C. L. WATERSON. TAIZIDERMIST mwwmr SmoWFOR~IIG 3205 Seifred Street ollEplMRTEmUlm lRhKPARMlWRD@ EMm~ care Naehville Banner IIY-- NASmLLE, TENN. SELF- --Am. mlnfRllWO wn *#WOFmfmmPk

of birds a specialty.

and Fih also prepared.

All work done at reasonable prices.

qefinest equipment, the most Vernon Sharp, Jr. bkilled craftamanship, the de- 220 Capitol Blvd. NASHVILLE, TENN. tompmy. Wha- your print- ing needs, see Rich first! m GENEXAL INSURANCE SEBVICE FTRE TORNADO TrnFT Printers, PubWm Cgtabmm, Bhk Books hiForms, Bruin- rn AUTOMOBILE AND COMPLETE 166163 SeFond Avenue, North UASEIMLLE TENNESSEE SUBETY PBOTErnON THE MIGRANT -- YOL. V, DECEMBER, 1934 NO. 4 -- - - . - .- - Published by the Tennessee 0rnitho:o~ical Society, to Record and Encourage the Study of Birds in Tcnneasce. Issued in March, June. Sepikmher and December. -- . -.. ------., .. . .-. - -- - ..---- . . .. -. -- ,-. THE NESTING BIRDS OF NORTHEASTERN TENXESSEE By ROBERT B. LYLE and BRUCE P. TYLER

FOREFVOXD: Po~.ha!,s:LO i!isf).ibo!ic~~crlj)trl:Lic~~iio~zs 141-1: of wlorr uulus Ihu~r u,~tnotntcdlists of tkc b~.cc,ding 0i)ds uT ~trrius01. st~tnllc~.(ti-eas zuAea fl?c dntcr pr'csrlllud u.rc ncclr~~i~teII r~d ilef itlitc.. S~icltIists ewe of vralrrt, 11ut O,I,?I~css ftrir~irrl sl:ldics, hut crs Irclps ijr ruo.rk- ing 07!? tltc dcfnilrd geu!/~.crplticcl c!istribrtliul~01 art?. bids. rrbo~ttwhirl! conr- ?>arativclg little ,is gol!t,~,rrllyIc7ruzr~. The ?Ilmesrl~,trr.l,ttcle vjt Hte b'~,rlrc of .~lo?.tlb:rf.~le~nTnr.!r..ser is s?fclt o List. altd sl~otildmr~t with n ur,,y cordlrrl ?,rccj)tio;!ui~ ihr ~irf~,:of tF,c sf)~clairta ;rut~?nland riist~ibzttionnltii~~~ithol~,q?/. IVC I!~/I>c olto.yrihei, too few of s~!cl~ jj~blicct tiuns.---I-IAI~RY C. OSERHOLSZR.

111 the Seple~llber. 1933, issue of The Migl~11.tthe authors of this paper presented to its i.eacle1-2 n !ist of the bjrrls (11' ;;or~hea-tzrn (Upper IZast) Tenncb.;cc, ucciln.rng ciuriiig thc i~~o~.th~of !)r!cci>tbc).. ccond pape?, only thuse birds are listed whose 11csts have bren found oi. :rye linown to exiz.t either by the authors, or by Messrs. Fi-ed M. Jnncs, for~?ittlyof Rris- rol, Tennessee, 01. Honra~rl:Long of Kingsport, Tcnncsser, who have very gra- ciously fncnished missil~gdata. This oppo~tunityis talren to thank them for their valuer1 nssist,ance. The te~1.iloryeovp~.etl by this papcr is the sa!nc as thst riccc~iberl in our 1)apcr on the minter li1.d~above ~'efur~,erll:n. It r~uhrzrsllortions of tl~c T,'p;?er Austral, Transition ac:! Caiiudisn XO~ICS. Our obscrv?.tions have bcen ;)lade within a i.ndi11s of thirty n~i!es cf Johnsnn City, which h~i~an e!r.vr.tion of about 1,700 f~rtahovc sea IeveI. This city lies in lile ::nHcy of the IVa- t;l;r:ya River, nc:stling a~ainstBufPnlo Mountain on the so:liileast, and ahout tilrw !;~~ndredfctt abovc and, say, five n~ilcssouthcast of the ri7e1,. It is Iocatr=6thirty 1ci1c.s south of the Vi:.-inia line. Tn the north ::ild vrer L ::tlhetchcs tn;. vsIley, lnountains rising- again at C.linch Muunlain to tlw )-ileal1 eleva- tio!~of 3,000 fect at a dislnnce of app~osimalclytrver~ly-J'ive 1111les fro:,> John- son City as thc crow fl~es. To the nortlleast lies Shady Valley, the tnpogra-- ph:y. of which is described in a recent pfipev "Summer Bi~,rlsoS Shady Vallcy," by A. I?. Ganier and Bruce P. TyLer in Thr ililigr.orzf. 1924, p. 21. The prin- cipal i~lountalnsto the southenst are BoJston, Iron, Roan and Big Bald. The latter two are on the Tennessee-North Cal*olinn state line, approrinlalcly twenty miles southeast of Johnson City, and having a marimurn eIevation of S,3i3 feet on Roan Mountain. More adjacent to Johnson City aye Buffalo, Cherokee and Unalta Mountains. Thc vaIley is traversed by the Watauga allti HoIston Xivers, and approached on the soutl~by the n'o1ic:tucky River. The Watauga and IJolston Rivers are scpat.aki1 by a ridge of minor i!ll- liortance. In this setting the data for this paper have bec.n .n;iecuretl. In the list of nesting birds enumerated thcre are species either known THE MIGRANT December, or believed to breed in this vicinity, particularly in the higher mountains, but on which, f~omlack of actual observation, no nesting data can be given. Nu- tntions to that effect are made under each of these species. This abbreviated record must not be intcrpreted to mean that the birds are not here, for they have been recorded ss present during the breedjng season when every action indicated that they kvem nesting, bnt the nests could not be found. We feel that their inclusion strengthens the value of our observations. Wherever pos- sible with each of the 105 species here listed, will be found the specific dates upon which nests have beell found in this locality. In the case of the tom- rnoner species, only three or four selected records are given. Thc information presented herewith is a suml-~aryof data collected over a period of many years of field work, representing hundreds of miles of rough walking, hard climbs, sore and bruised muscles, to say nothing of tat- tered clothing, fruitless trips or poison ivy. EASTERN GREEN HERON. B?eggs; June lath, five young just hatched; dune 20th, five eggs incubated four days. TURKEY VULTURE. Calhal-bes aarrn scptentrio?zalis. Fairly commnon. They nest as high as forty feet in tree cavities, brit mostly on pound in hollow trees and oId stumps, or in "pot holes" or small caves in the river bluffs. April loth, 22nd, 27th and 29th, May 13th and 16th. BLACK VU1,TURE. Corag?lp~atrahts rr.tra tzrs. Very abundant in a restricted area oil South Fork of Bolston River, but not to be found nesting elsewhere. All nests found have been in "pot holes" of the cliffs above the river. They nest about a nlonlh earlier than the Turkey Vu1tu1.e. Will frequently lay a second set in about twenty-one days in same nest if first eggs are taken. March 12th, 20th and 29th, April 2nd, 7th and 15th, and May 2nd. COOPER'S HAWK. Accipdtrr coop~ri. Fairly comman. The farmers are unfriendly to them hccause of their lik- ing for poultry, and have reduced their numbers. Nests found usually above forty feet, one being collected at the heiaht of one hundred and twelve feet. April 16th, four fresh eggs; April 21, two fresh eggs (spotted) ; May lst, five eggs incubated five days; May 19th, four fresh eggs; May 20th, four fresh eggs. EASTERN RED-TAILED HAWK. Bltleo borealis borealis. Fairly common in the heavy timber. Nests pIaced at very greatest heights in largest trees. The majority lay about March 25th, but nests have been found to contain eggs until June. March 26th, two eggs incubated twenty days; May 25th, two fresh eggs; April Ist, one egg incubated twenty days; April 4th, hatching; April Ist, two fresh eggs. BROAD-WINGED HAWK. Bj~teoplatypte?xs platypte~us. Bather rare. April 29th, three fresh eggs; May 2nd, three eggs incubated five days; May 3rd, three eggs incubated five days; May Gth, two fresh eggs; May 9th, t\vo eggs incubated three days; May 16th, four eggs incubated ten days. I)U CK HAWK. Ftr Leo ?)cr~grinuso?zudnr?n. Three pairs nesting r,ear Soknsorr City-all in cliffs above rivers. May Lst, 1929, three youny almost grown, in brown and white plumage; April 14th, 1933, one egg; May 13th, 1933, three eggs-second nesting. (Sce The Migrant, 1033, p. 43); March 29th, 1934, three young and two eggs. EASTERN SPARROW HAWK. Falco apavvevizrs sparvsfi,rcs. Fairly common. Of late years oceasiona1 nesting sites have been chosen in suitable holes in brick buiIdings in the heart of business sections. Usually THE MIGRANT

