Notes from Field and Study 



Golden-crowned Kinglet in perfect feather, 

 as I later found by comparing him with 

 Thompson Seton's picture in 'Bird-Life." 

 The partly concealed crown looked like 

 bright threads of beautiful orange-col- 

 ored silk, and the head feathers had to be 

 parted to disclose the full size and beauty 

 of the fan-shaped crest. 



In his brief sketch of this bird, Mr. 

 Chapman says, "It is due in New York 

 on the fall migration about September 

 15." Is it not likely that the mild weather 

 in September and October enabled this 

 smallest of our native birds to prolong 

 its stay in the northern woods. 



It may be interesting to note that, 

 although he passed through several hands 

 before releasing him in New Jersey, on 

 the day following his capture, in time for a 

 natural supper, he showed not the least 

 fear of men, and, when he started for the 

 nearest tree, was strong of wing and able 

 to care for himself. What a delight it 

 would be to hear him tell the story of his 

 adventure in the Wall Street "district! A 

 Towhee, caught and released under 

 similar circumstances, si.x years ago, 

 departed minus his tail feathers, so his 

 story would not have been so pleasant. — 

 .\lex Mili..\r. Plainfield, X. J. 



Winter Shore Birds 



On Christmas Day, as noted in my 

 census, I saw a Red-backed Sandpiper at 

 Long Beach, L. I. The bird was on the 

 beach near the eastern end of the board- 

 walk. I got within twenty feet of it and 

 saw it plainly through my binoculars, 

 noting particularly the curved bill. The 

 bird was uninjured. Yesterday, January 

 S, 1915, near the eastern end of Long 

 Beach, I saw one, or possibly two, Sander- 

 lings, the remnant of a flock of four seen 

 by me on November 14. I think that 

 there were two birds, as the first noticed 

 was running along the edge of the back 

 apparently' uninjured, and a little later, a 

 half mile beyond, I saw a Sanderlin^ 

 hopping on one foot. In both cases the 

 birds were able to fly well. I do not know 

 what induced these Sandpipers to remain 



north, as the winter has not been unusually 

 mild, though there was but little snow. — 

 Edw.^rd Fleischer. 



A Robin's Nest on a Fence-Post 



It was a typical Robin's nest, composed 

 of coarse grass and weed stems, with 

 mud-rimmed cup, floored with a pad of 

 finer grasses. 



The post on which it was placed is part 

 of a railroad fence. Not more than thirty 

 feet from the nest is the main track, where 

 dozens of trains daily thunder past. No 

 tree is nearer than one hundred }'ards. The 



ROBIN .\ND NEST 



