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AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



nest you may be baffled for some 

 time, as the rush of air caused by 

 the bird's sudden flight causes a 

 number of leaves to be thrown over 

 the eggs, partly concealing them. 

 The eggs hatch in about four weeks, 

 and the young immediately leave 

 the nest. They are cute little fel- 

 lows, little balls of brown and yel- 

 lowish down, supported on pink feet 

 that carry them over the ground at 

 a surprising rate. Although not 

 yet acquainted with danger, at the 

 first shrill warning cry of the mother 

 each one instantly conceals himself 

 under a leaf or branch, while she 

 leads the cause of the alarm away 

 from the vicinity. Soon she returns 

 and at her first sharp cluck, each 

 little chick with a happy "peep 

 peep" springs from his place of con- 

 cealment and hastens to her side. 

 At night she gathers them under 

 her the same as a domestic fowl. 



As soon as their wings are strong 

 enough to support them, the young 

 roost in trees as do the old birds. 

 In the fall they stay in bands of five 

 or six birds each, and live on acorns, 

 choke berries, wild grapes, all kinds 

 of berries and foliage of numerous 

 plants. \x\ the winter their food 

 consists mainly of buds, that of the 

 apple tree being the favorite. They 

 roost in coniferous trees unless the 

 ground is covered with a fall of light 



snow, which they will burrow into, 

 and find a warm resting place. If 

 disturbed while feeding they do not 

 all rise at once, but singly. While 

 their wings are short they are pow- 

 erful, concave, and the feathers 

 rigid, thus making their flight ex- 

 tremely rapid. They dodge through 

 the branches without any diminution 

 of speed. 



An Hour with the Birds. 



April 14th I took my first tramp of the 

 20th century. The day was perfect; not a 

 cloud in sight. I mention this as for the 

 past three weeks it has rained almost con- 

 stantly. I started, out about two o'clock, 

 which is rather late to find the birds mov- 

 ing about much. My first signs of bird 

 life were observed immediately on opening 

 the front door. There perched on the 

 front steps, the walk, gate, fence and rose 

 bushes were upwards of twenty- five of the 

 Passer domesticus (more commonly called 

 "those ugly little English sparrows") all 

 squawking for all they were worth. I 

 saw several flocks of Redpolls and Gold 

 finches, the latter still in their winter gar- 

 ments. One clump of pines contained a 

 flock of Siskins. They were very tame 

 and 1 could almost catch them. J uncos, 

 Song, Fox and Tree Sparrows were abund- 

 ant; Bluebirds not so much so as I would 

 like to see. The birds are somewhat 

 backwards about coming north this spring, 

 owing to the inclement weather. A few 

 warm days will bring them along in great 

 numbers. 



R. A. S., New York. 



