412 USEFUL BIRDS. 



4. Surround the field with a line of twine, strung on 

 upright poles, and suspend rags, streamers, pieces of bright 

 tin, etc., from the twine. 



5. A frequent change in scarecrows is advisable. A 

 barrel hung on a leaning pole puzzles the Crow. 



To drive Blackbirds from a cornfield in autumn, a charge 

 of fine shot fired from a long distance, so as to rattle among 

 them, will be effectual without injuring them. 



To protect grain from the House (or "English") Sparrow 

 a liberal use of the shotgun is usually successful. Poisoned 

 wheat has been used in extreme cases. 



To protect Small Fruits. 



It is not usually good biology to shoot birds for eating 

 fruit. It is better to provide fruit enough for both birds 

 and man, especially wild fruit, which birds prefer. The fol- 

 lowing protective measures are recommended : — 



1. To protect strawberries and cherries (May and June), 

 plant Russian mulberry and June berry or shadberry, or plant 

 several trees of the soft early cherries, to furnish food for 

 the birds. The Governor Wood is a type of the kind they 

 prefer. (G. T. Powell.) 



2. To protect raspberries and blackberries (July and 

 August), plant mulberry, buckthorn, elder, and chokeberry. 

 (Florence Merriam [Bailey] . ) Also, plant some early sweet 

 berries, and let the fruit remain until dead ripe, to attract 

 the birds from the others. Strawberries may l)e thus pro- 

 tected. (Prof. H. A. Surface.) The larger fruits, such as 

 apples, pears, and peaches, are not much injured by birds in 

 Massachusetts. 



3. Where it is found impossible to protect small early 

 cherry trees in any other way, it will pay to cover them 

 with fine fish net while the fruit is ripening. 



4. If Kingbirds nest near cherry trees, they may keep 

 other birds away. Bees, particularly drones, attract King- 

 birds. 



To protect Poultry from Hawks and Crows. 



1. Rear the young chicks or ducklings on grassland, in 

 portable brooders or coops to which movable runs are 

 attached. Poultry reared in this w^ay is much finer for the 



