AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 11 



BIRD NEIGHBORS. 



How is it that the people, generally speaking, manifest such little 

 concern in our common birds? Are they so constituted that they can 

 not appreciate even the merry warble of the friendly bluebird as he 

 flits from limb to limb and from post to rail as the welcome sunshine 

 bursts forth on a cold February or March morning? See him salute 

 you with his wings as he alternately raises and lowers them; see the 

 reflection in his plumage of the bluest sky that God ever gave; and 

 note his implicit confidence in man, evidenced on his part by a desire 

 to build his little home in any place about the house that man may pro- 

 vide for him. 



Who cannot appreciate the spirited little wren, despite the fact that 

 he on some occasions appears to be rather irritable, and a scold. He 

 confides in man and by his cheerfulness and activity sets examples that 

 man may well afford to emulate. I mention these two birds particular- 

 ly, because they are true bird neighbors and are quickly recognized by 

 most people. There are many others, — in fact all of the birds, with 

 rare exceptions, common to our country, are well worth associating 

 with and appreciating. I am of the opinion that God gave to the birds 

 their varied plumage and song, so beautiful in both, for the purpose of 

 contributing to the pleasure of man, and I think we should esteem them 

 as such. 



The birds are sensible little creatures and are quick to recognize a 

 friend, and there remains such little for us to do in order to assure them 

 of our friendship. 



Do not harm them yourself; protect them as far as possible from 



those who would harm them, and then invite them to become your 



neighbors. I was impressed in the Spring of 1902 with the ease with 



which this can be done. Noticing a wren about my house, I took a 



small box, cut a hole in it, nailed a lid on and tied it to the limb of a 



young apple tree, about six feet from the ground, and my children and 



I, too, were delighted to see wrens building in it before the day had 



gone. Succeeding so well in this, we next prepared a larger box, 



labeled it in pencil: ''For a blue bird," to amuse the children, and placed 



it on a ten foot pole near the house of the wrens. The Bluebirds were 



preparing a home in it before two days had elapsed. Both broods were 



reared without being molested, except frightened occasionally by a 



neighbor's cat and those detestable little pests, English sparrows. At 



the former enemy I threw many brick bats, and I make it a rule to shoot 



the latter when they come within reach of my target. 



C. W. Wilson. 



