The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-05-31

Quite a large numper Of winter birds
have been found living in New York
city, some In the public squares, others
IN the streets, cemeteries. and back
yards. Others are only seen occasion-
ally flying overhead. Again, there are
the sea-fowl, only found upon the
waters surrounding the island.
In summer, the nighthawk, SO long
Of wing and wide of mouth, may be
seen skimming IN che evening twilight
over the house-tups. Sometimes it even
ventures out at midday, especially In
cloudy weather. 1t lays It's two eggs
On fiat roots in New York city, as we'll
as In Boston. Owls of several species
visit us. One winter was famous for
Its screech owls, which infested Wash
ington square, and waged war upon
The European sparrows. One foggy
night, flock of migrating, long-eared
owls, perhaps confused or storm hind
cred, settled down at the Battery,
where daylight discovered them,- a
motley assembIage of blinking, absurd
looking creatures. Among our rarer
city birds is the barn owl which was
seen one afternoon in April, 1873, by
II, B, Bailey. When passing up Full
ton street, his attention was directed
by crowd Of gaping citizens to one Of
these birds perched upon a housetop
over the street. The bird did not offer
to fly, and was left where iJ had been
found.
There are several sparrows which
visit city yards in winter, besides tho
ubiquitous English sparrow, The
largest. and perhaps the handsomest
of all our eastern sparrows, is the fox
sparrow. 1t only appears among tho
houses during its spring and fall mi
grations; but l found it on Broadway,
In Old Trinity church-yard, during the
early part Of last December, and it re-
mained in Central Park in considers
bic numbers until the middle of that
month. Its usual autumn note is a low
tweet, resembling the cedar birds;
and Its flight Is strong and whlrring.
The hermit thrush whose very name
implies that it is shy, retiring species,
apt to select for its abode the Businesses es
of some lonely forest, sometimes visits
city yards during migartions. 1t Is
occasionally seen downtown, in Trini-
ty church-yard.
Il sometimes see the black-capped
chlckadee In New York. L recollect
one morning, walking up Broadway, 1
heard the characteristic tshe- le-lay.
tshe-de-jay, close at hand. looked
about me-, but could see nothing of the
bird, and began to wonder whether nv
own thoughts had not translated me
from the bustling street into the cour
try woods; but, as I paused, heard it
again, this time its unmistakable 'tshe,
dalgh dSigh daigh; looking overhead !.
saw my friend, parus, perched upon
telegraph wire critically examining
the numerous strands that formed a
network over the street. Occasionally
desls'ing from this Important employ
ment, he would take cool survey of
the scene below. The prospect in the
street evidently pleased him, and the
color and buStle had an exhllarating
effect on his spirits, so that he would
burst forth into a voluble expression
OF bis approval of the golngs-on in the
great thoroughfare, and it was this that
at first attracted my attention.
Hawks and sea-gulls are occasionally
seen flying over the lower part OF the
city, and early in March an occasional
blueoird may be heard warbling its
sweet notes of gladness, as 1t wings its
way to the home it loves best On earth,
IN some old orchard farther north.
These arc all of the downtown birds /
have seen; but, during migrations,
many other species tarry a moment on
their way. Five wild Canada geese
once alighted in Broadway, dazed in
consequence OF a thick fog, and, still
more curious, a wood-cock is said to
ave hoWn into a room in the upper
StOIV of the T'ribupa bni1Jinn