146 



Bird - Lore 



catdhdi', Sdi'eeeh Owl, Yellow-breaeted Chat, 

 Mai-ylatid Yellow-thi-oat, Bmwn Thmsher, 

 Tufted Titmouse, Flicker, Catolina Wfeii.— 

 M. A. BodOft, Wtt^Hmilhi N, C\ 



Birds and Salt 



In verei-cilce to letters about 'Birds and 

 Salt' in previous issues, 1 should sa}- that in 

 moderak qumtity salt would be good for any 

 bird, but too much would kill it. 1 have not 

 a doubt that the Pine Siskins which Mr. 

 Kelso speaks of died from eating; too much of 



foi' birds in the open; evei-y new bird coming 

 up would help itself too freely, but it may 

 be safe to Supply rock salt. The dampness 

 collected by the salt settles in the depressions 

 of the lump, drawing the salt. 1 should 

 think for liirds it sliould be kept under cover 

 to keep rain and dew from freeing au}?^ ex- 

 cessive portion. The article by Esther Recks 

 shows that this experiment seems safe. But 

 if for any reason most of the birds using the 

 salt should cease doing so for a time would 

 the supply be too much for the remaining 

 few? There was never anv trouble \\\\\\ I lie 



AMERICAN liiri'KRN 



I 



the spilled s;il( UoUmv Iho sivwimine was 

 dropped. 



I havie raised IHgeons in capli\i(y. Salt 

 was kept before them tx»ntinuousl>% If the 

 box should be found empty and was filled at 

 once, dead bii-ds would result; but throw a 

 little on the floor whei-e all can get at it, and 

 they cixnvd around it, pushiiig each other 

 away in their luury to eat it, and no one 

 g-ot an owixlose. It is necessary to repeat 

 this several dajrs, or until they do not tush 

 for it, before it is safe to fill the bo.t. 



Of coui-se, this method could not be used 



Pigeons in this respect, but uvight there be 

 with smaller birds? I should think there 

 w«tild be little danger, as when biixis on« 

 have a feedittg-spot (weeds or whatewr) 

 the\' \-isit it regularly. Natuie supplies salt 

 in limited quantity.— -Eliz.\beth P. Styer, 

 ConcoriivUk^ Pa. 



An Experience with an American Bittern 



While followii\g a small creek near Ypsi- 

 lanti, Mich., on October 6, t^2t, an Americait 

 Bittern stepped from the stream-bed before 



