Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-04

W .
munity of needs has he with those purple
inches feasting upon the fruit IF the alder?
Is it not more probable that they desire
each others companionship? In those
bushes, too Is a cardinal. Do you not hear
the loud clink of his alarm note? All.
there he goes, flashing red meteor, to
perch in a small pine plainly within our
view, though aware what an excellent
background its vivid green makes for his
handsome form. He also understands the
value of friendly and genial society. We
see other Observation-Disclosures feeding among
the pine cones and announcing themselves
to us in the absence of any arrangements
for formal introductions; whfte-throated
sparrows flying heavily and with much
stir from twig to twig. perched medi-
tatively with ruff1ed feathers, uttering oc-
casional loud ''tweets' to let the other
members of the company know they ara
with them in voice if not in spirit; robina
weighing down the tip of a cedar ano
noisily filling the air with their harsh
Screeches, with now and then a touch OF
me song that is so familiar in the spring.
soidfinches. their gold all stored for the
winter, with their light staccato flight
notes and the little canary-like yawning
notes that have such a magnetic quality
And those larger birds. rather ciumsiiy
another: their blue coats and dull red
vests plainly disclose their identity: ano
1t needs not the thick contralto note tina,
sounds as though the singers mouth were
fun of pebbles to tell US that they are
bluebirds. ''@
by Listening AttentIvely.
Amidst the various notes that come to
our ears We are dimly conscious of one
that we cannot readily locate. AS we
listen more attentively we perceive that
it is not single note that we hear, but
many of the same character and pitch, as
though there were flock of birds present
with vocal instruments all attuned in uni
SON Fine effect Is of high-pitched whines
BUT why do we not see the birds that are
the authors of the sounds? Well, it is be-
cause they are not moving about like all
the other birds in the neighborhood Do
you see those motionless figures perched
here and there in the top of that sour
gum? Those are the producers of the
whines. They are cedar larks. Take tie
glasses and examine them carefully; they
Will repay thorough inspection. Notice
their elegant crests, their smooth fawn-
coiored gowns. the handsome black mark
ings about their heads and the yellow
band across the end of each tail If you
have good eyes you will perceive the little
red horny appendages to some of thcir
wing and tail feathers that look like bits
of sealing wax. 1t is from these appen-
dases that the birds are also called wax
wings Now you have allowed your at
tention 20 be diverted for moment to
that turkey buzzard calmly breasting the
upper breezes and when you return to the
tree ii is bare. The cedar larks have ap-
parently melted away. a motion to ad-
journ the meeting, which, you know, is
always in order, was put and carried willie
you were busy with the buzzard. and they
quietly took wing and abandoned the gum
in body. to reconyene the assemblage in
the top of tree In another part Of the
woods
We loiter awhile among the pines, with
their vari-colored carpet. watching the
different traits of feathered life
that present themselves to and
of bits of partridge vine with a
berry, or rarely two. clinging to each piece;
then we return to continue the exploration
we have temporarily suspended. And as
we press on between the trees which line
our newfound thOroughfare we continually
come upon something to attract our inter-
est Now it is little settlement of club
moss with its long. erect stems, some Of
which We gather to add to our decorative
store. Now il is crowfoot gracefully trail
ing over the GROUND in such profusion that
II Is probable that our colored friends they
whose picturesque aarb and humble stock
OF WreathS and garlandS are familiar q
feature of the Christmas market have not
yet happened upon the locality to which we
nave been LED IN our journey of discovery.
We will come here for our Christmas greens
and secure supply that will have far more
charm than the best we could buy in the
market. Again. it is a group of pinweeds,
wi,h their delicately cut, radical leaves
spreading in pretty rOsetteS that we know
Will be gone 10y the time the summers sun
has expanded the minute blossoms And
again and again, and again are our ewes
caught by some attraction, to stay our
steps Il moment and give constant activity
to our interest, until at length we reach
the end of our path and emerge into a road
that we have often Travelled without sus-
pectins that it was linked to the road by
which we today entered the woods. Along
this road we return with our trophies and
end our walk with glowing cheeks, glow
ing thoughts and glowing hearts.
On n Mild December.
Again We set out together this time upon
one of the mild, sunny springlfke days
which December often offers to us who
live in this southerly latitude of Washing
ton. The temperate air that comes re-
freshingiy in through the open window in
vites us out for lettering rambe, through
natures haunts. How full of spring sug-
gestions is the morning! Meadow larks
greet US with sweet-toned, though melan-
choly, chorus. The white-breasted nut
hatch SaluteS us with genuine spring
flourish of trumpets. The cardinal from
his tree over the hill sends us soft, sweet
song, that is reduction of the rich, full
toned tribute that he pays to the spring.
The Carolina wren filings out his bUoyant
braVIra from the edge of the woods And
even an English sparrow. moved by the
uplifting influences of this delightful day,
forsakes his srubbing and Drawing COM
panfons. and. mounting te twig of small
oak, lifts up his voice for ten or fifteen
minutes in pure song-a song containing
many sweet notes and phrases one of the
latter bearing so marked a resemblance to
the tremulous. descending alarm note of
the Carolina wren that we at first assumed
without question that there was a wren
near by expressing disapproval of our prox-
unity.