70 PEARLS AND PEBBLES. 



of the species. Its familiar, friendly habits distinguish 



this innocent little bird from any of the rest of the many 



sparrows that visit us during the breeding season, and 



we hail its arrival as among the earliest harbingers of 



spring. 



" They tell ua that winter, cold winter, is past, 

 And spring, lovely spring, is arriving at last." 



This tiny visitor comes before the swallow ventures to 

 try her arrowy wings in the capricious air of our April 

 weather. In bright sunny March days, while the snow 

 is yet on the ground, its pleasant little note is heard, 

 and it is often seen in company with the juncos, with 

 which it associates in a friendly manner, the , flocks 

 mingling together in common, picking up seeds that lie 

 scattered on the surface of the snow. 



They are of wide distribution, being found all through 

 eastern North America, beyond the Rocky Mountains 

 westward, and even as far northerly as the Great Slave 

 Lake. Its nest is simply constructed of fine dried 

 grass, a few root fibres, cow's hair, and maybe a feather 

 or two, built in some low bush near the ground. The 

 eggs are a pale bluish green, three or four in number. 



Another welcome friend is the Canadian Robin* as 

 he is commonly called ; but he is only an immigrant. A 

 few venture to winter with us, hidden, as we suppose, 

 under the covert of the thick forest, but they are seldom 

 seen. 



* The American Robin— Merula Migratoria (Linn.). 



