THE OOLOGIST 



171 



eggs were all spoiled as I did not see 

 Iiow they could hatch, and was sur- 

 prised one day to see her fly up to the 

 nest with something in lier mouth. I 

 soon investigated and found she had 

 one bird which she raised. The other 

 eggs were spoiled. I think she set 

 nights and the lieat from the iron lamp 

 kept the eggs warm as the sun was 

 very hot. 



I tliought she deserved a better 

 house so vv^hen they came back in the 

 spring of 1019 she had a new home and 

 she took up maternal duties at once 

 She laid five eggs and Iiatched and 

 raised tliem all. Tlie male took them 

 tnd was gone fcr a few days but was 

 soon back as he has a steady job fight- 

 ing English Sparrows, and I believe he 

 Is the test figliter I ever saw, and I 

 don't believe there are enougli Spar- 

 rows in the county to discourage this 

 pair. Slie soon had five more eggs in 

 the nest and hatclicJ and raised them 

 all. Spring of 1920 I had them a nev 

 house and I think she is like some of 

 the women, always likes the new 

 things as slie soon got busy and had 

 f.VE- eggs. She raised five birds and 

 immediately repaired lier nest and laid 

 four eggs. Slie rai=-ed them all. They 

 are both very tame and I have often 

 gone up to the nest when sne was sil- 

 ting on it and liave liad my face v.'ituin 

 six inches of her and she did not seem 

 to mind it. 



The male works as hard in feeding 

 and taking care of them as tlie female. 

 1 was watching them feeding one day_ 

 She had just taken a worm m ana 

 came out; the male was sitting there 

 waiting with a worm. Slie flew at him 

 and took it in to tlie little ones. He 

 did not seem very mad as he was soon 

 back witli atiother worm. 



Every fall about the time to migrate, 

 they gather up their young birds and 

 pay us, or their home, I cannot say 

 which, a visit and usually stay around 

 a day or so. Fall of 1920 we hea,rd 



Blue Birds and on looking out sa'w a 

 very pleasant sight there in an old 

 dead peach tree that I left for the 

 birds to sit in, were the pair and ten 

 young birds. We had not seen them 

 for some time before. They do this 

 every year, and I wonder if all of them 

 return to take a last look at their 

 home before leaving for the wmter; 

 also if all Blue Birds hatch two litters 

 a year. I do not think so, as I remem- 

 ber when a boy there was one built in 

 an apple tree in an orchard and I only 

 remember her hatching one litter a 

 year. I am hoping to see my birds 

 back before long and will report their 

 success this year if they come back. I 

 think twenty-four birds from twenty- 

 seven eggs in three years a pretty good 

 record. 



Last spring in May 1920, I observed 

 one male, Bachman Warbler No. 640, 

 the only one I ever saw, also a Soli- 

 tary Sandpiper No 256, which I think 

 is quite rare here. I know of one 

 Pileated Woodpecker being sliot near 

 here in fall of 1919, and the same 

 party observed one last fall in the 

 same piece of woods. I think they 

 breed there as it is an ideal place for 

 them on edge of large swamp, and 

 plenty of dead trees. I am going to 

 see if I can locate their nest this 

 spring. They are rare here. 



There were several Redpoll, No. 528, 

 here last winter. I have never seen 

 any here before and think it was on 

 account of unusual amount Oi snow we 

 had last winter. Tliey used to come 

 in my yard to feet, and were quite 

 tame, I am sure tliey do not come 

 down here every winter. I cannot find 

 any this winter, and so far I have not 

 seen any Tree Sparrows here this win- 

 ter, but usually see them. We are 1 av- 

 ing a very warm winter. 



R. L. Keesler, 

 Jlarrisville, Pa, 



