872 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Nov, 27, 1890. 



MEETING OF THE A. O. U. 



THE eighth congress of the American Ornithologists 

 Union was held last week at Washington, Nov. 18 

 to 20, in the Lecture Hall of the United States National 

 Museum. 



The meeting was largely attended, and as will be seen 

 from list of papers given below, was full of interest. It 

 was one of tne most successful meetings held since the 

 founding of the Union. 



The session of Tuesday was devoted to business and 

 was not open to the general public. At this meeting 

 were read the reports of the secretary, the treasurer and 

 the council. Officers were elected for the ensuing year, 

 and then followed election of new members and reports 

 of committees. 



The officers chosen for 1891 were: D. G. Elliot, Presi- 

 dent; Eobert Ridgway and Wm. Brewster, Vice-Presi- 

 dents; John H. Sage, Secretary; Wm, Dutcber, Treasurer. 

 Chas. B. Cory, H. W. Henshaw, Dr. C. Hart Merriam, 

 Dr. L, Stejneger, Dr. J. A. Allen. Dr. Elliott Ooues, Col. 

 N. S. Goss, Members of the Council. At this election 

 there were thirty-eight members present and voting. 



The sessions held on Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 19 

 and 20, were open to the public, And were devoted to the. 

 reading of scientific papers. The first of these, The 

 American Ornithologists' Union — a seven years' retro- 

 spect — was an address by the retiring president, Mr, J. A. 

 Allen, who has occupied this chair ever since the founding 

 of the Union. This was followed by these papers: 



Seed Planting by Birds, by Walter B. Barrows. Phala^ 

 ropes at Swampscott, Mass., by Wm. A. Jeffries. The Birds 

 of Andros Island, Bahamas, by John I. Northrop. Be- 

 marks on a few Species of Andros Island Birds, collected 

 by Dr. Northrop, by J. A. Allen. An Experimental Trial of 

 a New Method for the Study of Bird Migration, by Harry 

 Gordon White. A Study of Bird Waves in the Delaware 

 Valley duping the Spring Migration of 1890, by Witrner 

 Stone. Our Present Knowledge of the. Neotropical Avi- 

 fauna, by Frank M. Chapman, The Case of Golaptcs au- 

 ratus and C. eaf&r, by J. A. Allen. Observations upon the 

 Classification of the United States Accipitrat— based upon 

 a study of their Osteology, by R. W. Shnfeldt. Some Ob- 

 servations on the Breeding of Dendroica vigorsii at Raleigh, 

 N. C.,by C. S. Brimley. The Trans-Appalachian Movement 

 of Birds from the Interior to the South Atlantic States, 

 Viewed Chiefly from the Standpoint of Chester County, 

 S. C, bv Leverett M. Loomis. A Further Review of the 

 Avian Fauna of Chester County, S. O, by Leverett M. 

 Loomis. Some Bird Skeletons from Guadalupe Island, by 

 Frederic A. Lucas. The Present Status of the Ivory-Billed 

 Woodpecker, by B. M. Hasbrouck. Some Notes Concerning 

 the Eveuing Grosbeak, by Amos W. Butler. The Spring 

 Migration of the Red Phalarope (Crymophilns fvlicarius), 

 by Harry Gordon White. Oa the Tongue of Humming 

 Birds, by Frederic A. Lucas. Insect, Intuition and Intelli- 

 gence, by C. F. Amery. The Habits of the American Golden 

 Plover in Massachusetts, by Geo. H. Mackay. Correction to 

 Revised Catalogue of the Birds of Kansas, by N. S. Goss. 

 Second Occurrence of the White-Faced Glossy Ibis (Ph gadii 

 gaarmma) in Kansas, by N. S. Goss. Remarks on the Pn 

 rnary Faunal Divisions of North America, by C. Hart Mer- 

 riam. 



At the last meeting of the A. O. U. it was suggested 

 that especial effort be made to secure, for exhibition at 

 the meeting of 1890, a quantity of photographic material 

 bearing on birds. The committee appointed to take 

 charge of the matter went into it with a good deal of 

 energy and were quite successful. 



One of the interesting and popular features of the meet- 

 ing was an exhibition of photographic slides from Jiving 

 birds and nests taken by Henry M. Spellman, of Cam- 

 bridge, Mass. These slides were thrown on canvas and 

 explained by Mr. Wm, Brewster, of Cambridge. 



THE WAYS OF THE WOODCOCK. 



T HAVE had in captivity for several days a fine speci- 

 al, men of the woodcock (Philohela minor). My effort 

 to prolong it? life was of shorter duration than was my 

 desire, but sufficient time, however, elapsed to enable me 

 to observe some of its ways and habits, which were to me 

 full of interest. The aviary which I arranged with 

 material suitable to their natural wants, served its pur- 

 pose and allowed me to see just how they acted in their 

 native cover. 



