AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 157 



Winter nests. 



4. Catbird. 



5. Brown Thrasher. 



6. Rose-breasted Grosbeak. 



7. Scarlet Tanager. 



8. Indigo Bird. 



EXTRACTS FROM OUR MAIL BAC-. 

 A Tame Killdeer. 

 Last summer as I was cultivating in my father's corn field, I accident- 

 ally destroyed what is called a nest of a Killdeer. It contained four 

 eggs, but none were broken. I made a hollow in the ground with my 

 hand and placed the eggs in it with the points towards the center the 

 same as a Killdeer would arrange them, and when I came back on the 

 next row of corn she sat on her second nest as contented as could be. 

 The Killdeer is said to be very shy but this one did not show it the 

 least bit. 



Clarence F. Dickinson, Springport, Michigan. 



WINTER VISITORS. 



This winter we hung suet on the trees near the house for the birds 

 to eat. We also hung up bones with a little meat on, and two bags 

 crocheted out of twine and filled with suet, nuts and the inside of plum 

 stones. Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches and Blue Jays come 

 every day, and Downy Woodpeckers and White-breasted Nuthatches 

 come irregularly. At first only Chickadees and Blue Jays came. As 

 the Blue Jays ate so much and drove the other birds away, we would 

 frighten them away when they came to eat, and the Chickadees came 

 to regard the bones and bags, as their own private property, so when 

 other birds came they would scold and twitter for us to come and 

 frighten the intruders away. But we let all but the Blue Jays eat. 



Last fall we had a lot of apples freeze on the trees, and Blue Jays 

 and Pine Grosbeaks (especially the latter) feed on them a great deal. 

 A large flock of Pine Grosbeaks are here nearly all the time. 



I had heard quite a number of times this winter a very pretty song, 

 but was not able to see the bird, but one day I heard it right over my 

 head, and looking up saw a Pine Grosbeak. The song was a low, very 

 sweet warble, quite long. 



I have seen the Snow Buntings twice this year. Once they came 

 into the yard and ate some hayseed only a few feet from the piazza on 

 which we were standing. Paul P. Jones, Windham, Vt. 



