18 THE RETURN OF THE BIRDS. 



changes on the burnished dove," and the fancy of the 

 young man tin us lightly to thoughts of his pretty 

 cousin, so the same renewing spirit touches the " si- 

 lent singers," and they are no longer dumb ; faintly 

 they lisp the first syllables of the marvelous tale. 

 Witness the clear, sweet whistle of the gray-crested 

 titmouse, the soft, nasal piping of the nuthatch, 

 the amorous, vivacious warble of the bluebird, the 

 long, rich note of the meadow-lark, the whistle of 

 the quail, the drumming of the partridge, the 

 animation and loquacity of the swallows, and the like. 

 Even the hen has a homely, contented carol ; and I 

 credit the owls with a desire to fill the night with 

 music. All birds are incipient or would-be songsters 

 in the spring. I find corroborative evidence of this 

 even in the crowing of the cock. The flowering of 

 the maple is not so obvious as that of the magnolia ; 

 nevertheless, there is actual inflorescence. 



Few writers award any song to that familiar little 

 sparrow, the Socialis ; yet who that has observed him 

 sitting by the way-side, and repeating, with devout at- 

 titude, that fine sliding chant, does not recognize the 

 neglect? Who has heard the snow-bird sing ? Yet 

 he has a lisping warble very savory to the ear. I 

 have heard him indulge in it even in February. 



Kven the cow-bunting feels the musical tendency, 



and aspires to its expression, with the rest. Perched 



upon the topmost branch beside his mate or mates, 



is quite a polygamist, and usually has two or 



lemure little ladies in faded black beside him, 



