204 



AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



more of the same on the wings and tail, but otherwise her plumage is 

 white like that of her lord and master. Nor did the song of this 

 Snowflake prove disappointing. It was a loud, sweet, flute-like warble, 

 frequently uttered on the wing, and much resembles the notes of the 

 Western Meadowlark, although rather higher, shriller and shorter. We 

 noticed the birds about the edge of the cliffs as well as upon the tun- 

 dras, and their business in such exposed rocky places was explained 

 when a nest was discovered placed far back in a crevice in the rocks 

 upon the cliff wall. The nest was made of grasses and contained five 

 rather light greenish eggs dotted with pale brown. Later in the even- 

 ing another nest was found containing young birds which came to the 

 edge of the hole to be fed. The abundance of the Arctic fox upon the 

 island no doubt explains the unusual places in which the Snowflakes 

 tuck away their homes." 



Ill ©HATS* 1 ™ 



OTfMOTMi 



Fill MIS 



Address communications for this department to 



Meg Merrythought, 156 Waterville Street, 

 Waterbury, Ct. 



My Dear Young Folks: 



Since my last letter I have met a number of bird lovers. There was 

 Miss Gay, she "loved the dear little Humming birds which they have in 

 California, such beauties" she had three of them on her hat! Next came 

 Mr. Stone. He is a lover of quail (he prefers them on toast.) Johnny 

 Heedless loves birds too. He took mother Owl and three small owlets 

 from their home in a hollow tree, and they now beat their wings against 

 the wires of a small cage in a vain struggle for freedom. It is Johnny's 

 brother who maims and frightens all sorts of little brown birds, while 

 raging war on English Sparrows with his air rifle. 



Another bird lover is Mrs. Early, helpless from rheumatism, whose 

 hours of pain are shortened by enjoyment of the sweet notes of a Wood- 

 thrush from the woods near by. 



