422 Bird -Lore 



The classes were followed by six field meetings, and though several of the 

 Saturdays were stormy, 109 persons went on the walks and 128 species were 

 identified. Our greatest excitements this year were the appearance of a flock 

 of Evening Grosbeaks, never before recorded in the District of Columbia, 

 and the Brazilian Cardinal which for weeks dined at Professor Bartsch's 

 feeding-station. It is probable that it had escaped from the Zoo. On April 

 3, the eighty-fifth anniversary of John Burrough's birthday, our Society 

 assisted at a memorial tree planting. 



One of our members told me that her aunt picked up a young bird which 

 had fallen from the nest. As she could not put it back, she "brought it up by 

 hand." Its favorite perch was on her shoulder, with its head tucked under 

 her collar. When she had callers he would be jealous and peck her cheek. 

 She called him 'Nig' and would say, "Come, Nig, read the paper," and while 

 she held it he would walk along the top and peer over the sides. Then she 

 would say, "Come, Nig, thread the needle," and after she had put the thread 

 through the eye, Nig would take it in his beak and pull it farther through — 

 and he was just an English Sparrow! 



One day last winter I heard a curious noise, as though someone was breaking 

 ice. On looking out of the window I found the water in the bird-bath frozen 

 solid and a Flicker was pecking at it and sending the bits of ice flying. As soon 

 as he had gone I went out, cleared the pan of ice, and filled it with water. The 

 pan had a tiny leak and when the Flicker returned he found that by perching 

 on a ledge below he could hold up his head and the water would drop into his 

 bill. In a minute the Sparrows were doing the same thing. — H. P. Childs, 

 Secretary. 



East Tennessee Audubon Society. — This year has been a notable and 

 memorable one for the East Tennessee Audubon Society. We are very proud 

 to say that we have been the most active of any organization in our state, and 

 therefore have accomplished great success in the work. Mr. Harry Ijams, one 

 of our leading members, owns a wonderful farm, situated on the Tennessee 

 River. Being a naturalist and bird-lover, he has always protected the birds 

 on this wonderful tract of land. In January he offered the Society a lot, if it 

 would get the rest of the land-owners to post their grounds and would build 

 a club-house for its meetings and for educational purposes, to be used by our 

 schools and colleges. 



His offer was immediately acted upon, and, as is usual in such cases, a few 

 of our members went to work with a will, determined to win, and the conse- 

 quences are: One thousand acres of land posted for bird-protection, a club- 

 house for the convenience of bird-lovers, and over two hundred new members. 

 The club-house was built by the members making a drive for subscriptions. 

 It is a three-room house with a large porch overhanging the river, and immedi- 

 ately opposite an island which has no other population than birds. The recep- 



