Notes from Field and Study 



187 



before and walked to windward through 

 the snow, until he came to a shelter- 

 ing bunch of leaves beside which he 

 could snuggle among the snowflakes and 

 avoid the wind. He had fairly plowed 

 his way those ten yards, often throwing 

 out a wing to steady his short steps as he 

 wound in and out among some sweet- 

 fern twigs. The resting-place was abso- 

 lutely hidden from above, and left very 

 snug by the bird's slipping in without 

 disturbing the snow more than to stamp 

 it down underneath. 



In the early morning hours he had 

 walked sedately out, turned once more 

 into the wind and threaded his way 

 farther into the pines, twice making a 

 wing mark where he stumbled on hidden 

 twigs, and leaving a furrow in the snow 

 much like that of a weasel when walking. 

 In a tangle of small bushes he had taken 

 wing so hastily as to leave a downy 

 feather on a twig. 



Later in the day, a small patch of grass 

 showed through the snow behind the mill, 

 and three Woodcock appeared, as if by 

 magic, to bore for the succulent worms. 

 Yes, the early Woodcock knows how to 

 provide for himself. — Joseph W. Lip- 

 PINCOTT, Bethayres, Pa. 



The Starling at Glens Falls, N. Y. 



It may be of interest to record that the 

 Starling has arrived in Glens Falls. A 

 small flock was found in the vicinity of 

 the railway station during the recent 

 February blizzard. One of the birds was 

 so exhausted that it fell down in the snow, 

 was captured, and is now contentedly 

 wintering in the D. &. H. freight station 

 here. — Gertrude B. Ferguson, Secy, of 

 the Glens Falls Bird Club. 



Starlings and Cows 



In answer to a request in Bird-Lore 

 for information regarding the Starlings' 

 custom of flying around cows after the 

 manner of Cowbirds, I should like to give 

 my experience. This is not a new habit. I 

 have seen Starlings alight on the backs of 



cows and sheep, to procure insects, in the 

 Pevensey Marshes, Sussex, England. 



To quote Wood's Popular Natural 

 History: "These birds have a habit of 

 following cows, sheep, and horses, flut- 

 tering about them as they move, for the 

 purpose of preying upon the insects which 

 are put to flight by their feet. The Star- 

 lings also perch upon the backs of the 

 cattle, and rid them of the parasitic 

 insects that infest them." — Cecil Dip- 

 lock, Plainfield, Ni J. 



The Grackle as a Nest-robber 



Being very much interested in the 

 study of our native birds, I thought I 

 would send you a short note on what 

 seemed to me the unusual habits of a 

 Bronzed Grackle. 



In the latter part of June and for at 

 least the first half of July, 191 1, this 

 Bronzed Grackle regularly, every four or 

 five days, visited the houses on the west 

 side of our street, always beginning at 

 the south and finishing up at the north 

 end of the block. He would alight on the 

 veranda roof, enter the nests of the Eng- 

 lish Sparrows built in the corners, and, 

 after eating the eggs and young, he would 

 emerge, stand for a moment or two, 

 ignoring the throng of distracted Spar- 

 rows, and fly to the next house, where the 

 scene would be repeated. We would 

 alwaj'^s know when he was out visiting by 

 the shrieking of the Sparrows. On no 

 occasion did the latter attempt to attack 

 him, though a flock of about a score fol- 

 lowed him from house to house. They 

 would perch around on the wires, and 

 make as much noise as possible while he 

 was lunching. 



About the middle of July I had to leave 

 the city, and on my return in early Sep- 

 tember the Grackle had disappeared. I 

 have never seen him since, nor do I know 

 if he robbed nests on any other streets. 

 Why he visited only the west side of the 

 street is a mystery, for Sparrows' nests 

 were abundant on both sides. 



He was certainly the coolest, most 

 methodical, and heartless nest-robber I 



