lo Birds Every Child Should Know 



softly whistled song? Before the fanner begins 

 to plough the wet earth, often while the snow is 

 still on the ground, this hardy little minstrel is 

 making himself very much at home in our or- 

 chards and gardens while waiting for a mate to 

 arrive from the South. 



Now is the time to have ready on top of the 

 grape arbour, or under the eaves of the barn, 

 or nailed up in the apple tree, or set up on poles, 

 the little one-roomed houses that bluebirds are 

 only too happy to occupy. More enjoyable 

 neighbours it would be hard to find. Sparrows 

 will fight for the boxes, it is true, but if there 

 are plenty to let, and the sparrows are per- 

 sistently driven off, the bluebirds, which are a 

 little larger though far less bold, quickly take 

 possession. Birds that come earliest in the 

 season and feed on insects, before they have 

 time to multiply, are of far greater value in the 

 field, orchard, and garden than birds that delay 

 their return until warm weather has brought 

 forth countless swarms of insects far beyond the 

 control of either bird or man. Many birds 

 would be of even greater service than they are 

 if they received just a little encouragement to 

 make their homes nearer ours. They could 

 save many more millions of dollars* worth of 

 crops for the farmers than they do if they were 

 properly protected while rearing their ever- 

 hungry families. As two or even three broods 



