AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 351 



householders. Here the Flicker has already begun to inhabit build- 

 ings, using them chiefly as a winter protection and making a doorway 

 of its own. The Chickadee, our only common titmouse, sometimes 

 finds shelter about buildings during severe winter storms, but does not 

 yet breed in buildings or bird boxes, except in rare cases. 



Thirty years ago, before the English Sparrow became common and 

 widely distributed here, the Chickadee was a familiar bird about the 

 farm, both in Winter and Summer. Its nest was built in some hollow 

 fruit tree in the orchard, yard, or garden. Where Sparrows are scarce 

 it still seeks such situations. Last Summer a pair of Chickadees reared 

 their young in a hollow pear tree near the doorway of a neighbor, but 

 wherever the ubiquitous sparrow has come to stay, the Chickadee is 

 driven to the woods, returning to the farm yard chiefly in Winter when 

 Sparrows do most resort to the village streets. There seemed to be no 

 reason why the Chickadee could not be induced to breed in bird boxes 

 if first the Sparrows could be banished from the premises. 



Bird boxes were put up on our buildings and trees quite largely in 

 the Spring of 1901, and the Sparrows immediately took possession. 

 They were pursued with the shot gun until the few survivors fled in 

 dismay, but not until they had managed to prevent most other birds 

 from breeding in the boxes for that season. However, the lesson the 

 Sparrows received was so effectively given that they have not appeared 

 since, though they still occupy a neighboring farm, having destroyed 

 the nests of a colony of Eave Swallows and taken possession of the 

 premises, by force. 



The Sparrows having been disposed of, other interlopers appeared. 

 Squirrels and White-footed Mice occupied boxes put up in the woods, 

 while the Jays manifested considerable curiosity as to the contents of 

 the bird boxes. The Chickadees made no attempt to use them, merely 

 looking one over now and then as if to see what new creature would 

 pop its head out of the entrance. In the Fall of 1901 food for the birds 

 was put out as usual about the house windows. The window over the 

 wood shed was provided with what we might call an observation box. 

 This box was made of old weather-beaten lumber and fastened to the 

 window sill by a board support a foot long. A projecting piece of 

 board protected the entrance from the driving rain. So far it appeared 

 like any ordinary bird box, but the side next the window had the edge 

 rabbited for glass like a windowsash. A pane of glass was fitted into 

 this side and secured with glaziers points. The glass was covered 

 from view externally by a shingle which was fitted into the rabbiting 

 over the glass, and hinged at the bottom, so that it could be opened 

 downward and laid flat on the supporting board. When this had been 



