The Birds and Poets 39 



of these little birds are sometimes misleading to 

 the student, because he expects to see a conspicuous 

 red or golden patch on the head, but as a matter 

 of fact the red or golden patch is not easily seen 

 unless the bird tips his head down, so one may see 

 the very top of his head (which he is sure to do 

 if one watches him a few moments, because of his 

 very great activity), but when he does so a very 

 few distinctly marked feathers in the center of 

 the crown will be visible. 



In an adjoining meadow, just before reaching 

 the woods, I observed a sparrow hawk flying about 

 and "hanging up" over the field, in search of his 

 morning meal. 



Passing into the woods skirting the river, I fol- 

 lowed a path which led through heavy brush and 

 second growth, as yet entirely bare, with no signs 

 of spring buds. The first bird note I heard was the 

 whistle of a cardinal in the distance, towards the 

 river, and I recalled Riley's tribute to the "red 

 bird" : 



"Go, ye bards of classic themes 

 Pipe your songs of classic streams ! 

 I would twang the redbird's wings 

 In the thicket while he sings!" 



Pausing to listen to this wonderful song, I was 

 startled to hear, among the bare bushes at my 

 right, a chorus of clicking noises which sounded 

 exactly like a shower of fine hail stones falling 

 among the leafless shrubs. The impression was 



