Mr. Burleigh is even a friend of the long-eared owl. He says 

 he never saw a long-eared owl touch anything but a rodent. He 

 insists that the bird has as much right to full citizenship in the 

 bird world as peacocks and swallows. 



After studying the habits and manners of almost every kind 

 of bird over a considerable period of years, Mr. Burleigh feels 

 they all belong in songs and poems along with the warblers and 

 the thrushes. He proclaims friendship even with magpies, prefer- 

 ring to consider their appetite for insects more important than 

 their noise and nasty habits. 



"Even the robins get cussed out during cherry season," Mr. 

 Burleigh says. "People are overjoyed at their arrival in spring, 

 but when they peck into some fruit I get calls asking how to 

 drive them away. They sing and they eat insects, so why not 

 let them have a few cherries? They earn them." 



This carries forbearance to lengths that might give a cherry 

 grower some dismay. But Mr. Burleigh has marshalled the evi- 

 dence for the defense. He is one of the birds' best friends. 



Kingfishers 



