Vol 'i906 in ] General Notes. 347 



where several of the old buildings are thickly covered with the creeper. 

 In the fall, winter, and early spring the vines are hung with innumerable 

 clusters of berries and to them are attracted many of the winter resident 

 birds. A year or more ago, at almost any hour, a glance through a window 

 would reveal several birds, some of them perhaps within reach, clinging 

 to the vines, feeding greedily. On one occasion, on opening a window, 

 the writer surprised seven birds, representing six species, which were almost 

 hidden in the vines encroaching upon the window opening. Of these a 

 Flicker and a Cardinal whisked away but the others, including two Blue- 

 birds, a Chickadee, a Tufted Titmouse and a White-breasted Nuthatch, 

 trusted him and continued the feast. At times two or three Titmice could 

 be seen twisting in and out among the berries, and brilliant Redheads 

 often came. Indeed the number of charming new glimpses of birds made 

 us almost wish there were Virginia creeper every where. 



Bluebirds were the most constant visitors to the vines and a flock of 

 them fed almost exclusively upon the berries. Each winter they fre- 

 quented a tree midway between two great vine-covered walls and seemed 

 never to leave the vicinity except for water. They were observed during 

 one winter on practically every day from October 20 to February 20. 

 Flickers relished the fruit almost as well. They liked to feed in vines 

 upon which the sun was shining, and at one time five of these handsome 

 birds were seen together on a thickly covered wall. On another occasion 

 two Flickers, two Red-headed Woodpeckers and six Bluebirds feeding 

 in the same place formed a pretty and most animated group. 



An idea of the relative numbers in which birds of twelve species came 

 to the berries may be obtained from a tabulation of several typical lists 

 made on winter days in 1901, 1902 and 1903. Nine such lists have been 

 selected and the totals for each species follow: Bluebirds, 43; Flickers, 21; 

 Robins, 15; Tufted Titmice, 7; Juncos, 7; White-breasted Nuthatches, 

 4; Red-headed Woodpeckers, 3; Blue Jays, 3; Chickadees, 2; Cardinals, 

 2, and Chewink, 1. 



The last named bird would not be expected to visit a busy college cam- 

 pus often, and in fact this was one of only two such occurrences noted in 

 four years. The reason for the visit to the berries is plain: nearly all 

 other food in the country was under a coat of ice. On the day we were 

 honored by the Chewink, six other species, or seven in all, were seen in the 

 vines, and two days previously nine were observed. 



Such liberal patronage shows conclusively how birds value the Virginia 

 creeper. The plant retains its fruit almost half the year and is therefore 

 particularly valuable as an early spring bird food. To those who care 

 to attract winter birds the Virginia creeper, both from its usefulness in 

 this respect and on account of its decidedly ornamental appearance, is 

 to be recommended most highly. — W. L. McAtee, Washington, D. C. 



The Michigan Ornithological Club. — - The annual meeting of the Mich- 

 igan Ornithological Club was held in conjunction with the annual meeting 



