. Our winter birds, how to know and how to attract them . of-fare. He is also fond ofvarious kinds of insects, particularly the canker-worm so destructive to our elm trees, and no onewho knows of his valiant service as a protector ofour shade trees will deny his well-earned right to ashare of our cherries and strawberries. Toward midsummer he becomes one of th:^ mostexpert and graceful of flycatchers and from a well-chosen perch swings out into the air or darts upwardafter passing insects. Notwithstanding his gentle, quiet ways, the Wax-wing is an adventurous and erratic traveler. Hefollows no
. Our winter birds, how to know and how to attract them . of-fare. He is also fond ofvarious kinds of insects, particularly the canker-worm so destructive to our elm trees, and no onewho knows of his valiant service as a protector ofour shade trees will deny his well-earned right to ashare of our cherries and strawberries. Toward midsummer he becomes one of th:^ mostexpert and graceful of flycatchers and from a well-chosen perch swings out into the air or darts upwardafter passing insects. Notwithstanding his gentle, quiet ways, the Wax-wing is an adventurous and erratic traveler. Hefollows no regular routes and time-tables such asguide the journeys of the Warblers and most mi-grants, but apparently wanders wherever the moodprompts him to go. Wholly absent some winters, HOME BIRDS 85 he may be present others. Here to-day, he hasgone to-morrow. But doubtless he has his own rea-sons for coming and going, and it is pretty safe forus to beheve that among them the question of foodtakes first place. GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET OUR SMALLEST WINTER GUEST. {Figs. 62, 63) E think It wonderful that the Hum-mingbird, our smallest bird, shouldgo as far south as CentralAmerica to spend the winter. Butis it not equally wonderful thatthe Golden-crowned Kinglet, nextsmallest in size, should brave the winters of NewEngland? He has a body no larger than the end of yourthumb, but it is covered with so thick a coat offeathers that Golden-crown is doubtless warm andcomfortable sleeeping in the depths of an evergreeneven when the thermometer registers below zero. Golden-crown belongs to a small but hardy groupof birds, all of which live in the more northernparts of the world. Golden-crown himself is notfound in summer south of northern New England,except on the higher, colder parts of the Alleghe-nies, on which he is found as far south as North Carolina. 86 HOME BIRDS 87 It Is not only Golden-crowns endurance whichmakes him remarkable, but also the size of hisfamily. Although the smallest of o
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