ATTRACTING THE WINTER BIRDS 89 



their young, and after tlie young left the nest 

 they were brought there to feed. This has been 

 noted of the catbird, robin, downy woodpecker, 

 titmouse, and bluebird. A number of observers 

 have found that by keeping out food constantly, 

 birds which have fed during the winter months 

 have remained to nest either in bird-houses or in 

 some neighboring site, such as the chickadee and 

 red-breasted nuthatch. One observer reports that 

 the chickadees feed on suet more or less all the 

 spring, and that the male feeds the female with 

 it while she is on the nest. Another reports that 

 robins, song and chipping sparrows, and catbirds 

 appropriated suet, and catbirds and downy wood- 

 peckers used it to feed their young. 



If oats, wheat, or cracked corn are thrown out 

 during the spring on the hard ground in the yard 

 or paths, blackbirds, thrushes, and sparrows may 

 be attracted, and some may remain to nest in the 

 vicinity. 



In " Bird-Lore," Dr. Hodge cites an instance 

 in which a pair of bluebirds were induced to nest 

 in a particular bird-house by being fed with meal- 

 worms. They became so tame that both fed from 

 the hand and the female would perch upon it. 

 The pair nested in a neighboring house, and came 

 daily to the window-sill for food till the first 

 brood left the nest. A full account of this very 



