GRAY LADY AT SCHOOL 35 
singer of the meadows, and disported in a coat of black, 
white, and buff, now wears dull brown stripes, and, hav- 
ing forgotten his song, he mixes with the young of the 
year and becomes merely the Reed Bird of the gunners. 
But in early spring he will change again, and, before the 
nesting time, reappear among us with every black feather 
polished free from rusty edges and glistening as of old. 
““ When Father Tanager comes back, he is brave and red 
again, though it takes little Tommy Tanager two moult- 
ings to grow an equally red coat. 
‘“‘ Hiven with the more quietly marked birds their colours 
are less distinct after the summer moult, so that what 
is known as the bird’s perfect or typical plumage is in 
many species that of the nesting season alone.” 
“T didn’t think that there was so much to know about 
birds; they seem to have ways of doing things just like 
people.” ‘“‘I’d love to know all about them every Friday, 
but I suppose that’s too nice to happen,” said Sarah 
Barnes, as Gray Lady paused and moved her chair 
back from the bright light that was now shining through 
the door directly in her face, for the clouds had rolled 
away down behind the hills, leaving one of the clear, bright, 
early September afternoons when the sun lends its colour 
to the field of early goldenrod, until sunset seems to reach 
to one’s very feet. 
“No, it isn’t too nice to happen,” said Gray Lady, 
laughing; “but it would certainly be very pleasant for 
me, also, if Miss Wilde could give you to me for an hour 
or so every other Friday, then perhaps some other day 
you could come to the General’s house and return my 
call, and see all the birds and pictures and books that 
