160 SIDE THOUGHTS ABOUT BIRDS. 
Creeper mount the tree-trunks, each by his chosen path of 
straight line or spiral, one gleaning his daily ration from the 
bark clefts and another sounding for fatter grubs that hide 
beneath it, seldom using his strong chisel in vain. 
Below, in the grass, the Sparrows are ever busy, and the 
topmost twig of the tree overhead is searched faithfully, over 
and over again, by the army of Warblers and Flycatchers, 
while high over all swing Hawk and Vulture—police and 
sanitary of the winged commonwealth, 
With the early days of each returning spring there is no 
sound more welcome than the notes of Bluebird and Song- 
Sparrow. Silent they come overnight and we waken to 
their sudden morning presence. Far at sea we meet the 
wide-winged lonely voiced wanderers that know no country 
other than the wind-swept, tossing water. Those whom 
chance and winter find in distant southern islands remember 
well the look of home-suggesting Catbird, Thrush and 
Warbler—fellow exiles met in cane field, mangrove swamps 
and guava tangle—familiar friends all, but strangely set 
amid the air-plants and rank growths of the tropics. 
Taken all in all, there is no aspect of bird-life but has its 
charm, if eyes and ears will open to it, and once entered it 
draws surely on to the wish to know better our friends of 
the air. Birds are close about us always, summer and 
winter alike, and no long travels are needed to find them 
and make their acquaintance. Whoever loves field and 
wood finds in them a new motive and a fresh pleasure for 
his excursions. 
Each new set of acquaintances we can make among our. 
finned, furred and feathered co-tenants of the world, gives 
a deeper hold on the Life that runs common to all alike and 
opens wider the doorway to its pleasures. 
