says that to his taste It is the best and move but a very short distance fronr 



flavored of any of the Arctic sea-fowls, the places in which they laid. Some- 



The one egg laid by the Briinnich's times on the breeding ledges these birds 



Murre is fortunately pear-shaped. The will be so numerous that when sitting on' 



eggs are frequently laid near the pre- their eggs they will quite or nearly touch 



cipitous edges of the ledges of rocky each other. It is evident in such crowds 



cliffs where, if they were more truly that when the birds are disturbed and 



spherical in form, they would be rolled caused to move suddenly, their eggs 



off the ledge and broken, for they are are quite surely moved and in danger of 



started rolling when the birds are sud- being broken. Fortunately the shells of 



denly startled. The pear-shaped eggs of the eggs are quite hard and easily resist 



the Murres instead of rolling some dis- much roughness, 

 tance, simply turn around on their axes 



THE FIRST SWALLOW 



(A SPRING SONG OF OLD GREECE*) 



She comes, she comes, the Swallow blithe! 



Her bonny breast gleams white! 



Her back is black ! Her wing is lithe ! 



She brings the seasons bright ! 



We're merry lads. We roam the street. 



We dance and eat and sing. 



We pound your door. We beg a treat, 



The heralds glad of spring. 



Roll out from your fat house a spread, 



Some cakes and tarts and cheese, 



A drop of wine, some wheaten bread. 



The Swallow spurns not these. 



If not, we'll bear your wee wife off 



(She is so very small) 



And sack your house of sweets and stuff — 



Shelves, cellar, pantry, all. 



■. She comes, she comes, the Swallow blithe! 

 Her bonny breast gleams white! 

 Her back is black ! Her wing is lithe ! 

 She brings the seasons bright! 

 Old men ? Not we ! We're boys once more ! 

 We dream and feast and sing. 

 Come in, come in — fling wide the door — 

 Ye heralds glad of spring. 



*The song is its own comnientar}-. It tells an obvious and jolly custom. It is not trans- 

 lated too literally. 



— J. VAI.I.ANCK Brown. 



