SPRING AT THE CAPITAL. 163 



whole season, and breed in the tree-tops. The richj 

 copious song of the starling may be heard there all 

 the forenoon. The song of some birds is like scarlet^ 

 strong, intense, emphatic. This is the charactet 

 of the orchard starlings ; also of the tauagers and 

 the various grossbeaks. On the other hand, the 

 songs of other birds, as of certain of the thrushes, sug- 

 gests the serene blue of the upper sky. 



In February, one may hear, in the Smithsonian 

 grounds, the song of the fox-sparrow. It is a strong, 

 richly modulated whistle, the finest sparrow note I 

 have ever heard.- 



A curious and charming sound may be heard here 

 in May. You are walking forth in the soft morning 

 air, when suddenly there comes a burst of bobolink 

 melody from some mysterious source. A score of 

 throats pour out one brief, hilarious, tuneful jubilee, 

 and are suddenly silent. There is a strange remote- 

 ness, and fascination about it. Presently you dis* 

 cover its source skyward, and a quick eye will detect 

 the gay band pushing northward. They seem to 

 scent the fragrant meadows afar off, and shout forth 

 snatches of their songs in anticipation. 



The bobolink does not breed in the District, but 

 jsually pauses in his journey and feeds during the 

 lay in the grass-lands north of the city. When the 

 eason is backward, they tarry a week or ten days, 

 ringing freely and appearing quite at home. In 

 Urge flocks they search over every inch of ground, 

 %nd at intervals hover on the wing or alight in the 



