FLORENCE A. MERRIAM. 



13 



White House, Agricultural Department, and Smith- 

 sonian are g'ood observ^ation grounds in themselves, 

 not only in the migrations but in the nesting season, 

 as we are favored by having twenty-six species of birds 

 nest in the city. 



Even in winter, when most of us note few but the 

 English Sparrow, the city is not without its native 

 bird residents and afifords opportunities for delightful 

 encounters with straying northerners visiting the 

 capital. 



Much to the satisfaction of inlanders unacquainted 

 with coast birds, the singular car of the Fish Crow may 

 be heard all winter about the Smithsonian, for the 

 birds make themselves at home on its towers and 

 regardless of spectators perch on the bare trees of the 

 grounds. Sometimes when walking through the 

 grounds one discovers a small tree filled apparently 

 with round apples, which on approach turn into a 

 flock of plump Waxwings conversing in their low 

 monosyllables. In passing weed-grown vacant lots 

 one often starts up a flock of twittering Juncos — the 

 slate-colored Snowbirds — and one day I chanced along 

 just as a small Hawk darted down from his ambuscade 

 scattering a little band of them which had been feeding 

 quietly amiong the weeds. Throughout the winter 

 we are honored by the presence of the Red-headed 

 Woodpecker, splendid beauty that he is, and when 

 passing " Boundary Castle," at the head of Sixteenth 

 Street, may often hear his rattling kerrr'r and get 

 sight of the handsome tricolor coats of two or three 

 of the Red-heads disporting on the bare trees below 

 the Castle. On the quiet part of Florida Avenue 



