THE OOLOGIST 



47 



On the morning of April 17th, the 

 writer undertook this comparison 

 alone and journeyed Bloomfield, N. J. 

 to Singac (Passaic County), after 

 which he canvassed Wayne, Pequan- 

 nock , Pompton Plains, Pompton, 

 around Pompton Lake, Lakes village, 

 Bloomingdale and Butler, all in Upper 

 Passaic County, and observed the fol- 

 lowing species: Robin, Starling, Song 

 Sparrow, Purple Grackle, Flicker, 

 Meadowlark, White-throated Sparrow, 

 Redwings, Tree Swallow, Bluebird, 

 Field Sparrow, American Crow, Gold- 

 finch, Yellow Palm Warbler, Cowbird, 

 Chipping Sparrow, Barn Swallow, 

 Myrtle Warbler, Chimney Swift, and 

 Bank Swallow, all quite common. 

 The following were also observed, but 

 in numbers as appears after each 

 species: Phoebe (5), Downy Wood- 

 pecker (5), White-breasted Nuthatch 

 (1). Purple Finch (2), Kingfisher (5), 

 Blue Jay (10), Chickadee (5), Tufted 

 Titmouse (1), Red-shouldered Hawk 

 (2), Sparrow Hawk (1), Osprey (3), 

 over Pompton Lake. Mourning Dove 

 (2), Chewink (5), Pied-bill Grebe (1), 

 Black Duck (1), and Catbird (1). The 

 record of Catbird is the earliest that 

 the writer had ever secured on this 

 species in Northern New Jersey. 



By comparison of these two lists 

 the reader will observe wherein 

 numerous species, which are common 

 in Northern New Jersey on this lat- 

 ter day, were rather uncommon in 

 the former list. For instance the 

 Field Sparrow was common in New 

 Jersey and not to be found in Virginia. 

 The Tree Swallow was common at the 

 northerly section but in Virginia only 

 five were observed along the Potomac. 

 No Catbirds were observed on the 

 16th, but one was found on the 17th. 

 Tufted Titmice were common in Vir- 

 ginia and only one was observed in 

 New Jersey. Thus I might go ahead 

 and draw numerous other compari- 



sons but I am quite sure the reader 

 will be able to draw these for himself. 

 Louis S. Kohler, 

 Hawthorne, N. J. 



The Starling and Its Depredations. 



During the summer of 1919, the 

 Starling were very numerous in and 

 about Hawthorne, N. J. In fact, more 

 so than in any other previous year. 

 When the common red currant began 

 to ripen numerous of these birds 

 gathered about the bushes and played 

 (lavoc with them, destroying about 

 forty per cent of the yield. Later 

 when the cherries were at their 

 height, much damage was inflicted by 

 these exotics. But the greatest harm 

 of all occurred at the time the garden 

 peas were just appearing through the 

 earth. Each morning on arising 

 shortly before sunrise, it was neces- 

 sary for my wife and I to scatter these 

 marauders and to keep at it through- 

 out the day to save our crop. We 

 tried all manner of frightening de- 

 vices, but these birds cared little for 

 these and the result was that four 

 successive plantings were completely 

 destroyed by them. The strawberries 

 and grapes were not attacked and we 

 were quite thankful for this, but the 

 loss of the other crops was a rather 

 serious handicap. It is my opinion 

 and, I believe this to be general in 

 this section, that the sooner we are 

 rid of these birds the better we will 

 be off as regards our garden truck. 

 Every farmer that I have talked to 

 realizes the importance of preserving 

 our native birds but does not want any 

 more of these exotics as pests. 



Louis S. Kohler, 

 Hawthorne, N. J. 



A Few Notes From the A. E. F. 



When I went to France with the 

 Marines, I had no bird guide with me, 

 and while over there I could not find 



