Monthly Bulletin 5 



one looks at long festoons of laurel leaves, it is saddening to think of the 

 great quantity of bloom that has been destroyed for the next summer in 

 this truly extravagant winter decoration. Care for the future often involves 

 sacrifice in the present. 



SUSTAINING MEMBERS— OCTOBER 



Hathaway, E. S., D.D.S. 18 Centre St., Middleboro 



Heyer, John C. Federal Trust Co., Boston 



Innes, Constance 197 Bay State Road, Boston 



Jewett, Mrs. Freeland 1223 Beacon St., Brookline 



Jones, Mrs. Arthur M. 137 Bay State Road, Boston 



Jones, Mrs. Clarence W. 101 St. Mary's St., Brookline 



Kitchin, Mrs. Evelyn S. 115 William St., Woodfords, Me. 



Knight, Mrs. F. D. 145 Sumner Ave., Springfield 



Rowan, Paul Draper Road, Wayland 



Troup, Charles A. S. 36 Bellevue Ave., Winthrop 



FEEDING HUMMING BIRDS 

 By Grace Sherwood 



Two years ago last June we read of feeding hummings birds from 

 bottles. Privately I thought it a cheerful lie to fill space. As I had been 

 ill for months and could not walk, I was willing to try anything for amuse- 

 ment. 



We followed instructions. Mother hunted up tiny bottles, and red 

 and yellow crepe paper. I tied the paper around the bottles, bringing the 

 ends up around the neck, and trimming it to a crude imitation of the trum- 

 pet flower. Mother made a weak syrup of granulated sugar, filled five bot- 

 tles, and hung them on the porch. 



My faith was weak, and the first day's result justified it. Nothing 

 doing. Toward night of the second day 1 heard the vibration of a hum- 

 ming bird's wings, and the contents of the bottle was sampled. Since then 

 it has been a continuous performance throughout the season. 



That year they left September 10th. 'Ihey are scheduled to return 

 the 15th of May in this latitude. I saw a male bird on that date, and the 

 next day the females came. We had not put out the bottles, as I wanted 

 to make a test. 



One bird flew directly to the porch and to all five places where the 

 bottles had been the preceding year. 1 went in and got the feed ready, 

 asking no further proof that at least one bird had been here before. For 

 a few days they ate ravenously and fought vigorously, then they settled 

 down to everyday eating and fighting. 



By midsummer they were so fat I feared I might have to give them 

 an obesity cure. They left the 6th of September and were very ill-tempered 

 the last days. 



This spring I was not at home in May, and as there were a good 

 many flowers in the yard, mother thought she wouldn't put out the bottles. 

 She had to change her mind. The birds annoyed her by flying into the 

 porch and against the windows, until she put out the feeders May 30th. 



