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  Bird Children

  The Little Playmates
  of the Flower Children

[Illustration: Children playing]

  By

  Elizabeth Gordon

  Drawings by

  M.T.Ross

[Illustration: Printer’s Mark]

  Published by
  P.F.Volland & Company
  Chicago

  Copyright 1912
  P. F. Volland & Company
  All Rights Reserved

  Sixth Edition

  _To all children who love
  Birds and Flowers, and
  especially to my little friend
  Dorothy Virginia,
  this book is lovingly dedicated._

FOREWORD

Birds are only another expression of God’s love, and we are told that
not even a sparrow shall fall to the ground without the notice of the
Father.

Birds are poetry come to life and set to music. If you should stand
at the edge of a forest at sundown and hear the birds singing their
good-night songs, hear the sleepy little notes grow fainter and fainter
until the silence came,—then when the dusk had deepened, you should
hear the night birds begin their plaintive songs, you would realize
what a different place our beautiful world would be without birds.

Even in great cities we have always some birds. The saucy little
sparrow, who comes so boldly begging crumbs at your window, likes the
cities best.

Only very thoughtless people, or those who do not understand, would
harm or frighten a bird.

They are real little people, and I am sure that when you have come to
know them you will love them as much as you have learned to love the
Flower Children.

The publishers and the author have received so many letters from
parents commending Flower Children for its instructive features, and
from children, demanding “more” delightful play-mates, that they offer
“Bird Brothers and Sisters,” believing that “The little playmates of
the Flower Children” will prove as welcome visitors as “The Little
Cousins of the Fields and Garden.”

The author and the artist wish to thank the children for their many
expressions of interest and for their loyal support.

  ELIZABETH GORDON
  M. T. ROSS

[Illustration: Rooster]

  Sir Rooster is a noisy chap,
  He wakes you from your morning nap;
  He sleeps but little all night through,
  Crows at eleven, one and two.

[Illustration: Hen]

  Mrs. Hen, the kind old dame,
  Always dresses just the same;
  She talks all day about her joys
  And lays nice eggs for girls and boys.

[Illustration: Guinea Hen]

  Said Guinea Hen: “I like to eat
  Three-cornered grains of nice buckwheat;
  I only want good, simple food
  To feed my Huffy little brood.”

[Illustration: Gosling]

  Dear little, downy Gosling said:
  “I can’t get learning through my head;
  I really don’t see what’s the use—
  When I grow up I’ll be a goose.”

[Illustration: Goose]

  Said Father Goose: “I think I ’ll take
  A stroll this morning to the lake.”
  Mother Goose said: "Then I ’ll go, too,
  And maybe take a swim with you.”

[Illustration: Duckling]

  Said Yellow Duckling to his brother:
  “Come on, let’s hide away from mother,”
  But he replied: “Oh, dear me, No!
  We’d better not, she’d worry so.”

[Illustration: Snow Goose]

  “Honk-honk, Honk-honk,” old Snow Goose said,
  “I think tonight we ’ll go to bed
  A hundred miles due south from here,—
  The snow is on the way, I fear.”

[Illustration: Mallard Duck]

  In Shallow water Mallard Duck
  At fishing sometimes tries his luck;
  At other times he thinks it’s nice
  To nibble at the sweet wild rice.

[Illustration: Swan]

  Madam Swan’s a graceful lady,
  Likes to float where banks are shady;
  When Father Swan goes out to swim
  He takes the cygnets out with him.

[Illustration: Golden Pheasant]

  Golden Pheasant took a notion
  To take a trip across the ocean,
  Got a nice room at the zoo
  And said he’d stay a year or two.

[Illustration: Turkey Cock]

  Taking his family for a walk
  We see old Mr. Turkey Cock;
  He dresses up in colors gay,—
  His wife wears quiet tones of gray.

[Illustration: Stork]

  Old Doctor Stork, the kind old bird,
  Brings the new babies, I have heard;
  If you should ask him, he may bring
  You one to keep, beneath his wing.

[Illustration: Rook]

  Sir Rook is English, don’t you know?
  Says: “Do not confound me with the Crow.”
  His family tree is large and old,
  Which makes his manner proud and cold.

