Wild Bird Guests 



CHAPTER I 



AN INTRODUCTION TO SOME WINTER GUESTS 



IF on some winter day you were to alight from 

 "Ike" Bonner's stage and approach one of the 

 neat-looking cottages on the main street of 

 Meriden, New Hampshire, it is more than likely 

 that you would be greeted by the alighting of 

 a wild bird upon your shoulder. And probably 

 you would think that the bird had simply made 

 a mistake, until another one alighted on your hat 

 and peeped at you over the brim. Then, if you 

 asked the meaning of this familiarity, you would 

 be told that you were in "The Bird Village" 

 where birds are treated as honored guests from 

 one year's end to another; where they are 

 provided with food and lodging and where they 

 are protected from their enemies. And you 

 would hear of all sorts of interesting and delight- 



