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lives, the neatness and beauty of their Where their lives touch ours we feel an 



dress, the perpetual joy of their songs? uplifting influence. We are better fitted 



Can you imagine a world without birds ? for the service which it is our privilege 



Are the returned warmth and the green to render to the world by the touch of the 



vegetation all that make the summer bird life. Our horizon is broadened be- 



months more pleasant than the winter yond the self-interest, the egoistic, to the 



season ? Rob the tropics of their birds altruistic conception of life. We cannot 



and you rob them of their heart. Pasa- live in the presence of these creatures so 



dena, California, is a bird paradise, but full of life without being spurred to more 



take away its mocking birds, its orioles, earnest effort ourselves. When we fail to 



its towhees, its gorgeous humming birds, see in the world of nature about us what 



and the many other birds which enliven it is our privilege to see we are losing that 



every lawn, and you have taken away one much of life. Let us open our eyes to all 



of its chief charms. the influences that may shape our lives 



But it is not simply that we are enter- toward best living. 



tained by the birds, nor even that we are Lynds Jones, 



pleased with their neatness and beauty. 



TO THE VESPER BIRD. 



Sweet bird of twilight wake in me 

 Bright memories of melody 

 Outpoured from every nesting-tree 



At early morning gray. 

 O sing that I may ponder on 

 The songs away with noontide gone, 

 Ere shadows troop across the lawn 



And voices die away. 

 Long have I waited wistfully ; 

 And lest thy gift unheeded be, 

 Lo, now my gardens are for thee, 



Thou truant all the day ! 



Frank English. 



