I04 Twelve Months With 



By August the southward march of fall migra- 

 tion sets in, and the birds therefore become more 

 plentiful. July marks the weary close of the nest- 

 ing season, and the heat of summer seems to dis- 

 courage the few tired birds that favor us with their 

 society. Even the friendly musical robin is sel- 

 dom heard from the tree top at evening in the 

 cheering song with which he delights us in spring 

 and early summer. 



Lowell says: 



"The sobered robin, hunger silent now, 

 Seeks cedar berries blue, his autumn cheer." 



I once attempted to raise a small family of blue 

 jays that for some reason had been deserted by their 

 parents, and since that arduous experience I have 

 had more respect for the industry and patience of 

 the birds in rearing their little families. The 

 quantity of food that three or four young birds 

 will consume from birth until they are ready to 

 fly, is really enormous, and the gathering of it 

 certainly leaves little time for rest or recreation for 

 the parents. 



The nesting season is not wholly past by July, 

 because many of the birds rear two or three and 

 sometimes four broods of young birds, and these 

 later families are frequently found in July. Also 

 a few of our well known birds, although they have 

 been with us all season, do not settle down to 

 domestic life at all until July. I have often 



