Page:Birdcraft-1897.djvu/64

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

BIRDS OF AUTUMN AND WINTER.

ship and the mellowing effects of mild weather to bring it to perfection. The Snow Owls are thinking of going northward, unless barred by an early March storm, and the Meadowlarks that have braved the winter sing a full month before the migrating flocks arrive. When March comes in, even if it does roar like a lion, a single day may change the character of the bird life about you and you will imagine that the Snow Owls, Shrikes, Pine Finches, and Horned Larks are under orders to vanish before the spring flocks of Fox Sparrows, Robins, and Bluebirds can appear. But when March comes the ear is listening for the Spring Song and the win-ter-birds are quickly forgotten, unless you happen to have a stuffed Owl to preside in solemn silence in your library, performing its mission of looking wise quite as well as a piece of bric-à-brac as it did in life. Is not the Owl's general immobility the reason why it was chosen for the pet of the Goddess of Wisdom? Doubtless her ancient ladyship knew that her protégé would never take the trouble to contradict her and never express a decided opinion, and thus would pass for the incarnation of knowledge. Winter is the only season when you may point a gun at a bird, and then never at a Song-bird, but you may do these a favour by shooting some of their enemies, the bad English Sparrows, and one or two Hawks and Owls. Yet you must spare both Hawks and Owls with these exceptions, since Dr.

A. K. Fisher has given conclusive evidence of their value to agriculture. Never shoot even a Game-bird, or Wild Duck, merely for the sake of killing, and remember when on the bird-quest to keep your hands free from all destruction of life, so that you may answer in the affirmative the question, —

"Hast thou named all the birds without a gun?"

31