Habits of the Swamp Sparrow in Confinement. — Dr. Elliott 
Coues : My dear Sir : — You may recall a conversation on the subject of 
my aviary which took place at the “ Wentworth ” last summer. As you 
then appeared somewhat interested in my experiments with native birds 
I venture to send you some new facts. In the early part of November I 
visited a New York bird store, and there found a cage of our native birds, 
freshly caught, and very wild. The trapper who had just brought them 
in was present. But as he was a German, speaking very little English, and 
was moreover more than a little intoxicated ; as he also while talking 
held a short pipe in his mouth from which he puffed the smoke of villain- 
ous tobacco into my face, our interview was not wholly satisfactory. Still 
I succeeded in obtaining some scraps of information. He had a Song 
Sparrow, a “Chippy,” a White-throated Sparrow, two Purple Finches 
(indifferent stages of plumage), a Snow-bird ( Jwnco hyemalis ) , a Snow 
Bunting (Electrophones nivalis'), and one small bird I did not know. On 
questioning its captor as to this last stranger he gave me to understand 
that it was “Kleiner wasser bird — live in vet place, vere never could go the 
lady — she vet her foots.” I bought the whole lot, and, when at home, 
studied up my unknown friend. He proved to be the Swamp Sparrow 
(Melosfiza falustris), and his habits are so curious I want you to know 
of them. I placed him in a large cage, already containing some fifty birds, 
native and foreign, and in a few days he became quite at home, and 
seemed quiet and friendly, — much more so than any of the other new 
arrivals. I soon noticed that his mode of feeding was peculiar. Instead 
of eating from the seed dishes or cup of soft food, like the others, he pro- 
ceeded in this way: Perching upon the edge of the bath tub (a large 
shallow dish of earthenware filled with water), he balanced himself skil- 
fully upon one foot, and with the other, scratched or dabbled in the water. 
This stirred up the seed, and hits of green stuff, scattered by the other 
birds, and as it rose to the surface he secured it, picking it up, bit by bit, 
with his bill and eating it. This he did constantly, very rarely taking 
food in any other way. Sometimes he scratched in the gravel, strown 
upon the floor of the cage, and moistened by spray from the birds’ ablu- 
tions, and picked up the seeds he thus found. 
The constant use of his little right foot, and the strain of reaching so 
far when the water was low, finally lamed Swampy (my birds have each 
his own pet name, used only in “the family”), and he was forced to hop 
about drearily on his left foot. I then scattered seed and Mocking Bird 
food carefully upon the surface of the water, and he at once accepted the 
situation and without scratching. He is quite well again now. He has 
never sung or uttered the faintest chirp, but may begin with the approach 
of spring. I will not weary you with a longer story, but trust the items 
concerning M. falustris , a bird not often caged, will prove of some 
interest. Very sincerely, Annie Trumbull Slosson, Hartford , Conn. 
Bull. N.O.Q, e, July, 1881. p, / 7f- / . 
