SOME WINTER VISITORS 209 



in the greatest imaginable contrast to the well-drilled 

 flocks of Plover that sailed along the shore two months 

 ago* On the snow-sprinkled sand among the dead 

 weeds the Snowbird, with his profusion of white 

 and pale brown, becomes almost invisible* He walks 

 about quickly, but with a serious gait, sometimes 

 shaking the seeds from a withered pod, but generally 

 directing his attention to the ground. He moves 

 rapidly away if any familiarity is manifested* The 

 rise of the flock is as sudden as its descent. Where 

 only two or three could be seen walking about, a 

 score rise in the air, flitting up and down along the 

 shore as aimlessly as the inanimate snowflakes carried 

 past by the wind* 



The Grosbeak came early and is making a long 

 visit, so long that he is losing his innocent confidence 

 in humanity* His trust has been so often abused that 

 he is growing suspicious, although he still prefers 

 the crowded city to the suburban woods* There is no 

 more leisurely and indulgent feaster than the Gros- 

 beak, and the way he regales himself on the seeds 

 of the Mountain-ash berries and small Crab-apples 

 without wiping his bill or regarding the cleanliness 

 of his feathers shows that the privations of his 

 northern home have cultivated 1 demoralising 

 appetite* It is hard to watch a Grosbeak on a Moun- 

 tain-ash tree for half an hour and retain a sincere 



respect for him* But all the northern visitors are 



o 



