142 FRIENDS WORTH KNOWING. 
of trees growing on steep banks become favorite hospices. 
The grouse plunges through the snow down to the ground, 
where it scrapes a “form,” or crawls under the hemlock 
and spruce boughs that droop to the earth with the weight 
of snow, and allows the white mantle to drift over it, sub- 
sisting the while on the spruce-buds; when the storm ceases 
it can easily dig its way out, but sometimes a rain arid 
hard frost follow, which make such a crust on the snow 
that it cannot break up through, and so it starves to 
death. The more domestic sparrows, robins, and flickers 
burrow into the.hay-mow, find a warm roost in the barn 
near the cattle, or, attracted by the warmth of the furnace, 
creep under the eaves or into a chink next the chimney of 
the greenhouse or country dwelling. The meadow-lark 
and quail seek out sunny nooks in the fields and crouch 
down out of the blast; while the woodcock hides among 
the moss and ferns of damp woods where only the very 
severest cold can chain the springs. Along the coast many 
birds go from the interior to the sea-shore in search cf a 
milder climate. 
Nevertheless, in spite of all these resources in the way of 
shelter; in spite of their high degree of warmth and vital- 
ity, probably not exceeded by any other animal; in spite 
of the fact that they can draw themselves up into a per- 
