Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-12-16
This and That
By Charles E. Trace11eH
"BETHESDA
BETHESDA.

oEI I1ESDfa
Dear Sir:
Zone of your correspondents seemed worried
that birds would get their eyes stuck to the
wires of a suet feeder on frosty morning.
"One way to prevent this is to first dip the
cage into melted parafin or even suet, then
let dry completely.
This will give enough of coating to prevent
any possibility of damage to the warm eyeball
touching the ice-cod metal
81 have found that suet is much relished by
our winter birds, but nothing but beef suet
should be used
"Other types of fats, solidifed. might be
tried but beef suet is the best, and Is easily
obtained. In the old days butchers were glad
to give it to customers, but today you have to
pay for it. "sincerey, M. j. r."
Suet is but one type of bird food.
There are many others, and suburban resi-
dents, in particular, should be acquainted with
them, so that they may at all times be able
to give their feathered friends a handout IN
the cold.
Mixtures of seeds and grains, commonly
called wildbird feed, are to be secured. Cakes
of melted suet, Incorporating seeds and berries,
are obtainable.
Sunf1ower seeds, easily. the favorite Of all
wintering speces-including the squirrelare
costly, but contain so much nourishment that
some of them should be used.
FeeQ STORES ana HARDWARE StOreS Sell ClllCkeI
feed, especially scratch feed and baby chick
feed; these make good food for the birds. es-
pecally when a little sunflower seed is mixed
with them.
Peanuts and peanut hearts make good Of
ferings.
Peanut butter in small quantities may be
tried.
Bread, moistened, is always good, though 1t
attracts starlings.
Corn bread leftovers go over big with the
songsters in the cold.
Corn bread dipped in fat has its takers and
various seeds collected in summer are favorites
These include watermelon and, cantaloupe
seeds. Apples are helpful.
Oats, still cheap may be put out for the birds
around the house.
Raisns attract mockingbirds the year around
Small pieces of meat always attract Even the
leftover salmon scraps from the cats dish will
draw the starlings
There are few sights more amusing than a
circle of these big black birds around salmon
dish.
Careful housewives at times 90 over their
pantry shelves and often find moldy food.
Such food should not be used to feed the
birds.
1t may contain forms of life ininnical to the
ongbirds but this does not apply to merely
Worny foods. The latter-worms and all-will
please, since there is nothing in bird life similar
10 IluHldI IllllCklHeSS.
Even moldy bread should not be used, al
though there may be temptation to do so
now and then
Peanut hearts are purchasable from makers
of peanut butter. These have a delightful
aroma and are very rich, so that too much
need not be used at time.
A special warning should be given as to pea
nut butter. This is so rich in calories and fat
that little of it at time is enough. 1t must
be remembered that birds in nature would
never find such concentrated food as this.
It's taste appeal will cause them to overeat, If
they have the chance.
Cottage cheese is best used by mixing small
pieces of it with other foods. A pile of it, by
itself, seems to brighten most wintering BIRDS
Stray breadstuffs, such as old hard crackers,
may be moistened with milk or water and put
out in the yard. The fights of a band Of
starlings over these are as good as q football
game for interested watchers
In feeding the birds, one must remember that
water is essential, and often difficult to find in
the cold. Shallow pans should be put out in
the yard In the sun, from time to time. Dust
and grit may be made available simply by
mulching Q place beneath . shrub.