224 NATURE STUDY. 



ure, and I cleared all that ; then I turned over a lot of boxes and 

 boards, finding plenty of insects undei them, and dug down for 

 fish worms. I got about thirty. 



" It is interesting to watch the different ways of the birds in such 

 stress. The robins set to work with vigor, finding every inch of 

 bare ground, overturning dirt, leaves, and even quite large sticks in 

 their quest for worms and grubs. The bluebirds stood as they al- 

 waj'S do, on a tree or fence, and looked down. If they could not 

 see anything from their perch, they were helpless. Purple finches, 

 of course, were all right. They ate on the piazza as always ; but I 

 was amazed to see a few of them following the example of the win- 

 ter birds and eating suet. They snipped daintily at it. The fox 

 sparrows enjoyed themselves. They swarmed over the leaves and 

 manure I uncovered, finding all kinds of seed and insect food, kick- 

 ing the leaves in all directions. They do not scratch, but kick — 

 " get there with both feet," and they made the air ring with their 

 lovely songs. 



" The hermits did not seem to know what to make of the snow. 

 They neither kicked nor picked, and fared hard. One of them 

 came in on the piazza and ate some bitter sweet berries that had 

 been out there for decoration (in hemlock branches) for two win- 

 ters, and which must have been poor eating, but he wasn't disposed 

 to be finical. Another flew down to a spot I had specially prepared 

 for him with fish worms and other grubs and worms and the imps 

 [English sparrows] spied him before he had eaten two mouthfuls 

 and were upon him, one of them literally landing on his back. 

 Poor, shy little Poet ! He flew as if the devil were after him and 

 the imps wouldn't eat one of the worms after all. They did liter- 

 ally " clear the board " when I spread it with several kinds of seeds 

 and bread and cake crumbs. None of the native birds had even a 

 chance to try it." 



It will be observed that the correspondent, otherwise 

 one of the most kind-hearted persons in the world, has a 

 great dislike for English sparrows, and not wholly without 

 reason. For myself, I must confess to a feeling of sympa- 

 thy with them. They did not come to America of their 

 own choice, and now they are here, the}^ nitist look out for 

 themselves or perish miserably, as, indeed, many of them 

 do. 



The English sparrows make many a snow-covered shrub 



