Earliest Signs of Spring 
intrinsic character, show the satisfaction in find- 
ing in the external world a mirror of humanity. 
In their winter aspect some trees, like pop- 
lars, cypresses, and cedars, vividly betray a 
single life-purpose in their growth. Others are 
more versatile; diffuse, and yet symmetrical, har- 
monious, and unified; still others plainly show 
they have no definite design, and are content to 
sprawl in every direction, aimless and loose- 
jointed; while, in many trees, the very bark is 
tell-tale of a rigid or compliant spirit lodged 
within. But, by the last of March, many of 
these strong, gaunt forms begin to have a live, 
expectant look, as seen in the budding drops of 
red with which the maples are already sprayed, 
and in the long, brown catkins, swinging in 
the breeze, of many of the amentaceous species. 
No omen of spring is more anticipated by 
the naturalist than the clear call of the song- 
sparrow; and few contrasts are stronger in 
Nature than when, amid the silence of a breath- 
less snowstorm in March, this hilarious and 
irreverent creature interrupts the frozen bene- 
diction of expiring winter. I have read of a 
bird student —evidently a young one — who 
boasted he had learned ‘‘the nine songs of the 
song-spatrow.’’ With a little more experience 
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