At first it was quite wild, and when given its freedom 

 in a room it would take to wing, always running a few 

 steps, wings partly open; it would then spring upward 

 and take to flight. After a short flight it would alight 

 and run to seek cover, holding its body horizontal, the 

 end of the bill inclined downward, the wings slightly 

 lowered, sometimes partly spread, making a fluttering 

 motion in order to assist its speed. 



While running the tail was invariably erected and 

 spread after the manner of a strutting peacock. When 

 it found cover that set med suitable for its protection it 

 would crouch down and remain motionless and permit 

 me to caress it by light strokes of the hand, or to take 

 hold of its bill and move it from side to side. To this 

 the bird showed no signs of resistance. If the bill was 

 pulled it would resist and would shake its head to free 

 itself. Its eyes were invariably partially or fully open 

 and it seemed to close the lids only when the eye was in 

 danger of injury from some moving object. A house fly 

 would run up and down the bill over the he<*d and body 

 and when the eye was approached the bird would simply 

 close it and quietly permit an examination of the lid I 

 never saw the woodcock make the slightest effort to drive 

 the flies away, nor to catch them. 



The woodcock when at rest stands upon both feet, the 

 body lowered, but not against the ground, so as to spread 

 the feet firm. The bill is either held on a line with the 

 body and inclined downward, or placed under either 

 wing. When under the wing it is entirely hid, the body 

 is rounded out as with perching birds. The wings are a 

 trifle lowered, with the secondaries well spread meeting 

 on the back, extending below the primaries, and reach- 

 ing back almost to the end of the tail feathers. The tail 

 invariable points upward and beyond the secondaries 

 when in this position. It would thus remain motionless 

 IZT^ft T S i seem i n S t° disregard my presence, and 

 even the touch of my hand, and only when the finger 

 « 00 » eye would it show signs of life by clos- 



™Lw V^T-r 1 ^ anger to that organ had passed, it 

 would open the lid and remain motionless as before 



My chief object in securing the bird alive was to ob- 

 serve how it procured its food from the ground The 



woodcock would suddenly arouse from its rest and run 

 hurriedly from one end of the aviary to the other, then it 

 would come to a halt and stand motionless for a few sec- 

 onds. Next it would rock its body, after the manner of a 

 spotted saudpiper, seemingly a preparatory eff ort to gain 

 strength to drive its bill into the ground. At times it 

 pushed the bill against the ground several times as if tap- 

 ping, holding the bill on a forward slant and bringing 

 back part of skull (when the ground is hard to probe) ap- 

 parently against the shoulders, and with one foot placed 

 in front of the other or standing square it would push the 

 bill into the soil. When the soil was soft the bill would 

 be sent in almost straight down, and never placed between 

 the feet and driven in (as some insist they do). When the 

 bill would come in contact with a worm, the bird would 

 hold still in a thoughtful, as if listening, manner, and 

 then withdraw the bill part way and pause, apparently to 

 allow the worm to work its way into and between the 

 bills. When the bird would give a vigorous upward pull 

 bringing the worm out, the tongue would be quickly 

 forced under the worms, which would be drawn upward 

 and swallowed. Occasionally when an active worm 

 would wriggle and twist into many shapes, refusing to be 

 swallowed, "the woodcock would take one foot and 

 straighten out the worm and quickly swallow it. When 

 mud would ah ere to the bill, the bird would take first one 

 foot, then the other, and clean the bill, or holding the 

 bill in water and soaking the mud loose, with a shake of 

 the head it would free the bill and again go to feeding. 

 I have not only seen the woodcock pull the worms out of 

 the ground, but I have seen them pick up those that were 

 crawling on the surface. 



I received a woodcock recently to be mounted, and in 

 its crop were a number of pieces of angleworms and sev- 

 eral whole ones; but in no instance have I found bugs or 

 seeds in their crops. Chas. H. Eldon, Taxidermist. 



VYmLiAMsroBT, Pa. 



LAND BIRDS AT SEA. 



T> M. S. MAJESTIC— Bound East, Oct. 2.— Editor 

 IX a Forest and Stream: Once more crossing old 

 ocean, a delightful experience, summer or winter, 

 autumn or spring. These great ships bid defiance to wind 

 and wave; the comforts and luxuries of an elegant home 

 or a grand hotel are provided; more solid enjovment and 

 healthful rest can thus be secured than elsewhere on sea 

 or land. A peculiar privilege is gained by the unique 

 opportunity to enjoy the intimate society and compan- 

 ionship of old friends, and to make the acquaintance— 

 often life long— of new ones from many lands. We com- 

 pare notes, swap stories, observe and discuss the wonders 

 of the sea, gaining new knowledge. I am favored with 

 the company of a keen student of nature. Bela P. Clapp, 

 E q., the well known chemist of Pawtucket, R. I. 



