WINTER FRIENDS. 31 



ered most desirable for the foundation, and it was several 

 hours before the small end was at last securely taken in 

 her tiny bill and thus successfully carried to its place in 

 the little house. Such persistency and indomitable pluck 

 were unexpected in this mite of a bird, and it was with a 

 sigh of relief we saw her thus rewarded. 

 Manchester, N. H. 



Winter Friends. 



BY GUY EMERSON. 



After the bright autumn leaves have fallen, and the sum- 

 mer birds have taken the long flight to their winter homes, 

 we are visited by the little ones with plainer coats, yet with 

 no less good cheer. 



They come in small numbers, yet does it not seem that 

 nature cooperates with us as bird lovers ? For when the 

 trees are thickly covered with leaves, thus making it diffi- 

 cult to observe birds, there are more of them ; but as the 

 birds become less plentiful, the leaves obligingly fall off, so 

 that we see th.e/e?u as plainly as possible. 



Of these birds which come to us in winter, I like the five 

 which I call the " Winter Friends" very much ; these are 

 the Chickadee, Brown Creeper, Downy Woodpecker, 

 White-breasted Nuthatch, and Golden-crowned Kinglet. 



They enjoy each other's companionship exceedingly, and 

 join forces about November first or earlier ; after that time 

 until March, one can rarely see one of the five, without 

 noting some of the others near by. I have been fortunate 

 in having a company of Winter Friends near me this ser- 

 son, and it has been one of my greatest pleasures to watch 

 them. 



The group thus formed always finds a suitable location 

 and rarely leaves it. 



