THE OOLOGIST. 



27 



artificial, stacks of hay and fodder and 

 boxes put up for Martins and these 

 birds to build in. Principal food, the 

 persimmon fruit, sumac seeds, various 

 insects and worms. 



Being one of our earliest breeders 

 they usually pair about Feb. 20. They 

 become quite abundant as spring ap- 

 proaches and generally appear in close 

 vicinity of their nesting site. 



761, American Robin, Merula migra- 

 toria. Quite rare in early winter be- 

 coming very abundant about April 1st. 

 It is calculated by some that the M. mi- 

 gratoria nests in this locality, but dur- 

 ing all my collecting caj^eer I have nev- 

 er seen this fact proven. I have neith- 

 er collected a single egg nor observed 

 but one specimen during the summer 

 months. 



Upon their tirst arrival, about Sept. 

 15th, they appear to be rather frightful 

 inhabiting swamps only but later on 

 there being an increase they show less 

 fear and may be seen in open woods, 

 in branches in trees and on the ground 

 searching for their food which consists 

 mainly of angle worms, insects, holly 

 and gum berries, in fact nearly all 

 kinds of berries. 



During early spring they become 

 quite tame and resort to the open fields 

 in large numbers, sometimes thous- 

 ands, in quest of the worms that are 

 turned up by the plow. This is the 

 period of the small boy's delight, as the 

 opportunity of killing and trapping so 

 many birds scarcely ever presents it- 

 self. I have known some small boys to 

 set fish hooks in the fields with angle 

 worms as bait, thereby catching quite 

 a number. The Robins leave for other 

 sources about April 10th. Just before 

 taking departure they make the woods 

 thrill with their melodious songs, which 

 can be heard for some di.stance. 



755, Wood Thrush, Turdus mustelin- 

 us. Commonly called "Swamp Robin" 

 and by some "Pewter Legs" is both a 

 summer and winter resident. Rather 



common and generally preferring low 

 land but may be seen quite often in up- 

 land woods. Its mode of living is by 

 scratching, procuring nearly all its 

 food in that way, which consists of 

 various worms and insects. .Roosts in 

 heaps of brush for the most part. 



735, Chickadee, Parus atriciinllus. 

 This little acquaintance is also both a 

 winter and summer resident, being 

 rather common. It is often seen in 

 company with the Tufted Titmouse and 

 is one of our earliest breeders, nesting 

 about April 1st. Its cry is nearly simi- 

 lar to that often made by the P. bicolor. 



The lowlands are its general prefer- 

 ence where it seeks and obtains its 

 food consisting of worms, insects and 

 their eggs. It obtains the greater part 

 of its food from the bark of trees and 

 from decayed wood. 



Roosts in decayed stumps and trees 

 and in natural excavations. 



731, Tufted Titmouse, Parus bicolor . 

 General preference of locality is the 

 river lowlands where they appear 

 abundant at some periods. Their food 

 is almost similar to that of the preced- 

 ing species and it is nearly always seen 

 in company with that species. Appears 

 rather pugnacious at times. Is both a 

 summer and winter resident. 



729, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Silta 

 pusillu. This familiar little species is 

 observed quite often in open woods 

 which are its general preference. They 

 appear abundant in some portions 

 of the country while in others they are 

 quite rare. Usually seen in flocks of 

 four or five and remains with us all the 

 year round. 



I note that it procures nearly all of 

 its food from the pine consisting of 

 worms and insects that are concealed 

 within the bark. It is our smallest 

 winter species and is quite an early 

 breeder. W. Lindsay Foxhall, 

 Tarboro, N. C. 



