den, intently watching and apparently awaiting an opportunity 

 to pounce upon the combatants while they were on the ground. 

 I had one eye on the cat and one on the birds. They sud- 

 denly arose from the apple tree into the air and flew away 

 from us across the garden, where they clinched again, and 

 came to the ground. The cat started for them before they 

 landed, and I started at the same time through mud nearly 

 ankle deep. The cat came in ahead and caught one of the 

 female birds. I immediately turned on the cat, chasing her 

 under her owner's piazza, and luckily frightening her so that 

 she dropped the bird just within my reach. On picking the 

 bird up I found it only slightly injured, but badly frightened — 

 its little heart was beating like a trip-hammer (and I assure 

 you mine was thumping just a little bit after my sprint 

 through the mud). 



With the assistance of my wife I arranged a basket, put 

 the bird into it, and set it just inside the barn above the reach 

 of cats, leaving the door partially open with sufficient room 

 for the bird to fly out, but not enough for a cat to get in. 

 Some time during the day the bird went away, and I hope, 

 and have reason to believe, that it enjoyed life for a long 

 time after, and possibly may be alive today. After the battle 

 the remaining pair occupied the nest, raising two broods that 

 season. They also came back the following year, and I am 

 reasonably sure that this same pair occupied the nest for five 

 seasons in succession, after which they were driven away by 

 a pair of little house wrens. I may be wrong in my suppo- 

 sition that this same pair of bluebirds came back to the old 

 home each year, but it is certainly a very pleasant thought. 



The tenth annual winter meeting of the \^ermont Bird Club 

 was held in conjunction with the Vermont Botanical Club at 

 Burlington, January 20 and 21, 1911. The attendance was 

 larger than usual and an increased interest seemed manifest. 

 Dr. E. H. Forbush, state ornithologist of Massachusetts, was 

 the guest of the club, and gave an illustrated lecture in the 

 evening at the joint session of the two clubs. The constitution 

 of the club was amended. It was voted to establish a life 

 membership with a fee of ten dollars. Sixty-four people were 

 elected to the active membership of the club. The treasurer 

 reported a balance of $49.79 ; expenses $19.36. 



17 



