Birds from a Sick Man^s Window 93 



of dawn was just coming into the east, tlie first sound 1 

 iieard was the distant booming of the prairie chickens on 

 the University farm, where they mate, and nest, and live, 

 unmolested. No sound more vividly suggests the free, 

 zestful prairie dawns than this booming of the prairie- 

 chicken, or recalls the purple morning hazes hing in the 

 west, on the far horizon where day has not yet broken. 



The flicker was another early morning bird whose rol- 

 licking spring song sometimes woke me with a start, think- 

 ing that I heard friendly laughter beside my window. 

 Dozens of his family came to call upon me through the 

 long days, or greeted me hilariously as they flew up to a 

 telephone pole after a full meal of ants, or some juicy mor- 

 sel to pick to pieces and devour. The flicker is a good fel- 

 low to call upon an invalid, for despite his unconvention- 

 ality and his jocularity he is interesting and entertaining 

 every minute, and courteous and considerate as a true-born 

 gentleman. He would be a good Y. M. C. A. secretary, 1 

 feel sure. i 



Not such a thorough gentleman because of his loud 

 voice and inconsiderate curiosity, the blue jay is on the 

 whole not such an undesirable visitor as his reputation 

 might lead one to expect. One came to see me twice, quite 

 out of the goodness of his heart, I believe, and each time I 

 was sorry, when, because of urgent business elsewhere, he 

 took his departure. I imagined that they were family 

 affairs that engrossed his attention, but he did not take 

 me into his confidence. 



A score or more of grackles followed behind a plow 

 that was breaking up a well-sodded vacant lot a block 

 away, but not one came near enough to pass the time of 

 day with me. I rather resented their neglect, but I re- 

 flected philosophically that while such an abundance of 

 food was being provided them, they felt constrained to care 

 for it with true wiu-the-war thrift. 



The only unpleasant incident that marred my whole 

 sick-window record of the birds, was an unprovoked and 



