J^otee^ from Jfielti anti ^tuOp 



Notes on the King Rail 



The following notes, taken from obser- 

 vation of a King Rail on August i, may be 

 of some interest, the bird being rather 

 uncommon in southern Indiana. With a 

 companion. I was following the shore line 

 of a low-lying, open, muddy bayou. While 

 we were observing some Least Sandpipers, 

 our attention was attracted by a much 

 larger bird, the size of a Coot, in the tall 

 weeds growing on the swampy ground 

 near the water's edge. It was emitting a 

 series of loud, abrupt squawks, — not in 

 alarm, however, as it walked about de- 

 liberately and eyed us with perfect un- 

 concern. It disappeared behind a large 

 pile of brush, presently became quiet, and 

 then I walked and waded out over the 

 boggy ground. Craning my neck, I saw 

 the bird feeding at a distance of only five 

 yards. Even then it showed no alarm, but 

 merely walked away, rather awkwardly, 

 with the old squawks, so sharp and clear 

 cut we could hear the echo from the neigh- 

 boring hill every time. It was soon lost 

 to sight again in the weeds, and this time 

 took flight upon my approach — flying low 

 with dangling legs, and disappearing on 

 foot in the tall grasses of the opposite 

 shore. The tameness of the bird was 

 astonishing, as it allowed close approach, 

 and we had it under observation for fully 

 half an hour. Perhaps this tameness 

 accounted for the extreme deliberation of 

 all its actions. — Julius C. Peter, Sey- 

 mour, Ind. 



A Clever Trick of the Downy 

 Woodpecker 



It was in the first few days of the month 

 of April, 1908, that I had occasion to 

 go to my uncle's in the country, whose 

 farm is about six miles from a small rail- 

 road station in southern Indiana. While 

 there, I spent part of the time at my uncle's 

 brother's farm which adjoined. 



(25 



My uncle's brother is quite a bird 

 student, and one of his amusements is 

 to feed the many different birds that have 

 been in the habit of wintering on his farm. 

 He arranged a wooden platform about 

 two bj' four feet, with a small rail around 

 it, to prevent the food from falling to 

 the ground, and attached this to the out- 

 side of the window-sill. After having 

 cracked nuts (13 bushels cracked during 

 the winter), including walnuts, hickory- 

 nuts and butternuts, he would raise the 

 window about three inches, or just enough 

 to allow the nuts to be scattered over the 

 platform and, after lowering the window, 

 would wait for the birds to alight, and 

 then watch the eat and pick the nuts. 

 They would soon fly to the platform from 

 the evergreens that surrounded the house, 

 and there would eat and chatter to each 

 other, enjoying their fine repast. 



The various kinds numbered about 

 fifteen, among them the Red-headed 

 Woodpecker, Junco, Chickadee, Blue Jay, 

 Sapsucker, Cardinal, House Wren, Song 

 Sparrow, Downy Woodpecker, and a 

 strange fellow who would not eat nuts and 

 was fed raisins until the supply was ex- 

 hausted, and then finally, after several 

 days of fasting, began eating the nuts — 

 no other than the Mocking-bird. She 

 built a nest in the orchard there the next 

 summer and raised several young blockers, 

 and the whole family departed later in the 

 season. 



I was told to throw a cracked nut into 

 the air and see what followed — I did so, 

 and, to my surprise, the Down}- darted 

 after it, not allowing it to touch the ground, 

 and then returned to the evergreen, 

 where he proceeded to pick the kernel 

 from the hard shell. It is astonishing how 

 tame birds will become if treated as they 

 should be. We can all have many pleas- 

 ant moments with them if we give them 

 half a chance, simply by providing food, 

 water and places to build their homes. — 

 Elliott R. Tibbets, Indianapolis. Ind. 







