378 Bird -Lore 



2. April 28. Four eggs. 



5. April 28. Robin in the big maple. One egg. 



6. April 28. Song Sparrow in Reed's hedge. Three eggs. 



1. April 29. Two eggs, but no mud lining. 



3. May I. Cat killed one of the birds and pulled nest down. 



2. May 2. Five eggs. Sitting. 

 6. May 2. Four eggs. Sitting. 



4. May 3. Five eggs. Sitting. 



1. May 8. Four eggs. Sitting. 



5. May 13. Nest empty. Think they were stolen. 



2. May 13. Three young just hatched and two eggs. 



1. May 16. Three young just hatched and one egg. 

 4. May 16. Young three or four days old. 



6. May 20. Only three young; pin-feathers ready to burst. 



2. May 23. Feathers not out yet. 

 6. May 23. Ready to leave nest. 

 2. May 24. Feathers all out. 



4. May 24. Left nest. 



1. May 24. Three young left nest. One unhatched egg in nest. 



2. June 3. Four young left nest. One unhatched egg left in nest. 



To find the history of any nest, first find its number and then go down the 

 Ust, reading wherever that number is repeated. In this manner I have all my 

 nesting records in a compact form, where they are readily accessible. 



At the end of the year a summary may be made: 



3 Robins i Song Sparrow 



I Grackle i Phcebe 



This shows how much more common the Robin nests are than any others. 



A Robin takes five days to build a nest. 



Phoebes build under the same bridge year after year. 



A Song Sparrow builds its nest, incubates, and young leave nest in about 

 a month. 



A Phoebe lays an egg every other day. 



These and more facts can be obtained from the records of these six nests, 

 so it is easy to see what records can be obtained through a study of seventy- 

 one nests. — James W. Clise, Jr. (age 15 years), Willowmoor Farms, Red- 

 mond, Wash. 



[Observations of nesting operations are especially instructive. Do not disturb the 

 parent birds. It is excellent practice to keep brief records like the above, which can be 

 easily tabulated for reference. — A. H. W.] 



BIRDS 



Birds are a help, especially to the farmers. They help by eating worms and 

 insects. Then, too, everybody likes to hear their sweet songs. All birds are 

 pretty, even the little English Sparrow which we hate so much. 



The birds help us, why not let us help the birds? We can tie a bell around 

 the cat's neck so that when it chases birds the bell will ring and give the 