they nest high in holes of dead trees. April 22nd, four fresh eggs; April 24th, six eggs incubated four days; April 26t11, five eggs about to hatch; April 27111, five eg~sincubated ten days; May IOth, five eggs incubated four days; May 31st, three frcsh eggs. EASTERN RUFFED GROUSE, Bonascr zintbellns it?~rbcllits. Fairly common in the mou~~tains.Nest in April and again if broken up. May 22nd (second nesting), four fresh eggs; May 29tl1, brood of ten just able to fly. EASTERN BOB WHITE. Coli?~z~svii4ginia?t?,~s v?rgi~iiomus. Fairly comnlon. Rnisc two broods each year. May 12th, four fresh eggs; June 71h, two ncsts, just bcginning to lay (Shady Valley); July 5th, two fresh eggs. KILLDE~R. 0xyrclur.s vocifc~tts?~oriJcr?ts. Nests found i.n both gyassy and cultivaled fields, and often at a great distance froin watcr. Nest.s through April, May and June. March 21st) fnu~newly hatched yourig-weather. cold; April 28th; May 10th; May 241h, four exgs incubated four [lays; June 10th; June 18th. AMERICAN WOODCOCK. Philol~clan~iizoi~. Regular sumlner resident in suitable locations, but very scarce. June 2nrl, young large enough to fly; .June 4th, two young three-for~rthsprorvn. SPOTTED SANDPXPER. Actit is ~~~tc?tlovir~. Common sumnler resident. Only nest found was in bunch of grass neal. mill dam, June loth, containing four highly incubated eggs-aboat one hun- dred twent-y-five feet from water. EASTERN MOIIRNINC DOVE. Zenaid?trtr ntac.j,ovra cal-oli~rensiu- Apparently very nluch decrenscd from the annual slaughter, during the huntinf: season. The open season for shooting should be made to coincide with the ~uailseason to avoid undue decrease. March Ztith, two fresh eggs; ApriI 31h; April 15th; April 231-d; April 20th; Mny 1st; May Glh and May 14th. YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO. Cocrua~srn~nc~.icu?r~ts umevicn?zzls. Fail-ly common. May 24th, trvo fresh eggs; May 27tk, two fresl~ eggs; May 31st, two fresh eggs; June 6th, four fresh eggs; June 15tb, three eggs incubzted fourteen days. BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO. Cocc~~xi~se,rythl-oplkolit~~~s. Less comn~onthan the former. Nay 22nrl, fuur eggs incubated two days; June 4th, two fresh eggs. BARN OWL. Tyto ctlba prlatincola. Permanent resident. Rare. Only one nest found ; near Blountville, April 27th, containing seven frcsh eggs. EASTERN SCREECH OWL. Otis usio IICLCV~I[S. Fairly common. March ZStll, four fresh eggs; April lath, two young and one egg; April 25th) three pipped eggs. G RE AT-HORN EU 0 WL. Bl~bovi7-gillirrnus virginia~lus. Only a vevy few lcft nrrd these in dense remote woodland. February 10tI1, average nesting date. Marc11 lst, two eggs incubated twenty-f ivc days; March lst, two young birds. NOIZTHERN 'BARRED OWJ,. Shix vu~iavnria. Being gradnally reducetl in nilmbcrs, as arc all hawks and owls. Rare and restricted to certain localities where not ~nolested. March 30th, two fresh e~gs;April 4th, three young. CHUCK-WILLS-WIDOW. A?~~~.OS~UWIU$cal-oline?uis. Rare and seldom seen. Nest found June Gth, containing two pipped eggs, May 12th, two eggs incubated four clays; May 22nd, two eggs incubated six days; May 31st, two eggs incubated two days; June 3rd, two eggs incubated

EASTERN NIGIITHAWX. Chordeilcx neinov 4niizor. Fairly co~nmot~exccpt in 1023, when they, too, as the above species, were vcr:,- scarce-possibly cxn account: of heavy storms. May loth, two fresh eggs; B:Tay 23rd, two fresh e.Fgs; May 25th' two eggs incubated thirteen days; June Ilth, txvo fresh eggs; June 28th, two fresh eggs. CSI .'JNEY SWIFT. Chaat.~(rapelugicu. common bird. Juue 7th, nesl ill old chimney; dune 24th, five u

two fresh eggs; June Zith, two fresh eggs. EASTERN BELTZD IiENGFISHER. Mrgacel-grle ulcuon alcjjo?~. Fairly common along our streams. Ncver more than one pair nestin% in the same locality. Both sexes incubate, April 21st, three fresh ex=; May loth, scvcn cggs incubated five days; May 3Dth, seven fresh eggs; June 1st. two exgs incubated fourleen days.

NORTHERN FLICKER. Colrr~>tc:s(rlonl rl~ I~to71s. Cowmoll. If ths cz~sare skillfully rcrnovcd from a flicker's nest the fe- male will continue to lay many eggs in the same nest. April 22nd, one fresh egc; April 28th, one fresh egg; May 23rd. five fresh egEs.

three etrzs incubated tl~rccdays. RED-3RTLIED WOODPECKER. Ccltt?lrits cu )-nl!n~i

eggs ific;lhrttcd tca days; June 21~1,f.vr fresh crjia. THE MIGRANT eggs incubatcd five days; dune 13th, thrce eggs incubated twelve days; June 20th, young hirds. EASTERN PHOEBE. Snyo~nisphoebe. Cotnwo~lyesirlent. April 30th, five fresh eg.gs and two Cowbird eggs. This nest was abandoned. April Ijth, f ivc fresh eggs; Mny loth, five fresh eggs; May 13th, Tour fresh eg-<:.s; May 20th, five fresh eggs. ACAUXAN FLY CATC IIER. En~pirlanax vi?.s&ccns. Conjmon. May 20th, two cggs incubated thrce days; July Ist, th~eeeggs incubated five days. IrEAST FLYCATCHER. E~~pidonnxt'nli~zi,lzzts. Breeds ir~upper reaches of thc Transition Xonc. EASTERN WOO13 PEWEE. ilPyioc;~r!nc:sV~I'P~ZR. I COI~Kay Xth, th1.c~fresh e::gs; May Nth, three fl-estl rZg.5; June 5th, thwe eggs incubated foulh Cays; J tbrie Sth, three fresh eggs; dune lath, two e?:zs incubatcd two days; June 20t.11, three fresh eggs. PRAiRlZ IIORWED LARK. Otoro~isa1pestri.c pi.nl.iroln. l::tre in su111:::cr. Only one breeding record, on May loth, saw fenlalc feeding young. Il0tTGl-I-I.VINGEJ3 SWAL1,O'LV. Strlgidup:ci~y~:7 rtficuIijs sr.~-?.il>crinis. Fairly colnmorl. Xay lXlh, seven fresh eggs; May 18th, three fresh eags; Rlay 24th, seven J'rrsh exr9,a: Julie lath, frve eciys incubatcd five dnys. BARN Si,VALiOIT. Ilii.lt )>do ti.~jtttt.ogrf:~t~. E'ai:.ly coni~~~onto rnre. A colorly oi six pairs found in Shzds- Vailsy, rvl~crcon June 9th nrsis \-i,.ith fu1I cluichcs of five eggs and yoGnx birds weve found (see The 11j:!gr0xt, June, 1934, p. 21) ; nestin!: data elseu-hillhe is May rlll~,l'jvc fresh ergs; hltltly 17tl1, iwo nc~tsexr.11 eontaini!l,.: ihrec fresh eggs; July 6tl1, five frcsll cg:p; Nay 26111, five fresh t5gx.;s. KORTFIERM CLIFF S!V.'I,LOW. Pctl.o<-hrlidon ulblfrc??,sct1l)ij)-on-s. Obscrv~ilonly on llonn Mountain. JuIy 'ith, 1224, which tlatc rvould indi- calc thxt it way nest in that viciaity. P'L'RPLE z7,lRTlN. l'r,o.gi~e silbirt s~rbis. Disappeared from tl~ibrici~l~borhood for a numbel. or years, but 1993 bl.ou~rhtyr::at nntn!>rtrs of them. d~neStlh, four fresh eggs. NORTIIEItN BLUE .TAIr. Cycotuci:lrl, ur.istntrc r~lstfiln. Very con13;iorl. ii 1ntln:lc.r io c>t~l:>r!lii,rls on ncco~i111,01 ils habit of cating t!~eircy:s or very slnni! ncstlinzs. 7.1'3~13tI1, rive I'rcsh c"t;s: May Ist, five t-;:~ incu:;n!ed ten days; 3lxy Slh, live fresh cg.::!. KORTIIERN RAY LN CO~,~:~IXcu ,.,I,< ?)I-;>IC~'/)<<~~S. V,::: 1.:,1~. Fourlrl in thc roughr-t parts of the higher ~~on~itaii~s. .SOY,'T!lElEl\J CICDW. Cul-v~l,~b~ack~~r~hy~c.hos pnul~rs. ('clnlr.oj:. 1)ut r1pcraa::cd di~~i:~;.the 1:i;t ten ycars. April 2nd, tl~recfresh r::R:-:; Ppl.il Fit), rive tb:>:g:incnl~a~eti tht-ce days; April IGtll, four Ii'esh eggs; April IXLh, five cj:;:~ il~

WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH. Sittcr. carolins?lsis caroLi?tensis. Fairly common to rare. April 11th. seven fresh egp; April 27th, seven frcsh c~gs;May ZEith, young birds. RED-UREASTED NUTHATCH. Sitfa crtxadcnsis. Abundant doring hrecding season on top of Roan Mountain, whcre it certainly breeds, but no ncsts have been found. HOUSE WREN. Xrog!odytes uedoa aedow. Zreeds very sparing-ly in the Transitinn Zone; more common in the Ca- nadian Zone, on top of Roan Mountain, where on July 7th the birds wPre ob- served in full song, but no nests were found. The following record of many years ayo is P'i*o?nthe vicinity of Johnson City: May 29th, two fresh eggs-is regarded as very unusual. EASTERN WINTER WREN. A7alntus kiemnlis hienzc~lis. These birds occur in eonside~ableriu~nbers in the brecdina season in full song in the Cane.dian Zone, on a11 high mountains in this vicinity. They were so observed on Roan Mountain June 23rd and July 7th, hut 110 nests were found. BEWICK'S WREN. Th~:/nntrrnrsbr!uWOOD THRUSH. Il!ylocickln mztstcli7ra. Fairly comn>on. May 17th, four eggs incubated ten days May 21st, four eggs incubated eight days; May Ifith, three pipped egs; May 29t11, four fresh eggs; June 17th, three frcsh eggs. V Io>ERY. H~/locichlnfz+scc,scr??s f~tscesccns. Fairly conlmon in ~nou.ntainsat high elevations, say 4,000 feet and higher. altitudes, but its nest has not beer] found. EASTERN BLUEBIRD. Sialin sicrdis sicrEis. Fairly common. Now increasing after being scarce for a number of years. Breed thraurh July. Raise two broods rcgularly~ccnsionaI1yfour broods. April loth, five fresh eEgs; April Ifith, five fresh eggs; April 28th, five fresh eggs ; July Dtl~,five fresh eggs-second nesting. BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCH ER. Poliopl iln rts~r?ileacaw-?flea. Vcry few found cach scason. April 30th, four fresh eggs; May llth, five eggs incubated three days; June 18th, three fresh eggs; June ZGth, four fresh eggs. THE MIGRANT

CEDAR WAX WING. Bomb~cillacsdro~ttm. Fairly common resident. Summer resident in Canadian and upper part of Transition Zo~lcr,. Ncst in colonies on top of high mountains in Canadian Zone. June Gth, four f~cshezgs; June 7th, four frcsh cxgs; June 28th, four fresh c~gs;June 26th, five eggs incubaled five days. Fcmalc feeding young Septe~nber10111, 1933. STAHLJNG. St,rl.,~l~sv~tlgn~is uitlgu,ris. 1rrcrea:iing ~npidlyand to an alar~ningextent. Flocks seen-1933-prob- ably 50,000. Several broorls. In 1134 the areat flocks arc missing. WIIITE-EYED VTiZKO. V~~POyvise?t~ g~isezis. Comnlon. Mny Ilth, one fresh egg; May 23rd. four fresh egys; May 27th, four eggs incubated five days; May 301h, two fresh eggs; June Zrd, one fresh c~g.. YELLOW-THROATEL) VIREO. S'irco flnvif~.o?zs. Rare. June Znd, young birds July 24tR, three fresh eggs. MOIJNTAIN VIREO. lfr?.roso1i:rr~ius alfico[cr. Found at hi~hwltitudes. May 19t11, four fresh eggs; May ZGth, three fresh eggs. RED-EYED VIREO. Ifii.uo oli~~ucc~ru. A common bird in woudlands. May 27th, three frcsh eggs; dune 3rd. three fresh eggs; June 4th, thlmee fresh eggs; June 13th, fuur eggs incubated six days; June 27th, tllrce fresh eggs. BLACK-.4ND-WHITE WARBLEE. !lYrtiotilta vrr?,in. Cnn~n~unsummer rcsidevt. May Znd, two young birds and t-KOsta!e eyp; May lCith, thiec young and one exg; June lllh, four fresh eg~s---secondnesting. PROTETOZL'OTARY WAKBLXR. P~.ofho~rottr~.incjtrca. The only nest oSser.ved was on Ho!slon Rive14 ApyiI 30th. Nest undcr con~tructicnin dead willow snag about six feet high and leaning ovcr wntcr. SOUTI-IERK PARULA WARDLER, l!o~rcp~ofhl?,~~is~IVPI icrrna, n~~~crica?zrr. Fairly corninon. Pryhaps our bird llcre is the North~~nsub~lpecie~ C. CI. pz~sillct. Jnie Ixt, foul. fi,c:;h eggs; Jurie BGth, three fresh cggs; junc 27th, thrce frcsh ey?;s, Raiacs t,wo brocds. EASTERN YELLOW LVARRLER. Ue?zdroica crcafiutr, aestiva. Fairly common. May 16th, four fresh eggs; May IGth, two fresh eggs; May lath, one fresh egg; May 20tR, four eggs incubated four day.;. CAIRN'S WARBLER. UunrZroiccr cnoj~l~lcuccnscaimsi Pal~Iycollntlon to rare in higher ~nountainain Canadian une. June 28th, young birds; June 20th, four eggs inci!b:lteri Sour days; July lst, three young. BLACIC-TAR0ATE:n GREEN WARBLER. Dc,tdr.oica vi,.cnu vire-,is. Rcp;ular sum:lle? rrsirlcnl in u:~pcrpart of 'I'rnnsiLion Zonc and Cnnadian Zone. Su~elybi,eeds hem, but no nesls liavc becn found. YELLOW -THROATEL) WARBLER. Bc~rclroiradomitzica tlontinicn. Summer ~csident,but local in distribution. Itare. May 18th, folly frrsh eggs. Breeds up to aboat 8,000 fect cievation. CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER. Dclld~.uicnpc~rs~:luttnic.rr. Ereeds in upper reaches of the Transition Zone, June 2Bth, three f1.cs.h eggs; Jurie lSth, three fresh eggs. OVEN-YIRD. Sellrrztu atr~~uri~pillrrs. Cornmvn. May 17th, three fresh ezgs and tivo cow-bird cxgs; Map 28th, five pipped eggs; June 21st, four egxs incubated ten clays. LOIJXSIANA WATER-THRUSH. Seittrt!~nlotcrrillrr. Fairly common. Api,il PZrd, one fresh egg; April Nth, live fresh eggs; May 271h, two youngr birds and three eggs; May 13th, three young birds; two eggs and one cow-bird egg. THE MIGRANT December,

