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Bird - Lore 



I was very much amused at one of his 

 pranks, in fact, so much so, that I wish others 

 to share it with me. One day as I was 

 sitting at my window sewing the 'little man' 

 came and gently tapped on the pane as much 

 as to say, "There is no food on my shelf." 

 As I was busy I did not heed his tapping and 

 he soon disappeared. Later I thought I 

 heard someone gently tapping at the door 

 and arose to admit them. When I reached 

 the door I saw my visitor, the Downy, flying 

 away, leaving for his card a tiny hole pecked 

 in the door. I now thought that he had been 

 faithful enough to be rewarded with a hearty 

 meal, so I proceeded to place food on the 

 shelf and saw to it that he never begged so 

 hard again. — Josephine Hart Woolston, 

 Canandaigna, N. Y . 



A Snow-Bath 



In BiED-LoEE for May-June, 1921, page 

 125, the writer states, in reference to the 

 snow-bath that the Downy Woodpecker and 

 Shorelark are the only birds that participate 

 in that kind of bath. 



I saw two Juncos last winter on a branch 

 of a Tulip tree, taking what I considered a 

 snow-bath, after a rather severe snow- 

 storm, in which the snow remained on the 

 trees several hours after it ceased falling. 

 They flipped the snow all over themselves for 

 some time. I would like to know if this is 

 an unusual case. — (Miss) I. M. Norton, 

 Washington, D. C. 



A Trip to Gull Island 



A short time ago two friends and myself 

 decided to take a trip to Gull Island. We had 

 heard of a bird island, somewhere near 

 Detroit, but for a long time none of our in- 

 formants knew just where this bird island 

 was. The Government map showed no such 

 island and the Government officials seemed 

 to know of none. But we were undaunted 

 and after repeated investigations we learned 

 that Gull Island was simply a popular name 

 for a low-lying island of sand about thirty 

 miles from Detroit at the upper end of Lake 

 St. Clair, an island about a half mile long and 

 perhaps 100 yards wide, its longer axis 



parallel to the Government canal at that 

 point. Gull Island, or Sand Island, or 

 Jefferson Butler Island, after a former presi- 

 dent of the Audubon Society of Michigan, is 

 now a state bird preserve located in one of 

 the most favorable places possible. How- 

 ever, it is not a Gull Island but a Tern Island, 

 for the Common Terns have taken possession 

 and reign in peace. Here, in the midst of the 

 Great Lake region, a region of lakes and 

 shallows and marshes, conditions have been 

 most favorable for aquatic birds. Although 

 this island lies in the line of summer travel, 

 it receives very few visits, I believe, because 

 there is little to attract anyone save a nature- 

 lover. 



We chose June for our trip because at that 

 time the birds would be nesting, and we 

 wished to take photographs under as favor- 

 able conditions as possible. We left Detroit 

 on the 'Tashmoo' at 9 o'clock, and after a 

 delightful trip up the Detroit River and 

 across Lake St. Clair, we disembarked at 

 Star Island. Here we persuaded a loiterer 

 with a launch to take us down to our island, 

 a mile below, with the stipulation that he 

 was to return for us at 5 p. m., in ample time 

 for the afternoon boat. After an uneventful 

 trip past summer cottages and hotels, we 

 came in sight of our goal. In order to land 

 it was necessary to remove shoes and stock- 

 ings and wade, as we could not get near the 

 island. 



With us, of course, we carried our impedi- 

 menta: lunch, cameras, opera-glasses, bird- 

 books, etc. The island is at no point more 

 than eight feet above the river or lake, and 

 is covered by a sparse vegetation of which a 

 few low willows were the only tree-like forms. 

 As we proceeded along the central axis of 

 the island the Terns became more and more 

 excited and vociferous, an indication that the 

 nests were becoming more and more nu- 

 merous. Indeed, the nests were on all sides 

 now and it was only by using great caution 

 that we avoided crushing the eggs and nests. 

 However, we were very careful and enjoyed 

 our new experience whether the birds did or 

 not. How the birds flew at us, but always 

 lacked the courage to touch us! Nevertheless 

 we involuntarily ducked our heads. Un- 

 doubtedly, each bird took a turn at us as we 



