March 



one's feelings many degrees, for in a twinkling 

 it breaks the spell of winter. To be sure, the 

 enthusiasm of this jubilant herald always makes 

 it a little premature in its first outburst ; but in 

 the occasional snow-storms still to come, though 

 perplexed, it is not cast down. This is one way 

 of interpreting its announcement ; perhaps we 

 should do more justice to the bird, leaving its 

 instinct free from the taint of fallibility, by re- 

 garding it as a prophet, to whose vision the 

 future is so clear that he regards it as already 

 present. 



A plain, unpretentious bird is this, but a fa- 

 vorite with all who know it ; for what it lacks in 

 beauty it more than makes up in good works. 

 The earliest herald of spring, it is still pouring 

 forth its sprightly chant by the wayside in the 

 fall, after all the other choristers are silent. 

 The old adage, " Fine feathers make fine birds," 

 is a libel on man's discernment, and abundantly 

 disproved in numerous instances. The robin, 

 song sparrow, and bluebird are household names 

 in this country, like robin red-breast, lark, and 

 nightingale in Europe ; and the former have 

 sung their way into our hearts without being 

 even notable singers, according to the highest 

 standards of bird-vocalization ; and so far from 



79 



