110 srenants of tttt ^vtt^ 



sion of the North American Purple 

 Crackles Society. Since then we have 

 lost about fifty members. Some from 

 stress of weather, some from sickness, 

 while a few have strayed to other flocks. 

 We have spent a most prosperous six 

 months in Southern New Jersey, and are 

 returning to the north, which is our 

 breeding ground, with a firm determina- 

 tion to make our number one thousand 

 strong before we fly south." 



" Good, good," cried a number of 

 voices. "We will," piped an old 

 grandpa, at the top of the tree. " Little 

 you'll do about it," squawked a dozen 

 young and gallant grackles. " Order, 

 gentlemen," piped the chairman. " Do 

 not interrupt your secretary." 



" It is the opinion of all of our com- 

 pany that the libelous charges made by 

 many ornithologists, that the grackles steal 



