April in Berkeley, 



is a , beautiful solemnity about this 

 season of new life, when numberless 

 fair creatures are mating in bush and 

 tree. Love is the ruling impulse of the 

 hour, and patient care and devoted self- 

 sacrifice prevail in nature's realm. 



As April emerges in the procession 

 of the seasons many changes are already 

 in progress. The precious Anna's hum- 

 mer fashioned its tiny basket at least a 

 month before, and is now busy rearing 

 its two helpless young. The summer 

 warbler, in its raiment of gold, came flit- 

 ting about our trees in mid March, 

 during which month, also, a number of 

 our winter birds departed for their 

 breeding-ground in the north. The 

 shy, dwarf hermit-thrush has stolen 

 away like a fleeting shadow, and the 

 kinglets have betaken themselves with 

 all their light-heartedness to the pines 

 of the north. But in their places have 

 come the lark-finch and the swallows, 

 the black-headed grosbeak and the war- 

 bling vireo. 



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