AMONG THE BIRDS IN SPRING. 25 



cage a Skylark ? An imprisoned chorister such 

 as this is an insult and a blot upon the spring. 

 Almost every species of bird in spring-time makes 

 some attempt at song. The glad feelings of joy 

 which the vernal year inspires in every living 

 creature must be expressed in one way or another. 

 Even such birds as Ravens and Magpies modu- Magpies 



, , . , . . , . , chauer, ist 



late their hoarse voices into much more musical 



gin repairing 

 their nests, 

 25th March. 



cries ; the House Sparrow's chirp has now more 

 cadence ; the Titmice string their notes together 

 into a vernal song. Bird music is everywhere ; 

 and the crash of melody that comes with spring 

 echoes and re-echoes from every corner of Nature's 

 fair domain. 



Before leaving the early-breeding birds, we 

 must not fail to visit a colony of Herons. We best Herons be- 



1-1 11 11 1 11-1 gin repairing 



associate this long-necked and long-legged bird ^e,r nes. s , 

 with the water -side, standing as if lost in 

 thought near the pool patiently waiting for his 

 meal of frogs and fish ; but if, when he unfolds 

 his broad black wings and rises into the air, 

 we follow him home, we shall find that he 

 makes his nest in a tree, where he also generally 

 roosts, and where he is as much at ease as any 

 of the perching birds. Herons build in colonies 

 like Rooks, using one particular spot from time im- 

 memorial, making their big flat nests of sticks, 

 and turf, and roots, on the broad branches of the 

 fir and other trees. The old birds may often be 

 seen perched on the very topmost spike of a larch 

 tree, and most ungainly objects they look as they 



