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an out-door experiment station for observations on the breeding and 

 habits of the gypsy moth. During the winter of 1894-95, Mr. 

 C. E. Bailey made frequent visits to this tree to ascertain whether 

 or not the birds were destroying the eggs of the gypsy moth. Inci- 

 dentally, Mr. Bailey observed many interesting things in connec- 

 tion with the feeding of birds on the eggs, larvae and pupae of 

 insects which wintei'on the trees, and I am greatly indebted to him 

 for many interesting notes on the feeding of birds in this orchard. 

 He is a careful, conscientious observer, and is intimately acquainted 

 with most of our native land birds. 



Hunters and trappers are aware that many species of winter 

 birds, such as titmice, woodpeckers, crows, jays and nuthatches 

 are attracted by a skinned carcass suspended from a limb, and will 

 remain in the vicinity until all the bones are picked clean or until, 

 with the approach of spring, insect food becomes more accessible. 



Believing from my own observations that the chickadees (Parus 

 atricapillus) were feeding on the eggs of the fall canker-worm, I 

 asked Mr. Bailey to attract the birds, if possible, to the orchard by 

 suspending pieces of meat, bone, suet, etc., from the trees. These 

 food materials are suitable for birds at times when the trees are 

 covered with snow or ice and, when lacking such nourishment, they 

 might starve. Although birds will frequently visit bait provided 

 for them and in time will eat a considerable portion of the meat, 

 they do not depend entirely on this aliment, but spend the greater 

 portion of their time in searching for insects and eggs in the imme- 

 diate vicinity. 



Finding a plentiful supply of food, the chickadees remained about 

 the orchard most of the winter, except for a week or two, when the 

 meat gave out, but they were lured back again later by a fresh 

 supply which was placed in the trees. Not only were the chicka- 

 dees attracted to the orchard in large numbers, but other birds 

 came also. A pair of downy woodpeckers (Dryobates pubescens) 

 and two pairs of nuthatches {Sitta carolinensis) were frequent 

 visitors, and a few brown creepers (Certhia americana) came 

 occasionally. All these paid frequent visits to the meat and suet, 

 and also thoroughly inspected the trees in search of insect food. 

 They made excursions also to the trees in the neighborhood, but 

 the greater portion of their attention was confined to the orchard 

 in which the bait was suspended. As they became more accus- 

 tomed to Mr. Bailey's presence, they grew quite tame and could 

 be viewed at a distance of a few feet. Indeed, chickadees fre- 

 quently alighted on his person and occasionally took food from his 

 hand. He was thus enabled to determine accurately (without kill- 

 ing them) what they were feeding upon, and was soon convinced 

 that they were destroying the eggs of the canker-worm moth in 



