78 Bird -Lore 



Jackdaw's night began at about 3.30 p.m. During the breeding season they 

 inhabit cathedral towers, ivy-grown ruins, and fortifications. Their call-note 

 is very similar to that of our Red-bellied Woodpecker. Magpies {Pica rustica) 

 are common all over France. Like the Crow (Corvus corone) they nest in 

 isolated pairs and often place their nests of twigs in the tops of poplars, where 

 they are sometimes difficult to distinguish from the clumps of mistletoe with 

 which these trees are so heavily infested. I was surprised one day to see a 

 Magpie laboring along with a full-grown field-mouse in its bill. In the fall, the 

 Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) flock to the fields with the Crows and Rooks, but 

 in mating-time they usually frequent dwelling-places, building their nests 

 about buildings or in holes in trees. At all times the Starling is a pleasant and 

 interesting companion, a comical songster, and moreover a bird of useful 

 habits. It is unfortunate if our prejudice toward him in this country has made 

 us blind to his many virtues. 



In order of abundance the Swallows probably come next. The Swallow 

 (Hirundo rustica), resembling our Barn Swallow, and the House Martin (Cheli- 

 don urbica), distinguished by the white upper tail coverts, are by far the most 

 common representatives of this family. Only once have I seen Sand Martins 

 {Cotile riparia). This was in September, 1918, near Mont Sec. The Swallows 

 and House Martins build their mud nests under the eaves of buildings, and I 

 saw them with young in the nest as late as September 22, 1917. In fact, this 

 ought to be a good time for insect-eating birds to raise their young in France, 

 as I have never seen common house flies in such overwhelming millions (except 

 in Kansas) as they were in France in the early fall. 



The Titmouse family is well represented, six species appearing on my list. 

 The Great Titmouse (Parus major), Blue Titmouse (Parus cceruleus), Marsh 

 Titmouse (Parus palustris), Coal Titmouse (Parus aler), and the Crested 

 Titmouse (Parus cristatus) are all very common. The Long-tailed Titmouse 

 (Acredula rosea) I observed but once and this was last April in the Westerwald 

 of Germany. 



Some of the most attractive birds of Europe are included in the family of 

 Finches. The beautiful Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), the Goldfinch (Carduclis 

 elegans), and the Bullfinch (Pyrrhula europea) are named in order of numerical 

 occurrence as I found them. Of plainer plumage are the Tree Sparrows (Passer 

 montanus) and the Yellow Hammer or Yellow Bunting (Ember iza citrinella), 

 both of which are abundant. On April 14, 1918, near Beauvais, I saw the Cirl 

 bunting for the only time. The House Sparrow (Passer domeslicus) does not 

 seem as numerous here as with us, and instead of being despised, I found it in 

 some localities, at least, to be held in rather high esteem. In fact, it is often 

 encouraged to nest about dwellings by means of special nesting devices resembl- 

 ing jugs placed under eaves and over doors and windows; and I have seen up to 

 a dozen of these innocent looking traps on one little cottage. Traps they are, 

 for as soon as the young are well feathered and ready to leave the nest, they, 



