my camera tripod. Then I focused my camera, from the tripod, using the single lens, on the hole, about three feet away, and fastened a thread to the shutter. I waited, holding the end of the thread, at a distance of about twenty feet. The female Wren (I imagine it was she, since only one bird appeared) went right in with food to feed her young, not minding the click of the shutter in the least. Then I moved the ladder and camera nearer, and with the double lens got still better pictures, releasing the shutter with the bulb. In one of these the bird was so tame that I had my hand, holding the bulb, within a foot of it, with no attempt

HOUSE WREN

at concealment either. Thus I took seven pictures of which two were spoiled by the Wren moving and blurring the image. I was unable to see the young, since they were down inside the pipe.

Earlier in the season, I found another Wren's nest in an exactly similar location to that just described. I attempted to photograph the Wren, but my plates did not turn out satisfactorily.

Another interesting nest came to my

attention, this time in a more unusual place. This pair had built their nest in a home-made, wooden mail-box on the front porch of another house. The Wren entered through the slot, which was about three-quarters of an inch wide. The lady of the house was so afraid that I would frighten the birds so that they would desert their nest that she refused me permission to photograph it.-WINTHROP CASE, Hubbard Woods, Ill.

Harris's Sparrow in Northwestern
Illinois

On March 15, 1914, I visited a large hedge-fence near where we live, to look for new bird arrivals from the South.

Starting at the west end, and walking east along the south side, I did not see anything but a few Tree Sparrows and two Bluebirds. When near the east end, which is in a slough, a flock of about a dozen Bob-whites was flushed, and, after watching them disappear. I again looked at the fence and saw a large Sparrow sitting on a limb about ten yards from where I was standing. It had its breast toward me and sat very quiet, giving me an excellent opportunity to observe it with my field-glass.

I

bill

noticed that the was pinkish, the crown, throat, lores, and breast, glossy black; the belly white. and the sides streaked with black. I observed it several minutes, and then walked east of where it was sitting, to get a side view, when it flew toward the other end of the fence. I immediately followed it, to try to get a back or side-view, but did not get near enough until it reached the west end, where there were a Goldfinch and some Tree Sparrows sitting. There I

again observed it from a distance of about twenty yards, and could see that it had white wing-bars. After observing it several minutes, I tried to get closer, when it again flew toward the east end of the fence. I did not follow, but hurried home to consult Chapman's 'Birds of Eastern North America.' On looking over the list of Sparrows which are not common here. I found that the description of Harris's Sparrow exactly suited the one which I had observed. This is the largest and most beautiful Sparrow I have ever seen, and is easily identified, on account of its large size and very different markings from any other Sparrow.-J. J. SCHAFER, Port Byron, Ill.

Curious Actions of a Robin

Can any reader of BIRD-LORE explain the actions of a Robin as described below? I live at West Newton, and my house has a covered porch, underneath which projects a bay-window with three sashes. Adjoining is a glass-enclosed breakfastroom on one side, and on the other a sash recessed about six feet from the floor of the porch.

Upon coming down to breakfast, April 8, we found a Robin flying repeatedly at the three windows in the bay, trying to get in, striking the glass with its bill, wings and feet. This it kept up all day long, and until darkness settled down. We tried to drive it away, fearing that it would hurt itself. When it appeared to be somewhat exhausted from its labors it would fly to the recessed window, which afforded room for it to alight on, and would then gaze into the room. Constantly throughout the day it issued its call.

The next morning it appeared promptly, and I pulled the shades down thinking that it might discourage its efforts; but when I left it was still flying toward the sash and then back to the porch-rail.

In flying against the sash, with the exception of the recessed window, there was no opportunity to alight; so that, after striking the glass with its bill, wings

and feet, it would return to the porchrail. These efforts occurred about every ten seconds, and would last about onehalf to three quarters of an hour.

When under observation, the Robin would drop to the lawn, running about a bit and returning to its futile efforts to get into the house. Nothing that we could do would discourage it.

This Robin was under observation by us for three days but it did not appear to us to be seeking self-destruction. It was apparently careful in striking the window not to injure itself. But for fear that it would exhaust itself, other means failing, we tied cross lines in front of the window, with many fluttering streamers. The Robin did not appear to mind these particularly, though naturally it acted as though it could not quite make out why they were there, but the flutterings did not entirely discourage it in its efforts. The fourth day it acted more rationally, and since then apparently has been normal.

After erecting the streamers in front of the three windows which attracted its first efforts, it shifted its attentions to adjoining windows, but in a lesser degree.

Another reason which makes me feel that it was not trying self-destruction is that it would land on the sill of an adjoining window and call for minutes at a time. -CLARENCE B. WOOD, Boston, Mass.

A Successful Bird's Bath

Possibly a description of a birds' bath I have found to be successful may be of interest to BIRD-LORE readers.

The stones which form the support are laid up without mortar, so as to leave openings between them. These are filled with soil and ferns planted in them, and in one large opening we planted an umbrella plant, which grows very fast, as the drip from the tank keeps it well watered. The stone support is about two feet high by three feet long and eighteen inches wide. The open bathing-tank on top of the stones is ten inches wide, three feet long, and one and one-half inches

deep, made of galvanized iron. Back of the stones we drove a cedar post, leaving the post about six or eight inches above the bathing-tank. On this post we have a galvanized tank which holds three pails of water. This tank has an opening on one side near the bottom, so that the water drips from it into the bathing-tank below; this drip can be regulated to run fast or slow, according to the weather, as

A SUCCESSFUL BIRD'S BATH

on hot days the birds use the tank more, and the drip can be arranged so that the lower tank is kept full. We usually fill the tank in the morning and put in an extra pail at noon, so the water is kept fresh all day. This is all the attention necessary. We have a cover on the larger tank, as the water keeps cooler.

