April 15, 1886.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



228 



six species, which consists of "species which have been re- 

 corded as North American, but whose status as North Amer- 

 ican birds is doubtful, either from lack of positive evidence 

 of their occurrence within the prescribed limits of the present 

 Check List, or from absence of satisfactory proof of their 

 validity as species. This includes such species as Xema 

 f areata, doubtfully N. American; Chen mrulescens, probably 

 only a color phase ; Spisa townsendi, still a mystery, and 

 others. A list of forty-six fossil species, most of them made 

 known by Professor Marsh, and, as to one group, fully 

 described and figured in his superb monograph on the 

 Odontornithes, or birds with teeth, completes the Check 

 List, to which is of course added an excellent index. 



The volume represents the best work and the most care- 

 ful thought of our foremost ornithologists. As the exponent 

 of this thought and work it will carry great weight, and will 

 be gladly received by workers in this field at home and 

 abroad. 



THE SPARROW HAWK IN WINTER. 



Editor Forest arid Stream: 



In your issue of April 1 your correspondent, Dr. M. G. 

 Ellzey, quotes my statement that the sparrow hawk "lives 

 almost exclusively on grasshoppers and crickets," and asks 

 "what does he do for grub in winter time? Does he keep a 

 silo or cannery?" 



Certainly not. Why should he? About Washington, at 

 least, he has a bountiful store of preserved English sparrows 

 which he falls back upon when hoppers are scarce, which 

 fact the Doctor may easily verify for himself — or might have 

 verified a few weeks since— by taking a stroll through the 

 Smithsonian or Agricultural grounds. 



Mice and sparrows answer very well for any sparrow 

 hawk who is foolish enough to winter so far north, and it 

 may be remarked that very few are so foolish. For the 

 sparrow hawk is a rare winter resident in these parts, the 

 large majority going south, where they have no difficulty in 

 finding plenty of their favorite insect food. Even in summer 

 the sparrow hawk destroys more or less field mice, and there 

 is plenty of evidence on record to show that he is occasionally 

 responsible for the death of a small bird, while in wiuter the 

 few that remain in this latitude do, no doubt, rely "almost 

 exclusively" upon mice and small birds. However, taking 

 the year round, the food of the sparrow hawk is grass- 

 hoppers, crickets, and such like, by a very large majority. 



But how dare Dr. Ellzey so defame the climate of Wash- 

 ington and mislead the innocent readers of Forest and 

 Stream by asserting that: "About here there are some seven 

 months in twelve when there are a few classic 'crickets on 

 hearthstones' around and nary 'brown old grasshopper' " ? 

 He must "den up" very early in the fall and wake late iu 

 spring if this is a sample of what be knows about the festive 

 'hopper. Under ordinary circumstances grasshoppers are 

 plenty around here up to the middle of December, and on 

 warm, sunny days, in both January and February, a sharp- 

 eyed and hungry sparrow hawk will have little difficulty in 

 finding a few immature 'hoppers crawling among the leaves, 

 while as early as the middle of March well developed insects 

 are to be found. As a matter of fact, then, there is not a 

 month in the year when an enterprising sparrow hawk — and 

 all the Washington hawks are of this sort— cannot get more 

 or less grasshoppers— enough, at least, for a relish. 



I rather think the Washington sparrow hawk doesn't 

 trouble himself much about grasshoppers in January and 

 February, and there are certainly periods of longer or shorter 

 duration in those months when he couldn't get them if he 

 would, owing to cold weather and snow; but "seven 

 months!" Fie, Doctor, how could you! Can it be that this 

 severe reflection upon our climate is made in the interests of 

 those who would see the capital moved beyond the Missis- 

 sippi? H. W. Henshaw.. 

 Washington, D. C, April 8, 1886. 



HOUSES FOR BIRDS. 



YEARS ago I traveled through the State of Maine on my 

 way to the Bay of Fundy, where I was to join a party 

 of "pseudo naturalists" who were off for three weeks on "a 

 grand bird slaughtering and egg snatching expedition. 

 During this journey I was often amused at the many crude 

 and grotesque styles of bird houses used by the farmers and 

 country folk. Among these were tomato and fruit cans, 

 butter firkins, old straw hats, dilapidated bee hives, and in 

 one case a most worthy and bird-loving farmer had scooped 

 out several crook-neck squashes which he had fastened under 

 the eaves of his barn, in which several familes of wreus were 

 bringing forth their young, mixing freely and peacefully 

 with their neighbors, the barn swallows. 



