And those by the riverside, hearing the cry, looked up, and looking up they sighed. The red-brown eggs also were cracking open and the young birds coming out of the shells. Soon the earth children must follow their bird leaders. They fed and tended the young birds for still a few days. Then one morning there were sighs and discontent on the cliff. For the birds which came from the blue shells were feathered and ready for flight. Their colours were black and white! So also is all the bare earth and the new-fallen snow! It was a pair of ravens, which the stronger earth children followed to the country where winter follows summer and where men work for food. As the earth children laboured, the ravens taunted them with hoarse, laughing cries. Now those other earth children who watched the red-brown eggs stood up by the riverside and smiled. From the red-brown eggs had come birds of gorgeous plumage. On the breath of a sweet-scented breeze they were wafted far to southward--to the summer land. And those earth children who followed the beautiful birds still live easily in the land of everlasting summer-time. ALL ABOUT THE CHICKEN-HAWK SUGGESTIONS FOR FIELD LESSONS Voice--sharp, harsh, discordant cries--queer "whistling" noises. Upper parts brownish black mixed with white--throat and under tail coverts white--other under parts having darker markings. Bill--short, curved, and very sharp. Claws--strong, curved, and very sharp,--middle toe longest. Wings--long and pointed--made for rapid flight and long journeys. Female larger than male. Food--other smaller birds of the air--small ducks and chickens--occasionally larger insects, snakes, etc. Nest in the fork of a tree--made of crooked sticks and lined with leaves, bark, etc. Eggs--two to four in number, bluish white, thickly speckled with brown. Iris in young bird's eyes yellow--turning to reddish brown with maturity. ALL ABOUT THE RAVEN SUGGESTIONS FOR FIELD LESSONS Three times the size of robin. Does not migrate, but is usually resident in the place where it can best provide for itself and family. Is glossy black in colour, with gleams of purple and green above--duller underneath. Flies in wide circles high above the tree-tops, and utters a weird, uncanny cry, which has given it the name of being a bird of ill omen, and to many people the cry of the raven is deemed a sign of approaching evil. Nest very compactly built of sticks and grasses and lined with wool from sheep's back. Nest is used year after year, being often relined and made habitable. Young when first hatched are black and white--they however change to entire black in a very short time. Food of the raven is varied, apparently anything edible which comes in his way--grain, seeds, grubs, worms, field-mice, fruit, are found on his menu. THE KINGFISHER OR HALCYON BIRD WITH THE WATER WATCHMAN "Please, Jack," begged Phyllis. "Girls always talk," replied Jack.