more than that, he began carrying in new nesting materials on any mild, sunny 

 day in February. Now he feels that the box is his both by right of discovery 

 and possession and possession is nine points of the law with birds as with higher 

 animals. Unless some one comes to the aid of the bluebirds, they must leave their 

 last year's home in the hands of the enem}- — "The little beast," as Mr. Van Dyke 

 calls the English sparrow, and go off to the woods in search of a hollow tree or 

 stump. This seizing of nesting places is the chief way in which the beast drives 

 our native birds from the city into the country and from the country home to the 

 woodsi and fences. If then, we w4sh to keep the bluebird, tree swallow and mar- 

 tins about our homes in city and country we must work out some plan for beating 

 the beast. To that end it is well to take down the bird boxes in November and 

 to put them up again in the spring, for the bluebird, the fifth or sixth of March, 

 for the tree-swallow, the fifth or sixth of April; for the purple martins, the first 

 of May. 



There will be a fight for the boxes just the same, but the chances of war 

 will be more evenly balanced. The native birds may be aided further if the door- 

 way of the birdhouse is guarded by a little door so arranged that it may be 

 pulled aside from the ground by a string. 



There never was a happier or more devoted husband than the male bluebird. 

 He is the gay champion and escort of the female at all times, and while she is 

 sitting he feeds her regularly. Tt is very pretty to watch them building their nest. 

 The male is very active in hunting out a place and exploring the boxes and cavi- 

 ties, but seems to have no choice in the matter and is anxious only to please 

 and encourage his mate, who has the practical turn and knows what will do 

 and what will not. After she has suited herself he applauds her immensely, 

 and away the two go in quest of material for the nest, the male acting as guard 

 and flying above and in advance of the female. She brings all the material and 

 does all the work of building, he looking on and encouraging her with gesture 

 and song. He acts also as inspector of her work, but I fear is a very partial one. 

 She enters the nest with her bit of dry grass or straw, and. having adjusted it to 

 her notion, withdraws and waits near by uiuil he goes in and looks it over. On 

 coming out he exclaims, very plainl}-. ''Excellent ! excellent !" and iway the two 

 go again for more material. 



Some Odd Bits of Bird Life 



By Edward B. Clark 



Somewhere in the woods west of Highland Park, Illinois, tlicrc lives a crow 

 that bears on his back a pure white mark of the size and shape of a silver dollar. 

 "Jim," for so I've named him. seems to know that he is distinguished alx)ve other 

 birds and as a result he is much shyer than hi*; l>rother crows. I have satisfied 

 myself that certain nf thr bird's characteristics are dircctl} traceable to the big 



40 



