352 



Bird - Lore 



nant of like area and character within their 

 breeding-range in this section of the state 

 — grand spruces and firs which only 

 yesterday were common throughout Coos 

 County. 



An identical cause has been recorded as 

 producing a similar result. Bendire, in 

 'Life Histories of North American Birds,' 

 quoting from notes of Dr. C. Hart Mer- 

 riam, states that, "The water of Seventh 

 Lake, Fulton Chain" in the Adirondacks, 

 had been raised by a dam, and a consider- 

 able area of balsam, spruce, and tamarack 

 trees was killed thereby. Both species of 

 Three-toed Woodpeckers were ''tolerably 

 common here in May and June, 1883, and 

 nests of each species were found." This 

 very local nesting colony was maintained for 

 several years, and it was of course attrib- 

 utable topeculiarly favorable conditions 

 both for nesting and for feeding, and had 

 the New Hampshire area been thoroughly 

 studied, it would probably have been found 

 that the Woodpeckers nested here also. — 

 Charles L. Whittle, Boston, Mass. 



the crown was very light brownish gray, 

 somewhat mottled. The cheeks and sides 

 of the head, as well as the nape and whole 

 throat and neck, were pure white. The 

 black eye stood out very prominently. The 

 breast, back, wings, and tail were the 

 usual slate-gray of the Junco, while the 

 underparts and outer tail-feathers were 

 white, the latter more conspicuous than 

 in others of its kind. 



It associated with other Juncos and had 

 the same call-notes and song. It was fairly 

 tame and I was able to approach close 

 enough to see its strange markings dis- 

 tinctly, as well as study it from a window 

 while it was feeding on the lawn close by. 

 On the first three days it was seen only in 

 the early morning, on the fourth day at 

 noon, and the last day only in the evening. 



When seen facing one it presented a very 

 curious aspect, for the darker head was 

 completely surrounded by the white neck, 

 making it appear as though the bird had 

 a white ruff about its neck. — Wm. J. Cart- 

 wright, WiUiamstown, Mass. 



A Junco with Strange Markings 



I have become interested in a Junco that 

 has been seen about my house this spring 

 and I am sending this description and 



AN ALBINISTIC JUNCO 



drawing of it in the hope that it may in- 

 terest others and possibly lead to infor- 

 mation as to its whereabouts at other 

 times than the five days it was here this 

 spring, between April 27 and May 2, 1920. 

 It was very conspicuous in a small flock 

 of other Juncos because of the pure white 

 collar that extended around its neck and 

 the lower part of its head. On its forehead 

 was a very dark, almost black patch while 



Cedar Waxwings at Hollywood, Calif. 



On February 6, 1919, while sitting near 

 a rear window on the second floor of my 

 home, I turned, as my ear caught the whir 

 of wings, to see the air full of birds, wheel- 

 ing and whirling until, as at a signal, they 

 suddenly lighted on the electric and tele- 

 phone wires strung across the yards. One 

 of the high posts formed an apex from 

 which diverged three wires in four direc- 

 tions. On this post and wires the birds 

 snuggled, sitting very erect, with raised, 

 pointed crest, forming an enormous brown 

 Greek cross. They sat still for a long 

 time, crooning and caressing; and there 

 was no mistaking a large migration of 

 Cedar Waxwings. They do not visit us 

 every year, but are probably finding good 

 'eats' as they are still with us (Februaryi4), 

 and I never saw so many together — a con- 

 servative estimate would give 500 birds. 

 After a luxurious rest different squads 

 would rise, whirl and then drop on the 

 roof of the garage where water was stand- 

 ing from the recent rains. 



