44 Nichols, Recognilion Marks in Birds. [jan. 



Summary. 



Residents 23 



Summer Residents 57 



Winter Sojourners 20 



Migrants 68 



Occasional Visitors 40 



Total 208 



NOTES ON RF.COGNITION MARKS IN CERTAIN SPECIES 



OF BIRDS. 



BY JOHN TREADWELL NICHOLS. 



In 'Bird-Lore' for December, 1901, Ernest Thompson Seton 

 published an article on recognition marks in animals. The sub- 

 ject has interested me ever since, and I have tried to explain by 

 that hypothesis some of their colors as seen in the field. 



It is frequently urged that the build, motions, and general 

 appearance of a bird are what we, and doubtless also its associates, 

 use in recognizing it. This certainly is often true; but on careful 

 analysis, it is found that in many species it is some definite, conspic- 

 uous bit of color which catches the eye and gives them away. It is 

 the dark back, sharp breast line and white outer tail feathers that 

 demonstrate the Junco in the sparrow-filled shrubbery. A year 

 ago this summer I had my first meeting with the Bohemian Wax- 

 wing in the Canadian Rockies. Of course we all know the chestnut 

 under tail-coverts of this species are a conspicuous mark with the 

 bird in the hand, but I was surprised to find how conspicuous 

 they were in the field. As the birds took flight they were very 

 noticeable, and this mark which so definitely separated the species 

 from the allied Cedar Waxwing common in the same region, is 

 doubtless of use to the birds themselves as well as to the human 

 observer. 



