304 CITIZEN BIRD 



birds, but lengthwise, so that House People and cats 

 cannot see him from below or cannibal birds from above. 

 He is an insect-eater and so goes southward before hard 

 frosts." 



" Does this bird make any noise, and why is he called 

 the \yhip-poor-will ? " asked Nat ; " that is such a 

 funny name." 



Rap was about to answer wlien the Doctor signed 

 to him and he stopped. 



'' Whip-poor-wills call their own name after dark, 

 and I think you Avill ]iear them Avhen we pass the mill- 

 er's Avoods in a few minutes ; for some reason they 

 seldom come about the Farm." 



" I believe I — am — growing — sleepy," murmured 

 Dodo, trying to be polite and swallow a little yawn, 

 but not wliolly succeeding. 



'' I am very sure that I am," said Olive. '' I don't 

 think any of us Avill sit up much later than the birds 

 to-night ! " 



"I hear a Veery," said Rap, "and a Phcebe too." 



'' Whip-poor-will ! Whip-poor- w ill ! Churk ! " cried 

 a loud voice close by, and something like a long-winged 

 Owl almost struck Olive with its wing as it flitted 

 past. 



" Oh, my ! " cried Dodo, waking suddenly, " that must 

 be a Whip-poor-will, for he called his own name as plain 

 as the Chickadee does ; and listen ! there are more of 

 them all up the hill." 



Soon they passed Rap's house and left him- at the 

 gate. When the good old white horses trotted in the 

 gate at Orchard Farm, Quick ran out, barking joyfully 

 to tell them all that had happened during the day, and 



