AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 309 



evidently trying to lead me away from their treasure. I took notice of 

 the golden crown on their head, this is hard to distinguish unless the 

 bird is close to you. 



I have observed a number of times where birds often put to flight 

 and chase other birds larger than themselves. For instance you have 

 often seen the Kingbird and Redwing black bird; how they delight in 

 pursuing the large Crow, whenever he invades their territory. They 

 say the Crow is a coward and this seems to prove it. I have in turn 

 seen a pair of Crows chase a large Turkey Vulture that was trying to 

 seek shelter in the woods. On another occasion I saw a Hawk pursued 

 by about a dozen Crows. Hawks are generally known to be daring 

 and show fight but he offered no resistance, possibly on account of the 

 large number against him. 



Few birds other than some of our larger species are known to show 

 courage enough to attack a person in defense of its nest. You seldom 

 read of a small bird that will defend its home against a person. I have 

 one to mention. The bird was an Orchard Oriole. About six years 

 ago when I was fourteen years old, I found the nest in an apple orchard. 

 I was bare-footed and climbed the tree. The birds came around me, 

 but I did not take particular notice of them; while examining the con- 

 tents of the nest one of them flew directly at my feet, its sharp bill 

 penetrated my skin with enough force to cause the blood to flow. The 

 birds flew around me in a way that made it anything but comfortable 

 for me, and I quickly got down from the tree. I have been at the nests 

 of Kingbirds already that would dart downwards at me as if they were 

 going to attack me, but have no where except in the above cited 

 instance encountered such determined resistance on the part of a small 



bird. 



Jacob Stehman. 





