bowing, the squeaking, the palaver. A high- 

 hole warming is the most utterly polite func- 

 tion in birddom. 



Some of my friends were talking of birds, 

 not long ago, when one of them turned to me 

 and said hopelessly : 



"'T is no use. We can't save them even if 

 we do stop wearing them upon our hats. Civi- 

 lization is bound to sweep them away. We 

 shall be in a birdless world pretty soon, in spite 

 of laws and Audubon societies.' 7 



I made no reply, but, for an answer, led the 

 way to the street and down the track to this 

 pole which High-hole had appropriated. I 

 pointed out his hole, and asked them to watch. 

 Then I knocked. Instantly a red head ap- 

 peared at the opening. High-hole was mad 

 enough to eat us ; but he changed his mind, 

 and, with a bored, testy flip, dived into the 

 woods. He had served my purpose, however, 

 for his red head sticking out of a hole in a 

 street-railway pole was as a rising sun in the 

 east of my friends' ornithological world. New 

 light broke over this question of birds and 

 men. The cars drive High-hole away ? Not so 



[55] 



