OUR GUEST BOOK 



into their usual small groups. Was n't it something 

 wonderful?" 



Wonderful indeed. How can scientists assert that 

 birds and other animals are without practical reasoning 

 faculties? 



No one appreciates more keenly the lavishness with 

 which Nature decks our Western woodlands than the 

 mountain dweller of the East. A dear friend, who had 

 spent years of persistent effort in acclimatizing the wild 

 flowers of the world among her rocks, under her pine 

 woods and beside her tumbling brook, came to see us 

 in May, and we went out to walk in the forest. No 

 leaves were on the trees, but the feeling of life was in 

 the air, and the birds were already at work building 

 their homes in absolute faith that food would be pro 

 vided for them. The ground was literally covered with 

 spring beauties, hepaticas in glorious clumps, starry 

 bloodroot, and anemones, buttercups and violets, both 

 yellow and blue. 



"Oh! don't step on them," she cried, as we penetrated 

 into the wooded depths and began to gather our nose- 



203 



