192 BIRDS OF THE ROCKIES 



Before daybreak one morning I made my way to a 

 small park on the outskirts of the village to listen 

 to the birds' matutinal concert. The earliest singers 

 were the western robins, which began their carols at the 

 first hint of the coming dawn ; the next to break the 

 silence were the western wood-pewees ; then the summer 

 warblers chimed in, followed by the western grass- 

 finches, Bullock\s orioles, meadow-larks, and lark spar- 

 rows, in the order named. Before daylight had fully 

 come a family of mountain bluebirds were taking their 

 breakfast at the border of the park, while their human 

 relatives were still snoring in bed. The bluebirds 

 are governed by old-fashioned rules even in this very 

 " modern " age, among their maxims being, — 



" Early to bed and early to rise. 

 Makes bluebirds healthy and wealthy and wise." 



Just now I came across a pretty conceit of John B. 

 Tabb, which more aptly sets off the mountain blue 

 than it does his eastern relative, and which I cannot 

 forbear quoting : 



" When God made a host of them, 

 One little flower lacked a stem 



To hold its blossom blue ; 

 So into it He breathed a song. 

 And suddenly, with petals strong 



As wings, away it flew." 



And there is Eben E. Rexford, who almost loses 

 himself in a tangle of metaphors in his efforts to express 



