A SUMMER EVENING--BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS _Frontispiece_ RED CLOVER AND BUMBLEBEE 4 RED SALAMANDER, OLD AND YOUNG 7 NEWTS 7 HIPPOPOTAMUS--“IT WAS HIS GAME OF SOLITAIRE” 9 THE OTTER AND HIS SLIDE 12 “FOLLOW MY LEADER” 14 BUTTERFLIES AT PLAY--“WHIRLING OVER MT. HOOD’S POINTED PEAK” 16 RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD AND NEST 20 ORCHIDS 22 YOUNG COWBIRD IN VIREO’S NEST 25 COYOTE--“WHAT A SHOT!” 28 ARGIOPE, THE MEADOW SPIDER 44 CICADA--“DOG-DAYS-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z” 48 “THE BATS FLITTING AND WAVERING ABOUT” 49 RED-EYED VIREO--“DO YOU BELIEVE IT?” 52 TUFTED PUFFINS 59 BRANDT’S CORMORANT 63 A MOTHER SPIDER WITH HER SACK OF EGGS 67 THE FATHER STICKLEBACK ON GUARD 68 CALIFORNIA MURRE--“WITH THREATENING BEAK WATCHED THE TWO MEN COME ON” 75 PETRELS--“SKIMMING THE HEAVING SEA LIKE SWALLOWS” 80 RIDING THE RIM ROCK--“NECK AND NECK WITH A BIG WHITE STEER” 97 SASSAFRAS 105 DEADLY NIGHTSHADE 106 POISON SUMACH 107 POISON IVY 108 VIRGINIA CREEPER 109 THE DEADLY MUSHROOMS 110 POKE BERRIES 111 THE CONY, OR PIKA 116 INTRODUCTION In this fourth and last volume of these outdoor books I have taken you into the summer fields and, shall I hope? left you there. After all, what better thing could I do? And as I leave you there, let me say one last serious word concerning the purpose of such books as these and the large subject of nature-study in general.