KENTUCKY WARBLER. Opoj-omis forlnos?~s. Common. May 20th, four fresh eggs; May 24th, two sterile eggs. MARYLAND Y EI.LOW-THROAT. Gcothulpirr trirhas tric:hacas. Fairly common. May 2204 four fresh eggs and one cow-bird egg; May 24th, four eggs incubated three days; May 2Gth, five fresh eggs. YELLOW-BREASTZD GHAT. Icfericz wirens 3ire)ts. Common. Alay 24th, four fresh eggs; June Ist, five fresh eggs; June lsth, three pipped esgs. HOODED WARBLER. Wilsonin eitriltu,. Fairly common in mountain forests. Ju~e14th. two eg:s incubated nine days; June loth, four frc~hergs; June IDth, young birds. AMERICAN REDSTA.RT. Sctophaga ~lifidlla. Fairly colnlnon. May 12th, two fresh egras; Mag 16th, three fresh czzs; June 5th, tkrce ecEs incubated seven days; June 14th, three eggs incubated eight days. ENGLISH SPARROW. Passer d~mesiictrsdo~ncstie~ts. Coml~ion,but not as abundant as a few yeai*s ago. Has learned tn eat cab- bage WOYIIIS,and is becoming more insectivorous, due to sbovtng~in thq: sup- ply of its usual diet. Febrnnry 15th, June 23rd and doubticss later. Gener- ally lays five eggs. EASTERN MEADOWLARK. Stjrl.nolIa mngna wtngltn. Common. April 23rd, five eggs incitbated seven days; May ZQth, five fresh eggs; July 28th, four fresh eggs. EASTERN RED-WING. Agelai~rsphoe~ziee~cs ~)hoc?rice?t,s. Fairly corrlmon. Nests in rushes in mxvshy land or in trees as far up as twenty-five feet. Rmrixcs two broods. First nesting May 12thj four. frcsh erEn; May lgth, four fresh eggs; May Ptith, three eggs incubated thrce days; May 27th, three eggs incubated two days. Second ,ncstin~June Ist, four effgs incubatcd two days; June loth, four fresh eggs; Yunr loth, four eggs incu- batxd seven days. ORCEARD ORIOLE. fete?-zrs spzrrie~s. Fairly comnlon. Durina the spring of 1933 noted several young males in the.i.r iillrnature plumage. May 23rd, three frcsh eggs; May 241h, one fresh egg; May ZSth, four eggs incubatcd two days; May 29th, five frcsh eggs. BALTIlLIORE ORIOLE. Zctel-?IS galb~rln. Rare. May 20t,h, five fresh ex-gs; June 5th, five fresh eggs. PURPLE GRACKLE. Quiswltis quGeuln qzr isc~~lcr.. Common. Breeds preferably in colonies in groups of cedar trees about twenty feet above the ground. Raise only one brood unless the first eggs laid are lost. April 29th, four ergs incubated 5cvc:n days; May lst, five cggs incubated four days; May 29th, five frcsh ergs. EASTERN COWBIRD. Molothl-RS ator ater. Fairly comn:on. Their eggs Rave only been found it1 this uei~hborhood during t,he past thrcc years. One cpg each in Phoebe and Maryland Yellow- Throat nests. In another Phocbe nest, in addition to five Phoebe eggs, two eggs were io~incl,causing the Phoebe to leave the nest. Cowbird eggs were also found in two Cardinal nests. SCARLET TANAGER. Pira.?tya ~vgthc-olrtelas. Fairly common ill moodlarld of Transition and Canadian Zoncs. May 20th, four eggs incubated two days; Play 26th, three fresh eggs at altitude of 5,000 feet; May 24th, three young birds. SUMMER TANAGER. Pirungo t~tbrarubrn. Fairly colnmon. Mzy 24th, four fresh eggs; May 26th, two nests each, containing four fresh eggs. THE MIGRANT

EASTERN GAI?DINAL. Richmondena cnt'dinolis rrtrdimlis. Conimon. April 17th, three fresh eggs and two cowbird eggs; April 29th, three fl,esk eggs ; May 4th, four young and one cowbird er:; .May 25th, four freul~eggs; May Hth, focr fl-esh egEs; June Znd, four fresh eggs. ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK. Nedy,rtclcs I~rdovician~rs. Is(:n~tdrrczrfr~ nclso?li. FairIy cornl:lon. Kay 25111, tl:r~cfresh egEs; Znne 24th, fotlr younl birds; May lDlh, two f i.r~:.i~cgjis; Junc Tth, two pairs fcsdin~yonnc in Shady Valley.

J3ACITMAN SPARROW. A i,nloyh iln !ti ql ivnIis b(~chnzani. A nun;!>cr r\7cl,cfound dulnin~1011-12-13 hraedin~ in a restricted arca. No nrvt-. c:~scvvcrIain-c that time until 1924. May f Tth, four f'rcsh eggs; May 15i,1i, five erj:s ir~cub:~tcdthree days.

CARCTJNA JIJNCO. J~rncc~hj:t,~i~~lir: cnl.olilecasis. Co~l~i~lonin cstrcl~~e upper part of Transition Zone and the Canadian Zone. Mag 21t,h, four frcsh exgs; June lF:,h, three frcsk eggs; June 21th, threc eggs incubated fivc days; July 9th, three pippctl eggs. EASTERN CCIIIPF'ING SPARROW. Spi;.ulIrc pneserlnu possr)*irza. Co~~~mcn.Believcd to raisc thrcc broods ycsrly, nesting throughout July. Way 20th, tlwcc f~,esheggs; 1-Iay 23rd, four. fresh eggs; June 5th, 4 fresh eggs. EASTEIlN FIELD SPARROW. Spkella pt~sitlaprrsilla. Col~~inon.Ealievcd lo raisc three broods ycarly. May 20th, three eggs incubaLcd seven days; May Zlst, four cfigs incubated eight days; May 26th, four fresh ez~s;AII~u:~ 6th, three fresh eggs. EASTERN SOKG SPARROW. filclospiza. mclodiu trtelodia. Cornn~on. Tdng 22nd, four eggs incubated three days; May 22nd, four eggs incubated nine days; June 34, four fresh eggs. Joi.~~sonCITY, TEKN., December, 1931. THE MIGRANT December,

WOODCOCK NOTES AND SUNDRY OTHERS By DAN R. GRAY.

