Notes from Field and Study 



167 



his cage and feed him. Then he would be 

 put back and go to sleep. 



When he was three weeks old his diet was 

 changed to worms and flies. Soon he was 

 able to make exertions to pick up his food, 

 and when he had secured a fly or other 

 morsel, he would give a joyous little note of 

 triumph, as much as to say, " See what I can 

 do I " As he grew older, one of his peculiari- 

 ties was that while he liked to run and hop 

 all over you, you must not touch him, for, if 

 you did, he would fly to an empty chair, to 

 the railing, or to some other perch, and then 

 scold you for your presumption. His master 

 taught 'Bobs,' as the bird was called, a 

 peculiar note which the master gave when- 

 ever he came about the house. Bobs was 

 still only a learner In flight, however, and 

 he ventured no very great distances. He 

 would go down into the garden in pursuit 

 of his food. The door of his cage was left 

 open and he went in and out as he pleased. 



The big birds were very jealous of this 

 little fellow, and he, in a spirit of defiance, 

 would go out and dare them, whereupon 

 they would come after him. But Bobs 

 knew that there was always safety to be had 

 in retreat to the house and in shrieking as 

 loudly as possible so as to attract the atten- 

 tion of some one of the household, and thus 

 bring a protector to his assistance. 



The house was surrounded 'jy magnificent 

 oaks. Bobs was given his first lessons in 

 flight in the trees nearest the house. As he 

 became more venturesome, he made longer 

 flights of his own accord, but never passed 

 the house without giving his peculiar call. 

 It was also his habit to come to the porch 

 about five o'clock in the afternoon, when the 

 family were sitting there. Then the fun 

 began for him. He would pick at the shoe- 

 strings and struggle with them, pull out hair- 

 pins, or walk over the book one was reading 

 if no notice was taken of him. 



Poor little Bobs had manj" enemies of 

 his own kind, for Mockingbirds are known 

 to be great fighters, and jealous of human 

 interference as well, always trying to kill 

 domesticated birds. One day when he was 

 several months old he went away as usual, 

 giving his signal as he passed the house, 

 but he never returned, much to the great 



grief of his friends and admirers. His 

 rescuer went out among the trees in search 

 of the missing pet, calling the bird by name, 

 so well known to the little fellow, and giv- 

 ing the peculiar whistle also, to either of 

 which Bobs had answered readily before. 

 But now there was no response. Kither the 

 odds had been too great for him, or he had 

 found a congenial mate and had gone back 

 to the life of the birds. — Anita Pring, 

 New Orleans, La. 



Purple Martins in Vermont 



In the October, 1903, number of Bird- 

 Lore. I wrote of the disaster our Purple 

 Martins had met with during the long, cold 

 rain in June, in the loss of all their young. 

 At that time we asked ourselves, " Will the 

 Martins return next spring and take up their 

 abode in the Castle again ? " The question 

 has lieen answered by a few Martins that 

 came to the Castle this spring. Three males 

 came April 25, and lingered about the house, 

 apparently waiting for the arrival of females. 

 About May i, one female came, but the 

 males could not induce her to remain but a 

 few hours. Once after that she came to the 

 house for a short interval. She seemed to 

 see the scenes qf last year's horror, and after 

 uttering a few pitious cries she flew away. 



The three males remained several days 

 calling and looking for mates to come, but 

 in vain. May 15, the Castle was silent, and 

 no Martins have come to stay with us this 

 year. We regret to think that our large 

 Colony has gone, and there is no hope of 

 getting them back this year; but we trust we 

 may be more fortunate another year. 



Through Biro-Lore we wish to ask the 

 persons who reported the loss of their Mar- 

 tins during last year's long, cold rain, if the 

 birds returned this spring, and are breeding 

 in the same houses?— Frances B. Horton, 

 Brattlehoro, I't. 



Bird Notes from the Vicinity of New 

 York City, 1904 



Central Park. — April 30 and 31. Green- 

 crested Flycatcher; May i and 8, Fish 

 Crow ; May 6 and 13, Lincoln's Sparrow — 

 observed continually for more than an hour 



