Notes From Field and Study 



175 



Being extremely anxious to have them 

 settle near by, and realizing that they were 

 probably looking out for a location to be 

 made use of later on, I lost no time in pre- 

 paring and putting up a wooden box for 

 their benefit. This box was fastened 

 against the house near a second-story win- 

 dow, and was not in position many days 

 before a pair of Bluebirds began to inspec* 

 it. We were quite interested in watching 

 them; first one would go inside and remain 

 for a time and come out, then the other in 

 like manner would take a turn at interior 

 inspection. They were all the while ' talk- 

 ing ' to each other in animated tones, 

 especially when some particularly good 

 point was noted. They would fly around 

 the box, look in at the door and sit on the 

 top. This continued for a day or two, and 

 the box seemed to meet with approval, as on 

 the 4th day of April both birds began col- 

 lecting and carrying nesting materials into 

 it. They worked faithfully for about one 

 week, the mother-bird sometimes remaining 

 inside to adjust the materials brought by her 

 mate. We were delighted veiy much and 

 watched their proceedings with increasing 

 interest. Misfortune was in store for the 

 little workers, however, for on the 13th there 

 came a severe wind- and rain-storm which 

 raged with unabated fury for three days, 

 and which literally tore their box to pieces 

 and scattered it over an adjoining field. An 

 ' examination of the remains revealed the fact 

 that the nest had been completed but fortu- 

 nately no eggs were deposited. We found 

 some consolation in this fact, as had there 

 been young birds in the nest — even had the 

 box remained firm in position — they would 

 surely have perished, as did thousands of 

 little broods of different species throughout 

 the country. During the three days of 

 storm we saw nothing of our birds, but on 

 the fourth day (the i6th) when the ele- 

 ments were getting back into normal con- 

 dition, we observed them in the vicinity. 

 They were evidently viewing the destruction 

 of their intended home and considering what 

 action to take next. We fully expected that, 

 after this accident, they would depart to some 

 other locality, but being determined to do 

 all we could to help them, a new and much 



stronger box was hastily made with a neat 

 little front door and cozy porch with a roof, 

 and fastened up in the same place as 

 occupiec* by the original one. We were 

 delighted to note that both birds were 

 sitting on the fence near by, watching the 

 operation and conversing in pleasant tones 

 — evidently of satisfaction with the prospect 

 of a new home. 



I had no sooner completed my task and 

 descended from the roof, when both birds 

 flew straight to the new box, made a hasty 

 examination, and within a half hour had 

 commenced to rebuild with renewed courage 

 and doubled energy. Another week's steady 

 labor completed the second nest, and then 

 for a considerable time (during the deposit- 

 ing of eggs and incubation) we saw very lit- 

 tle of them. This set of eggs hatched about 

 the 15th of May; then we saw both birds 

 constantly from early morning until dark, 

 flying to and from the box. A few days 

 gave the young sufficient voice to be plainly 

 heard when we stood by the window above 

 mentioned. This window afforded us an 

 excellent opportunity of watching all that 

 was going on, and the parent birds soon be- 

 came accustomed to seeing us there — al- 

 though so close — and would remain on their 

 little porch and look at us without the 

 slightest fear; in fact, we could almost de- 

 tect the blinking of their bright little eyes. 

 The young birds (four in number) first 

 made their appearance on the porch of the 

 box on May 30, and left it finally a few 

 days afterwards. They did not desert us, 

 however, but took up their abode in a 

 row of poplars bordering our street, and 

 here they remained for about two weeks, 

 the mother feeding them and looking after 

 their general welfare and education in the 

 ways of the world. 



Dur'ng these two weeks we noticed an 

 occurrence of special interest; namely, the 

 careful guarding of the home box against 

 the Sparrows by the male Bluebird. He 

 would daily sit on his favorite clothes-line 

 post or on the fence and keep a sharp watch 

 over his summer home, and should a Spar- 

 row dare to light on it, he would immedi- 

 ately give chase and fight him off. We all 

 looked upon this as an excellent example of 



