FOREST AM) STREAM. 



113 



One day, I thought I would regulate things, so that the 

 othei birds might have a share; so I took some of the fruit 

 from the hedge and hung it upon some omnge trees close 

 by, where I could watch proceedings. But it was 

 no nse; the fruit is -within his dominions, and he 

 guards it just as jealously as he does the hedge— in fact, he 

 prefers this that I hung upon the trees, ns it gives him a 

 better place to stand while he eats. At one end of the pi- 

 azza is a large branch of holly, Very lull of bright-rod elus- 

 barB Of biiiics. The branch is placed in a jar of water, to 

 kf "!■ it fresh, and the long gray moss, which hongs 

 on the trees here, is also used to help decorate and 

 screen the end of the piazza. Our mocking-bird also claims 

 this holly bush, and comes and eats the berries, while 

 we are sitting on the piazza. 



He is very observing ; he knows just aB well as I do what 

 birds ho can trust within his dominions. Every morning I 

 scatter a plateful of cracker-crumbs and oats near the 

 piazza, a large number of birds coming regularly for their 

 food. Now, the mocking-bird does not care much for 

 crumbs or oats, as ho is perfectly willing that the birds 

 should eat there, if they will only let his fruit alone; and 

 many of the birds that eat the crumbs and grain do not care 

 for his fruit, and these he will allow all about him. I sup- 

 pose he considers them honest, respectable citizens. 



Many of the birds that I feed aro migratory, coming to 

 Florida in the fall, and returning in the spring. Among 

 them are several kinds of sparrows, and the little Maryland 

 yellow-throat. This charming, sprightly, little bird is less 

 in size than a chipping sparrow. Its general color is olive- 

 groon, but the throat is a bright yellow, and a jet-black band 

 runs across the forehead, and extends down each side of the 

 face, which gives it a epiaint look, as if it wore large side- 

 whisl;era. 



A large number of beautiful cheewinks have become quite 

 tame; will come almost to my feet to pick up the crumbs. 

 I have observed, however, that when I wear a gray dress, 

 something like the color of the bark of the tree, and pull my 

 hat down pretty well over my eyes, that the birds will come 

 rauoh nearer to me than when I do not take these precau- 

 tions. 



The blue jay also comes for a share of these crumbs, but 

 ha does not pick them up and eat them in the same manner 

 that the other birds do; ho looks around for the largest piece, 

 and takes it and flies to a tree, and holds it against a branch 

 with one foot, and breaks off small bits with his bill, and 

 eats them in the same way that he does an acorn; and he is 

 not satisfied with this, but he takes pieces and secrets them 

 about the fence, and other places, and almost always when 

 he carries to look for them they are gone — have been niched 

 by the sparrows in his absence; and then, such a Screaming 

 as he sets up, I should think would frighten the little cul- 

 prits, but they look as unconcerned and innocent, as if they 

 knew nothing about tho matter, so he has to content him- 

 self with the acorns he has stowed away, or picks up fresh 

 ones from the ground. 



The Carolina wren and the beautiful little ground dove 

 also come for a share of the crumbs. The mocking-bird is 

 on good terms, with all tho birds I have mentioned, for they 

 do not eat his fruit. But the lovely red, cardinal grosbeak, 

 and his cousins, the thrushes, and even his own brothers, he 

 will not allow to come near the hedge, nor to alight on either 

 of his trees. And a charming, little green warbler, not as 

 large as a sparrow, meets with no mercy, for this tiny crea- 

 ture likes the fruit, and, notwithstanding its small size, he 

 drives it from his domain — singling it out from among the 

 sparrows, and chasing it away — even when it is not eating 

 his fruit. But the mocking-bird cannot always be on guard, 

 for, like other epicures, he must have a variety of food; and, 

 although he owns so much property, and is ruler over so 

 many birds, yet he keeps no servant to supply his wants, 

 and 'a large "share of his food consists of various insects, 

 which he must hunt for himself. And this tiny warbler has 

 become very cunning; as soon as our imperious mocker 

 leaves his home, the little warbler, who seems to have been 

 watching and waiting his opportunity, now glides down 

 from some tree, and eats in peace until he is satisfied. 



