BIRDS AND NATURE. ILLUSTRATED BY COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY. VOL. VIII. NOVEMBER, 1900. NO. 4. CONTENTS. Page SONNET--NOVEMBER. 145 SOME FACTS ABOUT THE WESTERN WILLET. 146 CRUEL TREATMENT OF BIRDS DEMANDED BY DAME FASHION. 150 THE FALL MIGRATIONS. 151 THE WAYS OF SOME BANTAMS. 152 THE BUFFLE-HEAD. 155 AN HOUR WITH AN ANT. 156 SONG. 157 THE AMERICAN EARED GREBE. 158 THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF FISHES. 161 THE LOUISIANA TANAGER. 167 CHATTER OF A CHAT. 168 THE LUNA AND POLYPHEMUS MOTHS. 170 CASTLES IN THE AIR. 175 THE PRONG-HORNED ANTELOPE. 179 PLANT PROTECTION. 182 THE BIRTH OF A TREE. 187 THE ALMOND. 188 SONNET--NOVEMBER. Yet one smile more, departing, distant sun, One mellow smile through the soft vapory air, Ere, o'er the frozen earth, the loud winds run, Or snows are sifted o'er the meadow bare. One smile on the brown hills and naked trees And the dark rocks whose summer wreaths are cast, And the blue Gentian flower, that, in the breeze, Nods lonely, of her beauteous race the last. Yet a few sunny days, in which the bee Shall murmur by the hedge that skirts the way, The cricket chirp upon the russet lea, And man delight to linger in thy ray. Yet one rich smile, and we will try to bear The piercing winter frost, and winds, and darkened air. --William Cullen Bryant. * * * * * Oh, Autumn! Why so soon Depart the hues that make thy forests glad; Thy gentle wind and thy fair sunny noon, And leave thee wild and sad! Ah! 'twere a lot too blessed Forever in thy colored shades to stray; Amid the kisses of the soft southwest To rove and dream for aye. --William Cullen Bryant. Copyright, 1900, by A. W. Mumford. SOME FACTS ABOUT THE WESTERN WILLET. (_Symphemia semipalmata inornata._)