OUR FRIENDS, THE BIRDS. 89 
“Their notes are sharp, but cheery, and when 
heard at a distance, or when the birds seem to chant in 
chorus, there is something inspiring in the sound that 
once heard can never be forgotten. The Red-wing 
belongs to the same family as the Bobolink, Oriole, 
Cowbird, Purple Grackle and Meadow Lark. 
“T have selected a poem by Ernest McGaffey, 
who extols their musical ability.” 
THE RED-WING. 
On a bulrush stalk a Blackbird swung 
All in the sun and the sunshine weather, 
Teetered and scolded there as he hung 
O’er the maze of the swamp-woofs tangled tether, 
And the spots on his wings were red as fire, 
And his notes rang sweet as Apollo’s lyre. 
The summer woods were a haze of blue, 
Draped and robed with an emerald kirtle, 
And the Blackbird whistled clear and true, 
Till the Thrush was mute in the flowered myrtle; 
And the spots on his wings were red as fire, 
And his notes rang sweet as Apollo’s lyre. 
A black bass leaped for a dragon-fly 
And struck the spray from the sleeping water, 
While airily, eerily, there on high 
Sang the Blackbird pert from his teeter-totter. 
And the spots on his wings were red as fire 
And his notes rang sweet as Apollo’s lyre. 
