16 BIRD STORIES FROM BURROUGHS 



drink them in ! The first utterance, and the spell 

 of winter is thoroughly broken, and the remem- 

 brance of it afar off. 



One of the most graceful of warriors is the 

 robin. I know few prettier sights than two males 

 challenging and curveting about each other upon 

 the grass in early spring. Their attentions to each 

 other are so courteous and restrained. In alter- 

 nate curves and graceful sallies, they pursue and 

 circumvent each other. First one hops a few feet, 

 then the other, each one standing erect in true 

 military style while his fellow passes him and de- 

 scribes the segment of an ellipse about him, both 

 uttering the while a fine complacent warble in a 

 high but suppressed key. Are they lovers or en- 

 emies? the beholder wonders, until they make 

 a spring and are beak to beak in the twinkling 

 of an eye, and perhaps mount a few feet into 

 the air, but rarely actually deliver blows upon 

 each other. Every thrust is parried, every move- 

 ment met. They follow each other with dignified 

 composure about the fields or lawn, into trees and 

 upon the ground, with plumage slightly spread, 

 breasts glowing, their lisping, shrill war-song just 

 audible. It forms on the whole the most civil and 

 high-bred tilt to be witnessed during the season. 



In the latter half of April, we pass through 

 what I call the " robin racket," — trains of three 



