Beaver Creek, Joy Co., Animal Kingdom,
May 18, ——.My Dear Dr. Flyingsquirrel:
Mother told me that you would appreciate a letter from me; so, on this beautiful morning, I have decided to write to you.
Yesterday, Miss Hare and we pupils were out in the thicket and on the great moor east of Beaver Creek. We were studying nature, by which to test the books that we read.
My companion was Winkie Weasel. He has a long, lean body, and a short, black tail. He is very good-natured most of the time, but, occasionally, he gets very angry over small things. Then his nose seems to grow pointed, and his eyes turn green. He wears a yellow coat now. Later he will change it for a dark brown one, while in winter he wears white. Although Winkie takes things that do not belong to him and tries to act innocent, I like him because he is so bright and shrewd.
Such a glorious day as it was! The birds were chattering all about us, building nests in which to rear their broods. Miss Hare said I was fortunate to be able to climb so well, for it gave me such good opportunities to inspect birds and their nests.
Once we were startled by a loud thump! thump! thump! Then we heard a chorus of piping voices, and saw a covey of partridges running through the tall grass. They are peculiar little creatures, and they never try to run until some one almost steps upon them. They were out hunting for seeds, buds, and insects. Miss Hare told us that the partridge wears bristles that serve as snowshoes in winter, so it can walk on the soft snow without sinking.
We saw pigeons fluttering about in the blue sky, while swallows, with graceful, slender wings, flitted by, busily building their nests.
The sweet scent of spring had brought the cuckoos to the north. I could see one of them flying in a very straight line, his long tail steadying his flight. I have always loved the voice of the cuckoo; but I do not admire the bird, since Miss Hare has told me how very unprincipled she is.
I should like to tell you about some of the other birds I saw, but I fear you would think my letter too long. Busy people like you do not like to waste so much time reading letters.
Wishing you health and success, I am,
Yours very respectfully,
Tiny Redsquirrel.Dr. Airy Flyingsquirrel,
64 Hickory Ave.,
Squirreltown, Animal Kingdom.
64 Hickory Ave.,
Squirreltown, Animal Kingdom,
May 25, ——.Dear Tiny:
Your letter filled my heart with delight. We old squirrels appreciate letters from our young friends, and we are glad to be remembered in our declining years. The young who remember the old will be rewarded when they themselves are no longer young.
I, too, fly about a great deal, studying the various birds and their eggs. You wrote about the cuckoo, and I agree with you that she is a very unprincipled creature.
She lays her eggs on the hard ground, because she and her mate are too indolent to build a nest. She places her eggs in various nests for other birds to hatch. Usually she prefers robins’ nests, for they are very comfortable. You can imagine how surprised the robin or any other bird would be, when its brood hatches, to find among the number a large, healthy cuckoo with a wide mouth and an enormous appetite. But the kind foster parents feed the young cuckoo just as they do their own children.
And what does the cuckoo orphan do to repay such kindness? He eats and sleeps and grows larger all the time; and, finally, one day when the old birds are away, he tumbles his foster brothers and sisters out of the nest, and stretches himself out comfortably, waiting for his dinner. The selfish, cruel bird never thinks of anyone but himself. When his foster parents return, they are grieved not to find their little ones, but they do not scold the cuckoo at all. They keep on feeding him until he is full-fledged. Then, on some bright day, he takes wings and flies away, leaving his foster parents to grieve after him.
Jenny Wren is a neat, modest little body. Do you know her? She wears a plain brown gown, for she has so much to do she cannot dress very stylishly. Her wings are hard and stiff, so she can beat the air when she flies; but the feathers close to her tiny body are soft and warm.
She likes to build her nest beneath the gnarled roots of a tree or against a stone in a bed of moss. It is covered with a little dome and has a tiny door, which opens on the sunny side. I once peeped into Jenny’s home and found it neat and cozy. An orderly housekeeper she is, I can tell you! Her bed is made of fine feathers, hair, and delicate grasses. The roof of her home is made of moss, twigs, and lichens.
We are all very well, and we hope that you will call to see us soon after your return home.
Cordially yours,
Airy Flyingsquirrel.Mr. Tiny Redsquirrel,
Beaver Creek,
Joy Co., Animal Kingdom.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Reynard caught a cold just two weeks before Miss Hare’s school closed for the summer. He was very ill, indeed; but Tiny, Snowball, and his other friends did all they could to make him comfortable.
MISS HARE SPENT ONE EVENING WITH REYNARD. PUSS SNOWBALL, WINKIE WEASEL AND TINY WERE PRESENT.