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THE EFFECTS OF SPRING. 



BY O. a. ROUND, ESQ. 



It is curious to observe what a difference of manner the season of 

 Spring communicates to the feathered tribes; the wildest become in com- 

 parison tame and domestic, the tamest even acquiring a particular softness 

 of behaviour, which is observed in them at no other time. The well-known 

 Sparrow, lean and Watchful as he is in the keen windy winter weather, 

 goes about on the house-tops and gutters with his wings drooping, and his 

 voice, at other times harsh and sharp, becomes full and soft like a nest- 

 ling's. The Missel Thrush even mixes with others of his kind in our 

 shrubberies, and abates something of his shy demeanour. The Wood- 

 Pigeon and Bock-Dove fly more slowly, and rising in an oblique direction 

 shoot upon their wings in a manner quite unusual to them. Greenfinches 

 fly about in the sunbeams, and flutter as if wounded; and so do Titlarks 

 when sitting and put off their nests; but this is for the purpose of decoying 

 away the intruder, and preventing the discovery of their retreat, and will 

 generally effect the object. 



The Redstart, during the nesting season, has so much the note of the 

 Willow Wren, that until seen you would suppose it that bird; but a good 

 naturalist will discover the difference by the greater activity of his motions. 

 All the Titmice have peculiar notes during the early seasons of the year; 

 some twitter almost like a Bank Martin, others with a sound exactly like 

 the whetting of a saw; though in the Great Parus some make a sibilous 

 note like the Golden-crowned Wren, and others chatter like a Blackcap or 

 Whitethroat; our summer birds, of course, keep one note, (that is the old 

 ones) whilst with us, but I cannot doubt that when in winter quarters, or 

 rather out of the nesting-time, they abate much of their song, as our own 

 natives are found to do; for I consider those kept in confinement through 

 our winter, as no rule, and have constantly observed that most music is 

 heard at the commencement of nesting than at a later period; thus, 

 April, if the weather is fine, is the most melodious month with our own 

 birds, and perhaps June the fullest of summer songsters' strains; then as 

 the summer advances, and gets towards harvest, a sort of silence prevails, 

 for so many birds are engaged in sitting, that although it is a favourite 

 expression with writers on Natural History to say that the cock bird charms 

 his mate while sitting with his song, it is by no means correct, and it 

 is certain that very little music is heard at this time. 



The Cuckoo, although its song is limited to two notes, makes a lively 

 addition to the general chorus, but in July she leaves us, and as August 

 and September pass away, so the other summer visitants intermit their 

 song, and finally depart also, so that October finds us dull enough. Our 