Does the reader think that the evidence I met on every 

 hand of how deeply the kind-hearted farmers and people of 

 the town and country love our native birds made no impres- 

 sion on me? Oh no! It sank deep, so deep, that after 

 returning from the slaughtering expedition, repentant 

 and most thoroughly disgusted with myself for the part that 

 1 had taken in it, I determined that for all time to come I 

 would devote myself to the protection of all wild birds of 

 gentle habits. Having shot but one wild bird in my life, 

 and that some thirty years ago, there was still time left to 

 make ample restitution in kindly acts performed toward 

 and in the defense of my sweet-voiced and light-feathered 

 friends. What more natural, therefore, than that 1 should 

 turn my attention to the proper construction of bird houses 

 — a subject that, as a rule, has been much overlooked. 



The prevailing style of bird house architecture is very 

 primitive and very ugly, consisting mostly of a rude square 

 box with a hole cut in it, on which is placed a sloping roof, 

 and afterward, as if to add to their ugliness, they are painted 

 a dead white, glaring yellow, occasionally bright red, ultra- 

 marine blue and even black; and of ten," meaningless jack- 

 knife whittlings, vanes and wind mills, painted in every 

 combination of bright colors, are nailed on to them. None 

 but those foreign, feathered tramps and loafers, the European 

 sparrow, would ever condescend to occupy such quarters, but 

 they being color blind and of no refinement or aesthetic 

 tastes, are indifferent so long as they obtain a roof to shelter 

 them, a hole to crawl into. When painting bird houses, never 

 use bright or loud colors or gilding, as it is not only in bad 

 taste and out of harmony with the surroundings of the birds, 

 but to birds of modest, refined and retiring habits, I believe 

 it is very trying. Imagine, reader, lover of our wild birds, 

 if you can, a pair of those plaintive-voiced birds of gentle 

 habits, the bluebirds, selecting a house bedaubed with grinning 

 yellow chrome I Believe me, these birds of azure blue and 

 breasts of red would never think of degrading their beautiful 

 plumage by bringing it in vulgar contrast with a hideous 

 yellow. I know of none of the animal kingdom who are so 



aesthetic, artistic, nice and exquisite in all their tastes and 

 habits as are our native wild birds. They seem to have an 

 instinctive knowledge of the propriety and fitness of all 

 things, never breaking up nature's harmonious color plan, 

 but always falling in with it. 



My father, some years ago, fastened a number of flower 

 pots against the side of a brick house. The holes at the bot- 

 tom of the pots were made large enough for wrens and too 

 small for bluebirds, as a battle between these two species had 

 been raging for a number of days over the possession of the 

 only bird house on the grounds. I have since used flower- 

 pot bird houses very extensively. The simplest method of 

 making them is to fasten a five-inch pot against a stone or 



FLOWER POT BIRD HOUSE. 



brick wall. The drain hole of the pot is enlarged by chip- 

 ping off a small piece at a time with the sharp ferrule end 

 of a file, but to do this successfully the pot must first be 

 soaked in water for three hours to soften the ware. Do not 

 try to make the hole exactly symmetrical, but have its out- 

 line irregular. Two small holes are also chipped in the 

 sides of the pot, one of the diameter of one half inch; this 

 hole when the pot is iu position is to answer as a window to 

 admit a small quantity of light into the interior of the pot; 

 the other hole, on the under side of the pot, is to be but one- 

 quarter of an inch in diameter, and is for the purpose of 

 admitting a current of fresh air. When it is placed in posi- 

 tion the pot is held against the wall to which it is to be fast- 

 ened by leaning a post or board against it. For a cement 

 for fastening and ornamenting the pot, plaster of Paris is to 

 be preferred to Portland or other cements, the plaster being 

 light and quick setting, which is hastened by adding a small 

 quantity of salt when mixing it. Another advantage the 

 plaster possesses is that it is a non conductor of heat, so that 

 all danger of the interior of the bird house becoming over- 

 heated is removed. Before applying the plaster to the pot 

 the latter must be soaked in water for one hour, or the plaster 

 will not adhere. If the pot is an old one it must be thor- 

 oughly scrubbed with a stiff brush in warm water to remove 

 all minute vegetable growths. Before applying the plaster 

 to the rim of the pot and against the wall, the wall must be 

 thoroughly moistened or the plaster will not adhere. When 



HANGING OR STANDARD FLOWER-POT BIRD HOUSE. 



