80 Bird - Lore 
nuisance, and do a lot of writing about how 
to be kind to and cultivate birds, and then 
calmly overlook the basis of all the trouble, 
the neighborhood cat legion. Don’t think 
I dislike cats, as I am really fond of all 
animals. But there are so many adyan- 
tages we may not enjoy, on account of one 
destructive element being entirely ignored 
and uncontrolled, that the time has arrived 
to recognize this matter and give it due 
attention. 
No one individual is strong enough to 
carry out any reform, but an organization 
could do much, with the codperation of 
persons interested in gardens of small size. 
And I venture to say the small-garden 
proprietors would make a formidable list 
from towns and cities all over the country. 
As a practical citizen, l appeal to the Audu- 
bon Society for assistance. in organizing 
some sensible and far-reaching plan that 
we may urge upon the officers of each 
community, for the limiting of the de- 
struction of birds by cats, and the conse- 
quent failure of the gardens subsequent 
to the absence of our feathered host.— 
B. BENNETT, Chicago, Ill. 
The Cardinal in Northern New Jersey 
It may interest Brrp-Lor®’s readers to 
know that on Christmas day, 1909, I saw 
eleven Cardinals, seven males and six 
females. This is the first time that more 
than two have been seen in this locality.— 
KATHERINE K. Mosiz, Gladstone, N. J. 
A Queer Sparrow Song 
One day, while rambling along a creek 
in this neighborhood, I heard a Song Spar- 
row sing a few notes, then stop short. 
Presently he sang again in the same way; 
soon he did it again. By this time my 
curlosity was stirred, and I decided to look 
into the matter. My eye soon caught the 
Sparrow perched on a sapling twig, repeat- 
ing his odd little song. This was the 
method. His voice was clear enough for 
the first three or four notes; then it sud- 
denly stopped, as if the glottis were com- 
pletely closed up. But the bird did not 
cease his efforts when the break occurred. 
Each time he kept his mandibles apart, 
shook his head back and forth, and bulged 
out his throat, trying hard to finish his trill. 
I watched him till he flew away, and each 
time he went through the song motions 
long enough to complete his natural song, 
even though his voice stopped before it was 
more than one-third done.—LEANDER S. 
Keyser, Canal Dover, O. 
Vermilion Flycatcher in Sonoma 
County, Cal. 
Vermilion Flycatcher—On July 26, 
1909, I saw a Vermilion Flycatcher, catch- 
ing flies in a wild cherry tree, loaded with 
ripe fruit. 
This bird is a rare visitor in this part of 
the state, and this is the only one that I 
have ever seen here.—VIOLET WHEELER, 
Graton, Cal. 
Cardinal Near Buffalo 
February 7, 1909, I saw a pair of Car- 
dinals on the Canadian shore about six 
miles from Buffalo. They were quite tame, 
and with opera glasses the pink bill, 
erectile crest and dark lores were easily 
made out. 
February 6 there was a heavy south- 
west wind. The snow was nearly all gone, 
but there was ice in the lake for about one 
mile from shore.—DAvip E. WHEELER, 
Buffalo, N. Y. 
Chautauqua Bird Lectures 
The Chautauqua Institution has given 
to Herbert K. Job the appointment to 
conduct the bird-study classes at their 
Summer School, Chautauqua, N. Y., and 
to give some public lectures at the Audi- 
torium. The course will be planned with 
these special things in view: To prepare 
teachers to teach bird-study in the schools, 
to show in detail how to hunt with the 
camera, and to aid bird-lovers in the out- 
door studies of birds. The method will 
comprise lecture and class work, field ex- 
cursions, and will use as a text-book Mr. 
Job’s new book just published by The 
Outing Publishing Company, New York, 
—‘‘How to Study Birds.” Accessions to 
this Course will be welcomed, and the 
place and region are delightful. 
