INDEPENDENT BIRDS 



IT is a food problem rather than a cold problem 

 that winter presents to the birds. Sympathetic 

 souls pity the feeble little creatures exposed to the 

 blast and the biting atmosphere, protected by no 

 better a dress than that with which nature endows 

 them for summer use. But it is pity misapplied. 

 Give the birds food and the nipping and eager 

 air will trouble them little if at all. The real 

 pinch is the locking of the larder door, and it is 

 locked by frost and buried out of sight by snow. 

 Succulent slugs and snails are withdrawn from the 

 light of day, and the most industrious blackbird or 

 thrush searches for one in vain. No worm comes 

 to the surface, and insect grubs are as safe from 

 inquisitive beaks as if protected by paving stones. 

 Hence that great movement towards the haunts of 

 man, an anomalous creature at the best of times, 

 but a special providence at the worst. For even 

 when he displays no active charity his strange 

 nature -righting ways are constantly exposing bits 

 of brown earth where a bird's eye can see things 

 worth picking up. Then he has stores of produce 

 from which what many birds filch will never be 

 missed ; and the things he rejects are treasure to 

 a legion. 



