THEOOLOGTIST. 



85 



duel between a cat and a Blue Jay. The 

 Blue Jay was sitting on a fence, and to 

 all appearances, having a most enjoya- 

 ble time, when the cat appeared (ni the 

 scene. It evidently was hungry, for it 

 liegan to make preparations to capture 

 the bird. 



First it began by crouching down for 

 an instant, then it would spring for- 

 ward a foot or so, in a most noiseless 

 manner. It kept this up until it was 

 within a few feet of the fence, when it 

 crouched low, then sprang for the 

 l)ird; but Mr. Blue Ja3" did not intend to 

 be caught that way. He saw the cat 

 just as she sprang and quickly took 

 himself away to a barn near by, and 

 before the cat could jump from the 

 fence, he pounced down upon it with 

 great swiftness and gave the cift a stun- 

 ning blow upon its head with his bill. 

 The Blue Jay then flew away in triumph. 

 I never will forget the look on that 

 face. 



John Pekky, 

 Kansas City, Mo. 



Habits of the Evening Grosbeak. 



This strange bird Avas very aptlj^ 

 named. Its many shades of j^ellow 

 varying from the brightest to the dull- 

 est, the Hashes of white on his wings, 

 and the S(nnbre hue of his head and 

 wings all serve to suggest the gorgeous 

 sunset and the following twiliglit. 



In a recent number of the Oologist, 

 1 gave a short account of a tiock I dis- 

 covered. In this Hock, it will be re- 

 membered, the males and females fed 

 in separate bands. Although I have 

 taken observations on many other 

 Hocks since that time, I have failed to 

 tind, except in a single instance, this 

 sharp divisiim of the sexes. 



The Evening Grosbeak may Ije found 

 in "openings" of deciduous woods, 

 maple preferred on account of the mast 

 it produces. Tlie (;hances are that 

 ■their sharp senses w(n;ld make them 



aware of your presence long before you 

 had a suspicion that the birds were 

 about were it not for the loud metallic 

 call of the males; this is rarely uttered 

 while feeding, but by standing still a 

 little while it may be heard. When the 

 tlock discovers you they will Hy into 

 the trees directly above their feeding 

 place littering a cheeping note and, 

 after settling on the brauchesthe males 

 give a perfect chorus of alarm 

 whistles so loud and frequent that you 

 think the flock numlicrs three times as 

 many as it actually does. Before long, 

 if you have restrained your desire of 

 collecting, an old male flies towards 

 you and, alighting near by, looks in- 

 quisitively into your face and, as if dis- 

 satistted with the result of his-observa- 

 tions, he utters a loud whistle, upon 

 which, the whole fl(K'k joins him. While 

 assuring themselves as to your identity, 

 the3' utter a faint soliloquizing note like 

 the distant chirping of a flock of English 

 Sparrows. If, during this you remain 

 perfectly still, moving not in the least, 

 they become reassured and again ad- 

 dress themselves to their food. One by 

 one they sail to the ground on out- 

 spread wings, little bj" little the alarm 

 notes of the males become fainter and 

 fainter, and at last cease altogether; 

 aud before long quiet again reigns in 

 the Grosbeak family. Their carriage 

 and the wise manner with which they 

 scan the ground reminds you of a flock 

 of Robins, and, half closing your eyes, 

 3"ou amuse yourself by imaginiug that 

 spring is already here, when your 

 thoughts are suddenly recalled by the 

 hasty alarm note of that inquisitive old 

 female Avhose bright eyes have detected 

 some slight movement on your part 

 and who thus communicates her discov- 

 ery to the flock. Instantly, with a rush 

 of wings, they rise to the trees turning 

 their heads curiously from side t(^ side 

 to find the cause of alai'm. While the 

 wise heads are thus engaged, the 

 younger members improve their time 



