rather surprised, on looking into the dictionaries, to discover that
it was not there. I have heard it used from childhood,--applied to
anything tied around the head in kerchief fashion. The word is in
use in old legends, and possibly comes from the French mouchoir,
"handkerchief;" but some better linguist than myself must say
whether this suggestion is correct. To show, how the word is used, I
can refer my questioner to the little story of "Gertrude's Bird," or
the woodpecker, that is said to "fly about with a red mutch on her
head." The legend is in Dasent's "Popular Tales from the Norse."

And I may say here that I am almost glad I made that mistake about
the white-throated sparrow, since receiving a note from a lady who
writes from among the Berkshire hills, where the sweet call of this
bird is constantly repeated. It is very pleasant to know that a
little girl out in that beautiful region honors me so much as to
recite my verse when she hears the fresh note of this charming
songster, as this lady tells me her little daughter does.

Surely the songs of our wild birds are far better than any songs
that can be made about them; but if these serve to remind us how
delightful the winged singers of the deep forests and lonely
mountain-sides are, they are perhaps worth while.--Truly your
friend,

LUCY LARCOM.

* * * * *

Arlington Hotel, Cobourg, Canada, July 10, 1878.

MY DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: Do you remember the little boy who traveled
with you on the train last month from Meadville, Pa., to Jamestown,
N.Y., when you were returning from California, and who promised to
write you all about his visit to Niagara Falls? I have not forgotten
my promise, but we have only just settled down for the rest of the
summer at Cobourg, Canada. Well, we reached Niagara that night and
staid there two or three days, and I enjoyed it so much. The fall on
the American side is much smaller than the Canadian, and I
remembered what you told me about part of the rock having fallen
away, so that now, instead of being shaped like a horseshoe, it is
like a Y. The old table rock has fallen away too. We drove every day
over Goat Island, the new Park, around all the beautiful drives, and
across the bridges. The best view is on the Canadian side, just
after you cross the bri