186 GRAY LADY AND THE BIRDS 
tree, or to the same one, and again begins to climb; so for 
him the Stair-climber would be a good name. 
“He, also, when the trees are ice-plated, will come 
gladly to the lunch-counter, I know, for as a girl, long 
before I left home, this Creeper used to feed upon the 
scraps that I put upon my window ledge; for, though 
people here have been feeding birds in winter this long 
while, it has only been since the Wise Men have told us 
of the particular needs of each bird family that we have 
been able to do it intelligently, and to the best advantage. 
“There are some verses in my scrap-book about this 
tree-trunk bird, also, and it seems as if our poets were 
very fond of these songless birds who inspire them 
as much by their friendliness as the others do by mel- 
ody. I hope that a couple of you will learn this to 
recite at Christmas. As there are four verses, each can 
_ learn two, and then alternate in repeating them. 
THE LITTLE BROWN CREEPER 
“ Although I’m a bird, I give you my word 
That seldom you’ll know me to fly; 
For I have a notion about locomotion, 
The little Brown Creeper am I, 
Dear little Brown Creeper am I. 
“Beginning below, I search as I go 
The trunk and the limbs of a tree, 
For a fly or a slug, a beetle or bug; 
They’re better than candy for me, 
Far better than candy for me. 
“When people are nigh I’m apt to be shy, 
And say to myself, ‘I will hide,’ 
