. The birds about us . the characterof the woodland tracts. I believe when our upperDelaware Valley had its original pine and hemlockforest that a great many of these irregular and rarebirds were common, and a constant feature of the win-ter or summer as the case might be. So far as the red-polls are concerned, I have seen flocks of from fifty toa hundred suddenly come upon the scene, and then aftera brief stay mount upward and make off, not to be seenagain perhaps all that winter. If it is correct that theyare regular visitors to Pennsylvania, it is not strangethat occasionally a flock should
. The birds about us . the characterof the woodland tracts. I believe when our upperDelaware Valley had its original pine and hemlockforest that a great many of these irregular and rarebirds were common, and a constant feature of the win-ter or summer as the case might be. So far as the red-polls are concerned, I have seen flocks of from fifty toa hundred suddenly come upon the scene, and then aftera brief stay mount upward and make off, not to be seenagain perhaps all that winter. If it is correct that theyare regular visitors to Pennsylvania, it is not strangethat occasionally a flock should wander to the Dela-ware Valley, not more than one hundred miles away. At last we come to a common and common-sensedbird that not only lives where the bulk of humanitydoes, but stays about all the year round. If youhave the courage to go into a snow-clad field, wherea few seed-bearing bushes and rank grasses projectbeyond the glittering plain, it is not improbable thatyou will see a few dusty yellow and blackish birds. 2, SNOW-BUNTINGS. 1, 4, HORNEO LAKKS. The Perching Birds. 93 swaying on the slenderest stems they can grasp, andas you approach they dart away with a wavy flightand twittering to the time of their wing-beats. Go inAugust to the same field, and about the same rank butnow green growths you will find these same birds,but the males in less shabby clothes, having now asmart yellow and shiny black suit. Startle them andyou will have the same performance,—undulatoryflight and a song to match it. It is seldom that youfind one alone. They have a most hearty apprecia-tion of the merits of their kind, and often half a hun-dred Viill be found together. Given an old field withplenty of blooming thistle, and the Yellow-birdsthank you for the paradise. In autumn there comes down to us from morenorthern regions another of these yellow-birds, butit is never bright yellow, and when in the MiddleStates is as much like the preceding as two peas in apod. It has, of course, a variet
Size: 1257px × 1989px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1895
