"There's plenty of paper here, and of course the know-how is all in your head; because Olive says you know about every bird that lives in our America--and then you need not put them quite all in our book." "Bless your innocent heart! How many different kinds of birds do you think there are in 'our America,' my little Yankee ?" "More than a hundred, I guess," said Dodo after a long pause.
"Nearly a thousand, my lady!" "A thousand! I think we couldn't remember so many.

Does Olive know about 'nearly a thousand' ?" "No, nor about a quarter of them, Dodo.

There are a great many birds that are rare or curious, but are not very interesting to people like you and me," said Olive.
"Suppose you make us a little book about some of the very nicest American birds," put in Nat, who had been looking at the row of stuffed birds in one of the cases, and began to feel a real interest in knowing their names and something about them.

"Oh, Uncle Roy! Here's a Robin.
See! Dodo, see! I knew it in a minute; it's like meeting a fellow you know;" and Nat pranced about while the Doctor laughed as if he was well pleased.
"Now, children," said he, "I have an hour's more work this morning, and then we will talk over this bird matter.

Here is a little blank book, and a pencil for each of you.