120 UPLAND AND MEADOW. 



My inquiries among old people about this bird have 

 not been satisfactory. All seemed to have a confused 

 idea of it, and the scarlet tanager and the cardinal gros- 

 beak were so clearly referred to in many of their re- 

 marks that I practically learned nothing. In local his- 

 tory, however, I find an unmistakable reference to this 

 species. There is an entry in a " common-place book," 

 under date of May, 1797: "The smooth-headed red- 

 birds have not appeared this year, as is their wont, and 

 I much miss their shrill whistling from the walnuts on 

 the hilltop. Those that have wings and tail of black are, 

 as usual, in the orchard ; but these whistle not, nor sing, 

 like any of our smaller birds." Very true, they do not. 



Wilson calls attention to a curious statement made by 

 Du Pratz, to the effect that this bird stores up food for 

 winter use. If this is a mere " make-up " by that au- 

 thor, or if he was deceived by some native, then there 

 the matter ends ; but it is best to examine a little close- 

 ly into all such apparently absurd statements, for some- 

 times they have arisen from facts that were unknown, 

 and the tracing of tlie origin of an erroneous impression 

 has led to an increase in our common stock of knowl- 

 edge. Here in New Jersey, certainly, no storing of 

 food by this bird takes place, and, of course, such a hab- 

 it would be least likely among migratory species ; but, 

 on the otlier hand, certain small mammals do have ex- 

 tensive magazines of nuts and seeds, and it might hap- 

 pen that a bird should learn this fact, and profit by the 

 knowledge to the extent of making an occasional raid 

 upon the animal's stores, particularly if a scarcity of 

 food arose. These raids do not occur here except in 