A snow bunting, blown off the land by the recent 

 severe gale, has followed the ship for many miles. Occa- 

 sionally it alights, but the moving ship and many pas- 

 sengers alarm it; and the weary bird again flies out over 

 the waters, but '-finds no rest for the sole of its foot." It 

 occasionally mistakes the crest of some great dark wave 

 for the solid rock and folds its wings to take refuge. 

 Quickly it flies away. We are deeply interested to note 

 its High ton the lee ward side of the ship. The wind blows 

 freshly from the southwest, and when it happens to pass 

 the bow it is carried far away to the north. I am very 

 anxious to rescue the little creature, bravely battling for 

 life. My offer of fifty cents to a lad in the steerage may 

 secure it, should the bird come aboard below. If taken 

 I will carry it to Queenstown and send it back by the 

 earliest steamer to be liberated in New York. 



This incident led to the following fact elicited from Mr. 

 Clapp: On one occasion he took passage frr JMew York 

 on the steamer sailing from Providence. When engaging 

 his stateroom in the morning he noticed a pair of swal- 

 lows flying out and in a small covered inclosure high up on 

 one of the masts. He asked an officer to explain it; and 

 was informed that they nested there, and that shortly 

 after the steamer reached port in the morning they left 

 and were not seen uutil within twenty minutes of the 

 hour of sailing in the evening, then staying on or about 

 the steamer until arrival at New York. * 



I am a firm believer in the possession by birds and 

 animals of something more than instinct. This one fact 

 indicates thought and judgment. These birds raised 

 their brood on the steamer. 



Since wriling the above another interesting fact has 

 been recorded. When about 200 miles out from Cape 

 Race a great blue heron flew slowly toward the steamer. 

 It hovered around for a short time and then went out of 

 sight, bound west. The veteran Captain Paraell told me 

 he had never seen a heron so far at sea before. 



George Shepard Page. 



THE CHICKADEE FOR PUBLIC PARKS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I wonder if it is generally known that we have a native 

 bird far superior to the English sparrow for stocking our 

 parks and public gardens. Such is the fact, and the 

 black-capped chickadee is the bird. 



As an objection it might be claimed that the chickadee 

 is always a migratory bird, and therefore unsuitable for 

 colonization. I believe this difficulty can be easily over- 

 come. Five years ago a flock of chickadees fed about 

 my cabin door-yard, to break up in the spring, part to go 

 north and part to remain and breed in this locality, but 

 at the present time the flock remains the year round. 

 This change was brought about by the birds becoming 

 somewhat domesticated. A change has also taken place 

 m relation to food, for they have become bread eaters in 

 the last two years. A notable change has occurred in 

 their nesting habit. The nest usually has a moss foun- 

 dation with a lining of rabbit or squirrel fur and grouse 

 feathers. These materials I keep on hand in the spring, 

 together with cotton, hair and other articles used in nest 

 building. The chickadees take kindly to cotton. Often I 

 rmd a nest with a moss foundation and a cotton linino- 

 Again, with a cotton foundation and a feather lining. 

 Some nests are made wholly of cotton. 



I believe it to be an easy matter to 'induce these birds 

 to nest m boxes, or better still, in sections of wooden 

 pipe. On the score of fecundity the chickadee ranks A 

 JNo. 1, for there are two broods in a season with from five 

 to nine m each. As an insect destroyer the bird is un- 

 surpassed. All winter long he gleans the trees for in- 

 sects and their eggs, while the sparrow hops about the 

 street searching for undigested grain. The chickadee is 



confiding and fearless, and his familiar chickadee- dee is 

 worth going miles to hear on a cold winter's morning. 



In the spring of the year he has a mating song, which 

 is a loud, clear whistle, and it seems to say, "Tea's ready," 

 with the accent dwelling on the first word. Some writers 

 call this the "phoebe note of the chickadee," and express 

 it by the word "phoebe," but in this they err, for the note 

 consists of three syllables instead of two. Moreover, 

 there is no similarity of sound in the notes. The one is a 

 plaintive wail, the other a song of joy, loud, clear, and as 

 cheery and breezy as the merry whistle of the "bare- 

 footed boy," 



With such a desirable native bird what a pity it is that 

 we should have gone out of our way to import the grain- 

 eating, quarrelsome English sparrow. Hermit, 



^ Is the Porcupine a Cannibal?— .Editor Forest and 

 Stream: I read in a newspaper column: "Hedgehogs 

 are occasionally cannibalistic, the larger ones, when hard 

 up for a dinner, chasing the smaller ones at a wonderful 

 rate and devouring them without sauce or mercy when 

 caught and conquered." Is this true? From my obser- 

 vations I should say it is not. Please ascertain if any one 

 has ever known it to occur.— N. C. L. [We are not in- 

 clined to accept this statement as applied to the so-called 

 "hedgehog" of the New England States, which is a por- 

 cupine and so a vegetarian. Of course many of the 

 Rodentia occasionally devour animal food, but this state- 

 ment is a little too strong to be accepted without sup- 

 porting evidence. It might more possibly be true of the 

 European hedgehog, which is an insectivora.] 



