OUR FRIENDS THE BIRDS 



IT has been positively proven that birds will 

 return annually in greater numbers to lo- 

 calities where assistance, in the form of 

 nesting boxes, has been rendered by those in- 

 terested in bird welfare, than to those places 

 where no such provision has been made. 



A progressive study of our native birds by 

 competent individuals, especially through the 

 United States Department of Agriculture in 

 its Farmers' Bulletins, has shown very de- 

 cisively that the return made by our feathered 

 friends by ridding our gardens and orchards 

 of destructive worms and insects, is many 

 times as valuable as the small commission they 

 collect by sampling a berry or two here and 

 there. 



Innumerable quantities of seeds of plants 

 and weeds which would otherwise overun our 

 gardens are eaten by the birds. This, together 



with the fact that these same birds with their 

 brilliant plumage and beautiful songs, are a 

 valuable asset to our neighborhood, ought cer- 

 tainly to impress us that they are deserving 

 of our assistance and protection. Assistance 

 is best afforded by preparing suitable houses 

 and feeding shelves for them, and also by plac- 

 ing bits of string, horsehair, and other nesting 

 material convenient for them. Protection is 

 simple and may be limited to laws safeguard- 

 ing birds from harm, to killing off as many as 

 possible of the English sparrows, and to see- 

 ing that cats are not allowed any undue op- 

 portunity for harming them. 



The boy or girl who puts up boxes for the 

 birds to nest in, supplies them with drinking 

 and bathing places, and provides food for those 

 species which remain in winter, is certain of 

 an unfailing source of pleasure, which can 



