sipe] FEED THE BIRDS IN WINTER 181 



little birds only staid in the nest two days, then got away into the 

 surrounding vegetation. The old birds did not feed them at all, 

 seemingly. They were living upon the nourishment received 

 from the egg. 



But the old birds sheltered them most of the time. One of 

 the old birds had moulted considerably and had large patches of 

 white on it as the picture will show, so that it was easy to dis- 

 tinguish them. One would be on the nest while the other stood 

 or rested nearby, then they would change positions. 



The last of July I made the final visit to the marsh. The 

 black terns had become almost white terns, but they had not lost 

 their sauciness. Watching them circling about my head, and 

 screaming defiance at me, I waved them a good-bye until another 

 year should pass. 



Feed the Birds in Winter 



Susan B. Sipe 



The number and variety of birds that one may bring around a 

 suburban home is surprising, if food is provided regularly for them 

 in winter. I have had forty-five kinds in one year in a yard that 

 has few trees and no dense shrubbery and that covers but 3,500 

 square feet. By feeding them in winter, one is loath to lose them 

 as the spring comes on and migration is under way and so con- 

 tinues to feed them with the, resulting pleasure of having the 

 veery, the hermit thrush, the red-bellied woodpecker, the fox 

 sparrow, stop for a short season on their way north. There must 

 be a language of the air, as there is among the followers of the 

 road, that directs these travellers to food and water or how could 

 they otherwise find such a tiny bird bath or feeding shelf ? 



Suet is a favorite food. It should be tied securely to the trees 

 for the blue- jays and grackles will carry off quite large pieces. 

 A loosely crocheted covering will prevent them. Be sure to fasten 

 the suet near a twig to provide a perch for the birds. They stay 

 longer if it is comfortable at the meal. 



Birds are especially fond of peanuts. I string them on a long 

 linen thread, passing the needle through the nut twice to prevent 

 it slipping and then attach the string of nuts tightly around the 

 tree. In a very short time the nuthatches come and with their 

 very long bills peck a hole at one end and extract the nuts. Dur- 



