The result of this experiment I give herewith, quoting in full 

 from that part of Mr. Robinson's letter dated November 25, 

 1908.* 



"At your suggestion I arranged with the owner of a 

 house full of Martins, buying the whole outfit, and had them 

 brought by automobile in the night to my premises and set 

 upon a pole. In the morning, the netting being removed, 

 seven or eight birds flew away, some old, and, I think, some 

 young ones. The rest, about twenty-five, I took out and 

 undertook to bring up by hand, placing them in boxes where 

 I could get at them conveniently. For about three days I 



*Referring to a similar experiment, I quote the following from 

 Circular No. 56 U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, Bureau of Biological Survey. — 

 Value of Swallows as Insect Destroyern. By H. W. Henshaw. 



"This experiment was tried in the zoological gardens at Philadelphia 

 in 1889 by Mr. Robert D. Carson, who, by means of a trap house, secured a 

 a colony of nine pairs with 32 young from the grounds of Mr. Josiah 

 Hoopes, of West Chester, transporting them the distance of about 20 miles 

 by train at night. When released next morning the old birds deserted the 

 young and returned to West Chester. The temptation of the old home so 

 close by proved too strong even for parental affection. Most of the young 

 however, were successfully raised by hand feeding, being fed chiefly cock- 

 roaches, grasshoppers, crickets, mealworms, and "prepared food." This is 

 a mixture intended for insectivorous birds, and according to Mr. Carson 

 was well liked by the nestlings and agreed well with them. It consists of 

 "dried and ground beef heart, meal, ground zweiback, boiled and 

 mashed white potatoes, grated raw carrot and grated hard-boiled eggs." 

 Probably any similar mixture would answer equally well. A small colony 

 resulted from this experiment which would probably have proved 

 permanent but for the fact that additional houses w r ere put up in West 

 Chester, and after two years the colony deserted to the old neighborhood. 

 Though only temporary success was achieved, the experiment is encour- 

 aging and points the way to ultimate success. For the above facts I am in- 

 debted to Mr. Charles J. Pennock, of Kennett Square, Pa." 

 Dated April 27, 1907. 



In the opinion of the present writer these birds did not desert the 

 Zoological Garden and return to West Chester because additional boxes 

 were put up in the latter place, but because conditions of the new quarters, 

 when they returned twice to breed, did not appeal to their instincts. Per- 

 haps the place was too public, the position or height of the box not to their 

 liking, or the box itself not suitable for successfully rearing their young. 



