4 Nelson o>i Door- Yard Birds of the Far A T orth. 



weed patches, chirping and frolicing as merrily as though adorned 

 with the most brilliant hues. They invest the Redoubt, flitting 

 from place to place ; one moment see-sawing on a tall weed, the 

 next, hopping carelessly along the walk before you or peering from 

 the eaves with an odd expression of lilliputian gravity. In return 

 for this good-natured familiarity they are prime favorites with all. 

 They do not, however, come unattended, for, in the yard, or 

 outside of it, wherever a bare spot of ground is seen, are con- 

 gregated parties of young Lapland Longspurs, which are nearly 

 as careless of our presence as the Redpolls : they are, however, 

 more sedate and business-like, and appear solely intent upon 

 gormandizing. They run from place to place with their bills 

 pointing downward, their eyes intently scanning every inch of 

 ground, oblivious to their surroundings until a passing footstep 

 starts them away to a short distance, where they resume their 

 search for food. Thev have none of the pretty confiding ways 

 of the Redpoll and consequently awaken but little interest. 



The young Yellow Wagtails {Budytes ffava) are also now 

 numerous, searching, with a jaunty air. damp spots in and near 

 the yard for insects, their tails constantly oscillating as though 

 their owners were trying to maintain an ever changing equipoise. 

 When the tide goes down they gather along high-water mark to 

 feast upon the fare there provided. Flitting from rock to rock, 

 or picking their way daintily from place to place, thev afford a 

 pleasing picture, until, their hunger satisfied, thev rise, and. 

 uttering a sharp metallic note, pass one after the other to their 

 haunts upon the bare hillside, where they remain until the calls 

 of appetite allure them back again. 



The garden, meanwhile, has been the centre of attraction for 

 various species of Warblers which revel among the insects found 

 in the lettuce and turnip beds. The Black-capped Flycatcher 

 is the most numerous though at times the Black-capped 

 Warbler is about equally common. A Yellow Warbler at times 

 enlivens the place, like a ray of sunshine ; peering into the crevi- 

 ces of the fences, with an occasional foray among the spiders 

 and other insects along the eaves of the houses, are seen the 

 young of the Golden-crowned and the Kennicott's Warblers. 

 From the wet paths leading away from the houses, or, at times, 

 even from the yard itself, are started stray Water Wagtails ( Siurus 

 ncev/us) and Titlarks. 



