30 AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



liked the other. When the male was there, she built in the side he 

 liked, because if she did not, he would fight her, but when he was 

 away she would build in her favorite side. There was a great deal of 

 argument and some fighting, so that building operations soon came to 

 a standstill. 



I was afraid I would lose the pair, so one day I went out and tacked 

 a piece of cardboard over the male's favorite side as I thought the fe- 

 male had a right to the side she wanted because she would have to stay 

 in it. Everything was immediately set right, and the female began to 

 build again. The male would sit nearby and sing by the hour but he 

 never did a bit of work. The nest was finished about May 28th, and 

 was made of twigs lined with horsehair and feathers. 



The young ones hatched on June 12th, and the father disappeared 

 just about the same time. 



The mother had to feed them alone and it kept her hustling. About 

 the time the male disappeared from our yard, one appeared at a near 

 neighbors which sang and acted just like it. As it was alone all the 

 time it must have been the same one but I thought it very curious 

 that he should desert his family. I enjoyed watching the mother bird 

 feed the young and clean the nest. She always carried the excrement 

 out to the street about seventy feet away and dropped it there, after 

 which she would clean her bill vigorously. The young left the nest on 

 June 28th and soon after a male and female appeared on the scene and 

 again started housekeeping in the house. The male disappeared from 

 the neighbor's at the same time. 



I have identified 76 birds this year, I have seen 41 species of birds 

 right here in our yard, Robins, Cedar Waxwings, Wrens and English 

 Sparrows nested in our yard this year. 



Earle Tiffany, LaCrosse, Wis. 



This bird ''The English Sparrow" should be treated as the pest that 

 it is and no interest in it aroused in the children's minds. 



Abbie Wedenburgh, Curran, 111. 



During 1903 I saw fifty-two different kinds of our feathered friends. 

 For two years I have kept a number of flower pot saucers in the yard 

 full of water. Robins, Brown Thrashers, Catbirds, Bronzed Crackles, 

 Chipping Sparrows and Blue Jays take baths and drink the water. It 

 is amusing to see two or three robins in the larger of my saucers, and 

 all trying to take a bath at the same time. One may see an insect and 

 jump out and get it, and then run and jump in again and finish his bath. 

 They often fight one another to get to take their bath first and often 

 drive the Chipping Sparrows away. 



Naomi E. Voris, Crawfordsville, Ind. 