Second Occurrence op the Red Phalarope at Mon- 

 roe, Michigan.— On Oct. 25, 1890, 1 was fortunate enough 

 to shoot a second specimen of this maritime species 

 {Orymophilns fidiearius) at Monroe, Michigan. The bird 

 was a female m fair condition, and being shot with No. 8 

 shot made a good skin. It was alone, the first specimen 

 was shot by Mr. Ralph Brandreth on Oct. 24, 1888, at the 

 mouth of the Raisin River.— Robt. B. Lawrence. 



§<tmt §<tg md %w\. 



The full texts of the game laws of all the States, Terri 

 tories and British Provinces are given in the .Boo7r. of the 

 Game Laws. 



CARIBOU AND THEIR WAYS. 



NO matter where we went, perhaps it was where we 

 should not have gone, and in fact it would have 

 been just as well if we hadn't gone at all, except for the 

 rare health we got, and the sort of forgive-on e's-enemies 

 quality. At present I can even forgive the man who 

 told me to hunt caribou, but I warn him. as I gradually 

 assume my city appearance, to "stand from under." 



it is wild, smells from afar, can hear well, and runs 

 away when frightened, and of course, you know, should 

 be hunted with care and judgment." If I were now to 

 be asked the same question, I should say, "It isn't a deer 

 at all, it's an 'it.' " To be sure it leaves tracks, and lots 

 of them, all around everywhere, it snorts when it smells 

 you or your last week's tracks, and then runs into the 

 next county a couple of hundred miles or so, passes a de- 

 cayed camp and goes on for a week. Its color is a cross 

 between that of a ruffed grouse on the wing and a dose of 

 Jersey lightning, and it only rests once— when it is dead. 

 It lives on moss, which is absorbed by the feet, makes 

 them noiseless, and it can see through a loaf of camp 

 bread. But enough of natural history ; I will tell you how 

 I learned so much. 



Hank said he had never hunted caribou except on snow. 

 I told him any one could do that, but for my part I wanted 

 an animal to have a chance, and unless I could display 

 some woodcraft there wasn't any fun. He asked me if I 

 had any patience and if I had a pleasant disposition, for 

 he didn't care to hunt caribou with a man who didn't 

 have. Answered that I was up to the average in these 

 qualities, but thought his questions very stupid. 



Our first day's hunt was devoted to looking up sign. 

 During the afternoon we crossed any amount of it; tracks 

 were everywhere in the deep moss: the woods were full 

 of them. The spruce trees were very thick, and I told 

 Hank that it was nice cover to hunt in. That night I 

 was worried at the thought of shooting a lot of caribou 

 and not baing able to use the meat and skins, and vowed 

 to Hank that I would choose my heads and. not shoot 

 cows and calves if I could help it. 



The next day we went out again and had to use a com- 

 pass every few minutes to keep our course. We couldn't 

 see the sun more than 50yds, in any direction. We 

 started two bunches of caribou, but I didn't mind much, 

 though we must have been careless, and began to think 

 that now was the time for my woodcraft. I asked Hank 

 to let me take the lead. We walked for the rest of the 

 day in a circle. Hank said he thought it was a small one, 

 but the trees were so thick he couldn't tell. We got back 

 to camp by accident, but I didn't talk much about it. 

 While climbing over a rock on the following day we saw 

 a brown glimmer a little way off up wind ; we crawled 

 to it (I mean to where it was) and saw tracks. Hank 

 thought it must have seen us. We then made a beeline 

 by compass, hunting in the best manner till tired out, 

 then took our back track to camp. We found that the 

 band had come up to our cracks, wheeled and bolted. A 

 moose or deer would have camped there and thought 

 nothing of it. Hank said he had seen a deer browse off 

 one end of a tree while he was chopping the other. 



We hunted for several days until I would have given a 

 dollar a pound for fresh meat. Finally we found a nar- 

 row strip of woods between two swamps which was "all 

 torn up" with tracks. Hank said there would be no doubt 

 of our getting all we wanted if we sat there. We hadn't 

 watched an hour before we heard a snort from the direc- 

 tion we had come, but we saw nothing. 



Next day we made a circle and came to our watch 

 through the swamp, and never moved a step after we got 

 to our stands. We heard some coming from the opposite 

 side through the water, but they winded us up wind. I 

 suppose our scent permeated the country somehow, or 

 else they smelt our tracks of the day before. Hank said 



