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order to arrive at the truth. Sometimes birds work in harmony with 

 human welfare and sometimes against it. They may be directly beneficial 

 at one season and harmful at another, or their indirect influence may alter 

 the sum of their direct effects in a most surprising manner. 



General impressions then as to whether a bird is beneficial or harmful 

 require careful checking. Mere casual observation in life is never sufficient 

 to determine even its food supply. Modern practice bases such conclusions 

 almost entirely upon the examination of the stomach contents of wild birds 

 taken throughout the year, which is the only evidence that is not subject 

 to question. In this work the United States Biological Survey has examined 

 and passed upon thousands of bird stomachs and the results of its researches 

 are available to those who care to study and use them. 



As one of the factors in the delicate balance of nature birds should be 

 respected. 



There are certain birds which from their size, habits, and general food 

 value are regarded as legitimate game. The pursuit of these is invigorating 

 sport and tends to the healthful welfare of the sportsman, teaching wood- 

 craft, hardihood, out-of-door adaptability, and marksmanship. The true 

 sportsman has a code of ethics of his own founded upon economic as well 

 as humanitarian principles. He shoots nothing without giving it a fair 

 chance and little that cannot be used as food. He is also careful not to 

 deplete the game upon which his future sport depends. True sports- 

 manship, however, has not been universal, and its too-common absence 

 has resulted in a gradual but steady depletion of our game. Restrictive 

 measures have been enacted but have usually followed rather than pre- 

 ceded the results that have made them necessary, the regulations that are 

 enacted today should have been adopted yesterday and the consequence is 

 that, over much of the country, game is a thing of the past. 



MEANS OF ATTEACTING BIRDS. 



To anyone interested in birds, the pleasure of having them about 

 the house and garden, where they can be observed at leisure, is very great. 

 A small garden patch can be made attractive to many species by proper 

 methods. The effects of strict protection are well illustrated in some of the 

 larger parks where the shyest waterfowl, finding there is nothing to fear 

 from man, become almost as confiding as barnyard poultry. This is the 

 case also with the smaller garden species. Next to freedom from disturb- 

 ance by human inhabitants protection from the domestic cat is necessary. 



The supplying of food in winter is also important. Shrubs carrying 

 fruit, suet hung in trees, and grain, broken nuts, and small fragments of 

 dried meat sheltered from the snow, never fail to attract birds in the winter 

 time. 



In summer, when natural supplies are plentiful, food seldom has to be 

 supplied, though a row of fruiting sunflowers or the seed heads of many 

 garden flowers well repay the trouble they tnay cost. A shallow pool of 

 clean water is a never failing source of pleasure to nearly all the common 

 garden birds. They both bathe in it and drink it and on a hot day it is 

 no uncommon sight to see several birds awaiting their turns to enjoy the 

 grateful coolness. The simplest form of bird bath is a shallow pan, set well 



