able thoughtlessness on the part of young and old
of both sexes. Johnny teases for a gun. His fond parents get it for him.
Result--Johnny shows his marksmanship by shooting several birds in his
vicinity. Or, perhaps, the ladies need new hats. Nothing except birds
for trimming will do, though ten thousand sweet songs be hushed forever.

The study of bird life is one of especial interest to children and if
properly pursued will develop in them sympathetic characters that should
make them kinder towards their playmates now and towards their
fellow-men in the coming years.

Impress upon a child that

"He liveth best who loveth best
All things, both great and small,"

and you have built into his life something that shall shine forth in
good deeds through countless ages.

And how go about this work? The limit of space allotted this article
forbids a full answer. Briefly,--study the birds themselves. Get a boy
aroused to a friendly, protective interest in one bird and you have
probably made that boy a friend of all birds. If you are a teacher, take
your little flock out early some bright, Spring morning and let them
listen to

[Continued on page 138.]

THE CALIFORNIA WOODPECKER.

I may not be as pretty a bird as my red-headed cousin but I'm just as
busy. My home is in the west among the pines on the mountains. I do not
visit the east at all.

Of course I like insects and fruits just as my relations do, but I like
best to eat acorns. You know, if I left the acorns on the trees and just
got enough to eat at one time, after a while I would have a hard time
finding any. They would drop off and roll away and get lost among the
leaves and grasses. What would you do if you were I?

I have a very sharp bill, you see. So I can peck and peck at the tree
until I have made a hole which will hold an acorn. Sometimes I fill my
store house quite full in this way. You can see how they look in the
picture. When I want to get at the meat in the acorn I drive the nut
into a crack and split the shell. Then I have my breakfast easily
enough.

Some of the other birds like acorns too--but I think they should find
and store away their own and not try to take mine. I do not like to
quarrel and so have many friends.

Then I have my nest to look after. I make it as my cousin does, by
digging into a tree, first a passage way or hall--then a living-room.
There are the four or five white eggs and there too soon are the litt