packard;  E.  H.  Forbush;  and 
Mrs.  Ladd,  who  announced  that  the 
State  Grange  would  hold  ten  Bird  Field- 
Days  next  year,  and  would  present  fifty 
bird-boxes  to  school-children  for  meritor- 
ious work  in  the  places  where  these  field- 
days  should  be  held.  At  the  close  of  the 
speaking,  bird-walks  about  the  grounds 
were  taken  with  several  leaders,  and 
despite  the  unfavorable  hour  for  seeing 
or  hearing  birds,  one  party  found  twenty- 
three,  another  twenty,  different  kinds. 

"On  the  next  day,  the  same  program 
was  repeated  so  far  as  possible  in  Pitts- 
field,  with  the  addition  of  a  pageant  under 
the  supervision  of  Mrs.  John  Noble;  but, 
as  the  weather  was  very  unfavorable, 
much  of  the  field-work  was  omitted." 

A  conference  of  New  England  grange 
lecturers  at  the  College  of  Agriculture  at 
Amherst  during  the  following  week,  called 
by  Mrs.  Ladd,  had  a  bird  period,  on  July 
30,  at  which  Mr.  Gregory  presided  and 
made  an  address,  and  Messrs.  Packard 
and  Forbush  and  Mrs.  O.  E.  Marshall 
spoke.  It  was  declared  to  be  the  most 
interesting  period  of  the  two-days'  con- 
ference. The  principal  address  was  that 
on  "Special  Bird  Work,"  delivered  by 
Mr.  Raymond  J.  Gregory. 

"The  subject  presents  to  my  mind," 
said  Mr.  Gregory,  "two  sides  for  develop- 
ment— the  esthetic  and  the  economic. 
Because  we,  as  Patrons  of  Husbandry, 
are  intensely  interested  in  agriculture,  we 
should  realize  that  birds  are  of  as  great 
value  to  life  esthetically  as  they  are  from 
an  economic  standpoint.  Each  may  work 
independently  of  the  other,  but  the  best 
results  are  to  be  obtained  when  both  are 
considered.  Therefore,  note  the  flight, 
Tiong,  and  plumage  of  a  bird,  as  well  as 
study  its  economic  relations  to  its  sur- 
roundings.    A    true    bird-student    should 


be  as  eager  to  try  to  understand  one  class 
of  facts  as  the  other. 

"It  is  highly  important  that  every 
state  should  have  its  ornithologist.  If  I 
am  not  misinformed,  but  one  of  the  six 
New  England  states  has  such  a  salaried 
officer  today,  and  a  comparison  of  the 
laws  in  the  statue-book  of  that  state  with 
the  laws  of  the  others  reveals  a  surprising 
difference  in  the  development  of  that 
live  question,  which  is  always  before  the 
bird-lover,  namely  bird-protection.  Now 
let  me  urge  you  to  begin,  when  you  return 
to  your  homes,  to  work  through  your 
grange  to  create  a  public  demand  for 
such  a  state  officer  and  for  his  appoint- 
ment. Plead  your  case  before  your  State 
Board  of  Agriculture,  under  whose  juris- 
diction an  ornithologist  would  be  placed. 
Impress  on  your  state  master  the  exceed- 
ingly close  and  extremely  important 
relation  of  birds  to  agriculture.  Let  him 
be  informed  of  the  wishes  of  the  people 
of  the  grange  by  a  little  publicity  cam- 
paign, and  there  isn't  a  state  grange 
master  in  our  land  but  would  rise  to  the 
occasion  and  create  a  bird-protection 
committee. 

"If  you  haven't  within  your  grange 
membership  noted  students,  do  not  let 
the  subject  pass  without  action.  It  is 
almost  impossible  today  to  find  a  section 
of  our  state  where  there  is  not  at  least 
one  bird-protectionist.  Just  make  your 
best  selection  and  get  into  touch  with 
your  master,  and  in  a  short  time  your  bird- 
committee  will  have  become  a  live  wire. 

"What  will  be  its  duties?  To  watch 
the  state  legislature  to  see  that  the  exist- 
ing laws  are  not  changed  to  lower  the 
bars  of  protection;  to  seek  to  enact  laws 
for  the  establishment  of  close  seasons  for 
those  species  that  are  in  danger  of  extinc- 
tion; to  make  possible  the  establishment 
of  state  preserves,  where  all  kinds  of  life 
may  find  a  haven  of  rest  and  security. 
In  Massachuetts  many  town-sanctuaries 
are  being  established  under  the  super- 
vision of  the  Fish  and  Game  Commission. 
The  land-owners  simply  waive  their 
rights  to  hunt  or  fish  on  these  lands  for 
a  certain  period  of  years;  then  the  state 


The  Audubon   Societies 


397 


steps  in,  posts  the  area,  and  during  the 
hunting-season  has  the  land  patrolled  by 
a  warden. 

"Work  for  the  enactment  of  a  law  which 
grants  to  each  town  the  privilege  to 
appoint  its  own  town  bird-warden.  A 
law  of  this  sort  went  into  operation  in 
Massachuetts  in  1913  for  the  first  time, 
and  already  two  towns  have  availed 
themselves  of  it.  The  duties  of  the  warden 
would  be  to  arouse  interest  in  birds  in  his 
locality;  to  visit  the  schools  of  the  town 
and  talk  on  che  subject  to  the  children; 
to  patrol  the  public  lands  and  preserves 
within  the  limits  of  the  township;  to  put 
up  bird-boxes  and  shelter-housas,  and  in 
winter,  when  the  ground  is  covered  with 
deep  snow,  to  feed  the  birds.  I  tell  you 
the  idea  is  grand,  and  you  will  be  amazed 
how  quickly  benefits  will  develop  when 
once  you  have  aroused  the  public  to  the 
importance  of  bird-life  in  its  community. 
"Many  subordinate  grange  lecturers 
are  at  sea  as  to  what  to  plan  for  their  bird- 
night,  and  every  subordinate  grange 
should  have  its  bird-night.  If  a  speaker 
is  desired,  this  bird-committee  will  be  the 
proper  bureau  to  secure  one,  and  also  to 
prepare  a  program.  These  are  a  few  of  the 
duties  which  befall  a  state  grange  bird- 
protection  committee. 

"Now,  addressing  those  of  you  whose 
homes  are  in  other  states  than  Massa- 
chusetts, if  you  haven't  such  a  committee 
begin  at  once  to  work  for  it.  It  has  im- 
pressed me  as  just  as  important  a  function 
to  perform  in  our  grange  life  as  any  other, 
and  the  state  grange  which  fails  to  include 
this  committee  within  its  organization 
is  not  alive  to  its  opportunities,  and  fails 
to  recognize  a  very  important  branch  of 
our  agticultural  life.  Much  effective  work 
can  be  accomplished  by  the  organization 
of  a  grange  bird-club.  Let  this  club  be 
the  local  bird-committee,  and  to  it  refer 
all  matters  of  ornithology.  Carry  the 
message  also  to  the  school-children.  You 
will  be  swept  off  your  feet  by  the  interest 
and  ardor  of  these  little  people,  who 
always  prove  to  be  keen  students.  It  is 
through  these  same  children  that  the 
parents  at  home  most  frequently  receive 


this  light.  So  interest  the  children.  Then, 
as  a  club,  take  bird-walks.  I  have  yet  to 
take  a  bird-walk  upon  which  I  did  not 
gain  added  knowledge  of  bird-life,  or 
from  which  something  out  of  the  usual 
did  not  take  place. 

"Finally,  I  wish  to  encourage  you  to 
plan  for  state  grange  bird  field-days. 
This  idea  is  entirely  new  in  this  country. 
Not  until  the  recent  meetings  in  Worces- 
ter and  Pittsfield  had  there  ever  been 
Bird  Field-Days.  I  regret  all  of  you  could 
not  have  been  present  to  have  received 
some  of  the  enthusiasm  with  which  every 
one  seemed  imbued.  The  attendance 
was  very  gratifying,  more  than  1,000  at 
Worcester  and  300  at  Pittsfield,  the 
inclement  weather  at  the  latter  place 
undoubtedly  keeping  many  away.  It  is 
the  purpose  of  the  Massachusetts  State 
Grange,  through  its  bird-committee,  to 
make  the  Bird  Field-Days  an  annual 
affair,  and  already  an  invitation  has  been 
received  to  hold  the  next  one  in  Franklin 
Park,  Boston. 

"We  propose  to  leave  in  every  place  a 
memorial  to  the  birds  in  the  way  of  fifty 
bird-houses,  which,  under  proper  super- 
vision, will  be  distributed  among  those 
school-children  that  by  their  interest  in 
bird-lore  have  merited  a  reward. 

"Do  all  in  your  power  to  attract  birds 
to  your  town  and  premises;  establish  sanc- 
tuaries, and  put  up  every  year  bird-houses, 
which  now  may  be  obtained  cheaply,  or 
which  may  be  made  at  home.  Insert  on 
your  lawn,  or  on  public  grounds,  bathing- 
places  for  birds  (make  them  not  more  than 
two  inches  deep,  with  sloping  sides);  plant 
shrubbery  about  your  house  and  grounds, 
the  kinds  that  bear  the  berries  birds  feed 
on;  and  when  winter  comes,  and  with  it 
the  deep  snow,  don't  forget  the  birds  in 
the  village  as  well  as  in  the  woods.  Feed 
them  often,  and  you  will  be  surprised  at 
the  results  your  efforts  will  bring  vou. 
If  you  only  strive  to  accomplish  these 
results,  even  if  you  may  fail  in  man\' 
cases,  I  know  that  you  will  find  yourselves 
because  of  your  association  with  out-of- 
door  life,  better  men  and  women,  stronger 
to  carry  on  life's  work." 


398 


Bird  -  Lore 


MRS.  HARRIET    MYERS   AND   THE    CONVALESCENT 
PHAINOPEPLA 


In  the  garden  of  her  beautiful  home  in  Los  Angeles,  Mrs.  Harriet  W.  Myers,  Secre- 
tary of  the  California  Audubon  Society,  erected  a  few  years  ago  a  comfortable  and  com- 
modious "bird-hospital."  Here,  sick  or  injured  birds  are  safely  kept  until  they  can  be 
restored  to  freedom.  A  photograph  of  this  unique  institution  was  reproduced  in  Bird- 
Lore,  Volume  XV,  page  73.  Many  birds  are  treated  in  the  course  of  a  year,  and  Mrs. 
Myers  believes  that  her  experiments  have  demonstrated  the  perfect  feasibility  of  such 
an  undertaking.  The^bird  shown  is  one  of  the  Silky  Flycatchers,  allied  to  the  Waxwings, 
of  our  Mexican  border. 


The   Audubon   Societies 


399 


-^^^^»:^> 


\ 


THE   LAST    PASSENGER    PIGEON 


"Martha,"  believed  to  be  the  last  Passenger  Pigeon  on  earth,  died  in  the  Zoological 
Garden  at  Cincinnati,  at  two  o'clock  p.  m.,  September  i,  1914.  She  was  hatched  in  cap- 
tivity twenty-nine  years  ago.  This  marks  the  passing  of  the  last  survivor  of  a  species 
whose  vast  flocks,  up  to  a  generation  ago,  were  the  ornithological  wonder  of  the  world. 
The  National  Association,  realizing  the  widespread  interest  in  this  deplorable 
incident,  announced  that  it  would  give  to  anyone,  on  request,  its  Leaflet  No.  6,  with  a 
portrait  of  this  Pigeon  in  colors.  The  response  was  immediate,  and  from  all  over  the 
country,  so  that  about  2,500  copies  were  sent  out,  many  of  them  to  persons  of  great 
influence  and  social  prominence.  This  is  an  admirable  indication  of  the  widely  diffused 
and  highly  intelligent  interest  in  birds  and  their  preservation. 


40O 


Bird  -  Lore 


BIRDS   AND   THE    ARMY-WORM 


The  past  summer  has  witnessed  an 
unusual  invasion  of  the  eastern  states 
by  the  army-worm.  In  many  sections  its 
raids  on  vegetation  have  occasioned  much 
concern  and  actual  loss.  How  to  meet  its 
advances  and  check  its  onslaught  has 
claimed  the  attention  of  many  gardeners 
and  farmers,  and  by  the  advice  of  ento- 
mologists poison  has  been  resorted  to. 
Testimony  received  at  this  office  from 
several  places  tends  to  show  that  there  is 
grave  doubt  as  to  whether  this  is  the 
wisest  course  to  pursue  in  dealing  with 
the  army-worm  scourge.  Frederic  L. 
Thompson,  an  artist,  writing  from  Chil- 
mark,  on  the  island  of  Martha's  Vineyard, 
Massachusetts,  says: 

"There  has  been  an  invasion  of  the 
army-worm  here,  and  I  notice  th?  Govern- 
ment issues  pamphlets  on  the  subject  of 
its  destruction;  among  other  things  it 
advises  the  use  of  bran  mixed  with  paris 
green.  This  mixture  kills  thousands  of 
song-birds,  as  I  have  found  here.  As  this 
is  being  done  all  over  the  country,  the 
loss  of  song-birds  must  be  great.  I  also 
noticed  Chewinks  and  Catbirds  eating 
the  worms,  and  I  think  this  fact  should 
be  brought  to  the  attention  of  farmers." 

The  observations  of  Edward  A.  Gill 
Wylie,  a  lawyer  at  No.  149  Broadway, 
New  York,  are  well  worthy  of  careful 
reading.  He  writes:  "The  present  plague 
of  army-worms,  which  this  summer 
was  so  prevalent  in  New  Jersey, 
New  York,  and  New  England  States, 
provides  a  severe  example  to  us 
of  one  of  the  many  reasons  why  the 
number  of  insectivorous  birds  should 
not  only  be  conserved  but  materially 
increased.  A  horde  of  these  pests  suddenly 
came  to  light  on  a  small  place  about  four 
acres  large,  within  one  hundred  yards  of 
where  I  am  this  summer  living,  on  the 
Rumson  Road,  New  Jersey.  Immedi- 
ately the  birds  of  the  neighborhood  de- 
serted their  usual  haunts  and  assembled 
on  these  four  acres.  I  personally  counted 
sixty-three  Robins,  Thrushes,  Catbirds, 
and  Meadowlarks  at  one  time  on  a  little 


square  of  lawn  about  120  by  60  feet,  and 
feel  confident  that,  as  this  was  at  high 
noon,  it  was  not  their  busy  time  of  day. 
I  was  informed  by  the  gardener  that  they 
ate  so  many  that  often  a  bird  would  dis- 
gorge and  proceed  to  make  a  fresh  start, 
and  that  at  least  one-half  of  the  worms 
were  consumed  by  them  in  the  two  days 
which  elapsed  before  the  spraying  by 
experts  commenced  to  destroy  what  was 
left — and  their  number  was  legion.  Inci- 
dentally, this  spraying  of  four  acres  cost 
the  owner  of  the  property  $60  a  day. 
"Under  the  eaves  of  my  porch  is  a  little 
family  of  House  Wrens,  the  four  younger 
members  of  which  were  hatched  about 
two  days  before  the  army-worms  appeared. 
Several  times  during  the  course  of  the 
plague  I  counted  twelve  trips  in  ten  min- 
utes to  the  nest  of  the  parent-birds,  with 
food,  always  army-worms.  How  the 
young  ones  could  stand  the  quantity  they 
ate  was  a  marvel.  The  old  ones  would  fly 
direct  to  the  source  of  supply,  and  would 
return  almost  immediately  with  a  whole 
worm,  stop  under  a  near-by  hedge,  chop 
off  from  the  whole  a  suitable  morsel  of 
swallowable  size  for  the  little  ones,  fly 
up  to  the  nest,  and  then  away  for  a  fresh 
one;  never  returning  to  get  the  remainder 
of  the  old  worm,  but  seemingly  preferring 
a  fresh  one.  Their  diet  consisted,  so  far 
as  I  could  ascertain,  of  the  army-worm, 
until  the  final  destruction  of  the  army 
was  accomplished  by  man  and  his  feath- 
ered friends.  Even  moths  were  ignored, 
and  several  fat  little  spiders  built  a  web 
within  ten  inches  of  the  nest  and  were 
entirely  undisturbed." 

Testimony  of  Mr.  Forbush 

Edward  Howe  Forbush,  the  foremost 
economic  ornithologist  of  New  England, 
reports,  under  date  of  August   10,   1914: 

"I  have  been  looking  over  the  destruc- 
tive work  of  the  army-worm  in  this  state. 
While  the  worms  have  been  quite  de- 
structive in  Wareham,  Massachusetts, 
they  have  done  no  harm  at  all  on  my  farm. 


The  Audubon   Societies 


401 


In  fact,  you  would  never  know  from  the 
appearance  of  vegetation  that  there  was 
a  worm  on  the  place.  I  have  taken  extra 
pains  this  year  to  attract  the  birds,  and 
they  have  eaten  a  great  many  of  the 
worms.  Thirty  or  forty  rods  away  from 
my  place  the  worms  are  beginning  to  be 
destructive,  and  in  other  parts  of  the 
town  they  have  done  a  good  deal  of  harm. 
They  have  done  no  appreciable  injury 
on  other  farms  where  I  have  put  up  nest- 


this  year,  birds  were  very  plentiful,  as  the 
boxes  were  nearly  all  occupied,  and  they 
were  feeding  on  the  army-worm  in  large 
numbers.  Recently  I  saw  here  quite  a 
number  of  Heath  Hens  apparently  feeding 
on  the  army-worm.  Where  poisoned  bran 
was  used  in  trenches  to  kill  the  worms  on 
a  large  estate  formerly  owned  by  Professor 
Shaler,  very  few  birds  were  seen,  and  we 
had  several  reports  that  dead  birds  had 
been  found  along  the  trenches,  but  I  got 


-z 

THE   ARMY-WORM 

I.  Caterpillar;   2.  Chrysalis;  3.  Adult  Moth  {Leucania  unipunctala) 


ing-boxes  in  quantities.  In  Martha's 
Vineyard,  the  army-worms  have  cut  corn- 
crops  to  the  ground.  It  is  rather  signifi- 
cant that  the  worms  have  done  the  most 
harm  where  poisons  have  been  used  to 
check  them.  Where  no  poison  has  been 
used,  and  where  the  birds  have  been 
attracted,  the  worms  (although  very 
numerous)  have  not  done  very  much  harm. 
"On  the  state  reservation,  where  the 
Heath  Hen  has  been  protected,  and  where 
a  great  many  nesting-boxes  were  put  up 


there  about  a  week  too  late  and  did  not 
see  any  personally.  I  hear  that  a  good 
many  Blackbirds  and  Robins  have  been 
poisoned,  and  that  Quail  have  disappeared 
where  the  poison  has  been  used." 

In  another  letter  Mr.  Forbush  adds: 
"I  am  under  the  impression  that  if 
fresh  grass  were  sprayed  at  night  for  the 
worms,  it  would  be  just  as  effective  as 
the  bran,  and  there  would  not  be  so  much 
risk  of  the  poisoning  of  birds.  Some  of  the 
entomologists  recommend  this." 


402 


Bird  -  Lore 


So  alarming  were  these  and  other  com- 
plaints received  that  the  Association  at 
once  sent  out  warnings,  urging  the  public 
to  desist  from  the  practice  of  scattering 
poisoned  bran.  There  seems  little  reason 
to  doubt  that  even  scourges  of  worms  can 
be  kept  well  in  check,  especially  in  the 
thickly  settled  parts  of  our  country,  if 
people  only  will  take  the  precaution  of 
increasing  the  wild-bird  population  by 
simple  methods  of  attracting  birds  in 
greater  numbers.  The  association's  recent 
Bulletin  No.  i,  entitled  "Attracting  Birds 
About  the  Home,"  contains  many  useful 
hints  on  this  subject,  and  a  copy  will  be 
sent  without  charge  to  any  reader  of 
Bird-Lore  on  receipt  of  two  cents  to 
cover  cost  of  transportation. 

Another  Suggestion 

Mr.  Archibald  C.  Weeks  of  Brooklyn, 
New  York,  comes  forward  with  the  follow- 
ing suggestions  in  the  Brooklyn  Eagle: 

"Its  development  expedited  by  the 
recent  warm,  humid  weather,  most  favor- 
able for  insect  generation,  the  moth  of  the 
army-worm  {Leucania  uni punctata)  is  just 
beginning  to  emerge  from  its  pupal  case. 
The  first  one  noticed  by  me  in  the  center 
of  Long  Island  was  on  August  15.  The 
moths  conceal  themselves  among  dried 
grass  and  other  withered  vegetation,  their 
light,  ash-colored  upper  wings  almost 
exactly  matching  their  environment,  and 
rendering  them  discoverable  only  when 
the  wings  are  expanded  in  flight.  Close 
scrutiny  is  required  to  detect  the  moths 
after  they  alight.  These  moths  will  shortly 
lay  their  eggs  in  abandoned  fields  of  grass 
and  weeds,  and  one  more  brood  at  least 
will  be  perfected  before  frost  comes. 

"All  fields  of  this  kind  should  be  plowed 


at  once,  or  burned  over  when  possible,  for 
thus  further  generations  will  be  fore- 
stalled. As  my  man  and  myself  were 
raking  along  the  border  of  a  large  field  on 
August  15,  preparatory  to  plowing,  I  was 
pleased  to  witness  the  excellent  work  of 
one  of  the  Flycatchers.  As  the  insects  dis- 
turbed by  us  took  flight  and  skimmed 
over  the  herbage,  the  bird,  on  the  alert 
in  the  neighboring  tree-branches,  would 
swoop  down  so  swiftly  that  the  eye  could 
scarcely  note  its  flight,  and  with  unerring 
skill  snap  up  its  prey.  It  circled  about 
fearlessly  within  a  few  feet  of  us,  and 
followed  us  as  we  moved  along,  never 
permitting  a  moth  to  escape.  As  every 
victim,  if  a  female,  represented  at  least 
250  possible  larvffi,  the  benefit  conferred 
by  the  activities  of  this  bird  cannot  be 
over-estimated." 


Is  Insect  Poison  Dangerous? 

Dr.  L.  O.  Howard,  entomologist  of 
the  United  States  Department  of  Agri- 
culture, when  asked,  on  August  30,  1914, 
his  opinion  of  danger  to  birds  from  the 
use  of  insect-killing  poisons,  said  that  the 
Department  had  no  evidence  of  a  single 
bird  having  lost  its  life  from  this  cause. 
Dr.  Henry  W.  Henshaw  wrote  to  this 
Association  some  time  ago  that  the  Bio- 
logical Survey  had  no  authentic  record 
of  the  death  of  any  bird  by  poisoning. 

It  would  seem  from  this  that  Mr. 
Thompson's  statement  in  the  early  part 
of  this  article  involved  some  error  or 
exaggeration.  Is  it  not  possible  that  the 
"thousands  of  song-birds"  mentioned 
were  killed  by  some  other  agency? 

Nevertheless,  the  Department  of  Agri- 
culture informs  us  that  it  is  striving  to 
find  a  safer  substitute  for  arsenical  sprays. 


STATUS  OF  THE  TREATY  WITH  CANADA 


John  B.  Burnham,  President  of  the 
American  Game  Protective  Association, 
who  has  been  active  in  advancing  the 
cause  of  international  bird-protection, 
has  furnished,  in  a  private  letter  to  the 
secretary  of  the  National  Association, 
a  statement  of  the  progress  of  this  im- 
portant matter  which  we  are  privileged 
to  print.    Mr.  Burnham  says: 


"A  few  weeks  ago,  it  seemed  probable 
that  conclusive  and  favorable  action  would 
be  taken  during  the  early  fall.  Now  it  is 
certain  that  no  definite  action  will  be 
taken  by  the  British  Government  until 
after  the  European  war  is  over,  or  at  any 
rate  until  more  favorable  conditions  arise. 

"  While  we  are  marking  time,  however, 
there  is  no  reason  why  we  should  be  in- 
active. There  is  still  a  great  deal  of  mis- 
apprehension in  parts  of  Canada  as  to  the 


The   Audubon   Societies 


403 


good  to  be  accomplished  by  the  passage 
of  the  treaty;  and  I  trust  that  the 
opportunity  will  not  be  allowed  to  pass 
by  members  of  Audubon  Societies  to 
impress  upon  their  friends  the  great 
necessity  for  the  earliest  possible  action 
by  Canada  in  this  matter.  A  summary  of 
what  has  been  accomplished  may  be  of 
interest: 

"On  July  2,  1913,  the  United  States 
Senate  adopted  the  McLean  resolution, 
authorizing  the  President  to  propose  to 
other  countries  the  negotiation  of  a  con- 
vention for  the  protection  and  preserva- 
tion of  birds.  The  treaty  was  drawn  in 
tentative  form  and  submitted  by  the  United 
States  Department  of  State  to  the  British 
Ambassador  in  March,  1914.  With  the 
approval  of  the  British  Foreign  Office,  the 
Ambassador  forwarded  the  documents  to 
the  Dominion  Government,  which  con- 
sulted the  various  Provincial  Govern- 
ments with  regard  to  their  attitude  to- 
ward the  proposed  treaty. 

"The  matter  was  favorably  received  in 
most  of  the  provinces,  but  not  all  had 
acted  at  the  time  that  war  was  declared. 
If  favorable  action  is  taken  by  the  pro- 
vinces, it  is  assumed  that  the  treaty  will,  in 
due  course,  be  returned  to  the  United 
States  Secretary  of  State,  with  or  without 
modifications,  and  that  it  will  be  ratified 
by  the  United  States  Senate,  because 
at  that  time  Senator  McLean  made  the 
proposed  treaty  an  issue,  and  the  Senate 
was  distinctly  favorable  toward  it. 

"Leading   men  in  Canada,  who  under- 


stand the  situation,  are  heartily  in  favor 
of  the  proposed  treaty.  The  North  Ameri- 
can Fish  and  Game  Protective  Associa- 
tion, at  its  meeting  in  Ottawa  last  winter, 
passed  unanimously  a  very  strong  resolu- 
tion in  favor  of  the  treaty.  A  little  later 
the  ofiicial  Commission  of  Conservation 
of  Canada  also  passed  unanimously  a 
strong  resolution  indorsing  the  treaty,  and 
many  of  the  strongest  statesmen  of  Canada 
have  approved  of  it. 

"The  treaty  will  put  upon  both  countries 
a  more  vital  obligation  to  see  that  their 
laws  for  the  protection  of  migratory  birds 
are  effectually  enforced.  It  will  establish 
regulations  prohibiting  the  illegal  trans- 
portation of  game  from  either  country  to 
the  other.  It  will  stop  the  shooting  of 
wildfowl  in  the  breeding-season.  It  will 
give  a  tremendous  impetus  to  the  protec- 
tion of  migratory  insectivorous  birds  from 
the  Arctic  Ocean  to  the  Rio  Grande.  The 
seasons,  so  far  as  most  of  the  provinces  of 
Canada  are  concerned,  will  not  be  ma- 
terially changed.  The  United  States, 
under  the  migratory-bird  law,  has  been 
required  to  curtail  seasons  to  a  very  much 
greater  extent  than  is  asked  of  Canada. 
The  passage  of  the  treaty  will  do  more 
than  anything  else  to  assure  the  perman- 
ency of  the  principle  of  federal  protection 
to  migratory  birds.  Canada  breeds  most 
of  the  wildfowl  which  are  shot  in  the  United 
States,  and  should  have  the  right  to  an 
equal  voice  in  their  protection  against 
possible  extermination  by  her  southern 
neighbor." 


NEW    MEMBERS    AND    CONTRIBUTORS 


Enrolled  from  July  i   to  September  i, 
1914. 

Life  Members. 

Comstock,  Miss  Clara  E. 
Harrison,  Alfred  C. 
Houghton,  Miss  Elizabeth  G. 
Vanderbilt,  Mrs.  French 

Sustaining  Members. 
Adams,  Mrs.  John  D. 
Ahruke,  Carl  J.  R. 
Ashley,  Miss  Ellen  M. 
Atwater,  Mrs.  Wm.  C. 
Barker,  F.  E. 
Barr,  James  H. 
Benson,  Miss  Mary 
Betts,  Mrs.  E.  K. 
Bowditch,  Charles  P. 
Brinckerhoff,  Mrs.  E.  A. 
Brown,  Clarence  D. 
Bunker,  William 
Burr,  Roy  C. 


Sustaining  Members,  continued. 
Butler,  Rev.  E.  E. 
Caldwell,  Mrs.  J.  H. 
Childs,  William,  Jr. 
Chisolm,  B.  Ogden 
Coghlin,  Peter  A. 
Curry,  William  L. 
Dahlstrom,  Mrs.  A. 
Daniel,  Charles  A. 
Davis,  Henry  J. 
Day,  Stephen  S. 
Delano,  Mrs.  Frederic  A. 
Dobie,  Richard  L. 
Don,  John 
Dyer,  Mrs.  Ruth  C. 
Eustis,  Mrs.  Herbert  H. 
Fry,  Henry  J. 
Fuller,  Miss  M.  W. 
Graves,  Mrs.  Henry  S. 
Haggin,  Mrs.  M.  V. 
Hannah,  Charles  G. 
Harbison,  Wm.  .Albert 
Harrison,  Mrs.  M.  J. 


404 


Bird  -  Lore 


Sustaining  Members,  continued. 
No.  2  Wall  Street 
HofTman,  F.  B. 
Hope,  J.  L. 
Humi>hrey,  A.  L. 
Kennedy,  Dr.  Harris 
Kennedy,  Mrs.  Harris 
Keuffel,  W.  G. 
Kremer,  Mrs.  Wm.  N. 
Lindabury,  Mrs.  Richard  V. 
Mitchell,  J.  Kearsley 
Myers,  Mrs.  G.  C. 
McCague,  Mrs.  Geo.  E. 
McClure,  Mrs.  C.  B.  J. 
McCrea,  Charles  C. 
McKelvy,  Mrs.  Robert 
McOwen,  Frederick 
Oliver,  Mrs.  James  B. 
Olney,  Elam  Ward 
Overton,  Dr.  Frank 
Parsons,  Mrs.  J.  D.,  Jr. 
Parsons,  William  H. 
Peirson,  Walter,  Jr. 
Perot,  T.  Morris,  Jr. 
Perry,  Dr.  Henry  J. 
Pierce,  William  L. 
Pilling,  William  S. 
Poole,  Mrs.  G.  S. 
Porter,  H.  K. 
Pratt,  B. 

Pratt,  Mrs.  C.  M. 
Randerson,  J.  P. 
Rebmann,  G.  R.,  Jr. 
Roberts,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  L. 
Sayre,  Mrs.  Charles  D. 
Small,  Mrs.  Carrandra  M. 
Sparks,  Thomas  W. 
Steady,  Wilson  R. 
Steward,  Campbell 
Stoddard,  John  L. 
Tower,  Mrs.  Richard  G. 
Turnbull,  Mrs.  Ramsay 
Tyson,  Carroll  S. 
Ulmann,  Ludwig 
Van  Sinderen,  Mrs.  A.  J. 
Wadsworth,  Samuel 
Weston,  Edward 
Weston,  Mrs.  S.  Burns 
Young,  Miss  Emily  W. 

New  Contributors 

A  Friend  of  the  Song-bird 

A  P'riend 

Chapman,  Mrs.  Mary  D. 

Crafts,  J.  M. 

Elliott,  Mrs.  Wm.  T. 

Fawell,  Joseph 


Flint,  Mrs.  Alonzo 
Moses,  Wallace  R. 
Phillips,  Dr.  Walter 
Worcester,  William  L. 

Contributors  to  the  Egret 
Protection  Fund 

Previously  acknowledged $3,585  62 

Anderson,  F.  A 2  00 

Anderson,  Brig. -Gen.  George  J.  2  00 

Averill,  Miss  F.  M i  00 

Baird,  Thomas  E.,  Jr 5  00 

Bonham,  Miss  Eleanor  M.  ...  25  00 

Brewer,  Miss  Lucy  S 5  00 

Brooks,  S 5  00 

Cammann,  K.  L 10  00 

Carroll,  Elbert  H 10  00 

Clemenston,  Mrs.  Sidney 10  00 

Eddison,  Charles 10  00 

Edwards,  Miss  L.  M 5  00 

limery,  Miss  Georgia  Hill 25  00 

Evarts,  Miss  Mary 5  00 

Foster,  Mrs.  Cora  D i  00 

Gilbert,  Mrs.  Frederick  M..  .  .  b  00 

Heide,  Henry 10  00 

James,  Mrs.  D.  Willis 25  00 

Keen,  Miss  Florence 5  00 

Miller,  E.  L 2  00 

Moore.  Alfred 5  00 

Redfield,  Miss  Julia  W i  00 

Richardson,  Mrs.  M.  G 5  00 

Smith,  C.  E i  00 

Watrous,  Miss  Elizabeth i  00 

Weld,  Rev.  George  F 2  co 


$3,769  62 

Contributors  to  the  Fund  for  the  Depart- 
ment of  Applied  Ornithology 

Clyde,  William  P $     250  00 

Converse,  Edward  C 1,000  00 

Dallett,  Frederic  A 100  00 

i'^astman,  George 500  00 

Eldridge,  Miss  Isabella 50  00 

Fairchild,  Benjamin  T 150  00 

Hemenway,  Augustus 500  00 

Lanier,  Charles  D 100  00 

Pierrepont,  John  J 100  00 

Piatt,  Mrs.  Orville  H 25  00 

Schermerhorn,  F.  Augustus...     500  00 

Schwab,  Gustav 100  00 

Shepard,  Sidney  C 50  00 

Thayer,  Mrs.  Ezra  R 100  00 

Thorne,  Samuel i,oco  00 

Total $4,525  00 


The   Audubon   Societies 


4<:>S 


GENERAL    NOTES 


Watchfulness  in   Pennsylvania 

The  Audubon  Plumage  Law  in  Penn- 
sylvania, enacted  April  13,  19 13,  after  a 
a  memorable  campaign,  forbade  offering 
for  sale,  or  having  in  possession  for  that 
purpose,  after  July  i,  19 14,  any  feathers 
of  wild  birds  belonging  to  any  family  of 
birds  represented  in  the  bird-life  of  the 
state.  As  the  time  approached  when  this 
prohibition  was  to  go  into  effect.  Dr. 
Joseph  H.  Kalbfus,  Secretary  of  the  State 
Board  of  Game  Commissioners,  sent  to 
all  dealers  a  circular  explaining  the  law, 
and  warning  them  against  its  violation. 
The  effect  of  this  kindly  act,  together 
with  the  vigilance  of  the  officers  concerned 
in  its  enforcement,  has  been  most  satis- 
factory. Dr.  Kalbfus  informs  us  that  with 
few  exceptions  the  law  has  been  obeyed. 
"We  have  had  some  few  prosecutions 
here  and  there,"  he  says.  "We  are  work- 
ing up  cases  at  this  time  against  men  who, 
we  are  informed,  are  determined  to  violate 
the  law.  I  believe  we  are  in  position  to 
say  that  but  few  egret  plumes  will  be  sold 
in  Pennsylvania  after  this  date." 

Success  to  Blue  Bird 

The  beautiful  and  artistic  magazine 
Blue  Bird,  which  is  edited  and  published 
by  our  Ohio  Field  Agent,  Dr.  Eugene 
Swope,  of  Cincinnati,  continues  to  grow 
rapidly  in  attractiveness  and  usefulness. 
While  it  covers,  more  or  less  particularly, 
all  of  the  more  engaging  fields  of  natural 
history,  it  deals  especially  with  the  wild 
bird-life  of  the  gardens  and  fields.  The 
magazine  is  devoted  more  especially  to  the 
interests  of  the  Junior  Audubon  Society 
members,  yet  adults,  as  well  as  children, 
take  a  keen  interest  in  its  pages.  Dr. 
Swope  is  to  be  congratulated  on  a  new 
acquisition  to  his  editorial  staff  in  the 
person  of  that  entertaining  and  pictur- 
esque field  ornithologist,  Oscar  E.  Bay- 
nard,  of  Clearwater,  Florida. 

More  power  and  success  to  the  Blue 
Bird! 


Connecticut  Regaining  Sea-birds 

The  marked  increase  this  year  of  water- 
birds  along  the  Connecticut  shore  of  Long 
Island  Sound  can  be  accounted  for  in  no 
other  way  than  as  a  result  of  the  protec- 
tion afforded  them  in  recent  years  by  the 
National  Association  cf  Audubon  Socie- 
ties. Off  Norwalk,  Connecticut,  for  years 
an  occasional  Common  Tern  would  be 
found  in  midsummer  sitting  on  the  oyster- 
stakes.  This  year  Terns  have  appeared 
in  great  numbers,  more  than  fifty  in  a 
flock  being  common;  and  Wilbur  F.  Smith 
reports  that  a  large  and  prosperous  new 
colony  has  bred  on  Goose  Island,  off 
Madison.  Herring  Gulls  also  were  com- 
mon off  Norwalk  during  all  the  past  sum- 
mer. A  flock  of  more  than  a  hundred 
Laughing  Gulls  clustered  about  Smith's 
Ledge,  near  Stamford,  Connecticut,  on 
August  10  and  11,  and  among  them  were 
many  immature  birds.  Petrels  occurred 
in  considerable  numbers  on  Long  Island 
Sound,  twenty  being  counted  in  two 
hours,  and  one  of  them  was  Wilson's 
Petrel. 

A  Splendid  Work 

Many  wonderfully  interesting  develop- 
ments in  the  field  of  bird-study  and  bird- 
protection  have  occurred  lately.  One 
which  gives  promise  of  resulting  in  an 
immense  amount  of  good  is  that  originated 
by  H.  Rief,  game  warden  at  Seattle, 
Washington.  Mr.  Rief  has  begun  the 
organization  of  the  boys  of  that  part  of 
the  state  into  "Junior  Game  Wardens." 
Company  A  now  consists  of  one  hundred 
bright,  ambitious  boys,  varying  in  age 
from  eight  to  twenty  years.  Each  member 
of  the  company  wears  a  badge,  and  is 
pledged  to  learn  the  names  and  habits  of 
the  wild  birds,  to  serve  as  a  scout  to  detect 
violators  of  the  game-law,  and  see  that 
they  are  brought  to  justice.  The  boys 
have  been  having  some  splendid  field- 
trips  of  late,  and  each  one  carries  a  note- 
book for  recording  observations.  "All 
have  given  their  word  that  they  will  be 


4o6 


Bird  -  Lore 


faithful  workers  in  the  Audubon  Society 
cause,"  writes  Mr.  Rief.    He  says  further: 

"I  am  going  to  extend  the  organization 
over  the  entire  city  and  take  in  every 
school.  I  shall  try  to  organize  a  company 
in  each  school,  so  that  action  can  be  made 
quickly.  The  idea  of  these  organizations 
is  to  work  with  the  principals  and  teach- 
ers. If  a  boy  in  a  school  violates  the  law, 
that  is,  disturbs  a  nest  or  disturbs  a  bird, 
or  interferes  with  a  bird,  the  case  is  re- 
ported to  me.  I,  in  turn,  hand  the  com- 
plaint to  the  captain  in  charge  of  that 
school.     He   lays   the   matter   before   his 


Pierre  Loti's  Rebuke 

In  Paris,  France,  on  March  9,  1914, 
the  woman's  paper,  La  Vie  Feminine, 
gave  its  inauguration  reception  at  the 
Galerie  d'Excelsior,  88  Champs  Elysees. 
The  lecturer  was  the  novelist  Pierre  Loti 
(Lieut.  L.  M.  J.  Viaud),  who  was  asked 
to  speak  about  women  in  Turkey.  His 
opening  remarks  may  be  of  interest  to 
the  Audubon  Society: 

"Before    beginning    my    lecture,"    said 


MR.    KIF.I-    ANT)    HIS    JUXIOR    WARDENS    ON    A    PATROL-BOAT 


principal;  the  principal  will  call  the  delin- 
quent before  him.  If  the  matter  is  grave, 
he  will  refer  the  delinquent  to  me.  When 
he  does,  he  places  the  delinquent  in  the 
custody  of  one  or  more  of  the  junior  ward- 
ens, and  they  bring  him  to  my  office.  You 
can  readily  see  that  the  humiliation  con- 
nected with  this  will  soon  break  the  most 
ardent  delinquent — at  least,  I  have  found 
it  so.  Some  of  the  boys  who  were  on  the 
wrong  side  of  the  fence  have  mended  their 
ways,  and  are  now  working  with  us." 

The  officers  of  Company  A  are  E.  R. 
Nelson,  Captain;  Erwin  Brown,  First 
Lieutenant;  Charles  Hoyt,  Second  Lieu- 
tenant; and  Joseph  R.  Harris,  Adjutant. 

Dignities  and  responsibilities  like  these 
have  an  excellent  influence  on  character. 


the  speaker,  "will  you,  ladies,  pardon  a 
short  digression,  which  has  nothing  to  do 
with  the  subject  in  hand,  but  which  is 
suggested  to  me,  as  I  look  down  upon  my 
feminine  audience.  If  this  reunion  in  front 
of  me  were  composed  of  Orientals,  an  im- 
pression of  quiet  and  charming  mystery 
would  reach  me,  a  veritable  rest  to  my 
eyes;  the  monotony  of  their  sober  cos- 
tumes would  be  relieved,  here  and  there, 
by  brilliant  reds,  blues,  and  greens;  but 
each  costume  would  be  draped  in  a  uni- 
form material,  without  the  many  small 
ornaments  which  I  see  you  wear,  and  which 
make  my  eyes  blink.  The  heads  of  the 
Eastern  women  would  all  be  enveloped  in 
veils,  with  archaic  folds,  showing  only 
large  eyes.  The  impression  given  by  such 
an  audience  would  be  that  of  peace  and 
harmony,   whereas,  looking  at  you  from 


The  Audubon   Societies 


407 


this  platform,  I  see  a  surging  mass  of 
feathers,  which  your  hat-makers  insist 
upon  placing — some  straight  in  front, 
others  over  one  ear,  then  again  a  plume 
trails  over  the  back  of  the  head,  in  a  weep- 
ing-willow style,  giving  the  impression  of 
unrest,  I  will  end  my  digression  by  tell- 
ing you  something  profoundly  sad.  Among 
the  plumes  on  your  hats  I  distinguish 
innumerable  aigrettes,  quantities  of  Birds- 
of-Paradise,  and,  as  I  turn  my  eyes  away, 
I  think  of  the  ruthless  massacres  which 
bird-hunters  are  carrying  on  for  your 
pleasure  and  vanity.  Poor  little  winged 
world,  inoffensive  and  charming,  which  in 
half  a  century,  thanks  to  you,  will  be  found 
nowhere!  I  recall  some  specimens,  the 
most  wonderful,  which  have  already  dis- 
appeared, with  no  possible  return.  What 
a  sacrilege!  What  a  crime!  To  have  sent 
into  oblivion  a  species  of  bird-life  which 
no    mortal    can    re-create    in   this  world! 


Ladies,  I  ask  mercy  for  the  birds  of  fair 
plumage.  Believe  me,  all  of  you  will  be 
just  as  lovely,  and  appear  less  cruel,  when 
you  have  discarded  the  covering  of  these 
little  bodies,  which  you  now  wear  on  your 
hats." 


On  Guard  in  Central  Texas 

A  report  from  H.  TuUsen,  President  of 
the  Central  Texas  Audubon  Society,  at 
Taylor,  Texas,  shows  that  the  friends  of 
birds  are  active  there,  not  only  in  educa- 
tional and  other  worthy  directions,  but 
in  enforcing  the  law  against  the  wanton 
destruction  of  bird-life.  The  especial 
villany  in  that  region  is  the  shooting  of 
Nighthawks,  one  of  the  most  innocent 
and    useful    of    all   our    migratory   birds. 


A    FLICKER    AT  ITS    BATH 
Scene  in   the  garden  of  F.  E.  Barker,  at  Hamilton,  Ohio 


4o8 


Bird-  Lore 


Several  persons  have  been  arrested  and 
warned;  and  the  society  is  spreading  a 
Icnowledge  of  the  federal  and  local  laws, 
and  announces  that  hereafter  convictions 
will  be  followed  by  adequate  punishment. 
Similar  vigorous  efforts  should  be  made 
by  local  Audubon  societies  in  all  parts  of 
of  the  country. 

Good  Work  at  Bedford,  New  York 

The  Audubon  Society  of  Bedford,  New 
York,  has  printed  and  issued  its  first 
annual  report,  an  admirable  pamphlet 
showing  a  vigorous  and  intelligent  activity. 
President  Henry  M.  Howe  is  the  writer; 
and  he  places  first  among  the  society's 
accomplishments  the  results  obtained 
by  the  Committee  on  Nesling-boxes.  A 
total  of  704  nesting-boxes  and  970  gourds 
(brought  from  the  South  by  the  chairman, 
William  G.  Borland)  were  made  and  sold 
to  more  than  forty  local  buyers.  In  many 
cases,  the  same  person  has  set  out  both 
shingle- boxes  and  gourds  side  by  side, 
so  that  evidence  will  soon  be  obtained 
as  to  which  class  is  the  more  attractive 
and  useful. 

Of  fundamental  importance  is  the  work 
of  the  Membership  Committee,  under  the 
chairmanship  of  Mrs.  Marshall  P.  Slade, 
to  which  the  society  owes  its  having  a 
membership  of  175,  and  63  junior  mem- 
bers, total  238.  The  Committee  on  Illegal 
Shooting,  Hall  B.  Waring  chairman,  has 
taken  active  and  efficient  steps  to  prevent 
illegal  shooting,  and  the  carrying  of  fire- 
arms, and  it  has  been  well  supported 
by  the  police.  Thanks  to  the  Lecture 
Committee,  under  the  guidance  of  Mrs. 
James  S.  Day,  and  to  Mr.  Borland,  three 
formal  lectures  on  birds  have  been  given, 
one  by  T.  Gilbert  Pearson,  Secretary  of 


the  National  Association;  one  by  Dr. 
Arthur  P.  Allen,  of  Cornell  University; 
and  one  by  Edward  H.  Forbush;  all  very 
well  attended.  L.  C.  Remsen,  of  Mount 
Kisco,  gave  an  informal  talk  at  his  house, 
illustrated  by  his  valuable  collection  of 
native  birds;  the  late  Dr.  Campbell  spoke 
to  the  school  children  at  Mount  Kisco; 
and  Mrs.  Henry  Marion  Howe  gave  two 
informal  talks  on  bird-protection.  The 
Library  Committee,  Mrs.  J.  S.  Penman, 
chairman,  has  stimulated  the  local  libraries 
toward  buying  books  on  birds,  and  bring- 
ing them  to  the  attention  of  the  read- 
ing public;  has  placed  in  the  libraries 
posters  urging  the  putting  up  of  bird-homes, 
and  has  distributed  leaflets  on  the  winter- 
feeding  of  birds.  Charles  Haines,  represent- 
ing this  society,  has  visited  Albany,  and 
there  urged  on  the  legislature  improvements 
needed  in  the  statutes  in  the  interest  of 
birds.  He  has  also  given  two  well-attended 
lectures  on  birds,  one  at  Bedford  Hills 
and  one  at  Mount  Kisco.  Miss  Marion  P. 
Cuyler  has  continued  her  valuable  work 
on  birds  with  the  children  of  Mount 
Kisco.  An  effective  cat-trap  has  been 
devised,  which  catches  cats  without 
injuring  them,  thus  avoiding  natural 
objections  to  the  use  of  traps.  Wild  cats, 
when  caught,  have  been  shot. 

It  is  believed  that  in  these  and  other 
ways,  effective  steps  tending  to  increase 
the  bird-population  have  been  taken. 
The  suppression  of  illegal  shooting,  the 
wide  use  of  gourds  and  nesting-boxes, 
feeding-boxes,  and  baths,  and  the  efforts 
to  avoid  frightening  the  birds  away,  have 
certainly  not  only  increased  the  number 
of  Bedford-hatched  birds  that  survive, 
but  also  made  Bedford  a  much  more 
attractive  place  for  birds,  and  a  far  less 
attractive  one  for  insect  pests. 


1.  White-winged  JuNco  3.    Slate-colored  Junco.  Adult  female 

2.  Slate-colored  Junco,  Adult  male       4.    Slate-colored  Junco,  Im.  female,  winter 

5.    Oregon    Junco 
(One-half  Natural  Size) 


A  BI-MONTHLY  MAGAZINE 

DEVOTED   TO   THE  STUDY  AND  PROTECTION  OF   BIRDS 

Official  Organ  of  The  Audubon  Societies 


Vol.  XVI 


November— December,  1914 


No.  6 


Bird  Life  in  Southern  Illinois 
I.  Bird  Haven* 

By  ROBERT   RIDGWAY 
With  photographs  by  the  Author 


I 


N  October,  1906,  the  property  which  Mrs. 
Ridgway  and  I  have  named  'Bird  Haven' 
w^as  purchased  in  fulfilment  of  a  long- 
cherished  desire  to  possess  a  home  in  the  coun- 
try, where  the  pleasures  of  country  life  could  be 
enjoyed  to  the  fullest  extent  and  opportunities 
afforded,  close  at  hand,  for  the  study  of  out-of- 
doors  natural  history,  in  a  region  not  only  afford- 
ing rich  material  but  also  endeared  to  the  writer 
by  memories  of  a  happy  boyhood. 

The  site  finally  chosen  was  selected  only  after 
careful  examination  of  practically  the  entire 
county.  The  greater  part  of  a  month  was  spent 
by  us  in  our  search  and  many  likely  spots  ex- 
amined; but,  while  other  places  were  preferable 
in  one  respect  or  another,  none  of  them  com- 
bined so  many  of  the  essential  requirements,  as 
nearness  to  town,  convenience  of  access,  diversity 
of  surface,  and  variety  of  tree-growth — for  it  was  our  purpose  to  establish,  on 
a  small  scale,  a  preserve  for  our  native  trees  and  other  flora.  Other  spots 
possessing  all  these  advantages  were,  necessarily,  passed  by;  some  were  of  too 
large  an  acreage  for  our  means,  while  others  were,  for  one  reason  or  another, 
unpurchasable.  The  chosen  spot,  while  small  in  area,  seemed  specially  adapted 
to  our  needs,  because  on  this  limited  space  grew  a  far  larger  number  of  native- 
trees  than  I  have  ever^found  on  an  equal  acreage;  there  was  water  linj  abun- 
dance, there  were  both  hills  and  lowlands,  and  birds  seemed  plentiful.  The 
*Tbe  firit  of  three  articles. 


THE    MISTRESS    OF    BIRD 
HAVEN 


4IO 


Bird-  Lore 


only  disadvantage  apparent  at  the  time  was  the  circumstance  that  our  eight 
acres  were  separated  from  the  main  road  by  a  ten-acre  tract  of  woodland;  but 
this  was  minimized  by  the  generosity  of  the  owner,  who  gave  us  the  right  of 
way  for  a  road  across  his  land.  Two  years  later  this  ten-acre  tract  was  added, 
by  purchase,  to  Bird  Haven;  so  that  now  eighteen  acres  are  included  within 
its  boundaries. 

As  stated  before,  only  one  disadvantage  in  the  site  was  apparent  at  first; 
but,  with  better  knowledge  gained  from  experience,  two  additional  ones 
developed.  One  of  them  was  so  serious  that,  as  told  later  on,  we  have  been 
obliged  to  give  up  all  hope  of  residing  there.  The  other  pertains  to  the  larger 
stream  which  flows  through  the  property.  This  at  first  seemed  truly  "a  thing  of 
beauty  and  a  joy  forever,"  an  illusion  effectually  dispelled  when  the  heavy 
rains  came,  and  we  were  amazed  at  the  volume  of  water  which  came  down  the 
valley,  spreading  over  the  whole  extent  of  the  lowlands,  and  bringing  with  it 
drift  in  the  form  of  logs,  stumps,  and  everything  floatable.    Flood-gates  at 


NESTIM,-  I.DXJ.,-,    lul^    I.IRI.),-.:    \\(..,,.,  ._.   ,.,,      ,i(3LES    IN   DEAD    LIMBS    OF    OLD 

TRUIT    TREES,    CUT    OFE    IN    TRIMMING    TREES 

(After  photograph  was  made,  these  were  wired  fast  to  trees  and  all  have  been  occupied  each  year  by 

Chickadees,  Tufted  Titmice,  Great  Crested  Flycatchers,  Downy  Woodpeckers  Bluebirds,  etc.) 


both  places  where  the  boundary  fence  crosses  the  creek  became  a  necessity, 
and  the  maintaining  of  these  in  effective  condition  is  a  serious  problem.  How- 
ever, we  have  passed  many  happy  and  profitable  days  on  Bird  Haven,  and, 
while  we  no  longer  live  there,  all  the  improvements  remain,  and  we  make 
occasional  visits  there. 


Bird    Life   in   Southern   Illinois 


411 


A  PORTION   OF  THE   CREEK   OX    BIRD 
HAVEX— THE  LOWER  FLOOD-GATES 


As  previously  stated,  the  topography  of  Bird  Haven  is  varied.  The  only 
really  level  land  is  comprised  in  the  'bottoms'  of  the  two  streams  which  inter- 
sect it.  The  larger  of  these  is  known  as  the  East  Fork,  a  tributary'  of  Fox  River. 
This  is  a  stream  haxang,  on  our  property,  an  average  width  of  about  twenty- 
two  feet,  and,  except  during  the  drier 
parts  of  the  year,  when  portions  become 
dried  up,  permanently  supplied  with 
water,  especially  our  part,  in  the  greater 
extent  of  which  a  depth  of  at  least  three 
feet  is  maintained  even  during  periods 
of  severe  drought,  being  fed  by  springs 
which  open  beneath  the  surface.  The 
other  stream  flows  across  the  western 
part  of  Bird  Haven,  at  right  angles  with 
the  larger  one,  into  which  it  flows  when 
in  flood;  but,  except  in  winter  and  during 
rains  at  other  times,  it  is  for  the  most 
part  dry,  though,  owing  to  its  narrow- 
ness and  the  deeply  cut  channel,  this 
'run'  (as  such  streams  are  caUed  locally) 
remains  moist,  with  here  and  there  a  little  pool,  in  which  birds  can  bathe 
and  drink. 

From  the  level  bottoms  of  these  streams  rise  low  hills,  those  fronting  the 
main  stream  rising  steeply,  vriih  a  broad,  and  for  the  greater  part,  cleared 
bottom  (now  converted  into  meadow)  intervening  between  the  hills  and  the  creek. 
But  on  the  west  side,  where  the  bottoms  of  the  'rim'  are  densely  covered  with  the 
most  liLxuriant  growth  possible  of  blue-grass,  they  slope  more  gently,  both 
sides  having  the  continuity  of  their  slopes  broken  by  occasional  shallow,  but  not 
rocky,  ravines,  which  drain  the  uplands,  the  general  level  of  which  is  about 
thirty-six  feet  above  the  mean  level  of  the  creek. 

Approximately  half  the  area  of  Bird  Haven  is  wooded,  mostly  with  second- 
growth  trees  (the  land  having  all  been  cultivated  some  forty  to  fifty  years 
ago),  though  a  very  few  trees  of  the  original  forest,  which  was  very  heavy,  con- 
sisting largely  of  splendid  white  oaks  and  hickories*  remain.  Owing  to  diver- 
sity of  surface  and  central  geographic  position,  the  flora  of  Bird  Haven  is  very 
rich.  This  is  especiaUy  true  of  the  tree-growth,  which  comprises  more  than 
fifty  species,  nearly  all  of  which  grew  on  the  original  eight  acres.  There  are 
eleven  species  of  oaks  (exactly  as  many  as  grow  in  the  whole  of  New  England!), 
seven  hickories,  three  ashes,  two  maples,  two  elms,  two  crab-apples,  two 
plums,  two  walnuts  (the  black  walnut  and  the  butternut),  and  at  least  two 
hawthorns;  while  of  genera  represented  by  a  single  species  each  there  are  per- 

*This  information  I  got  from  the  man  who  sawed  the  timber  and  the  one  who  culti- 
vated the  ground;  also  from  the  size  of  the  few  old  stumps  that  remain. 


412  Bird -Lore 

simmon,  luHp  tree,  wild  cherry,  red-bud,  flowering  dogwood,  black  gum 
(tupelo),  honey  locust,  red  cedar,  cotton  wood,  river  birch,  hackberry  {Celtis 
crassifolia),  mulberry,  pawpaw,  sassafras,  buttonwood  (sycamore),  wahoo 
or  burning  bush,  wafer-ash  or  hop-tree,  black  willow,  black  haw,  and  prickly 
ash.  Besides  these  native  trees,  all  growing  indigenously  on  the  place,  three 
naturalized  species  have,  unaided  by  man,  established  themselves,  these  being 
the  osage  orange,  the  southern  catalpa*,  and  the  white  or  Chinese  mulberry. 
The  shrubs  of  Bird  Haven  include  false  indigo  (Amorpha  fruticosa),  bladder- 
nut,  button-bush,  New  Jersey  tea,  hazel,  wild  hydrangea,  two  hypericums 
(H.  prolificum  and  H.  densiflorum) ,  elder,  smooth  sumac,  spice-bush,  pasture 
rose,  glossy  rose,  sweetbrier  (which  in  this  part  of  the  country  is  so  common 
and  widespread  that  one  would  never  suspect  it  is  not  a  native),  prairie  rose 
(in  great  abundance,  many  having  been  taken  up  and  planted  along  the  fence- 
lines,  where  they  make  a  magnificent  flowering  hedge  in  season),  blackberries, 
dewberries,  black  raspberry,  and  coral-berry  or  Indian  currant,  the  last  in 
dense  masses  along  the  creek  banks  and  in  other  places.  Of  woody  climbers 
there  are  trumpet-flower  (too  abundant  and  a  great  nuisance — ours  are  all 
the  scarlet-  or  red-flowered  form),  moonseed,  Virginia  creeper,  at  least  three 
grapes  {Vitis  cinerea,  V.  vulpina,  and  V.  cestivalis),  at  least  two  greenbriers 
{Smilax  hispida  and  S.  pseudo-china),  poison  ivy,  and  a  new  clematis  (related 
to  C.  viorna)  recently  described  by  Mr.  Paul  C.  Standley,  of  the  U.  S.  National 
Museum,  from  Bird  Haven  specimens.  Herbaceous  climbers  include  the 
ground-nut  (Apios  tuber osa),  yellow  passion-flower,  wild  yam,  herbaceous 
smilax  of  two  species,  two  scandent  polygonums,  several  morning-glories 
{Ipomcea  pandurata,  I.  hederacea,  and  Convolvulus,  species) ,  and  several  climb- 
ing plants  of  the  pea  or  bean  family. 

For  many  years  before  its  purchase  by  us,  the  land  had  been  constantly 
pastured,  and  consequently  there  was  little  chance  for  terrestrial  plants  to 
grow;  only  blue-grass,  and  this  cropped  short,  interspersed  with  clumps  of 
boneset,  ironweed,  milkweed,  and  other  kinds  of  weeds.  Since  the  exclusion  of 
stock,  however,  the  native  herbaceous  flora  has  reestablished  itself,  and  the 
rapidity  with  which  this  occurred  was  truly  amazing.  The  list  of  herbaceous 
plants  which  have  sprung  into  existence,  as  if  by  magic,  is  far  too  great  to  be 
presented  in  full,  but  a  few  of  the  more  attractive  or  striking  species  may  be 
mentioned.  The  spring  beauty  (here  called  'daisy'!)  is  perhaps  the  most 
abundant  plant,  and  our  first  glimpse  of  Bird  Haven,  on  April  17,  1909,  when, 

*The  native  catalpa  (C.  speciosa)  has  been  practically  exterminated,  in  the  wild  state, 
in  the  vicinity  of  Olney.  Even  in  cultivation,  the  southern  species  (C.  catalpa),  although  in 
every  respect  distinctly  inferior,  is  much  more  common,  and  has  become  thoroughly  natural- 
ized. The  single  catalpa  found  growing  on  Bird  Haven  when  the  place  was  purchased  is  a 
C.  catalpa,  the  seed  having  blown  to  the  spot  where  it  germinated,  many  years  ago,  from 
some  cultivated  or  roadside  tree.  At  the  present  time,  there  are  many  fine  examples  of 
C.  speciosa  on  Bird  Haven,  planted  by  me  in  1907,  and  already  larger  than  trees  in  a  grove 
of  C.  catalpa  on  the  adjoining  farm,  which  were  planted  more  than  twenty  years  ago. 


Bird   Life  in   Southern   Illinois 


413 


from  a  distance,  the  hills  seemed  covered  with  a  light  snowfall,  is  yet  fresh  in 
our  memories.  On  the  lower  grounds  grow,  very  thickly  in  places,  blue  and 
white  violets,  purplish  white  and  yellow  erythroniums,  Dutchman's  breeches, 
bloodroot,  and  dwarf  larkspur,  with  two  wild  'flags'  {Iris  hexagona  and  /. 
versicolor),  the  fragrant  lizard's  tail,  and  many  other  semi-aquatic  species  in 
the  wetter  spots.  On  the  hills,  the  most  abimdant  spring  flowers  (next  to  the 
spring  beauty)  are  the  blue  phlox  {P.  divaricata),  short-stemmed  spiderwort 
(Tradescantia  brevicaulis,  decidedly  a  finer  plant  than  T.  virginica,  its  relatively 
large  flower  var>ang  from  intense  \aolet  to  pale  mauve,  rose-pink,  magenta, 


THE    MEADOW    JUST    AFTER    MOWING 
(The  creek  hidden  by  trees  and  shrubs  extending  across  middle  distance) 

rhodamine  purple  or,  occasionally,  almost  tyrian  purple — a  range  of  color 
very  unusual  among  wild  plants  but  a  characteristic  feature  of  this) ;  other 
plants  of  more  or  less  striking  appearance  being  the  May  apple  {Podophyllum) 
Trillium  recurvatum,  Indian  turnip  or  Jack-in-the-pulpit,  and  its  more  con- 
spicuous (as  well  as  more  abundant)  relative,  the  dragon-root  {Ariscema  dra- 
contium),  and  the  stately  columbo  {Eraser a  carollnensis) .  In  summer  there  are 
black-eyed  Susans  {Rudbeckia),  monardas,  and  other  flowers,  and  in  autumn  a 
considerable  variety  of  goldenrods,  asters,  sunflowers,  and  other  compositae, 
and,  in  moister  or  more  shaded  spots,  the  blue  lobelia,  the  cardinal  flower,  as 
the  purple-flowered  turtle  head  {Chelone  ohliqua). 

The  native  flora  has,  since  our  ownership  of  the  place,  been  greatly  aug- 
mented by  the  planting  of  many  trees,  shrubs,  and  vines,  chiefly  those  of  a 


414 


Bird -Lore 


specially  ornamental  character  or  else  affording,  in  their  fruit,  food  for  the 
birds.  Of  this,  however,  there  is  little  need,  the  place  being  already  sup- 
plied with  really  more  than  can  be  used,  in  the  pokeberries,  wild  grapes,  poison- 
ivy  berries,  and  seeds  of  numerous  compositse  (especially  the  horseweed, 
Ambrosia  trijida,  the  favorite  winter  food  of  purple  finches). 

With  all  these  manifest  attractions,  abundance  of  bird-life  would,  naturally, 
be  expected;  but,  for  reasons  at  present  beyond  my  control,  such  unfortunately, 
is  not  the  case.  Birds  are  fairly  well  represented,  it  is  true,  but  they  have 
too  many  enemies  to  contend  with,  to  increase  as  they  should.    Chief  among 


THE    COTTAGE    ON    BIRD    HAVEN 
(From  West  side) 

these  are  house  cats  which  have  run  wild,  and  the  pilot  black  snake  {Coluber 
obsoletus),  here  called  'chicken-snake.'  I  am  not  sure  which  of  these  pests 
should  take  first  rank  as  a  bird-destroyer,  but  am  inclined  to  give  the  latter 
that  distinction,  for  it  is  without  question  an  inveterate  enemy  of  bird-life, 
swallowing  old,  young,  and  eggs  alike,  and  in  its  search  for  feathered  victims 
displaying  a  craftiness  and  persistence  certainly  not  excelled  by  the  cat  itself. 
Many  times  have  I  watched  this  snake,  unfortunately  our  most  abundant 
reptile,  crawling  about  in  large  trees,  making  a  systematic  search  for  birds' 
nests,  taking  one  branch  at  a  time  and  exploring  every  hole  and  likely  place. 
The  most  expert  climber  among  all  our  serpents,  it  is  essentially  an  aboreal 
species,  and  ascends  to  the  very  tops  of  the  largest  trees  with  the  greatest  ease. 
An  illustration  of  the  craftiness  of  this  serpent  is  afforded  in  the  following  case: 


Bird   Life  in   Southern   Illinois 


415 


A  pair  of  Phoebes  built  their  nest  underneath  the  projecting  eaves  of  the  cot- 
tage at  Bird  Haven.  The  young  were  almost  ready  to  leave  the  nest,  when  one 
of  these  snakes,  having  observed  them,  crawled  out  along  a  projecting  hori- 
zontal limb  of  a  nearby  oak  tree,  dropped  to  the  roof  of  the  cottage,  crawled 
to  the  edge,  and,  reaching  over  seized  and  devoured  all  the  young  birds. 
Needless  to  say  the  culprit  was  dispatched  forthwith.  On  another  occasion, 
when  some  \dsitors  came  to  Bird  Haven,  they  were  shown  a  Field  Sparrow's 
nest  containing  young,  within  fifty  feet  of  the  cottage ;  returning,  not  ten  min- 


A    BIT    OF    BIRD    HAVEN. 


-THE    THRASHER    AND    CARDINAL    THICKET 
(Prickly  Ash  J 


utes  later,  for  another  inspection,  the  nest  was  found  empty.  A  brief  search 
of  the  immediate  vicinity  revealed  the  robber  in  the  person  of  one  of  these  snakes. 
Many  a  nest,  indeed,  have  I  watched  with  interest  that  was  at  last  found 
empty,  and,  although  the  direct  e\'idence  was  wanting,  there  can  be  little 
doubt  that  in  most  cases  at  least  a  'chicken  snake'  was  the  cause.  This 
reptile  grows  to  a  large  size,  often  exceeding  six  feet  in  length,  and  unfortu- 
nately is  perhaps  the  most  abundant  of  all  our  snakes. 

Third  in  importance  among  the  causes  destructive  to  bird-life  on  Bird 
Haven,  are  trespassing  hunters  and  boys.  'Unclimbable'  fences  and  locked  gates 
are  no  protection,  and  numerous  signs  forbidding  trespass,  displayed  in  the 
most  conspicuous  positions,  are,  apparently,  looked  upon  as  merely  put  up  for 
ornament!     For  example,  it  is  ordinarily  supposed  that  school  teachers  are 


4i6  Bird -Lore 

able  to  read;  nevertheless,  some  of  them  either  cannot,  or  else  their  moral 
sense  is  so  low  that  they  are  unable  to  possess  any  conception  of  that  essential 
element  of  civilization — respect  for  the  rights  of  ownership.  One  teacher,  a 
young  man  who  at  least  looked  to  be  intelligent  and  honest,  deliberately 
entered  and  shot  a  gray  squirrel  within  fifty  feet  of  one  of  the  signs  forbid- 
ding trespass;  another  (a  young  woman,  I  am  sorry  to  say)  took  her  entire 
school,  in  se\Tral  automobiles,  and  with  her  scholars,  climbed  over  the  locked 
(and  barb-wire  protected)  gate,  and  had  a  picnic  on  the  grounds.  Surely 
a  fine  example  for  her  pupils! 

Under  such  circumstances,  it  is  not  strange  that  birds  should  be  less  nu- 
merous than  would  be  expected  from  the  natural  advantages  of  the  place.  That 
birds  are  by  no  means  really  scarce,  however,  on  Bird  Haven,  may  be  seen 
by  the  list  of  species  that  have  been  positively  ascertained  to  breed  there,  and 
by  the  fact  that  during  a  little  over  one  month  in  spring  (April  17  to  May  21, 
igog)  Mrs.  Ridgway  and  I  counted  one  hundred  and  seventeen  species*  on 
the  eight  acres  then  representing  the  area  of  the  property,  a  considerable  num- 
ber seen  just  outside  the  boundaries  not  being  included.  We  have  been  so  little 
on  Bird  Haven,  especially  within  the  last  three  years,  that  our  knowledge  of 
the  bird-life  of  the  place  is,  necessarily,_ imperfect.  Indeed,  while  living  there, 
my  time  was  so  fully  occupied  with  the  planning  and  superintendence  of 
improvements,  planting,  and  other  work,  that  there  was  practically  no  time 
for  anything  else,  and  what  knowledge  was  gained  as  to  birds  was  mainly 
obtained  by  more  or  less  casual  observation.  The  species  observed  were, 
however,  noted,  and  such  memoranda  made  as  time  could  be  spared  for. 

Altogether,  the  number  of  species  observed  on  Bird  Haven  (including  a 
few  that  were  seen  flying  over  and  others  positively  identified  by  voice  or  other 
means)  is  one  hundred  and  thirty-four,  of  which  the  more  notable  are  the 
following : 

Mississippi  Kite.  One  pair  seen  soaring  overhead,  during  the  summer 
of  igio.  (Exact  date  apparently  not  recorded,  but  it  must  have  been  prior 
to  August,  as  we  left  there  July  28.  These  were  the  very  last  individuals  of  the 
species,  formerly  common  and  at  times  very  numerous  in  this  portion  of  the 
country,  that  I  have  seen.) 

Barn  Owl.   Not  seen,  but  its  peculiar  cry  frequently  heard  at  night. 

Long-eared  Owl.   Not  seen,  but  its  feathers  found. 

Chuck-wiir s-widow.  Not  seen,  but  the  easily  recognized  call-notes  of  one 
individual  heard  regularly  nearly  every  evening. 

White-crowned  Sparrow.  Very  abundant  and  tuneful  during  the  spring 
migration,  early  in  May. 

Montana  Junco.  A  common  winter  resident,  in  the  proportion  of  at  least 
one  to  ten  of  the  Slate-colored  Junco.  The  two  are  very  easily  distinguished 
in  life,  the  pinkish  sides  and  lighter  gray  head  of  Junco  montanus  being  con- 

*May  14-16,  1908,  seventy-eight  species  were  noted  during  the  two  days. 


4i8 


Bird  -  Lore 


spicuous  at  a  considerable  distance,  and  were  often  seen  feeding  together  from 
the  cottage  windows. 

Blue  Grosbeak.  Nested  once  only  on  Bird  Haven,  and  not  seen  there  (or 
elsewhere)  since.  A  family  of  full-grown  young,  with  their  parents,  were  seen 
in  the  dense  growth  of  tall  blackberries  and  horseweeds  in  the  creek  bottom, 
but  I  have  mislaid  the  memorandum  showing  date.  I  think,  however,  it  was 
some  time  toward  the  end  of  July,  19 lo. 

Bell's  Vireo.  Its  peculiar  song  occasionally  heard  in  the  thickets  along  the 
creek. 

Kirtland's  Warbler.  A  beautiful  adult  male,  positively  identified  at  close 
quarters,  on  the  morning  of  May  3,  1908.  I  was  on  my  way  to  work,  and  had 
just  entered  the  woods  when  the  bird  attracted  my  attention.  After  making 
the  identification  certain,  I  returned  to  the  cottage  for  my  gun;  but  in  the 
meantime  he  departed,  and  could  not  be  found  again. 

The  list  of  birds  ascertained  to  breed  within  the  limits  of  Bird  Haven  is 
also  incomplete.  I  had  no  time  to  hunt  for  birds'  nests,  except  on  very  rare 
occasions,  and  some  species  undoubtedly  breed  there  that  are  not  included  in 
the  following  list: 


I.  Green  Heron. 

28. 

Field  Sparrow. 

2.  Bob-white. 

29. 

Bachman's  Sparrow. 

3.  Mourning  Dove. 

SC- 

Towhee. 

4.  Red-shouldered  Hawk. 

SI- 

Cardinal. 

5.  Sparrow  Hawk. 

32. 

Blue  Grosbeak. 

6.  Barred  Owl. 

33- 

Indigo  Bird. 

7.  Yellow-billed  Cuckoo. 

34- 

Scarlet  Tanager. 

8.  Black-billed  Cuckoo. 

35- 

Summer  Tanager. 

9.  Southern  Hairy  Woodpecker. 

36. 

Red-eyed  Vireo. 

10.  Southern  Downy  Woodpecker. 

37- 

Yellow-throated  Vireo. 

II.   Red-headed  Woodpecker. 

38. 

White-' yed  Vireo. 

12.  Red-bellied  Woodpecker. 

39- 

Louisiana  Water-Thrush. 

13.  Flicker. 

40. 

Kentucky  Warbler. 

14.  Whip-poor-will. 

41. 

Maryland  Yellow-throat. 

15.  Kingbird. 

42. 

Yellow-breasted  Chat. 

16.   Crested  Flycatcher. 

43- 

Redstart. 

17.  Phoebe. 

44- 

Catbird. 

18.  Wood  Pewee. 

45- 

Brown  Thrasher. 

19.  Acadian  Flycatcher. 

46. 

Carolina  Wren. 

20.  Blue  Jay. 

47- 

Western  House  Wren. 

21.   Crow. 

48. 

White-breasted  Nuthatch. 

22.   Cowbird. 

49 

Tufted  Titmouse. 

23.  Red-winged  Blackbird. 

50- 

Carolina  Chickadee. 

24.  Southern  Meadowlark. 

51- 

Blue-gray  Gnatcatcher. 

25.  Orchard  Oriole. 

52. 

Southern  Robin. 

26.  Baltimore  Oriole. 

53- 

Bluebird. 

27.   Chipping  Sparrow. 

The  following  additional  species  breed 

in  the  immediate  vicinity,  most  of 

them  on  the  farm  of  which  Bird  Haven  was 

formerly  a  part,  and  therefore  there 

Bird   Life  in   Southern  Illinois 


419 


is  reason  for  supposing  that  some  of  them  should  be  included  in  the  preced- 
ing list: 


13 


1.  Woodcock. 

2.  Spotted  Sandpiper. 

3.  Killdeer. 

4.  Cooper's  Hawk. 

5.  Red-tailed  Hawk. 

6.  Great  Horned  Owl. 

7.  Screech  Owl. 

8.  Chimney  Swift. 

9.  Ruby-throated   Hummingbird. 

0.  Alder  Flycatcher. 

1.  Bronzed  Crackle. 

2.  Goldfinch. 
Grasshopper  Sparrow. 


14.  Lark  Sparrow. 

15.  Dickcissel. 

16.  Purple  Martin. 

17.  Barn  Swallow. 

18.  Cedar  Waxwing. 

19.  Warbling  Vireo. 

20.  Bell's  Vireo. 

21.  Black-and-white  Warbler. 

22.  Yellow  Warbler. 

23.  Cerulean  Warbler. 

24.  Mockingbird. 

25.  Bewick's  Wren. 

26.  Wood  Thrush. 


The  four  species  distinguished  by  an  asterisk  breed  in  the  sixty-acre  tract 
of  woodland  bordering  Bird  Haven  along  the  south  side,  and  these,  together 
with  all  the  rest,  excepting  only  the  Chimney  Swift,  Purple  Martin,  and  Barn 
Swallow,  are  among  the  'possibilities.' 

The  great  preponderance  of  land  birds  in  the  Bird  Haven  list  is  the  natural 
result  of  absence  of  any  considerable  body  of  water  or  marshy  tracts.  The 
only  swimmer  seen  there  in  all  the  time  that  observations  were  made  was  a 
solitary  duck,  probably  a  Blue-winged  Teal,  though  it  could  not  be  positively 
identified.   Of  waders  only  the  following  have  been  noted: 


I.   Great    Blue    Heron.     Only    seen 

4- 

Woodcock. 

flying  over,  but  its  tracks  fre- 

5- 

Solitary  Sandpiper. 

quently    found     in     the     mud 

6. 

Spotted  Sandpiper. 

along  margin  of  the  creek. 

7- 

Upland     Plover.      (Flyini 

2.  Green  Heron. 

only.) 

3.  Black-crowned  Night  Heron. 

8. 

Killdeer. 

During  the  summer  of  1910*  we  remained  in  the  vicinity  late  enough 
(until  July  28)  to  discover,  for  the  first  time,  that  Bird  Haven  would  be  impos- 
sible as  a  place  of  residence  during  the  hot  season.  A  sixty-acre  tract  of  wood- 
land stretching  along  the  entire  length  of  the  south  side,  and  much  beyond, 
intercepted  every  bit  of  the  cooling  breeze  which,  in  summer,  here  blows  only 
(with  rare  exceptions)  from  the  south.  We  could  see  the  tree-tops  swaying 
from  the  force  of  the  wind,  but  beneath  not  a  breath  of  air  stirred,  and  it  was 
often  impossible  to  remain  inside  the  cottage  during  the  hotter  hours  of  the 
day.  The  trouble  being  irremediable  (the  land  causing  the  trouble  being 
held  at  a  prohibitive  price),  it  became  necessary  to  look  about  for  a  more 
suitable  place  for  our  residence  during  the  warmer  months.    The  new  place 

♦During  the  occasion  referred  to,  we  did  not  live  on  Bird  Haven,  the  cottage  there 
being  too  small  for  our  family,  which,  for  the  time  being,  was  considerably  augmented  by 
guests,  our  place  of  residence  being  the  dwelling  on  the  adjoining  faroit 


420 


Bird-  Lore 


was  purchased  in  October,  1910,  since  which  time  Bird  Haven  has  been  prac- 
tically neglected;  though  as  a  bird  refuge  it  exists  in  intention,  if  not  in  fact. 
The  place  is  still  'taboo'  to  trespassers,  at  least  it  is  so  plainly  stated  on  the 
the  warning  signs  still  posted  in  conspicuous  places;  the  barbed  wires  strung 
on  horizontal  cleats  spiked  to  the  tops  of  the  posts  and  projecting  inside  are 
still  in  ])lace,  and  the  gate  locked.  Only  an  occasional  school-teacher  with  her 
scholars,  a  picnic  party,  gunners,  nut-hunters,  bird-nesting  boys,  and  other 
odds  and  ends  of  humanity*  have  access  (surreptitiously,  of  course)  to  its 
sacred  precincts. 

The  story  of  Larchmound,  the  new  place,  will  be  told  in  the  next  chapter. 
The  third,  and  concluding  article  in  the  series  will  treat  of  the  changes  which 
have  occurred  in  southern  Illinois  bird-life  during  the  past  half  century. 

*The  boy  who  wants  to  cut  a  nice  young  cedar  for  a  Christmas  tree  was  nearly  forgotten. 


KINGFISHER    WITH    SMALL    SUCKER 
Photographed  by  Arthur  A.  Allen,  Ithaca,  N.  Y. 


Impressions  of  the  Voices  of  Tropical  Birds 

By  LOUIS   AGASSIZ   FUERTES 

Illustrated  by  the  Author 

SIXTH  PAPER— PARROTS,  GUANS,  AND  PIGEONS;    THE  VOICES   OF   A  TROPICAL  MARSH 

WHEN  one  meets  with  wild  Parrots  for  the  first  time,  he  gets,  undi- 
luted, the  pure  breath  of  the  tropics.  And  when,  after  an  acquaint- 
ance with  the  Parrakeets  and  Parrotlets,  the  larger  and  more 
thrilling  kinds  appear,  the  sensations  are  even  richer.  About  Cali,  and  indeed 
most  of  the  other  Southern  American  towns  and  \-illages,  the  little  green  and 
sky-blue  Parrotlets  fill  the  place  House  Sparrows  occupy  with  us,  nesting  in 
the  bamboo  ridgepoles  of  the  houses,  and  adopting  a  familiar  attitude  toward 
man  and  his  works.  The  native  children  almost  universally  tame  them,  and 
in  the  patio  of  the  Cali  hotel  seventeen  of  them  lived  in  perfect  familiarity 
among  the  roses  and  flowering  vines.  Their  chirping  and  twittering  reminded 
me  of  nothing  more  than  the  noises  made  by  Sparrows;  though  the  fact  that 
they  were  indigenous,  coupled  with  their  confiding  friendliness  and  beautiful 
colors,  removed  the  prejudice  that  the  reminder  might  otherwise  have 
engendered. 

Wild  Parrots  make  the  same  raucous  noises  that  tame  ones  do,  and  a  feed- 
ing flock,  unsuspicious  of  man's  proximity,  is  constantly  in  low,  chuckling 
conversation.  But  many  and  many  a  time  I  have  heard  them  up  the  trail,  and, 
cautiously  approaching,  have  become  aware  that  I  was  observed,  when  all 
sound  and  motion  ceased  while  I  was  still  some  distance  from  their  feeding- 
tree.  With  all  their  scarlet  and  safifron  trimmings,  the  Amazona  Parrots,  in 
my  experience,  take  an  easy  palm  over  all  others  in  the  gentle  art  of  ceasing 
to  be  where  you  know  they  are!  I  think  we  all  had  the  experience  of  search- 
ing till  our  eyes  ached,  where  we  knew  Parrots  were  working,  without  being 
able  to  discern  a  single  bird,  even  in  the  comparatively  open  leafage  along 
the  trails.  Suddenly,  without  the  slightest  warning,  as  the  entire  flock  took 
simultaneous  alarm,  the  innocent  air  would  be  rent  with  the  hellish  screeching 
of  two  hundred  fiendish  birds,  and  gorgeous  with  the  flashing  scarlet  and  blue 
and  gold  of  noisy  wings,  as  these  capricious  and  thrilling  birds  would  leave 
for  another  part  of  the  forest.     The  tree  would  literally  explode  Parrots! 

