36 EXTERNAL PABTS 



dor, spend their winters in the middle or the western states, 

 and form for those sections winter residents. Still others nest 

 with us and go south in winter to the Gulf States, or even to 

 the West Indies and South America. These are summer resi- 

 dents. Some endure and even seemingly enjoy all the changes 

 of climate any of our localities afford ; these stay in the same 

 place throughout the year. They form our resident birds. 

 Doubtless many of those species which may be found at all 

 seasons are somewhat migratoi"y ; that is, the individuals we 

 have in the winter come from places somewhat further north, 

 and those that are here in the summer find warmer places 

 further south in the winter; but some birds, like the English 

 sparrow, never migrate. 



CHAPTER VIII 

 NESTS AND EGGS 



There is no better or more useful work than to watch birds 

 build their nests, hatch their eggs, and raise their young. 

 After the student is able to recognize birds without difficulty, 

 he is prepared to watch them and to learn all he can of their 

 ways of living, their mating, their singing, their nesting, their 

 eggs, their young, etc. It is not difficult to observe birds 

 without disturbing them. An interest in living birds will soon 

 lead the student to love them, and then he will be able to act 

 when near them so as not to annoy or interrupt them in 

 their work. 



We have all read of men who could go among the most 

 timid animals without disturbing them, and probably some of 

 us have envied such people. But that power does not come 

 spontaneously ; it is gained only by careful attention to the 

 peculiarities of the animals, the result of interest in their 

 habits, which will lead to, if it does not begin with, an affection 

 for them. Those who love birds find no great difficulty in 



