SEED-EATERS AND MEAT-EATERS. 49 
something for a rainy day,” which we think is about 
the right thing for birds and other people to do. 
One reason why our civilized birds do not store their 
food is that a supply of one kind or another is almost 
always to be found. Besides, many of our birds travel 
about so much, always going where food is, that there 
is no need of storing it. 
The seed-eaters do not travel much, as seeds may 
always be found, in winter as well as in summer. 
Birds that depend for food upon insect life must go in 
search of it as the seasons change. 
One sometimes thinks the birds do little else but 
think about meal-time. <A singer will sometimes 
“make believe” forget, while he sits on his swaying 
branch, pouring out his throat full of melody, as if he 
did not care if he never tasted food again. But sud- 
denly, without a hint, there is a stop in the music that 
doesn’t belong just there, and the bird darts to the 
ground. He swallows a worm or a blue-jacketed fly, 
and then back he goes to his perch and his song, as if 
he had not been interrupted at all. 
We do not think it is the worst fate in the world to 
be eaten by a bird and made into song and chirp and 
flutter. We owe a good deal to the insects, which the 
birds we love so much could not do without. We 
ought to think of this and not step on a bug or worm 
in the path. 
Some heartless people think it is a great treat to 
have a pot-pie made of as many little birds as they can 
E 
