The Bluebird 203 
the pleasure of carefully studying the habits in captiy- 
ity of both old and young of this species. The old 
birds were kept in a large room with several other 
varieties of American birds, and here they were models 
of good behaviour, not only among their own kind, but 
in their relations with the other birds. 
The young birds were kept in cages, and with a 
moderate amount of care and attention became very 
tame. It was amusing to see them, about the usual 
feeding time, arrange themselves on a particular perch. 
Each bird, in order of precedence, would take the food 
from a stick, and if one was purposely omitted, there was 
no fluttering of wings or selfish attempt to obtain the 
morsel as it was offered to the next bird. 
These unselfish table manners I have observed in 
wild bluebirds as well. Several years ago a pair of 
bluebirds selected, as a home, the deserted winter 
quarters of a downy woodpecker. The cavity was 
located in the dead branch of a cherry tree which stood 
in the yard in the rear of the house. On the seventh 
day after the young were hatched, a severe wind and 
rain storm so broke and split the old stub that the 
young were in danger of perishing. We soon converted 
a small basket into a temporary and comfortable nest 
for the unfortunate family, and from a second story 
window of the house we watched the birds unobserved. 
