22 IN BERKSHIRE FIELDS 



most successful of several bird baths is simply a 

 shallow pan, oval in shape and about twenty-four 

 inches long, embedded with its lip level with the 

 sod, between two spiraea bushes and almost under- 

 neath an iris plant. It is flushed and filled with a 

 hose every day or two, and makes a bright little 

 twinkle of reflection as you look toward the edge of 

 the garden. At this bath, on a hot day, the birds 

 literally form in line, waiting their turn, for it is 

 characteristic of all birds that they insist on bathing 

 alone, if they are strong enough to maintain their 

 rights against an insistent competitor. I have even 

 seen a sparrow drive out a robin. The baths form 

 an important part of bird attraction, and any yard, 

 even in a city, which has the proper water facilities 

 will be sure of its feathered visitors. 



In the midwinter season, when nearly all natural 

 food is covered up with snow, suet fastened in wire 

 racks with meshes wide enough for the birds to 

 peck through, and a plentiful supply of sunflower 

 seeds put out daily on a shelf or the trodden snow 

 (a shelf with a shelter over it is best, of course), will 

 serve admirably for the tastes of most of our winter 

 residents. Bread crumbs, fine mixed chicken feed, 

 crumbled dog biscuit, and cracked nuts are all good, 

 but the two staples of animal and vegetable food, 

 respectively, are undoubtedly suet and sunflower 

 seeds. It is well to have the food out early, before 

 the snow comes, and to maintain the supply until 

 the spring is well advanced. But the feeding of the 

 birds should not end with these artificial provisions. 

 There are some winter visitors, such as the occa- 

 sional pine-grosbeaks, which will not eat at the 



