112 FRIENDS WORTH KNOWING. 



of trees growing on steep banks become favorite hospices. 

 The grouse plunges through the snow down to the ground, 

 where it scrapes a " form," or crawls under the hemlock 

 and spruce boughs that droop to the earth with the weight 

 of snow, and allows the white mantle to drift over it, sub- 

 sisting the while on the spruce-buds; when the storm ceases 

 it can easily dig its way out, but sometimes a rain and 

 hard frost follow, which make such a crust on the snow 

 that it cannot break up through, arid so it starves to 

 death. The more domestic sparrows, robins, and flickers 

 burrow into the hay-mow, find a warm roost in the barn 

 near the cattle, or, attracted by the warmth of the furnace, 

 creep under the eaves or into a chink next the chimney of 

 the greenhouse or country dwelling. The meadow -lark 

 and quail seek out sunny nooks in the fields and crouch 

 down out of the blast; while the woodcock hides among 

 the moss and ferns of damp woods where only the very 

 severest cold can chain the springs. Along the coast many 

 birds go from the interior to the sea-shore in search of a 

 milder climate. 



Nevertheless, in spite of all these resources in the way of 

 shelter ; in spite of their high degree of warmth and vital- 

 ity, probably not exceeded by any other animal; in spite 

 of the fact that they can draw themselves up into a per- 



