OBJECTIVE SEASONAL LESSONS. 



WINTER VISITANTS. 



The term Winter Visitant, like that of Summer 

 Eesident, is not used in an exact sense, but is ap- 

 plied to birds that arrive from the north in the fall, 

 pass the winter with us, and return to their more 

 northern homes the following spring. Most of them 

 arrive late in September and depart in April. 



In addition to these regular Winter Visitants, 

 there sometimes occur irregular Winter Visitants, 

 whose coming cannot be foretold. Absent some 

 winters, they may be abundant others ; their pres- 

 ence or absence being apparently governed hy the 

 supply of food to the northward. When this fails, 

 they sweep southward in enormous numbers, becom- 

 ing common in localities where they are usually rare 

 or unknown. Pine Grosbeaks, Crossbills, and Eed- 

 polls are irregular Winter Visitants. 



List of Winter Visitants. 



Plate 

 No. 

 4. Ilerring Gull, 

 Saw-whet Owl.* 

 34. Horned Lark. 



Plate 

 No. 



48. Junco. 



49. Tree Sparrow. 

 Pine Siskin.f 



* Not common. 



f Irregular. 



