THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS. 



381 



out in October or early in November. It is important to 

 begin early, so that the birds may form a habit of coming 

 to the food before winter comes on. It should be renewed 

 occasionall}' until 

 late in spring. 

 This will keep 

 birds about the 

 orchard all win- 

 ter, where they 

 will spend most, 

 of the time in 

 hunting for the 

 eggs and other 

 forms of insects. 

 Food should be 

 put up on or near 

 those trees which 

 are known to 

 be infested by 

 insects. 



Chickadees and 

 Nuthatches are 

 remarkably un- 

 suspicious, and 

 anyone who cares 

 to spend a little 

 time in the effort 

 may readily teach 

 them to eat from 

 the hand. Sev- 

 eral other species 

 may be enticed to 

 our windows, where their habits and manners may be studied 

 in comfort even in the most blustering winter weather. We 

 accomplished this as follows : small shrubs or branches of 

 trees were fastened upright on each window sill, extending 

 over the entire window, and fastened at each side to the 

 window frame, as shown in Fig. 159. To these branches 

 pieces of meat were attached, about a foot apart. The suet 



Fig. 160.— The birds' Christmas tree at the author's farm- 

 house. (From Bird-Lore.) 