The flatwoods counlry or "Bnrrcns" atound Summertnwn, partly in Idan- rence and pa~,tin Lewis County, is ~vclladapted to the nccds of the Wood- cock. Thew are a number of low flat areas in which shallot. water may be found most of the year, anrl these swampy areas coupled w~th'chc fact that the country is only very thinly inhubi'ccrl, havz made it possi'irlc for thfse birds to survive. 1 i'o~~rn~~lyspcnl mosL of my Sundays ir: this area, with a pack of bea~lehounds, and flushed the WOO~COC~~there quite Pirqne~itly. They rverc seen al a11 tinlcs d~lringthe ycar except in very cold wintcr ~vezth- er. It v~zsvcry u~unlclurinp ~7.rrn~pells in February to see anrl hear the 111atin: play a:~tlsonx of: t!jese scn~i-noctur~~albirds, and 1 l'ernen~he~.on one occasion 11uai.i~~fou~ males in one ni~lit. While they usually erlyr.ac i.n this "play" only at tius!<, they wi!l keel, it i~pqui;e late on n moor~!igllt night. 1 oncc heard the perfor~ma~~ceon the 31st of Decentber, in 1!123 or 1924. IT'c had had a warm spell gvior to that time, but it turned very cold im!ncditlt'ely tlltcruards. Wocdcncks ia:r th-ir r:;:;s vc~yc\avly, ~~cstincon thc ~:.oulld aluorla thz leaves and bcirjg close sittc~sthcir nrsts ate rarrIy fountf. 1 :oi:nd two r~csts. in different years, near Cum Sp~ings,irl La~vrc~iceCour?ty, ttboul two ~?ii!es south of Rockdale, and have seen younq birds on a number of occasions in "The Ear~ens." The trvo nests mentioned wctc on dry bar~!cs, one at the foot cf a Llac!i-jack oak a11d the othcr in a s:nxlI thick-t. Thew rvcre four eggs in each and thesr were left undiatu~bed. I rarcly vipit the ilbovc coun- try now, but I feel su1.e they are still tl~cre;there mere ccrtainiy lots of th?;;~ as latc as 1930, and prvbably a ~oorlp~~.centa!;c were sull?ttlel. res~dcntj. Near my present location, Mt. Pleasant, tirere is not much country suit- abIe for them, and I do *lot see Ilieln oiti:n. In late October, 1934, J flushed one on c I~illsidenl,oul 203 y21,(i!: 1'ro:n a sn~al!st~,cn~)~. A r~url~ber o:' y?almG ago, a IVoodrocl; n,e,s shot on Pe5iusl.g 25 and or1 tl~cs:,~rlgit :;he was found to contain xve!l-developed err-A. At Lhzt ti~-r?c(1!111) the I~untingsr.tl?on I-nn on until April 15, and thu1,e was i?u Weeks-McLean bird Ian.. In the Me!.ch, 1032, tli.#?.a?7t, I n~entionedthat Upland Plover were usually seen here every spriny. D11ri.n~Ihe spi,i~l,ycf 1954, I saw none, bvt heal,(! one at dusk, pnsi:ig over. T11el.c mcre f.wu, llo\r~cvcr, or1 9ny fa:.~n i;~ea~l:~ September. n'ly son and I Farv Ihent wllilc dovr shooling, but thcy :'luxhe[l at s01:1e dislsnce and lvcrc ~:otto bc sccn on ~ubwquentdavs. Puck shootinc nu .4r1.orj-Lake. nrnr here, t~pto Novr~~Scr15, .n: 'ilcrl !IIC 4 Lesser Sca~!p. 2 Ring-nc::!;!i, a Kc:l!iratl, and a Shorrr!lr:i., while I ;mcred two Mallarrl:; on I3igbq- ('1.cc.l;. On the "l,hosl~l~ate~io~~tls" nn Dt'cr~nl)e~.13, thcre were 1.1 Lc-sser Suaups, 5 MaIla~,c!s,:! Ring-necliq, 2 Shovellars, a Retf- head, and a fenqale Goldrneye, which I Sa::yeti. Ticrl-billed Gre'ucs ;lye oltc:~ sccn, and I ha\-e so seen the Ho~*n~rlGrebe. Large 11unlbers of Xerl\ri~lgs roosted in the rushes fyowin~in the poncls, until latc fall. A. pair of Pilctltcd Woodpecl' home and fw- guetlt!y visit the Izitye tvc~sin the front yard. A lni.!:e mlicr\olia ulan.i close to the house nnd they have bren visiting this ~cg~rla~,ly,110 rloabt !o !:ct the brixht red sccds which are io~~ndon the seer1 pods. Whilc thcy a,- in the tr::~the seed:: shower down on the cround. Mr. Ganic~,writes nlr: lhaL he was tnId by MI..L. R. Campbell, who lives on the Mu~frrrsboroRoarl ncz? Nashville, that Pileated Woodpeckers hnd visited his magnolia trcer rvc1:- fal: to gct these sccd. BIT. PI.EASANT,TEKN., Deccn~Scr, 1934. THE MIGRANT

WAYSIDE NOTES FROM WEST TENNESSEE By BEN B COFFEY.

On Auly 14, 1934, the !v~,iter visited ReeIfoot JAcke for a few hours, in compxry with Mr.. arid hl1.s. Elnler Johnson end Miss Arfc:~c Johnsorl 01 Chica~o;then dro1-e OII lo Fulton, Ky.,w!?ete we partcrl, As thc day wnncd I "l~itch-hjlcrrl" back to Union City, Tenn., whc~cI s:>eilt the n~hl. I stopllerl at the Obi011 ~ivercariy ttl~ncxt ~?:orning,vtalltcd througl~parts of Dyr:~sl.)ur.,gin Ihr afternoon, and was off and 0)) tht: road scvcrnl llrncs bcforc leaving Riplcy that ni$t 011 a bus ?or Mc~nphis. Orlr cf my chief objec'ii-cs was to awe: lain if ~>ossiblr:how elo5e the Tu\vl~ccs(Retl-eyed) ap- proach ?:Ic~npt~isin the sum!ney, as I llavt: bccn ~~nabicto find Toxvl>ces of any lace thc7;e 'Jetwtcn approxilnalcly May 10th unrl czrly Octobc~. On the cvcning of the i,ltll, from the 1Cen:ucky fitate line so~~lhwardn few miles, T hcai,tl nine Tol;hcc.i si~lainp. Also of spccinl inlcvcst was tne faint, twit- te~.in!:, swift-lilie sony of an old fricnr! which I Ir~nuily 1:ianaged to locatr: and ic!cnti:y as a Grasshopper Sparrow. 1t escallcd my fii-st seal-ch and severnl insect sony>s aboul: made Ine think momoyg hx(I played me false. Trvc other i;kc!y licltls harbored two more individuals. This species has been fcu~~donly as an Llnconlrngn 11.31:si~ntat Mcr~lphis, but rvns an old friend of !;un~i-~~el.days near Kashvil:~. Anothcr spzeics which is sp- pnrcnlly at)scnt fmrn hTc~liphis but com;non a\ ITa~dy, Ark., and h-ash- ville, is the Yellmv Warl~lc~.I had a good look at onc, ca1,licr in thc day, .;ust souih 01 Ilniun Cily. Tlic nth-]. bircl.; listlld on this trip weye thc snnw as tkose to be round nboilt ?/lcr~-iphis. Union Ci1.y itsel: offered fcw birtls that cvu~~ingo:r hide cl thc c.ver.pr.rv~itEnylivh spa~l-ow; scv- era1 Robin!; xd~:JI~IIIIIC:I SIOIITSS uJe?.t'5ee31 ant1 s:rjall 1-lr)clts of Ij!ackbirds, chleJ!y I:ronzed C;rnrI:ics, sccined uridccitfctl rn ~vi~iohclirection to fly tu roost. -7*nc rcst n~orninx I sStppcd at the Ohion River !>~.itl~e,just soiith of Obion, ant1 f.p:nt: two unrl a hn!f 1:ouls ir! the bottoms. A I'rioebe announced iLs~.lI',svr~:lill:,: out of place in thnse nlluviitl 'uo:tct:~.s, anr! shortly nfier- wards a 1Voor:cock lock o!'i just in front or rnc ~.sI :;iip?ccl atan: tlic muddy river ftl~c. T\c'o Aea:lran Flycatch-!~s, a Sycatnorc Wnthlcr, a Parula War- bltr., ih:tme Protho+1~>~1.ies,Red-rycd and I'Jhitc-ey-rt Viveos wcrc nutccl. Mn~tof these we1.c al,our~da vc~:,~s~:la!l "horsc~::I~oc"lalie I:] tkc bol.loms, 3rd as I ~-r~anocuveir:lfni, a c!o:;c-r lutik n'; five Wood l)r~:ka anlong tbc bt~ltonbu:hes at nnr cntl, a Cxat Glue IIcron alighted in a tall cypress nearby. Fire i~n:nai,u~cZiitle J3lue Hcrorls l'lcxv ovthr In n:akc: tIic scene hue tu type. One of ti:^ 5~dsof the day was :>lade nlot?ji the Iilinois Cen- tral ~.~lilrvild,just soul11 of tile Obion Kivcj-, A 5'ai11t;:.~d Kcnlin:: is always a th;.ill, ant1 this bcar~ly,9.5 ~niicsno~mth northcasf nf Ilrlnphis, \ras (!ouhlg so. Sevei-nl Indizn Runtin~rwere about, iticl~~dii~xiil~jmntu~c birds, but al'ter cx;,:fuI \~-a?cliln;~I dirl not discc!:n any i"cr>:nlr or irnnlnti~rcPainted Bun!ingi. The sonE uf this bird CI~YCIYrese~~ibled th~, song of the Indigo Hunt~r~gand was d:ntinctly dif Tcient i'roln the sul-1:: cco>ni:lun to our Mcm- j~hisbi1.d~ :vhich 1 rcadi!y identi:y at a clistance. I,cavii~pthe n'ovderi butto:~ls 1 ~all~cdthe high~r-tlysouth, hearing many Fie!tl S:::t:*i-ows a:lrl some Dickcisse!~ in tile open fields. PurpIe >far- tins rirr:hd ovcr thc to~vnof T~.in~blc2nd so~rhof thcre 1 saw a female ncrl:.init drop dc\vr: for a dl-ink. X did not !rot 3 cl~ar~cr:tr) visit any hilly country it1 fur~lkcr scarr:!~ of Towhees until I. ~.ea!~herlDyevsbul-g. Rut no Tti~b-c-hr.esweye recordcd fur tlic clay, ~lcitllerat Obion, T~i:nblt.,Dyers- burg or olhcr poin4% soutli to Ri~l~y.Bcautilul wondcd spots inaide the city 1in:its of Ugcrsburg invited Robins an11 Wood Th~ushcs,and two War- bling Vflheos were present anlong some old shade trees in n yard. At THE hlIGRANT December.

