THE RETURN* OF THE BIRDS. 17 



that form, likewise, would hardly pass for a " perfect 

 figure " of a bird. The seasonableness of her com- 

 ing, however, and her civil, neighborly ways, shall 

 make up for all deficiencies in song aud plumage. 

 After a few weeks Phoebe is seldom seen, except as 

 she darts from her moss-covered nest beneath some 

 bridge or shelving cliff. 



Another April comer, who arrives shortly after 

 Robin-redbreast, with whom he associates both at this 

 season and in the autumn, is the gold-winged wood- 

 pecker, alias " high-hole," alias " flicker," alias 

 " yarup." He is an old favorite of my boyhood, and 

 his note to me means very much. He announces his 

 arrival by a long, loud call, repeated from the dry 

 branch of some tree, or a stake in the fence a 

 thoroughly melodious April sound. I think how 

 Solomon finished that beautiful description of spring, 

 " And the voice of the turtle is heard in the land," 

 and see that a description of spring in this farming 

 country, to be equally characteristic, should culminate 

 in like manner, "And the call of the high-hole 

 . omes up from the wood." 



It is a loud, strong, sonorous call, and does not 

 seem to imply an answer, but rather to subserve some 

 purpose of love or music. It is " Yarup's " proclama- 

 tion of peace and good-will to all. On looking at the 

 natter closely, I perceive that most birds, not denom 

 .nated songsters, have, in the spring, some note or 

 sound or call that hints of a song, and answers imper- 

 fectly the end of beauty and art. As a " livelier iris 

 9 



