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THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



tree. Having had these two impressive 

 lessons in goatology, we now are pre- 

 pared for almost any statement that 

 may be made regarding goats. Who 

 will "five ns our third lesson? 



Feeding the Wild Birds. 



Among the naturalists who are doing 

 thoroughly good work in stimulating 

 an interest in the feeding of wild birds 

 and in the study of birds in general, no 

 one is doing better work than Mr. Er- 

 nest Harold Baynes, formerly of Stam- 

 ford, Connecticut, and now of the Bird 

 Sanctuary at Meriden, New Hampshire. 



In "The Outlook" Mr. Baynes tells 

 how he has established simple methods 

 of feeding various wild birds. The gist 

 of the matter is to put out plenty of 

 suitable food in places convenient for 

 the birds. Anybody will in this way 

 win the birds' confidence as Mr. and 

 Mrs. Baynes have done. The accom- 

 panying illustrations, kindly lent to us 

 by "The Outlook," show the astonish- 

 ing trust that the birds have in their 

 host and hostess. The article is replete 

 with interest. Naturalists will be glad 

 to learn that Mr. Baynes is preparing a 

 book soon to be issued by E. P. Dutton 

 & Company, and entitled "Wild Bird 



Guests and How to Entertain Them." 



There is everything in Mr. Baynes's 

 methods to encourage even our young- 

 est observers of nature. He puts out 

 large pieces of suet for the insectivorous 

 birds, tying it about a branch of a tree, 

 brought well up in a convenient place 

 for observation from his window, "Let 

 us suppose," he says, "that we see such 

 a tree, and that there is a well-exposed 

 branch from eight to twelve feet from 

 the ground. We fix the position of that 

 branch in our mind, and, suet in hand, 

 we go to the tree. Perhaps we can 

 easily climb to the branch; if not, we 

 get a ladder. We should have three 

 or four pieces of soft string of conven- 

 ient length, with one of which we tie 

 the suet at just the place and in just the 

 position in which we want it. It is well 

 to have it either on top of the branch 

 or on the side ; if it is fastened under- 

 neath, certain birds that like suet would 

 have trouble to reach it. If it is fastened 

 on the side, it should be on the side 

 where it can be seen from the house. 

 The other pieces of string should be 

 crisscrossed back and forth, and should 

 bite into the suet a little at each turn, 

 so as to leave all snug and tight. The 

 object of having several strings is to 



S 





X 



MRS. BAYNES ENTERTAINING PINE GROSBEAKS AND A CHICKADEE. 



