March 
one’s feelings many degrees, for in a twinkling 
it breaks the spell of winter. To be sure, the - 
enthusiasm of this jubilant herald always makes 
it a little premature in its first outburst ; but in 
the occasional snow-storms still to come, though 
perplexed, it isnot castdown. ‘This is one way 
of interpreting its announcement; perhaps we 
should do more justice to the bird, leaving its 
instinct free from the taint of fallibility, by re- 
garding it as a prophet, to whose vision the 
future is so clear that he regards it as already 
present. 
A plain, unpretentious bird is this, but a fa- 
vorite with all who know it ; for what it lacks in 
beauty it more than makes up in good works. 
The earliest herald of spring, it is still pouring 
forth its sprightly chant by the wayside in the 
fall, after all the other choristers are silent. 
The old adage, ‘‘ Fine feathers make fine birds,’’ 
is a libel on man’s discernment, and abundantly 
disproved in numerous instances. The robin, 
song sparrow, and bluebird are household names 
in this country, like robin red-breast, lark, and 
nightingale in Europe; and the former have 
sung their way into our hearts without being 
even notable singers, according to the highest 
standards of bird-vocalization ; and so far from 
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