Page:Bird-lore Vol 03.djvu/104

Bird -Nesting with Burroughs 89 the presiding genius of ' Slab- sides' ; one could not imag- ine fitter companion with whom to go a-nesting; for be the paradox especially' noted that the enjoyments g^v ^^'Pi**'.^^MK .^^^ ^^ nest -hunting are doubled m- J'^^r ^^^^^ when you halve them. Then there was ' Slab- sides ' itself, ideal haunt for /— ^ ^_ _ ^^^^_ man and bird, and round ^^^7- 'u^^^^ % ^^^ about were inviting wooded _ ,, TrL-'-auJ^^H^ ^ hills, with here and there " ^ ~ ^ ^^"^ -ih^^^i^mmi^^tt^^^^ cultivated valleys between them, and, not far away, fields and orchards. Through these pleasantly ^ "^ ' J^^^ ^S^ ^^^HM varied surroundings, on the r ' ^^ij^^H^^^^ni^^^U^^BiM morning of June 16, 1900, we wandered, visiting old acquaintances as well as searching for new ones. It was not to be expected that a passing tour of observation and investigation should yield results of unusual interest or scientific value, and 1 have nothing more important to record than the mere joy of seeing and discovering objects which never fail to excite a bird-lover's enthusiasm; with the added satisfaction of being able, in some instances, to picture far more graphicall than could be done with pen alone, the scenes from bird- life which are here presented. The difference between casual and continuous obser- vation is elocjuently illustrated by our comparative knowledge of the first bird we visited — the Ph(fbe of whom Mr. Burroughs writes in the pre- ceding pages. To me she was interesting simply as a Phci-be ir.mmkr tKhniNc vounc HUMMER .XBOL'T TO FEED VOLNG