6)2 
THE GUIDE TO NATURE 
A Blackbird Thief. 
BY GERTRUDE LUCAS, NEBRASKA WES- 
LEYAN UNIVERSITY. 
This observation was made from a 
third story window from which 1 could 
look into the top of a tall tree, in the 
forks of which was a robin’s nest. The 
robins brought material and put it into 
the nest at intervals of from five to ten 
minutes. During one of these intervals 
a blackbird flew into the top of the tree 
and hopped from branch to branch 
rather cautiously until it reached the 
nest, when it began to pull out the 
straws and strings, throwing the 
straw's on the ground, but winding the 
strings around the limbs of the tree by 
throwing them across the branch, then 
reaching around and pulling them to 
the other side until it had them firmly 
fastened. The blackbird did not seem 
to want either the straw or the strings, 
but the pieces of cotton which it took 
in its beak and flew away. After mak- 
ing several such trips, the blackbird 
came back and again started to rob the 
nest, when the robins saw the thief and 
chased him out of the tree. The next 
morning when I looked from the win- 
dow the nest had been torn down. I 
have not since then seen the robins. 
The Trailing Arbutus. 
New York City. 
To the Editor : 
A copy of the clipping referred to in 
an editorial on page fourteen of the 
June number of The Guide to Nature 
has just been received, also a letter 
from the Pastor of the First Baptist 
Church of Poughkeepsie. The follow- 
ing quotation is from his letter: 
“Each spray of arbutus was chosen 
with the same care by two adult Scout 
Officers, who for many years have been 
championing the cause which your So- 
ciety advocates. No boys were pres- 
ent, no roots or plants were injured 
and there were acres and acres of 
arbutus. These are the facts.” 
It is evident from the above state- 
ments that the Boy Scouts did not ex- 
terminate the plant and we are glad to 
be able to make this correction and to 
learn that some of the leaders of the 
Boy Scouts are interested in its pres- 
ervation. We regret that any mistakes 
have occurred and are sorry that we 
could not have had the facts before we 
published our criticisms. It is also 
cheering to learn that the station for 
this rare plant was not published, and 
we comfort ourselves with the thought 
that perhaps it will save the plant 
longer from extermination to remove 
the flowers carefully in small sprays, 
before others, who are less careful, pull 
it up by the roots. 
Elizabeth G. Britton, Secretary, 
Wild Flower Preservation Society. 
Joe Pye weed, darkly crimson, 
The glory of golden rod, 
And the snowy white of asters 
Fresh springing from the sod, 
A feast of beauty gave us 
That was worthy of a God. 
— Emma Peirce. 
The palm for patriotism 
To blueberry-bushes small, 
With the white of their early blooming, 
And their flaming leaves in Fall, 
While the blue of abundant fruitage 
Is the crowning tint of all. 
- — Emma Peirce. 
