The Night-Fairies' Rendezvous 



Dr. E. Eugene Barker 

 Insular Experiment Station, Porto Rico 



It was the writer's privilege for several years to live beside a deep, 

 wooded ravine. Tall trees of willow and hemlock arose out of the 

 gorge at the back of his house until they overtopped the roof itself. 

 Close by the west side of the house stood a Norway maple, detached 

 from the forest but often visited by the little creatures who lived in 

 the deeper woods. 



It was in a crotch of this tree that a fig-basket was fastened to 

 hold nuts and crumbs, and to its branches were tied pieces of suet. 

 The tree itself, in the early summer produced winged seeds, and 

 sometimes its sweet sap leaked thru the bark. Was it any wonder, 

 then, that this tree with its hospitable fare attracted the woodland 

 folk and soon became a popular dining resort? No fashionable 

 hours were customary here, but meals could be had at all times. 

 Chickaree, the red squirrel, always came for an early breakfast, 

 and if he found his next-hole neighbor had gotten there before him, 

 the sweet morning air was apt to be defiled by " squirrelous" profane 

 vituperations which they hurled at each other. Little DowTiey, 

 and the Chick-a-dees were more covirteous but Dame Nuthatch 

 was always rather garrulous, and when she found the house- 

 sparrows frequenting the dining-place her outraged pride gave 

 vent to decidedly snobbish, indeed, often aggressive objections to 

 their presence. 



And so this tree restatirant was frequented continually from 

 dawn until dusk by the neighboring folk of the forest. It was 

 after the shades of evening had fallen, however, and the plebeian 

 patrons of the day had retired that the real aristocrats came to 

 dine, — little gray fairies of the night — and to continue their revels 

 until daybreak. These little folks are commonly known as flying- 

 squirrels and are seldom seen by men because of their nocturnal 

 habits. One who has learned to know their call, however, can 

 often hear them over head in the treetops of the darkened forest. 



So it was, that having learned where peanuts and crackers were 



always to be had, they came nightly, winter and summer to feed. 



A stick placed from the windowsill afforded an aerial bridge to 



"Peanut Castle," — a shelf by the window where food was always 



placed for all comers. 



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