OUR WINTER BIRDS. 59 



birds perched, thus getting the full force of the sun's 

 rays. After basking a while in the sun, their feathers 

 smoothed down, and they seemed quite bright and hap- 

 py, and towards noon disappeared with the flock. Sev- 

 eral times, on the coldest days, during this severe win- 

 ter, this little family came to my window in the same 

 manner. 



I could mention several other instances which have 

 come under my observation, in proof that the parent 

 bluebirds, with their broods of the previous season, are 

 a united family ; but one more will suffice. 



The summer of 1881 a pair of bluebirds occupied a 

 box placed on a projecting part of the cornice, in the 

 rear of the house. After the first brood left the box, 

 the parents soon commenced to tear out the old nest, 

 preparatory for a second family in the same box. The 

 second nest is usually built in some other place, in the 

 vicinity of the first, and here was no lack of empty 

 boxes for them to choose from ; but for some reason, 

 known only to themselves, they were determined to 

 occupy the house of their first choice, notwithstanding 

 the bad condition in which it was left. 



Seeing their determination, we had the box emptied 

 of its contents, and, as might be expected, found it 

 swarming with vermin. We sprinkled it thoroughly 

 with insect-powder, and the birds commenced at once 

 to build. 



"When the second brood was hatched, the English spar- 

 rows annoyed the parent bluebirds exceedingly by go- 