The birds certainly like the arrangement, as it is used all day long. Very often there will be four or five birds

bathing at once, and others waiting their

turn.

The tank is in a shady corner of the lawn about thirty feet from the house. The shrubbery near the tank is a mixture of wild roses, elderberry, wild crab, cherry, and hawthorn trees. On the other side of the tank is a large bed of perennial phlox.

It is altogether the most interesting part of our yard, and we feel very well paid for the work and small expense we have been to in building it.HENRY P. SEVERSON, Winneconne, Wisc.

Bird-Houses and LunchBoxes

In housing and feeding our little feathered friends, we have had considerable annoyance from other birds which we do not care to provide for. Our Bluebird boxes have had no lack of renters, and several broods have been reared successfully in the last three or four years. We place them on posts of our garden fence, about eight or ten feet high, for we have discovered tha the English Sparrow does not claim nests that are so low, and we manage to protect from prowling cats by covering the hollow limb of the tree which forms the house with tin sheeting for two or three feet above the top of the

fence-post, and weaving together a number of slender osage branches around the base of the house. The cats do not venture to climb over this thorny barrier, and, if they should, the tin sheeting prevents nearer approach to the little home.

For lunch-boxes we take the small, square boxes which gardeners use for berries, line them with thin cloth to prevent the food from falling out, tie stout cords to the four corners and unite them

about six inches above the box; then make a roof of heavy cardboard long enough to extend about four inches over the two ends of the box, with little slits cut into the edges so that the cords entering will hold the roof on in spite of the wind and weather, and swing the box from the limb of a tree.

The roof should not be more than three inches above the box at the 'ridge,' and should fit closely down to the sides of the box.

Sparrows are very wary birds and few of them will venture to

THE DRINKING POOL

water comes from the drip of the ice-box. Where this is convenient, it eliminates all trouble with the ice-box overflow.

Any boy could get a few feet of old pipe and a few elbows from a plumber for almost nothing. This he can run from the drip underneath the ice-box and out a distance from the house, not less than ten feet. The size of the pipe should be about one-half inch in diameter, although this is immaterial. It should be laid under the surface of the ground to the drinkingplace, or grotto, as it should be called.

The photograph shows the kind of grotto built by the writer. It is constructed of concrete and stone. The base is of concrete, with a basin left so that the water is from one-half to about two inches in depth. This difference in the depth of the water is mainly to accommodate both large and small birds. The rocks that are piled up and around are securely cemented together. By looking closely, you may see the pipe that carries the water from the ice-box. There is also a pipe that drains the water off when it gets to the right height.

A very good plan is to plant flowers around the grotto, such as ferns, hepaticas, violets, and nasturtium. This relieves the bareness of it, and it takes but little time and money to make this a very attractive drinking-place for the birds.R. T. ROBINSON, Normal, Illinois.

Some Prospect Park Notes

In the summer of 1912, all the Ducks in Prospect Park Lake were sold. A male Black Duck had mated with a female Mallard, and they raised a brood of seven. These seven were not caught, and remained in the lake until November 20. About March 26, 1913, three of these Ducks returned to the lake. We are sure these three belonged to the seven that left in November, 1912, because of their markings. A pair mated and raised a brood of thirteen. About August 8, seven of the Ducks disappeared. The general coloration of the nine remaining is that of Black Ducks. One has the

speculum and recurved tail-feathers of the male Mallard, some have the Mallard speculum, and some the speculum of the Black Duck; all have reddish orange feet, four have light greenish yellow bills, two have orange bills mottled with greenish black, and three have the bill of the Black Duck. All have the under side of the wings white. These Ducks have become very tame.

From December 25, 1912 to January 1, 1913, a female Wood Duck was in the open water of the lake; another was seen July 20.

A Brazilian Cardinal (Paroaria cucullata) was in the park from May 9 to 13.

On May 13 a male Summer Tanager was seen in the park, and on September 24 a Mockingbird.

After an absence of three years, a pair of Wood Thrushes nested in the park; besides these, an unmated male stayed with us all summer.-KATE P. and E. W. VIETOR, Brooklyn, N. Y.

A Nest Census

On January 15, 1914, I took a walk from the old Round Tower at Fort Snelling, Minn., past the soldiers' barracks and officers' quarters, a little over a quarter of a mile. In the big elms lining the walks I counted thirty-one birds' nests. Orioles predominated, some Robins' nests, and others that I did not know. These thirty-one nests meant thirty-one pairs, or sixty-two birds. With three young to a nest a low average-there were 93, or 155 birds total, in that quarter of a mile. -E. I. METCALF, Minneapolis, Minn.

Trial of Von Berlepsch Nests

Mr. Fred Adams, of Omaha, has a fine home near a natural grove. That these trees might be the better preserved from insect attacks, he secured from the manufacturer twenty-five of the von Berlepsch boxes. While the boxes are especially fitted to European species, he is gratified at his experience here.

He presented one to the writer. It was