OF BIRDS. 



No class of the animal kingdom is more interesting thmn 

 Birds. Their infinite variety of form, habits, and manners • 

 their plumage, always beautiful, often rich and gorgeous; 

 their powers of flight and grace of motion, their curious 

 *esta, their varied music ; the bittern's boom, the cawing of 

 the busy rooks, the cock's shrill clarion, the capricious lay 

 of the mocking-bird, or the sweet warbling of the oriolo— 

 nay, even the hoarse cries of the sea-birds, and the garrulou* 

 clucking of the barn-fowls— these all combine to endear us 

 to the feathered creation, since all are appropriate— all are 

 the voi3e of Nature. The birds are associated with many 

 delightful scenes dear to memory. 



Who seep the swallow on his first return and dreams no! 



