246 Bird - Lore 



Here, O, highhole! 



Redpoll! 



Oriole 

 Vireo, vireo, vireo! 



Ornis: Welcome O Birds 



Hither thou comest. 



The busy wind all night 



Blew through thy lodgings, where thy own warm wings 



Thy pillows were. Many a sullen storm 



Rained on thy beds 



And harmless heads; 



But now as fresh and cheerful as the light. 



Thy little hearts in songs doth sing 



Unto that Providence whose unseen arm 



Hath clothed thee well and warm. 



The Birds dance a sprightly dance around the bath at the end of which Ornis steps down 

 and speaks to some of the Birds in turn, placing her wand on their shoulders or touching 

 their heads or hands. Now and then a bird replies.* 



The birds crowd around Ornis and begin to move off in a dance with her toward their 

 retreat singing: 



Untamed, unshamed, 

 On swift shy wings; 

 Whom do we follow? 



Jubilant Joy! 

 We dream, 



We drink from immortal springs, 

 Hid away in a far-away hollow. 



Follow, follow, 

 O girl and boy! 

 By tree and stream, 

 On land and sea, 

 The heart that ever sings. 



The birds disappear in their retreat with the vanishing birdcalls sounding as at first. 



Led by Ornis, all the birds now come back and sit down in a semi-circle facing the audience. 

 Ornis stands before the Principal of the school and says the following, to present the deed of 

 gift, with all the signatures of the members of the Audubon Society engraved upon it: 



Ornis: Mrs. Schenck, the 1921 Audubon Society of Robert E. Lee (No. 30) School have 

 had so much pleasure in bird-study that, before we finally depart from the portals of this 

 school, we wish to leave behind some token of our gratitude. So we beg you to accept this 

 bird-bath from us. And we herewith present to you an engrossed deed of gift of same, signed 

 with our respective signatures. 



COPY OF THE DEED 



To the Robert E. Lee (No. 30) School, Mrs. K. S. Schenck, Principal. 



We, the Audubon Society of 192 1, make gift of a bird-bath this day in token of our 

 gratitude for happy school days and in remembrance of our delightful study of birds. 



Jan. 18 '.. 1Q22. San Antonio, Tex. Lois Cunningham, 



o- j u 11 a -i President 



Signed by all the pupils 



*Owing to limitations of space, the clever dialogue between Ornis and the various birds has been omitted. 

 It can be secured by interested_readers from the Editor of the School^Department. 



