240 CROSS-CUT VIEWS OF WINTER. 



his door. How wonderful it is that such a wee 

 bit of a bird " should come out so strong under cir- 

 cumstances that would make many of the other 

 birds miserable " ! One would suppose a good 

 cold breath from Jack Frost would whiff the life 

 from them. It is true they are wrapped in the 

 best kind of overcoats, with black caps drawn over 

 their ears, and good chest-protectors. But what 

 in the world of wonders saves those little Avires of 

 legs and claws? What fiery hearts they must 

 have in their breasts to force the blood-corpuscles 

 through the tendons in the coldest days ! What 

 pleasant, convivial, round-headed little fellows they 

 are, calling to one another from their holes in the 

 trees, living on the best of terms with their neigh- 

 bors, and arranging picnic-parties with the downy 

 woodpecker and other next-door friends. If the 

 day is favorable the invitation is accepted. Hairy 

 comes from his log cabin when the sun is high, for 

 he is not an early riser at this season of the year. 



The bright white spots of this woodpecker 

 glisten as if the snow covered it, and had only 

 been partly shaken off by the rapidly moving head 

 and wings. At times it appears to be as restless 

 as the wood warblers, flying hither and thither 

 about the higher branches as though it were seek- 



