THIRD WEEK] July 193 



When the migrating birds return, they are attracted 

 to this new scene. The decaying wood of fallen trees is a 

 paradise for ants, flies, and beetles; offering to swallows, 

 creepers, and flycatchers feasts of abundance never dreamed 

 of in the primitive forests. Straightway, what must have 

 been a cave swallow becomes a barn swallow; the haunter 

 of rock ledges changes to an eave swallow; the nest in the 

 niche of the cliff is deserted and phcebe becomes a bridge- 

 bird ; cedarbirds are renamed cherrybirds, and catbirds and 

 other low-nesting species find the blackberry patch safer 

 than the sweetbrier vine in the deep woods. The swift 

 leaves the lightning-struck hollow tree where owl may 

 harry or snake intrude, for the chimney flue sooty but 

 impregnable. 



When the great herds of ruminants disappear from the 

 western prairies, the buffalo birds without hesitation be- 

 come cowbirds, and when the plough turns up the never- 

 ending store of grubs and worms the birds lose all fear 

 and follow at the very heels of the plough-boy: grackles, 

 vesper sparrows, and larks in the east, and flocks of gulls 

 farther to the westward. 



The crow surpasses all in the keen wit which it pits 

 against human invasion and enmity. The farmer declares 

 war (all unjustly) against these sable natives, but they jeer 

 at his gun and traps and scarecrows, and thrive on, killing 

 the noxious insects, devouring the diseased corn-sprouts, 

 doing great good to the farmer in spite of himself. 



The story of these sudden adaptations to conditions 

 which the birds could never have foreseen is a story of 

 great interest and it has been but half told. Climb the 



