Notes from Field and Study 



305 



Bohemian Waxwings and Evening 

 Grosbeaks in Chicago 



Bird students who spent much time 

 in the field in and about Chicago, the past 

 winter, had an excellent opportunity to 

 observe the Bohemian Waxwing. Its 

 occurrence here is not a matter of sur- 

 prise, yet, as years often pass without 

 one being seen, its abundance during the 

 past season seems worthy of note. 



Generally speaking, the winter was 

 mild and open, the temperature ranging 

 from about 10° to 40°, being but a few 

 degrees below the freezing-point most of 

 the time, and with considerably less snow 

 than usual. 



The Waxwings appeared in Chicago 

 as early as November 24, one being re- 

 ported in Washington Park on that date. 

 On December 3, the writer saw a flock of 

 twenty-five in the south part of Jackson 

 Park, and, from that time on until April 

 18, they were seen at frequent intervals. 

 At times the flock numbered from twenty- 

 five to thirty, at others only about half 

 that many, and it is not unlikely that 

 there were two distinct flocks in the park 

 during at least a portion of the winter. 

 Their favorite resort was a field of aspar- 

 agus a short distance south of the park, 

 where they were often seen feeding on 

 the berries of this plant. 



Others were reported from Highland 

 Park, 111., and from Gary, Ind. I observed 

 a flock at New Buffalo, Mich., on Decem- 

 ber 26, and reported the same in Bird- 

 Lore's eleventh Christmas census. They 

 were first seen flying about in a patch 

 of juniper, probably for the berries. On 

 another occasion, I saw them experi- 

 menting on the hips of the wild rose as 

 an article of food, but evidentl}'^ with 

 unsatisfactory results, as they soon flew 

 away. 



One naturally compares this bird with 

 its near relative the Cedar Waxwing, and, 

 when the glamour of rarity has been dis- 

 pelled, the latter, in my estimation, has 

 the better of the comparison. The notes 

 of the Bohemian are uttered in much the 

 same manner as are those of the Cedar 



Waxwing, but are louder and more com- 

 plaining, and, while possessing more of the 

 clear quality of a whistle, lack much of 

 the pleasing lisp and illusiveness of the 

 other. Then, too, the white wing-patches 

 and chestnut under tail-coverts of the 

 former seem to detract from that neat- 

 ness and trimness of plumage which is 

 so marked a feature of the latter. How- 

 ever, I saw the Bohemian Waxwings in 

 their least favorable season, when their 

 sole occupation was catering to an insa- 

 tiable appetite. Had the observations been 

 made in the nesting season and in their 

 summer haunts, the impression might 

 have been different. 



On October 29, 1910, I saw a flock of 

 eight Evening Grosbeaks on the Wooded 

 Island in Jackson Park, and I learned 

 from other observers that they had been 

 seen October 23, the earliest date, accord- 

 ing to such information as I have at 

 hand, that they ever appeared in this 

 locality. They remained in the park 

 about six weeks, and then disappeared. — 

 F. A. Pennington, Chicago, III. 



Two Towhees Wintering at 

 Englewood, N. J. 



During the past winter, the writer has 

 observed two male Towhees wintering at 

 Englewood, New Jersey. They were first 

 observed January 22, 191 1, with a flock 

 of about twenty White-throated Sparrows, 

 which came for food, more or less regu- 

 larly, through the winter, to a board in a 

 grove of Norway spruces beside the house. 

 It was a cloudy morning after a light 

 snow-fall, and the Towhees' parti-colored 

 plumage was very striking in the unwonted 

 wintry surroundings. 



In February and the first half of 

 March, one or both birds were seen almost 

 daily. From first to last, they were 

 always observed less than a block away, 

 and generally when they came to the 

 feeding-board with the White-throated 

 Sparrows. 



A paragraph giving the dates on which 

 they were observed will be interesting. 

 Dates when both were seen at one time 



