December, 1916 
43 
a hole breeder, 
and thus a natu¬ 
ral enemy of the 
birds already vic¬ 
timized by the 
earlier importa¬ 
tion. But it has 
another habit of 
even more serious 
import. It is an 
eater of fruit. 
Growers of 
grapes and cher¬ 
ries already are 
complaining o f 
the depredations 
of starlings, but 
what of our 
birds? The great 
flocks of thrushes, 
catbirds, robins and other frugivorous spe¬ 
cies, during the autumn migration, are de¬ 
pendent on the supply of wild berries which 
they expect to find during their pauses in 
flight. But in many localities, where star¬ 
lings are well established, the voyagers, on 
their arrival, find the choke-cherry, nanny- 
berry, ink-berry and dogwood already 
stripped of their fruit. This is particu¬ 
larly noticeable in the vicinity of New York, 
where the starling is especially numerous. 
Next on the list comes the house cat. The 
ravages of foxes and martens were as noth¬ 
ing when compared with the slaughter per¬ 
petrated by the sleek pet of our firesides. 
No animal is fiercer or more bloodthirsty 
than a domestic cat which has reverted to 
semi-wildness, and it is undoubtedly the 
worst enemy of our small birds. 
What Can Be Done? 
Having examined the causes of the re¬ 
duction of our bird life, we may well con¬ 
sider the means for aiding its recuperation. 
It is not necessary to point out, in dollars 
and cents, the economic value of birds, or 
their effect on the cost of living. This has 
been shown so ably and so frequently that 
it has become proverbial. In the esthetic 
sense, the bird speaks for itself. We de¬ 
rive pleasure from its varied plumage and 
its glorious song, and are able to draw prof¬ 
itable parallels from observation of its fam¬ 
ily affairs. Our very existence, in localities 
which formerly offered a haven to many 
species, implies a moral debt which we are 
bound to repay to the best of our ability. 
Following persistent endeavor and agita¬ 
tion by a handful of public-spirited men, 
suitable laws for the protection of birds 
have been passed. The Federal Govern¬ 
ment, unless prevented by the decision of 
the higher courts, now has the power to 
prohibit the shooting of all migratory birds, 
and the winter butchery of our songbirds 
in the South is no longer legal. Such laws 
are, of course, of tremendous importance, 
and no reconstructive work was possible 
before their enaction. But laws, unaided, 
will not bring back the birds. Their homes 
have been destroyed, their foraging grounds 
leveled, and their numbers are greatly less¬ 
ened. A few men could force the passage 
of saving bills; the people themselves must 
make them of practical avail. 
Every man who has a home and a scrap 
of ground can do his bit. His more fortu¬ 
nate neighbor, who owns a handsome es¬ 
tate. can make of it a veritable paradise for 
birds. And, what is best of all, the birds 
will come eagerly and enjoy it. 
First of all, a 
few preliminaries 
are necessary. 
The grounds must 
be kept clear of 
cats. Much can 
be done by way of 
persuading neigh- 
b o r s to confine 
their pets, if in¬ 
clined to stray. A 
good terrier i s 
wonderfully effi¬ 
cient i n convinc¬ 
ing feline visitors 
that the vicinity 
is not healthy. If 
such mild meas¬ 
ures do not suf¬ 
fice, sterner ones 
must be resorted to. Ingenious traps, de¬ 
signed to capture puss without injuring her, 
are sold by many dealers in bird appliances. 
The matter of licensing cats is now being 
agitated, and every bird lover is urged to 
support the movement. Even admirers of 
cats can find nothing objectionable in the 
proposed regulation, which would control 
only the outlaws, and in no way affect the 
law-abiding individuals. 
A clear-toned bell, tied about the neck of 
the cat, is an excellent means of nullifying 
her efforts at stalking. Every animal which 
cannot be confined during the breeding sea¬ 
son, should be so furnished. 
European sparrows and starlings must be 
kept down as far as possible. This is a dif¬ 
ficult matter, for their numbers are legion, 
and few persons care to resort to poison¬ 
ing. Several efficacious sparrow traps are 
on the market, and great numbers may be 
taken in them. But the sparrow is an ex¬ 
ceedingly keen bird, and it is usually neces¬ 
sary to move the trap frequently. 
No good method for dealing with the 
starling has yet been devised. It does not 
eat grain, so cannot be lured into a trap as 
easily as the sparrow. Perhaps when it 
becomes more thoroughly disseminated, 
and its evil propensities are more fully un¬ 
derstood, a genius will arise who will point 
the way. At any rate, it is best to destroy 
as many nests of sparrows and starlings as 
can be reached, in the hope that these nui¬ 
sances may finally become discouraged. 
Now as to attracting methods. No one 
feature will prove a more certain lure and 
be of more real value than a feeding plat¬ 
form, or “lunch-counter.” There are many 
styles, from a simple ledge to a winged 
affair which turns with the wind, and the 
elaborate, glass-sided structure, which may 
cost a substantial sum. 
The Winter Lunch Counter 
But they are all one to the birds. How¬ 
ever crude it may be, the station will be 
well patronized, particularly during the win¬ 
ter. Food is always scarce at this time, and 
the birds which come down from the north 
are glad to avail themselves of a constant 
supply. A mixture of canary, millet, hemp 
and sunflower seeds, or even wheat screen¬ 
ings, is best as a staple. This will be wel¬ 
come to the tiny seed-eaters, such as the 
song sparrow, white-throat, tree sparrow 
and junco. Goldfinches, siskins, redpolls, 
purple finches or even crossbills, may gather 
to the feast, not to mention the nuthatches. 
For the insect eaters, suet is the usual 
(Continued on page 58) 
It runs on a cable, and you can pull it in 
to the window for refilling. A movable 
lunch counter for $5. Copper roof, $6 
Rustic cedar with a bit 
of branch for doorstep; 
ivren-size entrance, $1 
Architectural design is 
possible even in a bird- 
house. For ivrens, $3 
Another style in cedar, designed for 
woodpeckers but also suitable for 
bluebirds, $1.25 
Of course, suet may be tied to a branch; 
but it is easier to put it in one of these 
wire holders. 50 cents each, $5 a dozen 
