The Audubon Societies 393 



on the porch, look to one side and then to the other, put his head in the door, 

 pull it out, look to one side and then go in, grab something in a hurry and 

 come out. He might run down the post and then fly away or fly from the 

 porch. 



Two days later, a pair of Downy Woodpeckers came to the house. They 

 would go into the house in their turn and stay about four minutes at a time. 

 Our teacher, Miss B — -., told us that they liked pork. I tied a piece under the 

 house, so it couldn't get wet. The Woodpeckers seemed to like it. The Nut- 

 hatch liked the crumbs best. 



About the first of February a neighbor gave me a large beef-bone. I tied 

 it up in the pear tree. A few mornings later a Nuthatch was eating it, with 

 his head pointed down. A Woodpecker was eating at the same time, with his 

 head up. 



The English Sparrow commenced to bother about February 8. 



Tuesday morning on February 25, a little Nuthatch out on the ground 

 was singing as I was playing on the piano. — Leo Gillespie (aged 12). Fifth 

 Grade, Concord, Mich. 



[The observation of the positions taken by the Nuthatch and the Woodpecker 

 respectively, while feeding, is good. It is often easier to identify birds by their form 

 and position while feeding, flying or at rest than by their plumage. The recognition 

 of birds depends largely upon_ familiarity with their characteristic habits and motions. 

 Winter is an excellent time to begin bird-study, because only a few birds are in evidence 

 then.— A. H. W.] 



My Robin 



Robin, Robin, fly away, 



Soon will come a colder day. 

 Rain, and frost, and snowy weather, 

 Wind, and sleet, and ice together; 

 Worm, and bug, and seed all covered, 

 As if by snow-pinions hovered; 

 Grain all stacked up in the dormer; 

 Fly away to regions warmer. 



I shall miss your cheerful lay, 



But my Robin must away. 



Robin, Robin, why delay? 



You will suffer if you stay. 

 You must go, I know not whither, 

 Long and hard your journey thither. 

 Gone, the Song Thrush from the hedges, 

 Goose, and Plover from the sedges. 



Gone, the Oriole so gay. 



Robin, haste, and fly away. 



— By Emma L. Miller, Los Angeles, California. 



