THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 9 
Members of various sportsmen’s organizations in 
different parts of the State raised money, bought quan- 
tities of grain and took it out into the country in 
machines and wagons and scattered it where it was soon 
found by pheasants and quail. Deputy game wardens 
rendered important service in this time of need. Along 
some of the railroad lines grain was distributed by the 
conductors and the brakemen. The State Game depart- 
ment spent hundreds of dollars in feed for distribution 
in out-of-the-way places. The combined result was that 
the game and song birds of Oregon came through the 
snow period in splendid condition. Had not this co- 
operation between citizens, sportsmen and the game de- 
partment existed the state would have suffered a fright- 
ful loss in birds. 
The following remarks by Professor S. I’. Sykes, 
of the Oregon Agricultural College, are significant as 
well as pertinent: 
“Feeding the birds in snowy weather is only squaring 
our account with the birds. The few handfuls of grain 
thrown out for the birds during the recent snow storm 
will bring the best returns of the year. Many a little 
bird-guardian, robin, bluebird, siskin, gold finch or 
junco, which came months ago to clean up the weed 
seeds of last season to catch the cutworms and leather 
jaskets lurking in the turnip or grass fields, was going 
about hungry and with cold feet. Many of them also 
have perished with cold. 
“An examination of the stomach contents of birds 
during an open Winter has shown that they are at such 
a time entirely beneficial. In one robin’s stomach were 
found 210 March fly larve. A China pheasant had 
eaten 673 larve at a single meal. These grubs resemble 
