iSqs J WiDMANN, Baird's and Leconte's Span-ows. 2 2 "2 



characteristic beauty : a pure white with a collar of real black 

 adorning the breast in the form of a V ; only a few spots on the 

 sides, thus leaving the area above and below the collar a pure 

 white, upon which the pink feet appear in sharp contrast. The bill 

 also is pink and there is only a light streak of brown from the bill 

 down. The dark eye protrudes ' directly from the yellow face 

 without the least orbital mark, but behind the cheek there is a 

 small wedge-shaped spot of warm brown pointing from the eye. 

 The black crown streaks are seen now in all their characteristic 

 marking. 



When the bird thought the sitting had lasted long enough to 

 afford me a good likeness, it disappeared, not to be seen again, 

 but following the water's edge a second one came into view, flying 

 up into a willow. The post-auricular spot, in the other faintly 

 indicated, was here well pronounced and large, but the breast- 

 band had less continviity, especially the median spots were smaller. 



Sitting on the branch, its upright carriage and general contour 

 reminded me of Zoiwtrichia leucophrys, the difference in size being 

 hardly appreciable. When a general stampede of the frightened 

 Fringillidoi occurred, this bird joined the rest, alighting repeatedly 

 in willows until lost to sight. While still on the lookout for other 

 members of the noble Baird family, I wondered whether a bird 

 so peculiar in color and marking may vary at different seasons so 

 much that it could be described in books with introductions like 

 " with a general resemblance to Savanna." 



But the field is not the place for studying book-descriptions, 

 and the constant changes which go on before our eyes soon 

 absorb our entire attention. The Crackles, all pure and simple 

 ceiieiis as far as we can see, are paying an interesting and inter- 

 ested visit to the top-shaped receptacles of the spatter docks, 

 from which the nuts have fallen, thus affording splendid lurking 

 places for different forms of lower animal life. It is a pleasing 

 picture to see the glossy, graceful birds alight on such a curious 

 perch and bending down peep into every nut-hole. 



A flutter of dark steel-blue wings set off against a reddish-gray 

 body and a party of Rusty Blackbirds alights in the button-bush 

 near by. They came to rest, and soft, melodious notes escape 

 their throats, as if dreaming of times gone by and places far 



