APRIL. 



painted pea-cock with gaudy plumes unfolded 

 his tail like a bright wheel, enshrouded in his 

 silver feathers, resembling the marks of the 

 hundred eyes of Argus. Among the boughs 

 of the twisted olive, the small birds framed the 

 artful nest, or along the thick hedges, or re- 

 joiced with their merry mates in the tall oaks. 

 In the secret nook, or in the clear windows of 

 glass, the spider full busily wove her sly net 

 to ensnare the gnat or fly. Under the boughs 

 that screen the valley, or within the pale-en- 

 closed park, the nimble deer trooped in ranks, 

 the harts wandered through the thick wood 

 shaws, and the young fawns followed the dap- 

 pled does. Kids slipped through the briars 

 after the roes, and in the pastures and leas the 

 lambs bleated to their dams. The ringdove 

 coos in the tall copse, the starling whistles 

 her varied descant; the sparrow chirps in the 

 clefted wall; the goldfinch and linnet fill the 

 skies ; the cuckoo cries, the quail twitters ; 

 while rivers, shaws and every dale resound ; 

 and the tender branches tremble on the trees, 

 at the song of the birds and the buzzing of the 

 bees." 



LEAFING OF TREES. In Sweden the budding 



