nestlings, while the mother was hurry- 

 ing over the lower branches of .the 

 same tree, collecting food for one 

 youngster. Suddenly the song ceased, 

 and the tiny papa joined the family 

 party below, and addressed himself 

 with his usual energy to the business 

 of filling that greedy mouth. 



Over and under and around and 

 through the branches he rushed, every 

 few seconds returning to stuff a morsel 

 into the always hungry mouth, till he 

 actually reduced that infant to silence, 

 and then he slipped away, returned to 

 his tree top, and resumed his lovely 

 "tee-tee-tweetum !" 



Somewhat later I heard the baby 

 black-throats at their practice, droll, 

 quavering attempts to imitate the mu- 

 sical song of their father. They soon 

 mastered the notes, but the spirit was 

 as yet far beyond them. 



This happy life went on before my 

 window till, almost at the end of July, 

 a heavy fog swept in one evening from 

 the ocean, and when, the next day, a 

 cool north wind blew it back whence 

 it came, it seemed to take the whole 

 tribe of warblers with it. August was 

 now upon the threshold, and in the 

 bird world at least 



"Summer like a bird had flown." 



FIVE LITTLE WOODMEN. 



E. F. MOSBY. 



OUT of the woods they come, vis- 

 iting our homes wherever they 

 see a standing invitation in the 

 shape of a tree. But each one 

 has his preferences. One likes the 

 evergreens best, another the bare trunk 

 where it is easy to break the bark, and 

 still another likes a fresh tree like the 

 magnolia, glossy and full of life even in 

 winter. You have guessed these are 

 birds? Yes; and the small downy 

 woodpecker comes first, and in all 

 weathers. The other day after a sun- 

 rise of gold and a splendid rainbow 

 arch, swiftly blotted out by a black 

 storm with scudding rain and flying 

 leaves, I caught sight of a tiny downy, 

 in the very heart of all the uproar of 

 the elements, busily pecking his way 

 up a tree near my window. On an- 

 other winter da}-, sunny and calm, he 

 came flying overhead with a loud rat- 

 tling note that spoke of good cheer in 

 most neighborly fashion. It is a family, 

 at the very least, that visits us. There 

 are variations in size, if I mistake not, 

 and one day a pair arrived together; the 

 female with her glossy black velvet 

 crown almost as handsome with her 

 broad white satin stripe down the mid- 

 dle, and black and white markings, as 

 her mate, who, indeed, onlv outshines 



her by the lovely band of red on the 

 head or nape of his neck, as you choose 

 to call it. I fancy she is the more anx- 

 ious housekeeper. At least, it w^as her 

 persistent call-note, rather sharpin tone, 

 that drew me from my lounge to watch 

 her quick movements on the bark, and 

 it is she that more quickly takes flight. 

 He seems never disturbed by his in- 

 quisitive human neighbors, nor even 

 the impudent sparrows — though he can 

 send these to the right about if he 

 pleases — and his tap, tap, tap, like a 

 small drummer on the tree-trunk, is 

 always pleasant to hear. I am glad to 

 know they both have a cozy little home, 

 a hole on the southern side of a tree, 

 where the sun shines on good days, 

 and fancy them tucked into round balls 

 of feathers, only to be distinguished by 

 the red on top, and comfortably asleep, 

 when neither pleasure nor necessity in- 

 vites them abroad. 



The yellow-bellied sapsucker is also 

 a winter guest, but he is far more timid 

 than the down)-, and I have often seen 

 him routed by the sparrows or scared 

 off by a sudden sound. The male is 

 very gay in plumage, with much mottled 

 yellowish brown on back, conspicuous 

 white stripes on wings, beautiful clear 

 vellow and black in front, scarlet on his 



