30 AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



project above the snow, and being especially fond of sunflower seeds. 

 IMany kind hearted persons plant a supply of these flowers so that the birds 

 may have at least a few square meals when their natural food is scarce. In 

 April all the males commence to assume their summer clothes again. At 

 this time of the year large flocks of them may be found feeding upon the 

 buds of birches or other trees, swinging from the slender twigs and singing 

 sweet snatches of song between bites. Every once in awhile one or more of 

 them will make a short detour, bounding oif through the air in swinging un- 

 dulations accompanied with their intermittent twitter, both being character- 

 istic of their flight. 



A WINTER JOY. 



By Josephine L., Parsons, Ohio. 



As a most delightful diversion from the monotony of winter days, we have 

 near a convenient window a tree of strange winter fruits and blossoms. Or- 

 dinarily an ai^ple tree in winter is bare and uninteresting, yet our tree is a 

 veritable banquet hall, gay with guests. From the lower limbs of this tree 

 hang jjieces of suet, and a lunch basket, and here the birds of winter hold 

 high carnival. At any time of day, may be seen a merry comjDany of feast- 

 ers: little downj^ Woodpeckers, Tufted Titmice, Chickadees and Nuthatches. 

 Tightly clinging to the balls of fat, they are the sport of the winds, which, 

 whirl them gaily as they feast. Titmice are dainty in their light vests, gray 

 coats of chestnut lining, and little monkish hoods from beneath which peep 

 sharp and roguish eyes. The Chickadees — those little balls of cheerfulness 

 ■ — flit light as thistledown. 



"There is no sorrow in their song, 

 No winter in their year." 



Unique of birds is the little Nuthatch. On the tree trunk, he crawls with 

 equal ease, head upward, or downward, and takes his meals regardless alike 

 of laws of gravitation, or of table etiquette. 



Presentl}'^ with sharp, stabbing cry arrives a Hairy Woodpecker, and all 

 the tiny birds quickly disappear. This bustler hammers, thrashes, shrieks, 

 gobbles his hurried meal, and is off", j ust in time to dodge the onslaught of 

 the warlike Blue- jay — terror of all the lesser birds. One can harldly toler- 

 ate his harsh, tyrannical ways, yet how beautiful he is ! Latest and happiest 

 of surprises was the visit of a real Kentucky Cardinal, which stayed only 

 long enough to select a morsel to his liking, then hurried away. His appear- 

 ance confirmed for us the numerous reports that this brilliant bird of south- 

 ern sunshine is becoming resident even in Northern Ohio. 



