The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-03-19
A TREE BELOVED BY BIRDS.

We have often heard the question. What tree is selected as a nesting site by the greatest number of different kinds of birds?" Without attempting to give positive answer to this ques- tion, I should say there are not many more popular nesting-sites than the ap- ple-tree. I know that some of the evergreens are used by many species
 possibly by more than make their homes in the orchard-but if we have a few large old apple-trees on the premises, it is not impossible that we may be able to study. close at hand. the nesting habits of twenty different birds.
 The first time I found bluebird's s nest, it was in hole in an apple-tree, and, as wished to see the eggs thrust in my hand to take them out. To my astonishment. something in the hole gave me painful nip. and pulled out my hand, to find house sparrow hang ing to one finger. After that,I was not so quick to jump at conclusions, or to pu. my bare hands into holes in trees. Both blubirds and house-sparrows are amongst the commonest residents of holes In apple-trees. and the latter birds also builds large nests in the branches sometimes. Tn the larges holes I not in frequently find a screech owl, brood- ing her roundish white eggs on hand ful of feathers doubtless piucked from the bodies of her victims. How she will bite and scratch when we attempt to examine her treasures, Flickers, too, will often make their nests In such hol- lows, usually widening and shaping them first, but more often, perhaps, they will make fresh hole il1 some de- cayed branch. I have seen pair of fiiekers nesting in apple-trees, in nat ural cavity, the mouth of which was less than four feet from the ground. But the eggs were not hatched, for the tree grew close to the road, and the nest was robbed by one of the many people who saw the birds going in and out. Branch es too small for a fiicker's nest are sometimes used by downy woodpeckers.
 Robins seem to nest in every orchard and twice. at least, I have seen the home of a wood-thrust in an apple trees. In one instance the tree grew close to a house. the occupants of which, passing in and out, could plain ly see the parent bird as she sat on her eggs
 Of the hanging nests, perhaps the one most frequently found in apple-trees is that of the orchard oriole. but occasion ally we may find also those of the Bal timore oriole, yellow throated vireo, and white-eyed vireo. The yellow-tthroated vireo is one of the most charming of our bird-neighbors, being one of the tamest and gentlest. Several instances are re- corded of birds which have allowed themselves to be stroRed on the nest; one I know of which would come down on it's landlords hand for food, and have myself had the pleasure of lifting q yellow throated vireo from her nest, and of seeing her nestle down on her eggs again when I put her back. My experience with a white-eyed vireo, whose nest I once found in an apple tree, and was very different. The little home had been visited by a eowbird, whose large mottled egg had been de- posted with the four much smaller ones of the vireo. If I remember right the birds were away, but when I called a few days later, the little mother vireo was very much in evidence. None of her own eggs was matched, but the young cowbird was on deck, and from her actions it seemed as though she was afraid was going to steal him. "vira- go' would have been a better name for 1,ry e-1aA ao,x s,&k1 to me, and, looking me right in the race with her strange white eyes, poured forth torrent of abuse. People are often angry with you if you happen to discover that they have done some foolish thing; and had I not discovered that she had matched a cowbirl's egg {? But. knew that there was trouble brewing for her, so I went away, and did not return for a week. When I did come back, the young cowbird not only filled the nest but hung over. on all sides. Beneath him I found one poor little starved vireo: it's brethern had probably been pushed out of the nest by the usurper But the foster mother far from admitting her mistake pro- ceeded to abuse me worse than ever, so I left her to her problems.
 Other small birds which sometimes claim the apple-tree as home, are the chipping sparrow, house-wren, yellow warbler, least fiycatcher and ruby throated humming bird. Near the top on the outer branches, the kingbird of ten builds his nest, and lower down we may find. toward the end of June, the