234 PROPAGATION OF WILD BIRDS 



nests in spring, he always has unusual numbers of birds about 

 and a considerable number and variety of nests on the 

 premises. Mr. Taylor is a real lover of birds, and has spent 

 much time in studying the tastes of different species in 

 reference to nesting material. He finds, for instance, that 

 the robin likes best of all soft white cotton twine or strips of 

 cotton cloth about a quarter of an inch wide, cut into 

 lengths of 8 to i o inches to prevent the birds from becoming 

 tangled and hanging themselves. There is some range of 

 choice in colour between different species. For instance, 

 the kingbird prefers red, blue, and green, or similar shades. 



'Studying Adaptation. Finding that the Baltimore oriole 

 invariably started the nest with the outside fibrous bark 

 of the last year's milkweed, Mr. Taylor decided it was be- 

 cause this bark is very soft and wraps readily around the 

 twigs, staying where it is put, so he looked for a substitute. 

 He found it in a ball of shoemaker's flax, such as they make 

 their wax ends of, and cut it up into 10 to 12 inch lengths, 

 putting it out on the trellis and bushes, as he did the other 

 material. The orioles at once endorsed the judgment of 

 their friend and adopted the new invention, even preferring 

 it to the milkweed bark. The vireos also took it, using it 

 to suspend their nests. 



Other material which he puts out in quantity is horsehair 

 and cotton batting. The horsehair he gets in quantity from 

 livery stables and cuts into suitable lengths. No doubt 

 cotton waste and all sorts of soft material would be accept- 

 able to birds. Even bits of paper are often used, notably 

 by vireos, and people with a sense of humour have amused 

 themselves by furnishing printed legends or advertising 

 matter of suitable proportions, which the birds displayed 

 upon their nests. Orioles, chipping sparrows, and wrens, 

 Mr. Taylor found, were fond of lining their nests with the 



