STOEIES ABOUT BIRDS. 59 



them flew into a house, where, finding itself 

 quite welcome, it remained over night. By acci- 

 dent, however, it was killed ; and in the morn- 

 ing, one of the servants threw it into the yard. 

 In the course of the day, one of the family wit- 

 nessed a most affecting scene in connection with 

 the dead body. Its mate was standing beside 

 it, mourning its loss. It placed its bill below 

 the head of its companion, raised it up, and 

 again Avarbled its song of mourning. By and 

 by, it flew away, and returned with a grain or 

 two of wheat, which it dropped before its dead 

 partner. Then it fluttered its wings, and en- 

 deavored to call the attention of the dead bird 

 to the food. Again it flew away, again it 

 returned, and used the same efforts as before. 

 At last it took up a kernel of the wheat, and 

 dropped it into the mouth of the dead bird. 

 This was repeated several times. Then the 

 poor bereaved one sang in the same plaintive 

 strain as before. But the scene was too affect- 

 ing for the lady who witnessed it. She could 

 bear the sight no longer, and turned away. I 

 always loved the snow bird ; but I have loved 

 him more than ever since I heard this storj^. 



By the way, did you ever read my " Song 

 of the Snow Bird?" Though it was made for 

 children rather younger than you are, perhaps, 



