xxii ILLUSTRATIONS 



FACING 

 PAGE 



Turkeys are famous for their road-making . . .120 



The partridge, a road-builder of California . . .121 



A kingfisher in the act of swallowing his prey . .136 



A rose-breasted grosbeak feeding her young . .137 



The owl and the crow in close conversation . . .152 



The toucan, with his extraordinary saw-edged bill, can 



well defend himself . . . . . .153 



Humming-birds are most at home among the orchids of 

 the tropics, and are as varied in form and colour 

 as are the orchids themselves (in Colours') . .162 



The American crossbill on a twig that sets him off to the 



greatest advantage . . . . . .168 



The oriole's "beauty parlour" is his unique home . 169 

 "Every minute of the day numbers of fish are brought 

 by the parent birds to their ever hungry young." 

 (White pelicans) . . . . . .188 



Brown pelicans often use strategy in their fishing . .189 



The osprey rarely fishes for himself, as he finds it easier 



to waylay other fishers and rob them (in Colours) 192 

 The sandhill cranes in their natural habitat . . .196 



The wood-duck fishes in small ponds . . .197 



The ptarmigan changes the colour of his feathers to 



match the background ..... 204 



The birds of the Far North who adapt their plumage to 



the changing snow-fields ..... 205 



A mother grouse of the Sierras, California . . .212 



Young marsh hawks safely hidden away in the tall grass 213 



