188



F. E. Blaaitw — About Birds in North America



Next day 1 went forward and backward to Paradise Valley, which is

situated at 5,557 feet, and there made a walk over part of the glacier.

The scenery was extremely beautiful, but hardly any living creature was

seen. In fact, I cannot remember having seen a single bird !


In the immediate neighbourhood of Seattle is a narrow wooded

canyon, with a small stream at the bottom of it, which is (sailed Roosevelt

Park. As it is rather damp there, the vegetation is luxurious, and this

again attracts birds. In it I saw a Robin ( Turdus migratorius) feeding

its young with the scarlet berries of an aralia that was very common

there (Fatsia horrida). The young Robins differed from the adults

by being spotted on the head and back, and by not having the red of

the underside so well marked. I also noticed a small brown Wren

(probably Troglodytes liiemalus pad ficus), and once or twice a small

Thrush, resembling our Songthrush on a small scale. Songsparrows,

or cousins of theirs, were often seen running along the ground amongst

the rank vegetation, and I once saw a little brown bird that in shape

and behaviour reminded me exactly of a female European Redstart.


With a kind American friend who served as my guide, I made a second

excursion to Mount Rainier Nat. Park, exploring another part of it, and

keeping in the forest and the lower parts near the river. As we took

our lunch on the borders of a clear stream, an affluent of the Whitewater,

I noticed a large slaty grey Waterousel with striped upperside and

yellowish throat, that was fearlessly diving, swimming, and running in

the clear stream in pursuit of insects, and later on in the day I saw a

second one in the Whitewater itself. On our way home we passed some

cultivated country, and there, sitting on a pole, I saw a large Meadow

Lark staring at us as we rushed past in the auto. This is a large bird;

above, greyish brown, and yellow 7 below, with a black crescent on the

breast ( Siurnella magna), and although considered to be a common bird,

it is the only one of its kind that I saw. In that same region I saw a few

times a large Groundfinch with black head, black upperside with wdiite

streaks, white underside with rufus sides, which instantly hid himself

at my approach under the bushes or weeds ( Pipilo maculatus).


As we neared Belle Vue, a suburb of Seattle on the opposite side of

Lake Washington. I noticed splendid Madrona-trees ( Arbutus menziesi),

and on a fence, round a garden, a male Californian Crested Colin quietly

saw us pass.



(To be continued.)



