46 



AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



JSP**,' 



OUR YOUNG FRIENDS. 



My Dear Young Folks: 



It must have been just such a day as this that one of our nature- 

 writers wrote in his journal — "Another bright winter's day; to the 

 woods to see what bird's nests are made of." 



That is what Dorothy and I did yesterday, and we had such a nice 

 time although we saw but few birds. Some Blue-jays, very charming 

 in their brilliant blue and pure white gowns, scolded us in harsh 

 voices — "go a7i>ay\ go a7c'ay\ arcavV A flock of jovial chickadees wel- 

 comed us, for they knew that with the passing of a certain rosy-cheek- 

 ed little girl, was found substantial good cheer at the foot of the great 

 pine tree. 



We watched an acrobat walking upside down along a tree-trunk call- 

 ing "Yank, yank, yank!" 



White vested juncos and tree-sparrows with bay crowns greeted us 

 with soft trills, and a solitary song-sparrow gave promise of approach- 

 ing spring. Here at our feet among the low bushes was a bulky nest 

 which this self same little song sparrow may have occupied last sum- 

 mer. 



Birdnests — we found dozens of them, where we had least thought 

 when trees and shrubs were clothed in green, and we could now pull 

 them apart and examine them to our hearts content without fear of dis- 

 turbing the little builders. Right by our path swung a marvelous cup, 



