36 THE AUDUBON BULLETIN 



Circular 47, February, 1917 edition, by Mr. Forbush, entitled, Bird 

 Houses and Nesting Boxes, (24 pages with 44 illustrations) embodies 

 the best and most recent information obtained by experiments in Massa- 

 chusetts. Circular 49, Food Plants to Attract Birds and Protect Fruit, 

 by Forbush, (21 pages, 7 illustrations), includes most of the material in 

 Farmers' Bulletin No. 621 by McAtee referred to above and much valuable 

 comment and additional material. Then there are three bulletins of 

 Economic Biology also by Mr. Forbush, which are very important con- 

 tributions to the literature of bird protection. Bulletin 1, Rats and Rat 

 Riddance, (87 pages, 35 illustrations), and Bulletin No. 2, The Domestic 

 Cat, Bird Killer, etc., (112 pages, 46 illustrations), and Bulletin No. 3> 

 The Natural Enemies of Birds, (58 pages, 13 illustrations), are really in- 

 dispensable aids. These and the annual reports and the circulars named 

 above, may be obtained free of charge, by addressing the State Board of 

 Agriculture, Room 136 State House, Boston. 



A Challenge 



A large and influential wing of the scientist army, led by some very 

 able ornithologists (including the well-beloved Burroughs) refuse ab- 

 solutely to credit birds with the power of memory. According to their 

 theoretical arguments, all actions displaying symptoms or even suspicions 

 of memory upon the part of birds are merely the results of instinct. 



What is meant by the term "instinct," or just how nearly this hidden 

 power approaches memory, has never been lucidly explained. 



I have just given a company of birds including members of two species, 

 a test that I challenge the world to explain without using the term "mem- 

 ory" in itself or a synonym. I have enjoyed an exhibition as logically con- 

 vincing of the gift of memory possessed by our feathered friends, true as 

 any form pervading the human mind. 



One afternoon a large barred owl was brought me for mounting. I 

 stretched it upon a table back of my store and left it. Something less than 

 an hour later, five jays and twenty sparrows had congregated around my 

 table and were making the air hideous with their protests. This well 

 known action of birds might very properly be called "instinctive action," 

 for the hate of owls is either born in each feathered form or instilled at 

 an early age. 



At dusk when the non-pacifist gathering had dispersed, I carefully 

 wrapped the owl in a newspaper and turned over him a large box tray used 

 for picture washing. The owl was completely covered — not a feather in 

 sight — and left through the night. 



Next morning when I returned to the store the protesting congrega- 

 tion was already present with the exception of one absent jay. The spar- 

 rows were all there. The noise of the protest was fully as convincing of 

 their displeasure. My question follows t 



Why were these birds present upon the second occasion if they were 

 not possessed of memories? 



Isaac E. Hess. 



