384 NATURE-STUDY REV EW [13:9— Dec, 1917 



come, but those of the northland, having fulfilled their mission 

 have departed for their far-away birth place. 



One wonders what they feed upon in winter, for the woods 

 appear a barren waste, yet to the naturalists, as well as the birds, 

 the whole world is one vast storehouse of seeds. When the snow 

 covers the ground, and the weeds what can the birds find? 

 Mother Nature is a better provider than to depend upon the ground 

 and weeds, for there are her other resources the vines, shrubs, 

 and trees. 



There is the climbing bitter sweet, whose beautiful berries hang 

 in graceful clusters of golden grapes among pale, green leaves. 

 When the frost comes, the grapes open, turn back into three little 

 cups, and resting upon them are the exquisitely colored, crimson 

 berries waiting for the birds. Even in the Spring, this most 

 beautiful vine of them all, holds her treasures, when the birds do 

 not take them. 



The woody nightshade has purple flowers, that are followed by 

 oval, scarlet berries, which hang in lovely, transparent clusters 

 all the winter, and they are dearly loved by the birds. This vine 

 is not a native, as the bitter sweet, and the clematis, but it is 

 the fastest grower, and every bird lover should have one, as well 

 as a shrub, to be mentioned presently. The wild grapes, — fox, 

 chicken, and people's, give them many meals, a wild grape, 

 touched by the frost must taste like wine to a noisy, rowdy jay. 

 Crows and robins eat them with evident enjoyment. 



The English ivy, has deep green, varnished leaves and seems 

 to be just suitably finished at the end of the clusters beautiful 

 leaves, by circles of large, blue-black berries. This grand vine, 

 to see one that has climbed 40 feet with its leaves glistening in 

 the sunshine, its berries surrounded by a host of fluttering blue 

 birds, is a sight not to be forgotten. It blooms in summer to 

 have its berries ready for the winter birds. The clematis is 

 not a favorite with birds. I have seen our sparrows eat the brown 

 seeds, but they are covered with silk-like threads, and float away 

 with the wind like fairy umbrellas. The green briar seeds stay 

 on until late in the spring; pheasants like them. Its mission 

 is more decorative, for no vine has such a graceful arrangement 

 of its berries, hundreds of pretty round blue seeds form a centre 

 springing in a rosette, on almost invisible stems. Around a brass 

 lamp or a white picture frame it is a beauty. 



