Why Do Birds Bathe? 131 



SUMMARY 



These generalizations represent our present knowledge: 



All of the perching birds take soak-, dip-, shower-, sun- and air-baths, but 

 do not take the dust-bath except the English Sparrow, the Thrasher, the Song 

 Sparrow, and the Wren. (I am in hopes that we shall add greatly to this list.) 



All of the 'bigwings,' that is Goatsuckers, Swifts, and Hummingbirds, take 

 sun-, air-, dip-, and shower-baths, but never soak- or dust-baths. 



All of the Woodpeckers take all kinds of baths. 



All of the Cuckoos take all kinds of baths, but their ally, the Kingfisher, 

 omits the dust-bath. 



All of the birds of prey take all kinds of baths, excepting that probably the 

 Osprey omits the dust-bath. 



All of the Pigeons and gallinaceous birds take all kinds of baths. -^ 



All of the wading, swimming, and diving birds are believed to take all 

 baths, except the dust-bath. There are, however, few exact observations 

 available. 



When fuller information is accumulated a new chart of birds and their 

 bath-habits will be given. 



WHY NOT MAKE A BIRD'S DUST-BATH? 



Now that we are establishing bird-baths all over, I wish some reader would 

 try the experiment of a dust-bath for birds. Fine dust or ashes in a dish instead 

 of water, with protection from wind and rain, would answer the purpose. I 

 have tried it with a little lime and sulphur mixed with the dust, assuming that 

 the dust was to combat insects. Reference to my note early in this paper 

 shows how useful a dust-bath may be to the birds in the winter. Here is a 

 chance for a lot of good, new observations. — E. T. S. 



BIRDS I HAVE SEEN BATHE 



"In the article by Mr. Thompson Seton, 'Why Do Birds Bathe?' published 

 in the November-December number of Bird-Lore, I notice this statement: 

 "Outside of the Divers, Gulls, Ducks, Sparrows and Thrushes, I never saw 

 any bird take a water-bath." In reply to that statement I send the following 

 observations of visitors to our bird-bath. This bath is 4 feet long by 2 feet wide, 

 with a depth of water of not more than \)4. inches. It has been in use since the 

 midsummer of 19 16. Besides the bird groups mentioned by Mr. Thompson 

 Seton, I have seen the following birds take water-baths: Rusty Blackbirds, 

 Orioles, Meadowlarks, Cedar Waxwings, House Wrens, Redstarts, Summer 

 Yellow-birds, Cape May and Nashville Warblers, and one Flicker. Of course, 

 there have been dozens of Sparrows, Robins, and Bluebirds. I have seen seven 

 Bluebirds in the bath at one time. One spring a flock of fourteen Cedar Wax- 

 wings visited the yard and all bathed, four or five being in at a time. Then in 



