6 OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS. 
Very few birds choose to live on a desert. They like 
shade and grass and flowers as well as we do, and fruit 
trees and berry bushes, and the sound of life and fun. 
When we see a big tree chopped down, we think of 
the birds who will miss it. Watch them yourselves. 
See how they light on the fallen boughs, and peep sadly 
under the wilting leaves, and twitter about their loss. 
Birds are like ourselves; they like to live in the places 
that are familiar to them, because here they feel at 
home and safe. We sometimes think we can hear 
them singing, “ My country, ‘tis of thee, —of thee I 
Simecs! 
Their “country” is our yard, and your yard, or the 
woods or the city streets and house roofs, and they love 
it. We should respect their rights and let them have 
their little ““ America” in peace. We can apply the 
Golden Rule as well to our treatment of the birds as to 
one another. 
There are enemies which are very troublesome to the 
birds. Two or three hawks, some owls, and a few 
boys, delight in scaring or killing them. We have 
never seen a little girl harm a bird, and we know many 
boys, as well, who would not hurt a bird “on purpose.” 
Their worst enemies are the cats. 
These enemies do not come sailing over into the 
birds’ country in ships, or marching up the coast in 
troops, carrying guns and beating drums and making 
a great noise. They are cowardly, sneaking enemies. 
They jump one at a time over hedges and fences, and 