After  some  experience  mth  them,  we  came  to  distinguish  the  three  Mexican 
Amazonas  by  their  cries,  when  they  were  too  far  away  to  tell  by  sight.  .1. 
oratrix,  the  'Double  Yellow-head'  of  fanciers,  cried  quite  plainly  "Cut  it  out, 
cut  it  out,"  while  .4.  viridiginalis  called  "Poll-Poll-Parrot,  Poll-Poll-Par- 
rot," and  A.  autumnalis,  from  southern  Vera  Cruz,  had  a  sufliciently  distinct 
screech  to  immediately  stamp  it  as  something  new,  although  I  made  no  trans- 
scription  of  its  yell. 

Conures  all  make  regular  Parrot  noises,  though  shriller  and  'lighter'  than 
those  of  the  larger  kinds.    But  the  'real  noise'  in  Parrotdom  is  the  great,  gor- 

(421) 


MACAWS,  PARROTS,  AND    PARRAKEETS 
(422) 


Impressions  of  the   Voices   of  Tropical   Birds  423 

geous  and  ear-splitting  Macaw.  Along  the  lower  Magdalena  River,  the  red- 
and-blue,  and  the  blue-and-yellow  Macaws  were  both  quite  common,  and  it 
is  hard  to  say  whether  their  greatest  attack  was  on  our  eyes  or  our  ears!  Their 
heavy,  rasping  yell  was  clearly  audible  above  the  churning  racket  of  the 
engines,  even  when  the  birds  were  some  distance  away  in  the  forest.  We  were 
frequently  apprised  of  their  flights,  high,  high  over  the  valley,  as  they  passed 
from  one  great  Andean  chain  to  another,  perhaps  three  thousand  feet  above 
us,  by  the  penetrating,  though  distance-mellowed  cries  that  filtered  down  to 
us  from  the  scarcely  discernible  line.  When  heard  near  at  hand,  there  is  a 
heavy,  hammering  quality  in  a  Macaw's  scream  that  makes  it  the  most  deaf- 
ening noise  that  I  have  ever  heard  from  a  bird,  while  their  fiery  beauty  affords 
the  greatest  sensation  a  naturalist  gets  in  their  country.  Not  only  are  their 
exposed  surfaces  brilliant,  but  their  wing-  and  tail-linings  are  as  gorgeous.  I 
shall  never  forget  a  flock  of  blue-and-yellow  Macaws  we  passed  one  evening 
just  before  sunset,  as  we  were  descending  the  Magdalena.  We  were  between 
them  and  the  low  sun.  They  were  near,  and  about  level  with  our  eyes,  reliev- 
ing against  the  velvety  green  of  the  forest  wall  directly  where  our  shadows 
fell.  The  astonishing  glory  of  their  turquoise  upper  surfaces,  alternating,  as 
they  flew,  with  intense  cadmium  yellow  as  the  sun  got  under  their  wings, 
kindled  a  flashing  riot  of  color  that  made  us  gasp. 

So  far  as  I  know.  Parrots  all  pair  for  life,  and  every  large  flock  we  saw, 
whether  of  Macaws,  Parrots  or  Parrakeets,  was  made  up  of  pairs,  each  bird  of 
which  bore  the  same  relation  to  the  other  all  through  the  flock.  They  looked 
as  if  made  with  a  paired  stencil,  or  seen  through  a  double-refracting  glass. 
Invariably,  if  one  bird  was  lost  out  of  a  passing  flock,  another  would  soon  drop 
out,  circle  and  come  back  to  see  what  had  happened  to  its  mate.  If,  rarely, 
there  were  unpaired  birds  in  a  flock,  they  were  usually  apart  from  the  main 
body,  and  conspicuously  'out  of  it.'  In  flight.  Parrots  present  a  singular 
resemblance  to  Ducks,  particularly  from  ahead  or  behind.  Flying  'across  the 
quarter,'  their  heavy  blunt  heads  are  of  course  unmistakable. 

We  were  kept  constantly  interested  in  the  varied  voices  of  the  Doves  and 
Pigeons.  The  gentle  little  Ground-doves,  hardly  bigger  than  Sparrows,  give  a 
single,  soft,  questioning  'coo,'  invariably  with  a  rising  inflection.  I  could  dis- 
tinguish no  material  variation  in  their  calls  in  Florida,  Yucatan,  or  South 
America,  and  even  the  Rufous  species  presented  no  differences  appreciable  to 
my  ear.  The  Ground-pigeons  of  the  genus  Geotrygon  all  have  gentle,  velvety 
voices  which,  heard  in  the  damp  gloom  of  the  cloud-forest,  impart  something 
of  the  mystery  and  romance  of  the  Tinamou's  tremulous  plaint.  They  have 
the  same  uncanny  way  of  gliding  silently  into  view  and  melting  away,  and 
when,  rarely,  they  fall  into  our  hands,  their  subdued  but  rich  beauty  com- 
pels an  admiration  that  does  not  dim  with  repetition. 

But  not  all  Pigeons  have  these  soft  owl-like  voices.  Columba  speciosa  has  a 
harsh,    raw- voiced    single    'toot/  audible    at  a  considerable  distance.     (C. 


424 


Bird  -  Lore 


bogotensis)  in  the  eastern  Andes,  in  addition  to  the  regular  Pigeon  clucks 
and  cooing,  has  a  loud,  rough  call,  with  a  strong  roll  or  'burr'  in  it,  sug- 
geting  a  'Klaxon'  automobile  horn.  The  White-winged  Doves  of  Melopelia 
are  among  the  noisiest  of  the  Pigeons.  Indeed,  a  flock  calling  from  a  feeding- 
tree,  with  their  loud  rollicking  'Hoo-too-coo-roooo, — Hoo-too-coo-roooo,' 
reiterated  interminably,  recalls  a  group  of  victory-crazed  undergraduates 
'rooting'  for  their  football  team.  I  found  that  I  could  quite  closely  imitate 
this  and  several  other  Pigeon-calls  by  whistling  through  my  hands. 


'"^/f^^' 


BOUCIER'S    FOREST    DOVE 


I  heard  only  one  of  the  big  Guans,  of  the  genus  Crax.  What  I  took  to  be 
the  fine  black  Curassow,  at  Buena  Vista,  sat  one  evening  for  half  an 
hour  before  sunset  in  the  dense  top  of  a  great  forest  tree,  and  gave  his 
exciting  cry,  at  intervals  of  half  a  minute,  until  the  sun  was  well  down  and 
the  hurrying  dusk  began  to  deepen.  I  cautiously  crept  nearer  and  nearer,  and 
finally  gazed  up  from  directly  below.  Here  I  searched  until  my  neck  ached, 
but  though  the  cries  came  regularly  and  I  constantly  changed  my  position, 
the  bird  was  so  well  hidden  that  I  never  saw  him,  and  at  last  I  left  him  there,  to 
hurry  out  of  the  deepening  gloom  of  the  forest  before  it  should  get  fully  dark, 


Impressions  of  the  Voices  of  Tropical   Birds 


425 


As  it  was,  I  had  to  'foot-feel'  my  way  for  the  last  part  of  the  trail,  as  night 
caught  me  before  I  reached  the  clearing.  This  call  is  hard  to  describe.  It  was 
not  at  all  'gobbly,'  like  a  Turkey's  voice,  but  was  a  loud  siren  call,  which  the 
natives  interpret  by  their  name  for  the  bird,  'Burria,' — with  the  r's  strongly 
trilled.  It  rolls  up  a  full  octave,  sustains  a  second,  and  rolls  down  again.  I 
think  it  would  carry  across  the  shadowed  valleys  in  the  still  sunset  forests  for 
a  mile  at  least,  and  is  fully  as  loud  as  any  answer  a  strong-lunged  boy  could 
yell  back. 

The  little  Guans  of  the  genus  Ortalis,  the  Chachalacas,  have  also  a  line 
sensation  saved  up  for  the  eager  naturalist  who  has  not  heard  them  before. 


SPURWIXGS,   JACANAS,   AND    CRESTED    SCREAMER 

The  male,  with  his  elongated  and  convoluted  windpipe,  has  the  louder  and 
rougher  cry,  which,  by  virtue  of  the  longer  instrument  to  trumpet  through 
is  an  exact  octave  lower  than  that  of  his  normally  equipped  mate.  0.  vetula, 
from  Mexico,  says  quite  plainly  'Cha-cha-lac'-ca.  Cha-cha-lac'-ca,'  or,  as  the 
Mexicans  more  phonetically  spell  it,  'Guacharra'ca.'  It  has  a  very  human 
quality  of  voice,  and  sounds  nearly  as  loud  at  a  quarter  of  a  mile  as  it  does 
at  a  hundred  yards.  The  Colombian  species  heard  in  the  Magdalena  Valley 
seemed,  to  my  ear,  to  screech  'aqua-dock.'  The  various  members  of  a  calling 
flock  keep  time,  roughly,  according  to  sex.  They  are  apt  to  call  from  up  on 
the  mountain-sides  or  in  ravines,  when  the  rebounding  echoes  complicate  and 
augment  the  chorus  immensely. 


426  Bird -Lore 

Another  noteworthy  voice  is  the  rolling  cry  of  Ar amides,  the  big  rusty- 
colored  Wood-rail.  As  dusk  was  falling  around  me  on  a  forested  mountain- 
side, while  working  my  way  out  to  the  trail,  I  was  suddenly  congealed  by  a 
loud,  rolling  cry,  hastily  repeated  three  or  four  times.  It  sounded  in  front  of 
me,  behind  me,  over  me,  and  under  me!  I  began  to  think  it  was  all  around  me. 
A  loud  hoot,  then  a  rising,  rolling  trill —  'Oot-  roo-ee-e-e-e-  oot-  roo-ee-e-e-.' 
I  found  I  could  do  it  by  'pigeon- tooting'  through  my  hands,  so  that  the  bird 
came  quite  near,  and  thrilled  me  deeply.  But  it  was  too  dark,  and  I  knew  not 
where  to  look  for  it.  After  a  few  responses  it  slipped  away,  still  a  mystery; 
but  when  I  reached  camp  and  imitated  it  for  Mr.  Cherrie,  he  at  once  recog- 
nized it  as  Ar  amides;  and  this  diagnosis  is  his,  not  mine,  for  I  never 
had  another  opportunity  to  identify  it. 

Among  the  lasting  impressions  that  I  have  brought  out  of  the  tropics,  cer- 
tainly one  of  the  most  vivid  is  of  the  great,  sultry,  odorous  and  soundful 
marshes  of  the  Magdalena  and  Cauca  Valleys.  These  treacherous  reaches  have 
a  fascination,  and  exert  a  call  upon  the  novice-naturalist  that  is  indeed  likely 
to  get  him  into  trouble.  Everything  that  charms  the  senses  in  a  northern 
water-field  is  here  multiplied. ,.-  Plant-life  is  riot,  insects  accordingly  swarm, 
and  many  species  of  birds  avail  themselves  of  the  easy  food  they  furnish.  The 
allurements  of  a  fragrant,  shimmering  sheet  of  placid  water,  with  beds  of 
floating  plants  made  gay  with  the  delicately  lovely  Jacanas,  fighting  their 
innocent  battles,  and  displaying  their  lemon  butterfly  wings;  the  dignified 
Spur-winged  Plover  that  trot  on  the  margins,  or  fly  in  noisy  flocks,  like  Dutch 
Lapwings,  low  over  the  surrounding  pasture-lands;  perhaps  a  bare  snag,  far 
out  in  the  deep  marsh,  all  in  glowing  blossom  with  Roseate  Spoonbills  and 
Snowy  Herons;  the  loud  clatter  of  the  giant  Kingfisher  and  the  dry  rasping 
of  his  tiny  'Texas'  cousin;  statuesque  Screamers,  posing  on  an  exposed  bar; 
the  squealing  whistles  of  the  Tree-ducks  dabbling  and  sunning  themselves  at 
the  edge  of  the  hyacinths  beds; — all  these  and  a  hundred  other  charms  lure  him 
deeper  and  deeper  into  the  marsh  or  into  the  lush  reeds  and  papyrus  beds  that 
form  some  of  their  margins.  I  shall  not  soon  forget  an  hour  spent  in  retriev- 
ing an  Everglade  Kite  in  the  great  marsh  at  Calamar.  Here  the  one  pervasive 
sound  was  the  constant,  irritating  hum  of  the  myriads  of  ravenous  mosquitos. 
Things  were  not  helped  by  the  discovery  that  I  was  soon  on  a  false  bottom, 
made  only  of  the  suspended  roots  of  the  vegetation  that  rose  ten  feet  above 
me,  so  that  I  went  through,  and  had  to  go  the  rest  of  the  way  on  my  knees, 
up  to  my  armpits  in  tepid  water.  As  I  had  a  gun  and  a  glass  to  keep  dry,  this 
was  no  joke,  and  I  think  that  was  the  most  miserable  hour  I  ever  went  through. 
At  the  end  I  was  absolutely  spent,  and  could  only  crawl  out  and  lie  down — 
easy  meat  for  the  mosquitos — for  another  hour.  But  it  had  its  recompenses. 
Into  the  willow-like  shrubbery  over  me  came  the  beautiful  little  Yellow- 
headed  Blackbird  of  the  tropics  and  sang  his  orchard-oriole  song.  Nearby, 
Great-tailed  Crackles  squealed,  piped  and  pointed  their  bills  aloft  in  their 


Impressions  of  the   Voices  of  Tropical   Birds 


427 


nuptial  attitudinizing.  The  red-breasted  'Meadowlark,'  Leistes,  also  came  to 
close  quarters,  though  it  did  not  sing,  and  I  watched  the  lovely  and  delicate 
little  black-and-white  marsh  Flycatchers  almost  at  arm's  length. 

There  is  a  creature  in  the  South  American  forests  which,  though  not  a 
bird,  ranks  easily  first  as  a  maker  of  weird  noises.  I  have  read  many  descrip- 
tions of  his  performance,  but  was  not  in  the  least  prepared  for  the  reality  when 
I  actually  heard  it,  nor  did  I  even  recognize  it.  This  is  the  roaring  of  the 
so-called  howling  monkey.  To  my  mind,  howling  is  a  sort  of  eerie,  rising-and 
falling  noise,  far  different  from  the  deep-voiced,  business-like,  bellowing 
roar  that  is  the  predominant  feature  of  this  little  animal's  performance.  It  is 
at  least  a  hundred  times  more  thunderous  and  terrible  than  would  seem  pos- 
sible from  a  creature  somewhat  larger  than  a  big  tom-cat.  I  had  heard  them 
in  the  distance  a  number  of  times,  but  it  was  at  Rio  Frio,  on  the  Cauca  River, 
where  our  little  stern-wheeler  was  taking  wood,  that  I  first  got  close  to  them 


CRESTED    CURASSOW 


428 


Bird-  Lore 


in  'action.'  As  I  left  the  boat  for  a  short  walk  in  the  virgin  bottom-forest  I 
heard  howlers  a  little  distance  in.  I  knew  they  were  small  animals  (our  big- 
gest male  weighed  seventeen  pounds),  and  could  do  me  no  harm.  Yet  here 
I  confess  to  a  greater  triumph  of  mind  over  matter  than  I  have  elsewhere 
ever  been  called  on  to  effect,  in  order  to  overcome  the  fierce  desire  to  be  some- 
where else.  In  spite  of  the  intellectual  certainty  that  it  was  perfectly  safe,  it 
took  all  my  nerve,  that  first  time,  to  move  up  under  the  tree  whence  came  that 
courage-killing,  menacing  bellow.  There  were  only  four  of  them;  an  old  male, 
a  female  and  two  half-grown  young;  probably  a  family.   Yet  the  terrible  noise, 

that  issued  principally  from 
the  bearded  and  swollen 
throat  of  the  old  male, 
seemed,  really,  to  make  the 
atmosphere  quake.  As  I 
stood  below,  he  would  rush 
down  toward  me,  bellowing 
outrageously,  and  I  thought 
'  /  /^viSsf  i  r  "'.Wj^^^m  ^B     u  it  took  some  fortitude,  at  first, 

/-"  jt  /"  y\^^im  lot,.  ^  T/  Js^m.^^      «  to  stand  by  till  he  retreated 

again.  Thenoise,  as  I  analyzed 
it  at  the  time,  was  a  deep, 
throaty,  bass  roar,  with  some- 
thing of  the  quality  of  grunt- 
ing pigs,  or  the  barking 
bellow  of  a  bull  alligator,  or 
an  Ostrich.  Accompanying 
this  major  sound  was  a  weird, 
crooning  sort  of  wail,  prob- 
ably the  contribution  of  the 
female  or  young,  or  both. 
The  noise  was  fully  as  loud 
as  the  full-throated  roaring  of  lions,  and  that  it  has  marvelous  carrying  power 
was  frequently  attested  when  we  heard  it  from  the  far  side  of  some  of  the  great 
Andean  valleys  as  we  wound  our  tortuous  way  across  the  Central  Cordillera. 
This  is  of  course  in  no  sense  a  bird- voice,  yet  it  is  by  far  the  most  striking 
sound  in  the  American  tropics,  and  I  should  feel  that  I  had  done  the  subject 
slight  justice  if  I  did  not  at  least  try  to  make  it  recognizable  to  those  who  may 
read  these  papers,  and  some  day  hear  for  themselves  this  astonishing  sound. 

In  bringing  to  a  close  this  series  of  impressions,  it  must  not  be  thought 
that  they  cover  the  field  of  tropical  bird  music.  They  form,  indeed,  the 
merest  nucleus  on  which  to  build. 


RED    HOWLER 


On  the  Trail  of  the  Evening  Grosbeak 

By  ARTHUR   A.  ALLEN,  Ithaca,   N.  Y. 
With  photographs  by  the  Author 

THIS  is  not  a  tale  of  the  'treacherous  muskeg'  and  the  'long  traverse.' 
No  perilous  adventures  or  rare  discoveries  in  the  nesting  haunts  of 
this  fascinating  bird  will  be  recounted.  We  will  not  even  penetrate  into 
its  breeding  range.  Instead,  follow  me  along  the  highways  of  Ithaca,  through 
its  parks  and  cemeteries  and  into  its  thickets.  Track  with  me  these  birds  from 
feeding-ground  to  feeding-ground,  learn  their  food,  decoy  them  to  feeding-sta- 
tions, bring  them  to  our  own  back  door,  and  transform  them  from  fleeting 
guests  to  daily  companions. 

The  story  begins  February  17,  1914;  at  least  for  our  purposes  it  does, 
though,  personally,  I  believe  it  began  many,  many  Grosbeak  generations  ago, 
when  the  first  of  the  species  wandered  from  the  beaten  paths  of  their  migra- 
tion in  the  west  and  started  the  habit  of  coming  east.  For  they  are  creatures 
of  habit,  these  Evening  Grosbeaks,  stolid,  indifferent,  lazy,  almost  stupid,  and, 
as  this  story  will  show,  having  once  discovered  a  satisfactory  course  of  action 
Or  a  good  route  to  travel,  they  can  never  perceive  another.  And  so  every  year, 
I  believe,  certain  of  these  birds  start  on  their  easterly  thoroughfares,  traveling 
by  easy  stages,  delaying  where  food  is  plentiful,  and  only  during  unusual  years 
of  starvation  in  the  west  reaching  their  highways  in  the  east. 

On  this  day,  February  17,  a  flock  of  eleven  birds  was  seen  by  Miss  Bates 
in  the  trees  behind  her  residence  at  the  south  side  of  the  city  and  promptly 
reported.  Somehow,  an  Evening  Grosbeak  always  creates  a  furor  among  bird- 
lovers  in  the  East;  the  news  of  their  arrival  was  announced  in  the  local  papers, 
and  early-morning  bird  trips  were  quite  in  vogue.  A  strange  coincidence  and 
a  significant  one  it  seemed,  that  on  their  last  appearance  in  Ithaca  they  were 
first  recorded  at  this  same  place,  as  though  it  were  a  way-station  along  their 
route  of  travel. 

The  next  day  they  returned,  and  for  several  days  thereafter  were  seen 
between  eleven  and  one  o'clock,  sometimes  staying  for  half  an  hour  or  more 
in  the  group  of  chokecherry  trees  back  of  the  house.  It  was  noticed  that 
they  were  feeding  on  the  seeds  of  the  dried  cherries  which  still  clung  to  the 
branches,  cracking  them  with  their  heavy  bills;  and  it  was  then  that  the 
thought  of  finding  a  suitable  food  and  thus  encouraging  them  to  remain, 
occurred  to  me.  So  I  hastened  to  the  spot  with  small  pans  and  bags  of  feed — 
sorghum,  millet,  wheat,  buckwheat,  kaffir  corn,  cracked  corn,  and  sunflower 
seed.  The  pans  were  wired  in  the  trees  where  the  Grosbeaks  had  been  seen 
feeding,  and  filled  with  a  mixture  of  the  different  seeds;  for,  as  yet,  I  knew  not 
their  preference.  The  supply  of  dried  cherries  having  become  exhausted, 
other  fruit-bearing  branches  were  brought  in  and  fastened  near  the  pans. 
Everything   promised   well.     Chickadees   and   Nuthatches   found   the   pans 

(429) 


43°  Bird -Lore 

almost  immediately  and  helped  themselves  to  the  corn  and  sunflower  seeds, 
and  House  Sparrows  flocked  to  the  spot  and  scratched  and  fought.  The  Gros- 
beaks were  still  coming  daily,  so  it  was  with  great  anticipation  that  I  tele- 
phoned Miss  Bates  the  following  day  to  learn  if  they  had  found  the  pans.  No, 
I  was  informed,  for  the  first  time,  they  had  not  been  there.  The  next  day 
the  same  answer,  and  thus  it  was  for  a  week.  I  began  to  think  I  had  started 
operations  too  late.  Still  a  few  more  days  passed  before  they  returned,  and 
by  this  time  the  Sparrows  had  devoured  all  the  seed.  This  happened  again 
and  again  before  the  Grosbeaks  finally  arrived  ahead  of  the  Sparrows,  and 
then,  to  our  dismay,  they  spurned  the  proffered  food.  They  merely  picked 
off  the  few  remaining  cherry  seeds  and  disappeared.  Obviously  their  tastes 
were  too  fastidious  for  this  bill-of-fare. 

It  was  several  days  before  they  favored  us  again,  and  this  time,  while 
they  did  not  touch  the  seed  in  the  pans,  they  discovered  that  on  the  ground 
which  had  been  scratched  out  by  the  Sparrows  and,  without  looking  twice, 
dropped  to  the  banquet  with  true  avian  appreciation.  Tin  pans  invitingly 
suspended  in  trees,  evidently  do  not  spell  food  to  Evening  Grosbeaks.  A  hint 
to  the  wise  is  sufficient — meals  were  thereafter  served  on  the  ground.  The 
Grosbeaks  returned,  stayed  around  for  a  couple  of  hours,  and  came  back 
again  the  following  morning  at  their  accustomed  hour,  which,  for  the  last  few 
days,  had  been  6.30  a.m.   Now  for  some  photographs. 

The  next  morning,  gray  dawn  found  me  at  the  feeding-station  with  a 
camera.  I  arrived  at  thirty- two  minutes  after  six,  but  the  Grosbeaks,  with 
their  usual  promptness,  passed  me  on  the  way  and  arrived  two  minutes  earlier. 
I  concealed  the  camera  near  the  spot  and,  in  so  doing,  of  necessity  frightened 
them  away;  but  expecting  that  they  would  soon  return,  I  stretched  a  thread 
from  the  lens-shutter  to  one  of  the  windows  of  the  house  and  prepared  to 
await  their  coming.  Breakfast  time  came  and  went  and  office  hours  began, 
but  still  no  Grosbeaks.  I  explained  the  mechanism  of  the  string  to  an  efficient 
proxy  and  went  about  less  romantic  labors;  but  I  might  have  spared  us  both 
the  trouble,  for  the  Grosbeaks  did  not  come  back. 

The  following  morning  everything  was  in  readiness  before  half  after  the 
hour,  and  I  had  not  long  to  wait.  I  took  out  my  watch — twenty-nine  min- 
utes and  thirty  seconds  after  six.  If  they  were  to  be  on  time,  they  would  have 
to  arrive  within  thirty  seconds.  The  words  were  scarcely  spoken  before  a 
chorus  of  loud,  strident  notes  announced  them.  Three  males  and  eight  females 
alighted  in  the  trees  over  the  camera.  They  discussed  matters  for  a  while 
like  a  steepleful  of  Sparrows,  before  deciding  that  it  was  time  for  breakfast. 
Two  females  flew  down  and  arranged  themselves  before  the  camera;  two  more, 
and  then  the  remaining  females.  More  wary  or  less  greedy,  the  males  delayed; 
but  I  determined  to  wait,  before  pulling  the  thread,  until  at  least  one  of  them 
should  get  in  front  of  the  lens.  StiU  they  hesitated,  and  [when  they  finally 
did  drop  to  the  ground,  they  were  not  in  the  plane  of  focus;  only  provokingly 


On  the  Trail   of  the   Evening  Grosbeak 


431 


near.  Very  slowly  they  edged  toward  the  females.  The  thread  tightened — 
it  is  a  tense  moment  just  before  you  snap  the  picture,  like  the  suspense  when 
the  fish  is  nibbling  and  you  are  waiting  for  just  the  right  response  before  jerk- 
ing the  line.   In  a  moment  I  would  have  the  coveted  picture.   The  thread  was 


EVENING    GROSBEAKS    IN    SUMACH 


432 


Bird-  Lore 


almost  taut  when,  with  excited  chirping,  all  of  the  Grosbeaks  flew  into  the 
trees,  and  a  huge  black  cat  bounded  from  behind  a  bush.  Words  fail  me  now, 
as  then,  to  express  my  feelings.  Imagine  then,  if  you  can,  my  state  of  mind 
the  following  morning,  when  exactly  the  same  performance  was  repeated, 
except  that  this  time  it  was  a  yellow  cat.    Black  cats,  yellow  cats,  and  Mal- 


THE    EVENING    GROSBEAKS    AND    THE    FEEDING   LOG 

tese  cats  were  all  the  same  to  me  then,  and  I  gave  up  hope  of  ever  photograph- 
ing the  Grosbeaks. 

But  it  is  an  ill  wind  that  blows  no  good.  If  the  Grosbeaks  had  been 
driven  from  their  first-chosen  feeding-ground,  they  must  find  another,  and 
fortune  smiled  upon  me  once.  The  very  next  morning  at  dawn,  the  thicket 
below  my  own  residence  resounded  with  their  notes,  and  within  an  hour  two 
of  the  brids  had  found  one  of  the  several  feeding-stations  which,  with  fond 
hopes,  I  had  established  in  the  thicket  when  the  birds  were  first  reported. 
This  station,  while  rather  inaccessible,  was  within  sight  of  the  house.  We  put 
out  enough  sunflower  seed  to  feed  an  army  of  Grosbeaks,  having  discovered 
by  this  time  that  they  preferred  these  seeds  to  the  others,  and  the  next  morning 
we  were  rewarded  by  having  the  whole  flock  feeding  within  sight  of  our  own 
windows.  There  were  no  cats  here,  and  as  soon  as  the  Grosbeaks  had  once 
formed  the  habit  of  coming  to  be  fed  it  proved  irresistible,  and  regularly  as 
the  clock  struck  they  arrived  every  morning  at  half  past  six. 

With  them  so  close  at  hand,  it  was  easy  to  study  them  and  watch  their 
changes  with  the  progress  of  the  season.  At  first  they  were  wild  and  never 
remained  after  eight  in  the  morning,  but  later,  as  other  food  became  scarce, 
they  grew  tamer  and  remained  all  the  morning  and  even  into  the  afternoon. 


On  the  Trail   of  the   Evening  Grosbeal; 


433 


A  camera  was  concealed  in  a  box  near  the  feeding-log  and  several  photographs 
of  them  taken;  but  it  was  a  long  distance  from  the  house  and  the  light  was 
unsatisfactory.  We  wanted  them  nearer,  if  possible  at  the  feeding-station  in 
the  yard,  which  though  less  than  three  hundred  feet  up  the  hill,  and  though 
always  well  supplied  with  seed,  they  had  not  found.  Hoping  to  bring  them  up 
by  gradual  stages,  we  removed  the  food  from  the  lower  station  and  started 
another  about  fifty  feet  up  the  hill.  The  next  morning  they  returned  to  the 
accustomed  place,  but  there  was  no  food  for  them.  We  thought  they  surely 
would  scout  around  and  find  the  new  station;  but  not  so,  they  simply  deserted 
us.  Thoroughly  dismayed  by  our  experiment,  we  quickly  replaced  the  food  at 
the  lower  station  and  were  rewarded  by  having  them  back  again  the  next 
morning.  We  now  scattered  seed  all  the  way  up  the  hill,  making  small  piles 
at  intervals  of  about  fifty  feet.  This  afforded  a  glorious  time  for  the  Spar- 
rows, and  they  rejoiced  at  the  tops  of  their  shrill  voices.  We  feared  lest  they 
would  devour  all  the  seed  before  the  Grosbeaks  could  find  the  upper  stations, 
but  it  worked  another  way.  The  Grosbeaks  came  to  the  lower  station  where 
there  was  but  little  seed,  heard  the  Sparrows  at  the  one  above,  and  quickly 
joined  them.  From  that  they  moved  up  to  the  next,  and  so  on  until,  almost 
before  we  realized  it,  they  were  at  the  uppermost  station,  not  twenty-five  feet 


UNTIL  THE  FIRST  OF  APRIL  THEY  FREQUENTLY  FED  TOGETHER  ON  THE  LOG 

from  the  house.  Here  was  all  the  food  they  could  eat,  and  they  were  never 
allowed  to  go  hungry  during  the  rest  of  their  stay.  From  that  time  on  we 
could  watch  them  with  the  greatest  facility,  for  they  often  perched  in  a  maple 
tree  within  fifteen  feet  of  the  porch. 

Between  the  first  and  the  middle  of  April,  the  Juncos  and  Tree  Sparrows 
left  the  feeding-station  and  the  company  of  the  Grosbeaks  for  their  more 


434 


Bird -Lore 


northern  homes,  and  the  Robins  and  Song  Sparrows  filled  the  vacant  places 
On  the  twenty-sixth  of  March,  a  lonely  Cardinal,  the  first  of  his  kind  to  visit 
Ithaca,  wandered  through  the  thicket.  He  came  back  many  other  days  at 
intervals,  and  for  a  long  time  our  highest  ambition  was  to  secure  a  photograph 
of  the  Grosbeaks  and  Cardinal  together,  and  thus  unite  on  one  film  opposite 
corners  of  the  continent.  Weeks  passed  before  the  opportunity  came,  with 
the  Cardinal  on  the  log  and  the  Grosbeaks  in  the  branches  overhead.  But  the 
Cardinal  was  a  nervous  bird,  and  we  knew  that  he  would  remain  but  a  few 
seconds.  The  Grosbeaks  still  lingered  in  the  trees.  It  seemed  an  endless  moment 
until  one  male  Grosbeak  dropped  to  the  point.     The  thread  tightened,  the 


ONE    OF    THE    MALES 

shutter  clicked.  But  as  it  did  so,  there  was  a  blur  of  red  and  yellow  on  the 
log.  The  Cardinal,  with  crest  and  tail  erect,  wings  raised  and  bill  open,  had 
darted  at  the  Grosbeak  and  knocked  him  off  with  such  speed  and  determina- 
tion that  the  exposure  of  a  fiftieth  of  a  second  recorded  only  confused  outlines. 

But  other  birds  were  more  peace-loving.  Flocks  of  House  Sparrows  with 
insolent  curiosity  surrounded  the  Grosbeaks,  or  mingled  with  them  as  they 
had  from  the  very  first.  Song  Sparrows  and  Whitethroats  neither  feared 
them  nor  attacked  them,  and  Cowbirds  seemed  to  enjoy  their  company. 

Less  can  be  said  for  the  Grosbeaks;  for  after  the  first  of  April,  they  became 
very  irritable  and  quarrelsome  among  themselves.  No  bird  except  the  House 
Sparrow  seems  willing  to  feed  without  'elbow-room,'  and  I  suppose  the 
cramped  quarters  due  to  our  desire  to  have  all  the  action  take  place  in  front 


On   the  Trail  of  the   Evening  Grosbeak 


435 


of  our  camera  finally  got  on  their  nerves.  At  any  rate,  about  this  time  they 
began  to  bill  and  clinch  in  quite  a  ferocious  manner.  At  times  they  bounded 
up,  clinching  in  mid-air  and  beating  one  another  with  their  wings;  but  usually  a 
more  sedate  grappling  and  tugging  was  sufficient  to  determine  precedence.  To 
all  appearances,  however,  none  of  the  birds  were  ever  the  worse  for  these  brawls, 
and,  away  from  the  feeding-station  they  bore  no  malice  toward  each  other. 

The  Sparrows  likewise  suffered  from  their  irritability.  Once,  while  we  were 
watching  them,  one  became  too  officious,  and  a  Grosbeak  with  quiet  precision 
reached  over  and  pinched  him  viciously  in  the  middle  of  the  back.   We  thought 


DODGING    A    VICIOUS   THRUST 


it  would  be  the  last  of  the  Sparrow;  but  evidently  the  powerful  bill  did  not 
close  with  murderous  intent,  for  after  giving  vent  to  his  feelings  in  a  few 
indignant  chirps,  the  Sparrow  hopped  back  to  his  place  beside  the  Grosbeak. 
After  that,  it  was  usually  sufficient  for  any  of  the  Grosbeaks  merely  to  point 
its  bill  in  the  direction  of  the  offender,  to  make  him  quite  desirous  of  being 
elsewhere. 

Their  fighting,  however,  was  the  least  of  our  concerns.  Beginning  about 
the  last  of  March,  they  seemed  to  delight  in  sunning  themselves  on  the  leafless 
branches,  now  and  then  venting  their  feelings  in  silent  yawns  and  stretching 
their  wings  and  tails.  At  first  we  laid  this  entirely  to  their  lazy  natures;  but 
as  the  season  advanced  their  stretching  became  more  noticeable,  and  they 
sought  out  the  shady  side  of  the  larger  branches  or  kept  entirely  to  the  ever- 


436  Bird -Lore 

greens.  The  blacks  and  yellows  of  the  males  became  more  intense;  they 
began  to  show  some  interest  in  the  females,  chasing  them  up  and  down  the 
thicket,  until  we  feared  that  they  were  getting  ready  to  leave.  On  the  17th  of 
April,  however,  we  were  surprised  to  see  one  of  the  females  breaking  dead 


Al'  IKR  THE  FIRST  OF  APRIL  THEY  CEASED  TO  BE  FRIENDLY  TOWARD   EACH  OTHER 

twigs  from  a  nearby  elm.  We  watched  her  closely  to  see  where  she  would 
carry  them,  but  unfortunately  a  male,  arriving  on  the  scene,  so  disconcerted 
her  that  she  quickly  dropped  them.  But  this  was  not  the  only  time  that  we 
saw  females  gathering  nesting  material,  so  we  began  to  hope  that  we  were 
inducing  these  distinguished  visitors  to  nest  here,  an  accomplishment  well 
worth  all  our  time  and  effort. 

Three  days  later  one  of  the  males  tried  to  sing,  the  first  and  only  attempt 
that  we  heard  and  by  no  means  a  brilliant  success,  consisting  of  five  or  six 
low  notes  like  the  chirping  of  a  gigantic  English  Sparrow.  But  it  increased 
our  hope  that  they  had  decided  to  stay.  Nor  were  our  expectations  dimin- 
ished when,  toward  the  last  of  April,  the  flock  began  to  break  up.  They  no 
longer  came  in  a  body;  single  birds,  pairs,  or  small  groups  fed  together,  and 
some  of  the  females  seemed  to  have  moved  on.  But  this  did  not  alarm  us,  for 
we  realized  that  if  the  males  had  selected  their  mates,  the  chances  for  about 
five  of  the  females  would  be  better  further  north.  Moreover,  they  had  ceased 
their  stretching;  they  were  tamer  and  would  come  to  the  log  when  we  were 
only  a  few  feet  away.   But  by  this  time,  the  first  of  May,  the  numerous  elms 


On   the  Trail  of  the   Evening  Grosbeak  437 

had  ripened  their  seed  and  the  Grosbeaks  were  no  longer  so  dependent  on  our 
supplies.  Our  first  shock  came  on  May  5,  when  one  of  the  three  remaining 
females  failed  to  appear  during  the  entire  day.  The  next  day  all  three  males 
departed,  and  by  the  tenth  of  the  month  there  was  but  one  female  left.  She, 
faithful  bird,  staid  until  the  fourteenth,  when  lonesomeness  overcame  her  and 
she  too  winged  her  way  to  the  north. 

It  was  nearly  three  months  from  the  time  of  their  arrival.  We  were  sorry 
they  had  not  reconciled  our  little  city,  its  parks  and  thickets,  and  logs  covered 
with  sunflower  seed,  with  the  great  Northwest,  its  swamps,  its  spruces  and 
aspens;  but  we  rejoiced  in  the  opportunities  they  had  brought  us  and  the 
memories  which  they  left. 


Bird-Lore's  Fifteenth  Christmas  Bird  Census 

BIRD-LORE'S  annual  bird  census  will  be  taken  as  usual  on  Christmas 
Day,  or  as  near  that  date  as  circumstances  will  permit.  Without  wish- 
ing to  appear  ungrateful  to  those  contributors  who  have  assisted  in 
making  the  census  so  remarkably  successful,  lack  of  space  compels  us  to  ask 
each  census-taker  to  send  only  one  census.  Furthermore,  much  as  we  should 
like  to  print  all  the  records  sent,  the  number  received  has  grown  so  large  that 
we  shall  have  to  exclude  those  which  do  not  appear  to  give  a  fair  representation 
of  the  winter  bird-life  of  the  locality  in  which  they  were  made. 

Reference  to  the  February,  1901-1914,  numbers  of  Bird-Lore  will  acquaint 
one  with  the  nature  of  the  report  of  the  day's  hunt  which  we  desire;  but  to 
those  to  whom  none  of  these  issues  is  available,  we  may  explain  that  such 
reports  should  be  headed  by  a  brief  statement  of  the  character  of  the 
weather,  whether  clear,  cloudy,  rainy,  etc. ;  whether  the  ground  is  bare  or  snow- 
covered,  the  direction  and  force  of  the  wind,  the  temperature  at  the  time  of 
starting,  the  hour  of  starting  and  of  returning.  Then  should  be  given,  in  the 
order  of  the  A.  O.  U.  'Check-List'  (which  is  followed  by  most  standard  bird- 
books),  a  list  of  the  species  seen,  with  exactly,  or  approximately,  the  number  of 
individuals  of  each  species  recorded.  A  record  should  read,  therefore,  some- 
what as  follows: 

Yonkers,  N.  Y.,  8  a.m.  to  12  m.  Clear,  ground  bare;  wind  west,  light;  temp.,  38° 
Herring  Gull,  75.   Total,  —  species,  —  individuals. — James  Gates. 

These  records  will  be  published  in  the  February  issue  of  Bird-Lore,  and 
it  is  particularly  requested  that  they  be  sent  the  editor  (at  the  American 
Museum  of  Natural  History,  New  York  City)  not  later  than  December  28. 
It  will  save  the  editor  much  clerical  labor  if  the  model  here  given  and  the  order  oj 
the  A.  0.  U,  'Check-List'  be  closely  followed. 


The  Migration  of  North  American  Sparrows 

THIRTY-FIRST   PAPER 

Compiled  by  Prof.  W.  W.  Cooke,  Chiefly  from  Data  in  the  Biological  Survey 

With  Drawings  by  Louis  Agassiz  Fuertes 

(See  Frontispiece) 

WHITE-WINGED    JUNCO 

The  migrations  of  the  White-winged  Junco  are  quite  restricted,  since  the 
larger  part  of  the  birds  breed  in  the  Black  Hills  of  South  Dakota  and  the 
neighboring  parts  of  Wyoming  and  Nebraska,  and  winter  in  the  southern  half 
of  eastern  Colorado.  Thus  the  average  distance  traveled  in  migration  is  rather 
less  than  500  miles.  The  first  arrive  in  fall  migration  at  Boulder,  Colo.,  on  the 
average,  October  20,  earliest  October  17,  1909;  Colorado  Springs,  Colo., 
average  October  23,  earliest  October  19,  1892.  They  remain  common  all 
winter,  and  the  larger  part  leave  for  their  summer  home  in  March.  The  last  was 
seen  in  Mesa  County,  Colo.,  April  2,  1902,  and  the  last  at  Colorado  Springs, 
Colo.,  April  II,  1874. 

SLATE-COLORED    JUNCO 

The  Slate-colored  Junco  is  one  of  the  most  abundant  and  well-known 
birds  of  the  United  States,  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  From  the  eastern 
foothills  of  these  mountains  to  the  Pacific  this  species  is  broken  up  into  several 
subspecies,  but,  very  strangely,  these  forms  extend  north  only  to  southern  or 
central  Alaska,  and  the  Juncos  of  northern  and  northwestern  Alaska  are  birds 
that  winter  in  the  eastern  United  States,  and  in  spring  migration  pass  up  the 
Mississippi  Valley,  cross  the  Saskatchewan  to  the  Mackenzie  Valley,  and  thence 
turn  almost  due  west  and  cross  the  Rocky  Mountains  to  northern  Alaska.  A 
subspecies,  the  Carolina  Junco,  breeds  in  the  higher  parts  of  the  southern 
Alleghanies  from  Georgia  to  Maryland;  and  it  may  be  that  some  of  the  records 
from  the  southeastern  United  States  given  beyond  for  the  Slate-colored  Junco 
belong  to  the  Carolina  Junco.  It  is  interesting  to  note  how  long  the  Junco 
remains  close  to  the  breeding-grounds  before  beginning  the  fall  migration.  No 
Juncos  were  seen  at  Weaverville,  N.  C,  before  October  18,  though  they  nested 
upon  the  neighboring  mountains,  within  five  minutes'  flight.  In  the  spring, 
the  last  one  left  for  the  mountains  April  19,  though  the  nest-building  coidd 
not  occur  until  several  weeks  later. 

SPRING   MIGRATION 


PLACE 


Alfred,  N.  Y 

Boonville,  N.  Y... . 
Ballston  Spa,  N.  Y, 


Number 
of  years' 
record 


15 

7 
7 


Average  date  of 
spring  arrival 


March  19 
March  24 
April  I 


Earliest  date  of 
spring  arrival 


March  5,  1910 
March  14,  1903 
March  22,  1910 


(438) 


The   Migration   of   North   American   Sparrows 


439 


SPRING   MIGRATION,  Continued 


PLACE 


Number 
of  years' 
record 


Jay,  N.  Y 

Hartford,  Conn 

Springfield,  Mass 

Fitchburg,  Mass 

Southern  New  Hampshire.  .  . 

Wells  River,  Vt 

St.  Johnsbury,  Vt 

Portland,  Me 

Phillips,  Me 

East  Sherbrooke,  Quebec.  .  . 

Montreal,  Canada 

Quebec  City,  Canada 

Scotch  Lake,  N.  B 

St.  John,  N.  B 

Chatham,  N.  B 

Pictou,  N.  S 

Halifax,  N.  S 

North  River,  P.  E.  I 

Charlottestown,  P.  E.  I 

Chicago,  111 

Oberlin,  O 

Plymouth,  Mich 

Plover  Mills,  Ont 

Ottawa,  Ont 

Kearney,  Ont.  (near) 

Palmer,  Mich,  (near) 

Indianola,  la 

Wall  Lake,  la 

Madison,  Wis 

Lanesboro,  Minn 

Minneapolis,  Minn 

Elk  River,  Minn 

White  Earth,  Minn 

Southeastern  Nebraska 

Southeastern  South  Dakota. 

Larimore,  N.  D 

Pilot  Mound,  Manitoba 

Aweme,  Manitoba 

Indian  Head,  Sask 

Osier,  Sask 

Edmonton,  Alberta 

Hay  River,  Mack 

Fort  Simpson,  Mack 

Forty-mile,  Yukon 

Nulato,  Alaska 

Kowak  River,  Alaska 

Point  Barrow,  Alaska. .  .  .  .  . 


3 

ID 

s 

8 

19 

5 


20 

9 


24 

II 

5 
6 

3 

7 
5 
9 
9 

2 

7 
7 

13 
9 

i6 


Average  date  of 
spring  arrival 


April  9 
March  21 
March  20 
March  22 
March  16 
March  26 
March  21 
March  21 
March  23 
April  2 
April  4 
April  17 
March  22 
March  30 
April  12 
April  4 
April  8 
April  6 
April  8 
March  12 
March  6 
March  23 
March  20 
April  I 
April  3 
April  9 
March  6 
March  17 
March  9 
March  19 
March  25 
March  25 
April  9 
March  9 
March  24 
April  3 
April  I 
April  2 
April  I 

April  15 

May  3 


Earliest  date  of 
spring  arrival 


April  8,  1906 
rare,  winter 
March  7,  1894 
March  11,  1898 
March  8,  1890 
March  23,  1907 
March  2,  1905 
March  14,  1902 
March  8,  1906 
March  29,  1905 
March  29,  1889 
April  10,  1904 
March  2,  1902 
March  18,  1898 
March  23,  1902 
March  16,  1889 
April  4,  1890 
April  4,  1890 
March  30,  1904 
rare,  winter 
rare,  winter. 
February  22,  1905 
March  9,  1887 
March  22,  1908 
March  19,  1903 
March  19,  1894 
February  16,  1890 
March  5,  19 11 
rare,  winter. 
January  23,  1894 
January  22,  1906 
March  11,  1887 
February  2,  1882 
rare,  winter. 
March  18,  1889 
March  26,  1904 
March  23,  1905 
March  17,  1910 
March  25,  1910 
April  14,  1893 
April  3,  19 10 
April  23,  1908 
April  28 
May  3,  1898 
May  17,  1868 
May  23,  1899 
May  24,  1882 


PLACE 

Number 
of  years' 
record 

Average  date  of 
the  last  one  seen 

Latest  date  of  the 
last  one  seen 

Long  Island,  Ala 

Northern  Georgia 

2 

5 

2 

10 

April  5 
April  7 

April  8,  191 2 
April  12,  1902 

Mt.  Pleasant,  S.  C 

Raleigh,  N.  C 

March  26 
April  II 

March  29,  1909 
April  24,  1907 

440 


Bird  -  Lore 


SPRING  MIGRATION,  Continued 


PLACE 


Weaverville,  N.  C 

Variety  Mills,  Va 

French  Creek,  W.  Va 

Waverly,  W.  Va 

Washington,  D.  C 

Berwyn,  Pa 

Philadelphia,  Pa.  (near) .  .  .  . 

Morristown,  N.J 

New  Providence,  N.J 

New  York  City,  N.  Y.  (near) 

Hartford,  Conn 

Providence,   R.  I 

Boston,  Mass 

New  Orleans,  La 

Biloxi,  Miss 

Vicksburg,  Miss 

Helena,  Ark 

Athens,  Tenn 

Eubank,  Ky 

Versailles,  Ky 

Monteer,  Mo 

St.  Louis,  Mo " 

Chicago,  111 

Waterloo,  Ind.  (near) 

Oberlin,  O 

Wauseon,  O 

Plymouth,  Mich 

Detroit,  Mich 

Central  Texas 

Bonham,  Tex.  (near) 

Onaga,  Kans 

Southeastern  Nebraska 

Southeastern  South  Dakota 

Keokuk,  la 

Grinnell,  la 

Indianola,  la 

Madison,  Wis 

La  Crosse,  Wis 

Lanesboro,  Minn 

Minneapolis,  Minn 

Elk  River,  Minn 


Number 
of  years' 
record 


3 

lO 

3 
4 


13 
9 

7 
13 


13 

7 
7 

5 

7 

13 

15 

i6 

13 

II 

i6 

6 

4 


Average  date  of 
the  last  one  seen 


April  IS 
April  19 
April  23 
April  22 
April  30 
April  20 
April  26 
May  2 
April  24 
April  28 
May  5 
May  I 
April  30 


April  II 
April  8 
April  13 

April  15 
April  16 
May  3 
April  21 
April  27 
April  23 
April  23 
April  24 
March  iS 
April  6 
April  16 
April  23 
May  6 
April  22 
April  26 
April  29 
May  I 
May  3 
May  4 
May  3 
May  2 


Latest  date  of  the 
last  one  seen 


April  19,  1 89 1 
April  25,  1895 
May  3,  1891 
April  28,  1904 
May  17,  1908 
May  II,  1899 
May  18,  1906 
May  5,  1909 
May  2,  1887 
May  23,  1907 
May  12,  1911 
May  18,  1900 
May  10,  1897 
March  29,  1896 
April  9,  1903 
April  19,  1900 
April  22,  1910 
April  18,  1907 
April  21,  1888 
May  12,  1909 
April  28,  1907 
May  29,  1882 
May  28,  1906 
May  I,  1904 
May  20,  1907 
May  8,  1892 
May  I,  1906 
May  4,  1904 
March  29,  1894 
April  23,  1884 
April  22,  1892 
May  20,  1907 
May  17,  1891 
April  27,  1902 
May  19,  1890 
May  6,  1900 
May  14,  1910 
May  13,  1907 
May  14,  1893 
May  24,  1907 
May  12,  1883 


FALL    MIGRATION 


Number 
PLACE                                          of  years' 
I     record 

Average  date  of 
fall  arrival 

Earliest  date  of 
fall  arrival 

Berkshire,  Mass 3 

Providence,  R.  I.  (near) 16 

Hartford,  Conn '        12 

New  York  City,  N.  Y |        13 

Orient,  Long  Island,  N.  Y \         5 

New  Providence,  N.J 9 

Morristown,  N.  J 8 

Englewood,  N.  J 9 

October  2 
October  8 
October  2 
September  28 
September  27 
October  11 
September  30 
October  i 

September  28,  1911 
September  17,  191 1 
September  22,  1895 
September  14,  1908 
September  21,  1907 
September  27,  1887 
September  18,  1908 
Septemberi7, 1887 

The  Migration  of   North  American   Sparrows 


441 


FALL  MIGRATION,  Continued 


PLACE 


Number 
of  years' 
record 


Average  date  ot 
fall  arrival 


Earliest  date  of 
fall  arrival 


Philadelphia,  Pa.    (near) 11 

Beaver,  Pa 6 

Berwyn,  Pa 9 

Washington,  D.C 12 

French  Creek,  W.  Va 5 

Weaverville,  X.  C 3 

Raleigh,  N.  C 15 

Greensboro,  Ala 

Charleston,  S.  C.  (near) 3 

Kirkwood,  Ga 5 

De  Funiak  Springs,  Fla 

Chicago,  III 16 

Detroit,  Mich 8 

Waterloo,  Ind.    (near) 5 

Oberlin,  0 10 

Wauseon,  O 6 

Independence,  Mo 3 

Monteer,  Mo 6 

Lexington,  Ky 

Eubank,  Ky 4 

Sewee,  Tenn 3 

Athens,  Tenn 8 

^Nlonticello,  Ark 3 

Vicksburg,  Miss 2 

Covington,  La 

Lanesboro,  Minn 6 

North  Freedom,  Wis 4 

Madison,  Wis 5 

Grinnell,  la 5 

Hillsboro,  la 4 

Keokuk,  la 12 

Aweme,  Manitoba 

Margaret,  Manitoba 3 

Southeastern  South  Dakota 6 

Southeastern  Nebraska 5 

Onaga,  Kans 16 

Gainesville,  Tex 


October  4 
October  6 
October  1 1 
October  8 
October  7 
October  23 
October  31 

November  13 
November  15 

September  18 
September  23 
September  27 
October  i 
October  10 
October  10 
October  17 

October  11 
October  31 
November  4 
November  2 
November  i 

September  25 
September  22 
October  i 
September  27 
September  30 
October  6 

September  13 
September  21 
October  9 
October  20 


September  23, 1884 
October  3,  1908 
October  4,  1897 
September  22,  1913 
September  30,  1890 
October  18,  1890 
October  23,  1886 
October  25,  1893 
November  4,  1897 
November  4,  189S 
January  i,  1908 
August  30,  1896 
September  11,  1894 
September  23,  1889 
September  24,  1906 
October  i,  1889 
October  5,  1889 
October  8,  1908 
September  30,  1904 
October  5,  1889 
October  27,  1898 
October  21,  1908 
October  31,  1911 
October  28,  1899 
November  28,  1899 
September  20,  1889 
September  14,  1904 
September  19,  191 1 
September  15,  1889 
September  24,  1896 
September  11,  1894 
September  4,  1898 
September  10,  1910 
September  3,  1889 
October  2,  1889 
October  12,  1898 
October  7,  1885 


PLACE 


Kovvak  River,  Alaska 
Fort  Simpson,  Mack. 
Indian  Head,  Sask.  . . 

Aweme,  Man 

Madison,  Wis 

Ottawa,  Ont 

Plover  Mills,  Ont .... 
Palmer,  Mich,  (near) 

Pictou,  N.  S 

Scotch  Lake,  N.  B..  . 
Montreal,  Canada.  .  . 

Hebron,  Me 

Phillips,  Me 


Number 
of  years' 
record 


13 

7 


Average  date  of 
the  last  one  seen 


November  2 
November  16 
November  3 
October  31 
October  28 

November  15 
November  5 
November  21 
November  27 


Latest  date  of  the 
last  one  seen 


September  12,  1898 
November  18,  1905 
November  24,  1904 
November  17,  1905 
rare,  winter. 
November  16,  1892 
December  24,  1890 
November  21,  1894 
November  10,  1894 
December  4,  1902 
November  15,  1908 
December  8,  1906 
December  26,  1904 


442  Bird  -  Lore 

OREGON   JUNCO 

The  Oregon  Junco  is  a  subspecies  of  the  eastern  Slate-colored  Junco,  and 
occurs  on  the  Pacific  coast,  breeding  in  southern  Alaska  and  northern  British 
Columbia,  and  wintering  south  to  southern  California.  Here,  in  winter,  it 
joins  company  with  several  other  Juncos  so  similar  in  looks  and  habits  that  it 
is  diflficult  to  distinguish  them.  The  only  sure  migration  records  available  for 
this  form  are  of  its  arrival  April  12,  1882,  at  Portage  Bay,  Alaska,  and  April 
19,  1909,  at  Kupreanof  Island,  Alaska. 

Notes  on  the  Plumage  of  North  American  Sparrows 

THIRTIETH  PAPER 
By  FRANK  M.   CHAPMAN 

(See  Frontispiece) 

Slate-colored  Junco  {Junco  hyemalis  hyemalis,  Figs.  2-4).  A  Junco  in 
nestling  or  juvenal  plumage  looks  more  like  a  Song  Sparrow  than  its  gray-and- 
white  parents.  Both  above  and  below  it  is  heavily  streaked  with  blackish,  the 
back  feathers  being  margined  with  rusty,  those  of  the  underparts  with  buffy  or 
whitish.  The  two,  or  more  rarely,  three,  pairs  of  white,  or  largely  white,  outer 
tail-feathers,  however,  suggest  its  relationships,  which  are  fully  revealed  as 
it  passes  through  the  postjuvenal  molt  into  first  winter  plumage.  At  this 
molt  only  the  tail  and  wing-feathers  are  retained;  the  rest  being  shed.  The 
young  male  now  resembles  the  adult  female  (Fig.  3),  but  may  be  somewhat 
browner,  while  the  young  female  (Fig.  4)  is  often  decidedly  browner,  with 
pinkish  brown  flanks,  when  it  suggests  certain  of  the  pink-sided  western  Juncos. 

There  is  no  spring  molt,  and  the  siunmer  plumage,  with  its  more  sharply 
contrasted  areas  of  slate-color  and  white,  is  the  result  of  the  wearing  away  of 
the  brownish  tips  of  the  winter  plumage. 

So  far  as  I  am  aware,  this  simple  order  of  molt  is  followed  by  all  Juncos, 
and  it  will,  therefore,  be  necessary  only  to  enumerate  the  remaining  North 
American  species  and  subspecies,  giving  with  each  an  outline  of  its  range  and 
characters.  This,  however,  cannot  be  done  satisfactorily.  The  Juncos  respond 
so  readily  to  the  influences  of  their  environment,  and  the  ranges  of  the  moun- 
tain-inhabiting forms  are  so  difficult  to  determine,  that  few  ornithologists  are 
agreed  on  the  status  of  the  forms  of  this  group.  I  merely  follow,  therefore, 
the  arrangement  of  the  'Check-List'  of  the  American  Ornithologists'  Union. 

I.  White-winged  Junco  {Junco  aikeni,  Fig.  i).  A  distinct  species,  known 
by  its  large  size  and  white  wing-bars. 

Range.  "Central  Rocky  Mountain  region.  Breeds  in  the  Bear  Lodge 
Mountains,  Wyoming,  the  Black  Hills,  South  Dakota,  and  in  northwestern 
Nebraska;  winters  from  the  Black  Hills  to  southern  Colorado  and  western 
Kansas,  and  casually  to  Oklahoma  and  New  Mexico,"  (A,  O.  U,) 


Notes  on  the   Plumage  of   North   American   Sparrows      443 

2.  Slate-colored  Junco  {J unco  hyemalis  hyemalis,  Figs.  2-4).  The  gray- 
color  and  comparative  absence  of  brownish  or  pinkish  wash,  particularly  on 
the  sides,  are  the  distinguishing  characters  of  this  race. 

Range.  "Eastern  and  northern  North  America.  Breeds  in  Hudsonian  and 
Canadian  zones  in  northwestern  Alaska  (tree  limit) ,  northern  Mackenzie  (tree 
limit),  central  Keewatin,  and  central  Ungava  south  to  base  of  Alaska 
Peninsula,  southern  Yukon,  central  Alberta,  northern  Minnesota,  central 
Michigan,  Ontario,  and  mountains  of  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  and  Massa- 
chusetts; winters  throughout  the  eastern  United  States  and  southern  Ontario 
south  to  the  Gulf  coast;  casual  in  California,  Arizona,  and  New  Mexico; 
straggles  to  Siberia."   (A.  O.  U.) 

3.  Carolina  Junco  (Junco  hyemalis  carolinensis).  Slightly  larger  than  the 
last,  the  upperparts  and  breast  uniform  slaty  gray  without  a  brownish  wash. 

Range.  "Southern  AUeghanies.  Breeds  in  the  Canadian  zone  (overlapping 
into  the  upper  Transition)  of  moimtains  from  western  Maryland,  Virginia 
and  West  Virginia  south  to  northern  Georgia;  winters  in  adjacent  lowlands." 
(A.  O.  U.) 

4.  Oregon  Junco  {Junco  hyemalis  oreganus,  Fig.  5).  A  member  of  the 
black-headed  group  which  is  confined  chiefly  to  the  Pacific  coast.  The  black 
head,  sharply  defined  from  the  mahogany  brown  back,  pinkish  brown  sides, 
and  absence  of  white  on  the  third  from  outer  tail-feather  distinguish  this  form. 

Range.  "North  Pacific  coast.  Breeds  from  Yakutat  Bay,  Alaska,  to  Queen 
Charlotte  Islands,  British  Columbia;  winters  southward  along  the  coast  to 
Santa  Cruz  and  San  Mateo  Counties,  California;  casually  to  eastern  Oregon 
and  Nevada."  (A.  O.  U.) 

5.  Shufeldt's   Junco   {Junco  hyemalis  connectens).    Resembles  the  Oregon 
Junco,  but  the  colors  are  less  intense. 

Range. — "Rocky  Mountain  region.  Breeds  from  the  coast  of  southern 
British  Columbia  east  to  west-central  Alberta  and  south  to  northern  Oregon; 
winters  over  entire  Rocky  Mountain  tableland  to  eastern  Colorado,  Arizona, 
New  Mexico,  western  Texas,  Chihuahua,  and  Sonora ;  casual  in  northern  Lower 
California."   (A.  O.  U.) 

6.  Thurber's  Junco  {Junco  hyemalis  thurberi).  Similar  to  the  Oregon 
Junco,  but  the  back  is  much  paler,  being  a  bright  pinkish  brown,  the  head 
and  breast  still  remaining  black. 

Range. — "Mountains  of  California.  Breeds  from  southern  Oregon  south 
through  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  coast  ranges  of  California  to  Laguna  Hansen 
Mountains,  Lower  California;  winters  at  lower  altitudes,  straying  to  Arizona." 
(A.  O.  U.) 

7.  Point  Pinos  Junco  {Junco  hyemalis  pinosus).  Resembles  Thurber's 
Junco  but  has  the  throat  and  breast  gray. 

Range. — "Coast  strip  of  San  Mateo  and  northern  Monterey  Counties, 
California."   (A.  0.  U.) 


^otes  from  Jftelti  ant)  ^tutp 


Notes  from  Rochester,  N.   Y. 

Please  find  enclosed  pictures  from  one 
of  the  Park  bird-feeding  stations,  taken 
by  R.  E.  Horsey,  Foreman  of  Highland 
Park.  Sunflower  seed  is  put  in  the 
hopper,  which  is  patronized  quite  exten- 
sively by  the  Chickadees,  Nuthatches, 
and  Cardinals. 

The  Bird  'Tepee'  is  made  of  three 
rather  small  arborvitas  trees  wired 
together  at  the  top  and  suet  and  fat  pork  are 
tied  to  the  branches.  It  is  well  patron- 
ized by  Downy  Woodpeckers,  Nut- 
hatches, Chickadees,  Cardinals,  and  Blue 
Jays.  A  box  is  placed  underneath 
to  keep  the  snow  off  the  small  seeds  and 


bread  crumbs  for  the  seed-eating  birds, 
and  this  is  well  patronized  by  the  Juncos,  in 
addition  to  the  birds  before  mentioned. 
I  think  it  will  be  of  interest  to  you  and 
your  readers  to  know  that  on  December  1 1 , 
1Q13,  Mr.  Horsey  and  myself  were  work- 


ClIICKADEE    ON    'FOOD-HOPPER' 
R.  E.  Horsey 


WHITE-BREASTED    NUTHATCH    ON 
'FOOD-HOPPER.'     R.  E.  Horsey 


(444) 


Notes  from   Field  and   Study 


445 


ing  in  the  barberry  collection  in  High- 
land Park  when  we  heard  bird-notes 
which  were  new  to  us,  and,  upon  investiga- 
tion, we  discovered  the  author  of  them 
clinging  to  a  bush,  and  were  able  to 
approach  so  close  to  him  as  to  reach  out 
our  hands  to  within  one  foot  of  the  bird. 

Of  course,  under  those  conditions,  we 
were  able  to  see  all  the  markings  very 
distinctly,  the  rufous  crown,  the  black 
throat,  the  distinctly  brownish  coloring 
on  the  sides  (this  being  a  great  deal 
stronger  thar  on  the  Black-capped 
Chickadee),  the  whitish  underparts,  and 
the  rather  dark  or  ash-colored  back, 
which  tallies  with  descriptions  of  the 
Acadian   Chickadee. 

After  telephoning  to  authorities  on 
birds,  who  seemed  to  doubt  us,  we  went 
back  in  about  a  half-hour,  and  again 
looked  him  over  under  about  the  same 
conditions. 

On  January  2,  1914,  while  putting  out 
bird-feed,  I  saw  two  more  at  close  range, 
this  time  in  the  evergreens. 

Remembering  the  trouble  of  the  pre- 
vious occasion,  I  hunted  up  Mr.  Horsey, 


A    BIRD    'TEPEE' 
R.  E.  Horsey 


FOOD-SHELF    AT    WINDOW 
R.  E.  Horsey 

and  we  went  back  and  looked  them  over. 

By  good  luck,  a  few  minutes  later,  we 
were  able  to  get  one  of  the  leading  bird 
students  of  this  locality  to  take  a  look  at 
them. 

Although  he  was  very  much  of  a  'doubt- 
ing Thomas'  when  we  told  him  what  we 
had  seen,  after  he  had  thoroughly  studied 
the  birds,  he  was  obliged  to  admit  that 
they  were  Acadian  Chickadees. 

I  have  seen  them  successively  January 
5,  ic  and  16. 

We  hope  that  they  will  remain  undis- 
turbed and  will  come  again  next  winter. 

I  have  taken  up  bird  study,  feeding, 
and  protection  for  the  Local  Park  Board, 
and  Mr.  Horsey,  who  is  much  interested 
in  birds,  is  assisting  me  in  every  possible 
way. — Wm.  L.  G.  Edson,  '12  Fairview 
Ave.,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 

Wasps  in  Bird-Boxes 

We  usually  think  of  birds  as  being  in 
clover  when  plenty  of  insects  and  such 
other  small  creatures  are  about;  but  it 
seems  that  some  of  these  are  a  menace  to 
the  birds,  and  sometimes  in  an  unex- 
pected quarter. 


446 


Bird  -  Lore 


A  neighbor  made  careful  preparations 
for  Purple  Martins.  The  birds. came,  and 
there  was  every  indication  that  they 
would  stay;  but,  after  a  little  while, 
though,  they  inspected  the  boxes  fre- 
quently, they  went  away.  Later  it  was 
found  that  the  box  was  infested  with 
wasps. 

Twice  during  the  season  have  I  found 
wasps  in  boxes,  the  last  inspection  being 
on  September  20.  Along  with  the  efforts 
to  give  the  birds  ventilated  and  otherwise 
comfortable  quarters,  protect  them 
against  vermin,  etc.,  it  is  also  well  to  be 
on  the  lookout  for  these  troublesome 
pests. — R.  F.  O'Neal,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Harris's  Sparrow  at  Rantoul,  Illinois 

Observing  in  the  recent  issues  of  Bird- 
Lore  notes  on  the  occurrences  of  the 
Harris's  Sparrow  in  northern  Illinois  and 
Wisconsin  during  last  spring,  I  wish  to 
add  another  record  in  connection  with 
them. 

On  April  26,  an  even  dozen  of  individ- 
uals of  that  rarity,  the  Harris's  Sparrow, 
were  observed  and  correctly  identified. 
They  were  in  a  scrubby  hedgerow,  near  a 
small  creek,  in  conjunction  with  other 
species  of  Sparrows,  Towhees,  and  birds 
which  ordinarily  are  found  in  such  a  loca- 
tion. As  this  place  was  not  visited  for 
several  days,  no  further  record  was 
obtained. — George  E.  Ekblau,  Rantoul, 
Illinois. 

The  Starling  in  Maine 

On  August  16,  1914,  I  saw  on  the  island 
of  Monhegan,  Maine,  a  flock  of  25  to  30 
European  Starlings,  certain  of  which 
were  obliging  enough  to  alight  and  give 
an  opportunity  for  positive  identification. 

It  may  be  of  interest  to  record  also 
that  from  August  17  to  August  28  Cape 
May  Warblers  were  common  on  the 
island,  from  five  or  six  to  a  score  being 
repeatedly  seen  on  a  single  outing. 

I  could  not  learn  that  Starlings  had  been 
seen  before  at  Monhegan. — Wm.  Fuller, 
Auburndale,  Mass. 


Instincts  of  a  Parrot 

The  following  actions  of  a  Parrot  belong- 
ing to  an  acquaintance  of  mine  may  be  of 
interest  as  an  illustration  of  bird  intelli- 
gence. 

The  Parrot  laid  three  eggs  upon  which 
it  sat  for  three  weeks.  Though  the  eggs 
failed  to  hatch,  at  the  end  of  the  three 
weeks  the  bird  attempted  to  feed  the  eggs. 
Three  weeks  later  they  were  removed. 
After  an  interval  of  four  years,  the  Parrot 
laid  one  egg,  but  made  no  attempt  to 
incubate  it.  merely  rolling  it  about  as  a 
toy. — R.  F.  Haulenbeck,  Newark,  N.  J. 

Little  Blue  Heron  in  New  Jersey 

I  have  the  pleasure  of  reporting  an 
uncommon  bird  for  this  latitude.  July 
18  (or  perhaps  25)  I  saw  on  the  shore  of 
Lake  Hopatcong,  New  Jersey,  an  imma- 
ture Little  Blue  Heron.  It  was  pure 
white  in  plumage  except  for  a  little  tinge 
of  slate-blue  on  the  head  and  neck;  the 
legs  were  greenish  yellow.  It  permitted 
me  to  come  within  a  few  yards  in  my  canoe, 
allowing  an  easy,  naked  eye  identification. 
— R.  F.  Haulenbeck,  Newark,  N.  J. 

The  Whisper  Song  of  the  Catbird 

I  wonder  if  any  of  the  readers  of  Bird- 
Lore  have  noticed  what  I  have  called 
the  'whisper-song'  of  the  Catbird,  occur- 
ring in  the  fall,  a  little  before  the  time  of 
autumn  migration. 

I  first  observed  this  fact  in  1908,  and 
I  have  this  record  in  my  journal: 

"September  14,  1908.— Yesterday, 
while  a  visitor  was  mending  his  automo- 
bile down  near  the  woodpile,  I  noticed  the, 
low  singing  of  a  bird,  apparently  very 
close  and  behind  me,  in  some  tall  weeds 
between  the  grape-vines  and  the  woodpile. 
Today  I  heard  it  again,  and  thought  it  a 
Catbird's  voice.  After  repeated  trials,  I 
at  last  located  the  singer.  He  was  a  Cat- 
bird, not  over  four  or  five  feet  from  me, 
sitting  trustfully  on  a  stick  among  the 
weeds,  quite  unconcerned,  and  singing  in 
such  a  low,  fine  voice  that  I  could  only 


Notes  from   Field   and   Study 


447 


just  hear  him.  The  performance  was  like 
that  of  a  bird  in  a  reverie — like  the  ghost 
of  a  thought  of  a  song.  His  throat  merely 
trembled,  and  occasionally  the  bill  parted 
just  a  trifle.  Yet  his  song  seemed  the  full 
repertoire  of  the  Catbird,  including,  dur- 
ing the  time  I  listened,  two  faint  mews.  I 
listened  some  five  minutes,  and  it  kept 
up  \'ery  steadily.  He  seemed  no  more 
disturbed  by  my  presence  than  he  had 
been  the  day  before,  when  an  automobile 
and  six  or  eight  people,  talking  and  laugh- 
ing, were  within  ten  feet  of  him.  I  sus- 
pect this  bird  was  one  of  my  favorite 
singers  of  the  summer.  Altogether,  this 
was  a  rich  experience." 

On  September  17,  1910,  I  made  this 
record:  "The  Catbird  sings  again  his 
dreamy,  ghost-like  song  among  the  weeds 
of  the  old  woodpile,  back  of  the  grape- 
vines." 

I  have  no  further  records  in  my  journal, 
but  almost  every  autumn  I  have  heard 
the  whispering  song,  and  this  September 
(1914)  a  Catbird,  perhaps  the  same,  per- 
haps another,  has  been  singing  in  some 
sumach  and  hazel  bushes  back  of  my  son's 
sleeping-porch;  possibly  because  the  for- 
mer haunt  of  weeds  and  woodpile  has 
been  cleared  away.  This  time  the  singer 
seems  more  nervous  and  suspicious,  mews 
oftener,  does  not  so  placidly  permit  obser- 
vation, and  sings  slightly  louder;  but,  on 
the  whole,  the  performance  is  the  same. 

What  I  should  like  to  ask  the  editors 
and  readers  of  Bird-Lore  is  this  question: 
Have  other  observers  noticed  this  trait 
in  the  Catbird,  or  am  I  to  suppose  this  a 
trick  of  my  own  particular  bird?  I  sus- 
pect that  all  Catbirds  do  it  and,  not  only 
that,  but  that  many  other  birds  also 
indulge,  at  this  season  of  the  year,  in 
whisper  or  reverie  songs,  in  memory,  as  it 
were,  of  departed  summer  joys.  At  any 
rate,  a  Chewink  has  been  singing,  in  much 
the  same  voice  and  mood,  lately,  in  the 
same  hazel  and  sumach  clump,  and  my 
daughter-in-law  reports  hearing  a  Wren 
in  our  lane  whispering  a  song. 

I  should  be  grateful  to  learn  what  others 
may  know  on  this  point. — J.  William 
Lloyd,  Westfield,  N.  J. 


Prothonotary  Warbler  in  Massachusetts 

At  Hopkinton,  Mass.,  on  May  24,  we 
saw  a  Prothonotary  Warbler  which,  at 
the  suggestion  of  an  official  of  the  local 
Audubon  Society,  I  am  reporting  owing 
to  its  rarity  in  this  vicinity.  The  bird  was 
not  at  all  shy,  spending  the  entire  day 
within  a  radius  of  about  two  hundred  yards 
of  the  house,  often  coming  into  an  apple 
tree  so  near  that  we  were  able  to  distin- 
guish his  markings  with  ease.  He  sang 
almost  without  interruption  from  6:30  .am. 
until  late  in  the  afternoon.  The  song 
slightly  suggests  that  of  the  Yellow 
Warbler,  but  is  fuller  and  more  penetrat- 
ing, and  different  in  rhythm.  In  Chap- 
man's book  on  Warblers,  he  mentions  only 
five  records  for  this  species  in  Massa- 
chusetts, the  last  in  1894. — Isabelle 
Alexander  Robry,  Boston,  Mass. 

Mud  for  Nest-Builders 

An  incident  of  the  past  few  days  in 
connection  with  our  Martin  colony  may 
be  of  interest  to  other  lovers  of  these 
sociable  birds. 

A  quantity  of  thoroughly  softened 
earth  was  dipped  from  a  sunken  barrel 
intended  for  a  lily,  and  left  to  dry  before 
removal.  Almost  immediately  it  was 
visited  by  the  female  Martins,  who  had 
already  begun  their  nests,  and  they  were 
very  active  all  the  morning  filling  their 
beaks  with  mud  and  packing  it  away  in 
the  nearby  house.  Often  five  or  six 
birds  would  be  on  the  ground  at  the  same 
time.  Every  morning  following,  the  mud 
has  been  watered,  and  the  slight  trouble 
well  repaid  by  the  evident  pleasure  of  the 
birds  in  finding  it  so  near  at  hand.  A 
small  heap  of  river-sand  near  the  same 
barrel  is  visited  occasionally;  but  whether 
it  is  eaten,  or  used  in  the  nests,  cannot  be 
determined  at  present. 

Anyone  will  be  convinced,  after  a  little 
reflection,  that  Martins  (and  other  mud- 
using  birds)  must  often  be  compelled  to 
go  long  distances  for  this  material,  or 
dispense  with  it  entirely  in  towns  with 
paved  streets,  and  nearly  everywhere  in 


448 


Bird-  Lore 


drj-  seasons.  Yet  only  accidentally  was 
this  need  brought  to  our  notice,  notwith- 
standing we  endeavor  to  give  the  Martins 
every  encouragement  and  protection. 

A  mud-pile  will  be  provided  each  year, 
in  future,  for  our  Martins  and  for  the 
Robins,  who  have  also  begun  to  use  it. — 
T.  H.  Whitney,  Atlantic,  Iowa. 

Acadian  Chickadee  at  Groton,  Mass., 
February,  1913 

When  the  February,  1913,  issue  of 
Bird-Lore  reached  me,  I  read  with  much 
interest  the  various  reports  of  Acadian 
Chickadees  in  New  Eng- 
land. The  very  ne.xt  morn- 
ing (Feb.  4)  I  looked  out 
of  my  window,  and  there 
was  a  little  Brown-cap 
on  my  spruce  hedge. 
Since  then,  he  has  been 
my  guest  nearly  every 
day,  u<i!h  but  not  quite 
of  a  group  of  Black-caps. 
For  he  has  a  marked  in- 
dividuality, less  ner- 
vously alert  and  less 
assertiv'e  than  his  com- 
moner cousins.  I  enclose- 
a  photograph  of  him  in 
the  saucer;  which,  though 
small,  shows  the  brown 
shading  off  on  the  back,  in 
contrast  to  the  black  of  the 
Chickadee  on  the  railing. 
— S.  Warren  Sturgis, 
Grolon,  Mass.,  Feb.  21, 
1913- 

Occurrence   of    the   Aca- 
dian  Chickadee  in  the 
Hudson  Valley 

last 


who  had  hung  up  suet  which  these  Chick- 
adees had  discovered.  I  promptly  went 
down  to  see  them  and  found  them  with  a 
flock  of  Black-capped  Chickadees.  I 
made  repeated  visits  and  always  found 
them  in  the  same  locality,  and  soon 
noticed  that  there  were  three,  but  could 
not  tell  if  the  third  was  a  fresh  arrival  or 
not.  I  saw  them  throughout  December, 
but  the  subsequent  storms  prevented  my 
keeping  track  of  them  thereafter. 

On  December  21,  an  Acadian  Chickadee 
came  to  the  suet  hung  by  Mrs.  James  F. 
Goodell  outside  her  window  in  Rhinebeck 
village.    It  was  \ery  tame  and  independent 


In  Bird -Lore's 
Christmas  Census,  my 
Rhinebeck  record  of  the  Acadian 
Chickadee  seemed  to  be  its  'farthest 
south'  for  New  York  State.  On  Thanks- 
giving Day,  November  27,  1913,  a  friend 
telephoned  to  me  that  he  had  seen  two  in 
some  cedar  woods  about  four  miles  south 
of  the  village,  on  the  estate  of  a  neighbor 


liLALK  CAPPED    (AT   THE   LEFT)    AND   ACADIAN    (AT  THE 

RIGHT)    CHICKADEES    AT    GROTON,   MASS.,   FEB.   1913 

Photographed  by  S.  Warren  Sturgis 


and  did  not  pay  much  attention  to  the 
other  Chickadees,  although  it  tolerated 
their  presence.  It  remained  throughout 
the  winter,  probably  roosting  in  some 
neighboring  spruces,  and  came  daily  to 
feed  until  March  12,  when  it  was  last 
seen.    It  seldom  ate  anything  but  suet. 


Notes  from   Field   and   Study 


449 


although  it  had  a  variety  to  choose  from, 
and  those  seen  south  of  the  village  were 
often  on  the  ground  or  on  weed-tops,  eat- 
ing seeds.  The  Black-capped  Chickadees 
showed  a  decided  preference  for  sunflower 
seeds. 

On  one  or  two  occasions,  a  second  Aca- 
dian Chickadee  was  seen  at  Mrs.  Goodell's 
feeding-shelf,  but  it  seemed  to  be  shyer 
and  soon  disappeared.  It  may  be  inter- 
esting to  note  here  that  the  following 
visited  this  food-station:  Hairy  Wood- 
pecker, 4  or  5;  Downy  Woodpecker,  6  or  7; 
Blue  Jay,  6;  Crow,  i;  House  Sparrow, 
many;  Redpoll,  4  or  5;  Tree  Sparrow,  6; 
Junco,  6  to  8;  Brown  Creeper,  3;  White- 
breasted  Nuthatch,  4  or  5;  Chickadee, 
about  20;  Acadian  Chickadee,  2.  Starlings 
and  Golden-crowned  Kinglets  were  about, 
but  were  not  seen  to  visit  the  food  that 
had  been  scattered. 

Meanwhile  I  learned  from  Professor 
E.  M.  Freeman,  of  Vassar  College, 
Poughkeepsie,  that  there  were  two  or 
three  Acadian  Chickadees  at  her  feeding- 
shelf  and  in  the  evergreens  on  the  college 
campus  quite  regularly  from  January  22 
to  March  28,  and  these  were  again  seen 
on  April  13  and  21.  From  November 
20,  1912,  till  March  29,  1913,  she  often 
saw  three  that  were  with  a  flock  of  Black 
caps. 

Mr.  Allen  Frost  of  Poughkeepsie  like- 
wise told  me  that  on  February  11,  1906, 
he  saw  three  Acadian  Chickadees  with  a 
flock  of  Black-caps  and  Red-breasted 
Nuthatches  at  New  Paltz,  Ulster  County. 

The  above  data  give  the  Acadian  Chick- 
adee a  more  southern  limit  in  New  York 
State  than  does  the  Christmas  Census, 
and  also  indicates  that,  although  in  the 
season  of  1913-14  their  migration  was 
unusually  widespread  and  pronounced, 
they  nevertheless  come  down  thus  far 
more  often  than  published  records  show. — 
Maunsell  S.  Crosby,  Rhinebeck,  N.  Y. 

Loss  of  the  Vesper  Sparrow,  at 
Orient,  L.  1. 

The  failure  of  the  Vesper  Sparrows  to 
return  to  their  usual  haunts,  at  Orient, 


L.  I.,  summer  of  1914,  caused  keen  regret. 
The  reason  of  their  absence  is  somewhat 
of  a  question. 

This  Sparrow  has  always  been  a  regular 
and  not  uncommon  summer  resident.  It 
lingers  late  in  autumn  and  early  winter; 
midwinter  records  are  plentiful,  and  the 
birds  frequently  brave  the  entire  winter, 
evidently  being  influenced  in  their  stay  by 
the  temperature. 

The  preceding  winter  was  warm  and 
open,  and  found  these  birds  tarrying 
late,  as  usual,  or  induced  them  to  advance 
only  slightly  southward.  Then  the  sud- 
den burst  of  winter,  with  clinging  snow 
and  sleet,  hurled  itself  into  the  bird- 
world,  taking  the  Sparrows  unawares, 
and  I  believe  that  it  wiped  out  absolutely 
the  long-established  Vesper  Sparrows  of 
Orient. 

