OUR COUNTRY LIFE 



too; but the streaked spots on the breast and the more 

 brownish tinge marked it as an American pipit or 

 titlark. Six or seven of them tipping their tails as they 

 walked, mingled with the warblers, and later two or 

 three Baltimore orioles added more color to the daz- 

 zling picture. It was a thrilling experience. 



May ii. Today we took a snapshot of the baby 

 woodcocks in their dead-leaf cradle. So brand-new 

 were they that the down was scarcely dry on their wee 

 backs. Three hours later they were off and away to 

 the brook, I suppose, for there was no trace of them 

 to be found near the nest. The babies were beauties 

 in their soft down distinctly striped dark-brown and 

 tan. 



May 17. A woodland tragedy! One of our first 

 resolves on taking possession of the place was to let 

 Nature have her way and not to interfere with the nice 

 balance which she keeps. One advised us to kill off 

 the squirrels; "you'll never have birds with those 

 enemies around." But we have birds and the severe 

 winters keep the crop of squirrels within bounds. An- 



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