LESSON PAGE I. Birds in Winter 7 II. Seed-Eaters and Insect-Eaters 12 III. Buds 16 IV. A Baby Plant 25 V. How a Plant Grows 30 VI. More about Seeds 36 VII. The Horse Pond in Spring 44 VIII. Uncle George’s Tank 49 IX. Tadpoles 54 X. Frogs, Toads, and Newts 61 XI. Underground Stems 66 XII. Caterpillars 76 XIII. The White Butterfly 82 XIV. The Toiling Caddis 88 Appendix 95 “LOOK ABOUT YOU.” BOOK III. I.—BIRDS IN WINTER. “When we look out there, it makes us feel thankful that we have a nice cosy room to play in and a warm fire to sit beside.” It was Uncle George who spoke. His two nephews, Frank and Tom, stood at the window watching the birds feeding outside, while Dolly, their little sister, was busy with her picture-blocks on the carpet. “Yes, it is better to be inside in winter,” said Frank, the elder boy. “These poor little birds must have a hard time out in the cold all night.” “I should not mind being a bird during the rest of the year, though,” said little Tom. “It must be so jolly to be able to fly wherever you like.” Uncle George smiled, and said, “Birds are very happy little creatures, Tom, but they have many enemies. Their lives are in constant danger. They must always be on the look-out for cats, hawks, guns, and cruel boys. Those birds that stay with us all the year round have often a hard fight for life in winter-time. In fact, many of them starve to death. “Most of our birds fly to warmer countries in autumn, and come back to us in spring. These miss the frost and snow, but a great number of them get drowned while crossing the sea. I think, as a little boy, you are much better off. “Let me see; have you put out any food for the birds this morning?” “Yes, Uncle George, we have done exactly as you told us,” said Frank. “Mother made a little net, which we filled with suet and scraps of meat for the tomtits. We hung it on the ivy, quite near the window. We also put plenty of crumbs and waste bits from the kitchen on the space you cleared for the birds yesterday.”