48 Sketches of Some Common Birds. 



a more bountiful supply of food" in the increased numbers 

 of insects which infest decaying and aged vegetation. 

 These centers of avian activity are within the reach of 

 most 'persons who love to study nature at first hand ; and 

 only thus can nature be really studied. To know the 

 birds, one must visit them in their haunts, and there 

 train the ear to distinguish the varied notes of joy and 

 praise, or anger and alarm. In the resorts of his avian 

 neighbors, the bird-gazer must accustom his eye to recog- 

 nize the colors of the twinkling wing, and to identify the 

 flitting form among the friendly foliage. As one extends 

 his acquaintance with the residents of the orchard, its 

 little area will exert increasing charm and fascination for 

 him. No portions of the experience of the bird-gazer are 

 fraught with more pleasant memories than the hours spent 

 with the animated, thriving inhabitants of the orchard 

 colony. 



For our first visit to the orchard wo appoint a morning 

 in the latter half of April, and soon after sunrise we reach 

 our destination, knowing that we should be early afield to 

 find our feathered neighbors active and musical. Fortu- 

 nately, the morning is well adapted to awaken the latent 

 enthusiasm of the novice. The mild breeze whispers to 

 us of the fervent breath of the summer sun, and the azure 

 face of the heavens greets us with unclouded brow. The 

 fresh foliage glows with vernal splendor, and the bursting 

 buds gleam in their emerald settings. As we enter the 

 limits of the orchard the noisy grackles or crow blackbirds 

 become interested in our movements, and thenceforth at- 

 tend our steps with vociferous objections to our intrusion. 

 Most of the summer birds have arrived, and stirring 

 scenes of labor are being enacted on all sides. However, 

 we must not be allured by every engaging sight and 

 sound, but must focus our powers of observation upon a 

 particular species, if we desire to gather definite knowl- 

 edge in our morning visit to the orchard. Standing under 

 a tree, we pause to note the movements of the various in- 

 dividuals within the range of our observation, and to se- 

 lect a promising object of study, when a gentle twitter is 

 heard, and the familiar notes call our attention to a species 

 we have long known and loved. 



