60 SIGNS AND SEASONS 



Such a winter as I have referred to probably 

 destroys a great many of our half-migratory birds. 

 The mortality appears to be the greatest in the 

 Border States, where so many species, like the 

 sparrows, robins, bluebirds, meadowlarks, kinglets, 

 etc., usually pass the cold season. A great many 

 birds are said to have died in New Jersey and 

 Pennsylvania, including game-birds. A man in 

 Chester County saw a fox digging in the snow ; on 

 examining the spot, he found half a dozen quails 

 frozen to death. Game-birds and nearly all other 

 birds will stand the severest weather if food is 

 plenty; but to hunger and cold both, the hardiest 

 species may succumb. 



Meadowlarks often pass the winter as far north 

 as Pennsylvania. A man residing in that State 

 relates how, in the height of the severest cold, three 

 half-famished larks came to his door in quest of 

 food. He removed the snow from a small space, 

 and spread the poor birds a lunch of various grains 

 and seeds. They ate heartily, and returned again 

 the next day, and the next, each time bringing one 

 or more drooping and half-starved companions with 

 them, till there was quite a flock of them. Their 

 deportment changed, their forms became erect and 

 their plumage glossy, and the feeble mendicants be- 

 came strong and vivacious birds again. These larks 

 fell in good hands, but I am persuaded that this 

 species suffered more than any other of our birds 

 during that winter. In the spring they were unusu- 

 ally late in making their appearance, — the first one 



