44 The Wilson Bulletin — No. 51. 



BIRDS VS. STREET CARS. 



BY MARION E. SPARKS. 



The advance of the interurban electric lines, makes excur- 

 sions to country places more easy, but are the birds near it 

 undisturbed by the shrill whistle? Of course the birds may 

 become used to it. for they pay little attention to railroad 

 trains ; but the frequency of the cars may make a difference. 



The following notes give the birds seen without careful 

 search, in a space of two lots ; along the south edge is a cutting 

 and beyond that a garden equal to a city block in size. During 

 the time the notes were taken, interurban, local and construc- 

 tion cars passed to and fro in the cutting from 4 a. m. till 12 

 p. m. daily, at intervals of from thirty to three minutes. 



The birds were only passing and the ones that remained all 

 summer were noticeably more numerous than they had been 

 in previous years. 



Lack of close watching, no doubt missed many. Absence 

 of cats, dogs, chickens, and children may account for the num- 

 ber in part, while the presence of a small stream in the space 

 beyond the garden probably had some influence. 



The yard is almost crowded with shrubs, while a dozen 

 shade trees, and twice as many fruit trees helped to make it 

 easy for the birds to escape too close notice. 



Time, April 5-May 13, 1904. 



April 5, 1!M>4. — Ruby-crowned Kinglet, on a vine at the 

 open window, later in a bush ; fearless, almost tame. i.e. al- 

 lowed observer to approach nearer than ten feet. 



April 6-13. — A few, 3 or 4 Chickadees, one White-breasted 

 Nuthatch, Hairy Woodpecker, Flicker, Robin, W'ood Thrush., 

 Bluebird, White-throated Sparrow. Veery, Towhee (male 

 only), Brown Thrasher, Brown Creeper, Junco, Bronzed 

 Grackle, Blue Jay. 



Cooler April 1 1-17. 



April IT. — The first House Wren of the season; two weeks 

 later than last year. 



April 25. — Black and White Warbler seen ; only one speci- 

 men. The Blackbirds have not been seen since April 20. No 



