44 
rSEFTL 151 RDS 
part of human l)i])eds is not relished 1)v birds and that the fewer 
cats, the more l)irds- It is claimed that one house cat will kill 
at least 50' birds in a summer in a locality well populated with 
birds. Shallow receptacles hlled with water are very attractive 
to the birds which a])pear to be very fond of bathing- in warm 
weather. 44-iese can either be made at home or can be purchased 
of dealers. 
Feeding Birds: In summer, birds generally obtain enough 
food without special helj) from man, but in winter, when the 
natural food is scarce or covered with snow, any provision in this 
direction which we may ofifer is appreciated. Shrubs, some of 
which have fruit on their branches all winter, have been referred 
to above. In addition, one may give them suet, or meat, or grain, 
and rece])tacles may be constructed or purchased to hold these 
somewhat dififering foods and protect them from the weather. 
have, personally, tacked lumps of suet to tree trunks with nails 
and have been gratified, in snowy weather, at seeing numbers of 
chickadees, nuthatches, brown cree])ers, downy wood])eckers, and 
blue jays, avail themselves of food thus offered. There is a better 
wa}' of feeding suet by enclosing it in wire and thus avoiding any 
Avaste. 
HOW TO PROTECT CROPS FROM BIRDS. 
Since man, in clearing and cultivating the land, has removed 
much of the natural vegetable food of birds, and has frequently re- 
placed it with equally appetizing domestic fruit and A^egetables, 
it is very natural that the birds turn to the cultiA^ated fruit appar- 
ently placed within reach for their special beneht. The protection 
of crops from the attack of birds therefore, becomes at times a seri- 
ous ])roblem to the gardener or orchardist or farmer, who appre- 
ciating the ser\dces rendered earlier in the season, is loth to kill 
the innocent marauders, or eA-en if so disposed, is restrained by 
law. 
Protection of Garden Truck: It tries even a bird lover's pa- 
tience to see garden peas over Avhich he has spent time and labor 
disap])ear before his eA’es as fast as the pods till. In our OAvn 
experience (summer of 1915) Orioles Avere the chief malefactors in 
this connection though later the Rose-lireasted Grosbeak deA'eloped 
a fondness for this A-egetable. A scarecroAv erected near the roAvs 
did little or no good, but cheap Avhite mosc[uito bar over the plant, 
])i*oved effective, albeit a little expensive and possibly having no 
]iarticularly gocvl effect upon the groAvth and development of the 
