WILD LIFE OF ORCHARD AND FIELD 



birds. Here come the sparrows and finches, the 

 winter wren and rare cardinal, skulking about the 

 thickets, hopping through the dead fern-brakes, 

 threading the mazy passages of the log-heaps 

 and brush-piles ready to be burned in the spring, 

 coming out upon the fence-post or way-side trees 

 to sing their morning roundelay and take their 

 daily airing in pleasant weather. In the open 

 meadows are the grass-finches, snow-birds, and 

 the few robins and medlarks that stay with us; 

 in the edge of the woods the bluejay, flicker, and 

 butcher-bird; in the orchards and evergreens the 

 crossbills, the pine grossbeaks, red-polls, and 

 cedar-bird; the deep woods shelter the tiny nut- 

 hatches, titmice, and the little woodpeckers; the 

 open sky affords space for the birds of prey, and 

 the sea - shore harbors for the gulls, sea - ducks, 

 and fish-hawk. Such are the chosen resorts of 

 the different varieties, yet, of course, we shall 

 occasionally meet all everywhere, and sometimes 

 spots apparently most favorable will be totally 

 uninhabited. In very severe weather the wildest 

 birds are often compelled to come close to the house 

 and barn in search of out-door relief from gentle 

 hands. 



" How do the birds nicinage at night and in 



50 



