The Burgess Bird Book for Children 



slim neck were black. His short tail was also black. 

 His back, wings, breast and sides were a soft gray- 

 ish-brown. He was white around the base of his 

 tail and he wore a white collar. 



"Hello, Peter," said he. "It is good to have an 

 old friend greet me. I certainly am glad to be 

 back safe and sound, for the hunters with terrible 

 guns have been at almost every one of our resting 

 places, and it has been hard work to get enough 

 to eat. It is a relief to find one place where there 

 are no terrible guns." 



"Have you come far ?" asked Peter. 



"Very far, Peter; very far," replied Honker. 

 "And we still have very far to go. I shall be thank- 

 ful when the journey is over, for on me depends 

 the safety of all those with me, and it is a great 

 responsibility." 



"Will winter soon be here ?" asked Peter eagerly. 



"Rough Brother North Wind and Jack Frost 

 are right behind us," replied Honker. "You know 

 we stay in the Far North just as long as we can. 

 Already the place where we nested is frozen and 

 covered with snow. For the first part of the 

 journey we kept only just ahead of the snow and 

 ice, but as we drew near to where men make their 

 homes we were forced to make longer journeys 

 each day, for the places where it is safe to feed and 

 rest are few and far between. Now we shall hurry 

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