102 The Wilson Bulletin — No. 52. 



GENERAL NOTES. 



WIDOW HUMMER. 



BY FRANK URUEX. 



May 30, 1900. — The writer and his bird-partner, while taking aa 

 "all day with the birds." paused to eat their picnic breakfast in a 

 but little used store qi:arry, just off the the country road. There 

 was a forest upon the east, and bushes, small trees, and a small ap- 

 ple orchard formed the remaining boundaries. Perched upon the 

 granite walls we had an admirable place to see and hear the many 

 birds. Scarlet Tanagers (whose nest we found later), Rose-breast- 

 ed Grosbeaks, Redstarts and Ovenbirds, Chestnut-sided Warblers 

 and Wood Thrushes were particularly in evidence. 



All at once a male humming bird appeared upon the dead top of 

 an apple tree, a female being seen soon afterwards upon one of the 

 steel guy ropes attached to the derrick. During that summer we 

 stopped many times to visit Mr. and Mrs. Hummer, and although 

 we never found the nest, one or the other bird was always in evi- 

 dence on the favorite perches. 



Next year we went there again to renew our acquaintance, and 

 perchance to find the little home; but alas, sorrow had come to the 

 poor little female and her mate was never seen; but the pathetic 

 little figiuire of the faithful, lonely widow was nearly always seen 

 perched upon one of the ropes or the apple tree. Many were our 

 queries. Had the male deserted his mate? Was he dead? We 

 preferred to think him dead. 



In 1902, we were eager to know if the little "widow." as we al- 

 ways called her, would Still remain faithful to her lost love — but 

 we visited the place in vain — she was seen no more by us. Had 

 she died or gone off with a new mate? Quien sabe? 



Bristol, Conn., Dec. 1904. 



THE LOUISIANA WATER-THRUSH IN PHILADELPHIA IN 

 SUMMER. 



BY CHARLES II. ROGERS. 



On June 14th, the only day this year, so far, that I have hunted 

 on the Wissahickcn Creek, I found two of this species (Seiurus 

 motacilla) en the left bank of that stream, just above the Valley 

 Green Hotel. With beaks full of food they chirped continually in 

 protest at my presence, and altogether showed plainly that they 

 had young in the immediate vicinity. 



A nest recorded by Mr. H. K. Jamison (O. & O., 1891) is the only 

 other breeding reccrd inside tr.e city line with which 1 am ac- 

 quainted. It also was on the Wissahickon. 



Crosswicks, N. J. 



