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AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



Take your pencils and see how well you can do. As I passed along- 

 one of the city streets not long ago, I found a dear little Junco lying- 

 dead upon the pavement. Perhaps in flying swiftly to escape a , 



it had flown against a telephone wire. The bird was about inches 



long, its upper parts a color, darkest 



neck, its lower and grayish white, 



forming a clear cut vest. The two outer tail feathers , and 



a also of creamy whiteness. 



Almost any winter day you may see flocks of these cheery fellows 

 swinging on the twigs above the snow drifts, and often plunging into 

 the snow, for the seeds still left on many a weed stalk, with many 

 whispered rippling twitterings. The Juncos are called chuck birds by 

 the Swedes and snow birds by the English. They usually come to us 



the latter part of , and remain until late in 



. As you see this lively little winter friend, try to remem- 

 ber his whole name, junco hyemalis. 



GLEANINGS. 



The busy brown tree creeper traced the crannies of the grizzled oaks, 

 the nuthaches followed, and their complaining squeaks seemed expres- 

 sive of disappointment that so little food was found. — Abbott. 



Not to have so much as a bowing acquaintance with the birds that 

 nest in our gardens or under the very eaves of our house; that haunt 

 our wood piles; keep our fruit trees free 

 from slugs; waken us with their songs, and 

 enliven our walks along the roadside and 

 through the woods, seems to be, at least a 

 breach of etiquette towards some of our most 

 kindly disposed neighbors. — Neltje Blanchan. 



THE CHICKADEE. 



Dear little mite of woodland gray. 

 Whistling "phoebe" throughout the day. 

 Busily swinging from tree to tree 

 Calling so saucily. Chickadee-dee. 



When wintry blasts doth blow on high 

 Chickadee-dee is right close by. 

 Cheerfully searching the trees with care, 

 For all of the insects hidden there. 



Earle Stafford (Age 14.) „., < i* u n n . u 



^ Photo from life by Ev. E. Johnsc 