Rip!t:y, a small floclr, of Cliin~ney Swi:fts were a11,ent:g using the High School ehi!nney ns a ~oostingplace. Jud~ingfrom appeaj*ances, especially 01) thc 14th south nntI east of Reelfoot Ys*lie, the most conlmon bird in :he nc;:.ihwcstc!.n cornor of Ten- ncusue during the s~rm~ncris the Indigo Evi~tin:. It is abund~ntevtry- where exc~.ptat the Labe itself Only one Prof!locctary Warbler was heard or seen-that was at the FpiIlwap. At 8amb~!rgthe nb!rcnce of the large "PurpIc Martin palacc" was quickly notctl, bu5 Ihe cl~3erfuI notes of tho Martins si.ill lent color to this noted f i::hili? viI!a*. Tiwir nun!br.~.s seemed smn'irr than the yew hefore. The "ylant of !i:n~.:in I>ouses" nrn::, 1 learned, destl-o!:~d by i+irc xlony with a store. At Wa!nt~t L,o::: wc vcilturcd out on the IaIic and mere rewarded with zli!:~p.:cs of a few Florida Gailinuics, Ficd-bili~d Grcbes, Ccota, Lcast Terns, two or three BIuck Tevn~,nbout 15 Double-crested Cer:l-,orants, an eqca! number cf Egi-ctx, and a wounded J.rxser Scaup Uttck. Rcd-rx-inrs nr.d the urunl arbo~uni spccir~con~pIctetl Ihc pict-~rc,~r~hi!e x lone Wood Ibis f!ew by. As we tsrned back, I WCOZ- niaut! nt a distnn::? onc of ,the Bald La,r!cn whiclz i~cqucntthc Lake. Scpte:nbcr 2, iY? in Riplcy, where me ~i~atchednbout 3Q0 Swifts ;)ritr down a tcli masonry chinzrey. hIe~ri,~r~s,TKKN.

BIRD BAKDING BREVITIES.-NO. 3 Ejl hlES. I?. C. LASICEY.

Sinec the Septr:;zber rcport, 954 bircls have becn kan:led and, csce;)tilig 28 individuals, all were of thc family F'I-iltni1l;tinr. Inc!udcd werc Juncos, Cardilials, Towkecs, ant1 scvernl species of sparrows. The lztest Chipping Sparraliv rccor,d this season was Novembcr 2. The day previous, a banded transient of this species rcturncd, entrapping itself wit11 an English Spar- mw with disaskous results. Althou~l~it was in the trap only a sho:.t time: the En-lish Sparrow pecked its heat1 so yersistcntiy that jt killed the smaller bird. At banding stations it is fourld nccearisry to destroy a!l Eng- lish Sparrows. Autumn data on Linco!a's Sparrow in this area is meager, therefore thc banding of one on October 20 is noteworthy. Swamp Spar- THE MIGRANT rows have been relative1 y nunlerous at Blosso~ndellrecently, 8 having been banded since November 9th, which is only. one less then the previous total ~inceopemtions began in 1931. Sorig and White-throated Slmrm\r.s have a1 so increased in numbers over previons years. W bite-throats par ticrrlarly had bee11 scarce for no agpar~ntreason. ?to re:.ur~isof this species has been recorded in fail, but Ihe records of earl!? 1034 s11ow 4 White-throats rcturnir,g bctvicr?j danuayy 23 and February 2. CV!:ilc-crowned Sparrorvs nre rtbundurlt as ust?al at the station ntid 8 knve rciurncd to d~91L.this !'all. Onr OP thew is now n "reti!rn," ~vhicli means it is spending Ihc fourth scas:>n at. the stzticln. It is 3!so inten--:ring to note that all of tliare re- turn in^ Wl~itc-CI-own:;,e::cep*ia~:r olio, tc-crr: bandct! 8s youny birc!s in in~- mn:nre plulnnp. Rcro~Ssol' thc 325t thrc~.euturnn and w;nCc!- scasons s!:ow n ir,r:.ked picdon~innrcc or' in:~nntu~.er;. In tllc firs: pcl.iutI (Octa- be?, 1922, througll January, 19331, thc ratio Ganrlcrl was 27 ici~liaturc to i; atl:~ll:;; in the col,rcc.pondlng period last yc:~r, it was ZB to ri; and in 19::? frcm October to Decembe? 14, it js 37 to 4. One WhiLe-c~owned Spnrfcw baaded as an i~n~nal:ureNovcinbel- E, 1V43, miclered at the sta- iib3. ~'rp"l:firi: 75 times to Alng 6, 1034. It re?u;nerl October 2X11 and is again rcpcating freni~ently, Mockingbird iife history studies by means of both colored and numbered bal~d: arc provin:: very fascinati~~c.S~ain this rvintcr there zrc four vesidcnts at Elossomilell, but two of th3in are IIW arrivals this fzll. Howeverh "B" and h:s 11:ar:c of tl?e past two sum- mers rcrrain, cndl occupying i~ldividlial territorirs as they did last win- Icr. A1thou:rh the grour.ds ahout the house are divided i:zto approxivately tllc sa:re territo~icsas last year, the doalh of "I"' occasioned a s!iifting and not one of the four irrritories has thc sz:i.:e oecupallt as lask year. It noultl I?avc hc:~inlpossibk to kno~vtl:is excc;)t for tho idelltifyicg col- orcd bni:ds. MTZJlPI!IS AREA: TWO in!.er.cr.$ing reports have co!l?e from en! Lusi- astic La11rll:b.s in the Memphis nl,ca. hIr. Charles McPhersc.~, Jr., says: "Ilnving shrted bandin,=.only Inst Fcbrunry, X rcccivc*d the thri!:.. of ~VP~I a veteran bird bander when several, of "my Spa~roms" 1L11rilcd to our home grounds at Germantown, 20 nliles east of Mcl:~phis. A small Ilock of Whik-crowned Sparrows has wintered here fo: seve;.sI yc2i.s. The first retui-n, tlie onIy Gnn~bcl's Sparrow recorded in this area snd banded Feb- ruary 12, was trapped Novcnlbur 10, repeating 4 ti~:irs since. A partial albino Song Spayrow, also banrlrd Februxcy 12, was first secn ;.his fall on Novenzbc:. 10, and is sti!l p~.cscnt." He reports 7 White-crowned Sparrow returns frum late NovemSer to mid-Dccc~i~bcrof birds banded thc p+e- vinus season from February S-d to Ifarch 10, 1904. Mr. Ben 13. Coffey, Jr., reports his Chimncy Swifts banding op-leions in the busine~ssection of Mcu~phison October 10, 12, I3 and 20, at three locations within a qrlwter of a mile of each ot!lcr, rrsu:ting in the Sxnd- in2 oI shout 1,000 birds. He sectired four forc.i;rn ~~ccovc~ies,two I-eturns of birds banded by him in 1932 and two repeats; tl~e no st inter cat in^ re- covery \~~rlsC-598C1, banded at Ghattanoofca, Septcn~ber 24, 1930, by Prof. Grccr~. Forinc~ly when the Masonic TtmpIe chimney was used by the swifts, hc trapped over 1,000 birds at a time. He mas assisted bc Mrs. Coffey, h11.s. Bal-efi~ld,Miss Alice Snlith, Eric Henrich, Wcndc!l 5Vhitt.e- niore, Bert Powell, Frcd Carney and Frankiin RlcCan~cy. ~ASIIV~L~,~'ENN., December, 1934.

With this issue wc conclude our fifth volume. May it mark only an enriy milestone on a long journey.

