290 THROUGH LIBRARY WINDOWS 



the thickets of shrubbery, often choosing the 

 densest spots for their nests; what a loss they 

 would prove to many of our shy wild flowers 

 that nestle in cool copses and our pretty climb- 

 ers that love to weave their soft em- 

 brace around low shrubs; then, too, how we 

 would miss the splendid mass effect in corners 

 and along fences, and the gayly-hued berries 

 so remarkably attractive, always providing that 

 they have not been too severely pruned. 



We miss the birds in these October days. 

 Oh that May and June would last forever, be- 

 cause of the birds and their songs, and their 

 happy mating and nesting. Yet October is the 

 sparrows' month, and they make of it a gala 

 month indeed. They abound and rise in start- 

 led flocks from every field at your approach and 

 circle about in most gleeful chirpings but no 

 songs. The chickadees linger, but not a "chic- 

 a-dee-dee" comes from their songless throats. 

 The seed fields are ripe and they are feasting 

 and that is enough, and we must be content. 



Some of the sparrow family stay with us 

 through the year. It is the largest bird family 

 and numbers over six hundred species. Spar- 

 rows are the evergreen among birds. Some 

 of its members are our sweetest singers, less 

 emotional than the thrushes, but having a hap- 



