Notes from Field and Study 



149 



Several years ago I had the amusing and 

 pathetic sight of a one-legged Grackle 

 trying to take a bath. Her mate had a 

 splendid splash, but poor 'One-leg' would 

 crouch down, balancing with one wing 

 partly spread, then, just as she touched the 

 water, she felt insecure and stood up again. 

 I took a snap-shot of her which I had en- 

 larged. 



In May, 192 1, who should appear but 

 'One-leg' and her careful mate! On account 

 of the frosts I had not put out the bath so 

 early and, disappointed, my friends went 

 away hoping for "2 rooms and a bath" in 

 some other locality. 



However, I am not lonely, for Robins, 

 Sparrows — Song, English, and Chipping, 

 Starlings, a Wood Thrush and a Rose- 

 breasted Grosbeak have quenched their 

 thirst or bathed near our dining-room win- 

 dow. — E. H. Bowles, Springfield, Mass. 



Evening Grosbeaks in Pennsylvania 



It may be of interest to readers of Bird- 

 Lore to know that Evening Grosbeaks have 

 been observed in this section — 9 miles south- 

 east of Harrisburg — it being the first time, 

 so far as I can ascertain, that these birds 

 have been reported here! Two were seen on 

 February 18 and 19 feeding on the seed of 

 the box elders which line the drive through 

 the grounds of a home on the edge of 

 the town. — Mabel H. Nissley. Hummels- 

 town, Pa. 



Evening Grosbeaks in Iowa 



Sunday morning, February 26, a phone 

 call told me that two pair of 'Canadian 

 Grosbeaks' were in a tree in front of the 

 M. F. McGhan home on Mechanic Street. 

 Mr. Tuttle and I hurried over there, and 

 before we reached them I could see with my 

 field-glasses four beautiful Evening Gros- 

 beaks. It was my first personal experience, 

 and I have kept a record of the birds of this 

 vicinity since 1908. 



The only other records for Osage, are: 

 April 23, 1909. My son Donald came in 

 from school, all out of breath, saying that he 

 had seen a bird that was "all yellow and 

 black and white;" May 23, 1910, and April 



13, 1916 when Mrs. W. II. Salisbury saw 

 them in the northern part of town. A flock 

 of twelve Evening Grosbeaks were seen 

 January 24, 25, and 26, in New Hampton, 

 Iowa, about 50 miles southeast of Osage, 

 and this was their first record there since 

 1916. — Mrs. F. May Tuttle, Osage, Iowa. 



Evening Grosbeaks at Waterford, N. Y. 



On March 8, 1922, a flock of four male 

 and eight female Evening Grosbeaks were 

 found feeding on sunflower heads and giant 

 ragweed along the bank of the Hudson River, 

 at Waterford, N. Y. One female hung to the 

 sunflower heads, upside down, like a Chick- 

 adee. The only notes uttered were Starling- 

 like, metallic, 'zee, zee, zee, zee,' and often 

 only a single 'zee.' — Edgar Bedell, Water- 

 ford, N. Y. 



Martins vs. Tree Swallows 



In 1919, in western Maine, I built and 

 erected a Martin-house of eight apartments. 

 During that, and the following summer Tree 

 Swallows took possession of it for the season 

 and reared their broods. Late in the summer 

 of 1920, Martins made a brief inspection of 

 the premises. In 1921, two pairs of Martins 

 appeared but were driven away by the 

 Swallows (who were already brooding in the 

 house), assisted by those self -constituted 

 mounted police, the Kingbirds. Late in 

 June, however, the Martins returned — three 

 pairs of them. For four days the battle 

 raged without a decision. Between engage- 

 ments the participants would always retreat 

 to the same spots, swapping recriminations 

 while gaining their breath and deciding the 

 next move. Finally, when both sides had 

 experienced enough of warfare, articles of 

 peace were signed and three pairs of Martins 

 occupied the house with one pair of Swallows, 

 all rearing broods under conditions of toler- 

 ance, if not actual intimacy. — F. D Knight, 

 New Britain, Conn. 



A Cliff Swallow Colony 



I am sending you a picture of my barn 

 which has 300 Cliff Swallow nests. I put up 

 three shelves under their eaves and the 

 Swallows have built their nests on, above, 



