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Bird - Lore 



encroachment upon their time-honored 

 rights, are enthusiastic about the increase 

 in Ducks, and attribute it solely to the new 

 legislation. In spite of widespread decoy 

 shooting during the season, in spite of the 

 sink-box man who brags of his 200 head 

 per day, and in spite of occasional 'big 

 gunning' of the Ducks at night (an evil 

 practice that still persists), the Ducks are 

 not only holding their own in numbers but 

 they are obviously increasing. 



The Federal Government, which has 

 done so much to bring about improved 



conditions among wild-fowl, is now to 

 subject the ducking ground to a supreme 

 test. For 20 miles along the western shore 

 the land has been taken over and is being 

 made ready for an ordnance proving- 

 ground. It will be interesting to watch 

 the efifect of the heavy cannonading on 

 the wild-fowl. Will the birds be driven 

 away or will they be as unmindful of the 

 crash and roar as were the Blackbirds 

 along the battle-torn Yser, about which 

 Major Brooks has told Bird-Lore's 

 readers? — H. H. Beck, Lancaster, Pa. 



THE SEASON 



IX. June 15 to August 15, 1918 



Mr. John T. Nichols, of the American 

 Museum of Natural History, has consented 

 to assume Mr. Rogers' duties as Editor of 

 this Department and reporter for the New 

 York Region, and Dr. Glover M. Allen 

 replaces Dr. Tyler in the Boston Region. 

 — F. M. C. 



Boston Region. — Early summer was 

 notable for the absence of long-continued 

 storms, and so has been favorable for nest- 

 ing. The occasional severe thunder- 

 storms that followed in late July and 

 August seem to have done no noticeable 

 harm to the birds, despite their fury. 



By the third week of July an interesting 

 Robin and Bronzed Crackle roost was dis- 

 covered at Lexington, to which already 

 nearly 200 Robins nightly resorted as well 

 as somewhat less than half that number of 

 Bronzed Grackles. The spot selected was 

 a dense clump of small red maples and gray 

 birches, bordered by shrubs, and nearly 

 surrounded on three sides by open meadow. 

 The Grackles arrived, mainly in a body, 

 a few minutes before sunset, followed 

 shortly by a few late individuals in groups. 

 These either lit on neighboring tree-tops 

 and, after a brief rest, betook themselves 

 to the densest part of the roost, or some- 

 times kept on past and returned after a 

 brief survey of the country. Meanwhile, 

 Robins were already arriving singly or in 



small scattered groups of three or four, 

 coming mainly from the direction of the 

 center of the town or the thinly built-up 

 portion to the east. Few came from the 

 open country to the west. Some pitched 

 at once into the dense growth and soon 

 settled down; others alighted, first in 

 nearby trees and, later, after preliminary 

 challenging notes, betook themselves to 

 rest. The last birds came in early twi- 

 light. The whole company took barely 

 three-quarters of an hour to assemble for 

 the night. These were apparently birds 

 from the immediate vicinity, within a 

 radius of perhaps a mile or two. The 

 Grackles had nested in the pines less than 

 a mile away earlier in the spring. Among 

 the Robins, the voices of young birds of the 

 year, now strong on the wing, were occas- 

 ionally distinguishable. Apparently the 

 Robins that still were busied with young 

 in the near countryside did not join in the 

 flocking to this roost at the time. Absence 

 from town prevented further observation. 

 Starlings have been seen in small flocks 

 throughout early and late summer in the 

 lowland market-garden country of Bel- 

 mont, but are seldom seen back on the hills 

 to the north of Boston. They feed much 

 on the ground and seem to find consider- 

 able insect food. No reports of damage to 

 small fruits have been received from this 

 vicinity. In late August they are found 



