Page:Bird-lore Vol 04.djvu/31

 showing little fear. So easy are these little creatures to tame that having been fed frequently in several places,—particularly in and about Portland. Oregon,—after a day or two they have eaten out of the hand.

Only one person, however, so far as known, has succeeded in winning their confidence sufficiently to bring them to alight upon the person. A winsome lady of Oregon City, Oregon, has, during the periods of their last two visits, induced such familiarity that a number of them would rest upon her arms, hands and lap. The three pictures in this issue of indicate what was the habit of these birds in the spring of 1899. In the springy of 1901 some of the same birds returned to their friend, their identity being established by a blind eye in one and a misshapen leg in another. Such general friendliness toward human beings on the part of this particular species of bird is no doubt due to the fact that it lives, for the most part, so far from human habitations, and does not know our stone - throwing and shotgun attitude toward the angels of beauty and song which our birds are to the world.

The Western Evening Grosbeak nests far off in the solitudes of the Coast Range and Cascade Mountains in these Pacific states, and visits the confines of human society for only a short time once in two years. Only two or three nests of the species have ever been found, although, within a year, Mr. A. W. Anthony, of ornithological fame. and three or four