BOSTON HERALD
Vol. CXV., No. 63.
THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 1904.
BIRDS HAVE SUFFERED
DURING THE HARD WINTER.
Result of the Investigations of Mr. Ed-
ward Howe Forbush - Not Too
Late for All to Help.
To the Editor of The Herald:
  Another snow storm is making con-
ditions worse than ever for the birds,
and another appeal should be made to
the people to feed them. In a recent
trip made through central and western
Massachusetts, to collect information
relative to the destruction of birds by
storms, the writer found that the sup-
ply of winter-cured berries, on which
so many birds depend for food during
storms, was largely exhausted, [sic] Early
in the season a great flight of pine
grosbeaks took many, if not most, of
some kinds of berries. Flights of crows
from the north have been forced to live
much on bayberries here, thus cutting
off the food supply of the smaller birds. 
Woodchoppers and others reported find-
ing coveys of the bob-white or quail
dead in the woods.
  The freezing weather following snow
and rain froze the snow solid and im-
prisoned grouse and quail beneath it.
There are a few quail left alive in the
Connecticut Valley and live grouse were
found  here and there. In some sec-
tions grouse, jays and crows are com-
ing into the villages to be fed. It is
a very hard winter that will starved out
grouse, for they can exist if they can
find a few fresh twigs. Jays and crows
were found to be picking up refuse
thrown out near hotels and boarding
houses. One crow in this town came so
near a house that it was caught by a
cat. When the wary crow is reduced
to this, what must be the fate of the
smaller birds.
  A teamster in Amherst hauling wood
was surprised when eating his lunch in
the woods to see the birds come and try
to take the food from his hand. People 
in this part of the state believe that
the meadow larks which usually win-
ter here have nearly all died.
  All these birds might have been saved
by feeding them a little grain. For-
tunately, the appeals made through the
press by the Audubon societies and by
Mr. Baynes have induced some people
to feed birds. Where food has been put
out some birds were seen, but else-
where they had nearly all disappeared.
All that is necessary now to provide
food for most birds until spring opens is
to throw out crumbs from the tables,
chaff from barn or stable floors and a
little cracked grain.
  This will provide food for sparrows,
larks and quail. We should also fasten
on trees, out of reach of dogs, un-
cleaned bones from the market cracked
open to expose the marrow, also pieces
of beef trimmings, suet or any fat, un-
salted meat; this will feed chickadees,
woodpeckers, nuthatches and jays.
  If chaff or cracked grain is thrown
under an open shed facing south, this
will provide both food and protection.
  When food is put out at a distance
from buildings care should be taken to
place it within a few rods of a thicket
or a group of think evergreen trees, to
which birds can fly if pursued by
hawks. The season of 1903 and the fol-
lowing winter have been memorable
because of the destruction of birds by
the elements. The hot, dry weather of
May was followed by numerous forest
fires which destroyed the nests of the
wood birds. Then the cold rains of
June killed many swallows, martens,
chimney swifts and other insect-eating
birds. The floods resulting from the 
rains drowned out the nests of the
swamp and marsh birds. Later violent
wind storms blew down the nests of
many arboreal species. All this has
been followed by one of the hardest
winters ever know, with much suffer-
ing among the winter birds.
  The destruction among these useful
creatures has been so great that it now
becomes our duty to assist them to re-
establish themselves.
  Birds should now be fed and encour-
ages in every possible way. Teach the
children to feed the birds, to put up
nesting boxes and furnish nesting ma-
terial the child who begins by work-
ing for the birds will not end by de-
stroying them. The writer will be glad
to hear from those who have fast as
to the destruction of bird life by the ele-
ments or other causes, of the means
that have been taken to relieve them.
  EDWARD HOWE FORBUSH.
Wareham.