[Illustration: Paradise Bird]

  Paradise Bird, in her new clothes,
  Said: “They ’re expensive, goodness knows!
  I ’spose, because they were so dear,
  I ’ll have to wear them all this year.”

  (_Red Paradise Bird_)

[Illustration: Peacock]

  Peacock’s a bird of much renown
  And wears a lovely cap and gown;
  They say he’s very, very vain
  And likes to show his sweeping train.

[Illustration: Nightingale]

  Said Nightingale: “It’s not my way
  To practice singing in the day,
  But wait till all the rest are through
  And I will gladly sing for you.”

[Illustration: Canary]

  Canary-Bird said to his mother:
  “Is that bird in the tree my brother?”
  Mama Canary said: “Oh, no!
  He’s just a cousin—wild, you know.”

[Illustration: Oriole]

  Oriole, flashing wings of flame,
  In the spring like sunshine came,
  Hung his nest away up high
  So his babes could see the sky.

  (_Orchard Oriole_)

[Illustration: Baltimore Oriole]

  Baltimore Oriole, pretty thing,
  Builds his nest of bits of string;
  He’s sociable and likes to stay
  Where people live and children play.

[Illustration: Meadow Lark]

  Meadow Lark has a flute-like voice,
  Sings a song that’s very choice;
  Builds his nest low, near the ground,
  With woven grasses arched around.

[Illustration: Crow]

  Black, solemn-looking Mr. Crow
  Steals the good farmer’s corn, you know;
  If you ask why he breaks the laws,
  He answers, wisely: “Caws, caws, caws.”

[Illustration: Chickadee]

  Friendly little Chickadee
  Is just as cunning as can be;
  Upon your window-sill he ’ll come
  And thank you kindly for a crumb.

[Illustration: Cardinal]

  Cardinal Bird wears vivid red,
  He’s very amiable, ’tis said;
  He likes fresh fruits and seeds to eat
  And has a song that’s very sweet.

[Illustration: Magpie]

  Magpie’s a gossip—that’s the truth—
  A naughty, disobedient youth;
  We must not judge him, but suppose
  He does the very best he knows.

[Illustration: Great Blue Heron]

  Great Blue Heron likes to fly,
  And so he builds his house up high,
  Way in the tops of tallest trees
  Where he lives, happy as you please.

[Illustration: Bob-o-link]

  Bob-o-link, among the clover,
  Tells his name over and over;
  He doesn’t stay North very long
  And when he goes we miss his song.

[Illustration: Indigo Bunting]

  Indigo Bunting comes in May,
  Saying cheerfully: “I’m here to stay.”
  He’s a nice, friendly little thing,
  Willing at any time to sing.

[Illustration: Eagle]

  Eagle has piercing yellow eyes,
  He’s very strong and very wise;
  He’s king and master over all
  The other birds, both great and small.

  (_Golden Eagle_)

[Illustration: Turkey Buzzard]

  Turkey Buzzard, on the wing,
  Is a most graceful-looking thing;
  Like scavengers, who come each day,
  He does much good in his own way.

[Illustration: Vermilion Flycatcher]

  Vermilion Flycatcher’s a beauty,
  You’ll always find him right on duty;
  Searches for food early and late,
  Bringing it to his pink-clothed mate.

[Illustration: Yellow Warbler]

  Yellow Warbler comes to stay
  Along about the first of May;
  He likes to live by pond or rill
  And builds his nest with care and skill.

[Illustration: Curlew]

  Curlew runs along the shore,
  To him, perhaps, it’s like a floor;
  Whistle, and he will answer you
  Something like this: “Kerloo, Kerloo.”

  (_Long-Billed Curlew_)

[Illustration: Partridge]

  Sir Partridge is a drummer bold,
  You’ll hear him drum when days are cold.
  He says the nicest things to eat
  Are red thorn apples, ripe and sweet.

  (_Ruffed Grouse_)

[Illustration: Snowy Heron]

  The Snowy Heron’s used to be
  A very fine, large family;
  I tell you this with great regret:
  Men hunt the birds their plumes to get.

