CHAPTER VII 



THE ENTERTAINMENT OF WILD BIRDS IN WINTER 



IF we are lovers of birds (and who would like 

 to admit that he is not one) that fact alone 

 should be sufficient to insure our feeding them 

 in winter; for it is not conceivable that we would 

 allow those whom we love to run the risk of 

 starving to death, if by any reasonable effort 

 we could prevent it. In spite of all we can do, 

 many birds will die of starvation almost every 

 winter, but the more of us there are who will give 

 even a little thought, go to even a little trouble 

 for their welfare, the fewer deaths there will be. 



Looking at the matter merely from the stand- 

 point of our own pleasure we shall soon learn that 

 by feeding the birds regularly we shall make a lot 

 of new friends, and that with a little patience 

 and a little ingenuity sometimes, we may soon 

 be on terms of the most delightful intimacy with 

 them. At our home we are continually hav- 

 ing unique and interesting experiences with the 

 birds which accept our hospitality. We had one 



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