Page:Bird-lore Vol 06.djvu/250

 Notes from Field and Study

a few feet. aligllts. Just before it descends the bird utters. in rapid repetition, a series oi notes that are almost an exact imitation of the call of the Spotted Sandpiper. One individual was observed singing wllile on the ground.

It was observed that the length of the bird's ﬂights varied from one~ha|t of one minute to more than three minutes. in England. it is said. when the sky is clear the bird will remain in the air tor twenty minutes at a time—[sate BILDERSEE. New Tub I. l

A Venturesorne Titmouse

l have been greatly surprised at the recent ' performances of a Tufted Titlnouse. locally called Tomtit. For several days he was noticed to be disturbing the sltlmbers of the house-dog l a long-haired Shepherd lillying around him. and following him to the porch. When the dog was tast asleep the bird would make a dive at him. with sutﬁcient force to awaken and irritate the dog. We did not immediately understand that it was the dog‘s hair that the bird wanted,

A member of the household [allowed the pair of Tomtits to a little ravine back of the house. where the trees are closely entwined with wild grape»vines-hoping to geta look at the nesting place.- making herself as inconspicuous and unnuwahle as possible. The Tomtit soon observed her and began to ﬂy around her. lit several times on her shoulder. and ﬁnally gave several vigorous pulls at her hair. Yesterday two members of the household went to the spot and seated themselves some distance apart. The Tom- tit soon appeared to recognive the bro - costume and brown hair of his iotmer v tot. boldly approached, lit on the young woman's back (she insists it was the same bird).braced himself. put back his head (so says the companion). and pulled with all his might at her back halt. which he sue» ceeded in partially pulling down. ——s. h. HIODHEAD. Spring Sin/inn. Ky,

A Sensible Cardinal

A pair of Cardinals huilt this spring in a honeysuckle at the side of a neighbor's

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porch. The ﬁrst laid until April r7. two weeks atter the nest was ﬁnished. owing to the helated spring. Isup- pose. The second and third eggs were laid nn the following two days. On the soul. the day after the third eggwas laid, a heavy snow tell. beginning early in the morning and continuing llntil noon. The female retained her place on the nest until about ten o‘clock, when either hunger or the unu- sual atmospheric conditions caused her to leave it. When she returned. perhaps tit» teen minuteslater, the nest was lull nl snow. to tlle brim. She exhiltited signal of distress and began to eat the snow. greetlily. to get rid of it. Occasionally she got on to the nest. at if to press the snow out. By even- ing. between eating and melting the snow with the heat of her body. the nest wasclear again. After this long sttbmergence in snow and snow-water. we all supposed. or course. that the eggs were hopelessly chilled. The mother—bird dilletetl with us, however. and continued to incubate; and on May r one egg llatched.—-El.httlite ELLlo'rr PEAKE, Salem. III.

L'gg wits not

'rarning a Robin

A Robin built this spring in an apple. tree of a neighbor‘s. about six feet from the ground. \Vhen ﬁrst approached she would quietly leave the nest. hut alter a few trials of this kind she resolutely stuck to her post. If touched she would shrink to the lurtller edge and peck atone': lingers. Eventually. however. she ceased to show lear. and would tamely allow herself to he stroked. Later, when the eggs were hatched. she would sit on the edge of the nest while 1 led earthworms to the young. and would occasionally reach out for one helsell. She would sit lor fifteen minutes at a time on the edge of the nest and allow me to stroke citller back or breast. and even to extend her wing its full length. Moreover, any stranger could take the same liberties. The male. however. looked with a disapproving eye on these iamiliarities. and kept at a distance. Such tameness may not be untta snal. but it never came under my observae tion helore, 7 EthlllE ELLIOTT anr. XII/(m. HI.