16 THE RETURN OF THE BIRDS. 



surely that ashen-gray suit is the superlative 

 of plainness ; and that form, likewise, would 

 hardly pass for a " perfect figure " of a bird. 

 The seasonableness of her coming, however, 

 and her civil, neighborly ways, shall make 

 up for all deficiencies in song and plumage. 

 After a few weeks Phoebe is seldom seen, 

 except as she darts from her moss-covered 

 nest beneath some bridge or shelving cliff. 



Another April comer, who arrives shortly 

 after Robin-redbreast, with whom he associ- 

 ates both at this season and in the autumn, 

 is the gold- winged woodpecker, alias " high- 

 hole," alias " flicker," alias " yarup." He 

 is an old favorite of my boyhood, and his 

 note to me means very much. He announces 

 his arrival by a long, loud call, repeated 

 from the dry branch of some tree, or a stake 

 in the fence a thoroughly melodious April 

 sound. I think how Solomon finished that 

 beautiful description of spring, " And the 

 voice of the turtle is heard in the land," and 

 see that a description of spring in this farm- 

 ing country, to be equally characteristic, 

 should culminate in like manner, " And 

 the call of the high-hole comes up from the 

 wood." 



It is a loud, strong, sonorous call, and does 



