work at all. They just fly around and have a good time."

"The crows don't work for the farmer when they pull up his corn," said
Frank.

"Nor the hawks when they steal his chickens," added Mr. Leonard.

"The cherry birds steal the cherries, and the sparrows eat the
strawberries," said Susie.

"You would soon find out how much the birds do if they should all fly
away," said Uncle Robert.

[Illustration: Crow. ]

"The cankerworms would eat the leaves of the
apple and other trees, and insects of all kinds would destroy the crops.
The crow taxes the corn in payment for all the good he does. The hawks
eat a thousand mice to one chicken--in fact, very few hawks eat
chickens, anyway. The cherry birds and sparrows should be allowed a
little toll for all the fruit they save. I want you to read a charming
book called The Great World's Farm. The author calls birds 'Nature's
militia.' The morning song of the birds means 'We are going to help the
farmer to-day.'"

"That's true," said Mr. Leonard. "The farmers are just learning what a
help the birds are to them. We have found that they eat the grubs, the
worms, and the bugs before they eat everything else."

"Would there be very many more worms than there are now," asked Susie,