148 NEWS FROM THE BIRDS. 



When do the birds arrive from the South ? 

 The months of February, March, April, and 

 May are the months for arrivals in our Middle 

 States. I seldom fail to see the meadow larks, 

 flickers, and song sparrows — and sometimes the 

 towhees and fox sparrows — in February, from 

 the first week to the end. During March and 

 April the sparrows, thrushes, orioles, tana- 

 gers, woodpeckers, vireos, flycatchers, wrens, 

 and thrashers come with song and chirp, and 

 the first of May brings the vast army of wood- 

 warblers and a few stragglers of other guilds. 



During a visit to Louisiana in the spring of 

 1894 I learned some interesting facts about the 

 behavior of migrating birds. In the North the 

 robins are not often found in flocks except in 

 the fall when they are preparing for the voyage 

 South. In Louisiana they go in large flocks dur- 

 ing their winter's sojourn there, scattering out 

 somewhat during the day to feed, and then 

 gathering from all parts of the country at cer- 

 tain favorite roosts as night approaches. They 

 are especially abundant in those parts of the 

 South where beechnuts are to be found. 



Thousands of them are killed by pot-hunt- 

 ers in the South, their flesh being regarded as a 

 delicacy. If I should eat a robin I should 

 almost look upon myself as a cannibal. In the 



