78 OUR FRIENDS, THE BIRDS. 
To every care thy warbling gives an end 
To every wound of woe ’tis healing balm.’’ 
DANIEL S. DONOHUE. 
‘The sweetest sound the whole year round 
Tis the first robin of the spring; 
The song of the full orchard choir 
Is not so fine a thing.” 
EDMUND CLARENCE STEDMAN, 
Beneath the lines was a wide lawn, the grass show- 
ing green here and there, where a Robin had alighted 
and with his head on one side was peering about, while 
his mate watched him from a branch of a tree near by. 
The table formed no part of the picture this morn- 
ing, but was left where it had been written the night 
before. 
The pupils marched gayly to their seats singing 
“Robin, Robin Redbreast.” As soon as they were 
seated one of their number was appointed to read the 
questions, of course awaiting the answers each time. 
The answers came quickly, for the Robin is a bird 
familiar to everyone, as it likes to build its summer 
home near the homes of men. There is no bird except 
the English Sparrow that is more common, for it can 
be found in every garden and orchard in New England 
and all the northern states of this continent. It is one 
of the earliest comers in the spring and is among the 
last to leave in autumn. It can often be seen early in 
March and frequently remains all winter when the 
