ATTRACTING THE WINTER BIRDS 111 



pigeons cannot get it, and by operating only 

 during the winter there will be no danger of 

 poisoning seed-eating wild birds, at least for all 

 Northern towns and cities. By taking advantage 

 of the sparrow's gregarious habits and the fact 

 that they drive off other birds from localities 

 where they are numerous, much might be done 

 even in the South. 



" Sparrows are such suspicious and cunning 

 birds, that, if the strychninized grain be exposed 

 at first, they will probably roll each kernel in 

 their bills, taste it, reject it, and possibly refuse 

 to touch it again that winter. The best way is to 

 select a place where the wind is not likely to scat- 

 ter it away, a walk, a driveway, or porch-roof 

 with a smooth surface, so that the grain may be 

 swept up after each trial. Accustom them to 

 feeding there daily with grain exactly like that 

 which is medicated (I often do this for a week, 

 or even a month, until all the sparrows in the 

 neighborhood are wont to come regularly), study 

 the times when they come for their meals, and 

 then on a cold, dry morning after a heavy snow- 

 storm, having swept up all the good grain the 

 morning before, wait until they have gathered, 

 and then put down enough strychninized grain 

 to feed the whole flock. You have about ten 

 minutes before any begin to drop, and those 



