On an automatic winder, at the time of doffing, a signal is sent from a doffing device to a winding unit, a drum motor of the winding unit is driven at a low speed in response to said signal to rotate a package on a traverse drum, and a bobbin yarn is picked up. The automatic winder has a number of winding units juxtaposed, the doffing device is provided to freely travel along the winding units a paper tube supply system for delivering one or more kinds of paper tubes is installed at one end of the automatic winder, a conveyor for carrying paper tubes from the paper tube supply system is provided parallel with a travel path of the doffing device, and a paper tube holding device for receiving paper tubes carried by the conveyor is provided on the doffing device.