The Audubon Societies 



67 



NOTES FROM MANY FIELDS 



A Rescued Robin 



In looking about after a heavy storm in 

 the middle of July, I was attracted by the 

 cry of a mother Robin, which, on seeing 

 me, began circling around, then darting 

 to a place in the muddy road. I followed 

 her, and found one of her babies so buried 

 in a wagon-rut of mud that it was difficult 

 to tell bird from mud, except by a faint 

 pulse. Mother Robin flew by my side 

 until we reached the garden. Then she 

 seemed to call all the members of her 

 family and friends, for in a few moments 

 housetops, telephone wires, fences, and 

 trellises were covered with excited Robins, 

 Bluebirds, and Wrens. We put the lump 

 of breathing mud into a bath to soak, 

 which was duly performed in full sight of 

 Mother and Father Robin, relatives, 

 friends and Sparrows. When the dimin- 

 ished lump was rinsed, disinfected and 

 dried, there was little left but a few pin- 

 feathers, two closed eyes, and a broken 

 leg. However, it was encouraging to feel 

 a stronger pulse, and to see a huge bill 

 opening for food. 



After setting the broken leg, the merry 

 sunshine, a soft bed in a basket, and a 

 worm every second, helped much toward 

 saving a valuable bird-neighbor. 



The parents soon instructed me in 

 "pure food for Robin culture." The}' 

 are especially partial to beetles; however, 

 a Robin menu includes angle-worms 

 (which I learned to dig with a sang 

 froid I never hoped to possess). Nice 

 juicy caterpillars make up part of their 

 bill-of-fare; as do also grasshoppers, cut- 

 worms, locusts, and snails. 



With the indefatigable assistance of the 

 mother, who brought her babe no less 

 than a hundred helpings each day, and 

 myself hard at it (Father Robin worked 

 only occasionally), the pin-feathers soon 

 developed into a beautifully spotted breast 

 and lovely brown plumage on the back. 

 The broken leg was in splendid form in a 

 fortnight, and, strengthened by daily 

 massage, it was soon perfect. He enjoyed 



going about the garden perched on my 

 finger, with an extra pressure of the 

 recovered toes to show his appreciation. 

 Meanwhile a bracket had been made 

 and our rescued bird (well named "Trouve 

 Troubadour" by a dear friend) was 

 settled comfortably in his very own house, 

 only a short flight across the garden from 

 his bath. Remember the value of bird- 

 life, and that their future largely depends 

 on our kindness to them. — Rosalie A. 

 Whitmore, Omaha, Neb. 



Sending Birds' Nests to the City 



Mrs. Anthony W. Dimock, of Peeka- 

 mose, New York, makes the following inter- 

 esting report of her Junior Audubon Class: 



"The Robin Junior Audubon Circle is 

 composed of the boys and girls of three 

 district schools in a Catskill Mountain 

 valley. No one school has enough pupils 

 of required age to form a circle, and the 

 distances between them are so great that 

 frequent meetings cannot be held, but 

 good work is being done. 



"The most interesting feature of our 

 work the past year was the collection of 

 abandoned birds' nests in the autumn. 

 One school of five pupils collected over 

 100 nests. From these collections, two 

 selections of ten nests each were made, to 

 be sent to New York City. One collection 

 went to the Jacob Riis Settlement, and 

 one passed through the hands of three 

 kindergartners, interesting 100 children. 

 To each nest was attached a colored pic- 

 ture of the bird which had made the nest, 

 and a description of its habits. Letters 

 from the Settlement children and the 

 kindergartners brought to the Circle 

 expressions of delightful appreciation. 

 The ofiicers of the Circle are, President, 

 Clark Sheley; Secretary, Helen DuBois; 

 Treasurer, Pearl Mulford." 



A Timely Suggestion 



See that your bird-houses are ready in 

 time for early migrants. 



