The Coming of the Birds 37 



weather to sing in, with a softness which the song- 

 thrush and robin despise. But the blackbird is 

 large and strong enough to take a natural confidence 

 from the uncertain warmth of February sunshine ; 

 and no smaller bird finds spirit to sing the same 

 soft strains until the equinox is passed. 



The chiff chaff is heard more often than it is seen ; 

 the opposite is true of the wheatear, which comes to 

 us at least as early. While the chiffchaff haunts 

 thick hedgerows, copses, and gardens, the wheatear 

 is a bird of wide downs and commons and the 

 stretches of short turf on the mountain-side. Thus 

 they cover between them almost as wide a range of 

 country as is possible for any two birds with strong 

 local tastes and habits. But while the wheatear 

 appeals chiefly to the eye, there is no lack of music 

 or interest in its song when it is heard in the early 

 days of the season, while the bird is still seeking a 

 mate. The song has much of the tone of the first 

 warblings of the song-thrushes in early autumn, 

 but has an execution and a variety which they 

 lack. The variety and novelty of this song are as 

 conspicuous as the bold display and posturings 

 with which it is delivered ; and it seems to be 

 based a good deal on imitation of the songs of other 

 birds, which has always a peculiar fascination. 



For a little while after the chiffchaff and wheatear 

 appear, the tide of summer warblers flows on slowly. 

 But before the middle of April they are followed by 

 a great wave of willow- wrens and many other less 

 numerous birds of summer ; and by the time that 

 the swallow and the cuckoo have peopled the mea- 



