THE MUSEUM. 



179 



Crow feeding young— -Drawing from photo by a Lockport, N. Y., correspondent. 



isonant tapping of a Hairy Woodpecker 

 also goes to make up the complement 

 •of spring sounds. Among the vocal- 

 ists the Song Sparrow is certainly a 

 ;star performer, and the Bluebird, 

 perched on the topmost branch of a 

 massive elm, pours forth his contribu- 

 tion towards the general harmony in 

 a manner highly praiseworthy. As we 

 .come to the soft loamy bank of the 

 river we find a group of boys and old 

 men patiently endeavoring to lure a 

 few suckers from the muddy steam. 

 A little farther down the bank a pair 

 of muskrats are splashing about in a 

 truly hilarious manner, while near the 

 •opposite edge three Buffle-head Ducks 

 .are warily coasting along, ready to 



take to wing or go to the bottom, as 

 occasion may require. 



Crossing the stream, after a short 

 walk we reach a small piece of woods, 

 over which a pair of Red-tailed Hawks 

 are lazily circling, yet with an eye ever 

 ready to detect the movement of some 

 incautious mammal, while the usual 

 coterie of Crows are working them- 

 selves into an unusual state of excite- 

 rnent on account of the Hawks' pres- 

 ence. The Jays also are joining with 

 the Crows in their attack on the in- 

 truders, although they prudently vent 

 their anger in loud crys. 



Everywhere evidence of God's good- 

 ness is to be found; in the birds, the 

 flowers, the budding trees and the 



