42 BIRD-LAND ECHOES. 



century with half-century, there does appear to 

 be less snow than in the days of our grandfathers, 

 and my observations give me the impression that 

 there are fewer snow-birds. I have kept no record 

 if, indeed, a satisfactory one could have been 

 kept as to these birds, but as I recall them, when 

 a boy, and compare these recollections with present 

 observations, they are seen less frequently now. 

 They are more uncertain : here to-day and gone to- 

 morrow ; while I think of them years ago as a pretty 

 constant feature of the winter. It has not availed 

 me much to seek the impressions of those who have 

 always lived about here. Their ideas are always 

 very vague, save in the opinion that " snow-birds 

 are chippies turned black," as one of these old 

 people expressed it. Except in the movements of 

 game-birds and wild fowl, there is no well-defined 

 impression current as to bird-migration, and some 

 appear to think that song-birds are merely silent, 

 not absent. This absurdity is not so very remark- 

 able, after all, for we must remember that north- 

 ern birds replace southern ones in autumn, and 

 many of the latter, as " overstayers," remain through- 

 out the winter. But as regards the numbers of 

 snow-birds, may not the matter be explained by the 

 fact that these blue-black sparrows really like the 

 snow, and of course, by reason of their dark color, 

 are very conspicuous ? Other sparrows do not care 

 to sport in it to the same extent, and seek the shelter 

 of greenbrier thickets. If, then, we had more 

 snows years ago, and, consequently, the snow-birds 



