The Farmer's Feathered Helpers 231 



before, is a decided nuisance. 

 The blue jay, also, is a bird 

 with few friends, on account 

 of his destructive, thieving 

 habits. The eggs and young 

 of other birds are not safe in 

 his presence. 



Protection of birds. Birds 

 often have to go far for water, 

 which they require more fre- 

 quently than do many animals. 

 They delight in a shallow pool 

 or a dish of water (Fig. 184) 

 where they may bathe and 



The 



English 

 sparrow 

 and the 

 blue jay 



U. S. D. A. 



FIG. 184. A bird bath made of 

 concrete. Such a bath is much 

 safer for birds than is one that is 

 placed on the ground within reach 

 of cats. 



U. S. D. A. 



FIGS. 185 and 186. A sheet of metal fas- 

 tened about a tree in either of the ways 

 shown makes an effective guard against the 

 climbing enemies of birds. Ready-made 

 wire guards also are effective. No device 

 of this kind should be fastened in such a 

 way as to restrict the growth of the tree. 



drink. We can do a 

 great deal to benefit 

 these creatures that help 

 us so much, by placing 

 water where they can 

 reach it conveniently 

 and with safety espe- 

 cially from cats (Figs. 

 185 and 186). 



Birds need protec- Extermina- 

 tion. Several species of % 

 American birds have pigeon 

 already been completely 

 destroyed by man, so 

 that no living specimen 



