scarlet tanagers, Baltimore orioles and bluebirds were unusu- 

 ally abundant. 



"What, perhaps, brought the birds more prominently to 

 our notice this summer was our new bird pool, made from a 

 natural basin in a gjeat rock close by the house. 



"On one occasion two scarlet tanagers and four bluebirds 

 bathed together. Another time seven bluebirds filled the 

 pool. Robins, phoebes, bluebirds, bluejays, chipping spar- 

 rows and goldfinches were noted, with the probability that 

 man}' others visited the pool in our absence. 



"Many humming birds were seen, but the nest of but 

 one located. 



"Phoebes built their nests on shehes placed for them 

 under the eaxes. Nuthatches and bluebirds occupied P)er- 

 lepsch houses, 



"Unfortunately, flying st|uirrcls took pns^es^i(Jn of a 

 numlier of Berlepsch boxes, early in the spring, which pre- 

 vented woodpeckers and others from using them. 



"Additional Berlepsch nesting boxes ha\'e been ordered 

 to replace those damaged by scjuirrels. T(j lessen the annoy- 

 ance from field mice, which often take possession of boxes as 

 soon as the first brood has left, especially when boxes are 

 placed within six feet of the ground, all of the new ones will 

 be located much higher than usual. 



"(Juail haxe been unusually, abundant. A nest containing 

 eleven eggs was found while mowing within sevent\' fi\e 

 yards of the house. Although further work was stopped and 

 the nest left as found, the birds deserted it. 



"."-^cotch pines seem to be favorite places for catbirds, 

 goldfinches, robins and chipping sparrows to nest. Che winks 

 nested in the Japanese barberry. 



".\ snake .about to devour nesting catbirds was discov- 

 ered in time and killed. Our attention was attracted by the 

 noisy alarm given b}' the parent birds. 



"A starling killed a bluebird on her nest in a Berlejjsch 

 box. 



"A cat trap like the one made by our .Society has caught 

 forty-five cats up to date. We attribute the increasing bird 

 life to our crusade against bird-hunting cats. 



47 



