WHEN THE DAYS BEGIN TO LENGTHEN 



them in the firm clasp of his little claw, while 

 hammering away to break them open. 



Now I hear a pine-siskin, though none of the 

 little creatures are in sight, and there is a whole 

 chorus of chickadees. Now the white-throat's 

 sweet notes reach us, and, like the echo of this 

 strain, the white-crown's plaintive whistle fol- 

 lows. I have mentioned both these handsome 

 sparrows as patrons of my restaurant, but the 

 white-crowns greatly outnumber their cousins. 

 On two or three occasions, when all the other 

 habitues had retired for the night, I found a 

 white-crown snugly settled among the branches 

 of the tavern, which fact leads me to suppose 

 that I have one lodger, as well as many boarders. 



During these days of unusual cold and heavy 

 storm, supplies disappear so rapidly at the Balsam 

 Bough Tavern that the dishes need frequent re- 

 plenishing, and I daresay a hungry, clamorous 

 crowd awaits me even now. Before embarking 

 on the undertaking of keeping a bird-hotel I 

 asked myself, " Can I offer the little creatures 

 a shelter where they will be beyond the reach of 

 their enemies? Am I both able and willing to 

 continue providing for my charges day after day, 

 day after day, until the rigors of winter are over, 



["31 



