TAMING AND FEEDING BIRDS 



351 



dare until we reassure it of our good intentions, possibly 

 by withdrawing a little or by sitting down and pretending 

 to look the other way. We must always remember that 

 one careless or hostile act 

 may make a bird "wild" 

 for life. 



I mention these points 

 in order that we may 

 unite intelligently in 

 taming the birds about 

 our homes by doing only 

 those things that assure 

 them and make them feel 

 that we are their friends. 

 Among the little acts by 

 which we are able to 

 give this assurance the 

 proffer of food is the 

 most effective. Our 

 little friend in the 

 picture proves that we 

 may have them coming 

 to our hands, and this 

 is now such a familiar 

 experience that there is 

 no longer any doubt that 

 a general movement to domesticate our common wild 

 birds would be successful. John Burroughs had the 

 robins in his garden so tame that they would perch on 

 his knee, waiting for him to turn up a worm. The song 

 sparrows and humming birds perched upon Celia Thaxter's 



Fig. 140. CHIPP^' TA^rED to feed from 

 A Child's Hand 



From Bird-Lore^ Vol. I. By permission. 

 (Photograph by IMr. George B. Wood) 



