9 A.M. Who is the bird of the calm forenoon? The Catbird gay with his jeering tune, Who scolds and mimics and waves his wings And jerks his tail as he wildly sings. Noon Who is the bird of the middle day? The green-winged, red-eyed Vireo gay, Who talks and preaches, yet keeps an eye On every stranger who passes by. 5 P.M. Who is the bird of the afternoon? The Wood Thrush shy, with his silvery tune Of flute and zither and flageolet; His rippling song you will never forget. 7 P.M. Who is the bird of the coming night? The tawny Veery, who out of sight In cool dim green o’er the waterway The lullaby echoes of sleeping day. 9 P.M. Who is the bird that when all is still Like a banshee calls? The Whip-poor-will; Who greets the Nighthawk in upper air Where they take their supper of insect fare. Midnight Who are the birds that at midnight’s stroke Play hide-and-seek in the half-dead oak? And laugh and scream ’till the watch-dog howls? The wise-looking, mouse-hunting young Screech Owls. All in chorus Good Night! Good Day! Be kind to the birds and help repay The songs they sing you the livelong day, The bugs they gobble and put to flight— Without birds, orchards would perish quite! Good Day! Good Night! —M. O. W. Tommy and Dave, who represented the Screech Owls, followed up the last “good night” by a very realistic imitation of the mewing call-note and the cry of the little Screech Owl, that not only brought down the house, but caused the guests to go home in a state of laughing good humour. XXVI SOME BIRDS THAT COME IN MAY _In Apple-blossom Time look for Orioles and All the Brightly Coloured Birds._ “In May you must get up early and keep both eyes and ears wide open if you would name this month’s share of the birds. All that have not come must do so now or never, though sick and crippled birds may straggle along at any time. “These are the birds you may expect during the month. Some you already know from both pictures and stories, and these will seem like old friends:— Yellow-billed Cuckoo Nighthawk Humming-bird Kingbird Baltimore Oriole Bobolink Indigo-bird Scarlet Tanager Red-eyed Vireo Yellow Warbler Maryland Yellowthroat Yellow-breasted Chat Redstart Veery Rose-breasted Grosbeak