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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



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 of 1924. 



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TROBABLE SUMMER MIGRATION ROUTE OE ALASKA GEESE 



The birds' reaction to being caught and 

 held in the hand and often having a band 

 fastened to one leg shows that they are 

 little alarmerl. When released thev fre- 

 quently fly to the nearest branch, where 

 they sometimes preen their disarranged 

 plumage or break into song. 



In one instance a Wren tfew to a branch 

 a few yards away, where it quickly spied, 

 caught, and ate two small caterpillars. 

 Chipping Sparrows are usually silent, but 

 some utter a fine shrill squeal when taken 

 in the hands, and others keep up a talka- 

 tive series of chattering notes. A Towhee 

 caught 30 times at Thomasville had the 

 amazing habit of bursting into full song 

 whenever taken in hand and continuing 

 until released. One Myrtle Warbler that 

 was trapped six times invariably squealed 

 from the moment it was caught, although 

 not one of the 200 others of its kind 

 taken in the same way made the slightest 

 outcry. 



Cardinals usually squeal when the ob- 

 server approaches the trap in which they 



are confined. They 

 fight viciously, pecking 

 and biting the fingers 

 that hold them. One 

 Cardinal was so en- 

 grossed in the fray that, 

 when the hand was 

 oiJcned to free him, he 

 gave a last and especially 

 vigorous bite to one of 

 the fingers, then flew to 

 a small tree a few yards 

 away and broke into lusty 

 song, evidently rejoicing 

 at having defeated and 

 escaped the enemy (see 

 page III). 



Occasionally, however, 

 one remains perfectly 

 quiet and passi\e, and 

 when released appears 

 undisturbed by the ex- 

 perience. At times even 

 such seed eaters as Chip- 

 ping and White-throated 

 Sparrows are belligerent 

 and peck at the hand 

 holding them. 



The individual bird 

 that shows imusual men- 

 tal characteristics of any kind always 

 gives the same reaction when caught at 

 other times, even when a year has elapsed. 

 Woodpeckers and Blue Javs fight vi- 

 ciously, but, like other small birds when 

 released, shov^^ little alarm and commonly 

 alight near by, resuming their affairs as 

 usual. 



BANDED BIRDS "PEAY BOSSUM" 



One mental trait appears common to 

 practically all species of birds being 

 trapped. When held in the hand for a 

 short time and then turned on their backs, 

 they usually lie quietly with closed eyes, 

 often for several minutes, on the open 

 palm. Then like a flash they turn and fly 

 off. The various species show a marked 

 difference in the readiness with which they 

 yield to this apparently hypnotic state, and 

 a dissimilarity in this also appears between 

 individuals of the same species. 



Chii)ping Sparrows are probablv the 

 most willing to take this pose. Kot only 

 will a single bird lie in this manner, but 



