8 THE FRIENDSHIP OF NATURE 



fibres and hairs for her nest. The 

 spring of clear water in the dell is a 

 great attraction to them; and as they 

 bathe and drink, we can, with a field- 

 glass, easily distinguish their markings. 

 The robins have been building for a 

 week, and high upon a hickory trunk 

 a golden-winged woodpecker and a 

 squirrel are contending loudly for a 

 hole, which both claim for a nest. 

 The sparrow tribe is appearing in 

 force. That flock of brown and ash-col- 

 oured birds with white-striped crowns 

 and white-patched throats are peabody 

 birds, or white-throated sparrows; and 

 if you look overhead, you will see that 

 the charming little soprano is the song- 

 sparrow. He is Nature's bugler who 

 sounds a reveille from the March 

 alders, and calls, "Lights out," to the 

 smouldering autumn fires. Yesterday 

 a flock of red-brown fox-sparrows, the 



