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Bird - Lore 



nuisance, and do a lot of writing about how 

 to be kind to and cultivate birds, and then 

 calmly overlook the basis of all the trouble, 

 the neighborhood cat legion. Don't think 

 I dislike cats, as I am really fond of all 

 animals. But there are so many advan- 

 tages we may not enjoy, on account of one 

 destructive element being entirely ignored 

 and uncontrolled, that the time has arrived 

 to recognize this matter and give it due 

 attention. 



No one individual is strong enough to 

 carry out any reform, but an organization 

 could do much, with the cooperation of 

 persons interested in gardens of small size. 

 And I venture to say the small-garden 

 proprietors would make a formidable list 

 from towns and cities all over the country. 

 As a practical citizen, I appeal to the Audu- 

 bon Society for assistance in organizing 

 some sensible and far-reaching plan that 

 we may urge upon the officers of each 

 community, for the limiting of the de- 

 struction of birds by cats, and the conse- 

 quent failure of the gardens subsequent 

 to the absence of our feathered host. — 

 B. Bennett, Chicago, III. 



The Cardinal in Northern New Jersey 



It may interest Bird-Lore's readers to 

 know that on Christmas day, 1909, I saw 

 eleven Cardinals, seven males and six 

 females. This is the first time that more 

 than two have been seen in this locality. — 

 K.A.THERIXE K. MosLE, Gladstone, N'. J. 



A Queer Sparrow Song 



One day, while rambling along a creek 

 in this neighborhood, I heard a Song Spar- 

 row sing a few notes, then stop short. 

 Presently he sang again in the same wa}'; 

 soon he did it again. By this time my 

 curiosity was stirred, and I decided to look 

 into the matter. My eye soon caught the 

 Sparrow perched on a sapling twig, repeat- 

 ing his odd little song. This was the 

 method. His voice was clear enough for 

 the first three or four notes; then it sud- 

 denly stopped, as if the glottis were com- 

 pletely closed up. But the bird did not 

 cease his efforts when the break occurred. 

 Each time he kept his niandililes i\\ydr[. 



shook his head back and forth, and bulged 

 out his throat, trying hard to finish his trill. 

 I watched him till he flew away, and each 

 time he went through the song motions 

 long enough to complete his natural song, 

 even though his voice stopped before it was 

 more than one-third done. — Leander S. 

 Kevser, Canal Dover, O. 



Vermilion Flycatcher in Sonoma 

 County, Cal. 



\'ermilion Flycatcher — On July 26, 

 1909, I saw a Vermilion Flycatcher, catch- 

 ing flies in a wild cherry tree, loaded with 

 ripe fruit. 



This bird is a rare visitor in this part of 

 the state, and this is the only one that I 

 have ever seen here. — Violet Wheeler, 

 Graton, Cal. 



Cardinal Near Buffalo 



February 7, 1909, I saw a pair of Car- 

 dinals on the Canadian shore about si.x 

 miles from Buffalo. They were quite tame, 

 and with opera glasses the pink bill, 

 erectile crest and dark lores were easily 

 made out. 



February 6 there was a heavy south- 

 west wind. The snow was nearly all gone, 

 but there was ice in the lake for about one 

 mile from shore. — David E. Wheeler, 

 Buffalo, N. Y. 



Chautauqua Bird Lectures 



The Chautauqua Institution has given 

 to Herbert K. Job the appointment to 

 conduct the bird-study classes at their 

 Summer School, Chautauqua, N. Y., and 

 to give some public lectures at the Audi- 

 torium. The course will be planned with 

 these special things in view: To prepare 

 teachers to teach bird-study in the schools, 

 to show in detail how to hunt with the 

 camera, and to aid bird-lovers in the out- 

 door studies of birds. The method will 

 comprise lecture and class work, field ex- 

 cursions, and will use as a text-book Mr. 

 Job's new book just published by The 

 Outing Publishing Company, New York, 

 — "How to Study Birds." Accessions to 

 this Course will be welcomed, and the 

 l)lare and region are delightful. 



