AMERICAN OENITflOLOGY. 367 



MY FEATHERED FRIENDS. 



By Emma M, DoAK. 



Some of my earliest recollections are of a pair of Chipping- Spar- 

 rows that built their nest in our yard. We scattered crumbs for 

 them until they became so tame they would eat from our hands, 

 and carry crumbs to the nest to feed the little ones. How delighted 

 we were ! We were almost afraid to breathe for fear we would fright- 

 en them. After they became accustomed to eating from our hands we 

 would open our fingers and let a tiny foot slip through and then g-ently 

 close them around the slender little leg and "Chip" was a prisoner, but 

 we never kept him long. He would pull to get loose and at the same 

 time turn his little head to one side and look up at us as much as to 

 say: "Did you know you were holding my foot ? Please let me go 

 for my babies are hungry." And he would fly away with food for the 

 baby birds and quickly return for more. 



For the last, three winters I have greatly enjoyed feeding some of 

 the birds that stay with us during the cold weather. I first fed a pair 

 of White-breasted Nuthatches from a small box tacked to an apple tree 

 near the window. They were very fond of pumpkin seeds which they 

 would carry off and wedge into the rough bark of the tree and then, 

 hanging head downward, peck out the kernel. 



The next fall I thought I would get better acquainted with them, 

 and tacked a box on the windowsill. They soon became so tame they 

 would come to the box when we were just inside the window. They 

 would come early in the morning and, if the box were empty, they 

 would peck on the glass or cry: ''hank, hank, yank, yank,'' which was 

 their way of asking for their breakfast. 



Hoping to attract other birds I tied some beef bones to the branches 

 of a tree near the window, and one day soon after was pleased to see 

 several Crested Titmice on the tree. They were so shy they would 

 fly away if anyone went near, but the next morning seeing the Nut- 

 hatches carrying nuts from the box they came too, and what a busy, 



happy time they had trying to see which 

 could carry off the most. Before spring- 

 they would take nuts from our hands. They 

 are also fond of sunflower seeds, fat meat, 

 and sweet cake. 



Several kinds of Woodpeckers also came 

 to the tree and box; among them was a pair 

 of Red-bellied Woodpeckers, the first of the 

 kind I had ever seen. 



