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Bird -Lore 



flock of five Plover which I was reasonably 

 sure were Killdeer, but, unfortunately, 

 the glasses were at home and in the waning 

 light I could not be positive of such an 

 important identification. 



On the next visit to the lake, Novem- 

 ber II, we were delighted to find the 

 Plover still there and this time were able 

 to make sure that they were really Kill- 

 deer. Having known them in Dakota it 

 was like meeting old friends, and it was 

 with the keenest pleasure that I followed 

 them from one muddy flat to another as 

 they nervously and cautiously kept their 

 distance. 



It was hard to estimate the total num- 

 ber correctly. While on the flats, all 

 would 'freeze' as we approached, and but 

 for an occasional low nervous dee we 

 might well have passed them by, so well 

 did their colors blend with the ground, but 

 just so near, and then with plaintive notes 

 of alarm a bunch of ten or twelve would 

 jump as one bird to fly and wheel in close 

 formation and alight at a safe distance. 

 Often on our going forward a second 

 bunch would fly from the same vicinity, 

 and I was able to count at one time twenty 

 birds on the wing which I feel was very 

 near the total frequenting the lake. 



Once a cover of low thick bushes near 

 the shore enabled me to approach close 

 to some feeding birds, and it was indeed 

 a treat to watch at one time so many of 

 these birds now so rare in the East. 



Now that I have the Killdeer on my 

 list as an old friend new found in Con- 

 necticut, I have one great pleasure of like 

 sort to look forward to, and that will come 

 when I first find on our hills that splendid 

 bird, familiar in the West, with all the 

 romance of the Open in his voice, the 

 Upland Plover. — Robert S. Judd, Whit- 

 ney ville, Conn. 



A Bird on the Head 



I wonder if a belated bird-story will 

 interest you and the readers of Bird- 

 Lore? Last summer while standing by 

 our R. F. D. mail-box I was suddenly 

 aware of the distressed cry of a small bird, 



and almost instantly felt it alight on the 

 top of my head. Another instant it was 

 gone, and I at once felt a rush of air and 

 the flap of larger wings, and was amazed to 

 see a Sparrowhawk pursuing a very small 

 bird which took refuge in shrubbery close 

 to the house. Now why did the little bird 

 light on my head when there were vines, 

 trees, and shrubs all about and the mail- 

 box screened by golden glow taller than 

 my head? 



I add another story quite as true as the 

 first: 



A friend sitting under our trees was 

 given a carnation which was placed in 

 her hair. Very soon after a Ruby-throated 

 Hummingbird fluttered over her and 

 dipped into the flower a number of times. 

 — L. B. Pettee, Salisbury, Conn. 



A Note on the Barred Owl 



On January 8, 191 6, I visited a bird 

 food-box which had been erected in a 

 rather extensive wood-lot not far from 

 town. On this trip I noticed a small gray 

 mass containing bones at the foot of a 

 tree a few feet from the food-box. Near 

 this were the tracks of a squirrel, with 

 wing marks in the snow on each side. On 

 account of limited time, the gray mass 

 was not examined but the place was kept 

 in mind. On January 31, a special trip 

 was made with the idea of identifying 

 the Owl, which had been seen at a dis- 

 tance a couple of times before. It was 

 found a short distance from the food-box, 

 but its shyness made a close approach 

 difficult. However, this time I managed to 

 get close enough to obtain a good, clear 

 view and found it to be the Barred Owl. 



Now, as my curiosity was aroused con- 

 cerning the food of the Owl, I proceeded 

 to the place where the pellet had been 

 seen and examined it. The greater part 

 consisted of small bones and gray fur, in 

 a compact mass. Eleven more pellets 

 were found beneath the same tree. These, 

 together with the first one examined, were 

 found to contain the bones of either one or 

 two rodents. The same place was visited 

 on March 24, 1917. This time forty pel- 



