BIRD NEWS 



THE MGHT TOO LONG. 



OUR FLEDGLINGS. 



Keepers of tropical and subtroijical 

 birds have often been at a lost to 

 understand why many of their speci- 

 mens, especially during the winter 

 months, would go "thin" and finally 

 die. It was finally agreed that the 

 very considerable, and to the imi^ort- 

 ed birds, unnatural interval be- 

 tween suppei- and breakfast, had 

 something to do therewith. To avoid 

 this, a number of aviculturists had 

 arranged to light up their aviaries, 

 several hours earlier in the morning 

 hoping that the light would encour- 

 age the birds to feed. The result 

 Ijroved most satisfactory. The idea 

 has just recently been adojited in 

 the small bird house at the London 

 'Zoo,' an arrangement of incandes- 

 cent lamps, the object of the install- 

 ation being to induce the fea- 

 thered inmates to take breakfast a 

 couple of hours earlier than they 

 otherwise would do. It is controlled 

 by a switch outside the building, and 

 each morning at six a keeper turns 

 on the lights. This, of course arouses 

 the birds, who commence feeding 

 forthwith, under the impression that 

 day has dawned. 



CLEAN SEED. 



All seeds must be free from odor, 

 and never used if musty, old or im- 

 perfect. Be especially careful that 

 mice or other vermin never reach 

 the seed bins or hoppers; it spells 

 mischief if they do. All seed tjhould 

 be cleaned. Dust is dangerous and 

 leads to disease. To clean the seed 

 a small mill can be procured, or if 

 fewer birds, a hair sieve wlil be 

 found serviceable, or, again, the seed 

 may be dusted, by shaking freely 

 "out in the wind," or passing it 

 through a succession of canvas bags 

 Buy the best and insist upon free- 

 dom from dust. 



B. N. will give each issue a prize 

 for the best short bird story; ori- 

 ginal; not to exceed 150 words; writ- 

 ten by children under 16 years of 

 age. 



(Won by Alfred S. Brand, Cul- 

 peper, Va. ) 



We have many different kinds of 

 birds here, and while I am writing 

 now, I can hear at least five different 

 kinds, and can see a lot more. I 

 never saw so many mocking birds 

 before this year. A large flock of 

 Cedar Waxwings has just gone by. 



Well, I will tell you about a nest 

 1 saw last summer. I went to see 

 a friend who lives on the next farm 

 to ours, and while there a Red- 

 headed Woodpecker flew into his hole 

 in a tree nearby. After a while he 

 came out and another went in, and 

 while he was in there another went 

 in also. I thought this strange and 

 climbed up to the nest, and how do 

 you suppose the nest was? There 

 was one opening in the tree and 

 after that two branches of the tun- 

 nel and at the end of each was a 

 nest, with four birds in each. 



1 started studying birds about 

 three years a£o and now I can tell 

 all the birds around here by sight. 

 I like Bird Nev s very much. 



CHILDKENS' PETS EXHIBIT. 



The love of "living things" is in- 

 nate in children. A display of their 

 "pets" cannot fail in being both novel 

 and instructive. Alameda, Califor- 

 nia promises such an exhibition next 

 September. It is an excellent idea, 

 and should be well supported by par- 

 ents, guardians, educators and native 

 teachers. 



