THE RETURN OF THE BIRDS. 



SPRING in our northern climate may fairly 

 be said to extend from the middle of March 

 to the middle of June. At least, the vernal 

 tide continues to rise until the latter date, 

 and it is not till after the summer solstice 

 that the shoots and twigs begin to harden 

 and turn to wood, or the grass to lose any of 

 its freshness and succulency. 



It is this period that marks the return of 

 the birds, one or two of the more hardy 

 or half-domesticated species, like the song- 

 sparrow and the bluebird, usually arriving 

 in March, while the rarer and more brilliant 

 wood-birds bring up the procession in June. 

 But each stage of the advancing season gives 

 prominence to certain species, as to certain 

 flowers. The dandelion tells me when to 

 look for the swallow, the dog-toothed violet 

 when to expect the wood-thrush, and when I 

 have found the wake-robin in bloom I know 

 the season is fairly inaugurated. With me 

 this flower is associated, not merely with the 