applying the plaster about the rim of the pot, and aaainst the 

 wall, use it thick and pasty and apply rapidly. Alter the 

 plaster has set, the board prop is removed and work on 

 another port begun. When all are in position the plaster 

 is given six hours to harden and dry before putting on 

 the rough ornamental coating, as the weight of this might 

 break away the pots from the wall. This rough coating is 

 applied with an old tea or table spoon well greased with 

 lard or suet fat, to prevent the plaster from adhering to the 

 spoon and forming into an unmanageable mass. When ap- 

 plying the plaster, small living branches of vines can be im- 

 bedded in the plaster, and before the entrance a small twig 

 or rustic branch is fastened for a perch. 



After the plaster is thoroughly dry two heavy coats of 

 boiled linseed oil mixed with a "dryer" are applied. The 

 oil protects the plaster from the action of rains and the 

 atmosphere. The pots can be painted with a dull green or 

 any of the grays or browns that match the colors of the 

 barks of our native trees, or that correspond with the grays 

 or dull browns of our various earths. Lichens and mosses 

 can be fastened to the houses by imbedding them in the 

 plaster when it is soft. 



A hanging bird house can be constructed of a nine-inch 

 flower-pot and an old milk pan, as shown in Fig. 2. A hole 

 is made in the bottom of the pot and pan large enough for a 

 turned picket or round stick to pass through, so as to allow 

 for the fastening of the straw which is to form the thatched 

 roof. A small hole is bored through the picket into which 

 a cross pin of either iron or wood is inserted. On this pin 

 the bottom of the pan rests, otherwise it would slide down 

 the picket. The sides of the milk pan are punched full of 



holes to allow the plaster to pass through and clinch, as it 

 will not adhere to the smooth surface of the tin. 



The pan is to be filled with earth, in which may be planted 

 Tradescantia, German ivy, or moneywort, which will droop 

 over and twine in the branches of the "cat screen." Some 

 of the more hardy succulent plants, such as house leeks, 

 creeping Charley, Sempervivum, etc., do well in dry loca- 

 tions. 



This bird house can also be fastened to a standard pole, as 

 indicated by the dotted lines in Fig 2, when it is notdesiaed 

 to suspend it. The cat screen is intended to prevent cats 

 from passing up the pole and also to break the otherwise 

 stiff and ungraceful lines, and as a trellis for vines to entwine 

 on after having climbed or been trained up the standard 

 pole. The cat screen is made of the branches of the black 

 alder, or birch, which are firmly bound to the picket or 

 standard pole, some two feet below the bottom of the pan, 

 against which they press and radiate out as shown in the 

 figure. The best and most ornamental woods for making 

 the screens are red birch with the cones on, spruce with its 

 rich buds, and sweet gum with its curious corky bark. 



A_W. Roberts. 



A Least Bittern's Nest in a Tree.— Newport, R. I.. 

 Feb. 2b, 1886. Editor Forest and Stream: It was on the 

 19th of June, and a finer morning I don't believe could have 

 dawned, that I left the house about 8:30, taking a good 

 lunch, and went out to a place called Hanging Rocks, to see 

 if I could see any new birds or find any new nests. I hunted 

 about until noon, and then I ate lunch under a large oak 

 tree. While 1 was sitting there a chickadee came and lit on 

 the tree. He lit about ten feet over my head, but in a very 

 little while he worked himself down within about three feet 

 and there he sat for a minute or so watching me with a kind 

 of a what-do-you-want air, and then flew off. I then started 

 off for Southwick's Grove, and on my way I went through 

 many orchards. I remember one of them very well, and I 

 think I will never forget it. It was G. A.'s, as the boys 

 called it, meaning George Anthony's. As I walked through 

 it, watching the wood pewees, the least flycatchers and many 

 other birds, my attention was attracted by the noise the 

 robins and redwing blackbirds were making. I stood still 

 for a moment, and a male blackbird came and lit on a little 

 bush not over six feet away. He did not see me, and as I 

 knew he didn't, I picked up a rock and sent it at him And 

 now comes the surprising part of my day. On missing the 

 blackbird the stone went tearing through a pear tree, and to 

 my utter amazement a least bittern (Ardetta exilis) flew out. 

