SOMETHING ABOUT THE BIRDS.
If birds could talk what stories we might hear. We might learn of a time, ever so long ago, when their grandfathers were not birds at all. Then they could not fly, for they had neither wings nor feathers. These grandfathers of our birds had four legs, a long tail and jaws with teeth. After a time feathers grew upon their bodies and their front legs became changed for flying. These were strange looking creatures. There are none living like them now.
All about us now are the pretty birds. They wake us in the morning with their music. We think sometimes that they eat too much of our fruit, but then, if there were no birds to kill the worms upon the trees we might have lesS fruit still.
Each kind of bird is fitted for the place in which we find it. Some birds are fitted for life upon the water. Others do not fly much, but spend their time upon the ground, while still others are on the wing much of the time and have their nests in tall trees.
The duck lives upon the water. It has strong legs and feet with webs between the toes for paddling.
The stork is a wading bird, hunting for its food in shallow ponds. It has long legs which fit it for wading. In the water it finds insects and little fish, the kinds of food which it loves best.
The hawk has very sharp eyes. As it sails through the sky it is on the watch for a mouse or perhaps a tender chicken. It has sharp talons for catching and holding its food.
How delicate are the feet and legs of the robin. They are so small that it seems as if they could hardly hold up the body of the bird. The robin does but little walking. That is the reason his legs are so small.
The ostrich has such small wings that it cannot fly. This bird has, however, very large legs with which it can run rapidly over the ground.
Each kind of bird builds a different nest, and has a place of its own for its nest. The humming bird builds one of the softest down, upon a swing ing branch. The swallow builds its nest of mud, under some protecting roof or rocky cliff. Some birds take no pains with their nests. They gather a few sticks and leaves for a rude nest, or even lay their eggs in some hollow in the rocks.
We should not wantonly kill the birds and rob their nests. The birds are happy in their lives as you are in yours. They make us happy, too, with their songs, and eat many worms and insects which injure our fruit.