Twice I have seenr the mocking-bird make a mistake, and 

 drive a 1 >ird that never touched his fruit. The first instance, 

 was with a cheewink, which, certainly, was in a suspicious 

 attitude, for I thought myself it was eating the fruit. 

 Heretofore he had always trusted the cheewinks, and had 

 let them come about him in his bower, and on his trees, but 

 this time one alighted on a tree with something to eat- 

 probably an insect — and happened to stand in such a posi- 

 tion that he looked exactly as if he was eating the fruit. 

 The mocking-bird was on his dome, where he could over- 

 look all his property. He saw the cheewink, and acted as if 

 he could hardly believe his own eyes; he turned his head 

 first one way, and then the other, and peered at him very 

 intently for a few moments; then he sailed down, and witn 

 a volley of scolding notes, drove the'poor cheewink quite a 

 distance; and, not satisfied with this, he returned and drove 

 every one from the ground which were feeding about the 

 piazza. Ever since this happened, he will not allow a chee- 

 wink to remain upon either of his trees, but I have not 

 seen him drive them from the ground since the day he was 

 in such a towering passion, but I supposo he con never be 

 convinced that he was mistaken, and will never trust them 

 as before. 



The other occasion, a little yellow-rumped warbler alighted 

 on the holly bush, at the end of the piazza, and was peering 

 about among the moss for insects. Our mocker watched 

 him awhile, and concluded it rnnst be the berries that kept 

 him there so long, so down he came, and drove him a long 

 way off, and then returned to his home, and appeared as 

 self-complacent and as much satisfied with himself as if it 

 had been a bird of his own size that ho had driven. 



But, unlike most tyrants, ho is very courageous; he will 

 attack and drive a sparrow-hawk from the neighborhood, un- 

 aided by any other bird. 



This hawk is elegat in his appearance, a trifle larger thann 

 the mocking-bird, and with his strong, hoked beak, heo 

 mist prove a powerful adversary, if he should turn upon a 



been a witness of the transaction, at once attacked bin:; but 

 he was careful to keep behind, and strike him on the back, 

 and this annoyed the hawk so much that he could not eat 

 the sparrow, lint he hold it in his clnws and growled at his 

 persecutor for a while, and then flew away, the mocking- 

 bird following, and hitting him on the back until they went 

 out of sight. 



With all his other entertainments, our mocker is a fine 

 musical performer, and, unlike the songsters of the North, 

 he sings at least ten months of the year. "When we arrive 

 in Florida, about the 1st of November, he greets us with Ids 

 song, and pets as if he remembered us; but toward the kiBt 

 of this month his notes begin to lessen, and by the 1st of 

 December ha is quite silent; by the middle of January ho 

 . again, at first in low whispers— so low that wo 

 can scarcely hear him ; he seems to be rehearsing. He con- 

 tinues this for a week or more. There is something ex- 

 quisitely beautiful about these low, tender strains, and 

 during these rehearsals he always faces the piazza, and seems 

 io be singing to us. Gradually his voice increases in 

 volume, until, by the 1st of March, he is in full song. And 

 now he leaves his home more frequently, and is gone longer 

 — is neglecting his business — and the gay, cardinal bird 

 takes advantage of his absence, and with furtive looks ven- 

 tures to resale himself on the forbidden fruit. 



This neglect of home and business continues for several 

 days; at last he returns with a charming female, who in- 

 spects his bower with a critical eye, and seems pleased with 

 all the surroundings; then she accompanies him to one of 

 the trees, on which hangs the fruit. Now they both eat, 

 standing side by side, and then return to the lower, and 

 now on the topmost branch of his dome, this joyous bird 

 proclaims his happiness in the most entrancing song, no 

 longer facing us, but always facing and addressing his beauti- 

 ful partner. 



■»■» 

 OSPREYS TAKING DEAD F1SM. 



bird weaker than himself. 



A few feet f 

 erected to sin 



the tallest trees, and here a 

 Wliil, I tti ■ on tie- 



sparrows feeding olose about i 

 down, and took one from right 

 it on the wing, just ns it rol 

 flatten. a! ': 



fectly still for a few moments. 



ocking-bird's home a vane has been 

 •ay the wind blows; it towers above 



ei- a sparrow-hawk often alights. 



