CHAPTER VI 

 THE FOOD OF BIRDS 



HE organs and physiological functions of a bird, 

 as of animals generally, are so interrelated and 

 intimately tlependent on each other that it is a 

 rather difficult matter to consider any single one by 

 itself without being led into another's province. For 

 example: we have for the subject of this chapter the 

 food of birds, and unless we are ver}^ careful, we shall 

 overstep the bounds of our theme. To limit our subject 

 clearly we will consider onh^ adult birds. 



We have all seen the pestiferous sparrows picking 

 up grain in the chicken-yard; we have admired the skill 

 which the red-breasted robin exhibits in spying and 

 extracting earthworms on our lawns; our memor}' re- 

 calls the osprey dropping upon his fish, and the wood- 

 pecker chiselling to the wood-borer; but did we ever stop 

 a while and attempt a '^ bird's-eye view" of all the classes 

 of substances which birds find good as food? 



The ways in which this food is sought and caught, 

 kill(Ml and prepared are w^onderfuUy varied, and some 

 idea of the remarkable variety of substances laid under 

 contribution as food by birds of different orders may 



be had from a brief review of the principal divisions 



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