388 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [16:9— Dec, 1920 



with his beak and Mother would let him in. Once not being able 

 to make himself heard he jumped up on the fence, from there to the 

 clothes pole, and from that point to the shed outside our second 

 story window where Mother was sewing; here he gained admit- 

 tance. At table Reddy, with a napkin around his neck used to sit 

 on the back of my chair; he insisted upon sharing my food, some- 

 times taking it from my mouth, as a squirrel takes nuts. After 

 eating, I would say, "Wipe your beak Reddy," and he would wipe 

 it on his napkin until it was quite clean. After that I would put 

 him to sleep in my doll carriage. "Often I took Reddy to the store 

 on the back of my tricycle, and he would wait outside the door for 

 me. Sometimes I placed two boxes one in front of the other, with 

 a space between them, then I lined Reddy and the two hens on the 

 farther one, and tapped upon the nearer; at this signal, the three 

 flew across to me. 



By and by some setting eggs were bought for Lady Smith; 

 from these we raised seven little chicks ; later we sold all but one 

 and also Lady Smith and Lady Gandar. Then I just had Reddy 

 and the baby chick which I named Queen Bess. One day the 

 neighbors complained of Reddy' s crowing and consequently we 

 had to dispose of him by sending him to relatives in the country 

 and now Queen Bess alone remains to me. 



Queen Bess does all of the things that Reddy did and more. 

 She says "No" by slowly shaking her head. Upon request she 

 shakes hands with me. Last winter I put her on the front of- my 

 sleigh and slid down hill with her. Also, I put her in a little wagon 

 to which my pet dog Ponce is harnessed and he gives her a ride. 

 It is amusing to see Ponce licking off Queen Bess's beak after she 

 has eaten something sweet. Queen Bess loves to be petted and 

 makes dear little soft sounds in appreciation. 



Out of the frosty north, like Indian arrows, 

 In never faltering flight the wild ducks flew, 



And from the windy fields the summer sparrows 

 Reluctantly their feathery tribes withdrew. 



From "October", James Newton Mathews. 