[Illustration: King-Fisher]

  Said King-Fisher: "The choicest dish
  I know of is a fresh caught fish;
  I love to fish, and, if you’ll wait,
  I’ll get you some—I need no bait.”

[Illustration: Brown Thrasher]

  Brown Thrasher is a cheerful bird,
  His sweet, clear carol may be heard
  All through the pleasant summer day;
  We’re sorry when he goes away.

[Illustration: Goldfinch]

  Said Goldfinch: “I believe in weeds;
  I live all winter on the seeds;
  In my snug coat of black and gold
  I really do not feel the cold.”

[Illustration: Robin]

  “Cheer up, cheer up, it’s going to rain,”
  Sang plump Sir Robin, “but ’tis plain
  We need some moisture for the ground,
  So dinners may be better found.”

[Illustration: Red-winged Black-Bird]

  Flitting ’round the swimming pool,
  Where the air is nice and cool,
  Red-winged Black-Bird sings in glee:
  “Gloogle-ee, Gloogle-ee-e.”

[Illustration: Quail]

  Quail sings a song of sheer delight:
  “Bob White, Bob White, Bob-Bob-Bob White.”
  I wonder who Bob White may be
  To whom he calls so merrily.

[Illustration: King-Bird]

  King-Bird, like some other boys,
  Likes to make a lot of noise;
  He’s a bit boisterous in play
  And sometimes quarrelsome, they say.

[Illustration: Catbird]

  Catbird is good at imitations,
  He mimics all his small relations;
  And, safely perched upon a bough,
  He imitates the cat’s “Me-ow.”

[Illustration: Purple Martin]

  Said Purple Martin to his lady:
  “Here’s a house all cool and shady;
  I surely am a lucky swallow—
  This beats my building plans all hollow.”

[Illustration: Redstart]

  “Che-Wee, che-wee, che-wee-che-wee,”
  Said Redstart, “Will you look at me?
  I do not sing so well by note
  But see my black and orange coat!”

  (_American Redstart_)

[Illustration: Bluebird]

  With a flash of bright-hued wing,
  Bluebird comes to say it’s spring;
  Sets about to build his nest
  Upon the tree which suits him best.

[Illustration: Screech Owl]

  Little Sir Screech Owl and his wife
  Live such a cheerful, useful life;
  They nest among the apple trees,
  Saying: “May we eat the bugs here, please?”

[Illustration: Barn Owl]

  “Who, Who, who, who?” asks Sir Barn Owl,
  When he comes out at dusk to prowl;
  He has great shiny yellow eyes,
  And looks so very, very wise.

[Illustration: Cassowary]

  Ostrich’s cousin, Cassowary,
  Wears a coat peculiar, very;
  It’s half like feathers, half like hair,—
  There’s not one like it anywhere.

[Illustration: Ostrich]

  Ostrich grows to be immense
  But has so very little sense,
  For when an enemy’s at hand
  He covers up his head with sand.

[Illustration: Penguin]

  Said Penguin, pensively, one day:
  “Come, fishie dear, come out and play,”
  But fishie answered, in a fright:
  “I ’ve heard about your appetite.”

[Illustration: Albatross]

  Albatross has wings so strong
  That he could fly the whole day long;
  But if he’s tired, he can float
  Upon the waves, just like a boat.

[Illustration: Parrakeet]

  The dainty Misses Parrakeet
  A Dress all in green and look so sweet;
  From South America they came
  And “Love Bird” is their other name.

  (_Red-Faced Lovebirds_)

[Illustration: Humming Bird]

  Humming Bird, the dainty thing,
  Has no voice and cannot sing,
  He lives daintily, and sips
  Honey from the flowers’ lips.

  (_Ruby Throated Humming Bird_)

[Illustration: Spoonbill]

  Here’s a good joke about Spoonbill:
  Never had hair and never will;
  His head is absolutely bare,—
  He’s happy though—he doesn’t care.

  (_Roseate Spoonbill_)

[Illustration: Ibis]

  Madame Ibis, stately bird,
  Stands and thinks without a word;
  She can’t forget that long ago
  She was a sort of queen, you know.

