CITIZEN BIRD 61 



Presently Rap said, '' It must be because you never 

 have let any birds be killed here that there are more 

 kinds than I ever see anywhere else — some of every 

 guild, I think. I've often wondered how it was." 



'' There are four Robins' nests in this one tree," said 

 Olive, '■ and the old birds have been flying to and fro 

 while we talked, and never dreamed of being afraid." 



" Yes, children. Orchard Farm always has protected 

 its Bix'd Citizens, and it always will, in my time." 



" And in mine, too," said Olive. " You see if each 

 person would care for the birds on his own land, the 

 Battle of the Bugs would soon become less terrible." 



Then the children laughed to think how funny a real 

 battle would be, with an army of little bugs drawn up 

 on one side of a field and big House People with guns 

 and cannons on the other. 



'' But even against cannon," said Olive, " the bugs 

 would have the best of it, because they can fly or hop, 

 and the worms can crawl into the ground." 



Then the Doctor finished this lesson by saying, quite 

 seriously : " Every time you children deny yourselves 

 the pleasure of taking an Qg^ from a nest, or think to 

 spread a little food for hungry birds, when cold and 

 snow almost force them to starve, you are adding to 

 the food-supply of your country. To be sure, it may 

 be only a few grains of wheat here and an ear of corn 

 there, but it all means bread-food of some sort, and the 

 bread of a nation is its life. So Ave must learn to love 

 and protect this feathered neighbor of ours, who works 

 for his own living as well as ours, pays his rent and 

 taxes, and gives, besides, free concerts to the public, 

 daily. He certainly deserves the name of Citizen Bird. 



