152 



THE NIDIOIvOGISf . 



Do Wading Birds Stcim? 



THIS is a question which Mr. D. A. 

 Cohen asks in the January Nioiolo- 

 GIST. In answer to his question I 

 give the following: Several days ago, July 

 4, 1894, I saw a wading bird swim, and so 

 I am able to answer in the affirmative. I 

 was walking over a small weed-covered, 

 gravel island in Wheeling Creek, when I 

 noticed a Spotted Sandpiper, Actltis macu- 

 laria, fly out of a patch of mint. I imme- 

 diately began the search for a late nest of 

 this bird, which was fruitless. I then re- 

 tired a few paces and soon the old bird 

 returned. The search was repeated four 

 times, the last time it revealed a solitary 

 young Sandpiper crouched on the ground, 

 silent and motionless. Its body and legs 

 were both about three inches long. It 

 was a pretty little creature, but its long 

 legs made it look out of proportion. 



As I went to pick it up it started ofif, 

 and its long legs made astonishingly good 

 time for one so young. I at last succeeded 

 in catching it and as I held it in my hand 

 the thought occurred to me "Do Wading 

 Birds Swim? " here was an excellent chance 

 to observe and answer. 



So I walked off to the creek and launched 

 the little fellow about four feet out in the 

 water, on doubtless his first voyage, but he 

 seemed in nowise inconvenienced, for he 

 struck out bravely toward shore with both 

 feet and soon scrambled onto the gravel and 

 started off as fast as his little legs could 

 carry him. I again secured him and set 

 him about the same distance from shore. 

 This time beseemed resolved to escape from 

 my persecutions, as he struck boldly out 

 for the middle of the stream; but when 

 about six feet from shore his inclinations 

 changed and he abruptly turned and made 

 for land, ten feet down stream, where he 

 again exhibited his fleetness of foot. 



I was very much pleased at the exhibition 

 the little fellow had given and felt amply 



rewarded for the chase he had given me, so 

 I caught him and again placed him where 

 he had been discovered, and there left him. 



Now this young bird swam and did not 

 wade, for the water was too deep and I 

 could see his legs did not touch the bottom. 



Now I would like to ask a question: 

 If a young wading bird, but a few days 

 from the eug, can swim why can't an adult 

 bird? RoBT. B. McFain. 



Titmice in a Woodpecker's Nest. 



LAST December I discovered a pair of 

 Gairdner's Woodpeckers making an 

 excavation in a hollow apple limb. 

 It is certainly the habit of this bird to make 

 excavations from time to time during the 

 winter for sleeping places, as I found five of 

 them this winter, all in apple trees. This 

 pair of birds left the neighborhood about 

 April I, after excavating another dwelling 

 in a decayed limb of a silver poplar in Feb- 

 ruary which is now occupied by Mr. and 

 Mrs. House Wren. 



I decided to take one of the apple tree 

 nests for a curiosity, and sawed ofif a limb 

 on April 22, by chance to such exactness 

 that the incision was made half an inch 

 above the cup of the nest proper. On tak- 

 ing the portion of the limb just obtained and 

 looking at the under surface I saw some 

 wool and feathers and some, horse hair. 

 Pulling it out I discovered six nearly 

 fledged Plain Titmice, clinging to the 

 round walls of their mutilated home, en- 

 deavoring to prevent themselves from slid- 

 ing through on to the ground. I put the 

 limb back the best I could, but a gale of 

 wind blew it down that afternoon, without 

 injuring any of the little Titmice. I then 

 placed it securely between two branches, 

 where it now reclines, although the young 

 birds have outgrown its use. 



D. A. Cohp:n. 

 Alameda, Cal. 



