f February, in the same hollow, but about an eighth of a mile nearer
the river. A query arises here: Did I see four different winter wrens
during the winter, or only one in four different localities? Who can
tell?

That is not all about the winter wrens. My first winter in Kansas was
the severest I experienced in that state; yet it was the only winter of
the five I spent in Kansas that brought me the winter wren. If it
would do any good, one might ask again the question why. Although the
winter wren is a migrant in Ohio, as he is for the most part in
northeastern Kansas, yet I never heard his song in the former state,
while in the latter I was fortunate enough to listen to his tinkling
melody three times the first spring I spent there. After that I never
heard him, and indeed saw him only a few times. But the sweet, silvery
roulade--could there be anything more charming in the world of outdoor
music?

My winter rambles--and winter is almost as good a time for bird study
as summer--enabled me to note some variety of temperament in the avian
realm. One thing we soon learn in our winter outings: Few birds are
recluses. No, they are sociable creatures, living in what might be
called nomadic communities. In the spring-time, during the mating
season, they pair off and become more or less exclusive and secretive,
keeping close to the precincts they have selected; but in winter they
grow more neighborly, and move about in the woods or over the fields in
flocks of various sizes.

The woodland flocks usually consist of a number of species all of which
seem to be on the most cordial terms, having, no doubt, a community
of interest. As we quietly pursue our way in this wooded vale,
we see no birds for some distance. Presently a fine, protesting
"chick-a-dee-dee! chick-a-dee-dee!" breaks the silence. It is the
warning call of the tomtit or chickadee, which we soon espy tilting
about on his trapeze of twigs in the trees or bushes. But you may
depend upon it he is not alone; he is only a part of the rim of a
feathered colony dwelling near at hand, and consisting, very likely, of
tufted titmice, white-breasted nuthatches, juncos, tree sparrows, blue
jays, one or two downy woodpeckers, a pair of cardinals, a flicker or
two, and a cackling red-breasted woodpecker. There may be even a song
sparrow in the company and a couple of brown creepers, and possibly a
flock of purple finches, chirping cheerily in the tops of the t