90 



fat, suet, bacon, scraps of roast meat, etc. During cold weather fat is 

 specially suitable for birds, as it produces warmth. 



Great care must be exercised in the use of bread and similar foods, 

 which easily decay, turn sour in damp places, and do harm to birds. 



For all birds, insectivorous or graminivorous, " food-stones " or 

 " food-cakes " (see pp. 74, 75, and 82) are the best. They can be given 

 entire or broken up, and the colder the weather the smaller should be 

 the pieces into which they are broken ; they contain all the necessary 

 material, and are very economical and lasting. The wisest plan is 

 to give broken " food-stones," or " food-cakes " mixed with hemp seed. 



In addition to these artificial foods, berry-bearing trees and shrubs 

 should be planted ; mountain ash, common and clustered elder, 

 guelder roses ( Veburnum opulus},a,nd above all the common white- thorn. 

 The first-mentioned retain their berries till Christmas only, the white 

 thorn through the whole winter, and is therefore invaluable in severe 

 and prolonged winters. 