. i:- hawk came, swooping 



■ eyes, lie caught 



tV the otbj i sparrows 



a groun !, and remained per- 



l in, hawk Haw back to the 

 vane with his prey, and now the mocking-bird, who had 



EErroE Fobest and Steeam. 



My question, asked in your columns, of January 11th, 

 "If 'this incident occurred 'as related by S. 0. C, was it not 

 an unprecedented one ? " was asked for information, as I 

 had never heard of a similar occurrence. It is true that 

 Audubon tells us of Ospreys taking the fish that had risen, 

 dead or dying, to the surface of the water, in sorno of the 

 lakes adjacent to the Mississippi Biver, w] re the water was 

 too muddy for the hawks to discover them alive, and im- 

 mense flocks of Wood Ibises were trampling the bottom, 

 making it so difficult for tho fishes to respire, that they were 

 obliged to rise, to the surface, and were then killed in great 

 numbers ; but he immediately adds, that "except in such 

 places, and on such occasions'" he had never observed the 

 Fish Hawk to procure prey in any other than the usual way. 

 I quote this high anthforitj in answer to S, C. C.'s quotation 

 from "Allen's Notes of Some of the Bare Birds of Massa- 

 chusetts." At the conclusion of his article, in Forest and 

 Stream of February 8th, which reads, " one should not 

 rashly question the accounts given by usually reliable au- 

 thorities, because, in particular instances, they do not accord 

 with their own observations." To relieve myself of the im- 

 putation of asking a question that was either egotistical or 

 " rash." as it was not mentioned whether the incident 

 related by S. 0. 0. occurred within thirty yards, or a thous- 

 and, of the observer, I suggested the possibility of a mis- 

 take, such as the closest observer may sometimes make. I 

 once thought that I saw an Osprey take a dead fish from 

 clear water, and it was by the merest chance that I discov- 

 ered that I was deceived by exceedingly convincing appear- 

 ances. I was on an island in the Gulf of Mexico, in search 

 of ornitholigical specimens, and seeing an Osprey fish ing 

 near the. shore, I concealed myself behind a sand-hill, to 

 watch him while I rested to enjoy the cooling breeze ere 

 plunging into the swamp again. At length, a fish was taken, 

 and the bird flew with it directly toward me, until within 

 six rods, when I fired, expecting to bring him down at that 

 distance, although my gun was loaded with small shot ; but 

 with a scream, he turned and flew out over the water until 

 about a hundred yards distant from me, when he dropped 

 tho fish. Then, to my surprise, he wheeled in the air, and 

 darting down, rose again from the water, with, apparently, 

 tho same fish, and ilew.in over the beach. Seeing that I 

 would not get a shot at him by remaining quiet, I ran 

 quickly behind the sand-hills, in the direction of his flight, 

 and as he passed over them, I discharged both barrels in 

 quick succession, causing him to drop the fish, which I 

 picked up and examined. It was of the same species and 

 size as the one brought so near to me by the hawk in the 

 first instance, and my companion; avowed that he caught 

 sight of the first fish in the water "after it was first dropped, 

 and that it was belly up and dead. The incident was such 

 a very unusual one, that I discussed it at some length, 

 with my companion, We finally returned to the beach, to 

 retrace our steps, and as we walked along, I noticed, at the 

 water's edge, a dead fish, just washed ashore, which, on ex- 

 amination, proved by the marks of small shot and hawk's 

 talons, on it, to be the fish that our bird had dropped into 

 the water, and which, but for thus aecidently finding 

 it, I should have, certainly believed had been re-taken by 

 the Osprey, although I had expressed to my companion my 

 belief, tlmt the fish must have had life enough to swim a 

 little, or at least to make some life-like movement. The 

 fact of an Osprey taking a fish immediately after being shot 

 at, was paralleled in the interesting incident related by 

 "Dom Pedro." Will he tell us if, on tho second time, the 

 fish taken was surely the one dropped ? and if bo, was it 

 dead before being re-taken? My queries are not intended 

 to be in the least in a critical spirit, but are prompted solely 

 by a desire for knowlccge, believing that if observers would 

 more frequently compare notes, and the columns of Forest 

 and Stream furnish an excellent medium for so doing, much 

 valuable information might be disseminated. 



