bald eagle, select a more appropriate place for its nest than at
Washington's home? In a patch of heavy timber at Mt. Vernon, Va., a
pair of eagles have nested for several years.
[Illustration: Photograph by J. Alden Loring.
COTTONTAIL RABBIT TAKING A SUNBATH.]
Notes
December Twenty-fifth
Mistletoe is a parasitic evergreen shrub that is abundant in the South.
It grows in thick clusters on limbs of various species of trees. Its
flowers are whitish, and after the flowering season, clusters of white
berries take the place of the blossoms. As the berries are ready to
fall, they become soft and sticky, and when they drop they adhere to
the bark of any limb they strike, and the seeds take root and are
nourished by the sap of the tree.
December Twenty-sixth
You might take a Christmas walk over the ice and visit a muskrat's
house of sticks and other rubbish. If the occupants are at home, you
will notice a frosty spot on one side of the mound. A muskrat hunter
would thrust his spear through the thin wall and impale one or more of
the rats upon its tines. Many of the clods composing the house bear the
nose-print of the maker.
December Twenty-seventh
While sleigh-riding you are likely to see a flock of trim,
sober-colored birds perched close together, feeding on the berries of
the mountain ash tree or on decayed apples. They have _crests_ and
_wax-like red dots_ on the inner feathers of their wings. These are
cedar-birds, or cedar waxwings. They often remain with us throughout
the year.
Notes
December Twenty-eighth
"The name 'burl' is applied to all excrescent growths on trees, except
true knots. The origin of these wart-like swellings is imperfectly
known, but they can generally be attributed to injuries by woodpeckers,
gall insects, and to the irritating and continued growth of fungi in
the woody tissues at such points." (Adams.)
December Twenty-ninth
A flock of pine grosbeaks feeding on buds in a maple or an apple tree
on a cold winter's day is a pleasing sight for any bird lover. They
are the size of a robin, and the male has a rose-colored head, neck,
breast, and back. They are quiet birds and very tame, even permitting
a person to climb the tree and approach within a few feet, before they
take flight. It is only during the severest weather that they migrate
south into southern New York, Pennsylvania, and New England.
December Thirtieth
North America can boast of the largest deer in the world, the Alaskan
moose; as well as the largest of flesh-eating mammals, the Kodiak bear.
We also have more rodents and cats than any other country.
[Illustration: BONAPARTE GULL.]
Notes
December Thirty-first
Sometimes the lakes freeze over, and the gulls are compelled to seek
the large open rivers, and ask alms from the inhabitants along their
banks. At such times they become very tame, so if you will place food
within their reach, they will soon find it and call upon you from day
to day.
Notes
* * * * *
Transcriber Note
Although the images were inserted before the "Notes" page which follows
each page of dates, the images were not moved due to the List of
Illustrations page numbering. Produced from images generously provided
on The Internet Archive and all resultant materials are placed in the
Public Domain.