UTILITY OF BIRDS IN WOODLANDS. 101 



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in the forest. It is true that usually there are fewer birds, 

 both in numbers of species and individuals, in most northern 

 forests than in more open or cultivated lands. This is par- 

 ticularly true of coniferous forests, for such woods harbor 

 fewer insects than deciduous forests, and so furnish a more 

 meager food supply for birds. Those birds that live and 

 breed in the deep woods, however, are especially fitted to 

 destroy the trees' enemies. 



This care of the trees is kept up throughout the year by 

 the ebb and flow of the tide of bird life. In the chill days 

 of March and early April, when sunshine and shadow fleck 

 the lingering snow, in silent, leafless woods and along swol- 

 len streams, the lusty Fox Sparrow searches for seeds and for 

 dormant insects, which only await the warmer sun of April 

 or May to emerge from their hiding places and attack the 

 trees. This Sparrow and its companions, the Tree Sparrow 

 and the Junco, soon pass on to the north, making way for 

 the White-throats and Thrushes, which continue the good 

 work, to be followed in their turn by other Thrushes and the 

 Towhees. Birds are not plentiful in the woods in early 

 April, but nevertheless diligent Titmice, 

 Woodpeckers, Jays, Nuthatches, and 

 Kinglets are there and at work. In the 

 warm days of May, when nature has 

 awakened from her long winter's sleep ; 

 when the little, light-green oak leaves are 

 just opening; when the bright young Fi ^ 3 J: t 

 birch leaves decorate, but do not hide, 

 the twigs; when every leaflet vies with the early flowers 

 in beauty, and every branch upholds its grateful offering; 

 when insects which were dormant or sluggish during the 

 earlier days of the year become active, and their swarming 

 offspring appear on bud and leaf, then the south wind 

 brings the migratory host of birds which winter near the 

 equator. Unnoticed by men, they sweep through the woods, 

 they encompass the trees ; flight after flight passes along 

 ' on its way to the north, all resting daily in the woods and 

 gleaning insects ere they go. No one who has not watched 

 these beautiful birds hour after hour and day after day, and 



