. The home life of wild birds; a new method of the study and photography of birds. Birds; Photography of birds. 72 Wild Birds. the Bluebird have aroused the enthusiasm of many observers. Unfortunately, we are obliged to add that a case of polygamy in this species has been reported.' The choice of a nesting site is made with great care and deirberation. -If they accept the house or box prepared for them, they often have to defend it against the Wren, the Martin, and the House Sparrow. Wrens and Martins are easily driven off, but the pugnacity of the Sparrow, and the greater numbers which he can
. The home life of wild birds; a new method of the study and photography of birds. Birds; Photography of birds. 72 Wild Birds. the Bluebird have aroused the enthusiasm of many observers. Unfortunately, we are obliged to add that a case of polygamy in this species has been reported.' The choice of a nesting site is made with great care and deirberation. -If they accept the house or box prepared for them, they often have to defend it against the Wren, the Martin, and the House Sparrow. Wrens and Martins are easily driven off, but the pugnacity of the Sparrow, and the greater numbers which he can usually muster render all resistance hopeless. An abandoned Woodpecker's hole is not disdained since it forms a safe, cozy house which needs little furnishing. This snug cavern is sheltered from sun and rain, and secure from most birds and beasts of prey. The rotten fence-post, and the many holes in the decayed apple trees may also contain the secret of the Bluebird's nest. On August II, 1899, I saw a pair of Bluebirds paying marked atten- tions to an old "auger-hole" in an apple tiee, made by Golden-winged Woodpeckers. It was plainly a case of nest within nest. The female was carrj'ing insects to her invisible young, which I supposed at this late date were ready to fly, but, as it af- terwards appeared, they were only five days old. This hole had been nicely drilled beneath the springing branch of a truncated and now dead prong of the tree, fifteen feet from the ground. When the opportunity first offered on August 15th, I sawed off the limb, two feet from the opening, and set it up in a convenient spot fifty feet awa\'. It was so arranged that the whole trunk could be rotated, and the circular entrance of this nest turned directly to the sun at any time of day. I had barely left the place to fetch the tent when the mother bird flew from the apple tree to the stump, entered the hole, and having fed the young, came out with a small, white parcel in her bill. This bird
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Photo credit: © Central Historic Books / Alamy / Afripics
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1901
