Evening star., 1935-11-29

placed in separate wire contatner OF O
type which will allow the birds to peck
at it through the meshes. Excellent and
simple suet containers are to be had at
little expense. Hung on nail or twig
or even on q wire fence, they provide
birds which must have this type Of food
with a very good substitute for the grubS
and worms they dig for themselves in the
warmer seasons.
1t is possible, but not at all necessary,
to chart the feeding habits Of all birds
likely to come to this territory, for wild
bird seed mixtures are to be bought very
reasonably and will last a long time
and will take care of practically all the
birds that feed here during late Fall and
Winter. If suet and some bread crumbs
are added, all that the ordinary house
holder can do will have been done to
feed and thus attract the lovely untamed
creatures we call the songbirds.
We were interested in noting after
several days of feeder operation that the
seed had gone down very little, though
the birds had been at the food constantly
since the first day 1t was set up. or
course, the ground IS not hard yet, and
many seeds and berries yet remain to be
gathered. Continued frozen ground, and
especially snow, brings the birds in large
numbers, when no doubt the stock in
feeders declines more rapidly. Nor have
we experienced the starlings this season
SO far: no doubt they add to the burdens
of those who would feed the smaller
and more interesting creatures.
1t is because of the starlings, as we'll
as because of lack of personal experience
in bird feeding, that we hesitate to
recommend the window feeder. We do
not fancy flock of these large fellows
bouncing around the window. They are
best kept as far away from houses as
possible. Feeders attached to trees at
some distance will do if the starlings are
to dominate the scene.
Whether one feeder or several is best
for the average small place we do not
know from personal experience, but
rather guess that one is enough, espe-
cially If placed near enough to the house
to be watched easily, for then the one
feeder would be the magnet for all the
birds, whereas if there were two or more
the bird visitors would scatter between
them.
We hope no one who erects a feeder
will pay too much attention to the sub
1ect OF "blrd enemies. 1heSe usually
include cats and squirrels Human ma
ture is such that if one puts up feeder
for birds, one tends to want the birds
only to have it and to resent much more
than the birds themselves the intrusion
of another creature.
Let us not forget that Nature Is large,
that the great outdoors is still peculiarly
hers and that there she erects no single
preserves for any one animal, fencing
out all others. They all belong to her
and must get along together, which in
the main they do, with no more loss to
each other, perhaps, than man inf1icts
on man through wars.
In Nature all things must take their
chances and if we do not like that law
let us take it up at once with Nature
and not place the blame on those of her
creatures who from time to time do not
do exactly as we would have them do.
If this large view toward Nature and
her children is held the human bird
feeder has great deal better chance to
enjoy his birds, and his little device,
plentifully filled with wholesome Seeds
will do its bit of goodness in a world
which sometimes seems unduly filled with
pain and sorrow, sickness and death,
which no amount of fencing will keep out.