350



Henry B. Rathborne,



to my joy I saw my first humming bird, a male Ruby Throat. It

was like a dream. For a few moments it went round the flowers,

like our well-known Hawk moth of the same name, and then away.

My next experience of this lovely bird was in Canada.


Numerous fowls were kept about this Kiosk. This was a

great attraction for American Crows and Grey Squirrels, so well

known in the London Parks, and flocks of young Cow Birds which

contained parties of twenty or thirty.


In the wood at the back I saw a gorgeous Woodpecker cling¬

ing to some pine trees and quite tame ; the Red-headed Woodpecker

(.Melanerpes erythrocephalus ) bright red, hack black with white bands

across the wings and a snowy white breast.


Robins were scarce here ( Turclus migratorius ) and I did not

meet them in plenty until I visited the Zoological Gardens in Bronx

Park, New York. There they were numerous, hopping over the grass

lawns and feeding in any trees where there were berries. Another

very tame bird was the Flicker, a Woodpecker ( Golaptes auratus).

The first I saw was hopping over the grass, and when I approached it

did not stir. I poked it with the end of the stick before it would

move. The collection of birds in these gardens is about the best I

have ever seen and the North American species well represented.


Very few birds were seen travelling North up the Hudson.

A few belted Kingfishers, Bank Swallows and Sandpipers feeding on

the river banks. Reaching Niagara, birds became more plentiful,

and Belted Kingfishers on the river were numerous. Here I observed

the first American Goldfinch (Astrac/alinus tristis). I had a walk on

Goat Island, densely wooded with vines twisting through the trees

with thick undergrowth. The thermometer stood over 90° Fahr. in

the shade and the atmosphere humid and sultry, except by the

margin of the river’s blue-green torrent where there was a gentle

breeze. Numerous Warblers flitted about through the trees; they

were timid, but I collected some round me by a ruse, imitating the

screech of a caught bird; six gathered round close to my head, so

that I could see them very plainly : four were the Parula Warbler

( Compsotlilypis americana), the other two, American Redstarts

(Setophaga ruticilla). I enjoyed watching their movements and

they remained around me for some considerable time and reminding



