160 Cole, The Tagging of Wild Birds. [a^^\ 



thought of the possibility of its being banded until he picked it up. 

 The bird was shot in connection with certain pathological investi- 

 gations being made at the Rhode Island Agricultural Experiment 

 Station. Sparrows and a few other birds were taken to determine 

 in how far the so-called "blackhead" disease of turkeys might be 

 prevalent among them, and what r6le they might perhaps play in 

 its dissemination. 



Of most interest are the returns from the Black-crowned Night 

 Herons, tagged when nestlings, in a rookery at Barnstable, Mass., 

 between June 21, and July 8, 1909. Of these seven have since been 

 reported, as follows: 



No. 4675. Banded June 23, by Leonard S. Pearson. Shot 

 August 27, at HolHston, Mass., by Mr. Albert Bailey, who "took 

 it for a hawk" after his chickens! Time, 65 days; distance, 70 

 miles. 



No. 4686. Banded June 24, by Leonard S. Pearson. Caught 

 in a steel trap August 29 at Berkley (near Taunton), Mass., by A. 

 R. Graham and Son, who have a trout farm, and have to wage war 

 against the herons because of their depredations on the young trout. 

 Time, 66 days, distance, 45 miles. 



No. 4696. Banded June 24, by Leonard S. Pearson. Taken 

 at Minot (near Marshfield), Mass., August 18, by Dr. E. L. Parker, 

 who writes that it "had evidently been shot as it had a broken wing." 

 He killed the bird, and found the band. Time, 55 days; distance, 

 35 miles. 



No. 4705. Banded July 8, by Alfred C. Redfield. Shot at Goat 

 Island, Cape Porpoise, York Co., Maine, Sept. 11, by Clifford H. 

 Poole. Time, 65 days; distance, 120 miles. 



No. 4724. Banded June 24 (?) by Alfred C. Redfield. Shot 

 at Wellfleet, Mass., about the middle of August, by Elmer Wiles. 

 Time, about six weeks; distance, 20 miles. 



No. 4770. Banded July 8, by Alfred C. Redfield. Shot by 

 unknown gunner; found by Mr. Fred Seaver on Sept. 4, at East 

 Orleans, Mass. Time, 58 days; distance, 15 miles. 



No. 4792. Banded July 8, by Alfred C. Redfield. "Found on 

 the marshes in a crippled condition" at Seabrook, N. H., Sept. 17, 

 by Mr. Charles C. Buswell. Time, 71 days; distance, 90 miles. 



These records bring out a number of interesting points. First, 



