THE COMING OF SPRING. 



It is apparent decided changes are 

 taking place in our outside world. 



The ice and snow have vanished, with 

 the exception of a few stray patches here 

 and there which linger in sheltered lo- 

 cations ; the high winter winds are be- 

 coming less frequent and severe and 

 the clouds are daily growing less somber ; 

 the creeks and little brooks are again free 

 from the hand of the frost king and are 

 dashing over their pebbled beds and 

 golden sands ; the atmosphere is getting 

 milder and there are warm gentle show- 

 ers ; while now and then we have one 

 or more of those balmy days which make 

 us long to go out into Nature's domain 

 and note what is going on. 



The wild geese, moved by that never- 

 failing monitor — natural instinct — are 

 flying northward, and you may chance 

 to see them and hear their "honk, honk" 

 as they pass over your locality. Yes. 

 although the trees are still leafless, and 

 the fields and byways devoid of vegeta- 

 tion, there are unmistakable hints of 

 spring. Has not March brought the 

 blue bird, "the violet of song,'' and the 

 robin with his heart-warming note, and 

 the meadow lark with his clear joyous 

 greeting, and the song sparrow who bub- 

 bles over with joy? Later these are fol- 

 lowed by the long list of "season birds," 

 who twice a year wing their way to and 

 from the sunny southland. Their ab- 

 sence during the winter months makes 

 their song the sweeter upon their return 

 and their presence the more appreciated. 

 Those who have come tO' be on intimate 

 terms with these fascinating creatures 

 have added to the gentle and healthful 

 pleasures of life. No pictures nor de- 

 scriptions do justice to their grace, their 

 animation, their airy little ways, their 

 skill in nest building and their devotion 

 to their young. There is always another 

 species to look for, another mystery to 

 solve ; a new song to record or an old 

 one welcomed back. 



From now on there is abundant evi- 

 dence of new life and activity; the grass 



is covering the fields with a rich mantle 

 of beautiful green ; the early spring flow- 

 ers which we delight to gather have 

 awakened from their long slumber un- 

 der the leaves and some of the hardier 

 varieties are already in bloom, herald- 

 ing the approach of countless others ; the 

 maples, too have caught the warming 

 rays of the sun, and are crowned with 

 red and yellow blossoms, and among 

 them is heard the ceaseless hum of myri- 

 ads of bees. The trees are putting forth 

 their leaves, bursting asunder the velvet 

 sheath which protected them during the 

 past winter. The animals which have 

 been lying dormant through the winter, 

 have aroused themselves from slum- 

 ber and are coming forth to enjoy 

 the change ; butterflies and moths, which 

 have been shut up in their cocoons, now 

 eat their way out of their prison houses 

 and spread their wings to the bright sun- 

 shine. Look at the orchards! Where 

 else can you see such an exquisite dis- 

 play of delicate pink and white blos- 

 soms ; how they harmonize with the ten- 

 der green foliage, and the air is heavy 

 with their fragrance; see the flocks of 

 beautiful warblers moving up and down, 

 in and out, among the branches in 

 search of insects, chatting tO' each other 

 in the fullness of their enjoyment. In 

 this way, one by one, our old friends re- 

 turn, and familiar sights are repeated. 

 It is a time of opening and beauty — of 

 the light in the days, of life in the leaves, 

 and of the voices of birds ; it is a season 

 which calls our thoughts out and up and 

 away. At what other time can one ex- 

 perience such glorious awakening, such 

 complete renewing of all Nature? As 

 the days go by the early fruits are ripen- 

 ing, the clover is coming into bloom 

 and maturity, and the wheat, corn and 

 other grains are rapidly progressing; all 

 the migratory birds are now in their ac- 

 customed haunts in wood, field and 

 meadow, and merry spring, with a quiet, 

 unconscious motion, yet with percepti- 

 ble changes, verges into summer. 



Burton Mercer. 



203 



