74 . ' BIRD WORLD. 



The birds did not come to it as early in the morn- 

 ing as I should have expected ; perhaps they liked to 

 wait till the water should be warmed a little, or per- 

 haps in Bird World a bath after eating is not thought 

 to be unhealthy. However that may be, from eight 

 o'clock, in rapid turn, in ones, twos, seldom more than 

 threes, they kept the little " Bath " in constant use till 

 evening twilight. 



Such water lovers some of them were ! They made 

 it a shower bath by sending the splashes high over 

 their heads. They shook each feather in the water 

 for wetness and out of it for dryness. So clear w^as 

 the pure spring water, that it seemed like bathing in 

 a mirror. 



Some of the birds would stop and preen their feath- 

 ers before they left the spot, but others would go to 

 the trees to complete their dainty toilets. Boys and 

 girls who think it a burden to keep their hair in 

 proper fashion should take a lesson from the birds. 

 Feathers have their price in care-taking as well as 

 other beautiful apparel. 



It is not probably true that birds are afraid of cold 

 water. Tree Sparrows will spend from three to five 

 minutes, it is said, in water that flows directly from 

 melting snow, acting all the while as if the fluttering 

 of their wings and tails was perfect glee. 



