148 METHODS OF ATTRACTING BIRDS 



ground it will attract mice, rats, and other rodents, 

 but if a regular lunch-counter is prepared for the 

 food, you will find that the birds will appreciate 

 the courtesy, become liberal customers and run 

 up a long bill ; this, however, they will pay with 

 music when spring comes. 



" A SUGGESTION FOR THE LUNCH-COUNTER 



"Every school has its flag-pole, and, while 

 some are fastened to the building itself, many 

 stand free and are planted in the yard. 



" Around this pole a square or circular shelf 

 about eight inches wide can be fastened, four 

 feet from the ground, and edged with a strip of 

 beading, barrel-hoops, or the like. A dozen ten- 

 penny nails should be driven on the outside edge 

 at intervals, like the spokes to a wheel, and the 

 whole neatly painted to match the pole. 



" Then each week one child should be ap- 

 pointed as Bird Steward, his or her duties being 

 to collect the scraps after the noon dinner-hour 

 and place them neatly on the counter, the crusts 

 and crumbs on the shelf and the meat to be hung 

 on the spikes. 



" Nothing will come amiss pine-cones, beech- 

 nuts, the shells of hard-boiled eggs, broken fine, 

 apple-cores, half-cleaned nuts ; and if the child- 

 ren will tell their parents of the counter, they 



