TO BIRDS OF P. E. ISLAND. 



season, and becoming an inhabitant of every clime. 

 These migratory movements that sweep off the 

 flocks of our feathered famihes from the brown 

 fields and storm - beaten shores of autumn, and 

 bring their glad voices again with the sunshine 

 and blossoms of spring, form one of the most 

 interesting features of bird - life, and have always 

 attracted the attention of observers of Nature. A 

 Scottish poet thus greets the returning swallow : 



" The little comer 's coming, 

 The comer o'er the sea, 

 The comer of the summer, all 

 The summer days to be. 

 How pleasant, through the pleasant sleep. 

 Thy early twitter heard. 

 O swallow, by the lattice ! 

 Glad days be thy reward." 



The weeping prophet of Israel observed that 

 "The stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed 

 times ; and the turtle, and the crane, and the 

 swallow." 



Milton enriches his grand poetical descriptions 

 by pictures from bird migrations : 



" So steers the prudent crane 

 Her annual voyage, borne on winds ; the air 

 Floats as they pass, fanned with unnumbered plumes." 



