The nesting of a Red-breasted Nuthatch. 279



could not make up her mind to desert her old home, but the voice

of the charmer with his cherry-red breast proved too much, and out

she went.


Mrs. Goddard hoped the bullfinches would build their nest in

the garden, but she has not seen them since. The male bird evidently

thought that too close a proximity to the attractions of the home,

where his mate had been a daughter of the house, was risky, and so

he took her away.


Perhaps she will return with joy later on, “ bringing her

sheaves ” with her !



SOME EXPERIENCES IN ATTRACTING BIRDS

—THE NESTING OF A RED-BREASTED

NUTHATCH.


By Henry S. Shaw, June.


[With acknowledgments and thanks to the Editor of ‘ Bird-Lore.’]


In the fall of 1914 I began feeding the birds at my home in

Dover, Massachusetts. There was nothing elaborate or unusual in

the apparatus employed, which consisted chiefly of a window-shelf,

a weather-cock feeding-house, several wire suet-baskets and a shallow

pan for water. The feeding-house and suet-baskets were obtained

from the Dover bird-warden. After some months I discontinued the

use of the weather-cock house (except during snowstorms), preferring

to have the birds come to the shelf, where they could be more easily

observed. The suet-holders were put where they could be readily

seen from our windows, and three out of four were placed on pitch

pines, whose rough bark seemed attractive to Nuthatches and Wood¬

peckers.


During the winter the shelf was visited most regularly by

Chickadees and Red-breasted Nuthatches, with an occasional White¬

breasted Nuthatch and Junco. In the early spring a number of Purple

Finches appeared, and later on Chipping Sparrows were occasionally

seen. But the most unexpected visitor was a female Pine Warbler,



