How to Attract the Birds 



leaving it as regularly on one of four dates early in 

 September. Sportsmen know almost to a day when 

 ducks, plover and snipe may be found in the marshes. 

 There are late springs and early springs ; a belated 

 blizzard may freeze back the budding fruit trees, rag- 

 ing storms may retard the progress of many a north- 

 bound flock, but the going and coming of nearly 

 all birds may be reckoned just as certainly as the 

 coming of apple blossoms. One confidently listens 

 for the first bluebird's song in March, when pok- 

 ing about in the leafless woods for the first hepatica. 

 When shad ascend the rivers from the sea, and the 

 shadbush stretches out fleecy white blossoms from 

 the woodland borders with wild, irregular grace, 

 then the Indians taught us to expect the first 

 night-hawk's uncanny, mournful, jarring sound. 



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FEATHERED NOMADS 



All birds, however, are not so punctual in their 

 goings and comings as a railroad express, by any 

 means. Some few species habitually lead a gypsy- 

 like existence, roving hither and yonder, not as fancy 

 dictates altogether, although their movements cer- 

 tainly appear erratic. Flocks of lisping, twittering, 

 amiable cedar-waxwings, clad like Quakers but hav- 

 ing a rather frivolous crest, may visit you for a week 

 if there are plenty of choke-cherry and juniper trees 

 about, yet one may not come again for a year. In 

 addition to the more or less familiar visitors whose 

 habits are known to be roving, occasionally, rarely, 

 a total stranger to your neigborhood appears. Some 

 extraordinary natural phenomenon in one part of 



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