Animals as Barometers. 77 



be not too late in the day, I see many birds sport- 

 ing in knee-deep water. They dip and splash and 

 pirouette in the daintiest fashion, and this for no 

 other reason than to get wet. As a proof of it, I 

 have startled them when in the water, and their 

 efforts to fly were always painful and sometimes 

 unsuccessful. Again, watching them closely, I 

 found that, on leaving the water, they most vigor- 

 ously shook themselves, but only after preening 

 their wings was the normal flight-power restored. 

 A most favorable opportunity to study a bathing 

 bird occurred recently. In the yard is a half- 

 barrel, in which is growing a water-lily, the leaves 

 of which nearly cover the upper surface. A red- 

 eyed vireo, that whistles twelve hours a day in 

 the village street for many days, came here to 

 bathe about noon. The water wet its feathers, I 

 am sure. It evidently anticipated this, and seemed 

 prepared for the temporary disablement. It was 

 well aware of being at a disadvantage when wet, 

 and its half-scared chirp, as it beat its way to a 

 low perch, was extremely amusing. This bird 

 more than once dived rather than plunged into 

 the water. The movement was full of grace, the 

 7* 



