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STORIES

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LITTLE FOLKS.

TWENTY-THREE ENGRAVINGS.

NEW YORK: PHILIP J. COZANS, PUBLISHER,

J\~o. 107 A'JffSJU STREET,

CHILDREN'S BOOK J COLLECTION

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LIBRARY OF THE $

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA & LOS ANGELES

THE PARROT is too well known to require much description. Who has not seen and heard a " Polly." He is a native of the tropical cli- mates, and when taken young can be taught how to speak. They are pretty birds, but are not very cleanly. They do not sing, but whistle and imitate man, bird and beast. Their plumage is beautiful. Singing birds dislike the Parrot.

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MOTHER CAREY'S CHICKENS are a curious specimen of the bird kind. They are the favorites of all sailors, and if you wish the ill will of a sailor, kill one of those birds. The sailor thinks that if you injure one of those birds, some sad disaster will happen the ship. They do not go far out to sea, but some- times they are driven out by con- trary winds. They then fly low, and if fatigued will settle on the masts or other portions of the ship.

THE MOCKING BIED is a funny specimen of the feathered tribe. He like the parrot imitates persons and other birds, and hence his name. He can be found in many parts of America. He can sing and whistle most beautifully. He is very valuable, for he imitates so many birds ; so that when we have one good Mocking Bird — it is the same as having two, three, or four different kinds.

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QUAILS live in the fields; they make their nests among the corn, or in the long grass. In the Au- tumn, men go with guns and dogs to kill them. The dogs find out where the birds are, and make them fly up ; and then the sports- man shoots them — that is if he can, for very often he does not aim straight, and the Quails fly away. They usually fly in coveys of from four to sixteen.

SPARROWS are found in almost every part of Europe, Asia and America. They are the boldest of all little birds, hopping about under our very feet in the streets of cities, and sitting on our window- sills in the country, or eating our fruits in the garden, or our corn in' the fields. They build large loose nests of straw and twigs, often under the eaves of stables and barns, or on high trees.

WHAT graceful bird is this ? It is a SWAN. See, how she bends her long neck and spreads out her great wings to catch the breeze. Swans pass almost all their time swimming in the water. They can- not walk well upon the ground, because their feet are webbed, like a Duck's. A young Swan is call- ed a Cygnet

HERE we have a CROW. We have all seen the Crow, and know that he is a large black bird, and is much dreaded by the farmer. That is not a man you see standing in the field. It is a scare-crow — or a pole dressed up in the farmer's old clothes, and is placed there to frighten the Crows from the corn- fields. The Crow does not sing, but makes a hideous noise called cawing." He lives a long ti:

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THE OSTKICH is found on the sandy plains of Arabia and Africa, over which it can run faster than the fastest horse. The female lays her eggs in the sand, and it is said leaves them there for the sun to

VULTURES of different kinds are found in many parts of the world. They are large birds, nearly as strong as Eagles : they chiefly feed on the dead bodies of animals. They can see to an immense dis- tance, and it is said that their sense of smell is very acute.

THE CRANE is not a pretty bird, but is a very shrewd one. They love to settle in a field just ready for harvesting. What they do not eat, they trample all down. When they cannot get grain, they select some extensive solitary marshes, and there wade for insects, and other food.

HEKE is the beautiful little bird called the ROBIN REDBREAST. He sings all the year — but his song is most brilliant in the spring. He is easily tamed, and is very useful about the country houses — eating all the bugs, and even flies. He is very bold, and will often come into your room, or sit on the win- dow and sing a pretty little song.

THE EAGLE is the king of birds. He is a native of many countries, but is most numerous in North America. He is from two to four feet in length. There are various kinds, as the black Eagle, the sea Eagle, and the Bird of Washing- ton, so called from his being the adopted bird of America.

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THE PEACOCK is among tne most beautifully dressed birds in the world, and I am sorry to say that he seems to be too well aware of his beauty himself.

The Peacock is not the only creature that is vain of his beauty and his accomplishments. True merit is not often found in compa- with pride and vanity.

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COCKATOOS are large white Parrots. In Australia they fly in flocks, and utter such screams that they may be heard a mile off. Sometimes they cover many acres of ground

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THE KINGFISHER is a little bird of very beautiful plumage, which is often seen flying near the banks of streams ; for it delights to feed on fish which it seizes as they swim near the top of the water. In olden times, the Kingfisher was called the Halcyon.

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THE THRUSH is another famous songster. His note is not so loud as the Blackbird's, but perhaps it is more sweet and varied. He is very fond of fruit, and you may constantly see him hopping about the flower borders in search of insects. In many parts of Europe, the Thrush is called the JUavis.

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THE GOLDFINCH is a most beautiful little bird, and though his coat is so smart, he can boast of mofe than the Peacock or the Pheasant — he can sing a good song. He is a vain little fellow, fond of look- ing at himself in the glass — he is easily tamed, and may be taught many little tricks. Goldfinches build a very neat little nest, which they line with soft moss. The eggs are very pretty; they are of a whitish color, marked with pur- ple spots.

AH ! here is the pretty BLUE BIRD. How I love the Blue bird — I can- not harm him. It flies about our houses and barns, sings us a sweet song, and builds its nest in old apple trees. It is a very tame bird, and often comes into the windows, or hops through the open doors of cottages in search of food.

WHAT bird is that which has just flew so swiftly past us ? Do you not know that " twit — twit." It is the SWALLOW, his plumage is beau- tiful. There are various kinds. These we usually see are the barn, or the chimney swallow. How rapidly they fly! Sometimes we think we could almost touch them. Ah how they dodge. — They fly so fast and unsteady.

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Ifeis fine bird is a native of Amer- ica, and can be found in all the States. In different sections of the country it has different names, but BOBHINK is the best. His sweetest song greets our ears in June, as we ramble in the mead- ows among the wild flowers. We look for him and cannot find him: e likes to make us chase him.

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AND here is our dear little Robin I Who does not know him, and love him too ? In the cold winter time, when all other songsters have flown to warmer lands, the Robin stays with us and sings us his charming song. Is he not a brave fellow ?

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THE DOYE is a fine bird. Its gen- eral color is blue, and they have black spots on each side of the neck, striped with three or four crescent shaped lines — they are very pretty. They are found in their wild state in Europe, Asia, and the South Sea Islands and America. They visit our climate in May and return South in Sep- tember, they are good eating.

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TU-WHIT ! tu-whoo ! ! What voice is that ? It is the cry of the OWL sitting in yonder tree. He only comes out at night-time, because his eyes cannot bear the glare of the sun. Owls feed on mice and frogs, and little birds. They build their nests in barns or in the hol- low trunks of old trees.