Part 2

The Kingfisher With the Water Watchman The Halcyon Birds All About the Kingfisher

The Red-Headed Woodpecker In Cap of Red A Legend of the Northland All About the Woodpecker

The Lark In the Meadow The Song of the Merry Lark Saved by a Lark All About the Meadow Lark

The Owl A Good-Night The Owl (Tennyson) The Owl Girl The Owl and the Raven The Owl (Shakespeare) All About the Barred or Hoot Owl

The Bobolink A Summer Song Robert of Lincoln All About the Bobolink or Rice-Bird

The Sea-Doves and the Great Blue Heron Beside the Sea Sea-Pigeons The Sandpiper The Circling of Cranes All About the Great Blue Heron or Blue Crane All About the Sea-Dove

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

"He came quite close and stared at the little girl" (see page 4) . . . . . . Frontispiece

"By this time the robin was on the ground"

"'No robin or chickadee could build such nests as the swallow'"

"On a branch sat a bird. He was considerably larger than a robin"

"The owl only blinked his great eyes"

"'She is sitting on a nestful of light blue eggs'"

THE CHICKADEE

OR SNOWBIRD

IN THE SNOW

It was a bright, wintry day. The frost jewels sparkled on the snow. The winds blew cutting cold from the north.

Phyllis, in her scarlet coat and cap, and long, warm leggings, waded in the deepest drifts she could find.

Out by the garden fence was the greatest drift. After floundering through it, Phyllis climbed up and perched on the top rail of the fence.

She sat quite still, for she was almost breathless after her struggle in the snow.

Suddenly, just over her head, Phyllis heard a whistle. She started so that she almost fell from the fence.

Again came the whistle, clear, sweet, and long drawn out. Phyllis looked up, and there on the branch of the elm-tree sat a cheery little bird.

With a third whistle he flew down to the fence and perched beside Phyllis.

He came quite close and stared at the little girl in a gay, curious manner, as though he might be looking for a playfellow.

"Who are you?" asked Phyllis, looking like a great red bird as she perched on the fence.

"Chick-a-dee! Chick-a-dee! Chick-a-dee-dee-dee!" twittered the little fellow. It seemed to Phyllis that he laughed because she did not know him.

"Oh, to be sure," said she. "How stupid of me not to remember. I have met you a hundred times.

"I should have remembered your black head and throat. The sides of your head and neck are white. Your breasts and sides are light yellow. Your tail and wings are of a much darker shade, and how daintily they are edged with white!"