The Birds and Poets 225 



"The year's at the spring 



God's in his heaven — 

 All's right with the world 1" 



It is then that we long for the woods and fields 

 and we begin the study of birds with a warmth 

 of zeal that sharpens our powers of observation 

 and perception. Though there be hosts of birds 

 at this season, and many that it may be difficult 

 to identify, a full year of study will make one 

 familiar with a goodly number of the common 

 birds, and the following spring the identification 

 of new acquaintances will be comparatively easy. 



By all means, spring is the season in which to 

 begin the study of birds. 



Many of the erroneous opinions about birds 

 have gained currency by being hastily accepted 

 and quoted without personal investigation of the 

 subject. Nothing should be stated as a fact unless 

 it has been, actually observed, and the opinions 

 of others should not be adopted, and thus given 

 added authority, except they be verified by per- 

 sonal experience. 



In this connection I regret to say that the 

 ornithologists themselves are largely responsible 

 for some unfounded prejudices which exist as to 

 our most abundant winter bird, the English spar- 

 row. That this hardy little foreigner is nothing 

 but an unmitigated nuisance at all times and at 

 all places seems now to be the settled opinion. It 



