'52 



Bird - Lore 



Robin and Snake 



On page 304 of your issue of November- 

 December, 192 1, appears a letter from Rear 

 Admiral W. A. Marshall, (retired) of James- 

 town, R. I., describing the actions of a Robin 

 with a snake. 



Some years ago my wife and I were having 

 a picnic supper in the woods near town when 

 we noticed a Robin a short distance down the 

 path acting in an unusual manner. We went 

 closer to see what it was doing and found 

 that it had a young garter snake about 13 

 or 14 inches long, at which it was pecking 

 vigorously. The snake was not dead but it 

 had been so roughly handled that it was 

 quite sluggish and was only able to make 

 feeble efforts to get away. 



The Robin seemed to be trying to pick 

 up the snake and was so intent upon its job 

 that it paid no attention to us, although we 

 stood for a long time within 15 feet of it. 

 Finally, after repeated efforts, it managed to 

 get a good hold on the snake and flew off 

 with it for a distance of about 75 feet to a 

 post on which was seated one of its young 

 Robins, and endeavored to feed the snake to 

 it. Of course, the baby was unable to handle 

 the snake and it was dropped in the long 

 grass. The old Robin immediately dropped 

 down too and recommenced its efforts to 

 pick it up. We drew too close and frightened 

 the young bird so that it flew to a nearby 

 tree, where, after about ten minutes' work, 

 the old bird, having again secured a firm 

 hold on the snake, flew and once more tried 

 to get its baby to swallow what it seemed to 

 think was a fine large meal. The snake was 

 once more dropped and this time the Robin 

 flew away and evidently gave it up. 



I have described this experience to a 

 number of bird observers and none of them 

 has ever seen anything similar. In con- 

 nection with the experience of Rear Admiral 

 Marshall it may prove of interest to your 

 readers. — Franklin Gray McIntosh, 

 Franklin, Pa. 



Bluebird History 



For many years we have had several bird- 

 houses out, and with the exception of one 

 year, Bluebirds have always appropriated 



one. They have had a few hard experiences, 

 once being robbed of their eggs. Always, and 

 especially since that time, they have been 

 very jealous of the presence of any kind of 

 bird that uses a hole or box for nesting. 

 They do not allow Downy Woodpeckers, 

 Sapsuckers, or other Bluebirds in their tree, 

 and they have persistently driven Wrens 

 and Tree Swallows away from a house on a 

 pole, which stands 4 to 5 rods from their tree, 

 and in sight from it. 



One year, after raising one brood in their 

 apple tree as usual, they seemed very un- 

 decided whether to use it for the second 

 brood, or to use a box that was fastened to 

 an elm, on the other side of our house, and 

 out of sight of their apple tree home. With 

 much enthusiastic conversation and wing- 

 waving, they examined first one box and 

 then the other. This went on for many 

 days. 



During this time, a House Wren tried to 

 visit the house on the pole, but Bluebird 

 dashed at him like a fury, and Wren left in 

 haste. This was on June 18. After a while 

 the Bluebird affairs quieted, and, being 

 busy, I took no particular note of their 

 actions, except that I saw that a long straw 

 was sticking out of the door of the elm box, 

 and another out of the apple tree box. This 

 seemed a bit strange, as Bluebirds usually 

 tuck in their nests neatly. 



On July 14, my notes record, "The Blue- 

 birds have young, old enough to be heard, in 

 the elm box, but continue frequent visits to 

 the first home in the apple tree." 



July 16, I wrote: "This morning, the 

 Bluebirds had a surprise for me. I heard 

 baby voices in the apple tree box, and the 

 male bird came out and went away with a 

 sac. A little later, we heard little voices (as 

 we have for two days), in the box on the 

 elm. The female was at that box, and the 

 male on our roof, not far away. The parents 

 each feed the young in each box, though one 

 sometimes goes to one box several times in 

 succession. I can see but one male and one 

 female. The voices in the elm sound a bit 

 stronger than those in the apple tree." 



At dusk, on July 18, the male had a 

 tussle with another male Bluebird and drove 

 him away. This was near the elm box. I 



