Entertainment in Winter 129 



they are more likely to nest in or near the garden 

 if they are in the habit of coming there for food 

 every day, and we believe that if it does cost us 

 a few pennies for seed and suet, it pays in 

 more ways than one. As a rule, no matter how 

 much food is put out the birds seem to regard 

 it simply as a reserve supply and continue to 

 get nine-tenths of their living in the usual way. 

 Purple finches are notable exceptions to this rule; 

 it has been my experience that they absolutely 

 refuse to work as long as they are well supplied 

 with seed. But then, the male purple finch is 

 a splendid singer and has a long period of song, 

 and perhaps he should be excused from further 

 work on the ground that he is an artist. 



But the birds actually need food only when for 

 some reason their natural supply is not to be had. 

 This is often the case in winter, especially after 

 heavy snowstorms. At such times let us pay no 

 attention to the wiseacres who tell us that we are 

 pauperizing the birds; they might just as well 

 argue against supplying food to starving men. 

 Let us save the lives of a few thousand birds and 

 then if anyone finds that we have made a mistake 

 in doing this, we'll stand the consequences. 



Perhaps no branch of bird-feeding work is 

 more in need of consideration at this time than 

 that which provides for the great army of game 



