J913 I Cleaves, American Bird Banding Association. 255 



wrote a letter to "The Auk,' New York, giving the number of the 

 band, and asked for information, saying: 



"Please let me know when the hand was put on. There are 



lots of people would like to know." 



This particular Bluebird was one of a brood banded by Dr. 

 R. M. Strong, of the University of Chicago, at West Allis, Wiscon- 

 sin, ou July 5, L909. The band had been carried for two years 

 and nine months and had apparently caused no inconvenience. 

 It is probable that this Bluebird had made two complete migrations 



to the south ami was ahout to complete the last lap of a third when 

 he was so unfortunate as to cross the path of Lanius borealis. 



The letters sent in by persons who have come into possession 

 of handed birds are often intensely interesting, containing informa- 

 tion regarding the conditions under which the bird was secured 

 that makes a story of unique character when one goes to the filing 

 cabinet, picks out the handing record and puts the two halves of 

 the tale together. The following is a good example: The owner 

 of a rice plantation on the Lower Camhahce River, Colleton 

 County, South Carolina, sent in word that on November 2, 1912, 

 his 'bird minder' (a man stationed with a gun in the 'rice yard' for 

 the purpose of keeping birds away from the grain) had shot a 

 number of Red-winged Blackbirds and was preparing them for a 

 pot pie when he came upon one wearing a small metal band on 

 its leg. What could he more fraught with interest? The man 

 had, of course, given the number of the hand and we at once 

 picked out the card hearing the record of handing and supplied 

 the other end of the story. We found that the bird was banded as 

 a fledgling by Mr. Harry S. Hathaway at Quonochontaug, Charles- 

 ton, Rhode Island, on June 8, 1912. On being notified of the 

 'return' Mr. Hathaway wrote: 



" I well remember this young Ked-wing. I was wading through 

 a small cattail swamp looking for Red-wings' nests when I spied 

 him clinging to a eat tail ahout 2 feet from the water. 1 made a 

 grab and had him in my hand and a band on in a jiffy. A toss in 

 the air and he awkwardly flew some 20 feet and succeeded in 

 grasping an upright cattail and clung there while I went on." 



Who would have supposed that the young Red-wing, retired in a 

 Rhode [sland cattail swamp in June, would end his career in a pot 

 pie in South ( atolina five months later? 



