208 WINTER BIBpS ABOUT BOSTON. 
white, but just at this place the snow-plough 
had scraped bare a few square feet of earth, and 
by great good fortune this solitary and hungry 
strageler had hit upon it. I wondered what he 
would do when the resources of this garden 
patch were exhausted, but consoled myself with 
thinking that by this time he must be well used 
to living by his wits, and would probably find 
a way to do so even in his present untoward 
circumstances. 
The snow-birds (not to be confounded with 
the snow buntings) should have at least a men- 
tion in such a paper as this. They are among 
the most familiar and constant of our winter 
guests, although very much less numerous at 
that time than in spring and autumn, when the 
fields and lanes are fairly alive with them. 
A kind word must be said for the shrike, 
also, who during the three coldest months is to 
be seen on the Common oftener than any other 
of our native birds. here, at all events, he is 
doing a good work. May he live to finish it! 
The blue jay stands by us, of course. You 
will not go far without hearing his scream, and 
catching at least a distant view of his splendid 
coat, which he is too consistent a dandy to put 
off for one of a duller shade, let the season shift 
as it will. He is not always good-natured ; but 
none the less he is generally in good spirits (he 
