AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 49 



ENIGMA, 



(A bird of eleven letters.) 



Little 7-5-4-8 7-5-5 had a pet 1-5-4 which she called 6-2-9-8. Early 

 in the spring this 1-5-4 made up its mind to set: So brother 4-5-6 

 placed some ducks eggs in the nest. These in course of time, changed 

 into nine downy yellow balls. But very 11-2-2-4 trouble began for 

 6-2-9-8. These nine little ducklings would go to the pond in the 7-8-4-5. 

 In vain the mother 1-5-4 clucked, coaxed and scolded, her babies would 

 surely drown! Morning 4-2-2-4, and night would find the little farriily 

 enjoying the pleasures of this watering place. In June they were left 

 to follow their own sweet will on 7-8-4-6 or 11-5-8 for about 6-8-3-10 

 one afternoon, 7-5-2-4, 3-5-56 knocked at the 6-2-2-0. He had a basket 

 in his 1-8-4-6 which he said held something for 7-5-4-8. When she 

 raised the cover there were 11-5-5-4 cuddled in the lining of grass, ten 

 tiny brown quails, which 7-5-2-4 had found in a field where the men had 

 been mowing, the mother bird 1-8-6 been hidden by the tall grass, and 

 been killed by the machine. The orphans were placed in 6-2-9-8-11 

 care and she became as proud of her adopted family as if they had been 

 1-5-3 own. It was a pretty sight during the rest of the summer, to see 

 the ten little brown birds following their foster mother about the yard 

 and they grew, and grew, and grew. But, 8-7-8-11, as they grew larg- 

 er, they grew more independent, and 2-4-5 frosty September morning: 

 6-2-9-8 was again in trouble. The ten little quails had disappeared as- 

 completely as if the ground 1-8-6 opened and swallowed them, 4-2-9 

 were they 11-5-5-4 again until a few weeks ago as 7-5-4-8, 7-2-2-10-5-6 

 toward the woods she saw what seemed like eight brown globules roll- 

 ing down the snow crust upon the slope. As they came 4-5-8-9-5-9 

 she clapped her hands in delight, pressed by 11-2-3-5 hunger, her 

 6-5-8-9 little wanderers had returned. 



She and 4-5-6 cleared the snow from around the lilac bushes, and the 

 little flock were soon feasting on buckwheat and oats. The birds re- 

 treated to the woods again, but now come nearly every day for the 

 grain scattered for them beneath the bushes, and 7-5-4-8 and 1-5-3 

 brother hope to coax some of the other birds to share in the goodies 

 5-9-5 the long winter months 8-3-5 gone. 



