FEEDING BIKDS IN WINTER 59 



The location should be near some trees or timber. 

 Place several rows of poles in the ground radiating 

 from the feeding place. Tie a few weeds, sunflower 

 heads, thistle heads, a loose handful of hay or straw to 

 the poles. These poles serve as finger posts to the 

 birds. Feed seed from the hay loft, waste and small 

 grain, cracked corn, etc. 



3. Carrion Places. A German writer, K. T. Liebe, 

 advises that spoiled meat, entrails, butchers' offal, and 

 any kind of dead animal be placed on the ground on 

 open heights at considerable distances from farms, 

 houses, and villages. According to numerous reports 

 such food has served to protect partridges and small 

 birds from the depredations of hawks, crows, ravens, 

 jays, and magpies. It has also offered good opportuni- 

 ties for decimating species that had become too numer- 

 ous and for procuring rare specimens. Having made 

 no observations on this point, I do not venture to say 

 what benefit or injury may result, but should be very 

 glad to hear from those who may try this plan. 



4. Feeding Prairie-Chickens, Ruffed Grouse or Par- 

 tridge, and Quail. In severe winters with heavy 

 snowfall, quail and grouse sometimes die by the hun- 

 dred, especially in the prairie states. Quails, if not 

 molested, become very tame, and a good place to feed 

 them is under the corn bin or under some similar 

 shelter, where no cat can spring upon them. I have 

 seen large flocks of them under the corn bin near a 

 farmhouse. Prairie-chickens are much wilder. They 

 will naturally come to a place where some shocks of 



