Notes from Field and Study 



283 



noted every detail of its unusual, really 

 striking markings. On reaching home, we 

 readily identified our new bird by the ex- 

 cellent plate in the series of 'Migration of 

 North American Sparrows' in Bird-Lore, 

 as well as from the description in Chap- 

 man's 'Birds of Eastern North America.' 



The bird was seen the following day by 

 Mrs. John Hill, in about the same section 

 of Lake Park, again with a flock of White- 

 throated Sparrows. 



Harris's Sparrow seems to me to be, in 

 shape, in size and in the manner of holding 

 up its head, more like the White-crowned 

 Sparrow than any other member of the 

 Sparrow family. — Mrs. Mark L. Simpson, 

 1340 Grand Ave., Milwaukee, Wis. 



Additional Observations of Harris's Spar- 

 row in II inois 



Since writing my report of the first 

 observation of Harris's Sparrow here, 

 and which was published in the last 

 number of Bird-Lore, I have observed 

 the same species at the hedge-fence where 

 the first one was seen, on the following 

 named dates: 



April 26, one was seen on a willow tree 

 in the slough at the east end of the fence. 



May 3, two were seen at the east end of 

 the fence. 



May 5, one was seen at the west end of 

 the fence, and May 7, the last one was 

 seen at the same place. 



The first and last ones observed had the 

 most brilliant plumage, and were evidently 

 adult birds. In the slough near the hedge 

 there is always water during the spring, 

 and this is probably the reason they came 

 there. — J. J. Schafer, Port Byron, III. 



A Rat in a Swallow's Nest 



In deepening the channel in the stream 

 that connects Lakes Monona and Wau- 

 besa, near Madison, Wisconsin, the dredges 

 have formed many sandbanks from one to 

 ten feet in height. Many Bank Swallows 

 and a few Rough-wings have been quick 

 to take advantage of the opportunity, and 

 several colonies have located their burrows 

 along the water-course, some within a few 



feet of the water. While canoeing between 

 the lakes with Mr. A. W. Schorger, on 

 May 29, we stopped to examine some of 

 the burrows. The first hole inspected 

 proved to be straight enough to allow a 

 ray of reflected light to reach the end, 

 which was about two or two and a half 

 feet from the entrance. Instead of the 

 expected Swallow or eggs, we discovered 

 a rat curled up very comfortably for an 

 afternoon siesta — very probably an after- 

 dinner nap! He managed to escape from 

 the first attempt on his life and swam 

 under water for about twenty feet. He 

 was finally overtaken and consigned to a 

 watery grave. From the rat's point of 

 view, it was an ideal summer resort; a 

 good meal (presumably) and a comfortable 

 room available every few feet along the 

 water-front. — Norman DeW. Betts, 

 Madison, Wis. 



Brewster's Warbler Seen at Highland 

 Park, Rochester, N. Y. 



On May 2, 1914, a Warbler was observed 

 in Warner's Woods about 9.30 a.m.; again 

 between 11.20 and 12 m. 



The bird was closely studied, and the 

 following notes taken: a Warbler about 

 five inches long; had a large, almost 

 square patch of bright yellow on the wing 

 near the shoulder, a black line through 

 the eye, and a black bill. The tail grayish 

 slate, grading to grayish yellow-green on 

 the back and slightly darker on the head. 

 Underparts light gray tinged with yellow. 

 The bird was approached within twenty 

 feet in open woods and shrubs with the 

 bright sun of a clear day shining over our 

 shoulders on the bird. Mr. Edson carries 

 a Bausch & Lomb Zeiss prism stereo six 

 power glass and Mr. Horsey a good field- 

 glass. We are, therefore, very positive of 

 the above points. 



Brewster's Warbler is the nearest bird 

 described in 'Warblers of North America' 

 by Chapman, and it is said to show yellow 

 on the underparts intergrading with the 

 Blue-winged Warbler. — Wm. L. G. Edson, 

 Richard E. Horsey, 12 Fairview Ave., 

 Rochester, N. Y. 



