films from jft’eln an]: 57tqu
A Robin's Defense of Its Nest
In the latter part of July. tgoz. I was vis ing at a tarnt in East Douglass. Mass. A few rods from the farmhouse was an apple orchard, through which extended a long trellis covered in most parts with a This trellis was about
luxuriantgrapewine. six teet high. and several young (owls were in the habit of using the mp rail. where it was comparatively free from leaves. as a roosting place during tlte night. For two evenings. just before dark. the sharp cries of a Robin and the squawking and fluttering ot half»grown chickens were heard Coming trout this place in the orchard. hut no par~ titular notice was taken of it. I decided to find out what happened. anti. on the next .a from
evening. took a place on the pi which a good view of the place could he had. First appeared the chickens. three of them. and nnally they got seltled on the top rail of 'I‘hen. uttering sharp cries. in Robin swept downward from an apple tree. and. flying violently against one of the chickens. knocked it fluttering and squawk. After a shurt interval the Robin made anothcrtlescent. and. hover- ing over the hacksof the remainingt‘hickens, several sharp pecks which brought lorth tries of pain, A third downs \vartl'swccp sent another chicken to the earth. The last chicken was not to he movetl. hon - the Rnhin gave up. prohahly frightened lti- the great coninmtion he Creating. the fallen chickens contented themselves witll a lower perch and the Rohin disappeared.
the trellis.
ing to the ground.
administered
ever. for after several more attac .
was Kw.)
Curious to knu“ the cause of all this. we went to the trellis and luund on the top rail. about twenty feet from where the chickens roostetl. a nest containing several young Very likely. the Robin thought the chickens were too near for safety,
Robins. parent and sought thus to defend his huiue.
The next day a Cat found the nest and destroyed the young. ~ (instance )I. ARNOLD. Waunmrkel. R. I.
Dove’s Nest on the Ground
I do not know how common it is to find Mourning Doves' nests on the ground. hut I observed one for two weeks this summer while the young birds were in it, late in July and early in August. which layout in the open in an apple orchard. at a distance from the nearest tree anti quite unprotected. We have found two other Mourning Do\ as“ nests in trees in the same orchard. in one of which the young birds are still remaining. and to judge from the number of these birds 1 have seen this summer. there were probably several other nests in the neighborr hood—E. H. (Known. R/lirrelurrl. .\. 1'.
An Odd Nest-site of the Chimney Swlit
I have been interested by the article re- lating to the nesting habits of the (Ihimnm Swift. published in the last number of BIRD-LORE. In Mr. Emhudy‘s “Birds til Madison County. New York." issued last year. I noticed similar mention of a pair. which. for a number of years. built their nests in a barn at Lake Earlville. These were of the usual tipe, and always "fastened to the side hoard~ t-ery near the peak of the roof."
Another record of an unusual site is also
- 395.
I). Kennedy. since deceased.
furnished by Madison County: In
Judge A. wrote me of the breeding 0| 3 pair in an old well on a farm near Bl'uokheld. the nest being placed some four feet lrnm the surface.
r-WilJJAM R. Mn’oh‘. War/turnout. D. L‘.
Starling in Massachusetts
In your notice of Mr. R. 0. Morris‘ "Birds oi Springfield " mention is made at the tlisappearence of the European Starlings On October I. txog. I saw a tualeot this species feeding with a flock of House Sparrow» on the Catholic church lawn on North street. Pittstield. Mass. It was in beautiful plumage and looked vigorous. r Jl)ll\ DENUUOD, Fall River. Matt. ‘
vicinir '.
after their release in this
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