THE BEECH WOODS 



material, and with much care placed it 

 in position. While she was thus busily 

 engaged a pair of tiny yellow warblers 

 sat on a high branch overhead and cau- 

 tiously watched the whole operation 

 with furtive glances. Just as soon as the 

 king bird flew away out of sight the 

 little warblers perked up. They became 

 all attention. While one bird remained 

 above to reconnoitre and dance in a 

 nervous frenzy, the other swooped 

 down, on the nest and, grabbing a huge 

 mouthful of the downy inner lining, 

 flew swiftly to her nest in the alders with 

 the long ends streaming out behind her. 

 The king of the birds, the boldest and 

 toughest fighter of the feathered folk, 

 feared by all alike, being robbed by a 

 yellow warbler ! Can you beat it? 



Thus the life of the Beech Woods 

 goes on in this season of promise. Thus 

 since the earliest " Johnny- jump-ups " 

 pushed their tiny flowers through the 

 dead leaves until the new foliage had 

 draped the bare branches of the trees, 

 the birds and the little people of the 

 woods have filled each day with eager 

 activity. As the sun descended and the 

 36 



