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Bird - Lore 



deliberate Waxwing fashion they dressed their shining feathers in the spreading 

 plum tree over the bath. The most beautiful sight was in the spring of 19 17 

 when I saw a male Oriole bathe in one end of the bath with a male Redstart in 

 the other end. 



"As to habits in regard to bathing I have noticed that most water-bathers if 

 undisturbed will go in a second time. Some love to soajk a long time. The Junco 

 is of this kind and when in the water he flufifs out his feathers until he looks like 

 a ball and he also spreads his tail out on the water so that the white outer 

 tail feathers show. It took the Flicker a long time to make up his mind to bathe. 

 He came repeatedly to drink and often acted as if he wanted to bathe but could 

 not quite make up his mind to do so. Finally one day he did it. The water was 

 not deep enough to suit him and he looked very awkward as he tried to dip 

 under and get his feathers wet. As to time of bathing, I have little to report. 

 The Bluebirds in the fall always come about five o'clock in the afternoon. The 

 early splasher in the morning is usually a Robin and the one to bathe just as 

 darkness settles over the earth is a Song Sparrow. I once saw a Horned Lark 

 take a snow-bath on a fence post and it seemed to be a most satisfactory per- 

 formance." — Mrs. Arthur F. Gardner, Troy, N. Y. 



A rURAbllER AT THE BATH 

 Photographed by Craig S. Thorns 



HOW TO MAKE A BIRD-BATH 



"After trying many expedients for a bird-bath I have found a cement one 

 by far the most satisfactory. It can easily be made in the ground by hol- 

 lowing out a place, but a bird-bath should be placed at least two feet above 



