334 Bird - Lore 



saplings separated us. After both the bird and we had remained motionless 

 for what seemed a long time, I raised myself cautiously over the side of the 

 car and approached the bird. The latter did not fly and gave no sign of being 

 startled. He merely stepped from his log, lowered his head, and began walking 

 among the underbrush with the same sinuous movement which was character- 

 istic of both Biddy and Billy. He kept six or eight feet beyond my reach, and 

 when I stopped, he stopped. On several occasions he circled partly around me 

 instead of retiring directly in my path. 



Matters stood as described when there came a call from the road (which 

 was very narrow) informing me that another car was approaching. Not wish- 

 ing to disclose the bird's presence to possibly hostile strangers, the experience 

 was terminated much before I wished. With more time it is easy to imagine 

 that I might have induced as great confidence in bird number three as had 

 been displayed by numbers one and two. 



It seems obvious that each of these Grouse was attracted in the first instance 

 by some artificial sound which either closely or somewhat resembled the drum- 

 ming of a wild cock Partridge; but it is difhcult if not impossible satisfactorily 

 to diagnose the peculiar and intimate conduct of the birds with relation both 

 to persons and to unnatural mechanical objects, such as tractors and automo- 

 biles. 



Why Do Birds Bathe? 



By ERNEST THOMPSON SETON, Greenwich, Conn. 



HAS anyone fully answered the question, Why do birds bathe? Also, 

 What birds, at what time of day, and what season of the year? 



There are four kinds of baths that birds commonly take: Sun-bath, 

 dust-bath, shower-bath, and plunge-bath. 



I have often seen Eagles, Hawks, Owls, Grouse, Quail, and Turkey Buzzards 

 give themselves a sun-bath in some sunny sheltered nook. Here they will 

 stretch out in various ways and raise their wings to let the sun reach the under- 

 parts. This is the simplest proof that it is a sun-bath; without that pose one 

 might not know. 



Most of the Grouse family, as well as the barn-fowls, take dust-baths. 

 Nearly all of the Sparrow tribes take shower- or plunge-baths, but outside of 

 the Divers, Gulls, Ducks, Sparrows and Thrushes, I never saw any bird take a 

 water-bath, and I think they take it only during the hottest part of the morn- 

 ing. I have often seen Swallows take a shower-bath in the rain and a plunge as 

 they fly over the water, but I never saw one take a dust-bath. Of all the 

 water-bathers, I suppose the Robin is the extreme example. He is a crank on 

 the subject. I have seen a Robin soak himself till he could scarcely fly, but 

 I never saw a Hawk or an Owl, a Crow or a Grouse take a cold-water bath. 



We know that sun-bathing is a fine tonic and a powerful killer of germs; 



