Notes from Field and Study 



349 



the difficulty of distinguishing the Least 

 and the Semipalmated Sandpipers in the 

 field remind me that I have long since 

 been intending to publish a note on this 

 subject. To me the bills furnish the 

 easiest method of distinguishing these 

 two species in the field, for that of the 

 Least Sandpiper is slightly decurved, 

 while that of the Semipalmated is straight. 

 I have never seen this distinction men- 

 tioned in the books, and it seems to have 

 escaped the attention of some excellent 

 observers — as of the artist who drew these 

 two birds for a recent leaflet of the 

 National Association of Audubon Socie- 

 ties; but it held true in a considerable 

 series of specimens of the two species 

 which I examined some time ago, and I 

 have found it very useful in the field. 

 Sometimes a single abnormal bird may 

 puzzle one; but, if a number are together, 

 the characteristic shape of the bill is sure 

 to be very evident. It shows clearly in 

 the photograph of the Least Sandpiper 

 published with Mr. Nichols' note, espe- 

 cially in the image of the bird reflected in 

 the water. — Francis H. Allen, West 

 Roxhiiry, Mass. 



Notes on the Bald Eagle, Starling, and 

 Song Sparrow, at Bernardsville, N. J. 



Bald Eagle. — On June 23, 191 2, while 

 traveling in a motor on a wooded road 

 near here, I came upon a flock of Crows. 

 I stopped, as the Crows were cawing and 

 flying about very excitedly. Upon looking 

 more closely, I saw on the top of a dead 

 tree, about twenty yards from me, a 

 beautiful specimen of an adult Bald 

 Eagle. I could then easily account for 

 the excited actions of the Crows. This is 

 the closest that I have ever approached a 

 Bald Eagle. 



The following is the number of times I 

 have seen Bald Eagles at Bernardsville 

 in the last few years: 1908, once; 1909, 

 three times; 19 10, none personally, once 

 reported; 191 1, none; 191 2, twice per- 

 sonally, once reported. 



On August 26, a friend of mine, Miss 

 Marie Louise Blair, saw a Bald Eagle. 



This makes the second summer record of 

 which I know, all the others having been 

 seen in the spring or fall. My other 

 record for this season was on May 31. 



Starling. — ^The first time that I re- 

 member seeing the Starling in Bernards- 

 ville was in 1909, in which year, as in 

 the three following, a pair nested on the 

 roof of our house. 



They are now common in this locality. 

 Lately I have seen flocks of about 500. 

 This spring I saw twelve to fifteen w^alking 

 and flying around a herd of cows, after 

 the manner of Cowbirds. I am interested 

 to know whether anybody has observed 

 this before, or whether it is a newly 

 acquired habit of this bird. 



Following are the data which I gathered 

 from observations made at the nest of a 

 Starling. The nest was situated in a hole 

 in a dead chestnut tree. The hole, which 

 was near the top of a forty-foot tree, was 

 about six inches deep. 



May 20. 



2.47 P.M., one old bird fed young. 



2.55, one old bird fed young. 



2.56, both old birds fed young. 

 3.01, one old bird fed young. 

 3.03, one old bird fed young. 

 3.08, one old bird fed young. 

 3.12, one old bird fed young. 



3.15, one old bird fed young three in- 

 sects, probably a worm, a beetle, and 

 a locust, and then cleaned the nest. 



May 23. 



2.41 P.M., one bird fed young. 



2.42, one bird fed young. 



2.48, both birds fed young; one had 



worm cut in three parts. 

 2.58, one bird fed young with insect, 



probably a locust. 



May 19. 



2.37 P.M., one bird fed young. 



2.39, one bird fed young. 



2.42, both birds came; one had a worm, 

 the other an insect, probably a Grass- 

 hopper; however, they both flew away 

 again, but at 



2.44 the one with the worm returned. 

 It stayed in the hole ten seconds. 



2.47, one bird came with a worm two 

 inches long, but would not enter the 

 hole, probably because of my presence. 



There w'ere two calls given by the old 

 birds; one a low, nasal, complaining note. 



