GOOD-NIGHT STORIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 195, 19 August 1927, Page 14

GOOD-NIGHT STORIES.

Doris Meet* a Happy Little Family. (Told by BLANCHE SILVER for PETER PAN.)

"Oh! dear!" Doris sighed as she looked out across the garden, still covered with patches of snow and slush, "I do wish summer would hurry and come. I'm so tired of cold weather." "Well, then," chirped a merry bird about the size of Robin Red Breast, hopping upon the bush at the side of the door, and bowing very politely to Doris, "I guess you're not the only one who is wishing for summer, little girl." "I'm Doris, little bird," laughed Doris. "You don't know these spring days. One day it's lovely and warm, then by night it's freezing cold. You came back from the south too soon, I'm afraid. It's warmer to-day, but you never can tell what it will be like to-morrow. What's your nameT I don't believe I've ever seen a bird like you before."

"Maybe not," chuckled the bird merrily. "Well, I'm Mr. Whippoorwill, and folks used to say when they heard my call through the woods in early spring there would be no more frost. Let's hope it holds true this season. You've never seen a Whippoorwill before ? Remember they all look like me, a long-winged bird, all mottled with reddish-brown, grayish-black and duskywhite. We Wliippoorwills all have bristles fringing our large mouths. You'll always find a narrow white band across the upper breast and the tail quills on the end and under side are always white. The ladies in our flock look something like me only their tails are dusky in colour and the band on their breasts is buff instead of white."

"Oh dear, I hope you live somewhere around here!" cried Dorris. "I'd love to see your pretty home and your mate." "Well now," chuckled Mr. Whippoorwill, "I must admit we're not fancy builders. But come along and 111 introduce you to my wife," and he flew over the low bushes chattering all the time to Doris, who followed as closely as she could. They hadn't gone very far into the woods when they came upon Mrs. Whippoorwill sitting on a rude nest made of dry leaves tucked in the hollow of an old stump. "We never were much on nest building," chirped Mr. Whippoorwill, "but it holds a bundle of love all right. Mama Whippoorwill, this is Little Doris, who lives in the white house at the end of the big road. She's going to be a friend of ours, so move off the nest and let's show her our treasures." " Certainly, certainly, my dear," chirped his wife, and she quickly hopped off her nest, and there on the dry leaves Doris saw two lovely, creamy, white eggs, spotted with dark olive spots. I'm really glad you are a friend, for this makes the second nest we've made already this season. The first nest was disturbed and the eggs all broken." "Goodness, how lucky the baby birds weren't hatched yet," cried Doris. "You might have lost your babies." "If we see them in time we just pick the baby birds right up in our bill and fly away with them," said Mama Whippoorwill. "But with our eggs it'* different. Well, come and see us again. If youll excuse me 111 get back on the nest," and she spread her wide wings and once more tucked the precious eggs under her feathers. < Doris promised to see that no harm came to the nest, and away she and Mr. Whippoorwill went down the road.