156 Twelve Months With 



Happily the schools of late years are doing much 

 to increase the knowledge and interest of the stu- 

 dents in our common birds, which also means a 

 large reduction in the number of birds wantonly 

 slaughtered by boys with sling shot and air gun. 



The beautiful white-throated and white-crowned 

 sparrows, the aristocrats of the sparrow family, 

 have elsewhere received our homage and praise. 

 A friend once came to me with a description of the 

 white-throated sparrow which he called the 

 "wheelbarrow bird," because, he said, its whistle 

 resembled the squeak of a wheelbarrow long 

 unfamiliar with axle grease or other squeak elimi- 

 nating lubricant. The low whistle of this hand- 

 some sparrow is not wholly unlike the squeak of a 

 dry wheel, but when heard at close range it is clear, 

 beautiful and flute-like, although usually more 

 timid and hesitating than its mating song in the 

 north woods. Mr. A. West in his poem to this 

 bird calls him the "Northern Nightingale": 



"Hark! 'tis our Northern Nightingale that sings 

 In far-off, leafy cloisters, dark and cool, 

 Flinging his flute-notes bounding from the skies! 



Thou wild musician of the mountain-streams, 

 Most tuneful minstrel of the forest-choirs, 

 Bird of all grace and harmony of soul, 

 Unseen, we hail thee for thy blissful voice!" 



The fox sparrow, one of the most beautiful of 

 his large family, is also an abundant migrant. He 



