crustaceans, worms, snails, insects and 

 their larvae. These are captured from 

 the surface of the water, on the shore or 

 are probed for, with the long, sensitive 

 bills, in the soft soil of the banks or un- 

 der shallow water. When feeding it 

 moves in an easy and graceful manner. 

 Its grace and dignity well merit the say- 

 ing that ''it is one of the most beautiful 

 of the birds sought by the sportsman. 



Neltje Blanchan has very aptly de- 

 scribed the habits of this bird. She says : 

 *'It is not the intentiion of the Godwit to 

 give anyone a near view of either plum- 

 age or bill. The most stealthy intruder 



on its domains — salt or fresh water 

 shores, marshes or prairie lands — startles 

 it to wing ; its loud, whistled notes sound 

 the alarm to other marlins hidden among 

 the tall sedges, and the entire flock flies 

 off at an easy, steady pace, not rapid, yet 

 not to be overtaken afoot. A beautiful 

 posture, common to the plovers, cur- 

 lews, terns and some other birds, is struck 

 just as they alight. Raising the tips of 

 the wings till they meet high above the 

 back, the marlins suggest the favorite 

 attitude of angels shown by the early 

 Italian painters." 



A BIRD-JOKE AT LEAFY LAWN. 



In early spring Robin Redbreast re- 

 turned to Leafy Lawn and selected a new 

 site for his nest in the same apple tree his 

 father and grandfather had occupied dur- 

 ing preceding summers. No other birds 

 had yet arrived and Robin jumped about 

 on the sprouting lawn master of all he 

 surveyed. 



He soon discovered to his sorrow that 

 those selfish, quarrelsome sparrows who 

 tormented the birds last summer and 

 drove away the wrens, had gone no far- 

 ther during the winter than to the eaves 

 of a near barn, and were already back to 

 their nest in the tall poplar, scolding and 

 threatening as disagreeably as ever. But 

 Robin noticed that the limb which held 

 their nest so high was dead and he hoped 

 a strong wind would dash limb, nest and 

 ugly sparrows all to the ground. 



Robin looked very handsome in his 

 crimson vest, hopping over the grass in a 

 scalloped path, with his modest little mate 

 following in a similar path beside him. 

 Suddenly they stopped and listened. 



"Surely that is Mr. Woodpecker 



pounding on the tin roof-drain," said 

 Robin; and Mrs. Robin looked about 

 curiously and spied Mrs. Woodpecker on 

 a near tree listening to her husband's 

 wonderful drumming. Mrs. Woodpecker 

 was thinking what a fine nest such a 

 strong husband could cut out and what 

 quantities of corn and nuts he could ham- 

 mer into the bark of the trees for an extra 

 food supply. In a very short time the 

 woodpeckers selected the balm-of-Gilead 

 tree by the gate for their home and the 

 work began of cutting and tossing the 

 tiny shavings and so making a hole large 

 enough to accommodate Mrs. Wood- 

 pecker while she sat over the ivory eggs 

 waiting the day of their hatching. 



Mr. Woodpecker was recognized as 

 king of Leafy Lawn, perhaps because of 

 his lordly manner and fine clothes. He 

 always wore a jet black coat and white 

 satin vest, and what was queer on a king, 

 a large scarlet bonnet. 



A few days after the arrival of the 

 Woodpeckers, Robin saw Mr. Blue Jay 

 making a circuitous route to the tall pine 



202 



