50 PEARLS AND PEBBLES. 



not unfolded. I lie upon the couch on the veranda 

 basking in the delicious warmth of the sun's rays as 

 they reach me through the half-clothed branches of 

 the maple and beech trees in the grove beyond my 

 garden. I recall last year at this same date when all 

 the trees were in leaf and the plum and apple trees in 

 full bloom. We are three weeks later this year. Well, 

 it is folly to complain of the vicissitudes of the seasons ; 

 let us take the blessings as they come to us and be 

 thankful — the leaves and buds and blossoms are all 

 before us. It is a pleasure to lie here and watch the 

 birds as they flit to and fro so gaily among the trees 

 and garden shrubs, carolling and twittering in the 

 unalloyed gladness of their nature quite heedless of my 

 presence. Let me see who of my old acquaintances are 

 among them. There are the neat little snow sparrows 

 (Junco hyemalis), which are among the first and most 

 constant of the small birds to visit us, coming from the 

 cold North- West to make spring and summer holiday in 

 our more genial climate. In mild winters they were 

 wont to come as early as the middle of March, but that 

 was in the early days of the colony, when the thick 

 forests gave warm shelter to the wild-birds ; but since 

 the trees are fast disappearing, the snow sparrows and 

 crossbills (Loxla curvirostra), and the tom-tits or 

 black-caps,* and many others, delay their coming till 

 April or even May. I used to call the pretty snow 



* Chickadee of the Americans — Parus atricapttlus. 



