THE GRAY DATS OF BIRDS 



THE temptation is great, if we love flowers, to 

 pass over the seed time, when stalks are 

 dried and leaves are shrivelled, no matter how 

 beautiful may be the adaptation for scattering or 

 preserving the seed or how wonderful the protec- 

 tive coats guarding against cold or :wet. Or if 

 insects attract us by their many varied interests, 

 yre are more enthusiastic over the glories of the 

 full-winged imago than the less conspicuous, 

 though no less interesting, eggs and chrysalides 

 hidden away in crevices throughout the long 

 svinter. 



Thus there seems always a time when :w^e 

 hesitate to talk or write of our favourite theme, 

 especially if this be some class of life on the earth, 

 because, perchance, it is not at its best. 



Even birds have their gray days, when in the 

 autumn the glory of their plumage and song has 

 diminished. At this time few of their human 

 admirers intrude upon them and the birds them- 

 selves are only too glad to escape observation. 

 Collectors of skins disdain to ply their trade, as 

 the ragged, pin-feathery coats of the birds now 

 make sorry-looking specimens. But ;we can find 

 something of interest in birddom, even in this 

 interim. 



195 



