MOEE WIKTEE EXPLOITS. 



No bird acquaintance of mine has proved 

 more interesting than the little brown creeper. 



One February day I sa^v^ a creeper behave 

 himself in an unheard-of way. He was flitting 

 about the base of a large oak tree, covered in 

 places with green moss and gray lichens. 

 Sometimes he would march up a few feet, 

 and then shuffle straight dow^n, sidewise, 

 though never headforemost. Presently lie 

 wheeled clear around twice, without moving 

 out of his tracks. AVas he converting himself 

 into a whirligig ? I felt almost like saying 

 '' Next ! " to the little performer. Some of 

 these days I expect to see him stand on his 

 head or turn a somersault. 



My neighbor, the farmer across the fields, 

 has enabled me to identify a new bird this 

 winter. He shot a hawk and handed it to me, 

 saying : 



" Here is a hawk I've never seen before. I 

 think it must be a new kind. I wish you'd 

 find out what it is and let me know\" 



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