68 NATURE STUDY. 



" These birds move about until they meet an uprising current of 

 air. It may come from immediately beneath them, from wind de- 

 flected by striking a cliff along the sea, or may come from a great 

 distance, where a rushing wind struck the side of a mountain and 

 was turned upward. Being on the wing most of the time in search 

 of prey, they have learned to utilize these uprushing air currents 

 for their own purposes. Coming to one of these and heading to the 

 wind, they fix their pinions at an angle which will permit them to 

 rest there and scrutinize something that has taken their attention 

 perhaps on the plain below. Thus, while they seem poised on 

 nothing, the air current rushing upward buoys them. 



" You see the same thing in midocean when ships are followed 

 by flocks of gulls, in some rare case clear across the ocean. When 

 the ships start out the gulls fly here and there, sometimes away on 

 high and skimming the surface of the water in search of food. As 

 the hours and days pass they tire, and then you will see them poise 

 for rest on the air current rising from the stern of the ship. The 

 onrush of an ocean greyhound creates a swiftly rising air current 

 in its wake. This curls over like a wave and rushes into the vacu- 

 um made by the steamer, and on it the gulls are carried along with-^ 

 out effort and at the same speed at which the ship is traveling." 

 — New. York Press. 



Song of the Wild-wood.—Nature's Joys. 



BY AI.ICE B. WAITE. 



Loving Nature, the wild-wood bee, 

 Bird, flower, and whispering tree, 

 Loving Nature, my heart-strings 

 Are tuned to bird of free wings. 



Watch the clouds gathering o'er, 

 Watch the rain drops swift down pour. 

 Raptured are the wild-wood flowers 

 Raptured by the sudden showers. 

 Gladly sing, O poplar leaves 

 Caressed by refreshened breeze. 



See the wood duck of the pool, 

 Bathing near the lilies cool, 



