4 Bird - Lore 



birds. It took him some time to get sufficient evidence, but it is pretty nearly 

 conclusive. Of six Nightingales' nests he had under observation, only one 

 escaped the slugs, and this was on account of its unusually high position. 



While living on Queen Charlotte Island, B.C., some years ago, he suspected 

 the large slug of those parts of similar depredations. This would indicate how 

 much we have to learn in our efforts to protect birds. 



Few people in America realize what a very small proportion of the destruc- 

 tion of bird-life — especially small-bird-life — is due to human agency, and how 

 futile is the effort which is solely directed against the small boy, the sportsman, 

 and the collector, as the only enemies of birds. One has to go to England, with 

 its teeming wealth of bird-life, to see what intelligent preservation and pro- 

 tection can really accomplish. 



A feature that strikes one over here, both in France and England, is the 

 immense amount of cover for birds, and also the quantity of the food-supply 

 that is afforded by the different wild fruits and berries. Just now every hedge 

 is glistening with loads of blackberries, and all through the winter the hoUies 

 and hawthorns afford a plentiful food-supply to many fruit-eating species. 



The winter Thrushes — Field-fares and Redwings — are coming south now in 

 large flocks. The first Field-fares arrived on September i8, 1916, just ten days 

 after the last Swift had left. 



A few Swallows and Martins stay until October 20, much later than they 

 would do with equal weather conditions in America. 



The subject of migrations recalls an incident of last April. While following 

 the course of a brisk little engagement between six or seven aeroplanes, my 

 glass suddenly encountered a flight of six white Storks, which were caught 

 between the opposing 'planes,' and it was wonderful to see the spurt of speed 

 the great ungainly birds put on, but the aircraft seemed to pass them easily. 

 Usually birds pay no attention to aircraft, possibly familiarity may have 

 induced this condition. 



One species that may have been driven away by the heavy gun-fire is the 

 Lapwing. This Plover is very abundant in England now, and almostjabsent 

 from this region where it should be common. 

 Flanders, Oct. 29, 1916. 