Though  it  is  the  popular  opinion  that 
the  summer  residents  observed  at  the 
North  in  winter  are  individuals  of  the 
species  from  farther  north  taking  the 
places  of  those  that  nested  in  the  vicinity, 
my  study  of  the  Vesper  Sparrow  leads  me 
to  believe  that  these  Sparrows  observed 
in  winter  are  the  identical  ones  that  bred 
here. 

This  is  my  reason  for  thinking  that  the 
exceptional  winter  of  last  year  is  the 
principal  factor  in  the  absolute  disappear- 
ance of  the  Vesper  Sparrows  from  Orient 
this  summer. 

There  has  previously  been  no  variation 
in  their  numbers  for  a  score  of  years. 

The  various  pairs  were  scattered, 
returning  each  season  to  breed  in  their 
long-chosen  localities.  So  attached  do 
they  become  to  certain  fields  or  tracts 
that,  covering  a  period  of  fourteen  years, 
they  have  clung  to  them  adapting  them- 
selves to  the  various  changes  from  pas- 
tures to  potato-fields,  strawberry-beds, 
etc. — Roy  Latham,  Orient,  L.  I. 

Notes  from  Hartford,  Conn. 

It  would  be  quite  interesting  to  know 
rf  other  bird  students  in  this  state  have 
noticed  an  unusually  large  number  of 
Red-headed  Woodpeckers  this  fall.    Only 


450 


Bird-  Lore 


three  \cars  ago  next  Fel)riiary,  a  friend 
and  I  walked  nearly  eight  miles  in  slush 
several  inches  deep,  and  in  the  face  of  a 
blinding  snowstorm,  to  see  the  only  sjjcci- 
men  of  this  bird  seen  hereabouts  for  many 
years.  Gratification  upon  finding  I  lie 
object  of  our  search  after  such  effort  does 
not  express  how  we  felt.  The  next  year 
one  specimen  only  was  reported,  while 
the  following  season  a  pair  and  nest  were 
observed  all  summer.  This  same  pair  has 
raised  another  lot  of  young  in  the  same 
tree  this  summer;  but  the  most  interesting 
of  all  is  the  fact  that  within  five  miles  of  city 
hall  there  have  been  seen,  in  at  least  six 
different  localities,  during  the  past  three 
weeks,  some  thirty-five  to  forty  Red- 
heads, and  most  of  them  immature  birds. 
This  might  indicate  that  they  were  breed- 
ing in  this  locality  this  season,  or  perhaps 
it  is  the  question  of  food  supply  that 
brings  them  here  now.  However,  several 
have  been  observed  very  carefully  by 
members  of  the  Hartford  Bird  Study 
Club,  with  the  result  that  they  are  con- 


fident llic  birds  are  breeding  in  tliis  sec- 
lion.  I  am  interested  to  know  whether 
other  students  in  Connecticut  ha\-e 
noticed  an  increase  in  the  number  of  Red- 
heads seen  in  the  state  within  the  last 
year  or  two. 

Several  years  ago,  so  many  Bluebirds 
were  killed  by  the  severe  winter  that  the 
following  spring  almost  none  were  seen, 
and  many  northerners  who  look  anxiously 
forward  to  the  first  sweet  whistle  of  this 
bird  were  utterly  discouraged  by  the 
appalling  mortality  among  the  Bluebirds. 
Evidently  they  have  'come  back,'  since 
within  the  past  month  I  have  seen  more  of 
them  than  previously  observed  in  many 
years  all  taken  together.  Have  seen  sev- 
eral large  flocks  of  them,  and  on  every 
walk,  this  past  month,  have  seen  from  ten 
to  fifty  or  more.  Good  luck  to  this  faith- 
ful harbinger  of  spring,  and  may  his  kind 
multiply  and  fill  the  land  with  their  sweet 
warble  as  the  sap  begins  to  flow  in  the 
sugar  orchards. — -Geo.  T.  Griswold 
Harlford,  Conn.. 


liLACK-CAPPED    CHICKADEE 
Photographed  by  Arthur  A.  Allen,  Ithaca,  N.  Y. 


2^oafe  ji^etosi  anb  aebiehjs; 


Distribution  and  Migratiox  of  North 
American  Rails  and  Their  Allies. 
By  Wells  W.  Cooke.  Assistant 
Biologist,  Bull.  No.  12S.  U.  S.  Dept. 
of  .Agric.  Cont.  from  the  Bureau  of 
Biological  Survey.  50  pages,  19  maps 
in  text. 

To  his  valuable  bulletins  on  the  Ducks 
and  Geese,  Shore-birds,  Herons,  and  other 
groups.  Professor  Cooke  now  adds  a 
study  of  the  distribution  and  migration 
of  our  Rails,  Cranes,  Coots  and  Gallinules. 
The  information  he  presents  is  designed 
"to  serve  as  a  basis  for  protective  legis- 
lation for  the  species  by  states  in  which 
they  are  found."    (Footnote,  p.  i.) 

The  species  which  particularly  require 
this  protection  are,  as  might  be  expected, 
those  that  are  pursued  by  the  sportsman 
and  market-hunter.  Chief  among  these 
is  the  Sora  or  Carolina  Rail.  Professor 
Cooke  tells  us  that  on  September  15  and 
16,  1881,  two  men  killed  1,235  oi  these 
birds  at  the  mouth  of  the  James  River, 
'while  as  many  as  3,000  ha\-e  been  shot  in  a 
single  day  on  a  marsh  of' hardly  500  acres." 

As  Professor  Cooke  well  says  the  Sora  at 
all  times  of  the  year  occupies  ground  not 
suitable  for  agriculture,  and  until  the 
pressure  of  increasing  population  calls 
for  the  draining  of  its  haunts,  especially 
those  in  which  it  breeds,  it  may  with  a 
proper  protection  "survive  in  abundance 
as  a  game  bird  long  after  many  other 
species  have  succumbed  before  the  advance 
of  intensive  agriculture." 

Such  i)rotection  could  no  doubt  be 
most  practically  aj)plied  by  establishing  a 
reasonable  bag  limit,  and  thereby  pre- 
vent the  slaughter  which,  under  certain 
conditions  of  tide  and  migration,  gunners 
apparently  cannot  resist  inflicting  on  the 
Sora. 

This  paper  is  also  welcome  as  a  con- 
tribution to  our  knowledge  of  the  dis- 
tribution and  migration  of  the  group  to 
which  it  relates;  and  the  maps  by  which 
it  is  accompanied  add  in  no  small  measure 
to  its  value. — F.  M.  C. 


(45 


Birds  in  Relation  to  the  Alfalfa 
Weevil.  By  E.  R.  Kalmbach,  Assist- 
ant Biologist.  Bull.  No.  107,  U.  S. 
Dept.  of  Agric,  Cont.  from  the  Bureau 
of  Biological  Surve,v.  64  pages,  5 
plates,  3  figures. 

"The  alfalfa  weevil  {Phytonomus  posti- 
cus GyJl.),  a  pest  introduced  into  the 
United  States,"  Mr.  Kalmbach  writes, 
"has  for  several  years  been  doing  enor- 
mous damage  to  alfalfa  crops  in  Utah." 
He  was  therefore  sent  to  the  infested  area 
by  the  Biological  Survey,  to  determine 
what  i)art  birds  played  in  destroying  this 
comparatively  new  enemy  of  the  agri- 
culturist. 

The  results  of  field  studies  made  from 
^lay  8  to  July  25,  191 1,  and  April  i  to 
.\ugust  15,  191 2,  are  presented  at  length 
in  this  paper. 

]\Ir.  Kalmbach  concludes  that,  "with 
the  possible  exception  of  a  fungous  dis- 
ease, which,  in  some  localities,  destroyed 
large  numbers  of  the  pupae,  there  probably 
was,  at  the  close  of  191 2,  no  other  natural 
agency  which  had  done  more  in  holding 
the  alfalfa  weevil  in  check  than  the 
native  birds." — F.  M.  C. 

The  Reformation  of  Jimmy  and  Some 
Others.  By  Henriette  Eugenie 
Delamare.  Illustrated  by  F.  Lilly 
Young.  Lothrop,  Lee  &  Shepard  Co., 
Boston.    i2mo.,  352  pages,  8  plates. 

The  wa>'s  and  means  by  which  Jimmy's 
reformation  was  wrought  arc  in  themselves 
so  interesting  that,  in  spite  of  her  frank 
didacticism  the  author  has  succeeded  in 
making  a  readable  story  which  holds 
even  a  'giown-up's'  attention  from 
start  to  finish. 

A  thoroughly  consistent  humanitarian 
who  can  be  nothing  short  of  a  \egetarian — 
might  object  to  having  a  terrier  kill 
trapped  rats,  for  example.  But  if  a 
vegetarian,  he  would  also  object  to  raising 
chickens  for  market,  and  the  raising  of 
chickens  plajed  no  small  part  in  the 
reformation   of   Jimmy.     Jimmy,   indeed, 

i) 


452 


Bird-  Lore 


was  reformed  on  practical  lines,  which 
therefore  no  doubt  appealed  to  Jimmy 
much  as  thej'  do  to  the  reader  of  his 
history. 

Incidentally,  Jimmy's  brother  and  sis- 
ter and  father  and  mother  shared  in  the 
reformation,  and  the  story  of  how  this 
was  done  may  be  read  by  parents  to  their 
children  with  possible  benefit  to  them  all. 
— F.  M.  C. 

The  Ornithological  Magazines 

The  Auk.— The  July  issue  of  'The 
.'Vuk'  opens  with  a  paper  on  'The  Moults 
and  Plumages  of  the  Scoters, — Genus 
Oidemia'  by  Dr.  J.  Dwight,  Jr.  It  is 
illustrated  with  a  color  plate  showing 
the  heads  ot  the  six  species  belonging  to 
this  group  of  Ducks,  with  photographs  of 
the  different  stages  of  plumage  and  with 
silhouettes  of  feather  tips  showing  how  the 
distal  primary  varies  according  to  species, 
se.x  and  age.  Sportsmen  as  well  as  other 
readers  should  find  much  of  interest  in 
the  facts  presented. 

A  careful  piece  of  work  is  'A  List  of 
Birds  from  the  Vicinity  of  Golden,  Col- 
orado' by  R.  B.  Rockwell  and  A.  Wetmore 
the  article  being  well  illustrated.  A  pains- 
taking study  of  a  dift'erent  order  is  'Pearly 
Records  of  the  Wild  Turkey"  by  A.  H. 
Wright  who  has  delved  into  many  an  old 
volume  in  order  to  gather  the  material 
from  which  he  quotes  so  freely.  Dr.  R. 
W.  Shufeldt  discusses  the  'Osteology  of 
the  Passenger  Pigeon  {Ectopistes  migra- 
torius),'  the  photograph  of  a  skeleton 
being  shown.  G.  L.  Simmons  in  'Notes 
on  the  Louisiana  Clapper  Rail  {Rallus 
crepitans  saturatiis)  in  Texas'  is  of  the 
opinion  that  this  is  the  only  form  of  the 
Clapper  Rail  found  along  the  Texas  coast. 

A  new  Dusky  Grouse  {Dendragapus 
ohscurus  flemingi)  from  the  Yukon,  Can- 
ada, is  described  by  P.  A.  Taverner,  and 
a  new  Hawaiian  Petrel  {Oceanodroma 
castru  baiigsi)  from  Lat.  i°  N.  Long.  93° 
W.  is  named  by  J.  T.  Nichols.  The  many 
reviews  in  the  department  of  Recent 
Literature  indicate  that  most  of  the  newly 
described   birds   of   the   present   day   are 


merely  races;  — the  subspecies  mill  grinds 
very  fine! 

The  October  issue  completes  the  thirty- 
first  year  of  publication  of  'The  Auk'  with 
no  serious  competitor  in  sight.  This  is 
largely  a  South  Atlantic  number,  for  R.  C. 
Murphy  contributes  'Observations  on 
Birds  of  the  South  Atlantic,'  while  J.  T. 
Nichols  and  R.  C.  Murphy  add  'A  Review 
of  the  Genus  Phoebetrin.'  Both  papers 
are  illustrated  by  numerous  photographs 
taken  by  Mr.  Murphy,  many  of  them 
being  snapshots  from  on  board  shij). 
The  abundance  of  bird-life  on  the  ocean  is 
strikingly  portrayed,  and  fishing  for 
Tubinares  with  trailing  bait  and  landing 
them  out  of  the  air  seems  to  be  an  excit- 
ing sport.  A  new  Albatross  {Phcebetria 
palpebrata  audiiboni)  is  described  from  a 
series  of  two  specimens,  but  the  several 
races  seem  to  rest  on  rather  slender  dif- 
ferences at  best. 

.\.  H.  Wright  continues  his  paper  on 
'Early  Records  of  the  Wild  Turkey,  II,' 
R.  W.  Williams,  supplements  his  earlier 
lists  with  'Notes  on  the  Birds  of  Leon  Co., 
Florida — Third  Supplement,'  and  W.  W. 
Cooke  presents  an  annotated  list  of  'Some 
Winter  Birds  of  Oklahoma,'  no  species  in 
all,  which  is  a  large  number  to  be  recorded 
in  a  seven-months  residence.  It  is  pleas- 
ant to  find  a  list  prefaced  by  remarks  on 
the  weather,  an  important  factor  that  is 
too  often  omitted. 

A  somewhat  exhaustive  paper  on  'The 
California  Forms  of  the  Genus  Psaltri- 
pariis,'  by  H.  S.  Swarth,  leads  to  no  satis- 
factory conclusions.  The  Bush-tits,  some 
four  hundred  specimens  of  them,  are 
brought  to  the  bar  and  left  there,  for  in 
Mr.  Swarth's  own  words  'The  whole 
problem  of  the  inter-relationships  of  the 
three  species  of  Psaltriparus  is  one  of 
decided  interest,  the  facts  so  far  accumu- 
lated being  of  a  suggestive  though  tan- 
talizingly  inclusive  nature.'  Then  why 
publish  them  to  tantalize  everybody? 
There  is  certainly  something  uncanny 
about  a  series  of  four  hundred  specimens, 
nowadays,  that  does  not  show  a  new 
subspecies.  The  reviews  of  the  ornithologi- 
cal   journals    is    an    extremely    valuable 


Book  News  and  Reviews 


453 


feature  of  this  and  other  issues  of  'The 
Auk.' 

The  death  of  the  last  surviving  Wild 
Pigeon  {Ectopisles  migratorius),  a  bird 
twenty-nine  years  in  the  Cincinnati 
Zoological  Garden,  is  recorded.  This 
marks  the  extinction  of  a  species  once  so 
abundant  that  the  flocks  darkened  the 
sky  for  hours  as  they  passed  swiftly  on 
their  way.  Here  is  a  worthy  te.xt  for 
every  preacher  of  bird  protection.— 
J.  D.,  Jr. 

The  Condor. — The  contents  of  the 
September  number  of  'The  Condor'  are 
more  varied  than  usual  and  contain  two 
or  three  articles  of  special  interest. 
Dickey's  'Nesting  of  the  Spotted  Owl' 
in  Ventura  County,  in  1913,  is  a  well- 
illustrated  and  valuable  addition  to  our 
knowledge  of  the  life  history  of  this  little- 
known  bird. 

In  an  obituary  notice  of  Henry  W. 
Marsden,  Bishop  details  with  skilful  and 
sympathetic  touch  the  difficulties  encoun- 
tered by  an  earnest  and  conscientious 
field-collector  who  seems  to  have  been  too 
little  known  to  the  majority  of  ornitholo- 
gists. For  the  last  twelve  years  Marsden 
has  made  California  his  home,  usually 
spending  the  winters  at  Redlands  or 
Witch  Creek.  He  collected  extensively 
in  southern  Arizona,  and  while  there  in 
1905  added  Salvin's  Hummingbird  to  the 
list  of  birds  found  in  the  United  States. 
He  also  added  to  the  list  of  California 
birds  the  Chestnut-sided  Warbler  and  the 
Horned  Puffin,  the  latter  only  nine  days 
before  his  death,  which  occurred  at 
Pacific  Grove,  on  Feb.  26,  1914. 

Mailliard  contributes  'Notes  on  a 
Colony  of  Tricolored  Redwings'  which 
bred  this  year  on  the  Rancho  Dos  Rios 
in  Stanislaus  County,  and  compares  the 
habits  of  the  birds  with  those  in  a  breed- 
ing colony  in  Madera  County  which  he 
described  some  years  ago. 

In  'Bird  Notes  from  the  Sierra  Madre,' 
Edwards  gives  a  list  of  47  species  observed 
during  a  trip,  in  June,  1914,  in  the  Big 
Tujunga  Range  in  the  Angeles  National 
Forest.    In  a  bare  fir  stub  about  80  feet 


high  and  6  feet  in  diameter  at  the  base,  he 
found  no  less  than  six  different  kinds  of 
birds  nesting  and  rearing  their  young. 
The  list  included  the  White-throated 
Swift  ("which  seemed  to  have  a  nest  in  a 
large  crack  about  20  feet  up" — a  most 
unusual  nesting-site),  the  Western  House 
Wren,  Cabanis'  Woodpecker,  Mountain 
Chickadee,  Western  Bluebird,  and  West- 
ern Martin,  all  of  which,  apparently, 
found  congenial  homes  in  this  avian 
apartment-house. 

Critical  notes  based  on  'A  Study  of 
Certain  Island  Forms  of  the  Genus 
Salpinctes'  are  given  by  Swarth,  who 
describes  a  new  subspecies  {Salpinctes 
giiadeloupensis  proximus)  based  on  a 
single  specimen  from  San  Martin  Island, 
Lower  California. 

The  most  important  article  is  Bryant's 
20-page  'Survey  of  the  Breeding-Grounds 
of  Ducks  in  California,  in  1914,'  con- 
taining the  results  of  an  investigation 
made  possible  by  a  fund  contributed  by 
certain  public-spirited  friends  of  game 
protection.  In  this  most  interesting 
report,  the  breeding-grounds  at  Los 
Banos,  Gridley,  and  the  Klamath  Lake 
region  are  described,  and  full  notes  given 
on  the  seven  species  of  Ducks,  the  Canada 
Goose,  Coot  and  several  wadeis  which 
were  found  nesting  in  these  localities. 
Many  nests  were  found  destroyed  by 
predaceous  animals — in  some  cases, 
especially  at  Los  Banos,  due  to  lowering 
of  the  water,  thus  giving  raccoons, 
weasels,  and  coyotes  access  to  nests  built 
on  islets  or  tussocks  of  grass  which  at 
first  were  protected  by  the  surrounding 
water.  It  is  also  probable  that  mere 
examination  of  some  nests  served  to 
locate  them  for  predatory  animals  which 
followed  the  observer's  tracks,  and  in 
this  way  the  ratio  of  nests  destroyed  was 
inadvertently  increased. 

Those  interested  in  osteology  will  find 
much  of  value  in  the  final  article,  in 
which  Holden  describeds  a  new  'Method 
of  Cleaning  Skulls'  by  means  of  two 
solutions,  one  of  phenol  or  carbolic 
acid,  and  the  other  of  peroxide  of 
hydrogen. 


454 


Bird  -  Lore 


25irtiHore 

A  Bi-Monthly  Magazine 

Devoted    to  the  Study   and    Protection  of   Birds 

OFilCIAL   ORGAN   OF    THE    AUDUBON   SOCIETIES 

Edited  by  FRANK  M.  CHAPMAN 

ContributineEditor.MABELOSGOOD  WRIGHT 

Published  by  D.  APPLETON  &  CO. 

Vol.  XVI      Published  December  1,  1914      No.  6 

SUBSCRIPTION  RATES 

Price  in  the  United  States.  Canada  and  Mexico,  twenty  cents 
a  number,  one  dollar  a  year,  postage  paid. 

COPYRIGHTED.  1914,  BY  FRANK  M.  CHAPMAN 

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


Three  of  the  leading  bird  artists  of  the 
world — Allan  Brooks,  George  Lodge,  and 
John  Millais — are  serving  their  country 
in  the  English  army.  The  possibility  of 
death  coming  to  any  one  of  these  men, 
whose  special  talents  may  not  appear 
again  in  generations,  gives  us  a  faint  con- 
ception of  what  this  war  is  costing  the 
world  in  the  loss  of  men  who  by  their 
gifts  and  attainments  were  benefitting, 
not  a  race,  but  mankind.  As  bird-lovers 
let  us  at  least  be  thankful  that  Louis 
Fuertes  is  an   American! 

The  appalling  destruction  of  Rheas, 
recorded  by  Mr.  Leo  E.  Miller,  in  Bird- 
Lore  for  July-August  last  (p.  260),  having 
been  brought  to  the  attention  of  the 
Treasury  Department,  it  affords  us  un- 
bounded satisfaction  to  state  that  on 
November  9,  1914,  the  Department  pro- 
hibited the  further  importation  of  Rhea 
feathers  into  the  United  States,  thereby, 
we  believe,  assuring  the  continued  exist- 
tence  of  ore  of  the  most  interesting  of 
American  birds. 

The  year  just  passed  has  been  marked  by 
an  ever-growing  interest  in  various  meas- 
ures designed  to  increase  our  bird  popula- 
tion, and  the  birds'  trust  in  man. 

The  desire  to  bring  birds  about  our 
homes  and  establish  friendly  relations 
with  them,  which  finds  its  first  expression 
in  a  feeding-table  or  lunch-counter  dur- 
ing the  winter,  now  exerts  itself  through- 


out the  year.  To  the  feeding-station, 
we  add  drinking-fountains,  baths  and 
nesting-boxes,  and  to  all  these  an  environ- 
ment from  which,  so  far  as  lies  within  our 
power,  all  bird  enemies  shall  be  excluded. 

The  economic  value  of  these  bird 
refuges  calls  for  no  comment,  but  pos- 
sibly only  those  who  have  had  the  experi- 
ence realize  how  much  pleasure  is  to  be 
derived  from  them.  The  person  who  makes 
four  birds  nest  where  only  two  nested 
before  cannot  but  have  that  personal, 
intimate  interest  in  their  welfare  which 
we  have  for  the  flowers  in  our  garden. 
Both  owe  their  existence  to  us,  and  to 
both  we  are,  therefore,  responsible.  They 
are  'our'  flowers  and,  in  a  measure  at 
least,  'our'  birds.  Each  will  repay  us 
after  its  kind,  and  from  both  we  derive 
that  type  of  satisfaction  which  comes 
from  a  successful  attempt  to  be  the  pre- 
siding genius  of  that  particular  bit  of  the 
earth's  surface  we  can  call  our  own. 

Bird-Lore  has  published,  from  time  to 
time,  accounts  of  bird-refuges,  both  large 
and  small.*  In  this  number  Mr.  Robert 
Ridgway  gives  the  first  of  three  articles 
on  his  efforts  to  provide  a  refuge  for  birds 
in  southern  Illinois,  and  in  our  April 
number  we  plan  to  publish  an  account  of 
what,  in  many  ways,  we  believe  will  be 
the  most  productive  bird-refuge  which  has 
been  formed  in  this  country.  We  shall  not 
anticipate  Mrs.  Wright's  story,  but 
merely  say  that  in  the  'Birdcraft  Sanc- 
tuary' there  will  be  certain  features  which 
promise  to  be  as  valuable  as  they  are  novel. 

Why  is  it  that  America  has  not  as  yet 
produced  a  woman  bird-photographer  of 
the  first-class,  while  in  England  there 
are  several  whose  work  ranks  with  the 
best?  We  shall  not  now  attempt  to  answer 
this  question,  but  during  the  coming  year 
we  are  promised  a  fully  illustrated  article 
by  Miss  E.  L.  Turner,  possibly  the  most 
successful  woman  bird-photographer  in 
England,  whose  achievements,  we  trust, 
will  stir  the  ambition  of  American  women. 

*See  especially  William  P.  Wharton's  descrip- 
tion of  a  visit  to  Baron  von  Ber!epsch's  estate  at 
Seebach,  Germany,  which  appeared  in  Bird-Lore 
for  September-October,  igi4,  pp.  329-337- 


SCHOOL    DEPARTMENT 

Edited  by  ALICE   HALL  WALTER 

Address  all  communications  relative  to  the  work  of  this  depart- 
ment  to  the  editor,  at  53    Arlington  Avenue.  Providence,  R.  I. 

A   CHRISTMAS   MESSAGE   TO   AUDUBON 
SOCIETIES 

THE    COMING    GENERATION 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  so  much  interest  is  being  shown  in  Junior  Audubon 
Societies,  and  various  clubs  for  young  people  devoted  to  the  study  of  outdoor 
life,  it  seems  fitting  that  at  least  once  each  year  we  should  devote  the  space 
of  the  School  Department  to  the  boys  and  girls  in  whom  we  have  so  much 
hope,  and  for  whom  we  are  chiefly  working. 

We  sometimes  speak  of  "the  coming  generation"  as  though  it  was  not 
already  with  us,  projecting  our  thoughts  into  the  future  instead  of  focusing 
them  upon  the  young  folk  around  us.  Perhaps  this  is  one  of  the  underlying 
reasons  why  there  is  often  an  apparent  lack  of  sympathy  between  the  grown- 
ups and  children  of  a  community,  the  one  class  being  absorbed  in  and  anxious 
to  solve  the  problem  of  an  ideal  generation  to  come,  while  the  other,  marked 
by  the  eager  impulsiveness  of  youth,  grows  up  in  reality  without  the  atten- 
tion and  actual  contact  it  deserves.  This  may  seem  a  strange  statement  to  make 
in  view  of  the  numberless  agencies  at  work  to  raise  the  standard  of  teaching 
children,  to  better  their  condition  at  home  and  elsewhere,  to  provide  suitable 
and  adequate  amusements  for  them,  to  supply  all  of  their  needs  from  the 
purely  physical  to  the  esthetic  and  spiritual, — in  short,  to  make  the  material 
world  and  the  moral,  ideal  for  their  use  and  upbringing  in  conformity  with 
the  most  advanced  theories  of  the  age. 

It  is  not,  however,  a  mistaken  point  of  view  or  a  prejudiced  one,  for,  if  we 
will  only  stop  to  consider  how  few  adults  are  able  to  see  things  as  a  child  does, 
how  very  few  are  able  to  enjoy  life  as  a  child  does,  and  how  rare  are  those  who 
are  children  in  spirit  all  through  the  years  entrusted  to  them,  we  must  confess 
that  much  of  our  professed  interest  in  youth  is  theoretical,  and  that  the  ordi- 
nary attitude  of  the  mature  person  is  one  of  aloofness  to  the  coming  generation. 

One  of  the  effective  agencies  in  bringing  the  elders  and  children  of  to-day 
together  is  the  inexhaustible  world  of  Nature.  In  most  matters  we  discrim- 
inate between  what  is  suitable  for  the  child  and  w^hat  for  his  seniors,  but  in 
nature-study,  there  is  no  necessity  for  classing  things  as  ju^'enile  or  adult. 
From  the  starry  heavens  above   to  the  depths  of  ocean  and  canon  there  is 

(455) 


45^  Bird -Lore 

nothing  whicli  the  child  may  not  gaze  upon  unabashed,  except  for  wonder  at 
the  multitude  of  objects  and  variety  of  motion  he  sees. 

If  we  are  fair  in  our  estimate  of  the  value  of  youthful  attributes,  we  must 
concede  that  the  normal  boy  or  girl,  given  a  normal  opportunity,  sees  more  and 
enjoys  more  than  the  average  adult  when  turned  loose  in  natural  surround- 
ings. Buoyant  spirit,  keen  imagination,  and  a  love  of  discovery  are  all  char- 
acteristic of  youth,  and  in  perfect  harmony  with  Nature.  We  of  an  older 
generation  may  well  turn  our  attention  to  the  methods  that  boys  and  girls 
employ  out-of-doors,  romping  on  the  chilly  days  when  we  hover  over  a  fire, 
book  in  hand,  or  look  wistfully  at  more  courageous  pedestrians  than  ourselves. 

Winter,  snow,  Jack  Frost  and  all  his  icy  accoutrements  are  the  delight  of 
healthy  boys  and  girls;  Spring  is  a  wondertime;  Summer  a  long  holiday,  and 
Autumn  a  season  of  storing  up  treasures  for  less  fortunate  days  to  come. 
Who  that  has  ever  trod  the  crust  or  felt  the  glareness  of  an  ice-bound  pond, 
that  has  strung  wild  strawberries  on  a  long  and  slender  grass  or  has  fashioned 
melodious  pipes  out  of  the  yielding  poplar,  who  that  has  hunted  for  the  first 
bloodroot  of  the  season  along  some  bush-edged  meadow  or  scuffed  through  the 
crackling  carpet  of  withered  leaves  in  a  sugar-grove,  upturning  the  fragile  spring 
beauty,  the  delicate  Dutchman's  breeches  or  more  rarely,  about  some  mossy 
stump,  a  hidden  clumj)  of  hepatica,  who  that  has  experienced  these  and  a 
hundred  other  joys  can  fail  to  respond  to  the  elation  of  youth  in  the  open! 
Fortunate  indeed  are  those  who  have  such  memories  of  childhood,  to  whom 
an  apartment-house  is  unknown,  to  whom  the  sweet-scented  byways  and 
hedges  of  the  country  are  familiar  haunts  for  recreation,  to  whose  nostrils  the 
stale  air  of  city  streets  has  never  penetrated! 

We  owe  a  duty  to  ourselves  in  becoming  better  acquainted  with  the  child- 
life  about  us.  We  owe  a  greater  duty  to  those  children  who  are  born  and  reared 
outside  the  pale  of  Nature.  We  owe  perhaps  the  greatest  duty  to  the  coming 
generation  in  making  nature-study  a  reality.  It  will  cost  us  something  to  do 
this.  We  must  slough  oft"  some  conservatism,  some  prejudice,  some  disin- 
clination to  get  out  of  the  beaten  routine.  When  once  we  awaken  to  the  oppor- 
tunity and  grasp  the  meaning  of  this  subject,  when  we  gain  confidence  in 
Nature  herself,  then  we  shall  be  ready  to  meet  our  children  halfway  and, 
dropping  cares  and  staid  demeanor,  to  go  gaily  hand-in-hand  with  them  on 
their  venturesome  journeys  of  discovery. 

The  birds  will  be  our  guides,  for  they  know  the  points  of  the  compass, 
the  seasons,  the  woodland,  marsh,  and  sea.  What  more  beautiful  bond  of  kin- 
ship could  there  be  than  for  expectant  youth  and  alert  age  to  make  the  wanged 
feathered  folk  their  comrades  in  a  search  for  Nature's  treasures! 

This  is  not  a  pretty  fancy  or  a  mere  ramble  of  words.  Many  times  the 
greatest  Teacher  of  wisdom  and  joy  referred  to  the  trees,  the  flowers,  and  birds, 
emphasizing  our  need  of  acquaintance  and  sympathy  with  nature ;  and  are  call- 
ing to  the  mature  the  prophecy:  "A  little  child  shall  lead  them." — A.  H.  W. 


The   Audubon   Societies  457 

JUNIOR   AUDUBON   WORK 
For  Teachers  and  Pupils 

Exercise  XVIII:    Correlated  with  Reading,  Story-Telling  and 

Literature. 

BIRDS  IN  PROSE  AND  POETRY 

November  and  December  are  here,  ushering  in  the  holiday  season  and  New 
Year,  with  their  sno^^y  tokens  of  the  Ice-King  and  Snow-Queen  who  rule 
Nature  during  the  winter.  Suddenly  the  leaves  have  deserted  the  trees,  the 
grass  has  withered  and  browned,  many  birds  and  insects  and  most  of  the  wood- 
land folk  ha\'e  disappeared.  The  change  has  come  so  quietly,  so  irresistibly, 
that  no  one  can  tell  exactly  when  it  happened.  Stillness,  and  austere  serenity 
have  settled  down  upon  Mother  Earth. 

The  outlines  of  hill  and  mountain  are  etched  firmly  and  clearly  in  relief 
against  the  sky,  and,  as  the  Snow-Queen  drops  over  all  her  white  covering, 
they  will  stand  out  against  the  blue  canopy  above  them  in  a  beauty  unknown 
at  other  seasons.  By  day  or  by  night  the  eye  is  delighted  with  form  and 
radiance,  rather  than  with  verdure  and  color. 

In  the  cold,  still  air,  sounds  are  carried  through  the  leafless  forests  with 
startling  clearness.  Everything  in  Nature  stands  out  distinct  and  isolated  in 
the  vibrant  atmosphere.  A  change  has  come  over  all  the  world.  We,  alone 
among  created  things,  seem  to  be  spectators  of  this  mysterious  transition, 
instead  of  sharers  in  it. 

Time  was,  hundreds  of  years  ago,  when  primitive  man  was  quite  as  much 
a  part  of  nature  as  the  animals  and  plants  around  him.  To  him,  as  to  the  child- 
like savage  of  modern  times,  all  things  had  a  personality  in  some  measure  like 
his  own.  Thus  it  came  about,  that  he  imagined  much  that  was  not  really  true, 
although  he  believed  it  at  the  time,  and  handed  down  by  word  of  mouth  many 
strange  stories.  These  stories  were  mainly  about  things  in  Nature  which  are 
quite  as  familiar  today  as  in  those  far-off  ages,  if  we  would  only  look  about  and 
discover  them.  We  may  call  the  stories  of  primitive  man,  earth  stories  and  beast 
stories.  When  these  stories  distinctly  teach  some  lesson  of  good  or  evil,  we  call 
them  fables.  Most  of  the  oldest  beast-fables,  however,  are  merely  stories  with- 
out any  moral.  A  myth  is  an  earth  story,  too,  but  it  is  not  told  to  point  a 
moral.  Moreover,  it  is  often  the  combined  story-telling  eft'ort  of  several  genera- 
tions, while  a  fable,  like  a  parable  and  the  briefer  proverb,  is  short,  concise,  and 
invariably  to  the  point. 

There  are  so  many  of  these  ancient  earth  stories  and  beast  fables  which 
have  come  down  to  us  in  one  form  or  another,  that  we  may  be  surprised  to  find 
how  old  they  are,  and  to  how  many  different  races  of  men  they  have  furnished 
amusement  and  instruction.   Since  the  fable  without  a  moral,  that  is  the  simple 


458  Bird -Lore 

earth  story  or  beast  fable,  is  common  to  nearly  all  races  in  their  early  his- 
tory, we  may  think  of  it  as  the  A,  B,  C  of  literature. 

No  one  knows  what  the  earliest  fable  was,  but  if  we  turn  to  Judges  g:  7-16 
we  find  a  very  old  and  famous  fable,  or  parable,  about  the  trees  choosing  a 
king,  which  gives  a  very  clear  idea  of  this  kind  of  story.  An  interesting  point 
about  the  fable  of  the  trees  is  that  it  was  told,  not  for  the  sake  of  the  story, 
but  to  suggest  something  which  the  story-teller,  Jotham,  did  not  dare  to  say 
outright  for  fear  of  offending  the  jealous  law-breakers  about  him.  This  story, 
then,  really  has  a  moral,  and  we  shall  find  that  all  ages  and  generations  of  men 
have  made  much  use  of  nature  in  writing  or  telling  fables  with  a  similar  purpose. 

Not  only  trees,  but  animals,  birds,  insects,  and  even  inanimate  things,  figure 
as  human  beings  in  fables.  Since  everyone  knows  the  sly  fox,  the  cruel,  crafty 
wolf,  the  gentle  dove,  the  sagacious  crow,  the  slow  tortoise,  the  thrifty,  indus- 
trious ant,  and  many  of  their  natural  associates,  it  is  easy  for  a  story-teller  to 
use  these  creatures  to  point  a  moral,  without  making  enemies  of  those  whom  he 
wishes  to  instruct  and  to  criticise. 

One  of  the  most  famous  writers  of  fables  was  ^Esop,  a  man  who  probably 
rose  from  the  condition  of  a  slave,  to  freedom  and  a  position  of  considerable 
influence.  He  may  have  lived  between  five  or  six  hundred  or  more  years 
before  Christ,  but  where  he  lived  is  not  certain,  or  just  how  or  why  he  suffered 
a  violent  death.  We  know  him  best  by  his  fables;  and,  although  he  may  never 
have  written  these  down  himself,  they  were  told  and  retold  and  put  into  book- 
form  by  others,  so  that,  for  all  time  to  come,  every  boy  and  girl  may  read  his 
clever  stories. 

He  was  evidently  familiar  with  all  the  common  animals,  birds,  and  insects 
of  his  neighborhood,  for  we  find  a  long  list  of  them  in  the  index  to  his  fables. 

Of  all  the  stories  about  intelligent  Crows,  none  is  better  than  ^sop's  fable 
of  'The  Crow  and  the  Pitcher.'  In  the  fable  of  'The  Fox  and  the  Crow,'  Ji^sop 
shows  that  sly  flattery  may  bring  the  most  intelligent  to  grief.  An  even  keener 
rebuke  to  those  who  are  brilliant  but  over-ambitious  is  given  the  guise  of  a 
fable  about  'The  Eagle  and  the  Crow.' 

Perhaps  more  widely-known,  and  possibly  as  old  or  older  than  ^Esop's 
Fables,  is  a  collection  of  moral  stories  which  had  their  origin  in  India,  and  are 
today  known  as  Pilpay's  Fables.  Pilpay  is  not  the  name  of  any  particular 
man,  but  a  corru])tion  of  an  Arabic  word  bid-bah,  meaning  'court-scholar,  or 
master  of  sciences,'  a  title  apphed  to  the  chief  pandit  of  an  Indian  prince.  You 
may  sometimes  find  this  title  spelled  Bidpai,  and,  since  the  fables  attributed 
to  Pilpay  or  Bidpai  have  been  translated  into  so  many  different  languages  and 
have  influenced  so  many  later  writers  and  readers,  you  would  do  well  to  spend  a 
half-hour  reading  the  history  of  these  stories,  which  some  Brahman  philosopher 
probably  collected  from  still  older  stories  based  upon  the  ancient  folk-lore  of 
the  common  j^eople,  and  retold  for  the  benefit  of  a  wicked  king  whom  he 
wished  to  reform. 


The   Audubon   Societies  45q 

'Tlic  Talkati^'e  Tortoise'  is  an  ingenious  tale  about  two  wild  geese  who 
tried  to  help  their  friend  the  tortoise  to  fly  to  their  beautiful  home  in  the 
Himalayas. 

By  placing  a  stick  in  the  tortoise's  mouth  and  each  taking  an  end,  the  trio 
flew  up  into  the  air  the  fable  relates,  much  to  the  astonishment  of  the  village 
children,  who  exclaimed:  "There  are  two  geese  carrying  a  tortoise  by  a  stick!" 
Unluckily,  the  tortoise  had  a  short  temper  and  forgot  the  admonition  of  his 
friends  to  keep  his  mouth  shut,  with  the  consequence  that  he  fell  into  a  court- 
yard and  "split  in  two,"  which  caused  a  tremendous  uproar.  Even  the  King 
came  out  to  inquire  what  was  the  matter,  accompanied  by  the  Future  Buddha, 
who  had  long  wished  to  rebuke  the  King  for  talking  indiscreetly  and  too  much. 

In  the  manner  of  a  timely  observation,  the  Future  Buddha  remarked  that 
"They  that  have  too  much  tongue,  that  set  no  limit  to  their  speaking,  ever  come 
to  such  misfortune  as  this,"  adding: 

"The  tortoise  needs  must  speak  aloud, 
.Although  between  his  teeth 
A  stick  he  bit;  yet,  spite  of  it. 
He  spoke — and  fell  beneath! 

And  now,  O  mighty  master,  mark  it  well. 

See  thou  speak  wisely,  see  thou  speak  in  season. 

To  death  the  tortoise  fell: 

He  talked  too  much,  that  was  the  reason." 

Of  course,  the  King  could  hardly  fail  to  take  so  pointed  a  moral  to  himself; 
but,  when  he  asked  the  Future  Buddha  if  the  rebuke  was  meant  for  him,  the 
latter  adroitly  replied:  "Be  it  you,  O  great  King,  or  be  it  another,  whosoever 
talks  beyond  measure  comes  by  some  misery  of  this  kind."  The  fable  closes  by 
saying  that  so  the  Future  Buddha  "made  the  thing  manifest,"  and  thereafter 
the  king  "became  a  man  of  few  words." 

There  are  many  beast  fables  in  the  old  Indian  collections  of  tales,  and  it 
would  be  diflficult  to  select  from  the  five  hundred  and  fifty  stories  of  the  Bud- 
dhist Jataka,  or  from  the  equally  entertaining  Brahmanical  collection  known 
as  'Panchatantra,'  both  of  which  are  used  in  Pilpay's  fables,  just  those  stories 
that  might  appeal  most  to  you.  'The  Buddhist  Duty  of  Courtesy  to  Animals,' 
'The  Antelope,  the  Woodpecker,  and  the  Tortoise,'  'The  King  and  the  Hawk,' 
'The  Transformed  Mouse,'  'The  Hare-mark  in  the  Moon,'  and  'The  Ass  in 
the  Lion's  Skin'  are  all  excellent  examples  of  the  keen  observation,  ready  pen, 
and  simple  skill  of  the  fabulist. 

Perhaps  no  writer  of  fables  of  later  times  was  and  still  is  better  known  than 
Jean  de  La  Fontaine,  who  lived  from  162 1  to  1695.  Born  in  the  country,  the 
son  of  a  well-to-do  gentleman,  who  held  the  responsible  government  office  of 
"master  of  forests  and  stream's" — an  office  not  exactly  comparable  with  any 
position  in  this  country,  but  one  which  probably  combined    that  of  chief 


460  Bird -Lore 

forester,  sui)er\'isi)r  of  highways  and  water  pri\'ileges,  and  game-warden — La 
Fontaine  grew  up  in  easy  circumstances  and  amid  agreeable  surroundings.  It 
may  ha\'e  been  his  love  of  thinking  and  dreaming  about  everything  he  saw  which 
caused  him  to  idle  away  his  time,  or  it  may  be  that  his  lack  of  practical  applica- 
tion was  due  to  too  much  ease  at  home  and  want  of  regular  employment.  He 
w^as  so  interested  in  Nature  that  it  is  said  he  would  forget  his  dinner  and  ever}'- 
thing  else,  in  order  to  watch  the  manoeuvers  of  a  colony  of  ants  burying  a  dead 
fly.  The  most  ordinary  creatures  and  their  habits  became  a  profound  study 
to  him,  and  he  grew  up  to  young  manhood,  well  versed  in  the  lore  of  wood  and 
wild.  When  he  visited  the  Court,  with  its  lords  and  ladies  of  elegant  manners 
and  fashion,  and  w^andered  through  the  lovely  but  artilicial  pleasure-grounds 
of  Versailles,  he  was  but  little  impressed,  and  failed  to  please  the  King,  who  was 
accustomed  to  stately  demeanor  and  flattering  tongue.  Nevertheless  he  gained 
friends,  who,  throughout  his  life,  helped  him  from  time  to  time,  and  who  dis- 
covered his  simple,  childlike  spirit  beneath  his  somew'hat  sarcastic  manner, 
and  gladly  forgave  his  many  shortcomings. 

La  Fontaine  wTote  many  poems  and  tales,  not  of  the  best,  which  contributed 
nothing  to  his  reputation  or  fame,  and  these  are  seldom  read  except  by  critics 
and  scholars.  It  is  likely  that  he  would  not  have  been  remembered  had  he  not 
found  himself  at  last,  when  he  wrote  his  remarkable  series  of  fables;  and  these 
he  could  never  have  written  had  he  not  been  so  familiar  with  the  living 
creatures  around  him.  Of  all  his  fables,  his  own  life  contained  perhaps  the 
saddest  and  gladdest  moral,  for,  while  he  had  to  pay  the  cost  of  many  follies, 
he  had  the  great  joy  of  learning  truth  from  Nature  herself. 

There  is  not  space  to  quote  more  than  a  few  random  lines  from  his  works, 
to  show  how  keen  and  sure  his  observation  was.  To  express  the  adage  that 
those  who  do  not  seize  opportunity  when  it  comes,  lose  it,  he  told  a  fable 
in  verse  about  the  Heron,  which  let  good  fish  go  by  for  lack  of  appetite,  but, 
w^hen  hungry,  disdained  the  "mean  little  fishes"  that  chanced  his  w^ay,  and 
was  finally  glad  to  stay  his  empty  stomach  with  a  single  snail,  found  on  the 
river-bank. 

This  fable  begins: 

"One  day — no  matter  v\hen  or  where, — 
A  long-legged  Heron  chanced  to  fare 
Bj'  a  certain's  river's  brink, 
With  his  long,  sharp  beak 
Helved  on  his  slender  neck : — 
Twas  a  fish-spear,  you  might  think. 
The  water  was  clear  and  still; 
The  carp  and  the  pike  there  at  will 
Pursued  their  silent  fun, 
Turning  up,  ever  and  anon, 
A  golden  side  to  the  sun. 
With  ease  might  the  Heron  have  made 
Great  profits  in  this  fishing  trade. 


The   Audubon   Societies  461 

So  near  came  the  scaly  fry 

They  might  be  caught  by  the  passer-by. 

But  he  thought  he  better  might 

Wait  for  better  appetite, 

For  he  lived  by  rule,  and  could  not  eat, 

Except  at  his  hours,  the  best  of  meat." 

La  Fontaine's  lyric  style  suffers  so  much  in  translation  that  those  of  you 
who  read  French  will  enjoy  his  fables  far  more  in  the  original. 

'The  Lark  and  the  Farmer,'  'The  Cat,  the  Weasel,  and  the  Young  Rabbit,' 
'The  Oak  and  the  Reed,'  'The  Grasshopper  and  the  Ant,'  are  suggestive  of 
his  insight  into  the  ways  of  wild  creatures,  the  aspect  of  Nature  in  every  mood, 
and  the  contrast  between  the  real  world  and  the  artificial. 

In  the  'Two  Doves,'  he  preaches  a  little  sermon  on  contentment  to  those 
who  are  subject  to  "restless  curiosity,''  and  tire  of  home.  The  story  is  simple, 
a  Dove  who  loved  its  companion  like  a  brother,  desired  to  see  the  world,  and 
so  set  forth  to  fly  about  three  days'  time  among  enchanting  new  scenes  and 
wonders.  Hardly  had  it  made  its  first  flight,  when  a  drenching  thunder-storm 
came  on,  with  no  good  shelter  at  hand.  Next,  attracted  by  some  choice  morsels 
of  grain  scattered  here  and  there,  it  ventured  to  alight  to  feed,  seeing  another 
Dove  on  the  ground;  but  scarcely  had  it  snapped  up  one  grain  when  it  felt 
itself  entangled  in  a  snare.  Luckily,  the  snare  was  much  worn  and  loose,  so 
the  Dove  succeeded  in  struggling  itself  free,  bearing  a  dangling  string  from  the 
snare,  which  attracted  a  Hawk,  who  would  have  caught  the  helpless  Dove  had 
not  an  Eagle  ''from  the  clouds"  made  the  Hawk  his  prey. 

"The  Dove  for  safety  plied  the  wing. 
And,  lighting  on  a  ruined  wall. 
Believed  his  dangers  ended  all, 

A  roguish  boy  had  there  a  sling, 
(Age  pitiless, 

We  must  confess). 
And  bj'  a  most  unlucky  fling. 

Half-killed  our  hapless  Dove; 
Who  now,  no  more  in  love 
With  foreign  traveling, 
And  lame  in  leg  and  wing. 
Straight  homeward  urged  his  crippled  flight; 
Fatigued,  but  glad,  arrived  at  night. 
In  truly  sad  and  piteous  plight." 

The  moral  of  this  fable  is  ^•e^y  appropriate  to  all  friends  and  mates,  and  is 
exquisitely  worded : 

"To  each  the  other  ought  to  be 

A  world  of  beauty  ever  new; 
In  each  the  other  ought  to  see 

The  whole  of  what  is  good  and  true." 


462  Bird  -  Lore 

We  may  Ihiiik  of  these  Hues  as  La  Fontaine's  message  to  us;  and,  truly, 
it  is  in  the  spirit  of  the  Christmastide,  which  ushers  in  not  only  "a  world  of 
beauty"  outside,  but  "peace  and  good  will"  within. 

SUGGESTIONS 

1.  Look  up  myth,  pandit,  folk-lore,  admonition,  Buddha.  Brahman,  snare,  respon- 
sible, artificial,  maneuver,  primitive,  and  ingenious. 

2.  Do  you  think  it  would  be  easy  to  write  a  fable? 

3.  Why  is  Jotham's  fable  about  the  trees  such  a  perfect  fable? 

4.  Who  among  your  acquaintance  can  best  tell  a  story? 

5.  Why  is  the  Crow  so  good  a  bird  to  use  in  a  fable? 

6.  How  much  of  the  description  of  the  Heron  in  La  Fontaine's  fable  is  true,  and  how 
much  is  imaginative? 

7.  What  sort  of  picture  of  a  Heron  do  the  lines  'with  his  long,  sharp  beak  helved 
on  his  slender  neck'  give  you? 

8.  What  was  La  Fontaine's  mood  when  he  wrote  about  the  "silent  fun"  of  the 
carp  and  the  pike? 

9.  What  do  you  know  about  the  feeding-habits  of  Herons?  Do  they  "live  by  rule" 
and  eat  only  at  certain  hours? 

10.  Why  is  the  Lark  associated  with  the  Farmer?    What  is  its  nesting-habit? 

11.  What  is  the  earliest  reference  to  snaring  birds  that  you  can  find?  What  races  of 
men  use  the  snare? 

12.  What  is  the  origin  of  the  sling?    Has  it  ever  been  used  as  an  implement  of  war? 

13.  Do  you  like  true  stories  of  animals  and  birds  better  than  made-up  ones? 

14.  How  many  true  things  do  you  know  about  birds  which  you  have  seen  with  your 
own  eyes? 

REFERENCES 

Encyclopsedia  Britannica,  see  fable,  /Esop,  sling. 

The  Warner  Library,  see  Vol.  XX,  under  Pilpay  and  Vol.  XV,  under  La  Fontaine. 
Also  look  up  .-Esop. 

Uncle  Remus'  Tales,  by  Joel  Chandler  Harris. 

Jungle  Book,  by  Rudyard  Kipling. 

American  Ornithology,  by  Wilson  and  Bonaparte,  Vol.  I,  see  description  of  the  Crow. 

The  Swallow  Book,  by  Guiseppe  Pitre,  translated  from  the  Italian  by  Ada  Camehl 
in  the  form  of  a  reading  book. 

The  Happy  Prince  and  Other  Tales,  by  Oscar  Wilde. — A.  H.  W. 

Two  Quatrains  from  Thomas  Bailey  Aldrich 

MAPLE  LEAVES 

October  turned  my  maple's  leaves  to  gold; 
The  most  are  gone  now;  here  and  there  one  lingers; 
Soon  these  will  slip  from  out  the  twigs'  weak  hold, 
Like  coins  between  a  dying  miser's  fingers. 

DAY  AND  NIGHT 

Day  is  a  snow-white  Dov'e  of  heaven 
That  from  the  East  glad  message  brings; 
Night  is  a  stealthJ^  evil  Raven, 
Wrapped  to  the  eyes  in  his  black  wings. 


The   Audubon   Societies 


463 


FROM   YOUNG   OBSERVERS 

BARN    SWALLOWS 

For  the  past  few  years  our  barn  has  become  the  dwelling-place  of  the  beau- 
tiful Barn  Swallows,  and  we  certainly  have  had  much  pleasure  watching  them 
at  their  household  duties.  They  are  a  little  larger  than  the  English  Sparrow, 
but  appear  much  larger  on  account  of  their  wide  wing-spread. 

The  male  is  a  beautiful  shade  of  steel-blue,  shading  to  black  above.  Its 
breast  and  underparts  are  a  bright  chestnut-brown  and  brilliant  buff,  that  is 
most  exquisite  when  the  sun  shines  on  it.  Its  tail  is  forked  and  slender.  The 
female  is  smaller  and  paler  and  with  her  tail  less  forked.  To  me  this  is  one  of 
our  most  beautiful  birds. 


VOUXG    BARX    SWALLOW 


It  builds  its  nest  up  in  the  rafters  of  the  barn,  and  it  is  built  of  clay  or  mud 
mixed  with  straw,  held  together  by  the  glutinous  saliva  of  the  bird  and  lined 
with  fine  grass  and  feathers. 

While  the  female  is  on  the  nest  the  male  treats  her  very  kindly  and  tenderly, 
feeding  her  and  even  relieving  her  of  her  task  for  a  short  time,  so  that  she 
may  fly  abroad  for  exercise  and  refreshments. 

The  young  hatch  from  the  white  eggs  spotted  with  brown  in  about  eleven 
days,  and  in  about  two  weeks  are  able  to  leave  the  nest,  and  in  about  another 
week  take  very  good  care  of  themselves.  Even  then  the  parents,  when  they 
meet  the  young  on  the  wing,  will  sometimes  give  them  food. 

The  flight  of  these  birds  is  beyond  description.  When  they  wheel  about  the 
barn,  and  skim  over  the  fields,  or  even  when  they  are  sitting  on  the  telephone 
wires,  they  are  most  graceful. 

The  one  fault  I  can  find  with  these  birds  is  that  they  are  not  very  tidy  about 
their  homes.    Most  birds   clean  every  scrap  of  refuse  away,  but   the  Barn 


464 


Bird  -  Lore 


Swallows  are  so  busy  flitting  back  and  forth  that  they  have  no  time  to  bother 
about  housekeeping;  and  we  can  hardly  blame  them  when  with  every  click  of 
their  bills  we  know  some  insect  is  destroyed.  They  always  eat  on  the  wing. 
They  all  live  together,  and  I  have  never  heard  of  a  Swallow  living  alone.  They 
have  no  song,  but  are  just  as  much  beloved  by  everybody  as  if  they  did  have 
one  as  beautiful  as  the  Robin's. — Mary  Kouwenhoven,  3  Kouwenhoven 
Place,  Brooklyn,  New  York. 

[One  of  the  familiar  birds  of  the  country,  the  Barn  Swallow  ought  to  be  known  by 
every  boy  and  girl  who  is  so  fortunate  as  to  live  in  the  country.  Even  city  children  may 
see  the  Bam  Swallow  in  the  parks  or  elsewhere  during  migration.  Especially  to  be  com- 
mended is  the  observation  of  the  "exquisite"  effect  of  the  sun  shining  on  the  Swallow's 
breast.  Nowhere  in  Nature  can  more  beautiful  color  eiifects  be  seen  than  in  the  plumage 
of  birds.  As  to  song,  the  Barn  Swallow  during  the  mating  and  nesting  season  gives  a 
most  pleasing  twitter,  which  may  be  called  a  simple  song.  One  may  easily  recognize  the 
bird  by  it.  The  illustration  accompanying  this  contribution  was  made  at  Cold  Spring 
Harbor,  Long  Island,  where  Barn  Swallows  nest  regularly  and  in  some  numbers. — A. 
H.  W.] 

OBSERVING    BIRDS    IN    WINTER 

I  thought  I  would  have  to  wait  imtil  next  spring,  when  we  move  back  to 
the  country  before  I  would  see  any  birds  but  Sparrows,  for  my  home  is  in  a 
crowded  town.  But  at  different  times  during  this  winter  I  have  seen  a  Shrike 
which  we  boys  have  watched  kill  Sparrows.    I  have  also  seen  White-breasted 

Nuthatches,  which  feed  in  the  trees  in 
the  street  where  I  live.  One  day  from 
the  front  window  of  my  house  I  saw 
a  little  brown  bird  on  a  tree  trunk  on 
the  other  side  of  the  street.  I  ran 
over,  and  was  so  busy  following  him 
around  the  tree,  that  I  didn't  notice 
the  ash-box,  and  of  course  fell  into  it. 
But  it  didn't  frighten  the  brave  little 
Brown  Creeper,  who  kept  going  up 
around  the  tree.  When  I  got  up,  he 
flew  to  the  bottom  of  another  tree  and 
began  going  around  up  that.  On  the 
morning  of  No\'ember  2,  which  was 
foggy,  I  saw  on  one  of  our  clothes- 
posts  a  Downy  Woodpecker  which 
.   ,_  .^^  ,  seemed  to  be  very  busy  at  something. 

i^P  ^B  '■'W7  i^-  ^  went  out  to  see  what  he  was  doing, 

^  .  ^^Sltttgg/lgg^^Httlg^      and  found  that  he  had  started  to  drill 

DOWNY  WOODPECKER'S  NEST- HOLE        a  holc.    I  thought  that  he  would  give 

IN    POST 
Photographed  by  H.  George  Cottrell  it    Up,    the  pOSt   WaS   SO  hard.     But   the 


1-^^^ 


The    Audubon    Societies  465 

next  day  he  had  drilled  in,  so  I  could  see  that  the  post  was  hollow  all  the  way 
to  the  top.  So  I  nailed  a  tin  on  the  top  to  keep  out  the  rain.  I  knew  it  was  Mr. 
Downy  that  drilled  the  hole  by  the  red  on  his  head.  In  a  few  days  I  saw  that 
the  nest  was  occupied  by  Mrs.  Downy.  One  day  at  4  p.ir.  I  went  out  and  tapped 
on  the  post,  and  Mrs.  Downy  came  out  and  flew  into  a  cherry  tree  next  door. 
After  I  went  in  the  house  she  came  over  to  the  fence,  then  she  flew  over  on  the 
the  post  and  went  up  to  the  hole  and  put  her  head  in,  then  pulled  it  out  quick. 
After  repeating  this  several  times,  she  went  in.  My  mother  told  me  that  the 
hole  was  made  to  roost  in  on  cold  winter  nights.  Mrs.  Downy  seemed  to  be 
the  boss,  and  chased  Mr.  Downy  away  and  went  to  roost  herself,  because  I 
always  saw  Mrs.  Downy  go  in,  but  never  ]Mr.  Downy.  I  don't  like  to  get  up 
early  these  cold  mornings,  and  I  guess  Mrs.  Downy  doesn't  either,  because  one 
morning  I  saw  her  fly  out  after  eight  o'clock.  One  day  a  neighbor's  cat  came 
over  the  fence  and  was  snifEng  around  the  post,  and  my  mother  chased  him 
away.  The  cat  came  around  several  times  after  that.  I  haven't  seen  Mrs. 
Downy  since  January  10.  I  think  the  cat  climbed  the  post  and  got  the  bird. 
H.  George  Cottrell  (age  8),  14  Sharon  Avenue,  Irvington,  N.  J. 

[Bird-study  in  winter  is  always  rewarding  if  one  has  sufficient  interest  to  discover 
what  the  birds  which  spend  the  cold  season  with  us,  are  doing.  The  subject  of  the  roost- 
ing holes  of  birds  in  winter  would  be  admirable  for  a  composition,  provided  some  original 
observations  were  made  first.  Another  excellent  subject  is  the  habits  of  birds  with  refer- 
ence to  rising  and  retiring  at  different  seasons  of  the  year.  Since  keen,  reliable  observa- 
tion is  the  basis  of  good  bird-study,  teachers  and  pupils  both  should  cultivate  it,  rather 
than  depend  too  much  on  books. — A.  H.  W.] 


THE   CROW 

By   T.  GILBERT   PEARSON 


%^t  jl^ational  SiHfiotiation  ot  jSutiubon  ^ocietie^ 

EDUCATIONAL  LEAFLET  No.  77 


With  the  approach  of  winter,  the  country  loses  its  charm  for  many  persons. 
The  green  of  the  fields  and  the  riotous  verdure  of  the  woods  are  gone,  and  the 
brown  expanses  of  dead  grass  and  weeds  are  relieved  only  by  the  naked  black- 
ness of  the  forest  trees.  This,  however,  is  a  splendid  time  to  go  a-field  to  look 
for  birds.  If  the  wild  life  is  less  abundant  now,  even  more  sparse  is  the  human 
life,  and  so  you  will  have  the  country  more  to  yourself. 

One  of  the  birds  very  sure  to  be  seen  and  heard  in  a  walk  is  the  Crow,  for 
many  of  his  race  spurn  the  popular  bird-movement  southward  in  the  autumn 
when  the  North  begins  to  freeze.   I  like  him  best  at  this  time  of 
In  Winter  the  year.   There  is  no  young  corn  for  him  to  pull  now,  no  birds' 

nests  to  pilfer,  and  no  young  chickens  to  steal.  He  has  few 
places  where  he  can  hide,  and  his  black  shape  looms  sharp  against  the  snow- 
clad  hills.  I  see  him  sometimes  in  January  as  we  come  down  the  Hudson 
together — I  in  a  puUman  and  he  on  an  ice-floe. 

Now  and  then  I  see  him  strike  into  the  water  with  his  beak,  or  fly  a  short 
distance  to  a  rock  or  exposed  gravel-bar,  where  things  that  die  and  float  in  the 
river  become  stranded.  Once  I  surprised  him  in  the  woods,  where  he  had 
attacked  an  old,  rotten  pine-stump.  He  had  torn  half  of  it  to  pieces  and  the 
fragments  lay  scattered  on  the  snow.  Perhaps  he  was  seeking  certain  insects 
taking  their  long  winter  sleep,  or  he  may  have  been  after  beetles.  To  fathom 
the  mind  of  a  Crow  takes  not  only  persistent  effort  but  considerable  imagination. 

At  this  season  Crows  are  highly  gregarious  creatures;  especially  at  night, 
when  they  sometimes  collect  by  hundreds  or  thousands  in  some  favorite  grove. 
Some  years  ago  there  was  such  a  roost  near  the  town  of  Greens- 
Great  Roosts  boro,  North  Carolina.  It  was  resorted  to  for  several  years  in 
succession,  and  was  a  source  of  no  end  of  wonder  to  the  people 
of  the  surrounding  country.  The  roost  occupied  several  acres  in  a  grove  of 
second-growth,  yellow-pine  trees.  By  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  birds 
would  begin  to  arrive,  and  from  then  until  dark  thousands  would  come  from 
all  directions.  Singly,  by  twos  and  threes,  in  companies  of  ten,  twenty,  or  a 
hundred,  they  would  appear,  flying  high  over  the  forest  trees,  driving  straight 
across  the  country,  pointing  their  line  of  flight  as  direct  as  only  a  crow  can  fly 
to  their  nightly  rendezvous.  Early  in  the  morning  they  were  astir,  and  if  the 
day  was  bright  it  would  not  be  long  until  all  had  departed,  winging  their  way 
over  the  fields  and  woodlands  to  widely  scattered  feeding-grounds. 

Often  I  watched  them  come  and  go,  and  one  night  walked  beneath  the 

(466) 


CROW 


Order — Passe  res 
Genus— CoRvus 


Family — Corvid,^ 

Species  — Brachyrhynchos 


National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies 


The   Crow  467 

sleeping  hosts  and  shouted  aloud  to  them ;  but  they  did  not  heed  my  presence, 
nor  was  I  ever  able  to  arrive  at  any  reasonable  explanation  for  their  nightly 
assemblies.  Surely  they  did  not  gather  thus,  as  some  writers  have  suggested, 
purely  because  of  an  impulse  for  sociability  and  for  love  of  their  kind,  for  I 
saw  them  quarreling  among  themselves  on  many  occasions. 

Especially  do  I  recall  one  evening  when,  as  I  watched  them  coming  to 
roost,  I  became  conscious  of  an  unusual  commotion  among  a  flock  of  eight. 
One  evidently  was  in  great  disfavor  with  the  others,  for,  with 

,  .       ,  .  .1  .  1  •       •  Killing  a 

angry  and  excited  cawmgs,  they  were  strikmg  at  hmi  m  a  most  ^  . 

unfriendly  manner.  The  strength  of  the  persecuted  bird  was 
all  but  spent  when  I  first  sighted  them,  and  when,  perhaps  two  minutes  later, 
the  fleeing  one  sustained  a  particularly  vicious  onslaught,  it  began  to  fall. 
It  did  not  descend  gradually,  like  a  bird  injured  while  on  the  wing,  but  plunged 
downward  like  a  falling  rock  a  hundred  feet  or  more  into  the  top  of  a  large 
pine-tree,  and,  bounding  from  limb  to  limb,  struck  the  ground  but  a  few  yards 
from  me.    When  I  picked  it  up  I  found  it  to  be  quite  dead. 

When  the  pursuers  saw  their  victim  fall  their  caws  abruptly  ceased,  as 
if  the  birds  were  shocked  at  what  they  had  done;  and,  turning,  they  departed 
silently  and  swiftly,  all  in  difi"erent  directions.  I  wonder  if  they  were  execu- 
tioners performing  a  duty  for  the  good  of  the  clan?  Perhaps  they  were  only 
thugs,  sandbagging  a  quiet  and  respectable  citizen  on  his  way  home! 

Birds  are  particularly  subject  to  disease  in  winter,  and  many  })erish  from 
affections  of  the  throat  and  lungs.  Crows  are  attacked  at  times  by  a  malady 
called  roup,  and  hundreds  of  the  bodies  of  those  that  have  died  from  it  may 
sometimes  be  found  on  the  ground  beneath  a  roost.  Wild  birds  have  no  doctor, 
who  can  come  at  the  first  signs  of  an  epidemic  and  \'accinate  them  against 
its  ravages. 

Crows  are  among  the  earliest  birds  in  spring  to  build  their  nests,  and 
usually  freshly  laid  eggs  may  be  found  during  the  first  half  of  April.    These 
eggs  are  bluish  green,  thickly  marked  with  various  shades  of 
brown,  so  that  they  blend  admirably  with  the  canopy  of  green  „ 

pine-needles  among  which  the  nest  is  so  often  placed.  To  climb 
to  a  Crow's  nest  is  often  quite  an  undertaking.  Sometimes,  it  is  true,  the  situa- 
tion may  be  only  thirty  or  forty  feet  from  the  ground,  but  I  recall  once  climb- 
ing to  a  Crow's  nest  in  Florida,  which,  by  actual  measurement  with  a  cord,  was 
ninety-one  feet  in  air.  The  nests  are  heavy,  comjjact  structures,  made  of  sticks 
and  twigs,  and  lined  with  grapevine-bark,  grass,  and  sometimes  with  moss. 
The  old  birds  are  usually  very  quiet  when  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of 
their  nest,  and  frequently  the  only  evidence  one  will  have  of  the  fact  that  they 
are  near  him  is  seeing  a*  Crow  fly  swiftly  and  noiselessly  away  among  the 
tree-tops. 

For  hundreds  of  years  farmers  have  regarded  the  Crow  as  one  of  their 
most  annoying  enemies.    This  is  chiefly  because  the  Crows  dearly  love  to 


468 


Bird -Lore 


pull  up  corn  shortly  after  it  has  sprouted.    They  do  this  to  get  the  grain  of 
seed-corn,  which  has  become  softened  by  contact  with  the  soft 
His  Foes  earth.   Then,  too,  as  the  grain  begins  to  germinate,  the  starch  it 

contains  turns  to  sugar,  and  thus  there  is  made  a  dainty  tidbit 
which  is  quite  to  the  liking  of  a  hungry  Crow.  Very  naturally,  therefore,  the 
farmer  seeks  to  rid  the  neighborhood  of  these  black-feathered  visitors.  Time 
and  again  he  takes  his  gun  and  sallies  forth;  but  no  sooner  does  he  enter  the 
field  where  the  birds  are  feeding  than  an  old  Crow,  which  has  established  him- 
self as  a  sentinel  on  some  tree  or  fence-stake,  gives  a  warning  ^caw^  that  all 


A    CROW    BROODING   UPON   ITS   NEST 


of  his  friends  understand,  and  in  a  moment  the  entire  flock  takes  flight  to  the 
nearest  woods,  where  they  calmly  await  the  departure  of  their  disturber. 

Now  and  then  the  farmer  or  his  boy,  by  hiding  among  the  trees  or  along  a 
fence,  succeeds  in  shooting  a  Crow\  When  this  is  accomplished,  the  bird's 
body  is  often  tied  to  a  pole,  which  is  then  set  up  in  the  field  as  a  warning  to 
the  bird's  fellows  of  the  fate  that  awaits  them  if  they  persist  in  returning.  A 
chorus  of  jeering  caws  is  often  the  only  answer  the  farmer  gets  for  his 
trouble,  for  let  no  one  ever  forget  that  the  Crow^  is  about  the  smartest  bird 
of  which  we  have  any  knowledge.  If  he  were  not  a  bird  of  most  unusual 
wisdom,  his  race  would  long  since  have  passed  away.  Think  of  the  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  farmers  who,  through  the  centuries,  have  tried  every  possible 
means  of  destroying  these  birds!  No  law  in  any  state  protects  them,  and  many 


The  Crow  469 

times  bounties  have  been  paid  for  their  heads,  thus  offering  a  special  induce- 
ment to  men  to  kill  them.  Guns,  traps,  poison,  and  destruction  of  their  nests 
have  all  alike  been  in  vain,  for  the  Crows  live  on  in  apparently  undiminished 
numbers. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  Crow  is  not  altogether  a  bad  bird,  and  if  he  were 
understood  better  I  have  little  doubt  that  he  would  have  far  more  friends  than 
foes.  He  eats  a  great  many  harmful  insects,  and  in  this  way 
makes  amends  for  his  sins  in  the  cornfield.  Many  beetles,  Insect  Food 
June-bugs,  and  other  insects  of  a  similar  character,  are  eaten  by 
Crows  in  great  numbers  during  the  spring  and  early  summer.  Some  observers 
state  that  baby  Crows  are  fed,  to  a  very  large  degree,  on  this  kind  of  diet. 
Crows  like  grasshoppers,  especially  in  the  spring,  and  annually  consume  large 
quantities  of  them.  They  eat  also,  among  other  objects,  such  queer  foods  as 
frogs,  toads,  and  young  turtles,  and  even  small  snakes  find  favor  in  their  eyes. 
The  wild  fruit  they  take  is  mostly  such  as  that  of  the  dogwood  and  the  sour 
gum.  Sumac-berries  of  different  kinds  are  eaten.  In  fact,  the  Crow  will  sample 
almost  anything  that  looks  as  if  it  might  be  good  to  consume,  such  as  frozen 
apples,  pumpkins,  turnips,  potatoes,  or  any  other  fruit  or  vegetable  that  may 
be  discarded  and  left  to  lie  in  the  orchard  or  field.  In  cold,  snowy  weather,  food 
sometimes  becomes  very  scarce.  On  such  occasions  Crows  will  feast  on  any  dead 
animal  to  be  found,  such  as  a  horse  or  a  cat.  They  sometimes  go  down  to  the 
shore  and  hunt  for  clams,  crayfish,  and  the  bodies  of  dead  fish  that  have 
washed  ashore.  This  practice,  however,  may  more  often  be  observed  in  the 
Fish  Crow,  a  bird  slightly  smaller  than  our  common  Crow,  and  found  chiefly 
along  the  sea-coast,  and  about  the  larger  lakes  and  water-courses. 

The  Crow,  in  its  various  forms,  has  a  wide  distribution  throughout  North 
America;  and  there  is  hardly  a  boy  or  girl  who  does  not  know  its  cry,  or  who  is 
not  familiar  with  the  sight  of  the  big,  black  fellow  flying  over  the  fields  or  rest- 
ing for  a  moment  on  the  top  of  a  tree  by  the  roadside.  It  is  undoubtedly  the 
most  common  and  best-known  bird  in  the  United  States. 


Clje  ^ububon  .Societies; 

EXECUTIVE   DEPARTMENT 

Edited  by  T.  GILBERT  PEARSON,  Secretary 

Address  all  correspondence,  and  send  all  remittances  for  dues  and  contributions,  to 
the    National    Association    of    Audubon    Societies,   1974    Broadway,   New    York   City 

William  Dutcher    President 
Frederick  A.  Lucas,  Acting  President  T.  Gilbert  Pearson,  Secretary 

Theodore  S.  Palmer,  First  Vice-President      Jonathan  Dwight,  Treasurer 
Samuel  T.  Carter,  Jr.,  Attorney 

Any  person,  club,  school,  or  company  in  sympathy  with  the  objects  of  this  Association,  may  become 
a  member  of  it  and  all  are  welcome.  ,    .     ,    ,        „     .     .      ,        .      „  .         ,  ,„.,j 

Classes  of  Membership  in  the  National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies  for  the  Protection  of  Wild 
BirH';  and  Animals: 

$5  annually  pays  for  a  Sustaining  Membership 
$100  paid  at  one  time  constitutes  a  Life  Membership 
$1,000  constitutes  a  person  a  Patron 
$5,000  constitutes  a  person  a  Founder 
$25,000  constitutes  a  person  a  Benefactor 

THE   ANNUAL    MEETING 


The  first  session  of  the  Tenth  Annual 
Meeting  of  the  National  Association  of 
Audubon  Societies  was  held  in  the  main 
lecture-hall  of  the  American  Museum  of 
Natural  History,  in  New  York  City,  on 
the  evening  of  October  26,  1914.  An  audi- 
ence of  several  hundred  persons  was  pres- 
ent. 

The  Secretary  gave  a  brief  summary  of 
the  Association's  work  the  past  year,  and 
presented  the  speakers  of  the  evening. 
Charles  C.  Gorst  rendered  a  most  unusual 
entertainment,  which  he  called  "The  Musi- 
cal Genius  of  Birds."  His  imitations  of  the 
calls,  whistles,  and  songs  of  birds  were  very 
pleasing,  and  brought  forth  repeated  ap- 
plause. It  is  conservative  to  declare  that 
Mr.  Gorst  is  one  of  the  most  entertaining 
and  accomplished  imitators  of  bird-music 
that  this  country  has  produced. 

Following  this  treat,  William  L.  Finley, 
of  Oregon,  who  for  many  years  has  been 
engaged  as  Field  Agent  for  the  Association 
on  the  Pacific  Coast,  gave  an  address, 
which  was  illustrated  with  moving-pic- 
tures of  more  than  usual  interest.  These 
pictures  showed  life-studies  of  Wilson's 
Snipe,  the  Western  Grebe,  and  other  water- 
birds,  which  delighted  the  audience.  One 
reel  was  illustrative  of  the  work  of  Junior 
Audubon  Classes;  showing  children  at  work 


making  and  erecting  bird-houses,  and  feed- 
ing wild  birds.  The  lesson  it  taught  was 
strikingly  impressive. 

The  business  meeting,  held  at  ten  o'clock 
on  the  following  morning,  was  well  at- 
tended. In  addition  to  the  reports  of  the 
Secretary  and  Treasurer,  the  following 
Field  Agents  of  the  Association  were  pres- 
ent, and  reported  on  work  done  in  their 
respective  fields  of  activity:  Winthrop 
Packard,  of  Massachusetts;  William  L. 
Finley,  of  Oregon;  Dr.  Eugene  Swope,  of 
Ohio;  Arthur  H.  Norton,  of  Maine;  and 
Herbert  K.  Job,  in  charge  of  the  new 
Department  of  Applied  Ornithology. 
Through  the  instrumentality  of  Dr.  Swope, 
there  was  brought  to  the  attention  of  the 
meeting  an  offer  by  the  Order  of  Moose  to 
make  an  Audubon  Sanctuary  of  the  thou- 
sand-acre tract  of  land  owned  by  that  order 
in  northern  Illinois.  This  offer  was  ac- 
cepted. Mrs.  Mabel  Osgood  Wright,  and 
Dr.  Jonathan  Dwight,  Jr.,  whose  terms  of 
office  as  members  of  the  Board  of  Direc- 
tors expired  in  October,  were  unanimously 
reelected.  The  thirty  members  of  the 
Advisory  Board  were  also  reelected. 

The  most  enjoyable  and  gratifying  in- 
cident connected  with  the  Annual  Meet- 
ing was  the  presence  of  William  Dutcher, 
President   of   the   Association.     Since   the 


(470) 


The  Audubon   Societies 


471 


beginning  of  his  illness,  more  than  four 
years  ago,  he  has  been  confined  almost  con- 
stantly to  his  home  in  Plainfield,  New 
Jersey.  It  was  therefore  a  great  delight  to 
all  to  see  that  he  had  so  far  recovered  as 
to  be  able  to  meet  with  us  on  this  occasion. 
Mr.  Dutcher  attended  both  sessions,  and 
also  a  subsequent  meeting  of  the  Board  of 


Directors,  .\lthough  as  yet  he  is  unable  to 
speak,  it  was  perfectly  apparent  to  those 
present  that  he  thoroughly  understood  all 
that  was  going  on.  The  brightness  of  his 
face,  and  the  animation  of  his  frequent 
gestures,  indicated  clearly  his  great  happi- 
ness at  being  once  more  among  his  Audu- 
bon Society  friends. 


PHOTOGRAPHING    BIRDS'    NESTS 

By  OSCAR   E.  BAYNARD 

Illustrated  from  photographs  by  the  writer 


One  of  the  phases  of  bird-study  which 
the  Audubon  Society  encourages,  and  which 
has  long  appealed  to  me,  is  that  of  photo- 
graphing the  nests  of  wild  birds.  When  this 
is  done  with  care    there  need    be  no  evil 


Wilson's  Plover 

The  Wilson's  Plover,  or  Stuttering-Bird, 
as  it  is  sometimes  called  locally,  is  the 
most  common  of  our  summer  beach-birds 


A   NEST    OF   WILSON'S    PLOVER 


results    to    the    birds,    and    the    pictures 
obtained  are  often  very  interesting. 

With  this  article  I  present  photographs 
which  I  have  secured  of  some  of  the  more 
unusual  species  of  florida  birds,  that  I 
have  had  the  good  fortune  to  find. 


in  southern  Florida.  A  few  remain  here 
all  winter,  but  become  most  numerous  on 
the  beaches  in  the  latter  part  of  March. 
I  have  found  fresh  eggs  as  early  as  April 
2,  and  as  late  as  July  10.  These  plovers 
build  no  nests — just    hollow    out  a  place 


472 


Bird-  Lore 


in  the  beach  a  few  j'ardt;  above  high- water 
mark,  and  lay  three,  rarely  four,  beautiful 
greenish-gray  eggs,  spotted,  blotched,  and 
lined  with  blackish  brown  and  light  laven- 
der. Early  in  June  of  this  year  I  was  camp- 
ing on  a  small  sandy  key,  about  a  hundred 
yards  wide,  between  the  Gulf  of  Mexico 
and  a  bay.  The  plovers  were  nesting  on  a 
bank  of  white  sand  that  had  been  thrown 
up  by  steam  dredges  a  few  years  before  on 
the  bay  side,  jjrobably  half  a  mile  long,  and 
barely  a  foot  above  the  high-water  line. 
I  estimated  that  at  least  fifty  pairs  nested 
there. 

In  walking  along  the  beach,  I  found 
about  thirty  nests  in  two  days,  photo- 
graphed several  of  them,  and  took  one  set 
of  eggs  under  the  scientific  permit  issued 
by  the  state.  The  next  morning  I  found 
that  one  egg  had  hatched  out  and  another 
pipped.  I  immediately  took  the  young 
bird,  the  two  remaining  eggs,  and  my 
camera,  and  rowed  back  to  the  sand-spit, 
to  try  to  locate  the  depression  in  the  sand 
from  which  I  had  taken  them;  but  after 
an  hour's  work  I  had  to  gi\-e  it  up — all 
places  looked  alike.  I  noted,  however,  one 
nest,  placed  in  the  broken  end  of  a  plank, 
that  on  the  previous  day  had  had  two  eggs 
and  now  had  three,  so  that  I  knew  it  was 
a  fresh  set.  I  took  these  eggs  and  placed 
the  young  bird  and  my  two  eggs  in  their 
place,  and  them  moved  off  and  sat  down 
to  watch  developments.  In  a  few  minutes 
the  mother-bird  ran  up  to  the  nest,  looked 
hard  at  the  young  bird,  which  had  run  off 
about  two  feet  from  the  eggs,  circled  the 
nest  several  times,  and  then  squatted  down 
on  the  two  eggs  and  begun  calling  softly  to 
the  young  bird.  In  a  few  minutes  he  crept 
up  to  the  old  bird.  She  looked  him  over  for 
fully  two  minutes,  then  decided  to  adopt 
him,  raked  him  under  her  out  of  the  sun, 
and  settled  down  as  contentedly  as  if  the 
family  were  really  her  own.  I  sat  there  for 
a  full  hqur,  and  went  back  to  camp  a  very 
surprised  and  happy  fellow.  This  appeared 
to  me  to  be  a  \ery  unusual  proceeding,  but 
if  ^  she    was    satisfied,    certainly    I     was. 

Two  days  later,  on  my  way  back,  I 
ran  the  boat  close  to  the  beach  opposite 
this  nest.    They  old  bird  ran  off,  and  up 


jumped  three  young  and  took  off  up  the 
beach  after  her.  The  explanation  of  fresh 
eggs  so  late  in  the  season  is  the  fact  that 
many  eggs  are  washed  away  by  high  tides. 
I  once  found  twenty  eggs  along  the  beach 
at  the  edge  of  the  drift  that  had  been 
washed  away.  This  plover  is  an  adept  at 
tolling  one  from  its  eggs,  playing  the 
broken-wing  act  to  a  finish.  But  really 
get  near  the  nest,  and  the  bird's  actions  are 
very  different;  then  it  will  run  under  your 
feet  and  beg  so  pitifully  that  it  is  hard  to 
touch  the  eggs. 

