86



Mrs. Katharine Currey,



THE BLUE ROBIN.


Siala sialis.


By Katharine Currey.


There is a peculiar charm about the Blue Bird of America,

not only in its wild state, but as a companion and pet—the little

bird with the bright brown eye and the colours of the earth and

sky, so exquisitely described by John Burroughs, the Nature

poet par excellence, in his little book called “ Wake Robin,” and

others of his works. In “ Birds and Poets,” he says : “ It is sure

to be a bright March morning when you first hear his note,” and

that note he describes in a charming sentence: "A note that

may be called the violet of sound, and as welcome to the ear,

heard above the cold, damp earth, as is its floral type to the eye

a few weeks later.” Lowell writes of


“The Blue bird shifting his light load of song


From post to post, along the cheerless fence.”


Burroughs further says : “The Blue Bird cannot utter an

unpleasing note. Indeed, he seems to have but one language,

one speech for both love and war, and the expression of his

indignation is nearly as musical as his song.” And he describes

the song by the words “ pure, pure, pure.”


The colours of the earth and sky of the Blue Robin are

described and descanted on by John Burroughs in “Wake Robin”

at too great a length to quote in this little sketch. The bird

arrives in March, while the snow is still lying about, and truly he

embodies in his plumage the whole of his environment, the blue

sky, the brown earth and trees, the white snow. To my mind

the hen is almost more lovely than her mate. Her forget-me-not

blue wing-feathers, and brown and grey shading into pearly-

white, of the rest of her little person blend so softly and har¬

moniously. What wonder the Blue Bird is such a favourite

theme of poets. Emerson refers to


“ April’s bird,


Blue-coated, flying before from tree to tree.”


Burroughs poem in his “Bird and Bough” is so graphic

that one seems to see and hear the little harbinger of Spring in

his native haunts :—



