26 



Bird- Lore 



of Guilford College, N. C, makes the 

 same statement. — Frank M. Chapman, 

 Engleivood , N. J. 



Blue-Winged Warbler in Southern New 

 York in January 



On January 6, igoo, a specimen of the 

 Blue-winged Warbler ( Ilelmhithophila 

 jbinjis) was found dead on the borders of 

 the Bronx river, in the hemlock grove in 

 Bronx Park, and was picked up by me 

 from a bed of mosses, where it lay with its 

 beak open, frozen stiff. 



My determination of the species has 

 been verified by Mr. E. P. Bicknell and 

 Mr. R. S. Williams, and the latter, who 

 skinned the specimen, noted that the giz- 

 zard and crop were entirely empty and 

 the skeleton uninjured, so that the bird 

 evidently starved to death. — Elizabeth G. 

 Britton, N'eiu York City. 



[The specimen above recorded has been 

 presented by Mrs. Britton to the American 

 Museum of Natural History. It is appar- 

 ently a female and its plumage is in fresh 

 and unworn condition. On inquiry, Mr. 

 Williams states that the bird had doubtless 

 died but a short time before it was found, 

 the eye-balls still being firm and unsunken. 

 The Blue-winged Warbler is not only one 

 of the first of our summer residents to 

 leave, it being rarely observed after Sep- 

 tember 5, but it winters south of the 

 United States, and its occurrence here at 

 this season is therefore especially remark- 

 able. The fact that the bird had survived 

 several severe frosts — on one occasion the 

 mercury registering 8° — is also of 

 interest. Probably the well known habit 

 of the species of searching for food in 

 bunches of dead leaves and similar situa- 

 tions had enabled it to live where a fly- 

 catching Warbler would long before 

 have died.— F. M. C] 



A Philanthropic Sparrow 



The only kindly act I ever saw per- 

 formed by an English Sparrow was done 

 last year in a Vermont town at a 

 time when tent-caterpillars were partic- 

 ularly abundant. A Chipping Sparrow 

 brought oif her brood and was busily 

 trying to teach them to pick up food for 

 themselves, but one could not, or would 

 not, try. He fluttered up to an English 

 Sparrow, which was picking up seeds. 



chirped, opened his mouth, and begged 

 for food in an unmistakable manner. 

 The English Sparrow, a fine cock, picked 

 up a tent-caterpillar — a kind which he 

 never ate himself — and thrust it into the 

 Chippy's open beak, then flew away as 

 if he feared that he might be asked to 

 take it out again ! — Caroline G. Soule, 

 Broohline, Mass. 



Hawk and Robin 



An interesting incident, illustrating the 

 great force with which birds fly, came un- 

 der my notice some time since. I was at 

 my window, when suddenly the glass flew 

 into a hundred pieces, and I saw a bird 

 fluttering on the floor. On examination it 

 proved to be a Sharp-shinned Hawk, in 

 fine condition and plumage, but its dis- 

 astrous passage through the window had 

 injured one wing severely. 



In searching for the cause of its actions, 

 we found on the ground, under the win- 

 dow, a large male Robin, dead, but without 

 a mark on him to show what caused his 

 death. 



Did he die from fright, or could the 

 Hawk have struck him with force enough 

 to kill him without having external injury? 

 Did the pursuer go with so much more 

 force than the pursued, as to go through 

 the window, while the other dropped dead 

 from the force of the blow? — Emilia C. 

 Anthony, Goui'erneu?-, N. Y. 



The Notes of the Crow 



In all the bird books I have read, I have 

 not found any mention of the American 

 Crow ufing a call-note other than cazu and 

 its variations. I have now and then heard 

 them say, krriick — krruck — krruck, or 

 cazc — caiv — cazv — krruck — krruck, and 

 the like. — Charles H. Rogers, Philadel- 

 ■phia, Pa. 



[Our correspondent perhaps refers to 

 notes uttered by Crows when attacking a 

 Hawk or Owl, or possibly to the car-r-r- 

 7--iick, oo-oo-oo -oo-oo , ok, which is com- 

 monly heard in the spring when the birds 

 are mating. In either event, we are not a 

 little surprised to find, as Mr. Rogers says, 

 that the ornithological biographies credit 

 the Crow with only the cdii.' call. — Ed.] 



