PROBLEMS OF BIRD LIFE 78 



Hundreds of birds must perish when left by 

 storms far out at sea, and the infinitely small 

 chance of encountering a vessel or other resting- 

 place makes a bird which has passed through such 

 an experience and survived, interesting indeed. 



In winter ruffed grouse have a habit of burrow- 

 ing deep beneath the snow and letting the storm 

 shut them in. In this ?v^arm, cosey retreat they 

 spend the night, their breath making its way out 

 through the loosely packed crystals. But when a 

 cold rain sets in during the night, this becomes a 

 fatal trap, an impenetrable crust cutting off their 

 means of escape. 



Ducks, when collected about a small open place 

 in an ice-covered pond, diving for the tender roots 

 on which they feed, sometimes become confused 

 and drown before they find their way out. They 

 have been seen frozen into the ice by hundreds, 

 sitting there helplessly, and fortunate if the sun, 

 with its thawing power, releases them before they 

 are discovered by marauding hawks or foxes. 



In connection with their food supply the 

 greatest enemy of birds is ice, and when a winter 

 rain ends with a cold snap, and every twig and 

 seed is encased in a transparent armour of ice, 

 then starvation stalks close to all the feathered 

 kindred. Then is the time to scatter crumbs and 

 grain broadcast, to nail bones and suet to the tree- 

 trunks and so awaken hope and life in the shiver- 

 ing little forms. If a bird has food in abundance, 



