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Pine Siskin in Trenton, N. J. 



On Sunday, March 31, while exploring 

 an old field near the edge of the water- 

 power, which runs through a section of 

 the city, the writer was agreeably sur- 

 prised to observe six Pine Siskins making 

 a repast on the seeds of weeds. On several 

 previous visits to this same field, flocks 

 of the American Goldfinch were seen, and 

 it was in quest of this bird that my visit 

 on the morning of the 31st was made. 



With a feeling of pleasure more vivid 

 than might be aroused by many a songster 

 in May, I made a note of thie irregular 

 individual in my field-book. It has been 

 some time since this little bird of the 

 North has paid us a passing call. — 

 William M. Palmer, Trenton, N. J. 



Where Are the Bluebirds ? 



I have observed no Bluebirds since late 

 February, and I am receiving reports from 

 other observers to the same efl^ect. They 

 were in evidence last fall and well into De- 

 cember, and at different times during 

 the winter I observed the birds in this 

 locality, the northern margin of their 

 winter habitat. 



There are no Bluebirds at the numer 

 ous houses in and about this town, in 

 which they have reared broods in previous 

 years, and indications point to the de- 

 struction of the birds throughout eastern 

 United States during the past winter. The 

 winter was one of great severity every- 

 where, with conditions similar to those 

 of 1895, when the Bluebirds were almost 

 exterminated. — J. Warren Jacobs, 

 Wayneshiiyg, Pa. 



A Woodcock's Nest 



On April 2, 19 11, an old colored wood- 

 cutter informed me that he had found "a 

 Whippoorwill's nest." Thinking this 

 rather an early date for this bird to be 

 nesting, as it was only about time for its 



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spring arrival, I was eager to find out 

 what sort of a nest it was. He led me to 

 it, and we found the bird sitting quietly 

 on it; but I had to look close to see her, as 

 her colors harmonized so perfectly with the 

 surrounding pine straw and leaves. I 

 readily recognized the bird as a Woodcock. 



The nest had been placed near the 

 base of a pine tree, about twenty-five 

 yards from a stream of water, bordered 

 by a reed-grown marsh. There were scat- 

 tering pines and cedars about the nest, 

 also a small amount of broom-sedge and 

 weeds. 



The bird allowed us almost to touch 

 her, before taking wing suddenly and fly- 

 ing out of sight. In the nest were four 

 rather large eggs for the size of the bird. 

 They were brownish buff in color, rather 

 thickly spotted with yellowish brown and 

 lilac, making them quite inconspicuous. 



Before the nest was discovered, the old 

 man had cut down the pine tree which 

 stood about eight feet from it, along with 

 a number of other trees. He said that 

 the bird did not fly oi? the nest until the 

 tree fell, but allowed him to chop the tree 

 down almost over her. The tree was then 

 cut into firewood, but the bird returned, 

 appearing not to be disturbed. 



About 9 A.M., on April 9, I visited the 

 the nest, and found the bird on it as before, 

 with her long bill resting on the pine straw 

 and her big, bright eyes staring at me 

 in wild excitement. This time she flew 

 off over the ground, feigning to be lame. 

 The eggs had evidently just hatched, for 

 two of the chicks were not yet thoroughly 

 dry. I concealed myself in a brush-blind 

 which I had constructed, and waited two 

 hours, but the old bird did not return. 



I visited the nest again about four 

 o'clock that afternoon, and found it empty. 

 I had searched for some time, in hope of 

 finding the birds, when I heard a weak, 

 high-keyed peep. I walked around the 

 spot whence the sound seemed to come, 

 searching the ground carefully. Suddenly 

 the old bird flew up almost under my 



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