XVI. 
“When first the March winds melt the snow, 
And to the sleeping flowers below 
The early meadow lark sings —” 
T THIS season of the year we listen for 
every bird note and greet with joy each 
singer as he comes back to take his place with the 
old choir of singers for the coming summer. 
The meadow lark heard and seen in a field 
near South Allen street March 12 was not a 
too stimulating indication of the coming birds; 
but to those who are anxiously looking forward 
to such days it gives a forecasting thought. 
Accurately speaking, the meadow lark in our 
State is not surely a migratory bird. In some 
sections of the State they are permanent resi- 
dents; but if they do not winter in this imme- 
diate vicinity, they are never so far away that a 
bright spring-suggesting winter’s day will not 
call them here for a period shorter or longer as 
regulated by food conditions. 
Nearly all birds have two homes. Such are 
called migrants — migrants because they alter- 
nately move to and from each every spring and 
fall. In our State there are about twenty-five 
species of non-migrant birds that make perma- 
nent homes in various districts and_ localities. 
Of these are the hawks, owls, crows, jays, part- 
ridges, woodpeckers, meadow larks and other 
smaller birds. 
Here on Pine Hills, about our homes and 
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