110 FRIENDS WORTH KNOWING. 



Sunny hill-sides, the wooded banks of creeks, the hedge- 

 rows and brier-grown fences along the country roads, are 

 all favorite places for the winter birds. Plere come the 

 sparrows and finches, the winter wren and rare cardinal, 

 skulking about the thickets, hopping through the dead 

 fern-brakes, threading the mazy passages of the log-heaps 

 and brush -piles ready to be burnt in the spring, coming 

 out upon the fence -post or way -side trees to sing their 

 morning roundelay and take their daily airing in pleasant 

 weather. In the open meadows are the grass-finches, snow- 

 birds, and the few robins and medlarks that stay with us ; 

 in the edge of the woods the bluejay, flicker, and butcher- 

 bird ; in the orchards and evergreens the crossbills, the 

 pine grossbeaks, red -polls, and cedar-bird; the deep woods 

 shelter the tiny nuthatches, titmice, and the little wood- 

 peckers ; the open sky affords space for the birds of prey, 

 and the sea-shore harbors for the gulls, sea-ducks, and fish- 

 hawk. Such are the chosen resorts of the different varie- 

 ties, yet, of course, we shall occasionally meet all every- 

 where, and sometimes spots apparently most favorable 

 will be totally uninhabited. In very severe weather the 

 wildest birds are often compelled to come close to the 

 house and barn in search of out -door relief from gentle 

 hands. 



