These lists sometimes begin with the lowest order, nearest to the crawling, reptile brethren,--the least interesting, far-away birds that have no song and cannot fly well, but swim and dive in the water,--and end with the beautiful singing birds that live in our gardens." "Couldn't you begin with the dear singing birds and end with the far-away clumsy diving ones ?" asked Rap earnestly; "it's so much easier learning about things near home." "You are right, my boy.

In learning anything, whether of bird, insect, or flower, begin at home, and let this be the centre from which you work your way onward and outward.

Then you will be sure of what you learn; and ever afterward, though you may follow strange birds all over the known world, you will come home again, to find that there are none more charming and lovable than those few whose acquaintance you will make this summer.
"I do not wish you to be confused by long words, so I shall give you their plain English names and divide these birds of our stories into six classes.

By and by, when you have heard a few facts about them, we will group them into families; and I will tell you so much that, if you use your eyes well, you will be able to name any one of these birds when you see it out in the open air.

You must always remember, children, when you see birds flying about, that you will not notice many little markings and bits of color that would be quite plain to you if you held the bird in your hand, or looked at it in a case, as you look at these stuffed ones now.