14 
BY TEE WAYSIDE 
from branch to branch, seemingly never 
at rest. Let ns watch them. Yes, I can 
plainly see it now, it is that little pigmy 
that is rendering all that music. It is 
the Ruby-crown performing his wonder- 
fid Hymn to Spring. 
But now, when leaves are turning 
brown and the mornings are frequently 
white with frost, their song is gone, and 
yet what cheer they add to our wood¬ 
land ramble. Alas, by November they 
will all have gone to summer climes, 
leaving us as an only consolation, the 
presence of their cousin, the Golden- 
crown. 
The Study of Birds. 
(Under this title it is intended to in¬ 
clude each month brief suggestions to 
teachers and others, for use in studying 
the birds of the season.) 
Out-door Work*. Most of the birds 
to be found now remain all winter. 
They are comparatively few in kinds, 
so that it is a good time to begin the 
study. A thorough knowledge of these 
winter forms is very helpful when the 
spring birds begin to arrive. Look for 
and learn to recognize quickly such 
birds as Juncos, Treed Sparrows, Nut¬ 
hatches, Brown Oreepers, Blue Jays; 
don’t forget to study well the characters 
of the English Sparrow, so that you 
mav know him forever after from other 
sparrows. 
Begin feeding birds. A piece of salt 
pork or suet will attract many forms; 
note which ones appear most frequently. 
Seeds or bread crumbs will also be ap¬ 
preciated, but should be placed out of 
reach of the murderous* cat. We shall 
have more to say on the feeding of birds 
next month. 
Indoor Work : The disappearance of 
birds gives a good opportunity for the 
discussion of bird migration. Ask the 
IT. S. Department of Agriculture for 
literature on this subject, it will cost 
you nothing. Any standard Encyclope¬ 
dia or bird Ir ok will give you further ; 
information. Let students furnish lists 
of summer birds that have disappeared, 
also lists of birds which are found in 
your vicinity throughout the whole 
year (permanent residents). 
(Continued from pajre 11) 
I think the migrating habit of wild 
birds is one of the points that proves 
that animals and birds have more in¬ 
telligence than most people suppose, 
and to me it is simply a habit of self 
preservation, an attempt to seek a per¬ 
petual summer where food is plentiful 
and the weather agreeable. Those that 
do not migrate are those whose bodies 
are too heavy for their wings, or whose 
vitality is so strong that they do not 
suffer from the cold. I never see any 
evidence of the ruffed grouse, chick¬ 
adee, or blue jay suffering from cold; 
the last two give their merry call on 
the coldest frosty mornings in the most 
severe winters. 
Some bird lovers are trying the ex¬ 
periment of rearing the ruffed grouse 
in confinement; this may he done suc¬ 
cessfully, but the nature of the birds 
will change just as the domestic tur-J 
key has changed from its wild stale of 
hardiness to one of our delicate fowls, 
hard to rear and subject to many ail¬ 
ments. The nearer anything lives to 
a wild condition, the more hardy and 
enduring is its nature. The bison, an¬ 
telope, and elk wintered well on the 
western plains where cattle and sheep, 
owned by ranchmen who have neither 
brains nor conscience enough to know 
that they cannot winter on snow drifts, 
die by the hundred of thousands. The 
