The Potter journal and news item. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1872-1874, 1873-03-07

E
day, am delighted. l think shall
recognize all these birds again. the
Arctic snow bunting, the gold n
crowned wren, the lesser rel poll.
The next Wednesday brought nv
Molly as bright and sparkling as US
ual, indeed | thought her cheek had
a wholesomer glow. and her eve a
clearer light. She brought basket
on her arm which she set aside care
fully. When | asked her what sue
cess had attended her plan, she re-
piled, with great animation:
Perfect success. Brother VIII. in
the most obliging way, searched the
arkets for me, and brought home a
dozen snow buntings, no. not a doz-
en-, eleven snow buntings and a bird
| did not know, and in another lot.
two other birds. Well. cousin Nav.
here was a dilemma, for Bridget was
so cross from not being able to get
out her washing this week, that | dared
not take them to the kitchen. ! had
determined Aunt Susan should have
them cooked for her. Her appetite
is 50 small, think the leg Of a fly
would satisfy it, so what could | do
but pick off all their pretty feathers
myself. and roast them on the oyster
gridiron over the dining room fire; it
would have done your heart good to
see aunt eat them. She declared !
was a most astonishing cook, and she
ate every one of the eleven
Pretty well, for you, l replied,
delighted. And said she, Il have
- IN charming des-
cription of that bird. He says, quo
ting from English ornithologists :.
They seem to make the countries
within the Arctic circle their summer
residence, from whence they overflow
the more southern countries in amaz-
ing multitudes, at the setting-in of
winter, in the frigid zone. In the
winter Of HISS, they came in such
multitudes to Birsa. one of the Ork-
ney Islands, as to cover the whole
barony, yet, of alI the numbers, hard
ly two agreed in color. Lapland,
and perhaps Iceland, furnishes the
north of Britain with the swarms
that frequent these parts during VIM
ter as low as the Cheviot Hills.
Their resting places, the Fere Isles,
Shetland and the Orkneys. The
of Scotland in particular
abound with them. Their flights are
immense, and they mingle so closely
together in the form of a ball that
the fowlers make great havoc among
them. In Lapland and Sweden, they
are called bad weather birds; in Lab
rador the white bird their plumage
in the depth Of winter is changed to
nearly white"
That is a charming description,
Molly
oh, yes! and to think that all
those Arctic regions, which / had
hitherto supposed to be the very ac-
me Of frozen desolation, are brimful
of life; birds pairing and raising
their young, in an abundance We can
hardly imagine, and no doubt filling
the air with tuneful songs. Truly, !
the Lord is wiser than We in our ig- |
norance had thought
But what have you in your basket, !
Molly?'
1 call one a woodpcckcr.' she re- |
Piled, zone a crossbill, and the third, |
that was among the snow buLtings, / !
cannot even guess at
You are right as to the first two,
but the other, even | do not recog-
lize; but We will get out our big
book, 'DeKay,' and search till we
find it,
Past the hawks and the owls, the !
woodpeckers and the sparrows, we
till at last we found the !
picture that correspondent so exactly |
hat we could not doubt we were
right. Yes, it was the shore or
horned lark, which Wilson calls the
most beautiful Of its family.
But stay, Molly, while | go to
'uperintend my Bridget's operations
you may look over and condense
FOR me the accounts of this bird
Very WE'LL said she, and while |
was busy beating eggs and using fla
Toring extracts, and looking after
.he spicing and seasoning Of things
generally, that the dinner might not 1
disgrace the occasion, she was look
ng over the authorities. When l /