44 THE SPRING OF THE YEAR 



to a deep, wild swamp; one to a wide salt marsh or 

 fresh-water meadow; and one to the seashore 

 to a wild rocky or sandy shore uninhabited by 

 man. 



There are particular birds and animals as well as 

 plants and flowers that dwell only in these haunts; 

 besides, you will get a sight of four distinct kinds of 

 landscape, four deep impressions of the face of 

 nature that are altogether as good to have as the 

 sight of four flowers or birds. 



VII 



Make a calendar of your spring (read " Nature's 

 Diary" by Francis H. Allen) when and where you 

 find your first bluebird, robin, oriole, etc. ; when and 

 where you find your first hepatica, arbutus, saxi- 

 frage, etc.; and, as the season goes on, when and 

 where the doings of the various wild things take 

 place. 



VIII 



Boy or girl, you should go fishing down to the 

 pond or the river where you go to watch the birds. 

 Suppose you do not catch any fish. That doesn't 

 matter; for you have gone out to the pond with a 

 pole in your hands (a pole is a real thing) ; you have 

 gone with the hope (hope is a real thing) of catch- 

 ing fish (fish are real things); and even if you 

 catch no fish, you will be sure, as you wait for the 



