WHEN MARCH WINDS BLOW. 



day here, and far into the night. I have known 

 him come before his time apparently, for I have 

 seen him shooting through falling snow - flakes. 

 "He's gone again," they say presently; but the 

 bird has only retired to some sheltered cover with 

 a southern aspect, where, warm and dry, he will 

 feed on creatures that have sheltered there with 

 himself. Some of our readers may wonder why 

 all birds do not seek out such favoured spots, 

 instead of starving in hard weather. For numbers 

 such places would be useless. Insect-feeders must 

 have insects in some form or other, either mature 

 or immature. That is why, as a rule, they are 

 found in the places where insect-life exists in a 

 torpid state. If hard weather would kill out some 

 of the insects, it would be a gain stoat-flies, for 

 example. "Stouts" make their appearance when 

 the leaves are green. A " stout " came in the most 

 gentle murmuring manner and bit a friend of mine 

 in the back of his hand. The place puffed up, the 

 arm swelled, and for two days he was not able to 

 use it. 



Legions of small snails cover the slopes. There 

 is a local saying that the reason the mutton from 



