6 Massachusetts Audubon Society 



warded to the Biological Survey at Washington in the belief that the biolo- 

 gists there might be interested in diagnosing this disease. 



FRIENDS OF MY WINDOW-SILL 



Last summer, being in the first place we had occupied where I could 

 have hopes of attracting the birds, my husband and I placed a bird-bath 

 with much pleasure and anticipation beneath the pine trees in our side yard. 

 Then we waited results, but to the best of ray knowledge it was never used, 

 perhaps because we didn't get it out until August. However, in the fall I 

 made up my mind to try and see if food would be a better inducement, so I 

 put on the window-sill facing the same spot a little wooden box about 5x9, 

 with sides about one-half inch high. Into this I put the choicest bits, such 

 as ground peanuts, hemp, sunflower, canary, millet and some scratch grain. 

 In the Packard Feeder, which I put on one of the tree trxmks on a level 

 with the window about fifteen feet from it and fifteen feet from the ground, 

 I put the same mixture minus the peanuts and with not so much small seed. 

 Above this on the same tree trunk I put suet in a wire holder. Then I scat- 

 tered bread crumbs soaked in melted suet, bits of cheese and other crumbs 

 with scratch grain on the ground between. 



There were four j uncos and four English sparrows frequenting the 

 place at the time. The sparrows in a day or so increased to about forty, 

 the juncos losing one, as I have seen but three since January 1st. I did not 

 appreciate the sparrows but reckoned their stomachs were as empty as the 

 others and I feel they showed the way to more desirable species. 



The juncos soon after brought with them, January 8th, a fox sparrow, 

 and no English sparrow scares him when he chooses to feed. On two 

 different occasions during snowstorms he brought two other fox sparrows, 

 but I saw them only on those two times. He arrives very early, about 6.45 

 A. M., with the juncos, just as soon as it is light, and they feed well before 

 the English sparrows arrive on the scene. Mr. Foxy finally overcame his 

 timidity and for over two weeks has dined three or four times daily from 

 the window ledge, preferring it to the ground. He is the only one beside 

 the jay the tree sparrow cannot drive away. 



The tree sparrow is a pig. Once in the box, he stays there fiercely 

 scolding and even darting at whoever dares share the box. One little fellow 

 in particular would stay over one-half hour to the exclusion of all if we 

 didn't go real near and drive him off. It's a funny sight to see him flatten 

 down, spread his wings and go at all comers with bill open. 



The little chickadees, of which there are four, are very polite. One 

 comes, selects his morsel, and, if another waits on a nearby branch, imme- 

 diately takes to the limb so his partner may help himself. I have heard the 

 waiting one give a little chip if the feeding one was too long, at which the 

 place was immediately given. If there is no hurry, the chickadee, holding 

 the seed or corn between his toes, hammers away on the edge of the box. 

 Sometimes one is on the auto-feeder also at the same time, and they alter- 

 nate, then topping off" with a bit of suet from the wire holder. 



The juncos seldom visit the boxes, staying more on the ground. 



The jay family usually arrive around 7.30. They prefer bread or corn. 

 There are from two to eight usually. At first the other birds scattered, but 

 after a time they didn't seem so fearful, though the jay usually has things 



