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Sept., I9O 7 TWO STUDIES IN BLUE I25 year has there been less than two broods reared and several times three. The record year was in 1904 when the bluebirds had two families of seven and one of five birds, and succeeded in raising them all. Seven is a large fanfily for bluebirds and it is more remarkable that there should have been seven in the second brood and then a third brood. In the eight years there have been over one hun- dred and ten young bluebirds hatched in this box in the apple tree. One would think the bird world would soon be overcrowded with bluebirds about the farm. There seem to be no more bluebirds there than eight years ago, altho there are generally two or three other broods raised in other boxes nearby. It all goes to show how the bird population decreases in numbers. The new birds of each year take the place of the numbers that die during the winter. Birds have so many enemies that we know not of. Many die of disease, many starve or die of cold, and many are killed by birds of prey and animals that hunt small birds. It would be interesting to know whether the same pair returns each year to the box in the tree, or how many different pairs have lived there. Sometimes the same PARENT BLUEBIRD JUST DRAXV1NG BACK AFTER PLACING FOOD IN YOUNG BIRD'S MOUTH pair have returned, but it is improbable that they have lived longer than three or four years. If one of the birds died, the other may have taken another mate and returned to the same home. In the side of our tank-house we bored two holes about four feet apart and nailed up boxes on the inside. One of these was soon taken by a bluebird. The femme went in and looked the box thru and in a moment came out and perched on the wire while the male took a look. The next day the female began carrying straws. She had a devoted husbaud, but he was merely an attendant when it came to work. lie watched and applauded, but he didn't help build. I don't know but that he was too lazy; or nmybe he didn't know whether his wife wanted him bothering while she was building to suit herself. It looked to me as if he were ornan?ental without being useful. But after watching awhile, it seemed that it was her duty to build and his to watch and encourage. When she carried in the material and fixed it, she popped out of the hole and waited while he went in to