CHAPTER XVII 

 ARTIFICIAL FEEDING 



Why Feed the Birds. Though wild birds ordinarily 

 prefer their own natural diet, there are often times, in severe 

 winter weather, when a little artificial aid in obtaining food 

 will save their lives. It is generally believed that wild 

 birds, being very warm-blooded, seldom perish alone from 

 cold, but succumb to the cold when their vitaUty is low- 

 ered by starvation. Nearly every winter there are spells 

 of especial severity, when food is buried in snow or covered 

 by a coating of ice. At such times the lives of many birds 

 may be saved by a little care and forethought. It is a 

 pleasure also to have the birds feeding at our doors and to 

 be able to study them at close range, to have their enliven- 

 ing company at a time when there is so little alive in the 

 cold outdoor world. Certainly it becomes a means of edu- 

 cation, particularly for the young. Further, it is even a 

 sport to see what species can be attracted by our efforts, 

 what ones can be induced to feed from the hand, and what 

 photographs can be taken of the visitors. The practice 

 both saves the lives of birds and greatly assists them, and 

 also furnishes intense pleasure to the donor. It is becom- 

 ing very frequent and even general in many parts of this 

 country, and should become more so. Let every one feed 

 the birds. 



Concentrating Bird Life. During winter in any cold 

 northern climate bird life is bound to be scarce at the best, 



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