Citizen Bird: Scenes from Bird-Life in Plain English for BeginnersWright, Mabel Osgood
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Citizen Bird: Scenes from Bird-Life in Plain English for Beginners
Wright, Mabel Osgood
Birds -- Juvenile literature
"When you have once met him face to face and heard his sad
cry--'pewee--pewee--pee-eer--weer!'--you will probably find half a dozen
pairs about home.
[Illustration: Wood Pewee.]
"It is usual to call the notes of this bird sad; but it only seems so
from our point of view; for he is a happy, fussy little bird, and I dare
say that when he calls he is only saying 'peek-a-boo!' to his mate on
the other side of the tree."
"Wouldn't it be nice if we knew all that the animals and birds do, and
could see what they see, besides being ourselves?" said Nat.
"I think we should be too wise and proud," said Rap. "No, my lads,"
said the Doctor, "we should probably be more humble than we are now, and
realize how very little House People really know about the wonderful
lives of those creatures we commonly call 'dumb animals.'"
"You haven't given us any table for the Wood Pewee," said Dodo, who
always took great pleasure in writing in her little book. "I like to
hear it, though I can't write it now."
The Wood Pewee
Length six and a half inches. Wings much longer than the tail, and feet
very small.
Upper parts dark brown with an olive shade, and light bars on the wings;
top of the head not darker than the back, and under side of the beak not
black.
Under parts yellowish-white with a tinge of dark gray along the sides
and across the breast.
Looks very much like the Phoebe, but you can tell them apart if you
attend carefully to the tables.
A Citizen of North America from Florida to Canada and west to the
plains. Travels beyond the United States for the winter.
A good Citizen and shy neighbor. A member of the guild of Sky Sweepers.
CHAPTER XXI
HUMMERS AND CHIMNEY SWEEPS
THE RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD
[Illustration: Ruby-Throated Hummingbird.]
"It won't be dark for a long time yet," said Dodo, after they had driven
silently for a couple of miles, watching the clouds against the
tree-tops and the Swallows that were out in full force, sky-sweeping for
their evening meal.
"Are you growing sleepy?" asked Olive.
"No, only _terribly hungry_" whispered Dodo, as if rather ashamed of the
fact; "and do you know, Olive, after dinner to-day I told Olaf I never
should be hungry again, because I ate so much chowder. After we had
driven awhile I thought to myself, 'I shan't want supper to-night
anyway.' Then pretty soon I thought, 'I _shall_ want supper,' and now I
want it _right away_!" The Doctor laughed and looked at the cows that
were pasturing in the roadside fields, for they were passing a farming
village.
"I don't see any Cowbirds this afternoon," said Nat, thinking the Doctor
was looking for them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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