Gray  Kingbird 

This  tyrant  flycatcher  appears  in 
southern  Florida  about  the  first  week  in 
April,  but  to  find  it  one  must  go  through 
the  mangrove  thickets  that  border  the 
salt-water  bays  and  inlets.  Here,  perched 
on  some  dead  snag,  the  Gray  Kingbird 
salutes  one  with  his  harsh  note,  closely 
resembling  the  note  of  the  northern  King- 
bird. I  usually  hunt  this  bird  from  a  canoe, 
as  the  nests  are  invariably  in  the  man- 
groves that  overhang  the  water.  Paddling 
along  the  edge  of  these  bushes,  one  will 
presently  see  an  old  bird  perched  on  some 
dead  snag,  or  on  the  topmost  branch  of 
some  mangrove-bush,  calling  in  his  highest 
note.  He  will  stay  there  and  direct  you  to 
his  nest,  as  he  never  perches  very  far  from 
it.  This  is  placed  from  four  to  fifteen  feet 
above  the  water.  The  nest  is  woven  of  fine 
rootlets,  and  is  lined  with  finer  fibrous  roots, 
and  sometimes  with  horse-hair.  It  is  frail, 
so  that  usually  one  can  see  the  outlines  of 
the  eggs  from  beneath;  yet  it  is  stronger 
than  it  looks  at  a  distance .  The  eggs  have  a 
deep  creamy  ground-color,  beautifully  spot- 
ted and  wreathed  with  several  shades  of 
brown  and  lilac,  and  when  fresh  have  a  pink- 
ish cast   similar  to  a  fresh   Flicker's   egg. 

When  camped  on  the  key  mentioned  in 
the  Wilson's  Plover  article,  I  spent  a  part 
of  each  day  paddling  along  the  mangroves 
on  the  bay  side,  and  within  a  distance  of 
four  miles  located  twelve  nests  of  the  Gray 
Kingbird.  These  contained  everything  in 
the  way  of  eggs  and  birds,  from  fresh  eggs 
to  fledglings  nearly  ready  to  fly.    This  was 


NEST    OF    THE    GRAY    KTN'GBIRD    IN    A    ^rAXGROVE 


NEST    OF    THE    BLACK-WHISKERED    VIREO   IN    A    MANGROVE 

(473) 


474 


Bird -Lore 


the  first  week  in  June.  I  took  notes  on  one 
nest  that  had  fresh  eggs,  and  found  it  took 
fifteen  days  for  them  to  hatch.  I  have 
found  the  old  birds  wandering  off  into  the 
pine-woods  after  the  nesting  season,  but 
never  more  than  a  mile  or  two  from  ihr 
salt  water. 

Black-Whiskered  Vireo 

I  have  looked  for  the  nest  of  this  bird 
for  several  years.  Early  last  June,  while 
on  a  hunt  for  Gray  Kingbirds,  I  was  pad- 
dling along  the  edge  of  the  mangroves 
when  I  heard  the  note  of  a  Vireo.  At  first 
it  sounded  like  the  Red-eyed,  but  on  listen- 
ing closer  I  placed  it  as  the  Black-whisk- 
ered. I  stopped  the  boat,  waited  a  few 
minutes,  and  presently  located  the  author 
in  the  top  of  a  mangrove  ten  feet  ahead  of 
me.  I  paddled  on  softly  until  I  was  directly 
under  it,  and  there  before  my  eyes,  about 
five  feet  above  the  water,  was  the  nest, 
with  the  female  sitting  on  it  and  looking 


at  me.  It  was  not  over  two  feet  from  my 
face,  yet  she  stayed  on  the  nest  until  I 
put  forth  my  hand  to  touch  her.  The  nest 
was  empty,  but  evidently  completed.  T 
was  happy,  as  it  does  one  good  to  find  some- 
thing  as  uncommon  as  the  nest  of  this  bird, 
and  for  the  first  time.  On  my  way  back 
from  the  two-hours'  paddle,  I  again  looked 
in  the  nest,  and  found  one  egg,  pinkish 
white,  and  speckled  sparsely  at  the  larger 
end  with  reddish  brown.  I  visited  this 
nest  every  day,  but  the  bird  laid  an  egg 
only  every  other  day  until  she  had  three, 
then  waited  two  whole  days  before  begin- 
ning incubation.  The  nest  was  pensile, 
like  all  Vireos'  nests,  but  not  nearly  so 
deep  as  most,  and  made  entirely  of  dry- 
seaweed,  with  a  few  pieces  of  palmetto 
fiber  and  one  small  feather  woven  in  the 
side;  it  was  lined  nicely  with  fine,  dry 
grass,  and  one  or  two  pine-needles.  I 
could  stay  there  only  a  few  days  after  the 
full  set  was  laid.  This  nest  was  about 
twenty  miles    south    of    the    bird's    most 


NEST    AND    EGGS    OF    THE    SWALLOW-TAILED    KITE 


The   Audubon   Societies 


475 


NEST    AND    EGGS    OF    THE   EVERGLADE    KITE 


northern  recorded  breeding-range,  for  this 
Vireo  is  a  West  Indian  species. 

Swallow-tailed  Kite 

In  Florida  one  must  now  go  to  the  region 
of  South  Florida  called  the  Big  Cypress, 
to  see  much  of  this  bird,  ll  was  once  com- 
mon all  over  the  state,  I  believe,  and  I 
have  seen  it  in  north-central  Florida,  but 
only  as  an  isolated  pair.  These  beautiful 
bird's  are  called  by  the  natives  Forked- 
tailed  Fish  Hawks,  I  suppose  because  they 
are  often  found  flying  over  the  water. 
They  will  drink  while  on  the  wing,  just 
like  a  Swallow.  They  catch  their  food  on 
the  wing  also,  and  it  is  a  treat  to  watch 
them  feeding.  I  was  out  with  a  guide  once, 
and  expressed  the  wish  to  see  the  Kites  at 
closer  range.  He  said  that  was  easy,  and 
set  fire  to  a  cabbage-palmetto  that  had  on 
it  an  abundance  of  dead  vines  and  many 
dead  fans.  It  was  a  quiet  day  and  the 
smoke  rose  very  high.  In  less  than  ten 
minutes  six  Kites  were  circling  over  the 
tree,  catching  wasps  that  had  been  routed 


out  by  the  fire;  it  made  one  nearly  dizzy 
to  watch  the  antics  of  the  Kites  in  catch- 
ing these  insects.  Unscrupulous  hunters 
set  fire  to  a  palm  so  as  to  get  a  chance  to 
shoot  the  Kites,  as  then  they  will  swoop 
to  within  thirty  feet  of  one  after  their  prey. 
All  the  time  they  keep  up  a  chattering  that 
is  very  pleasant  to  hear. 

Where  you  find  one  nest  or  pair  of  birds, 
there  are  likely  to  be  two  or  three  more  in 
the  same  locality.  One  only  has  to  climb 
to  a  nest  to  know  within  a  few  minutes  the 
Kite-population  of  that  "neck  of  woods," 
and  the  birds  will  fly  in  circles  over  the 
tree,  ceaselessly  chattering.  They  nest  in 
pine  trees  nearly  always,  and  usually  pick 
out  the  slenderest  one  to  be  found,  saddling 
their  nests  out  near  the  end  of  a  limb.  The 
nest  is  built  of  dry  sticks,  strands  of  long 
moss  (Tillandsia) ,  and  of  a  dry,  silky  moss 
from  the  dead  cypresses.  The  eggs  are 
usually  two,  rarely  three,  white  or  some- 
times buffy,  spotted  and  blotched  with 
brown  and  chestnut-brown  markings, 
chiefly  around  the  larger  end.  From  March 
25  to  April  IS  is  the  time  in  Florida  to  find 


476 


Bird-  Lore 


fresh  eggs;  hut,  in  iqi,^,  Mr.  IMu-lps  fouml 
eggs  on  Manh  17.  '["liis  Kile  lii<es  1  lie 
liroad  open  spaces  adjacent  to  the  cypress 
swamps,  and  in  the  breeding-season  one 
will  hardly  hnd  them  anywhere  else.  This 
bird  is  decreasing  in  Florida. 

Everglade  Kite 

As  its  name  signilies,  this  Kite  is  a  bird 
of  the  everglade  region  of  southern  Florida, 
and  in  northern  Florida  is  a  migrant  only. 
It  is  known  to  the  Indians  and  to  local 
hunters  as  Snail  Hawk,  referring  to  its 
habit  of  feeding  on  a  species  of  fresh-water 
snail.  The  Everglade  Kite  will  sail  over 
the  water  like  a  Gull,  suddenly  dive  down, 
seize  a  snail,  carry  it  to  the  nearest  perch, 
and  extract  the  snail  without  breaking  the 
shell.  I  have  found  piles  of  these  shells  at 
the  base  of  some  old  post  at  the  edge  of 
the  water — in  some  instances  as  many 
as  would  fill  a  bushel-basket.  The  Kites 
arrive  in  southern  Florida  early  in  Feb- 
ruary, and  eggs  have  been  found  from 
March  i  until  May.  Usually  two,  three, 
or  four  pairs  breed  close  together,  that  is, 
within  a  radius  of  a  mile.  I  have  discovered 
most  of  my  nests  in  the  saw-grass  region 
in  small  willow-bushes,  and  they  are 
somewhat  hard  to  find. 

I  once  spent  more  than  eight  hours  in 
looking  for  a  nest.  I  climbed  a  tree  at  the 
edge  of  the  saw-grass,  and  located  the 
bird  at  her  nest  in  a  small  willow-bush  in 
the  grass,  probably  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
away.  I  noted  the  direction  with  my 
compass  and  getting  in  my  canoe  started 
by  the  compass  to  find  the  spot.  The  grass 
was  five  feet  or  more  higher  than  my  head 
as  I  sat  in  the  canoe,  and  the  water  was  too 
deep  to  wade.  It  is  a  difficult  feat  to  go  in 
any  certain  direction  in  this  saw-grass,  as 
it  closes  up  Immediately  behind  the  canoe, 
and  one  seems  to  be  lost  all  the  time.  I 
paddled  as  far  as  I  thought  was  necessary, 
then  stood  up  and  tried  to  look  around,  but 
was  hardly  able  to  see  fifteen  feet  from  the 
canoe.  So  I  went  back  along  my  trail  to 
the  tree  and  took  new  bearings,  then  into 
the  saw-grass  again,  with  the  same  result. 
I  kept  this  up  for  eight  long  weary  hours, 


and  when  I  reull}'  did  lind  the  nest,  it  was 
right  over  my  head  before  I  saw  it. 

The  finding  of  the  beautiftil  set  of  four 
eggs  pictured  here  was  ample  reward  for 
my  strenuous  efforts.  I  have  heard  of 
other  nests  on  the  edge  of  lakes,  where 
they  could  be  reached  from  a  boat  easily, 
but  I  never  found  them  so  easy  to  get  at. 
The  late  date  of  this  set  was  owing  prob- 
ably to  its  being  the  second  laying,  the 
first  having  been  broken  up;  and  the  bird 
decided  to  go  so  far  back  that  nothing 
could  find  her.  This  species  is  undoubtedly 
becoming  very  rare  in  Florida,  and  it  is 
only  a  question  of  a  few  years  when  the 
Everglade  Kite  will  be  no  more  here. 
This  will  not  mean  an  extermination  of  the 
species,  as  they  nest  in  large  colonies  in 
South  America. 

Florida  Turkey 

There  is  usually  more  luck  than  good 
management  in  finding  a  Wild  Turkey's 
nest.  One  must  have  a  good  idea  of  the 
Turkey-range,  the  kind  of  places  the  birds 
like  to  nest  in,  and  an  unlimited  amount 
of  patience;  and  even  then,  if  he  is  not 
lucky,  he  will  fail.  The  Wild  Turkey  is 
still  fairly  abundant  in  certain  parts  of 
Florida,  and  if  our  new  game-laws  are 
thoroughly  enforced  there  is  no  reason 
why  the  bird  should  not  hold  its  own, 
even  with  the  great  amount  of  hunting 
that  is  done  each  year.  The  Turkey  is 
essentially  a  bird  of  the  wild  places,  and 
is  without  doubt  the  slyest  of  all  wild 
birds.  I  have  seen  them  in  close  proximity 
to  farms  in  a  fairly  populated  section,  but 
this  is  the  exception. 

My  records  show  that  I  have  found 
thirty  Turkey's  nests  in  the  last  ten  years, 
and  they  have  been  in  all  kinds  of  situa- 
tions. The  Turkeys  in  the  northern  and 
central  parts  of  Florida  usually  use  a 
thicket  of  greenbriers  that  has  a  thick 
layer  of  dry  leaves  underneath  it,  in  which 
they  will  hollow  out  a  slight  depression  in 
the  ground,  line  it  with  dry  grass  and 
leaves,  and  sometimes  add  a  few  feathers. 
When  they  are  incubating,  they  depend 
to  a  great  extent  on  their  protective  color- 


The   Audubon    Societies 


477 


ation,  and  will  not  flush  easily.  1  once 
stood  for  fully  five  minutes  within  twenty 
inches  of  a  Turkey-hen  on  her  nest  while 
I  was  watching  a  Pileated  Woodpecker. 
Happening  to  glance  down  into  a  thicket 
of  greenbriers,  I  spied  the  beady  eye  of  the 
hen;  and  away  she  slid  as  quietly  as  a 
snake,  disclosing  twelve  beautiful  eggs.    I 


Turkey  hens  together  in  the  Big  Cypress 
countr\^  a  few  daj's  after  the  hunting 
season  closed.  They  were  feeding  along 
a  cypress  head  in  a  "burn,"  and  were 
strung  out  one  behind  the  other;  and  the 
bright  morning  sun  glistening  on  their 
plumage  made  a  picture  I  shall  long  re- 
member.   On  the  same  daj'  I  saw  a  drove 


NEST    AND    EGGS    OF    THE    FLORIDA    WILD    TURKEY 


have  found  sets  of  sixteen  eggs,  but  nine 
or  ten  is  the  usual  number,  and,  for  a  young 
hen,  six  and  seven  is  the  size  of  the  set. 
Down  in  the  Everglade  region  the  Turkey 
usually  builds  in  a  thick  clump  of  saw- 
palmetto  bushes,  and  makes  her  nest  of 
dry  grass  and  leaves;  and  I  found  them  on 
the  ground  under  the  top  of  a  fallen  pine 
when  there  was  a  good  thicket  of  grass 
around    it.       I    once    saw    twentj'-three 


of  nine  Turkey-gobblers  feeding  in  a  sim- 
ilar place  further  along.  Such  flocks  as 
this  are  not  unusual  when  the  Turkey  is 
plentiful.  I  camped  at  a  man's  homestead 
down  on  the  edge  of  the  Okaloacoochee 
Slough  for  a  few  days  once  in  late  March; 
and  ever}-  morning  and  evening  nine  hens 
came  into  his  cultivated  field  to  feed,  and 
did  not  seem  to  mind  us  if  we  did  not  go 
too  close  to  them. 


The  Audubon   Societies 


479 


TAMING   ^VILD    BIGHORNS 


A  very  delightful  example  of  how  the 
shyest  wild  animals  may  be  taught  to 
trust  mankind,  and  will  yield  their  fears 
under  the  influences  of  continuous  kind- 
ness and  a  sense  of  security,  is  afforded  by 
the  bighorn  sheep  that  every  winter  come 
down  into  the  town  of  Ouray  to  get 
food. 

Mountain  sheep  have  become  so  rare 
that  it  has  become  necessarj^  to  prohibit 


fifteen  or  twenty  in  all,  and  were  again  fed 
as  long  as  they  cared  to  remain.  The  third 
year  they  came  in  larger  numbers  and 
earlier,  seeming  to  prefer  the  easily  obtained 
alfalfa  hay  to  the  harder  fare  of  the  hills. 
Last  winter  (1913-14)  they  first  appeared 
in  December,  and  others  during  January 
and  February,  until  about  seventy-five 
were  fed  daily,  the  state  providing  the 
feed   under   the   supervision   of   the   local 


A    FLOCK    OF    MOUNTAIN    SHEEP    OX    THE    HILLSIDE     NEAR    OURAY 
Copyrighted  photograph  by  F.  A.  Rice 


by  law  all  killing  in  Colorado.  They  seem 
to  know  this,  and  of  late  years  have  been 
venturing  nearer  to  Ouray  every  winter. 
In  1910  eight  old  bucks  came  down  to  the 
edge  of  the  town  in  March,  and  the  towns- 
people tried  the  experiment  of  placing  hay 
where  the  sheep  could  get  it.  Thej^  stayed 
there  until  the  middle  of  April,  when  the 
snow  began  to  melt  in  the  hills,  and  they 
returned  to  their  range.  In  February  of 
the  next  year  some  of  these  bucks  came 
again,  and  brought  with  them  a  few  does. 


game  warden.  A  few  stayed  in  town  until 
early  June,  but  the  majority  moved  up  the 
hillside  as  fast  as  the  snow  melted.  Our 
forest  ranger  says  there  are  about  250 
sheep  in  this  vicinity,  so  that  only  a  small 
proportion  of  the  flock  visits  Ouray. 

The  sheep  range  in  the  mountains 
(Sneffels  Range)  west  of  Ouray.  During 
the  summer  they  are  to  be  found  high 
above  timber-line,  which  has  an  altitude 
of  about  11,500  feet  in  this  range.  There 
they  are  very  shy  and  difficult  to  approach, 


48o 


Bird-  Lore 


which  contrasts  sharply   with   their  con- 
duct in  midwinter. 

The  tracks  of  the  Denver  &  Rio  Grande 
Railroad  enter  Ouray  along  the  base  of 
these  western  hills,  and,  as  the  easiest 
way  for  the  sheep  to  come  down  the 
mountain  is  in  that  neighborhood,  they 
are  fed  within  loo  feet  of  the  station;  and 
they  soon  cease  to  be  disturbed  by  the 
trains.      Last   spring   was   the   first   time 


they  ever  crossed  the  tracks;  but,  having 
once  made  the  venture,  it  was  not  long 
until  they  began  to  make  short  excursions 
up  the  streets,  and  by  the  time  spring 
came  they  were  daily  going  half-way  to  the 
center  of  town.  Our  people  are  very  proud 
of  these  visitors;  and,  even  were  they  not 
protected  by  law,  public  sentiment  would 
make  it  very  unpleasant  for  anyone  who 
molested  them. 


A   TAME    FAMILY    OF    BIGHORNS    ON   THEIR    FEEDING-GROUND    AT   OURAY 

Copyrighted  photograph  by  F.  A.  Rice 


A    SUGGESTION    FOR   CHRISTMAS 


Instead  of  sending  to  your  young  friends 
more  or  less  meaningless  Christmas  or 
Easter  cards,  why  not,  as  good  bird-lovers, 
use  as  your  tokens  of  remembrance  one 
or  more  of  the  beautiful  colored  portraits 
of  birds  issued  bj^  the  National  Associa- 
tion in  their  Educational  Leaflets.  Every 
child  loves  pictures  of  real  animals — will 
treasure  such  a  mark  of  attention  far 
more  than  an  ordinar}^  "card,"  because  it 
will  mean  something  to  him.  One  might 
imagine  a  generous  person  giving  himself 


the  joy  of  distributing  dozens  of  these 
among  the  eager  youngsters  of  his  neigh- 
borhood. 

They  will  not  only  please  a  young  child 
by  their  beauty,  and  by  the  fun  of  color- 
ing the  accompanying  outlines,  but  will 
enable  the  older  ones  to  learn  the  names  of 
the  birds  seen  daily  about  the  house.  As 
a  more  substantial  present  the  bound 
volume  of  the  first  fifty-nine  Leaflets  is 
available,  containing  more  than  sixty 
pictures. 


Annual  Report  of  the  National  Association  of 
Audubon  Societies  for  1914 

CONTENTS 

REPORT   OF   THE    SECRETARY. 

Introduction. — Audubon  Warden  Work. — Egret  Protection.— Junior  Aud- 
ubon Classes. — Legislation. — Field  Agents. — A  New  Department. — - 
State  Societies. — Publications. — Financial. 

REPORTS    OF    FIELD    AGENTS. 

Arthur  H.  Norton,  Maine. — Winthrop  Packard,  Massachusetts. — Miss 
Katharine  H.  Stuart,  Virginia. — Dr.  Eugene  Swope,  Ohio. — William 
L.  Finley,  Pacific-Coast  States. 

REPORTS    OF    STATE    AUDUBON    SOCIETIES. 

California,  Colorado,  Connecticut,  District  of  Columbia,  Florida,  Illinois, 
Indiana,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Maine,  Maryland,  Massachusetts,  Michigan, 
Minnesota,  New  Hampshir£,  New  Jersey,  North  Dakota,  Ohio,  Oregon, 
Pennsylvania,  Rhode  Island,  Tennessee  (East),  West  Virginia. 

REPORT    OF    TREASURER. 

LIST   OF    MEMBERS    AND    CONTRIBUTORS. 


REPORT   OF   THE   SECRETARY 

INTRODUCTION 

Never  have  I  undertaken  the  preparation  of  an  Annual  Report  of  the 
National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies  without  realizing  the  great  difficulty 
of  adequately  conveying  in  words  a  correct  idea  of  the  true  scope  of  its  activi- 
ties, or  a  proper  appreciation  of  the  zeal  and  sympathy  of  the  hundreds  of 
volimteer  Audubon  workers  throughout  the  country.  Brief  statements  and 
figures  may  serve  to  show  the  extent  of  its  present  business  organization,  but 
can  convey  only  a  scant  indication  of  the  tremendous  amount  of  human  feel- 
ing with  which  the  entire  organization  throbs. 

The  influence  of  the  Audubon  movement  throughout  the  United  States 
today  is  astounding,  especially  when  one  considers  the  comparatively  limited 
expenditure  of  funds  in  the  course  of  a  year.  It  is  a  work  of  the  people,  includ- 
ing bird-lovers  and  wild-animal  conservationists  of  every  type,  and  new  fields 
of  opportunity  are  continually  opening  before  us.  The  past  year  has  been 
marked  by  a  steady  maintenance  of  our  more  important  fields  of  effort,  by 
distinct  gains  in  many  directions,  and  with  loss  nowhere  along  the  line. 

AUDUBON    WARDEN    WORK 

The  chief  nursery  of  the  sea-birds  of  the  Atlantic  Coast  of  the  United 
States  is  among  the  islands  off  the  coast  of  Maine.    During  the  past  summer, 

(481) 


482  Bird -Lore 

thirty-live  of  these  islands  have  been  occupied  by  breeding  colonies,  not 
including  several  small  ledges,  where  scattering  paiis  overflowing  from  near-by 
colonies  gather  to  nest.  The  Association  has  continued  to  exercise  a  guardian- 
ship, as  usual,  over  these  birds,  to  protect  them  as  far  as  possible  from  eggers, 
and  from  possible  raids  of  Indians,  who  annually  sell  Gulls'  wings  in  the  towns 
of  Nova  Scotia. 

In  addition  to  those  watching  the  Maine  colonies,  the  Association's  line 
of  wardens  extends  southward  along  the  coast,  stationed  at  various  places  in 
Massachusetts,  New  York,  and  New  Jersey.  Three  others  are  stationed  in 
Florida,  and  two  in  Louisiana.  These  latter  are  employed  jointly  with  the 
Government  to  guard  some  of  the  Federal  bird-reservations  of  that  southern 
territory.  Colonies  of  birds  at  various  points  inland,  notably  on  Moosehead 
Lake,  Maine,  and  in  Lake  Michigan,  are  protected  in  like  manner. 

The  wardens  make  many  reports  of  their  work,  and,  in  addition,  we  fre- 
quently receive  special  reports  from  ornithologists  who  visit  these  regions. 
It  is,  of  course,  highly  interesting  to  note  the  extent  of  bird-life  found  in  these 
great  bird-communities,  and  to  observe  how  far  the  Association  is  successful 
in  protecting  the  feathered  inhabitants  from  their  human  enemies,  in  order 
that  they  may  have  normal  increase  from  year  to  year. 

When  the  colonies  are  small,  it  is  possible  to  determine  with  accuracy  the 
extent  of  the  bird-population.  Where,  however,  many  thousands  of  birds 
assemble  on  one  of  these  rookery  islands,  any  account  given  of  their  numbers 
must  be  more  or  less  in  the  form  of  an  estimate.  For  several  years  the  Secre- 
tary has  made  it  a  point  each  season  to  visit  a  few,  at  least,  of  the  guarded 
colonies.  From  observations  made  on  these  occasions,  he  feels  justified  in 
saying  that  the  report  showing  the  numbers  of  breeding-birds  here  submitted 
is  very  conservative. 

In  the  fourteen  colonies  of  Herring  Gulls  protected  during  the  past  sum- 
mer, it  is  estimated  that  there  were  59,420  adult  birds  inhabiting  the  islands; 
in  the  eleven  colonies  of  Common  and  Arctic  Terns,  50,240;  and  in  five  colonies 
of  Black  Guillemots,  1,540.  Among  the  other  more  numerous  species,  we  may 
mention  Least  Terns,  9,550;  Forster's  Terns,  5,225;  Royal  Terns,  17,500; 
Cabot's  Terns,  3,800;  Clapper  Rails,  5,000;  Puffins,  600;  Eider  Ducks,  100; 
Leach's  Petrels,  5,000;  Laughing  Gulls,  118,400;  Mergansers,  200;  Pelicans, 
4,500;  Ospreys,  200;  Louisiana  Herons,  25,700;  Black-crowned  Night  Herons, 
3,000;  and  Black  Skimmers,  15,500,  in  addition  to  large  numbers  of  Willets, 
Caspian  Terns,  Spotted  Sandpipers,  and  Wilson's  Plovers. 

The  enumeration  above  does  not  include,  of  course,  many  thousands  of 
land-birds,  which,  in  these  isolated  spots,  are  apparently  in  no  special  danger 
of  human  disturbance;  nor  does  it  include  the  tens  of  thousands  of  Wild  Ducks 
that  in  certain  seasons  of  the  year  are  found  on  some  of  the  guarded 
reservations. 

The  income  from  the  Mary  Dutcher  Memorial  Fund  has  been  expended 


Report  of  the   Secretary  483 

the  past  year  in  protecting  these  birds,  in  which  President  Dutcher  has  long 
taken  so  warm  and  personal  an  interest. 

EGRET    PROTECTION 

Quite  aside  from  this  general  warden  work,  is  our  special  effort  for  the  pro- 
tection of  Egrets,  on  behalf  of  which  sixteen  guards  were  employed  during  the 
past  spring  and  summer.  These  colonies  are  situated  in  South  Carolina, 
Georgia,  and  Florida.  Egrets,  today,  are  not  sufficiently  abundant  to  cause 
much  embarrassment  in  determining  the  numbers  that  inhabit  any  particular 
colony;  especially  has  this  been  the  case  with  those  rookeries  in  Florida  which 
have  been  personally  visited  by  Oscar  E.  Baynard,  our  Supervising  Warden 
for  that  state.  During  the  past  summer,  Mr.  Baynard  spent  many  days 
struggling  through  these  rookeries  to  count  the  occupied  nests,  and  in  doing 
so  he  was  often  forced  to  wade  waist-deep  in  water  infested  with  moccasins, 
alligators,  and  innumerable  unpleasant  insects,  as  the  Secretary  can  testify, 
after  having  accompanied  him  on  one  of  these  expeditions. 

In  the  eleven  colonies  of  large  Egrets  protected,  and  carefully  counted, 
we  believe  there  were  about  5,100  birds;  while  the  count  of  SnoA\y  Egrets,  in 
thirteen  colonies,  was  2,375.  With  few  exceptions.  Egrets  were  found  in  rook- 
eries inhabited  by  numerous  other  wading-birds.  Counts  and  estimates  of 
these  show  Black-crowned  Night  Herons,  1,055;  Louisiana  Herons,  6,200  (in 
addition  to  those  being  cared  for  by  the  general  warden  force,  above  referred 
to);  Ward's  Herons,  i,oco;  Green  Herons,  800;  Least  Bitterns,  700;  Water 
Turkeys,  2,922;  Purple  Gallinules,  1,500;  Florida  Gallinules,  2,000;  Little 
Blue  Herons,  7,076;  White  Ibis,  26,800;  and  Wood  Ibis,  60,500. 

It  is  with  special  pleasure  that  we  record  the  presence,  in  our  protected 
colonies,  of  160  Limpkins  and  147  Roseate  Spoonbills,  scattered  through  five 
rookeries;  also  three  pairs  of  the  now  extremely  rare  Glossy  Ibis.  Other  inter- 
esting birds  that  have  had  protection  in  these  guarded  nesting-groups  are 
Wood  Ducks,  Great  Blue  Herons,  Swallow-tailed  Kites,  King  Rails,  Boat- 
tailed  Crackles,  Florida  Redwings,  Yellow-crowned  Night  Herons,  and  Florida 
Dusky  Ducks. 

Many  of  the  estimates  given  above,  particularly  those  in  reference  to  the 
Wood  Ibis,  the  Little  Blue,  and  the  Louisiana  Herons,  are  far  beneath  the 
true  figures.  I  believe  it  very  conservative  to  state  that  about  550,000  water- 
birds  of  various  kinds  received  admirable  protection  from  their  human  enemies 
during  the  nesting  season  of  19 14,  as  a  result  of  the  watchful  efforts  of  this 
Association. 

JUNIOR    AUDUBON    CLASSES 

The  greatest  reward  of  the  conscientious  teacher  is  to  watch  the  minds  of 
her  pupils  unfold  and  develop  under  her  guidance.    Some  suggestion  of  this  is 


484 


Bird-  Lore 


the  sensation  which  those  of  us  feel  who  have  been  instrumental  in  preparing 
for  the  rapid  growth  of  the  Junior  Audubon  Movement. 

Last  year  it  was  reported  in  these  pages  that  52,000  children  were  enrolled 
in  these  classes.  The  school-year  which  closed  July  i,  19 14,  revealed  the  fact 
that  the  growth  this  year  had  shown  an  increase  of  over  one  hundred  per  cent. 
In  the  Southern  States,  19,121  children  joined  as  Junior  Members,  and  in  the 
North,  95,918;  making  a  grand  total  for  the  year  of  115,039  enrolled.   Think 


THE    RARE    GLOSSY    IBIS,    IN    THE    AUDUBON    SANCTUARY    AT    ORANGE 

LAKE,   FLORIDA 

Photographed  by  Oscar  E.  Baynard 

what  an  army  of  young  bird-students  is  recruited  each  year;  for  every  one 
of  these  thousands  has  systematically  studied  the  habits  and  activities  of  at 
least  ten  birds,  has  made  colored  drawings  of  them,  and  has  worn  the  Audu- 
bon Button,  as  well  as  receiving  instruction  in  the  building  of  bird-nesting 
boxes  and  the  feeding  of  birds  in  winter. 

Two  persons  are  responsible  for  all  this,  and  without  their  support  prac- 
tically nothing  in  this  line  would  be  accomplished.  One  is  Mrs.  Russell  Sage, 
whose  generous  gift  of  $5,000  a  year  makes  possible  the  work  in  the  South; 
and  the  other  is  a  good  friend  of  the  birds  and  of  the  children,  who  last  year 
provided  $14,000  for  extending  this  effort  in  the  other  states  of  the  Union.  I 
regret  that  we  are  forbidden  to  mention  the  name  of  this  benefactor.    This 


Report  of  the   Secretary  485 

work  will  go  steadily  forward  the  coming  yearj  for  Mrs.  Sage  has  renewed  her 
subscription,  and  our  generous,  unnamed  patron  has  already  subscribed  $20,000 
for  the  Junior  work  in  the  North, 

The  amount  of  labor  devolving  upon  the  ofi&ce  force  in  placing  this  subject 
before  the  teachers  of  the  country,  and  later  in  supplying  the  teachers  and 
pupils  wath  leaflets,  pictures,  and  buttons,  can  be  guessed  only  by  those  who 
have  visited  the  ofl&ces  of  the  Association.  In  this  Junior  endeavor,  we  have, 
during  the  past  year,  enjoyed,  as  heretofore,  the  hearty  cooperation  of  many  of 
the  State  Societies,  especially  those  of  Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island,  Connec- 
ticut, New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  and  Florida. 

LEGISLATION 

Few  states  held  legislative  sessions  during  the  year  of  1914.  In  Massachu- 
setts, the  usual  attempts  were  made  to  modify  adversely  the  laws  protecting 
birds  and  game.  The  Audubon  workers  of  that  state,  assisted  by  others  simi- 
larly interested,  successfully  withstood  these  onslaughts,  and  took  the  initia- 
tive in  endeavoring  to  secure  certain  additional  restrictions  much  needed. 

In  Virginia,  we  aided  the  State  Society  in  its  renewed  efiforts  to  secure  the 
establishment  of  a  State  Game  Commission.  A  very  heavy  campaign  for  the 
support  of  the  proposed  measure  was  waged  throughout  the  state,  but  once 
more  the  legislature  went  on  record,  by  a  narrow  margin,  as  being  opposed  to 
a  modern  state  game- warden  system. 

A  wide  campaign  of  more  than  usual  intensity  has  been  waged  in  Cali- 
fornia during  the  past  summer  and  autumn  to  defeat  the  efforts  of  the  market- 
men,  who  were  seeking  to  secure  the  repeal  of  the  law  which  prohibits  the 
sale  of  wild-fowl.  It  has  been  a  great  pleasure  to  your  Board  to  be  able  to  con- 
tribute to  the  expenses  of  our  associates  in  this  work. 

We  have  also  contributed  financially  to  the  strenuous  efforts  being  made  by 
our  English  friends  to  secure  an  act  of  Parliament  prohibiting  the  importation 
of  feathers.  The  unfortunate  war  now  raging  put  this  work  at  an  end  for  the 
present,  when  victory  was  almost  in  sight. 

We  were  particularly  engrossed,  for  some  weeks  early  in  the  year,  in  help- 
ing to  bring  before  Congress  the  necessity  of  appropriating  not  less  than 
$50,000  for  the  use  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture,  in  enforcing  the  regu- 
lations established  under  the  Federal  Migratory-Bird  Law.  Our  joy  at  the 
successful  outcome  of  these  efforts  on  our  part,  and  on  the  part  of  others,  was 
much  dampened  later,  when,  as  a  result  of  political  pressure,  those  represen- 
tatives of  the  Department  of  Agriculture  empowered  to  make  restrictive 
regulations  regarding  the  killing  of  birds  deemed  it  necessary  to  recede  in 
many  points  from  the  stand  previously  taken.  Especially  do  we  deplore  the 
action  by  which  all  Federal  protection  was  removed  from  Bobolinks  in  the 
states  of  Delaw^are,  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania,  thus  giving  the  Govern- 


486  Bird -Lore 

ment's  stamp  of  approval  to  the  slaughter  of  these  beautiful  song-birds  dur- 
ing an  open  season  in  these  states.  This  Association  protested  most  earnestly 
against  what  we  regard  as  an  unwarranted  and  unnecessary  concession  to  the 
destroyers  of  bird-life;  and  we  shall  not  rest  content  until  Bobolinks  are 
accorded  the  complete  Federal  protection  they  so  justly  deserve. 

FIELD    AGENTS 

The  Board  employed  five  field  agents  and  lecturers  during  the  past  year 
for  a  part  or  all  of  their  time.  Miss  Katherine  H.  Stuart,  of  Virginia,  has 
continued  her  active  and  resourceful  efforts,  and  the  cause  of  the  birds  has  been 
championed  by  her  in  every  nook  and  corner  of  the  Old  Dominion.  Winthrop 
Packard  has  divided  his  time  between  his  duties  as  field  agent  and  lecturer 
for  the  National  Association  and  his  duties  as  Secretary  of  the  Massachusetts 
Audubon  Society. 

Dr.  Eugene  Swope  has  done  yeoman  service  not  only  in  his  home  state, 
Ohio,  but  traveled  for  four  months  in  Florida,  where  he  lectured  in  every 
town  and  city  of  any  importance. 

William  L.  Finley,  of  Oregon,  and  Arthur  H.  Norton,  of  Maine,  have 
been  as  active  in  the  interests  of  the  Association  as  their  other  duties 
would  admit. 

Edward  H.  Forbush,  although  he  resigned  last  year  as  an  active  agent  of 
the  Association,  has  nevertheless  continued  in  the  capacity  of  an  honorary 
supervising  Audubon  agent  for  New  England. 

Details  of  the  work  of  these  representatives  of  the  Association  will  be 
presented  more  fully  by  them  in  their  reports,  printed  elsewhere  in  these  pages. 

A    NEW   DEPARTMENT 

Of  late  there  has  been  growing  rapidly  a  demand  for  exact  information 
regarding  the  best  methods  of  attracting  birds  about  the  home  and  on  the 
farm,  as  well  as  incessant  calls  for  information  as  to  proper  means  to  be 
employed  in  rearing  Ducks,  Geese,  Pheasants,  and  other  wild  game-birds  by 
artificial  means.  The  Directors  felt  that  it  would  be  well  for  the  Association 
to  meet  the  needs  called  for  by  this  new  demand  by  employing  someone  to 
give  all  his  time  to  collecting  such  information,  and  to  carrying  it  to  the 
public  by  means  of  lectures  and  bulletins.  Mr.  Herbert  K.  Job,  well  known  as 
a  lecturer  and  author,  who  has  for  some  time  occupied  the  office  of  State  Orni- 
thologist of  Connecticut,  was  chosen  for  this  undertaking,  and  began  his 
duties  on  August  i,  1914. 

The  Department  of  Applied  Ornithology  we  expect  to  develop  rapidly, 
and  shall  hope  from  time  to  time  to  be  able  to  report  marked  progress. 


Report  of  the   Secretary  487 

STATE    SOCIETIES 

We  would  especially  commend  the  reports  of  the  various  State  Audubon 
Societies  throughout  the  Union,  which  will  be  found  on  subsequent  pages  of 
this  Report.  The  earnest,  self-sacrificing  labor  of  the  officers  and  members 
of  many  of  these  bodies  deserves  the  highest  praise,  and  the  reports  will  be 
found  to  contain  much  of  interest  and  stimulus.  One  of  the  many  advances 
recently  made  in  State  Audubon  Society  work  was  in  New  Jersey,  when  last 
January  it  was  decided  to  employ  the  Secretary,  Beecher  S.  Bowdish,  for  his 
entire  time.  Mr.  Bowdish  thereupon  left  the  office  of  the  National  Associa- 
tion, where  he  had  been  for  several  years,  and  assumed  the  duties  of  the 
enlarged  New  Jersey  work. 

The  Birdcraft  Sanctuary  of  the  Connecticut  Audubon  Society,  established 
the  past  year  at  Fairfield,  is  not  only  a  splendid  undertaking  for  the  birds,  but 
is  a  most  delicate  and  worthy  compliment  to  the  President  of  the  Audubon 
Society  of  that  state,  Mrs.  Mabel  Osgood  Wright. 

PUBLICATIONS 

During  the  year,  the  Association  has  published,  first  in  Bird-Lore,  and 
later  as  separates,  six  Educational  Leaflets,  accompanied  by  colored  plates  of 
the  birds  treated.  These  were  Leaflets  No.  71,  Tufted  Titmouse,  by  Florence 
Merriam  Bailey;  No.  72,  Wood  Thrush,  and  No.  73,  Whip-poor-will,  by 
T.  Gilbert  Pearson;  No.  74,  Roseate  Spoonbill,  by  Dr.  Frank  M.  Chapman;  No. 
75,  Sora  Rail,  by  Edward  H.  Forbush;  and  No.  76,  Pintailed  Duck,  by 
Herbert  K.  Job. 

We  have  also  brought  out  Bulletin  No.  i,  entitled  Attracting  Birds  about 
the  Home.  This  is  illustrated  with  forty-one  half-tone  pictures  and  line-draw- 
ings. One  edition  of  10,000  has  been  printed.  An  illustrated  book  on  Alaskan 
Bird  Life,  for  free  distribution  to  the  eight  thousand  school-children  of  Alaska, 
has  been  completed,  and  will  probably  be  ready  for  distribution  by  Decem- 
ber I.  The  entire  cost  of  this  undertaking  has  been  borne  by  one  of  our  most 
public-spirited  members,  whose  name  we  are  not  permitted  to  give  at  this  time. 

Within  the  year  we  have  issued,  for  the  various  uses  of  the  Association, 
the  following:  Printed  and  mimeographed  letters,  123,000;  letterheads,  60,000; 
record-blanks  and  labels,  99,000;  four-paged  announcements  to  teachers, 
93,000;  Bulletin  No.  i,  10,000;  circulars  and  printed  notices  of  various  kinds, 
251,000;  outline  drawings  of  birds,  1,619,000;  colored  pictures  of  birds, 
2,078,000;  and  Educational  Leaflets,  2,358,000. 

The  volume  of  correspondence  has  continued  to  grow  steadily.  The  office 
is,  today,  a  general  clearing-house  for  all  imaginable  kinds  of  knowledge.  We 
are  called  upon  to  give  detailed  information  on  a  wide  variety  of  subjects,  from 
the  best  method  of  starting  a  bird-reservation,  or  the  drafting  of  a  state  game- 


488  Bird -Lore 

law,  to  the  easiest  way  of  dyeing  an  old  ostrich  feather  or  the  most  humane 
manner  of  disposing  of  a  bird-eating  cat. 

During  the  year  more  than  70,000  letters  were  received  at  the  ofl&ce.  In 
the  handling  of  this  voluminous  correspondence,  the  Secretary  would  especially 
mention  the  very  great  assistance  he  receives  from  Ernest  IngersoU,  writer, 
critic,  and  experienced  office-manager,  who  now  has  the  direct  oversight  of 
our  office  force. 

^  FINANCIAL 

Fifty-seven  new  Life  Members  were  enrolled  during  the  year.  The  $5,700 
received  from  this  source,  together  with  the  bequest  of  $3,000  from  the  estate 
of  our  lamented  member,  Elizabeth  Drummond,  were  added  to  the  General 
Endowment  Fund  of  the  Association.  The  sustaining  membership  has  been 
increased  from  2,336  to  2,462.  The  income  for  current  expenses  for  the  year 
exceeded  $81,000  which,  together  with  the  additions  made  to  the  endowment 
fund,  shows  the  total  of  money  actually  received  by  the  Association  during  the 
year  to  be  more  than  $89,000,  or  about  $8,000  more  than  the  total  of  last  year. 

Satisfying  as  these  figures  might  possibly  appear  to  some,  the  fact  remains 
that  our  income  is  woefully  inadequate  to  meet  the  enormous  demands  made 
upon  the  Association  for  support  in  many  useful  fields.  A  large  amount  of  the 
Secretary's  energy  and  thought  is  necessarily  directed  to  devising  ways  and 
means  of  keeping  up  and  increasing  the  financial  support,  upon  which  founda- 
tion, of  course,  our  whole  work  must  rest. 

In  conclusion,  the  officers  and  directors  would  take  this  opportunity  to 
express  their  appreciation  to  all  the  thousands  of  good  people  of  our  country 
who,  either  by  personal  effort  or  by  the  giving  of  funds,  in  any  way  have  aided 
in  achieving  the  success  of  this  great  Audubon  movement  for  the  study  and 
preservation  of  our  wild  birds  and  animals.  The  continually  increasing  growth 
of  the  united  Audubon  Societies  of  America  bears  splendid  testimony  to  the 
wisdom  and  foresight  of  our  great  and  good  founder,  William  Dutcher. 

T.  Gilbert  Pearson,  Secretary. 


Reports  of  Field   Agents  489 


REPORTS    OF   FIELD   AGENTS 

REPORT    OF  ARTHUR    H.    NORTON,  FIELD   AGENT 
FOR   MAINE 

The  demand  for  lectures  on  birds,  particularly  illustrated  ones,  by  granges, 
schools,  clubs,  and  other  organizations  has  been  extensive,  and  has  been  met, 
so  far  as  possible,  by  the  National  Field  Agent  for  the  state,  and  by  local 
Audubon  secretaries.  To  facilitate  illustration,  numerous  lantern-slides  have 
been  made,  chiefly  from  local  photographs  of  birds  and  their  haimts,  and  addi- 
tional negatives  are  in  process  of  collection, 

A  small  selection  of  skins  of  birds  from  the  agent's  private  collection  is 
loaned  to  local  clubs,  with  the  request  that,  whenever  exhibited,  a  plea  be 
made  that  members  of  the  audience  feed  the  birds  in  winter.  Suggestions  as 
to  methods  are  furnished,  and  instructions  given  for  planting  fruit-bearing 
trees  and  shrubs,  with  a  \dew  to  attracting  birds  and  providing  them  with 
food.  Reports  from  several  private  estates  show  that  means  for  attracting 
birds,  both  in  summer  and  winter,  have  met  with  most  gratifying  results. 

Early  in  the  season,  a  circular  on  feeding  birds  in  winter  w^as  prepared,  and 
later,  upon  telegraphic  instructions  from  National  Secretary  T.  Gilbert  Pear- 
son an  abstract  was  distributed  to  every  newspaper  in  the  state,  with  a  letter 
requesting  its  publication.  The  response  was  most  gratifying.  The  press  in 
Maine,  indeed,  has  given  hearty  support  to  every  attempt  to  give  better 
protection  to  our  birds. 

The  alarming  increase  and  spread,  in  Maine,  during  recent  years,  of  two 
imported  insect-pests,  the  gypsy  and  brown-tailed  moths,  have  resulted  in 
the  cutting  of  much  oak  and  wild  cherry  along  highways  and  hedge-rows,  thus 
removing  a  source  of  food  for  many  birds.  This,  of  itself,  is  not  serious  in  so 
well- wooded  a  state;  but  the  alarm  has  resulted  in  cleaner  orcharding,  which 
has  been  carried  out  so  vigorously  that  birds  in  the  habit  of  nesting  in  cax'ities 
have  been  deprived  of  summer  homes  in  many  instances.  It  is  to  be  regretted 
that  many  "progressive  farmers"  are  so  imbued  with  the  so-called  "Yankee 
spirit  of  thrift"  that,  in  their  efforts  to  make  their  properties  yield  an  immediate 
income,  they  have  failed  to  think  of,  or  have  lost  sight  of,  or  never  have  heard 
of,  the  great  factor  of  the  bird-population  of  the  farm.  Every  tree  and  shrub 
whose  use  is  not  visible  at  the  moment  goes  to  the  furnace,  the  naked  barbed- 
wire  fence  takes  the  place  of  the  old  hedge- row,  and  a  host  of  birds  are  deprived 
of  cover,  food,  and  attractive  nesting-places. 

The  past  year  witnessed  the  growth  of  an  effort  to  set  aside  a  large  part  of 
the  island  of  Mt.  Desert  as  a  natural  preserve  for  native  wild  animals  and 
plants.  Citizens  of  the  town  of  Scarborough  petitioned  the  State  Commis- 
sioners of  Island  Fisheries  and  Game  to  set  apart  Front's  Neck,  comprising 
an  area  of  112  acres,  in  which  shooting  and  hunting  shall  be  prohibited.  After 


ARTHUR    H.    ^ORTON 

Field  Agent  for^  Maine 


(490) 


Reports   of   Field   Agents  491 

a  public  hearing,  the  Commissioners  issued  regulations  on  September  3,  1914, 
closing  the  area  for  four  years.  This  is  especially  noteworthy  as  marking  a 
new  action  in  this  state,  and  beginning  a  movement  which  undoubtedly  will 
increase  in  popularity. 

SPECIAL    INSPECTIONS 

Following  instructions,  inspections  were  made  by  the  writer  at  Bald  Rock 
and  at  Bald  Porcupine  Island,  near  Bar  Harbor.  On  August  24  visits  were 
made  to  numerous  small  islands  and  ledges  in  upper  Penobscot  Bay,  on  August 
26  in  Muscongus  Bay  and  at  Monhegan.  The  general  results  are  here  given, 
arranged  according  to  species  of  birds  inspected.  The  colonies  in  Penobscot 
Bay,  though  small,  are  important  in  the  aggregate,  and  are  so  situated  that  one 
or  two  wardens  could  have  oversight  of  them  all.  Besides  the  Gulls,  Terns,  and 
Fish  Hawks  reported,  colonies  of  Night  Herons  and  of  Great  Blue  Herons 
exist  in  the  same  vicinity,  not  included  in  this  report. 

Leach's  Petrel. — Petrels  were  found  at  Eastern  Egg  Rock,  Muscongus 
Bay,  but  none  was  detected  on  Western  Rock,  where  Petrels  were  formerly 
common.  At  Eastern  Rock  a  few  burrows  had  been  opened  by  curious  persons. 
The  indications  were  those  of  a  good-sized  colony. 

Great  Black-backed  Gull. — ^Though  no  Black-backed  Gulls  are  known 
to  breed  in  Maine  at  present,  they  have  responded  to  the  protection  afforded 
all  birds,  and  many  spend  the  summer  at  the  outermost  islands.  Flocks  of 
considerable  size  were  seen  on  the  upper  parts  of  Brimstone  and  Otter  Islands. 

Herring  Gulls. — So  far  as  Penobscot  Bay  proper  is  concerned,  formerly 
the  Gulls  bred  only  at  Brimstone  and  Otter  Islands,  southeast  of  Fox  Island; 
but  all  left  these  islands  prior  to  1904,  and,  it  was  believed,  went  to  No-Man's- 
Land.  The  inspection,  this  year,  showed  none  breeding  at  Brimstone  or  Otter 
Islands,  although  both  Herring  and  Black-backed  Gulls  used  both  of  the 
Islands  as  resting-places.  They  have,  however,  begun  nesting  farther  up  the 
bay,  northeast  of  Fox  Island,  and  in  the  Islesboro  region,  where  neither  has 
been  known  to  breed  before.  The  following  colonies  were  found:  Mouse 
Island,  one  pair;  Spoon  Ledge,  150  birds;  Compass  Island,  50  birds;  Sloop 
Island,  200  birds;  Bald  Island,  500  birds.  Excepting  Mouse  Island,  all  these 
islands  are  near  each  other  and  northeast  of  Fox  Island.  Young  Gulls  had 
been  raised  at  all  of  the  places  named,  and  were  just  beginning  (Aug.  26)  to 
take  short  flights  over  the  water.  The  breeding-season  seems  to  have  been 
rather  later  than  usual,  and  some  young  were  still  in  the  downy  stages.  None 
of  these  birds  was  found  breeding  west  of  this  bay,  although  everywhere  along 
the  coast  many  adult  Gulls  pass  the  summer,  and  spend  their  abundant 
leisure  on  rocky  shores  and  ledges.  At  the  summer-resorts  and  fishing-ports 
they  are  entirely  fearless. 

Laughing  Gulls. — A  small  colony  of  Laughing  Gulls  persists  in  Muscon- 
gus Bay.    They  have  been  driven  from  Western  to  Eastern  Egg  Rock,  where 


492  Bird -Lore 

they  succeeded  in  raising  a  number  of  young  this  year.  On  August  26  I  saw 
no  less  than  a  dozen  young,  all  on  the  wing  and  strong,  and  saw  one  as  far 
away  as  Monhegan.   This  season  seems  to  have  been  successful. 

Terns. — No  distinction  is  made  between  Common  and  Arctic  Terns,  as 
in  many  places  they  are  hopelessly  mingled  in  the  gyrating  masses,  yet  in  the 
region  inspected  they  were  chiefly  of  the  Common  species.  In  Penobscot  Bay, 
colonies  were  found  at  the  following  places:  Robinson  Rock  (Islesboro  Group), 
outer  150,  and  inner  50  birds;  Mouse  Island,  150  birds;  Egg  Rock  (Fox  Island 
Group)  100  birds.  At  Sloop  Island,  many  Terns  were  resting  and  fljang  about 
the  island  as  if  breeding,  but  no  nests  or  young  were  found,  and  it  should  be 
noted  that  the  place  was  occupied  by  Herring  Gulls.  Young  Terns  were  on 
the  wing  at  sea;  yet  at  nearly  all  of  the  places  visited  young  in  all  stages  of 
growth  were  found.  No  mortality  was  detected  in  Penobscot  Bay.  The  birds 
at  most  of  the  places  were  wild. 

In  Muscongus  Bay,  Terns  were  found  only  on  Eastern  Egg  Rock,  where  a 
considerable  mortality  of  young  was  found,  but  the  cause  could  not  be  deter- 
mined. The  dead  young  were  fledged,  yet  many  seemed  too  small  to  have 
flown,  and  apparently  were  not  shot.  They  were  scattered  over  the  island,  in 
open  spots,  on  rocks  and  on  chickweed  beds,  as  if  seeking  the  sun.  In  Casco 
Bay  a  house  had  been  built  on  Outer  Green  Island  and  occupied  by  a  fisherman; 
as  a  result,  most  of  the  Terns  left  the  island,  and  an  unusual  number  appeared 
on  Lower  Mark  Island.  The  Bluff  Island  colony  continued  throughout  the 
season,  apparently  as  large  as  usual. 

Black-crowned  Night  Heron. — Two  visits  were  made  to  a  large"  colony 
of  Herons  in  Scarborough,  and  the  conditions  were  most  gratifying;  no  signs 
of  molestation  were  detected.  On  the  first  visit  (May  15),  the  birds  were  in 
the  midst  of  laying,  from  one  to  three  eggs  being  found  in  every  nest.  On  the 
second  visit  (June  19),  the  young  were  abundant  and  noisy. 

Osprey. — Formerly  Fish  Hawks  bred  not  uncommonly  from  Portland 
Harbor  eastward;  but  their  great  nests  have  been  robbed  and  tumbled  to 
earth,  and  some  of  the  birds  have  been  shot.  They  have  gradually  been 
restricted  in  this  range,  few,  if  any,  breeding  between  Portland  and  the  Kennebec 
River.  They  were  formerly  niunerous  throughout  Penobscot  Bay,  and  it  is 
gratifying  to  be  able  to  state  that  they  are  not  rare  there  at  present.  More 
Fish  Hawks  are  clustered  about  the  Fox  and  Deer  Island  groups  than  elsewhere 
in  Maine.  On  several  of  the  islets  and  ledges  northeast  of  North  Haven,  they 
place  their  nests  on  the  ground,  or  on  rocks,  as  well  as  in  trees. 


Reports   of   Field   Agents  493 

REPORT    OF    WINTHROP   PACKARD,    FIELD    AGENT 
FOR    MASSACHUSETTS 

The  work  of  your  Field  Agent  during  the  past  year  has  been  varied  and 
interesting,  and  has  overflowed  the  borders  of  the  state.  In  Massachusetts, 
the  usual  vigorous  attempt  was  made  to  extend  the  open  season  on  wildfowl, 
giving  back  to  the  gunners  a  part  of  their  old-time  spring  shooting.  This  bill 
was  killed  by  \agilant  efforts  and  the  aid  of  many  afl&liated  societies.  Another 
bill,  which  purported  to  make  the  state's  open  season  conform  with  that  of 
the  Federal  regulations,  was  killed,  as  it  contained  a  "joker" — a  Httle  phrase 
which  would  have  completely  broken  down  the  state  laws  for  preserving  game, 
had  it  passed.  A  bill  for  a  codification  of  the  game-laws  of  the  state  was 
earnestly  supported,  but  failed  of  passage.  The  most  picturesque  attempt  at 
legislation  was  that  which  provided  that  only  licensed  cats  should  be  kept 
alive  in  the  state.  This  biU  was  taken  seriously  by  the  House  for  the  first  time, 
and  would  undoubtedly  have  gone  to  the  Senate  had  not  a  self-seeking  legis- 
lator offered  an  amendment  giving  farmers  the  right  to  keep  a  certain  number 
of  cats  without  a  license-fee.   This  fooUsh  amendment  killed  the  bill. 

During  the  intense  cold  and  deep  snow  of  last  winter,  a  general  request 
was  sent  out  through  the  State  Society,  urging  the  people  to  feed  wild  birds, 
and  gi\ing  careful  directions  how  to  do  so.  The  response  was  immediate 
and  generous. 

Two  very  important  bird-days  were  held  during  the  summer  by  the  State 
Grange.  Large  audiences  were  addressed  by  your  agents  at  these  gatherings, 
and  there  was  an  exhibition  of  bird-protection  appliances.  The  convention  of 
Grange  Lecturers  at  Amherst  was  attended  and  addressed;  also  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  Laurel  HiU  Association,  at  Stockbridge,  where  an  exhibition 
of  bird-protection  literature  and  appliances  was  made. 

Your  Field  Agent  has  maintained,  during  October,  in  connection  with 
the  Massachusetts  State  Society,  a  large  exhibition  at  the  annual  food  fair  in 
Mechanics'  Building,  Boston.  It  is  reckoned  that  the  attendance  at  this  fair 
will  be  half  a  million  persons.  On  Columbus  Day,  October  12,  61,000  persons 
visited  the  building,  and  apparently  everyone  of  them  asked  questions  at  the 
Audubon  Society's  booth. 

During  the  year,  your  Field  Agent  has  delivered  over  forty  lectures  to 
audiences  aggregating  7,800,  an  average  attendance  of  190, 

An  important  part  of  the  work  has  been  that  of  raising  funds  for  the 
National  Association,  and  adding  new  members.  Your  agent  feels  that  he  has 
been  especially  fortunate  this  year  in  getting  life-members  for  the  Association, 
his  total  number  to  date  being  twenty-five,  while  his  sustaining  membership 
list  shows  no.  Your  agent  has  also  given  every  assistance  possible  to  the 
State  Society's  Jvmior  Class  work. 

In  New  Hampshire  and  Vermont,  largely  through  the  tact  and  energ}'  of 


^aaaXIvv<^    (?a^<iVcJo«-cJs 


WINTHROP    PACKARD 
Field  Agent  for  Massachusetts,  and  Secretary-Treasurer  of  the  Massachusetts  Society 


(494) 


Reports   of   Field  Agents  495 

Mr.  Forbush,  the  State  Societies  have  been  revived  and  assisted  in  getting 
upon  a  strong  basis,  as  the  reports  of  their  secretaries  show.  The  New  Hamp- 
shire Society  has  been  particularly  successful.  In  Rhode  Island  splendid  work 
has  been  done  by  the  friends  of  bird-protection  under  the  leadership  of  Harry  S. 
Hathaway  of  Providence,  as  reported  by  Secretary  Madison.  Notable  changes 
for  the  betterment  of  conditions  in  Rhode  Island  were  the  change  in  the  state 
law  to  conform  to  the  Federal  regulations;  the  sale  of  Wild  Ducks,  Swans, 
Geese,  and  Rails,  was  prohibited;  also  snaring  of  any  kind.  A  provision  allow- 
ing the  propagation  and  sale  of  Hungarian  Partridges  was  repealed,  thus  pre- 
venting the  sale  of  Rufifed  Grouse  picked.  The  bounty  on  Hawks,  Crows,  and 
Owls  was  repealed;  protection  was  removed  from  the  English  Starling  to  the 
extent  that  a  person  may  shoot  the  birds  on  his  own  land;  and  the  Crow 
Blackbird  was  put  upon  the  protected  list.  In  this  and  other  improvements 
your  Field  Agent  has  given  such  aid  as  he  could. 

It  is  good  to  be  able  to  report  an  ever-increasing  sentiment  in  favor  of  bird- 
protection.  Restrictive  laws  come  more  easily  now  than  ever  before,  and  the 
sentiment  in  favor  of  their  strict  enforcement  grows  rapidly.  Massachusetts 
is  now  in  the  throes  of  an  open  season  on  Pheasants,  for  the  first  time  in  many 
years.  These  birds  have  been  fed  everywhere,  and  in  suburban  communities 
have  become  as  tame  as  chickens.  On  the  first  day  of  the  open  season 
3,000  were  slaughtered,  to  the  dismay  and  distress  of  the  people.  As  a 
result,  the  sentiment  against  an  open  season  for  these  birds  is  very  strong, 
and  it  is  certain  that  more  restrictions  will  be  loudly  called  for  throughout 
the  state. 

REPORT    OF    KATHARINE    H.    STUART,    FIELD    AGENTJ 

FOR   VIRGINIA 

As  the  years  go  by,  there  can  be  but  little  variation  in  the  reports  of  your 
Field  Agent.  "Precept  upon  precept,  line  upon  line,  here  a  little  and  there 
a  little,"  must  characterize  the  most  earnest  efforts  one  can  make  in  this 
educational  work,  especially  in  the  South.  Hence,  results  cannot  be  measured 
by  these  annual  reports,  nor  can  the  vast  and  varied  amount  of  work  done 
be  told  in  a  small  space. 

The  plan  formulated  by  the  National  Association,  under  the  Mrs.  Russell 
Sage  fund,  to  train  the  young  through  organized  classes  in  the  schools,  and  by 
giving  instruction  by  leaflets,  has  been  a  great  boon  to  Virginia,  and  the  state- 
wide awakening  in  bird-protection  is  traceable  to  it.  Hundreds  of  parents, 
all  over  the  state,  have  told  me  that  the  joy  of  their  boys  and  girls  in  the 
Junior  Audubon  Classes,  and  their  bringing  into  the  home  the  Educational 
Leaflets,  had  first  aroused  them  to  a  sense  of  the  importance  of  bird- 
conservation. 

The  month  of  September  is  given  to  planning  my  year's  work,  and  the 


496  Bird -Lore 

amount  of  writing  to  school-superintendents,  teachers,  and  others,  asking  for 
assistance  in  our  efforts,  is  very  great. 

I  find  that  very  few  Junior  Classes  are  formed  until  after  the  Teachers' 
Conference,  held  late  in  November,  and  the  larger  part  are  organized  in  the 
spring,  when  nature-study  is  especially  emphasized  in  the  Virginia  schools. 
I  was  invited  to  Williamsburg  in  the  first  week  of  October,  and  spoke  for  two 
days  before  a  joint  session  of  the  Teachers'  and  Farmers'  Conference  of  three 
districts  in  that  part  of  the  state.  Superintendent  Jones  obtained  the  use  of  a 
moving-picture  hall,  and  I  gave  afternoon  and  evening  talks  to  farmers,  school- 
children, college  students,  and  the  general  public.  I  exhibited,  on  these  occa- 
sions, the  beautiful  colored  lantern-slides  of  birds  issued  by  the  National 
Association ;  slides  loaned  me  by  Chief  Forester  Graves,  and  those  illustrating 
the  life-history  of  several  insects,  made  by  Mrs.  Slingerland  and  loaned  to  me 
by  Dr.  L.  O.  Howard,  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture.  These  slides  added  a 
great  deal  of  interest  to  my  lectures,  and  I  thank  these  gentlemen  for  their 
assistance.   The  hall  was  crowded. 

As  Chairman  of  the  Bird  Department  of  the  Virginia  Federation  of 
Woman's  Clubs,  I  attended  the  general  conference,  and  offered  a  resolution 
that  we  send  in  a  petition  to  the  General  Assembly  of  Virginia  for  the  crea- 
tion of  a  State  Game  Commissioner.  This  was  unanimously  agreed  to,  and 
circulars  were  printed  and  sent  at  once  to  our  fifty-three  clubs,  to  secure  signa- 
tures, and  to  be  returned  by  January  i.  The  committee  was  composed  of 
Mrs.  G.  G.  Temple,  Danville;  Mrs.  William  Engles,  Radford;  Miss  Annie 
White,  Lexington;  Mrs.  J.  R.  Pretty,  Keysville;  and  Miss  Katharine  H. 
Stuart,  Chairman.  The  club-women  endorsed  it,  and  worked  hard  throughout 
the  state  for  the  White-Hart  bill.  At  the  Teachers'  Conference,  held  at  the 
same  time  in  Lynchburg,  I  spoke  before  the  rural  department,  urging  the 
teachers  to  organize  Junior  Clubs.  On  my  return,  I  attended  the  conference  of 
teachers,  principals  and  superintendents,  at  Round  Hill  and  Winchester. 
After  my  address,  strong  appeals  were  made  by  several  of  the  principals 
present,  urging  the  teachers  to  aid  in  this  important  work.  I  visited  three  of 
the  state  normal  schools,  and  gave  talks.  In  my  trips  through  the  state,  at 
hotels  and  boarding-houses,  I  generally  had  a  good  chance  to  put  in  the  hand 
of  someone  a  leaflet,  often  to  change  the  attitude  of  a  chance  acquaintance, 
who  will  carry  the  message  to  some  distant  state. 

The  annual  meeting  of  the  Virginia  Audubon  Society,  held  in  Richmond 
in  November,  found  many  changes.  The  women  of  this  state  started  this 
movement,  and  have  conducted  it  up  to  the  present  time,  under  their  Presi- 
dents, Mrs.  Moses  D.  Hoge,  and  Mrs.  William  Harris,  both  prominent  in  social 
and  literary  circles  in  Richmond.  M.  D.  Hart,  of  Ashland,  who  had  been 
Treasurer  since  the  organization  of  the  society,  was  unanimously  elected 
President,  and  Mrs.  R.  B.  Smithey,  also  of  Ashland,  was  chosen  Secretary. 
We  feel  sure,  therefore,  that  the  future  for  Audubon  work  in  Virginia,  is 


Reports   of   Field    Agents 


497 


secure.  I  wrote  at  once  for  instructions  and  found  that  the  work  had  been 
divided  into  departments,  which  will  make  it  much  easier.  I  attended  the 
National  Educational  Congress  and  did  some  work  of  a  national  character, 
meeting  many  educators  from  all  parts  of  the  Union. 

In  January  I  went  to  southwestern  Virginia  to  spend  four  weeks  giving 
illustrated  talks  before  schools,  clubs,  normal  schools,  and  the  general  public. 
This  is  a  growing  and  prosperous  section  of  the  state,  and  a  new  field  for  our 
Audubon  work.     In   East   Radford,   Mr.   Witt,   Superintendent  of  Schools, 


MISS    KATHARINE    H.    STUART,    FIELD    AGENT    FOR    VIRGINIA,    WITH    COMPANIONS, 
PREPARING    TO   PRESENT    A    PETITION    TO    THE    VIRGINIA    LEGISLATURE 

obtained  the  use  of  a  moving-picture  hall,  and  I  gave  a  course  of  daily  talks. 
The  Teachers'  Conference  of  the  Ninth  and  Tenth  Districts  was  also  in  ses- 
sion, and  I  spoke  on  the  importance  of  bird-protection  and  the  need  of  a  State 
Game  Commissioner.  In  the  morning,  I  gave  an  illustrated  talk  to  the  four 
or  five  hundred  teachers  present,  using  bird-skins,  nests  and  eggs,  insects, 
cocoons,  etc.  I  carry  these  specimens  in  a  case,  which  I  call  my  "wonder  box," 
and  it  is  astonishing  to  see  what  pleasure  these  simple  things  give,  not  only 
to  the  children,  but  to  the  teachers  as  well,  as  they  may  be  readily  collected 
by  any  teacher,  and  used  in  her  school-room  to  assist  in  quickening  the  minds 
of  dull  pupils,  and  to  awaken  an  interest  in  nature-study.  On  this  trip  I  visited 
East  Radford,  Radford,  Christiansburg,  Roanoke,  Lynchburg,  Charlottes- 


498  Bird -Lore 

ville,  Culpeper,  and  many  other  places.  A  large  number  of  Junior  Classes 
were  formed,  and  there  was  great  enthusiasm  among  the  children. 

I  was  invited  by  Dr.  Chandler,  Superintendent  of  Schools,  to  visit  the 
schools  of  Richmond  in  February,  when  I  spoke  to  about  20,000  children. 
These  meetings  usually  opened  with  a  bird-song  and  a  short  address  by  the 
superintendent,  followed  by  my  talk  of  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes.  I  find  the 
General  Assembly  a  good  time  to  reach  all  the  children,  and  it  is  not  so  labo- 
rious as  visiting  twelve  to  fifteen  rooms  in  a  day.  I  enjoyed  the  little  lunches 
with  the  teachers,  when  we  could  discuss  our  work.  Many  teachers  in 
Virginia  are  doing  splendid  work  for  the  birds,  but  often  cannot  get  the  required 
number — ten — to  pay  the  fee,  so  that  the  strength  of  bird-study  cannot  be 
gauged  by  the  number  of  Junior  Classes.  This  session  we  had  165  classes, 
with  a  membership  of  3,000.  From  Richmond  I  went  to  Petersburg  and  was 
there  the  22nd  of  February.  It  was  not  "blue-bird  weather,"  for  a  heavy 
snow-storm  raged,  yet  the  children  came  in,  marching  and  singing,  and  waving 
their  flags.  After  being  seated,  I  gave  them  a  talk  on  our  birds,  emphasizing 
the  remarkable  history  of  the  Eagle  and  the  Dove  as  national  emblems. 

On  my  return  to  Richmond,  I  found  that  our  committee  had  sent  in  the 
petitions  of  the  Virginia  Woman's  Clubs,  signed  by  prominent  men  and  women 
all  over  the  state,  hundreds  of  business  firms,  banks,  civic  and  patriotic  organi- 
zations, farmers,  and  private  individuals  giving  their  signatures.  The  petitions 
were  tied  in  packages  with  the  club  colors,  blue  and  gold,  and  presented  by 
the  committee  to  Senator  Blackburn  Smith,  of  Berryville,  who  did  such  splen- 
did work  for  the  Robin  petition.  Just  before  we  took  it  to  the  Senate,  I  had  a 
picture  taken  of  the  two  children  who  carried  in  the  Robin  petition.  Norma 
Dietz  and  Merrywether  Fry,  as  a  sou^'enir  of  these  two  occasions.  We  were 
present  when  Senator  Smith  presented  the  petitions  to  the  Legislature.  One 
senator  asked  Mr,  Smith  how  many  farmers  had  signed  that  petition;  he 
replied  that  he  had  not  counted,  them,  but  they  were  many.  Our  clubs  extend 
all  through  the  rural  districts,  and  there  was  no  difficulty  in  getting  signatures 
from  farmers,  as  all  felt  the  need  of  the  passage  of  tht  game  bill,  and  it  was  a 
great  blow  to  fail  by  so  small  a  vote  (only  four  votes  more  were  needed  to  carry 
it) ;  but  we  are  hoping  for  better  things  in  1916.  I  went  with  Mr.  Hart  and  Mrs. 
Smithey  to  call  on  the  Governor,  about  Bird  Day.  He  received  us  most  gra- 
ciously, asked  for  our  literature,  and,  after  a  study  of  our  work,  he  gave  us  a 
splendid  proclamation  for  May  4,  which  we  regard  as  a  model  for  all  states. 
Bird  Day  should  be  a  national  day,  and  I  suggest  that  we  urge  the  choice  of 
the  4th  of  May,  Audubon's  Birthday.  Such  an  anniversary  would  bring  all 
bird-workers  closer  together.  Governor  Stuart's  proclamation  was  empha- 
sized in  all  summer  schools,  and  we  are  hoping  great  results  from  these  addresses. 
Bird  Day  was  generally  celebrated  in  the  schools,  and  there  is  a  growing  inter- 
est in  nature-study.  The  last  Legislature  gave  the  state  a  Forester,  with  head- 
quarters at  the  University  of  Virginia,  and  an  Arbor  Day.    This  will  give  a 


Reports   of   Field   Agents  4Q9 

great  chance  for  the  boys  to  study  bird-life  and  tree-life  at  the  same  time.  I 
have  given  many  talks  on  forestry  before  our  schools,  aided  by  lantern- 
slides;  and  our  club-women  have  worked  hard  for  this  goal.  Our  children  have 
put  up  hundreds  of  bird-boxes  and  feeding-tables  all  over  the  state,  and  the 
increase  of  our  song  and  insectivorous  birds  is  perceptible. 

I  close  with  two  very  interesting  discoveries.  That  the  founders  of  this 
great  republic  knew  the  value  of  birds  and  loved  them,  is  shown  from  the  fact 
that  one  finds  at  Monticello,  the  home  of  Jefferson,  at  Stratford,  the  home  of 
the  Lees,  at  Brandon,  the  home  of  the  Harrisons,  and  in  Williamsburg,  and  many 
other  places,  bird-boxes  that  in  many  instances  are  two  hundred  years  old. 
Their  shapes  vary,  and  also  their  colors.  I  hope,  in  time,  to  get  pictures  and 
data  that  will  reveal  more  of  their  history.  It  would  be  interesting  to  hear 
whether  there  are  such  ancient  bird-homes  anywhere  north  or  south  of  Vir- 
ginia, and  I  should  like  to  get  pictures  of  them. 

The  other  discovery  is  that  the  first  monument  to  birds  was  erected  in 
Alexandria.  It  is  not  so  lordly  as  the  one  recently  erected  to  the  Gulls  in  Salt 
Lake  City,  but  is  very  simple,  representing  the  last  penny  the  Blytle  family 
had  to  show  their  devotion  to  their  "feathered  brothers."  The  stone  is  about 
one  yard  square,  and  lies  directly  under  a  box-bush.  On  one  side  a  place  is 
left  open,  to  put  in  all  the  birds  found  dead  or  that  died  in  the  home  or  yard 
of  this  family.  The  inscription  reads  thus:  "In  memory  of  the  dear  little 
loved  ones;  for  here  we  have  no  continuing  city,  but  seek  one  to  come,  whose 
builder  and  maker  is  God. — Hebrews  13-14."  On  the  tomb  of  the  head  of 
the  family  was  a  marble  bowl,  kept  full  of  water,  and  daily  visits  were  made 
to  the  cemetery  where  food  was  placed  for  the  birds.  All  of  this  family  have 
passed  away,  but  those  who  recall  them  tell  of  the  number  of  wild  birds  they 
fed  in  their  old  garden,  and  how  tenderly  they  cared  for  them  all  the  time;  and 
so  we  find  that  this  humane  work  is  quite  old  in  historic  Alexandria,  and  that 
the  first  bird-protective  society  was  founded  by  the  Blytle  family  many  years 
before  the  National  Association  came  into  existence. 

REPORT   OF    EUGENE    SWOPE,  FIELD    AGENT    FOR    OHIO 

All  of  the  bright  prospects  foreseen  at  the  time  your  Agent  reported  last 
year  have  been  realized  in  Ohio,  and  much  more  besides.  The  progressive 
Audubon  idea  is  permeating  the  state  with  a  surprising  rapidity.  The  number 
of  Junior  Audubon  Classes  was  increased  notwithstanding  your  Agent's 
absence  of  four  months  from  the  state,  just  at  the  time  when  this  work  needed 
his  special  attention.  An  increasing  readiness  appears  on  the  part  of  Ohio 
newspapers  to  publish  material  relative  to  Audubon  interests.  A  new  branch 
of  the  Audubon  Society  has  been  formed  at  Columbus,  which  is  taking  up  all 
progressive  methods,  and  it  bids  fair  to  be  one  of  the  leading  influences  in  bird- 
conservation  in  the  Middle  West.   A  Bird  Protective  Association  is  now  being 


500  Bird  -  Lore 

formed  at  Cleveland,  under  the  guidance  of  Elizabeth  C.  T.  Miller.  This 
organization  is  heart  and  soul  in  the  new  movement,  and  will  influence  northern 
Ohio  most  beneficially.  The  State  Audubon  Society  at  Cincinnati  has  a  new 
President,  Dr.  Robert  C.  Jones,  who  is  thoroughly  in  sympathy  with  educa- 
tional work,  and  had  arranged  with  the  Superintendent  of  Public  Schools  in 
Cincinnati  that  every  child  shall  hear  'bird-talks'  and  have  an  invitation  to 
join  a  Junior  Class  during  the  school  year.  Nothing  of  this  kind  has  ever  before 
been  undertaken  by  the  Ohio  Society. 

Probably  one  of  the  most  significant  facts  of  all,  and  giving  proof  of  the 
spread  of  the  Audubon  idea  in  education,  is  that  now  your  Agent  rarely  meets 
with  rebuff  at  the  hands  of  superintendents  and  principals,  as  was  formerly 
the  case.  He  is  now  welcomed  and  invited  to  return.  This  means  that  the 
school  authorities  have  considered  the  work  soberly,  and  find  it  not  a  "diverting 
amusement,"  as  once  dubbed,  but  a  matter  of  real  worth.  Besides  all  of  these 
good  things,  it  must  be  remembered  that  a  greatly  increased  number  of  Ohio 
people  made  donations  to  this  work  within  the  year  in  the  form  of  member- 
ship-fees to  the  National  Association.  The  formation  of  Junior  Audubon 
Classes  this  fall  began  automatically,  and  almost  daily  some  evidence  appears 
of  a  renewed  interest  in  wild  birds. 

Please  permit  your  Agent  to  take  credit  unto  himself  for  one  thing.  He 
has  succeeded  in  developing  what  is  virtually  a  state-wide  sentiment  against 
the  stray  cat — a  sentiment  that  expresses  itself  in  action,  with  the  result  that 
in  numberless  back  yards  a  cat-cemetery  has  been  formed.  Deserted  kittens 
at  back  doors  are  rarer.  Only  three  years  ago,  it  was  a  common  occurrence  to 
hear  their  pathetic  calls,  and  find  yourself  confronted  with  the  necessity  of 
taking  them  in  or  killing  them.  In  this  move  I  have  been  humane  to  the  cats 
as  well  as  merciful  to  the  birds.  Whenever  I  give  a  bird-talk — and  I  have  given 
hundreds — I  never  fail  to  tell  the  truth  about  the  stray  cat's  relation  to  wild 
birds. 

May,  June,  and  July  of  this  year  were  unusually  dry  months  in  Ohio,  and 
free  from  wind-storms,  with  the  result  that  a  remarkable  number  of  birds 
were  hatched  and  reared  to  maturity.  This  has  been  a  banner-year  in  Ohio 
for  the  wild  birds. 

My  report  would  hardly  be  complete  without  some  mention  of  the  Melon 
Seed-Saving  Contest.  This  method  of  keei)ing  kindly  intentions  toward  wild 
birds  in  the  minds  of  the  children  daily,  and  of  a  multitude  of  adults  also  dur- 
ing vacation,  provoked  only  an  amused  smile  from  ''those  who  know."  They 
didn't  believe  the  birds  would  eat  melon-seeds— they  don't  believe  it  yet.  It  is 
true  also  that  they  never  tried  the  experiment,  and  I  have.  It  was  a  difficult 
matter  to  secure  $25  with  which  to  offer  prizes  and  pay  for  some  printing,  and 
the  cash  prizes  I  could  afford  to  offer  were  too  small.  After  the  conditions  of 
the  contest  and  the  prizes  had  been  announced,  and  notice  had  been  given 
in  more  than  a  hundred  Ohio  papers,  the  National  Association  of  .Audubon 


Reports  of   Field   Agents  501 

Societies  very  kindly  donated  $25,  but  too  late  to  announce  new  prizes  and 
give  the  contest  that  element  of  excitement  that  the  larger  prizes  would  have 
aliforded.  It  is  sufficient  to  say  that  results  have  proved  the  contest  a  highly 
valuable  means  of  directing  public  attention  toward  Audubon  work,  and  that 
at  this  early  date  teachers  are  requesting  that  a  similar  contest  be  arranged 
next  year.  The  Columbus  boy  who  saved  forty  pounds  of  seeds  had  the  prize 
in  mind,  of  course,  but  he  never  got  away  from  that  undercurrent  of  thought 
that  he  was  saving  the  seeds  to  feed  to  the  wild  birds  this  winter.  A  complete 
report  of  the  contest  may  be  found  in  the  October  issue  of  Blue-Bird. 

SPECIAL    WORK    IN    FLORIDA 

Knowing  that  Florida  has  ten  National  Bird-Reserves  and  is  the  home  of 
one  of  the  most  active  State  Audubon  Societies,  I  was  under  the  impression, 
when  engaged  last  winter  to  do  Audubon  work  there,  that  the  people  of  the 
state  were  familiar  with  the  aims  and  purposes  of  the  Society,  and  needed 
only  to  be  reminded  and  urged  a  little  to  become  active  in  the  interests  of  their 
own  wuld  birds.  At  the  close  of  the  first  week  of  my  engagement  there,  I  had 
to  reconstruct  this  notion.  Again  and  again  I  found  it  necessary  to  explain 
the  purposes  of  the  Audubon  Society.  In  four-fifths  of  the  places  visited  I 
turned  entirely  new  soil,  and,  I  hope,  sowed  seed  some  of  which  escaped  the 
barren  places.  This  is  in  no  sense  a  criticism  of  the  previous  efforts  of  the  officers 
and  other  workers  in  the  Audubon  Society,  for  Florida  is  a  big  state,  and  much 
remains  to  be  done. 

During  the  early  part  of  December,  I  met  with  some  success;  but  after 
the  i8th  of  the  month  Santa  Claus  side-tracked  my  efforts  completely.  With 
the  coming  of  New  Year  came  the  flood  of  tourists,  the  concert-singers,  and 
the  Chatauquans,  and  my  lecture-appointments,  arranged  by  the  Florida 
Audubon  Society,  often  conflicted  with  other  entertainments. 

In  nearly  every  town  or  city  visited,  I  succeeded  in  getting  into  the  news- 
papers not  only  announcements  and  reports  of  meetings,  but  short  articles  of 
an  educational  nature.  The  editors  were  uniformally  courteous  and  generous 
of  space.  At  all  the  public  meetings  my  talks  were  received  with  interest; 
but  my  appeal  for  financial  assistance,  to  support  either  the  Florida  Society  or 
the  National  Association,  met  with  disappointment. 

Nearly  all  the  schools  received  me  cordially  and  made  promises  to  form 
Junior  Classes;  but  had  I  not  followed  up  these  visits  with  urgent  letters, 
often  three  and  four  letters  to  each  teacher,  my  efforts  to  have  Junior  Classes 
organized  would  have  fallen  far  short  of  the  actual  resvdt. 

