Cultivating the Birds 



291 



but I had not suspected them of being too lazy to excavate their whole nest 

 in the spring. No doubt I misjudge them, and they may have other adequate 

 reasons for their conduct, but, sure enough, as I write (the following May) 

 they are back finishing the excavation for their nest. Of course, I cannot 

 swear that it is the same pair, but it doubtless is, for they have made them- 

 selves very much at home about the premises, as though knowing themselves 

 on familiar ground. They eat suet at the food-box and drink at the bath 

 like old-timers. 



A MALE ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, A DOWNY WOODPECKER. AND A BLACK-CAPPED 



CHICKADEE AT THE FOOD-TRAY. THERE WmL BE NO FEEDING UNTIL 



SOMEBODY LEAVES 



My food box has a summer patronage that it never had before. Suet 

 sunflower seeds, and cheese rinds constitute the bill-of-fare, and my summer 

 patrons are Robins, Catbirds, Brown Thrashers, Chickadees, Downy Wood- 

 peckers, Bronzed Crackles, and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. Robins eat suet 

 and even feed it to their grown young, but they dearly love cheese rinds. 

 Thrashers and Catbirds like the same fare as the Robin; but Grosbeaks care 

 only for sunflower seeds. 



All the birds are jealous of each other's enjoyment of the food-table. The 

 Catbirds slip in stealthily for a bite of suet as soon as larger birds leave. Downy 

 creeps up the post on which the table is placed and surprises the feeders by 

 appearing suddenly from below. The Chickadees are rather timid among so 

 many giants, but they dart stealthily to the far corner of the table, snatch a 

 bite, and hasten away in an ecstasy of achievement. 



The boys take about as much interest in my bird families as I do, for they 

 seem to belong to us all together. They come through the yard every few 



