NATURE AND THE POETS 



for the oriole, the elm-loving oriole. The blue- 

 bird prefers a humbler perch. Lowell puts him upon 

 a post in the fence, which is a characteristic atti 

 tude: 



"The bluebird, shifting his light load of song, 

 From post to post along the cheerless fence." 



Emerson calls him "April's bird," and makes him 

 "fly before from tree to tree," which is also good. 

 But the bluebird is not strictly a songster in the 

 sense in which the song sparrow or the indigo-bird, 

 or the English robin redbreast, is; nor do Bryant's 

 lines hit the mark : 



"The bluebird chants, from the elm's long branches, 

 A hymn to welcome the budding year." 



Lowell, again, is nearer the truth when he speaks 

 of his "whiff of song." All his notes are call-notes, 

 and are addressed directly to his mate. The song- 

 birds take up a position and lift up their voices am! 

 sing. It is a deliberate musical performance, as 

 much so as that of Nilsson or Patti. The bluebird, 

 however, never strikes an attitude and sings for the 

 mere song's sake. But the poets are perhaps to be 

 allowed this latitude, only their pages lose rather 

 than gain by it. Nothing is so welcome in this field 

 as characteristic touches, a word or a phrase that 

 fits this case and no other. If the bluebird chants 

 a hymn, what does the wood thrush do ? Yet the 

 bluebird's note is more pleasing than most bird- 

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