The Audubon Societies 109 



when I was young. The only desire I could have for beginning life over again would be 

 that I might have more intimacy with birds. I have had a few lovely experiences that 

 I would like to share with you." 



Read Shelley's Skylark and memorize it, a simple task that will bring you much 

 joy.— A. H. W.] 



AN ALBINO CROW^ 



One day in late spring I noticed a flock of Crows with a white bird among 

 them. 



The Crows lit on a corn-piece and began to dig up the little corn. 



I looked on for awhile and then shouted at them. They all rose from the 

 ground, the white bird taking the lead. That was the last I saw of them that 

 day. The next day I saw the white Crow again. It sat on a fence-post and 

 cawed like a Crow. It was just the size of a black Crow. One morning last 

 summer I saw another white Crow. It cawed to the rest and they flew and it 

 took the lead. — Roger D. Pinkham (age 12 years), Lancaster, N. H. 



[Albino birds, like albino creatures of any kind, are rare, so mark it as a red-letter 

 day when you see one. In certain lights, white is a more striking color than red or blue 

 or green, and it plays a decidedly important part in animal and plant coloration. See 

 Chapman's 'Handbook,' pp. 92-96, and also, when visiting museums look for exhibits 

 demonstrating this fact. — A. H. W.] 



MY REAL ESTATE BUSINESS 



I entered the real estate business in 1913, and my first advertisement was 

 put in the 'Bird News' of our country place. I had five houses for rent, three 

 for Wrens and two for Bluebirds. They were nailed on shady trees which grew 

 quite near together. My first caller was a Wren who looked a little white 

 house over carefully but was much displeased with the doorway. She peeped 

 into the house and then called for her mate. This she repeated three times 

 before her husband arrived. Both went in but came right out and immediately 

 left. I found out later that the doorway was made entirely wrong, and to make 

 it comfortable and cozy I would have to bore the door hole at least an inch 

 above the floor. I did so and the next summer the house was occupied by a 

 family of Wrens, who paid well for the rent. I then repaired all of my houses 

 the same way only making the Bluebirds' doorway larger. 



I was so encouraged that summer that I bought more houses, and the 

 increase of feathered neighbors was greatly noticed. 



In the winter I decided to keep lunch-counters and they were supplied 

 daily with suet, sunflower seeds, millet, and wheat. My chief visitors were the 

 White-breasted Nuthatches, and a stream of them was as continuous as a 

 stream of water flowing into the ocean, only their ocean was the food-counter. 



Downy Woodpeckers were seen quite often at the counters, and Flickers 

 and Juncos. Song and Tree Sparrows came occasionally, and toward the end 

 of winter they were almost as regular visitors as the Nuthatches. 