To  give  an  idea  of  what  I  attempted  and  the  methods  used,  I  will  relate 
the  proceedings  of  an  ordinary  day.  As  soon  as  the  public  school  had  assem- 
bled, I  presented  myself  to  the  superintendent,  explained  my  work,  and  asked 
permission  to  talk  to  the  classes  separately.     Almost  invariably  this  was 


S02  Bird  -  Lore 

granted,  and  I  began  forthwith.  While  I  never  cared  to  talk  to  kindergartners 
or  the  first  grades,  I  often  had  to  finish  up  with  these,  at  the  request  of  the 
superintendent.  Permission  was  given  me  to  go  from  one  room  to  another,  and 
the  teachers  were  instructed  to  have  the  classes  give  me  immediate  attention. 
This  resulted  in  my  giving  from  eight  to  twelve  fifteen-minute  talks  in  the 
morning.  In  some  of  the  larger  cities  I  had  to  work  in  the  schools  in  the 
afternoon,  and  have  given  as  many  as  eighteen  talks  in  one  day.  Usually  after- 
noons were  given  to  meeting  a  committee  of  the  local  woman's  club,  seeing  edit- 
ors of  newspapers,  visiting  the  Board  of  Trade,  calling  upon  leading  citizens,  and 
writing  letters.  At  6.30  p.m.  I  often  gave  a  half-hour  talk  in  one  of  the  moving- 
picture  theaters,  as  a  part  of  the  regular  program.  This  always  meant  a 
crowded  house.  From  there  I  went  to  the  place  of  my  evening  meeting,  as 
arranged  by  those  who  had  it  in  charge,  and  gave  an  hour's  talk.  Thence  to 
my  hotel,  where  the  screen  was  again  stretched  and  the  lantern  placed,  and 
again  I  talked,  often  for  an  hour  and  a  half.  At  these  hotel  talks  I  invited 
questions,  and  made  a  special  effort  to  engage  the  attention  of  the  tourists.  I 
carried  150  lantern-slides,  and  can  truthfully  say  that  never  did  I  show  the 
same  combination  of  slides  or  give  the  same  talk  twice  in  succession.  After 
consulting  with  such  people  in  a  community  as  were  in  position  to  know,  and 
keeping  the  figures  they  gave,  I  found  in  the  end  that  at  least  two-thirds  of 
my  total  number  of  adult  hearers  were  tourists.  I  met  them  from  every  state 
of  the  Union.  Hence  the  influence  of  my  work  was  scattered  abroad,  and  not 
concentrated  in  Florida. 

Every  railroad  conductor  who  took  up  my  ticket  had  to  wear  an  Audubon 
button  as  long  as  I  was  on  his  train.  I  never  missed  an  opportunity  to  saturate 
drummers  from  all  points  of  the  compass  with  the  Audubon  educational  idea. 
I  talked  with  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men,  at  all  times  of  the  day  and  night, 
and  was  always  well  received. 

At  many  places  I  was  met  and  assisted,  but  at  some  had  to  make  all  the 
preparations  for  meetings  unaided.  My  audiences  ranged  from  eight  hundred, 
at  a  meeting  in  St.  Augustine,  to  four  at  a  meeting  in  Palatka.  There  was  a 
card-party  at  Palatka  that  night.  Some  of  my  largest  and  most  enthusiastic 
meetings  were  held  on  Sundays.  Women's  clubs  were  uniformly  ready  to 
give  attention  to  the  Audubon  idea,  and  agreed  to  appoint  bird-committees. 
Boards  of  trade  wanted  to  know  more  of  the  work,  and  some  took  member- 
ships with  either  the  National  Association  or  the  Florida  Society. 

REPORT    OF   ^VILLIAM    L.   FINLEY,   FIELD   AGENT    FOR 
THE    PACIFIC-COAST    STATES 

Conditions  have  improved  steadily  on  the  Pacific  Coast  during  the  past 
year  in  favor  of  wild-bird  and  animal  protection  and  propagation.  The  most 
important  fight  is  now  in  progress  in  California,  as  is  related  in  the  report  of 


Reports   of  Field  Agents 


WESTERN   GREBES  AND  FORSTER'S  TERNS  NESTING  AT  CLEAR   LAKE,  CALIFORNIA 
Photographed  by  William  L.  Finley 

the  California  State  Society.  This  fight  is  the  culmination  of  a  struggle  begun 
by  the  National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies  in  1905,  when  they  sent 
field  agents  to  the  lake-region  of  southern  Oregon  and  northern  California  to 
investigate  the  killing  of  Ducks,  Geese,  and  other  game-birds,  and  the  slaugh- 
ter of  non-game  birds  by  plume-hunters.  One  hundred  and  twenty  tons  of 
Ducks  and  Geese  were  shipped  from  Lower  Klamath  Lake  to  the  San  Fran- 
cisco markets  during  one  season.  Enormous  numbers  of  Grebes,  Terns,  Herons, 
and  other  birds,  were  slaughtered  during  the  nesting-season  in  that  region. 


XEST    OF    THF:    CANADA    GOOSE,    ON    AN   ISLAND    IX    CLEAR    LAKE 
Photographed  by  William  L.  Finley 


S04 


Bird -Lore 


WIIIIK    I'KLICA^S    AMONG   THE    SAGE-BRUSH   NEAR    CLEAR   LAKE 
Photographed  by  William  L.  Finley 

and  the  plumage  shipped  to  wholesale  milliners.  This  investigation  of  the 
National  Association  led  to  the  first  important  step  in  saving  birds  in  that 
region,  by  the  establishment  of  three  great  wild-bird  reservations,  embracing 
Lower  Klamath,  Clear,  Malheur,  and  Harney  Lakes.  The  market-men  and 
plume-hunters  have  resisted  from  the  beginning,  and  are  now  making  a  big 
effort  to  get  back  what  they  have  lost,  so  that  they  can  finish  their  work  of 
extermination.  Lovers  of  wild  birds  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  and  especially  in 
California,  feel  that  they  never  can  repay  the  National  Association  for  its 
generous  contributions  toward  the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  these 
great  wild-bird  nurseries,  and  in  aid  of  the  campaign  to  sustain  the 
non-sale  law. 

Since  the  model  bird-law  was  passed  by  the  Oregon  legislature  in  1903, 
the  sale  of  aigrettes,  and  of  the  plumage  of  other  native  birds,  has  been  stopped 
almost  entirely.  A  few  years  ago,  a  mail-order  business  sprang  up  on  the 
Pacific  Coast,  and  aigrettes  and  other  forbidden  plumage  could  thus  be 
obtained  from  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  when  they  could  not  be  purchased 
on  this  coast.  This  cut  into  the  trade  of  both  wholesale  and  retail  milliners 
here,  and  they  asked  for  a  law  prohibiting  the  wearing  of  such  plumage.  This 
law  was  passed  by  the  Oregon  legislature  in  1913.  When  it  went  into  effect, 
public  notice  was  given  that  it  was  to  be  enforced.  A  woman  was  employed 
as  warden,  persons  wearing  aigrettes  were  told  that  they  were  violating 
the  law,  and  in  each  case  the  plumes  were  confiscated  by  the  state.  Where 
pliunes  were  given  up  without  resistance,  and  a  promise  made  to  obey  the  law, 
no  arrest  was  made;  in  fact,  it  has  not  been  necessary  to  take  a  single  case 
into  court.   This  was  the  result  of  the  newspapers  of  the  state  backing  up  this 


Reports  of   Field   Agents 


50s 


law,  and  a  strong  public  sentiment  in  favor  of  its  enforcement,  both  resulting 
from  years  of  Audubon  educational  work. 

About  a  hundred  lectures  have  been  given  in  various  parts  of  Oregon 
during  the  past  year,  covering  various  phases  of  protection  and  propagation 
of  wild  birds  and  animals.  These  were  given  by  Dr.  C.  F.  Hodge  and  John  F. 
Bovard,  both  of  the  University  of  Oregon,  and  also  by  your  Agent.  The  work 
of  the  Oregon  Fish  and  Game  Commission  during  the  past  two  years  has  been 
of  great  importance  educationally.  The  commission  has  spent  much  money 
in  making  mo\dng  pictures  of  the  game-resources  of  the  state,  and  of  various 
phases  of  animal  protection,  to  be  used  in  educational  work. 

During  the  past  summer,  your  Agent  made  a  careful  survey  of  Clear  Lake, 
Klamath  Lake,  Three  Arch  Rocks,  and  Cold  Springs  Reservations.  The  last- 
named  one  is  typical  of  seventeen  wild-bird  reservations  in  the  West.  It  is  a 
large  lake  formed  by  the  building  of  a  big  dam  by  the  United  States  Reclama- 
tion Service.  It  is  in  the  midst  of  a  sage-bush  region  entirely  unimdting  to 
water-fowl  before  the  artificial  lake  was  formed;  but  since  the  area  was  set 
aside  as  a  Federal  reservation,  large  numbers  of  Ducks,  Geese,  and  other  water- 
birds  have  been  attracted  there  during  every  fall  and  winter,  and  many  remain 
to  breed.  By  cooperation  of  the  state  and  Federal  governments,  bird-life  on 
the  various  reservations  has  been  well  protected  by  wardens,  and  the  birds 
have  increased  in  numbers. 


CORMORANTS 


1'     \iLKRES    NESTING    ON    THREE   ARCH    ROCKS 
Photographed  by  William  L.  Finley 


5o6 


Bird  -  Lore 


A    MURRE    BROODING    AT  THREE    ARCH    ROCKS,  OREGON 
Photographed  by  William  L.  Finley 


REPORTS   OF   STATE   SOCIETIES 


California. — Much  of  the  energy  of  our  Audubon  Society  during  the  past 
year  has  been  expended  to  prevent  the  annulment  of  the  FHnt-Cary  Non- 
Sale-of-Game  Bill,  which  will  come  before  the  voters  of  California  on  Novem- 
ber 3,  1914.  This  bill,  prohibiting  the  sale  of  wild  Ducks  and  wild  Pigeons, 
in  addition  to  other  game,  the  sale  of  which  had  been  forbidden  in  California 
for  many  years,  was  passed  by  large  majorities  in  1913,  after  a  strenuous 
fight  in  which  the  conservationists  won.  Certain  unscrupulous  game-dealers, 
market-hunters,  and  hotel-men,  in  San  Francisco,  wishing  to  sell  our  game 
during  the  Panama  Exposition,  in  1915,  organized  under  the  misleading  name 
of  The  People's  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association  of  California,  invoked 
the  referendum  and  succeeded— often  by  fraudulent  means,  it  is  rumored— 
in  gaining  the  requisite  number  of  names  to  place  the  measure  on  the  ballot 
at  the  general  election;  and  those  who  would  save  our  game  must  vote  "Yes," 
to  sustain  the  action  of  the  Legislature.  That  the  people  may  know  how  to 
vote,  the  California  Associated  Societies  for  the  Conservation  of  Wild  Life, 
the  newly  organized  Wild  Life  Protective  League  of  America,  the  California 
Audubon  Society,  and  the  California  State  Fish,  Game,  and  Forest  Protective 
League,  have  been  flooding  the  state  with  sample  non-sale-of-game  ballots, 
properly  marked.  The  Associated  Societies  also  issued  a  fourth  "wild-life 
call,"  which  we  are  helping  them  to  distribute.  The  same  men  who  invoked 
the  referendum  on  the  Flint-Cary  bill  circulated  an  initiative  petition  which, 


State  Audubon    Reports  507 

if  carried,  would  have  denuded  our  state  of  wild  life.  Because  of  the  fight  put 
up  by  the  organizations  named  above,  and  by  the  State,  Fish  and  Game  Com- 
mission, this  petition  was  withdrawn. 

In  our  share  of  the  work  we  have  been  greatly  aided  by  Mrs.  Foster  Elliot, 
State  Chairman  of  Forestry  in  the  Federation  of  Woman's  Clubs,  who  has 
placed  one  of  our  sample  ballots  before  every  club  in  the  state,  and  in  recog- 
nition of  our  work  our  State  Secretary  has  been  made  a  commissioner  on  the 
forestry  committee,  and  more  than  ever  the  two  organizations  will  work 
together. 

Besides  this  work,  the  usual  number  of  leaflets  have  been  distributed,  and 
more  lectures  than  ever  have  been  given  under  the  auspices  of  the  Society. 
Dr.  Joseph  Grinnell,  Dr.  Harold  Bryant,  and  Dr.  Walter  P.  Taylor,  of  the 
staff  of  the  University  Museum,  gave  illustrated  lectures;  and  Mrs.  C.  Robin- 
son has  used  bird-slides  with  her  forestry-slides,  in  her  lecturing,  thus 
extending  the  work  to  our  advantage. 

Two  deputy  game-wardens  have  been  appointed  in  Los  Angeles  County 
to  represent  our  Society,  both  of  whom  have  done  effective  work.  Miss  Daisy 
S.  Ritterband  is  Deputy  No.  8,  and  Mrs.  Harriet  W.  Myers,  No.  18.— Harriet 
Williams  Myers,  Secretary. 

Colorado. — The  Colorado  Audubon  Society  published  its  first  leaflet  last 
spring.  It  was  written  by  the  President,  Edward  R.  Warren,  and  was  entitled 
"Birds  of  Prey."  It  was  largely  distributed  in  connection  with  an  exhibition 
of  Owls  and  Hawks  that  the  Audubon  Society  had  at  the  Denver  Stock  Show, 
with  the  intention  of  showing  the  farmers  which  Owls  and  Hawks  were  inju- 
rious and  which  were  really  helpful.  The  collection  of  lantern-slides  of  birds 
begun  by  the  Society  in  19x2  has  been  much  enlarged,  and  has  been  much  used 
by  high-school  principals.  Several  lectures  have  been  prepared  by  members 
of  the  Society,  to  be  used  in  connection  with  the  slides.  Lectures  and  talks 
illustrated  by  slides  or  skins  have  also  been  given  by  the  President,  by  the 
Secretary-Treasurer,  Mrs.  Bushee,  and  by  Dr.  Arnold  and  Miss  Robbins,  of 
Colorado  Springs,  before  schools  and  women's  clubs. — Bertha  Bushee, 
Secretary. 

Connecticut. — This  Society,  organized  in  1898,  was  reorganized  as  a 
corporation  empowered  to  hold  real  estate  in  June,  19 14.  The  first  annual 
meeting  under  the  new  constitution  was  held  in  the  Memorial  Library,  in 
Fairfield,  on  Saturday,  October  17.  A  large  and  representative  attendance  was 
present,  and  the  president,  Mrs.  Mabel  Osgood  Wright,  presided.  The  reports 
showed  a  marked  increase  in  the  interest  in  bird-protection,  and  that  1,395 
Junior  members  were  added  during  the  year  in  Fairfield  County  alone. 

An  illustrated  lecture  was  given  by  Ernest  Harold  Baynes,  to  the  delight 
of  all.    After  a  lunch,  served  informally  in  the  lecture-room,  Birdcraft  Sane- 


5o8  Bird  -  Lore 

tuary  was  visited.  This  is  a  bird-reservation  of  ten  acres,  near  the  center  of 
Fairfield,  presented  to  the  Society  by  a  friend  whose  name  is  not  made  public. 
It  is  surrounded  by  a  wire,  cat-proof  fence.  A  small  pond  of  fresh  water  adds 
to  its  attractions  for  the  birds,  and  a  bungalow  has  been  built  for  the  resident 
caretaker.  On  the  gate-posts  are  suitable  inscriptions.  This  is  to  be  a  per- 
petual refuge  for  birds,  and  will  grow  more  beautiful  as  it  is  developed.  It  is 
open  to  the  public  under  certain  restrictions  on  Tuesdays,  Thursdays,  Satur- 
days, and  Sundays. — Katherine  Moody  Spalding,  Secretary. 

District  of  Columbia. — Judge  Barnard  is  still  our  President,  and  we  have 
three  new  honorary  Vice-presidents — President  Woodrow  Wilson,  Mrs. 
Josephine  Daniels,  and  Prof.  Ernest  Thurston,  our  new  Superintendent  of 
Schools.  At  our  annual  meeting  we  had  the  pleasure  of  hearing  Howard  H. 
Cleaves,  who  gave  us  an  illustrated  lecture.  On  another  evening  Prof.  Paul 
Bartsch  told  us  about  "Some  Birds  of  the  Pacific  Coast." 

Our  spring  bird-classes  are  held  in  one  of  the  large  public  schools,  thus 
helping  the  civic  plan  for  using  school-buildings  as  social  centers.  Our  classes 
in  the  spring  of  1914  had  a  total  membership  of  132,  of  whom  31  were  teachers, 
13  Camp  Fire  Girls,  and  14  Boy  Scouts.  These  classes  were  followed  by  six 
splendid  field-meetings,  during  which  a  total  of  127  different  species  of  birds 
were  seen  and  recorded  by  the  97  persons  who  joined  in  the  walks. — Helen 
P.  Childs,  Secretary. 

Florida. — During  the  past  year  the  interest  in  bird-protection  has  steadily 
advanced  in  Florida.  The  thirteenth  annual  meeting  was  held  at  the  resi- 
dence of  President  William  F.  Blackman,  in  Winter  Park,  March  3,  1914.  In 
addition  to  the  reports  of  the  officers,  addresses  were  made,  letters  read,  and 
officers  elected.  It  was  shown  that  the  volume  of  work  is  steadily  increasing. 
More  than  30,000  leaflets  have  been  sent  out  by  the  Secretary,  besides  notices 
and  literature.  Early  in  the  year  an  active  part  was  taken  in  support  of  the 
"feather  proviso''  pending  in  the  tariff  bill. 

Cooperating  with  the  National  Association,  162  Junior  Classes,  with  a  mem- 
liership  of  3,426,  were  organized,  which  placed  Florida  first  on  the  list  of 
Southern  States.  The  prize  of  $10,  offered  to  high-school  pupils  in  the  state 
for  essays  on  birds,  was  awarded  to  Miss  Effie  Rolfs,  of  Gainesville.  A  second 
prize.  Chapman's  "Birds  of  Eastern  North  America,"  was  given  to  Miss 
Jeanette  Hopson,  of  the  Duval  High  School,  Jacksonville.  Similar  prizes  were 
offered  to  Clearwater  schools  by  Oscar  E.  Baynard.  At  the  state  fair  in 
Orlando  an  attractive  Audubon  booth  was  arranged  by  Mrs.  Haden  and  Mrs. 
Vanderpool,  where  information  as  to  the  work  of  the  Society  was  circulated  by 
means  of  leaflets  and  pictures.  Many  copies  of  the  new  booklet  of  the  Florida 
game-laws  also  were  distributed. 

Dr.  Eugene  Swope,  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  was  employed  as  field  agent  for 


JUDGE  JOB    BARNARD 
Pkesideni  of  the  District  of  Columbia  Society 


(509) 


Sio  Bird -Lore 

four  months  by  the  executive  committee  and  the  National  Association  jointly. 
He  obtained  forty  new  members  for  the  Society,  and  an  account  of  his  experi- 
ences may  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  report. 

Branches  of  the  Society  are  now  established  at  St.  Petersburg,  Kissimmee, 
Tampa,  Winter  Haven  and  Plant  City.  It  is  hoped  that  many  others  will  be 
formed  during  this  autumn  and  winter.  Each  branch  lends  its  financial  aid  to 
the  State  Society  by  becoming  a  sustaining  member  (payment  $5),  and  reports 
quarterly  to  the  Secretary.  The  St.  Petersburg  branch,  of  which  Mrs.  Kath- 
erine  Tippets  is  the  President,  has  had  a  successful  winter.  Mrs.  Barton,  the 
Secretary,  reports  that  never  has  there  been  such  universal  interest — the 
attendance  of  the  bi-monthly  meetings  was  never  so  large.  A  prize  of  $5, 
open  to  any  boy  in  the  manual  training  school  who  made  and  put  up  a  bird- 
house  in  which  a  family  of  birds  was  hatched  and  raised,  was  won  by  Gregg 
Cooper  for  raising  three  families  of  Martins.  Orders  were  taken  at  the  school 
to  furnish  bird-houses  built  on  the  Von  Berlepsch  plan,  and  many  were  sold 
and  put  up.  A  mock  trial  by  jury  of  the  English  Sparrow  before  Judge  Wilson 
brought  together  many  keen-witted  men  and  women  arguing  for  and  against 
its  claim  for  life.  • 

The  branch  of  the  Society  at  Kissimmee,  Mrs.  M.  J.  M.  Willson,  President, 
is  well  organized  and  efficient.  The  branch  at  Plant  City,  Mrs.  Taylor,  Presi- 
dent, has  twenty-three  members.  A  society  at  Winter  Haven  was  formed 
last  spring.  Dr.  H.  R.  Mills  has  been  tireless  in  his  efforts  for  bird-protection 
in  Tampa,  where,  on  Jmie  29,  1914,  a  branch  was  organized,  with  a  membership 
of  forty.  A  determined,  but  unsuccessful,  attempt  was  made  to  induce  the 
city  council  to  pass  an  ordinance  licensing  cats,  similar  to  that  which  exists 
at  St.  Petersburg. 

Mrs.  Kirk  Munroe,  whose  interest  and  influence  for  bird-protection  is 
appreciably  felt  in  southern  Florida,  has  been  very  active  the  past  year,  having 
spoken  twice  before  the  Woman's  Club  at  Miami,  and  given  much  attention 
to  encouraging  bird- work  in  the  schools  of  Cocoanut  Grove.  Prizes  were  given, 
essays  were  written,  and  at  their  "Garden  Exhibit"  one  little  girl's  table  was 
charmingly  arranged  with  various  birds  made  from  crepe  paper.  This  exhibit 
was  carried  out  under  the  guidance  of  Mrs.  McCormick. 

It  is  hoped  some  decisive  measures  will  be  taken  by  our  recently  formed 
branches  to  prohibit  in  their  towns  the  selling  of  caged  wild  birds.  Dr.  H.  R. 
Mills,  acting  for  the  Society,  procured  the  arrest  and  fine  of  two  men  doing 
this  in  the  vicinity  of  Tampa.  Mrs.  Tippets  discovered  a  woman  at  St.  Peters- 
burg buying  several  of  these  cages  of  birds  to  carry  North,  but  the  woman 
escaped  in  the  night  with  her  booty. 

The  Hungerford  School,  at  Eatonsville,  has  continued  its  study  of  bird- 
life.   Two  prizes  of  $2  each  were  given  for  essays. 

Our  President,  Dr.  William  F.  Blackman,  has  given  much  efficient  service 
to  the  Society  by  addresses,  correspondence,  and  detail-work.    In  April  he 


State   Audubon   Reports  511 

visited  Indian  Key  Bird  Reservation,  in  Tampa  Bay,  where  he  saw  Roseate 
Spoonbills,  White  Ibises,  Man-of-war-birds,  Cormorants,  Great  Blue  Herons, 
and  Terns.  In  May  he  made  a  most  interesting  trip  to  the  Big  Cypress  Swamp, 
forty  miles  south  and  east  of  Fort  Myers,  where  he  xdsited  both  the  Okaloa- 
coochee  and  Corkscrew  rookeries,  which  are  guarded  by  paid  wardens  of  the 
National  Association.  Here  the  large  cypress  trees  are  nesting-places  for  many 
thousands  of  birds.  Doctor  Blackman  identified  fifty-seven  species  of  birds 
whUe  on  this  trip.  On  returning  to  Fort  Myers  he  addressed  a  meeting  of 
citizens,  and  as  a  result  of  his  appeal,  and  of  the  cooperation  of  Mrs.  Hanson, 
our  local  Secretary,  it  is  hoped  a  Lee  County  branch  wUl  be  formed.  Accoimts 
of  his  visit  were  printed  in  many  newspapers,  both  in  Florida  and  elsewhere. 
Our  thanks  should  be  extended  to  the  press  of  Florida  for  its  continued 
support;  and  to  the  Daytona  Board  of  Trade,  the  Humane  Society,  the  Pal- 
metto Club,  the  Housekeepers'  Club,  and  the  Sunshine  Society,  for  their 
cooperation. — Mrs.  Kjngsmill  Marrs,  Chairman  Executive  Committee. 

Illinois. — Although  the  Society  has  been  so  unfortunate  as  to  lose  by 
resignation  its  President  and  Secretary  during  the  year,  and  has  felt  keenly 
the  loss,  the  usual  activities  have  moved  along,  and  new  enterprises  have  been 
accomplished.  In  January,  Miss  Alma  Hardman,  our  efficient  Secretary  for  a 
year  and  a  half,  felt  obliged  to  resign.  Mrs.  Frederic  H.  Pattee,  a  Director, 
was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy.  In  April,  Ruthven  Deane,  our  honored  Presi- 
dent for  sixteen  years,  presented  his  resignation  to  the  board,  and  wuth  the 
greatest  reluctance  the  Directors  finally  acceded  to  his  wishes;  but  Mr.  Deane's 
invaluable  experience  and  wide  acquaintance  with  ornithological  people  will 
still  be  available  to  us,  as  he  continues  his  connection  with  the  Society  as  a 
Director.  0.  M.  Schantz,  an  enthusiastic  student  of  birds,  was  chosen  his 
successor. 

At  the  annual  meeting,  held  in  Fullerton  Hall  on  May  2,  the  officers  men- 
tioned above  were  reelected.  Miss  Amalie  Hanning  was  also  reelected  Treas- 
urer, and  A.  L.  Stevenson,  a  member  of  the  board  was  elected  Vice-President. 
At  the  annual  meeting  the  Society  and  its  friends  had  the  good  fortune  to 
hear  Edwin  H.  Forbush,  whose  interesting  lecture  and  fascinating  pictures 
were  greatly  appreciated  by  the  audience. 

Our  membership-list  shows  an  increase  of  sixty,  including  two  life-members. 
The  usual  wide  distribution  of  Audubon  literature  has  been  made,  and  a 
special  appeal  for  interest  and  support  was  distributed  at  the  convention  of 
the  State  Teachers'  Association,  in  Springfield,  in  December.  In  February, 
with  the  cooperation  of  the  National  Association,  a  large  niunber  of  "Winter 
Feeding"  cards  were  sent  out,  largely  to  farmers'  institutes  and  rural  teachers. 
Arrangements  have  been  made  with  the  Illinois  farmers'  institutes  to  furnish 
speakers  gratis  to  all  institutes  that  will  give  places  on  their  programs. 

The  most  effective  piece  of  work  that  the  Society  has  to  report  this  year  is 


512  Bird -Lore 

the  successful  culmination  of  our  plan  to  send  a  lecturer  into  the  field.  Mr. 
Henry  Oldys,  of  Maryland,  was  selected  for  this  task,  and  the  choice  proved 
a  most  happy  one.  Through  the  generous  financial  cooperation  of  the  National 
Association,  Mr.  Oldys  made  a  tour  of  the  state  covering  four  weeks  in  October 
and  November,  19 13.  This  trip  was  so  successful  that  he  was  engaged  for  a 
similar  lecture-tour  in  May  of  this  year.  He  spoke  to  colleges,  schools,  women's 
clubs  and  various  societies.  Mr.  Oldys  covered  a  wide  territory,  reaching  sixty- 
four  towns,  and  addressing  audiences  aggregating  about  30,000  persons. — 
Bertha  Traer  Pattee,  Secretary. 

Indiana. — The  work  during  the  past  year  has  been  along  educational 
lines.  More  than  100  Junior  Audubon  Classes  have  been  organized,  contain- 
ing 1,914  members.  Reading- matter  and  lectures  about  birds  are  much  called 
for  by  schools  and  clubs.  Several  stereopticon  lectures  on  the  subject  have 
been  given  by  members  of  the  state  and  local  societies,  to  schools,  churches, 
conventions,  women's  clubs  and  farmers'  institutes.  The  Extension  Secretary, 
Mrs.  Etta  S.  Wilson,  has  worked  faithfully,  but  since  last  April  has  been  sadly 
missed  because  of  a  serious  illness. 

The  Allen  Coimty  Audubon  Society,  at  Fort  Wayne,  is  doing  valuable  work 
under  the  leadership  of  Charles  A.  Stockbridge.  It  has  a  room  in  the  public 
library,  which  contains  the  Stockbridge  collection  of  birds,  and  which  serves 
as  a  meeting-place,  once  a  month. 

Articles  in  the  newspapers,  especially  the  agricultural  ones,  on  feeding 
birds  in  winter,  have  carried  instruction  on  this  subject  to  many  homes.  In 
February,  acting  on  a  message  received  from  the  ofiice  of  the  National  Asso- 
ciation in  New  York,  telegrams  were  sent  over  the  state  to  bird-lovers,  request- 
ing that  the  birds  be  cared  for  at  once.  The  club-women  of  the  state  are  help- 
ing nobly  in  bird-protection;  one  of  the  articles  to  appear  soon  in  the  General 
Federation's  magazine  will  be  a  history  of  the  Indiana  Audubon  Society  and 
what  it  is  doing.  The  Nature-Study  Club  of  Indiana,  with  more  than  100 
members,  is  cooperating  with  us  in  doing  work  for  the  birds. 

The  Annual  Meeting  at  Evansville  was  a  great  success.  The  teachers,  the 
ladies  of  the  Woman's  Club,  and  the  members  of  the  Evansville  Audubon 
Society,  did  much  to  make  it  so.  Harriet  B.  Audubon,  of  Louisville,  grand- 
daughter of  the  great  naturalist,  was  invited  to  be  the  guest  of  honor.  All  the 
schools  gave  evidence  of  great  preparation  for  the  coming  of  the  State  Society. 
Bird-boxes,  bird-calendars,  bird-stories,  and  many  good  paintings  of  birds 
made  by  the  pupils  were  shown.  The  little  folks  also  contributed  their  share 
by  cutting,  pasting,  and  stringing  pictures  of  birds,  to  decorate  the  many 
boughs  that  lined  the  entrance-halls.  Bird-talks  were  given  in  the  public  and 
parochial  schools.  Evansville  has  the  largest  Junior  Clas§  in  the  state.  At 
the  Thursday  and  Friday  evening  meetings  the  following  addresses  were 
given;  "The  Audubon  Movement,"  by  the  President;  "Some  Birds  of  Indiana," 


State  Audubon    Reports  513 

by  Amos  W.  Butler;  "The  Adaptation  of  Birds  to  Flight,"  by  Prof.  D.  W. 
Dennis;  and  "How  to  Have  Better  Bird-work  in  the  Schools,"  by  Prof.  Stanley 
Coulter.  Dr.  Eugene  Swope  was  present  as  the  representative  of  the  National 
Association. 

A  boat-trip  on  the  Ohio  River  to  Henderson,  Kentucky,  was  taken.  Boy 
Scouts  met  the  boat  and  acted  as  guides.  This  town  was  at  one  time  the  home 
of  John  James  Audubon.  The  foimdation  of  his  old  mill  is  still  to  be  seen.  A 
public  address  was  given  in  the  town,  and  the  citizens  presented  to  Presi- 
dent Woollen  a  gavel  made  from  the  water-wheel  of  the  old  mill.  The  sugges- 
tion was  made  that  Henderson  be  made  a  park  reservation,  and  that  a  monu- 
ment to  Audubon  be  erected,  the  expense  to  be  borne  jointly  by  Kentucky 
and  Indiana. 

The  following  oflScers  were  elected:  Prof.  Stanley  Coulter,  President; 
George  S.  Clifford,  and  William  Watson  Woollen,  Vice-Presidents;  Mrs.  Etta 
S.  Wilson,  Extension  Secretary;  Elizabeth  Downhour,  Secretary;  and  Carrie 
Carpenter,  Treasurer. — Elizabeth  Downhour,  Secretary. 

Iowa. — Since  the  spring  of  1904,  the  office  of  the  State  Audubon  Society 
has  been  in  Waterloo.  Feeling,  however,  that  other  headquarters  and  new 
officers  would  add  new  life  and  enthusiasm,  we  are  endeavoring  to  arrange  the 
desired  changes.  In  the  meantime  we  shall  carry  on  the  work.  Our  President, 
Mrs.  W.  B.  Small,  has  answered  many  calls,  and  has  given  lectures  and  talks 
to  clubs  and  schools.  The  Rev.  George  Bennett,  Field  Agent  of  the  National 
Association,  has  taken  charge  of  the  lantern-slides  owned  by  the  State  Society, 
and  generously  responds  to  requests  for  illustrated  lectures.  Having  been 
granted  the  privilege  of  using  a  beautiful  tract  of  land  near  Waterloo  as  a 
local  bird-preserve,  we  are  preparing  posters  to  warn  hunters  against  shoot- 
ing, and  small  boys  with  air-guns  against  trespassing.  The  Iowa  Park  and 
Forestry  Association,  being  interested  in  the  conservation  of  forests  and  lakes 
of  Iowa,  should,  we  believe,  include  also  the  conservation  of  bird-life,  and  we 
expect  to  get  its  cooperation. 

The  newspapers  of  Iowa  in  recent  years  have  been  of  great  service  to  the 
Society.  In  Waterloo,  Edgar  W.  Cooley,  of  The  Times-Tribune,  has  organ- 
ized a  Bird-Lovers  Club  which  now  has  seventy  members — boys  and  girls 
between  five  and  sixteen  years  of  age.  The  members  pledge  themselves  to 
protect  birds  and  their  nests  from  destruction,  to  build  nesting-houses,  and  to 
provide  food  and  water  for  birds  in  the  winter.  A  large  number  of  bird-houses 
were  erected  by  the  members  during  the  spring  and  summer. 

The  officers  of  the  Iowa  Audubon  Society  are:  President,  Mrs.  W.  B.  Small, 
Waterloo;  Vice-Presidents,  Mrs.  James  B.  Diver,  Keokuk,  and  Miss  Frances 
Grout,  Waterloo;  Chairman  of  Executive  Committee,  Dr.  Margaret  V.  Clark, 
Waterloo;  Secretary,  Mrs.  William  F.  Parrott,  Waterloo.  The  society  has  no 
annual  dues,  but  every  year  bird-lovers  in  the  state  send  a  new  list  of  names, 


514  Bird -Lore 

with  the  accompanying  fee  of  twenty-five  cents  for  adults  and  ten  cents  for 
Junior  members.    All  fees  and  other  moneys  are  devoted  to  the  circulation  of 
the  Educational  Leaflets  of  the  National  Association  and  other  good  literature. 
— ^Jane  Pakrott,  Secretary. 

Kentucky. — I  have  never  sent  you  a  yearly  report  with  as  much  pleasure 
as  I  send  this  one,  because  there  is  much  evidence  that  the  cause  of  bird-pro- 
tection is  bearing  fruit.  Birds  are  becoming  more  numerous  about  our  homes, 
especially  the  larger  birds,  such  as  Robins  and  Woodpeckers.  Bird-boxes  are 
to  be  seen  everywhere;  and  the  drought  of  last  summer  reminded  bird-lovers 
that  drinking-fountains  would  be  appreciated.  One  may  see  many  of  these 
founts  in  this  state,  some  of  stone  or  concrete.  Our  Society  has  held  about 
fifteen  public  walks  during  the  year  for  the  purpose  of  studying  birds.  We 
have  sent  nearly  a  thousand  clippings  and  tracts  to  newspapers  for  publica- 
tion. We  have  supplied  at  actual  cost  a  great  number  of  field-glasses  and 
bird-books  to  students  of  bird- life;  and  our  members  have  set  a  good  example 
to  others  by  putting  up  bird-boxes  and  drinking-founts.  One  member  has 
planted  and  left  standing  a  large  patch  of  hemp  for  a  winter-ref uge ;  another 
has  left  a  thick  growth  of  sunflowers ;  and  many  of  us  insist  on  keeping  uncut  a 
patch  of  briars  or  horseweeds  for  the  same  purpose. 

Our  former  President,  Dr.  James  H.  Gardner,  has  moved  to  Oklahoma, 
and  our  new  President  is  Judge  Charles  Kerr.  Another  valued  member  of 
our  society  is  J.  Quincy  Ward,  Executive  Agent  of  the  State,  Fish  and  Game 
Commission. — Victor  K.  Dodge,  Secretary. 

Maine. — The  year  has  been  one  of  activity,  and  the  growth  of  the  senti- 
ment for  the  increase  and  protection  of  birds  has  been  marked.  The  demand 
for  popular  bird-books  has  continued,  while  a  wide  range  of  local  organiza- 
tions, granges,  and  literary  clubs,  have  continued  to  ask  for  lectures  and 
papers  on  birds.  In  Washington  County,  Clarence  H.  Clark,  Chairman  of 
the  Board  of  County  Commissioners,  has  performed  a  most  valuable  work  in 
giving  talks  on  birds  and  their  value,  urging  their  protection  on  teachers, 
schools,  and  clubs;  and  in  impressing  on  the  public  need  of  attention  to  this 
matter.  He  has  distributed  pamphlets;  has  had  the  federal  regulations  relat- 
ing to  game-birds  widely  published  in  the  newspapers  of  eastern  Maine;  and 
has  taken  part  in  the  organization  of  Junior  Audubon  Societies.  In  Hancock 
County,  Miss  Cordelia  J.  Stanwood  has  continued  her  activity  by  publish- 
ing many  attractive  articles  in  the  journals  of  the  day,  and  by  distributing 
leaflets,  and  laboring  for  bird-protection.  In  Penobscot  County,  Mrs.  Fanny 
Hardy  Eckstorm  has  been  vigilant,  rendering  most  efficient  service.  In  Cum- 
berland County,  the  State  Secretary  has  endeavored  to  meet  calls  relating  to 
birds,  their  increase  and  protection;  and  it  is  most  gratifying  to  acknowledge 
the  support  and  encouragement  he  has  received  from  many  persons  and 


VICTOR    K.    DODGE 
Secretary  of  the  Kentucky  Society 


(51S) 


5i6  Bird  -  Lore 

organizations.  In  York  County,  Mrs.  Fred  P.  Abbott,  President  of  the  Maine 
Federation  of  Woman's  Clubs,  did  a  large  amount  of  work  in  addressing  church 
organizations,  and  various  other  gatherings.  She  made  fifty-six  visits  to 
women's  clubs,  and  nearly  everywhere  said  a  word  for  the  birds.  On  several 
occasions  her  talks  were  illustrated  by  lantern-slides  obtained  from  the  National 
Association. — Arthur  H.  Norton,  Secretary. 

Maryland. — A  most  active  interest  in  bird-welfare,  and  in  the  legisla- 
ti\'e  work  of  the  Audubon  Society,  is  manifest  throughout  Maryland.  A 
large  club  was  organized  last  spring  in  Roland  Park,  Baltimore's  most  attrac- 
tive and  best-known  suburb.  This  village,  with  its  hedge-bordered  lanes, 
fine  old  trees,  and  gardens  rich  in  shrubbery,  furnishes  an  ideal  sanctuary; 
and  the  residents  of  Roland  Park  are  now  studying  the  conditions  most  fav- 
orable to  local  protection  and  propagation  of  birds.  In  the  beautiful  Green 
Spring  Valley  similar  hospitality  is  extended  to  bird-visitors.  There  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Garden  Club  are  as  zealous  in  encouraging  the  presence  of  birds 
as  in  the  culture  of  flowers. 

At  the  March  meeting  of  the  Maryland  Audubon  Society,  one  of  its  mem- 
bers, Mrs.  Fleming,  of  Gambrill's,  brought  to  our  attention  the  purchase  by 
the  United  States  Government  of  a  large  tract  of  land  to  be  used  as  a  dairy- 
farm  for  the  Naval  Academy  at  Annapolis.  This  piece  of  land  has  long  been 
the  favorite  resort  of  many  varieties  of  bird-life.  Hence  it  occurred  to  Mrs. 
Fleming  that,  in  addition  to  its  service  to  the  Academy,  it  might  also  become 
a  game-preserve.  Of  the  same  mind  with  her  was  Paymaster  Bryan,  U.  S.  N. 
of  Annapolis,  and  they  solicited  the  cooperation  of  the  Maryland  Audubon 
Society  to  carry  out  this  plan.  An  appeal  from  the  Society  to  the  Secretary  of 
the  Navy  brought  a  sympathetic  response  from  Mr.  Daniels,  and  orders  to 
make  ample  provision  for  the  protection  of  the  game  on  the  farm. 

The  offer  by  the  National  Association  of  the  series  of  instructive  pictures 
to  the  children  joining  Junior  Audubon  Classes  in  the  public  schools  is  stimu- 
lating juvenile  interest.  Audubon  Societies  can  do  no  work  which  will  pro- 
duce finer  results  than  to  cooperate  with  the  National  Association  in  this 
plan  to  enlighten  the  children,  and  plant  in  their  mind  ideas  that  will  bear 
fruit  when  they  become  men  and  women.  Special  attention  should  be  given 
the  children  of  our  foreign-born  citizens,  for  it  is  with  such  citizens  that  our 
game-wardens  meet  their  greatest  difficulties  in  enforcing  the  laws. — Minna 
D.  Starr,  Secretary. 

Massachusetts. — The  activities  of  the  Massachusetts  Audubon  Society 
have  been  greatly  extended  during  the  past  year,  and  its  growth  in  member- 
ship and  usefulness  has  been  marked.  Its  sustaining-membership  has  been 
increased  from  1,500  to  2,200,  and  its  life-membership  from  150  to  295,  vir- 
tually a  doubling.   It  now  occupies  large  offices  with  the  New  England  Agency 


State  Audubon   Reports  517 

of  the  National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies  in  the  rooms  of  the  Boston 
Society  of  Natural  History,  at  234  Berkeley  Street,  Boston,  where  it  has  a 
large  exhibition  of  bird-protective  appliances,  bird-houses,  feeding-stations, 
baths,  etc.,  and  a  quantity  of  literature  of  the  bird-protection  movement, 
including  charts,  calendars,  and  the  Educational  Leaflets  of  the  National 
Association.  This  exhibition  is  free  to  all  ^dsitors  and  makes  the  Society  the 
headquarters  of  the  steadily  increasing  interest  in  the  protection  movement 
throughout  New  England.  The  Society,  as  usual,  has  taken  an  active  part  in 
recent  legislation,  having  successfully  opposed  bills  inimical  to  bird-life  in 
the  state  legislature,  and  aided  those  in  its  favor. 

During  the  deep  snows  and  cold  of  the  past  winter,  acting  with  the  National 
Association,  it  placarded  the  state  with  requests  that  people  feed  the  birds, 
giving  full  directions  how  to  do  it.  It  also  wrote  to  about  5,000  persons,  and 
to  newspapers  throughout  the  state,  making  the  same  request.  The  work  was 
very  generally  taken  up,  and  without  doubt  thousands  of  useful  birds  were 
saved  from  starvation.  During  the  year  the  Society's  traveling  lectures  and 
traveling  libraries  have  been  in  constant  use  all  over  the  state;  and  the  Secre- 
tary lectured  fifty  times  before  various  organizations,  reaching  audiences  of 
from  fifty  to  a  thousand  persons. 

Cooperating  with  the  National  Association's  work  of  establishing  Junior 
Classes,  an  appeal  was  made  to  every  school-teacher  in  the  state,  and  359 
classes,  containing  8,463  Juniors,  were  added  to  the  roll. 

A  new  Bird  Calendar  has  been  published — six  large  plates  of  bird  in  colors, 
hand-printed  on  blocks  in  Japan — forming  a  series  of  singular  beauty  and  value. 
The  Calendar,  like  the  Society's  three  unique  and  beautiful  Bird  Charts,  finds 
eager  purchasers  in  distant  states  as  well  as  in  Massachusetts. 

The  annual  meeting  of  the  Society,  held  in  March,  packed  Huntington 
Hall  to  the  doors,  more  than  a  thousand  people  being  in  attendance.  In  Jan- 
uary, WiUiam  Brewster,  the  distinguished  Cambridge  ornithologist,  founder 
of  the  Society,  and  its  President  since  1892,  resigned  because  of  pressure  of 
other  duties,  greatly  to  the  regret  of  all.  Edward  Howe  Forbush,  State  Orni- 
thologist, known  the  world  over  for  his  books  on  the  economic  side  of  bird- 
life,  and  by  his  work  for  bird-protection,  was  elected  to  the  vacancy.  The 
Society  is  head-quarters  for  information,  and  instructs  in  the  formation  of 
local  bird-clubs,  which  are  steadily  increasing  in  number  throughout  the 
state. — WiNTKROP  Packard,  Secretary-Treasurer. 

Michigan. — ^The  Michigan  Audubon  Society  held  its  annual  meeting  at 
the  Public  Library,  in  Grand  Rapids,  September  8  and  9,  1914.  It  seemed 
strange  to  assemble  without  the  familiar  presence  of  Jefferson  Butler,  until 
lately  our  faithful  worker  and  leader,  who,  from  the  inception  of  the  organiza- 
tion until  his  death,  never  failed  to  be  present  at  its  meetings  and  to  take  an 
active  part  in  all  the  proceedings.   The  Grand  Rapids  Society,  gave  the  visit- 


5i8  Bird -Lore 

ing  delegates  a  very  profitable  and  delightful  two  days.  We  were  taken  for  a 
tour  through  the  city's  parks,  and  were  shown  the  new  bird-reserve,  Hoden- 
tyle  Park.  This  is  a  beautiful,  rolling  tract  of  forty  acres  of  original  timber, 
in  which  has  been  constructed  a  lagoon  two  miles  in  length.  It  contains  many 
islands  which  are  admirable  nesting-sites  for  water-birds.  The  whole  park  is 
rapidly  being  planted  with  wild  flowers,  shrubs,  and  vines,  making  a  veritable 
bird-paradise,  to  be  forever  conserved. 

On  Tuesday  evening.  Judge  Harry  Creswell,  President  of  the  Grand  Rapids 
Society,  gave  a  pleasing  address  on  the  Audubon  work  in  the  city;  one  of  the 
teachers  reported  on  Junior  Audubon  work,  and  Joseph  Dodson,  of  Chicago, 
spoke  on  methods  of  attracting  wild  birds  about  the  home.  The  annual  busi- 
ness was  disposed  of  on  Wednesday.  Mrs.  Munger,  Acting  President,  reported 
that  she  had  represented  the  Society  at  the  National  Conservation  Congress 
at  Washington,  D.  C,  in  November,  1913;  and  had  spoken  on  bird-protec- 
tion at  many  schools,  granges,  farmers'  clubs,  horticultural  societies,  boys' 
clubs,  women's  clubs,  teachers'  institutes,  and  other  places,  on  several  occa- 
sions giving  illustrated  lectures.  At  her  request  the  State  Department  of 
Public  Instruction  had  agreed  to  recognize  Arbor  Day  as  equally  Arbor  and 
Bird  Day;  and  she  had  compiled  much  material  for  the  first  Arbor  and  Bird 
Day  Bulletin,  which  was  sent  out  to  all  the  teachers  in  the  state.  Mrs.  Munger 
reported  cooperating  with  the  State  Library,  the  Public  Commission,  the  State 
Game  Warden,  the  Forest  Scouts,  and  the  State  Humane  Society,  and  of 
finding  them  all  interested  in  the  cause  of  bird-protection.  She  had  sent  out 
53  packages  of  literature,  besides  personally  distributing  about  1,000  of  the 
Educational  Leaflets  issued  by  the  National  Association;  had  written  about 
600  letters  and  cards,  and  20  newspaper  articles,  and  had  furnished  several 
bird-programs  for  clubs  and  granges. 

Favorable  action  was  taken  on  the  following  subjects: 
(i).  The  licensing  of  cats.  (2)  The  removal  of  the  Bob-white  from  the 
list  of  game-birds.  (3)  Repeal  of  the  law  offering  a  two-cent  bounty  on 
English  Sparrows.  (4)  That  since  the  enforcement  of  the  weed  law,  which 
requires  the  destruction  of  all  roadside  weeds  and  shrubs,  would  deprive  the 
birds  of  food  and  nesting-sites,  that  law  ought  to  be  amended.  (5)  That  the 
Society  hold  an  exhibit  of  bird-houses,  breeding-devices  and  bird-literature  at 
county  fairs,  state  fairs,  and  other  large  public  gatherings.  (6)  That  the 
Society  provide  for  giving  systematic  advice  and  instruction  regarding  the 
feeding  of  wild  birds  in  winter.  Much  lively  discussion  was  heard  over  the 
cat-licensing  problem,  but  the  President's  report  with  its  recommendations 
was  adopted. 

The  election  of  officers  resulted  in  choice  of  Mrs.  Edith  C.  Mungei;,  of  Hart, 
for  President;  Charles  K.  Hoyt,  of  Lansing,  for  Vice-President ;  Miss  Gertrude 
Reading,  of  Hart,  for  Secretary-Treasurer;  and  an  Executive  Committee  con- 
sisting of  the  President;  the  Vice-President;  W.  B.  Mershon,  of  Saginaw; 


State  Audubon   Reports  519 

Charles  M.  Greenway,  of  Flint;  and  H.  E.  Sargent,  of  Grand  Rapids.  The 
Society  has  258  members,  and  $143.11  in  the  treasury. 

Mrs.  Munger,  by  her  constructive  work  for  better  citizenship,  has  become 
one  of  the  assets  of  Michigan.  She  is  one  of  the  nation's  forward-looking 
women,  the  champion  and  defender  of  suffering  hiunanity.  Mr.  Hoyt,  the 
oldest  man  in  point  of  service  in  the  game-warden  department,  will  be  of  great 
help  in  practical  enforcement  of  the  laws.  Mr.  Mershon,  who  is  president  of 
the  State  Game  and  Protective  Association,  will  continue  to  be,  as  he  always 
has  been,  the  financial  backbone  of  the  organization.  Mr.  Greenway,  editor 
of  the  Flint  Daily  Journal,  is  one  of  the  most  prominent  newspaper  men  in 
the  state.  Mr.  Sargent  is  director  of  the  Kent  Scientific  Museum,  and  will  help 
the  educational  work  tremendously,  as  he  is  always  collecting  material  for 
work  in  the  schools  and  in  other  organizations. 

Much  disappointment  was  expressed  when  a  telegram  was  received  on 
Wednesday  afternoon  from  the  National  Secretary,  T.  Gilbert  Pearson,  of 
New  York,  stating  that  an  unavoidable  accident  had  prevented  his  reach- 
ing Grand  Rapids  in  time  to  give  his  anticipated  lecture  that  evening.  Mr 
Mershon  and  Mr.  Sargent  gave  enthusiastic  talks  on  our  common  birds  and 
their  characteristics  and  uses,  showing  Mr.  Sargent's  beautiful  bird-slides. 
Mr.  Mershon  dw^elt  especially  on  the  now  extinct  Passenger  Pigeon.  Mr. 
Hoyt  was  requested  to  give  a  talk  on  the  game-warden  department,  and 
responded  with  an  excellent  address,  full  of  practical  suggestions  as  to  how  the 
Society  might  make  good  use  of  the  department  in  furthering  the  cause  of 
bird-protection. — Gertrude  Re.a.ding,  Secretary-Treasurer. 

Minnesota. — The  work  of  the  Society  in  this  state  has  been  along  educa- 
tional lines.  The  Secretary-  has  given  several  lectures  on  birds  during  the  year, 
two  before  the  Minnesota  Game  and  Fish  Protective  League.  Our  Public 
Library  has  added  to  its  collection  a  set  of  the  bird-slides  made  by  the 
National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies,  and  these  slides  have  been  in  great 
demand  by  the  teachers  in  both  the  grammar  and  the  high  schools. 

The  winter  of  1913-14  was  favorable  to  winter  birds,  being  mild,  except 
a  few  days  of  sub-zero  weather,  and  with  but  little  snow.  The  Minneapolis 
Park  Board  has  established  bird-feeding  stations  in  seven  of  the  larger  parks, 
where  a  generous  quantity  of  suet,  seeds,  and  grain  is  distributed  daily.  The 
smaller  insectivorous  birds  have  been  very  numerous  during  the  summer,  but 
the  shore-birds  are  getting  scarcer  every  season.  The  Pinnated  Grouse  (Prairie 
Hen)  is  holding  its  own  in  some  districts,  while  in  others  it  is  getting  rare. 
Many  of  their  nests  were  destroyed  in  the  spring  and  early  summer  by  heavy 
rains  which  flooded  the  lowlands  over  great  areas.  At  Heron  Lake,  in  the 
southwestern  part  of  the  state,  a  large  nmnber  of  nests  of  the  Black-crowned 
Night  Heron,  and  of  Teals  and  other  Ducks,  were  destroyed  in  the  same  way. 

The  Minnesota  Legislature  will  convene  early  in  1915,  and  a  strong  effort 


TPIE    REV.    MANLEY    B.    TOWNSEND 
Secretary  of  the  New  Hampshire  Society 


(S20) 


State   Audubon    Reports  521 

will  be  made  to  secure  changes  in  the  present  game-laws,  and  to  get  the  game 
and  fish  department  removed  from  politics.  A  imiversal  licensing  system,  and 
a  law  to  prohibit  boys  under  eighteen  to  hunt  or  to  carry  firearms  for  the 
purpose  of  hunting,  are  also  to  be  sought. — J.  W.  Frazen,  Secretary. 

New  Hampshire. — Our  Society  was  not  organized  until  February  26, 
1 9 14,  but  enough  has  been  accomplished  in  this  first  eight  months  to  indicate 
a  future  full  of  success  and  usefulness.  A  membership  of  307  has  been  secured. 
The  receipts  from  life-memberships,  now  amounting  to  $425,  have  been  set 
aside  as  a  permanent  fund,  the  interest  only  to  be  used  for  the  work.  There  is 
a  balance  in  the  treasury  on  the  right  side.  We  are  fortunate  in  having  secured 
a  strong  set  of  oflficers,  from  the  President,  Gen.  Elbert  Wheeler,  down  our 
list  of  Honorary  Presidents  and  Vice-Presidents,  including  many  of  the  most 
prominent  and  influential  men  and  women  in  the  state. 

As  soon  as  its  income  warranted  the  step,  the  Society  engaged  the  Secre- 
tary to  act  as  a  salaried  field  agent.  That  work  has  been  pushed  ^\dth  energy. 
A  voluminous  correspondence  has  been  maintained,  articles  on  feeding  birds 
in  winter,  and  on  bird-protection,  have  been  written  for  publication  in  the 
newspapers,  the  National  Association's  valuable  "Bulletin  No.  i"  has  been 
distributed,  and  lectures  on  "Our  Native  Birds,  and  Why  We  Should  Pro- 
tect Them,"  have  been  given  before  various  societies,  clubs,  institutes,  at 
summer  hotels  and  elsewhere.  One  lecture  given  in  Concord,  at  the  meeting 
of  the  State  Fish  and  Game  Association,  resulted  in  an  arrangement  whereby 
the  field  agent  is  to  give  this  lecture  widely  throughout  the  state  before 
local  bodies  of  sportsmen. 

E.  C.  Hirst,  State  Forester,  has  offered  to  co5perate  with  us  to  make  all 
the  forest-reservations  in  the  state  into  bird-sanctuaries — a  matter  of  great 
importance. 

A  busy  winter's  program  has  been  planned.  It  is  purposed  to  push  vig- 
orously the  work  of  organizing  Junior  Audubon  Clubs  in  the  schools,  as  planned 
by  the  National  Association.  The  Secretary  intends  to  watch  the  Legislature 
to  prevent  hostile  legislation,  and  to  attempt  to  secure  better  laws.  Our 
Treasurer,  Herbert  E.  Kendall,  is  sure  of  election  to  the  coming  Legislature, 
and  will  be  a  valuable  man  for  us  there.  The  Society  wishes  to  express  its 
grateful  appreciation  for  the  kindness  shown  us  by  Messrs.  Edward  H.  For- 
bush  and  Winthrop  Packard,  of  Massachusetts,  and  for  the  advice  and  assist- 
ance of  the  National  Association. — Manley  B.  Townsend,  Secretary. 

New  Jersey. — The  New  Jersey  Audubon  Society  has  increased  its  mem- 
bership during  the  past  year  by  one  patron,  five  life  members,  75  sustaining 
members,  325  members  and  9,398  junior  members,  making  the  present  mem- 
bership seven  patrons,  18  fife  members,  180  sustaining  members,  718  members, 
217  associate  members,  and  25,966  jimior  members — total  27,106.  The  Society 


GEORGE    BATTEN 
President  of  the  New  Jersey  Society 


(522) 


State   Audubon    Reports  523 

has  arranged  to  employ  the  entire  time  of  a  salaried  Secretary-Treasurer. 
Legislative  activity  has  been  confined  to  the  usual  influence  on  legislation 
afifecting  bird-life.  The  Society  now  publishes  independently,  The  New 
Jersey  Audubon  Bulletin,  issued  bi-monthly,  and  illustrated  with  halftones. 
Various  press  articles  have  also  been  issued  and  widely  published  by  the  news- 
papers of  the  state.  Junior  Audubon  Class  work  has  been  continued,  in  coop- 
eration with  the  National  Association,  and  436  classes  were  organized.  The 
fourth  annual  meeting  was  held  in  Newark,  on  October  6,  when  the  Trustees 
were  reelected,  with  the  exception  of  Mr.  W.  W.  Grant,  resigned,  who  was 
succeeded  by  Mr.  Samuel  N.  Rhoads.  The  officers  were  reelected.  At  the 
public  session  in  the  evening,  William  L.  Finley,  of  Portland,  Oregon,  showed 
a  wonderfully  fine  series  of  wild-life  motion-pictures,  and  spoke  of  protection 
work  in  his  state. — Beecher  S.  Bowdish,  Secretary. 

North  Dakota. — -The  North  Dakota  Audubon  Society  has  continued  its 
work  with  steady  and  substantial  progress.  Interest  in  the  study  of  bird-life, 
and  in  the  protection  of  our  birds,  has  been  continuously  developed,  and  the 
most  cordial  relations  and  hearty  cooperation  exist  between  the  society  and 
the  State  Board  of  Control  of  Game.  The  list  of  members  has  been  increased. 
The  finances  of  the  Society  are  in  excellent  condition.  Much  advancement 
has  also  been  made  in  the  Junior  work  of  the  state.  Many  addresses  have 
been  given  by  members  of  the  Society  during  the  past  year,  before  meetings  of 
federated  clubs,  educational  associations,  and  college  students.  It  is  planned 
to  hold  the  annual  meeting  in  the  near  future  at  the  Agricultural  College, 
when  those  in  attendance  will  have  an  opportunity  to  inspect  the  series  of 
birds  in  the  zoological  collection.  This  collection  of  mounted  birds  is  now  one 
of  the  most  complete  in  the  state,  and  enables  persons  to  identify  species  with 
whose  appearance  they  have  become  familiar  in  the  field,  but  of  whose  proper 
names  they  are  ignorant. 

Owing  to  the  work  of  the  Audubon  Society  more  and  more  attention  is 
being  given  to  bird-study  in  the  schools,  as  the  teachers  are  learning  how  much 
interest  may  be  awakened  in  the  pupils  through  the  study  of  the  habits  of 
birds.  The  literature  and  the  pictures  issued  by  the  National  Association  are 
now  available  in  this  state,  and  are  proving  welcome  and  effective.  The  matter 
of  establishing  bird-reservations  in  suitable  places  is  receiving  thought,  and 
will  probably  come  up  for  consideration  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  Legis- 
lature.— W.  B.  Bell,  President. 

Ohio. — We  sustained  a  great  loss  during  the  past  year  in  the  death  of  our 
President,  John  P.  Cummins.  For  four  years  Mr.  Cummins  had  dignified 
the  office  of  president,  and  under  his  leadership  the  work  had  progressed  and 
the  membership  increased  fourfold.  His  was  not  the  type  of  scientific  mind 
that  dissects  and  demolishes,  but  the  appreciative  and  enthusiastic  type  that 


J.  p.  CUMMINS 
President,  until  his  Death  in  1913,  of  the  Ohio  Society 


(5*4) 


State  Audubon    Reports  525 

sees  the  beauty  and  feels  the  lesson  that  nature  is  teaching,  and  leads  a  man  to 
go  out  as  a  missionary  to  spread  this  lesson  broadcast.  It  would  be  treason  to 
his  memory  to  permit  that  work  to  suffer  for  which  he  gave  so  much  time  and 
effort.  The  Society  has  since  held  another  election,  at  which  Dr.  Robert  C. 
Jones  was  chosen  President. 

Owing  to  the  death  of  Mr.  Cummins,  the  Society  abandoned  the  series  of 
lectures  in  the  libraries,  which  had  been  given  so  regularly,  and  in  which  Mr. 
Cimimins  had  always  played  so  prominent  a  part.  Nevertheless,  the  Society 
has  not  been  inactive.  Dr.  Eugene  Swope,  Field- Agent,  in  Ohio,  of  the  National 
Association,  gave  fifty  lectures  last  year  in  Cincinnati  and  vicinity,  with  an 
average  attendance  of  125  (and  this  was  accomplished  despite  the  fact  that  he 
spent  the  winter  in  Florida),  has  organized  large  Audubon  Societies  in  Colum- 
bus and  Cleveland,  and  has  been  instrumental  in  bringing  the  work  of  the 
Society  before  the  public  in  every  part  of  Ohio. 

Our  new  President  has  already  given  lectures  in  eight  of  the  public 
schools,  and  has  interested  the  Superintendent  of  Schools  in  the  educational 
plan  for  the  coming  year.  Mr.  Cramer  has,  as  usual,  given  numerous  lectures 
to  clubs  and  schools,  and  for  many  years  has  been  the  personal  conductor  of 
the  field-excursions  which  the  'Ramblers'  have  enjoyed  weekly.  Because  of 
his  knowledge  of  birds,  and  because  of  the  knowledge  of  general  zoology  and 
botany  of  Mrs.  Hansen,  another  active  member  of  the  Society,  these  walks  are 
the  quintessence  of  cultural  enjoyment. 

Other  women,  too,  have  done  much  to  disseminate  a  knowledge  of  birds, 
notably  Mrs.  Lewis  Hopkins,  who  has  been  very  active  in  Georgia  in  the  win- 
ter and  in  the  North  in  the  summer.  She  works  with  true  missionary  spirit, 
and  spreads  the  news  of  both  the  esthetic  and  economic  value  of  birds  in  the 
charitable  clubs  as  well  as  in  the  prominent  women's  clubs  of  which  she  is  a 
member,  yet  she  finds  time  to  write  instructive  papers  on  "Wing  Construc- 
tion and  Flight,"  on  the  "Analysis  of  Bird  Music,"  and  on  other  themes,  to 
the  entertainment  and  advantage  of  the  Society.  Nevertheless,  the  plans  for 
the  coming  year  are  more  ambitious  than  ever,  and  where  there  is  ambition 
and  zeal,  there  must  surely  follow  worthy  results. — Katherine  Ratter- 
MANN,  Secretary. 

Oregon. — The  Audubon  work  in  Oregon  for  the  year  has  been  devoted 
largely  to  education.  The  sentiment  among  the  people  regarding  the  protec- 
tion of  insectivorous  birds  is  favorable,  and  in  some  places  strong.  We  have 
the  boy  with  the  gun,  the  immature  man  with  the  gun,  and  the  alien  with  the 
gun,  and  have  to  deal  with  them,  each  after  its  kind.  The  law  forbidding  wear- 
ing of  millinery  plumage  has  been  enforced  with  scant  mercy,  so  that  the  sight 
of  a  Grebe-breast  or  a  Heron's  plume  is  rare  on  our  streets,  and  then  usually 
the  feathers  are  worn  by  a  tourist  from  some  eastern  state.  Our  warden — a 
woman — ^politely  gives   the    culprit   warning  as   to   the  law  and   the  con- 


526  Bird -Lore 

sequences,  whereupon,  as  a  rule,  the  plume  is  cheerfully  and  sometimes 
apologetically  removed. 

Reports  from  bird- reservations  are  satisfactory.  The  small  remaining 
colony  of  White  Herons,  which  is  being  so  carefully  watched,  is  reported  as 
holding  its  own. 

The  state  was  gone  over  fairly  well  last  season  by  bird-lecturers  with  lan- 
tern-slide accompaniments — a  method  of  entertainment  insuring  good  audi- 
ences. We  find  that  plain  bird-lovers,  who  know  the  local  birds  and  their 
habits,  and  can  talk  with  interest  and  enthusiasm,  especially  if  they  can  tell 
a  bird-story  and  whistle  a  few  of  the  notes  and  calls  of  the  birds,  arouse  much 
intelligent  interest  and  get  a  following  among  children.  This  kind  of  appeal 
is  better,  therefore,  for  every-day  use,  than  more  elaborate  lectures  would  be. 
We  are  about  to  add  some  moving  pictures  of  birds  to  our  winter  lectures,  and 
hope  to  get  much  benefit  and  stimulation  from  hearing  eastern  talkers  who  are 
skilled  in  these  matters. 

All  of  us  have  taken  to  making  nesting-houses  for  birds  with  zeal  and  suc- 
cess. Bathing-pools,  lunch-counters,  feeding-devices  and  such  matters  are 
common.  The  mild  winters  of  western  Oregon  make  winter-feeding  not  so 
much  of  a  problem  as  in  the  East,  but  we  give  it  much  consideration,  knowing 
its  value  to  both  the  guests  and  the  caterers. — Emma  J.  Welty,  Secretary. 

Pennsylvania. — Since  the  close  of  its  year  of  legislative  work  for  the  pro- 
tection of  the  Herons,  the  Pennsylvania  Audubon  Society  has  been  prin- 
cipally occupied  with  different  forms  of  Junior  work.  In  cooperation  with  the 
National  Association  a  large  success  was  made  in  this  direction,  no  less  than 
354  Junior  Classes,  containing  6,790  members,  having  been  formed  in  the 
schools  of  this  state  since  the  last  report.  A  satisfactory  membership  has  been 
arranged  for  the  Boy  Scouts,  by  which  they  become  "Protectors  of  the  Birds," 
and  which  entitles  all  members  in  good  standing  to  receive  a  special  Audu- 
bon button  designed  for  them  by  the  society  of  that  name.  A  medal  is  also 
offered  to  the  Scout  who  can  show  the  best  work  done  for  bird-protection  dur- 
ing the  year.  This  interesting  work  with  the  Scouts  was  begun  only  last 
spring,  but  promises  happy  relations  between  boys  and  birds. 

The  usual  activities  have  been  continued  during  the  year.  The  traveling 
libraries  have  been  renewed,  and,  with  the  generous  assistance  of  the  National 
Association,  the  Pennsylvania  Society  has  planned  for  this  autumn  a  tour  of 
the  state  by  Henry  Oldys,  of  Washington,  the  well-known  lecturer  on  birds, 
whose  rendering  of  bird-songs  has  delighted  so  many  Audubon  audiences. 
This  tour,  which  will  begin  in  the  middle  of  October,  will,  it  is  hoped,  not  only 
be  of  use  to  the  Junior  AudubOn  Classes,  but  will  increase  the  interest  in  the 
work  of  the  National  Association  and  the  State  Society.  With  these  plans  on 
foot  the  Pennsylvania  Society  feels  that  it  has  a  busy  year  ahead. — Eliza- 
beth Wilson  Fisher,  Secretary. 


WITHER    STONE 

('resident  of  the  Pennsylvania  Society 


(527) 


52S  Bird -Lore 

Rhode  Island. — Our  State  Audubon  Society  has  had  a  prosperous  year. 
In  addition  to  the  regular  work  of  forming  Junior  Classes,  holding  field-trips 
and  lectures,  and  keeping  its  circulating  and  traveling  libraries  at  work,  the 
Society  has  taken  a  quiet  but  exceedingly  active  interest  in  bird-legislation. 
Every  Congressman  from  Rhode  Island  supported  the  migratory-bird  law,  and 
the  plumage  bill.  The  Society  is  also  responsible  in  a  large  measure  for  the 
change  in  the  personnel  of  the  State  Bird  Commission,  which  consists  of  five 
men,  representing  every  county  of  the  State,  and  all  appointed  at  one  time 
by  the  Governor  for  a  term  of  three  years.  The  membership  of  this 
Commission  has  always  consisted  wholly  of  sportsmen,  interested  primarily 
in  the  killing  of  birds.  The  new  Commission,  for  1914-1917,  has  three  members 
who  are  particularly  concerned  in  the  protection  of  birds,  one  of  them  a  Direc- 
tor of  our  Society. 

Through  the  indefatigable  efforts  of  two  of  our  most  earnest  Directors, 
George  C.  Phillips  and  Harry  S.  Hathaway,  and  the  assistance  of  experienced 
friends  elsewhere,  a  new  bird-law  was  drawn  to  conform  with  the  Federal  regu- 
lations for  migratory  birds,  and  was  enacted  by  the  legislature.  Rhode 
Island  now  has,  therefore,  almost  an  ideal  bird-law,  by  which  bounties  on 
Hawks  and  Owls  are  banished,  and  spring  shooting  is  abolished,  also  shooting 
from  motor-boats  in  the  waters  of  the  state,  which  had  been  particularly 
destructive  to  ducks. 

From  the  Rhode  Island  Woman's  Club  the  Society  received  a  gift  of  $50 
for  the  purchase  of  books  for  its  library,  and  from  the  state  $60  allowed  for 
the  expenses  of  the  traveling  libraries.  With  these  funds  it  has  been  possible 
to  increase  the  size  of  the  library  and  extend  its  benefits. 

Early  in  the  year  a  fund  was  raised  by  subscription  to  be  used  for  the 
employment  of  a  regular  worker,  as  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  more  time 
be  given  to  the  Society's  campaign  than  the  regular  officials  have  at  their  dis- 
posal. We  are  therefore  endeavoring  to  organize  our  work  by  employing  a 
woman  who  shall  first  devote  her  time  to  the  Junior  department,  and  gradually 
extend  the  influence  of  the  Society  to  adults.  The  problem  of  interesting 
the  high-school  boy  who  has  arrived  at  the  gunning  age  has  been  forcibly  brought 
to  our  attention  by  the  many  opportunities  for  game-shooting  along  the  shores 
of  the  state.  As  an  offset  to  this  attraction  the  Society  is  to  offer  a  first  prize 
of  a  $22  camera,  and  a  second  prize  of  a  $10  camera,  to  any  boy,  resident  in 
the  state  and  not  over  eighteen  years  of  age,  who  shall  take  and  exhibit  the 
best  set  of  bird-photographs.  The  prizes  are  given  by  The  Hall  &  Lyon  Com- 
pany, of  Providence,  and  will  be  awarded  by  competent  judges  at  an  exhibit 
to  be  held  some  time  in  June,  191 5. — H,  L.  Madison,  Secretary. 

Tennessee  (East). — Owing  to  the  illness  and  absence  of  our  President, 
and  the  serious  illness  of  Mrs.  T.  J.  Hinton,  our  militant  Vice-President,  not 
many  regular  meetings  have  been  held  during  the  past  year.    The  committee 


■'.^ 

i 

t 


^       [AM^KAA^r-lA^ 


HAROLD    L.    MADISON 
Skcrztary-Treasubks  of  the  Rhode  Island  Society 


(529) 


MISS    MACiXOLIA    WOODWARD 
Secretary  ui    ihe     East)  Tennessee  Society 


(530) 


State   Audubon    Reports  531 

appointed  to  organize  Junior  Audubon  Societies  has  talked  to  eighteen  dilTerent 
schools,  and,  with  the  help  of  some  bird-skins  loaned  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  George 
R.  Stuart,  has  easily  aroused  the  interest  of  adults  and  children.  At  the  sug- 
gestion of  Frank  Flenniken  and  Miss  Margaret  Ambrose,  we  have  furnished 
Educational  Leaflets  to  various  tomato  clubs  for  their  monthly  meetings.  We 
have  cooperated  with  our  Field  Agent,  O'C.  Woodward,  and  have  sent  our 
literature  to  places  where  he  had  aroused  interest.  An  important  innovation 
has  been  the  Society's  request  to  have  several  deputy  game-wardens — most  of 
them  ladies — appointed  in  East  Tennessee.  W.  D.  Houser,  State  Warden, 
having  complied  with  our  petition,  the  following  persons  have  been  appointed : 
Mrs.  Walter  Barton,  Mrs.  J.  H.  Renfoer,  Mrs.  Rosa  Hall  Ryno,  S.  R.  Rambo, 
and  J.  S.  Monday.  By  this  means  we  hope  to  check  the  wanton  destruction 
of  bird-life  in  our  state.  We  now  have  125  members  and  many  subscribers  to 
Bird-Lore. — Magnolia  Woodward,  Corresponding  Secretary. 

Viiginia. — The  report  of  this  Society  for  the  past  year  shows  activities 
gratifying  to  all  lovers  of  the  cause  of  bird-protection.  During  the  last  hunting- 
season  the  Society  distributed  hundreds  of  copies  of  the  game-laws,  and 
instructed  many  persons  how  they  could  obtain  such  relief  as  our  laws  pro- 
vide. During  the  severe  weather  of  last  February,  our  Society,  following 
the  example  of  the  National  Association,  telegraphed  the  newspapers  of  the 
state  to  rcn-ind  their  readers  of  the  dire  straits  the  birds  were  in.  The  news- 
papers responded  promptly,  and  by  their  aid  thousands  of  birds  were  undoubt- 
edly saved  from  starvation.  To  those  who  wrote  that  they  would  see  that  the 
birds  were  fed,  we  sent  money  for  the  purchase  of  bird- food.  The  National 
Association  contributed  to  the  fund  that  was  used  for  this  purpose. 

Beginning  early  in  the  winter,  and  continuing  till  the  close  of  the  session 
of  the  Legislature,  a  committee,  of  which  Col.  Jennings  C.  Wise,  of  Lexington, 
was  chairman,  and  our  President,  M.  D.  Hart,  waged  an  aggressive  campaign 
to  give  Virginia  a  game-law  fashioned  after  that  of  Alabama.  Thousands  of 
printed  appeals  and  arguments  were  distributed  o^•er  the  state.  The  bill  passed 
the  Senate  by  a  big  majority,  and  lacked  only  two  votes  of  passing  the 
House.  When  the  federal  appropriation  of  $50,000  for  the  enforcement  of  the 
Weeks-McLean  migratory-bird  law  was  being  fought  by  Senator  Reed  and 
others,  our  Society  used  every  influence  in  its  power,  such  as  having  its  prom- 
inent members  write  to  Senators,  or  make  a  personal  appeal  to  the  members  of 
the  Senate  committee.     By  this  course  we  helped  to  save  the  appropriation. 

In  the  Junior  Audubon  work,  165  classes  have  been  organized  with  more 
than  3,000  pupils  doing  active  work  by  aid  of  the  material  for  study  so  liberally 
supplied  by  the  National  Association.  Governor  Stuart  graciously  con- 
sented to  issue  a  proclamation,  at  the- request  of  the  Society,  appointing  May 
4  to  be  obser\^ed  as  Bird  Day;  and  its  celebration  aroused  much  public  interest 
in  the  protection  of  bird-life  throughout  the  state. 


"% 

\ 

'  :-j^^?^itgx»ife?ti^aiy 

~n% 

^-^5^9^^^ 

M.  D.  HART 
President  of  the  Virginia  Society 


(SSa) 


State  Audubon   Reports  533 

Early  in  June,  I  wrote  to  the  presidents  of  our  four  normal  schools,  sending 
them  sample  leaflets  and  announcements,  and  asking  them  personally  to  see 
that  each  of  their  graduates  received  copies.  I  also  requested  that  a  short 
talk  be  given  to  the  graduates,  advising  them  to  organize  Junior  Audubon 
Classes  in  their  schools.  I  made  an  address  before  one  Normal  School,  and 
sent  literature  to  others.  Arrangements  have  been  made  for  an  Audubon 
exhibit  at  the  Educational  Conference  to  be  held  at  Richmond  in  November, 
when  the  officers  of  the  Society  and  speakers  from  a  distance  will  be  on  hand 
every  day  to  represent  the  Audubon  cause. 

An  energetic  plan  of  campaign  among  the  schools  is  now  in  progress,  which, 
together  with  much  valuable  work  done  by  Miss  Katharine  H.  Stuart,  employed 
as  Field  agent  in  Virginia  by  the  National  Association,  aided  by  our  Presi- 
dent, gives  us  reason  to  hope  that  the  next  fiscal  year  may  be  a  banner  one  for 
Audubon  work  in  the  Old  Dominion. — Mrs.  R.  B.  Smithey,  Secretary. 

West  Virginia. — This  Society  has  devoted  itself  during  the  past  twelve 
months  largely  to  the  attempt  to  develop  a  stronger  sentiment  for  the  pro- 
tection and  preservation  of  bird-life.  We  think  we  see  evidence  of  success  in 
the  widening  interest  in  the  study  and  protection  of  birds  manifest  throughout 
our  state,  indications  of  which  reach  us  from  many  sources.  We  see  great 
cause  for  encouragement  in  the  fact  that  the  Society  has  received  during  the 
year  inquiries  from  teachers  in  many  parts  of  the  state  in  regard  to  the  forma- 
tion of  Junior  Audubon  Classes,  and  to  all  these  words  of  encouragement  and 
supplies  of  the  leaflets  of  the  National  Association  have  been  sent,  with  the 
gratifying  result  that  many  Junior  Classes  have  been  organized.  One  school  in 
Parkersburg  had  300  Junior  members,  under  the  competent  leadership  of  Miss 
Kerr  and  Miss  Mallory.  From  Brooke  County  comes  a  report,  by  an  energetic 
and  enthusiastic  member.  Miss  Cora  Reed,  of  eleven  Junior  Classes,  with  an 
aggregate  membership  of  about  200. 

The  Audubon  Society  of  the  West  Liberty  State  Normal  School  was  organ- 
ized during  the  year,  and  at  once  associated  itself  with  us  as  a  branch.  The 
President,  Miss  Sanders,  reports  a  membership  of  30,  and  an  interest  that 
extended  to  the  townspeople,  as  indicated  by  the  very  general  feeding  of  birds 
and  the  erection  of  bird-houses  and  nesting-boxes.  Several  feeding-stations 
were  established  and  cared  for  by  school-boys  in  Parkersburg  during  the 
past  winter.  Last  May  our  Society  was  fortunate  in  having  a  lecture  from  one 
of  its  members,  the  Rev.  Earl  A.  Brooks,  of  Weston,  to  which  the  public  was 
made  welcome,  and  which  was  greatly  enjoyed.  Mr.  Brooks  is  preparing  a 
check-list  of  the  birds  of  West  Virginia.  Our  monthly  meetings  have  been 
held  as  usual,  and  those  in  the  spring  and  summer  were  devoted  to  field-work. 
— Clara  E.  Marsh,  Secretary. 

Wisconsin. — The  lust  to  kill,  inherited  from  some  cave-dwelling  ances- 
tor, is  still  rampant  in  Wisconsin,  for  the  commandment  "Thou  shalt  not  kill" 


5,S4  Bird -Lore 

seems  re;^arded  as  uttered  in  a  purely  Pickwicivian  sense.  Alas!  until  very 
recently  education  has  been  away  from  nature  instead  of  in  the  direction  of 
the  world  about  us,  w^hich  is  the  only  actual  house  of  life.  In  this  state  the 
Secretary  of  the  Society  is  also  the  Treasurer,  and  in  my  case,  at  least,  Field- 
Agent  as  well.  About  my  first  work  was  to  appear  before  the  State  Federa- 
tion of  Woman's  Clubs,  when  resolutions  were  adopted  to  the  effect  that  each 
should  appoint  a  committee  to  act  with  the  Audubon  Society  in  establishing 
Junior  Classes  in  the  public  schools,  and  that  each  club  should  hold  one  public 
meeting  annually  in  the  interest  of  bird-protection.  The  next  move  was  in 
the  direction  of  getting  new  members  for  the  State  Society.  An  appeal  was 
published  in  our  official  organ,  By  the  Wayside,  for  50,000  new  members, 
which  was  subsequently  sent  to  all  the  newspapers  in  the  state  with  a  request 
that  they  republish  it  and  send  their  bill  to  the  birds.  A  special  appeal  to  the 
teachers  of  Wisconsin  was  made  through  The  Journal  of  Education. 

This  gave  the  Society  healthy  publicity,  but  comparatively  few  new  mem- 
bers. One  of  the  principal  handicaps  in  Audubon  work  throughout  the  year 
has  been  the  uncertainty  and  irregularity  in  the  publication  of  By  the  Way- 
side. Ex-editor  Roland  B.  Kremers  found  himself  unable  to  give  the  time  to 
its  duties  that  the  position  demanded.  The  genial  new  editor,  Prof.  A.  R.  Cahn, 
will  find  that  the  Directors  have  a  rod  in  pickle  for  him,  unless  in  the  matter 
of  regularity  he  becomes  a  good  second  to  Old  Faithful!  Memberships  were 
solicited  also  by  letter,  which  resulted  in  so  voluminous  a  correspondence 
that  the  Secretary's  daughter  was  appointed  as  his  efificient  assistant,  and  the 
Society  gradually  doubled  its  membership.  It  has  become  generally  known 
as  the  only  organization  in  Wisconsin  having  for  its  sole  aim  bird-protection 

Making  no  special  mention  of  what  has  been  done  in  establishing  Junior 
Classes  in  the  schools  (although,  by  the  exertions  of  the  National  Associa- 
tion 115  classes,  containing  1,253  members,  were  formed  within  the  state), 
I  wish  to  call  attention  to  two  very  important  things  actually  accomplished  in 
Wisconsin.  First,  the  creation  of  Audubon  bird-refuges  to  the  extent  of  21,868 
acres,  Madison,  Ripon,  and  Portage  becoming  cities  of  refuge.  In  fact,  more 
land  has  been  offered  than  could  be  properly  posted  this  year.  Prof.  A.  C.  Bur- 
rell,  of  the  State  University,  deserves  special  mention  for  invaluable  services 
rendered  in  this  direction.  The  idea  of  setting  apart  private  lands  as  bird- 
sanctuaries  is  a  popular  one,  and  is  bound  to  accomplish  a  vast  amount  of 
good.  When  the  proposition  was  made  to  C.  E.  Blodgett,  of  Marshfield,  to 
post  his  5,000  acres  of  land  as  a  bird-refuge,  he  not  only  acceded  to  it  at  once, 
but  also  gave  the  Audubon  Society  $100,  thus  becoming  its  first  patron. 
The  second  important  thing  accomplished  was  at  the  Game-Warden's  Con- 
vention, when  two-thirds  of  the  deputy  wardens  became  members  of  the 
Audubon  Society.— \'^ictor  Kutchin,  Secretary  and  Treasurer. 


