390 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



1912, was due perhaps as much to the 

 nest itself as to the excited and irritable 

 movements of the birds, not more than 

 fifteen feet away. 



Frequent visits had been made and 

 their actions observed by several per- 

 sons, but all had failed to discern their 

 purpose until after the nest had been com- 

 pleted and the eggs deposited. About 

 ten feet from the ground, a lichen adorn- 

 ed nest was "saddled" on' top of a small 

 "lichen-less" maple limb where two small 

 twigs projected, — one on either side. This 

 wonderful bit of bird architecture was 

 made of plant down "delicately woven 

 with very small fibers" into a down};, 

 flexible cup-shaped nest. Notwithstand- 

 ing its flexibility, it retained its shape 

 until after the young had flown. It was 

 ornamented externally by bits of over- 

 lapping lichens. Its outside diameter was 

 one and one-half inches and the inside 

 diameter one inch at the top ; the outside 

 height being one and three-eighth inches 

 and the inside height, three-fourths of 

 an indh. 



The other birds were determined to 

 destroy this home, but the mother's agility 

 and formidable weapon, her bill, served 

 her well, putting to flight in one day a 

 robin, flicker and blue jay. The quick 

 fiery temper of the parents was shown 

 best after the advent of the youmg when 

 they would attack anything. 



When the nest was approached the 

 mother bird would fly off ; perch upon a 

 near-b}' lim'b, and when she thought she 

 was unobserved would slide on with a 

 swift gliding movement. 



At their first flight they left us to return 

 no more. 



A Village Bird Warden. 



The New England town of Dover, 

 Mass., has the first bird warden ever 

 appointed by a municipality in the 

 United States. During the two years 

 he has been in office there has been a 

 very noticeable increase in the num- 

 ber of birds in that section. At the 

 time when the warden was appointed 

 the townspeople were asked, to co- 

 operate with him by allowing their 

 land to be posted against gunners, 

 trappers, and snarers ; by reporting 

 the presence of red squirrels ; also re- 

 porting stray, wild or unowned cats. 

 The people were urged to erect bird 

 houses and feeding boxes. 



The bird warden erected a largfe 



number of bird houses at the edge of 

 the woods and swamps and around 

 fields and orchards and placed them 

 through the village near dwelling 

 houses. During the winter feed boxes 

 with grain and suet were provided. 

 Several hundred "No Hunting" signs 

 were erected with most satisfactory 

 results. A tract of 1,000 acres of land, 

 located near Dover and owned by Mr. 

 Richard W. Hale, of Boston, has been 

 set aside as a State bird sanctuary. — 

 National Humane Review. 



Attention ! 



Meriden, Conn. 

 To the Editor : 



In these days of general distribution of 

 useful knowledge and advice through 

 publications, nothing else than the indif- 

 ference of the people is responsible for 

 great changes in the wild life and vege- 

 tation, which we now have great reason 

 to regret. The change may be first made 

 by accident, for personal gain regardless 

 of results to others, or as an experiment, 

 but it is the indifference of the people 

 that is responsible for not correcting by 

 personal effort and legislative action any 

 disastrous change while there is yet time. 



Foreign insects and weeds are robbing 

 our vegetation of its foliage and food- 

 Corporations have built dams, and cities 

 are emptyin.g sewerage into public rivers, 

 which has resulted in a public loss of the 

 Atlantic salmon, sturgeon, alewives and 

 a large part of the shad- The English 

 sparrow has spread over the continent, 

 and the starling is about to do the same, 

 all because of the indifference of the 

 people — many members of The Agassiz 

 Association included. This is an un- 

 pleasant announcement, but who can 

 deny its truth? 



In the February issue of The Guide to 

 Nature I asked for witnesses who would 

 testify either for or against the English 

 starling in America by writing to me an 

 account of their losses or benefits by 

 reason of these birds. This would mean 

 an expense of about three cents for post- 

 age and paper, and not over fifteen min- 

 utes' time. I do not know the circulation 

 of your magazine, or the number of Aas- 

 siz students who study it thoroughly, but 

 of the hundreds who probably read my 

 article I have received but two answers. 

 Both are pathetic appeals, from different 

 states, to save our native birds from these 

 invaders, and indorse mv own observa- 



