beak--I mean your mouth."

Sara stood perfectly still, watching; never had she been so charmed
and astonished.

"Who are they?" she asked, after a moment.

"Well, the tallest one, with the high blue beaver hat, is the Popinjay,"
said Pirlaps. "He's just about the cock of the walk, and he's quite
self-important and touchy. The one with the very long bill, and the
stiff, stumpy tail that he uses for a cane, is the Redpecker. The one
in the checked suit, with the black necktie, yellow satin
sleeve-linings, and white patch on his coat-tail, is the Snicker. He's
full of fun and a good fellow, but rather crude--for he'll sometimes
talk to you a little if he's sure the others aren't looking. Ants are
his favorite food, but Avrillia didn't put up any this summer, so I
had to send Yassuh down to the colony to get one of my uncles for him.
Poor Uncle," said Pirlaps, looking very sad for a moment, "I hated to
do it; but he was only a half-uncle and quite old, and lately he had
grown so thin that he was hardly more than a three-eighths one.
However, he was plenty for the Snicker," he added more cheerfully,
"he's not as exacting as most of them. The little lady in brown, with
the bustle, is a When; like the Snicker, she's really quite a charming
little person, though of an interrogative turn of mind; and they all
frown on her sociable ways. The fierce-looking old gentleman with the
Roman nose is the Squawk; he has a worse disposition, even, than the
Popinjay. That beautiful little lady with the deep blue velvet cloak
and the vest that looks like ploughed fields in March, is the Skybird;
she is lovely and gentle, and reminds me of Avrillia. But she's quite
absent-minded. Besides, she's very careful of her manners; so don't