WILD LIFE OF ORCHARD AND FIELD 



Nevertheless, in spite of all these resources in 

 the way of shelter; in spite of their high degree 

 of warmth and vitality, probably not exceeded 

 by any other animal ; in spite of the fact that they 

 can draw themselves up into a perfect ball of feath- 

 ers which are the best of clothing, and that they 

 can shelter themselves from the driving storm, 

 it appears that birds often perish from cold in 

 large numbers. Ordinarily, birds seem able to 

 foretell a change of weather, and prepare. The 

 reports of the United States Weather Bureau show 

 that — certainly during the fall and winter, and 

 apparently generally — the ducks, geese, cranes, 

 crows, and other notable species abandon their 

 former haunts upon the approach of a cold wave 

 or hard winter storm for more southern localities, 

 often passing beyond the reach of the severity of 

 such storms, though taking their departure only 

 a few hours before the unfavorable change begins. 

 Resident species, not caring, or not able, to run 

 away to warmer latitudes, ought to know enough 

 to hide away from the fury of the gale; and they 

 do. But sometimes there come sudden, unpresaged 

 changes — cold, icy tempests, that charge down 

 upon us after thawing - days, converting the air, 

 which was almost persuading the grass to revive, 



53 



