14 CITIZEN BIRD 



" More than a hundred, I guess," said Dodo after a 

 long pause. 



" Nearly a tliousand, my lady ! " 



" A thousand ! I think we couldn't remember so 

 many. Does (Jlive know about ' nearly a thousand ' ? " 



" No, nor about a quarter of them. Dodo. There are 

 a great many birds that are rare or curious, but are 

 not very interesting to people like you and me," said 

 Olive. 



'' Suppose you make us a little book about some of 

 the very nicest American birds," put in Nat, who had 

 been looking at the row of stuffed birds in one of the 

 cases, and began to feel a real interest in knowing their 

 names and something about them. " Oh, Uncle Roy ! 

 Here's a Robin. See ! Dodo, see ! I knew it in a min- 

 ute ; it's like meeting a fellow you know ; " and Nat 

 pranced about while the Doctor laughed as if he was 

 well pleased. 



" Now, children," said he, " I have an hour's more 

 work this morning, and then we will talk over this 

 bird matter. Here is a little blank book, and a pencil 

 for each of you. Go down in the orchard, and when 

 you find a bird, write in the book how it looks to 

 you. So — size, color of head, throat, breast, back, tail, 

 and wings — that will be enough for once ; but try to 

 remember, also, how it sings. You had better help them 

 a bit to begin with, daughter," he continued, turning to 

 Olive, who went as gladly as if she were only ten years 

 old like Nat, instead of being seventeen, and nearly 

 as tall as her father, with skirts that covered her boot 

 tops. 



