STOKIES ABOUT BIRDS. 211 



higliest and shortest, which is followed by three 

 long, deep, and mournful ones — so mournful, 

 that, in spite of all my efforts, they make me 

 sad, almost, only to think of them. You will 

 generally hear the song of this bird in the 

 deepest and darkest part of the woods, gene- 

 rally about noon and toward evening. 



When I was a little boy, I used often to see 

 these birds, in flocks of twenty or more, near 

 the house where I lived. They came to visit 

 us, for the purpose of getting food, I suppose. 

 How beautiful they were ! I shall never forget 

 how happy it made me, when I first saw them 

 alight near the barn, and pick up the kernels 

 of grain that were scattered on the ground. 



It is not very difficult to tame the turtle 

 dove. He is one of the most loving creatures 

 you ever saw. A friend of mine told me a 

 story, the other day, about one that somebody 

 gave him, and that became so tame that he was 

 even troublesome, at times. They called him 

 Dick. They let him fly out of doors, wherever 

 he wished to go ; but as soon as he was called 

 by his name, if he was near enough to hear, 

 he flew up to the person who called him, as 

 swiftly as he could, and frequently alighted on 

 his shoulder. Yery often, he would accom- 

 pany the boy who owned him to school, unless 



