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been his nursery for two years. But he never wanted to live there again.

His joy knew no bounds until he became hungry. Then he made a strange discovery. Gray Drakes do not eat at all. Their mouths are too soft and tiny for any kind of food. But as they live only a few hours or for a day after their wings grow, they really do not need anything to eat.

The family name of the May flies is Ephemera, which means "short-lived." This is why you sometimes hear them called "dayflies." Benjamin Franklin once wrote a story about "An Ancient Ephemera" that had lived to the extreme old age of four hundred twenty minutes.

In the cities near the Great Lakes these insects are attracted to the bright lights of the gas lamps and electric light globes, when they rise from the water. On some summer evenings they settle on people's hats and clothing in such numbers that the shape and color of the garments are almost hidden. They

fly into the electric cars, too, and ride for long distances without paying a cent of fare.

THE SONG SPARROW

SPARROWS are the evergreens among birds. When the leaves have fallen from the chestnut, oak and maple- the hemlock, pine and cedar are doubly dear. So, when the flycatchers, warblers and thrushes have left us, the hardy sparrows are more than usually welcome.

It is the song sparrow who in February opens the season of song, and it is the song sparrow who in November sings the closing notes; nor, except during a part of August, has his voice been once missing from the choir.

His modest chant always suggests good cheer and contentment, but heard in silent February, it seems the divinest bird lay to which mortal ever listened. The magic of his voice bridges the cold months of early spring; as we listen to him the brown fields seem green, flowers bloom, and the

bare branches become clad with softly rustling leaves.

You cannot go far afield without meeting this singer. He is not only our commonest sparrow, but one of our commonest birds.

Generally you will find him on or near the ground at the border of some undergrowth, and if there be water near by, preferably a meadow brook, his presence is assured. When flushed,

he will doubtless make for the nearest thicket, "pumping" his tail, as Thompson expressively says, in describing his somewhat jerky flight. Now he questions you with a mildly impatient chirp or trink, a call note not to be mistaken for that of any other species, when once you have learned it.

The song sparrow's nest is usually placed on the ground, but sometimes a bush may be chosen for a nesting site. The eggs, four or five in number, are bluish white, thickly marked with reddish brown. The song sparrow rears three broods each year, the nesting season lasting from May to August.

The sparrow family is the largest family of birds, and is represented in all parts of the world except Australia.

TWO NOBLE PALMS

THE Arab under his date palm, the Pacific Islander under his cocoanut tree and the Brazilian under the sheltering leaves of his banana, are three fortunate men; for as long as these trees endure, they will supply their owners with all the necessaries of life.

Unfortunately, the century plant is too small and uncomfortable to give the Mexican a seat beneath its spiny leaves, but it is as true a friend to him otherwise. And as for the bamboo well, if you want to know what it means to John Chinaman you must read the story of My Grandfather's Bamboo Cane."

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The bamboo, date and cocoanut all belong to the same family, the Palms; but the century plant and the banana are just as useful, though

they cannot claim relationship with the lofty palms.

The date palm is the "staff of life" in southwestern Asia and northern Africa. Wealth in those countries is

measured by the number of palm trees a

man owns.

It sends its roots down in a sandy soil where the sun's hot rays would wither all other vegetation, and thrives upon water so brackish that it is use

less to other plants or animals. But it sends up a stalk six times

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taller than a man, with a crown of feathery leaves and clusters of dates; each cluster weighs from twenty to twenty-five pounds, and contains about two hundred dates. The fruit is eaten either fresh or dried, and is pounded and kneaded

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