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APRIL 



Of those that come in April almost the only bird that 

 we see much and hear little therefore despising too 

 much his beautiful song is the swallow. Numbers of 

 them were flying over a famous haunt of birds on April 

 i j , Many of us make pilgrimage to the high bank of the 

 Tring reservoirs, by the summit of the famous canal, in 

 order to see the duck which enjoy the waters almost as 

 much as the Staines Reservoir. It is an attraction also for 

 smaller fowl. The swallows real swallows, not martins 

 or sand-martins were there cutting their gay figures of 

 flight in numbers when we were lucky to see the glimpse 

 of a single pair of wings in less happier places. They, 

 too, like the diving nuthatch, might earn the kingfisher s 

 praise and be called the blue bird of April The late 

 spring does not keep the birds from their due dates of 

 arrival ; and since the buds are later we have a greater 

 chance than is often vouchsafed of identifying by sight 

 the singers who have both delighted and baffled us. 



