WAKE-ROBIN 
I 
THE RETURN OF THE BIRDS 
PRING in our northern climate may fairly be 
said to extend from the middle of March to the 
middle of June. At least, the vernal tide continues 
to rise until the latter date, and it is not till-after 
the summer solstice that the shoots and twigs begin 
to harden and turn to wood, or the grass to lose 
any of its freshness and succulency. ° 
It is this period that marks the‘ return of the’ 
birds, — one or two of the more hardy or half-domes- 
ticated species, like the song sparrow and the blue- 
bird, usually arriving in March, while the rarer and 
more brilliant wood-birds bring up the procession in 
June. But each stage of the advancing season 
gives prominence to certain species, as to certain 
flowers. The dandelion tells me when to look for 
the swallow, the dogtooth violet when to expect 
the wood-thrush, and when I have found the wake- 
robin in bloom I know the season is fairly inaugu- 
rated. With me this flower is associated, not 
merely with the awakening of Robin, for he has 
