BIRDS AND ALL NATURE. ILLUSTRATED BY COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY. VOL. IV. AUGUST, 1898. NO. 2. CONTENTS Page NATURE'S ADJUSTMENTS. 41 REASONING POWERS OF BIRDS. 43 THE SQUIRREL'S ROAD. 44 THE COMMON TERN. 47 BIRDS AND ANIMALS IN THE PHILIPPINES. 48 BIRDS MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE. 48 THE PRAIRIE WOLF. 51 A HOUSEHOLD PET. 52 THE FOX-SQUIRREL. 55 THE LOON. 59 THE MOCKINGBIRD. 61 THE BOBOLINK'S SONG. 61 HOW BUTTERFLIES ARE PROTECTED. 62 MID-SUMMER. 65 THE RED FOX. 66 THE LEAST SANDPIPER. 70 INSTINCT AND REASON. 73 THE MOUNTAIN SHEEP. 74 A SEMINARY FOR TEACHING BIRDS HOW TO SING. 78 SUMMARY. 80 NATURE'S ADJUSTMENTS. BY W. E. WATT. We have a general notion that whatever Nature does is just right. It has become an article of popular faith that the ways of Nature are not to be improved upon. We feel that he who proposes something better than what is offered by the forces of the material world is by far too presumptious. We look upon the man who would improve upon what is natural much as the old farmer did upon the lightning rod man. "No, sir; I'd never put a rod up over my house or barn to keep off the lightnin'. 'Twould be defyin' the Almighty. If he wants to strike me, do you suppose I'm goin' to appear before Him and say I put that up to stop him?" When the qualities of the soil and conditions of the atmosphere have been propitious for the production of husk fiber, we look at the husk upon the corn or the beard of the wheat head and declare solemnly to our friends that the coming winter will be a severe one. We say that Nature knows what is about to occur and has provided for the protection of the grain. We infer that she has thought it all out beforehand and we can see but a small portion of her plans. It seems never to have occurred to us that grain left to shift for itself through the winter is just as well off and little likely to sustain injury when the husk is thin as when it is thick.