136 Bird - Lore 



THE FLICKER BATHING 



"To Mr. Seton's list of birds seen bathing I can add the Flicker. This species 

 frequents a cement-lined pool in our lawn so frequently in hot weather that it 

 has never occurred to me to make a note of its bathing in my daily record of 

 birds seen. On two occasions, however, because of the time of the year and 

 coolness of the weather, I have recorded it at the bath. Thus, on September 6, 

 19 1 6, not only the Flicker but Blue Jay, Robin and Oriole bathed, and on 

 March 30, 19 17 there is another entry of a Flicker at the bath. 



"l remember well seeing a Flicker try to teach a young bird to bathe by 

 going into the water and making quite a splash while the baby only stood in the 

 edge of the water and shivered as the water fell on him. He finally did go into 

 the water when the parent flew into a tree but only stayed for a minute. I 

 have often remarked on the length of time it always takes a Flicker to make a 

 toilet after a bath. Only one other bird that I know is more deliberate and that 

 is the Brown Thrasher." — Mrs. H. M. Bailey, Sioux City, Iowa. 



THE BLUE JAY'S BATH 



' In Woodville, Miss., where I formerly lived, I kept a broad, shallow recep- 

 tacle under the hydrant in the front yard for the sake of the birds. I know that 

 many birds bathed in it, but I never kept an accurate record because I supposed 

 that birds'" used water-baths pretty generally. One thing, however, I am sure of: 

 There was no species that used the plunge bath more regularly and enthusias- 

 tically than the Blue Jay. Whether all the Jays did it, or only a few individuals, 

 I cannot say. But I know that one Blue Jay at least used to plunge and splash 

 every day, like a boy in his swimming hole.'" — H. W.W'ei.ls, Port Gibson, Miss. 



THE SONG SPARROW IS A SOAKER 



"The recent article in Bird-Lore, 'Why Do Birds Bathe?' by Ernest 

 Thompson Seton, reminded me of an unusual incident witnessed one stormy 

 April day. We had been feeding a Song Sparrow in the yard since the second 

 of the month. Here is my record : 



"April 5, 1920. — The day has been rainy and not warm, featuring fierce 

 showers which swooped upon the earth in relentless fashion, the sound of their 

 determined might occasionally augmented by a rumble of thunder. We thought 

 of the spring birds and spoke of them with pity. We shall have scantier fears 

 next time. 



' Looking from a window, in the late afternoon, G noticed something 



moving in a small pool which had collected by the doorstep. Her first thought 

 was that a frog was in the water. A closer scrutiny revealed our Song Sparrow. 

 Her instantaneous idea that it was hurt and drowning was not held long. The 

 incredible fact became evident that at almost dark, on a chill, stormy April day, 

 the bird was taking a bath. G called to me and I looked down from my room 



