A Plea for the Birds 329 



too, destroy a great number of these insects and 

 take no toll from the trees. 



A shelter box will be a great comfort to the birds 

 on very cold or stormy days. Procure a box of 

 thick wood, line the box with cotton batting, and 

 turn the open end toward the south. Place a 

 piece of wire fencing on the limb of the tree near 

 the box to keep the cats away. Cats soon learn 

 the places birds frequent and will take their daily 

 naps near the spot, eagerly watching with one eye 

 half open all the time. 



Birds do not like being crowded and if a place is 

 studded with bird houses only a few of them will be 

 occupied. Nests built in shrubbery will come to a 

 bad end if the shrubbery is often disturbed. They 

 are impatient of human meddling and should be 

 granted all the privacy possible during the incubat- 

 ing and brooding period. 



A Christmas tree for the birds should be an annual 

 custom. The discarded Christmas tree should be 

 untrimmed and then retrimmed with cheesecloth 

 bags filled with suet, with small cups or cans of 

 seed, bread crumbs, oats, etc. Sheaves of wheat, 

 cornstalks, and branches of holly will add to the 

 pleasure derived by the birds. It should be densely 



