No. 4.] BIRDS AND WOODLANDS. 321' 



them during the winter months. The winter birds may be 

 induced to remain in some numbers bv hang-ino: bones, suet 

 or portions of any carcass in sheltered places on the trees. 

 These will furnish food for them when the trees are covered 

 with ice, and will keep them in the neighborhood during the 

 coldest weather. Sunflower seeds, broken nuts, hay seed 

 and grain will attract winter birds. 



Having secured food, the birds must have shelter from the 

 elements and their enemies. This may be provided by 

 planting thick evergreen trees in groups, and allowing a 

 deciduous thicket here and there. Nesting boxes should be 

 provided for those birds which will use them, and such boxes 

 will shelter many a bird from winter storms. Nesting ma- 

 terial, such as straw, feathers, waste string, etc., should be 

 hung upon liml)s during the nesting season. It will soon be 

 utilized. Having made a locality attractive to birds, they 

 must be protected and fostered. Birds soon learn to love a 

 place where they receive a measure of protection from their 

 enen)ies. We may protect them : — 



1. By doing away with cats, so for as possible. 



2. By stopping promiscuous gunning. 



3. By suppressing birds'-egging boys. 



4. By keeping hawks, crows and jays within bounds. 



It is well not only to have a variety of trees in your wood- 

 land, but also to have portions of it in diiferent stages of 

 growth. A small patch of ground covered with young sprouts 

 furnishes a desirable breeding place for such birds as the in- 

 digo bird, brown thrasher, towhee and several warldcrs, all of 

 which may be very useful in adjoining woodland. If each 

 farm, wooded or otherwise, could be ideally situated and 

 cultivated, with the protection and accommodation of birds 

 always in view, it is doubtful if Paris green and other in- 

 secticides would find a ready market in this Commonwealth, 

 except, perhaps, in such cases as that of the gypsy moth, 

 where man disturbs the balance of nature by introducing a 

 new pest from a foreign shore. 



