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Balancing Robins 



Perhaps the following observations on a 

 Robin's methods of balancing will be of 

 interest to the readers of Bird-Lore. On 

 February 21, 1904, a heavy sleet fell, and 

 by the afternoon everything was so coated 

 with ice that many of the birds found it a 

 hard matter to secure food. Three or four 

 hundred Robins came into the barnyard in 

 search of food. A persimmon tree that 

 stood near the granary where I was con- 

 cealed, seemed to be the center of attack. 

 Usually between twenty-five and fifty Robins 

 were in this tree at once, eating the fruit 

 and calling an occasional loud pip, or 

 piep. 



The branches of this tree were so laden 

 with ice that the birds could not easily 

 secure a foothold, and were continually 

 slipping and tumbling about. I was con- 

 cealed within a few yards of the tree and 

 had a good opportunity to observe the 

 many different methods used for maintain- 

 ing a balance. When a Robin first fiew into 

 the tree he usually held both wings high 

 over his back until he had gained a firm 

 position, and the tail also was usually spread 

 wide to aid him. When in danger of fall- 

 ing the wings were often raised only slightly 

 and the tail spread about half-way, until the 

 balance had been regained. Sometimes a 

 coated persimmon was just out of reach, and 

 then the bird would crane his neck out until 

 in imminent danger of tumbling headlong. 

 Then, as quick as a flash, he would thrust 

 out a wing, and I saw them even stand in 

 this position balancing with one wing until 

 they were either satisfied that the fruit was 

 not to be had or had secured it. The left 

 and right wings were both seen to be used 

 in this operation. The tail was sometimes 

 used in conjunction with one or both wings, 

 being wholly or partly spread and usually 

 pumped up and down. As an extreme 

 measure, when nearly falling headlong, I 

 have seen the Robin thrust out one wing on 

 the side of his body that was lowest, and 



bring it quickly forward until it was nearly 

 on a level with his head. 



Often one of the ice-coated branches 

 would fall, and it was amusing to see the 

 Robin who was perched thereon pick him- 

 self up, so to speak, in mid air. When 

 the crackling of the branch was heard the 

 birds usually flew away, but soon returned 

 and were as busy as before. A small flock 

 of Cedar Waxwings was engaged in the 

 same pursuit, but I did not see one of them 

 fall or balance himself, probably because of 

 their lighter weight and because they were 

 not so clumsy as the Robins. — Ernest See- 

 man, Greensboro, N. C. 



The European Skylark near New York 

 City 



On July 22 and 29, of this year, I had 

 the opportunity of seeing and hearing Sky- 

 larks within an hour's journey of New 

 York City. The birds were seen in and 

 over extensive fields of timotJiy, clover, red- 

 top and sorrel, situated about one and one- 

 half miles northwest of Canarsie, L. I. 

 Other birds of the immediate vicinity were 

 Grasshopper and Vesper Sparrows and 

 Meadowlarks, all of which breed abun- 

 dantly, a pair of Great Blue Herons, a pair 

 of Sparrow-hawks, besides a few Spotted 

 Sandpipers, Indigo Buntings, Barn Swal- 

 lows, English Sparrows and Starlings, and 

 numerous Song Sparrows, Swifts and Chip- 

 ping Sparrows. 



Skylarks were heard singing almost con- 

 tinually, although the singer was frequently 

 not in sight. The song must be heard to 

 be appreciated. The bird rises from a low 

 perch and, ascending in a very irregular 

 spiral, pours forth a medley of notes remind- 

 ing one at times of the Canary, Long- 

 billed Marsh Wren, Bobolink and Gold- 

 finch ! The descent is much quicker than 

 the ascent — a few turns in the spiral and 

 then the bird rapidly descends on closed 

 wings until within a few feet of the ground, 

 when it spreads its \vings and, after sailing 



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