156 



heroism in this awfnl slaughter dnriiig the early spring montlis. 

 " I submit this matter to the members of the C. O. C— ask them to aid 

 "in obtaining- facts— ask them to graciously aid in obtaining facts — and 

 " indeed in all cases of appeal to be an ever ready and competent court of 

 " equity in all matters pertaining to our local ornithology. 



" FRKDKRICK W D'EVEt.YN." 



[Readers are referred to the notes on the Blue Jay, under the heading 

 of ''Notes on Wild Life " in this issue]. 



Do Birds Desert Young ? The following is a 



reprint of a letter appearing in the March issiie of " The 

 Condor." It is a most interesting account, having a bearing 

 not merel}' on the fickleness, but also the wooing of the 

 sexes. 



" Mr. W. Otto Knierson tell."; of a newly mated pair of Orioles, Ictarus 

 " biillocki, that he saw one day about a grove of Eucalyptus trees. The 

 " male was in fine plumage and he shot it for his collection. The next day 

 " the female appeared with a new husband, who was as bright and fine look- 

 " ing as the bird that was killed the day before. At first chance this male 

 " was also shot, partly it was said, because of his fine plumage, and partly 

 " to see if the female could find another mate as readily. Two days later 

 " she appeared with a third husband, who went the way of the two former 

 " ones. The female then disappeared for a few days, but returned again 

 " with a fourth suitor. 'I'hese two began building and soon had a home in 

 " the Eucalyptus grove. This may be a remarkable case of wooing and 

 " winning, but very likely the widow Oriole was breaking up other families. 



•' Whenever I have found nests that were deserted when they contained 

 " eggs or young, I have attributed it to accidental death of one or both 

 " parents. But this is not always so. 



" During the Summer of 1905 I was making a study of a family of 

 " Bullock Orioles that nested in a Willow tree. On June 13, there were three 

 " half grown young in the nest. Both male and female were feeding. 

 " Suddenly, I noticed a brighter coloured male fly over and light in a near- 

 " by tree while the father of the nestlings darted at him and drove him oflf. 

 ' The next morning I noticed the same male appear and there was another 

 " fight. The mother had been feeding her young, but as the hours pas.sed 

 " her visits were fewer and I noticed only the male was bringing food. The 

 " next day the female had deserted her young entirely, for only the 

 " male was about and he had assumed entire charge of the hou.sehold. 



" It happened a rain storm came up that night, and as the young birds 

 " were not covered we found them dead the next morning. The male was 

 " about with food, but there were no young to be fed. He stayed about 

 " most of the day, but I did not see the mother again. From all appearance 

 " she was a deliberate deserter. Can it be that some birds are as unbirdlike 

 " as some people are inhuman ? " — William I<. Finley, Portland, Oregon. 



