1923] STODDARD, BIRD BANDING 119 



easily opened, closed and handled by one man. By the time this net 

 was perfected, the roost was about to break up, the gathering lasting 

 only a month or so in early spring. The net worked, however, and 

 about seventy-five Robins, a few Cowbirds, Catbirds and a Mourning 

 Dove were caught and banded. 



The greatest difficulty was that the majority of roosting birds left 

 the tree or bush on the opposite side from that occupied by the net, 

 in spite of the fact that it was dyed green and erected very carefully. 

 Another year this will not bother as three of these great nets with 

 which the slender evergreen trees can be entirely surrounded have 

 been made. The general appearance of one of these nets may be seen 

 in figure 73. As Messrs. Gromme and Meinecke have become in- 

 terested and obtained permits, no shortage of help is anticipated an- 

 other year. 



Of all the birds so far netted, not one has been injured, indeed, 

 injury is scarcely possible for the bird is held between two layers of 

 the netting. Although disturbed two or three nights a week, they did 

 not change their roosting habits in the least. It will be interesting to 

 ascertain whether the same birds frequent the roost from year to 

 year. Curiously, almost all the Robins handled were males. Whether 

 these were local nesting birds who leave their wives at the nest and 

 gather from far and near for sake of companionship, or migrants on 

 their way north, cannot be said as yet. One bird banded April 23rd 

 was retaken May 8th, thus remaining in the roost at least two weeks. 

 One morning the writer had the pleasure of seeing one of these Robins 

 with a shiny bracelet, hunting worms on a lawn nearly a half mile 

 away. 



One circumstance that seemed surprising in the study of this roost, 

 was the number of birds that meet their death because of their feet, 

 head or wings, becoming hopelessly entangled in string lodged here 

 and there in the bushes, holding them until they die. Such dense 

 spots in public parks always accumulate string, from lunches, boys' 

 kites, and similar sources, and may at times cause many bird tragedies. 

 On the first visit four dead Robins were found, and on other occasions 

 birds found still alive, were banded and freed. 



For several years Purple Martins, Crackles, Robins and Sparrows 

 gathered in great numbers during August in some half-grown trees on 

 a certain knoll in the park, their number being estimated as between 

 twenty and thirty thousand during times of greatest abundance. We 

 had hoped to band here in 1923 with our new nets, but were doomed 

 to disappointment. A number of trees were taken out during the win- 



