22 CITIZEN BIRD 



" We will take it to uncle and ask him to tell us all 

 about it." 



'' Yes, yes," said Dodo, " we will all go " — and Rap 

 hopped off after the other children so quickly that Olive 

 had hard work to keep up with him. 



This time Nat and Dodo did not hesitate outside the 

 study door, but gave a pound or two and burst into 

 the room. 



'' Uncle Roy, Uncle Roy, we have seen two birds 

 and written down about them, but we didn't quite 

 know what to call the front part where the neck ends 

 and the stomach begins, or the beginning of the tail, 

 and Olive says there are right names for all these parts. 

 And we found Rap in the orchard and he only has half 

 a book, and here's a White-throated Sparrow, and we 

 want to know how it's made and why birds can fly and 

 Avhy — " 



Here the Doctor laughingly stopped them and turned 

 to Olive for a clearer account of what had taken place 

 in the orchard, while Rap stood gazing about the room 

 as if he thouglit that heaven had suddenly opened to 

 him. 



" Now, children," said the Doctor, as soon as the 

 youngsters had stopped chattering, " I will first tell 

 you some stories about the birds; then if you like them 

 I will make them into a little book that other girls and 

 boys may read." And as the children began to dance 

 about, he continued : " But before I tell you the names 

 and habits of some of our home birds, you must learn a 

 few things that are true of all birds — what they are; 

 where they belong among animals; how they are made; 

 how they do good and why we should protect them; 



