40 Bulletin No. 26. 



ises, not that of the observer hidden away in the woods or swamps in 

 search of queer things. 



J. H. Langille. 



A CHICAGO PARK HORIZON- 



April II, with field-glass and Chapman's Handbook carried in the hope 

 of seeing a stranger, I reached Washington Park a little before 6 a. m., 

 and took an hour for crossing it, on the lookout for birds. The morning 

 was cloudy, cold and windy. This is my list : Before reaching the park 

 one Red-headed Woodpecker, four Juncos and a flock of Canada Geese 

 flying west-north-west (to go straight north would be to cross the business 

 part of the city). In the park : Robins calling and singing, too numer- 

 ous to count ; three Blue Jays ; three flocks of Fox Sparrows of ten, 

 twelve and five respectively ; ten Flickers ; three Downy Woodpeckers ; 

 two Song Sparrows, one with a straw in his beak which he continued to 

 hold while we surveyed each other ; one Hermit Thrush. Not much of 

 a list, but we are thankful for small favors in the bird line in a city of 

 this size. 



Three miles further on, in the stock yards district, I saw one more 

 Downy Woodpecker being mercilessly "pegged" by half a dozen young 

 hoodlums. I scraped a hasty acquaintance with them, telling them what 

 the bird was, something about woodpeckers, and showing them pictures 

 in Chapman's, meanwhile anxiously hoping the bird would have sense 

 enough to fly, but he did not. While I was talking one' little villain 

 edged off and threw a clod into the tree. "Aw, quit yer peggin'," called 

 the biggest boy, in virtuous indignation, unconscious of the piece of 

 brick in his own dirty fist which he had just picked up when I made his 

 acquaintance. Whether his change of heart was permanent or not I 

 don't know. I had to hurry on to my work and leave the poor bird to 

 their tender mercies. But they did not "peg 'im " until I turned the 

 corner anyway. Has any ornithologist discovered why a bird will stay 

 and be tormented, perhaps killed, when he could spread his wings and 

 rise out of danger ? This bird only flew from one branch to another of 

 the same tree. 



The hoped for stranger I saw this morning in the park was a Solitary 

 Vireo. Two of them in fact. I could hardly believe my eyes and 

 Chapman, but Ridgway gives this bird as passing thru Illinois, so I am 

 happy to add this little beauty to my list of acquaintances. 



Mrs. Agnes Chase, Chicago, III. 



