30 
THE A‘'U DU:B ON B.U;L Dee 
in the record was at high point. This in part, 1s what th 
letter said: 
“Dear Miss Stewart: 
Received your letter in regard to the white-throated spar 
tow which we found this winter. My little boy (he is 8 
found the bird one terrible snowy day laying on top of th 
snow; the bird was just about alive when he found it and h 
tried to get it to eat something for him, but the bird died abou 
a half hour after he found it. We were surprised to learn hoy 
old the bird was and appreciated hearing from you about same 
(signed) Mrs. Anthony Labriola 
These are the facts. Is it really possible that a white 
throated sparrow lived at least 19 years and during this perio: 
changed its migration route? 
20 YEAR OLD GROSBEAK 
The readers of Iliinots Audubon Bulletin may be intereste 
in knowing of a Rose-breasted Grosbeak which was twent 
years old this summer. Several good authorities have writte 
us to say they believe this may be a longevity record. Mr. Eat 
B. Baysinger of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was tk 
one who thought you might like to document this record. Th 
bird was brought to our neighbor's doorstep by their dog. | 
had no feathers and seemed to have fallen out of the nest. [he 
fed it until it was old enough to fly, then tried to let it go frei 
but it wouldn’t leave. These people were killed last spring 1 
an auto accident and we have had the bird ever since. It seer 
to be more lively now than when we first got it. It eats well- 
particularly likes flies and ants—and sings when the ITV 
turned up loud. You have to be quite near, to hear the son 
though. It molted during the hot spell in August, but is gettin 
back a good many feathers now. Some of the tail feathers ai 
about half their proper length. We bought a special food fc 
molting, but he seems to prefer his regular diet of sun-flow: 
seeds, parakeet seeds, gravel, celery, lettuce and corn on the col 
Just short of ten years is the longest we have heard of such 
bird living in or out of captivity. Can you suggest how to prc 
ceed to establish whether this bird is making a record? We hav 
contacted Brookfield Zoo and U.S. Fish Wildlife Service 1 
Laurel, Maryland. Do you have any suggestions on how t 
keep him healthy? Hazel Riegel (Mrs. H. J.), Dwight, Il 
