red by Fanny, who
was dreadfully grieved when a neighboring sportsman shot a number of
meadow larks for the sake of their flesh, which is almost equal in
flavor to that of the partridge.

[Illustration: THE MEADOW LARK.]

[Illustration: THE AMERICAN AVOSET.]

In this marsh, too, the children sometimes saw that singular bird, the
Avoset, with its curious curved bill, its noisy clamor, and its long
legs, bending and tottering under him, as he ran about the marsh or
waded into its pools. He was a great curiosity in his way.

Thus the cranberry marsh had its pleasures for Frank and Fanny.

But this was not their favorite resort. They loved best to cross the
meadows in front of the house, to a forest, where the woods were more
open, and where trees of every variety, cast their shadows upon the
green turf, and wild flowers grew upon every hillock, and peeped out
from every mossy glade. There were little wildernesses of
honey-suckles, too, scattered through the woods, and long, pale green
fern leaves, fit for a fairy to sway to and fro upon; and there were
vines of wild grapes, with branches so strong, that they often made
swings of them.

Sometimes in their rambles in the woods, they started a wild hare,
which they called a rabbit, who fled away from them with long leaps,
and was soon out of sight, so that they could hardly catch a glimpse
of him in his rapid flight. But they were always greatly excited with
a view of him, and lamented that they had no means of catching him.

[Illustration: THE RABBIT.]

Some of Frank's school fellows, however, were more skilled in hunting.
They knew how to set snares for the poor rabbits, and were very often
successful in catching them. By means of an elastic branch, or
sapling, bent over, and furnished with a snare of strong twine, they
contrived to catch the poor rabbit by the neck, and string him up in
the air, like a criminal convicted of murder. It was no misfortune to
Frank to be ignorant of this hunting craft.

[Illustration: BOYS SNARING RABBITS.]

Another curious animal, which the children sometimes saw, and which
may be seen occasionally in the pastures and pine forests, in all
parts of our country, from Maine to Carolina, was the woodchuck, or
ground-hog, as it is sometimes called. It feeds, generally, upon
clover and other succulent vegetables, and hence it is often injurious
to the farmer. It is said to bring forth four or five young at a
litter. Its gait is awkward