lo Birds Every Child Should Know 
softly whistled song? Before the farmer begins 
to plough the wet earth, often while the snow is 
still on the ground, this hardy little minstrel is 
making himself very much at home in our or- 
chards and gardens while waiting for a mate to 
arrive from the South. 
Now is the time to have ready on top of the 
grape arbour, or under the eaves of the barn, 
or nailed up in the apple tree, or set up on poles, 
the little one-roomed houses that bluebirds are 
only too happy to occupy. More enjoyable 
neighbours it would be hard to find. Sparrows 
will fight for the boxes, it is true, but if there 
are plenty to let, and the sparrows are per- 
sistently driven off, the bluebirds, which are a 
little larger though far less bold, quickly take 
possession. Birds that come earliest in the 
season and feed on insects, before they have 
time to multiply, are of far greater value in the 
field, orchard, and garden than birds that delay 
their return until warm weather has brought 
forth countless swarms of insects far beyond the 
control of either bird or man. Many birds 
would be of even greater service than they are 
if they received just a little encouragement to 
make their homes nearer ours. They could 
save many more millions of dollars’ worth of 
crops for the farmers than they do if they were 
properly protected while rearing their ever- 
hungry families. As two or even three broods 
