Birds and All Nature, Vol. 6, No. 5, December 1899 / Illustrated by Color Photography

This eBook cover was created by the transcriber from elements within the issue and is placed in the public domain.
ILLUSTRATED BY COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY.
Vol. VI.
No. 5
DECEMBER, 1899.

ELANORA KINSLEY MARBLE.
THE birds had met in council that morning, and from the great chattering and chirping I judged some very serious question was up before the board.
Something must be done, Mr. Red-eyed Vireo was saying, as I sauntered down to the orchard and seated myself beneath an apple tree, we have stood the imposition long enough. Every year we meet and draw up resolutions, with many 'whereases' and 'wherefores,' and 'aforesaids'—resolutions with nothing resolute about them. To-day, I say, something must be done.
Mr. Wood-thrush, Mr. Towhee, Mr. Chipping Sparrow, Mr. Yellow-breasted Chat, Mr. Song Sparrow, and several Mr. Flycatchers, beside a number of other small birds, nodded their heads in unequivocal assent.
We have enemies enough, continued Mr. Vireo, how many only Mother Nature knows. Even in the darkness of night we are not safe from the owls, skunks, snakes, and other robbers, and in the day-time, besides our feathered foes, we have the ruthless 'collector,' and the ever-present bad boy. Enemies without are bad enough, but to have in our very midst a—a— Mr. Vireo paused, presumably choking with indignation, but really because he had quite forgotten what he had prepared to say.
Hear, hear! cried the assembled birds, making a great clamor and clatter in order that the speaker might have a chance to slyly consult his notes.