1034 THE MIGRANT 63

AN UNUSUAL FEEDING HABIT OF THE AMERICAN EGRET: At the south end of Reelfoot T.akc, Tcnn., on the al'ternoon of August 20, 1934, the writer watched for half an hour n feeding activity of the American Egret (Crrsmcl-orlilts nlb~rscgrctta) that was newr to him, aIthough this par- ticular Ilock of birds hat1 been under observation al~jiost daily foc three weeks. The steady blowin:: of a wind sufficiently Iiartl to whip up two-foot waves on the water was apparent.1~responsible for bhe departu~.cfrotn the asl;aI manner of Seeding. The fo!lowinp is a direct quotation froin notes taken at the time: "The flight was scen to bc e~retshovering, a feat I do not beiieve they could continue for lonq with less than a hard headwind under them. Each bird "stood still" on beating winrs, just high enough above the waves su its dangling fcet did not dip. Thc: hear1 ant1 neck were held hol*izontaI. OccasionaIly a bird keeled up on its breast, its legs flipped back almost in flying position, and its head stabbed into a rvavc for a fish, which it usually got. Boxvever, fish must have been hard to see, for a bird fre- quently remained thus hove~,ingfor nlanjr minutes without making n strike. There wcre at least two hundred birds feeding in this manner at one lime, and in fairly close formation. . . ." "About on stumps, necks drawn in and a11 facing the wind, rve1.e pel-- haps five hundred moxc. Soi~rt of these, however, was obscrvcd to feed from its stump. OccasionaIly, a hirtl wouId Ieave its perch, come down the wind rapidly to whcrc the fccdc1.s tvc1.c hoverinx, turn into the wind with a stcep bank, pi.nions wide-spread, and beq:'in its own scal,cl~ for fish in the WRV~~O~S."-CUMVTONCROOK, Bovne, N. C. A SNAKE ROUTED BY BIRDS: On May 31-4 I witnessed an iiiterest- ing episode of wild life at Mraulroi~~is.A Screech Owl had draw11 in altack upon hiin apparently all the birds in Ole woorls. The little fellow was ~~erchcd high 011 a liinb of an oali, ancl jays, ~voodpeelitrs and titmice welee after him, red hot. He seri~icdunabic to defend hin~selfat aII. The other birds weye only l'lyin~ at hirn, I~owrver, wilhout striking. Suddenly the birds discovered a snakc, lnorc thcn fiv~feet in lcnath, and evidently of the corn- nion "ehicken" variety, on the trunk of the tree, some forty feet froin tht, ground. All of them turned from thc owl to thcir new enemy. The jays par- liculerly were dete~n~inedtn rot~tthc snnlce. One of them st~uclihim ant1 dislodged him, but he caught himself on a slnaji limb and crawlcd baclr to the trunlc. Thcn a jay st.l'uclc hiin anolher vicious blow- and sent him tu the ground with a thud. TIIP s~iaku=,as stunned only for a second, after :s-hich he sliilnmed ovc~the lcavcs for covcr under a log. Meanwhile, thr: owl took advantage of thc greater attraction 2nd departed the scene-- BENJ.R. WARRINER,Corinth, Miss. A TRIP TO LADIES BLUFF: Pe~hapsthe highest and inost beauti- ful cliffs on the Tennessee River, in Wcst Tennessee, are locatccl in Perry County, three iniies down-stream from the highway hlo. I00 bridge. It is called Ladies Bluff, it is said, hecausc stcawboat caplains called their lady pnssengcrs on deck to acl~nire these cliffs, which rise 200 fcet above the witer, and extend for a quarter of a inilc. On Nnvember 25, Mr. Ganier and I went there to invcsti~atethe pussil-rility of its being n nesting sitc of Clii'f Swallows 01. Duclr 1-Ia~vlcs. However, no signs of the nests of eilhrr were seen, though the cliffs and the wild country about would scem wcll adapted to the latter. A number of Tu~kcyVultures were waking head- quarters on the Icdges and Cedar Wa~rvingsweye continually circlinp: aro~~nd the top of the bluff. The landing keeper at Mousetail Landing nearby, told us illat in winter and early Spring, large nunhers of gulls could be seen flying upstream each time the ~iverhroug-bt down a flood. In the valley south of the bluff was a larye flock of small birds, the majority of which A LATE HUMMINGBIRD: Until this gear, October 20, 1926, was

vine, and 'ivas not seen near the other

within eight feet of it rious color phtcs and s

as six feet above it. They settle down in this grass until they cannot be seen, but a thrown stick causes numbers to take flight. Several million birds mould be a conservative estimate, the most numerous beinr Redwinged Blaek-

Mallard, Gadwall. Black Duck and Wood Duelr. were noted. Also Coot, Pied- billed Grebe, Cormorant, Ring-billed Gull, two SoIitary Sandpipers and a Wilson's Snipe. Thc latter was on a dried-up sIoug-h in the forest and was ng birds were Atmeleican Bittern, 1; flocks) ; Tennessee Warbler, 15;

iL.i kir-:d I I:r?vc cve:. seen !~crc,and f ul?dc?,s:nnd l.!~first record tor this part of the S'zte. I have sccn the Dol:h!c-c~es:c:l ~~ormornntin this cou~~ty anri have a monntcd specimen. Severs1 Loons hare bcen shot hcrc t!lis Fall on thc small lakes.-A. L. \i'.t~~aa,Col:!!:lbia. TI'QODCOGXS AT CEATTANOOGA: 111 response to a lcttcc from crlitors, I hnve rnade ntimemus inquiries among h~lntervhere and find

cock near North Chickamauga Creek, which is in Tennessee about miles north of Chattanooga. He dso states that for five years past h follncl two or three each fall, just south of the Tennessee line, ncar

