68 UNDER THE OPEN SKY 



These are magnificent hues that depend 

 on surface structure and not on patches of 

 pigment. They are the colors of the mother- 

 of-pearl, and not of the emerald; of the opal 

 and not of the ruby. They are the colors 

 that shimmer and gleam, that alter with 

 every altering angle of light. Beneath this 

 is the sombre hue that every one knows. 

 The gorgeous colors are so faint that they 

 only catch the eye of his dusky mate and of 

 the genuine lover of birds. 



Already in February the Caleb and the 

 Joshua of the advancing hosts reached us, 

 spying out the promised land. Apparently 

 the inhabitants did not seem to them like 

 giants, for some night in March the ad- 

 vancing hosts arrive. As if they had been 

 tempted beyond discretion, and had come 

 too soon into a region hostile to their wind- 

 pipes, it is the cackle and chatter, the 

 chuckle and cough of our visitors that on 

 the following morning greets our awaken- 

 ing ears. 



Whatever doubts we may have had of the 

 advent of spring are now dispelled. The 



