SOUTH RAIN 



housekeeping arrangements are completed 

 by late February. No other bird does that 

 in Massachusetts, though farther north 

 the Canada jay also lays eggs about that 

 time, way up near the Arctic Circle where 

 the thermometer registers zero or below 

 and the snow is deep on the ground. 



On what trees he cuts the notches of 

 the passing days I do not know, but surely 

 the horned owl's almanac is as reliable as 

 the Old Farmer's, and he knows the near- 

 ness of the spring. I dare say the other 

 birds w r hich winter with us know it too, 

 though not being so big and husky they 

 do not venture to give hostages to the 

 enemy quite so early in the season. The 

 barred owls will build in late March, and 

 soon after April fool's day the woodcock 

 will be stealing north and placing queer, 

 pointed, blotched eggs in some little hol- 

 low just above high water in the swamp. 

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