  (_Scarlet Ibis_)

[Illustration: Sandpiper]

  Sandpiper lives beside the water
  With her little son and daughter;
  Shows the cunning little brood
  Exactly where to look for food.

  (_Least Sandpiper_)

[Illustration: Stormy Petrel]

  Said Stormy Petrel: “This is fine!
  I do enjoy the gale called ‘line’;
  No matter how the storm may thicken
  It just suits ‘Mother Carey’s Chicken.’”

[Illustration: Cockatoo]

  Said fussy Madam Cockatoo:
  “I always find enough to do;
  I’m such a busy, useful dame,
  I know these folks are glad I came.”

[Illustration: Parrot]

  Parrot’s a very wise old bird,
  She can speak English well, I’ve heard;
  Laughs and says in manner jolly:
  “Have you a cracker for Miss Polly?”

  (_Gray Parrot_)

[Illustration: Blue Jay]

  A Dreadful thief is old Blue Jay,
  He robs the other birds, they say;
  He wears a handsome suit of blue,
  And calls a gay “Good-day” to you.

[Illustration: Sparrow]

  Sparrow’s an Englishman, I’m told,
  His manners are both rude and bold;
  Other birds wish he’d go away,
  But he says: “No, I’ve come to stay.”

[Illustration: Whip-Poor-Will]

  At evening, when the world is still,
  Mournfully sings the Whip-Poor-Will
  In his brown suit, all trimmed with white,
  He slips so softly through the night.

[Illustration: Eave Swallow]

  Eave Swallow, in his nest of clay,
  Always has lots of things to say;
  He and his brothers often race,
  Catching the insects ’round the place.

[Illustration: Sea Dove]

  Sea Dove, sometimes called “Little Auk,”
  Flies very little, likes to walk;
  He wears a coat of feathers warm
  And doesn’t seem to mind the storm.

[Illustration: Loon]

  Loon is a fearless diver bold,
  He does n’t mind the heat or cold;
  He dives and swims—oh, very far,
  And then bobs up and laughs “Ha-Ha!”

[Illustration: Mocking bird]

  Mocking bird is very clever,
  Uses her own notes hardly ever,
  But saucily sings bits of song
  Which to the other birds belong.

[Illustration: Wood-Pecker]

  “O dear, dear me!” Wood-Pecker said,
  “The birds all shout at me, ‘Redhead’;
  It makes me feel so very sad,
  No wonder that my temper’s bad!”

[Illustration: Crested Flycatcher]

  To save his little home from harm,
  Crested Flycatcher has a charm:
  He finds and places in his nest
  A piece of Mr. Snake’s old vest.

[Illustration: Ivory-billed Woodpecker]

  Ivory-billed Woodpecker said: “Dear me!
  They’re cutting down my family tree;
  Where can I live, I’d like to know,
  If men will spoil the forest so?”

[Illustration: Night Hawk]

  Night Hawk is lazy, sleeps all day,
  And then comes out at night to play;
  He always wears his evening clothes
  And when it’s daylight, home he goes.

[Illustration: Barn Swallow]

  Barn Swallow is a graceful thing,
  Catches his food upon the wing;
  Perhaps that’s why he is so fond
  Of skimming lightly o ’er the pond.

[Illustration: Laughing Gull]

  Laughing Gull seems free from care,
  He’s always laughing everywhere;
  He never tells what it’s about
  And no one yet has found it out.

[Illustration: Starling]

  Starling’s a pretty little dear,
  He lives in Europe, too, we hear;
  The folks in Ireland, so we’re told,
  Think that he’s worth his weight in gold.

[Illustration: Jenny Wren]

  Said busy little Jenny Wren:
  “I like to live where there are men;
  I come each year to the same place
  So I can see some friendly face.”

[Illustration: Mourning Dove]

  Mourning Dove is very sweet,
  She likes nice grains and seeds to eat;
  In her soft voice she calls: “Coo, coo,”
  Which means in Dove talk, “I love you.”

[Illustration: Red-Shafted Flicker]

  Red-Shafted Flicker hops around,
  Eating the ants upon the ground;
  He builds in any hollow tree
  Where he’s as snug as snug can be.

