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Bird - Lore 



Pigeon are becoming thoroughly domesti- 

 cated. A short time ago one was seen to 

 fly up from the street and settle on a pass- 

 ing electric car; the car continued on down 

 the street, the bird sitting there with 

 the utmost unconcern, and it was still 

 in the same position when lost to view. 



On February g, while crossing the Dela- 

 ware River on a ferryboat, a Duck Hawk 

 was observed. This bird darted down after 

 a Sparrow near the ferry-slip, but the 

 Sparrow escaped by a narrow margin and 

 ducked into the ferry-house. The Hawk 

 then turned and flew out to the middle of 

 the river where it met another Hawk of 

 the same species. A friendly sparring- 

 match took place between them, accom- 

 panied by a' series of cackling notes. 

 Then, as if by mutual agreement, they 

 flew off rapidly up the river toward a grain 

 elevator, where they dashed into a flock of 

 Pigeons, with what success could not be 

 determined as the birds at this time were 

 too far distant. — Julian K. Potter, 

 Camden, N . J. 



Washington Region. — Notwithstand- 

 ing protracted cold weather, the orni- 

 thological happenings about Washington 

 during December, 1919, and January, 

 1920, were little out of the ordinary. 

 Birds, as a whole, were about as numerous 

 as usual, but, in spite of the severe winter, 

 comparatively few of the rarer northern 

 birds put in an appearance. However, 

 the Northern Shrike was noted in the 

 northern part of the city of Washington, 

 on Jan. 26, 1920, by Dr. G. W. Field, and 

 the American Crossbill at Moimt Vernon, 

 Va., on Dec. 27, 1919, by Messrs. Wet- 

 more, McAtee, and Preble. 



On the other hand, the Ruby-crowned 

 Kinglet, which is a rare and irregular 

 winter resident about Washington, was 

 seen at Mount Vernon, Va., on Dec. 

 27, 1919. A Gadwall was reported on 

 Dec. 27, 1919, also, by the same observers; 

 a King Rail on Alexander Island, Va., 

 Dec. 4, 1919, by Mr. E. A. Preble; a Long- 

 billed Marsh Wren along the Anacostia 

 . River, December. 21 and 28, by Mr, Francis 

 Harper, are likewise worthy of record. 



The European Starling has been fairly 

 common about Washington and the 

 neighboring country, appearing in many 

 places in flocks, and, apparently, is more 

 numerous than for two or three winters 

 past. Near Falls Church, Va., on Jan. 25, 

 1920, a flock of 20 was observed by Mr. 

 W. W. Diehl, eating persimmons. The 

 birds obtained the fruit by pecking it from 

 the branches and allowing it to fall, then 

 flying down and eating it on the ground. 



Several thousand Ducks of several 

 species, mostly Golden-eyes and Scaups, 

 have remained in the Potomac River, 

 chiefly below Alexandria, during the entire 

 season, some of them ascending as far as 

 Washington during the milder weather. 

 Apparently they are fully as numerous as 

 they were last winter. 



A large roost of Crows in the northern 

 outskirts of the city, near Brookland, has 

 been fully occupied during the present 

 winter, and is probably as large as it has 

 ever been. It accommodates practically 

 all the Crows that feed in the vicinity of 

 Washington and is estimated to contain 

 at present some 200,000 birds. — H.arry C. 

 Oberholser, Biological Survey, Washing- 

 ton, D. C. 



Kansas City Region. — Unbroken pe- 

 riods of zero weather of more than a week 

 or ten days' duration are unusual in this 

 immediate region. The current period, up 

 to February i, has been marked by over 

 five weeks of almost continuous cold, dur- 

 ing which time two severe ice-storms 

 developed, making conditions intolerable 

 for the less hardy species. The Missouri 

 River, though at its usual low winter 

 stage, has fortunately remained open in 

 the main channel, affording congenial 

 winter quarters for numbers of Mergansers 

 (at least 40 -in Jackson County), 2 Black 

 Ducks, and a solitary Loon. These birds 

 have been under observation since the 

 middle of December, and have afforded 

 ample opportunity to verify the fact that 

 Mergansers remain mated throughout the 

 winter. Two Bald Eagles, one an adult 

 and the other in immature plumage, have 

 been frequently seen in the same general 