Report   of  the  Treasurer  535 

JOHN    H.  KOCH    &   COMPANY,  Certified  Public  Accountants 
Liberty  Tower,  55  Liberty  Street,  New  York 

New  York,  October  24,  1914. 
Messrs.  J.  A.  Allen  and  T.  Gilbert  Pearson, 
Audit  Committee, 

National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies, 
1974  Broadway,  New  York,  N.  Y. 

Dear  Sirs: — In  accordance  with  your  instructions,  we  have  made  an  exami- 
nation of  the  books,  accounts  and  records  of  the  National  Association  of 
Audubon  Societies  for  the  year  ended  October  19,  1914,  and  present  for  your 
scrutiny  the  following  statements, — viz: 

Exhibit  "A" — Balance  Sheet  October  19,  1914. 
Exhibit  "B" — Income  and  Expense  Account,  General  Fund. 
Exhibit  "C" — Income  and  Expense,  Sage  Fund. 
Exhibit  "D" — Income  and  Expense,  Egret  Fund. 
Exhibit  "E" — Income  and  Expense,  Alaska  Fund. 
Exhibit  "F" — Income  and  Expense,  Children's  Fund. 
Exhibit  "G" — Income  and  Expense  Department  of  Applied  Ornithol- 
ogy Fund. 
Exhibit  "H" — Receipts  and  Disbursements. 

An  examination  of  all  disbursements  for  the  year  was  made,  which  we  found 
were  duly  verified  with  approved  receipted  vouchers  and  cancelled  endorsed 
checks. 

We  attended  at  the  Safe  Deposit  Company's  vaults  and  examined  all 
investment  securities,  which  we  found  in  order. 
Submitting  the  foregoing,  we  are 

Very  truly  yours, 

JOHN    H.   KOCH  &  CO. 

Certified  Public  Accountants. 


536  Bird -Lore 


The  Report  of  the  Treasurer  of  the  National  Association 
of  Audubon  Societies,  for  Year  Ending  October  19,  1914 

Exhibit  "A" 

ASSETS 

Cash  in  Banks  and  Office $13,608  78 

Furniture  and  Fixtures — 

Balance  October  20,  1913 $1,079  o4 

Purchased  this  year 658  76 

$1,737  80 
Less:  Depreciation 173   78 

1,564  02 

Inventory  of  Plates,  etc.  {Nominal  Value) 500  00 

Bird  Island  Purchase,  Orange  Lake,  Fla 250  20 

Buzzards  Island,  S.  C 300  00 

Audubon  Boats — 

Balance  October  20,  1913 ■ ' $1,891   76 

Additions  this  year 

$1,891   76 

Less:  Depreciation 189  18 

— ^  1,702  58 

Investments,  Endowment  Fund — 

Bonds  and  Mortgages  on  Manhattan  Real  Estate $358,900  00 

U.  S.  Mortgage  &  Trust  Co.  Bonds 3,000  00 

Manhattan  Beach  Securities  Co 2,000  00 

363,900  00 

Investments,  Mary  Dutcher  Memorial  Fund — 

Bonds  and  Mortgages  on  Manhattan  Real  Estate 7, 100  00 

Total $388,925  58 


Report  of  the  Treasurer  537 


LIABILITIES 

Endowment  Fund — • 

Balance  October  20,  1913 $359i530  41 

Received  bequest  Miss  Elizabeth  Drummond 3,000  00 

Received  Gift  Miss  H.  Rhoades 10  00 

Received  from  life  members 5,700  00 


,240  41 


Mary  Dulcher  Memorial  Fund — 

Balance  October  20,  1913  .  .  .    7  737   70 

Special  Funds — 

Mrs.  Russell  Sage  Fund    Exhibit  C $2,877  49 

Egret  Protection  Fund,     Exhibit  D. .  .<, 447  57 

Alaska  Fund,                       Exhibit  E 1,889  7° 

Children  Educational  Fund,  Northern  States,  Exhibit  F.  565   18 

Department  of  Applied  Ornithology,  Exhibit  G 5,325  59 

11,105  53 

Surplus — 

Surplus  beginning  of  year $599  34 

Balance  from  Income  Account 1,242  60 

■ 1,841   94 


.925   58 


538  Bird -Lore 

INCOME  AND  EXPENSE  ACCOUNT— General  Fund 

„    ....     ..-,,,  EXPENSES 

Exhibit      B 

Wdidrii  S<i-vi(C  and  h'c.scrvnliDHs — 

Salaries $9X7  50 

l';.\i)enscs 10  00 

Reservation  Expenses 61  71 

Launcli  Exi)ense 392  76 

,      .  ,  ,.  $1,451   97 

Legislation — • 

Virginia $200  00 

lOnglish  Feather 100  00 

Massachusetts 591   23 

Federal 537   79 

California 400  00 

•  1,829    O' 

Educational  Effort — 

Secretary,  Salary  and  Expenses $6,511   95 

E.  H.  Forbush,  Salary  and  Expenses 436  06 

Winthrop  Packard,  Salary  and  Expenses 2,496  63 

W.  L.  Finley,  Salary  and  Expenses 600  00 

James  Henry  Rice,  Salary  and  Expenses 200  00 

Arthur  H.  Norton,  Salary  and  Expenses 306  02 

Press  Information 59  06 

News  Correspondence 325  00 

Bird  Lore,  Extra  pages 2,328  39 

Printing,  Office  and  Field-Agents 1,003  49 

Traveling,  local  workers 30  85 

Electros  and  half-tones 1,163  92 

Library 1 74  63 

Slides  and  drawings 695  06 

Educational  Leaflets 267   19 

Bird  Lore  to  Members 2,686  95 

Von  Berlespch  Books loi  46 

Color  Plates 1,352   75 

Outlines 95  30 

Field  Glasses 43   20 

Wild  Bird  Life  and  Flowers 197  48 

Prints,  charts,  etc 141   74 

Contribution  to  Central  Texas  Audubon  Society 17  00 

Contribution  to  New  Hampshire  Audubon  Societ}- 50  00 

Contribution  to  Florida  Audubon  Society 375   25 

Contribution  to  Illinois  Audubon  Society 250  00 

Drawings,  artist 105  00 

22,014  38 

General  Expenses — -  $25,295  37 

Salary,  Chief  Clerk $1,365  00 

Salaries,  Cashier  and  Bookkeeper 1,563   17 

Salary,  Stenographers  (four) 2,001    24 

$4,929  41       

Amount  brought  forward $25,295  37 


Report   of   the  Treasurer  539 

INCOME    AND  EXPENSE   ACCOUNT— Genera!    Account,  contitmed 

Amount  brought  forward $2.t;.2g5   .57 

Kxpenses  brought  forward $4,929  41 

General  Expenses,  continued — 

Junior  Clerks  (two) 620  88 

Postage 1,110  68 

Telegraph  and  telephone 22;^  66 

Office  and  storeroom  rents i,43-  5° 

Legal  services 532  03 

Auditing  books 125  00 

Envelopes  and  supplies 459  15 

Miscellaneous 357  84 

Stenographic  work. 260  14 

Cartage  and  expressage 93  12 

Insurance 86  7  2 

Electric  Light " 30  10 

Returned  Sales  Expense 16  03 

Sales  Department  Expense 120  62 

Depreciation  on  boats 189  18 

Depreciation  on  office  furniture 173  78 

Exchange  on  checks 27  76 

Office  repairs  and  furnishings 175  26 

Annual  Meeting  expense 11  00 

Feeding  birds  during  winter 130  43 

Stencils,  Addressograph  Machine 61  33 

New  Members'  Expenses 2,463  88 

$13-630  50 

Contributed  to  Sage  Fund  by  the  National  Association  of  Audubon 

Societies 604  98 

Total  Expenses $39;530  85 

Balance,  Surplus  for  the  year 1,242  60 

Total .' .  .  $40,773  45 

INCOME 

Members'  Dues $12,307  50 

Contributions 4,481  85 

Interest  from  Investments 20,659  7^ 

Rent  of  Willow  Island 32   10 

Sales — 

Educational  Leaflets  Sales $1,723  94 

Field  Glasses 126  90 

Sale  and  Rental  of  Lantern-Slides 590  02 

Von  Berlepsch  Book  Sales 1 78  90 

Bird-Lore  Sales 316  87 

Sundry  Sales 93  44 

Grants'  Book  Sales 85  96 

Sales  of  Book 176  19 


$3,292   22 

Total $40,773  45 


540  Bird -Lore 


MRS.    RUSSELL    SAGE    FUND 

INCOME    AND    EXPENSE   ACCOUNT 
Exhibit  "C" 

Income — 

Balance  unexpended  October  20,  1913 $2,562  58 

Contribution  of  Mrs.  Russell  Sage 5,000  00 

Contribution  of  National  Association 604  98 

Junior  Members'  fees 1,768  70 

Returned  from  Express  Co 10  88 

$9,947   14 

Expenses — 

Printing  Leaflets  for  Junior  Members $i,3Si   66 

Colored  bird  pictures  for  Junior  Members 1,460  00 

Outline  bird  pictures  for  Junior  Members 223  41 

Expressage 265  80 

Printing  circulars 279  40 

Printing  envelopes 83  02 

Postage  on  circulars  and  literature 589  50 

Bird  Lore  subscriptions  for  Junior  Secretaries 599  50 

Stenographic  and  clerical  work 577  63 

Office  rent 150  00 

Office  supplies 27   92 

Salary  and  expenses  Field  Agent,  Miss  Stuart 1,262  48 

Miscellaneous 13   28 

Artist  Drawings 25  00 

Stencils  for  Secretaries 30  60 

Buttons  for  Junior  Members 130  45 

$7,069  65 

Balance  unexpended  October  19,  1914 2,877  49 

$9,947   14 


Report  of  the   Treasurer  541 

EGRET    PROTECTION    AND   TARIFF    REVISION    FUND 

INCOME    AND    EXPENSE    ACCOUNT 
Exhibit   "D" 

Income  and  Expense  Account 
Income — 

Balance  unexpended  October  20,  1913 $433  78 

Contributions  as  published  in  Bird  Lore,  Vol.  XVI,  Nos.  i, 

2,  3,  4,  s,  and  6 3,365  84 

$3,7y9  62 

Expenses — 

Postage,  printing,  envelopes  and  circularizing $411   80 

Clerical  Work 66  00 

Legal  Services ^6  00 

Telegrams 8  7.2 

Inspecting  Florida  Rookeries,  T.  G.  Pearson 129  08 

Purchase  and  repairs  South  Carolina  Bird  Islands 115  50 

Egret  Wardens' expenses 2,258  35 

News  correspondence 150  00 

Half-tones j  2  00 

British  Plumage  Legislation 100  oc 

Miscellaneous c  qo 

$3,352  OS 

Balance  unexpended,  October  19,  1914 447  57 


$3,799  62 


Exhibit  "E" 
Income — 


ALASKAN   FUND 

INCOME   AND   EXPENSE    ACCOUNT 


Balance  unexpended  October  20,  1913 $1,190  90 

Contributed I'ooo  00 

$2,190  90 

Expense — 

Alaska  book $30j   2^ 

Balance  unexpended  October  19,  1914 $1,889  7© 

$2,190  90 


542  Bird -Lore 


Exhibit  "F" 


CHILDREN'S    EDUCATIONAL    FUND 
INCOME    AND    EXPENSE    ACCOUNT 


Income — 

Balance  unexpended  October  20,  19 13 S5w^'5   1° 

Contributions 14,000  00 

Returns  from  Express  Company 10  00 

Junior  Members'  Fees 8,480  50 


Expenses — 

Stenographic  and  Clerical  Help !i!;2,o64  32 

Expressage  on  Literature 1,198   10 

Artists'  Drawing  of  Birds 75  00 

Colored  Bird  Pictures 9, 591   15 

Report  and  Publicity 308  70 

Buttons  for  Junior  Members 570  25 

Stencils  for  Addressograph  Machine 131    73 

Office  Rent 420  00 

Special  Lecturer 287   15 

Printing  Envelopes 134  76 

Leaflets  for  Junior  Members 5,841   18 

Offlce  Supplies 1 26  99 

Bird  Lore  for  Junior  Secretaries 3,089  35 

Printed  Circulars 458  74 

Postage  on  Circulars  and  Literature '.576   15 

Electros  and  Half-tones 319  50 

Outline  Bird  Pictures 1 ,428  74 

Miscellaneous 69  21 


5528,256     2C 


$27,691 

Balance  unexpended  October  19,  1914 565 


$28,256    2C 

DEPARTMENT   OF   APPLIED   ORNITHOLOGY 

INCOME    AND    EXPENSE    ACCOUNT 
Exhibit  "G" 

Income $5,932  50 

Expenses — 

Salaries $416  00 

Traveling  Expenses 190  91        $606  91 

Balance  unexpended  October  19,  1914 5,325  59 

$5,932  50 


Report  of  the  Treasurer  543 


STATEMENT    OF   RECEIPTS  AND    DISBURSEMENTS, 
YEAR   ENDING  OCTOBER    19,  1914 

RECEIPTS 

Exhibit   "H" 

Receipts — 

Income  on  General  Fund $40>773  45 

Endowment  Fund 8,710  00 

Sage  Fund $7,384  S6 

ifii^— Contribution  by  National  Association...      604  98 

6,779  58 

Income  on  Egret  Fund 3f3(>5  84 

Alaskan  Fund i  ,000  00 

Children  Educational  Fund,  Northern 22,490  50 

Department  of  Applied  Ornithology 5,932  50 

Total  Receipts  year  ending,  October  19,  1914 $89,051  87 

Cash  Balance  October  20,  1913 13,265  57 

$102,317  44 

Disbursements — 

Expense  on  General  Fund $39,53°  85 

Less — Contribution  to  Sage  Fund 604  98 

$38,925  87 

Investment  on  Endowment  Fund 10,000  00 

Expenses  on  Sage  Fund 7,069  65 

Egret  Fund 3,352  05 

Alaskan  Fund 301   20 

Children  Educational  Fund,  Northern 27,691  02 

Department  of  Applied  Ornithology 606  91 

Bradley  Fund 1 23  00 

Furniture  Account 658  76 

Unpaid  bills  of  October  20,  1913 343  16 

$89,071  62 
Less — Depreciation  charges  on  boats  and  furniture $362  96 

Total  Disbursements  for  the  year $88,708  66 

Cash  Balance  October  19,  1914 13,608  78 

$102,317  44 


544  Bird  -  Lore 


New  York  City,  October  26,  1914. 
Dr.  F.  a.  Lucas, 

Acting  President, 

National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies, 
New  York  City. 

Dear  Sirs' — We  have  examined  reports  submitted  by  John  H.  Koch  & 
Company,  certified  public  accountants,  on  the  accounts  of  the  National 
Association  of  Audubon  Societies  for  the  year  ending  October  20,  1914.  The 
account  shows  balance  sheet  of  October  20,  1914,  and  income  and  expense 
account  for  the  year  ending  the  same  date. 

Vouchers  and  paid  checks  have  been  examined  by  them  in  connection  with 
all  disbursements,  and  also  the  securities  in  the  Safe  Deposit  Company. 

Yours  very  truly, 

J.  A.  ALLEN, 

T.  GILBERT  PEARSON, 

Auditing  Committee 


List  of  Members 


545 


LIST   OF   MEMBERS   OF   THE    NATIONAL   ASSOCIATION 
OF   AUDUBON   SOCIETIES 

BENEFACTOR 
*Albert  Wilcox 1906 

FOUNDER 
Mrs.  Russell  Sage 1910 

PATRONS 

William  P.  Wharton 1909 

Miss  Heloise  Meyer 191 2 


LIFE    MEMBERS 


Abbott,  Clinton  G 1910 

Adams,  Mrs.  George  E 191 2 

Alms,  Mrs.  Eleanora  C 1913 

Andrews,  Mrs.  E.  B 1914 

Armstrong,  Dr.  S.  T 1913 

Arnold,  Benjamin  Walworth 19 14 

Ash,  Mrs.  Charles  G 1913 

Auchmuty,  Mrs.  R.  T 1913 

Austen,  Mrs.  Isabel  Valle 1914 

Babcock,  Mrs.  Perry  H 191 2 

Bacon,  Mrs.  Robert 191 2 

Bancroft,  William  P 1906 

Barbey,  Henry  G 1914 

Barnes,  Miss  Cora  F 1908 

*Bates,  Isaac  C 1910 

Batten,  George 191 1 

Baylies,  Mrs.  N.  E 191 2 

Beebe,  Mrs.  J.  Arthur 1907 

Beech,  Mrs.  Herbert 19 14 

Bennett,  Mrs.  Alice  H 1914 

Bigelow,  Dr.  William  Sturgis 1912 

Bingham,  Miss  Harriet 1907 

Bliss,  Miss  Catherine  A 191 1 

Bliss,  Mrs.  William  H 191 2 

Boiling,  Mrs.  Raynal  C 1909 

Borden,  Miss  Emma  L 1914 

Bowdoin,  Miss  Edith  G 191 1 

Bowdoin,  Mrs.  Temple 191 1 

*Bowman,  Miss  Sarah  R 1905 

Brewster,  William 1905 

Bridge,  Mrs.  Lydia  E 1907 

Brooks,  A.  L 1906 

Brooks,  Mrs.  Everett  W 1907 

Brooks,  Miss  Fanny 1913 

Brooks,  Gorman 191 1 

Brooks,  Peter  C 191 1 

Brooks,  Shepherd 1907 

Brooks,  Mrs.  Shepherd 1906 

Brown,  Miss  Annie  H 1914 

Brown,  T.  Hassall 191 1 

Browning,  J.  Hull 1905 


Cabot,  Mrs.  A.  T 1913 

Camden,  Mrs.  J.  N 1914 

Campbell,  Helen  Gordon 1909 

Carr,  Gen.  Julian  S 1907 

Case,  Miss  Louise  W 1914 

Chapin,  Chester  W 1910 

Chapman,  Clarence  E 1908 

Chase,  Mrs.  Philip  A 1913 

Childs,  John  Lewis 1905 

Clarke,  Mrs.  W.  N 1912 

Clyde,  W.  P 1905 

Comstock,  Miss  Clara  E 1914 

Coolidge,  J.  Randolph 1913 

Coolidge,  Oliver  H 191 2 

Coolidge,  T.  Jefferson,  3d 1907 

Crocker,  Mrs.  Emmons 1912 

Crosby,  MaunseU  S 1905 

Crozier,  Mrs.  J.  Lewis 1908 

Cudworth,  Mrs.  F.  B 1911 

Cutting,  Mrs.  W.  Bayard 1913 

Dane,  Edward 1912 

Dane,  Ernest  Blaney 1913 

Dane,  Ernest  Blaney,  Jr 191 2 

Dane,  Mrs.  E.  B 1913 

Davis,  David  D 19 11 

Davis,  William  T 1910 

Deering,  Charles 1913 

Dows,  Tracy 1914 

Draper,  Mrs.  Henry 1913 

E.  D.  T.  In  Memoriam 1914 

Earle,  Carlos  Y.  Poitevent 1905 

Earle,  Miss  E.  Poitevent 1905 

Eastman,  George 1906 

Edgar,  Daniel 1908 

Elliot,  Mrs.  J.  W 191 2 

Emmons,   Mrs.  R.  W.,  2d 1908 

Endicott,  H.  B 1908 

E.  S.  C 1913 

Farrel,  Mrs.  Franklin 1913 

*Farwell,  Mrs.  John  V.,  Jr 1909 

Fay,  Dudley  B 1913 


♦Deceased 


546 


Bird-  Lore 


LIFE  MEMBERS,  continued 


Fay,  !Mrs.  Flora  Ward 1905 

Fenno,  Mrs.  L.  Carteret tqm 

Fleischmann,  Julius 1913 

Flint,  iMiss  Jessie  S.  1' 1913 

Foot,  James  D 1907 

Forbes,  Mrs.  William  H 1914 

Forbush,  Fdward  Howe 1910 

Ford,  James  B 1913 

French,  Miss  Caroline  L.  W 1911 

*Frothingham,  Howard  P 1905 

•  Frothingham,  John  W 1913 

Gallatin,  F.,  Jr 1908 

Garneau,  Joseph 1913 

Gazzam,  Mrs.  Antoinette  E. 1908 

Gifford,  Mrs.  Robert  L 1908 

Gladding,  Mrs.  John  Russell 1914 

Goodwin,  Walter  L.,  Jr 1914 

Grant,  W.  W 1910 

Graydon,  Mrs.  Clendeny 1913 

Greenway,  Mrs.  James  C '.  1912 

Grew,  Mrs.  H.  S 1913 

Haehnle,  Reinhold 1912 

Harrah,  Mrs.    Charles  J 1913 

Harral,  Mrs.  Ellen  W 1914 

Harrison,  Alfred  C 1914 

Havemeyer,  Mrs.  H.  O.,  Jr 1907 

Hawkins,  Rush  C 1913 

Hearst,  Mrs.  Phoebe  A 1909 

Hemenway,  Mrs.  Augustus 1905 

Hentz,  Leonard  L 1914 

Hoffman,  Samuel  V 1907 

Hopewell,  Frank 191 1 

Hornbrooke,  Mrs.  Frances  B 1913 

Hostetter,  L).  Herbert. 1907 

Houghton,  Miss  Elizabeth  G 1914 

Hunnewell,  H.  S 1905 

Huntington,  Archer  M 1905 

Jackson,  Mrs.  James 1908 

Jamison,  Margaret  A 1914 

Kettle,  Mrs.  L.  N 1913 

Kidder,  Nathaniel  T 190S 

Kilmer,  Willis  Sharpe 1907 

Kinney,  Morris 1913 

Kittredge,  Miss  Sarah  N 1914 

Knight,  Miss  A.  C 1913 

Kuser,  John  Dryden 191 1 

Lane,  Benjamin  C 1909 

Lawrence.  Samuel  C 1905 

Loring,  Mrs.  W.  Caleb 1913 

Loyd,  Miss  Sarah  A.  C 1914 

McClymonds,  Mrs.  A.  R 1914 

McConnell,  Mrs.  Annie  B 1908 

McGraw,  Mrs.  Thomas  S 1908 

Mackey,  Clarence  H 1908 

Mallery,  Mrs.  Jane  M 1914 

Marshall,  Louise 1906 

Mason,  Miss  Ellen  F 1913 

Mason,  Miss  Fannj'  P 191 2 

Mason,  George  Grant 1914 

Meloy,  Andrew  D 1910 

Merrill,  Miss  F.  E 1913 

Mershon,  W.  B 1914 


Meyer,  Miss  Heloise 1910 

Moore,  Clarence  B 1909 

Morton,  Miss  Mar}' 1906 

Murphy,  Franklin 1909 

New  Jersey  Audubon  Society 1913 

Newman,  Mrs.  R.  A 1914 

North  Carolina  Audubon  Society. . . .  1905 

*Osborn,  Mrs.  Eliza  W 1906 

Palmer,  Mrs.  William  H 191 2 

*Palmer,  William  J 1906 

Parker,  A.  H 1908 

Parker,  Edward  L 1909 

Parsons,  Miss  Mary  W 1913 

Peabody,  George  A 1914 

Pearson,  T.  Gilbert 1905 

Peck,  Mrs.  Walter  L 1909 

Perkins,  Miss  Ellen  G 1914 

Perkins,  Mrs.  George  C 1913 

Phillips,  Mrs.  Eleanor  H 1908 

Phillips,  Mrs.  John  C 1905 

Phillips,  John  C 1905 

Pickman,  Mrs.  Dudley  L 1907 

Pierrepont,  Miss  Anna  J 1905 

Pierrepont,  John  J 1905 

Pierrepont,  Mrs.  R.  Stuyvesant 1914 

*Pinchot,  Mrs.  J.  W 1906 

Poland,  James  P 1909 

Potts,  Thomas 190S 

Pratt,  George  D 1911 

Prime,  Miss  Cornelia 1909 

Rainsford,  Dr.  W.  S 1913 

Reed,  Mrs.  William  Howell 190S 

Renwick,  Mrs.  Ilka  H 1914 

Reynolds,  R.J 1908 

Roberts,  Miss  Frances  A 1914 

Rockefeller,   William   G 191 2 

Rogers,  Charles  H 191 2 

Rogers,  Dudley  P 1914 

Ropes,  Mrs.  Mary  G 1913 

Russell,  Mrs.  Gordon  W 1914 

Sage,  Mrs.  Russell 190S 

Saltonstall,  John  L 1908 

Satterlee,  Mrs.  Herbert  L 1906 

Schley,  Grant  B 1914 

Schroeder,  Miss  Lizzie  H 191 1 

Seaman,  L.  W 191 2 

Shattuck,  Mrs.  F.  C 1906 

Sherman,  Miss  Althea  R 1909 

*Smith,  Miss  Alice  Weston 191 1 

Spalding,  Mrs.  Amanda  M 191 2 

Stewart,  Mrs.  Edith  A 1913 

Stickney,  Charles  D 1910 

*Stokes,  Miss  Caroline  Phelps 1908 

Stone,  Miss  Ellen  J 1914 

Taft,  Elihu  B 1911 

Taylor,  Charles  H.,  Jr 1908 

Thayer,  Mrs.  Ezra  R 1909 

Thayer,  John  E 1909 

Thompson,  Mrs.  Frederick  F 1908 

*Thorn,  Mrs.  Augusta  C 1913 

Tingley,  S.  H 1914 

Torrey,  Mrs.  Alice  W 1913 


^Deceased 


List  of  Members 


547 


LIFE  MEMBERS,  continued 


Tufts,  Leonard 1907 

Van  Brunt,  Mrs.  Charles 191 2 

Vanderbilt,  Mrs.  French 1914 

Van  Name,  Willard  G 1905 

Vaux,  George,  Jr 1905 

Wade,  Mrs.  J.  H 1914 

Wadsworth,  Clarence  S 191 1 

Wallace,  Mrs.  Augusta  H 1914 

Ward,  Marcus  L 1908 

Watson,  Mrs.  James  S 191 1 

Webb,  J.  Griswold 1913 

Webster,  F.  G 1905 


Webster,  Mrs.  Sidney 1913 

Weeks,  Henry  de  Forest 1909 

WeUs,  Mrs.  Frederick  L 191 1 

Westcott,  Miss  Margery  D 1912 

Wetmore,  George  Peabody 1914 

White,  Mrs.  Charles  T 1909 

Williams,  John  D 1909 

Wood,  Mrs.  Antoinette  Eno 1913 

Woodman,  Miss  Mary 1914 

Woodward,  Mrs.  George 1908 

Wyman,  Mrs.  Alfred  E 1914 


ANNUAL    MEMBERS    AND    CONTRIBUTORS    TO   THE    GENERAL 
FUND    FOR    1914 


Abbe,  Miss  H.  C... 

$5 

00 

Abbey,  Mrs.  F.  R... 

.^ 

00 

Abbott,  Mrs. G.St. L. 

5 

00 

Abbott,  Miss  M.  S.. 

5 

DO 

Abbott,  Mrs.  T.J... 

5 

00 

Abraham,  Miss  E.R. 

5 

00 

Achelis,  Fritz 

5 

DO 

Achilles,  Mrs.  G.   S. 

5 

GO 

Ackley,  Miss  A.  E..  . 

.s 

00 

Acton,  Miss  AgnesA. 

5 

00 

Adams,  Brooks 

5 

00 

*  Adams,  Mrs.  B..  .  . 

Adams,  C.  Q 

10 

GO 

Adams,  E.  B 

=; 

00 

Adams,  H.  W 

5 

OG 

Adams,  Mrs.  J.  D..  . 

5 

OG 

Adams,  Miss  P.  S. .  . 

5 

00 

Adler,  Max  A 

5 

GO 

Adt,  Albert  A 

I 

GG 

A  Friend 

5 

25 
5 

00 
GG 
OG 

A  Friend 

A  Friend 

A     Friend     of     the 

Song-bird 

I 

GG 

A  Game  Protector.  . 

5oo 

GG 

Agassiz,  R.  L 

.S 

GG 

Ahl,  Mrs.  Leonard.  . 

5 

GG 

Ahruke.  Carl  J.  R. . . 

5 

GG 

Aichel,  Oskar  G 

5 

GG 

Aiken,  John  A 

5 

00 

Aldrich,  Frank  W. .  . 

S 

GO 

Aldrich,  Mrs.  L.  B... 

10 

GG 

Aldrich,  Spencer. . . . 

5 

GG 

Alexander,  W.  H 

5 

GG 

Alexandre,  Mrs.  J.  J. 

S 

GO 

Allen,  Miss  Annie  E. 

I 

GG 

Allen,  C.  L 

5 

GG 

Allen,  Dr.  J.  W 

10 

GG 

Allen,  Miss  Mary  P. 

and  Friends 

8 

00 

Allen,  Mrs.  N.  T i  00 

Allison,  Mrs.  M.  D..     2  00 
Alsop,  Mrs.  F.  J.  O..      5  oo 


Brought  forw'd  f 
Althouse,  H.  W. .  .  . 
Alvord,  George  B..  . 
Ames,  Miss  H.  S. .  .  . 
Ames,  Miss  Mary  S. 
Ames,  Mrs.  W.  H. .  . 

Amory,  John  S 

Amory,  Miss  S.  C  . 

Anderson,  J.  C 

Anderson,  Mrs.  J.  C. 
Andrews,  Mrs.  H.  E. 
Andrews,  Miss  K.  R. 
Angstman,  Mrs.  C.  S. 

Anonymous 

Anthony,  D.  M 

Anthony,  Mrs.  S.  R. 
Appleton,  Miss  !M.E. 

Appleton,  W.  T 

Archbold,  John  D.. . 
Archer,  Mrs.  G.  A. .  . 

Arkwright,  P.  S 

Arnold,  Miss  Mittie. 
Arnold,  Mrs.  W.  R.. 
Arrison,  Mrs.  J.  M.. 
.\rrowood,  Mrs.B.M. 
Ashley,  Miss  E.  M.. 
Atkins,  Mrs.  E.  F..  . 
Atwater,  Charles  B.. 
Atwater,  !Mrs.  W.  C. 
Auchincloss,  JohnW. 
Audubon,  Miss  M.E. 
Audubon  Society  of 

Evansville,  Ind. .  . 
Audubon  Society  of 

Sewickley  Valley. 

.Auerbach,  J.  S 

Ault,  L.  A 

Austin,  Francis  B..  . 
Avery,  Samuel  P. .  .  . 

Avis,  Edward 

Ayer,  C.  F 

Ayer,  Mrs.  Edward. 
Ayres,  Miss  Mary  A. 


814  GO 

5  OG 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  GO 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

7  GO 

2  GG 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  OG 

2  GG 

5  00 

5  OG 

5  OG 

5  00 

S  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  OG 

5  OG 

5  00 

5  OG 

5  GG 

5  OG 

5  OG 

5  OG 

5  OG 

5  OG 


Carried  forw'd. 


S14  00 


Carried  forw'd^$i,oiG  oo 
*Pa'id  in  advance. 


Brought  forw'd  $1, 

Babcock,   W.   I 

Bachman,  Mrs.  J.  R. 
Back  Bay  Audubon 

Society 

Bacon,  Miss  E.  S... . 
Bacon,  Mrs.  F.  E..  . 
Bacon,  Miss  H.  R. .  . 
Bacon,  Miss  M.  P..  . 
Bailev,  Mrs.  A.  T. .  . 

Bailey,  H.  T 

Bailey,  S.  I 

Baird,  Charles 

Baker,  Miss  C.  S.. .  . 
Baker,  George  L. .  .  . 
Baker,  Miss  M.  E..  . 
Baker,  Miss  M.  K. .  . 

Baker,  W.  E 

Balch,  Mrs.  G.  R.... 

Balch,  Joseph 

Baldwin,  Charles  L. . 
Baldwin,  George  J. . . 

Baldwin,  S.  P 

Baldwin,  Mrs.  S.  T.. 
Balkan,  Mrs.  W.  F.. 

Ball,  Miss  H.  A 

Bancroft,    Mrs.     W. 

P 

Bangs,  F.  R 

Bangs,  Dr.  L.  B 

Banks,  The  Misses.  . 
Barbour,  Irene  T..  .  . 

Barfield,  Josiah 

Barker,  Miss  E.  L. .  . 

Barker,  F.  E 

Barlow,  Mrs.  F.  C. .  . 
Barnard,  Judge  Job . 
Barnes,  Mrs.  H.  S. .  . 
Barnes,  Prof.  H.  T.. 
Barnes,  J.  Sanford.  . 
Barney,  Mrs.  C.  T... 

Barnum,  W.  M 

Barnum,  Mrs.  W.  M. 


010  00 
5  00 
5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

10  00 

5  00 

5    OG 

iG  00 
5  00 
I  00 

10  00 
5  00 
5  00 

I  GO 
00 
00 
OG 
00 
GO 
00 
SO 
00 
00 
00 


10  GO 

S  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
S  00 
5  00 
S  SO 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 

5  OG 

5  00 

5  OG 

5  00 
S  00 


Carried  forw'd. $1,220  oo 


548 


Bird  -  Lore 


ANNUAL  MEMBERS   AND  CONTRIBUTORS,  continued 


Brought  forw'd  $1,2 

Barr,  Miss  C.  F 

Barr,  James  H 

Harr,  T.  F 

Barrere,  Claude  and 

Gabriel 

Barrett,  Mrs.  R.  R.. 

Barrett,  W.  H 

Barrie,  Mrs.  E.  S..  .  . 
Barron,  George  D..  . 
Barrows,  Charles  H. 
Barrows,  Mrs.  F.  K. 

Barrows,  Mrs.  M 

Barry,  Miss  Anna  K. 
Barstow,  Mrs.  F.  Q. . 
Barstow,  Mrs.  W.  A. 
Bartlctt,  Mrs.  C.  T.. 
Bartlett,  Miss  Fanny 

Bartlett,  Miss  F 

Bartlett,  Mrs.  H 

Bartol,  Miss  E.  H..  . 
Barton,  Mrs.  F.  O..  . 
Barton,  Mrs.  W.J. . . 
Bass,  Mrs.  Perkins.  . 
Bates,  Miss  Ella  M.. 
Bates,  Miss  K.  L...  . 
Beach,  Mrs.  H.  H.A. 
Beadleston,  A.  N...  . 
Beal,  Mrs.  James  H. 

Beattie,  W.  E 

Beck,  Charles  W.... 
Beckwith,  Mrs.  D..  . 
Beckwith,  T.,  Jr..  .  . 
Bedford       Audubon 

Society 

Beer,  Mrs.  Edwin. .  . 

Beer,  Mrs.  J 

Behr,  Edward  A. .  .  . 
Bell,  Mrs.  Gordon.  . 

Bellard,  Miss  K 

Bement,  Mrs.  G.  F.. 

Bemis,  Albert  F 

Bemis,  Mrs.  Frank.  . 
Bemish,  Mrs.  W.  H.. 

Benedict,  T.  H 

Benet,  Miss  L 

Benjamin,  Mrs.  A.  B. 
Benjamin,  Mrs.  John 

Benkard,  J.  P 

Benson,  E.  N.,  Jr..  . 
Benson,  Mrs.  L.  F. .  . 
Benson,  Miss  Mary. 

Bent,  Arthur  C 

Bentley,  Mrs.  S.  M.. 
Berger,  Mrs.  W.  H. . 
Berrien,  Mrs.  F.  D.. 

Bertschmann,  J 

Best,  Mrs.  C.  L 

Betts,  Mrs.  E.  K...  . 
Betts,  Samuel  R. .  .  . 
Beveridge,  Mrs.  A.  J. 


20 

00 

s 

00 

5 

00 

.S 

00 

I 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

3 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

S 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

S 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

GO 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

2.-; 

00 

5 

GO 

5 

GG 

5 

OG 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

OG 

10 

OG 

S 

GO 

5 

GG 

5 

GG 

s 

5 

5 

5 

5 

S 

5 

5 

5 
15   GO 

5  OG 
GG 
GG 
GG 
GG 
GG 
GG 
GG 
GG 
00 
GG 
GO 
GG 
GG 
GG 


Carried  forw'd. $1,5 28  00 


Brought  forw'd  $1,5 

Bevier,  Miss  K 

Bickmore,  Prof.  A.  S. 

(In  Memoriam) .  . 
Biddle,  MissE.  W... 
Biddle,  Mrs.  George 
Bigelow,  Miss  E..  .  . 
Biggs,  Dr.  H.  M.... 
Biglow,  Mrs.  L.  H. .  . 

Bill,  Nathan  D 

Billerica  Girls'  Club. 

Billings,  Miss  E 

Bingham,  Miss  M..  . 
Binney,    Rev.    John 

(In  Memoriam)..  . 

Birch,  Hugh  T 

Birdlovers'    Club    of 

Brooklyn 

Bird  Society,  Misses 

Shipley  School..  .  . 

Bishop,  J.  G 

Black,  R.  C 

Blackinton,  Mrs.  R. 
Blair,  C.  Ledyard..  . 

Blake,  Arthur 

F.  E.  L.  B 

Blake,  Mrs.  S.  P.... 
Blakeley,  Mrs.  F.  E. 
Blakiston,  Miss  E..  . 
Blanchard,  John  A.. 

Blanchard,  W 

Blashfield,  Mrs.  E.  H 

Bliss,  E.  C 

Bliss,  E.  J 

Bliss,  Miss  Ida  E..  .  . 
Bliss,  Mrs.  M.  B.... 
Bliss,  Mrs.  W.  P...  . 

Blitch,  N.  H 

Block,  Dr.  E.  Bates. 
Blood,  Mrs.  C.  O.... 
Bloomfield,Mrs.C.C. 
Bloomingdale     Miss 

Laura  A 

Blue,  Mrs.  C.  E 

Blunt,  Miss  Eliza  S. . 
Boardman,  MissE. D. 
Boardman,  Mrs.  L.. 
Boardman,  MissR.C. 
Boardman,  Miss  S.. 
Boardman,  Mrs.  W. 

D 

Boardman,  W.  J. .  .  . 
Bogert,  Miss  Anna.  . 
Bogert,  Miss  A.  M.. 
Bogert,  Prof.  M.  T. . 
Boland,  Miss  Mary. 
BoUes,  MissD.F.... 

Boiling,  R.  C 

Boiling,  Stanhope . . . 
Bolter,  Miss  A.  E..  . 
Bond,  Henry 


28  00 
I   00 

iG  00 
5  00 

GG 
GG 
GG 
GG 
GG 
GO 
GO 
GG 


5  00 
5  00 

S  00 


s 

GG 

5 

GG 

5 

GO 

S 

00 

5 

GG 

5 

GG 

5 

00 

S 

GG 

5 

GG 

5 

GO 

5 

GO 

5 

GO 

5 

00 

5 

GG 

5 

GG 

5 

GG 

5 

GO 

5 

GG 

5 

GO 

5 

GG 

5 

GG 

5 

GO 

5 

OG 

5 

GO 

S 

00 

S 

GG 

S 

GG 

5 

GO 

I 

GO 

5 

OG 

S 

GG 

5 

GO 

25 

GO 

5 

OG 

5 

GO 

5 

GO 

5 

OG 

5 

GO 

5 

00 

5 

GO 

Brought  forw'd  $1,8 

Bond,  S.  N 

Bond-Foote,  Mrs.  E. 
Bonnett,  Charles  P. 
Borden,  Mrs.  E.  L.. . 
Borden,  Miss  E.  L.. . 
Borden,  Mrs.  W. .  .  . 
Borg,  Mrs.  Sidney  C. 

Borland,  W.  G 

Borne,  Mrs.  John  E. 
Bosworth,Mrs.W.W. 

Bourne,  F.  G 

Bowden,  J.  G 

Bowdish,  B.  S 

Bowditch,  C.  P 

Bowditch,  Edward. . 

Bowdish,  J.  H 

Bowdoin,  Mrs.  G.  S. 
Bowen,  Miss  Jane.  . 

Bowles,  Mrs.  S 

Box  534 

Boyd,  A.  R 

Boyle,  E.J 

Brabham,  Idis 

Brackett,  Dr.  C.  A. . 
Bradford,  Miss  D.  S. 
Bradford,  Miss  E.  F. 
Bradford,  Mrs.  G.  G. 
Bradley,  Miss  A.  A.. 

Bradley,  A.  C 

Bradley,  Mrs.  D.  R. . 

Bradley,  E.  R 

Bradley,  George  J. .  . 
Bradley,  Peter  B. .  .  . 

Bragdon,  J.  W 

Brakeley,  Joseph. . . . 
Brandegee,Mrs.E.D. 
Brandegee,  MissE. S. 
Brandegee,  Miss  F.S. 
Brandegee,  Miss  K. . 

Braun, John  F 

Brazier,  Mrs.  J.  H. .  . 
Breese,  Mrs.  S.  S.. . . 
Brenchand,  Mrs.  J.. 
Brennecke,  George . . 
Brewer,  Edward  M. . 

Brewer,  Miss  R 

Brewster,  Mrs.  H.  C. 
Brewster,  Miss  J.  E. 

Brewster,  W.  T 

Bridge,  Edmund,.  .  . 

Bridge,  F.  W 

Bridges,  Miss  F 

Briggs,  Frank  H. .  .  . 
Brigham,  Mrs.  C...  . 

BriU,  Dr.  A.  A 

Brinckerhoff,      Mrs. 

E.  A 

Bristol,  John  I.  D..  . 

Brock  Brothers 

Brock,  Mrs.  R.  C.  H. 


IS  00 
5  00 

10    GO 

5  00 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 


GO 
00 
OG 
GO 
GO 
GG 
GO 
00 
GO 
GO 
GO 
OG 
GO 
00 
GO 
GG 
I  OG 

5  00 
5  00 
5  00 

I  00 
GG 
GO 
GO 
OG 
GO 
GO 
GO 
GO 
00 
00 
00 
00 
OG 


5 

5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 

IG    GO 
IG    00 

5  00 


GO 
GO 
GO 
GO 


5 
5 
5 
5 

10  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

10  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

I  00 

5  00 


Carried  forw'd. $1,815  00  |       Carried  forw'd. $2, 123  00 


List  of  Members 


549 


ANNUAL  MEMBERS   AND   CONTRIBUTORS,  continued 


Brought  forw'd  $2, 
Brockway,  Mrs.C.T. 
Bromley,  Joseph  H. . 
Brookes,  Mrs.  Frank 
Brookline  Bird  Club 
Brooks,  Frank  M.. 
Brooks,  Miss  M.  W. 
Brooks,  Mrs.  P.  C. . 
Brooks,  Walter  D.. 
Brooks,  Mrs.  W.  T. 
Brower,  Miss  L.  S.. 

Brown,  Mrs.  A 

Brown,  Miss  A.  M. 
Brown,  Miss  Bergh. 
Brown,  Mrs.  Carter 

Brown,  C.  D 

Brown,  C.  H 

Brown,  Davenport. 
Brown,  Elisha  R..  . 
Brown,  Miss  Ella. . 
Brown,  Mrs.  F.  G.. 
Brown,  Mrs.  F.  F.. 

Brown,  F.  Q 

Brown,  Mrs.  F.  Q. . 
Brown,  Mrs.  H.T.. 
Brown,  Harry  W. .  . 
Brown,  J.  Adams.  . 
Brown,  J.  Epps., .  . 

Brown,  Dr.  L 

Brown,  Miss  M.  E. 
Brown,  Nathan  C 
Brown,  Miss  O.  D.. 
Brown,  Philip  G. .  . 
Brown,  Ronald  K.. 
Brown,  Mrs.  T.  M. 
Browning,  W.  H. .  . 
Brownson,  Mrs.  I.K 

Bruen,  Frank 

Bryan,  Shepard..  .  . 
Bryant,  Mrs.  E.  B.. 
Buchanan,  R.  P...  . 
Buckley,  Henry  H 
Budd    Lake    Nature 

Study  Club .  .  . 
Buel,  Miss  K.  L.. 
Buffalo         Audubon 

Society 

Buffington,Mrs.E.D 
Buffum,  Mrs.Wm.P 
Bugbee   and    Baker 

Misses 

Bulkey,  Mrs.  E.  M. 

Bull,  M 

Bullard,  Mrs.  W.  S. 
Bunker,  William..  . 

Bunn,  C.  W 

Burdick,  Marcus  M 
Burgess,  John  A. .  . 
Burgess,  John  K..  . 
Burgess,  Miss  S.  K 
Burke,  Mrs.  A 


23 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

10 

00 

S 

00 

10 

00 

.s 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

2 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

S 

00 

5 

00 

S 

00 

2 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

3 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

I 

00 

5 

GO 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

GO 

5 

GO 

5 

OG 

5 

GG 

5 

GO 

10 

GO 

5 

GG 

5 

GO 

S 

00 

5 

GO 

2 

00 

5 

GG 

.SO 

GO 

5 

GO 

5 

00 

5 

GO 

10 

00 

5 

GO 

10 

00 

5 

00 

S 

00 

5 

GG 

2 

00 

Brought  forw'd  $2,460  00 


Carried  forw'd. $2,460  00 


Burleigh,  George  W 

•     5 

00 

Carter,  S.  T.,  Jr 

5 

00 

Burnham,  Mrs.  E.  F 

IG 

GO 

Gary,  Miss  Kate..  .  . 

5 

GO 

Burnham,  Mrs.  G.Jr 

•       S 

GO 

Case,  Mrs.  Ermine.  . 

5 

GO 

Burnham,  Mrs.  J.  A 

5 

GO 

Case,  Mrs.  F.  C 

2 

GO 

Burnham,  J.  B 

5 

00 

Case,  Mrs.  George  B. 

s 

GO 

Burnham,  Mrs.  J.W 

5 

GG 

Case,  Miss  M.  R.... 

10 

GG 

Burnham,  Mrs.  L.  T 

5 

GO 

Chace,  Miss  ElizaM. 

I 

00 

Burnham,  W 

5 

GO 

Chadwick,  E.  J 

5 

GG 

Burr,  Mrs.  I.  T...  . 

IG 

00 

Chafee,  Mrs.  Z 

5 

OG 

Burr,  I.  Tucker..  .  . 

5 

GG 

Chamberlain,  C.  W. 

5 

00 

Burr,  Roy  C 

5 

GO 

Chamberlain,      Mrs. 

Burr,  WiUiam  H... 

5 

00 

J.  P 

5 

00 

Burr,  Winthrop. . . . 

10 

00 

Chamberlain,  W.  L. . 

5 

00 

Burrall,   Mrs.  M  E. 

5 

GO 

Chamberlain,      Miss 

Burritt,  Mrs.  C.  P.. 

5 

GO 

A.  H 

2 

00 

Burroughs,  George. 

S 

GO 

Chamberlain,      Mrs. 

Burt,  Mrs.  John  H. 

E.  F.  P 

5 

OG 

and    Mrs.  Mabe 

i 

Chamberlain,  G.  X. . 

5 

00 

Clark 

2 
5 

00 
GO 

Chambers,  F.  R 

Chandler,  WilliamE. 

5 
5 

00 

Burt,  Miss  M.  T. . . 

00 

Burton,  Mrs.  E.  F. . 

I 

00 

Chanler,  Aliss  A. .  .  . 

10 

00 

Burton,  Robert  M. 

5 

OG 

Chapin,  Miss  M.  H. . 

I 

00 

Bush,  H.  D 

5 

GO 

Chapman,  B.  G 

5 

GG 

Bush,  W.  T 

5 

GO 

Chapman,  Frank  M. 

5 

00 

Butler,  Rev.  E.  E.. 

5 

GG 

Chapman,  Mrs.  J. .  . 

5 

GO 

Butler,  Miss  E.  0.. 

5 

00 

Chapman, Mrs. M.D. 

4 

GG 

Butler,  Mrs.  Paul.  . 

10 

GG 

Charles,  John  B 

5 

00 

Butler,  WiUard  P. . 

5 

00 

Charleston    Fish    & 

Butterworth,Mrs.W 

IS 

GG 

Oyster  Co 

5 

GO 

Buttrick,  Helen  B.. 

5 

GG 

Chase,  Mrs.  Alice  B. 

5 

GO 

Cabot,  Mrs.  E.  R.. 

5 

OG 

Chase,  A.  C 

5 

GO 

Cabot,  George  E.. . 

5 

OG 

Chase,  Mrs.  C.  S...  . 

5 

00 

Cabot,  Mrs.  H.  B.. 

s 

00 

Chase,  F.  S 

5 

GG 

Cabot,  Powell  M... 

5 

OG 

Chase,  Sidney 

5 

GG 

Caduc,  E.  E 

S 

00 

Chase,  Mrs.  T 

5 

GO 

Cady,  WiUiam  H... 

5 

OG 

Chase,  Mrs.  W.  M.. 

5 

OG 

Caldwell,  Mrs.  J.  H 

5 

GG 

Chautauqua        Bird 

Calkins,  Mrs.  W. .  . 

I 

GO 

and  Tree  Club. .  .  . 

5 

00 

Callaway,  W.  T...  . 

5 

OG 

Cheever,  Dr.  D.  M. 

10 

OG 

Cameron,  E.  S 

5 

00 

Cheever,  James  G. .  . 

5 

GG 

Camp,  Edward  G.. 

5 

GG 

Cheney,  Mrs.  A 

5 

GO 

Campbell,  Miss  CD 

5 

OG 

E.  S.  C 

5 

GO 

Campbell,  Donald. 

5 

00 

Cheney,  Frank,  Jr. . . 

5 

00 

Campbell,  John  B.. 

S 

GG 

Cheney,  Louis  R 

5 

00 

Campbell,  Mrs.  T.B 

5 

OG 

Cheney,  Miss  Mary 

5 

GG 

Carey,  Arthur  A. .  . 

5 

GG 

Child,  Mrs.  A.  D.... 

I 

GO 

Carne,  Mrs.  C.  E.. 

2 

GG 

Child,  Rev.  D.  R.... 

5 

GO 

Carnegie,  Morris  T. 

IG 

GO 

Child,  John  H 

10 

GO 

Carola    and    hei 

Childs,  Dr.  A.  H.... 

5 

00 

Brothers 

20 

00 

Childs,  Eversley. . .  . 
Childs,  W.,  Jr 

5 

s 

00 

Carpenter,  C.  L. .  .  . 

IG 

GO 

OG 

Carpenter,  R.  G..  . 

5 

GO 

Chilton,  H.  P 

10 

GG 

Carr,  R.  H 

5 

I 

GG 

Chipman,  Miss  G.  E. 
Chrisolm,  B.  0 

S 
5 

00 

Carruthers,  Mr.  anc 

GO 

Mrs.  T.  H 

2 

00 

Choate,  Miss  Mabel 

5 

00 

Carson,  Mrs.  J.  R.. 

2 

00 

Christ          Memorial 

Carson,  Robert  D.. 

5 

GO 

Church  School. . . . 

2 

OG 

Carter,  Mrs.  E.  A.. 

5 

GO 

Christensen,        Mrs. 

Carter,  John  E 

5 

00 

A.  H 

2 

GO 

Carter,  Richard  B.. 

5 

GO 

Christian,  Miss  E. .  . 

5 

GO 

Carried  forw'd. $2 

,775 

00 

Carried  forw'd. $3,040 

00 

Brought  forw'd  $2,775  00 


550 


Bird  -  Lore 


ANNUAL  MEMBERS   AND  CONTRIBUTORS,  continued 


Brought  forw'd  $3,040  co 
Christian,  Miss  S. .  .  5  00 
Christy,  Bayard  H..      5  00 

Church,  E.  D 10  00 

Church,  Fred  C,  Jr.  5  00 
Church,  Mrs.  George  5  00 
Church,  Henry  E..  .  5  00 
Church,  Morton  L..  .  5  00 
Churchill,  Miss  A.  P.  ^  00 
Civic        League 

Beaufort,  S.  C. 
Civic       League 

Florence,  S.  C. 
Civic       League 

Mayesville,    S. 


of 

of 

of 
C. 


5  00 


Claflin,  Miss  A.  H. 


Clapp,  Mrs.  C 5  00 

Clapp,  Miss  Helen.  .  5 

Clark,  Miss  A.  B...  .  5 

Clark,  Mrs.  C.  E...  .  5 

Clark,  Col.  C.  H. .  .  .  5 

Clark,  Miss  E.  L....  5 

Clark,  Miss  E.  v....  5 

Clark,  E.  W i 


Clark,  George  H..  .  . 
Clark,  Howard  L.,. . 

Clark,  J.  H, 

Clark,  Mrs.  J.  T..  .  . 
Clark,  Miss  S.  E.... 
Clarke,  Mrs.  C.  D... 
Clarke,  Miss  Cora  H. 

Clarke,  Miss  E 5  00 

Clarke,  Miss  Ella  M.  10  00 
Clarke,  Miss  H.  E.. 
Clarke,  Mrs.  P.  O.. 
Clarke,  Miss  R.  A.. 
Clarke,  Thomas  S. . 
Clarke,  Dr.  Wm.  C. 

Clarke,  W.  R 5  00 

Clarkson,  David  A. .  5  00 
Clary,  Miss  Ellen  T. 
Cleaves,  Howard  H. 
Clemson,  George  N. . 
Clinch,  Judge  E.  S.. . 
Clinch,  Howard  T. .  . 

Closson  H.  B 25  00 

Cochran,  Mrs.  G.  F.  5  00 
Cochrane,  Mrs.  A.G.  5  00 

Cochrane,  A S  00 

Codman,  Miss  C.  A.     5  00 

Codman,  Julian 5  00 

Coe,  Miss  Ella  S..  .  .    10  00 

Coffin,  C.  P 5  00 

Coffin,  W.  E 5  00 

Coghlin,  Peter  A.. . .  5  00 
Cogswell,  Edward  R.  5  00 
Coker,  Major  J.  L. .  .  s  00 
Colburn,  Miss  N.  E.  10  00 
Colby,  Mrs.  F.  C.  .  .  5  00 
Cole,    Mrs.    Adelina 

A.  (In  Memoriam)     5  00 


Carried  forw'd. $3, 344  00 


00 
00 
00 
00 


Brought  forw'd  $3,344  00 

Cole,  Mrs.  C.  J 5  00 

Cole,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 

F.  A 5  00 

Cole,  Robert  C s  00 

Colgate,  R.  R 10  00 

CoUier,  Robert  J. .  . .  5  00 

Collins,  Mrs.  A i  00 

Collins,  Mrs.  C.H...  5  00 

Collins,  Miss  G 5  00 

Colon,  George  E..  .  .  5  00 

Colt,  James  B 5  00 

Colton,  Miss  C.  W.. .  500 

Colton,  Mrs.S.W.,Jr.  5  00 

Comfort,  Annie 5  00 

Comstock,  Miss  E.C.  5  00 

Comstock,  J.  F 5  00 

Comstock,  Mrs.  R.B.  5 

Comstock,  Mrs.R.H.  5 

Comstock,  W.  J 5 

Conant,  Miss  C.  H. .  5 

Concord  School 5  00 

Cone,  Caesar 5  00 

Coney,  Mrs.  G.  H. .  .  5  00 
Congdon,  Mrs.  H.  L.  5  00 
Connecticut     Audu- 
bon Society 5  00 

Converse,  C.  C 5  00 

Converse,  Mrs.  C.  C.  5  00 
Cook,  Miss  L.  G. .  .  . 
Cooke,  Mrs.  H.  P... 
Cooley,  Miss  R.  B... 
Coolidge,  Prof.  A.  C. 

Coolidge,  T.  J 25  00 

Cooper,  J.  C 5  00 

Cooper,  Rev.  J.  F...  2  00 

Cooper,  Howard  M..  5  00 
Cooper,  Theodore.. 
Cooper,  Miss  T.  B. . 

Cope,  F.  R.,  Jr 5  00 

Cope,  Mrs.  Walter.  .  5  00 
Corlies,  Miss  M.  L. 
Corning,  Miss  M.  I. 

Cornwall,  E.  L 5  00 

Cotting,  Charles  E..  5  00 
Cotton,  Miss  E.  A..  . 
Courtney,  Rt.Rev.F. 
Cousens,  John  A.. .  . 
Covell,  Mrs.  A.  J.... 
Covell,  Dr.  H.  H...  . 
Cowd,  Mrs.  Henry.  . 

Cowl,  Mrs.  C 5  00 

Cowperthwait,  J.  H.  5  00 

Cox,  John  L 5  00 

Cox,  Mrs.  M.  F 5  00 

Coxe,  Mrs.  Brinton.  10  00 

Crabbe,  Miss  M.  G..  5  00 

Crafts,  Clarence.  ...  5  00 

Crafts,  J.  M 5  00 

Crafts,  John  W 5  00 

Craig,  W.  R 5  00 


5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 


5  00 
10  00 


5  00 
50  00 


25  00 
S  00 
5  00 
2  00 

10  00 
5  00 


00 
00 
00 
00 


Carried  forw'd. $3, 7 29  00 


Brought  forw'd  $3,729  00 

Cram,  Miss  L.  C 5  00 

Cramer,  Mrs.  A 5  00 

Crane,  Miss  Clara  L.  20  00 
Crane,  Mrs.  E.  J. . . .  5  00 
Crane,  Mrs.  H.  W. .  .      2  00 

Crane,  I.  S 10  00 

Crane,  R.  T.,  Jr 5  00 

Crans,  Miss  L.  C... 

Cranz,  F 

Crapo,  Mrs.  J.  T...  . 

Crawford,  G.  E 

Crawford,  R.  L 

Crawford,  William .  . 

Crehore,  E.  T 

Crehore,  F.  M 

Creighton,  Miss  E.S. 
Crenshaw,   Mrs.   W. 

G.,Jr 

Crocker,  Miss  D..  .  . 

Crocker,  David 

Crocker,  Mrs.  D..  .  . 

Crocker,  W 

Crockett,  Dr.  M.  A.. 
Cromie,  Mrs.  G.  H.. 
Crompton,  George.  . 
Crompton,  Miss  M. . 
Crosby,  G.  N....... 

Crosby,  Mrs.  S.V.R. 

Crosby,  W.  S 

Cross,  Miss  G.  L.  R. 
Cross,  Whitman. .  .  . 
Crossett,  Mrs.  L.  A. . 

Crouse,  J.  R 

Crowell,  Mrs.  G.  E. . 

Crusselle,  W.  F 

Culbertson,  Dr.  E.B. 
Cummings,Mrs.C.K. 
Cummins,  MissA.M. 
Cummins,  Miss  E.  I. 

Currier,  B.  H 

Currier,  G.  O 

Currier,  R.  M 

Curry,  Mrs.  J.  B... . 

Curry,  W.  L 

Curtis,  Miss  A 

Curtis,  Mrs.  C.  B..  . 
Curtis,  Mrs.  E.  A..  . 
Curtis,  Mrs.  Louis.  . 
Curtis,  The  Misses.  . 

Curtiss,  Miss  S 

Gushing,  Milton  L. . 
Cutler,  Mrs.  R.  W. .  . 
Cutler,  Miss  S.  B..  . 

Cutting,  A.  W 

Cutting,  R.  F 

Dabney,  Herbert.  .  .  10  00 
Dahlstrom,  Mrs.  A. .  5  00 
Dahlstrom,Mrs.C.A.     5  00 

Daland,  Mrs.  T 5  00 

Dale,  Mrs.  C.  H 5  00 


5 
5 
5 
S 

10  00 
S  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 

5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
10  00 

5  00 

5  00 

10  00 

5  00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
20  00 

ID    DO 

5  00 

5  00 

10  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

I  00 

5  00 
q  00 


Carried  forw'd. $4,0 79  00 


List  of  Members 


SSt 


ANNUAL  MEMBERS   AND   CONTRIBUTORS,  coatinued 


Brought  forw'd  $4,079  00 

Dalton,  Mrs.  J 5  00 

Dana,  Miss  Ada..  .  .  5  00 

Dana,  Miss  E.  A...  .  5  00 

Dana,  Mrs.  E.  S..  .  .  5  00 

Dana,  Mrs.  H.  W. . .  5  00 

Dana,  Miss  M.  T. .  .  5   00 

Dana,  R.  W 5  00 

Dana,  Mrs.  S.  F. .  .  .  5  00 

Dane,  Mrs.  F 5  00 

Danenhover,  Mrs.H.  5  00 

Danforth,  Mrs.  H.G.  5  00 

Daniel,  Charles  A. .  .  5  00 

Daniels,  Mrs.  E.  A.,  i   00 

Danziger,  Max 2  00 

Darlington, Mrs. H.S.  5  00 

Davenport, Mrs. E.B.  5  00 

Davidson,  Miss  C...  5  00 

Davidson,  Mrs.  F.  S.  5  00 
Davies,    Edward   H. 

(In  Memoriamj . .  .  5  00 

Davies,  Mrs.  J.  C. . .  5  00 

Davis,  Hon.  C.  L..  .  5  00 

Davis,  David  D 9  00 

Davis,  F.  W 5  00 

Davis,  Mrs.  G.  P....  5  00 

Davis,  Henry  J 5  00 

Davis,  Mrs.  J 10  00 

Davis,  Mrs.  J.  E..  .  .  5  00 

Davol,  Charles  J. . .  .  5  00 

Davol,  Miss  F.  W. .  .  5  00 

Davol,  Mrs.  Joseph.  5  00 

Dawes,  Miss  E.  M..  .  10  00 

Day,  Mrs.  Albert. .  .  5  00 

Day,  Mrs.  F.  A 5  00 

Day,  Mrs.  G.  H 5  00 

Day,  Miss  K.  S 5  00 

Day,  Miss  M.  F..  .  .  5  00 

Day,  Miss  S.  J 5  00 

Day,  S.  S 5  00 

Dean,  C.  A 5  00 

Deane,  Ruthven. ...  5  00 

Dearborn,  Miss  S. .  .  i  00 

De  Coppet,  E.  J. .  .  .  5  00 

De  Forest,  H.  W. .  . .  15  00 

Degener,  I.  F 10  00 

de  Graffenried,  Bar- 
oness R 

Delano,  Mrs.  F.  A... 
De  Loach,  Prof.   R 

J.H 

Dennen,  Rev.  E.  J. . 
Dennen,  Mrs.  E.  J. . 

Dennis,  A.  W 

Denny,  Miss  E.  I..  . 
De  Xormandie,  Mrs 

R.  L 

Department  of  Agri 
culture,  Canada.  . 

Despard,  C.  L 

Despard,  W.  D 


00 
00 

00 

GO 

00 
00 
00 

GO 


5 

GO 

5 

GO 

G 

GO 

I 

GO 

5 

GO 

5 

OG 

5 

OG 

5   00 

10    GO 

5  00 


Brought  forw'd$4,377  go 
Detroit  Bird  Protect- 
ing Club 

Devlin,  Mrs.  J.  E.. 
Dewey,  Dr.  C.  A... 
De  Wolf,  Holsey... 
Dexter,  Mrs.  F.  K. 
Dexter,  Mrs.  M.  P 
Dibble,  Mrs.  R.  W. 

Dickey,  D.  R lo  go 

Dicliinson,    Charles.    lo  go 
Dickinson,  Mrs.C.P.     5  oo 

Dickson,  J.  B 5  00 

Dickson,  Mrs.  J.  B..      5  oo 

Dickson,  W.  C 5  00 

Dietz,  Mrs.  C.  N....      5  oo 

Dill,  Mrs.  J.  B 

Dillingham,  Mrs.  T 

M 5    GO 

Diman,  Louise 5  go 

Dimock,  G.  E 5  oo 

Dimock,  Ira 

Ditson,  Mrs.  C.  H... 
Dittmann,  Mrs.  A.  J. 
Dobie,  Richard  L. .  . 
Dod,  Miss  H.  M... 

Dodge,  C.  H 4 

Dodge,  Miss  G.  H... 
Dodge,  Mrs.  J.  M... 
Doepke,  Mrs.  W.  F. 

Dolge,  Mrs.  C.  B 

Dominick,Mrs.M.W. 

Don,  John 5  oo 

Dorchester  Woman's 

Club S  00 

Doremus,  Mrs.  R.  P.  25  oo 

Dorrance,  S.  M 5  oo 

Doubleday,Mrs.F.N.  5  oo 

Doughty,  Mrs.  A... .  5  oo 

Douglass,  Mrs.  C. .  .  5  oo 

Dows,  Mrs.  Tracy.  .  5  00 
Doylestown    Nature 

Club 5  GO 

Draper,  G.  A 5  oo 

Draper,  W.  S 5  00 

Drayton,  J.  C 5  00 

Dresel,  Miss  L.  L. .  .  5  oo 

Drew,  Miss  E.  E. .  . .  5  oo 

Drew,  H.  J.  W 5  00 

Drew,  John 5  oo 

Drewry,  L.  D 5  oo 

Drummond,  J.  J. .  .  .237  50 

Dryden,  Mrs.  C.  F..  lo  go 

Dryer,  Miss  L.  M.. .  8  oo 

Du  Bois,  Mrs.  J 5  00 

Du  Bois,  Dr.  M.  B..  5  oo 

Du  Bose,  B.  M 5  00 

Duer,  Denning 5  oo 

Duer,  Mrs.  Denning  5  oo 

Dumaine,  F.  C 5  00 

Dumbell,  Rev.H.  M.  i  oo 


S  00 


0 

GO 

5 

00 

5 

GO 

5 

00 

5 

OG 

.S 

GO 

Brought  forw'd  $4,964  50 
Duncan,  A.  Butler.  .  5  go 
Dunham,  Arthur  L..      5  oo 

Dunham,  E.  K 5  00 

Dunham,  Horace  C. 
Du  Pont,  Eugene.  . 
Du  Pont,  Eugene  E. 
Du  Pont,  Mrs.  E.  E. 

Du  Pont,  H.  F 

Duryee,  Miss  A.  B..      5  00 

Dutton,  B.  F 10  00 

Dutton,  Harry 5  00 

Du  Villard,  H.  A...  . 
Dwight,  Dr.  J.,  Jr... 

Dyar,  Miss  D 

Dyer,     Edward     T. 

(In  Memoriam). .  . 

Dyer,  Mrs.  G.  R. . . . 

Dyer,  Mrs.  Ruth  C. . 

Earle,  Samuel  L 5  00 

Eaton,  Mrs.  D.  C...    25  00 

Eaton,  Howard 5  go 

Eaton,  Miss  M.  L. . .  5 
Eaton,  Miss  M.  S.. . 
Eddy,  Miss  B.  M... 
Eddy,  Miss  Sarah  J 
Eddy,  William  H..., 
Edgerton,  Dr.  J.  I. .  . 
Edwards,  Miss  E.  S. . 
Edwards,  Miss  H.  C 
Edwards,  Henry  A. , 
Edwards,  Mrs.  L.  S. 
Eimer,  Mrs.  M.  L.. 

Eisemann,  A 5  00 

Eisen,  Charles 5  00 

Elgin   Audubon    So- 
ciety       5  00 

Eliot,  Charles  W. . . 
EUiott,  Mrs.  W.  T 
Ellis,  Mrs.  A.  V.  H 
Ellis,  Mrs.  L.  E.... 
Ellis,  The  Misses.  . 

Ellison,  Mr 5  oo 

Ellison,  J.  H 5  GO 

Ells,  G.  P 5  00 

Ellsworth,  J.  M 5  oo 

Embury,  Miss  E.  C  5  oo 
Emerson,  Mrs.  E.  W.  5  00 
Emerson,  Mrs.  G.  D.     8  go 

Emerson,  Julia  T 5  go 

Emery,  Miss  G.  H. . .     5  go 

Emery,  Miss  G 30  00 

Emery,  Miss  L.J...  30  00 
Emerjs  Mrs.  M.  M. .  55  oo 
Emmel,  Miss  L.  F. .  .  5  00 
Emmons,  Mrs.  A.  B.  10  oo 
Endicott,  William. .  .  lo  oo 
Enggass,  Mrs.  B..  .  .  5  00 
Ennis,  General  W..  .  5  oo 
Eno,  Dr.  Henry  C...  5  oo 
Erbsloh,  jNI 5  oo 


00 

lO  GO 

5  00 
5  00 
5  oo 
5  00 
lo  00 
5  00 

10  GO 
I  OG 

10  00 


Carried  forw'd.$4,377  °o  i       Carried  forw'd.$4,964  50  [       Carried  forw'd. $5,409  50 


552 


Bird-  Lore 


ANNUAL  MEMBERS   AND   CONTRIBUTORS,  continued 


OO 
OO 
OO 
OO 
OO 
OO 

5  OO 
5  OO 
5  OO 

lO    OO 

5  OO 


Brought  forw'd  $5,409  50 

Erickson,  Mrs.  A.  W.     5  00 

Erie  Audubon  So- 
ciety  

Ernst,  Mrs.  H.  C... 

Ettorre,  Mrs.  F.  F.. 

Eustis,  F.  A 

Eustis,  Mrs.  H.  H... 

Eustis,  The  Misses.. 

Evans,  Dr.  Edward. 

Evans,  Mrs.  G 

Evans,  Mrs.  J.  G... . 

Evans,  Mrs.  R.  D... 

Everett,  Miss  L.  L. . 

Evers,  Rev.  S.  J 

Evins,  Samuel  N.. . . 

Ewart,  William  I — 

Ewell,  Mrs.  John  N. 

Ewing,  Mrs.  F.  G.. . 

Fackler,  David  P.... 

Fahnestock,  W 

Fahy,  Mrs.  John 

Fairbanks,  Mrs. E.G. 

Fairchild,  B.  T 

Fairchild,  Mrs.  C.  S. 

Falk,  H.  A 

Farnam,  Henry  W.. 

Farnham,  Wallace  S. 

Farquhar,  Mrs.  W.. 

Farrar,  Miss  E.  W.. . 

Farrel,  Miss  Estelle. 

Farrell,  Mrs.  C.  P... 

Fassett,  J.  S.. 

Faulkner,  Miss  F.M. 

Fawell,  Joseph 

Faxon,  Henry  M 

Fay,  Mrs.  H.  H 

Fay,  S.  P 

Fearhake,  Mrs.  E.  R. 

Fearing,  Mrs.  M.  P.. 

Fearon,  Mrs.  C 

Feaster,  Miss  F.  G.. 

Fenenden,  R.  G 

Fenner,  H.  N 

Fenno,  Mrs.  J.  A... . 

Ferguson,  Miss  E.  D. 

Ferguson,  Miss  F... . 

Ferguson,  Mrs.  M. 
V.  E 

Ferguson,  Mrs.  W... 

Ferris,  Miss  Ida  J.. . 

Ferry,  Miss  M.  B..  . 

Fessenden,  Judge  F. 

G 5  00 

Field,  Charles  H. .  .  .      5  00 

Field,  C.  de  P 5  00 

Field,  E.  B 5  00 

Field,  Mrs.  S.  A 5  00 

Finegan,  Mrs.  T.  E. .      5  00 

Finley,  William  L. .  .      5  00 

Fish,  A.  R 5  00 


00 

00 

00 

00 

00 

00 

00 

00 

00 

00 

00 

00 

00 

00 

00 

00 

00 

00 

00 

00 

I  00 

5  00 

S  00 

10  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

So  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

lo  00 

S  00 

5  00 

I  00 

10  00 


Carried  forw'd. $5,745  50 


Brought  forw'd  $5, 

Fish,  Mrs.  F.  P 

Fisher,  Miss  E.  W... 

Fisher,  F.  A 

Fisher,  H.  J 

Fisher,  William  P. .  . 

Fiske,  E.  W 

Fiske,  Mrs.  H.  G.... 
Fitch,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 

Winchester 

Fitchburg       Out-of 

Doors  Club 

Fitz,  Mrs.  W.  S 

Fitzhugh,  Genl.  C.L. 
Fitzhugh,  John  D.. . 
Fitzpatrick,  T.  B.... 
Fitzroy,  Mrs.  H.  A. . 
Flagg,  Dr.  Elisha.  .  . 
Flagg,  Miss  H.  V.... 
Flagg,  Herbert  H...  . 
Flagg,  Mrs.  S.  G.,  Jr. 

Fleek,  Henry  S 

Fleischer,  Edward.. . 
Fleitmann,  H.  C  .  . 
Fletcher,  Mrs.  J.  L.. 

Flint,  Mrs.  A 

Flint,  Mrs.  Charles. 

Flint,  Charles  R 

Floyd,  Mrs.  W.  T... 
Follett,  Richard  E.. 
Folsom,  Mrs.  G.  W.. 
Folsom,  Miss  J.  D. .  . 
Foot,  Sanford  D..  .  . 

Foote,  George  L 

Forbes,  Mrs.  A 

Forbes,  Miss  C.J... 
Forbes,  Mrs.  D.  D.. 
Forbes,  Mrs.  J.  M. .  . 
Forbes,  Mrs.  M.  J.. . 
Forbes,  Ralph  E. .  .  . 
Forbes,  Waldo  E.. . . 

Ford,  Frank  C 

Ford,  Mrs.  John  B.. 
Ford,  Miss  Lesta.  .  . 
Ford,  Miss  Stella  D. 

Fordyce,  G.  L 

Forest  Hills  Gardens 

Audubon  Society. 

Foss,  Mrs.  E.  N 

Foster,  Mrs.  A.  S..  . 
Foster,  Miss  Fanny. 
Foster,  Macomb  G. . 
Foulke,  Willing  B.. . 

Fowle,  Seth  A 

Fowler,  George  F — 

Fox,  Henry 

Fox,  Mrs.  J.  M 

Fraser,  Miss  J.  K. .  . 
Eraser,  Miss  L.  E. .  . 

Fray,  John  S 

Freeman,  Miss  H.  E. 


745  SO 
S  00 


2  25 

S  00 
25  00 

5  00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 


5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

S 
10  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 
10  00 

I  00 

5  00 
10  00 

S  00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 


75  00 

5  00 

5  00 

10  00 

25  00 

5  00 


Carried  forw'd. $6, 143  75 


Brought  forw'd  $6, 
Freeman,  Mrs.  J.  G. 
Freer,  Charles  L..  .  . 

French,  Allen 

French,  Miss  C.  A.. 
French,  Miss  E.  A.. 

Frey,  CD 

Fricks,  Dr.  L.  D..  .. 

Frissell,  A.  S 

*Frissell  Master  M.. 

*Frissell,  M.  V 

Frothingham,Mrs.L. 

Fry,  Henry  J 

Fuller,  Mrs.  A.  O..  . 

Fuller,  C.  W 

Fuller,  Mrs.  Eugene. 
Fuller,  Mrs.  G.  A... 
Fuller,  Miss  M.  W. . 

Furness,  C.  K 

Gage,  Miss  M.  C...  . 
Gaillard,  Mrs.  W.  D. 

Gale,  Charles  H 

Gallogly,  E.  E 

Galium,  Mrs.  A.  F... 
Galway,  Mrs.  James 
Gammell,  Mrs.  R.  J. 
Gardner,  Mrs.  A.  S. . 
Gardner,  Mrs.  A.  P. . 
Gardner,  Dr.  C.  H. . . 
Gardner,  Mrs.  G.  W. 
Garitt,  Miss  E.  W. .  . 
Garrett,  Mrs.  E.  W.. 
Garrett,  Mrs.  M.  S.. 
Garrett,  Mrs.  T.  H. . 
Garrettson,  Mrs.F.P. 

Garver,  John  A 

Gates,  Mrs.  John. .  . 
Gatter,  Miss  E.  A... 
Gatter,  Miss  G.  A..  . 
Gavitt,  William  S... 
*Gay,  Mrs.  F.  L..  .. 
Geer,  Mrs.  Walter.  . 

Gellatly,  John 

Gelpcke,  Miss  A.  C. 
George,  Edwin  S.. . . 

Gerdtzen,  G.  A 

Gerry,  Mrs.  M.  J.  H. 

Gibbs,  George 

Gibbs,  H.  E.  A 

Gibson,  Mrs.  J.  H..  . 

Gifford,  Dr.  H 

Gifford,  Mrs.  J.  M... 
Gifford,  Mrs.  O.  P.. . 
Gilbert,  Miss  A.  H.. 

Gilbert,  Mrs.  C 

Gilbert,  Edward  H.. 

Gilbert,  Miss  M 

Gilbert,  Miss  Nellie. 
Gilbert  School,  The. 
Gilbert,  William  A... 
Gilchrist,  Miss  A.  T. 


143  75 

10  00 

5  00 


00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 


00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 


10  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

10  00 

I  00 

5  00 

10  00 

5  00 


5 
6 

5 
5 
5 
5 

10  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 

5  00 
5  00 
10  00 
5  00 
5  00 
I  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
10  00 
5  00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 


Carried  forw'd. $6^441  75 


List  of  Members 


553 


ANNUAL  MEMBERS    AND   CONTRIBUTORS,  continued 


Brought  forw'd  $6,441  75 

Gildersleeve,  F 

5  00 

Gill,  Mrs.  K.  F 

5  00 

Gillett,  Lucy  D 

ID    00 

Gillette,  Mrs.  C 

5  00 

Gillingham,  Mrs.  T. 

E 

5  00 

Gillmore,  Frank.  .  .  . 

5  00 

Gilman,  Miss  C.  T.. 

5  00 

Gilman,  Miss  C 

5  00 

Gilmore,  C.  G 

5  00 

Gimson,  L.  K 

5  00 

Ginn,  Frank  H 

5  00 

Glazier,  W.  E 

I  00 

Glessner,  Mrs.  J.  J.. 

S  00 

Goadby,  x\rthur .... 

5  00 

Goddard,  Mrs.  F.  N. 

5  00 

Goddard,  George  A. . 

5  00 

Goddard,     Mrs.     R. 

H.I 

5  00 

Godfrey,    Mrs.     W. 

H.  K 

5  00 

Goehring,  J.  M 

5  00 

Goff,  F.  H 

5  00 

Goldfrank,  Mrs.  M.. 

5  00 

Goldman,  Mrs.  L.  J. 

2  00 

Goldsmith,  Miss  E.E. 

5  00 

Goler,  Mrs.  F.  H...  . 

5  00 

Goodell,  Mrs.  H.  E.. 

5  00 

Goodell,  Mrs.  J 

5  00 

Goodrich,  Miss  J.  T. 

5  00 

Goodridge,  Dr.  F.  G. 

5  00 

Good  Willie, Mrs.M.B. 

5  00 

Goodwin,  Dr.  A.  H. . 

5  00 

Goodwin,  A.  M 

5  00 

Goodwin,  Mrs.  H.M. 

5  00 

Goodwin,  J.  L 

5  00 

Goodwin,  Mrs.M.W. 

5  00 

Goodyear,  Mrs  C.W. 

5  00 

Gordon,  Mrs.  D 

5  00 

Gotthold,  A.  F 

5  00 

Graham,  Miss  M.  D. 

5  00 

Grant,  Henry  T 

5  00 

Grasselli,  C.  A 

5  00 

Grasselli,  Miss  J..  .  . 

5  00 

Grat,  Russell 

5  00 

Graves,  Mrs.  E.  A. .  . 

S  00 

Graves,  Mrs.  H.  S. .  . 

5  00 

Gray,  Miss  E.  W.... 

10  00 

Gray,  Miss  Emily. . . 

5  00 

Gray,  Miss  Isa  E...  . 

5  00 

Gray,  Mrs.  Morris.  . 

5  00 

Gray,  Roland 

S  00 

Greeff,  Donald  C... 

5  00 

Greeff,  Ernest  F 

5  00 

Greene,  Arthur  D.. . 

5  00 

Greene,  A.  E 

5  00 

Greene,  Miss  C.  C. 

5  00 

Greene,       Margaret 

(In  Memoriam).. . 

5  00 

Greene,  Miss  M.  A.. 

5  00 

Carried  forw'd. $6,724  75 


Brought  forw'd  $6,7 
Greenfield   Audubon 

Society 

Greenway,  J.  C.,  Jr.. 
Greer,  Austin  M..  .  . 
Gregory,  Mrs.  A.  K. 

Gregory,  C.  F 

Gregory,  Mrs.  R.  B.. 

Gregory,  R.  J 

Grew,  Mrs.  E.  W. .  . 
Gridley,  Mrs.  M.T.. 
Griffin,  Mrs.  E.  C... 
Griffin,  Mrs.  S.  B..  . 

Griffith,  Mrs.  B 

Griscom,  Ludlow.  .  . 
Griswold,  Miss  F...  . 
Grosvenor,  G.  H..  .  . 

Guild,  E.  L 

GuHck,  Mrs.  C.  V. . . 

Gunn,  Elisha 

Gyger,  Edgar  G 

Haass,  Mrs.  L.  H..  . 
Hackney,  Walter  S.. 

Haden,  C.  J 

Hadley,  Mrs.  A.  P... 
Hagar,  Eugene  B... . 

Hager,  Karl 

Haggin,  Mrs.  M.  V.. 

Haines,  Reuben 

Haldane,  E.  P 

Hall,  Miss  CM.... 

