Why Do Birds Bathe? 



125 



enclosing a photograph of a White-throated Sparrow that was so indulging 

 near a feeding-station." 



5. The Air-Bath, a uniform fluffing and opening of the feathers to the air 

 only — a dry-cleaning. 



6. The Dust-Bath, commonly taken by all birds of the gallinaceous group, 

 but never by birds of greasy plumage. The following from my own journal 

 has a bearing on this: Claremont, N. H., 20 Jan., 1903. Yesterday it was 

 22° below zero, today is a thaw, 6° above freezing, with heavy rain. Some 

 English Sparrows flew on the piazza by my window, two were drenching wet, 

 soaked and shivering. I thought, "You are not long for this world, my little 

 friends." However, a flower-box under shelter afforded just what they wanted 

 — a dust-bath; in this they set to work to dust themselves vigorously and in 

 fifteen minutes all were dry and warm and in sleek feathers. 



The Snow-hath is probably a mere winter substitute for the Dust-Bath. 

 Only the Downy Woodpecker and the Shorelark are known to take it. 



WHY THEY BATHE 



The question is not yet answered but Dr. A. A. Allen sends the following: 

 "My idea is that dust-baths kill vermin, but I have as yet found no biological 

 reason for sun-baths or water-baths except as it seems to bring a pleasurable 

 sensation to the birds. My observation has been that water-baths often follow 

 dust-baths, and sun-baths often follow water-baths, for obvious reasons, but I 

 know that that sequence is not always followed, and when a perfectly dry bird 



IMMATURE WHITE-THROATED SPARROW TAKING A SUN-BATH 

 Photographed by A. A. Allen 



