50 BEYOND THE PASTURE BARS 



I believe the blackbirds are like the tenement 

 people: they enjoy living in a tenement. There 

 are extraordinary social advantages in a big, 

 round hawk's nest fine chances for company and 

 gossip. 



At least I hope it is for friendly interest and 

 good-fellowship. I can believe that the hawks 

 enjoy the cheerful clatter of the garrulous crow- 

 blacks and perhaps even the small impertinences 

 of the sparrows. And on their side, the crow- 

 blacks and sparrows feel a certain protection, per- 

 haps, in the presence of the hawks, and may, who 

 knows, appreciate the friendship of such high and 

 mighty folk. 



Quite as interesting and unusual a show of 

 friendship, at least of friendliness, was seen re- 

 cently by bird-lovers on a telephone-pole in a 

 thickly settled town not far from my home. 



There were poles in plenty sticking up all over 

 the surrounding country; but passing by all of 

 these, a pair of flickers, a pair of chickadees, and 

 a pair of red-headed woodpeckers selected the 

 same pole for their nests, prepared their holes, 

 hatched and brought up their large, noisy families 

 together, without a single quarrel so far as the 

 curious public knew. And they did all this with 



