SOME JANUARY BIRDS 



with its kindly shelter covered the suc- 

 culent green things of pasture and wood- 

 land that need it so badly. 



It is wonderful, though, how they 

 stand freezing and thawing and yet re- 

 main green, firm in texture, and whole- 

 some. The birds of the air have feathers 

 which they can fluff out and make into 

 a down puff for a winter night covering. 

 Here in the pine grove is the pipsissewa 

 starring the ground with its rich green 

 clumps. It is as full of color and sap, 

 seemingly, as it was in July when its 

 fragrant wax-like blossoms starred its 

 green with pink. No cell of the fleshy 

 texture of its green leaves is broken nor 

 is there a tarnish in their gloss. Its seed- 

 pod stands dry on a dry scape in place 

 of its flower, but that alone shows the 

 difference between summer and winter. 

 Yet it stands naked to the north wind 

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