really
belong here. If his family increases at the rate Bully's family does,
I'm afraid some of us will soon be crowded out of the Old Orchard. Did
you notice that yellow bill of his?"

Peter nodded. "I certainly did," said he. "I couldn't very well help
noticing it."

"Well, there's a funny thing about that bill," replied Jenny. "In winter
it turns almost black. Most of us wear a different colored suit in
winter, but our bills remain the same."

"Well, he seems to be pretty well fixed here, and I don't see but what
the thing for the rest of you birds to do is to make the best of the
matter," said Peter. "What I want to know is whether or not he is of any
use."

"I guess he must do some good," admitted Jenny Wren rather grudgingly.
"I've seen him picking up worms and grubs, but he likes grain, and I
have a suspicion that if his family becomes very numerous, and I suspect
it will, they will eat more of Farmer Brown's grain than they will pay
for by the worms and bugs they destroy. Hello! There's Dandy the Waxwing
and his friends."

A flock of modestly dressed yet rather distinguished looking feathered
folks had alighted in a cherry-tree and promptly began to help
themselves to Farmer Brown's cherries. They were about the size of
Winsome Bluebird, but did not look in the least like him, for they were
dressed almost wholly in beautiful, rich, soft grayish-brown. Across the
end of each tail was a yellow band. On each, the forehead, chin and
a line through each eye was velvety-black. Each wore a very stylish
pointed cap, and on the wings of most of them were little spots of
red which looked like sealing-wax, and from which they get the name of
Waxwings. They were slim and trim and quite dandified, and in a quiet
way were really beautiful.

As Peter watched them he began to wonder if Farmer Brown would have
any cherries left. Peter himself can do pretty well in the matter of
stuffing his stomach, but even he marvelled at the way those birds put
the cherries out of sight. It was quite clear to him why they are often
called Cherrybirds.

"If they stay long, Farmer Brown won't have any cherries left," remarked
Peter.

"Don't worry," replied Jenny Wren. "They won't stay long. I don't
know anybody equal to them for roaming about. Here are most of us with
families on our hands and Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird with a second family and
Mr. and Mrs. Robin with a second set of eggs, while those gadabouts up
there haven't even begu