APRIL 



The robin is the singer at present, such is its 

 power and universality, being heard both in garden 

 and wood. Morning and evening he does not fail, 

 perched on some elm or the like, and in rainy 

 days it is one long morning or evening. The 

 song sparrow is still more universal, but not so 

 powerful. The lark, too, is equally constant 

 morning and evening, but confined to certain 

 localities, as is the blackbird to some extent. The 

 bluebird with feebler, but not less sweet warbling, 

 helps fill the air, and the phoebe does her part. 



THOREAU: Early Spring in Massachusetts. 



10 



The fish hawk, too, is occasionally seen at this 

 season sailing majestically over the water, and he 

 who has once observed it will not soon forget the 

 majesty of its flight. It sails the air like a ship 

 of the line, worthy to struggle with the elements, 

 falling back from time to time like a ship on its 

 beam ends, and holding its talons up as if ready 

 for the arrows, in the attitude of the national bird. 

 It is a great presence, as of the master of river and 

 forest. Its eye would not quail before the owner 

 of the soil, but make him feel like an intruder on 

 its domains. And then its retreat, sailing so stead- 

 ily away, is a kind of advance. 



THOREAU: Natural History of Massachusetts. 



