FEEDING BIRDS 



299 



Some birds baffle all attempts ; but among the untamable 

 are very few of our native birds or indeed our winter 

 visitors. The obstinate are the summer migrants ; and the 

 timidest of all perhaps is the wryneck. Among the easiest 

 are game birds, and the partridge at any rate pays for his 

 food ; he is delightful to watch. 



Some few birds are so persistent that they will learn to 

 take food in ways entirely foreign to their nature. In a 

 small garden in the Midlands one starling, after weeks of 



endeavour, learnt to take the fat meant for the tits. His 

 discovery came by a sort of accident. He perched on the 

 end of the bar where hung the suspended fat, and after long 

 gazing tried to manipulate the string. In doing so he half 

 tumbled, so it seemed, but getting both claws on to the 

 string, slipped down, and found himself to his surprise safely 

 landed where he would be. On the following days he per- 

 formed this acrobatic feat with increasing skill and of 

 deliberate purpose. Later other starlings, observing the 

 success of the manoeuvre, followed the example ; and in 

 order to save the fat for the proper feasters the string had 

 to be lengthened. 



