My Bird Neighboxirs.



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You cannot quite reach them with your hand but very nearly so. The

confiding little birds chose that place because they felt sure that the

sparrows would not dare to come so low : and they were right. Not

only so, but the martins by finishing the hole extra small—so small

that they can only just squeeze in—have in any case made it

impossible for a sparrow to enter.


For one who has been there, Brinsop Court remains as a

delightful memory of wings and water, sunshine and song.



MY BIRD NEIGHBOURS.


By Mrs. L. H. Toussaint, Rio, St. Lucie Co., Florida.


[From “ Bird-Lore .”]


My bird family usually consists of eight Florida Jays, six

Florida Blue Jays, one Brown Thrasher, five pairs of Cardinals,

four Mourning Doves, three pairs of Towhees, about a dozen Grackles,

one pair of Woodpeckers, a covey of Quail, and a Sandhill Crane.

These I feed regularly ; of course, there are many others in the

orange grove that are not so tame. Then we have numerous small

birds that devour the worms on mulberry trees. My Jays and

other birds are very tame. We buy crackers wholesale, wheat,

corn, unroasted peanuts, and grape-nuts for the birds. The Cardinals,

Towhees, and Quail love the wheat; all eat crackers; the Crane

and Jays eat corn; the Grackles eat crackers, and always soak

them in water before eating ; they also eat table scraps. I like to

have the flocks of Grackles arrive in the fall, they so often bring

visitors with them, generally Red-winged Blackbirds. Peanuts are

the Jays’, Cardinals’, and Towhees’ speciality. The Jays will take

them out of my apron-pocket. I always carry nuts with me, as

I am sure to meet the birds somewhere. The Cardinals fly to the

windowsill, and if they see me inside, chirp for peanuts, then they fly

to the door. They are always the last to come for supper, and I

am sure I could get them to eat from my hand if the Jays were

not so jealous that they will not allow it.


My Crane eats raw meat, fried pork, and sometimes crackers,

but his favourite food is grape-nuts soaked in milk and formed

into pellets ; he also eats insects.



