Notes from Field and Study 



95 



kept a daily bird record for a number of 

 years and have spent an equal number of 

 days afield during each year. 



For a week previous to November 2, 

 191 7, the nights were wet and windy and 

 such birds as White-throated Sparrows, 

 Hermit Thrushes, and others that tarry 

 late in October, were held up from further 

 migratory movements, so that on this 

 day, though there was a foot of snow on 

 the ground, one had the unusual pleasure 

 of seeing the bushy roadways and wood 

 borders literally alive with the above- 

 named birds — and also Fox Sparrows, 

 Towhees, Rusty Blackbirds, Song Spar- 

 rows, Myrtle and Palm Warblers. And, 

 as for Golden-crowned Kinglets, there 

 were thousands. I walked about six miles 

 through the snow, and it seemed as if 

 every dead weed above the snow had a 

 Kinglet on it, searching for food. During 

 the spring of 1018, I saw but two indi- 

 viduals. 



The winter of 191 7-18 was an excep- 

 tionally cold one, but I do not think the 

 cold alone destroyed the Kinglets (and 

 other species also, for there has been a 

 lessening in numbers of certain other 

 birds). But I have a theory that a certain 

 kind of storm does take a big toll from the 

 smaller winter birds. During December, 

 191 7, on two different occasions, we had a 

 drop in the thermometer of nearly forty 

 degrees — each time the mercury stood 

 above 32 in the evening and at zero in the 

 morning. This, too, the birds might endure, 

 but each time it began with a heavy rain 

 and ended by covering everything with 

 ice and sleet. One can imagine what 

 happens to birds that spend the night 

 protected only by winter weeds, brush, or 

 evergreen shrubbery, especially when the 

 wind blows a gale. Their feathers become 

 soaked, and then freeze during the sudden 

 fall in temperature. 



After the second storm of that December, 

 a magnificent Bald Eagle was captured 

 on the beach, his plumage so ice-coated 

 that he could not fly. This bird was kept 

 during the winter by the man who made 

 the capture and then released. Now if 

 such a storm can put a Bald Eagle hors 



de combat, what must it not do to such birds 

 as Kinglets, Tree Sparrows, Juncos, and 

 wintering Song Sparrows? — E. A. Doo- 

 little, Painesville, Ohio. 



Evening Grosbeak in Connecticut 



It may be of interest to note that yester- 

 day, December 17, I saw a flock of from 

 six to eight Evening Grosbeaks. The flock 

 contained birds with the bright-colored 

 plumage of the males and also a number of 

 the duller colored females. This is the 

 second time I have had the pleasure of 

 seeing these birds, the other occasion being 

 in 191 1, when a large flock stayed for 

 some time in this vicinity. I have heard 

 Mr. Job in one of his lectures express 

 regret that although he had been informed 

 of this large flock of Evening Grosbeaks 

 on account of business reasons he was 

 unable to come here and secure photo- 

 graphs of them. — W. E. Fuller, Norwich, 

 Conn. 



White-winged Crossbill in Brooklyn 



I think it will interest readers of Bird- 

 Lore to know that the writer has had 

 the extremely good fortune to see a White- 

 winged Crossbill this fall — and that in the 

 heart of the city. On October 31 I saw 

 this rare and interesting bird in the midst 

 of a flock of House Sparrows about 100 

 feet from my house. 



The bird first attracted my attention 

 by its white wing-bars and yellow rump 

 as it flew down to the gutter from a small 

 tree. I had it within 4 feet of me for 

 almost 2 minutes, and had a fine oppor- 

 tunity to scrutinize every mark on it. 

 The general color was a dull greenish 

 olive; the underparts were quite gray, and 

 the back and head mottled with black. 

 The tips of the mandibles were plainly 

 crossed. Altogether there could be no 

 doubt but that it was an adult female 

 White-winged Crossbill. 



When I came back in the afternoon the 

 bird was not to be found and since then 

 has not appeared. — Ralph Friedmann, 

 Brooklyn, N.Y. 



