AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 25 



ful last year and only kindly tolerant of all the chatter and fuss of the 

 inexperienced young nest builders about her. 



The Red-headed Woodpeckers may be seen flashing in crimson and 

 white amid the foliage, and performing acrobatic feats apparently for 

 the amusement of his admiring mate. Another bird not often seen, 

 tho' frequently heard is the Turtle Dove; its plaintive "Coo-coo" 

 breaks sadly upon the country stillness. Its note is that of warning, 

 nay that of rebuke, to the chattering, quarreling, carroling, rollicking 

 young warblers around it. Yet if Cassandra-like, it tells of storms and 

 cats, and bad boys, and telegraph wires and all the thousand ill that 

 bird flesh is heir to, it is, also Cassandra-like heard but not heeded. 

 The morning concert wakens hopeful as ever, nature demands have as 

 joyous fulfillment, and no tomorrow shadows darken the happy today 

 of our wise little brothers in birdland. s. m. Fides. 



THE WINTER WOODS AND THEIR TENANTS. 



By NOEMAN O. FOESTEE. 



"The sky is gray, a few great snowflakes are softly falling on the 

 autumn-painted leaves; it is the first snow of winter, and, as the flakes 

 grow thicker and thicker, and the shadows of a November afternoon 

 stretch out their dusky fingers across the whitening ground, another 

 year's foliage is laid to rest. How changed the woodland as we stand 

 looking out across the meadow to the woods! The earth has donned 

 her polar robes and greets the fiery sun, immaculate. Shall we break 

 that even mantle, pierced by weed and scarred only by the birds and 

 mammals tread? We feel as we part the virgin snow, that we are in- 

 truding into Nature's sanctum, winter woods." 



In such a setting as this we meet the tenants of the winter woods. 

 One of the most interesting of these hardy birds that brave the rigors 

 of our winter is the Brown Creeper. Chapman's description of him 

 stands unequalled. "The facts in the case will doubtless show that the 

 patient, plodding Brown Creeper is searching for insects, larvae, and 

 eggs which are hidden in the crevices in the bank; but after watching 

 him for several minutes, one becomes impressed with the thought that 

 he has lost the only thing in the world that he cared for, and that his 

 only object in life is to find it. Ignoring you completely, with scarcely 

 a pause, he winds his way in a preoccupied, nearsighted manner up the 

 tree trunk. Having finally reached the top of his spiral stair-case, one 

 might suppose that he would rest long enough to survey his surround- 

 ings, but like a bit of loosened bark he drops off to the base of the 

 nearest tree and resumes his never-ending task." His note is a con- 

 tented chirp, uttered as if he were not aware of the fact. He is one of 



