The Audubon Societies 43 



houses are out of keeping witli tlie si)irit of liirdland and its hard-and-fast law 

 of color protection. 



There are many good [)atterns for bird-houses, but none are better than those 

 figured in Mr. E. H. Forbush's 'Useful Birds and Their Protection,' and copied 

 in 'Gray Lad\- and the Birds.' Stick to natural bark, gray wood, and adapta- 

 tion of tree forms, being careful never to make draughty houses by putting doors 

 opposite to each other. In one way birds outsense many human beings; things of 

 air and light as they are, they refuse to sleep or rear their young in a draught! 

 On the other hand, see to it that your houses are not set so that they will either 

 face the northeast or lie in the eye of the sun during the hottest part of the day. 

 — M. O. W. 



HONK! HONK! 



Oh, the high, sweet sound, 

 When the snow is barely vanished underground; 



Ere the first green thing 

 In the woods has answered to the kiss of Spring' 



Oh, that call afar, 

 Coming strangely into heaven (as eve's first star) I 



Not to listening ears 

 Comes that call: From nowhere suddenly it nears. 



Through the vast sky-room 

 Drives before it every shred of winter gloom. 



Oh, the high sweet sound 

 From the brave wild flock, ever northward bound! 



Now^, I pray no scath 

 From the fowler shall o'ertake them on their path, 



"While their moving wedge 

 Dwindling, sinks beneath the dim horizon's edge. 



Fain I'd see, at last. 

 Where they rest, and nest, their long journe\' past; 



In what sedgy spot. 

 Loved of sunshine (happily by man forgot). 



Oh, the high, sweet sound 

 From the glad, wild rovers, when that spot they've found! 



— Edith M. Thomas. 



