ORNITHOLOGY 



221 



cannot procure food in the woods, and 

 goldfinches, siskins and other seed eaters 

 are unable to get at the weed-seeds, 

 birches and cones. In severe cases even 

 the crows, jays and woodpeckers are 

 affected, being deprived of their iisual 

 sources of food su])ply. 



Probably many birds each winter die 

 of starvation. They seem capable of with- 

 standing almost any amount of cold if 

 they can onl\- secure food enough to keep 

 up the bodily functions. This is shown by 

 the occasional wintering over of birds 

 Avhich usually go south, in localities where 

 they find food in plenty. 



The ground feeders are of course more 

 seriously affected by the deep snows, and 

 excursions into the woods to scatter grain 

 for them may be the means of saving 

 many and it should bring us pleasure to 

 do it. The snow should be trampled 

 down, or preferably cleared to the groimd, 

 and such places ought to be visited fre- 

 quently to keep the patches open and sup- 

 plied with grain. Oats, chaff, buckwheat 

 and cracked corn may be used. A mix- 

 ture is good. It is also desirable to scatter 

 sand or fine gravel among the grain, as 

 birds need this to aid in digesting their 

 food. Piling up brush or making tem- 

 porary wind-breaks along the most ex- 

 posed sides of such clearfngs will assist 

 in keeping them clear of drifting snows 



\ CHICKADEE OX TOP OF THE WINDOW 

 BOX. 



and at the same time offer shelter for 

 the birds. 



Snow-shoes make excellent shovels in 

 lieu of wooden or steel ones, and pockets 

 may be readily filled with grain, so there 

 is no excuse for our not sharing w'ith the 

 birds some of the good things in our 

 winter tramps afield. 



SCATTERING GRAIN IN A CLEARING MADE IX IIIE DEEP SNOW. 