I have scon white-headed eagles catch fish, although 

 never " with the dash and grace of an Osprey," as I have seen 

 related by Bamo writer. On the contrary, the fish I refer to 

 were eels, and caught in shoal water, after much flapping 

 and dangling of legs, close to the surface of the water, by 

 the eagles. I think eagles are by no moans scarce in the 

 Northern States, unless it bo by comparison to their great 

 numbers in some of the southernmost States, and in the 

 spring and summer they aro abundant in Maine and New 

 Hampshire, where I have on many occasions observed tho 

 common incident, of the robbery of an Osprey of his prey 

 by the white-headed eagle. 



To mistake an Osprey for an eagle, at a distance, would 

 by no 'means imply lack of knowledge or experience in ob- 

 servation of these birds, so similar in their flight, plumage, 

 tod lisse Only last summer lb el my attention salted toa 

 iird soaring in circl. ■- ■ ■ ■ i ' ' i out revealing m the 



sunlight the whita-hoad, which only the aid ot a neld-gla 

 proved to be that of an Osprey and not an eagle, Boameb. 



THE BIRDS OF WEBSTER, NEW HAMP- 

 SHIRE, AND ADJOINING TOWNS. 



B\ r 7cHAEnEH F, GOODHUE. 



Cordinwilfmni OUT issifl Dj 



Olus WrUonianrts. Long-eared owl . Not eornmnn, oxcert in tuo mi- 

 grations ; may breed, as 1 have Heen it the middle of June. 

 Brachyolus Cassinii. Short-eared owl; Quito rare; bavo : m I n 



Syrnium rvftidoeum. Barred owl. Common resident ; probably 

 breeds. 



Bubo virrjinianus. Great-horned owl. Common resident ; the most 

 common of the owls . 



Scops asio. Mottled owl. Common resident ; have seen more red 

 birds than gray. 



Ny<:tale acadica. Acadian owl. Not common ; have taken one each 

 winter for the laat three years. It has the habit of taking Up its resi- 

 dence In barns and out houses in winter, probably for the purpose of 

 mousing. 



Kyclsa. nivea. Snowy owl. Eare winter visitor from the north. 



Surma ulttln. Hawk owl. Exceedingly rare ; winter resident ; have 

 seen bnttwoin four ycarB. 



Haluslu* leucotphalusi. White-headed eaglo. Raro ; see but one or 

 two in the course of a year. 



fandinn carolmcnsis. Fish hawk. Common in the migrations. 



Falco columbariui. Pigeon hawk. Not common; may breed, bat 

 have never met with tho nest. 



Falco xparvtttou. Sparrow hawk, Common in spring and fall ; 

 breeds. Tbo only nest that has come under my notice, was placed in a 

 hollow maple, aboutsix feet from the ground ; it contained six young. 



Astar alricapUUu. Goshawk— Blue hawk. Eare ; perhaps leea so ia 

 winter. 



AccipiUr Coopcrii. Cooper's hawk. Common resident through tho 

 Bummer ; may winter ] breeds. 



Accipiterfimw. Sharp-shinned hawk. Common in summer -, a few 

 winter; breeds. 



Butta bnrealis. Ked-tailod hawk. Common summer resident; » few 

 remain through tho winter : breeds. 



Biitto timatws. Red-tailed hawk. Resident ; loast abundant in win. 

 tar ; breeds. 



Buito penmylvinicus. Broad-winged hawk. Rare ; have seen bnt few 

 specimens. 



Arcliibuleo lagopus. Hoagh-leggod hawk. Not very common ; a few 

 found in fall and winter. 



A rchibuteo Sancli-JoJiannis. Black hawk. Rare ; saw a flue specimen 

 in the winter of 1875. 