[Illustration: Green Jay]

  Green Jay lives in Rio Grande,
  A member of a robber band;
  He’s very beautiful, but oh!
  We wish he would n’t plunder so!

[Illustration: Cow-Bird]

  Cow-Bird is lazy, sad to say,
  She lives in quite a selfish way;
  She’s neither pretty nor polite
  And never tries to do what’s right.

[Illustration: Cuckoo]

  Cuckoo’s a quiet, useful bird,
  He eats the naughty worms, I’ve heard,
  And from the woods he calls to you
  His simple song:—“Cuckoo, cuckoo.”

[Illustration: Snow Bird]

  The Snow Bird said: “Let’s have some fun,
  The storm is over—there’s the sun.”
  He rolled and tumbled in the snow,
  Like other little ones you know.

  (_Snow-Flake_)

[Illustration: Phoebe Bird]

  Under a bridge, where all day long
  The brooklet sings its happy song,
  Phoebe Bird builds her nest of clay
  To which she comes each year to stay.

[Illustration: Scarlet Flamingo]

  Scarlet Flamingo said: “Just think!
  I really thought this gown was pink,
  But when you see it in this light,
  It’s red—I fear it’s rather bright.”

[Illustration: Pelican]

  Here is old Mr. Pelican,
  He is a famous fisherman;
  Said he: “I do not mind wet feet
  If I catch fish enough to eat.”

[Illustration: Puffin]

  Puffin walks better than he flies,
  He has red feet and queer white eyes;
  He’s such a funny little fellow
  With his great beak of red and yellow.

  (_Sea Parrot_)

[Illustration: Lyre Bird]

  Lyre Bird’s an Australian child,
  She lives in lonely places wild,
  And builds upon the rocky ground
  The queerest nest which can be found.

  INDEX

  Albatross 61

  American Redstart 54

  Baltimore Oriole 29

  Barn Owl 57

  Barn Swallow 81

  Black-Bird 49

  Blue Heron 35

  Blue Jay 70

  Bluebird 55

  Bob-o-Link 36

  Brown Thrasher 46

  Canary Bird 27

  Cardinal Bird 33

  Cassowary 58

  Catbird 52

  Chickadee 32

  Cockatoo 68

  Cow-Bird 88

  Crested Flycatcher 78

  Crow 31

  Cuckoo 89

  Duckling 16

  Eave Swallow 73

  Golden Eagle 38

  Golden Pheasant 20

  Goldfinch 47

  Goose 15

  Gosling 14

  Gray Parrot 69

  Green Jay 87

  Guinea Hen 13

  Hen 12

  Indigo Bunting 37

  Ivory-Billed Woodpecker 79

  Jenny Wren 84

  King Bird 51

  King Fisher 45

  Laughing Gull 82

  Least Sandpiper 66

  Long-Billed Curlew 42

  Loon 75

  Lyre Bird 95

  Magpie 34

  Mallard Duck 18

  Meadow Lark 30

  Mocking Bird 76

  Mourning Dove 85

  Night Hawk 80

  Nightingale 26

  Orchard Oriole 28

  Ostrich 59

  Parrakeet (_Red Faced Love Bird_) 62

  Partridge (_Ruffed Grouse_) 43

  Peacock 25

  Pelican 93

  Penguin 60

  Phoebe Bird 91

  Puffin 94

  Purple Martin 53

  Quail 50

  Red Paradise Bird 24

  Red-Shafted Flicker 86

  Robin 48

  Rook 23

  Rooster 11

  Roseate Spoonbill 64

  Ruby-Throated Humming Bird 63

  Scarlet Flamingo 92

  Scarlet Ibis 65

  Screech Owl 56

  Sea Dove 74

  Snow Bird (_Snow Flake_) 90

  Snow Goose 17

  Snowy Heron 44

  Sparrow 71

  Starling 83

  Stork 22

  Stormy Petrel 67

  Swan 19

  Turkey 21

  Turkey Buzzard 39

  Vermilion Flycatcher 40

  Whip-Poor-Will 72

  Wood-Pecker 77

  Yellow Warbler 41