174 



Bird - Lore 



ing been recorded in New England only 

 once, in the winter of 1889-90, when there 

 were a number of records. 



But now, from his home in the far North- 

 west, he has come again all the way to our 

 North Atlantic states. Should he make 

 himself seen again, Bird-Lore shall have 

 further intelligence. — John Hutchins, 

 Litchfield, Conn., February 22, 1905. 



A WELL -GUYED BALTIMORE ORIOLE'S NEST 

 A brood was raised in this nest in June, 1904. It was 

 placed in a eottonwood tree twenty -five feet from tiie ground 

 at the end of. a branch six to eight feet from the trunk. Pho- 

 tographed by George P. Perry, Sterling, 111. 



Starving Crows 



Crows have had a hard time this past 

 winter, more so than for several years. 

 Deep snow which for weeks has covered 

 their ordinary food supplies has driven the 

 Crows to the verge of starvation. Many 

 have actually succumbed, usually first going 

 blind and then dying of starvation and cold 



combined. But for the improvidence of one 

 farmer near here, who neglected to husk and 

 take in his corn, many more Crows must 

 have died. Several thousand found in this 

 cornfield food for a week. About ten acres 

 in extent, it had yielded a good crop. The 

 Crows ate virtually all the corn, even tear- 

 ing their way into the shocks to get at the 

 ears inside. In and about this cornfield 

 there were fifteen dead Crows. One 

 had been eaten, but, as the others 

 had not been touched, it argues that 

 even when almost starved the Crow 

 does not become a cannibal. Pos- 

 sibly the one Crow had been the prey 

 of a Hawk. — Samuel H. Barker, 

 Glenside, Pa., February 26, 1905. 



Our ' Pioneer Tenants ' 



Having completed a new home dur- 

 ing the latter part of autumn, 1902, 

 and it then being too late to do any- 

 thing in the way of inducing bird 

 neighbors to settle around us, I be- 

 gan forming plans of action for the 

 coming year, and the following story 

 narrates the arrival and sojourn of 

 the first and only birds to remain on 

 the new property the next summer, — 

 hence my terming them ' pioneer 

 tenants'. 



With the earliest indications of re- 

 turning spring, in accordance with 

 my usual custom, I daily watched 

 and waited for signs of the return of 

 the more hardy members of the 

 feathered fraternity, and during the 

 latter part of February (1903) my vigil 

 was rewarded by seeing and hear- 

 ing Bluebirds on several occasions. 

 Sometimes there would be two or 

 three together; at other times a small 

 flock would be observed. They gen- 

 erally flew high, but the unmistakable sweet 

 call-note came down to eager, listening ears. 

 Throughout the month of March I saw 

 three or four of them around our house and 

 garden at different times. They would sit 

 on the fence or a clothes-line pole in the 

 yard, and often I saw them perched on the 

 comb of the roof and even on the chimney. 



