No. 4.] REPORT OF STATE ORNITHOLOGIST. 93 



In putting up my creeper "decoy" I generally select a fir or oak a foot 

 or two in diameter, and scrape off all the moss near the spot where I place 

 the decoy (the omission of this last I have found to be fatal to all hope 

 of success). I then take a piece of fir or oak bark, about 2 

 feet long by 6 or 7 inches wide, which must either be dead 

 or thoroughly dried. It is best to take the bark from a 

 small tree, in order to have a well-rounded curve in it. I 

 then nail this up on the spot I have selected, taking care 

 that the two ends are tight against the trunk of the tree, 

 also that both sides are very nearly so. Very often it is 

 necessary to nail on smaller strips of bark. Let me say 

 again that all moss must be removed from both bark and 

 the surrounding section of the tree. The cavity thus made 

 should be at its most roomy spot at least 2| inches between the curve 

 of the bark and the tree, but it is not well to make it very much larger. 

 I then cut a hole for an entrance in the bark where it touches the tree 

 (Fig. 5). This hole should be about 1| inches in diameter, and should be 

 cut about quarter way from the top. Do not put any nesting material 

 in it. I generally put four or five of these decoys in the same strip of 

 woods a few hundred feet apart, as sometimes two pairs of creepers will 

 be attracted, and almost invariably a second brood is raised in another 

 decoy. Seattle wrens are frequently "landed " in this way, and a rare treat 

 is occasionally afforded by a pair of western winter wrens. I generally place 

 a decoj^ 4 or 5 feet from the ground so that I can examine the contents 

 easily. 



In INIassachusetts the common brown creeper retires to dense 

 wooded swamps to nest, but this useful bird possibly might be 

 increased in numbers by utilizing the plan so successfully pur- 

 sued in Washington by Mr. Bowles. People living in northern 

 New England, where the winter wren breeds, might find the 

 plan suitable to the needs of that species. 



Bird Day Observances. 

 This office has co-operated during the year with granges, 

 Audubon societies and schools in "bird day" observances in 

 many towns. Material and literature have been furnished or 

 advice given, and I have spoken at five of these interesting 

 gatherings. The Massachusetts State grange, Patrons of Hus- 

 bandry, the Massachusetts Audubon Society and the State 

 Board of Agriculture co-operated in organizing three large 

 outdoor meetings (Springfield, May 15, Boston, May 22 and 



