Merula mlKratorla . 



' i\|[r .Bemis , of Esterbrook & Co., told the following story Ivla^ 7^ 

 1897 to Williaia Brev/stor aboizt a female Robin. Ivtr.Bemis lives at 

 Chestnut Hill Reservoir and for five norninys in succession, Ivti-'" 

 3, 4, 5, G. 7, at about daylight or 4. 30 A.M. a female Robin has 

 tapped vTiuh i.er bealc continoiisly on the windows of the house for 

 from I to I 1/2 or possibly 2 hours. She has tapped on four dif- 

 ferent windows, but has stuck to one window each morning. The tap- 

 ping has not been confined entirely to the early morning, but has 

 occTirred at intervals during the day. Naturally the morning has 

 beonjthe most troublesome. The Robin has a mate and the pair are 

 about the place continually and are perhaps nesting near the barn. 

 This incessant noise has been very troublesome and various measures 

 have been resorted to in order to obtain peace, without injuring 

 the bird. A red cloth has been hung up by the window, and a scarf 

 has been arranged to imitate a cat and has been put outside the 

 window, but all to no effect. The rapping has continued as before, 

 and the panes of glass have been dirtied to such an extent that 

 they have required a washing. The bird seems to show no special 

 nervousness or anxiety as might result from loss of mate and the 

 1 ilie . 



Note by William Brewster. 

 Tapping on the window by birds has been noticed before, and 

 the above facts are of special interest in connection with the va- 

 rious theories on the subject. One theory is that it is the male 



