“Zeay! zeay!” screamed the Catbird, flying up.  “N-e-w-s!  N-e-w-s!  The House People are to stay at our farm all winter!  The man who owns this farm, the big girl, and the little girl and boy—­and the mother and father bird they belong to—­they are all down in the orchard, talking about it now—­how they are going to something they call ‘school,’ over in the village, and how that boy who hops along on one leg with a stick under his wing is going with them.”

“Did they say anything about the Bird Brotherhood?”

“No, but I heard them say that when the snow falls they are going up to those horrid dark Owl woods to see the foxes and little fur beasts—­’Four-footed Americans’ our House Man calls them.”

“He gave me a better name than that,” said the Barn Swallow, “one day when he was telling the children about the Brotherhood, over in the old barn.  He looked straight at me and said a whole tree full of nice things.”

“What did he call you?  What did he say about the Brotherhood?” asked all the others, crowding around Barney.

“He said that I swept the sky free of evil insects, that I was patriotic in coming back to my birthplace to nest, and that I worked to pay my rent and taxes, and—­”

“And what?” cried the others in excitement.

“He called me ‘Citizen Bird’!  He said all well-behaved birds, who have their own nests, and belong to the guilds of the Brotherhood, are American Citizens and should be protected!”

“How badly the Cowbirds must feel!” said the chorus.

“Hip, hip, hurrah! for Citizen Bird and friendly House People!” drummed the Downy Woodpecker, beating away for dear life on a telegraph pole.

Then all the Swallows and Flycatchers began to dash about the air, whispering “Citizen Bird!  Citizen Bird!” And the Bluebird flew down to the garden bushes to tell his winter companion, the Song Sparrow, all about it.

CHAPTER XXXIII

THE PROCESSION OF BIRD FAMILIES

In which all the birds the children have learned in this little book are made to pass in orderly review, each bearing its scientific name, which the Wise Men write in Latin.

    1.  ORDER OF PERCHING BIRDS ORDER PAS’SERES

  Which have their feet best fitted for perching, with three toes in front
  and one behind, all on the same level.

    SUBORDER OF SINGING PERCHING BIRDS SUBORDER OS’CINES

Which have music-boxes in their throats, though not all of them can
sing.

1.  FAMILY OF THRUSHES FAMILY TUR’DIDAE

1.  Bluebird Sia’lia sia’lis.
2.  American Robin Mer’ula migrato’ria.
3.  Wood Thrush Tur’dus musteli’nus.
4.  Wilson’s Thrush Tur’dus fusces’cens.
5.  Hermit Thrush Tur’dus aonalasch’kae
pal’lasi.
6.  Olive-backed Thrush Tur’dus ustula’tus
swain’soni.