THE COMING OF SPRING 71 



primrose the first blossom and, as it seems to 

 some, the best of our British wild flowers. Under- 

 neath an elder tree there is a solitary plant 

 covered with bright yellow flowers the lesser 

 celandine. For years successively this little plant 

 has been here, and when the grass grows high 

 enough to hide it, a pair of Blackbirds always 

 build in the bush above ; and once a Chaffinch 

 tried to rear its young but did not succeed, the 

 eggs being always taken. 



But a sure sign that the inspiring season of the 

 year has come, is seen in the hedgerow where a 

 pair of Hedge-Sparrows are gathering twigs and 

 grasses to carry these materials into a thick bush 

 the well-chosen site for their nest. When this 

 one of the prettiest of the nests to be found in 

 a common hedgerow is finished, and is furnished 

 with its bright blue eggs, spring has really come 

 down on our favoured plains. When we go forth 

 in the morning and see that the hedges are 

 already displaying a full green tint ; while the 

 higher trees, although not yet green, are showing 

 a red tint, the young buds being not yet opened ; 

 and when the branches of these trees contain 

 merry Willow-Wrens and ChiffcharTs, we begin to 

 realise that the fullest promises of summer are tc 

 be seen on every hand. 