City, in the late fall of 1933, Starlings in vast numbers sometimes fairly cov- ered whole fields, approximating 25,000 in a single flock. This year, 1934, they are present, but in greatly reduced numbe- flock of 200 is about the muiuum. This is possibly due ix the lack of food, which, on account THE MIGRANT of thc great numbers feeding here last year, has been reduced. As the win- ter closes in on us a flock of these birds is assembling in Hol.jto~t Valley, but the numbcr is not large. The Slarlin~bcing highly insectivoroue, has doubtless rendered our fartnrra a plneat service by devouring the insect life of thc fields. The ability of our fields to suppnt.t this large ,number of birds perhaps indicates an excessivr: infestation of insects. Perhaps our agriculture will bc considerably aidcd by the services of the Starling, which by its won- derful abiIity to rcproduce its kind so prolifically, is gleaning our fields of i11suc1 life and replacing to some extent those vf our native birds which are bcinp thinncd out by gunner.s.-Ertuc~ 1'. TYLER,Johnson City. NOTE:A similar scarcity of Starlings has been note11 in Middle Tennessee. Dul.irlg the fall of 1933 and the winter which followed, there were many large floclis present, whereas during the present fall and early winter only a few have been seen.-Editors. RETURN OF THE SNOW GEESE: From The tl'lig~antof last December we qunte the following: "On the night of Oct. 29th, in Maeon Co., a Ilotlc of wild gccse urerc circling over the town lights of Red Boiling Springs, when some one shot into them and a numhcr came to the g~wundincluding seven ap- parently uninjured. Thc~cwerc one immature Blue Goose, three Lesser Snow Gccse, and th~cr?imniat.ure appa~cntlyof the latter species. The birds werc confiscated by State Game Warden Headrlen and were released in Radnor Lakc tiear Nashville where it is hoped they ~villreil-iain all winter and relurn in futu~eyears." The primary wing featllcts of ~ixof the birds had been cut bark by I.hcir captors wilh a linifc. These "stubs" werc pullcd out before re1eas;ny in order that the bircis rvould grow new prinlnries by Spring and this they did. One of the gccse l~orvcver,hntl had all of its win^ feathers on one wing cut back and it was fea~edto pull so many stubs. As a result, the stubs remaincr! in until the rcgular tnoultin~period of late summer. The other recse regained the~rabi!ity to fly bv czrly spri~~r-The three mature birds would fly about, hi::li ~u tlie air, callina to theii* colnrarics below to join them in their flight to thcir hoineland on Hudson Bag. Toward the Iast of their slay, these thrw would leave for hours a1 a tirne but mould re-join the others at nirhtfall. The flock of seven were Iast recorded intacl on Radnor on March 28, aftcr which the remainin? four settled down lo x life of ease upon the eighty-fire-acre Iakc, keeping company with four domestic geese owned by Watchman Rakrr and shnrin?: their occasional feedin~sabout his feet. There was no evidencr. of lnat,inp nr nestiny on the part. of these gcesc and it is certain that they did not absent the~usc!vcsto incubate cpgs even if they laid them. Efforts fttrthcr north to brced thcsc acfsc in captivity havc rare1 y heen succcssf~d. Snow Geese ant1 Bluc Geese, wounded and captured at Reelfoot Lake in ID27 and ncrv at the lalte in Centennial Pal k in Nashville, have never nested. These birds are pinioned. During Iatu summer the four rreesc on Rndnor ~:~ou!tedtheir i~ninature garb and cmcrccd in resplendent plurnay. As anticipated, three were Snow Geese wearing immaculate pluma~eexcept for black minr tips and the other, a Blue Goose with white head ant1 neck and slaty gray body. It is honed by local ornitlioiogists that the ihree which ffcw north in the spring will return in the aululnn and at least make a brief stay en~outeto their regular winter home on the Louisiana coast. It is also hoped that they may bring others with them and so establish Radnor Ealtc as a stopping placc enroute for these splendid wild fu~vls. The dislance is cr~athowever, and thc hazards enroute are Inany, partlc~ilarlyon their northward treIc Iast spring whcn the birds were out of practice, so it may be that me will not see them axain. (The above was preparerl for our September issue, but was held over. We are now able to add the follow in^.-Edit.ol-,) On Oet. 31, 1034, three mature Snow Geese and thi~tcenadult Bluc Cccse aryivcd at Radaor Lake at daybreak. They remained only a few hours, due THE MIGRANT A quarterly journal, devoted to the study of Temessee birds. Published at Nashville, Tenn., by The Tennessee Ornithological Society. Editor-Treasurer, George B. Woodring, 1414 Stratton Ave., Nashville. Associate Editor, Albert F. Ganier, 2507 Ashwood Ave., Nashville. Regional Editors: Ben B. Coffey, Memphis; George R. Mayfield, Nashville; Harry P. Ijams, Knoxville; and Rruee P. Tyler, Johnson City. Business Mana~er,Vernon Sharp, Jr., 220 Capitol Blvd., Nashville. A complete list of officers is published annually in the June issue. Subscription price, sixty cents per year, free to members. Dues for Active and Corresponding Members, $1 per year; for Juniors, 60c ------to the fact that suine men embarked on the lake in a boat to fish. Watchman Baker states that the three Snow Geese swam from "the point," midway of the lake, over to his house, accompanied by six of the Blue Geese. There they joined the four geese which had remained at the lake during the summer. Three of the four geese joined the newcomers in their flights prior to de- parture, but because one of the four had a crippIed foot and could not fly well, the other three elected to remain. The migratory urge was still strong within them, and their ancestral winter home on the Louisiana gulf coast beckoned, although these four young birdr had nevcr been there. About the middlc of November they weye getting quite restless and were now flying about above the lake accompanied by the c~ipple. Ten days later it was noted that they flcw out of sight at times, absenting themselves for several hours, and even night flights were being indulged in. On Nov. 29, Thanks- giving Day, Mr. Baker heard them flying about overhead before daybreak, and when he looked over the lake a few hours later he found that they were gone, not to return, and presumably were m their long flight to the coast. The spring no~thwardflight of these geese lies considerably westward from the Mississippi River, but Nashville bird sludents will be expecting them to revisit their erstwhile home again about the last week in October, 1935.-Edito7.s. Ail serious students of bird life should make it a practice to keep ~vrit- ten notes. A notebook, kept for this purpose atone, should be kept in one's desk in order that dates, numbers, fielrt lists and interesting oceur- yences lnRy be set down while fresh in mind. Many of our contributions would have been more vaIuable had their write~shad such a notebook to re- fer to. Printed 3"xfi" bird listing cards may b~ secured from the Treasurer, at cost, i, e., 50 cenls per 100, plus postage. These are exceedingly useful. Our esteemed contemporary, Thc Kent7~uk?gWarble,., closed its tenth vol- ume with the issue of October, 1034. Ertitur Gordon Wi1so.n of Bowling Green a~inouncesthat the organ of the K. 0. S. will increase its size with the next issue from four to eight pages. We wish them well, and with such energetic officers as Pres. B. C. Bacon of Madisonvilte, Curator Burt Mon- ~,oc,and Secretary Miss Mabel Slack of Louisville, we believe a new era is in store for The Wnrbler and the K. 0. S. OFFICERS: State officers of the T. 0. S. were given in thc June issue 01 Tho Migrant. Sinee that time our three divisions have elected their local officers, as follows: Knoxville Division: H. P. Ijams, president; W. Id. Waikc-r, vice-p~esident; C. A. Oarlen, cur:i:ur; Mrs. Frank Leonhartlt, secretary-ti,easul.er, and Dr. E. B. Powers arlrl John Hay, directors. The Nashville Division elected Dr. H. S. Vaughn, p~csident;H. C, Monk, vice- president; Miss Cynthia Tomplcins, secretary, srirl Geo. l3. Woodring, treas- urer. The Memphis Division officers are Ez1.I Henry, president: ME. Lee n. Jones, vice-president, and Een B. Coff cy, see14etary-treasurer. Each division pIans as usual to hold meetings bi-meekly as well as a Spring Field Day in May. Each niember should endei:vo~ to interest and develop at least one new member for the T. 0. S. Page 68 INDEX TO THE MIGRANT FOR 1934-VOLUME 5 No. Page. 1. "Mcsting Records of Birds at Athens, Tenn," by H. P. Ijams and L. A. Hofferbert . . 1 "A Woodcock's Net," by Cynthia C. Counce --- 4 "Derivations of Ornithological Nomenclature," by Bruce P. Tyler---- 5 "Annual Christmas Census, 1933," by T. 0. S. Members . _ 8 The Ronnd Table: The Season at Memphis; Swainson's Warbler in Tennessee; Tree Sparrows Again Recorded at Nashville; Another White Snowbird; A Night in a Starling Roost; The Anti-Crow Campaign; Additions to the List of Winter Birds of Northcast Tennessee; Radno~Lake Notes ; Winter Notes, Nashville; New Birds for the Tenttessee List; Meetings; Editaria1 - . .-10-16 2. "The Mockingbird's Imitation of Other Birds," by G. R. Mayfield-.. 17 "Unorthodox Prothonotaries," by Benj. R. Warrincr ------. ------19 State Officers for 19-34-35 .-- .. 20 "Sunzmer Birds of Shady Valley," by A. I?. Ganier and B. P. Tyler..-..- 21 "Bird Bantiing Brevities, No. I," by Mrs. F. C. Laekey - .. - 24 41 Spring Field Days" -.. ._ - ...... -. _...... - ... - -. . - . - 25 The Bound Table : The Season at Mc~nphis; Brown-headed Nuthatches in Northe*:4Mississippi ; Another Visit to "Craneto\m ;I' Spyin7 Motes, NatrhvilIe; Early Nesting: OwIs, Hawks and Vultures; h Twicc-Used Nest; Raising a Covey of Quail; Forster's Terns at Knoxville; A Bachman's Sparrow Nest; Editorial -- _.L-----25-32

3. "Habits of thc Warbling Vireo," by Harry G. Monk - 38 "Tennessee's Program for Wild Life Restoration," by Damon Headden. 34 "Summer Birda About a Country Xome," by Nancy Lee Morgan - _- _ -- 35 "Some Observations on Ducks," by George R. Woodring ...... 37 "Bird Banding Brevities, No. 2," by MI'S. F. C. Laskey .---. 38 "Wilson's and Audubon's Works in Tennessee Libraries" . . 39 The Round Tablc: A Eurlsonian Curlew at Memphis; A Woodcock's Song; dune Notes Fro111Reelfoot Lalte; An August List Fro111 Reel- foot Lake; Wood Ibis ill Hcnrg County; Starlings Wcxtwerd; An Osprey Notc; Fall Wnrblcr Migration; roost in^ Notes; Bewick's Wren Tra~cdies;Surnl:~er Notes, 1934; Autumn Bobolinl

-s

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