Hall,  E.  K 

*Hall,  George  A 

Hall,  Mrs.  John  H. .  . 
Hall,  Miss  Sarah  C. . 
Hallett,  William  R.. 
Hallock,  Rev.  L.  H.. 
Halsted,  David  C  . 
Hamilton,  Miss  E.  S. 

Hamlin,  Mrs.  E 

Hamlin,  Miss  Eva  S. 

Hamlin,  T.  O 

Hammond,  Mrs.E.P. 
Hammond,  Mrs.  J.H. 
Hammond,  W.  W. .  . 
Hanahan,  J.  Ross..  . 

Hancock,  H.  J 

Hanna,  Mrs.  H.  M., 

Jr., 

Hannah,  Charles  G. . 

Hannum,  W.  E 

Hansen,  Miss  E.  L.. 
Harbeck,  Mrs.  E.  G. 

Harbison,  W.  A 

Hardenbagh,      Miss 

Adelaide  C 

Harding,  Emor  H. . . 

Hardy,  Mrs.  R 

Harmer,  Thomas  H. 
Harmon,  Judson. .  .  . 
Harn,  O.  C 


24  75 

S  00 

5  00 

10  00 

1  GO 

5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
S  00 
5  00 
5  00 
7  00 
5  00 
S  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 

2  GO 

5  00 

2G  GO 

5  00 
S  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 

5  OG 

5  00 
5  00 
5  00 

5  00 

IG  00 

5  00 

1  GO 
5  OG 

5  00 

5  00 

10  00 

2  GO 
GO 
GO 
GO 
00 
GO 


5  00 

5  OG 

5  00 

5  00 

10  00 

5  00 


Carried  forw'd. $7,023  75 


Brought  forw'd  $7,023  75 

Harral,  Mrs.  E.  W.. .  5  oo 

Harriman,  Mrs.  J.  L.  5  oo 

Harrington, Mrs. F.B.  5  go 

Harrington,  G.  W. .  .  2  og 

Harris,  Miss  F.  K...  3  gg 

Harris,  George  W. .  .  lo  00 

Harris,  Harry 5  00 

Harris,  Mrs.  W.  H. . .  5  gg 

Harrison,  G.  L.,  Jr..  5  00 

Harrison,  H.  W S  oo 

Harrison,  Mrs.  M.  J.  5  00 

Harrison,  Mrs.  P....  5  oo 

Harroun,  Mrs.  A.  K.  5  oo 

Harroun,  Elliot  K. .  .  5  oo 

Hart,  A.  W 5  00 

Hart,  Judge  John  C.  5  oo 

Hart,  Miss  M.  T.   . .  5  oo 

Hart,  W.  0 5  go 

Hartford  Bird  Study 

Club 5  OG 

Hartline,  D.  S 5  oo 

Hartness,  Mrs.  J. .  .  .  500 

Hartwell,  Mrs.  C.  S.  5  go 

Hartwell,  Dr.  J.  A. .  .  5  oo 

Haskell,  Miss  H.  P. .  7  go 

Hastings,  Miss  Alice  5  oo 

Hastings,  Mrs.  M.  J.  5  oo 

Hastings,  W.  R 5  oo 

Hatch,  Miss  G.  E..  .  5  oo 

Hatch,  Mrs.  H.  R..  .  5  oo 

Hathaway,  Mrs.  H. .  5  oo 

Hathaway,  H.  B..  .  .  5  00 

Hauck,  Louis  J 5  00 

Havemeyer,  John  C.  5  00 

Hawkes,  Mrs.  McD.  5  go 

Hawkins,  Mrs.  E.  D.  5  go 

Hayden,  Miss  A.  R. .  5  00 

Hayes,  Mrs.  O.  H. . .  lo  go 

Haynes,  Miss  L.  deF.  5  oo 

Hayward,  Mrs.  M.S.  5  go 

Hayward,  Miss  P.  L.  4  00 

Hazard,  Mrs.  J.  N. .  .  5  00 

Heard,  Dr.  M.  A. .  .  5  00 

Heath,  J.  A S  00 

Hecker,  Frank  J. .  .  .  25  00 

Hedge,  Henry  R. .  .  .  5  oo 

Helm,  Louis 5  00 

Helmer,  Mrs.  G.  J..  5  oo 

Henbeck,  Mrs.  G....  5  oo 

Henderson,  J.  B 5  00 

Hendrick,  E.  P 5  00 

Hendrickson,  J.  H...  5  00 

Hendrickson,  W.  F. .  5  00 

Henry,  W.  G 5  00 

Henshaw,  Henry  W.  5  oo 

Hentz,  Henry s  go 

Heroy,  Miss  A.  P. . .  5  00 

Herrick,  Harold.  ...  10  00 

Hessenbruch,Mrs.H.  10  gg 

Hewitt,  Miss  E.  G.. .  5  oo 


Carried  forw'd. $7,354  75 


554 


Bird  -  Lore 


ANNUAL  MEMBERS   AND   CONTRIBUTORS,  continued 


Brought  forw'd  $7, 

Heyman,  Mrs.  M..  . 

Heyn,  Otto  P 

Heywood,  Mrs.  G.  A. 

Hibbard,  Mrs.  A 

Hibbard,  Thomas..  . 

Hidden,  Walter 

Higgens,  J.  L 

Hildreth,  Miss  E.  E. 

Hill,  Donald  M 

Hill,  Mrs.  Oilman  C. 

Hill,  Mrs.  L.  C 

Hill,  Mrs.  L 

Hill,  Miss  S.  E 

Hill,  William  P 

Hillard,  Mrs.  M.  R.. 

Hillard,  H.  R 

Hills,  Mrs.  E.  A 

Hills,  William  S 

Hinckley,  Mrs.  M.V. 

Hinson,  W.  G 

Hittinger,  Jacob.  .  .  . 

Hoadley,  Frank  E. .  . 

Hoague,  Theodore.  . 

Hodenpye,  Mrs.A.O. 

Hodge,  C.  F 

Hodge,  D.  W 

Hodges,  H.  B 

Hodges,  Miss  M.  O.. 

Hodgman,  Mrs.A.K. 

Hodgeman,  Mrs.  W. 
L 

Hodgson,  Mrs.  H.  P. 

Hoe,  Richard  M..  .  . 

Hoe,  Mrs.  R.  M.... 

Hoe,  William  J 

Hofer,  Miss  E.  J. .  .  . 

Hoffman,  Conrad. .  . 

Hoffman,  F.  B 

Hoge,  Miss  F 

Holbrook,  Mrs.  F. .  . 

Holden,  E.  F 

Hollenback,  Miss  A. 
B 

Hollingsworth,  Mrs. 
Oeorge 

Hollister,  Mrs.  O.  A. 

Holman,  Miss  C.  B.. 

Holmes,  Mrs.  C.  B.. 

Holt,  Mrs.  Henry..  . 

Holter,  Mrs.  S.  S.... 

Holway,  Miss  H.  S.. 

Homans,  Mrs.  John. 

Hood,  Mrs.  C.  H.... 

Hood,  Mrs.  J.  IM...  . 

Hooper,  Miss  I.  R. .  . 

Hooper,  Mrs.  J.  R.. 

Hoover,  IM.  H 

Hope,  J.  L 

Hopedale  Park  Com- 
mission   


354 

75 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

10 

00 

S 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

GO 

5 

00 

2 

50 

5 

CO 

5 

00 

5 

00 

.=; 

00 

6 

00 

5 

00 

10 

00 

5 

GO 

5 

GO 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

OG 

5 

OG 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

GO 

5 

GO 

5 

GO 

5 

GO 

5 

00 

5 

GO 

5 

GO 

5 

GO 

S 

OG 

I 

GO 

I 

GO 

,S 

GO 

S 

GO 

5 

GO 

5 

OG 

5 

GO 

5 

00 

5 

GO 

.S 

OG 

5 

GO 

5 

GO 

5  00 


Carried  forw'd. $7, 635  25 


Brought  forw'd  $7,635   25 
Hopekirk,  Mrs.  H. . .      5  00 

Hopewell,  John 5 

Hopkins,  James..  . 
Hopkins,  Mrs.  J.  C 
Hoppin,  Charles  A. 
Hoppin,  Mrs.S.C.W 
Hornaday,  Miss  N 

Hornblower,  H 

Horner,  Charles  S. 

Horsky,  L.  O 

Hosmer,  Mrs.  E.  de  P 
Houghton,  C.  S. 
Houghton,  Mrs.  F.O 
Houghton,  Miss  M. 
Hovey,  Burton  M.. 
Howard,  Miss  E.  M 
Howe,  Miss  Edith. 
Howe,  Mrs.  O.  D.. 
Howe,  Prof.  H.  M.. 
Howe,  Mrs.  J.  S..  . 

Howe,  Mrs.  L 

Howe,  Mrs.  S.  P... 

Howes,  F.  L 

Howland  Circulating 

Library 

Howland,  Miss  E.. 
Howland,  Miss  I.. . 
Howland,  Mrs.  J.. . 
Hoyt,  Mrs.  E.  C... 
Hoyt,  George  S..  .  . 
Hoyt,  Gerald  L. .  .  . 
Hoyt,  Mrs.  John  S. 

Hoyt,  N.  L 

Hoyt,  Theodore  R.. 
Hoyt,  Walter  S..  .  . 
Hubbard,  H.  M.,  Jr 
Hubbard,  Mrs.  J.  M 

Hubbard,  L.  L 

Hubbard,    Miss    M 

0 

Hubbard,  Walter  C 
Hubbard,  W.  P...  . 
Hubbell,  Miss  H... 
Hudson,  Mrs.  J.  E.. 

Hudson,  P.  K 

Huger,  Alfred 

Hughes,  Miss  A.  F. 
Hull,  Miss  Beatrice 
Hull,  Mrs.  G.  W... 
Humphrey,  A.  L..  . 
Hunneman,  W.  C 
Hunnewell,  Mrs.  A. 
Hunnewell,  Walter. 
Hunt,  Dr.  E.  W.... 
Hunt,  Dr.  E.  G.... 
Hunter,  A.  M.,  Jr.. 
Hunting,  Miss  C.  C 
Huntington,  F.  J.. . 
Huntington,  Mrs.  R 

P 


Carried  forw'd. i 


5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
S 
S 
5 
I 

5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 

5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 

5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 

5  00 
5  00 
S  00 
5  00 
5  00 

2G    00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

q    GO 


5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 

10  00 
■?  00 


5  00 


Brought  forw'd  $7,931  25 
Huntington,   R.   W., 

Jr 5  00 

Hupfel,  Adolph lo  go 

Hurlburt,Miss  A.  M.  5  og 

Husey,  The  Misses.  5  oo 

Hussey,  William  H..  10  go 

Hutchins,  Mrs.  E.W.  5  00 

Hutzler,  George  H. .  5  00 

Huxley,  J.  S 5  00 

Hyde,  Mrs.  A.  S..  .  .  10  oo 

Hyde,  Mrs.  E.  F..  .  .  5  00 

Hyde,  Mrs.  M.  CM.  i  00 

Hyde,  Mrs.  T.  W..  .  5  oo 

lasige,  Mrs.  Oscar.  .  5  oo 
Indiana     Audubon 

Society 5  00 

Ingalls,  A.  S S  00 

Ingersoll,  Ernest. .  . 

Inslee,  S.  D 

Iselin,  Mrs.  CO... 
Iselin,  Mrs.  W.  E.. 

Isham,  C  B 

Issenhuth,  E.  C. . . 

Jack,  Dr.  F.  L 

Jackson,  Miss  A.  P. 

Jackson,  B.  M 

Jackson,  Mrs.  C 5  00 

Jackson,  Mrs.  E.  E..  5  go 

Jackson,  M.  F 5  oo 

Jackson,  Mrs.  T.  G..  5  00 

Jacobs,  J.  W 5  00 

Jacobs,  Miss  M 2  00 

Jacobs,  Samuel  K...  S  00 
Jacobus,  John  S... . 
James,  Miss  E.  F. . 
James,  George  A.. . 
*James,  Henry,  Jr. .  . 

Jamison,  C  A 10  00 

Janney,  T.  B 5  00 

Janssen,  Mrs.  H.  W.  5  00 

Jaques,  H.  P 5  oo 

Jay,  Mrs.  August...  5  00 

Jay,  Pierre 5  00 

Jelliffe,  W.  R 5  00 

Jenckes,  John lo  go 

Jenkins,  Mrs.  A.  C.  5  oo 

Jenkins,  Mrs.  J.  W..  5  go 

Jenkins,  Miss  L 5  oo 

Jenkins,  R.  H 5  oo 

Jenks,  Miss  C  E...  .  5  oo 

Jenks,  Williams 5  oo 

Jenks,  Mrs.  W.  F..  .  5  oo 
Jenks,  Mrs.  W.  H. . . 
Jenness,  Charles  G. . 
Jennings,  Miss  A.  B. 
Jesup,  Mrs.  M.  K.. . 
Jesup,  Richard  I\I... 

Jewett,  E.  H 5  go 

Jewett,  H.  M 5  oo 

Job,  Herbert  K 5  go 


15  00 
5  00 

5  00 


10 

GO 

5 

GO 

5 

GO 

25 

OG 

10 

GO 

931   25  I       Carried  forw'd. $8, 279  25 


List   of   Members 


555 


ANNUAL   MEMBERS    AND   CONTRIBUTORS,  continued 


Brought  forw'd  $8,: 

70 

2,S 

Johnson,  Rev.  A.  E. 

5 

oo 

Johnson,  Mrs.  A.  S.. 

5 

oo 

Johnson,  Edward  C. 

S 

oo 

Johnson,  ]\Irs.  F.  S.. 

.S 

oo 

Johnson,  Miss  H.  E. 

5 

oo 

Johnson,     Mr.     and 

Mrs.  H.  H 

lO 

oo 

Johnson,  J.  M 

.T 

oo 

Johnson,  L.  J 

,S 

oo 

Johnson,  IMiss  M.  W. 

5 

oo 

Johnston,  John  \V. .  . 

S 

oo 

Jolliffe,  Mrs.  T.  H... 

5 

oo 

Jones,  A.  W 

.S 

oo 

Jones,  Miss  A.  H...  . 

5 

oo 

Jones,  Boyd  B 

5 

oo 

Jones,  C.H.  (Boston) 

5 

oo 

Jones,  Charles  H..  . . 

lO 

oo 

Jones,  Mrs.  C.  \V.... 

S 

oo 

Jones,  Mrs.  E.  P.... 

5 

oo 

Jones,  Miss  E.  C 

.s 

oo 

Jones,  Miss  Grace  A. 

s 

oo 

Jones,  Jerome 

i.S 

oo 

Jones,  Joseph  A 

.s 

oo 

Jones,  Dr.  J.  W.  L.. 

,s 

oo 

Joslyn,  Mrs.  G.  A. .  . 

5 

oo 

Jungbluth,  Karl.  .  .  . 

S 

oo 

Juran,  Mrs.  K.  M.. . 

.s 

oo 

Justice,  Henry 

•■^ 

oo 

Kahn,  Otto  H 

s 

oo 

Kahn,  Dr.  R.  J 

s 

oo 

Kanouse,  Miss  M.  F. 

s 

oo 

Kean,  Mrs.  H.  F.... 

s 

oo 

Keck,  Miss  M.  W. . . 

s 

oo 

Keeler,  Mrs.  C.  B... 

=; 

oo 

Keen,  Miss  F 

lO 

oo 

Keep,  Mrs.  Albert.  . 

,S 

oo 

Keep,  Charles  M...  . 

2 

oo 

Keep,  Mrs.  C 

5 

oo 

Keith,  Mrs.  D.  M... 

S 

oo 

Keith,  MissH.  P.... 

S 

oo 

Kellogg,  F.J 

.s 

oo 

Kellogg,  S.  W 

s 

oo 

Kelly,  William 

5 

oo 

Kemeys,  Walter  S... 

.s 

oo 

Kempster,  James.  .  . 

.s 

oo 

Kendall,  Miss  G..  .  . 

s 

oo 

Kendrick,  Dr.  W.  F. 

s 

oo 

Kennard,  F.  H 

s 

oo 

Kennedy,  Dr.  H...  . 

s 

oo 

Kennedy,  Mrs.  H..  . 

5 

oo 

Kennedy,  W.  M 

5 

oo 

Kennerly,Miss  M.M. 

s 

oo 

Kent,  Edward  G.. .  . 

s 

oo 

Keppel,  David 

5 

oo 

Kerr,  Mrs.  J.  C 

lO 

oo 

Kerr,  Miss  Lois 

■^ 

oo 

Ketchin,  H.  E 

S 

oo 

Keuflfel,  W.  G 

s 

oo 

Keyser,  L.  S 

5 

oo 

Kibbe,  Mrs.  H.  C... 

5 

oo 

Carried  forw'd.$8,6oi  25 


Brought  forw'd  $8,601  25 

Kimball,  Mrs.  C.  O.  5  00 

Kimball,  Miss  H.  F.  10  00 

Kimball,  Mrs.  L.  C.  5  00 

Kimball,  Lulu  S 5  00 

Kimball,  The  Misses  10  00 

Kimball,  W.  I*^ 5  00 

Kimball,  W.  H 5  00 

King,  Miss  C.  W...  .  5  00 

King,  Charles  S 5  00 

King,  Elizabeth 5  00 

King,  Mabel  D 5  00 

King,  M.  K 5  00 

King's    Daughters..  5  00 

Kingsbury,  Miss  A. E.  5  00 

Kingsbur)^,  Mrs.H.O.  5  00 

Kingsford,  D.  P 5  00 

Kirby-Smith,  Dr.  R. 

M 5  00 

Kirkbride,  Mrs.  F.  B.  5  00 

Kite,  Miss  A.  E 2  00 

Kittredge,  S.  D 5  00 

Kletzsch,  Dr.  G.  A. .  5  00 

Kneeland,    Frances.  5  00 

Knight,  Mrs.  A.  S..  5  00 

Knowlton,  Mrs.M.R.  5  00 

Kohler,  Miss  M.  E..  10  00 

Kolbe,  L.  A 5  00 

Kremer,  Mrs.  W.  N.  5  00 

Krohn,   Irwin  M....  5  00 

Kuehn,  Otto  L 5  00 

Kuhn,  Mrs.  F i  00 

Kuser,  A.  R 5  00 

Kuser,  Mrs.  A.  R..  .  5  00 

Kuser,  Miss  C.  G..  .  5  00 

Kyle,  William  S 5  00 

Lacey,  Milton  S 5  00 

La  Farge,  Mrs.  C.  G.  5  00 

Lagowitz,  Mrs.  H.  L.  5  00 

Laidlaw,  James  L. .  .  5  00 

Laird,  Mrs.  W.  H. . .  5  00 
Lancashire,         Mrs. 

J.  H 5  00 

Land,  J.  S 5  00 

Lane,  Mrs.  J.  A 10  00 

Lane,  Miss  M.  L 5  00 

Langdon,  W.  G 10  00 

Langelotla,  Jacob.. . .  5  00 

Langmann,  Dr.  G...  5  00 

Lanier,  Mrs.  J.  F.  D.  5  00 
Latham,  Mrs.  Mary 

A.  (In  Memoriamj  10  00 

Law,  Mrs.  B.  M..  .  .  5  00 

Law,  Rev.  Marion..  5  oo 

Lawrence,  Mrs.  A.  W.  5  00 

Lawrence,  Mrs.  J. .  .  5  00 

Lawrence,  John  B..  .  10  00 

Lawrence,  Mrs.  J.  M.  5  00 

Lawrence,  John  S. .  .  5  00 

Lawrence,  Robert  B.  5  00 

Lawrence,  Rosewell.  5  00 


Carried  forw'd. $8,914  25 


s 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

10 

00 

5 

00 

Brought  forw'd  $8,914  25 

Lawrence,  Mrs.  S..  .  5  00 

Lawrence,  T 5  00 

Lawton,  F.  A 5  00 

Lee,  Prof.  F.  S 5  00 

Lee,  Mrs.  George  B..  10  00 

Lee,  Mrs.  John  C  .  5  00 

Lee,  Joseph 5  00 

Lee,  Miss  M.  T 5  00 

Leeds,  Mrs.  John  G.  5  00 

Lefferts,  M.  C 5  00 

Leidy,  Carter  R 

Leigh,  B.  Watkins.  . 
Leigh,  Mrs.  R.  W... 
Leland,  Wilfred  C... 
Leman,  J.  Howard. . 
Lemmon,    Miss   Isa- 

belle  McC...  .  .  .  .  .  5  00 

Lester,  Mrs.  J.  W.. . 
Lester,  Miss  M.  E... 
Lester,  W.  C.  &  A.E. 

L.J.F 

Leverett,  George  V.. 

Levey,  W.  C 2  00 

Levey,  Mrs.  W.  M..  5  00 

Levor,  G 5  00 

Levy,  Miss  F.  E. .  .  .  5  00 

Levy,  Mrs.  J 10  00 

Lewis,  A.  N 5  00 

Lewis,  Mrs.  F.  E...  .  5  00 

Lewis,  Mrs.  H.  D..  .  5  00 

Lewis,  Mrs.  H.  J 5  00 

Lewis,  Mrs.  John.  .  .  2  00 

Lewis,  Mrs.  J.  F..  .  .  5  00 
Lewisohn  Importing 

and  Trading  Co...  5  00 

Lichtenstein,  Paul.  .  5  00 

Lincoln,  Alexander..  5  00 
Lindabury,   Mrs.   R. 

V S  00 

Linder,  Mrs.  G 5  00 

Lindsay,  Mrs.  J.  W.  5 

Little,  Miss  A.  A....  5 
Littlefield,   Miss   M. 

H 5 

Livermore,  Robert. .  5 

Livingston,  Miss  A..  5 

Livingston,  A.  R.. .  .  5 

Livingston,  Goodhue  5  00 

Livingston,  J.  H..  .  .  5   00 

Lloyd,  N.  Ashley.  .  .  5  00 
Lobenstine,  Mrs.  W. 

C 5  00 

Lecher,      Mrs.      M. 

McClure 5  0° 

Lockwood,  Henry  S.  5  00 
*Lodge,  H.  Ellerton. 

Logan,  Mrs.  A.  S....  2  00 

Logue,  Mrs.  Ida  L..  5  00 

Loines,  Mrs.  M.  H..  5  00 

Loma  Securities  Co.  5  00 


00 
00 


00 
00 


Carried  forw'd. $9, 185  25 


SS6 


Bird-  Lore 


ANNUAL   MEMBERS   AND   CONTRIBUTORS,  continued 


Brought  forvv'd  $9,1 
Lombard/riicMisscs 

Lombardi,  C 

Long,  Harry  V 

Longfellow,  Miss  A. 

M 

Lord,  Mrs.  A.  M 

Lord,  Miss  Couper. . 
Lord,  Miss  D.  M.... 

Lord,  Miss  E.  L 

Lord,  Mrs.  Samuel. . 
Lord,  Mrs.  W.  W. .  . 
Loring,  Mrs.  C.  M.. 
Loring,  Miss  Helen. 
Loring,  J.  Alden. .  .  . 
Loring,  The  Misses. 
Lovell,  Mrs.  F.H.,Jr. 

Low,  Miss  N.  F 

Low,  Hon.  Seth.  .  .  . 

Lowell,  C.  R 

Lowell,  Mrs.  G.  G... 

Lowell,  Miss  G 

Lowell,  James  A..  . . 
Lowell,  Miss  Lucy. . 
Lowell,  Sidney  V.. .  . 
Lowndes,  James. .  .  . 

Lucas,  Dr.  F.  A 

Luce,  Matthew 

Lundy,  Miss  E.  L.. . 
Lusk,  Mrs.  Graham. 
Lyle,  Mrs.  John  S.. . 

Lyman,  Arthur 

Lyman,  Arthur  T. .  . 
Lyman,  Miss  Mabel 

Lyman,  F.  W 

Lyman,  Joseph 

Lyman,  Theodore.. . 
Lyon,  Mrs.  Cecil.  .  . 
Lyon,  Charles  O..  .  . 

Lyon,  George  L 

McAlister,  John.. .  . 
McAlpin,  Charles  W. 
McAlpin,  Dr.  D.  H. 

Jr 

McAlpin,     Mrs.     D. 

H.,  Jr 

McCague,  Mrs.  G.E. 

McCampbell,  T 

McClure,Mrs.C.B.J. 
McCord,  Miss  Belle. 
McCrea,  Charles  C 
McCreary,  Dr.  J.  P.. 
McCuUock,  Albert.  . 
McCulloch,  Miss  M. 

G.  B 

Macdonald,  Mrs.  C. 

B 

Mac  Dougall,  G.  R.. 
McDougall,  Mrs.  W. 
McGaw,  Mrs.  G.  K. 
McGowan,  Mrs.  J.E. 


s.^ 

25 ! 

.=5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

10 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

2 

00 

5 

00 

5 

CO 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

GO 

10 

GO 

5 

GO 

5 

OG 

5 

00 

5 

00 

3 

00 

3 

GG 

5 

GG 

5 

00 

3 

GO 

5 

GG 

5 

OG 

5 

OG 

5 

OG 

5 

GG 

5 

00 

5 

GO 

10 

00 

5 

GO 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

GG 

5 

GG 

5 

GO 

5 

00 

5 

GG 

5 

GG 

6 

GO 

5 

00 

5 

GO 

5 

OG 

5 

GO 

5 

GO 

5 

GO 

5 

GO 

5 

GO 

S 

OG 

5 

GO 

5 

GO 

5 

00 

5 

GO 

10 

00 

172 

as 

472    25 
5  00 
00 
00 
00 


Brought  forw'd ! 
McGregor,  T.  W. 

McHatton,  Dr.  H...  5 

Mcllhenny,  E.  A...  .  5 

Mclntire,  Mrs.  H.  B.  5 

Mackay,  Ellin 5  oo 

McKee,  Mrs.  J.  R...  5  00 

McKelvy,  Mrs.  R...  5  oo 

McKim,  Le  Roy.. .  .  5  00 
McKittrick,        Mrs. 

Thomas  H 10  go 

McLanahan  Duer. . .  5  00 

MacLean,  Mrs.  C.  F.  5  00 
*McLean,  George  P. 

McLean,  J.  E 5  oo 

McMaster,  K.  R 5  oo 

McMinn,  Miss  A...  .  5  oo 

Macmurphy  Co.  The  5  00 
McMurray,  Miss  B. 

E 2  00 

Macnamara,  Charles  5  00 

McNiel,  Miss  R.  E..  5  00 

MacNutt,  Mrs.  A.  D.  5  oo 

McOwen,  Frederick.  5  oo 

McQuesten,  G.  E...  5  go 
McQuesten,  Mrs.  G. 

E 5  00 

McVay,  Mrs.  J.  C. .  5  go 

Mabie,  Mrs.  H.  W. .  5  go 

Macy,  Mrs.  V.  E....  5  go 

Maddock,  Miss  E...  5  go 

Mager,  Mrs.  F.  R...  5  go 

Maghee,  John  H..  .  .  5  oo 

Magner,  Thomas.  .  .  5  00 

Mahl,  William 5  00 

Main,  Frank  H 5  oo 

Maitland,  Robert  L.  5  go 

Malcom,  Mrs.  A.  V.  5  gg 

Mallock,  Mrs.  M.  S.  5  00 

Mann,  F.  P 5  00 

Mann,  F.  W 2  oo 

Manning,  R.  1 5  00 

Manvel,  Mrs.  H.  R..  5  00 

Marden,  Miss  D.  F..  5  00 

Markham,  Mrs.G.D.  5  gg 

Markoe,  Mrs.  John.  lo  oo 

Marling,  A.  E 5  oo 

Marrs,  Mrs.  K 5  oo 

Marsh,  Miss  Ruth. .  5  go 

Marshall,  Charles  C.  5  go 

Marshall, Mrs.  E.  O.  5  00 

Marshall,  W.  A 5  00 

A  Friend 152  60 

Marston,  Howard. . .  5  00 

Martin,  Mrs.  E 10  00 

Martin,  Mrs.  E.  H..  5  go 

Martin,  Mrs.  J.  W. .  5  oo 

Martin,  L.  C 10  00 

Marvin,  C.  D 5  00 

Maryland       Branch 

Nat.  Association.  .  5  00 


Carried  forw'd. $9,472  25         Carried  forw'd. $9,908  85 


Brought  forvv'd  $9,908  SS 

Mason,  Mrs.  C.  N...  5  oo 

Mason,  Mrs.  F.  T...  5  00 

Mastick,  Mrs.  S.  C.  5  oo 

Mather,  Miss  K.  L..  5  00 

Mather,  Samuel.  ...  5  00 

Matheson,  W.  J 5  oo 

Mathews,  Mrs.  J.  R.  5  00 

Mathewson,  E.  P...  6  go 

Matz,  Mrs.  R 5  go 

Maund,  Miss  M.  E..  5  go 

Mauran,  Mrs.  J.  L..  5  00 

Maurer,  Mrs.  0 500 

Maury,   Miss   A.   C. 

deP.  P iG  GO 

Maxwell,  Miss  M..  .  5  go 

May,  Miss  Alice. ...  i  go 

May,  George  H 5  oo 

Mayhon,  Mrs.  J.  J..  5  00 

Mayor,  Miss  A.  L. . .  5  00 
Mayor  and  Council, 

Florence,  S.  C  .  .  5  oo 

Mead,  Mrs.  C.  M...  4  oo 

Mead,  L.  R 5  oo 

Means,  Charles  J... .  5  00 

Meech,  H.  P 5  00 

Meier,  W.  H.  D i  go 

Melborne    Woman's 

Club 5  OG 

Merck,  George 5  00 

Merriam,  F 5  oo 

Merrill,  Edwin  G 5  oo 

Merrill,  L.  K 5  00 

Merrill,  Mrs.  P 5  00 

Merriman,  Mrs.  D..  5  00 

Merriman,  Miss  H..  5  oo 

Merritt,  Mrs.  D.  F. .  5  go 

Metcalf,  M.  B 5  go 

Metcalf,  S.  0 500 

Meyer,  Miss  H 125  go 

Mildrum,  Henry  G. .  5  00 

Miles,  Mrs.  H.  A....  5  go 

Miles,  Mrs.  H.  E....  15  00 

Miller,  Mrs.  C.  R...  s  go 
Miller,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 

C.  T 5  00 

Miller,  Carl  W 5  go 

Miller,  Mrs.  E.  C.  T.  lo  go 

Miller,  Miss  P.  C.  .  5  oo 

Miller,  Mrs.  R.  F...  5  oo 

Mills,  Enos  A 5  00 

Mills,  Miss  F 5  00 

Mills,  Dr.  H.  R 5  00 

Mills,  John  N.,D.D.  5  00 

Minshall,  Miss  H... .  5  00 

Mitchell,  Mrs.  E.  E.  5  go 

Mitchell,  Mrs.  J.  G..  5  gg 

Mitchell,  J.  K 5  00 

Mitchell,  James  T...  lo  00 

Mitchell,  Miss  M... .  5  go 

Mitchell,  Mrs.  M.  B.  5  00 

Carried  forw'd. $10,325  85 


List   of  Members 


551 


ANNUAL  MEMBERS   AND  -CONTRIBUTORS,  continued 


Brought  forw'd $10,325  85 

Mitchell,  Mrs.  W... .  5  00 
Montgomery,     Miss 

M.  A 5  00 

Moon,  E.  B 10  GO 

Moore,  Alfred 5  00 

Moore,  C.  de  R 20  00 

Moore,  Miss  F.  M...  5  00 

Moore,  Mrs.  R.  W..  5  00 

Moore,  Mrs.  W.  H. .  5  00 

Moos,  Mrs.  J.  B..  .  .  5  00 

Morgan,  Mrs.  E 5  00 

Morgenthau,      Mrs. 

M.  L S  00 

Morison,  George  B..  5  00 

Morison,  Mrs.  J.  H..  5  00 

Morison,  Robert  S..  5  00 

Morley,  Mrs.  W.  G..  5  00 

Morrell,  Edward.. .  .  5  00 

Morrill,  Miss  A 5  00 

Morrill,  Miss  F.  E..  10  00 

Morris,  Miss  C.  W..  6  00 

Morris,  Mrs.  D.  H..  5  00 

Morris,  Mrs.  J.  B..  .  5  00 

Morris,  Dr.  L.  R 5  00 

Morris,  Robert  O. .  .  s  00 

Morris,  Dr.  R.  T.. .  .  5  00 

Morris,  Mrs.  Wistar  10  00 

Morse,  Miss  F.  R. .  .  5  00 

Morse,  Henry  Lee.  .  5  00 

Morse,  Mrs.  J.  T.,Tr.  5  00 

Morse,  W.  F 5  00 

Moschcowitz,     Mrs. 

A.  V 5  00 

Moseley,  Miss  E.  F.  10  00 

Moseley,  F.  S 5  00 

Moses,  Wallace  R. . .  i   00 

Mosle,  Mrs.  A.  H..  .  5  00 

Motley,  Thomas. ...  5  00 

Muhlfield,  F.  J 5  00 

Mulligan,  Mrs.  E.  W.  5  00 

Munro,  Miss  A.  B. .  .  5  00 

Munro,  Miss  M.  H..  5  00 

Murphy,  Miss  A.  D.  5  00 

Murphy,  W.  H 5  00 

Myers,  Mrs.  G.  C...  5  00 

Myers,  Mrs.  H.  W..  5  00 

Myrick,  Dr.  H.  G. . .  5  00 

Nazro,  Mrs.  A.  P. . .  5  00 

Neilson,  Miss  E.  C  5  00 

Neilson,  James 10  00 

Nelson,  Miss  H.  D...  5  00 

Nettleton,  C.  H 5  00 

Neustadt,  Mrs.  S....  5  00 

Newberry,  W.  F. .  .  .  5  00 

Newcomb,  C.  A.,  Jr.  5  00 

Newell,  Mrs.  J.  E. . .  5  00 

Newman,  Mrs.  R.  A.  5  00 

News  and  Courier  5  00 
New  Smyrna  Board 

of  Trade 5  00 


Carried  forw'd. $10,642  85 


Brought  forw'd  $10,642  85 

Newton,  Mrs.  C.  P..  3  00 

Newton,  Dr.  E.  D...  5  00 

Newton,  Mrs.  F 5  00 

Newton,  J.  H 5  00 

Nichols,  J.  T 5  00 

Nichols,  J.  W.  T. .  . .  5  00 

Nichols,  Mrs.  J.W.T.  5  00 

Nichols,  Mrs.  W.  W.  i  00 
Nicholson,    Rebecca 

and  Sarah 5  00 

NicoU,  Mrs.  B 5  00 

Noeth,  George  E —  5  00 

Norcross,  G.  H 5  00 

Norman,  Mrs.  B.. .  .  5  00 
Norristown      Audu- 
bon Club 5  00 

Norrie,  Mrs.  E.  L.  B.  5  00 

North,  Mrs.  R.  H. . .  5  00 

Norton,  Mrs.  J.  C. .  5  00 

Norton,  Miss  M.  F..  5  00 

Oakley,  Thornton. . .  5  00 

Oakley,  Mrs.  T 5  00 

O'Brien,  David 5  00 

O'Brien,  Mary  E...  .  5  00 

O'Connor,  Mrs.R.D.  i  00 

Oettinger,  Dr.  P.  J..  5  00 

Olcott,  Dudley 5  00 

Oldberg,  Mrs.  0 5  00 

Olin,  S.  H 5  00 

Oliver,  Mrs.  J.  B...  .  5  00 

Olmsted,  F.  L 5  00 

Olmsted,  Dr.  J.  C...  5  00 

Olney,  Elam  Ward..  5  00 
Onondaga       County 

Audubon  Society.  5  00 

Opdycke,  Mrs.  E....  10  00 

Opdycke,  L.  E 5  00 

O.  F.  B I  00 

Ormond 200  00 

Osborn,  Mrs.  H.  F. .  5  00 

Osborn,  Mrs.  J.  B.. .  5  00 

Osborn,  Mrs.  W.  C  30  00 

Ossberg,  Miss  O.  W.  5  00 

Ostrom,  Mrs.  H.  I...  5  00 

Oswald,  Edward. ...  5  00 

Overton,  Dr.  Frank.  5  00 

Ovington,  Elizabeth,  i  00 

Pack,  Mrs.  C.  L 5  00 

Packard,  Horace. ...  s  00 

Paddock,  Royce. ...  5  00 

Page,  Mrs.  H.  W... .  5  00 

Page,  Miss  Myrtis.  .  i  00 

Pagenstecher,  Miss  F  5  00 

Paine,  Mrs.  A.  G... .  10  00 

Paine,  Cyrus 5  00 

Paine,  Miss  E.  L S  00 

Paine,  Mrs.  F.  W. .  .  5  00 

Paine,  G.  M 5  00 

Paine,  Mrs.  R.  T.  2d.  10  00 

Painter,  K.  V 5  00 


Carried  forw'd. $11, 140  85 


Brought  forw'd  $11,140  85 

Palmer,  Mrs.  E.  C  5  00 

Palmer,  Mrs.  L 5  00 

Palmer,  Miss  M.  T..  5  00 

Palmer,  Dr.  T.  S 5  00 

Paris,  Mrs.  F.  U. .  .  .  5  00 

Park,  Mrs.  H.  J 5  00 

Parke,  Louis  H 5  00 

Parker,  E.  L 25  00 

Parker,  Miss  E 5  00 

Parker,  Mrs.  G 5  00 

Parker,  Mrs.  H.  J.. .  5  00 

Parker,  Mrs.  W.  R..  s  00 

Parmelee,  R.  M 10  00 

Parsons,  E.  H 5  00 

Parsons,  Mrs.  J.  D., 

Jr 5  00 

Parsons,  Robert  L.. .  5  00 

Parsons,  W.  H 5  00 

Pasadena     Audubon 

Society 5  00 

Patterson,  Miss  E.C.  5  00 

Patterson,  T.  H.  H..  10  00 

Patterson,  W.  F 5  00 

Payne,  Mrs.  F.  W...  5  00 

Peabody,  Rev.  E... .  5  00 

Peabody,  G.  F 5  00 

Peabody,  Mrs.  H....  5  00 

Peacock,  Prof.  D,  C.  5  00 

Peake,  Elmore  E.. . .  5  00 

Pearce,  Rev.  W.  P.  .  2  50 

Pearl,  Mrs.  F.  H 5  00 

Pease,  Harriet  R 5  00 

Peck,  Staunton  B —  5  00 

Peet,  Mrs.  W.  C s  00 

Pegram,  Mrs.  E.  S. .  5  00 

Peirson,  Charles  L...  5  00 

Peirson,  Walter,  Jr..  5  00 

Pell,  Mrs.  James  D..  5  00 

Pell,  R.  and  J 10  00 

Pellew,  Miss  M.  J....  5  00 

Pendleton,  Miss  E.F.  5  00 

Penhallow,  C.  T 5  00 

Pennington,  Mrs.  A. 

G 5  00' 

Perihelwin    Club    of 

Rock  Hill 5  00 

Perin,  Mrs.  F.  L..  .  .  5  00 

Perkins,  Mrs.  G.  W..  10  00 

Perkins,  G.  H.,  Jr.  .  .  5  00 

Perkins,  Mrs.  G.  H..  5  00 

Perkins,  Russell 5  00 

Perot,  T.  M.,  Jr 5  00 

Perry,  Dr.  Henry  J..  5  00 

Petermann,  G.  H —  5  00 

Peters,  Mrs.  F.  A....  5  00 

Peters,  Ralph 5  00 

Peters,  Wm.  R 5  00 

Pfarre,  Mrs.  A.  E..  .  10  00 

Pfeiffer,  Curt  G s  00 

Phelps,  Mrs.  A.  B....  500 

Carried  forw'd. $11,463  35 


558 


Bird-  Lore 


ANNUAL   MEMBERS   AND   CONTRIBUTORS,  continued 


Brought  forw'd  $11,463  35 

riielps,  Frank  INl..  .  .  5  00 

Phillipp,  P.  B 25  00 

Phillips,  Anna  G.. .  .  i 

Phillips,  A.  V 2 

Phillips,  Dr.  C.  E.  PI.  5 

PhiUips.Mrs.  C.E.H  5 

Phillips,  Hon.  J.  M..  5 

Phillips,  Dr.  Walter.  5 

Phipps,  Henry 5  00 

Pick,  Mrs.  W.  F 5  00 

Pierce,  Henry  Clay..  5  00 

Pierce,  Wm.  L 5  00 

Piez,  Charles 5  00 

Pilling,  Wm.  S 5  00 

Pillsbury,  Asa  N.  J. .  5  00 

Pilsbury,  Frank  O...  5  00 

Planten,  W.R.J...,.  5  00 

Piatt,  Mrs.  D.  F 5  00 

Piatt,  F.  G 5  00 

Piatt,  Miss  Laura  N.  5  00 

Poe,  MissM 5  00 

Pollock,  Geo.  E 5  00 

Pollock,  Mrs.  Wm...  5  00 

Pomeroy,  Mrs.  N...  .  5  00 

Poole,  Mrs.  G.  S..  .  .  5  00 

Poole,  Ralph  H 5  00 

Poor,  Geo.  H 5  00 

Pope,  Mrs.  A.  S 5  00 

Pope,  G.  D 5  00 

Pope,  Willard 5  00 

Porter,  Miss  Alice.. .  5  00 

Porter,  Mrs.  C 5  00 

Porter,  H.  K 5  00 

Post,  Abner 5  00 

Post,  A.  S 6  00 

Post,  Mrs.  C.  J.,  Jr.  5  00 

Post,  Sylvester 5  00 

Post,  Wm.  S 5  00 

Potter,  Alonzo 5  00 

Potter,  Julian  K.  . .  .  5  00 

Potter,  MissM.  L..  .  i  00 

Potts,  Mrs.  F.  M.  . .  5  00 

Potts,  Jesse  Walker.  5  00 

•Potts,  Miss  S.  B 5  00 

Potts,  Mrs.  W.  M....  5  00 

Powell,  Dr.  John  C.  5  00 

Powers,  Thomas  H.  5  00 

Pratt,  Albert  H 5  00 

Pratt,  B 5  00 

Pratt,  Bela  L 5  00 

Pratt,  Mrs.  CM 5  00 

Pratt,  Miss  Harriet.  10  00 

Pratt,  Joseph  M 5  00 

Pratt,  Leban 5  00 

Pratt,  Miss  S.  E 5  00 

Prentiss,  F.  F 5  00 

Prentiss,  W.  A 10  00 

Preston,  Mrs.  W.  L.  5  00 

Preston,  Mrs.  W. . .  .  5  00 

Price,  J.  S.,  Jr 5  00 


Carried  forw'd. $11, 783  35 


Brought  forw'd  $11,783  35 

Priest,  Miss  E.  M...  i  00 

Prime,  Mrs.  M.  D...  5  00 

Prince,  F.  M 500 

Proctor,  Henry  H...  5  00 

Prouty,  C.  N.,  Jr. .  .  5  00 

Provost,  Mrs.  C.  W.  3  00 

Pruyn,  R.  C 5  00 

Pryer,  Charles 5  00 

Putnam,  Mrs.  A.  S...  5  00 

Putnam,  Miss  E 5  00 

Putnam,  G.  P 5  00 

Putnam,  J.  B 5  00 

Putnam,  Miss  L.  W.  5  00 

Putnam,  W.  L 5  00 

Putney,  Mrs.  W.  B..  5  00 

Pyle,  J.  McA 5  00 

Pyne,  Mrs.  M.  T... .  5  00 

Quinby,  W.  H S  00 

Quincy,  C.  F S  00 

Quint,  Mrs.  W.  D....  5  00 

Rackemann,  C.  S 5  00 

Ralph,  Mrs.  G.  F....  5  00 

Ramsay,  Maj.  W.  G.  5  00 
Rand,  Mrs.  C.  F..  .  , 

Randerson,  J.  P 

Randolph,  Coleman 
Randolph,  Fanny  F. 
Randolph,  Mrs.  E..  , 
Rankine,  Mrs.  W.  B 
Rathborne,  R.  C  . 
Rawlinson,  Miss  E. 

Rawitser,  Fred S  00 

Ray,  Miss  Marie  v.. 
Raymond,  Mrs.  J..  . 
Rea,  Dr.  Paul  M...  . 
Rebasz,  Mrs.  W.  M.. 
Rebmann,  G.  R.,  Jr.. 
Redwood,  Mrs.  F.  J.. 
Remick,  Mrs.  E.  W.. 

Renwick,  E.  B 

Renwick,  Mrs.  W.  C. 
Research     Club     of 

Florence,  S.  C 

Reynal,  Master  E.  S. 

Reynal,  N.  C s  00 

Reynolds,  D 5  00 

Reynolds,  W.  S 10  00 

Rhein,  John,  Jr 5  00 

Rhoades,  Mrs.  B.  M.  5  00 

Rhoades,  Miss  H....  5  00 

Rhoades,  Mrs.  S.  W.  5  00 

Rhoads,  J.  S 5  00 

Rhoads,  MissL.  W...  5  00 

Rice,  Mrs.  E.  F 5  00 

Rice,  Miss  E.  J 5  00 

Rice,  W.  N 5  00 

Rich,  William  L S  00  ! 

Richards,  Miss  A.  A.  5  00 

Richards,  Miss  H.  E.  5  00 

Richards,  Henry 5  00 


5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

10  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 


Carried  forw'd. $12,078  35 


Brought  forw'd  $1 2,0 
Richards,  Gen.  J.  T.. 
Richardson,  Mrs.  C.F. 
Richardson,  Dr.  E.  P. 
Richardson,Mrs.(J.F. 
Richardson,  11.  H..  . 
Richardson,  W.  K... 
Richie,  Miss  Sarah. . 

Ricketson,  W 

Ricketts,  Miss  Jean 
Riggs,  Austen  Fox . . 

Riggs,  G.  C 

Riglander,Mrs.M.M. 

Ring,  C.  L 

Ripley,  Ebed  L 

Rives,  Dr.  W.  C 

Robb,  Mrs.  A 

Robbins,  Miss.  I.  E.. 
Robbins,  The  Misses 

Robbins,  R.C 

Robert,  Samuel 

Roberts,     Mr.     and 

Mrs.  C.  L 

Roberts,  Mrs.  C.  S... 
Roberts,  Miss  E.  C. 
Roberts,  Miss  F.  A.. 
Roberts,  James  O. .  . 
Roberts,  Thomas  S... 
Robertson,  Miss  J..  . 
Robertson,  R.  H..  .  . 
Robertson,Mrs.W.A. 
Robertson,  W.  N...  . 

Robey,  A.  A 

Robinson,  Miss  A.  H. 

Robinson,  C.  A 

Robinson,  Mrs.  C.  L. 

F 

Robinson,  E.  P 

Robinson,  E.  S 

Robinson,  Miss  H.  B 

Robinson,  J 

Robinson,  Dr.  A.  A.. 
Robotham,  Cheslar.. 
Rochester,  Emily  N. 
Rockefeller,  John  D., 

Jr 

Rockefeller,  Mrs.  J. 

D.,Jr 

Rockwood,  Mrs.  G.  I. 

Rodewald,  F.  L 

Rodman,  Miss  E.. . . 
Rogan,  Mrs.  M.  K.... 
Rogers,  George  J.. .  . 
Rogers,  Mrs.  H.  E... 
Rogers,  The  Misses.. 
Rogers,  Mrs.  T.  W.. . 
Rood,  Miss  Mary  W. 

Roof,  Mrs.  CM 

Roosevelt  School 

Rosenbaum,  S.  G 

Rosentwist,  B.  G.  A. 


78  35 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 
10  00 

5  00 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

2 

5 
5 
5 
5 


00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 

GO 
00 
GO 
OG 
GO 


5  00 

5  00 

10  00 

5  00 

5 

5 

5 

5 

2 

5 
5 
5 
5 


GO 
GG 
GO 
OG 
00 
GO 
OG 
GG 
00 

GO 
OG 
00 
00 
OG 
00 
OG 
GG 


5  00 
5  00 

8  GG 

5  00 
5  00 
5  00 

5  OG 
25  OG 

5  00 

OG 
OG 
OG 
OG 
OG 
OG 


Carried  forw'd. $12,382  35 


List  of  Members 


5S9 


ANNUAL  MEMBERS   AND  CONTRIBUTORS,  continued 


Brought  forw'd  $12,382  35 

Rotch,  Mrs.  W.  J..  .  5  00 

Roth,  J.  E S  00 

Rothermel,  J.  J 5  00 

Rothwell,  J.  E 5  00 

Rowley,  John 5  00 

Ruggles,  Mrs.  T.  E..  5  00 
Rugheimer,    John, 

Sons 5  00 

Rumsey,  Mrs.  C.  C.  5  00 

Ruperti,  Justus 5  00 

Rusch,  H.  A 5  00 

Rusher,  C.  J 5  00 

Rushmore,  S.  W 5  00 

Russ,  Mrs.  E.  C... 
Russell,  B.F.W...  . 
Russell,  ]\Irs.  E.  L., 
Russell,  Mrs.  G.  W. 
Russell,  J.  T.,  Jr...  . 
Russell,  Mrs.  W.  A. 

Russell,  Mrs.  W.  D...  5  00 

Rust,  David  W 5  00 

Ryan,  John  Barry...  5  00 

Ryman,  J.  J 5  00 

Sabine,  Dr.  G.  K 5  00 

Sackett,  Mrs.  F.  M. .  5  00 
Sackett,  Mrs.  F.  M. 

Jr 5  00 

Sage,  Mrs.  Dean.  ...  5  00 

Sage,  Mrs.  Homer..  .  5  00 

Sage,  John  H 5  00 

St.  John,  Charles  E..  5  00 

St.  John,  E.  P 5  00 

Salisbury,     Mrs.     E. 

MacCurdy 5  00 

Saltonstall,  John  L..  50  00 

Saltonstall,  P.  L 5  00 


5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

10  00 

20  00 

s  00 


Saltonstall,  Robert.. 

5   00 

Saltonstall,   Mrs.   R. 

M 

5   00 
10  00 

Sampson,  Alden .... 

Sanborn,  Mrs.  C.  F.. 

5  00 

Sanderson,  Miss  M... 

5  00 

Sands,  Mrs.  P.  J 

10  00 

Sanford,  Miss  S.  S..  . 

5  00 

Sargent,  Mrs.  F.  W. . 

5  00 

Saunders,  Miss  M.... 

5  00 

Saunders,  W.  E 

5  00 

Sauter,  Fred 

5  00 

Savin,  Wm.  M 

25  00 

Sawyer,  Mrs.  C.  A..  . 

I  00 

Sawyer,  Mrs.  H.  E... 

5  00 

Sayles,  Mrs.  R.  W..  . 

5  00 

Sayre,  Mrs.  C.  D..  .  . 

5  00 

Sayre&Co.,R 

5  00 

Scarborough,    J.    V. 

B 

5  00 

Scarborough,  R.  B.... 

5  00 

Schaefer,  Miss  E.  L.. 

5  00 

Schieffelin,   Mrs.   H. 

M 

S  00 

Brought  forw'd  $12,743  35  > 
Schiff,  Miss  Dorothy 

and  Master  J.  M..  5  00 

Schlaet,  Mrs.  A.  V. . .  5  00 

Schreiter,  Henry. ...  5  00  i 

Schroeder,  Arthur. . .  5  00 

Schurz,  Miss  M 5  00 

Schwarz,  Miss  E.  E..  5  00 

Schwarz,  G.  F 5  00 

Schwarz,  H.  F 5  00 

Schwarz,  Mrs.  H.  F.  5  00 
Schwarzenbach,     R. 

J.  F 5  00 

Scott,  Albert  L 5  00 

Scott,  Donald 5  00 

Scott,  W.  G 5  00 

Scranton,  Miss  M.  E.  5  00 

Scribner,  Mrs.  A.  H..  10  00 

Scrymser,  J.  A 5  00 

Scrymser,  Mrs.  J.  .A...  30  00 

Scudder,  C.  R 5  00 

Scudder,  Heyward. ..  5  00 

Scudder,  Miss  S.  J....  5   00 

Scully,  Henry  R 5  00 

Seabrook,  Mrs.  H.  H.  5  00 

Seabury,  Miss  C.  O. .  5  00 

Seabury,  Miss  S.  E..  5  00 

Seamans,  C.  W 10  00 

Searle,  Mrs.  S.  F 5  00 

Sears,  Francis  B 5   00 

Sears,  George  0 5  00 

Sears,  Horace  S 5  00 

Sears,  J.  M.  (Mrs.) .  .  5   00 

Sears,  Mary  P 5  00 

Seaver,  Benjamin  F.. 
Seccomb,  Mrs.  E.  .\.. 
Seeler,  Mrs.  Edgar  V. 
Seeley,  Mrs.  W.  G. .  . 

Seelye,  L.  Clark 5  00 

Seitz,  C 5  00 

Selfridge,  Mrs.  G.  S. 
Seligman,  George  W. 
Seligman,  Mrs.  G.  W 
Seligman,  I.  N.,  Mrs. 
Seligman,  Jefferson. . 

Semken,  E.  H 

Seton,  E.  T 

Seuff,  Mrs.  C.H 

Severance,  J.  L 

Sewall,  MissH.  D.... 
Seward,  Miss  A.  D.. 

Seward,  W.  R 5  00 

Sexton,  Mrs.  E.  B..  .  5  00 

Shannon,  W.  P 5  00 

1  Sharpe,  M.  P 5  00 

1  Sharpe,  Miss  E.  D..  .  105  00 

Shattuck,  A.  R 5  00 

Shattuck,  G.  C 5  00 

*Shattuck,  G.  A 

Shaw,  Miss  Eleanor.  5  00 

Shaw,  Francis 5  00 


00 
00 
00 
00 


5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
S  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
10  00 
10  00 
q  00 


Brought  forw'd  $13,1 

Shaw,  Mrs.  G.H 

Shaw,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 

G.  R 

Shaw,  Henry  S.,  Jr. . . 
Shaw,     Mrs.    J.     C. 

and    Mrs.    W.    F. 

Winsor 

Shaw,  Louis  A 

Shaw,  Quincy  A.,  Jr. 

Shaw,  Mrs.  R.G 

Shaw,  S.  P.,Jr 

Shearer,  Mrs.  W.  L.... 
Sheffield,  G.  St.  John 
Sheldon,  Mrs.  E.  B.. 
Shepard,  Miss  E.  B.. 
Shepard,  Mrs.  E.  E.. 
Shepard,  Mrs.  W.  S. 
Sheppard,  Miss  M. . . 

Sheridan,  J.  J 

Sherman,  A.  L 

Sherman,  Mrs.  E.  J.. 
Sherman,  J.  P.  R. .  .. 
Sherman,  Mrs.  J.  P. 

R 

Shiras,  George,  3rd.  . 
Shoemaker,  Mrs.  H. 

P 

Shoemaker,  H.  W. . . . 
Shortall,  Mrs.  J.  L... 

Shumway,  E.  M 

Sibley.  Mrs.  R.  A.... 
Siedenburg,  ]Mrs.  R. 

Jr., 

Sill,  Miss  Annie  ]M... 
Silsbee,  Miss.  K.  E.. 
Silsbee,  Thomas.  .  .  . 

Simons,  E.  A 

Simons,  W.  C 

Simons,  Mrs.  W.  C.  . 
Simpson,  G.  Fred...  . 

Simpson,  John  B 

Sinclair,  H.  R 

Sisler,  L.  E 

Sitgreaves,  Miss  M.  J. 
Skeel,  Mrs.  Frank  D. 
Skeel,  Mrs.  R.  Jr.,... 
Skidmore,  Samuel  T. 

Skinner,  Francis. . .  . 

Slade,  MissE.  A...._. 

Slade,  Francis  Louis 

Sleght,  Mrs.  B.  H.  B. 

Slingluffs,  Mrs.  K.... 

Sloan,  Dr.  Earl  S. .  .  . 

Sloane,  Mrs.  W 

Slocum,  Anna  D..  .  . 

Slocum,  W.  H 

Slosson,  Mrs.  A.  T... 
!  Small,  Miss  C.M 

Smiley,  Daniel 

I   Smith,  Mrs.  A.  J.  .  . . 


70  35 
7  00 


00 
00 


2  00 
20  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
;  00 
00 
00 


5 
5 
10  00 

5  00 
I  00 

5  00 
I  00 

5  00 
5  00 

5  00 
S  00 

5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 

5  00 
5  00 
5  00 

10  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 

10  00 
5  00 
5  00 
S  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
I  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 
5  00 


Carried  forw'd. $12, 743  35       Carried  forw'd. $13, 170  35       Carried  forw'd. $13,457  35 


S6o 


Bird -Lore 


ANNUAL  MEMBERS    AND  CONTRIBUTORS,  continued 


Brought  forw'd  $13, 
Smith,  Mrs.  C.  F..  .  . 
Smith,  Mrs.  C.  C... 
Smith,  Miss  C.  L.... 
Smith,  Edward  C... 
Smith,  MissE.  N.... 
Smith,  MissE.  C.  .  . 

Smith,  Frank  A 

Smith,  Mrs.  F.  W.... 

Smith,  George  A 

Smith,  H.  A.  H 

Smith,  H.M 

Smith,  Henry  P 

Smith,  Mrs.  J.N. .  .. 

Smith,  J.  S 

Smith,  L.  C.  (Mrs.). 
Smith,  Miss  Laura  I. 
Smith,  Miss  Lilian  ... 
Smith,  Miss  M.  J.... 
Smith,  Mrs.  M.  E... . 
Smith,  Mrs.  R.  D...  . 

Smith,  Theo.  H 

Smith,  Walter  E..  .  . 
Smith,  Mrs.  W.  M... 

Smith,  W.H 

Smith,  Wilbur  F..  .  . 
Smoak,  William  M... 
Smyth,  Ellison  A.. .. 
Smythe,  Mrs.  Hugh. 
Snyder,  Mrs.  M.S... 

Snyder,  Watson 

Solley,  Dr.  JohnB... 

Sommerville,  R 

Sonnedecker,  T.  H... 
Souther,  Tristam  B. 
Southworth,  Miss  R. 

M 

Spafford,  J.  H 

Sparks,  Thomas  W. 
Spalding,  Philip  L. .  . 
Sparrow,  Mrs.  E.  W. 
Speare,  Mrs.  L.  R.. .. 
Spencer,  Mrs.  A.  W. 

Sperry,  Lewis 

Sparry,  Mrs.  L 

Speyer,  Mrs.  James. 
Spooner,  Miss  E.  O... 
Sprague,  Dr.  F.  P.. .. 
Sprague,  Howard  B. 
Sprague.  Mrs.  Isaac. 

Spring,  Edward 

Spurlock,  Frank. .  .  . 

Spurrell,  John  A 

Stanley,  Mrs.  M.  R.. 
Staples,  Frank  T. .  .  . 
Staten    Island    Bird 

Lovers 

Stearly,  Wilson  R... 

Stearns,  C.  H 

Stearns,  G.  H 

Stebbins,  Miss  A.  C. 


457 

35 

5 

00 

I 

00 

S 

00 

5 

00 

5 

CO 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

10 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

10 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

GO 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

GO 

10 

00 

10 

00 

5 

OG 

5 

OG 

5 

GG 

I 

00 

5 

00 

5 

GO 

5 

OG 

5 

GG 

5 

GG 

5 

GO 

5 

GO 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

GG 

5 

OG 

5 

OG 

5 

GG 

5 

GO 

5 

00 

5 

GO 

5 

GG 

5 

OG 

I 

OG 

.=; 

GG 

5  00 
5  00 
3  00 
5  00 
5  00 


Carried  forw'd. $13,753  35 


Brought  forw'd  $13 

Sterling,  Mrs.  E 

Sterling,  E.  C 

Stetson,  F.  L 

Stevenson,  Mrs.R.H 

Steward,  Campbell.. 

Stewart,  A.  M 

Stick,  H.  Louis 

Stillman,  Mrs.  J.  F.. 

Still  well,  Mrs.  L.B.. 

Stillwell,  Miss  M.S.. 

Stimson,  Mrs.  C.  E... 

Stimson,  MissM.  A.. 

Stinchfield,  Mrs.  C. 

Stoddard,  Prof.  F.  H. 

Stoddard,  John  L.... 

Stokes,  Anson  P.,  Jr. 

Stokes,J.  G.  P 

Stone,  C.  A 

Stone,  Ellen  J 

Stone,  Mrs.  F.  H.... 

Stone,  Herbert  F. .  .  . 

Stone,  Mrs.  H.  F 

Stone,  Mrs.  Lucy  B. 

Storer,  Mrs.  J.  H 

Storey,  R.  C 

Storm,  G.  L.,  Jr. .  . . 

Storrow,  Mrs.  J.  J... . 

Storrs,  Mrs.  A.  H. .  . 

Stout,  Andrew  V 

Stout,  Mrs.  C.  H 

Stratem,  M.  and  D.. 

Stratton,  Charles  E. 

Straus,  Mrs.  Jesse  I. 

Strauss,  Charles. . .  . 

Street,  Mrs.  K.  A.... 

Strong,  E.  W 

Strong,  Selah  B 

Strong,  Theron  G..  . 

Sturgis,  MissE.  M... 

Sturgis,  J.  H 

Sturgis,  Miss  L.  C... . 

Sugden,  Arthur  W.. . 

Sullivan,  Mrs.  E.  S. . 

Sussex  County  Na- 
ture Club 5  00 

Suter,  Mrs.  C.  R 5  00 

Swan,  James  A S  00 

Swan,  Mrs.  J.  A 10  oo 

Swan,  Mrs.  R.  T.. .  .      5  go 

Swann,  Mrs.  A.  D....      5  go 

Swasey,  E.  R 200  oo 

Swenson,  John 5  oo 

Swezey,  Mrs.  I.  T. . ..     5  00 

Swinnerton,  Miss  L. 

D 2  00 

Swinnerton,  Mrs.  J. 

A 5  GO 

Swope,  Dr.  Eugene...     5  go 

Swope,  Mrs.  M.  M...     5  oo 

Sylvester,  Mrs.  H.  F.     i  oo 


75^  35 
5  00 
5  00 

IG    GO 

5  00 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

S 

5 

5 

5 

5 

S 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 


Carried  forw'd. $14,236  35 


Brought  forw'd  $14, 
Symmes,  Amelia  M. 

Taber,  Miss  M 

Taber,  Sydney  R .  .  . 

Taber,  Mrs.  S.  R 

Tailer,  E.  W 

Taintor,  C.  W 

Talbot,  Fritz  B 

Talbot,  Miss  Mary. . 
Talbot,  Rev.Micah  J. 
Talbot,  Richmond.  . 

Talcott,  James 

Tananbaum,  Leon.  . 
Tanenbaum,  Moses. 
Tapley,  Miss  A.  P.... 
Tappan,  Miss  M.  A. 
Tappan,  Mrs.  W.  H. 

Taylor,  B.  F 

Taylor,  Miss  K.L.... 

Taylor,  P.  J 

Taylor,  Mrs.  W.R... 

Tefft,  Erastus  T 

Temple,  J.  S 

Tewksberry,  G.  W. . . 

Thaw,  J.  C 

Thayer,  Ezra  R 

Thayer,     Mr.     and 

Mrs.  Franks 

Thayer,  Mrs.  G.  A., 

Jr 

Thayer,  Mrs.  J.  E. .  . 
Thayer,  Miss  Ruth... 
Thayer,  Mrs.  S.E.... 
Thomas,  Mrs.  G.  C. 
Thomas,  Miss  G.  I... 
Thomas,  Mrs.  H.  W. 
Thomas,  Marion  P. .. 

Thomas,  Mrs.  T 

Thompson,  C.  D.. . . 

Thompson,  R.  B 

Thomson,  Ernest  A. 
Thorndike,  Albert.... 
Thorne,  Jonathan  .  . 

Thome,  Samuel 

Thornton,  M.  C 

Tiffany,  Mrs.  C.  L... 
Tilden,  Mrs.  C.  L...  . 
Till,  Miss  Elizabeth. 
Tillinghast,  Miss  H. . 

Tilt,  Albert 

Tinkham,  J.  R 

Titus,  E.,  Jr 

Todd,  Thomas 

Tompkins,    Miss    E. 

M 

Tooke,  Mrs.  C.  W.... 
Tower,  Mrs.  Kate  D. 
Tower,  Mrs.  R.  D... 

Towner,  R.R 

Townley,  J.  M 

Townsend,  H.  H...  . 


236 

35 

5 

GG 

2 

GG 

5 

GG 

5 

GG 

10 

00 

5 

OG 

5 

GO 

5 

00 

5 

GO 

5 

00 

5 

GO 

5 

GO 

5 

GO 

5 

00 

5 

00 

.S 

00 

6 

OG 

5 

GG 

5 

GO 

10 

GO 

5 

00 

5 

OG 

5 

OG 

S 

00 

25 

GO 

2 

OG 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

OG 

5 

00 

5 

GO 

5 

GO 

5 

00 

5 

00 

■  5 

00 

5 

00 

5 

GO 

5 

GG 

5 

GO 

5 

GG 

5 

00 

10 

OG 

I 

GO 

5 

GG 

5 

00 

15 

OG 

5 

00 

5 

00 

00 
00 

GG 
OG 
00 
00 
OG 


Carried  forw'd. $14,557  35 


List   of  Members 


S6i 


ANNUAL   MEMBERS   AND  CONTRIBUTORS,  continued 


Brought  forw'd $14,557  35 

Townsend,  J.  B.,  Jr..  5  00 

Townsend,  W.  S 5  00 

Tracy,  C i  00 

Trainer,  C.  W 5  00 

Travelli,  Mrs.C.R..  5  00 

Treat,  Robert  B . .  .  .  2  00 

Troubetzkoy,  P.  P..  5  00 

Trowbridge,  W 5  00 

Trussell,  Arthur  J. .  .  5  00 

Tucker,  Miss  Abbie.  5  00 

Tucker,  R.  P 5  00 

Tucker,  Mrs.  S 5  00 

Tuckerman,  Alfred..  5  00 
Tuckerman,  Mrs.  L. 

S I  00 

Tuckerman,  L.  C...  5  00 

Tufts,  Mrs.  J.  A 5  00 

Tullsen,  H 5  00 

Turle,  Mrs.  W 5  00 

TurnbuU,  Mrs.  R...  5  00 

Turner,  Miss  E.  E..  .  5  00 

Turner,  Miss  M.  E. . .  5  00 

Turner,  Mrs.  W.  J.. .  25  00 

Tuveson,  Nels  A. .  .  .  5  00 

Tweedy,  Edgar 5  00 

Tyler,  Mrs.  D.  T.  A..  5  00 
Tyler,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 

W.  S 10  00 

Tyson,  Carroll  S.  .  .  5  00 

Tyson,  Miss  E.  R.. .  10  00 

Tyson,  Mrs.  G 25  00 

Ulmann,  Ludwig  ...  5  00 

Underwood,  H.  O. .  .  5  00 

Upham,  Miss  E.  A...  5  00 

Upson,  Mrs.  H.  S... .  25  00 

Utley,  Mrs.  Samuel.  5  00 

Vaillant,  Miss  M.  J..  5  00 

Valentine,  Miss  M....  5  00 
Van  Bosherck,  Aliss 

Lizzie 2  00 

Van  Brunt,  Mrs.  C  100  00 

Van  Brunt,  J.  R 5  00 

Vanderbilt,  Mrs.  J...  5  00 

Vanderbilt,  Miss  L. .  5  00 

Vandergrift,  S.  H 5  00 

Vanderhoof,  \V.  M...  5  00 

Vanderlip,  Mrs.  F.  A  10  00 

Van  Dusen,  E.  F 5  00 

Van  Gerbig,  Mrs.  B..  5  00 

Van  Huyck,  J.  M..  .  5  00 

Vanlngen,  Mrs.  E.H.  5  00 

Vanlentwerp,  F.  J....  5  00 

Van  Name,  R.  G 5  00 

Van  Norden,  O.  H. . .  5  00 
Van   Sinderen,   Mrs. 

A.  J 5  00 

Van  Vleck,  W.  C...  5  00 

Van  Wagenen,  H.  W  5  00 
Van     Winkle,    Miss 

Mary  D 5  00 


Carried  forw'd. $14,988  35 


Brought  forw'd  $14,988  35 

Velie,  Charles  D 5  00 

Vibert,  C.  W 5  00 

Vietor,  E.  W 5  00 

Villard,  Vincent  S..  .  5  00 

Von  Arnin,  A 5  00 

Wade,  F.  C 5  00 

Wadham,    Mr.    and 

Mrs.  Harry,  Jr....  5  00 
Wadleigh    Students' 

Association 5  00 

Wadsworth,  H.  C. . .  5  00 
Wadsworth,  R.  C.  W. 

(In  Memoriam)..  .  10  00 

Wadsworth,  Samuel.  5  00 
Wadsworth,  Mrs.  W. 

Austin 20  00 

Waite,  Frank  A 5  00 

Waite,  Mrs.  J.  G 5  00 

Wakely,  Dr.  W.  A. . .  5  00 

Wakeman,  Miss  F..  .  10  00 

Wakeman,  S.  H 5  00 

Walcott,  F.  C S  00 

Waldo,  Charles  S....  5  00 

Wales,  E.  H 5  00 

Walker,  C.  C 5  00 

Walker,  Mrs.  G.  A....  5  00 

Walker,  Grant 5  00 

Walker,  Dr.  J.  B 5  00 

Walker,  Miss  L.  M...  5  00 

Walker,  Dr.  R.L...  .  5  00 

Walker,  Mrs.  T 5  00 

Walker,  W.  B 5  00 

Walker,  W.  F 5  00 

Walker,  W.  H 5  00 

Wallace,  Miss  H.  E. .  3  00 

Wallace,  James  S. . . .  5  00 

Wallace,  Mrs.  T.,  Jr.  5  00 

Wallis,  Mrs.  H 5  00 

Wall  Street,  No.  2,.  .  5  00 

Walser,  C 5  00 

Walser,  Guy  O 5  00 

Walter,  Mrs.  C.T....  5  00 

Wander,  E 5  00 

Ward,  Mrs.  Cabot. .  5  00 

Ward,  Charles  WiUis  5  00 

Ward,  E.  L 5  00 

Ward,  Sidney  F 5  00 

Warner,  F.  W 5  00 

Warner,  Mrs.  G.  M..  5  00 

Warner,  Mrs.  I.  DeV  5  00 

Warner,  Mrs.  L.  C...  5  00 

Warner,  Percy 5  00 

Warren,  Miss  C 25  00 

Warren,  Mrs.  E.  W..  5  00 

Warren,  G.  C 5  00 

Warren,  Mrs.  H.  M..  5  00 

Warren,  Mrs.  S.  D...  5  00 

Warren,  Walter  P...  5  00 

Waterhouse,  Mrs.  A.  5  00 

Waterhouse,  Mrs.  F.  2  00 


Carried  forw'd. $15,308  35 


Brought  forw'd  $15,308  35 
Waterman,  Miss  M. 

E 5  00 

Waters,  Mrs.  F.  H. . .  i  00 

Watson,  Miss  J.  S..  .  S  00 

Watson,  Mrs.  W.  W.  5  00 

Watt,  Mrs.  H.  C 5  00 

Wayland,  Mrs.  F 5  00 

Wead,  Miss  C.  E 5  00 

Wearne,  Henry 5  00 

Weaver,  Mrs.  B.  P.. .  5  00 

Weaver,  Dr.  W.  B. . .  5  00 

Webb,  Gerald  B 5  00 

Webber,  R.  H 5  00 

Webber,  Mrs.  W.  G..  i  00 

Webster,  Mrs.  E.  H..  5  00 

Webster,  Edwin  S....  5  00 

Webster,  G.  K 10  00 

Webster,  Mrs.  L.  F. .  5  00 

Webster,  L.  F 5  00 

Weeks,  A.  G 5  00 

Weeks,  W.  B.P 5  00 

Wehrhane,  C 5  00 

Weil,  C.  S 5  00 

Weitling.  W.  W 5  00 

Welch,  C.  W 5  00 

Welch  &  Eason 5  00 

Welch,  George  T.. . .  3  00 

Welch,  Mrs.  P.N...  .  5  00 

Welch,  S.  E 5  00 

Weld,  Mrs.  CM....  5  00 

Weld,  Miss  E.  F 5  00 

Weld,  Rev.  G.F 5  00 

Weld,  Samuel  M.  .. .  5  00 

Weld,  Gen.  S.M 5  00 

Wells,  Mrs.  E.  L 5  00 

Wells,  W.  S 2  GO 

Wemple,  W.  Y 5  00 

West,  A.  S 5  00 

West,  Mrs.  J.  E 5  00 

West,  Helen  (Miss)..  5  00 

Weston,  Edward...  .  5  00 

Weston,  Mrs.  S.  B.. .  5  00 

Wetherill,  W.  H 5  00 

Wetmore,  Edmund.  10  00 

Wharton,  W.  P 500  00 

Wheeler,  C.W.B....  5  00 

Wheeler,  Miss  E.  O..  5  00 

Wheeler,  J.  D 5  00 

Wheeler,  Miss  L 5  00 

Wheeler,  S.  H 5  00 

Wheelock,  W.  E 5  00 

Wheelwright,     Mrs. 

Andrew  C 10  00 

Wheelwright,    Miss 

M.  C 5  00 

Whipple,  Mrs.  H.  B..  5  00 

Whitcomb,  P.  R 5  00 

White,  Alfred  T 5  00 

White,  Benj.  v.,  Jr...  5  00 

White,  C.  E 5  00 


Carried  forw'd. $16,090  35 


562 


Bird  -  Lore 


liroughl  forw'd  $16,090 

White,  Mrs.  C.  K 5 

White,  Mrs.  C.  G 10 

White,  C.  H 5 

White,  Miss  H.  A...  .  5 

White,  Mrs.  H.  D...  5 

W^iite,  MissH 5 

White,  Miss  H.  H..  .  10 

White,  Dr.  James  C.  5 

White,  Miss  K.  L 5 

White,  Leonard  D  .  .  5 

White,  Marcus 5 

White,  Roger  S 5 

White,  Mrs.  W.  C.  .  10 

White,  Mrs.  W,  M...  5 

White,  Windsor,  T.. .  5 
Whitehouse,  Mrs.  C. 

A 5 

Whiting,  Miss  G 5 

Whiting,  Mrs.  J.  K..  5 

Whiting,  Mrs.  S.  B..  5 

Whitney,  Miss  A..  .  .  5 

Whitney,  David  C. .  5 

Whitney,  Frank.  ...  5 

Whitney,  Frederick.  5 

Whitney,  M.  B 5 

Whitney,  T.H 5 

Whiton,  MissM.  B..  5 

Whiton,  Mrs.  S.  G...  5 

Whittaker,  Miss  M. .  5 

Whittaker,  W 5 

W^hittemore,  Miss  G. 

B 5  00 

Whittemore,  Mrs.  J. 

H s 

Whittemore,  J.  Q.  A.  5 

Wiard,  Mrs.  F.  L....  5 

Widmann,  Otto 5 

Wigglesworth,  G. .  .  .  10 
Wigglesworth,    Mrs. 

G 5 

Wilbour,  Mrs.  C.  B..  10 

Wilbour,  Miss  T 5 

Wilbur,  Mrs.  F.M...  5 

Wilcox,  Miss  A.  E....  5 

Wilcox,  Mrs.  E.W...  5 

Wilcox,  Mrs.  F.  L. .  .  5 

Wilcox,  T.  F 5 


ANNUAL  MEMBERS    AND   CONTRIBUTORS,  continued 

Brought  forw'd  $16,558  35 
Wood,  Arnold 5  00 


35 

CO 

00 
00 

CO 

00 
00 
00 
00 

CO 

00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 

00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 

GO 
CO 
GO 
GO 


330  35 

16  OG 


GG 
00 
00 
GG 
GG 

GG 
OG 
00 
GO 
00 
00 
GO 
GO 


Carried  forw'd. $16, 330  35 


Brought  forw'd  $16, 
Willard,  Miss  Helen 

Willenbrock,  Mrs.  F.  5  oo 

Willets,  Mrs.  A 5  00 

William,  Master.  ...  i  00 

Williams,  Miss  Belle.  5  00 

Williams,  Mrs.  C.  D.  5  00 
W^illiams,     Mrs.     D. 

W 5  00 

Williams,  Miss  E.  A.  5  00 

Williams,  E.  A 5  00 

Williams,  Miss  E.  G.  5  go 

Williams,  Mrs.  F.H..  5  00 

Williams,  Miss  E.  F.  5  go 

Williams,  Dr.  E.  R.  .  5  go 

Williams,  Miss  M.  T.  5  go 

Williams,  Moses,  Jr.  5  og 
Williams,     Richard 

A.,  2nd iG  GO 

Williams,  Miss  S. .  ..  5  gg 

Williams,  Mrs.  T.  S.  5  go 

Willis,  Miss  Adeline.  5  go 

Willis,  Mrs.  Sarah  L.  10  oo 

Wills,  Charles  T 5  go 

Willson,  Mrs.  C.  H...  5  go 

Willson,  Miss  L.  B  .  .  5  00 

Wilson,  Miss  A.  E....  5  00 

Wilson,  Miss  A.  M...  5  gg 

Wilson,  Mrs.  H.  B. . .  5  go 

Wilson,  Mrs.  H 5  go 

Wilson,  Orme  H.,  Jr.  5  00 

Wing,  Asa  S 5  00 

Winn,  H.  J 5  00 

Winship,  C.  F 5  00 

Winship,  C.  N 5  00 

Winslow,     Miss     I. 

(In  Memoriam)..  . 
Winslow,    Miss.    M. 

L.  C 

Winston,  G.  Owen.  . 
Winterbotham,  J. .  . . 

Winthrop,  G.  L 

Winthrop,  H.  R 

Wise,  Miss  A.  E 

Wolfe,  Mrs.  John. .  . 

Wolff,  Mrs.  L.  S 

Woman's     Club,    of 

Seymour,  Conn. .  .  5  00 


5  00 

5  GO 

5  00 

IG  00 

5  00 

5  00 

I  GO 

5  GG 

5  00 


Carried  forw'd. $16, 558  35 


Wood,  Mrs.  A.  B....  5  gg 

Wood,  Mrs.  A.  L 5  go 

Wood,  Mrs.  J.  D 5  go 

Wood,  Mrs.  M.  C.  .  .  5  og 

Wood,  Miss  S.  L.. . .  5  oo 

Wood,  Mrs.  W.  D..  .  2  oo 

Woodcock,  John. .. .  5  00 

WoodhuU,  J.  C 5  00 

Woodruff,  Dr.  A.  J...  5  oo 

Woods,  E.  F 5  GG 

Woods,  J.  W 5  OG 

Woodsome,  Mrs.  C. 

W 5  OG 

Woodward,  L.  F..  .  .  5  oo 

Woolman,  E.  W 5  00 

Worcester,  Mrs.  A. . .  5  oo 

Worcester,  W.  L. .  .  .  2  oo 
Worsham,    Hon.    E. 

L 5  GG 

Wright,  Mrs.  E.  K....  5  go 

Wright,  Glen 5  00 

GO 
GG 


5 

s 

IG    GG 

5 
5 
5 
5 
5 


Wright,  Miss  H.  H 
Wright,  Horace  W . . 
Wright,  Mrs.  J.  G... 
Wright,  Mrs.  J.  O.... 
Wright,  Mrs.  M.  A.. 
Wright,  Minturn.... 
Wright,  Mrs.  T.  F. .  . 
Wright,  Mrs.  W'.L... 

Wyatt,  W.  S 5  GO 

Wylie,  E.  A.  Gill. ...  10  00 
Yardley,  Miss  E.  W^.  5  go 
Yarrow,  Miss  M.  C  5  00 
Yates,  Dr.  S.  Anna.       2  go 

Young,  Benj.  L 5  oo 

Young,  Miss  E.  M.  .  5  gg 
Young  Folks' Library     5  00 

Young,  H.  G 15  OG 

Young,  W.  H 5  00 

Zabriskie,  Mrs.  A.  C.     5  oo 

Zapp,  G.  C 5  00 

Zell,  G.  Leeds 5  oo 

Zimmerman,  Mrs.  J. 

E 5    GO 

Zobel,  Robert  P 5  oo 

ZoUikoffer,  Mrs.  O.  F.     5  00 


516,789  35 


CONTRIBUTORS   TO    THE    DEPARTMENT    OF 
APPLIED    ORNITHOLOGY 


Clyde,  William  P.. 

.$250 

00 

Converse,  E.  C  . 

I, GOO 

GO 

Curtis,  Mrs.  C.  B. 

•        50 

GO 

Dallett,  F.  A 

.      100 

00 

Eastman,  George.. 

.     500 

00 

Eldridge,  Miss  I. . 

•     5° 

00 

Fairchild,  B.  T.... 

•    150 

00 

Hemenway,  A 

.    500 

00 

Caried  forw'd.  .$2,600  00 


Brought  forw'd  $2,600  oo 

Lanier,  CD 100  go 

Pierrepont,  J.  J.. .  .  100  go 
Piatt,  Mrs.  O.  H....  25  00 
Rockefeller,  W. .  .  .  1,000  00 
Shermerhorn,  F.  A.  500  00 
Shoemaker,  H.  W..  100  go 
Schwab,  Gustav. .  .    100  00 


Brought  forw'd  $4,5  25  00 

Shepard,  S.  C 50  00 

Thayer,  Mrs.  E.  R..   100  00 
Thompson,  Mrs.  F. 

