BIRDS OF MINNESOTA 443 



ing snows and piercing winds, will understand *the joy 

 which comes back with their return to this beautiful north-land 

 in the spring. 



Not only do they come to meet a thousand times a thousand 

 welcomes for their own sake, but to proclaim that the winter 

 is gone. 



Lingering drifts of dingy snow may still cower under the 

 covert of outbuildings and fences, and the winds may still be 

 chilly at times, but the grass has formed green patches on the 

 lawns, while the bloodroots and liverworts have begun to peer 

 through the moist carpet of decaying leaves in the budding 

 woodlands. The males arrive several days in advance of the 

 females, and always in the morning. 



If sunny and warm for the season, their familiar notes from 

 the loftiest tree that borders the forest, or the tallest spire of 

 the city will proclaim their presence in a flood of continuous 

 song that will challenge the ear of the dullest. On the other 

 hand, should it be windy, cloudy and chilly, the closest 

 observation will be required to make the longing hope assured, 

 by finding small parties flitting from bush to bush along the 

 borders of brushy woods, or streams fringed with alders and 

 willows in characteristic silence. This transpires between the 

 25th of March and the 5th of April.* After about a week, the 

 songless females have come, as quietly as the first flakes of 

 the autumn's snow, when the small parties of males — the 

 bachelor's clubs of the species disappear. Each has soon 

 wooed and won a female companion with whom to share the 

 joys and cares of the summer, and hence they will only be 

 seen in pairs until the autumn. I am confident that with few 

 exceptions, the same individuals are reunited in each pair 

 amongst the older birds; and that the sanguineous conflicts, 

 and the gentler ones for the mastery of song, are among the 

 young males of the previous year. True, there doubtless may 

 be some widowers there, some perhaps who have been thrice 

 married, and if so, the first display of chivalric strife will be 

 sure to prove their prowess. 



The reinstalment of the Robins in our midst has more to do 

 with human happiness than many a philosopher has yet found 

 out. 



*On March 11th, 1878, I saw three Robins (presumably females! and on February 7th, 

 1880 I saw one in the suburbs of the city. Dr. Hvoslef 's report gives dates as follows: 

 "February 19th, 1881 saw a flocli, March 23, 1883. and at the same date, 1884." 