 I ran quickly to the tree that the bittern flew out of, as- 

 cended, and there, in a very shallow nest, composed of first 

 a layer of twigs about the size of an ordinary lead pencil, 

 next a layer of smaller ones, and lastly a lining of moss and 

 a few bits of straw, lay one egg of a very pale bluish white, 

 without spots or any markings whatever. I left the nest and 

 returned on the 21st. This time I found three eggs in the 

 nest, and this shows that the bittern lays an egg every twenty- 

 four hours, or within that time. I waited to see if she would 

 lay any more eggs, but on visiting it on the 23d I found the 

 same three eggs and took them. I was obliged to leave the 

 nest, as it was too frail to take from the tree. I was again 

 in the orchard some time afterward, but the nest was gone, 

 the bird having broken it up, or it having fallen to pieces. 

 It is a mystery to me that this bird should build in such a 

 dry place, it being one of the water birds, and besides there 

 was no water within a distance of a half mile, except a half 

 stagnant brook which afforded no food for the bird whatever. 

 I hope some of your correspondents will relate some of 

 their experiences with this bird.— F. L. T. 



Another Tame Partridge.— The Athens "spook" bird 

 has been captured. On Tuesday evening last, reports the 

 Hudson Republican, April 6, as Deacon Gordon W. Brady 

 was returning to his home in Athens from Catskill, he 

 observed the partridge running beside his horse. Mr. 

 Brady alighted and attempted to catch the bird, chasing it 

 around the wagon a couple of times, but the bird managed 

 to keep out of reach, until finally Mr. Brady stopped and 

 made motions with his hand as if to strike the bird, when it 

 immediately turned on him and fought his hand, striking 

 with his feet, rooster fashion. Mr. Brady caught it. The 

 partridge made no resistance when captured, not even flut- 

 tering. It seemed perfectly docile. Mr. Brady rode home 

 with the bird, in high glee. The news soon spread, and 

 scores of citizens flocked to see it. The partridge, unlike 

 other birds of its species, shows no signs of fear while being 

 handled, not even a single heart palpitation, which is so 

 pronounced in all wild birds when touched. It seems utterly 

 unconcerned to all around it, submitting to stroking on its 

 head and breast with indifference. Many people in Athens 

 entertain a superstitious fear of the rara avis, asserting it to 

 be the "ghost" of the murdered Waltz, who was hung in 

 Catskill some years ago for the killing of a scissors grinder 

 named Hultz. Others again feel anxious to possess the par- 

 tridge, offering large prices for it. Many strange stories are 

 related of this partringe. Early last winter, while a sleigh- 

 load of men were returning from Hamburg, where they had 

 been working on the ice, the partridge flew from the hillside 

 in through the sleigh, and passing out between the heads of 

 two men. Two days later the partridge again flew in and 

 out of the sleigh in precisely the same manner, passing 

 between the same two men as before. A few evenings later, 

 while Col. Henry Nicholas, of Athens, was driving home, the 

 partridge alighted upon the back of his horse, he being com- 

 pelled to use the whip in order to drive it away. Next 

 George W. Loud met with the partridge; it alighted on the 

 back of bis horse, Mr. Loud, in relating the incident, said 

 that he was not at all superstitious, but^he hoped the par- 

 tridge would not bother him again.' It did on two subsequent 

 occasions. Many other reputable citizens relate similiar 

 stories of meeting with the bird at night, some evincing such 

 fear as to avoid traveling along the road after dark. 



Salem, Mass., April 12.— Cedar birds have been in flocks 

 and plenty of them this year. I understand two Lynn 

 parties whose names are known have been buying them from 

 boys this season for seventy-five cents a dozen. If either 

 of them see this mention I hope they will set a better ex- 

 ample to minors. A few scattering Wilson's snipe have been 

 shot and woodcock are along. Swallows (T. Mcolor) and 

 purple finches are about, and the frogs are piping merrily. 

 Bluebirds are nesting and several other species are mating. 



-X. Y. Z. 



Buffalo. — A correspondent reports a herd of 400 buffalo. 

 The residents are not killing them, except occasionally one 

 for food, and they are increasing. They will have to move 

 soon, however, as the ubiquitous wire fence is encroaching 

 on them. 



