AIDS TO NESTING 235 



horsehair. One pair of chippies built their nest entirely 

 of horsehair, and another nest found last season after the 

 leaves had come off was made of flax and horsehair. Vireos, 

 wood pewee, least flycatcher, and kingbird liked to line 

 their nests with the cotton batting. 



Mud Pies. For the special benefit of the robins Mr. 

 Taylor made a mud-puddle, stirred the mud to the right 

 consistency, and also mixed in dried grass. The robins 

 went nowhere else for material, and numbers of them nested 

 on the premises or close by. Barn and eave swallows would 

 use this if there were colonies in the vicinity. Robins are 

 also greedy for lace, and it is not safe to leave any around. 



Importance. Undoubtedly various birds which nest in 

 shrubbery and on the ground would use such material and 

 be attracted by it, besides other tree-nesting species not 

 mentioned, such as the cedar-bird, purple finch, thrushes, 

 thrasher, catbird, various warblers and sparrows, goldfinch, 

 or others. I would emphasize this matter as in a class with 

 the nesting-box for the pleasure it gives and the advantage 

 to bird life. There is no question but that the supply of 

 nesting material in a locality is an important factor in in- 

 ducing birds to nest there. By all means try it out and 

 report results. 