F 250  GG 

Thorne,  Samuel.  . .  1,000  go 
Woman's    Club    of 

Harvard,  Mass.  .        7  50 


Carried  forw'd. $4, 525  00 


$5,932  50 


Contributors  to   the   Egret   Fund 


563 


CONTRIBUTORS    TO   THE    EGRET    FUND 


Balance  unexpended 
from  1913  as  per 
Annual  Report.  .$433  78 

Abbott,  Holker i   00 

Abbott,  Mrs.  T.  J.. .  3  00 

Adams,  Miss  E.  B...  i  00 

Adams,  William  C  i  00 

A  Friend 100  00 

Agar,  Mrs.  John  G..  5  00 

Albright,  J.  J 5  00 

Allen  County  Audu- 
bon Society 2  00 

Allen,  Miss  Gertrude  15  00 
Allen,  Miss  Mary  P. 

and  Friends 30  00 

Althouse,  H.  W 5  00 

Ames,  Mrs.  J.  B..  .  .  5  00 

Anderson,  F.  A 2  00 

Anderson,  Brig-Gen. 

George  J 2  00 

Anonymous 5  00 

Anthony,  Miss  E.  J.,  i  00 

Asten,  Mrs.  T.  B....  5  00 

A  Sympathizer 5  00 

Auchincloss,  Mrs.  H. 

D 5  00 

Averill,  Miss  F.  M..  i  00 

Ayres,  Miss  Mary  A.  2  00 

Babson,  Mrs.  C.  W..  i  00 

Baird,  T.  E.,  Jr 5  00 

Baldwin,  Mrs.  J.  D..  i   00 

Baldwin,  William  H.  2  00 

Barclay,  Miss  E 2  00 

Barnes,  R.  M 10  00 

Barri,  Mrs.  J.  A 5  00 

Barron,  George  D...  2  00 

Barry,  Miss  A.  K. .  .  2  00 

Bartol,  E.  F.  W 10  00 

Bartol,  Mrs.  J.  W. . .  25  00 

Baxter,  Miss  L.  W. .  5  00 

Beebe,  C.  K 2  00 

Beebe,  Mrs.  W.H.H.  2  00 

Beckwith,  Mrs.  L.  F.  5  00 

Benjamin,  Mrs.  J. .  .  5  00 

Bergfels,  Mrs.  H.. .  .  i  00 

Berlin,  Mrs.  D.  B...  i  00 

Bernheimer,Mrs.J.S.  10  00 

Best,  Mrs.  C 5  00 

Biddle,  E.  C.  and  C. 

B 10  00 

Bignell,  Mrs.  Effie.  .  i   00 

Birch,  Hugh  T 10  00 

A  Bird-Lover 5  00 

Bird    Lovers'     Club 

of  Brooklyn 5  00 

Blackwelder,  Eliot. .  i   00 

Bliss,  Miss  L.  B 10  00 

Boggs,  Miss  M.  A. . .  5  00 

Bole,  B.  P 10  00 

Bonham,  Miss  E.  M.  25  00 


Carried  forw'd.    $817  78 


Brought forw'd     $817  78 

Bohnam,  Miss  E.  S..  5  00 

Bonham,  Mrs.  H...  .  10  00 

Bowdoin,  Miss  E.  G.  10  00 

Bowdoin,  Mrs.  G.  S.  20  00 
Boynton,     Mrs.     C. 

H I  00 

Braman,  Mrs.  D.. .  .  12  00 

Brent,  Mrs.  D.  K..  .  2  00 

Brewer,  E.  M 10  00 

Brewer,  Miss  L.  S.. .  5  00 

Bridge,  Edmund..  .  .  5  00 

Bridge,  Mrs.  L.  E...  10  00 

Brooker,  Mrs.  C.  F..  5  00 

Brooks,  S 5  00 

Brooks,  Mrs.  S 20  00 

Brown,  Mrs.  C.  S..  .  10  00 

Brown,  D.  J 2  00 

Brown,  T.  H 20  00 

Burden,  James  A... .  5  00 

Burgess,  E.  P 3  00 

Burnham,  William..  10  00 

Burpee,  W.  Atlee.  .  .  5  00 

Burt,  Miss  E.  B 2  00 

Busk,  Fred.  T 5  00 

Butler,  Miss  V 10  00 

Button,  Conyers..  .  .  25  00 

Byington,  Mrs.  L.  J.  2  00 

Caesar,  H.  A i  00 

Cameron,  E.  S i   00 

Cammann,  K.  L..  .  .  10  00 

Carroll,  Elbert  H —  10  00 

Carse,  Miss  H 2  00 

Casey,  Edward  P... .  10  00 

Chambers,  Miss  K..  10  00 

Chapman,  Miss  M..  10  00 

Chapman,  Mrs.  J.W.  2  00 
Chittenden,  Mrs.  S. 

B 2  00 

Christian,  Miss  E. .  .  3  00 

Christian,  Mrs.M.H.  2  00 

Christian,  Miss  S... .  6  00 

Church,  C.  T 5  00 

Cimmins,  Mrs.  T —  5  00 

Clarke,  E.  A.  S 5  00 

Clarke,  Mrs.  L 2  00 

Clemenston,  Mrs.  S.  10  00 

Clerk,  A.  G i  00 

Cleveland,  Mrs.  C...  i  00 

Clinch,  Judge  E.  S..  10  00 

Cobb,  Miss  A.  W... .  2  00 

Colby,  Howard  A. .  .  5  00 

Collord,  George  W..  5  00 

Colon,  George  E..  .  .  4  00 

Colton,  Miss  C.  W..  2  00 

Coney,  Miss  K.  E...  2  00 
Conner,  Miss  M.  A..  5  00 
Convers,  Miss  C.  B.  2  00 
Coolidge,  Prof.  A.  C.     5  00 

Cristy,  Mrs.  H.  W. .  i  00 


Brought  forw'd  $1,177  78 
Crittenden,  Miss  V. 

E I   00 

Crocker,  Rev.  W.  T.  2  00 

Crosby,  M.  S 5  00 

Cummings,  Miss  B.J.  2  00 
Cummings,  Mrs.  H. 

K I  00 

Cummins,    Miss    A. 

M 5  00 

Cummins,  Miss  E.  I.  5  00 

Curie,  Charles 10  00 

Curtis,  Miss  M 10  00 

Gushing,  Miss  M.W.  i  00 

Cutter,  Dr.  G.  W..  .  2  00 

Cutter,  Ralph  Ladd.  10  00 

Dana,  Mrs.  E.  S..  .  .  4  00 

Daniels,  Mrs.  E.  O..  i  00 

Davidson,  Mrs.  F.  S.  s  00 

Davidson,   Gaylord.  5  00 

Davis,  E.  F 5  00 

Davis,  Dr.  G 5  00 

Davis,  Miss  L.  B....  3  00 

Davis,  William  T... .  10  00 

Dawes,  Miss  E.  B.. .  10  00 

Day,  Miss  Carrie  E.  2  00 

Day,  Stephen  S 5  00 

De  Beaufort,  W.  H..  5  00 
De  Forest, Mrs. R.W.  5  00 
Delafield,  Mrs.  J.  R.  2  00 
De  La  Rive,  Miss  R.  4  00 
Dennie,  Miss  M.  H.  2  00 
Detroit  Bird  Protect- 
ive Club 5  00 

Dickerman,  W.  B..  .  25  00 

Dodd,  Miss  J.  M....  2  00 

Doering,  O.  C 10  00 

Doughty,  Mrs.  Alia.  10  00 

Douglas,  Mrs.  J 15  00 

Dryden,  ^Irs.  C.  P..  25   00 

Dudley,  Miss  F.  G..  10  00 

Duer,  Mrs.  D 10  00 

DuPoint,  F.  A 10  00 

Dwight,  Mrs.  M.  E.  2  00 

Early,  Charles  H...  .  2  00 

Eastman,  George.  .  .  50  00 

Eddison,  Charles....  10  00 

Edwards,  Miss  L.  M.  5  00 

Edwards,  William  S.  5  00 

Ellis,  William  D 10  00 

Ellsworth,  Mrs.  J.  L.  i  00 

Emerson,  Elliot  S..  .  3  00 

Emery,Miss  G.  H...  25  00 
Emmons,     Mrs.     R. 

W.,  2d 5  00 

Enders,  John  0 5  00 

Essick,  William  S..  .  2  50 

Ettorre,  Mrs.  F.  F...  2  00 

Evans,  William  B.. .  4  00 

Evarts,  Miss  Mary..  5  00 


Carried  forw'd. $1,177   78  I       Carried  forw'd. $1,563   28 


5^4 


Bird-  Lore 


CONTRIBUTORS    TO   THE   EGRET    FUND,  continued 


IJroughl  forvv'd  $i, 
Fairbanks,   Miss  M. 

B ..,..., 

Faulkner,  Miss  F.M. 

E.  B.  F 

Fergusson,  A.  C 

Ferry,  Miss  M.  B..  . 
Folsom,  Miss  M.  G. 

Fool,  James  D 

Foote,  Mrs.  F.  W. .  . 
I'^oster,  Mrs.  C.  D.. . 
Franklin,  Mrs.  M.  L. 
Freeman,  Miss  H.  E. 
Freeman,  Dr.  W.  J.. 
French,  Daniel  C... 
Friedman,  Mrs.  M.. 

Friers,  Miss  E 

Frothingham,  J.  W.. 
Fuguet,  Stephen.  .  .  . 
Gannett,  Miss  C.  K. 
Gannett,  Rev.  W.  C. 

and  Friend 

Gannette,  Miss  M.  T. 

Garst,  Julius 

Gibbs,  H.  E.  A 

Gilbert,  Mrs.  F.  M.. 

Gilman,  Miss  C 

Gladding,  John  R..  . 
Godeffroy,  Mrs.E.H. 

Goehring,  J.  M 

Goodwin,  George  R. 
Gray,  Miss  Isa  E...  . 
Greene,  Miss  C.  S..  . 
Greer,  Miss  Almira.. 
Gwalther,  Mrs.  H.  L. 

Hage,  Daniel  S 

Hager,  George  W...  . 
Hale,  Thomas,  Jr...  . 

Hallett,  W.  R 

Hallowell,  Miss  C..  . 
Halsey,  Mrs.  E.  D.. 
Harkness,  David  W. 

C.  R.  H 

M.  G.  H 

Hathaway,  Harry  S. 
Hay,  Mrs.  John.  .  .  . 
Haynes,  Miss  Louise 

de  F 

Hazen,  Miss  E.  H.. . 
Hearst,  Mrs.  P.  A.. . 

Heide,  Henry 

Henderson,  A 

Hering,  W.  E 

Herpers,  Henry 

Heydt,  Herman  A..  . 
Higbee,  Harry  G..  .  . 
Higginson,  Mrs.  J.  J. 
Hills,  Mrs.  J.  M.... 
Hodenpyl,  Anton  G. 
Hodgman,    Miss    E. 

M 


563 

28 

2 

00 

10 

00 

5 

00 

2 

00 

5 

00 

10 

00 

2 

00 

2 

00 

I 

00 

10 

00 

10 

00 

I 

GO 

2 

GO 

2 

OG 

I 

00 

35 

00 

5 

00 

I 

GO 

2 

00 

I 

OG 

2 

GO 

30 

OG 

6 

GO 

4 

GO 

15 

GO 

10 

OG 

5 

GG 

5 

GO 

10 

OG 

I 

GO 

5 

GG 

4 

OG 

I 

GO 

4 

OG 

I 

GG 

10 

GG 

2 

GG 

8 

OG 

5 

GO 

5 

OG 

5 

GG 

2 

GG 

25 

GO 

10 

OG 

3 

OG 

50 

GG 

10 

GO 

2 

OG 

5 

00 

2 

00 

I 

OG 

I 

OG 

10 

GG 

3 

GO 

25 

GG 

5 

GO 

964 

28 

5  00 

15  00 

5  00 

lO  GO 

2  OG 

5  00 

5  OG 


IG  GO 

25  GO 

6  OG 

25  OG 

IG  GG 


Brought  forw'd  $1,964  28 

Holbrook,  Mrs.  E...  5  00 

Holt,  Mrs.  Frank. .  .  2  oo 

Holt,  Mrs.  R.  S 30  00 

Hooker,  Miss  S.  H..  2  oo 

Hopkins,  Miss  A.  D.  3  go 

Horr,  Miss  Elizabeth  5  go 

Horton,  Miss  F.  E..  2  go 
Howe,  Dr.  James  S. 

Howe,  Mrs.  J.  S 

Hoyt,  Miss  G.  L 

Hungerford,  R.  S... . 
Hunter,  Mrs.  W.  H. 

Hupfel,  J.  C.  S 

Hurd,  Elizabeth. .  .  . 
Hutchinson,        Mrs. 

Charles  L lo  go 

Ireland,  Miss  C.  I.. . 
Jackson,  Miss  M.  C. 
Jackson,  P.  N.,  Jr.. . 
James,  Mrs.  D.  W... 
James,  Mrs.  W.  B... 

Jenkins,  Miss  L 5  oo 

Jennings,  Miss  A.  B.  5  oo 

Jennings,  Dr.  G.  H..  3  go 

Jewett,  George  L...  .  5  go 

Johnson,  Mrs.  E.  R.  10  oo 

Jones,  Boyd  B i  oo 

Jones,  Mrs.  C 5  oo 

Jopson,  Dr.  and  Mrs. 

John  H I   GO 

Jordon,  A.  H.  B 20  00 

Joslin,  Miss  Ada  L. .  2  go 

Jube,  Albert  B 3  00 

Junior  Audubon  So- 
ciety   I  00 

Keen,  Miss  F 5  oo 

Keep,  Mrs.  Albert.  .  3  00 

Keim,  Thomas  D... .  i  oo 
Kempton,    Miss    M. 

M I     GO 

Kennedy,  Mrs.  J.  S..  5  00 

Kerr,  Mrs.  T.  B i  00 

Kimball,  Mrs.  D.  P..  25  oo 

King,  Miss  Ellen. ...  25  oo 
Kleinschmidt,     Miss 

H I     GO 

Kuser,  Mrs.  A.  R..  .  lo  00 

Kuser,  Anthony  R..  10  oo 

Kuser,  John  D 25  oo 

Lagowitz,  Miss  H.  L.  i  oo 

Lang,  Henry 5  oo 

Lasell,  Miss  L.  W. .  .  i  oo 
Laughlin,    Mrs.     H. 

M 2    GO 

Lawrence,  R.  B 4  oo 

"L.  C.  L." IG   GO 

Lewis,  Mrs.  A 10  oo 

Lewis,  J.  B 2  GO 

Lippitt,  Mrs.  C 5  go 

Livermore,  A.  E i  00 


Carried  forw'd. $2,360  28 


Brought  forw'd  $2,360  28 
Livingston,  Miss  A. 

P IS  00 

Loring,  Mrs.  C.  G...  3  oo 

Lovering,  Mrs.  H.E.  1  oo 

Luttgen,  Walter.  ...  5  00 

Mackey,  Oscar  T... .  5  00 

Mann,  Miss  J.  A 3  00 

Mann,  J.  R i  00 

Manning,  L.  J 3  00 

Mansfield,  Helen. ...  6  00 

Marlor,  Henry  S..  .  .  S  00 

Marsh,  J.  A 5  oo 

Marsh,  S.  S i  oo 

Mason,  G.  A 5  oo 

Mason,  Mrs.  G.  G...  10  oo 

Mason,  H.  L.,  Jr 5  oo 

Massachusetts  S.  P. 

C.  A 5  GO 

McConnell,    Mrs.  A. 

B 5  oo 

McPheeters,  Miss  C.  23  oo 

Mellen,  George  M...  i   oo 

Mellens,  J.  T 2  go 

Merriman,  Mrs.  D..  lo  oS 

Merritt,  Mrs.  J.  H. .  i   00 

Metzger,  W.  T 2  go 

Miller,  C.  R 10  oo 

Miller,  E.  L 2  oo 

Minot,  William 2-  00 

Mitchell,  Mrs.  E 2  50 

Mitchell,  James  T...  5  oo 
Montell,     Mr.     and 

Mrs.  F.  M 2  GO 

Moore,  Alfred 5  oo 

Moore,  Mrs.  E.  C 
Moore,  Henry  D..  . 
Moore,  Robert  T... 
Morgan,  Miss  C.  L. 
Morgan,  Mrs.  J.  P., 

Jr 

Morgenthau,      Mrs. 

M.  L 

Morrill,  Miss  A.  W.. 
Mosle,  Mrs.  A.  H. .  . 
Motley,  James  M..  . 
Mott,  Miss  Marian. 
Murray,  J.  L,  Jr.. .  . 
Nesmith,  Miss  M. .  . 
Nice,  Mrs.  M.  M... . 
Norfolk  Bird  Club.. 

O'Conner,  T.  H 15  go 

Oliver,  Dr.  H.  K 10  go 

Olmsted,  F.  L.,  Jr.. .  i  oo 

Osborn,  Carl  H 4  00 

Osborne,  Arthur  A. .  5  00 

Osterholt,  E 500 

Parsons,  Miss  K.  L.  3  oo 

Patton,  Mrs.  M.  S..  10  00 

Peck,  Dr.  E.  L i  00 

Pegram,  Mrs.  E.  S..  5  oo 

Carried  forw'd. $2,893  12 


I 

OG 

2GO 

OG 

.SO 

00 

5 

GO 

5 

OG 

I 

GG 

5 

OG 

5 

GO 

IG 

OG 

5 

OG 

I 

00 

5 

OG 

3 

00 

27 

26 

Contributors  to   the   Egret   Fund 


S6S 


CONTRIBUTORS   TO   THE  EGRET   FUND,  continued 


Brought  fonv'd  $2, 
Penfold,  Edmund. . . 

Peoples,  W.  T 

Pepper,  Mrs.  W 

Peters,  Mrs.  E.  McC. 

Petty,  E.  R 

Phelps,  F.von  R.Mrs. 
Phelps,  Mrs.  J.  W... 

Phinney,  C.  G 

Porter,  Miss  E.  B..  . 
Porter,  Miss  Juliet. . 
Pott,  Miss  Emma. .  . 
Proctor,  William. .  .  . 

Proctor,  W.  R 

Puffer,  L.  W 

Pusey,  Mrs.  H 

Putnam,  Mrs.  A.  S.. 
Putnam,  George  P.. 
Putnam,  Dr.  J.  J.... 

Raht,  Charles 

Randolph,  Coleman. 

Raymond,  C.  H 

Redfield,  Miss  J.  W. 
Reed,  Mrs.  W.  H. .  . 
Reynolds,  Miss  M.D. 

Rhoads,  S.  N 

Richard,  Miss  E... . 
Richardson,  Mrs.  M. 

G 

Richmond,  MissE.H. 
Ricketson,  Walton.. 

Robbins,  Royal 

Robbins,     Mr.     and 

Mrs.  R.  E 

Robins,  Miss  N.  P.  H. 

Robinson,  W.  A 

Ross,  Dr.  L.  H 

Sabine,  Dr.  G.  K... . 
Sampson,  Miss  L.  S. 

Saul,  Charles  R 

Saunders,  Charles  G. 

Savage,  A.  L 

SaviUe,  Mrs.  A.  H... 
Sawtelle,  Mrs.  E.  M. 
Sawyer,  Mrs.  C.  R.. 
Schweppe,    Mrs.    H. 

M 

Scofield,  Miss  H 

Scofield,  Miss  M..  .  . 
Sellers,  Howard 


893 

12 

ID 

00 

2 

00 

5 

00 

•  3 

00 

2 

GO 

10 

00 

10 

00 

3 

00 

I 

GO 

5 

00 

I 

00 

5 

00 

2$ 

00 

I 

GO 

2 

GO 

3 

GG 

3 

GO 

3 

00 

5 

00 

i.S 

GG 

i.S 

GG 

I 

GO 

10 

GO 

2 

GO 

I 

GG 

15 

OG 

s 

GO 

I 

GO 

2 

GG 

20 

GG 

20 

GG 

2 

GO 

I 

GG 

2 

GO 

2 

00 

I 

GO 

s 

GG 

I 

GO 

5 

00 

2 

00 

2 

GO 

2 

GO 

I 

00 

20 

GO 

10 

GO 

10 

00 

Carried  forw'd.$3,i6s   12 


Brought  forw'd  $3,165   12 

Severance,  Mrs.  P.C.  3  00 

Shannon,  W.  P 7  oo 

Shepard,  Sidney  C  10  oo 

Sibley,  Hiram 25  oo 

Simpkins,  MissM.W.  lo  oo 

Sleght,  Mrs.  B.  H.B.  5  oo 

Small,  Miss  A.  ;M..  .  2  00 

Small,  Miss  Cora.  .  .  2  00 

Smith,  A.  J 4  GO 

Smith,  Mrs.  C.  B..  .  6  oo 

Smith,  C.  E i  0,0 

Smith,  M.  E i  00 

Smith,    Mrs.     Mary 

P.   W 2    GO 

Snyder,  Warren 5  go 

Somers,  L.  H 3  oo 

Spachman,   Miss    E. 

S I     GO 

Spalter,  Mrs.  F.  B...  i  oo 

Sphinx 5  00 

Spong,  Mrs.  J.  J.  R.  ss  00 

Sprague,  Dr.  F.  P...  25  oo 

Spring,  Miss  A.  R..  .  5  go 

Squires,  Mrs.  G.  B..  3  00 

Stanton,  Mrs.  T.  G..  2  oo 

Steiner,  G.  A lo  00 

Stern,  Benjamin.  ...  lo  oo 

Stevens,  F.  E 2  00 

Stevenson,    Mrs.    R. 

H lO    OG 

Stick,  H.  Louis 8  00 

Stimson,  W.  B 2  00 

Struthers,  Miss  M.S.  10  oo 

Tapley,  Miss  A.  P...  20  oo 

Thaw,  J.  C iG  GO 

Thayer,  Mrs.  E.  R..1G0  oo 

Thomas,  Miss  E.  H..  lo  go 

Thomson,  W.  H i   oo 

Thorndike,   Mrs.   A. 

Amory i   go 

Thorne,  W.  V.  S..  .  .  lo  oo 
Timmerman,       Miss 

Edith  E I   50 

Tod,  J.  Kennedy.  .  .  10  oo 

Topliff,  Miss  A.  E...  5  00 

Tower,  Miss  E.  M...  5  oo 

Towne,  Mrs.  W.  E..  i   oo 

Troescher,  A.  F lo  oo 

Troup,  C.  A.  S 3  GO 


Brought  forw'd  $3,567  72 

Tucker,  W.  F 5  00 

Tuckerman,  F 2  oo 

Ulmann,  Mrs.  C.  J..  5  00 
Underwood,         Airs. 

C.  J 2    GO 

Vaillant,  Miss  M.  J..  3  oo 
Van  Dyke,  Tertius..  5  oo 
Van  Name,  Willard.  15  go 
Van  Wagenen,  Mrs. 

G.  A 

\'ermilye,  Mrs.  W.G. 
Von  Arnin,  Miss  .\.. 
Von  Zedlitz,  Airs.  A. 
Wadsworth,  C.  S..  . . 
Walker,  Miss  M.  A.. 
Warner,  Mrs.  E.  P.. 
Washburn,   Miss   A. 

M 

Watrous,  Miss  E.. . . 

Webster,  F.  G 

Weld,  Rev.  G.  F... 

Westover,  M.  F 

Wheeler,  Frank  P..  . 
Wheeler,  Wilfrid...  . 
White,  Mrs.  A.  L. .  . 

White,  Horace 

Whitney,  Miss  E.  F. 
Wilkins,  Miss  Laura 
Willard,  Miss  Helen 
Willcox,  Prof.  M.  A. 
Williams,  Mrs.  CD. 

Williams,  G.  F 

Williams,  Mrs.  S.  M. 
Wilson,  Orme,  Jr.. .  . 
Winslow,     Miss     M. 

L.  C 

Witherbee,    Miss   E. 

W 2 

Woman's  Study  Club  3 
Woodward,  Dr.  S.B.  5 
Wright,  Miss  M.  A..  2 
Zimmerman,  Dr.  M. 

W 5  00 


I 

2  00 

2  00 

3  00 

2  GO 

10  OG 

2  OG 

3  GO 

3  00 

1  00 
IG  GO 

2  OG 

2  00 
I  GO 

3  00 
5  00 

10  00 

I  GO 

I  00 

IG  OG 

10  GG 

75  00 
5  00 

4  GO 

5  00 

6  00 


GO 
00 

00 

GG 


Income  to  Octo- 
ber 19,  I9I4--  $3)799  62 

Expenses   as   per 

Annual  Report  3,352  05 


Carried  forw'd. $3, 567  62 


Bal.   unexpended      $447   57 


X 


i^- 


The  Educational  Leaflets 

OF  THE 

National  Association  of 
Audubon  Societies 


^  The  best  means  of  learning  the  birds  of  your 
neighborhood,  and  of  teaching  your  children. 
^  Each  Leaflet  describes  the  habits  and  utility  of 
one  bird,  and  contains  a  detached  colored  plate  and 
an  outline  sketch  of  its  subject. 
^  The  Colored  Plates  are  faithful  portraits  of  the 
birds,  yet  treated  artistically,  as  is  shown  by  the  ex- 
amples in  the  border.  No  better  pictures  of  their 
kind  exist. 

fl  The  outlines  are  unshaded  copies  of  the  plates, 
intended  to  be  colored  —  the  best  method  of  fixing 
facts  in  a  young   mind. 

^  These  leaflets,  75  in  number,  are  sold  singly  at  2 
cents  each,  or  in  a  bound  volume  (Nos.  1  to  59)  at 
$1.75.    A  list  will  be  sent  on  request  to  the 

National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies 

1974  Broadway,  New  York  City 


^     / 


-n 


/  /, 


•^' 

f 


S '. 


FOURTEENTH   CHRISTMAS    BIRD   CENSUS 


COPYRIGHT,       tei4,     BY      FRANK      M.      CKAP 


ISirli  lore 

January  -  February,   1914 


CONTENTS 

GENERAL    ARTICLES  page 

Frontispiece  in  Color— Redpolls  and  Purple   Finches   

Louis  Agassis  Fucrtes.  . 
Impressions    of    the   Voices    of   Tropical   Birds.     Second   Paper.     Tinamous, 

Quails  and  Solitaires.      Illustrated Louis  Agassiz  Fuerles.  .        i 

Notes  on   How  to  Start  a  Colony  of  Purple   Martins.    Illustrated 

Thos.  L.  McConnell.  .  s 

Winter   Feeding.    Illustrated W.  L.  Skinner .  .  8 

City  Nighthawks.    Illustrated Clinton  G.  Abbott.  .  lo 

Some   Results  of  Bird-Lore's  Christmas  Census.    Illustrated 

E.  E .  Perkins  .  .      15 
The  Migration  OF  North  American  Sparrows.    Twenty-sixth  Paper.    Illustrated 

Wells  W.  Cooke.  .      ig 
Notes  on  the  Plumage  of  North  American    Sparrows.     Twenty-fifth    Paper 

Frank  M.  Chapman  .  .      24 

A  Co-operative  Study  of  Bird  Migration Frank  M.  Chapman .  .      25 

Bird-Lore's  Fourteenth  Christmas  Census 26 

NOTES    ON    "WINTER    BIRDS 51 

Evening  Grosbeaks  in  Michigan,  Ralph  Beebe;  Evening  Grosbeaks  in  Chicago, 
Locke  Mackenzie  and  Wilfred  Lyon;  Evening  Grosbeak  and  Acadian  Chicka- 
dee AT  Hartford,  Conn..  George  F.  Griswold;  Acadi.an  Chickadee  at  Hart- 
ford, Conn.,  Arthur  G.  Powers;  Herring  Gull  on  Western  Island,  Lake 
Champlain,  N.  Y.,  Illustration.  B.  S.  Bowdish. 

BOOK  NEWS  AND  REVIEWS 54 

Report  of  Chief  of  Bureau  of  Biological  Survey  for  the  Year  Ending  June 
30,  1913,  by  Henry  W.  Henshaw:  Grinnell  and  Swarth's 'An  Account  of  the 
Birds  and  Mammals  of  the  San  Jacinto  Area  of  Southern  California;' 
Gurney's  'The  Gannet;'  Sage  and  Bishop's  'The  Birds  of  Connecticut;' 
Ornithological  Magazines;  Book  News. 

EDITORIAL S8 

AUDUBON  SOCIETIES— SCHOOL  DEPARTMENT 59 

Signs  of  the  Times;  For  Teachers  and  Pupils;  From  Young  Observers. 

EDUCATIONAL  LEAFLET  No.  72.    The  Wood  Thrush.    With  colored  plate  by  Louis 

.[gassiz  Fucrtes  T.  Gilbert  Pearson..      6S 

AUDUBON  SOCIETIES— EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT 72 

Egret  Protection  for  1914;  To  Amend  the  Plumage  Law;  The  Silz  Case; 
England's  Plumage  Bill;  New  Members;  Notes  from  the  Field;  Mr. 
Bowdish. 

***  Manuscripts  intended  for  publication,  books,  etc.,  for  review  and  exchanges,  should  be  sent 
to  the  Editor,  at  the  A  merican  Museum  of  Natural  History,  77th  St.  and  8th  Ave.,  New  York  City. 

Notices  of  changes  of  addresses,  renewals  and  subscriptions  should  be  sent  to 
BIRD-LORE,  HARRISBURG,  PA. 


IMPORTANT   NOTICE  TO  ALL  BIRD-LORE 

SUBSCRIBERS 

TDIRD-LORE  is  published  on  or  near  the  first  days  of  February,  April,  June, 

August.  October  and  December.    Failure  to  receive  the  copy  due  you  should 

be  reported  not  later  than  the  18th  of  the  months  above  mentioned.  We  cannot 

undertake  to  supp'y  missing  numbers  after  the  month  in  which  they  were  issued. 


Entered  as  second-class  mail  matter  in  the  Post  Office  at  Harrisburg,  Pa. 


MARCH— APRIL,  1914 


COPYRIGHT,      1814,     BV      FRANK      M        CHAPMA 


l&irli  lore 

March -April,   1914 


CONTENTS 

GENERAL    ARTICLES  page 

I'"k()ntispiece  in  Color — House  Finches Lotus  Agassiz  Fuerles .  . 

The   Electric  Current  in  Bird-Photography.    Illustrated.  ..  .Guy  A.  Bailey . .  85 

The   Song  of  the   Philadelphia  Vireo Mr.i.  Eliza  F.  Miller.  .  03 

Impressions  of  the  Voices  of  Tropical  Birds.  Third  Paper.  Orioles,  Fly- 
catchers, Finches,  and  Thrushes.    Illustrated Louis  Agassiz  Fuerles.  .  96 

The  Song  Sparrow.    Verse Laura  F.  Beall .  .  loi 

Some  Ways  of  the  Oregon  Towhee.    Illustrated Mrs.  Stephen  E.  Thayer..  102 

The  Migration  of  North  American  Sparrows.  Twenty-seventh  Paper.  Illus- 
trated   Wells  W.  Cooke .  .  105 

Notes  on  the  Plumage  of  North  American  Sparrows.    Twenty-sixth  Paper  .  .  . 

Frank  M.  Chapman . .  107 

Bird-Lore's  .\dvisory  Council  108 

NOTES    FROM    FIELD    AND    STUDY no 

Red  Bird  Days,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  T.  P.  Hagerty,  Mrs.  and  Mr.  J.  11.  Sprague,  and 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  G.  H.  Luedlke;  Bird  Notes  from  Kennett  Square,  Pa.,  C 
Aubrey  Thomas;  Notes  from  Ohio,  E.  A.  Doolittle;  Notes  on  the  Black- 
crowned  Night  Heron  and  other  Birds  at  Orient,  L.  I.,  Roy  Latham; 
Problem  in  Food  Supply  and  Distribution,  Harrison  F.  Lewis;  Evening 
Grosbeaks  and  Other  Winter  Birds  at  Hartford,  Conn.,  Geo.  T.  Gris- 
wold;  Wild  Fowl  at  Sandusky  Bay  in  1756,  Milo  H.  Miller;  An  Unsus- 
picious Family  of  Great  Horned  Owls  (Ills.),  H.  E.  Anthony;  Pileated 
Woodpecker  in  Northern  New  Jersey,  Edward  G.  Kent;  The  Diary  of 
a  New  Purple  Martin  Colony  for  the  Season  of  1913,  Thomas  L.  Mc- 
Connell;  The  Chickadee  of  Chevy  Chase,  5.  W.  Mcllott;  Winter  Notes 
FROM  Connecticut,  Wilbur  F.  Smith;  A  City  Kept  Awake  by  the  Honking 
OF  Migrating  Geese,  L.  B.  Nice;  Snowy  Owl  at  Chillicothe,  Missouri,  Des- 
mond Fopham;  The  Voice  of  the  Tinamou,   William  Brewster. 

BOOK  NEWS  AND  REVIEWS 120 

Bryant's  'A  Determination  of  the  Economic  Status  of  the  Western  Meadow- 
lark  (Sturnella  neglecta)  IN  California;'  Swarth's  'A  Study  of  a  Col- 
lection OF  Geese  of  the  Branta  canadensis  Group  from  the  San  Joaquin 
Valley,  California;'  Bulletin  of  the  United  States  Department  of 
Agriculture  No.  58;  Five  Important  Wild  Duck  Foods,  By  W.  L.  McAtee; 
Cuming's  'The  Bodley  Head  Natural  History;'  Reichenow's  'Die  Vogel 
Handbuch  der  Systematischen  Ornithologie;  '  Comstock's  'Bird  Note 
Book;'  Ornithological  Magazines. 

A   Cooperative   Study  of   Bird   Migration 123 

EDITORIAL 124 

AUDUBON  SOCIETIES— SCHOOL  DEPARTMENT 126 

Bird  and  Arbor  Day;  For  Teachers  and  Pupils;  from  Adult  and  Yoltng 
Observers. 

EDUCATIONAL    LEAFLET    No.    73.    The   Whip-poor-will.     With  colored   Plate  by 

Brute   Ilorsjall  T.  Gilbert  Pearson .  .    138 

AUDUBON  SOCIETIES— EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT 142 

Mr.  Dutciier  Honored;  Feeding  the  Birds;  Two  Interesting  Cases;  Mr. 
C.  E.  Brewster  and  Captured  "Big  Gun"  (lllus.);  Scaffold  for  Exe- 
cuting Live  Ducks  in  Virginia  (lllus.);  .'\lbert  Willcox,  Benefactor; 
Mr.  .\lbert  Willcox  (lllus.);  F'lorence  A.  Howe:  An  Appreciation;  A 
Thank-Offering  to  Gulls;  Mr.  Ingersoll;  Enforcing  the  New  Federal 
Law;  Sea  Gull  Monument,  Salt  Lake  City  (lllus.);  Plates  of  the  Pedes- 
tal, Gull  Monument  (lllus.):  New  Members;  Letters  from  Correspond- 
ents; Long  Island  Ducks  Losing  Fear  of  Man  in  Quest  of  Food,  Dur- 
ing Blizzard  of  February,  1914  (lllus.);  Brush  Hill  (Mass.)  Bird  Club 
Exhibit  (lllus.). 
**;(:  Manuscripts  intended  for  publication,  books,  etc.,  for  revieiv  and  exchanges,  should  be  sent 

to  the  Editor,  at  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  History,  77th  St.  and  8th  Ave.,  New  York  City. 

Notices  of  changes  of  addresses,  renewals  and  subscriptions  should  be  sent  to 
BIRD-LORE,  HARRISBURG,  PA. 

IMPORTANT    NOTICE    TO    ALL    BIRD-LORE    SUBSCRIBERS 

BIRD-LORE  is  published  on  or  near  the  first  days  of  February,  April,  June,  August,  October  and 
December.  Failure  to  receive  the  copy  due  you  should  be  reported  not  later  than  the  i8th  of  the 
months  above  mentioned.  We  cannot  undertake  to  supply  missing  numbers  after  the  month  in  virhich 
they  were  issued. 


Entered   as  second-clas 


matter  in   the   Post   Office   at   Harrisburg,   Pa. 


VOL.  XVI 
No.  3 


MAY— JUNE,   1914 


Edited   by 
FRANK    M.    CHAPMAN 

Published   fob  the   Audttbon'   Societibs 

BT 

2D.  ::appleton  &  Company 


HARRISBURG,    PA. 


NEW   YORK 


COPYRIGHT.      t014,     BY     FRANK      M.      CHAPMAN 


I&irli  lore 


May -June,   1914 


i6i 

170 
171 

i7,S 
176 

178 
180 


CONTENTS 

GENERAL  ARTICLES 

Frontispiece  in  Color — Pine-Woods  Sparrow,  Botteri's  Sparrow,  Cassin's 

Sparrow,  Rufous-winged  Sparrow,  Rufous-crowned  Sparrow 

Louis  Agassiz  Fuertes.  . 
Impressions  of  the  Voices  of  Tropical   Birds.    Fourth  Paper.    Ant-thrushes 

and  Their  Allies,  and  Woodhewers.   Illustrated 

Louis  Agassiz  Fuerles .  . 

A  Bird  Sanctuary  for  The  Sign  of  the  Wren's  Nest.  Illustrated 

Mrs.  J.  O.  Pannele.  . 

The  Baltimore  Oriole.    Verse    Nellie  J.  IVharples . . 

The  Nighthawk  in  Connecticut.    Illustrated 

Lewis  F.  Hall  and  Wilbur  I.  Smith.  . 

The   Migration  of  North  American  Sparrows.    Twenty-Eighth  Paper 

Wells  W.  Cooke  .  . 
Notes    on    the    Plumage    of    North    American    Sparrows.     Twenty-Seventh 

Paper Frank  M.  Chapman  .  . 

.\  Co-operative  Study  of  Bird   Migration 

NOTES  FROM  FIELD  AND  STUDY 

An  Owl  Refugee  on  a  Battleship,  /.  W.  Lippincott;  The  Hummer  and  His 
Shower-bath,  Fred  W.  Kenesson;  The  Early  Woodcock,  /.  W .  Lippincott; 
The  Starling  at  Glens  Falls,  N.  Y.,  Gertrude  B.  Ferguson;  Starlings  and 
Cows,  Cecil  Diplock;  The  Grackle  as  a  Nest-robber,  /.  Nelson  Gowanlock; 
Evening  Grosbeaks  Near  Port  Chester,  '^.Y  ..James  C.  Maples,  Samuel  N. 
Comly,  W.  Bolton  Cook,  Richard  L.  Burdsall,  Paul  C.  Spojford:  Redpoll  in  the 
District  of  Columbia,  H'.  Mellott,  M.D.;  .\  Summer  Visitor,  Mabel  Foote 
Witman;  Some  Wrens'  Nests  (lilus.),  Winthrop  Case;  Harris's  Sparrow 
in  Northwestern  Illinois,  J.  J.  Shafer;  Curious  Actions  of  a  Robin, 
Clarence  B.  Wood;  A  Successful  Bird's  Bath  (lllus.),  Henry  P.  Severson; 
Bird-Houses  and  Lunch-Boxes,  Marion  and  John  Kyle;  A  Drinking- 
Place  for  the  Birds  (lllus.),  R.  T.  Robinson;  Some  Prospect  Park 
Notes,  Kate  P.  and  E.  W.  Victor;  A  Nest  Census,  E.  I.  Metcalf;  Trial 
of  Von  Berlepsch  Nests  in  Nebraska,  5.  R.  Towne;  Thirty-Second 
Annual  Congress  of  the  American  Ornithologists'  L^nion,-  .\  Course 
IN   Bird-Study,   G.   Clyde  Fisher. 

BOOK  NEWS  AND  REVIEWS 

Cooke  on  the  Distribution  and  Migration  of  Herons  and  their  Allies; 
Wright  and  Allen's  Field-Note  Book;  Cassinia;  Zimmer's  Birds  of 
Thomas  County;  The  Ornithological  Magazines;  Book  News. 

EDITORIAL 

AUDUBON  SOCIETIES— SCHOOL  DEPARTMENT 

How  to  Reach  Teachers  and  Pupils;  Junior  Audubon  Work  (lllus.) ;  Sums 

Taken  from  a  Table  of  the  Capacity  of  Nesting  Birds;  Sums  Taken 

from  a  Table  of  the  Eating  Capacity  of  .\dult  Birds;  From  Adult  and 

Young  Observers. 

EDUCATIONAL  LEAFLET   No.  74.    The   Roseate   Spoonbill.    With   Colored   Plate 

by  Bruce  Horsjall      Frank  M .  Chapman  .  . 

AUDUBON   SOCIETIES— EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT 

Glorious  Results  from  the  Junior  Campaign  (lllus.);  The  Junior  Competition 
Award  of  Prizes  to  Successful  Clubs;  List  of  Prize-winners;  Letters 
from  Junior  Classes;  Suggestions  from  the  South;  Hints  Helpful  to 
Teachers;  Experience  in  the  Gulf  States;  jNIethods  in  Ohio  and  New 
Jersey;  Facts  from  Western  Societies;  Virginia's  Public  Bird  Day; 
The  Federal  Law  Operates;  .\  Girls'  Club  in  \'ermont. 

*** Manuscripts  intended  for  publication,  books,  etc.,  for  review  and  exchanges,  should  be  sent 
to  the  Editor,  at  the  American  .Museum  of  Natural  History,  77th  St.  and  8th  Ave.,  New  York  City 

Notices  of  changes  of  addresses,  renewals  and  subscriptions  should  be  sent  to 
BIRD-LOKE,  HAkRISBURG,  PA. 


201 
202 


214 
218 


IMPORTANT    NOTICE    TO    ALL    BIRD-LORE    SUBSCRIBERS 
IRD-LORE  is  published  on  or   near  the  first  days  of  February,  April,   June,  August,  October  and 
December.    Failure  to  receive  the  copy  due  you  should  be  reported  not  later  than  the  i8th  of  the 
months  above  mentioned.    We  cannot  undertake  to  supply  missing  numbers  after  the  month  in  which 
they  were  issued. 


B 


Entered  as  second-class   mail    matter  in   the   Post  Office  at   Harrisburg,   Pa. 


New,  Revised  Edition  of  the 

Handbook  of  Birds 

of  Eastern  North  America 

By  FRANK  M.  CHAPMAN 

Curator  of  Birds,  American  Museum  of  Natural  History 

With  Plates  in  Colors  and  Black  and  White,  by  LOUIS 
AGASSIZ  FUERTES,  and  Text  Illustrations  by 
TAPPAN  ADNEY  and  ERNEST  THOMPSON-SETON 

The  text  of  the  preceding  edition  has  been  thoroughly 
revised  and  much  of  it  rewritten.  The  nomenclature  and 
ranges  of  the  latest  edition  of  the  "Check-List"  of  the 
American  Ornithologists'  Union  have  been  adopted. 
Migration  records  from  Oberlin,  Ohio,  Glen  Ellyn,  111., 
and  Southeastern  Minnesota,  numerous  nesting  dates  for 
every  species,  and  many  biographical  references  have 
been  added ;  the  descriptions  of  plumage  emended  to 
represent  the  great  increase  in  our  knowledge  of  this 
branch  of  ornithology;  and,  in  short,  the  work  has  been 
enlarged  to  the  limit  imposed  by  true  handbook  size  and 
brought  fully  up-to-date. 

In  addition  to  possessing  all  the  features  which  made 
the  old  "Handbook"  at  once  popular  and  authoritative, 
the  new  "Handbook"  contains  an  Introduction  of  over 
loo  pages  on  "How  to  Study  the  Birds  in  Nature," 
which  will  be  of  the  utmost  value  to  all  students  of  liv- 
ing birds. 

The  subjects  of  distribution,  migration,  song,  nesting, 
color,  food,  structure  and  habit,  intelligence,  and  allied 
problems  are  here  treated  in  a  manner  designed  to  arouse 
interest  and  stimulate  and  direct  original  observation. 

A  Biographical  Appendix,  giving  the  titles  to  all  the 
leading  works  and  papers  (including  faunal  lists)  on  the 
Birds  of  Eastern  North  America,  shows  just  what  has 
been  published  on  the  birds  of  a  given  region,  a  matter 
of  the  first  importance  to  the  local  student. 

S6i  J'ages.    Cloth,  $3.50  net.    Flexible  Morocco,  $4.00  net 

D.  APPLETON  &  COMPANY,  Publishers 

29-35  West  32d  Street,  New  York 

J.  Horace  McFarland  Company,  Mt.  Pleasant  Press,  Harrisburg,  Pa. 


NEW  REVISED  EDITION  OF 

THE  WARBLERS  of 
NORTH   AMERICA 

By  FRANK    M.  CHAPMAN 

Curator  of  Ornithology,  American  Museum  of  Natural  History 

■With   the  cooperation  of  other  Ornithologists 

ff^ith  2^  full-page,  colored  plales,  by  Louis  Agassiz  Fuertes  and 

Bruce  Horsfall,  illustrating  the  male,  female  and  young 

plumages  of  every  species,  and  eight  full-page 

plates  of  nests  and  eggs. 


THE   INTRODUCTION 

treats  of  the  General  Characters,  Plumages,  Distribu- 
tion, Migration,  Songs,  Nesting  Habits,  Food  and 
Mortality  of  Warblers. 

THE   BIOGRAPHIES 

average  about  five  pages  for  each  species,  and  contain 
sections  on  distinguishing  characters,  plumages,  range, 
migration,  haunts  and  general  habits,  songs,  nesting- 
site,  nest,  eggs,  nesting  dates,  together  with  references 
to  pertinent  literature. 

The  contribution  by  many  ornithologists  through- 
out the  country  of  much  before  unpublished  material, 
and  the  inclusion  of  all  the  more  important  informa- 
tion relating  to  North  American  Warblers  which 
has  heretofore  appeared,  make  this  book  a  compre- 
hensive monograph,  useful  alike  for  identification 
and  for  the  study  of  habits. 

Large  8vo.,  320  pages.     Cloth,  $3  net. 

Postage,  20  cents  additional 

D.   APPLETON   AND   COMPANY,    Publishers 
NEW  YORK  CITY 


New,  Revised  Edition  of  the 

Handbook  of  Birds 

of  Eastern  North  America 

By  FRANK  M.  CHAPMAN 

Curator  of  Birds,  American  Museum  of  Natural  History 

With  Plates  in  Colors  and  Black  and  White,  by  LOUIS 
AGASSIZ  FUERTES,  and  Text  Illustrations  by 
TAPPAN  ADNEY  and  ERNEST  THOMPSON-SETON 

The  text  of  the  preceding  edition  has  been  thoroughly 
revised  and  much  of  it  rewritten.  The  nomenclature  and 
ranges  of  the  latest  edition  of  the  "Check-List"  of  the 
American  Ornithologists'  Union  have  been  adopted. 
Migration  records  from  Oberlin,  Ohio,  Glen  Ellyn,  111., 
and  Southeastern  Minnesota,  numerous  nesting  dates  for 
every  species,  and  many  biographical  references  have 
been  added ;  the  descriptions  of  plumage  emended  to 
represent  the  great  increase  in  our  knowledge  of  this 
branch  of  ornithology;  and,  in  short,  the  work  has  been 
enlarged  to  the  limit  imposed  by  true  handbook  size  and 
brought  fully  up-to-date. 

In  addition  to  possessing  all  the  features  which  made 
the  old  "Handbook"  at  once  popular  and  authoritative, 
the  new  "Handbook"  contains  an  Introduction  of  over 
lOO  pages  on  "How  to  Study  the  Birds  in  Nature," 
which  will  be  of  the  utmost  value  to  all  students  of  liv- 
ing birds. 

The  subjects  of  distribution,  migration,  song,  nesting, 
color,  food,  structure  and  habit,  intelligence,  and  allied 
problems  are  here  treated  in  a  manner  designed  to  arouse 
interest  and  stimulate  and  direct  original  observation. 

A  Biographical  Appendix,  giving  the  titles  to  all  the 
leading  works  and  papers  (including  faunal  lists)  on  the 
Birds  of  Eastern  North  America,  shows  just  what  has 
been  published  on  the  birds  of  a  given  region,  a  matter 
of  the  first  importance  to  the  local  student, 

jdi  tages.    Cloth,  $^.$0  net.    Tlexible  Morocco.  $4.00  net 

D.  APPLETON  &  COMPANY,  Publishers 

29^5  West  32d  Street.  New  York 


J.  Horace  McFarland  Company,  Mt.  Pleasant  Press,  Harrisburg,  Pa. 


NEW  REVISED  EDITION  OF 

THE  WARBLERS  of 
NORTH    AMERICA 

By  FRANK    M.  CHAPMAN 

Curator  of  Ornithology,  American  Museum  of  Natural  History 

With   the  cooperation  of  other  Ornithologists 

ff^ith  2^  full-page^  colored  plates^  by  Louis  Agdssiz  Fuertes  and 

Bruce  Horsfall,  illustrating  the  male,  female  and  young 

plumages  of  every  species,  and  eight  full-page 

plate  of  nests  and  eggs. 


THE   INTRODUCTION 

treats  of  the  General  Characters,  Plumages,  Distribu- 
tion, Migration,  Songs,  Nesting  Habits,  Food  and 
Mortality  of  Warblers. 

THE    BIOGRAPHIES 

average  about  five  pages  for  each  species,  and  contain 
sections  on  distinguishing  characters,  plumages,  range, 
migration,  haunts  and  general  habits,  songs,  nesting- 
site,  nest,  eggs,  nesting  dates,  together  with  references 
to  pertinent  literature. 

The  contribution  by  many  ornithologists  through- 
out the  country  of  much  before  unpublished  material, 
and  the  inclusion  of  all  the  more  important  informa- 
tion relating  to  North  American  Warblers  which 
has  heretofore  appeared,  make  this  book  a  compre- 
hensive monograph,  useful  alike  for  identification 
and  for  the  study  of  habits. 

Large  8vo.,  320  pages.     Cloth,  $3  net. 

Postage,  20  cents  additional 

D.    APPLETON    AND    COMPANY,    Publishers 
NEW  YORK  CITY 


New,  Revised  Edition  of  the 

Handbook  of  Birds 

of  Eastern  North  America 

By  FRANK  M.  CHAPMAN 

Curator  of  Birds,  American  Museum  of  Natural  History 

With  Plates  in  Colors  and  Black  and  White,  by  LOUIS 
AGASSIZ  FUERTES,  and  Text  Illustrations  by 
TAPPAN  ADNEY  and  ERNEST  THOMPSON-SETON 

The  text  of  the  preceding  edition  has  been  thoroughly 
revised  and  much  of  it  rewritten.  The  nomenclature  and 
ranges  of  the  latest  edition  of  the  "Check-List"  of  the 
American  Ornithologists'  Union  have  been  adopted. 
Migration  records  from  Oberlin,  Ohio.  Glen  Ellyn,  111., 
and  Southeastern  Minnesota,  numerous'nesting  dates  for 
every  species,  and  many  biographical  references  have 
been  added;  the  descriptions  of  plumage  emended  to 
represent  the  great  increase  in  our  knowledge  of  this 
branch  of  ornithology;  and,  in  short,  the  work  has  been 
enlarged  to  the  limit  imposed  by  true  handbook  size  and 
brought  fully  up-to-date. 

In  addition  to  possessing  all  the  features  which  made 
the  old  "Handbook"  at  once  popular  and  authoritative, 
the  new  "Handbook"  contains  an  Introduction  of  over 
lOO  pages  on  "How  to  Study  the  Birds  in  Nature," 
which  will  be  of  the  utmost  value  to  all  students  of  liv- 
ing birds. 

The  subjects  of  distribution,  migration,  song,  nesting, 
color,  food,  structure  and  habit,  intelligence,  and  allied 
problems  are  here  treated  in  a  manner  designed  to  arouse 
interest  and  stimulate  and  direct  original  observation. 

A  Biographical  Appendix,  giving  the  titles  to  all  the 
leadmg  works  and  papers  (including  faunal  lists)  on  the 
Birds  of  Eastern  North  America,  shows  just  what  has 
been  published  on  the  birds  of  a  given  region,  a  matter 
of  the  first  importance  to  the  local  student. 

561  fages.    Cloth,  $3.30  net.    Tlexible  Morocco.  $4.00  net 

D.  APPLETON  &  COMPANY,  Publishers 

29-35  West  32d  Street,  New  York 


J.  Horace  McFarland  Company.  Mt.  Pleasant  Press,  Harrisburg,  Pa. 


A  New,  Revised  Edition  of  the 

Color  Key  to 
North  American  Birds 

By  FRANK  M.  CHAPMAN 

With     800     drawings    by     C.     A.     Reed 

This  work  with  its  concise  descriptions  of 
specific  characters,  range  and  notes,  and  col- 
ored figure  of  each  species,  may  be  well  de- 
scribed as  an  illustrated  dictionary  of  North 
American  birds. 

The  introductory  chapter  and  Systematic 
Table  of  North  American  Birds  have  been  re- 
set and  brought  up  to  date,  and  two  appendices 
have  been  added.  The  first  contains  descrip- 
tions of  species,  which  have  been  published 
since  the  first  edition  of  the  Color  Key  appeared. 
The  second  is  a  Faunal  Bibliography  contain- 
ing references  to  all  the  more  important  faunal 
papers  on  North  American  birds.  The  titles 
are  so  arranged  that  one  can  readily  tell  what 
are  the  principal  publications  relating  to  the 
birds  of  any  given  region. 

The  book  therefore  makes  an  admirable 
introduction  to  the  study  of  birds  and  the 
literature  of  ornithology,  and  at  the  same  time 
is  an  authoritative  work  of  reference. 

344  Pages.     Cloth,  $2.50  net.     Postage  22  cents 

D.  APPLETON  &  CO. 

29-35  West  32d  Street  NEW  YORK 


JULY— AUGUST,  1914 


COPYRIGHT,      tei4.     BY     FRANK      M.      CHAPMAN 


l&irli  lore 

July -August,   1914 


CONTENTS 

GENERAL  ARTICLES  page 

Frontispiece  in  Color — Sharpe's  Seedeater,   Lark   Bunting   

Louis  Agassiz  Fuerles .  . 

At  Home  with  a  Hell-Diver.    Illustrated Arthur  A.  Allen.  .  243 

The   Morning  Bird  Chorus  in  Pasadena Garrett  Newkirk.  .  254 

The   Pewee's   Note.     Verse E.  J .  Sawyer .  .  257 

Destruction  of  the  Rhea,   Black-necked  Swan,   Herons   and    other  Wild 

Life  in  South  America.    Illustrated Leo  E.   Miller.  .  250 

Comparative  Abundance  of  Birds Abbott  H.   Thayer.  .  263 

Why  the   Birds  are   Decreasing Rolla   Warren  Kimsey .  .  265 

The   Migration  of  North  American  Sparrows.    Twenty-ninth   Paper 

Wells    W.   Cooke..  267 
Notes  on  the  Plumage  of  North  American  Sparrows.   Twenty-eighth  Paper.  . 

Frank   M.  Chapman...  268 

A  Co  operative  Study  of  Bird   Migration 270 

NOTES  FROM  FIELD  AND  STUDY 275 

The  .Annual  Bird-List  of  the  Massachusetts  Audubon  Society,  Winthrop 
Packard;  Birds  and  Windows,  I,  W.  L.  Skinner;  II,  Delos  E.  Culver;  Fall 
River  Notes,  Ellen  M.  Shove;  Prospect  Park  Notes,  Edward  Fleischer;  Bird- 
Notes  from  Sedalia,  Mo.,  Chas.  A.  McNeil;  Sussex  County,  N.  J.,  Notes, 
F.  Blanche  Hill;  Notes  on  the  Autumn  Migration  of  the  Parasitic  Jae- 
ger, Robert  Cushman  Murphy;  Turkey  Vulture  in  Northwestern  Iowa, 
Rev.  Manley  B.  Towiisend;  Young  Turkey  Vultures,  Wm.  F.  Gingrich; 
Florida  Gallinule  at  Baltimore,  Joseph  N .  Ulman;  Red-breasted  Gros- 
beak Singing  on  the  Nest,  Harry  C.  Pifer;  Our  Neighbor,  The  Bald 
Eagle,  Winifred  Holway  Palmer;  The  Flocking  of  Purple  Martins,  /.  A^. 
Mitchell;  Harris's  Sparrow  in  Wisconsin,  Mrs.  Mark  L.  Simpson;  Addi- 
tional Observations  of  Harris's  Sparrow  in  Illinois,  /.  /.  Schafer;  A 
Rat  in  a  Swallow's  Nest,  Norman  DeW .  Belts;  Brewster's  Warbler 
Seen  at   Highland  Park,   Rochester,   N.  Y.,    Wm.   Edson;  R.   Horsey. 

BOOK  NEWS  AND  REVIEWS 284 

Allen's  The  Red-Winged  Blackbird.  A  Study  in  the  Ecology  of  a  Cat-tail 
Marsh;  Grinnell's  An  Account  of  the  Mammals  and  Birds  of  the  Lower 
Colorado  River,  with  Especial  Reference  to  the  Distributional  Prob- 
lems Presented;  Swarth's  A  Distributional  List  of  the  Birds  of 
Arizona;  The  Ornithological  Magazines;  Book  News. 

EDITORIAL 2S8 

AUDUBON  SOCIETIES— SCHOOL  DEPARTMENT 289 

Program-Making;  Bird-Study  at  the  University  of  Virginia  Summer  School; 
An  Effort  to  Illustrate  the  Advantages  and  Possibilities  of  Inducing 
Desirable  Birds  to  Remain  Within  the  Boundaries  of  the  State  During 
THE  Winter  Months;  For  Teachers  and  Pupils;  From  Adult  and  Young 
Observers  (Illus.). 

EDUCATIONAL  LEAFLET  No.  75.     The   Sora   Rail.    With  Colored  Plate  by  Bruce 

Horsjall Edward   Howe  Forbush  .  .      303 

AUDUBON  SOCIETIES— EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT 307 

$20,000  for  Bird-Study;  Final  Reports;  Co-operative  Work  in  Oregon  (Illus.); 
Enthusiasm  on  Long  Island  (Illus.);  Honor  to  Abbott  H.Thayer;  Audu- 
bon Warden  Work  (Illus.);  Terns  Killed  by  Dogs  and  Cannon  (Illus.); 
A  Women  Game-Warden  (Illus.) ;  Indiana's  Good  Example;  Bobolinks  May 
BE  Slaughtered;  Legal  Struggles  in  Maryland;  Mutually  Satisfactory; 
New  Members;  Reports  From  Workers  in  the  Field. 

*** Manuscripts  intended  for  publication,  books,  etc.,  for  review  and  exchanges,  should  be  sent 
to  the  Editor,  at  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  History,  77th  St.  and  8th  Ave.,  New  York  City 

Notices  of  changes  of  addresses,  renevA^als  and  subscriptions  should  be  sent  to 
BIRD-LORE,  HARRISBURG,  PA. 

IMPORTANT    NOTICE    TO    ALL    BIRD-LORE    SUBSCRIBERS 
TDIRD-LORE  is  published  on  or  near  the  first  days  of  February,  April,   June,  August,  October  and 
^  December.    Failure  to  receive  the  copy  due  you  should  be  reported  not  later  than  the  i8th  of  the 
months  above  mentioned.    We  cannot  undertake  to  supply  missing  numbers  after  the  month  in  which 
they  were  issued. 

Entered  as  second-class   mail   matter  in  the   Post   Office  at   Harrisburg,   Pa. 


VOL.  XVI 
No.  5 


SEPTEMBER— OCTOBER,  1914 


20c.  a  Copy 
$1  a  Year 


Edited  bx 
FRANK   M.  CHAPMAN 


Published  fob  the  Audubon  Societies 

BY 

20.  iappleton  &  Companp 


COPYRIGHT.     1914.     BY     FRANK     M       CHAPMAN 


Mvo  -  lore 


September -October,  1914 


CONTENTS 

GENERAL  ARTICLES  Page 
Frontispiece    in    Color — Worthen's    Sparrow,    Texas     Sparrow,     Green- 
tailed  TowHEE   Louis  Agassiz  Fuertes . . 

Some  Observations  on  Bird  Protection  in  Germany.   Illustrated 

William  P.  Wharton. .  330 
An  Island  Home  of  the  American  Merganser.  Illustrated..  .Francis  Harper. .  338 
Impressions    of    the    Voices    of    Tropical    Birds.      Fifth    Paper. — Toucans 

Cuckoos,  Trogons,   Motmots,  and  Their  Allies.   Illustrated 

Louis  Agassiz  Fuertes. .      342 

The  Hermit  Thrush.   Verse Evelyn  Smith. .     350 

The  Migration  of  North  American  Sparrows.   Thirtieth  Paper 

Wells  W.  Cooke..      351 
Notes  on  the  Plumage  of  North  American  Sparrows.    Twenty-Ninth  Paper 

Frank  M.  Chapman. .     352 

NOTES    FROM   FIELD    AND    STUDY 353 

Brookline  Bird  Club,  Charles  B.  Floyd;  Martins  and  Other  Birds  at  Greens 
Farms,  Connecticut,  Charles  H .  Townsend;  Food  for  the  Birds,  Mary  Gibbs 
Hinds;  A  Syracuse  Feeding-Station,  B.  H.  Coleman;  Fall  Migration  at 
Cobourg,  Ontario,  John  P.  Young;  Nesting-habits  of  the  Pied-billed 
Grebe,  Volney  Rogers;  Gulls  Preparing  a  Meal,  John  Tooker;  Herring 
Gulls  in  Connecticut,  Wilbur  F.  Smith;  A  Winter  Pensioner,  Margaret 
S.  Hitchcock;  The  Fare  of  a  Sandhill  Crane,  Mrs.  L.  H .  Toussainl;  An 
Abnormally  Colored  Scarlet  Tanager,  William  Henry  Trotter;  The  ' 
Chat  in  Minnesota,  Victoria  M.  Dill;  Photograph  of  a  Hummingbird 
ON  THE  Wing,  Frank  Overton;  The  Building  of  a  Robin's  Nest,  Miss  Harriet 
W.  Thompson;  A  Robin  Accident,  Eliza  F.  Miller;  Notes  from  Seattle, 
Washington,  Katharine  M.  Manny;  Lake  Mohonk  to  be  a  Bird  Preserve, 
Henry  Oldys;  A  Successful  Campaign  Against  Crackles  and  Starlings 
IN  Hartford,  Connecticut,  Lewis  W.  Ripley;  Sparrow  and  Cowbird, 
Illustration,  Arthur  A.  Allen. 

BOOK  NEWS  AND  REVIEWS 365 

Eaton's  'Birds  of  New  York;'  Goldi  on  'The  Animal  World  of  Switzer- 
land;' Ornithological  Magazines;  Book  News. 

EDITORIAL 368 

AUDUBON  SOCIETIES— SCHOOL  DEPARTMENT 369 

The  Value  of  a  Definite  Purpose;  Suggestive  Lessons  in  Bird  Study;  For 
Teachers  and  Pupils;  From  Young  Observers. 

EDUCATIONAL  LEAFLET   No.  75.    The    Pintail.    With   Colored   Plate   by   Allan 

Brooks   Herbert  K.  Job . .      380 

AUDUBON  SOCIETIES— EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT 384 

A  Department  of  Applied  Ornithology;  The  Cruise  of  the  Avocet  (IIIus.); 
Hosts  of  Herring  Gulls;  Terns  and  Their  Troubles;  Elusive  Petrels; 
Other  Birds;  What  About  the  Cat  (lllus.);  Senator  George  P.  McLean 
(Illus.);  Making  Portland  a  Bird  City  (lllus.);  First  Bird  Field-day; 
Mrs.  Harriet  Myers  and  the  Convalescent  Phainopepla  (lllus.);  The 
Last  Passenger  Pigeon  (lllus.);  Birds  and  the  Army-worm;  Status 
of  the  Treaty  With  Canada;  New  Members  and  Contributors; 
General  Notes. 

***  Manuscripts  intended  for  publication,  books,  etc.,  for  review  and  exchanges,  should  be  sent 
to  the  Editor,  at  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  History,  77th  St.  and  8th  Ave.,  New  York  City. 

Notices  of  changes  of  addresses,  renewals  and  subscriptions  should  be  sent  to 
BIRD-LORE,  HARRISBURG.  PA. 

IMPORTANT    NOTICE   TO    ALL    BIRD-LORE    SUBSCRIBERS 
OIRD-LORE  is  published  on  or  near  the  first  days  of  February,  April,  June,  August,  October  and 
■'-'  December.   Failure  to  receive  the  copy  due  you  should  be  reported  not  later  than  the  i8th  of  the 
months  above  mentioned.   We  cannot  undertake  to  supply  missing  numbers  after  the  month  in  which 
they  were  issued. 

Entered  as  second-class  mail  matter  in  the  Post  Office  at  Harrisburg,  Pa. 


VOL.  XVI 
No.  6 


NOVEMBER— DECEMBER,  1914 


^bc  a  Copy 
$  1  a  Year 


COPYRIGHT.     1914.     BY     FRANK    M       CMAPMAW 


Mx^  -  lore 


November  -  December,  1914 


CONTENTS 

GENERAL  ARTICLES  page 

Frontispiece    in    Color — White-winged    Junco,    Slate-colored    Junco    and 

Oregon  Junco Louis  Agasxiz  Fuertes. . 

Bird  Life  in  Southern  Illinois.     Illustrated  by  the  author. /?o6fr/  Ridgway..     40Q 

Kingfisher  with  Small  Sucker.  Illustration Arthur   A.   Allen..     420 

Impressions  of  the  Voices  of  Tropical  Birds.   Illustrated  by  the  author. .. . 

Louis  Agassiz  Fuertes.  .      421 

On  the  Trail  of  the  Evening  Grosbeak.   Illustrated  by  the  author 

Arthur  A.  Allen. .      420 

Bird-Lore's  Fifteenth  Christmas  Bird  Census 437 

The  Migration  of  North  American  Sparrows.    Thirty-first  Paper.  Illustrated 

by  Louis  Agassiz  Fuertes W .  W .  Cooke. .      438 

Notes  on  the  Plumage  of  North  American  Sparrows.  Thirtieth  Paper. .. . 

Frank  M.  Chapman. .     442 

NOTES  FROM  FIELD  AND  STUDY   444 

Notes  from  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  Wm.  L.  G.  Edson;  Wasps  in  Bird-Boxes,  R.  F. 
O'Neal;  Harris's  Sparrow  at  Rantoul,  Illinois,  George  E.  Ekblaw;  The 
Starling  in  Maine,  Wm.  Fuller;  Instincts  of  a  Parrot,  R.  F.  Ilauknbeck; 
Little  Blue  Heron  in  New  Jersey,  R.  F.  Haulenbeck;  The  Whisper  Song  of 
the  Catbird,  /.  William  Lloyd;  Prothonotary  Warbler  in  Massachusetts, 
Isabclle  Alexander  Robry;  Mud  for  Nest-B jilders,  T.  H.  Whitney;  Acadian 
Chickadee  at  Groton,  Mass.,  .S.  Warren  Sturgis;  Occurrence  of  the  Acadian 
Chickadee  in  the  Hudson  Valley,  Maunsell  S.  Crosby;  Loss  of  the  Vesper 
Sparrow,  at  Orient,  L.  I.,  Roy  Latham;  Notes  from  Hartford,  Conn., 
Geo.  T.  Grisu'old. 

BOOK  NEWS  AND  REVIEWS 451 

Cooke's  'Distribution  and  Migration  of  North  American  Rails  and  Their 
Allies;'  Kalmbach's  'Birds  in  Relation  to  the  Alfalfa  Weevil;'  Dela- 
mare's  'The  Reformation  of  Jimmy  and  Some  Others;'  The  Ornithologi- 
cal magazines. 

EDITORIAL 454 

THE    AUDUBON  SOCIETIES— SCHOOL  DEPARTMENT 455 

A  Christmas  Message  to  Audubon  Societies;  For  Teachers  and  Pupils; 
From  Young  Observers  (Illus.). 

EDUCATIONAL  LEAFLET  No.   77.     The    Crow.      With   colored    plate    by  Allan 

Brooks T.  Gilbert  Pearson. .      466 

AUDUBON  SOCIETIES— EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT 470 

The  Annual  Meeting;  Photographing  Birds'  Nests  (Illus.);  Training  Wild 
Bighorns  (Illus.). 

ANNUAL  REPORT  OF  THE  NATIONAL  ASSOCIATION  OF  AUDUBON  SOCIE- 
TIES FOR  1914 481 

*** Manuscripts  intended  for  publication,  books,  etc.,  for  review  and  exchanges,  should  be  sent 
to  the  Editor,  at  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  History,  77th  St.  and  8th  Ave.,  New  York  City. 


Important  Notice  to  All   Bird -Lore  Subscribers   Whose 
Subscriptions  Expire  with  This   Issue 

BIRD-LORE  regrets  that  it  cannot  send  its  next  issue  to  subscribers  whose  sub- 
scription expires  with  this  number,  until  they  have  renewed  their  subscription. 
The  size  of  the  edition  of  each  issue  is  determined  by  the  number  of  actual  subscribers 
at  the  time  of  publication,  and  if  you  would  have  your  set  complete  we  would  advise 
an  early  renewal.    Should  you  decide  not  to   renew  will  you  not  kindly  notify  us? 


Notices  of  changes  of  addresses,  renewals  and  subscriptions  should  be  sent  to 
BIRD-LORE,  HARRISBURG,  PA. 

Entered  as  second-class  mail  matter  in  the  Post  Office  at  Harrisburg,  Pa. 


New,  Revised  Edition  of  the 

Handbook  of  Birds 

of  Eastern  North  America 

By  FRANK  M.  CHAPMAN 

Curator  of  Birds,  American  Museum  of  Natural  History 

With  Plates  in  Colors  and  Black  and  White,  by  LOUIS 
AGASSIZ  FUERTES,  and  Text  Illustrations  by 
TAPPAN  ADNEY  and  ERNEST  THOMPSON-SETON 

The  text  of  the  preceding  edition  has  been  thoroughly 
revised  and  much  of  it  rewritten.  The  nomenclature  and 
ranges  of  the  latest  edition  of  the  "Check-List"  of  the 
American  Ornithologists'  Union  have  been  adopted. 
Migration  records  from  Oberlin,  Ohio,  Glen  Ellyn,  111., 
and  Southeastern  Minnesota,  numerous  nesting  dates  for 
every  species,  and  many  biographical  references  have 
been  added ;  the  descriptions  of  plumage  emended  to 
represent  the  great  increase  in  our  knowledge  of  this 
branch  of  ornithology;  and,  in  short,  the  work  has  been 
enlarged  to  the  limit  imposed  by  true  handbook  size  and 
brought  fully  up-to-date. 

In  addition  to  possessing  all  the  features  which  made 
the  old  "Handbook"  at  once  popular  and  authoritative, 
the  new  "Handbook"  contains  an  Introduction  of  over 
ICO  pages  on  "How  to  Study  the  Birds  in  Nature," 
which  will  be  of  the  utmost  value  to  all  students  of  liv- 
ing birds. 

The  subjects  of  distribution,  migration,  song,  nesting, 
color,  food,  structure  and  habit,  intelligence,  and  allied 
problems  are  here  treated  in  a  manner  designed  to  arouse 
interest  and  stimulate  and  direct  original  observation. 

A  Biographical  Appendix,  giving  the  titles  to  all  the 
leading  works  and  papers  (including  faunal  lists)  on  the 
Birds  of  Eastern  North  America,  shows  just  what  has 
been  published  on  the  birds  of  a  given  region,  a  matter 
of  the  first  importance  to  the  local  student. 

5S1  Tages.    Cloth,  $3.50  net,   Tlexible  Morocco,  $4.00  net 

D.  APPLETON  &  COMPANY,  Publishers 

29-35  West  32d  Street,  New  York 

J.  Horace  McFarland  Company,  Mt.  Pleasant  Press,  Harrisburg,  Pa. 


CAMPS  AND  CRUISES 


OF  AN 


ORNITHOLOGIST 

By  FRANK  M.  CHAPMAN 

A  CAPITAL  GIFT  FOR  A 
BIRD  -  LOVER 

"One  of  the  most  instructive  and  most  delightfully  interesting 
books  of  the  kind  that  has  ever  been  written." — Theodore  Roosevelt. 

CONTENTS 
PART    I — Travels  About  Home 
The  Ways  of  Jays.  Bird-Nesting  with  Burroughs. 

A  Morning  with  .Meadowlarks.  A  Nighthawk  Incident. 

PART    II — The  Bird-Life  of  Two  Atlantic  Coast  Islands 
Gardiner's  Island.  Cobb's  Island. 

PART   III— Florida  Bird-Life 
Pelican  Island.  The  American  Egret. 

The  Florida  Great  Blue  Heron  Cuthbert  Rookery, 

and  the  Water  Turkey. 

PART   IV— Bahama  Bird-Life 
The  Flamingo.  The  Booby  and  the  Man-o'-War  Birds. 

The  Egg  Birds. 

PART    V — The  Story  of  Three  Western  Bird  Groups 
The  Prairie  Hen.  Cactus  Desert  Bird-Life. 

A  Golden  Eagle's  Nest. 

PART    VI — Bird  Studies  in   California 
The  Mountains  at  Piru.  The  San  Joaquin  Valley  at  Los  Banos. 

The  Coast  at  Monterey.  Lower  Klamath  Lake. 

The  Farallones.  The  Sierras. 

PART    VII — Bird-Life  in  Western  Canada 
The  Prairies.  The  Mountains. 

The  Plains.  The  White  Pelican. 

PART  VIII 
Impressions  of  English  Bird-Life. 

With  250  Remarkable  Photographs 

8vo.,  448  pages,  decorated  cover,  giit  top,  in  a  box.   Price,  $3. 

D.   APPLETON   &  CO. 

29  West  Thirty-Second  Street  NEW   YORK   CITY 


New,  Revised  Edition  of  the 

Handbook  of  Birds 

of  Eastern  North  America 

By  FRANK  M.  CHAPMAN 

Curator  of  Birds,  American  Museum  of  Natural  History 

With  Plates  in  Colors  and  Black  and  White,  by  LOUIS 
AGASSIZ  FUERTES,  and  Text  Illustrations  by 
TAPPAN  ADNEY  and  ERNEST  THOMPSON-SETON 

The  text  of  the  preceding  edition  has  been  thoroughly 
revised  and  much  of  it  rewritten.  The  nomenclature  and 
ranges  of  the  latest  edition  of  the  "Check-List"  of  the 
American  Ornithologists'  Union  have  been  adopted. 
Migration  records  from  Oberlin,  Ohio,  Glen  Ellyn,  111., 
and  Southeastern  Minnesota,  numerous  nesting  dates  for 
every  species,  and  many  biographical  references  have 
been  added;  the  descriptions  of  plumage  emended  to 
represent  the  great  increase  in  our  knowledge  of  this 
branch  of  ornithology;  and,  in  short,  the  work  has  been 
enlarged  to  the  limit  imposed  by  true  handbook  size  and 
brought  fully  up-to-date. 

In  addition  to  possessing  all  the  features  which  made 
the  old  "Handbook"  at  once  popular  and  authoritative, 
the  new  "Handbook"  contains  an  Introduction  of  over 
lOO  pages  on  "How  to  Study  the  Birds  in  Nature," 
which  will  be  of  the  utmost  value  to  all  students  of  liv- 
ing birds. 

The  subjects  of  distribution,  migration,  song,  nesting, 
color,  food,  structure  and  habit,  intelligence,  and  allied 
problems  are  here  treated  in  a  manner  designed  to  arouse 
interest  and  stimulate  and  direct  original  observation. 

A  Biographical  Appendix,  giving  the  titles  to  all  the 
leading  works  and  papers  (including  faunal  lists)  on  the 
Birds  of  Eastern  North  America,  shows  just  what  has 
been  published  on  the  birds  of  a  given  region,  a  matter 
of  the  first  importance  to  the  local  student. 

SSi  Tages.    Cloth,  $3.^0  net.    Flexible  Morocco.  $4.00  net 

D.  APPLETON  &  COMPANY,  Publishers 

29-35  West  32d  Street.  New  York 

J.  Horace  McFarland  Company,  Mi.  Pleasant  Press,  Harrisburg,  Pa. 


A  New,  Revised  Edition  of  the 

Color  Key  to 
North  American  Birds 

By  FRANK  M.  CHAPMAN 

With    800    drawings    by    C.     A.     Reed 

This  work  with  its  concise  descriptions  of 
specific  characters,  range  and  notes,  and  col- 
ored figure  of  each  species,  may  be  well  de- 
scribed as  an  illustrated  dictionary  of  North 
American  birds. 

The  introductory  chapter  and  Systematic 
Table  of  North  American  Birds  have  been  re- 
set and  brought  up  to  date,  and  two  appendices 
have  been  added.  The  first  contains  descrip- 
tions of  species,  which  have  been  published 
since  the  first  edition  of  the  Color  Key  appeared. 
The  second  is  a  Faunal  Bibliography  contain- 
ing references  to  all  the  more  important  faunal 
papers  on  North  American  birds.  The  titles 
are  so  arranged  that  one  can  readily  tell  what 
are  the  principal  publications  relating  to  the 
birds  of  any  given  region. 

The  book  therefore  makes  an  admirable 
introduction  to  the  study  of  birds  and  the 
literature  of  ornithology,  and  at  the  same  time 
is  an  authoritative  work  of  reference. 

344  Pages.     Cloth,  $2.50  net.     Postage  22  cents 

D.  APPLETON  &  CO. 

29-35  West  32d  Street  NEW  YORK 


New,  Revised  Edition  of  the 

Handbook  of  Birds 

of  Eastern  North  America 

By  FRANK  M.  CHAPMAN 

Curator  of  Birds,  American  Museum  of  Natural  History 

With  Plates  in  Colors  and  Black  and  White,  by  LOUIS 
AGASSIZ  FUERTES,  and  Text  Illustrations  by 
TAPPAN  ADNEY  and  ERNEST  THOMPSON-SETON 

The  text  of  the  preceding  edition  has  been  thoroughly 
revised  and  much  of  it  rewritten.  The  nomenclature  and 
ranges  of  the  latest  edition  of  the  "Check-List"  of  the 
American  Ornithologists'  Union  have  been  adopted. 
Migration  records  from  Oberlin,  Ohio,  Glen  Ellyn,  111., 
and  Southeastern  Minnesota,  numerous  nesting  dates  for 
every  species,  and  many  biographical  references  have 
been  added ;  the  descriptions  of  plumage  emended  to 
represent  the  great  increase  in  our  knowledge  of  this 
branch  of  ornithology;  and,  in  short,  the  work  has  been 
enlarged  to  the  limit  imposed  by  true  handbook  size  and 
brought  fully  up-to-date. 

In  addition  to  possessing  all  the  features  which  made 
the  old  "Handbook"  at  once  popular  and  authoritative, 
the  new  "Handbook"  contains  an  Introduction  of  over 
lOO  pages  on  "How  to  Study  the  Birds  in  Nature," 
which  will  be  of  the  utmost  value  to  all  students  of  liv- 
ing birds. 

The  subjects  of  distribution,  migration,  song,  nesting, 
color,  food,  structure  and  habit,  intelligence,  and  allied 
problems  are  here  treated  in  a  manner  designed  to  arouse 
interest  and  stimulate  and  direct  original  observation. 

A  Biographical  Appendix,  giving  the  titles  to  all  the 
leading  works  and  papers  (including  faunal  lists)  on  the 
Birds  of  Eastern  North  America,  shows  just  what  has 
been  published  on  the  birds  of  a  given  region,  a  matter 
of  the  first  importance  to  the  local  student. 

$61  l-ages.    Cloth,  $3.50  net.    flexible  Morocco,  $4.00  net 

D.  APPLETON  &  COMPANY,  Publishers 

29-35  West  32d  Street,  New  York 

J.  Horace  McFarland  Company,  Mt.  Pleasant  Press,  Harrisbubg,  Pa. 


NEW  REVISED  EDITION  OF 

THE  WARBLERS  of 
NORTH   AMERICA 

By  FRANK    M.  CHAPMAN 

Curator  of  Ornithology,  American  Museum  of  Natural  History 

With   the  cooperation  of  other  Ornithologists 

fi^ith  2^  full-page^  colored  plales,  by  Louis  Agassiz  Fuertes  and 

Bruce  Horsfall,  illustrating  the  male^  female  and  young 

plumages  of  every  species,  and  eight  full-page 

plates  of  nests  and  eggs. 


THE   INTRODUCTION 

treats  of  the  General  Characters,  Plumages,  Distribu- 
tion, Migration,  Songs,  Nesting  Habits,  Food  and 
Mortality  of  Warblers. 

THE   BIOGRAPHIES 

average  about  five  pages  for  each  species,  and  contain 
sections  on  distinguishing  characters,  plumages,  range, 
migration,  haunts  and  general  habits,  songs,  nesting- 
site,  nest,  eggs,  nesting  dates,  together  with  references 
to  pertinent  literature. 

The  contribution  by  many  ornithologists  through- 
out the  country  of  much  before  unpublished  material, 
and  the  inclusion  of  all  the  more  important  informa- 
tion relating  to  North  American  Warblers  which 
has  heretofore  appeared,  make  this  book  a  compre- 
hensive monograph,  useful  alike  for  identification 
and  for  the  study  of  habits. 

Large  8vo.,  320  pages.     Cloth,  $3  net. 

Postage,  20  cents  additional 

D.   APPLETON   AND   COMPANY,    Publishers 
NEW  YORK  CITY 


AMNH    LIBRARY 


100102101 


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