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Bird -Lore 



desert her charge? Do the first-hatched little ones of the brood help their 

 younger brothers in any way ? 



22. Cowbird Parasitism. — Is the bird ever imposed on by the Cowbird? 

 Particularize each case observed, or does any other species ever lay in this 

 bird's nest? Is the species ever guilty of parasitism of this kind, or does it 

 ever act dishonestly in getting a living? 



23. Crime. — Have the old ones* been known to kill the young by acci- 

 dent or for reason? Or to kill congeners, or to make serious blunders or to 

 suicide, and, if so, how? Or to kill the young of other birds? 



24. Young. — Give in full their habits,' food, plumage, comparing them 

 with their parents and with their near congeners. Are they ever fed from 

 the crop of the parents ? How old are they when first fed ? How old 

 when eyes open ? Is there any evidence of a late summer northward 

 migration among them ? 



25. Relatives. — What are their nearest congeners ? Compare them in 

 range, local habitat, changes of plumage, etc. 



26. Competitors. — With what species do they most actively come into 

 competition in the struggle for life, and how do they try to overcome 

 them? 



27. Natural Enemies. — Enumerate predatory birds, mammals, reptiles, 

 insects, etc. Also meteorological phenomena, and means employed to 

 combat, elude or withstand in each case. 



28. Friends. — Have you observed any peculiar friendships formed, as 

 with birds of other kinds, beasts or man ? 



2g.' Disease. — What are the diseases the species is subject to? What 

 disease predominates ? Since all the individuals are killed in some way, it 

 being improbable that any die of old age, what cause of death is the chief 

 one, — weather, disease or birds of prey ? What means do they take to keep 

 themselves clean and get rid of insect parasites ? 



30. Jge. — What age does the species attain ? What is the proof of 

 this ? 



31. Full Migration. — Particularize as in spring migration, giving latest 

 appearance. Does it arrive in the spring singly and go in the fall in flocks ? 

 Is it ever a winter resident here ? In the fall, when leaving us, does it 

 obviously await the full moon, as do some species, or does it await the arrival 

 of other species whose train it follows ? 



A LESSON 



"Thank! Thank!" Said Nuthatch, overhead. 



I looked around with opened eyes 



At gorgeous earth and glowing skies. 

 "Thank ! Thank ! indeed," I softly said. 



— Elizabeth Dana. 



