The Audubon Societies 131 



Our schoolhouse is an annex, situated near a yard of fruit trees and shrubs. 

 A quince bush, elder bushes, and two apple trees touch our three south win- 

 dows, while peach trees and maple trees touch the southwest and west sides of 

 our house. 



Just outside our center south window we have a feeding-board. Cardinals 

 have visited all winter, with Tufted Titmice occasionally. While the Cardinals 

 are feeding, the children often skip past the window, but our Cardinals are 

 rarely frightened away. The first Cardinal whistle was heard January 18, 

 about 7.45 A.M., (just before coming to school). 



This, of course, is an ideal spot for birds. Last spring. Redstarts were quite 

 numerous, even sitting on the window-sills of our open windows. From the 

 windows we saw Black and White Warblers, Redstarts, Myrtle Warblers, 

 Kinglets, and Vireos, besides our Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, Fhckers, 

 Goldfinches, Tufted Titmice, and Blue Jays. The entire class saw these. 



Do you think there is a reason for enthusiasm? 



Our building is an annex to the grade and high school building. We have 

 recess both morning and afternoon. The birds are not frightened away but 

 rather seem to enjoy the children's laughter and romping. 



Can you blame me for hoping for another spring similar to last year's? — 

 Alma Miller, Gallon, Ohio. 



BIRDS THAT HAVE COME TO OUR HOUSE 



I have made bird-shelves. Nuthatches, Chickadees, Fox Sparrows and the 

 Cardinal have come. In the morning we often hear the Cardinal. Once the 

 Sparrow Hawk made us a visit. — Jack Steele (Aged 9 years). 



[The writer of this contribution is now fourteen years old, and has doubtless had 

 much more experience in feeding and protecting birds. We should be glad of his address 

 and also of any further notes he may have made during the last five years. 



Comparisons with this record during the successive seasons which have elapsed will 

 prove helpful not only to him but also to our readers. — A. H. W.] 



THE WESTERN ROBIN 



Bailey's 'Handbook of Birds of the Western United States' says of the 

 Western Robin: "He nests in the mountains or far north, and when seen in 

 winter is shy and nervous." 'The Birds of California' says, "He goes up into 

 the lonely Sierra Nevada forests." From these quotations it would seem that 

 the Robin is shy and nervous in the West; but 'The Birds of Oregon and 

 Washington' says: "The Robin is a common bird." The first two observations 

 are undoubtedly from California, while the last is from Oregon. 



I live in Portland, Oregon, where the Robins are both common and tame. 

 Even as I write I hear their beautiful song which rings loud and clear in the 

 early morning and at intervals through the day, and then again before going 

 to bed. They bathe in my garden, and in winter eat apples which I put out 



