of the dove were expanded, the head 

 and body perfect in shape, the eyes yel- 

 low, the tail fan-shaped, the bill slightly 

 curved. It seemed as if it might be liv- 

 ing, so perfect was its form." 



"You should have put this 'flower- 

 bird' on your list of curious birds, I 

 think, although it is a very curious 

 flower," said Howard. ''But why do you 

 call 'Orchids' the royal family?" 



"Because they are so' distinguished, so 

 costly and aristocratic. Even the leaves 

 of some varieties are more beautiful than 

 flowers, being bronzed and velvety in 

 texture, and spangled as with gold dust, 

 while the seeds are marvellous in num- 

 ber and beauty. Darwin estimated that 

 the common Orchid produces nearly 

 200,000 seeds as fine as mahogany saw- 

 dust. A glossy, silky tissue forms the 



outer envelope of the tiny, egg-shaped 

 seed in which the embryo lies like a 

 grain of gold. 



"Many difficulties attend 'Orchid hunt- 

 ing.' Sometimes lives are sacrificed in 

 attempts to secure fine specimens. In 

 tropical climates, the Orchids are often 

 found growing upon the branches of very 

 tall trees, which must either be climbed, 

 or cut down, or a lasso used in order to 

 secure the flowers." 



"I mean to study botany, so when I 

 travel I can be an 'Orchid-hunter,' " 

 cried John, enthusiastically. "I shall not 

 mind the dreadful climate, and I'm pretty 

 good at tree-climbing already." 



"Bring me a few Orchids," said 

 Madge. "I would prefer them to the 

 dreadful carnivorous flowers, if they are 

 haughty aristocrats." 



Belle Paxson Drury. 



THE RESCUE OF A SPARROW. 



One afternoon my attention was at- 

 tracted to the front gallery by a wild 

 medley of sparrow voices, and wonder- 

 ing what could cause such excitement in 

 bird life, I went out to inspect. 



There I found our house cat standing 

 very serenely switching her tail while 

 over her, back and forth, darted two lit- 

 tle sparrows. The little birds were in a 

 desperate mood and their hysterical 

 chirps indicated the wildest apprehension. 

 They took no notice of my approach, and 

 their cries translated from bird language 

 clearly expressed the following : 



"How dare yo'U come here?" "Get 

 away from here !" "You've no business 

 here." "We don't want you." "Don't 

 you understand ?" 



l>ut Mistress Pussy had no mind to 

 obey the bird's orders, and I myself feel- 

 ing- a keen sympathy for the little birds, 

 called the cat into the house. Believing 

 that the birds must have a nest, I made 

 an exaniinalion, but found none. 



A short time afterward I heard the 

 same cries of distress from the sparrows, 

 and went out again to investigate more 

 thoroughly. The cat was on the ground 

 this time and the birds were battling 

 with increased vim. Again I looked into 

 the bushes and was just about to pick 

 up the cat when she sprang into a tiiick 

 china bush and jumped down with a 

 tiny birdling in her mouth. 



"Let us save our darling from this 

 cruel fate," came in agonized cries from 

 the parent birds, and lending a hand to 

 their frantic eft'orts, I succeeded in forc- 

 ing the cat to drop the tiny creature just 

 as she was going underneath the house. 

 I could feel the rapid beats of its heart, 

 but it had not been injured by Tabby's 

 teeth. As soon as the parent birds saw 

 their birdling in my hands they flew 

 away. I thought it best to put the little 

 thing up in a tree where it would await 

 its parents' return, and soon afterwards 

 I saw the happy family on a high branch. 



Nina King. 



66 



