Notes on the Birds of February and March, 1902 65 



cheerful and contented as ever. They took up their abode in a thicket of 

 seed -bearing bushes which furnished them with food. 



At first I was puzzled by the Tree Sparrow, not having seen it before- 

 I thought it some large kind of Chipping Sparrow, but a closer view, re- 

 vealing a small dark spot on the throat, and other characteristics, served to 

 change my opinion. While watching a flock of them in a meadow, I heard 

 their soft, sweet, twittering song. 



At the end of March I was able to add to my list the Red - winged 

 Blackbird. Purple Grackle, Flicker, Canada Goose, Great Blue Heron, 

 Meadow-lark, Phcjebe, and the Field, Fox, and Vesper Sparrows. 



The Purple Grackles came in tremendous flocks — in one I think there 

 must have been a million or so of birds. The sound made by their chatter- 

 ing and the movement of so many wings resembled that made by the wind 

 rushing through the dried leaves of an oak. 



I saw my first Fox Sparrows and Meadow-larks on March 8. Although 

 the Sparrows did not sing, I had an opportunity of seeing their peculiar 

 habit of scratching with both feet at once. The flock contained seventeen 

 birds, besides three of their cousins, the Juncos. These little birds acted as 

 sentinels, one always being on guard, and whenever I approached too near 

 it would fly up, flirt its gray and white tail, give a sharp 'chip.' ' and the 

 whole flock would take the alarm. The Meadow-larks were busily explor- 

 ing a snowy corn-field for their dinners, now and then giving a shrill, pierc- 

 ing whistle. 



In the Phcjebe I had a good example of protective coloring. While in a 

 swampy piece of woodland, I saw a bird fly into some alder bushes, but on 

 investigation I could see nothing of it. For quite a while 1 examined the 

 bushes, until a Phcebe flew from its perch, secured a fly, and returned. It 

 had been sitting in plain view all the time, but, because its color blended so 

 well with that of other objects, I was unable to detect it. 



Next year I hope to be more successful in my observations, but, in the 

 meantime, I intend to improve my knowledge of birds in every possible way, 

 and I advise other bird -students to do the same. 



The Prize Competition 



Prizes for the best three essays on February Bird -Life have been 

 awarded as follows : First prize, Anna D. White, Lansdowne, Pennsylvania: 

 second prize, Henry Darling, Rockland, Massachusetts: third prize, Carl 

 Lawrence, Groton, Massachusetts. Master Lawrence illustrates his article 

 with several photographs made by himself. 



