i8o Bird -Lore 



On two occasions, both snowy days, I saw seven Cardinals. I never before 

 saw Cardinals there, and after I found them, I was attracted irresistibly to the 

 place. I shall never forget the tirst one that favored me with a glimpse of his 

 beautiful self. I was watching a flock of Fox Sparrows when the Cardinal, a 

 male, flew out from their midst and alighted on a tall weed, about two feet from 

 the ground, a bit of flame showing red against pure white snow. I remained 

 transfixed until he flew. I saw flocks of Cardinals in Florida last winter, but 

 to me this single rosy specimen, seen in depths of winter, made the most vivid, 

 startling picture I ever feasted eye on in the bird-world. 



I am learning to know the birds in this near-by creek valley quite well. 

 Here, on these snowy days, February 19, 1 saw a Meadowlark; later, the Blue- 

 bird. Last week I saw the Carolina Wren and heard that clear and wonderful 

 song. It seems all too loud to issue from a bird of its small dimensions. I 

 caught a glimpse of a Winter Wren. 



The Chickadees and Downy Woodpeckers, Juncos, Tree Sparrows, and Fox 

 Sparrows are in the same locality. I have seen more winter birds this year than 

 ever before, but when I took the class out they always seemed to beat a retreat. 

 Along a two-mile stretch of road we counted thirteen nests of the Red-eyed Vireo, 

 and I was able to show them the nest of a Goldfinch that had withstood the 

 storms of winter. — Clara J. Clair, Philadelphia. 



[The above record dates back to March, 191 7, but we may gain all the more benefit 

 from it by comparing it with observations made this spring. In addition to work with 

 the children of the Wake-Robin Club, this teacher conducted a six-weeks' course in 

 bird-study in the Philadelphia Normal School, having the students out for two hours 

 or more each morning. It is to be hoped that sometime Miss Clair will tell us of her 

 experiences with Hummingbirds during the nesting-season. — A. H. W.] 



CORMORANT IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA 



During the spring migration, when the Ducks were returning north, Mr- 

 Kennedy, two boys, and myself happened to be at Barmore Lake. It was a 

 good thing we happened to be there that morning or we would have missed a 

 rare find. As we went around a corner of a vacant summer cottage, we saw a 

 bird located on the top of a dead stub, several rods from us. It was about three 

 feet long and three feet from wing to wing. It stayed there awhile, and then it 

 was a beautiful sight to see it pose in mid-air a few seconds, then flying down 

 the lake, where it lit. We watched it swim and dive and made sure of its identi- 

 fication before going away. We saw it once more that morning. It was flying 

 northwest. Mr. Kennedy said, "You had better take another look as you wiH 

 probably never seen another Cormorant in this part of the country." — Nevin 

 G. Nicholson (Age 1 2 years) , Grove City, Pa. 



[The writer of the above note says: "Last spring I had a pleasant experience which I 

 thought might interest the readers of Bird-Lore. I am twelve years old. Last year I 

 listed 173 different species of birds, the rare ones being a Least Bittern, Cormorant, and 



