The Potter journal and news item. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1872-1874, 1873-03-07
MiGtfllanu.
From the Christian Union. !
Our Winter Birds.

claimed i'll reply to my little friend
Molly Stebbins, who had just com,
in and declared to me, ''she shoulC
not try walking again, though the
doctor should order it twenty times
when there was nothing to see, nc
grass, no flowers, no BIRDS
"Oh," said I, "you are mistaken
Sit down here by my window, while
l dress myself for walk, and l will
soon show you your error / had
little artifce, | must own, in seat.
ing her by my delightful window
for the blistered tree that sent its
branches out to within arms length
Of the window pane. was to my GER
tain knowledge. fu,l of flock of the
lesser redpoll, arrived not less than
half an hour previous.
SO | said, Molly, | want you to
observe this tree that | take such
pride in; though stripped of leaves,
how beautiful is the network Of
branches, especially the upper ones.
still hung with tassel. like seed YES
sells ] had hardly gone from the
window when | heard lively 'excla-
nation and a call, Come here, cous-
in May, and tell me quickly what
this darling little bit of a bird is
called" How does he look" said
|; not that { id not know perfectly
well, but to entice her to observe
minutely.
"Somcthing like a sparrow" she
replied; Shut there is a beautiful
CRIMSON spot, like blood, on his head,
and all his feathers look as if it were
really blood that had trickled down
and got smeared over them. Why,
you dear little things, prettier than
any summer bird, one, two, five,
eight, nine. | can count nine. What
magic have you, cousin May, that
brings them here, and do you often
have such rare visitants2"
"Oh, no." said |, "this is the first
time | have seen this bird this win
ter; they only come when it is ex-
tremely cold at the north, and then
in large focks. Wilson says that
hundred : ofthcm are offered for sale
in the Philadelphia markets at this
season. They remain with us till
April, t en- retire to the far north for
incubation. And as for magic, all
the magic | use is to keep my eyes
open to see when they do come. But
if we are ready let us go up the
street, towards the open field at the
end"
Il can hardly tear myself away
from this pretty sight," said she.
"But, perhaps, you will show me
something better"
The village of Flushing-thanks
to its nurserymen-is plentifully
adorned with evergreens, growing
thickly in great fields, or standing
by twos and threes. sometimes singly.
in front of houses. As we passed
close by some of these, | heard the
faintest little chirp, and | called on
Molly to listen. Surely, yes, two
or three birds of some kind were
there, and, as we strove TO penetrate
the thick gloom of the boughs, we
saw the tree had several occupants.
"Stand perfectly still, Molly" said
|, "and we shall soon know what
feathered creature is housed here"
Presently out hoped wee, olive
green bird, smaller than a wren,
turned his bright eye on US, but, as
we did not lift finger or wink an
eyelid, with great unconcern he
hoped from bough to bough. Pres
emily another appeared on the outer
part of an upper branch. We stood
a long while watching the busy crea-
lures as they sought their food, con-
sisting of the larve of insects, utter
ing, from time to time, their faint
chirps, indicative of perfect content
ment.
That, said l to Molly, as we walked
on, is the golden-crowned wren,
called a wren, though he does not
belong at all TO the wren family.