Alabama, ipi8. 93 



THE BIRDS OF KILLINGWORTH 



"Wherk's your kingdom, little king? 



Where's the land you call your own? 

 Where's your palace and your throne ? 



Fluttering lightly on the wing 

 Through the blossom world of May." 



"Never a king by right divine, 



Ruled a richer realm than mine ; 

 What are these to song and wings ? 



Everywhere that I can fly. 

 There I own the earth and sky ; 



Everywhere that I can sing, 

 There I'm happy as a king." 



WHY should we save and care for the birds? We should care 

 for the birds because they are such a blessing to us. Our girls 

 and boys should build little bird houses in shade trees around the 

 house and the barn. Trees may be pruned to make inviting homes 

 for the birds. You may think this work is unprofitable, but they 

 will more than pay for care, by the good work they do in ridding the 

 barn of flies, gnats, and mosquitoes. 



There is a distressing amount of ignorance among us all con- 

 cerning the birds. We live among them all our lives and know 

 them not, by whistle, song, or feather. We should learn to know 

 them as we do other familiar things. They are worth millions of 

 dollars to us, but still we ignore them. 



Severe winters, when the snow covers the weed tops, and a coat- 

 ing of ice covers the trees, so they cannot get seeds nor grubs, do 

 not let the cats eat them, but feed them. 



Birds are man's friend and man should be the birds' friend. 



Think of their graceful movements and their beautiful songs. 

 Listen to the mockingbird and to the song sparrow. When we see 

 them flit in and out, giving us a glimpse of their pretty coats, the 

 day is brighter than that day is without the songs of birds. 



The mockingbird is the great vocalist in the South. By many 

 people it is considered to be the best singer in America. It sings, 



