134 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



the more or less failure of nut-crops, or 

 of a means of perpetuation oi the tree. 



Further, I have noticed these birds in 

 grape-vines, and in various tree--, wan- 

 tonly tear off large pieces of leaves and 

 do general damage to the fruit crops. It 

 is this last-mentioned habit of the star- 

 lipg which has caused the U. S. Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture to even issue a call 

 for their extermination. 



The nesting-place of the starling is 

 as noisy as an East-side tenement. The 

 loud chirping of the young, together 

 with the rasping whistle of the parent 

 make the neighborhood noisier than even 

 an English sparrow settlement. 



Baby sterlings are unusually slow in 

 leaving the nest, thus increasing possi- 

 bilities of damage through harmful feed- 

 ing, for young birds consume much more 

 food than when mature, and the longer 

 thev remain in the nest the longer will 

 then- take the young birds' portion. 



Holes under eaves, in poles, and in 

 trees are usually the chosen homes, and 

 that the starling so often nests in these 



tree-holes, rightfully belonging to wood- 

 peckers, is an especial reason for their 

 banishment. 



Mr. I'.. S. Bowdish, of the National 

 Audubon Society, tells me of finding a 

 couple of flickers with their heads broken 

 open and their nest in possession of star- 

 lings. Though never rinding dicker- 

 killed in this manner, I have found -tar- 

 lings nesting, even miles from town, in 

 tree-In >les which undoubtedly, since the 

 starling is not a wood-borer, the flicker 

 had used for it- nest. The woodpecker, 

 who destroys such quantities of ants and 

 other harmful insects, is by far too valu- 

 able to be driven away by an intruder. 



Undoubtedly starling will prove a 

 great menace in various ways, but we 

 need to learn more concerning its habits 

 to more intelligently consider the case. 

 Will any one else let us know of experi- 

 ences with this bird? 



Alfred C. Kin si: v. 



"Auxiliary Chapter" of the L. H. 

 Nature League. 



IlTERARX 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



Hints Through the Year. By Albert Field 



Gilmore. New York, Cincinnati and 



Chicago: American Book Company. 



A most interesting and wholesome nature 



reader for the upper grammar grades, full 



of live birds and real human beings', and 



permeated with the clear fresh air of the 



fields and brooks and woods. 



The Landscape Beautiful. A Study of the 

 Utility of the Natural Landscape, its 

 Relation to Human Life and Happiness, 

 with the Application of these Principles 

 in Landscape Gardening, and in Art in 

 General. By Frank A. Waugh. Illus- 

 trated by Members of the Postal Photo- 

 graphic Club. New York: Orange 

 Judd Company. 

 Every theme bends to the attempt to see 

 the beauty that is in the world, and to make 

 that beauty visible, worth while, and reg- 

 nant in the lives of men and women. 

 For we all need to know and follow beauty 

 as we need to know and follow truth and 

 duty. 



Among School Gardens. By M. Louise 

 Greene, M. Pd., Ph. D., 105 East 22d 

 Street, New York: Charities Publica- 

 tion Committee. 



This is a Russell Sage Foundation Publi- 

 cation, and a most sensible use for the 

 money. Indeed, it is refreshing to note that 

 some of Mr. Sage's money is devoted to the 

 work of collecting data, and to the expense 

 of publication. 



Doctor Greene covers all sorts and condi- 

 tions of garden work done for the educa- 

 tional work of the child. This means not 

 only the school garden as it is ordinarily 

 understood, but some of the big experimental 

 gardens which almost approach farms in 

 size, vacant lot gardens, back yard and 

 front yard "patches" — in fact, everything 

 down to a window-box. 



Moreover, it is the first book to cover the 

 whole country, instead of one city or dis- 

 trict. 



The book is very practical in its direc- 

 tions for choosing soils, kinds of seeds to 

 plant, time for planting, etc. 



