Bull ft III Xo. ]H. 3 



The sun is now fairly up and threatens short existence to the fog. As 

 I approach a bunch of sumac I notice a host of warblers in their tops, 

 and for the first time see the Black-poll and the Yellow-rump Warblers 

 perform their ablutions. The pearly dew is still dropping from the 

 leaves, and this is a sparkling fountain for these birds. They will settle 

 on a petiole and move toward the tip of the leaf, rapidly beating their 

 wings down upon this, causing the dew to fly over them in a fine spray. 

 I watched them for some time. Wondering how effective such a bath 

 might be, I leveled my gun upon one and dropped him. He was wet — 

 not only on the under parts but all over ; thus this bathing method proved 

 to be quite an effective one. 



Looking down, my eyes fell upon a little rabbit, far from half grown, 

 all bunched up and shivering in the chill moist air, patiently longing for 

 Old Sol's rays to assume a more vertical slant and warm little bunnie's 

 jacket. A little "squeaking" brings ap some of our earlier acquaint- 

 ances, a few angry mewing Catbirds and a Water Thrush. 



No other species except a few Goldfinches feeding on the seeds of 

 Ambrosia, are noted until we reach the poplars. Here a crow moves oft 

 with alarm and a Flicker keeps his distance. A Cooper's Hawk swoops 

 down among the birds but moves off empty footed, and a flock of noisy 

 Red-wings passes by. A dead member of the row, gives a resting place 

 to a bunch of Wax-wings, who are playing catch with the drowsy insects 

 which are taking their morning flight. 



As I pass by the maples on my return trip I notice a Robin in the tip- 

 top of one of the trees sending up his morning prayers. His breast has 

 faded from the red of spring-tide to a more humble hue ; but his voice is 

 just as cheery as it was then. I stride on, knowing that breakfast is 

 waiting, and note as the last accession a Black-throated Green Warbler 

 flitting ahead of me as I hasten on to regale the inner man. 



One naturally wonders how many of these thousand birds will visit 

 this gem of bird retreats when artful man will have changed the tangle 

 to a park, when lawn supplants the weeds and avenues my path. 



Paul B.^rtsch, Washinfyton, D. C. 



October 9. 1897. 



NOTES ON SOME OF THE RARER BIRDS OF 

 CHESTER COUNTY, PENN.A. 



CiRE.vT Blue Heron. ^)d(a Jun-odias — .V solitary individual freqented 



