The Burgess Bird Book for Children 



Once more he led the way and Peter followed. 

 As they drew near that certain pine-tree, a short 

 whistled note caused them to look up. Busily 

 at work on a pine cone near the top of a tree was a 

 bird about the size of Bully the English Sparrow. 

 He was dressed wholly in dull red with brownish- 

 black wings and tail. 



"What did I tell you ?" cried Jumper. "There's 

 Snipper this very minute, and over in that next 

 tree are a lot of his family and relatives. See in 

 what a funny way they climb about among the 

 branches. They don't flit or hop, but just climb 

 around. I don't know of any other bird any- 

 where around here that does that. " 



Just then a seed dropped and landed on the snow 

 almost in front of Peter's nose. Almost at once 

 Snipper himself followed it, picking it up and eat- 

 ing it with as much unconcern as if Peter and 

 Jumper were a mile away instead of only a foot or 

 so. The very first thing Peter noticed was Snip- 

 per's bill. The upper and lower halves crossed at 

 the tips. That bill looked very much as if Snipper 

 had struck something hard and twisted the tips over. 



"Have have you met with an accident ?" 

 he asked a bit hesitatingly. 



Snipper looked surprised. "Are you talking to 

 me ? " he asked. "Whatever put such an idea into 

 your head?" 



[324] 



