NEED AND VALUE OF ATTRACTING BIRDS 3 



of inducing the birds to remain and nest, and 

 thus aid the farmer in his struggle with the in- 

 sects. 



The excessive demand for wood, both for 

 fuel and for building, is causing the rapid cut- 

 ting of trees both in large forests and in small 

 lots, as a result of which the birds which seek 

 shelter or nesting-sites in the woods are each 

 year finding it more difficult to secure the con- 

 ditions necessary for their maintenance. 



Winter Protection 



The winter is a season, when, from the birds' 

 standpoint, assistance in obtaining food is par- 

 ticularly welcome. When heavy snows lie on the 

 ground, much of the supply of the seed-eating 

 birds is hidden ; and when the tree-trunks are cov- 

 ered with ice, insect-eating birds find it difficult 

 to break through this coating, to secure insects 

 and their eggs in the bark beneath. Under or- 

 dinary conditions our birds can withstand quite 

 cold weather if they are well supplied with food ; 

 but this is digested so quickly that birds require 

 a large amount and frequent access to it. Many 

 birds perish from exposure to severe storms and 

 weather, as well as from starvation, so that shel-* 

 ter as well as food is necessary to protect the 

 winter birds. 



