DISTRIBUTION OF BIRDS. 17 



hedges and water courses. The j uncos are an independent species, 

 taking refuge in large trees as well as in bushes, and foraged far afield, 

 even in bare and exposed situations. 



English Sparrow. — In addition to the native sparrows, the English 

 sparrow occurred on the farm. Its distribution depended soleh' on 

 suitable nesting holes and available grain. A dozen pairs bred in the 

 crannies of the house, in an old dovecote on the granary, and in the 

 dooryard locusts. At harvest time the flock numbered 100 or more. 

 No part of the farm was too remote for their forays if it yielded them 

 grain, so their feeding grounds varied with the rotation of crops. 

 They were often to be seen, also, gleaning amid poultry and stock at 

 feeding time, and stealing into the corn crib. The presence of this 

 bird had affected the distribution of other species, particularh' such 

 as nest in cavities. The bluebird had been driven from the farm, and 

 many of the house wi'ens that formerly bred about the buildings had 

 had to seek more secluded places. A few pairs of wrens continued, 

 however, to nest near the house in cavities too small to admit the 

 sparrow. Others lived at both mouths of Persimmon Branch and the 

 lower end of the hog-lot gully (PL IV, fig. 2). 



BIRDS OF LESS LIMITED DISTEIBUTIOX. 



Kingbird and Oriole. — About a dozen pairs of kingbirds and orchard 

 orioles were also on the place. Neighbors at nesting time and often 

 associates in their feeding range, the}' lived together in fruit trees by 

 the house, and were also noted at the negro cabin and on the shore by 

 the calamus swamp. 



AVherever a kingbird's nest was discovered, a nest of the oriole was 

 sure to be found in the same or an adjoining tree. It seemed odd that 

 such a tyrant as the kingbird should tolerate such close proximity. 

 The kino-birds skimmed over all the five lots after insects, occasionallv 

 poising on weedstalks and often perching on the highest trees along 

 the river bluff and the hedgerows. The orioles, though not infre- 

 quently seen along fence rows, were generally confined to the trees of 

 the river front, whence, however, they flew out into the adjacent 

 mowing land to pick up insects from the ground. 



Cedar Bird. — From a dozen to a score of cedar birds also frequented 

 the trees along the river, though they did not nest on the farm, and 

 they were often noticed at the ends of Persimmon Branch and in the 

 hog-lot gully. Their distribution appeared to depend on the presence 

 of ripe fruit, such as mulberries, cherries, blackberries, or cedar 

 berries. 



Catbird.— The most abundant summer bird was without question the 

 catbird (fig. 4). Its usual habitat was practically the same as the song 

 sparrow's— that is to say , the undergrowth of moist places. But while the 

 7222— No. 17-02 2 



