4

they half emerged, but would come no farther. I remained perfectly quiet, but they
were very suspicious, and without any movement on my part they would back away from
the entrances and disappear. A minutes later I could see their white mandibles in
the recess, and the antennae feeling cautiously of the side of the tunnel, but after
reaching the entrance they invariably stopped. I removed to a distance of six feet,
but they would not come out. The breeze occasionally loosed particles of black earth
which overlies the loess, and when these passed their front doors they retreated precipitately,
only to come again to the entrances in a moment. A black and white wasp, a honey bee, box-elder bugs, and various flies were active. I also saw or heard robins, bluejays, chickadees, crows, and a downy woodpecker. The robins have been about for some time, the first record for this year, so far
as I know, having been on February 26th, when Alice Burnett saw one.

Bluebirds and robins plentiful. The weather has been in the main quite mild, but a snow-storm or two,
which melted rapidly, made things interesting for the earliest arrivals.

Mr. Van Sant has been getting acquainted with Linus, of late, and the little fellow shows a confidence
in him which is lacking toward Elizabeth and myself. Almost every day Linus has been
given the run of the dining room and the front room, an privilege which he has grown
to enjoy and to expect, and now it is not uncommon for him to sneak out of the room
when the screen door is opened by some one entering with food for the birds. He has
adopted a particular nook in the typewriter desk as his own, and when our attentions
become objectionable he retires to this haven. It is accessible by removing the bottom
drawer, and he will allow Mr. Van Sant to reach in and rub the sides of his jaws, an atten—