AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



59 



Address cnmmunicitions for this department to 



Meg Merrythought, box 772. Waterbury, Ct. 



Dear Little Friends: 



Again, good morning to you all. How many of you can tell the 

 length of the English sparrow? Read in our Gleanings this month 

 what Dr. Van Dyke says of him. I wonder if you can tell why he has 

 such a bad name. I am sure some of you can tell something good about 

 him. I should like to hear from you on both sides of the question. 



Well, good or bad, he is such a well known little scamp that he is a 

 good standard of measurement; so when you meet an unknown bird, 

 think how much longer or shorter he is than the English sparrow, (five 

 inches) and it may help you to name him. This is a fine time to begin 

 to learn the birds, there are so few that you can fix their names firmly 

 in your mind before spring fills the woods with gay visitors. 



The first necessity in making the acquaintance of our bird neighbors 

 is patience, the second is more patience. Begin your quest with a large 

 stock of patience, with a real love for the birds, note carefully the col- 

 ors, the size, shape, the manner of flight, of perching, of feeding, etc., 

 and you will soon make many friends which will fill every walk with 

 pleasure. Who can tell the name of the bird, which, when disturbed, 

 carries its little ones by the nape of the neck, just as puss carries her 

 kittens? Hoping that little February will bring you new friends in the 

 fields, I will bid you good bye till March. Your friend, 



Meg Merrythought. 



SOME WINTER NESTS, 



Do you know how many nice things there are in the woods in Febru- 

 ary, waiting for us? Now that the trees are bare, each one showing its 

 outline so clearly against the blue sky, we shall find disclosed many a 

 nest which was so carefully woven and tightly wound to the branches 

 that the fierce winter winds failed to loosen it. Now we can see how 



