110 FRIENDS WORTH KNOWING. 
Sunny hill-sides, the wooded banks of creeks, the hedge- 
rows and brier-grown fences along the country roads, are 
all favorite places for the winter birds. Here come the 
sparrows and finches, the winter wren and rare cardinal, 
skulking about the thickets, hopping through the dead 
fern-brakes, threading the mazy passages of the log-heaps 
and brush-piles ready to be burnt in the spring, coming 
out upon the fence-post or way-side trees to sing their 
morning roundelay and take their daily airing in pleasant 
weather. In the open meadows are the grass-finches, snow- 
birds, and the few robins and medlarks that stay with us; 
in the edge of the woods the bluejay, flicker, and butcher- 
bird; in the orchards and evergreens the crossbills, the 
pine grossbeaks, red-polls, and cedar-bird; the deep woods 
shelter the tiny nuthatches, titmice, and the little wood- 
peckers; the open sky affords space for the birds of prey, 
and the sea-shore harbors for the gulls, sea-ducks, and fish- 
hawk. Such are the chosen resorts of the different varie- 
ties, yet, of course, we shall occasionally meet all every- 
where, and sometimes spots apparently most favorable 
will be totally uninhabited. In very severe weather the 
wildest birds are often compelled to come close to the 
house and barn in search of out-door relief from gentle 
hands. 
