Taming Wild Birds without a Cage 231 



will attempt to analyze the taming process by the use of food 

 and young birds as lures, and finally consider the similar ex- 

 periments which nature occasionally conducts independently 

 and on a larger scale. 



I throw some cracked corn out of my window, and it is soon 



Fig. 140. Male Red-eyed Vireo prepared to inspect and clean nest. 

 Notice that in this series-Figs. 6l-* 3 -the birds uniformly occupy the 

 same perch. 



discovered by the ubiquitous Sparrows. When they see me 

 standing behind the pane they are afraid to approach, but they 

 are also hungry. At last the impulse to get the food overcomes 

 their fears, and they are rewarded by the feeling of pleasure and 

 satisfaction. When they come repeatedly, each time reaping a 

 reward without evil consequences, a new habit is gradually 

 formed by the repetition of the act. The pleasure of getting 

 food is gradually associated with flying to a certain spot in the 



