IO 



Bird - Lore 



hunger still unappeased in spite of their hopeful search, have finally trooped 

 off to the scraggly trees that have held aloft their maroon cones of velvety 

 seeds so long. Last spring one little tree held two Flickers, a Robin, a Bluebird, 

 a Hermit Thrush, and a Phoebe, all frantically pulling the seeds from the 

 clusters. 



Years ago it worried me considerably as to what the Phoebe did for food 

 during such a spell of weather. Since finding them eating sumac seeds I have 

 felt better about it. Then I had an idea — perhaps those thick seed-clusters held 

 insects also upon which the Phcebe could feed. So I examined a cone or so. Yes, 

 there were lots of those little dancing flies and similar insects enmeshed in the 

 velvety clusters. Not being an entomologist, I cannot give the 'botanical names' 

 of the bugs, but they consisted of gauzy wings and long legs, principally, while 

 as for bodies, there was no meat, no juice, no skin — just a sort of film surround- 

 ing a suggestion, so I was convinced the Phcebes were eating the sour seeds also. 



To be sure, I am only speaking in generalities, and do not mean to imply 

 the sumac is never visited at other times. But usually I find them barren of 

 birds except at the period mentioned, while then it fills a gap in the food- 

 supply that helps out the birds' bill-of-fare prodigiously. So let's doff our hats to 

 Rhus typhina, the staghorn sumac, the Tree of Last Resort. 



CLAY-C0L0RED»SPARR0\V 

 Photographed by H. and S. Pittman, Harlncy, Manitoba 



