172 FRIENDS WORTH KNOWING. 



spring in fact, many remain through the winter as far 

 north even as Boston and Lake Erie. It is thought by 

 ornithologists, however, that the winter song-sparrows are 

 not the same individuals that were with us in summer, and 

 which have gone southward, but are inhabitants of more 

 northern latitudes, that have come down w T ith the snow- 

 birds; and it is said that these are far hardier birds, better 

 and more versatile musicians. 



During the winter the song-sparrow remains, quiet and 

 busy, along the edges of the woods on warm hill-sides in 

 company with the spotted woodpeckers and snow-birds, or 

 associates with the fowls in the barn-yard for a share of the 

 housewife's bounty. But as the March snow melts, and the 

 sun sends genial warmth to awaken the buds, he mounts 

 the topmost twigs of the brush pile whose labyrinths he has 

 spent the winter in exploring, and pours forth a rapturous 

 welcome to the couriers of summer. Then through all the 

 spring days, whether they be shady or sunny, from early 

 morn till long after sunset, are heard the sweet and cheery 

 cadences of his song, trilled out over and over again like a 

 canary's. He starts off with a few low rattling notes, makes 

 a quick leap to a high strain, ascends through many a melo- 

 dious variation to the key-note, and suddenly stops, leaving 

 his song to sing itself through in your brain. To amplify 



