34-2 Mortimer on Habits of Florida Birds. [October 



Passer domesticus. House Sparrow. 



On account of the extreme rarity of this interesting bird in 

 Orange County, I mention the single instance of its occurence 

 that came under my notice during a residence of two years and 

 four months. Throughout the latter half of March, 18S7, a 

 female House Sparrow frequented the stable on our premises, a 

 mile north of the town of Sanford. 



Lanius ludovicianus. Loggerhead Shrike. 



In March, 1SS9, two instances of the Loggerhead Shrike kill- 

 ing small birds came under my notice. In both cases the victim 

 was a Grasshopper Sparrow, although birds of this species were 

 few and scattered at that time, while the Savanna Sparrow was 

 very abundant. The Sparrows were impaled by the neck upon 

 orange thorns, and there were no wounds on any other part of the 

 body. The ' Florida Dispatch ' cites an instance of the Logger- 

 head killing a little chicken. This bird impales its prey not only 

 when it wishes to preserve it, but also when it intends to devour it 

 immediately, and the long slivers on fresh pine stumps are com- 

 monly selected for the purpose wherever they can be found. 

 The bird flies to a stump with its victim, usually a large beetle, 

 and forces it upon a sliver, just behind the thorax ; thus having a 

 convenient place to stand, and a convenient fork to hold the mor- 

 sel, while he breaks open the hard shell and eats the softer parts. 

 The same stump is resorted to many times by the same bird, so 

 that it is common to find quantities of the legs and wing-cases of 

 beetles about these curious dining tables. 



Dendroica coronata. Yeli.ow-rumped Warbler. 



1 have seen Yellow-rumped Warblers eating oranges as men- 

 tioned by Mr. Brewster in 'The Auk' (July, 1SS9). When 

 observed in the act they were feeding on fallen fruit that had been 

 broken open, but, as they also frequented the trees, possibly they 

 extracted pulp through holes made by the Red-bellied Wood- 

 pecker. From January 12 to February S, 18SS, this species was 

 extremely abundant all over the region about Sanford. Hum- 

 mock, bay, pine land, and flat woods swarmed with them, and. 

 they also frequented the town, and even entered houses. 



