AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 165 



a pond that lay a quarter of a mile from the ranch house. Many Cranes 

 haunted this pond. Along the stream that ran back of the house, we 

 saw Curlews, Plovers and Kingfishers, while five or six miles up its 

 course, we found the Mallard Duck with her brood of ducklings floating 

 on the stream. 



In the sagebrush were Sage Chickens, and in the pine, the Grouse. 



In our trip to the mountains the red and white-winged Blackbirds 

 were in evidence, besides many migratory birds with which we were 

 not familiar. On the the mountain we saw Eagles, and the bright Gold- 

 finch with its wild sweet song. 



Last, but not least from a point of intimate acquaintance, is the Mag- 

 pie — the omnipresent Magpie. We need no alarm clock. As soon as 

 it was light in the morning (3:15 a. m.) they congregated about the 

 windows and began their noisy gossip. From the noise they made, one 

 would guess they were legion, though investigation usually proved them 

 to number from twenty to thirty. Elizabeth Bogart. 



J \ ^/..V^"^. ^•^.•si^v. ^sf„-0*>~ CVf _-0»^ iS/.Ni^. >. U 



DO BIRDS PUNISH? : 



Some time ago a fellow teacher in whom I have the greatest con- 

 fidence related to me the following account which leads me to ask the 

 question, Do birds punish? 



Early this summer it was noticed that the English Sparrows and Mar- 

 tins were contending as to which had the clearest title to a box intended 

 for the use of the latter. The contest had gone on for several days and 

 neither party had gained a decided advantage. One morning on leav- 

 ing the box the Martins left one of their number behind presumably as 

 a guard, but he was not faithful to his trust and became so careless that 

 the Sparrows came up stealthily and began to tear out the nests un- 

 molested. 



The Martins soon returned and drove the intruders away and then 

 turned their attention to the guard who failed so miserably in perform- 

 ing the part assigned to him. 



With one accord they proceeded to scold and buffet him until he had 

 been severely chastized. 



The occurence has almost led me to believe that birds have a sense 

 of justice somewhat developed. j. l. Floyd. 



