Hl'i 



.V t'IGt,Ui\ AND 1Tb W lllblXl:,: CIIIXA 



These whistles, very hght, weighing a few grams, are attached to the tails of young 

 pigeons soon after their birth by means of line copper wire, so that when the birds fly the 

 wind blowing through the whistles sets them vibi'ating, and this produces an open-air con- 

 cert, for the instruments m the same flock are all different (see page 715). 



as those of }'ester(iay. And here we have 

 the secret of youth in age which every 

 venerable naturalist I have ever met has 

 con^-incingly illustrated I could name 

 ntarl}- a dozen, living and dead, whom it 

 has been ni_\- \-alued privilege to know. 

 All had passed the allotted three-score 

 and ten, and some were over four-score. 

 The friends and associates of their ear- 

 lier da)'s had ])assed away, and one 

 might imagine that they had no interest 

 in life and were simph' waiting for the 

 end 



But these veterans were old in years 

 only. Their hearts were voung. The 

 earth was fair ; plants still bloomed and 

 birds sang for them. There was no idle 

 waiting here ; the days were all too short. 

 A\'ith what boyish ardor thev told of 

 some recent discovery ; what inspiration 

 there ^\:\.• in their enthnsiasp.i ! 



So I say to a'ou, if }'ou would reap the 

 imrcst pleasures of )-outh, manhood, and 

 iihl age, go to the birds and through them 

 be brought within the ennobling influences 

 of Nature 



/14 



