17 JANUARY 1914, Page 17

A CHRISTMAS TREE FOR THE BIRDS.

Its run Eniron or ens " SeErrAro a.")

Sur,—Instead of relegating the family Christmas tree to the attic or bonfire after its one night of splendour, as in Hans Andersen's immortal story, may I suggest its being moved into the garden and "redecorated" with good large pieces of fat, suet, and bacon-rinds for the enjoyment of the birds this cold weather P The fir-branches make good points d'appui for the feasters, and keep the food from getting sodden and trampled upon before it is consumed. As a result of the above experiment being carried out here, we saw to- day (Sunday, January 1111), between the hours of 12 and 1 p.m., ten different kinds of birds enjoying a good midday dinner, and that within seven miles of London. The king-tit, cote- tit, and blue-tit, robins, starlings, sparrows, one blackbird, one thrush, one chaffinch, and the shy hawfinch were all there at different times during the hour, a bird pageant greatly appreciated by the small people clustered in the window over-