Circus kudsonicus. Marsh hawk. Common in summer ; breeds, nest- 

 ing on tbo ground, 



Eclopistes migratnrius, Wild pigeon. Common summer resident ; 

 breeds. I think, as a general thing, that thoy lay but one egg, as I have 

 found many nests, and there never was bnt more than one, with but 

 one exception. 



Ztnivdura caroUnensit. Turtle dove. May occnr, but have never met 

 with It as yet. 



[In our issue of March 1st. the White-throated Sparrow- 

 was referred to as Toii'Trlchh! leOeqphirys, instead of aldteolits; 

 as it should have been printed. An error also occurs in the 

 list of warblers, DqrulrQica oomSeaems having been spoken 

 of as the Black-throated Warbler, instead of Black-throated, 

 Blue. It will be observed that Mr. Goodhue separates the 

 two forms of Arffittoleto, instead of regarding them as differ- 

 ent plumages of the same species. — Ed.] 



<■» 

 WHITEFISH OF THE OSWEGATCHIE. 



d- Cantos, N. 7., March 20, 1877. 



Editor Forest and Stream. 



I see in your correspondent's column, that J. B., of Montreal, speaks 

 of whltensh being found in- the Oswegatcl'ie River. Once, early in 

 July, nearly or quite ten years ago, at the mouth of a spring broek, 

 known as the " old Indian Ashing ground," some two miles below C can- 

 berry Lake, wo caught a fish that we called a whiteflsh— I Buppose be- 

 cause wo did not know what else to call it. They were letting off water 

 from the reservoir, and the river was high, and tho water foul. The 

 month of the. brook was crowded with trout, weighing from one-quarter 

 to three pounds, and witb these nsh, which very much resemble a 

 sucker in color and shape, only they were more silvery than tho 

 sucker. The month was much, but not quite the same. Neither thoy 

 or tho trout would "bite," and we •■ hooked up" enough for camp 

 use daring the two or three days we were there. Sometimes we sot 

 trout, sometimes " whltensh.," The latter, when cooked, were very 

 white, fat, and flue flavored. Wo pronouced these fully equal to the 

 trout. They were free from all the loose bones found in the sucker. 

 The same Beason they were lound at two or thrco spring brooks some 

 tweniy miles below, on the river. I do nut think we saw aDy over a 

 pouud in weight— most of them about one-half that. I do not knowof 

 any being caught there before or since. 



Thinking it poseiblo you might desire even the little information I 

 ooniagive'ou tho subject, I took the liberty of writing. J. U. B. 



THE CARP OF VIRGINIA. 



Boston, Marsh 19,1877. 

 Editor Fobest and Stream. 



^Talking with a friend In relation to the introduction of carp into this 

 country, as mentioned in two of the back numbers of your issue, lta 

 stated that in the year 1807, ho was in Virginia, and, being an ardent 

 lover of angling, tried his actons day in a pond, at the head ot Mora- 

 tico Crook, Lancaster Oonnty, at Ball's Mills, and caught six very largo 

 fish, weighing, in tho aggregate, somo thirty-seven pounds. They being 

 an unknown iiah to him. although ho had fished in nearly all our 

 States and Territories; they were shown to » great many -persons in 

 that vicinity, and none contd give them a naino, except a Dr. Ball, who 

 said he was familiar with the lisli in Europe, as aarp, but had never I o- 

 fore seen them in this country. Among the persons viewing ihe cat* 

 was an old negro, who said that, years ago, a Mr. Mitchell had brought 

 thatkiud of fish from " away 'cross the aea," and put into the pond. 



Tho publication of the above may bring out some farther intelligence 

 relating to this matter. D ' 



«••♦ 



A COMPANION FOR THE "PIPE FISH," 



<"\ Warebam, MasB., March 19,1877. 



Editor Forest and Stream. 

 I this day mailed a package to yonr address, contouring a well-grown 



Oj i tti ichisd to the inner side of the howl of a day pipe, which, per 



haps, it will he. well for me to hand over to the New York tqt iTion 

 The Doveliy was taken from an oyster bed a few days ago HP 

 auabyei&muungtns bacVsldeof the bowl, there will be » 11 ti 

 deinatiou made by the tongs, by which it was taken from its resting 



V I°was actuated in my interest In this specimen, by readme in Fouebt 



