Arbor and Bird Day Bulletin 



BIRD FOUNTAINS 

 (By Mrs. Granville Ross Pike) 



Provision for bird welfare, to be effective, must be seasonable. 

 During the summer, the chief need of birds is water. This is obvious 

 from the fact that when we want to see a 

 variety of birds, in their natural haunts, 

 it is beside the water-courses, springs, and 

 swamps that we find them. 



Although we have been slow at the les- 

 son, yet we are learning that birds will 

 establish their homes near our own if we 

 supply the needful conditions. Cover and 

 protection we have, to some extent, pro- 

 vided, but have mostly overlooked this 

 kindly ministry of water. 



According to human reckoning, Wash- 

 ington has but recently become a "dry" 

 state; in the bird's experience, it has al- 

 ways been so. Even in such well recog- 

 nized centers of bird interest and enthus- 

 iasm as Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane, Olym- 

 pia and Everett it is exceptional to see a 



bird fountain, with continuous water supply, in either private garden 

 or public park. 



Many kindly home makers, having this in mind, treasure the 

 dream of an ideal fountain which they will some day erect in full 

 view from their own window or veranda, to be a beautiful feature of 

 the landscape gardening plan, and in fancy they already hear the 

 water falling over miniature cascades, and can see the birds refreshing 

 themselves as they frolic in the spray. Some day, our great artists 

 will catch a vision of the relation of bird companionship to our homes. 



Then we shall have bird pools, grottoes and 

 fountains that shall minister to the need of 

 the birds by their suitableness, and at the 

 same time, by their beauty and symbolism, 

 be a delight to human kind. 



Some bird lovers, not waiting for such 

 an ideal to materialize, have improvised 

 simple substitutes and are receiving large 

 reward. Earthen-ware or terra-cotta flower-pot saucers, frequently 

 filled, are very acceptable to the birds. Almost any shallow, dull-colored 

 vessel will be constantly used by them if the water be kept fresh. An 

 upturned tile with a basin fitted to its top has been proved to be prac- 

 tical. 



In many parts of our state, native building rock or rough stones 

 are available for very pleasing, rustic watering places. With the ad- 



