A hir-J Watchor in france 79 



like the young Kooks, are used for food, During tPie season one pair of 

 Sparrows will contribute several broods of young toward the food-supply of 

 their human host. 



France has many splendid song-birds. The Kobin or Ke^Jbreast (Jiriihacur, 

 ruhe'cula), Blackcap (Sylvia alricapiUa), Skylark (Alauda aroemis), Wood lark 

 (Alauda arhorea), and Blackbird are a.mong the best. I am not sure that I heard 

 the Nightingale, but if J did I will give any of the above a plac<; ahead of hirn as 

 a songster. One May night, in Coblenji, Gerina,ny, I heard a bird singing which 

 was said by a native to be the ^nachligall! It sounded like someone blowing a 

 bird-whistle — the kind in which water is employed to produce the warbling 

 effect. I think that the famous Skylark is the most gifted songster that I have 

 ever heard, and to watch him in his ecstasy is to behold one of the most wonder- 

 ful spectacles of nature. He begins tr> sing as he takes to the air a,nd a>ntinues 

 to sing without interruption as he mounts, hovers, soa,rs, and, finally, after a 

 moment or s*-; of this supreme expression of musical exubera,nce, drops again t/'^ 

 the ground. The song of the Lark is more than a song; it is a musicaJ. play a-nd 

 the sky is his stage. From early March until late summer, from dawn until 

 dusk, his voice ma.y be heard; even in the driving ra.in I ha.ve wa.tched him sing. 



One more especially remarkable bird is the brilliant L'ttle Kingfisher fyl/^ 

 ctfloupida). Thefjrsttimel sawhirn wasin September, 1918, while I was swim- 

 ming in the River MeUse. It is said thaX the feathers of this species are used 

 in the manufacture of a.rtifjC7a.l fish bait, probably because of some special 

 lure with which the plumage of this little fjsherma,n is believed to effect his 

 prey. Swimming, by the way, with the l>ody submerged in the water, is a very 

 good means by which tr> observe birds at close range, as they often show no 

 fear of a human head apparently detached and floating aimlessly a,bout in the 

 water. Thus I have sometimes been able tr^ encroach within a few feet of beach 

 birds on the Florida c<>ast, that would, ordinarily, require a high-power field- 

 glass for satisfactory observation. The method is not original with me, I 

 having acquired it from an enthusiastic and resourceful bird-wa,tcher of 

 Knoxville, Tenn. 



Space will permit rne to mention only the remaining birds of my list, 

 although the Water Ouzel (Cinculu% nquaticun) and the Wryneck (Lyn« 

 torquUla) are as odd and remarkable as their na^mes sound. The others a.re: 

 Fieldfare (Turdu% pUarU) ; Song Thrush ^Turdus murAcus); Wheatear (Saxicola 

 ananthe); WT^inchat (Fratincola ruhetra)\ Su>nechat (Pratincola ruhicola)] 

 Redstart (RuticUla phx^nkuru^)] Black Redstart (Ruticilla Htys), nest with 

 young June 8, 1919, located in niche in wall of Casino (Officers' Clubj , Coblenz; 

 Whitethroat (Sykia cinerm)\ Goldcrest (Regidu^> crutatus), very simila.r to our 

 Golden-crov/ned Kinglet; Hedge Sparrow (Accentor modidaris) ; Nuthatch T.S'i^^a 

 cccsia)-^ Wren (TroglodyUr, panidu^); WYntjb Wagtail (MoUicUla alha); Tied 

 Wagtail (MotucUla luguf/rU)] Grey Wagtail (Molacilla mdanopfi)\ Red-backed 

 Shrike (Laniuz coUurio)-^ Tree-Creeper (Ctrihm iamili/irv;)^ almost idtritio)} 



