VISITORS TO THE FENCE. 233 



pany of three, as I have seen other kingbirds do. 

 One day they came in the rain, feathers all in 

 locks, showing the dark color next the skin, 

 and looking like beggars in "rags and tags," 

 but they were as cheerful and as clannish as ever. 



To the locust group, too, came the red-headed 

 woodpeckers; at first the parents, who talked to 

 each other in whisj^ered "kr-r-r-r's," and carried 

 off many a sweet morsel to their family in the 

 woods; later, one youngster, who took posses- 

 sion of the fence with the calm assurance of his 

 race, and when I left the place had apparently 

 established himself there for the season. 



Many others alighted on the fence ; the junco, 

 with his pretty brown bantling and his charming 

 little trilling song ; the crow baby, with its f imny 

 ways and queer cry of "ma-a-a; " the redstart, 

 who 



" Folds and unfolds his twinkling tail in sport; " 



the flicker mamma, with her "merry pitter-pat- 

 ter " and her baby as big as herself. Even the 

 sapsucker from the lawn had somehow heard the 

 news that a feast was spread near the locusts, 

 and came over to see. 



Birds were not the only frequenters of the 

 fence and the berry bushes. There were squir- 

 rels, gTay and red, and chipmunks, who sat up 

 pertly on a post, with two little paws laid upon 

 their heart in theatrical attitude, as who should 



