Sparrow, White-Throated. Peabody Bird 



'Twas a white-throated sparrow, that sped a hght arrow 



Of song from his musical quiver, 

 And it pierced with its spell every valley and dell 



On the banks of the Runaway river. 

 ''Oh, sing! sing-away! sing-away!" 



The song of the wild singer had 



The sound of a soul that is glad. 



And, beneath the glad sun, every glad -hearted one 



Sets the world to the tune of his gladness : 

 The swift rivers sing it, the wild breezes wing it, 



Till Earth loses thought of her sadness. 

 ''Oh, sing! sing-away! sing-away!" 



Oh, sing, happy soul, to joy's Giver, — 



Sing on, by Time's Runaway River! 



Lucy Larcom. 



SWALLOW, BANK. SAND MARTIN 



This swallow is the only one of the family which still 

 retains its old nesting habits, scorning the devices provided 

 by man which have proved so attractive to its brothers. 



They fly much Uke other swallows, but never wander 

 far from their nesting-places. Their nests are placed at the 

 end of burrows dug out by the birds in sand-banks. The 

 vicinity of water is usually preferred, but railway and 

 road cuttings are sometimes chosen. The ground must be 

 such as will not cave in. 



M. A. WiLLCox. Common Land Birds of New England. ^^ 



144 



