NATURE STUDY. 



plants has persuaded the insect tribes to assist in the per- 

 petuation of its order. 



The Day We Went a Maying. 



BY MARY HAZEN ARNOLD. 



On the twelfth of May, a beautiful bright morning, when 

 the trees were glorious in a misty sheen of tender green, 

 three bird cranks went forth on a voyage of discovery, and 

 never explorer experienced greater delight at the call of 

 " I,and, Ho ! " than thrilled this trio at each new discov- 

 ery in Bird Ivand. 



We had but crossed the threshold ere we were greeted 

 with a welcome of bluebirds, orioles, grossbeaks, meadow 

 larks, the incessant call of chebec, the varied songs of cat- 

 bird and brown thrasher, the familiar " Cheeril}-, cheer- 

 ily," of the robin and the harsh " caw " of the crow. The 

 song sparrow said, " Maids, maids, put on the teakettle !" 

 and the chewink called to us, " Drink your tea ! " On a 

 sapling near by sat a cowbird, stupidly gazing at us, as if 

 wondering what sort of specimens these were, anyhow. 



Soon we passed the round doorway of a flicker, who beat 

 unceasingly the hollow tree drum to charm his mate. A 

 Veer}^, with tawny back, crossed the road before us ; the 

 ovenbird, evidently thinking school was out, called, 

 ' ' Teacher, teacher^ teacher ! ' ' and Bob White warned 

 us that there would be " more wet." 



When our destination was reached, we sat down by the 

 wooded banks of a stream and watched a spotted sandpiper 

 getting its breakfast. Repardless of wet feet, he waded 

 boldly into the water and evidently devoured with great 

 relish the rare morsels which he fished therefrom with his 

 long bill. A flash of scarlet and black in the trees above 

 called our attention to the brilliant scarlet tanager. Then 



